When snowflakes fall: Chapter 5

She bit her lip and felt the ecstasy of pain flow through her gums and jawline. Knuckles as hard as rocks tensed at her sides as the girl brushed the icy tips of her hair. Plucking every strand of soft flaxen hair which was then gruffly pulled through the brush's bristles. Elsa didn't complain or protest, she had felt and known more pain, and it was never physical.
The queen looked in the mirror set in front of her. Glaring into her own dead blue eyes, as if she was seeing a ghost in front of her. It wasn't herself, though. It was Hans' property.
She hadn't cried anymore, after the conversation. It wasn't worth it, nor was he. She had paced a bit, and then gotten bored so decided to read. When she couldn't concentrate on the words anymore she went to sleep, because sleeping is the only way to escape.
That morning she was expected to spend breakfast with her fiancé, and Henrik made sure that she would not be able to escape the obligation.

Hans had waited patiently for the queen to arrive. They were having a private breakfast in the reserved dining room, and Elsa's maids would be serving them, so Hans would have to be on his best behaviour.
Eventually she graced the prince with her presence, entering the room on the dot of 0900. She slowly stepped through the double doors and everyone in the room curtsied with devotion or bowed in homage to their queen, apart from Hans. The prince took in the quintessence of her. She wore a light green dress which made her appear fragile and young in an ethereal way, her hair was down in a simple Dutch braid and Hans liked how natural she looked. It was pretty.
The prince stood out of his chair and walked down the room to meet her. He stopped just in front of her and bowed fluently with a smile that didn't reflect what had happened the night before. "My lady, please join me." She lightly smiled back, out of empty curtesy.
They sat to some fruits and funnily enough Hans sat at the head of the vast table, with Elsa on his right. Elsa followed the order of things, and placed her gloves on the table next to her. After a few moments of silence, the prince took a sip of water and for the first time since he had sat down looked at Elsa right in the eyes. She looked up from her food and looked back at him, not expecting what would come next.
The maids could feel the obstinate nature of the two radiating throughout the room. Each participant in the engagement was just as stubborn as the other, and they each pealed their ears in anticipation of what would come next.
The prince leaned further down to look at Elsa on her level. "I just want to formally apologize." She hadn't expected it, but he did in fact say it.
"Apologize?" Elsa said sharply.
"Yes, I think I may have stunned your sister. She did not expect me to overstay my welcome, and I suppose I gave her a fright when I spoke to her yesterday." Elsa was completely taken by surprise. The absolute impudence of him! She thought. He had tormented and belittled Elsa's very fait and he wouldn't even admit that he was wrong.
This time the queen lowered her voice, just like his as to not allow any of her maids to hear: "Oh. Well- well I suppose… Anna's fine." Elsa looked down at her plate and furrowed her brows in confusion.
"Well you seem shocked?" Genuine confusion shone through his voice.
"I- never mind."
"You what?"
"I just thought that if anything, you would have apologised for what you said to me, before." This time Elsa looked at him, trying to figure him out.
He laughed. A short, sweet laugh that was smooth like glass.
"Elsa, my dear." He couldn't hold back a second chuckle, and took her left hand in his, encompassing it in warmth. "I meant what I said, and I will not apologise because it is the truth." He then stood, clasping the serviette that lay on his lap and slamming it on the table with grace and then he left. Elsa looked astounded at the manner of him. He then walked to the door and stopped, before turning and giving a small bow of the head, "my queen."
Elsa stood instantly and followed the man. It wasn't over.

She wasn't sure of whether or not he could tell that she was behind him, but she didn't care. He went straight to his chambers, but didn't close the door. Elsa looked over to the guard that stood at the end of the corridor and he smiled at her pleasantly as if wondering if everything was alright due to the confusion on the queen's face. She nodded to him and walked into Hans' room. He had stopped in front of the fire and didn't face her.
"Close the door." Oddly she obliged and then stepped forward to speak her mind.
"You shouldn't say those things, ever. It's just unkind, to anyone let alone the woman that you plan to marry." Elsa's voice was a gasping cry, but she tried not to shout. The room became cold however. She had forgotten her gloves…
"I don't care. It was the truth, and you had to hear it. I'm not going to live a lie..." At that moment he turned to her. His room always seemed quite dark due to where it was placed in the castle.
"So you've decided to play the saint now."
"I don't care for your opinion, but I know what I'm doing-" Elsa cut in with fury.
"And then you just leave the dining table!"
"So that you wouldn't have to act like this in front of the ladies!" He shouted with reluctance, but needed to get his point across.
"That's not my point! My point is that you are selfish!"
"No, I'm just smart. And you followed me here didn't you." His voice wrung with triumph.
"What's your point."
"My point is, we've been trying to work at this for, what? Twenty-four hours? So just stop trying to wear the trousers in this relationship. You're no good at it, clearly I'm going to be the one that tales charge from now on."
"How dare you!" He smiled crookedly and took in her anger like fuel to his fire.
"Why don't you just leave, or quit? Give up, Elsa. You found it easy enough before." The words cut at her, just as he wanted them to.
"Shut it! Shut up, now! I won't let you psych me out. I know what I'm doing too, Hans. I know exactly what I'm doing."
"Well, good for you. Now you can go." He gestured towards the door in irritation. Elsa slowly took a break to breathe, and come back to her senses. The room had become misty and chilled in an ominous way. The floor had brightened and the air had become dewy. Ice clawed up the windows and the walls had become tuff with frost-glazing. Elsa then noticed that Hans didn't portray it heavily, but his arms had become tightly folded and his jaw muttered, showing quiet signs of teeth chattering.
The queen twiddled her fingers and spun her wrist softly and it was as if she absorbed the fortress of ice. She felt the coldness flow through her veins and it was almost a shock to the system to take in so much power.
"I'm sorry, I don't often-"
"It's fine." He bit out the words. "But if you want to, you can stay… It's your choice." He didn't seem intimidated at all, in fact he seemed to be finally acknowledging that she has a say in the way the relationship goes.
The queen hesitated in her reply, she didn't want to seem eager, or angry… She just wanted to seem calm and collected for a change.
"You don't want me to stay, I know that. I'll go." She turned to leave the room, but he stepped forward and the minor sound of the pitta of his heels made her want to stop. Hans had a scent of control and order, he didn't necessarily try, but people still felt the absent need to follow him.
"I want you to stay, so stay." His voice was soft but heavy.
"Fine. Are you always so controlling?"
"Are you always so defiant?" Elsa glared at the prince and he simply smiled. Again, he was winning. "Look, I don't want to argue with-" She cut in
"Neither do I!" He looked at her knowingly in distress.
"I want to talk to you, and get to know you. Is that too much to ask?"
"I suppose not." He then walked towards her. Every step was subtlety slow. Elsa was lost for thought as he meandered over to her. He stopped close enough to her that she could feel his breath on her forehead.

"Will you hurt me if I take your hands?" He was quiet and patient. Elsa exhaled deeply.
"I don't know." He took both of her hands in his, and held them there for a little moment. They were soft yet tuff, and cold. She felt confused and lost. It shouldn't be like this. Hans noticed her furrowing her icy brows, "Am I too warm for you?"
"No, you're just right." She then looked at him in surprise. She didn't know why she said that. Her frozen eyes looked into his. He wondered what she was thinking, and feeling. He wondered if she was hiding pain, or perhaps something that she wants. He wondered if she felt comfortable, or at home. He needed to know.
"What are you thinking?" His voice was heavy and low. Every breath he took dusted her forehead.
"I'm thinking that I agree…"
"Agree with what?" He was still holding her hands…
"I agree that you and I will probably never love each other. But, that's ok, because I'm not looking for that. I'm looking for a king, and you could be a good one." Hans took her words into consideration with a smooth nod and agreed with her. "What are you thinking?" she asked.
"I'm thinking that you're really not that much like Anna…" Elsa felt instantly shocked by the statement. She wondered why he thought of her sister at such a moment. Anyhow she kept her cool.
"How?"
"Well, you're more careful, and slow."
"Slow?" the words came out discerningly.
"As in the way you move. Anna's a bit more energetic, whereas you tend to meander a bit…"
"Is that a bad thing?"
"Not always." He then looked down at her, and found a youthful presence in her eyes. He could get used to this. He then let go of her hands, slowly but surely and she looked back at him and slowly lowered them to her sides. "You seem warm enough now." The words didn't come out the way he wanted them to, but she didn't mind.
"Yes, thank you- I ought to leave now."
"Yes, I think so." He followed her to the door and held it open for her. She walked out without looking back at him, but he watched her go.