Olaf watched the flames dance, wide-eyed. After Olga had done it, Hans had imprisoned him in this jail cell and created a fire right in the middle, likely thinking that he would melt. However, Hans had clearly forgotten about Olaf's personal flurry. Now, it kept the snowman cool as he watched the flames with delight.
Suddenly, there came a loud rattling from the door. Olaf turned to see who had arrived. Please not Hans, please not Hans! he mentally begged. If the prince saw that Olaf wasn't melting, well… Things might get a bit too hot. However, it was Olga that had opened the door to the cell, using her carrot nose.
"Hey," she said to Olaf. "Hey," he replied. A long, very awkward pause. Olaf broke the silence by asking, "How come you aren't melting?"
Olga replied, "Hans 'fortified' my snow with some sort of heat-resistant magic; I forget what he called it. He wanted me to check on you. Sooo…"
Olaf sighed. "You know something, Olga? Your decision to join Hans - I don't really hold it against you. I mean, it was kinda startling at the moment, but I know you're just trying to find your place."
Olga smiled. "I am. And, you know what? I'm even starting to regret my choice. Hans treats me like a slave. I'm just glad you still care, Olaf."
"Yeah," Olaf said. Then Olga left the cell, locking the door behind her. Olaf, still smiling, felt a tear well up in his eye as he heard her footsteps grow fainter and fainter.
The Fire Prince smiled. Things were finally going his way. A crown was on his head, people were recognizing him as their leader, and he had captured the greatest prize yet. Trouble was, the prize wouldn't shut up.
"You really think kidnapping me is gonna help anything? No way, no sirree. And you messed up Elsa's guest room, to boot! Boy, is she gonna be mad at you!" Anna hadn't stopped talking since the Fire Prince had found her. She just kept jabbering on about this, that, or the other, and it was starting to grate on his nerves. He'd ordered her tied up and gagged, but the princess had found a way to loosen the gag and keep right on talking. The Fire Prince had had just about enough.
"Shut that big mouth of yours," he demanded, "or I'll shut it for you!" With that, he formed a small flame and held it close to Anna's face. Anna winced and said, "Please don't hold it that close!"
"Would you rather I hold it this close?" asked the Fire Prince softly, moving the flame even closer. The light from the fire cast eerie shadows all around the room, and Anna, eyes wide with fear, stopped talking. Suddenly, in walked Olga. Hans extinguished the flame and asked his new sidekick with a sinister smile, "Well now, how's the prisoner?"
Olga was silent for a moment, but then said, "Olaf has melted completely, my prince. And what wasn't snow has burned away." "Excellent," the Fire Prince replied, then turned to Anna and said, "It seems as though your little snowman friend is no more. Maybe, now that you've seen what my powers can do, you'll listen to reason." Anna replied, "Maybe, maybe not."
Suddenly, in rushed one of the castle guards. He announced breathlessly, "Han… er, Fire Prince! There's been a sighting of a large snow monster coming toward Arendelle." The Fire Prince growled, "It's that Snow Queen again!" then said to the guard, "Tell Her Majesty that I will be waiting to meet her in the courtyard. As for you," directed now towards Anna, "I'm going to make absolutely sure you don't get free while I'm gone." With that, he swept his hand between the princess and himself. A wall of fire sprang up, making the room almost unbearably hot. With a sinister smile at Anna, the Fire Prince left the room and locked the door.
Anna shuddered and closed her eyes. She tried to think about happy things. Elsa...Kristoff...Olaf...chocolate...cousin Rapunzel...the Joan of Arc painting...Oh, almost forgot! My secret weapon against Hans... He won't believe his eyes when I break that one out!
Elsa, from her vantage point atop Marshmallow's head, noted that she had to use snow-monster travel more often. It was really quite convenient, and fast. The journey from Elsa's ice palace to Arendelle would have taken at least a day on foot and sled combined, but Marshmallow, making only a quick stop to grab Kristoff's sled, had made it in about an hour. She did note, however, that Kristoff (tucked under Marshmallow's arm) was looking a bit green around the gills. He was clearly not enjoying being crammed next to Sven. (And Sven clearly didn't like it either.) Elsa snickered and pointed Marshmallow in the direction of the castle towers.
As the monster approached the bridge, Elsa spotted a guard rushing towards them. Marshmallow roared, but stopped when Elsa whispered to him, "I need to talk with this man. Put me down near him." Marshmallow did as his mistress ordered. Elsa slowly approached the guard, who said in one breath, "TheFirePrincewouldliketomeetwithyouinthecourtyardrightnow!"
After a moment of thought Elsa told him, "I'll be there in a minute." And, thanks to Marshmallow, she was. Hans was waiting for her alone. Elsa thought she saw a crown nestled within his red locks. Upon closer inspection, she saw that it was her father's crown. The one that a group of ametur divers had found among the wreck of her parents' ship, along with the crown she held in her hand. It just looked wrong sitting on Hans's head. He'd probably nabbed it from the cabinet where all the heirlooms were kept. Stolen it.
Elsa started the conversation by asking, "What have you done with my sister?" Hans smirked. "How'd you guess?" he smugly replied. Elsa fixed an icy stare on him, and he continued, "Princess Anna is currently in a - how do I put this? - heated situation. And it'll just keep getting hotter..."
Elsa was shocked. "Is she going to be all right?" she asked. Hans replied, "Maybe... depending on your choice." What choice? Elsa wondered as Hans continued, "I'll make you a deal. Your sister...
... in exchange for your kingdom."
Next chapter: What will Elsa do?