James packed the final load of firewood. His big arms tired of working all day.
Though Amos was a good lad, he was slightly slower at work, and Albert his other son-in-law was a little slower than Amos at working. The only one who could keep his pace, out of all the workers he'd ever had, was Berry Van Buren, and he didn't know if he would ever come back to his home.
Shaking his head he fluttered his hands clean and mounted the small carriage, clicking his tongue for the horses to ride.
The snow fell quietly and he admired it's beauty, when calm it was marvelous, when wild, it was dangerous.
He slowly strode back home, ready for a good rest. Chopping wood, and loading was really not an easy task.
He would get home and sleep warm.
Xoxoxo
Hans shivered in the cold. His legs feeling as if frozen. It had been four days that they had been traveling, he and the queen had barely spoken to each other. Exchanging a few words for the sake of the little princess.
She had summoned a carriage and he was riding on the outside, just like before. Except that he would now sleep sitting down, and out in the cold.
Elsa sat behind, her mind racing, with thoughts of her husband, her child, how she was ever going to deny her beautiful baby? The very heiress to the throne. She debated on including them in her life. But there was just no way she could ever even say that prince Hans would, was prince consort... She really couldn't have him there. Now that she had time to think, and go through her mind after the shock had subsided.
There really was no other way, except to give up her daughter, and husband, for the peace of the kingdom. It would scandalous. What would the king and queen of the Southern Isles say? That she had framed their sons death, to later marry him, if anyone was to ever find out his true identity.
Was she going to hide her, 'family' for the sake of the kingdom?
Her eyes lingered on the little princess on her lap. "I can't do this!" Her eyes streamed with tears, and she had no idea what was going to happen. She was afraid.
The carriage suddenly stopped and she heard the prince slip down and his feet crunch the ice under his weight. His footsteps got closer and he opened the door to the carriage.
His lips were purpling and his eyebrows and eyelashes were covered with Frost.
"I know you despise me, but for the love of God..." Mist came from his mouth as he spoke. "Make the cold go away."
When she didn't react he stepped inside the small carriage closing the door behind him, he would try to reheat himself.
She could hear his shivering, and she tried hard to not look his way.
Soon he stopped moving and the pink of his lips returned to him.
He looked strange to her, with his hair light, it was unnatural.
She was tempted to ask him if he was ok, but she bit her tongue, her eyes on him. Had they not been together for almost a whole year, she would be fleeing.
"We're staying here for the night. It will get dangerously cold, and I refuse to sleep outside."
Elsa shook her head, "I'm not asking that of you."
He stood and walked up to her, he lowered himself to her level and grabbed at his daughter, "so if you want otherwise, I advice you to turn down the cold."
There he had those walls up again. He was acting cold and distant, and she really couldn't blame him. He had been tricked into thinking she was in love with him.
She eyed him while he sat, her mind again going crazy, what if Jet had done something... To distance them? With that dagger... With it's green sparks...
She opened her mouth to speak, but there was really no room for speaking, all she could do was look to him.
The prince comfortably snuggled against the small princess, all she did was sleep right now. "You're a real sleeping beauty, aren't you?"
He furrowed his brows then looked to Elsa, who he caught looking their way. "What will we name her?" He furrowed his brows, "if you want to not be a part of my daughter's life, I'll be more than happy to handle her myself. Just don't expect for her to love you..."
"No, I was simply thinking." It hurt her that he could be so cruel as he spoke, because she remembered the loving man he could be.
"What names do you have in mind?"
He looked to his daughter and smiled. "I like Aurora,"
Elsa furrowed her brows and shook her head, "I can not accept that name..."
"What's the reason?"
She shook her head and thought, "Gretel."
He suddenly smiled towards Elsa, and looked lovingly towards his baby, "Princess Gretel Westergaaurd of Arendelle... Welcome to the world."
Elsa blushed as he spoke to their daughter, and she could almost swear a little of that love potion still lingered in her being.
"Princess Gretel... I love it."
Xoxoxo
Anna bit her lip as the royal dove came back, it was a letter received notifying queen Elsa's return.
'we will be arriving by midnight, if all goes well.'
She nearly flipped back in excitement, and she ran quickly across the halls of the castle, running up to the council.
Jack Frost had stayed behind, mostly out of sight, but with the full consent of princess Anna, much to Kristoffs request to make him go, and the council.
"Jack! Jack! Jack!" Anna ran up to the young Duke and she held the letter. "Elsa, she's to arrive tonight!"
She twirled with him and once again ran out towards the meeting room.
She rang the bells and soon the advisors were all present.
"Elsa!" Anna could barely contain herself as she excitedly bounced behind the big table. "She'll be here by midnight!"
The men and women of the council all stood, programing to greet their queen.
"We will be on it princess."
Anna ran out, now heading for the stables where she knew her husband would be.
"Kristoff!" Excitedly she ran towards him, but stopped dead in her tracks when she caught sight of him.
"Elsa is almost here! She'll be here by midnight!"
He nodded his head softly and smiled.
"This means our lives will be back to normal!" She elbowed him, and he gave a smile.
"What's wrong, aren't you happy?"
He nodded eagerly, but his mind went back to that man that was waiting for the queen. "it's Jack Frost..."
Anna furrowed her brows towards him, "I already told you Kristoff, I have nothing to do with him, he's interested in Elsa."
The blonde man nodded, "exactly."
Xoxoxo
Elsa's legs began to shake as soon as she saw the castle through her ice window.
She was afraid to death, and she didn't know why, but she didn't want to get there.
Maybe if she could fake an accident...
She shook her head, and looked to her daughter. Crying she called out to the prince.
Hans stopped the carriage quickly unmounting and running back to his wife and baby.
He saw her in her state and quickly grabbed the baby from her hands and instinctively hugged her, his eyes full of worry.
"What happened!?"
She clung on to him, her nails digging into his shirt. "I can't Hans... I can't do this... I can't go back!"
Her eyes locked in on his. "I can't leave my daughter..."
He looked down to the sleeping princess and closed his eyes.
"Without a father... Your daughter will be a bastard child... They will not give her the throne."
Elsa furrowed her eyebrows, she was so afraid. Afraid of everything. He stepped away from her, and kept his eyes on the baby.
"We will make a quick stop by my home. James will help us."
He handed the baby back to Elsa, and closed the door behind him, changing his coarse to James home.
Xoxoxo
Heidi stared out the window, squinting her eyes as a small figure far away came to sight.
"Father?"
She held her daughter close and worriedly walked on over, in search for the three men in the house, her father, her husband, and her brother in law, Albert.
The three men waited outside in the front porch, expecting the unknown carriage to arrive.
James stood in the middle of the two men. Looking giant in comparison.
The carriage finally arrived, and a tall, blonde man unmounted the steed, wearing important clothes.
There was a smile on his face and excitement "Sir James!"
"At yer service!" The big man toughened up with his head high.
He walked on up and hugged his father figure, almost crying in the process.
James stood stiff but when he recognized his voice he almost began bawling. "BERRY!?"
He patted the blonde man's back, and his two son in laws wrinkled their brows. Amos looking at Hans very confused.
The two men let go of each other, and with watery eyes Hans looked to him.
"What happened to your hair lad?"
Hans shook his head his throat hard, "can we speak in private?"
James looked to the two men be his sides and excused himself.
The two Walker awsy towsrds the carriage and closed the door, leaving the two in-laws confused.
Albert looked towards Amos, "who is he?"
With a sigh Amos shook his head. "A family member... Up to what I know."
They began to walk in the house, Amos with his brows furrowed. He thought Berry would not coming back.
Xoxoxo
James stepped inside the carriage, greeting the queen and his eyes wide when he saw the little princess.
"Another grandchild!" He boomed a laugh, and Elsa closed her eyes in dispair.
"James..." Hans solemnly spoke. "We have a problem."
Elsa's eyes went watery, all her control falling apart.
Suddenly the big man looked towards her worriedly.
"What is the matter Queen Elsa?"
She closed her eyes and then looked to Hans to speak for her. He nodded and turned to his father figure. "The Queen-"
James furrowed his brows, "the Queen, I thought you two were married, lad?"
The prince lowered his head, making James anxious.
"We are... But it was a mistake."
James chuckled, "love is never a mistake lad..." His eyes went over to the queen.
"With all due respect your majesty... Just because he's a farm boy, doesn't make him any less of a man to have in the throne with you."
Hans smiled thankfully, but shook his head.
"It's not because of that James..."
"Then?"
He began his story, obviously hiding his identity.
When he finished his tale James looked to the prince his eyes watery, and shaking his head. "No it can't be lad..."
Elsa began to cry, and handed Hans the baby in her hands.
"You want nothing to do with your daughter!?" James raised his voice towards her, and shook his head angirly.
"Of course I do!" She yelled back angrily, "I just need time... To set things right..." She cried and hugged herself.
"Until she gets things sorted out... And clear her head... Will you allow my daughter and I to stay here?"
James looked disappointed towards the queen. "Yes Berry. Ye an yer family are welcomed here."
Hans nodded towards Elsa, and looked to James.
"I'm sorry Queen Elsa..." James stepped out of the carriage and Hans followed, leaving a crying Elsa to herself. She hugged herself and cried and cried, and cried.
She felt like a coward and defeated, she didn't have the courage to fight for her daughter.
As soon as the two men closed the door to the house a wild blizzard began, the queen ravishing in heartbreak.
Hans walked in and was greeted by the big family, even James wife greeted him warmly.
They stayed in awe, as the baby in his arms began to cry.
"And who is this?" Heidi neared him, and the prince gave her a warm smile.
"Heidi, hello..." She blushed as her name escaped his lips. Amos took in a deep breath, and pulled his lips in a line.
"Berry came a changed man, this baby is his daughter... Her mother is unfortunately not going to be able to watch the her... She is no longer present..."
The family stayed silent, and lowered their heads. "Family, we will help this man, he has helped are economy, it is the least we can do fer em."
Hans eyes watered, he was an emotional wreck, and he sighed.
"I'm sorry for your loss Berry... But we will all help you... I will be like a mother to her." Heidi placed her hand on his his arm, and Amos almost lost control,without anyone noticing he stepped away.
"Thank you."
James nodded and excused Hans from his family. He kissed his daughter many times, and handed her to James wife, who eagerly held her.
He walked out, amazed to see the blaring blizzard.
"Elsa..."
Xoxoxo