Chapter 10: The Plan Comes Together
-Earlier that Morning-
Charlotte shifted slightly in her sleep as she stretched out on the chaise. After Hans left, she had grabbed a throw blanket from the wardrobe drawer and made a makeshift bed for herself. It wasn't the most ideal place to fall asleep, but there was no way she was going to risk getting into a compromising situation with those guards outside.
By the time the sun rose over the horizon, the fire had long gone out. While she slept, there was a soft knock at her door. She didn't hear it. Instead, her hands brought the thick blanket closer to her face as she clung to what little rest she managed to get.
That is, until there was the sound of someone –a man—clearing his throat just off to her side, and a few seconds later, a soft prodding of her shoulder. The physical contact stirred her awake, and for a brief moment, she half expected to see Agatha standing before her with either a breakfast tray in her hands, or merely there with her arms crossed, upset at finding her mistress in such an unconventional sleeping space. That all ended the instant her eyes land on a trio of men. Two guards, and a third dressed in a more decorated suit. The queen recognized him instantly from the party.
"Good morning," Viktor Beker said with a cheerful disposition.
Charlotte let out a gasp and instantly jumped to her feet, the throw blanket falling to the floor. Her eyes narrowed at the intruders in her room as her hands moved about to smoothen down her skirts.
Don't appear weak…. She thought to herself as she stared them down.
"… or perhaps, it's not a good morning." Beker mused with a curious tilt of his head. His eyes scanned her from head to toe—taking in her long honey brown hair partially coming out of her formal updo, to the extreme wrinkles in her ballgown.
"May I ask you something?" Beker eventually added. "Is it customary in your homeland to… sleep in such elaborate formal wear?" He noticed her eyes narrowing at him, but she made no effort to reply. "I can't imagine that being very comfortable—"
"… what are you doing in here?" Charlotte finally asked after growing tired of his eyes probing all over her.
"She speaks!" He chuckled and waved a hand, "Come now. I didn't realize it was a crime for a host to greet his guests in the morning."
There are so many things wrong with that statement that I'm not sure where to begin. She thought and crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm not your guest."
"You are now."
"For how long?"
"As long as it takes."
Her eyebrows raised curiously. "As what takes?"
Beker flashed her a knowing smile and remained silent. Clearly, he had no intention of answering her. Instead, his hands moved to clasp behind his back, and he began to wander the room.
"I don't believe we have been properly introduced," He said after a long break, "What shall we call each other?"
"You already know who I am," She replied, keeping her attention forward. "Your guard dogs came through last night getting all of your information."
"Humor me."
He was unexpectedly right behind her then, and the puff of his exhale put a shiver down her neck. She bent down to retrieve her blanket and draped it around her shoulders like a shawl. "Queen Charlotte of the Southern Isles."
"Queen Charlotte of the Southern Isles…." He repeated as he circled back around towards the cold fireplace. "That's a bit wordy," He mused softly, "We can shorten that, no?"
"…Your Majesty…" Charlotte offered bitterly. His too-calm-smooth demeanor rattled her.
Beker chuckled, "Of course you would offer that. But you see, I'm not one for royal titles. To address you as such would imply your superiority over me, and that of my people. With the current state of affairs, I find that quite unacceptable." After rekindling the fire, he turned back to look at her. She still wasn't glancing in his direction, but at his two guards flanking the bedroom door. "I take it I need no instruction."
"No, Chancellor Beker," She said shortly, "You don't."
"Viktor."
That got her attention and she whirled around to face him with her arms crossed. "I think not." She shot back sternly. "We are not on a first name basis, so don't even toy with calling me by mine. I showed you more respect than you even deserve by using your title. Therefore, I expect you to either return the curtesy, or don't address me at all, and you and your men can simply leave."
"My, my…." He blinked in surprise and took a few steps towards her. "That's rather brash. I am aware you live among a royal household of all men, but I expected more from you in the way of manners."
Charlotte's eyes narrowed and she had to resist the urge to strike him once he was in range. "How dare you! You invade this kingdom, this castle, murder its king, and believe you have the right to lecture me about manners?!" Behind her, she could hear the guards shifting in their positions and she took a deep breath to calm herself. "Was I the first you've barged in on today?"
He tilted his head curiously, "Why does that matter?"
"The other kings, princes, noblemen and diplomats—would you request them to address you by your given name?" She didn't give him a chance to reply, "No, I bet you wouldn't. You said it yourself that you don't care about deference, but that's not true. It only affects you when you're the one having to show the respect. But them? I imagine hearing King Alastor of Malengrad addressing you as his superior gives you quite the power trip."
Beker raised a brow at her, "Go on…" his tone was not as sharp as she expected it to be after her outburst. His calm demeanor gave her pause, and she was getting the impression that she was merely feeding his ego.
"If you don't call them by their first names, don't expect to do it to me, either."
His mouth twisted upwards into a smirk, and one of his hands came up with an open palm facing her, "Peace, my dear. It seems you've got a sharper tongue than I was expecting, Queen Charlotte. Here, I came in anticipating a reserved, soft-spoken woman." His thumb flicked across her cheek. It caused her to yank her head back and retreat a few steps. "You intrigue me. What say… you and I continue this delightful conversation over breakfast?"
Charlotte's fingers fidgeted against the folds in her skirt. His proposal caught her off guard, and she fought to keep her stern composure in place. "Is this a demand or a request?"
"It was the main purpose of my visit, but you may decline if you wish. It is only a request. For now."
The way he emphasized the end didn't sit well with her, but if he was giving her choices, she had better take advantage of them while she still could.
"Then I will politely decline-" She began, and as soon as the words were out of her mouth, she came across an idea. A risky one, but perhaps it would help with information in the long-run, "—I'd rather have my breakfast served here in my room. By Agatha."
"Agatha?"
"Yes. Agatha. My maid." She could hear the sounds of the guards scoffing behind her, and a glance over her shoulder showed the men's attempts at holding in laughter. The notion seemed humorous to Beker as well, as a brief chuckle escaped his lips. Still, Charlotte pressed on, "She is—I assume—still held up in the servant's wing with the others. Unless you've gone and killed them, too—"
"—the castle staff has not been harmed," Beker interrupted, "though it amuses me that you believe they will continue to serve you, when my men and I are their masters. As a prisoner, you are hardly in a position to make demands."
"Oh, so I'm a prisoner, now?" Charlotte crossed her arms over her chest. "Not ten minutes ago, you said I was your guest. Which is it?"
His jaw shifted and his eyes narrowed as he stared her down. Charlotte wasn't sure if he was keeping silent to instill a fear into her, or if he genuinely didn't have an answer.
"Both." Beker finally spoke, "For now, you remain my honored guest—one with extremely limited freedoms, but a guest, nonetheless. You may remain in these comfortable quarters. You will not be harmed. As long as you behave and obey me and my men, you will have nothing to fear. However," he took a menacing step forward, closing some of the gap between them, "should you cause trouble or say…attempt to escape, for example, you will find my nature to be far less accommodating. I'm sorry to say… you aren't exactly starting off with a clean slate."
Charlotte shook her head in disbelief, "I've done nothing!"
"You refused my offer."
She moved to take another step back once he was right in front of her, but she was trapped by the chaise. "You gave me a choice!"
"I did indeed. You have the right to choose—for now ." His hand reached up quickly to cup her chin. He had a firm grip on her, enough that she couldn't wrench away. The move was sudden, and she gasped softly as her eyes locked onto his. For the first time since their conversation began, she lost her brave face.
"Do be careful, my dear. Because I can assure you, choosing wrong does have its share of consequences."
Beker had left soon after, and as the morning progressed, Charlotte was understanding how much weight his threat carried. He gave her the option to refuse a shared meal, but he didn't guarantee her an alternative. Agatha never arrived, nor other servants, nor a guard at her door to deliver a breakfast tray. Her stomach was starting to growl on and off. Would Beker return at noon with a luncheon offer? Would she be forced to starve out until dinner?
Or, perhaps in a twisted turn of events, he would just let his prisoners die of malnourishment.
Doubtful.
As the queen paced in front of the fireplace, she reflected on the morning encounter. Chancellor Beker was not at all what she was expecting. She was anticipating any meetings with her captors to be one of laying down the law, perhaps describing the nature of the situation. Perhaps even some type of interrogation.
Instead, she was prodded awake and invited to breakfast.
Perhaps, she should have gone. Not because she was hungry now, but because it could have given her the chance to learn something. For all she knew, she wasn't the only one given the invitation. Even if Beker himself didn't reveal anything useful, she could have picked up on something from the other guests.
Or, maybe I was the only one invited… she thought. Her fingers drummed idly on the mantle. Viktor Beker was acting rather strangely towards her. His informal demeanor irritated her, and she had a hard time believing that he would address her fellow monarchs in such an intimate way. What made her so special?
Charlotte also noted that he seemed rather calm. Too calm. It left her wondering what transpired last night. When she and Hans parted ways, he was supposed to find Princess Anna and get her to safety. That was certainly no small feat, and it left her wondering if he and Anna were still in the castle somewhere.
"Perhaps he didn't reach her yet…" she thought out loud and tried not to imagine the worst—that Hans could have been caught with or without the Arendelle princess and punished accordingly.
Turning away from the fireplace, she went to the balcony doors and peered through the gap in the curtains. Everything was quiet. From her vantage point, she couldn't see any patrolling guards below, but that didn't mean one wasn't down there.
I have to maintain hope that they made it out safely last night. She turned around and glanced at the clock. It was approaching the ten-o'-clock hour. Beker had left her hours ago. She wasn't certain what his agenda was for the day, but if he bothered to pay her a visit, no doubt he was making rounds to the other confined royals. It would only be a matter of time before Princess Anna was discovered missing.
Heavy groups of footsteps came from the corridor, and the sound of a key fumbling in the lock got her attention. Charlotte glanced over her shoulder just as the door opened. She expected Beker to return, only instead it was Sturgis looking none too pleased.
"Why the Chancellor is making concessions for you, I don't understand." The man sneered, "but… orders are orders."
Charlotte let go of the curtains and watched curiously from the window as Sturgis waved to someone in the hall. Before she could even question what was going on, Agatha was thrust into the room.
"Fifteen minutes." Sturgis said before he stepped out into the hall and closed the door behind him.
"A-Agatha!" Charlotte gasped and rushed over to her to embrace the elder woman. "Are you alright? Are you hurt?"
Agatha returned the hug and then respectfully pulled back. "No, Your Majesty. I'm alright. And you? Have they mistreated you?"
Charlotte shook her head, "No. Unless you count being starved out of breakfast." She bit her lip, "I don't suppose you brought anything to eat…"
"I didn't. They plucked me right out of the servant's hall to come up here. I wasn't even told what for."
"Well," the queen sighed, "I'm glad you're here." She moved to her wardrobe and began pulling out pieces. "I haven't had a safe moment to change. Help me out of this heavy ballgown?"
"Of course!" Agatha came up behind her mistress and began undoing the laces.
"I'm afraid we don't have a lot of time…" Charlotte explained, "with only fifteen minutes, and so much to discuss." She let out a sigh of relief feeling the tight corset loosening, "What's been going on downstairs?"
"Well…" Agatha began quietly, "from last night there wasn't much to tell. We were gathered together and instructed to remain in our rooms for our own safety. And then early morning came, and we were told that if we valued our lives, we would have to serve these soldiers. Even myself, and the other visiting staff. Everyone is being watched downstairs, Milady. We're only permitted to speak if it's related to our duties."
Charlotte stepped out of her dress and reached for a new petticoat. "What about the other servants? Ones like yourself, who came with other kings and diplomats? Have they been allowed to see their employers?"
Agatha shook her head, "N-no. As far as I'm aware, I'm the only one whose been allowed upstairs. I'm not quite sure why that is."
The queen slipped her arms into her blouse as Agatha moved in front of her to button the front closed. Strange, she thought.
"I… I asked for you." Charlotte said suddenly. "I asked for you to bring me something to eat." She shook her head in disbelief. "Perhaps that's the reason…"
"But…why? I—I err, that is, I'm glad I was permitted to see you of course. But why me and no one else?"
Charlotte could only shrug. "Perhaps… perhaps I was the only one to ask." She frowned and rubbed her forehead, "For whatever reason, Chancellor Beker was acting strangely this morning…." She quickly summarized the morning's conversation with her maid, "…I don't know what he wants, but the whole thing leaves me uneasy. He's a strange one. I was led to believe that I was to be punished for my choices, and yet you showed up."
Agatha tilted her head, "Do you think this will be the only time we see each other?"
"I don't know." Charlotte frowned, "And we'll be out of time in a few minutes." Her mind started to race as she scrambled to come up with a plan. "When they take you back downstairs, keep your eyes and ears open," She whispered, "perhaps together, we can—"
Shouting suddenly came from the corridor, and both women's heads turned towards the door. Charlotte expected the door to burst open and Sturgis to come and take Agatha away. Instead, his voice could be heard bellowing orders.
"What do you mean, gone?!"
"—the room is empty—"
"—Find her. NOW."
Agatha quickly covered her mouth. "Goodness! What's happened?" She turned to her mistress, who didn't answer. The maid raised a brow curiously, not quite understanding the immense relief growing on the queen's face. "Y-your Majesty?"
Charlotte pressed her hands to her chest and let out a huge sigh. "Oh Agatha…."
The maid kept her voice low as she took a step closer, "Do you know something, Milady?"
Charlotte smiled. "Only that I think Hans may have bought us some more time together. Taking you away is no longer a priority right now."
"I don't understand…."
"We have to find a way to look after each other, Agatha. To hold out as long as we can. Because now I know there's a winning chance for us after all…."
-The woods, that evening-
Anna leaned her head back against the tree and tried to tug her cloak closed around her better. The sun had long set for the night, and the temperature took a significant drop compared to earlier.
They had been riding for most of the day, and it wasn't until the horse became extremely labored that Hans decided it was best to stop and make camp.
This certainly wasn't how Anna expected to spend the night. They had passed through the outskirts of a town an hour or so earlier, and she expected them to find lodging there. Not at some campfire in the middle of the woods.
At least Hans took advantage of the village to get some produce from one of the fresh markets stands right before they closed for the day. The soldier's rations held them over for most of the afternoon, but the horse still needed fed.
She let out a sigh and tucked her legs up under her skirts. Across from her sat Hans. He was leaning up against the side of the resting horse.
He's certainly got the better deal out of the seating arrangement…. She noticed. He's even closer to the—
"You look cold."
His voice snapped her back to attention and she glanced his way. "A little…" she eventually replied, "it didn't make sense to deny what he could obviously see.
"You can sit over here, y'know. It's closer to the fire."
"No thanks." It took a lot for her to say that. It was warmer where he was sitting but being in such close proximity to him was definitely not something that she was comfortable with. After dealing with Hans and his arms wrapped around her for most of the day, she could really appreciate the extra space.
On top of all of that, this was really the first time since acquiring the horse that there was any sort of downtime. And Hans still had a lot to answer for.
"This isn't about the cold, is it." It was more of an accusation than a question, "you don't trust me."
"You still owe me answers." She shot back and cupped her hands around her mouth. Not even her breath could warm them up much.
"Then by all means, start asking questions."
Anna eyed him carefully as he poked at the fire. That wasn't a comforting combination—Hans and fire—and her mind would often flashback to that frightful moment in her castle library. At least here, there was peace of mind knowing this one wouldn't be extinguished. Not while he needed the warmth, too. There was a lot she wanted to ask. She wondered just how much he would actually tell her.
"How'd you get out?" She asked first, tucking her hands back under her cloak. "Everyone at the ball was confined immediately."
"Is that really important?" Hans asked. "I did. That's what matters."
"It matters to me." She pressed, "and you promised me answers."
He waved a defeated hand and replied with a sigh, "Fine. I wasn't at the ball—"
"—you were. I saw you there—"
"—and I left early." He shifted against the horse. "I didn't feel like being among people. I went back to my room, changed my clothes, and spent the rest of the evening down in the stables."
"You go there a lot." She thought out loud. A bit too loud.
"Yeah, well, horses make better friends than people sometimes."
Why does that sound familiar….
"…naturally when the armies came, they mistook me for a servant, and I wasn't about to correct them. Their ignorance bought me a free escort back to the castle. I got thrown into the servants wing and they took off."
"… that's it?"
Hans shrugged. "Were you expecting a more gallant tale?"
Anna bit her lip, "Well… yeah…. I mean, the way you were acting before… I was envisioning some crazy 'you-against-the-world' battle or something."
He couldn't help but scoff, "No. I spent all night avoiding any and every soldier I came across."
"O-okay…." She frowned. Time to switch tactics. "Then what's going on?"
"How much do you know?"
"Just that Alvanian soldiers took over after killing King Wilhelm. And they're holding everyone hostage."
Hans raised an eyebrow and mirrored her earlier words, "that's it?"
She frowned, "I mean, that's the basics. I take it you're going to be filling me in on everything else."
"Come sit by me and I'll tell you."
Her eyes immediately narrowed. He promised answers. There weren't supposed to be strings attached. And getting chummy with him was not on her to-do list.
"Why should I?" She asked and crossed her arms.
"Because you're freezing over there, and this way I won't have to talk so loud."
"I'd rather not sit next to you."
Hans stared her down for a long time. "You're welcome."
"For what?"
"For getting us out of the castle," he began counting on his fingers, "for not getting us killed. For finding a horse so you didn't have to walk all day—" he tilted his head, "shall I go on?"
Her front immediately softened. "For saving your life" was what he was really getting at. He just took a much wordier approach.
For getting me out of the castle, and every moment after…, she thought. The list could go on and on, and as much as she didn't want to admit it either out loud or to herself, Hans was right. She had been in his sole company since the extreme early hours of the morning, and from the moment he stepped foot into her bedroom, he was doing things for her. Yes, he was aggravating about it—going through her clothes, speaking down to her at times- but as a whole, he did deserve some kind of recognition or gratitude. Just because she didn't like Hans as a man didn't warrant an entire day's worth of rude behavior.
If she really thought hard about it, being stuck with her was probably just as straining for him. And after everything today, if all he really wanted was for her to sit next to him…
I guess I can endure it….
She let out a loud, reluctant sigh and got to her feet. The look she shot him made it clear she was not at all pleased to be guilted into his requests. "Move over," she said quietly, gesturing with her hands. "I won't sit near the horse's rear."
Hans scoffed and rolled his eyes, "for god's sake…" he shuffled a few feet to the left and then casually propped his arms up on his knees.
She plopped down hard on the ground beside him, perhaps too hard. Her sudden push into the horse's side stirred it, and she quickly rubbed against its skin to keep the steed calm. A minute or two later, she turned the other way to look at her companion. Their eyes met, and it too a jarring of her head to signal for Hans to start talking.
As he did with Charlotte the night before, Hans began sharing the details of evening adventure around the castle, from the moment he left the servants wing to what he overheard in the conference room. Only while Charlotte remained calm and quiet during his report, Anna kept interrupting.
"—wait, what?" Anna shook her head, stopping him for the umpteenth time, "But… but why? What has Arendelle done to him? Or the Southern Isles? Or anyone for that matter?"
"Does a madman really need a valid reason to go berserk?"
Her hands gripped the edge of her cloak. "….and here I thought it was just something against King Wilhelm…"
"It may have started out that way, but it certainly won't stop there. From what I gathered; he plans to take down every monarchy in the realm."
"Elsa…" Anna gasped softly, bringing her hands to cover her mouth.
"Yes, even your sister." Hans sighed, "Once Beker and his men completely overtake Rheland and its resources, they're going north. To Arendelle. The Isles. Vallacia. Weselton. No kingdom is really safe."
Anna bit her lip and closed her eyes tight. Her mind flashed to all the times before the trip when Elsa expressed concern over her going alone. About the potential dangers of nearby kingdoms. What would have happened if she didn't attend the festival? Would Arendelle still be in danger? Would Elsa? Beker and his men couldn't use her as a weapon or source of information if she simply stayed home.
I suppose it's too late to wonder now.
"What did that man tell you?" Hans asked, pulling her from her thoughts. "Last night in your room."
"Huh?"
"You know, when they were restraining you."
Her eyes narrowed at him, "how do you know about that? Were you spying on me?"
"Not really. I saw from the hall. Your door was wide open—"
"Wait, what?! You saw them toss me around did nothing?" Her hands formed fists and shook with rage. "Why? Why didn't you put a stop to it?"
"You're serious? Because doing so would have given away my position. My purpose. And if they caught me, how would you expect me to have gotten you out?"
"Hmph." She grumbled. A valid point, as usual.
"Focus. What did the man say?"
She sighed and rubbed her arms. The fire wasn't helping keep her warm, so she stole the saddle blanket from the horse and wrapped it around her shoulders. I suppose, in a way, the threat is less now that I'm out of the castle…
"They want to use Elsa's magic against her. To turn her into the thing she fears most."
He raised a brow. "And that would be?"
"Anna swallowed. "A monster. Making her lose control. Making her snap…" she trailed off and looked away uncomfortably. His question was genuine and honest but sharing information on how to potentially take down her magical sister didn't sit well. Perhaps later, when she trusted Hans better, it would be easier.
Or if. Three years may have gone by, but history couldn't be forgotten.
"So…" she eventually picked up again, "what now?"
Hans looked at her briefly. "We get you back to Arendelle. Hopefully before Beker and his men start the next stage of their plans." He cleared his throat, "the sooner news can spread of that man's agenda, the better chance we have of stopping him before too many kingdoms suffer Rheland's fate."
Anna nodded. "May I ask you something?" She didn't wait for him to reply, "Why me? Couldn't you have easily bailed out on your own or with your queen, and made a run for your homeland? The Southern Isles are a lot closer than Arendelle—" she frowned, "and we don't exactly see eye to eye, if you haven't noticed—"
He couldn't help but snort. "No kidding. Sometimes I think dealing with the Alvanians would be easier than you—" he winced at being elbowed in the side, "the plan was to leave with Charlotte. She was my real priority—after all, I promised my brother I'd look after her. But…"
"Clearly plans changed…" Anna mumbled to herself.
"Charlotte refused to leave." Hans said, staring off towards the fire. "She claimed she was too high profile of a prisoner, and that she would never be able to properly get out." He held up a hand at the looks Anna was giving him, "Well, that and she refused to leave her maid behind, and for whatever reason, she felt she could do something while playing the role of a submissive prisoner." He shook his head, "I tried to talk her out of it, but she can be as stubborn as some of my brothers."
Anna winced, easily picking up on the amount of regret in his voice. "Will she be alright?"
"I hope so." He replied quietly. "This entire escape was her idea, and she can't even take advantage of it, so you'll forgive me if I don't seem to cater to your every complaint and inconvenience. It's too late to go back for her now. And she wouldn't want me to, anyway. You're the priority now. Your knowledge about your sister and her magic makes you too valuable to the Alvanians. The less they can learn about Queen Elsa, the longer it'll take for them to conquer the kingdom. And while Charlotte is in the middle of a captive situation, she's probably safer where she is than where we are out in the woods."
Anna couldn't really argue that. Though hearing that it was supposed to be Charlotte, not her, that made a mad venture back home did fill her with a twinge of guilt. No wonder Hans was working so hard to make sure they got out, that they succeeded. He wasn't just breaking her out of the castle because he felt like being a hero, or because he wanted to rekindle some form of, well… whatever she could classify their broken, short-lived relations. He was doing this for Charlotte, too. Her safety rode on their victory.
She thought of their actions earlier that day, when Hans violently broke them both out of the castle; when he saved them both from that one scout in the woods; they were on their own. And as much as she didn't want to acknowledge it, she needed Hans. And he needed her. It would just be the two of them roughing it all the way back to Arendelle. At least then, she would be reunited with her sister again. And Kristoff. Olaf. Everyone.
And then, Charlotte and the others could be rescued.
But how long until they got to that point?
"You said…" she began, trying to remember earlier conversations, "that we were… going south?"
"That's right." He nodded. "One of the first steps Alvania would have done would be cutting off any routes back to our homelands. A lot of guests came from northern waters, therefore it's logical to assume the northern ports are closed."
"O-okay, that I understand." She rubbed her nose with her index finger. "But why south?"
"Because Alvania's borders narrow the further south we go. It'll make it easier, and faster, to cross it-"
Anna's eyes went wide. Every new bit of information was making her feel increasingly lost. "Wait. Slow down. Cross Alvania? Are you crazy?"
"NO." Hans snapped. "And would you stop interrupting me?" When it seemed like she wasn't going to talk again, he cleared his throat and turned towards her, "Look. The plan is to get as far away from the castle as we can; cross Alvania and enter Corona. They're a neutral kingdom—they have been for years. One of my brothers lives there. The goal is to make it to his estate and let him know what's happened. He might even be able to get in communication with Frederick, back home. And from there, we'll be also be able to get safe passage off the continent to Arendelle."
Anna blinked and stared at him for a few minutes, mostly to make sure he was done. "That's the plan? Trek across what, three different kingdoms? How can you even be sure we can get passage once in Corona? It's us against…well… the world! What if your brother won't help us? What about money? No ship will charter us for free, you know! What if the Alvanians take over that kingdom, too?" Her voice was growing more into a panic with each question.
He let out a sigh, "Anna… I don't have the answers. I told you everything that I know, and what Charlotte and I came up with. A lot of this journey is going to be one day at a time as we press forward. Is there a possibility that Alvania will conquer Corona? Sure. Just like every other kingdom in the realm. But history shows that no matter what conflict exists, Corona remains safe. We need their neutrality. If Alvania takes the to seas, there's a good chance that Coronian ships will be able to sail fairly free."
She closed her eyes and slumped back against the horse. "It all just seems so… impossible…"
"The hardest part will be cutting through Alvania. But we can do it, Anna. We're both strong willed and resourceful."
"If I'm that important to Beker's plans… then it's only a matter of time before they come looking…" she sighed, "What then? That entire country will be looking for me."
"I promise, I won't let them take you." Hans said, and he gently nudged her arm to get a rise out of her. She didn't open her eyes or acknowledge him. "They're looking for Princess Anna of Arendelle. So…"
"hmmph…"
"…we'll go undercover."
Anna snorted and turned her head away. "Yeah, right."
Hans cleared his throat again, "Anna, I'm serious. Look at us. Plain clothes, little possessions. We're practically traveling peasants. So… that's who we'll become."
"That's rich coming from someone who tried so hard to become a king." Anna sniffled, "somehow I doubt you can play the humble role that well. And two salty travelers without any real-world-knowledge won't be able to fool anyone." She could hear him scoff, but he didn't bother responding to her. After a long period of silence, she peeked an eye open and glanced at him. Hans had redirected his gaze to the fire.
This whole fiasco is giving me a headache… she sighed softly and shifted her position so that she was laying down more against the horse's side. She didn't know how many night hours were left, and if they were truly going to be walking the distances he was proposing, she was going to need to rest. The last thing she wanted to hear all day long was him berating her for slowing them down.
"I'm going to get some sleep. You can keep watch." She muttered and pulled the horse's saddle blanket around her tighter. Her eyes closed again, and she let a sense of calm come over her. It was short lived. Within minutes, she felt a tugging on the blanket. "I'm not sharing this." She grumbled, not bothering to open her eyes.
"I don't need it." He replied. There was something about his voice that didn't sit well with her. "I'm warm enough without it."
"Then let go." She snapped and one of her hands poked out to pry it from his grasp. When he wouldn't release it, she huffed and opened her eyes to glare at him. "What are you doing?" She was expecting him to be smirking at her, pleased to be taunting her like the scoundrel that he was. Instead, he was staring very intently at one of the corners of the fabric. The blanket had decorative silver eyelets with ties running through them in all four corners. And for some reason, he couldn't take his eyes off them. And then, just when she thought he couldn't get any stranger, his other hand reached out and snatched one of hers to carefully examine that, too. "H-hey!" She snapped, and wrenched her hand free, retreating it back under the blanket. "What is wrong with—" she gasped when he reached into his boot and pulled out a small knife. He didn't say a single word as he gave a rough tug on the blanket to get some more slack, and then he carved out one of the silver rings.
"Hans!" She gathered the fabric back once he finally let go of it and then scooted further away from him. "What on earth was that for?"
Hans gently rolled the eyelet about between his fingers, inspecting every bit of the surface. "I'm working on our cover." His fingers rubbed and pulled at some bits of thread still stuck to the metal.
Her eyes traveled from his face to the metal in his hands. "I don't—"
"—Give me your hand."
Anna instantly paled. Suddenly, she knew what he was up to, and what that metal eyelet was for. "No. Absolutely not! I can't believe this! That's the best you could come up with?"
He shrugged and held out his empty hand for hers. "I don't see what's got your pantaloons in a bunch. You said yes to me just like that—" he snapped his fingers, "—three years ago."
"…And you were willing to marry me, just like that…" cruel echoes of the past went through her mind, and she roughly shook her head to get rid of them. The Deja vu was making her stomach turn.
"I was naïve then!" She fumed. "Don't play innocent. You and I both know you are only doing this so you can take liberties with me."
"HA." He snorted and shot her an icy glare. "Don't flatter yourself. The fact of the matter is, we're going to need each other to get through this alive. That means sticking together. Working together. And posing as husband and wife is the easiest, logical way to assume a cover."
"But—"
"—it's not all that farfetched, anyway." Hans continued, "after all, our engagement was never formally disbanded—"
"—I recall punching you right into the Fjord."
"So, you broke my nose. Big deal." He didn't seem too phased by her protests. "That hardly counts as proper legality."
She couldn't believe what she was hearing. He wants to play-house? Toy with my emotions again? Well, I'm not blinded by the innocence of fairy tales. "How do you expect us to make this work? We don't even get along at the best of times." Anna matched his gaze. "I certainly won't pretend you're some handsome savior that I've always dreamed of. That ship sailed long ago."
"Well, at least you still think I'm handsome." He slyly winked at her.
"ARG." Anna's hand formed into a fist, and before she could stop herself, she swung it towards his head. He caught her with ease and kept a firm grip on her hand.
"Calm down, will you? You're only going to have to put on an act when we're passing through civilization. We can't avoid the towns forever. And blending in with the crowd as a mild-mannered, happy couple will keep attention away from us, so when the soldiers do come looking, we won't stick out in the villager's minds. Out here in the middle of nowhere, you can spit on my boots all you want. I don't give a damn."
Anna's brows furrowed. "I don't like this."
"I know you don't." He shrugged and squeezed her hand. "And I don't particularly like the thought of being tied down to a shrew, but here we are." His thumb rubbed gently along the back of her fist as his voice grew softer, "I'm not asking for the impossible, Anna. Just for your cooperation."
She glanced down at his hold on her fist and shook her head. This entire situation seemed to continuously get worse when it was supposed to get better. She didn't want to travel alone with Hans. She didn't want to play pretend. She didn't want to be his anything, real or not. But everything she did want, she couldn't have. Safety, security, quick passage back to Arendelle.
Well… that one I could have. I just have to survive who-knows-how-long without getting captured by enemy soldiers. And without murdering Hans in the process.
"No one is going to believe we're in love. Not everything can be faked." She muttered quietly.
He let out a chuckle, "I can assure you, if you try hard enough, you can make anything seem real. Even love."
Anna's eye twitched. His nonchalant dismissal of their past rattled her to no end. "Yes. You would know all about that." She looked away towards the fire. "What's wrong with being siblings? I'd rather you be my annoying, rude, older brother. At least then I can be justified in smacking you around and no one would bat an eye."
"Siblings are too expensive." He replied matter-o-factly. "And as a royal princess, you should be aware by now that not all marriages are based on love."
She huffed loudly once more. What extra monetary expenses had to do with playing siblings was lost on her. A cover is a cover. Who cares what our titles are?
"Well?" He prompted.
"Well what?"
"Are you ready and willing to take our 'road not taken'?"
A snort escaped her. He makes this sound like some game! "There was never ours, Hans. We don't have a road not taken. Everything us back then was really just you. I was just the victim of your deception." She leveled him a glare. "There's no way this is going to work."
For the first time that night, Hans offered a reassuring smile. "Sure, it will. Give it the same level of heart and dedication that you gave me on that fateful, eve of splendor, and we'll make out just fine."
Just thinking about Elsa's Coronation pulled at her heartstrings. Her gaze fell to her lap as she took in a deep breath. For not knowing Hans at all back then, she really did give him everything she had. Her time. Her attention. Her love. Her entire being. It was painful to reminisce, but in that short period of time, Hans really did become her entire world. The instant he proposed to her, her head became filled with such wonderous dreams of a future. A future filled with love. Companionship. Excitement. And people. He had twelve brothers, after all. That meant new family members. Even a new place to visit. The open gates opened her up to endless possibilities.
But all of that was only possible, and realistic, while Hans was her loving fiancé. One brief library conversation later, and all of those dreams vanished. The doors shut abruptly in her face. And both hope and life vanished from her heart.
Trust was a big issue, and that was making this entire ordeal so difficult to accept. Yes, his proposal was just temporary, and at least she had the benefit of knowing that everything they had to do from here on out together would be a façade—on both sides. He already knew how she felt about him. And any words or acts of love on his part would not be to benefit her, but others. And if she only had to really get along and smile and bat her eyelashes at him while passing through remote villages here and there, could it really be so bad?
"…Fine…" she grumbled with a huff. "I'll do it."
Hans' smile widened. "That's my girl."
"I'm not your anything." She growled through gritted teeth. The urge to slap him was so strong. Was this how it was going to be the entire time? I'll never make it through this….
"Au contraire," He mused, as his fingers gently pried her fingers out of their fist. "You're my lovely bride, now."
"Haaaaans…." She whined and rubbed her temple with her free hand, "you're already making me regret this decision."
Hans didn't verbally comeback to her protests. Instead, he managed to separate her ring finger from the rest. His eyes came up and locked on hers, with a facial expression that seemed both playful, yet completely serious. It was a strange mix that she couldn't pull her eyes from. And he took advantage of her brief calm state to slip the metal eyelet onto her finger.
"Anna of Arendelle. With this ring, I the wed."