A howl of a night beast errupted through the night. Hans sat in the carriage on his way to the castle. He was as nervous as he seemed. He was wearing a very formal attire, dressed in the best of clothes for the festivity of princess Anna and her husband. He wore a fitted dark blue coat underlayered by a black shirt and a red bow. He wore dark blue pants and long black boots. He wore his admiral sash proudly, displaying the many honors he had achieved. Princess Anna had quite the taste for luxury, she demanded that her guests be dressed in only the finest clothes. At least that's what the council had said she'd said.
Gretel sat quietly at the side of her father, she was also dressed in blue. She had chosen the dress for the evening. It was a blue dress with long lace sleeves. She was wearing a red hood to accompany the dress and her hair was slicked back tightly in an elegant little bun.
Her eyes were glued to Kai, her mothers butler. A man she had just met a few days ago, but had come to appreciate. She did not know what was happening. She could not understand much of the things they were going on, she did not understand why they were sneaking into the castle. One thing did boggle her mind though, why had her mother hid away that she existed?
It saddened her to think that.
"Princess Gretel, everything will be fine. It's a surprise for your aunt princess Anna, it's all." Kai looked reassuringly towards the young child who was looking rather confused, and with a smile he nodded.
"Elsa... She has not told anyone about me?" She was saddened at the idea of her mother not wanting anyone to know.
"Gretel," Hans looked to her with soft eyes. "Queen Elsa has gone through many things... She's just having trouble... All of this was an accident."
Gretels heart raced, "an accident?"
Kai's eyes went wide, he could see her staring at her hands and how those words haunted the child.
"No child, everything is alright, queen Elsa... It was an accident that she had not told anyone." He smiled towards the child who nodded and faced the floor of the carriage.
The butlers eyes hardened towards Hans and Hans couldn't help but feel guilt. He felt he should have chose better words towards his daughter.
"After you show yourself to your aunt, princess Anna, everyone will know that you are the princess, and queen Elsa will... Gretel?" Kai looked towards the child who nodded with silent tears in her eyes. "Don't be afraid. Everything will be ok."
Hans heart clenched suddenly and he shook his head, "Kai, I think we're putting too much pressure on Gretel, she's nothing but a child."
"That CHILD, is heir to the throne." Kai retorted with slight irritation. "My soul will not rest until everyone knows of her."
The prince shook his head, he could hear Matthew from the outside of the carriage as he almost hummed when he spoke the faint words of "we're here". Gretel closed her eyes and the words echoed thorough her head. Hans stared at her and turned to Kai.
"Kai, we cannot do this. She has never displayed her powers, and when she gets frightened her powers go away."
"If anything goes beyond the plan, prince Hans, I will personally see to your daughters saftey. However..." Kai looked to the young girl and how her eyes looked scared.
Hans closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. He would do anything for her to be recognized as what she was to Arendelle. If that was the last thing he did, then it wouldn't matter to him.
"Papa, I want to go home... I want to see grandmother History... It's ok if queen Elsa doesn't want me... I just want to be with you, I just want to go home." Gretel suddenly began to sob, and Hans heart clenched. "I don't want to be the heiress to Arendelle anymore!" She cried and clung onto his coat, "I don't want Elsa to be my mama anymore!"
Kai simply blinked, his heart growing sad, what have you done queen Elsa? He stirred slightly in his seat as the carriage began to slow in pace.
Maybe it was true that there was too much on the child's shoulders. However, there was no going back now. They were on castle grounds, they would have to stay unseen for a whole day, no carriage arrived once and left that same moment.
The carriage came to an abrupt stop and they could hear as Matthew unmounted and as he walked on over towards the door of the carriage. They were to walk on behind the castle gates and go into the the ball room where hundreds of guests would be witnesses to the reality of the queen.
Hans clenched onto his daughters hand and he took in a deep breath. "Gretel, you can do this." He looked into her eyes, his index finger under her chin. "If you want to go home after this, we will go." His heart was racing. "I promise everything will be alright. You won't be hurt, I won't be hurt, your mother won't allow it."
Her big blue eyes were on his but she could not help but tear up. "But what if she... What if she does let the gaurds hurt you, Papa?"
There was a moment of silence from both men and Hans smiled. "Don't worry."
With that said, they unmounted from inside the ride and walked over to the back gate, with slow and steady steps they wandered behind Kai, Hans wore a hood over his head, and his daughter walked alongside him. She was holding onto his hand so tight, as if to reassure that he was still there.
Q He felt like he was in a dream. He felt he would pass out, he felt a thousand different ways. He hoped deep down that queen Elsa would not dissappoint his daughter. This was the last thing he ever would do in order to be with her. He loved her after all. However, he knew when a battle was at a loss, he was not an Admiral for nothing.
Xoxoxo
Anna spun on her heel as she danced the night away in her husband's arms. Elsa was sitting in her throne with a saddened smile on her face. Her councilmen had neared her already and had let her know that she was to name prince Agnaar her official heir after Kristoff and Anna finished their dance.
There was a heavy feeling in her chest, she knew that she had done wrong.
Her eyes scanned the ballroom, after she had confessed her sins to Kai she had not seen him anymore. It had been three days since she last saw him and that scared her.
"Are you alright, queen Elsa?" Gerda neared the girl with the young prince by her side. "You seem upset."
"Gerda, where is Kai?" She asked suddenly not really paying much mind to her question.
"Kai?" She looked around, "he has been busy lately, but he was here just a few moments ago." Gerda lied, covering for her husband. She was aware of everything, however the Queen's decisions were not for her to judge. She knew of the many things that had happened to the queen. She knew that it was not an easy task for Elsa. Choosing between happiness and the well-being of the kingdom was not to be taken lightly. She also understood that not everything was the queens fault. Most of it was, but not all. She had not known of any royal that had gone through such hardships; things had never been easy for the queen.
"If you see him, please tell him I wish to speak to him."
"Yes, your majesty." Gerda smiled towards the blond queen and then patted prince Agnaar's hair as she made him stand next to his aunt in the throne.
"You will stay here young prince. Her majesty will now name you heir to the crown of Arendelle. So please do not go anywhere."
The young child rolled his head to the left and closed his eyes, his tongue clicking as he did so. "I don't want to be king, I want to harvest ice just like my papa..."
Gerda chuckled slightly and with a twinkle in her eyes replied. "Be careful what you wish for young prince, you just might get it." She smiled towards the child and then looked over to the queen who's eyes were over the ball room.
"Excuse me," she walked away suddenly and Elsa did not have the time to reply to her discharge.
Her heart began to beat fast when finally the song ended and Anna and Kristoff began their way through the impecable floor of the ballroom.
She did not know if she could really do as to name her nephew heir when her daughter existed. Why had she not presented Gretel to her people?
Guinevere walked over to the queen handing her a sword and a goblet for officializing the title and the famous toast afterwards. There was a small nod from Guinevere, then she left the things behind on a small table.
The music stopped and suddenly the room was quiet. Elsa could not see who had walked in so suddenly to make the party so dull excruciatingly fast.
There was no gaurds chasing after them, no one following after them, only Kai and Matthew stood at the side of the two most important people in Elsa's life.
A small child dressed in all blue and a young handsome prince walked through the middle of the ballroom. All eyes were on them. It was so silent that if someone dropped a needle the whole room would hear.
Elsa quickly stood from her throne, and the young prince on her side blinked at the scene, he had never seen the man and the girl before. Anna quickly ran over to her son and moved him behind herself. She was shaking with rage. How dare the thirteenth prince of the Southern Isles show up to her party.
Kristoff quickly walked over towards his wife and held at her hand.
"What are you doing here!?" Anna suddenly shouted, "you are not welcome!"
Hans closed his eyes ignoring the harsh words coming from the princesses mouth, and suddenly kneeled down, facing the the queen. Kai lowered himself as well, and the queen was a loss of words. Matthew kneeled quickly as well, and took the hand of the small girl in his and helped her step forward so she would be ahead of all three men.
"Gretel..." Elsa whispered and tears began to form in her eyes.
"Guards!" Anna quickly shouted, the walls echoing as she yelled.
Hans suddenly stood, and turned to face the crowd of people, giving his back to the queen and princess.
With a deep sigh and a strong chest he began his prepared speach towards the people of Arendelle and neighboring kingdoms.
Queen History began her way through the crowd her chest heaving quickly. "Hans!" She began to scream but it was too late, her eyes were glued to the running gaurds.
"I am prince Hans Westergaaurd, originator of the Southern Isles." He looked around with confidence in his stance, "I have wronged this kingdom, I have wronged the princess, and I have also wronged the queen."
The room was quiet, no one dared say one word.
"Yet here I am once more." He smiled. "Even if the kingdom of Arendelle has forbidden me to do so."
He placed his hands behind his back. "I have done many things to this kingdom, some good some bad." He was angry suddenly.
"However, I believe that at least once... I was a trusted man to the queen herself."
His eyes went to Elsa's. "I must confess to some sins, that the respected queen of Arebdelle and I share."
Anna looked to him as the gaurds finally began to show up.
"This child here... My daughter." He looked to Elsa who was standing there with worry in her eyes. This was all her fault. She had made things get this far.
"Is the rightful heir to the crown!"
There was murmurs amoungst the crowds of people, and the queen shook her head, not denying, but she could not handle those judging eyes.
Anna furrowed her brows. Her eyes glued to her sister. "He's lying!" Her angry eyes went to hand and she began to point an accusing finger."You are nothing but a psychopath, manipulative, horrible person! How could you come and try to make everyone believe you! After all you've done, Hans!?"
Suddenly his face was red with rage and Gretel began to cry. "I want her," he pointed to the queen, "to come here and correct me!" He was trembling with rage now. "She is my wife!"
The councilmen stared in horror as the man accused the queen.
"Come Elsa!" He was screaming now, letting all those years of built up anger finally out. "Come and tell them your my wife. Come and tell them she's our daughter!" Gretel stared as her mother did nothing, it was true then that she wanted no one to know...
"Come and tell them, Elsa! Tell them the truth!" Hans was desperate, the queen would not move, she was just standing there, with her eyes filled with tears. Hans eyes quickly went to Kai and the man had a worried expression on his face.
Elsa closed her eyes tears flowing down her face, her hands wrapped themselves around her body and she looked to the ground.
"He's lying!" Anna began out towards the angry prince, ready to punch at his perfect face again. "He's just trying to get to the crown again!"
Gretel looked up at her aunt and quickly went on behind her father's legs. Anna was scary to her, nothing like her father had ever said she was like. She did not want to hear anything anymore. She was afraid of what was happening. She just wanted to go back home. She did not want Elsa be her mother anymore.
"You are a manipulative, compulsive liar, and you," she readied her fist, "are going to rot in the darkest dungeon in Arendelle!" She lifted her hand and Hans dared to stop her.
Anna yelled suddenly when he caught her hand, and Kristoff quickly jumped in to help her.
"Papa!"
Kai looked out towards the queen who had not moved since Hans began to speak. She was hugging herself her eyes covered by her hands. Do something queen Elsa...
Kristoff removed the angry Anna from the prince, holding her back by her arms. She was angrily twisting in his grasp and her son was about ready to cry as well. "Mama!"
There was gaurds now surrounding prince Hans and they began to pull on the prince, placing chains around his arms. Hans pushed Gretel away and the child did not know what to do, she stood there afraid of the scene, screaming out her, "don't hurt him!" As she cried.
Matthew tried to fight off the gaurds but was quickly arrested himself, he received a blow to his head and soon he was dragged away.
Gretel stared in horror as she knew that the same was to be done to her father. She shook her head crying, screaming, "I want to go home! Papa!"
"Gretel!" Hans fought at the gaurds, his eyes wild towards her, "show them!"
The people were silent. Except for the queen of the Southern Isles as she ran desperately through the crowd trying to reach her granddaughter and son.
Elsa looked up suddenly. Her sight greeted by her crying child. She had let things get too far, and these were the consequences.
Her child terrified tried to move her little hands desperate for something, a flury, snow anything, but nothing came about.
"You can do this Gretel! Show them!" Hans yelled once more towards his small girl and suddenly there was a loud thump, there was blood and Hans was knocked out cold by the back of a sword, his temple bleeding.
Elsa couldn't take it anymore. Frost covered the walls of the castle, and large spikes threatened everyone in the room.
"Papa!" Gretel screamed as she tried to run after him, Kai holding her back from her waist. "child!"
The whole room was quiet once more.
"Elsa!" Anna screamed out towards her sister, Anna knew that all this commotion would trigger her sister.
"This is all my fault..." Elsa was sobbing. She was tired and confused. She was at fault.
"Gretel..." She called out to her daughter and the small girl clung onto Kai and quickly let go to run to her father. He was being held back from falling by two royal gaurds. One of them Frederick.
"Gretel, come here." Elsa called out to her once more and the child dug her face into her father's coat.
"Leave me alone!" She called out.
Princess Anna's eyes went wide. "Elsa?"
The queen turned to her sister with tears in her eyes, "Anna... I could explain... Everything is a mess..." She held on to her head.
The councilmen stayed quiet behind the throne.
Queen History cried as she finally reached her son. "Hans!?"
The gaurds stared at Anna and she nodded her head. The men quickly laid him on the ground and stepped back so the queen of the Southern Isles could hold her son.
She was angry, she was angry that queen Elsa had made things so difficult for her son. "He loves you like no other... And you-" she faced the younger queen, slowly turning to her son with tears in her eyes; her palm resting on his cheek. "And you do this to him."
Anna shook her head and turned to her sister. "When were you going to tell me!?" Anna closed her eyes, "why did you let me hurt them!?"
There was sudden tears in Anna's eyes. "What happened, Elsa!?"
The colors of the ice went from blue to pink. Elsa ignored her sister and with her head low with shame she began walking over to her husband who was laying in the ground with their daughter snuggled in his chest, crying.
"Stay away, queen Elsa." History threatened. "I will not let you hurt my son ever again." She closed her eyes with tears. "You have hurt him long enough. If he wronged you and your family; he has paid the debt and more!"
Elsa stopped in her tracks and her eyes stared at the older woman.
The crowd of peoples murmurs got to her, and she looked around. She caught sight of Kai who simply shook his head and took in a deep sigh. Be disappointed, she could see it in his eyes. She had let him down. She had let her own daughter down. She did not deserve anything.
"He is not welcome in your kingdom, let me take him! Let me take my granddaughter and my son. You will never hear from them again!" This caught Elsa's attention and her eyes went wide.
Elsa shook her head. All eyes were on her. "I cannot let you take them..." She began her way once more. "I love them."
"If you loved them, then why did you let things get so far!?" History cried and she resched to hold her family.
The queen stepped back and with her head held low she began to walk out of the room. The people stepped out of her way and the frost on the walls began to melt.
"Grandma!" Gretel wailed into her grandmothers breasts. The gaurds turned to the princess and she demanded he be taken away.
Anna could not believe what had just happened, her husband simply held on tight to their son who worriedly stared off at the scene.
"Elsa..."
Kai shook his head. You really don't deserve them queen Elsa.
Xoxoxo
"Why had you not said anything!?" Anna yelled at her sister as she paced around the room. Hans was being watched over by the family doctor in the dungeon, and he would stay there until everything was sorted out. Gretel was away with her grandmother, who had denied Elsa to see her.
The queen was sitting there in a chair her eyes swollen from excess crying, she was pale and distressed. Everyone knew, but no one understood her reasons for hiding everything.
"Elsa, answer me!" She was desperate for a reason behind so much lies. Behind so much pain. "Why did you do this to your own daughter!?" The princess began to cry.
Elsa stared emptily at the ground and cried herself.
"It was... Jet Rhyus!" Elsa suddenly spoke.
"It wasn't Jet Rhyus, Elsa, it was you!" Anna pointed an accusing finger out towards the queen.
"He gave me that potion Anna... I fell in love with Hans."
"Elsa... You have a daughter, isn't she the most important thing in your life!?"
"Anna, I was afriad!"
"Of what!?" She was angry.
"I was afraid of what you would say! I married Hans!"
"And!? I married Kristoff, I did not ask you if you accepted him, Elsa!" She was really angry now, "there are things that one chooses to do, Elsa, just because I don't accept him doesn't mean you have to push your own daughter away... She's my niece, Elsa. Your daughter. The rightful heir to the throne... You were going to keep her a secret!? Forever!?" Her voice broke at the end of her comment, "why!?" She was sad again, "why did you let me hurt them... If they are what you ñove the most!?"
Elsa was in tears, she had thought her sister would think differently. "I was afraid..."
"You hurt your daughter, you hurt the most precious gift god could give any woman." She was angry again, "fix this. Now!"
"How!?"
Anna stared at the queen with disappointed eyes and she shook her head. "I don't know how you're going to fix this, Elsa, but you are going to."
Xoxoxo