Chapter 9
Anna had been staying with Kristoff every night since his amputation. It broke Anna's heart to see him in such pain. Kristoff muscles had begun to atrophy due to inactivity and his stump still burned with pain.
"Nnnnn!" He painfully moaned. Anna immediately took a cloth from a nearby glass of ice water and placed it on his burning stump. The painful moans subsided as the cooling ice soothed the rough pain and numbed the nerves. Anna took his hand in hers and held it close, she never wanted to let him go again.
"How much longer will he be like this?" Anna asked the doctor.
"You must understand Princess, every muscle, nerve, tendon, and bone in his knee was cut away. His knee is in severe trauma right now, it will take time for it to heal." The doctor said as he came over with more of the opium tea and sipped it into Kristoff's mouth. "Luckily he only lost half his leg so a prosthetic shouldn't be too hard to put on."
"Mmm-hmm." Anna said rubbing her hand across Kristoff's cheek. The doctor noticed the dark bags under her eyes and her dress was very loose.
"Your majesty, I insist you get some food and rest before you wind up on a hospital bed yourself." The doctor said.
"I can't leave him! What if he wakes up and needs pain medicine?" Anna asked.
"I assure you one of the doctors will be here in that event. He wouldn't want you to suffer like this." The doctor said as he took Anna's hand and guided her out the door.
Elsa danced around her room as she got ready for the day, she hummed to herself as she anticipated her next meeting with Marcus. She still couldn't believe that they actually kissed! She melted at the thought. Elsa looked at herself in the mirror and noticed she was rounder than usual. Her breasts were a little larger and she felt a soft layer of cushion on her stomach.
"Oh I have to stop eating all that chocolate." Elsa moaned. She looked back up and realized she wasn't fat, she actually appeared more curvy now. Her hips and breasts larger than before. It wasn't too noticeable unless one looked at her in tight clothing or naked. Her stomach was still mostly flat at least. She always did hear her sister say she was way to skinny and needed to eat more.
"Maybe he will like me even more now!" Elsa said to herself. She conjured up a very tight fitting ice dress that clung to her like glue. The chest pushed up against her breasts making them appear even larger. She then erased the dress, she could never go out in something so scandolous. She instead put on her usual ice dress and shoes and walked out to begin her day. Elsa looked out her room and saw a shirtless man lifting stones near the beach. Sweat gleamed off of him as he lifted the large rock over his head. Upon closer observation she recognized the man as Marcus. Even from afar she could see his toned muscles move underneath his skin as he lifted the rock over his head. His biceps stuck out like cannonballs and his abdominal region cut like a olympic athlete. Elsa's heart began to beat as she saw him exercise. Oh how she would love to run her fingers across those arms.
"Your highness?" A voice said startling Elsa. She turned to see her servant Kai standing there.
"Yes Kai?" Elsa asked.
"The former Prince Hans is to be hung today. As queen you must be present to read his crimes." Kai said. Elsa widened her eyes. Sure she despised Hans for what he did but she didn't want to be responsible for his death.
"I-I can't Kai." Elsa said drooping her head. "I can't send a man to his death, even if it is Hans."
"Your parents would be proud for your mercy, most rulers would have shot him on sight." Kai said.
"May I speak with the prisoner?" Elsa asked.
"You are the queen you may do what you like." Kai said. Elsa nodded and made her way to dungeon. Not many cells were filled as crime was low in Arendelle. Other than an occasional theft there were rarely serious crimes like treason or murder. She saw two guards standing in front of the cell containing a badly beaten Hans.
"Guards leave me with him." Elsa said.
"But your highness! He-" A guard began to say.
"If he tries anything I can defend myself." Elsa said as a long sharp icicle elongated from arm to emphasize the message. The guards nodded and left Elsa with Hans.
"Come to gloat have you? There you've won, I am beaten and shall be hung." Hans said. Elsa noticed a shamefulness in his voice.
"Why did you do it Hans?" Elsa asked. "Why did you leave Anna to die?"
"Because I just wanted to be someone! My brothers and parents never even acknowledged me a child. I was always the mistake, the one who always screwed up, the weak one! My brothers messed up and I was blamed for it!" Hans said. "I just wanted my parents to be proud of me, my parents never told me they loved me, I was just there. My brothers never cared for me, they just beat me up."
"I do pity you but-" Elsa said.
"I don't want your damned pity!" Hans yelled. "I'm a monster, I deserve death, it will finally free me of the hell I've called my life."
"Things get better you know." Elsa said sighing. "I was locked up for thirteen years because of my powers, I never left my room not once, it was hell."
"Your at least family loved you." Hans said tearing up as he pulled up his shirt revealing a brand mark. "I received this when I brought my father the wrong tea." Elsa was torn. Hans was known to a liar, a damned good one at that. How could she trust him? Then again, Elsa had heard rumors of the ruthlessness of the Southern Isles so it wasn't too far fetched.
"I can strike a deal with you Hans." Elsa said.
"What kind of deal? Hans asked.
"Tell me who was responsible for this attack and where I can find him." Elsa said.
"You mean betray him? Invoke his fiery wrath?" Hans said. "Kill me here, any death you can conjure will pale compared to what he will do."
"If that is what you desire Hans, I will have the bishop come so you may confess any sins." Elsa said.
"Why are you being this nice? After what I did?" Hans asked.
"I was taught in the teachings of Heaven and Hell Hans, the deepest and most despairing circle of hell is reserved for the treacherous, a sin you are very guilty of." Elsa said. "As evil as what you did was, even you do not deserve the fate which awaits you in the ninth circle. Frozen in the mouth of the devil where he will forever feast on your flesh till the end of time."
"Well, if you put it that way." Hans said. "I guess it is better to burn up here for a few minutes than burn for all eternity."
"So you will tell me?" Elsa said.
"Yes but pay attention because I will not have another chance." Has said. "The one I work for is Lord Sol, King of the Darkfire. He is like you Elsa in that he can conjure magic only he is master of fire and heat. He has no soul, no conscience, no heart. Legend says he made a deal with the devil that in exchange for the powers of fire, he would give the devil his heart. He viewed a heart as a weakness so he rid himself of it, with his heart he lost his soul. His fire can melt through any material on Earth. Not even your ice can defeat him. He is coming, for you."
"Me?" Elsa said fearfully. "Why me?"
"I do not know, all I know is that he wants you, and he will kill and burn anything in his way." Hans said as the room lit up in a dark fiery blaze.
"YOU SNAKE!" A dark voice called as two red eyes formed in the dark mist. "YOU CONNIVING LITTLE SNAKE! YOU SHALL BURN!" Hans suddenly lit up in a fiery blaze and let out an infernal scream as his skin began to melt off of his very bones.
"NO!" Elsa yelled shooting ice at Hans to put him out. It worked as the flames subsided but what was once Hans was nothing more than a charred, barely living body.
"Ahh The Ice-Witch." The eyes said turning to her. "So beautiful."
"Get away from me!" She yelled shooting ice at the eyes but the ice melted before it even got close.
"I will not kill you, but that will not stop me from hurting you!" The eyes yelled as a fireball began to form. Elsa was frozen in terror as the fireball began to shoot towards her. She heard another infernal screaming and saw that Hans had jumped in front of her and taken the blow. Hans fell to the ground now completely charred, his skin literally black as melted bones protruded from any openings they could find.
"We will meet again." The eyes said as they disappeared. Elsa ran over to Hans who was not barely alive.
"E-e-elsa, p-please forgive me, I-im, sorry." He said weakly and in pain.
"I forgive you Hans, there is good in you after all." Elsa said as tears rolled down her face. Hans let out his last breath as his soul exited its vessel. As his soul hovered in the air for a brief moment. Hans look to saw a dark demonic figure approaching fast to drag him to the abyss. Hans yelled as the demon was about to snatch his foot but Hans was hoisted away. Hans saw he was being carried by an angel and they were ascending up towards heaven. His last minute repentance being what saved him from damnation.
"Your majesty!" A dozen guards yelled as the came running in. "Are you okay?"
"Yes but-" Elsa said pointing to smoking remains of Hans.
"What happened?" The guard asked.
"Prince Hans is to be dropped of any charges against him. He saved my life." Elsa said. "Call together a council, I must speak to them now! Call the bishop as well!"
"So you mean to tell me that there is some sociopath out there with unlimited power over fire?" General Grant asked.
"It would seem so." Elsa said.
"You have your ice your majesty. You could stop his fire." Marshall Anders said.
"I tried, my ice melted before it could even touch him." Elsa said.
"Regardless of fire magic or not, he is still mortal and can be killed with a well placed shot." Peggy said.
"He made a deal with the devil, he may very well be immortal." Elsa said.
"Did you get any intel on where he could be hiding your highness?" Johanssen asked.
"No, he burned Hans before he could tell me." Elsa said sadly.
"A fitting end for such an evil snake." Duke Sigurd said.
"Hans died to save me, he was not evil. He was misguided, he had such a cruel childhood." Elsa said. "He pleaded for me to forgive him after he took the fireshot meant for me."
"He rests with God now your majesty." Bishop Skiffsgard said. "There is no greater love than to sacrifice ones life so that others may live."
"Thank you bishop." Elsa said. "What is your opinion on all of this?"
"A deal with the evil one should not be taken lightly. He is the master of deceit and can very well be deceiving this 'Lord Sol' on how powerful he is. It is a sad case as this man will never be able to enter the Gates of St. Peter now. He has given his soul to the devil and forever turned his back on God."
"After all the death he has caused, an eternity of suffering seems rather fitting for him." Johanssen said.
"No soul should ever have to go to Hell, it was a place meant for fallen angels, not man." Skiffsgard said. "Since he has given his soul to the devil, he is now part demonic. He should falter under the presence of holy items such as crosses and holy water. I shall bless the town and the castle should he try to come here."
"As far as a military standpoint, what is our plan Erik?" Grant asked.
"We estimate nearly fifty thousand enlisted today alone. We have thirty ironclads being built as we speak and shore cannons are being placed across here and all the other cities across the kingdom." Johanssen said.
"My letter should be arriving at Washington within the week. I have requested an additional ten thousand troops and fifteen vessels." Grant said. "If President Johnson declares war, we should receive even more."
"All in all my Queen." Johanssen said. "We will not experience such destruction again."
"Very well, you are all dismissed." Elsa said as everyone got up and left the room. "General Grant?"
"Yes?" Grant asked.
"I have something I would like to discuss with you." Elsa said. Grant turned around and sat back down. "Do you know Marcus Samson?"
"Yes, he is one of my more finer soldiers." Grant said. "Why do you ask."
"General." Elsa sighed. "Can I entrust you with a secret?"
"Of course." Grant said.
"I have become involved with him." Elsa said. "Romantically."
"He didn't attempt to sleep with you did he?" Grant yelled. "I'll have him shot for that!"
"No no no! Its not like that." Elsa said. "I like him General, I know it isn't professional but I need to be by him. He is the only man besides my father who has treated me so well."
"I understand your majesty, I was in love too once." Grant said. "But I cannot have your relationship with him interfere with his job. His first duty is to the United States, not to Arendelle."
"I understand." Elsa said.
"If he were to marry you he would have to renounce his american citizenship." Grant said. "He loves the states and it would be difficult for him to leave."
"Well marriage is far down the line, that's even if we stay together." Elsa said.
"Marcus is a good man, he takes care of those he cares about." Grant said.
"Can you send him up here? I want to talk to him." Elsa asked.
"Yes milady, I will not speak a word of your relationship with him but if gets more serious you will have to come out with it one day." Grant said.
"Thank you general." Elsa said as Grant left the room.
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