Elsa kept secrets. Many, many secrets. Most of them from Hans.
The ex-queen was coming to terms with her new life. Obviously, she wished to rule Arrendelle once more, but there were many legal obstacles. Mostly, that it would take the endorsement from the Protector and a vote from the International Consortium. Ignoring the fact that Hans had everything; the kingdom, the people's respect, her sister... Everything she'd lost, he had found.
She had no leverage. She didn't even have an identity. The one thing she had over him was his obsession with her. For whatever reason, he wanted her. Currently, that was enough for him, but there was no way she could remain his servant. She was destined to be a ruler. And Hans was destined to perish at the hands of pirates.
Their lives were laid out for them before they were old enough to have a say.
Elsa made the most of her situation. Unfortunately, Ilyana made the worst of it. Every time the blond-turned brunette beauty made a single step forward, the vindictive Southern Isles maid did her best to bring her back down.
Kai reported that the count Elsa had done on the kitchen's sugar was inaccurate. The ex-queen went to recount it, and discovered that someone had ripped open all the bags and dumped it all over the floor. She sighed wearily and saved as much as she could.
Ilyana.
Elsa tried her best not to get angry. She could handle this. it hurt, but she could get through the tough times.
It was hard enough walking down the halls. Even though she and Hans had never... actually... you know- in the bed, people treated her like she had, and that mattered for some reason.
While she was on the floor, two cooks entered the kitchen.
"I heard she sleeps in his bed," one whispered.
"I heard she doesn't sleep!" The other scoffed. Elsa went to the back of the pantry and hid until they left.
It wasn't fair.
In fairy tales, people who showed kindness and love were rewarded, and harsh, mean people got what they deserved. Yet she had nothing. And he had everything. It just... wasn't... fair.
She didn't cry this time. She was too ashamed. That was the worst part of it all; she was a willing participant. Okay, yeah, he leveraged things against her, and coerced her, and made her life very, very, very frustrating. But she did play along. For Anna's sake as well as Arrendelle's.
But when would the game end?
After a few hours of recounts, the ex-queen turned faux-whore exited her hiding-place and returned to her master, trying to think of an excuse for the holes in her records.
She may not have been as good a liar as he, but she could try.