Chapter 26
All the people that had gotten together to stop Hans' execution had reunited together and went to meet the Westergaards, which had left the jail after the fire was put out along with the visitors.
Queen Dana upon seeing Hans returning ran into his arms to receive him.
„You have returned," Spoke Dana leaning her chin over Hans' shoulder relieved.
„I'm okay, mom," Stated Hans, then looked back at the others, which had smiled at Hans' reunion with his biological. „It wasn't necessary for everyone to come here to help me. Thank you,"
„Queen Elsa informed us about, what was going on and we felt as it was all our need to get together and help," Answered the father of Rollan, making his son nod, which stood between him and the Belgian prince. Hans kept smiling at the new persons he met shortly, then looked at the princess and stood beside his mother.
„Mom, I haven't introduced you officially. This is Princess Anna. She's the one who wrote you this letter about my current state," Introduced Hans making Anna smile and approach the queen, which embraced the woman tightly.
„Thank you, my dear. Thanks for bringing back my son," Blurted the queen, making Anna smile and caress the back of the woman.
„There's one thing I don't understand. What happened to our father?" Asked Prince Lars noticing his absence.
„Well, one of the previous villagers he executed years ago turned out to be a pirate captain in disguise and that ship there, that had assaulted us wanted to deal with him," Explained Prince Hugo. „They assured his suffering would make him realize, what he did before should have been overthought before,"
„Well to think about, that father executed taxpayers as well, I kind of think it's…... fair," Commented Gunther making Caleb nod.
„You don't seem really convinced, Gunther," Commented Caleb.
„I had assumed he would be around here with us for a longer period and still have his word on many things. Mother and you were against Hans' execution and for a trial session,"
„I know what you mean. We now heard the story before as the princess came to help him out. Yet we still haven't made up anything with Prince Miika's dad," Commented Caleb looking at Hans standing together with his mother and the romantic interest.
„Where is he?" Questioned Hans, then Caleb moved his head to show the king sitting on the grass looking down at the village and Hans exchanged looks with Anna and his mother, then he made his way towards the king, followed by the two women.
„I'm sure not the one you would want to see right now. I would like to tell you, that…..I'm very sorry, that your son has passed away. I didn't know him at all, not as much as my brothers or my mother, but I felt that it was safe to listen to him. I'm not sure how exactly I should explain this….as he was there for me on the roof, I had looked into his eyes and I felt as everything was going to be alright then, until…...you know the thunder crack and me trying to hold him back," Explained Hans. „I should have known, that this could have happened to anyone of my brothers at the roof, but instead it aimed your son instead and…..well,"
„I'm grateful for your honesty. Those have been hard years for me and my family. I had assumed that your family could have been protecting you until recently your mother and a few of the siblings mentioned what was up. I'm a little relieved, that this all was an accident and not a murder or something out of spitefulness,"
„I'm sorry we couldn't bring you any solution for this issue. No matter what we would do for you or your family. Nothing can change, what happened in the past no matter how much we want to," Apologized Hans making the man nod. He looked up at the trio standing behind the two men, then the king got up with the help of Caleb Westergaard.
„You know I could still arrange for you the first offer you made on the first letter before you got here?" Suggested Caleb. „I don't think punishing anyone now isn't useful,"
„I'm thinking about it. Eventually, I could use that money and open up a spot for the people to come to help each other with family issues or anything alike. Start with anything, that Miika would have loved to do, back when he still was here,"
„I think Byrum had something similar. Something about women only," Commented Caleb. „Was it about having a miscarriage?"
„Anything related to it I think. If I still was around Lars' or Hans' age I would eventually have considered to pay a visit," Commented queen Dana making her son nod.
„If you're okay with this, we could make an agreement together," Suggested Caleb watching the king nod and both shook their hands to agree to seal their deal.
„Does this make the two kingdoms now even?" Asked Anna making the king nod, while Caleb smiled glad about their long-going fight to have stopped now.
„That is amazing," Commented Hans watching his mother smile, which placed her hand on the man's shoulder.
„You know, what this means. If you want you can return back to the Southern Isles without having to worry about what happened in the past." Said Queen Dana making Hans smile and look at the princess, which gave him a thumb up.
„Hey I haven't asked this, but what happened to your curse? Questioned the farmer, then Anna placed her hands on Hans' shoulder.
„We have broken it together," Commented Anna with a chuckle. „I assumed back there when I kissed you I made it obvious,"
„I didn't think about it at that moment. But I admit I was very happy about your return," Confessed the farmer, leaning his forehead on Anna's.
Queen Elsa looked back at the group of Arendelle, that had come to her aid and she got towards them to obtain their attention.
„I would like to thank you for having assisted me in this case, although we didn't need all to contribute anything. I'm not sure, what you have in mind. If you want to stay longer for a few weeks or return another time,"
„We would have to look on our agenda to see, what time we could pass by again for a second meeting," Spoke King Felix making Hugo nod.
„Good, what about you?" Questioned Elsa looking at King Eduardo and his son. Rollan looked at Gerda, which was listening to her friend, then Rollan looked back at his father, which was getting curious about his son's thoughts, then watched him approach Gerda, that was surprised about his approach during the talk.
„I would like to stay for a little longer. There is this someone I met on the first day I'd like to get to know more," Commented Prince Rollan. „I'm sure we'll get along pretty well,"
„What?" Asked the father surprised while Queen Elsa smiled about Rollan's interest in her friend.
„Sure, you're welcome on our humble home," Commented Elsa, then looked at Rollan's father. „You don't have to worry about him, he's here on good hands,"
„His mother sure would be happy about it," Stated Hugo earning Eduardo's attention, which moved his head down thinking about it.
„Well….if that's what he wants, I'll just let him go," Spoke Eduardo making Rollan smile and have Gerda embrace him.
„I'll send you letters about how I'm doing. I won't let you down," Promised Rollan making Eduardo nod.
Donny, which sat on the ground in the middle of the crowd, began to bark excitedly at the outgo of the current situation calling the attention of Prince Dustin, which recognized the dog.
„What? I thought he had died?" Mumbled Dustin looking at Gunther, which shrugged his shoulder.
„I played a dead dog," Mentioned Donny walking towards his friends, then sat down next to Anna's leg and looked up at her. „Princess Anna taught me that," Told the husky waving his tail making Anna smile and get down at the dog to pet it, afterward she giggled as Donny began to lick her over the face.
In the years to come, Anna had put her title as a royal princess aside from the moment on she had decided to leave Arendelle to be together with Hans Westergaard, who had already done that years ago. She felt that she could use a different life with less strict rules as she needed to know and obey before as a princess. The life she began at the farm was quite interesting to see from a different, personal experience. Despite Hans having shortened the plantations to move easily alone on his own, Anna still had the interest to help him out so with the time Anna had her own routine as well and both could focus the rest of their evenings together. Now with Donny who had grown out of his puberty, they have trained him as a regular house pet. As well he achieved a few little things to help his owners out at the farm. The first year on where Hans and Anna have bonded for life, Donny's presence raised immense as the woman entered into her phase of eating for two. During mood swings or nauseous, Donny sat always around the woman to cheer her up and make her feel as good as possible. Hans as well tried in his spare time to assist Anna with the daily routine whenever it was possible. Despite the fact that the mood swings really kicked Anna off a lot, sometimes leaving the two male friends into despair but the greatest moment for the youngest Westergaard generation just begun on an October day, when Anna went on labor, and about several hours later they finally met their young bundle of joy.
Inside the living room, the toddler sat on the ground playing on a wooden box with small blocks trying to form a specific image with the various colored sides of the cubes. Hanna had most of the cubes up in three different colors set up forming an uncanny pattern on it. From the corner of the door, Anna glimpsed at the girl figuring out, what to do with one of the cubes she had picked up. Anna sneaked across the living room, then went down on her knees watching the toddler set the yellow cube on the side and Anna packed the girl under the arms and got up with her causing her to laugh.
„Peek-a-boo!" Chanted Anna, then turned her daughter around to see her giggle, then held her against her chest. „It's almost time for lunch," Commented Anna. „Are you hungry?"
„Ja," Answered Hanna, then her mother leaned her forehead on the toddler.
„Alright, I'll take you with me. Then you can see how a delicious apple-flavored semolina porridge is made," Promised Anna tapping the daughter on the nose, which giggled at the mother's deed and placed her hand on the mother's cheek. Anna looked at the window while holding her daughter, then spotted at the end of the path that led from their house out at the road her older sister come down from a carriage, followed by Gerda and the Hispanic-descendant prince. „Look it's Aunt Elsa," Said Anna pointing at the outside watching the girl put her hand inside her mouth. „We all played in the snow together last January, remember?"
Anna walked in the corridor, then heard claws tapping on the parquett, thereafter she looked back to see Donny get up from his bed, which was placed beside the small storage room and stood in front of the entrance.
„See, Donny's going to see her too," Mentioned Anna, then from the kitchen glimpsed out Hans to look at his life partner.
„Ah you're about to open the door," Commented Hans making Anna nod.
„Yes, we just have seen her and the others from the living room as well," Stated the strawberry-blonde. „I've left the porridge on medium. It should be fine,"
„Don't worry, the cod is pretty much on the finishing phase. 10 more minutes and it's done,"
„Good, are you coming to greet them as well?"
„I can, sure," Responded Hans getting into the corridor as the wife opened the door and stepped out along with the husband, then Donny ran along the path barking
Prince Rollan got surprised about the dog, which stopped by the trio waving his tail excitedly.
„Woah, that's Donny?" Questioned Rollan hearing the dog bark, „You grew up a lot,"
„I ate a lot of fish," Stated Donny, then Gerda got down to pat the animal on the head.
„He was quite more adorable as a puppy, but hey now he looks really strong as an adult," Commented Gerda making Rollan nod.
„A good sign. He's got somebody who took good care of him or well….more than one," Spoke Elsa arriving at the stairs to see Anna get down with her daughter, then Elsa opened up her arms at the little girl. „Hey my little princess, do you remember me?" Asked the platinum blonde woman, then Hanna giggled and looked back at her mother, which smiled at the daughter.
„Want to give auntie a hug?" Questioned Anna holding the daughter close to the sister, which picked the niece up and allow the girl to hug her.
„Aww," Muttered Elsa, then Gerda stood beside to wave at the toddler and Rollan just remained behind his fiancé smiling at the girl.
„Welcome to our Westergaard home. I hope you had a pleasant ride," Greeted Hans getting down at the group, then shook the hand of the Spaniard.
„Less time consuming than the ship ride from Spain up the peninsula here," Commented Rollan. „Then the one up here too and…..." The Spaniard explained, then yawned making Elsa chuckle. „I'm sorry,"
„I think those three nights of rest didn't do well enough," Commented Elsa making Gerda nod.
Later the guests had joined for lunch and were chatting during the time with each other. Hans Westergaard sat on the side vertically to his wife and had been leaning their daughter his hand to assist her with eating.
„I like Spain actually. It's quite different than Norway or even Sweden. The warm temperatures are quite longer and the cold ones are shorter," Spoke Gerda. „I have gotten used to the life there. Rollan's father has over the years also changed a little and has accepted me in their family. I still attended just like Rollan in our instructions for our future as king and queen, but he had only seen me as a queen material,"
„You know my father just wanted me to get together with a princess or a queen. He never had set any other goal for me in life than that," Rollan mentioned. „I would have told my father I would give up my royal ancestry just to be able to stay with you,"
„What he would do that?" Asked Anna enchanted at Rollan's comment.
„He had promised me that a few times. Elsa at one meeting had spoken to King Eduardo about Gerda's role in Arendelle and he allowed him to choose Gerda, if he wanted," Mentioned Elsa making Gerda nod.
„Hans had after being pardoned by the king and his family received back his title as a prince. Kai had offered him to return to Arendelle and live with Elsa instead, but since Hans had been so used to his life at the farm and missed as well in his originated kingdom his education for the duties as a prince I had offered myself to go with him back to Falsterbo instead. I have had so much joy being a regular villager like him and had agreed on staying with him here,"
„And you sure enjoy that life you have now?" Asked the Spaniard making Anna nod, then heard Hanna sneeze as Hans held the spoon with the porridge in front of the daughter and got a bit of it splashed on his face, which had caused a laughter between Anna and Gerda.
„I wasn't expecting this," Admitted Hans, then Donny got up with his front paws on Hans' lap to lick the man's face making him chuckle.
„But this you did, "Added Anna watching Hans pass his hand over his face.
„About to 90%," Added Hans, making Rollan raise up one eyebrow.
„And what are the 10%?"
„No, it was just an assumption," Commented the Danish-man making the raven-haired prince nod. „Donny quite does that a lot to me, even as a grow-up, but he just shows his affection towards us that way," Explained Hans placing his hand over the husky's head to pet him.
„Donny," Mumbled Hanna moving her head down at the dog trying to get to his head, afterward Donny looked up and reached his snout at the girl to lick her hand making her laugh.
„Later on you can go play with Donny, if you like, first we have to get to you this something…..do you think we know, what we're talking about?" Asked Anna looking at the daughter. „Can you guess, what it is?" Questioned Anna.
„Toy," Commented the girl making Anna shake her head.
„What do we do before we celebrate someone's birthday? Questioned the mother. „We….get….the cake,"
„Cake! Cake!" Chanted the girl making Gerda chuckle, then Hans got up and went out of the dining room, soon he returned back with a light blue-colored cake with the number two candle on the middle of it.
Hans placed it in front of the table, then got back to bring the match, as Anna picked up the daughter and let her sit on the lap waiting for Hans to return and turn the cakes on.
„Okay, one, two, three!" Commented Hans and all the guests began to sing for the toddler.
„Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, dear Hanna, happy birthday to you!"
„Bravo!" Exclaimed Anna watching her daughter clap with her hands, then she looked at the toddler and rolled her eyes at the cake. „Come, blow it out," Mentioned the mother watching Hanna blow at the candle, which was still lightened up and Anna smiled smugly at the girl's puffing to not be sufficient and she gave a little help by giving out a quick blow to take the fire out, making Hanna clap with her hands. „Happy birthday, my girl," Wished Anna pecking her daughter on the cheek, then embraced her from behind with an enamored smile and observed Hans take the knife to cut the cake down.
„Okay, I can easily cut this cake into six pieces. No diet excuses or anything," Hans commented making Elsa nod.
„I barely eat any cake at home, so I'm fine with this," Spoke Elsa making Anna chuckle.
„Didn't anyone of your family got invited to this party?" Questioned the prince making Hans nod.
„Big part of my brother's life spread over the Scandinavian peninsula and Siberia, so I could only write to anyone from the Southern Isles. Gunther, Viggo, Caleb, and Lars were the only ones I could mail, but all were rejected due to their lives there. My mother was as well busy at the Southern Isles, but promised to come a few weeks later to at least give Hanna a present and stay with us for a while," Responded Hans giving out a cake to Elsa, then picked up the next plate to hand it over to Gerda.
„Do you all get along now or is it still the same?" Questioned Gerda.
„We don't have all talked with each other a lot in the past, but our relationship is slightly better. I don't get treated the way I was way back when I was younger, which is a good thing," Commented Hans making Gerda nod.
„Honestly if they still did, something would be really wrong with them," Spoke Gerda making Rollan nod.
„There still are people out there, that are like this, even when they're older than us," Mentioned Rollan looking at his fiancé.
„All people act the way they were raised. This is the fault of the ones who educated them and as well as themselves to follow it or not. The world never was a bad place, it's just the people that make it sound like it,"
„She's right indeed," Agreed Anna. „The one good thing, Hans' mother told me on the time he still was with her, she was surprised how Hans was different from the other siblings and was really happy about it,"
„Do you two have a good relationship?" Questioned Prince Rollan making Anna nod.
„She has quickly accepted me as the daughter-in-law. I'm really glad we can all go along well. I wouldn't really like it, if I had to hide Hanna all her life from them, just because of what happened in the past," Commented Anna lying her hand over the head of the girl, then Hanna glimpsed up with her blue-bell eyes at the mother making her smile.
„Who does Hanna actually relate by her looks the most?" Questioned Rollan. „I've been looking at her for a little while and I still haven't figured it out yet,"
„Well her eyes are obviously mine and the hair seems to be more close to Hans'," Explained the mother making the daughter chuckle.
„Ans," Spoke Hanna making Hans chuckle and hand out the last two cakes pieces on one plate towards the wife and the daughter. Anna picked up her fork to cut down a part of the cake, then held it up in front of the daughter's mouth.
„Look at the birdie looking for the house," Spoke Anna making the daughter coo and open her mouth to have the mother feed her.
„Where did you get that cake?" Questioned Gerda as she had tasted it. „It's the best vanilla-flavored one I have ever eaten,"
„Really? Cool," Replied Hans taking a bite as well. „It's from a Belgian bakery, which opened up three years ago. The baker married a woman from the town, which was a seamstress,"
„They're really great people," Commented Anna leading the next bit into the mouth of Hanna, then chuckled and looked up at Hans. „Can you believe it, that he convinced them to put my wedding ring in one of their muffins?"
„Was a funny day," Admitted Hans. „She didn't want to eat it in the first place, until I convinced her, that the middle had a special filling, just for her," Mentioned the farmer making Anna nod.
„Afterward I had while eating encountered the jewel of the ring in it and realized, why he was so eager to have me taste it,"
„Aww," Commented Gerda then rolled her eyes at her fiancé. „Rollan had proposed me on private at night down at the beach near Alicante's harbor, the best part on that night was, that he was notably nervous and had dropped the ring into the sand,"
„You don't need to tell them this story," Complained the prince, making Gerda grin at his reaction.
„I know, but I loved the outgo so much," Admitted Gerda approaching her fiancé to peck on the nose.
„The one good thing about it, you found the ring, at last, right?" Asked Hans making Rollan nod.
„Yes I did, it just was a little embarrassing for me, that's all," Commented Rollan making Hans nod.
„Have you already given your daughter her present yet or are you planning to?" Questioned Elsa curious making Anna shake her head.
„Actually not, but now that you're here, let's go out to the farm," Asked Anna getting up, then she went out of the house followed by the guests and stopped by the entrance and Anna placed Hanna down on the ground, followed by Hans stopping by the gate. „Do you want to see, what mamma and pappa bought you for your birthday?" Asked the Norwegian woman getting down on her knees making the toddler nod, thereafter watched her father pull back the door and show a wheeled-rocking horse with a ribbon attached to its neck and Anna stretched her arms at it.
„Tada!" Shouted Anna watching her daughter clap, making the guests feel enchanted by the toddler's reaction.
„Come, want to give it a try?" Asked Hans offering his hand to the daughter, then Hanna gave her hand to her father and walked along with him to the horse, then Hans picked the daughter up to help her sit on the horse with her feet touching the ground. „What about you move forward to mamma?" Asked the father glimpsing at the daughter, which nodded and moved carefully towards Anna, which smiled proudly seeing her daughter move with a happy expression on her new toy. Donny had gotten behind the toy to follow it while tracking its back and observed her get close to Anna, which applauded making the daughter mirror her behavior as well and picked the girl up holding her up in the air. „Yippie! You did it!" Anna raved followed by Donny barking at the two happy.
„Well, I believe we could as well use the horse and attach it to Donny's harness and have him pull her around the farm or out when we go out on a walk or to the village," Suggested Hans looking down at Donny, which sat down and looked up at the farmer panting.
„That would be fun. Hanna would definitely love it," Commented Anna looking at the daughter. „You would totally love it, if Donny would push you around on the horse, right?"
„It will certainly," Agreed the husband looking at the daughter. „Did you like our present to you?" The father questioned making the girl chuckle, then Anna held her daughter towards the man, which took her in his arm and caressed the toddler on her back.
„Ja," Cooed the girl leaning her head on her father's face, afterward Anna approached the two and tickled the girl on her side making her laugh.
„I knew you would love it," Acknowledged the woman then gave her daughter a small kiss on her cheek and placed her arms around her and the husband, which smiled and leaned his chin above his life partner's head to embrace the two as well.
The End
