Hans spent the next few days lying on his back. Agony was a pretty accurate word at this point.

He had done his best to tough it out. But fifty lashes was a pretty steep punishment for anything. The policy was in place to keep the soldiers respectful of the queen. Hans had noticed that military men tended not to take orders from a woman well. His mother had the same problem. It had to do with the fact that women didn't work the military, at least not in any honorable capacity. Fighting Black Spot pirates was considered too dangerous for them.

Hans wanted his men to respect the queen, and her role. It would only take one miscreant to show the navy he meant business- he just hadn't counted on being the miscreant in question.

"Water…" he sighed. Twice a day his men came to his room to give reports. Although he was able to walk, it hurt so much he took some time off in order to recuperate. It was not as though the queen needed his help, "Water…"

He was so, so thirsty from the blood-loss.

There was a knock on his door.

"Enter," He ordered wearily. Hans took a moment to take a breath so he could rise- a breath he lost as soon as he saw her, "Oh."

Elsa gave him a meek smile, "…usually you're much happier to see me."

"I also usually rise for a lady," He grunted, trying to get up. A small hand stopped him.

"No."

"Is that an order?" He tried not to groan in pain. Gently, she pushed him backwards, blushing, "'cause there's no… and then there's no…"

She looked at him funny, but followed him down, cuddling against him.

Hans explained, a bit out of it due to weakness, "When I- when we were together, I would also think about how surprisingly warm you were. I thought, with the ice…"

She stiffened, forgetting that he still believed-

"Anyways, whenever you said 'no' I knew you didn't really mean it. I mean; if you really meant 'no' I wouldn't have a choice, right?"

She paused, pulling away, "What?!"

"Well," He stiffened again, "If you really wanted to stop me, you could have, at any time. After all, you're an all-powerful ice-goddess!"

Her mouth fell open.

Oh.

And not a good 'oh', an 'oh, right he thinks-' because this whole time she had assumed Hans was sexually harassing her, and stopping because he feared her powers. When, in truth, he figured she was allowing it because if she really wanted to stop him, she could.

"Oh."

He laughed weakly, and went slack.
"Prince Hans," She began sternly.

"Mr. Westerguard," He corrected, "I had to give up my title to restore yours."

"Oh," Lots of those 'ohs' were happening lately, "Well… no means no. And I mean that, do you understand, Mr. Westerguard?"

"Yes, my queen."

"Was that a 'no' I heard?" She pressed down hard on his chest.

"AH! No, my queen, I mean, yes," He answered grimacing.

Elsa glared down at him, "No means no. No means no. I mean it, ; no means no."

She took her time, at first roughly pushing, then more gently until she was absolutely, positively sure he got the message.

"Yes my queen, I understand, my queen. Never again, my queen," He groaned. She, mercifully, stopped.

"Why?" She demanded, "Why couldn't you just stop?!"

"You didn't always say no…!" When he saw her eyes light up, he braced himself, "I need you!"

Elsa stopped, "…what?"

"I. Need. You," He sighed readjusting himself, "I can't sleep without you there. I can't focus unless you're around, you cured my," He pointed to his head, "the things in my mind."

"I'm waiting," She added tersely.

"I used you like a drug. I couldn't get enough," He sighed, "I'm in pain, all the time. And you," He shook his head, "You took it away. So I wanted to keep you. Your purity," she let out a bitter laugh, "Your beauty, and your kindness. I needed it."

"My kindness?" It was a small voice, but he heard it.

"I was lost in a sea of fear and hate. And," He sighed, "You called to me. You told me there was more to me. I believed you. But the only way to keep your promise was to serve you- not rule you."

She nodded, "I'm not sure you see my kindness as a good thing; more like a vulnerability to exploit."

"My queen," He put his hand over hers on her thigh, "I am overwhelmed by your generosity."

For a moment, Elsa was completely silent, digesting the news. It took her a minute to decide to throw all caution to the wind, and just have at him.

"Arrendelle is bountiful. I am bountiful," She stood as she said this, displaying herself, "I am kind, and generous, and you Westerguards seem to read this as weakness."

"I'm the one who can barely rise, my queen."

She pursed her lips, "You are in a great amount of pain, yes?"

"Yes, my queen," Hans whispered weakly.

Slowly, she slinked down, "What do you want, Mr. Westerguard?"

"Mercy, please…."

"You deserve mercy?"

"No, my queen, I have lied to my queen, and cheated her of her rightful place," He swore.

Elsa smirked, "I am a very, very, very," she kissed him on the lips, waiting for the sound to reach her ears as she drew away from him, "very generous queen."

"My queen is indeed generous," He agreed.

"Give me your hands, Mr. Westerguard," She ordered him. Hans, shaking, put his hands in hers. She took them and placed them somewhere soft, "Am I not the kindest queen?"

"Yes, my queen," He agreed.

"And your pain?"

"What pain?!" He laughed, stroking her. Elsa felt the cool heat of desire building inside. The brunette knew she had to be careful. The last time she'd felt like this, she'd almost let him, "Oh!"

"My queen?" He queried, rubbing her gently.

"…you may proceed, Mr. Westerguard."

So he did. Elsa felt that hole inside of her growing and growing. She felt weak, but in a nice way. Empty, but starting to fill. Her body pressed against his, fitting nicely.

"Are you okay?" He asked, looking at the sore on her hand. She shrugged, feeling a bit pathetic. It had hurt so much she had taken to icing it regularly. But his wounds were far more grievous.

"I will show you such kindness, Mr. Westerguard, as you have never known…"

"Thank you, my queen," Hans sighed, "I am constantly amazed by it. How you trusted me, how you spared my life," He kissed her hand, her neck, "when you brought me out of my empty prison," something about the way he said, 'empty' resonated within her, "showed me I could let my past be the past," more kisses, more pressing, "I am enraptured by your beauty, strength," His hands went to the ties on her back, "kindness…"

She tensed, "Do you presume, Mr. Westerguard?"

"No, never," He answered, "I simply know how generous my queen is to her undeserving servant."

She smiled, and undid her dress, "You may proceed, Mr. Westerguard."

He did. She had to do most of the undressing. Hans lay on his back breathing shallowly and watching. She wondered what she would do if he passed out. Finally, she was bared to him.

"Generous and giving," She explained, kissing him. Her hands went down the blood-stained breeches, "To the point of fault."

"A glaring, obvious fault, no one has ever given like you have," he sighed as she grabbed him, "Elsa!" Hans gasped. She giggled self-contentedly; her servant was so easy to play.

"The Protector doesn't need protecting, does he?"

He let out a growl, pulling her onto him.

"Oh!"

Good 'ohs', such good 'ohs'. He stared at her, hovering above him.

"Please, my queen," he begged.

She nodded, sinking down onto him. Elsa grimaced as the emptiness was once more filled. Then her body stopped moving.

"You're in pain," He said, holding her up.

"It has to hurt," The queen said, explaining it more to herself than to him.

Hans cupped his mistress' face, and brought her closer. The kiss was gentle and warm.

"I can be patient," He explained, "You don't have to hurt yourself for me."

Elsa chuckled darkly, "Experience has taught me the opposite of that..."

Still, he held onto her, slowly bringing her down. She groaned in discomfort. This wasn't going quite the way it had their first time. Hans wasn't relenting, though. He kept that grip of iron firmly on her waist, slowly, slowly letting her drop onto him. Then he stopped, pushing her back up.

"See? You don't have to be in pain. You can enjoy it as much as I can."

Elsa trembled with anger. That's not how this worked.

She slammed herself down, fully onto him. The pain hit her like a knife.

"AH!"

"Elsa!" Her palm clapped over his mouth.

"No. Do not use my name. I am your queen. You are my servant," She rose all the way up again before slamming her body back down. It didn't hurt as much now- that didn't feel right. Pain explained everything; her whole life revolved around how other people hurt her, hated her, and now he was trying to take that from her.

Up. Down.

"Ah!"

Hans grabbed her, "Please…" he kissed her neck, "You're in pain. You don't have to be alone."

"Yes I do," She growled, up, down, "I deserve this. You should hate me. I have everything you ever wanted, and you could have had it; all you had to do was end me," up, down, up, down, each time she went harder, trying to keep ahead of her body's natural response, "but you didn't!"

"And now you don't know why," He said, grabbing her as she came down, "I won't continue to harm you!"

Elsa wiped away the sweat on her forehead, growling, "Hans, I am ordering you to continue."

He glared, "No."

Her breath came in pants, "The only thing in this life that I can count on, is the fact that you hate me."

"I don't hate you."

Her head bowed.

"But."

"Yes?"

"No doesn't always mean no…" He said slyly, releasing her hips. She molded against him, too weak to continue fighting her self-loathing.

"I hate what I am," She whispered, "I've compromised in every way a woman can, and I hate myself for it."

Hans stroked her back soothingly, "We all compromise. But the question is; for what? I compromised my integrity for power, you did so for love."

They kissed.

"Hans…"

"Do not use my name. I am your servant. You are my queen."

They moved together, slowly. The rhythm was established together, one not over-powering the other. Blood soaked from Hans' back into the linens. Neither of them cared.

Elsa felt free. After all this time of emptiness, she could take a moment off of the self-doubt and hatred and be free. She thought once more of Anna's flier, spinning and spinning and spinning until it broke free-

"AH!"

Oh. Oh. Oh. Wow. And ouch.

Elsa stopped moving. Wow.

WOW.

Oh, it was definitely not a mistake to come here. That overwhelming sensation- though she found it a bit painful, oddly- was so mind-blowing.

"Oh, oh… oh…"

"My queen is so generous…" Hans muttered.

Elsa cuddled into her lover. She could put off thoughts of right and wrong- her future, his future, and focus on being happy now. Tomorrow could wait.

Hans decided he would have to spend the next few days lying on his back as well.