To Play Double Agent

(A/N: The reactions to the picture in this part play with the 1800s view on such things. And that fact that supposedly H.C. Andersen did at one point send such a photo as this, albeit most likely not one even a fraction this extreme, well extreme for the time period, to Scharff. With the message 'Here you have again Hans Christian Andersen'.)

Mael checked Harald over attentively. "You'll be alright," he soon said to him as he finished wrapping the boy's ribs, which had been in bad shape. "Don't do much moving or strenuous exercise and you'll recover all the quicker. You need to take it easy and rest… I'm sorry we weren't there to save you…"

"It's alright. Hans was," the young man replied, smiling gratefully over at his friend.

"What were they talking about, when they mentioned something they'd found in your room?" Hans questioned. Harald blinked, blushed, then grinned devilishly, eyes lighting up mischievously. Hans stiffened. Oh, he got a bad feeling he was going to regret asking. "Uh, Harald?" he asked, now visibly uneasy. Meanwhile, the rest of his brothers were suddenly intrigued by the proceedings.

"Hans, you don't remember sending that photo?" Harald innocently questioned. "You must have really been drunk."

"Photo? What photo?" Hans icily asked, crossing his arms and narrowing his eyes dangerously.

"Well, it was certainly a step up from every other photo you ever sent of yourself… Quite a step," Harald answered. "More like a leap to another level."

"What photo?" Coth immediately questioned, suddenly all over this 'photo' business.

"What photo?!" Hans echoed, closer to a freaking out point. What the hell did Harald mean?!

"Open my top drawer, Kelin-Sel," Harald said.

Kelin-Sel debated whether or not to do so, especially if there was a possibility Hans's dignity was on the line, then decided he really couldn't care less about Hans's dignity in this instance and opened it. His mouth dropped and he flushed. "Holy sh…" he cut himself off, biting his tongue.

Iscawin, burning with curiosity, dove for the picture and pulled it out. "Whoa!" he exclaimed. "Bro! What the heck?!"

"What is it?!" Hans panicked. This was not good, it was not good. It couldn't be good. Oh god, this wasn't good.

The triplets looked at it. Connyn blew a whistle as if he were improperly and totally uncouthly whistling at the sight of some maiden. "Hans, you never told us you were so daring."

"Give me the picture!" Hans freaked, lunging for it. Connyn snatched it from Iscawin and moved out of the way, grinning wickedly. "Connyn!" Hans shouted.

"Here you have again Hans Christian Andersen," Connyn read out. "Wow do you have him."

"Give me the photo!" Hans shouted. Connyn laughed and quickly slipped it to Coth, who moved out of the way, looking at it.

"Huh, Franz was right. You must swing both ways to have sent this," Coth said. "My, my… Baby brother, I knew you had a body on you, but never pictured you quite like this."

"Coth, come on, this isn't funny anymore!" Hans desperately pled. "What is the photo?!" He lunged for it again, but of course Calcas snatched it away with a grin. He looked at it and gasped.

Mael snatched it from Calcas, glaring scathingly at his younger brothers for their childish taunting, and looked at the picture. His eyes widened in shock. "Hans!" he furiously shouted.

"I don't know where it came from, I swear!" Hans said. He didn't even know what it was, but he knew enough to know it wasn't good.

"How the hell was a picture like this even taken of you?!" Mael demanded, shoving it into Hans's hands.

Hans swallowed and looked down at it. His eyes widened in horror. "Oh my god!" he exclaimed, blushing bright red and looking mortified. It was a picture of him, for sure, and long story short? It wasn't an innocent picture. In fact, it was more lurid. Very lurid. He wore a towel around his waist and nothing more. His hair and body were damp and he was lounging, in fact sprawled out, over a set of cushions on a window seat, laying in the sun and looking back towards the camera with a look he hadn't even realized could pass for seductive. It was supposed to be dark and dangerous, warning any possible intruder or attacker off; but tied with the way he was sprawled over the pillows… Enough said. His mouth was dropped in horror. This couldn't be happening to him. This could not be happening to him! "I didn't send this," he numbly said. "I didn't even take this!"

"No, I gathered as much when I wrote you a vaguely flirtatious letter in response and you replied with confusion and uneasy amusement. At which point I laughed because I realized you probably hadn't been the perpetrator," Harald answered.

"But-but who…?" Hans began. He stiffened, looking up in realization. He scowled darkly. "Franz," he growled, grip on the picture tightening. "Franz!" he furiously shouted. That was it. He was writing a letter home right now. He would see his depraved, perverted, totally… Ugh! He would see the middle prince hung! Or at least imprisoned in the dungeon for a damn long time. What was he, some poster boy for a lewd paper? Not even lewd. This was beyond lewd. This was pushing into erotic territory and was totally not okay. He could get arrested for this, dammit! That was how bad it was. Arrested for gross indecency. Of course his moron brother wouldn't have thought that through, would he? Nor care, if he had.

"Hans, wait!" Mael called out in alarm.

"I'm going to give Franz an earful for this audacity! He isn't getting away with this, I swear on pain of death!" Hans freaked, jerking open the door of Harald's room and moving to go out. He slammed right into someone outside of the door and cried out, dropping the picture and catching whoever it was before they fell.

Frozen

"Hey!" the person exclaimed in surprise.

"Oh my gosh, are you hurt? I'm so sorry. I…" he began. He froze and gasped on seeing who it was. Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, the Duke, and Francis and Erik were there! It was Elsa he'd run into, of course. In line with his luck. Oh no. No, no, no, no, no! He blinked at them then realized the picture wasn't in his hands anymore. He looked down at the ground and blanched. Anna was bending to pick it up for him. "Don't touch that!" he freaked, diving for it. Anna looked surprised then frowned, snatching it up and moving out of the way. "For the love of god and all things good in this world, Anna, do not look at it!" Hans begged. "I will bow and scrape at your feet, just don't look at it!"

"Why? I mean what's so bad about a photo?" Anna asked, curiously about to turn it over.

"Trust me! For god's sake, if you trust me on nothing else for the rest of eternity, trust me on this!" Hans pled.

"But…" Anna began.

Kristoff took it from her and turned it over without even a second thought. "Holy reindeer!" he exclaimed, blushing brightly and looking both appalled and confused. Hans groaned, burying his face in his hands. The floodgates were open. There was no going back now. Francis and Erik curiously looked at it as well. Erik's mouth dropped. Francis 'eeped', looking unsure of what to think.

"Give me that. Surely whatever it is isn't so shocking," the Duke said, taking the picture and looking at it. His eyes widened and he looked flustered. "Prince Hans!" he exclaimed in horror.

"It wasn't me!" Hans swore. "On pain of death I swear I never took that! If I'd known it had been taken at all I would have destroyed it, please believe me!"

"What on earth has you all so worked up?!" Anna demanded.

"It is not for decent eyes to see, my dear, much less the eyes of decent young women such as yourselves," the Duke said, tucking the picture away and looking sharply at Hans. "Why I should have you arrested for such a thing as this! How dare you bring such a photo into this castle? We are respectable here, young man!"

"I didn't bring it, I promise you I didn't!" Hans swore.

"You're doing yourself no good by lying," the Duke said. "If you didn't bring it, how did it get here?"

Harald, frowning worriedly now, looked about ready to speak up. "Don't. You'll just make it even worse," Iscawin warned, grimacing. "Imagine telling him it was sent to you."

"Ooh, good point," Harald replied, cringing.

"I… it… they… I mean… Franz sent it! He-he sent it as a-a joke. A taunt!" Hans said.

"What is your own brother doing with such a shot of you?" the Duke demanded, looking mortified.

"It isn't like that! He-he went a little camera crazy a while back!" Hans replied. "This-this was years ago!" He hoped. Not that he'd changed too much since it was taken, if anything he'd just filled out more, but that probably wasn't the best thing to boast up about now. "He must have found it and thought it was worth a good laugh."

"There is nothing worth laughing about with this disgusting…" the Duke began, holding it out again… Only for it to drop and land face up. "Oops," the Duke said.

Anna's eyes were wide in shock, her mouth dropped. She couldn't even find her voice to squeak. Kristoff quickly covered her eyes, cringing and honestly feeling worse for Hans than anyone else right about now. God, this had to be the most humiliated the prince had ever been in his life. And that was with twelve older brothers who relished in the humiliation game. Anna didn't even protest, still shocked by the sight. Wow. Just wow. He had a body. Ugh, she hadn't just see that. Please tell her she hadn't just seen that.

Elsa cringed and looked worriedly over at Hans, who now was covering his face and obviously wishing he could either disappear from here or be six feet underground. She heard the reactions of the others and frowned. She knelt down, picking up the picture. "Oh come on. It's only a picture. You're acting like children! It isn't as if none of you have ever seen such a sight before!" she sharply chastised the men. She couldn't really fault Anna, because Anna hadn't seen a sight like that before—to be honest neither had she—but that was beside the point! "It's just a man." Albeit in a very lurid pose… She looked at the photo again curiously, examining it, then blushed, quickly handing it over to Hans and clearing her throat. "It was a joke by his brother. Probably no one else was supposed to see it but Hans and his siblings so we have no right to belittle the Admiral about the situation. He isn't at fault."

"Thank you, your majesty" Hans hollowly muttered, taking it from her brokenly. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a brother to condemn to the hangman's noose." He moved passed them, still blushing madly and genuinely wishing he could just disappear. Oh Franz would rue the day he was born. Mark him well, Franz would rue the day. Elsa cringed. Was he serious? You know what? She didn't want to know.

"We'll, uh, go after him," Connyn said. Quickly he and the other two triplets went after their brother.

"Well, now I feel horrible," Harald muttered.

"It wasn't your fault," Iscawin assured. "If he blamed you, believe me you'd hear it. Hans isn't shy about telling someone when he thinks something is their fault. No matter how close he is to them. You would be hearing it now, if he thought you were to blame." Harald nodded, feeling a little better about the situation. Iscawin smiled and left with Kelin-Sel so that Mael could finish tending to Harald's injuries in peace.

"I apologize for the… inappropriate position you all found yourselves in," Kelin-Sel said to them, once they were a little ways away from the room. "I assure you nothing like that will happen again."

"It had better not," the Duke said, folding his arms and glaring at the brothers with eyes narrowed. When his youngest had caught sight of Francis shirtless… Enough said. They knew full well where that mess had gone.

Elsa smirked at Anna, hoping her sister would exchange the smirk. She blinked and grimaced. Anna was still numbed at the sight, it seemed. Soon she looked at Kristoff in curiosity and intrigue. Oh boy, this had to be dealt with. "Don't be getting ideas, Anna," Elsa deadpanned.

"I wasn't!" Anna immediately defended, blushing. Kristoff was blushing madly as well, now, on realizing what Elsa had implied. The Duke eyed Kristoff and Anna warily and exchanged looks with Elsa, whilst Francis and Erik shifted uncomfortably, looking awkward.

"Right," Elsa said, walking passed. Anna cringed and followed her sister with a slightly guilty expression. Kristoff glanced over at the Duke of Weselton and saw him eyeing him with the evil eye. He grinned innocently, shrugging and shifting uneasily.

Frozen

Hans listened to what the triplets were telling him in disbelief. So, the suitors had targeted Kelin-Sel had they? This was problematic. Big time. And another thing he would have to add to his fiery and scathing letter to Moren and Franz back home. A letter that would guarantee Franz prison time for months. At least until they got back from Arendelle. Of course the idiot would probably be laughing his fool head off in that cell the whole time, but at least it was something. He knew damn well Moren wouldn't have him executed for this, so prison was the next best thing. Then maybe ignoring Franz when he got home. Not that Franz ever cared, so really there was no point in trying out the silent treatment he guessed.

Anyway, back to the more important matter at hand. This Kelin-Sel business. Which, when added to the letter, might take away from the scathing tone, but was necessary nonetheless. The triplets finished narrating all they'd heard and what they wanted to try. Hans was silent, taking it in. "So I'm playing double agent, then," he said.

"You're the best at it," Coth answered with a shrug.

Hans thought it over. "Okay. I'll bite and play spy. How do you expect to get me into this mess, though?" he questioned.

"They'll be plotting against Kelin-Sel in the study in the suitor's wing today. In fact, within the hour they'll gather there. You're going to happen on that study and give yourself away either 'accidentally', by 'tripping' on something or making something fall, or on purpose, by revealing yourself and blackmailing them into letting you in," Calcas answered.

"And our brothers know about this? And Elsa?" Hans asked.

"Not yet, but they will. Our brothers know, Kelin-Sel was none too enthusiastic about you taking a risk like that for his sake by the way, but Elsa and the Duke of Weselton have yet to be filled in. We'll do that while you worm your way into Carl Alexander's ranks," Calcas said.

"This isn't going to work," Hans deadpanned. "I'm going to be found out. Carl's no fool."

"Neither is most everyone you've tricked before," Connyn remarked.

"Ah, but except for my flesh and blood no one has been so in tuned to the way I think as Carl is, and Edvard," Hans pointed out.

"It'll be enough for us to figure things out," Coth said. "It might even distract them enough that they'll forget about trying to 'disappear' Kelin-Sel."

Hans thought. "Alright… You say their meeting is starting soon?" he asked.

"Within the hour," Coth confirmed.

"Then I'll head there. Just make sure you inform Elsa and the Duke fast," Hans said.

"We're already on our way," Connyn answered. Hans nodded and walked away from his brothers in the direction of the study the men would supposedly meet in.

Frozen

Hans moved down the hallway, going over the outline of his game plan in his head. Okay, he could do this. He could pull the wool over Carl's eyes. At least for a time. Long enough to make things easier for them all and less risky. "Hans!" a voice called. Hans froze. Uh oh. Kristoff. He turned quickly and saw the ice harvester approaching him.

"Kristoff, what are you doing here?" Hans immediately asked. He had to get the guy away from this place.

"I was kind of worried about you. I wanted to see if you were okay after the whole, you know, erotic photo thing," Kristoff said.

"It wasn't erotic!" Hans defended, blushing again at the memory. "It was just… seductive. I didn't even know anyone had taken that picture, I swear!"

"Hey, take it easy buddy. I believe you," Kristoff said, putting his hands up in a pacifying gesture. Hans folded his arms and looked away from him in a cross between sulky and annoyed. He heard voices just then and stiffened. Uh oh.

"Uh, hey, err 'buddy', um, let's go somewhere else. Away from here. Because who wants to talk in a hallway anyway? Why don't you go, um, rustle up some 'grub' for us," Hans said, trying to push him away.

"Are you feeling okay?" Kristoff incredulously asked.

"Sure! Why wouldn't I be feeling okay, uh, pal?" Hans asked.

"Please don't," Kristoff deadpanned. "You trying to talk like the average slob on the streets? Yeah, doesn't work. You don't have to talk like me to bond with me."

"Just trying to be a regular guy," Hans defended.

"You're failing, Hans. Regular slang isn't you. When it comes from your mouth it's just no," Kristoff said.

"Oh good," Hans replied in relief. "Look, I'd love to talk but I'm in the middle of something. We need to go. Now."

"Why?" Kristoff asked.

"Just go, Kristoff!" Hans hissed.

"What the heck is going on?!" Kristoff demanded. Hans quickly covered his mouth and shoved him quickly into a room, shutting the door behind them.

"Will you keep it down? I'm trying to spy, okay? Spy! In case you don't know what spying entails, it means keeping quiet and unseen!" Hans shot.

"Why the heck are you spying?" Kristoff asked.

"It's a long story, iceman. We don't have time to go into it," Hans said. He looked around. "Oh sh…oot! We're in the study. Quick, get out of sight!"

"But…" Kristoff began.

"Don't question me, Kristoff, just follow!" Hans shot, quickly moving off. Kristoff cringed but followed. Hans pulled open a closet and slipped inside. Kristoff joined him there and they shut the door.

"Will you please tell me what's going on?" Kristoff hissed.

"Some suitors plotting against my brother. They figure Kelin-Sel's a major threat and want to disappear him. So I'm playing double agent and slipping into their ranks on the sly so I can keep tabs on things. My brothers are informing Elsa, Anna, and the Duke of Weselton. Meanwhile, I'm here trying to make it look as if this isn't a plan and I just happened upon their conversation. Your being here? Yeah, not helping."

"There's an adjoining room to the study. You move fast you can make it there," Kristoff said, pointing in the general direction. "Then it'll look more like an accident." It was apparent there wasn't time to question and press for details, but he got the gist of how serious this was.

"Alright. I'll do that. Thanks. Stay here. Don't come out no matter what," Hans said.

"And if I'm found out?" Kristoff asked. "It's dusty in here, pal, and I'm a loud sneezer."

"Oh for the love of… I'll figure it out. Try to contain yourself, please," Hans hissed. Kristoff nodded. Swiftly Hans got out of the closet and ran for the adjoining room, darting into it just as the door to the study opened up and the suitors came in. Kristoff peered through the crack in the closet door carefully.

Frozen

"Are we alone?" the headmaster, Duke Carl Alexander, asked the others. "Spread out and search." Kristoff caught his breath as the group of suitors split up, searching the room for anyone being present. Soon, though, they returned to him.

"It's clear, Duke Alexander," one man said.

Carl looked less than convinced, but he didn't press for a more thorough search. "Very well. Now, to the matter of Prince Kelin-Sel," the Duke said.

"I still say slit his throat," one of the men said. From the next room Hans started and his eyes narrowed. He had half a mind to reveal himself now, but refrained.

"No murder!" Carl sharply shot. "I don't care how wonderful or powerful or wealthy the woman in question is. No girl is worth killing an innocent man for! If you try it, I'll see you executed. That being said, if you find him guilty of a crime in his past that he should have been executed for but wasn't, have at the killing game. I'll consider it more delayed justice."

"Then what is the plan going to be?" another asked.

"A hunting trip in which he accidentally on purpose ends up separated from us and lost in the woods," Carl stated. "Or so the story will go. In reality, he'll have been accidentally on purpose snared in a trap. His own hunting party turns on him, then. We knock him unconscious and drag him to a cave or shack. We bind him there and leave him. None of you, from that point, will go back into those woods without me or one of his brothers close at hand. I don't trust any of you not to gut him or torture him while he's in a vulnerable state. Only I will return to the young man, and even then only every couple of days to give him water and food until this all blows over and he is out of the race for good. I will tune it as we go. Leave it to me. You just follow my lead. Am I clear?"

"You are, dear Duke," Hans's voice said suddenly. All the men in the room spun around in shock and horror only to see a door they hadn't even noticed open up. In it stood the youngest prince of the Southern Isles!

Frozen

"Prince Hans!" one of the suitors exclaimed in fear.

"Carl…" another began. Carl put up his hand, silencing the second. He eyed Hans darkly.

"A shame you had to walk in on this, young prince," he said in greeting to Hans.

"A shame, hmm? What are you going to do? Kill me?" Hans asked. "There may be other eyes watching, you know, if I could get away with it so easily."

"Hmm… You must be so proud of yourself. You caught us. Congratulations," Carl darkly said, arms folded.

"What do you think I'm going to do? Rat you out? I should, really, but you seem to forget something very important. I'm competing for the Queen's hand too. And I was less than impressed by her little display in the gardens with my brother. In fact, I'm less than impressed with my brothers in general. Kelin-Sel among the worst of them. I like your plan, frankly. Though killing him wouldn't be entirely unwelcome, it would be more of a mess than necessary, and a risk… So I intend to make sure he stays alive. And ensure he stays out of your way as much as he stays out of mine. An aid of sorts. To you, Carl. After all, you can't hope to keep these bloodthirsty dogs in check all by yourself. Even if you could, well… frankly I don't trust you to keep my brother alive either, if he rubs you the wrong way. Not a fan of the dehydrating him for two days between waterings either. Would prefer three, just to play it dangerously. Risks can be so much fun, don't you think?"

"You're asking me to let you in on this," Carl said.

"Asking? I don't ask for anything, Carl. I order," Hans said. "You don't have a choice. You let me in on your little scheme, I don't inform my siblings and the queen about this kidnapping plot. You refuse me, I turn a kidnapping plot into an attempted assassination and put you and your friends there six feet under. Am I clear, or do you want me to break it down more?"

Carl was silent, glaring at him. "You're clear," he finally answered. "Welcome aboard, Prince Hans… However, how do I know I can trust that you're on our side?"

"You don't. But you're out of options," Hans answered. "You know the stories of how much the princes of the Southern Isles hate one another. They're true, every one of them. Sure we've been getting along better, as of late, maybe even gradually mending, but old habits die hard, and I've never been one to so quickly change my opinion on people I despise anyway."

"Yet you're after Elsa," the Duke said.

Hans glared icily at him. "My opinion of her was never bad to start," he growled. "She just happened to be in the way. Now… when do you plan this little hunting party?"

"You'll learn the day of," Carl answered. "I haven't determined it with certainty myself."

"Haven't you now?" Hans dubiously questioned. That answer probably meant he had it all arranged already, which was unfortunate. But that didn't mean he couldn't still do something about it. After all, the man would have to tell Kelin-Sel. Kelin-Sel would in turn inform him and their brothers about the date. Once they knew the plot, they could join themselves to this little hunting party easily enough and completely spoil it. It would look like harmless coincidence. There was no way it could be traced back to him… Which meant Carl would probably do just that, or suspect. He wouldn't get away with blowing two of the young Duke's schemes in a row. He wasn't sure he'd even get away with this one, which meant trouble, but they would see now, wouldn't they?

The Duke shifted uneasily, jaw twitching. He obviously hated the fact Hans was on his wavelength, but he didn't snap up the bait. "I haven't," he repeated firmly.

Hans eyed him but then shrugged, seemingly dropping the matter. "Then gentlemen, I look forward to working with you… He's my brother. He'll trust me. There'll be no problems with this little plot of yours. It should theoretically go off without a hitch." From the closet, Kristoff had to admit a begrudging amazement with the prince's acting ability. The guy could fool him, and he knew of clan Westergaard's plan.

Frozen

The next week saw many boats of many suitors departing from Arendelle's shores. Most had departed peacefully enough, though some had thrown in a dark threat or two before leaving. The Duke of Weselton had quickly dealt with said threats. Rather, his bodyguards had. He was too old to go around intimidating young men. They'd more likely burst their sides laughing at him than get scared. Until they didn't, of course, but that was beside the point. He didn't have the energy for such things these days. At best he only had a decade or so of life left in him. He frankly doubted he would make a decade, but then he'd always been feisty and spry for a man of his age. He wasn't one to give into death, no siree.

"How many suitors left, Your Majesty?" Kai questioned Elsa.

"Twenty-five, I believe," Elsa answered. Cutting them back by half hadn't been as difficult as she'd thought it would be. Even the Princes of the Southern Isles seemed shocked. Hans was of the opinion there wouldn't be three rounds in this game after all, as he had predicted to Kristoff. She'd cut it right back to two. Which was both good and bad, he decided, but mostly good as it meant that with luck, by the close of this month or next month the only ones remaining would be the ones she would be considering for a husband.

"So what happens now?" the Duke asked. "This is your event to determine from here on, Elsa."

"I was thinking to attend a concert with the remaining men," Elsa said. "See how they act in social situations. How they present themselves to other people, how disdainful they are or aren't, etc. If they can't treat my people with kindness and respect, they will not be welcomed as my Prince-consort."

"An excellent idea. I believe a concert featuring the works of classical composers is scheduled in two weeks' time. I will set to obtaining tickets for us all," the Duke of Weselton said.

"Thank you, Dear Duke. I almost wish you could remain here as a steward," Elsa said with a sigh.

"By the time I leave, you will have one, my dear," the Duke said. "Err, Kai, how do you feel about a promotion?"

Kai started, eyes widening. "Me sir?" he asked in disbelief. "But-but I am the crier and butler," he said.

"Anyone with half a brain can do that nonsense. You, however, seem to have the aptitude for steward's work," the Duke said.

"Dear Duke, we can't be without a butler and crier," Anna said.

"Nor will you be," the Duke said. "Those are easier to come by than a good steward. By the end of my stay you will have a butler and a crier both as separate entities! Amongst other castle staff your parents drove off in your childhood. I have a list of what is needed. It will all be taken care of. You, dear Anna, focus on helping your sister rule the kingdom and deal with the suitors. I will play steward until everything is arranged, at which point I will leave the job in Kai's capable hands."

"Thank you, your grace!" Kai exclaimed.

"Tut, tut, tut, things to do. Off with you all. Have fun, Elsa, Anna," the Duke said, wandering off and scribbling notes down in a little book. Elsa and Anna grinned proudly at Kai. Hans exchanged looks with his brother. With the Duke's experience, this castle and the power of Elsa's court was recovering rapidly. Enough to seriously concern them, were they not allied with her.

"This political marriage must work in our favor. Now more than ever," Mael murmured to his little brothers. "Be absolutely certain it is one of you who wins her heart."

"We can only promise to try," Kelin-Sel answered. "We have our own situation to deal with in Duke Carl Alexander and his merry men." Mael's mouth flickered into a smirk before the smirk fell and he nodded.