A/N: Thank you to all my readers, both new and old who took the time to give me a quick review! For those of you questioning Hans' kingship, let's just take into account that he did suggest being consort, but Elsa refused because she wants to prove he will be a good King and she trusts him. I know the technicalities could be questioned, but let's just roll with it. Here comes chapter two, no jump this time! The story shares a tumblr with its original title at frozenheartsfansdottumblrdotcom.
Chapter Two
Unexpected Discoveries
The news of Harald's stay spread among Arendelle as quickly as the barn fire. Elsa, of course, was fully supportive of the decision, knowing how much his brother's presence would relax Hans. She understood the effects of anxiety far too well. Her next step was to make a short announcement to the people about the guard extension. Some applauded the precautions taken, some were suspicious, and others still were strongly opposed. Harald must have understood the people's apprehension, as his first action was to hold a conference with the current Captain. After negotiations and ideas were thrown about, the two men seemed to come upon a mutual understanding. Although he had never shown utmost respect for Hans, the Captain, Alrik by name, seemed more amenable.
"I do not envy him," he murmured as he watched his men spar with one another. "Agdar was a great king. The people see Hans as a frightened, sniveling traitor, not a king."
"I know," Harald replied steadily, watching the men closely. "He needs time."
"He doesn't have much of it," Alrik retorted, "but my oath is to protect my king, no matter who he is."
"You know as little as I about the incident and the underlying cause, then."
"Indeed." Alrik's gaze wandered over the man in the training yard, his eyes sharp. "But I have suspicions."
Harald waited for an additional disclosure, but as the pause lapsed into an uncomfortable silence, he grunted. "I assume you are more keen than I in that regard, Alrik." Harald faced the man. "To protect the king, we must be able to trust each other. It is our oath."
"Yes." Alrik's eyes glanced sideways at Harald's gleaming chest. "And you clearly have your years of experience."
The subtle shift in posture as Harald straightened in pride did not go unnoticed. "Then you will share your thoughts, and I will express mine," he stated. "When I am certain Hans is in no further danger, I will resume my duties in the Isles. I do not intend to rob you of your position, but rather, to become eyes where you do not see. I offer apologies if any intentions intimidated you."
"Hardly." Alrik's gaze swept over the soldiers once more. "Though I cannot say the same for my men."
"Any ideas on how we may alleviate their concerns?" Harald pressed.
"Perhaps if you showed an interest in the men, maybe took one under your wing, so to speak, it would give the people reassurance you are invested in and further support an alliance between our countries. They may even be of help in our investigation."
"Under my wing…" Harald murmured, again looking over the soldiers below him. The concept was nothing new, and the idea made sense. "Do you have a suggestion as to whom would be worthy?"
"Any one of my men would be a proven ally, under normal circumstances." Alrik fluently gestured with one arm. "Take your pick."
Harald studied the intricacies of the men below him, the way they parried, how many quick jabs they tried to execute, how far their feet slid back as they defended. Some were more impressive than others, but most of them were probably a few years his elder.
Then his eyes came to rest on someone without a sparring partner, practicing on a dummy. Judging by the lad's skinny physique, he was young. His face was covered by a helmet and visor, but his chestnut hair was chopped to just a few inches above his neck. Though Harald did not always approve of solitary training, it must have come in handy for the boy.
The more he watched his work, the more he was impressed. The footwork was light, but swift. His strikes were spot-on. He gestured with a jut of his neck. "The young man by himself, sparring in the leftmost corner. Who is he?"
Alrik followed his train of sight, but looked puzzled. "I'm not sure."
"You don't know?" Harald took a tiny bask of joy in Alrik's discomfort.
Alrik salvaged his pride. "It's difficult this time of day to differentiate. The sun glares off the armor."
"Ah. Then let us spare your eyes and ask him ourselves." Harald headed for the descending stairs, all restrained smiles.
"You there! Boy!" Alrik called as he neared, edging around the parameters of the training ground. "Come to attention!"
The stranger went on sparring as if they hadn't even heard.
"Boy! Come to attention!" Alrik barked, and this time the soldier stopped, shrinking back, stiffening. Harald observed the boy's chest heaving in effort, and his armor rattling.. Alrik was none-too-pleased with the soldier's apparent lack of respect. "Explain yourself, soldier! Why did you ignore my orders? Did you not see me speaking to you?"
"No, sir," the soldier answered, still rigidly stiff, "I didn't."
Harald could already tell from the soldier's physique that he was a young man, with poorly developed muscles, but the voice was a dead giveaway. It lingered in a lilt so soft it was almost a pity to hear in this environment, as if he hadn't experienced puberty yet.
Alrik's glare sharpened, but it didn't seem to affect the boy outwardly. "What is your name, soldier?" By now, he had garnered attention from the other soldiers.
"Sir, I apologize for my late attention. What do you need of me?"
"Don't patronize me, boy. I asked your name. I won't ask again."
The soldier's head bowed in defeat and after a long pause, he spoke. "Lily."
The courtyard fell into silence as the soldier removed her helmet and tucked it under her arm. With her short cropped hair and flat chest, she could have nimbly passed for a boy. The only evidence to the contrary would have been her long eyelashes and her soft voice, which was still easily mistaken for a prepubescent man. Harald and Alrik exchanged bewildered looks, but neither seemed to have words.
"What are you doing here?" Alrik finally asked between grit teeth, his tense expression mingling somewhere between disgust and anger.
"Training, sir," was her matter-of-fact answer. She straightened her shoulders and gazed in his direction proudly.
"This is no place to play games," Alrik grunted. "This is my training yard, reserved for my soldiers. It is not a place for women to indulge in odd fantasies."
"I didn't think you would mind," she replied steadily, her posture unrelenting. "I didn't mean any harm."
"I'll have someone escort you home," he ground out tersely.
"Don't bother, Captain. I can manage." Her cool, grey eyes, with a tint of pale green, flickered from left to right, and she took a small step forward, stumbling on an unseen coil of rope. She righted herself, brushing at her knees and, ignoring Alrik's extended hand, stretched out her arm until she touched the stony wall. She gained confidence as she turned her back on the men, heading for the exit at the archway with a steady pace.
Alrik turned back to face his men, who had begun to murmur amongst themselves. "What are you all standing about for?" he roared. "Back to your posts, now!" They scattered like mice, and Alrik started after the fading figure of the girl, a resigned look mingled in fatigue seeming to age his face.
"Wait." Harald held out a hand and grasped him firmly by the shoulder. "Let me. You stay here and look after your men. I'll see she makes it home. Ruminate on finding the culprit of the fire while I'm gone."
Alrik visibly hesitated, but then nodded. "Very well. See to it she makes it home. Safely."
Harald piqued an eyebrow but turned without saying anything, jogging after the woman in the distance, pondering what Alrik had meant by his last words and what, if any connection, he shared with the woman.
By the time he had nearly caught up with her, he was too winded to speak, but she beat him to it.
"What do you want?" She did not even turn to acknowledge him with a glance as if his very presence disgusted her.
"How did you know I was here?" He managed as he caught his breath, putting on one last burst of speed to match her stride.
"I heard your panting. You obviously came after me. But there's no need."
"I said I would see you home." He had to weave around a couple on the sidewalk as they came around the corner and entered the marketplace.
"I already told you, there's no need." She came to a stop before a fruit stall.
"Good morning, Lily!" A pleasant, red-headed woman in her middle age greeted her, filling her boxes with oranges. "What can I do for you?"
"What do you have today?" Lily asked in return, brushing her hands over the fruit aimlessly, occasionally smelling or squeezing one, her eyes drawn perpetually downward.
The woman seemed very analytical of Harald the moment he strode up beside Lily, but she only smiled, biding her time. "We have some lovely ripe oranges, just arrived from Corona. Shall I bag you some?"
"Yes, please," she agreed.
"And who is your friend, Lily? An admirer, perhaps?" teased the woman, winking coyly at Harald.
"One of Alrik's stooges," Lily scoffed, turning away from Harald. "I hardly know him at all."
"A secret admirer, then," the woman exclaimed with a laugh.
Lily's cheeks began to flush with a bloom of color. "A bothersome shadow, more like."
"Well, whenever he's finished following you, you tell him he can tag along after me anytime."
Harald cleared his throat, gesturing towards the woman's wares. "Anything from the Southern Isles?"
"Some dates, yes," the woman replied. "How many would you like?"
"A few handfuls." Harald shrugged, watching her fetch them.
"I do enjoy a good date, don't you, Lily?" the woman pressed, smiling at the young woman. She turned her attention back to Harald. "Sure you only want a few handfuls? Nothing imported from the Isles seems to sell quickly as of late."
"Is it any wonder?" Harald mumbled, nodding. "Yes, those will do." He passed her a few coins, enough to warrant change, but received none. Instead, the woman grinned and spoke louder.
"Well, Lily! How kind of the gentleman to pay for your purchase!" She began to hand Harald his wares, but at the last moment leaned towards Lily, giving the bag a little shake.
Lily's cheeks were radiating heat as she reached out, snagging the outstretched bag. She turned on heel and began to dash off before a word could be said. Harald did a double-take before the woman held out another bag, her smile wider. "Better get after her."
Sighing heavily, he took the oranges and again resumed chase. As he began to catch up, which wasn't nearly as hard as before, he noticed that the girl stumbled frequently. She stuck close to the interior of the sidewalk, close enough to touch the buildings if she'd wanted to for some reason. He wondered if she was just naturally clumsy, which could have explained why she seemed to avoid eye contact as if she were embarrassed. They passed by several shops, few of which appealed to Harald, though his thoughts did turn to Heins briefly as he walked by the window of a clothing store. Inside he could hear someone irritable yelling at someone else, and he glanced up to take note of the name of the place. Perhaps he'd send something home to his little brother if he made a care package of sorts for his siblings still stuck at home. Finally, the girl slowed as they approached a quiet corner of the town, where she came to a halt in front of a cottage and slipped inside, closing the door behind her.
Harald looked over the cottage as he stopped in front of it. It was small, and a little run down in places, but suitable. There was a special sort of care given to the exterior with a walkway leading around to what Harald assumed was a back patio for entertaining. He approached the front door and knocked a few times with his knuckles. "Hello? Miss?" There was no answer. He resorted to using her name. "Lily?"
The door opened a crack, and she called from within. "What do you want? I'm already home now; just go back to Alrik and tell him I'm fine. I'm sure he'll give you a shiny new medal."
"I came to retrieve my dates," Harald responded, a little scowl plain on his face. "And I am not doing this under Alrik's command."
"Dates?" She repeated, and there was the sound of rustling from inside the house. "Oh!" The door opened a little wider and she appeared in the gap, his bag in hand. "Here."
"Thank you." He took his bag and handed her the parcel of oranges in exchange.
She nodded as she repeated the sentiment. "I'm so sorry about Marie. She's very… overbearing at times." She bowed her head. "You didn't pay for my oranges, then… or at least, mean to… did you?"
"No, I'm afraid not," he replied honestly, doing his best to remain polite as he spoke.
"Let me pay you for them then, before you go."
Harald began to object out of politeness, but she swiftly left the front door and he watched as she dug into a bureau drawer. It was then he noticed something about her. Her eyes never moved from staring straight ahead as she searched and felt objects within the drawer. Like a thunderclap, the truth encircled his brain and in shock he spoke his thoughts out loud. "You're blind."
Concealing whatever emotion she felt, a few coins clinking, she turned and held an outstretched hand towards him. "Here. Take your money."
Immediately, he regretted his words. He knew how to control his tongue better. He bit his lip as he brought his hand to touch hers and she passed off the coins. His fist enclosed over them and he let his hand fall to his side. His mission was complete and he should have left, but curiosity pestered him to stay. He looked at her with more than passing interest now, trying to fathom it.
"I did give you the right amount," she affirmed. "Count it if you don't believe me."
"Where did you learn to fight?" he asked bluntly, growing more fascinated by the moment.
"What?" Her eyes met his, stunned surprise lighting her features.
"Your fighting…" Harald reiterated. "Where did you learn?"
"My father taught me," she replied quietly, the previous hint of venom in her voice gone. "Why?"
"Your skill for your age is incredible." Harald continued to stare at her in befuddlement. "It's truly something to behold."
"No one else thinks so," she muttered, dropping her gaze. "I'm not supposed to be there. Too dangerous, Alrik says."
So… Harald thought, He does know her. "I wouldn't have picked you otherwise."
"Picked me?" Her face turned towards his voice, her tone lilting in interest and suspicion. "For what?"
"A confidant… you might say I'm new around here. Though I've never met a woman who wanted to be a soldier."
"Won't Alrik be angry with you if he doesn't see you back soon?" she asked, tucking a few strands of wayward hair back behind her right ear. It wasn't long before it drifted back out in front.
Harald almost smiled as she tucked it back again. "I don't think so." He began to back out of her doorway, onto the paved cobblestone, still regarding her with careful thought. "I'll talk with Alrik. See if I can't get you access to the courtyard."
"You will?" Her face brightened with ill-concealed excitement. She followed him, halting at the doorway. "Why?"
"Because there's a shortage of women, needless to say, visually impaired women, who are skilled regarding the art of the sword in this world." He paused to chew a few dates and swallow. "It would almost be a pity to stop you."
"Then… You don't disapprove?" Her face contorted in confusion.
"I didn't say that." Harald thought for a moment before speaking. "But I can say, with confidence, you have the best instincts with the sword among all the men in that training yard… and that counts for something."He turned away and had only made so far as the street when she called after him.
"Wait!"
He stopped as requested, turning over his shoulder. "Yes?"
She took a few tentative steps forward. "Would you like to come to dinner tomorrow night?"
"You would invite one of Alrik's stooges?" Harald taunted her, raising his eyebrows.
"I'm sorry," Lily huffed, "but I tend to speak without thinking sometimes. It's just to thank you for trying with Alrik. And because… I know what it's like to feel unwelcome."
Harald could not deny his raging curiosity about the woman. Dinner meant lots of time for talking, for learning. Knowing he had nothing better to do until he found a lead on the fire, he gave in to his desires. "Very well." He walked closer, fished one of the plumper pieces of fruit from his bag, and took one of her hands, placing the fruit in her palm and folding her fingers over it. "It's a date."
It took a moment for his play on words to kick in. Had he thought more on it, he probably would have left it at his first parting comment. He had never been particularly gifted in the comical. But Lily's gray green eyes brightened, and a giggle bubbled from her lips. It was a delightfully musical sound, and Harald was sorry when it stopped.
"Goodbye. Oh, wait… you know my name, but I don't know yours."
"Harald." It was the first time in a long while he'd omitted the "Captain" tag line, or the "Southern Isles" bit, but for some reason, it didn't occur to him to include them.
"Harald…" She said the word slowly, almost as if she were testing it. "Thank you."
"You're welcome, Lily." She disappeared back into her cottage, and Harald resumed his trek back to the castle, his hands buried in his coat pockets, mind buzzing in anticipation of learning more about the blind girl who was so damnable decent with a sword.
#
Hans lay back in the luxurious bed, his robe in a pile on the floor nearby, hands folded behind his head. He had counted the swirls of the carved snowflakes on the ceiling twice waiting for Elsa to speak. There were one hundred and eighteen. Finally, somewhere in the middle of his third count, he turned, leaning his head on one hand, the vapor from his breath evident as he spoke. "Elsa. You don't have to be afraid. You won't hurt me."
Elsa shook her head, the covers tightly held over her chest with one hand. "You don't know that."
She'd been very eager as they started, but her inexperience had given way to nervousness, which was too close a relative to fear. The room temperature plummeted and hands shrank away as they sank under covers to keep warm. Now she had virtually shut herself away, but Hans was determined to comfort her. He reached out, taking her shoulder. "I know I love you."
Elsa shifted and met his eyes, her pale skin glowing in the moonlight peeking through the window. It pained Hans to see his wife so troubled. He cupped her cheek with a hand, thumbing it, savoring the feel of her cool, smooth skin.
She brought her hand over his, resting it there. "I...I love you, too."
The words seemed to have a profound impact on her. No wonder, Hans thought, she was shut away for so long without the opportunity to say it to those who meant the most.
"Doesn't true love thaw a frozen heart?" Hans asked, half trying to soothe her, the other half joking to keep the mood light.
"An act of true love," Elsa murmured in correction, burrowing her body deeper under the covers.
Hans scooted closer, brushing her skin under the blankets. He leaned in, giving her a kiss just beside her earlobe. "What act could be truer?" he whispered.
Elsa smiled faintly, a little bit of precious hope flickering behind the blue of her eyes.
She shuddered as his arm draped comfortingly over her waist, drawing her closer until she was nestled against the contours of his body. She may have been cold, but he was determined to make her warm. His sideburns tickled as he bestowed a trail of kisses along the nape of her neck. An affirmative sound of pleasure seeped from her lips as she exhaled.
"Elsa," he soothed, "I want to do this with you. Trust me."
"I was only playing with Anna and I almost killed her, Hans. I couldn't live with myself if I hurt you. I just can't..." Elsa turned away, trembling.
"Elsa, close your eyes," Hans whispered. He gently and unhurriedly stroked her hair for several minutes until he felt her begin to relax. "I want to tell you something I've never told anyone before. A memory...I had almost forgotten. When I was five, and fell through the ice...at first, I was terrified. I kicked, and fought the water, trying desperately to be able to breathe. The cold water was like knives stabbing me, and it hurt so badly... But after a little while, I began to feel numb, and as my strength ebbed, almost... peaceful. I began to relax, and float in the water...and the cold was no longer an enemy. I looked up, and could see the sun dancing on the surface of the ripples, and reflecting through the ice above me, and as I began to fall asleep, I realized I had never before seen anything so beautiful...so crystal clear, and so alive. I woke up shaking and confused alone on the ice, with only vague impressions of a voice screaming my name, and the ice shattering again. For years I had only confusing, fragments of memories and loss, and it wasn't until much later I pieced together what had happened...how Kris' love had saved me."
Hans let out his breath in a shuddering sigh as Elsa turned toward him in compassion. "Elsa... I'm not afraid of the cold any more. Kris showed me how the self-sacrifice of love can overcome it. And to this day, I've never seen anything more beautiful... until you. You, my love, are radiant, both inside and out. I've never wanted anything in life more than I want to love you...forever, and in every way. Somehow I know our union could never hurt me, but could only heal us both. Don't think of your fears, my love...just look at me, and just feel my touch."
Her face, completely absorbed in what he had to say, melted into a sense of peace, and she let her arms fall to her side, becoming lax.
"We'll take it slow...and I'll stop anytime you wish." His fingers wove into her hair, removing the band holding her braid in place, then they threaded through the strands, freeing them. Soon it cascaded over the pillow in waves. He planted a few kisses along her collarbone, caressing her gently. "I love you so much," he whispered almost inaudibly again and again.
She exhaled, wrapped her hands around his neck, and drew him close, holding him. How she'd longed for touch when she was a child, prayed she'd gain control just long enough to hug her mother, to get a goodnight kiss from her father. And now, she was in bed with a man she loved, and sharing the most intimate form of touch there could be. She kissed along the corners of his lips, savoring their feel. She wanted to please him, and she wanted to experience his love in full. She had to try.
Hans seemed to sense the way she moved her body, helping him position his in the right place, his chest resting on hers. He braced himself. "Are you ready?" he whispered as he lost himself in her eyes.
She nodded, a smile trembling over her lips, replacing nervousness with anticipation and allowing him ever closer. A warmth seemed to spread from her rapidly beating heart to the rest of her body as she was swept into incredible new sensations that made every anxiety disappear.
Afterward, as she rested in his arms and drifted away on a dream, a soft echo of his voice seemed to follow her there. "Elsa, some people... are worth freezing for."
A/N: So what did you think? I love seeing Harald as a more active character. Don't hesitate to ask any questions! And to my reviewer who suggested some ideas for frozen fractals, I'll be looking them over and you may see one fleshed out in the near future! Please take a moment to leave me a review if you enjoyed!