A/N: I AM SO SORRY FOR HOW LONG IT TOOK ME TO UPDATE! It Isn't even that long, I'm sorry! Hans comes in at this point, and it wasn't an easy thing to write (corny romance, bleh). Thanks again to my beta The-blackfirewolf. Next chapter we get to meet Jack Frost, and this is the point where the story starts to branch out and become its own. It's also the point where things start to get really weird. Slowly but surely it shall get weird; enjoy the simplicity while it lasts. Then again it is fanfiction, which is weird by definition so, never mind then. Enjoy!

Three years later

I cup a potpourri bowl in one hand and clutch a long candle stick in the other, using them as a makeshift orb and scepter. I raise my eyes to the grand portrait of my father standing in the same poses, and focus hard on not letting my powers loose over the materials. I turn away from the painting in case something flies loose that might damage the portrait.

Frost builds across the bowl and candle stick. Quickly turning to set the objects down, and pull back on my gloves, I give a frustrated sigh. I've been practicing like this for months now, and while I've gotten better from when I used to cover the objects in ice, the frost still isn't the greatest thing in the world.

I pace to the window and watch the people pouring in from the town and the boats. So many people, and I'm not ready to face them. I can't even keep the frost from filling my gloves, what am I going to do when I'm in front of so many people with my bare hands?

I close my eyes and shut out the thought. They won't see, I tell myself firmly although I am not so sure that this is true. I know the anticipation of waiting will only cause me more agony, so I head off to tell the guards to open the gates.

Yes, I have gotten more freedom since my parent's funeral, only now in the middle of summer, at my sister's coronation I am allowed outside the castle grounds. Not only that but the castle grounds themselves would be full of people, so for once I wouldn't be so alone. This is the first time there's been a celebration in this castle in forever. I don't think I've ever been so excited.

I am prancing down the street waving and shouting hellos to people, when I'm nearly run down by a horse. I stagger backwards off the side of a small dock and land in a little row boat. A man jumps from the horse and heads down the dock towards me. My first instinct is to be upset with him but all accusations freeze in my throat when I look at his face. He is possibly the most beautiful man I have ever seen, so instead of being angry I blush.

"Are you ok?" he asks reaching down for my hand. I smile and brush some hair from my face.

"I'm- I'm fine," I say sitting up to accept his hand. "No worries." He pulls me upright and I climb clumsily back onto the dock. My feet slip on the slick wood of the dock, and I nearly fall back into the boat, but the man quickly catches me around the waist. With a yelp I quickly cling to him as I stare down at the water. When I raise my eyes I meet his and suddenly realize I'm grabbing at him. Embarrassed, I flush, and smile awkwardly. I am held like that for a moment, before he lifts me up and sets me carefully down on the dock. Upon being released I stumble, then brush back my hair again, still grinning foolishly. Our eyes meet for a long moment or maybe it's just me, then suddenly he straightens.

"Prince Hans of the Southern Isles," he introduces himself. Remembering myself, I quickly attempt to wipe the smile from my face and draw myself up.

"Princess Anna of Arendelle," I reply and his eyes widen.

"Princess?" he says, "my lady." He drops down to one knee.

"No, no, no, it's ok," I say. "I mean if it was my sister Elsa." I pause and shrug patting his horse on the nose. "That would be, well, yeesh, but," I chuckle a little and clasp my hands in front of myself, "luckily for you, it's just me."

"Just you?" he inquires while rising. Again our eyes lock for a long moment, and I find that foolish grin on my face again. Seconds pass and I give a low, dreamy sigh, then I hear the bells in the distance. The coronation!

"Oh, I'm late, I have to go," I pick up my skirts and hurry away, and then pause and look back at him. "Bye!" I chirp waving at him, and then I rush off.

The choir sings as I bow my head to allow the bishop to place my crown into my thick white hair. He brings forth the pillow containing the orb and scepter as I straiten, and I pick them up painstakingly before turning towards the crowd.

I can already feel the frost growing across the metal, and I begin shaking with nerves. The bishop finishes speaking, and I hastily place the items back on the pillow and retrieve my gloves. The crowd claps as I am announced as queen.

Anna stands beside me as the kingdom dances before us; she glares bitterly down at the floor, clearly not happy to be beside me. I don't really blame her, I destroyed what little love she had for me, and she would never know that it was really the best thing for her.

Then again maybe I underestimated her, maybe she is mature enough to understand, and maybe then she would know why she needed to be careful. If she knew she could find her own ways of being careful, and we could share the burden and be friends again.

Yes, I think, I'll tell her, not now of course, but after the celebration. For now I will attempt to mend what I can of the damage.

"You look beautiful," I comment, and she blinks in surprise, and looks towards me slowly.

"Who? Me?" she asks and I nod. "Oh, well I'm surprised you think so, with my being bedridden and all."

Her words cut like knifes. Ok, so maybe she's not ready to forgive, I can't say I blame her. Before I can reply a young gentleman comes striding up to us.

"Princess, may I have a dance?" he asks Anna, who quickly nods and takes his hand. The next thing I know she's gone, and I'm alone again.

"Wait, you have how many brothers?" I ask Hans as we sit with our legs dangling over the balcony railing. He swept me here after a fitful night of dancing, and now we simply talk.

"Twelve, but most of them pretend I don't exist."

"At least none of them resent you," I tell him with a sad chuckle.

"I'm sure Elsa doesn't resent you."

"Oh, yes she does," I reply, "because of this." I point towards the mark on my forehead.

"I was meaning to ask," he says, "What is that?"

"It's the mark of a strange illness I came down with a when I was little. It's not contagious or anything like that, but it makes me sensitive to the cold. Elsa hates me for coming down with it."

"Why would she hate you for that?"

"I don't know, we used to have a thing about snowmen, maybe that's it?" I sigh. "It's just stupid is what it is."

"Well I think it makes you unique!" he says, and I smile despite myself.

"Come on, let's go back to the party."

Anna has been dancing with that man all night, for a while they managed to disappear from my sight completely, but now they've returned. I hope to end the celebration soon so I can talk to Anna alone, but for now I'll let her enjoy the night.

I turn away for only a moment to make small talk with a noble, and when I turn back she is dancing with Pitch.

I stare in frozen horror as he turns her back to me and winks at me across the dance floor. No, that one word is all I can think, no!

Before I know it I am barreling my way franticly across the dance floor, and shoving people down left and right trying to get to Anna, and Pitch. Through the bustle of startled bodies I can see Anna's arm; I reach out, and grab it before hauling her backwards out of Pitch's grip.

I turn towards the culprit, and throw out my arm automatically to ward him off. In this moment my fury and desperation are too much to be contained by mere fabric. My glove is ripped to shreds by magic, and only once the ice is about to hit the figure in the face do I realize that it's not Pitch.

It's the gentleman she's been dancing with all evening, now clutching his face as he falls to his knees and alarmed gasps break out all around us.

"Elsa!" Anna cries as she pulls from my grip, and kneels down by her fallen dance partner. "What did you do?" she asks glaring up at me with eyes full of anger, and hatred.

"I– I–" I stammer, and look around to see nothing but rightfully horrified faces. None of them will ever understand, and there is no way to explain my actions. I am mad after all.

In the fear of the moment I panic and slam my foot into the floor. A wall of ice emerges from the floor on either side of me, and people jump out of its way as it makes a straight path to the door. I run down that path, through that door, and emerge into the world. I charge through the crowds, a trail of frost following in my wake, as voices cry out behind me 'Monster! Monster!' I reach the shore, and the moment my feet brush the water it turns to ice. I glance back to see nothing, but a horde of angry, confused people. I turn and run across the quickly freezing lake.

I don't look back.

"Are you ok?" I ask Hans as I pull his hands away from his face.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine. What was that?" I look over and place my hand against the wall of ice Elsa created.

"Ice?" I say and suddenly feel him go limp. I look back to see him shivering against the floor, white streaks forming in his hair in a way I know all too well.

It was her! I realize suddenly; she made me this way! And then blamed me for it! How dare she. I look down at Hans. And now she's going to take away what little I have left?

"Blankets!" I call, knowing he needs warmth. "I need blankets!" I reach down and pull Hans's head into my lap. "I'm here," I tell him, "I'm here." But I don't think he can hear me. She'll pay for this, I tell myself violently.

Oh, she'll pay for this!