"For your nerves, miss," Kai poured the hot chocolate into her mug. Numbly, Elsa made a mental note to deduct the amount from the total she had prepared for Hans.
"Thank you, Kai," Even though he was technically a Southern Isles spy, the ex-queen found herself trusting the elderly man. It was simply too exhausting to hold betrayal against anyone anymore. Besides, she could use all the help she could get.
"We won't be getting much sleep tonight," Mused the man, "Hans has been doubling and tripling the guard recently. Especially when you are retiring for the night."
Elsa inhaled the wondrous scent of chocolate before taking her first, slow sip. Hans was a scheming, lying, murderous wretch, but he was no fool. It was his complete lack of trust that had saved her tonight.
It was funny, in a way. Sometimes it almost seemed like Hans genuinely cared about her, but clearly he suspected she might try and kill him. Why else would he be in his room, armed and ready for a fight? Maybe he was preparing to kill her. She was so tired of being powerless.
A good hour passed, and Elsa allowed herself to go numb. There was no point in feeling fear when one had nothing to live for. Kai had the good sense to check on Anna who, reported, had ripped a stone out of the wall in fury when she heard that Hans hadn't perished.
Elsa chuckled. The whole world would change, but not her baby sister.
"Kai, I want you to get some rest," Hans appeared out of the shadows. Behind baggy eyes with red lines, Elsa watched her not-lover emerge from the shadows, "You have been through enough."
She suppressed a snort. Yes, tonight had been very difficult on the poor men of the castle. They needed a real break from standing by when she was taken hostage.
Kai nodded and left obediently. Hans walked over, quietly. Elsa, absently, noticed how he stepped like a killer. She ignored him. Usually he was too frightening, but she figured the worst he could do was kill, and he was unlikely to do so. Firstly, he didn't know her powers were gone. And secondly, if he was going to kill her, he would have done so while they were upstairs.
She took another long, slow sip, savoring to cooled liquid on her tongue. Then, Hans did something so terrifying, so shocking, Elsa bolted backwards in shock.
He put his hand on her shoulder and asked if she was okay.
"No!" She screamed, "NO! I am not okay!" She lost all sense of propriety. Forgetting how dangerous he was, she swung on him, striking him in the neck with her nails, "I am terrified! Do you know what almost happened to me?! Why they were here?! I was almost raped because you and a bunch of disgusting monsters can't help but swing your phallic-centric objects at one another. In my home. Which was practically destroyed because of yet another instance of you lot swinging more phallic objects at one another! How was your night!? I know you don't go right to sleep unless you murder someone and force me into some sexual act!"
She was huffing and red and exhausted and terrified. Hans stood there, eyes gaping at her.
Oh no…
She had really, really crossed a line this time. Hans could tolerate a sharp reply or two. But venting her frustrations at him was basically tempting him to hurt her. In his eyes, he surely believed she was asking for it. Elsa stuttered out an apology. Hans ignored it, walking away. He simply issued another order to her.
"You will sleep in my bedroom from now on."
And that was all.
a.n. Give me love, I give you a chapter