Elsa gazed at the town as it came into view. Something seemed to be happening in the square; it looked as if every person around had come out to see the spectacle. A large group of angry men had gathered around a tall wooden pole and were shouting insults at someone else. Women and children poked their heads out of windows, throwing stones down at whoever was the center of their attention.
The young queen glanced over her shoulder at the two guards that had followed her on horseback. They'd been just barely within sight on the way here, but now that they saw what was happening both men galloped up to her side. She held her hand up to stop them, then began hurrying up the lane.
As she neared the area of tension, she could see the abandoned carts and unattended shops that had been hastily left by their owners. What is going on?
She came to a halt at the edge of the crowd, her bright blue eyes filled with confusion and worry. "Excuse me, sorry, please move, queen coming through." She pushed her way through the crowd, finally reaching the front of the group.
What she saw before her was startling.
Hans' POV
Hans winced as a particularly large stone hit him in the jaw. That would leave a mark.
"Can't we all get along? I would've saved you all from the queen's—ow!"
"Shut up, you dirty rotten good-for-nothing piece of—"
"Ahem."
Everyone froze, turning to look at the fierce woman who had somehow slipped in unnoticed. Her expression was icy, anger reflected in every move she made. She stepped forward, her long blue dress swishing around her ankles.
"Elsa."
"That's Queen Elsa to you!" she snapped.
Hans chuckled. She was just as feisty as he remembered. "So what brings you here? Come to witness my brutally painful death? And Anna said I had a frozen heart? Wow."
The air seemed to get ten degrees cooler around him. "I'd shut my mouth if I were you." The young woman stalked over, crossing her arms and glaring up at him.
"Oh sure, hit a guy when he's tied up. Not very noble, is it?"
He wasn't expecting her to punch him so hard.
He winced as her fist connected with his stomach, knocking the wind out of him. "Nice hit...for..a..girl," he panted out, smirking weakly.
The queen stepped back, clutching her hand as if he'd burned her. Served her right.
"Guards, just knock him out. I'm sick of hearing his annoying voice. And take him back to the castle for questioning." Her voice was all business, not a hint of emotion in it. The guards nodded and dismounted, then one began roughly cutting away at the ropes. The other raised his hand and hit him right upside the head.
