CHAPTER CONTENT WARNINGS
- death [theoretical possibility, referenced past event]
- implied nudity [changing]
- sexual references [implied possibilities]
- adultery [implied possibility]
- violence [punching]
The color of the sunlight indicated dusk was near. He rubbed his eyes and looked to the side.
"Hi!" Leone greeted. "How do you feel?"
Hans grunted as he propped up his torso with his elbows. "Stiff."
"Need a hand?" Leone offered.
"I can manage," Hans declined, maneuvering to the edge of the mattress. He attempted to slide out of the lower bunk, only to be snared by the sheet and fall face-first on the floor.
"Lars!" Leone dropped to his friend's side. "Are you alright?"
Hans groaned and rubbed his nose (which was likely the same shade as his hair at the moment). "I'll survive."
"Good," Leone stated, untangling Hans' legs, "because we can't have you dying from this, of all things."
Hans allowed the man to help him to his feet. "If smacking my head on the floor takes me out of this world, I didn't deserve to be in it."
Leone grimaced. "That's depressing." He opened the chest at the foot of the bed. "Seriously, we were afraid we'd lose you."
Hans rubbed the back of his neck, staring at the partially-covered window. Even when he was royalty, no one would have cared if he died. He was, after all, worth less than nothing, being a thirteenth prince who'd inadvertently caused his own mother's death. But now...
"Here." Leone held out a stack of folded garments.
Hans looked down and realized he was in a nightgown. The implication hit him like a brick. "You changed my clothes."
"Of course we did. You were soaking wet."
Hans cocked his head. "I was?"
"Remember those guys that attacked you the night we met? Natalia caught them trying to dump you in the harbor. Well, I guess 'trying' isn't the right word, since they did, but that was probably because Natalia screamed. Pappa and I were almost home, so we came running, captured one of the men — that's how I knew it was the same gang — and saved you."
"... Oh." He only recalled being chased. The rest was news to him. The thugs must have decided it was faster to dispose of me in the bay than drag me back into the Hole. He'd have to be more cautious in the future if Derrick had truly stooped to paying lowlifes to assault him.
"That was the day before yesterday. You've been asleep until now."
The ex-prince groaned inwardly. Maybe luck will be on my side and no one noticed my absence. I could return to my cell and work tomorrow as though nothing happened.
"Are you upset?"
Hans blinked in confusion. "Why would I be upset?"
"Invasion of privacy."
Hans reflexively touched his chest. "I'm fine." He took the pile from Leone, setting it on the upper bunk. "It was unavoidable."
Leone closed the trunk, then sat upon the lid, facing the door. Hans pulled the gown over his head.
"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," Leone prefaced, "but Natalia guessed your brothers were responsible."
"Well, not all of them," Hans murmured, rubbing the scarred skin. "Just the twins."
"So you've got twins in your family too," Leone commented.
"Yeah," Hans muttered.
Leone picked up on his friend's discomfort. "Mamma has two sets of twin siblings that are older than her. Well, all her siblings are older than her. She's the youngest of thirteen — seven boys, six girls."
Hans noted their shared position with a tiny smirk. "Is that why she always makes enough food to feed an army?" he chuckled.
"Probably!" Leone chortled. "My grandmother said Mamma always wandered off to watch the cook or the seamstress or the gardener or the maids. I'm sure she learned from them."
"She's a very capable individual. It makes her a great mother."
"Yeah." Leone leaned back. "I think she wanted a big family like hers. Whenever I caused her grief, she'd say, 'The Lord knew best when He only gave me two children. You get into enough trouble for ten!'"
Hans laughed. "I'm surprised I haven't heard that remark, given some of your antics."
Leone became downcast. "I'm not as bad as I used to be."
Hans perched on the stool, socks and boots in hand. That's right, gambling and every other vice that goes with it. I should avoid delving into that topic any further. "Do you see your relatives often?"
"Not particularly. We travel around too much. We usually gather with Mamma's side every other Christmas."
"What about your father's family?"
"Pappa's an only child, and his parents died when he was eighteen. Everyone else doesn't really care to interact with us ever since... well, I guess they view us as 'beneath them' now."
Hans stood, checking his reflection in the mirror. "I can relate."
The door creaked. Hans pivoted to find Natalia in the entryway.
"Hey there, sis!" Leone greeted. "Look who's up and about!"
Her surprise melted into a feeble smile. "That's great." Her focus fixed on Hans. "I have to speak with you, if you're well enough for conversation."
Something's not right. "Certainly."
Her gaze returned to her brother. "It must be us alone, please."
"Sure thing." Leone grinned and gave Natalia an obvious wink before trotting out of the cabin.
I don't think those two are on the same page.
Natalia closed the door behind him. She paused, seemingly collecting her thoughts prior to facing Hans. She turned abruptly, and his chest tightened at her appearance. Her jaw was set, her back rigid, her arms straight at her sides, and her hands gripped her dress.
She knows.
They stared at each other. Hans kept his expression neutral.
"I'm glad you're feeling better," she began. "Truly, I am. No matter what happens, rest assured that I care about you."
Not how I was expecting this conversation to start. Perhaps she doesn't know everything.
"I appreciate the sentiment," Hans responded. "Now, it's clear something's troubling you—"
"Please don't patronize me," Natalia interrupted. "I know you've already figured it out."
Hans remained emotionless. "What do you want?"
"Tell me the truth." Her voice cracked on the last word.
"It sounds as though you already know it," he dismissed her.
"I want to hear it from you," she insisted.
Hans shoved his hands into his pockets. "May I first inquire as to how you uncovered my ruse?"
Natalia bit her lower lip. "Pierre told me, but I confirmed the story with several other sources."
He slowly returned to the stool to give himself time to think. Natalia must have finally outright rejected Pierre's invitation. The cretin didn't have to tattle on me, though. Still, I can explain my way out of this.
"I was formerly Prince Hans Westergaard, thirteenth son of King Lauris of the Southern Isles. However, I was stripped of my title and disowned by my family after a certain incident in Arendelle."
Natalia bristled. "You almost murdered two women!"
"I did not raise my hand against Anna," Hans scoffed. "I simply left her to the fate her sister inflicted on her. As for Elsa, she essentially killed her own sister and subjects with her icy magic. I merely did what was necessary."
"You went into Arendelle aiming for the throne," Natalia protested.
Hans shrugged. "Who wouldn't? The fact remains that I could not save Anna, and I had the authority to put an end to a legitimate threat. If I'd succeeded, my personal motives would not have been scrutinized." His vision aimlessly wandered the room. "To this day, I don't know exactly how I was prevented from prevailing. I presume it was due to Elsa's abilities, but I can't be sure." He adjusted his collar. "In any case, Elsa's curse was somehow reversed. I was sent home in disgrace and sentenced to the life of a stable hand." His eyes rested on Natalia once more. "That's the basics of it."
Natalia released an audible exhalation. "Why didn't you tell us?"
She'd walked right into his setup. Time to deliver the dramatics.
His countenance became sullen, his gaze sinking to the floor. "I was afraid. People barely tolerated me in my former life. They gave me the courtesy of a royal, but it was all platitudes as I didn't have any real power. Once I lost my position, no one needed to pay me any mind. In fact, as a criminal, they could do far worse to me than they could to the average citizen." He raised his head. "You and your family have been the only ones to show me any kindness. I didn't want to lose that."
Natalia thinned her lips. "I understand if that was your reasoning—"
Hans' face brightened.
"—when we first met."
He furrowed his brow.
Natalia inhaled sharply. "But with all we've been through, knowing that we love you no matter what, after I specifically said you could tell us anything without fear—" She fixed her pupils on his. "—why didn't you trust us?" Tears rolled down her red cheeks "Why didn't you trust me?"
Her words were a dagger he was utterly unprepared for. His stomach knotted as the stabbing sensation shot across his midsection. He clutched his abdomen in agony.
In the blink of eye, she was on her knees, her hands over his. "Are you alright?!"
He peered at her. She's still concerned? The invisible knife twisted in his side. She should be screaming that she hates me... irate that I used her... crying that I betrayed her... The weight of the air was crushing. It makes no sense. He couldn't take a breath. What's going on? The affliction felt familiar, but he'd certainly never experienced this intensity. What is this? Without searching, a memory popped into his mind.
'If only there was someone out there who loved you.'
The last piece of a puzzle fell into place.
Guilt. This is guilt.
"You vapid, brainless doormat," he snarled. "You discover you've been duped, and your impulse is to weep over unrequited trust and appear anguished about my every twinge? This is precisely why you were so easy to deceive!"
Her chin quivered. "Lars—"
"'Lars' doesn't exist!" A dark snicker escaped his lips. "His entire being was a complete fabrication!"
Trembling, she placed her right palm over his heart. "I don't believe that."
"Believe what you wish," he sneered, standing. "It matters not."
Natalia lost her balance at his sudden movement. "Eep!" She struggled to recover as Hans strode towards the door. "Wait!"
"I can show myself out."
"The guards are looking for you!" she huffed, scrambling to her feet.
He hesitated, the doorknob closed in his fist.
"Don't go," she pleaded. "We—"
"You're pathetic," he spat. With that, he threw open the door and dashed for the bow.
"Lars— Hans— Stop!"
Her cries echoed after him, but he'd already vaulted the railing. He could hear commotion on the deck, then the sound of someone chasing him. They won't catch me. He'd had too great of a head start. He glimpsed La Stella Luminosa one last time before he disappeared from the wharf.
No one will have that kind of power over me.
Anna had returned, but her state did little to ease the worry that had mounted in her absence. Shivering and ice cold, with her normally amber-red hair half white, the princess's physical condition wasn't helped by her distinctly distraught and desperate demeanor.
Hans studied her apprehensively. "What happened out there?"
Anna's alarmed eyes met his. "Elsa struck me with her powers."
His confusion was evident. "You said she'd never hurt you."
"I was wrong."
Hans caught her as she crumpled in pain. "Anna!" He scooped her up in his arms.
Anna obviously doesn't know Elsa as well as she thought she did. If the queen will go so far as to injure her own sister, no one is safe.
He laid the princess on the nearby couch.
"She froze my heart," Anna continued, "and only an act of true love can save me."
True love? Such a thing only existed on the pages of the fables he'd read as a naïve child. Ah, of course. Understanding illuminated his face. "A true love's kiss."
This won't work. Still, I must play the part.
He caressed her cheek. When she questions its ineffectiveness, I'll insist that I love her, but lament that real life doesn't work like fairy tales.
His fingertips glided down to her chin. I could suggest marrying right here and now, but she probably won't last that long. Plus, if she were to refuse, that would cause problems, especially if the witnesses were already present.
He tilted her head up. I'll tell her I'm going to fetch Elsa from the dungeon, implore her to wait for me, stealthily lock the door, and wait for her inevitable passing. Then I'll inform the dignitaries that we exchanged our wedding vows just prior to her untimely demise at her sister's hands. They'll agree that Elsa must be punished for treason. The Snow Queen's reign and this winter will end simultaneously. Then I will lead this country in a manner worthy of admiration and respect.
Hans slowly leaned toward Anna. It's a shame we couldn't rule together. But since there's no way to save her, this is for the best.
He stopped, a sickly sensation squirming through his insides. She'll drift off to sleep believing I'll arrive any second to fix everything. She'll go peacefully.
He felt worse. His brow creased. She simply has to die, and no one will be the wiser.
His eyes opened and scanned her hopeful, waiting face. Even if she did detect my true intentions, as long as she's isolated, she'll take the secret to her grave.
His expression darkened. Why waste this opportunity?
"Oh, Anna." He paused to exhale with an insidious smirk. "If only there was someone out there who loved you." He strolled to the window, savoring the unmitigated shock she'd shown him.
"Y-you said you did."
There was still a glimmer of optimism in her voice. Just like all the times I begged the twins to cease their torment. They would feign penitence, and for a moment I would dare to believe they were actually going to heed my pleas. He examined his smug reflection. I'm going to enjoy crushing her. For once in his life, he was the one in control.
"As thirteenth in line in my own kingdom, I didn't stand a chance." Every avenue was sealed off. He turned away from the now-curtained glass and removed his right glove. I will not spend the rest of my life as a worthless spare. "I knew I'd have to marry into the throne somewhere—"
Anna stared at him in disbelief. "What are you talking about?"
Any signs of life will draw attention to the room. He licked his index finger and extinguished the lone candle. The dearly departed don't use Earthly light. "As heir, Elsa was preferable, of course, but no one was getting anywhere with her. But you, you were so desperate for love you were willing to marry me, just like that."
He retrieved the pitcher of water that had been set out for the gathered foreigners. Dead bodies don't require warmth, either. "I figured, after we married, I'd have to stage a little accident for Elsa." That was the most unsavory part of pursuing Anna, but the Westergaards had done far worse for far less. This is nothing in comparison. He emptied the container's contents into the fireplace. The flames faded.
"Hans!" She reached for him, tumbling off the couch. "No, stop..."
He ignored her. "But then she doomed herself, and you were dumb enough to go after her." He replaced the pitcher, chuckling as he relished his superior intellect. "All that's left now is to kill Elsa and bring back summer." He drew near the fallen princess.
"You're no match for Elsa," Anna growled.
He went down on one knee before she completed the sentence. "No—" He lifted her chin so she could see his seriousness. "—you're no match for Elsa." She'd proved that quite spectacularly.
Anna wrenched her face away in disgust.
She doesn't know what Elsa's capable of. Considering he had snapped the queen out of a deadly fury, he had no qualms about his ability to handle her. "I, on the other hand, am the hero who is going to save Arendelle from destruction." He'd risen to his feet again, replacing his glove with a confident tug. Victory is within my grasp. He headed for the exit.
"You won't get away with this." Anna's threat was hardly intimidating, given her fragile form.
Hans sighed condescendingly as he opened the door. "Oh—" He turned back to her with a fraudulent smile. "—I already have." He slipped through the gap, closing and locking the door as he did. He gave the handle a rattle to ensure it was secure.
He observed the hallway. There wasn't a soul in sight.
Perfect.
The doorknobs wiggled, his captive apparently trying to escape. A hoarse whisper wafted through the cracks. "Please, somebody help."
He pushed down the bile that had risen in his throat. There's no turning back now. He deafened his ears to her faint cries and hurried away, preparing to face the dignitaries that were expecting him. The sooner this is finished, the better.
Hans gazed at the stones under his boots. He wasn't one to dwell on the past, but because he'd made the connection, reminiscing was inescapable.
He'd previously reasoned his crucial mistake was due to arrogance. While that was partially true, it had been guilt that initially triggered his exposition. Perhaps he'd dreaded his solitary hours being haunted by Anna's hopeful smile. Maybe part of him had regretted losing the first person to so thoroughly trust him. Whatever the case, once he'd perceived that prick to his psyche, he'd attempted to soothe it. That, in turn, had led his mind down the trail that concluded he could boast of his genius without consequence.
His reaction was fiercer this time, though. He'd identified the feeling he'd previously ignored, and this realization filled him with rage. It was mostly directed at himself for the ridiculousness of it. He had no reason to be contrite; he'd merely acted according to his best interests. Yet he had felt conviction, which made him vulnerable to manipulation by the very people he wished to exploit. Although, I can't imagine Natalia behaving in any sort of conniving fashion.
The root of the problem was that he'd felt any remorse at all. I had to fight it. If he'd granted such weakness a foothold, there may have been issues later on. He could have doubted his decisions, or become swayed by frivolity versus exercising prudence. Unfortunately, endeavoring to rely on logic (by denying guilt an entry point) had produced the opposite effect. In order to suppress his conflicted conscious, he'd allowed ego or anger to take over, instead of proceeding with his strategy. He'd only further proven emotions were irrational and clouded one's judgment. My most terrible decisions were executed out of base sentiments before I could determine the correct course of action.
He shook his head. Forget it. What's done is done. It's time to move forward. If my disappearance has been kept secret by those who neglected my supervision in the first place, I can return to my life as it was before this whole mess began. He surveyed his surroundings. He hadn't concentrated on his travel, but his body had automatically taken his customary course to return to the castle. While his path combined efficiency with stealth, he needed to to be extra careful tonight. If the guards were indeed looking for him, as Natalia had warned, caution was necessary. His head swiveled, examining the street. The area was presently deserted. I must be wary of any approaching figures—
"Hello, Hans."
He jumped, but recognized the voice.
—and anticipate an ambush without arousing suspicion. His mind couldn't help but complete the thought as he confronted the man in the alleyway shadows.
"Sneaking up on a fellow is quite the churlish habit, Pierre," Hans scolded, stepping into the lane between the buildings.
Pierre glared. "I don't know what that means, but I'll bet it's something you don't have the moral standing to declare."
Hans rolled his eyes. "Why are you here?"
"I was on my way to check in with Natalia. She fled from my estate in such frightful haste, but I assume she's calmed down enough for a little chat."
He'd be wrong about that. "Is that why you told her my true identity: to try and gain her favor? Because that was quite possibly the worst way to do so. Even if she refused to see you again, you could have asked me to persuade her."
"No, she made it quite clear our relationship was through. Besides, I couldn't just stand back and let your deception continue!" His indignant tone was clearly mocking.
"Conveniently skipping over your own duplicity, of course."
"Naturally." Pierre flicked his suspenders. "You're an outcast criminal. I'm an upstanding citizen. No need to indict myself."
"Our contract will do that for you."
"Oh, that." Pierre plucked a charred piece of paper from his pocket. "Here's what's left of it."
Hans snatched the shred from Pierre's fingers. It was his own signature. "This... how...?"
"Ulrik's good at finding stuff," Pierre informed the stammering man. "You wouldn't even know he's looking, because he has a perfect memory and leaves things exactly as they were. There's only so many places you have access to that would be safe for hiding something important."
Hans seethed as he fought to keep his hands from shaking. The parchment had been in one of the many ammunition boxes in the barn's weapon storage closet. It was the best water- and insect-proof location. He'd verified the parchment's preservation every now and then, but not too often, lest someone investigate. Ulrik must have stolen it after my last check.
"I set the thing on fire," Pierre continued, "but while it was burning, it occurred to me that you wouldn't believe me without confirming it for yourself. So I saved you the trouble. Courteous, am I not?"
Hans narrowed his eyes. "What are you planning?"
"Nothing, I'm simply letting nature take its course. You've been caught lying, and you have nothing to prove we had any connection. Natalia will cut you out of her life, if she hasn't already. Then I will play the concerned party, consoling her in her hour of despair. I'm sure my support will endear me to her. And from there... well, who knows?"
"You're an absolute fool if you believe you can trick her so easily."
"If you can do it, so can I," Pierre bragged.
Hans scoffed. "As though a half-witted imbecile such as yourself could match my brilliance."
"You're just jealous that the fox was outwitted by the hound."
Hans shrugged, unimpressed. "Did you call me out for the sole purpose of gloating? If so, you're wasting my time."
"As though I could 'waste' something worthless." Pierre started sniggering. "You know, you really are unlucky number thirteen! You'll be worse off than you were to start with! If only you'd tried a liiittle harder to help me. It's too bad, especially since I was going to let you have Natalia when I was done with her."
His insinuation slapped Hans across the face. "What?!"
Pierre carried on, undeterred. "A prude like her is only fun for so long. After the novelty wore off, I'd invent reasons to be out late, travel abroad, and so on. It'd be only natural for her to find solace in the arms of a dear friend."
CRACK!
The next thing Hans knew, Pierre was flat in the dirt, receiving pummeling blows from the ex-prince's fists.
"Help!" Pierre choked, unable to defend himself against the onslaught.
"Stop!"
The order came from Ulrik, who appeared at the other end of the alleyway and ran toward the pair. Another man became visible behind him. Despite the dim light, Hans espied a police uniform.
Oh no.
He bolted.
What have I done?
Author's Notes:
1) I remember people making a big deal about Hans being the thirteenth child (as in, "That's so many kids!") when Frozen debuted. However, large families were much more common back in "the olden days" (Frozen is set in the 1840s). Perhaps it was less common for royal families to be that large, but large families in general wouldn't have been a shock to anyone living in the time period. That's why Hans doesn't make a big deal out of Mirella's family size.
2) Ever since I created her, Mirella's backstory has involved her being from a huge family (both immediate and extended). Her specific place among her siblings was taken from one of my great-grandmothers, who was the youngest of 13 children.
(Interestingly, also like Hans, the next oldest siblings above my great-grandmother were twins [albeit girls]. However, my OCs Derrick and Damian [brothers #11 and #12 respectively] weren't based on that fact. [They also weren't based on A Frozen Heart, as I had made up my OCs for Hans' brothers long before that book came out.] They were made twins in order to further isolate Hans from his brothers [as twins would be more exclusionary towards a younger brother than single births (at least in the Westergaard environment)].)