Thanks for the influx of reviews! I understand that people want me to make my chapters longer, so I'll do that to the best of my ability. I am also aware that I made several careless errors - won't happen again, promise. Please continue reviewing, and I do not own Frozen! (Or, for the record, that song I used last chapter. That was one of the many that didn't make it into the movie.)
Elsa was flabbergasted. She had been positive that Hans could not return to Arendelle, ever. How had he gotten past the dock, where Elsa had stationed multiple guards to make sure no one who had sinister intentions could come to Arendelle? And how had he managed to get his hands on a red-with-gold-trim dress jacket?
Anna tapped Elsa's shoulder and said, "Maybe Kristoff and the snowpeople and I can get the people safe while you deal with him?"
"Yes, that would work," said Elsa. As Anna and the others tried to get the attention of the fairgoers, Elsa stepped forward to meet Hans. She had only to take a few steps before she was face-to-face with him. "Hans. What are you doing here?" Elsa asked with a slight edge to her voice.
Hans answered with a smirk, "Hello to you too, Snow Queen. It really hasn't been that long since we last saw each other, though, I must confess, the tables were turned then." He was right; the last time the two had met had been at Hans's trial back in the Southern Isles. Hans had been in chains and representing himself, and Elsa had been called in as a witness, along with Anna. The royal sisters' testimony had helped get Hans in prison for life.
"That was because you committed treason and attempted regicide. But I still don't know why you've returned to Arendelle," Elsa retorted.
"Just to take what should have been mine long ago," said Hans sinisterly as he held out a hand. To Elsa's surprise, a tongue of fire appeared in Hans's palm.
"You have powers over fire?" Elsa asked in surprise and shock. She had thought that her ice powers were something to be proud of, but seeing Hans able to summon fire was something else altogether. More disturbing, more... sinister.
Hans singgered. He was clearly enjoying this. "That's right," he told Elsa as he used his free hand to make the flame change shape. "My twelve older brothers tried to keep this power hidden from everyone - even me. You can be sure that they got their just deserts after I escaped."
Of course. The events that King Frederick had described in the letter all made sense now that Elsa knew about Hans's powers. He had melted the bars of his cell, perpetrating his escape. And the deaths of his brothers... "You killed them," Elsa said aloud. "I honestly wouldn't put that past you, Hans."
"Stop calling me that!" Hans shouted angrily. "I've put my past behind me. Now I look to the future - as the Fire Prince!"
Elsa responded, "Whatever you say... Hans." She could almost hear Anna's snickers from across the courtyard. Now Elsa was letting her mischievous side come out, and it was making Hans - the Fire Prince - whatever he was calling himself - pretty angry.
Hans yelled, "If it weren't for you and your annoying sister, I would be in my proper place! But now, no one is going to stand in my way. This kingdom is mine!"
"Never!" retorted Elsa. As her eyes met Hans's, she knew that this could only mean one thing. They would have to battle it out.
"What's going on?"
"What's that traitor doing here?"
Such shouts filled the air as Anna, Kristoff, Olaf, and Olga led the townsfolk toward the safety of the castle. Anna yelled, "Everyone calm down! Queen Elsa's dealing with Hans, but everybody needs to stay in the castle until further notice."
"Who's Hans?" Olga discreetly asked Olaf. The two snowpeople had been having a great time exploring the Harvest Festival, and they were starting to develop "feelings" for each other. The two were quickly becoming inseparable.
"Oh, him," said Olaf. "Well..." He told his girlfriend about what Hans had done to the royal sisters three months ago. "He's not the best person to hang around."
Looking back at Hans, Olga asked, "Really? He doesn't seem that bad..."
"Trust me, he is. And I usually don't say that about people," replied Olaf.
"Maybe you two could look for stragglers," interrupted Kristoff. "I thought I saw some people over by the flower booth."
The snowpeople said in unison, "You can count on us!" and skipped off, arm in arm, to look for people that had missed the main crowd. As they searched, Olga couldn't help noticing Hans and Elsa's confrontation. She sighed and continued with Olaf.
Hans began the battle by shooting a few fireballs toward Elsa. She countered his attack by encasing the fireballs in ice, creating a nice opaly effect. Then, Elsa swung her arm in a circle, sending a flurry of needle-sharp icicles in Hans's direction. He quickly melted them, then blasted a stream of fire straight at Elsa, who blocked it with a wall of ice. The fire melted the ice and disappeared, but a stray bit of the magic the Elsa had used to create the ice wall flew upward, then came down and hit Hans square in the shoulder. The prince seemed hurt for a moment, but quickly recovered, shooting a lot of small fireballs toward Elsa. She managed to freeze most of them, but one hit her on the leg. Elsa winced in pain as a burning sensation racked her skin - but only for a moment. Then, it was as if nothing had happened.
Elsa was about to try a strategy she had used on one of the thugs from Wesselton - pushing her adversary into a dangerous position with a large chunk of ice - when Anna reappeared. She told Elsa, "Okay, the people are all in the castle, and Kristoff and Olaf are hitching Sven to a sled. Maybe now would be a good time to leave...?"
After a quick glance at Hans, Elsa realized the wisdom in her sister's idea. If she stayed, Hans would find a way to kill her. Escaping would give her a chance to plan her next move. She nodded at Anna, and the sisters raced off into now-nearly-deserted courtyard. Hans yelled after them, "This isn't over yet, Snow Queen!"
The sled that Sven was being hitched to belonged to a fishmonger - Elsa could tell by the fish in the back. As they worked, Kristoff was telling Olaf, "I'd really prefer if we used my sled..." "Sven" added, "I'll never get this fish scent off me!"
To this, Olaf retorted, "We don't have time to find your sled, Sven!" Olaf only called Kristoff "Sven" when he was exasperated with the ice miner, so Elsa could tell he was under a lot of pressure. She asked the snowman, "Where's Olga?"
"She's singing for the crowd in the castle. Why?" Olaf responded.
Elsa told him, "I want you and Olga to be in charge while we're gone. Is that alright with you?" Olaf shouted in reply, "Of course!"
"Good," Elsa said as she got onto the sled with Anna and Kristoff. Kristoff snapped the reins, and Olaf waved goodbye to the group as they traveled off into the forest.
Next chapter: Pabbie reveals the secrets of Elsa's and Hans's powers...