Chapter 4: The Fall Harvest Festival—Part 1

Despite the fact that she went to bed at after midnight, Anna woke the next morning with a full burst of energy, and she was well prepared to put it to good use. She had left the balcony doors open all night, and the morning breeze played with her drapes. The outside air felt wonderful to cool down the bedroom.

With a beaming smile on her face, she sat up in bed and stretched. Her first full day to spend in this new kingdom. And there wouldn't be a moment wasted.

And then her stomach growled, and her hand went to cover it. Her later arrival the night before forced her to miss dinner, and her small meal on her vessel only held her over so far. If she hurried, there was a good chance she could make it in time for breakfast.

As she bound from her bed and gathered her clothes, she mentally went over her plans for the day. She had no festival engagements yet. Per her promise to Elsa, she was going to meet with the Rheland ambassador, but that was for the following day. All she had cemented was a personal tour of the city of Oskberg, with Prince Oscar as her guide.

By the time she made it into the informal dining room for breakfast, there were only a few guests dining. The ambassador from Armensgrad being one of them, having just arrived early that morning. Their kingdom's rocky relation with Arendelle made breakfast between him and Anna a tad uncomfortable, at least at first. It wasn't long before the two of them were the only ones left in the dining room, and the awkward silence began to drive Anna crazy. Taking a risk, she initiated polite conversation with the man, and discovered he was a rather pleasant individual. She made sure to keep their subjects about themselves and not so much their kingdoms, especially not about her sister, Elsa. She remembered back during the coronation how the other representative from Armensgrad was particularly vindictive towards the queen, and she wasn't sure where this man's opinions stood. Nevertheless, by the time breakfast was over, she was surprised when Sir Alsby asked to meet with her to chat again. The thought excited her, and she eagerly agreed. Perhaps there was a chance for Arendelle to regain a lost ally.

When she left the dining room, she was surprised that she hadn't run into Oscar yet. Last night he expressed so much eagerness to show her around the city that she half expected to see him camped outside her bedroom, or to suddenly appear while she was eating.

Well, he's not here yet, so I think I'll enjoy some time to myself. Maybe I'll compose a letter to Elsa and let her know I arrived safely.

One quick detour back to her room for some supplies and she was back in the corridor, heading for the stairwell leading to the enclosed garden. Since it was dark when she arrived, she didn't get much opportunity to see much of the outdoor landscape. One of her favorite pastimes back home was sitting in the south garden—one her mother designed—she would sit there for hours reading books and watching the ducks and their ducklings roaming and swimming about in the ponds.

A smile began to form across her face as she made it to the bottom of the stairs. The door leading outside was just ahead. She couldn't wait to enjoy the fresh air surrounded by colorful autumn blooms. Eagerly, she reached for the doorknob and just as her fingers grasped the latch, it immediately turned, and the door swung open from the outside. Before she could react further, the person entering knocked right into her, sending her backwards onto the floor, her supplies scattering around her.

"H-Hey!" Anna gasped as she hit the stone floor. Luckily, she managed to splay her arms out to soften her landing. She sat for a moment with her gaze at the floor to let the shock of her fall wear off.

"O-oh! I'm, I'm so sorry. Are you hur—" There was a gasp and an uncomfortable pause, "A-Anna?"

"No…" She sighed, "I'm okay…" She started to move to get up and then suddenly froze in place. That voice; it was familiar. Too familiar. It couldn't be…. Her eyes moved slowly, starting with the black boots about a foot away. Then, they made their way up until her blue eyes locked with green ones.

And then her world froze.

H-Hans?!

Shock quickly morphed into anger. Of all the people she could have rammed into, why did it have to be him? Her hands flexed in and out of fists as she took in his appearance. He looked almost exactly as he did when she saw him last—same auburn hair cut, perfectly trimmed sideburns framing an otherwise clean-shaven face. He even dressed similarly, though his ensemble lacked any embroidery representing his home kingdom. The chocolate brown tailcoat was rather plain, and his waistcoat and shirt were different neutral, earthy tones, only standing out with the black cravat around his neck. There was a large notebook in his hands clutched tightly to his chest as if he was using it as an actual shield.

But his eyes…. Those widened green eyes. She recognized and hated them all the same. Those same, alarmed, worried ones that stared her down on that fateful morning three years ago. Those eyes that she became lost in as she took in the handsome stranger for the first time; that shined kindness, caring, and affection; that made her feel safe and secure when she gazed into them in a dimly lit library, when for those brief few minutes, he was the answer to all of her prayers. How dare he look upon her like that now as if nothing were wrong, as if it were that bright morning so long ago, when he was seemingly in awe of meeting the resident princess for the first time.

Her gaze upon him hardened into a glare and she was certain that if she stared any harder, she'd burn a hole right through his head. That innocent look of his would fool her no longer. She knew the horrid truth about him. Deep down, past the dreamy eyes and charming face lay the soul of a monster; one who preyed on her insecurities; one who turned one of the purest forces of nature into a weapon; one who filled her heart with so much hope and light only to shatter it into a thousand pieces. His heart was blacker than coal. How could he possibly be anything else? He abandoned and left her to die without a second thought. He betrayed not only her trust, but that of her entire kingdom. Worst of all, he tried—and nearly succeeded—to murder her sister, the queen, just to play a hero and usurp the throne.

"You…" She hissed briefly, pulling herself from her inner fury to address him. Her mind was spinning. The very nature of this reunion brought on a sickening sense of déjà vu. Even the apology he offered was word for word what he said before. There was no mistaking it. That morning's event was forever burned into her memory.

"What on earth are you doing here?" She demanded, shifting onto her knees in an effort to get back to her feet.

"I-I'm here for the festival." He replied quietly while watching her struggle to stand. "Here, let me help." Tucking his notebook under one arm, he reached out to gently take her arms and help her rise.

He dared touch her, and it threw her into a frenzy. "Get off!" Anna said sharply and violently wrenched her arm free. Her hand had formed into a fist as she freed herself and when it raised upwards, he immediately backed away and raised his arms up in an effort to protect his face. His sudden, fearful recoil gave her pause.

He… thinks I'm going to strike him? Hmmph. Maybe I should. I'm sure he deserves it.

"Please, Princess. I mean you no harm." Once again, Hans answered in that quiet voice that seemed foreign to her. He kept his gaze downwards, and that's when he noticed her belongings all over the floor, and he knelt to pick them up.

"Don't you?" She snapped, eyeing him skeptically.

Hans only shook his head as he stood back up. "It's uh…" he seemed to struggle choosing what to say, "it's nice to see you again." He held out his full hands to her, "You're looking well."

"… Thanks." She replied shortly, answering more for him picking up her writing instruments than for his feeble attempts at polite small talk. He could put on all the airs and graces that he wanted. She certainly had no interest in indulging him. "Though, I can't say I share the same sentiment." Anna held her head high. I'm surprised they even let you come here, after everything you've—"

Hans let out a defeated sigh and his shoulders slumped a little. "—it was three years ago, Anna—"

"Princess Anna." She interrupted. He did not deserve to be on a casual first name basis with her anymore.

Another sigh and he looked away.

"The years mean nothing," she bristled. "Time doesn't heal everything."

"I…" he stopped himself and for a brief moment his eyes met hers again. Whatever it was he was going to say, he couldn't bring himself to let it out. Moving the notebook back to his front, he bowed his head, "Well. I-I should go." He nodded to her parchment and pen. "I can see you have s-something more important to attend to." Hans straightened and gave one last courteous nod. "I'm sorry again, for knocking you down, An—" He caught himself from saying her name, "Princess Anna." Without giving her the chance to respond, he scurried past her and dashed upstairs.

Anna watched him run off, staring upwards at the stairwell until she heard the door to an upper corridor open and close. Hans was gone.

Good riddance. She huffed silently as she finally made it outside. The sun was shining. The birds were chirping. All that was needed was for her to pick a comfortable place to settle and let the pleasant sounds of nature keep her calm and grounded. Then she could write her letter to Elsa.

She found a comfortable bench near the fountain and sat down. Gathering her parchment and pen in hand, she kept it hovering a few inches from the page. It wasn't that she couldn't come up with anything to write home about—if anything, the last five minutes gave her plenty of venting material.

She just… couldn't.

Anna found herself glancing back towards the castle entrance where she ran into Hans. That brief encounter brought forth so many questions. What was he doing here? How was he even -allowed- to be here? Anna thought back to her discussions with Elsa regarding the trip. She certainly would have remembered if her sister mentioned that Hans of all people were going to be attending the festival events. Not only that, she was even more certain that Elsa wouldn't even have allowed her to come at all if she knew the truth.

Elsa would never put me in danger like this—to spend what's supposed to be a fun festive event with her attempted murderer.

The more she thought about it, though, the more uneasy she became. Real or otherwise, she had seen two sides to Hans in the past: charming gentlemanly, caring and supportive; cold, ruthless, deceptive and deadly. He was so good at manipulating others, herself included. When she first laid eyes on him today, she expected him to act in either of those ways. But he didn't.

What's he playing at? She wondered. He didn't seem at all like himself. Quiet, reserved, nervous. She's never seen him behave like that before. He… she suddenly remembered when she stood up in the corridor, he thought I was going to hit him. Which, I guess, is fair. It wouldn't have been the first time my fist collided with his face. But he recoiled back. Was he really afraid of me? That doesn't sound like Hans either.

With a sigh, she momentarily capped her pen and laid it down flat on her parchment. The brief conversation played back in her mind, and a small part of her was feeling the slightest bit of guilt for how she treated him. The meeting was just another accident. He apologized, tried to help, and she only snapped at him. Maybe she should have been a bit nicer. He only asked how she was, after all….

Ugh. Anna, get a hold of yourself. This is Hans. He was probably pulling the innocent routine just to get on your good side. You can't let him get into your head. No matter what he says or does, he cannot be trusted.

Anna closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths. Just forget about Hans and write your letter. Elsa is way more important.

The cap came back off, and she dipped the pen into her ink, brought it back to her parchment and began to write.

Dear Elsa,

Once again, the writing stopped. Anna let out a frustrated groan. Now that she bothered to think about Hans, she couldn't think of anything or anyone else. Sure, he was gone now, but how many more times would they run into each other? Seeing him for those few minutes was long enough to last her the entire trip. She could always try avoiding him. And should she share in some of the same activities, she didn't have to talk to him, with the few exceptions of basic manners of pleases, thank you's, excuse me's….

"Ah! There you are!" A jolly voice sounded suddenly behind her, and she nearly jumped off the bench in shock.

"Prince Oscar!" Her hands moved to her chest right over her heart. It was beating fast. "You startled me!"

"My sincerest apologies," he offered with a smile and leaned over the back of the bench. "I've been looking for you."

Anna's cheeks turned pink. "I had a free morning, so I thought I'd write a quick letter to Elsa. Y'know, let her know the journey went."

"That's thoughtful." He nodded and peered over her shoulder to see what she had written. "There's nothing there."

"I know." She replied quickly and thought fast to come up with a good reason. "I've… only just started."

"Ah." He said. "Shall I leave you in the meantime, then? We can have our tour later today."

She bit her lip and glanced down at the blank paper. There was a good chance that if he left her alone, her mind would start racing again and then nothing would get accomplished. Or worse, Hans could come back.

"No." She answered and gathered her things. "I can write this later. Besides, it'll give me something else to write home about."

"You've gotten awfully quiet, my dear," Oscar said as the pair left the ancient St. Maria Cathedral in the center of Oskberg. "I do hope I'm not boring you."

"Oh! N-not at all." Anna quickly waved her hands about to try and reassure him. "I suppose there's just a lot on my mind today."

"All pleasant things, I hope." He replied and offered his arm to her, "I'd hate to see you in a sour state while you're here to enjoy the festival."

Anna's arm peeked out from under her cloak and looped around his, and she allowed him to pull her a little loser to his side. "Oh, I will. I've been looking forward to this event ever since the formal invitation arrived. I promise I'll have a grand ol' time. It's just…" she debated whether or not she should tell Oscar. She wasn't super close to him, but they were indeed friends, having shared written correspondence before their few meetings face to face. And she did enjoy his company. "…I had an unexpected encounter this morning. It's throwing me off."

"Care to talk about it?" He inquired. When she shot him an unsure look, he elaborated further, "it might help you feel better, to get this weight off of your chest."

I suppose I did set myself up for that… She frowned and sighed quietly. "I saw Prince Hans today."

"Prince Hans of the Southern Isles?" Oscar asked with innocent curiosity in his tone.

"Yes, him." Anna bit her lip. "You see… we were, well… we have a history."

"Ah," Oscar nodded, "I remember now. You two were betrothed, were you not?"

"We were engaged…" Anna purposefully left off the fact that her arrangement with Hans only lasted at most three days. It was becoming obvious to her that while Oscar and his family knew the basic facts of what transpired in Arendelle, they weren't privy to Hans' true actions and motives. After all, he was invited to attend the festival on good faith. As much as she personally hated the Southern Isles prince, she felt it would be wrong to share very personal aspects their relationship—especially if it meant trouble for him while he was here. The subject of Hans was touchy for her, for various conflicting reasons—none which Oscar really needed to hear.

"But no longer." He deduced, stopping them at a nearby flower cart and reaching into the pocket of his greatcoat for his coins. "I met the man yesterday and offered our official greetings to the kingdom. He seemed like a very reserved individual. Very polite—" he caught her trying to hide a scoff and one of his brows quirked upwards. "What a shame that he let a treasure such as yourself go."

Anna pressed her lips together in an effort to keep herself from saying something she would regret. A thought came to her then. If Oscar spoke to Hans, then perhaps she could get some form of information from him. Though what exactly, she wasn't entirely sure. After all, she had no idea what two gentlemen found to talk about.

Gentlemen…. As if Hans could really be considered one….

"Oh?" She began with forced curiosity. "And what did Hans have to say?"

Oscar took his time responding, momentarily preoccupied by selecting a few colorful blooms. "I'll admit the conversation was rather short. I mostly just wanted to see who the man was. Unlike others I've met, he didn't try fishing for compliments or boasting. Overall, he seemed rather downcast." He glanced briefly to her, "much like you are right now." She didn't respond to his baited statement, so he led into it on his own. " I can't help but wonder what happened between you."

Anna's gaze drifted downward, and her fingers fidgeted with the hem of her cloak. There were plenty of things she could say in response. All of them would bring up the unpleasant memories she worked hard to bury over the last three years. "He broke my heart." She finally replied, "he wasn't the man I thought he was."

"I'm sorry." Oscar replied sympathetically and handed the woman running the flower cart his payment. "It's a terrible tragedy to be betrayed by love."

Betray…. Did he choose that specific word purely by coincidence, or was he indeed privy to the Arendelle events?

"It was three years ago, Oscar. It hurt for a while, but I moved on after a time." She sighed sadly, still refusing to look at the prince. "It was just a blight in my past, and I put it behind me. Out of sight, out of mind."

"Until this morning."

Anna nodded.

"Well, I clearly don't know the full extent of your history with this man, but it must have been strong to make such feelings come bubbling back to the surface."

Glancing to the side, she spotted an empty bench along the edge of the cobblestone street, and she took a seat. Oscar followed and sat down beside her.

"Are there still feelings towards him?"

"Hurt and anger, mostly." She desperately wanted to change the subject. Her eyes landed on the small hand-picked bunch of lilies and carnations in his hand. "Those are pretty."

With an encouraging smile growing across his face, he offered the small bouquet to her. "Pretty, yes. But they pale in comparison to your fair beauty."

Anna felt her cheeks redden and she shook her head, "Flatterer. You're just saying that to make me feel better."

"No. The flowers are to make you feel better. My words are merely the truth." Taking a deep breath, he turned his body to face her. "This unpleasantness won't become an issue, will it?"

"I think…" she began, shaking her head, "I think I'll be alright. I mean, I'll be here for a month. I'm sure I can find ways to avoid Hans."

"I believe I can assist with that." In a daring move, Oscar placed his hand over hers. "I for one would enjoy spending more time with you, festival or not."

Once again, he offered her the flowers and this time she felt compelled to take them and brought them to her nose to smell. "You're a good man, Oscar. I'd like that very much-" She paused, suddenly feeling the need to specify further, "-as friends." Her clarification caught him a bit off guard. Maybe that wasn't how he wished to spend their shared time, but it would have to do.

"Of course."

Now it was her turn to squeeze his hand. "I think I know what you had in mind. I-I'm flattered by your interest in me. And I do enjoy spending time with you and look forward to more later on as the month goes on. It's just… don't think I'm ready to be courted right now."

Oscar nodded slowly, thoughtfully. His thumb rubbed gently over her skin. "Would you be… open to the possibility?"

She giggled quietly. "You mean, would I change my mind?" Anna pursed her lips and smiled to him. "Maybe. But I offer no promises." Then, with a push, she stood up from the bench and offered him her free hand. "C'mon. The sun is still up. I think there's still plenty more of this city to see."

The Harvest Festival was now officially underway. Oskberg and the surrounding smaller villages were decorated, and tents were set up for the various activities and events to take place throughout the month.

At the castle, the royal family had gathered participating guests outside to the courtyard. Today they were hosting tours through the farm country surrounding the outskirts of Oskberg. To manage the group, the royals were going to divide to cover more land. King Wilhelm, Queen Helene, and Prince Oscar and Princess Josephine together were each taking a group.

Anna was a bit nervous at first. Since her arrival, this was the first chance that she would potentially have to spend time in Hans' company. Since her return from her city tour with the crowned prince days ago, she had tried hard to avoid Hans. At dinner, when he was in attendance, she sat at the far opposite end. When Hans was out in the garden, she went to the library. But now, they both stood in the crowd, and there would be a good chance that they'd end up in the same group. It certainly would not reflect well on her if she rudely ignored him in front of others.

She could see him in the crowd. He wasn't standing that far from her, but he was further to the front of the group. He stood by Queen Charlotte. Most likely, the path Charlotte took, he would take too. Anna waited for him to make the first move. She had no real preference to which group she chose, so long as he wasn't in it.

The crowd began dispersing, and Anna felt a bit silly to still be standing in place. Many of the older visiting monarchs gravitated to King Wilhelm, and his gathering was the first to leave. Carriages pulled up to the steps, and they soon departed to the northern region.

O-okay. So… Queen Helene, or Oscar and Josephine….

Then Queen Charlotte moved, approaching the Rheland queen with a friendly embrace. But Hans seemed hesitant to follow. He was looking around the remaining crowd, his eyes moving back and forth between the queen and her son.

He's weighing his options. Maybe he doesn't want to go with the queens….

Then his eyes landed on hers for a brief moment, and he bit into his lip. In response, she shook her head at him, denying him… whatever it was he was silently asking her.

…or, maybe he's doing exactly what I'm doing….

"Hans?" Charlotte called to him, "You don't have to come with me if you don't want to."

"I-I know." Hans said, and glanced back to Anna, silently waiting for her cue.

"Anna!" Oscar called to her with an outstretched hand. "Would you like to join us?"

Part of her would have loved to go with the queens. She hadn't gotten much chance to speak with Charlotte without Hans being nearby. But, for whatever reason, Hans seemed hesitant to join Oscar and Josephine.

Well… as I say to Elsa, you snooze you lose! With a smile on her face, she descended the last few steps and stood beside the prince. That seemed all of the motivation Hans needed. She wasn't looking directly at him, but in the corners of her vision, she could see him shuffle his way to Charlotte and Queen Helene.

"Well then!" Helene clasped her hands together with excitement. "Now that it's all settled, let's get going!" She turned to the awaiting coachmen at her carriage and her group started to board their rides.

"Mama, wait!" Princess Josephine said suddenly. Gathering her skirts, she suddenly broke away from her brother's side and dashed to her mother. "May I join you instead?"

Anna didn't anticipate the princess abandoning them. Their group was mostly the younger guests closer to her and the princess' age. She figured being around them would be far more exciting. And then she saw Josephine smile sweetly at Hans and immediately knew why she bailed. So, the princess fancied him. Anna made a mental note to warn her new friend once they all returned to the castle. Still, she did get some satisfaction at the uncomfortable expression on Hans' face. It was subtle, but it was definitely there. And it got bigger when he shot one last look her way before his carriage pulled out of the courtyard.

Her own carriage left a few moments later, and Anna's excitement grew. The roads throughout the countryside were a bit on the bumpy side, but she didn't care—at least for the moment. No doubt later in the evening her body would be sore. She rode with Prince Oscar and the Osterheim representative. The men were engaged in conversation, and while she contributed every so often, she was more preoccupied with the scenery around them. She enjoyed the sights of open fields and farmland. A pleasant change from the fjords and large mountain ranges of Arendelle.

Glicker Farm was one of the larger farms to the south of Oskberg. It took the carriage about thirty minutes to arrive, and Anna was eager to get out and stretch. Oscar laughed at her when she practically bound from her seat.

"Oh, stop!" Anna made a face as she stretched her arms out over her head. "I was all cramped up! Weren't you?"

"No, I'm perfectly fine." He smirked and glanced around them. The group had congregated at the gravel path leading to the farmhouse. Farmer and Frau Glicker had come outside to welcome the guests. "Ready to have some fun?"

Anna smiled and nodded enthusiastically.

Frau Glicker smiled warmly and opened her arms out to address the group. "We've got a real treat in store for you today." She turned slightly and gestured to her husband. "This is Wilbur, and I'm Anette. Welcome to our farm."

"Your highness." Wilbur stood straight and bowed his head in respect when Oscar approached with Anna. "Thank you for choosing our humble land."

"Not at all. It's our pleasure." Oscar smiled.

"Now come along everyone!" Anette waved the group forward. "I've made up some refreshments for you to start. I'm sure you could use it after your journey here."

There was a large table set up outside the barn with beverages and plates of baked goods. Different varieties of cider and fresh pumpkin bread and muffins. Anna's taste buds were in a state of bliss. The apple cider was delightfully tangy, and the bread was fresh and moist. There were plenty of surplus snacks left after everyone got their sampling, and she was tempted to take second and third helpings.

The Glickers led their guests on a wagon ride through the different areas of the farm, seeing everything from raspberries and apples to pumpkins and squash. There were more samplings along the way, and Anna was sure by the end that she wouldn't need to eat her next meal. With every stop they took, everyone was able to stretch out and pick enough to fill a crate-worth to take back to Oskberg.

"So… why is all of this coming back to the castle?" Anna asked Oscar as they walked through the edges of the pumpkin patch back towards the waiting carriage. "Isn't there enough food stocked already?"

"There's going to be a contest later this week involving our three head cooks. That's why we divided into groups and hit three different farms." Oscar replied.

"What's the contest then? Who can make the best dish?"

"Something like that." Oscar explained. "Each farm visited today grows roughly the same types of vegetation. Pies will be made from the apples, berries, and pumpkins that we've picked, and you all will be blind-taste-testing them to determine which harvest was the best. The Glickers, the Shultzs, and the Bowens each have their own recipes that they will help their representing cook prepare."

"What's the winner receive?"

"The winning farm will have the majority of their crops used for our exports to your home, Arendelle, and our other trading partners for the upcoming round of seasons, and in return, they will receive a significant portion of the profits. We tend to rotate which farms service our exports every year so it's fair for everyone. But with the festival revival this year, we thought we'd make the decision process a bit more interesting—and fun for everyone. It's not often that these people have royalty and dignitaries on their land. It's their chance to show off all of their hard work all year round."

"That's a wonderful thing to do." Anna smiled. "So, if the Glickers win this year, are they allowed to compete in next year's festival?"

"Of course, if they choose to." Oscar smiled. "Everyone gets a fair chance, and it may encourage their neighbors to come up with new recipes and ways of growing if it means obtaining that coveted prize Still, it's all healthy and fun competition. There are no real losers here. Everyone's hard work is appreciated, and everyone else's harvests will still help feed our own citizens and our neighbors, just as they always have. In some cases, they work the hardest and are the most overlooked. Putting our farmers in the spotlight for the festival is merely another way we are giving back to the communities. We pride ourselves with having that strong sense of unity between the classes. No one is better than another, and we all rely on our kin to keep Rheland prosperous."

"I can see now why this entire festival is packed with food." Anna replied with a grin. "But it can't all be apples and pies and cider. What else do you have in store, hmm?"

"Well, Princess Anna…" Oscar offered his arm and she eagerly took it. "You'll just have to wait and see."