The people of Arendelle were gathered before the castle, watching the Princess, who looked more uncomfortable than pleased- and they took that as a bad sign. She had left with the sole intention of retrieving her sister, the Queen, but Princess Anna had returned home without Queen Elsa, and her- usually strawberry blonde- hair was as white as the snow that still lingered in the kingdom.
She looked weak as she fell from her horse, as if she had fallen very suddenly ill. The people all looked to Hans, expectantly, as he rushed to her side, and escorted her inside. "Who did this to you?" The people heard him ask her, though they all thought that the answer was quite obvious.
Anna also knew that the answer was clear, and she knew she should be mad at Elsa; she was, literally, dying. But still, old habits died hard, and Anna was still as fiercely defensive of her older sister as she always had been. She was sure that there was something more to Elsa's behaviour; she obviously was crying out for help! And what were sisters for, if not to answer that cry for help with loving compassion? "She didn't mean to do it." Anna snapped, too worried for Elsa to consider how harsh her voice sounded. She didn't want Hans to think her harsh- she wanted him to think her sweet and darling and entirely marry-able.
Inside the castle, Anna could still hear the roar of the crowd outside; they were fearful or their Princess' life, and fearful of their Queen. They had expected their Queen to protect them and their families, but who could protect her from their Queen, when her terrible magic was so unruly and wicked.
Anna wanted to tell them all that Elsa was good and true and impossibly perfect- as she had always known- but she was far too weak, and Hans was far too persuasive. He led her in the direction of the drawing room, and he pulled her close to the fire, setting her down in an armchair and covering her with a woollen blanket. He gazed upon her with concern and worry, "Anna, my darling," He said sadly, and Anna felt her small, cold hand being covered by his large, torrid one. He was so kind, she thought sadly, so why was she longing for another man to hold her hand? She dismissed that thought hurriedly, regarding it as impossible and irrelevant on all accounts. Hans was still watching her with that sorrowful look of his, unaware of her inner turmoil, "What can I do for you? Is there anything I can do to save you?"
Anna thought, with dismal sadness, that he looked like a man who had already lost; already given up hope and called it a day. She didn't know whether to feel sympathetic for him, or vaguely annoyed- insulted. "My heart," She finally said, trying to sound romantic. She tried to channel her emotions from the day she met Hans, when he had seemed- for all the world- perfect. Maybe that was the problem; he was too perfect. "My heart was frozen by Elsa's ice magic." Just talking exhausted her, even though her voice was barely above a hushed whisper. "The only way to save my life now… is with an act of true love…" She smiled hopefully at him, and squeezed his hand now. "You have to kiss me, Hans… then I'll be okay."
Kissing Hans would be nice, Anna was sure of that; Hans was so charming and gentlemanly, she couldn't help but imagine a fairytale kiss with him. He was perfect, after all, and a prince.
Hans smiled, and Anna felt a weight lift off her shoulders. She hadn't realised, but she had worried that he might deny her request, or say that he did not love her, since she was clearly not deserving of a flawless person like Hans. But he had smiled, and that surely meant that he did love her! And that was a miracle if she had ever seen one!
He leaned close, his eyes already shut. Anna's eyes fluttered shut- but only because she knew that that was what people did when they kissed. Anna could have sworn she felt something brush her lips, but she must have been imagining it, because a moment passed, and there was no kiss.
Anna opened her eyes uncertainly, and saw that Hans had leaned back from her, "Oh, Anna," He said dismally, and she heard the change in his voice now, "If only there was someone out there who loved you."
Anna frowned, confused. Her vision was clouded, and her hearing was suddenly fuzzy. "What?" Her voice betrayed both her humiliation and her bewilderment. She didn't understand where this hostility had come from, and where the kind, princely charmer had gone. She hoped this was some cruel joke- but if it was, it definitely wasn't funny! She would seriously have to consider whether she was sure she wanted to spend her life with a man who would be so mean to a sick girl. She spoke on a breath, "But you said you loved me."
"Anna, Anna, Anna," Hans mused as he stood from the seat, and walked towards the window. Anna was staring to feel like a little girl again, because Hans sounded so dreadfully condescending, and she was beginning to feel so foolish. "As thirteenth in my own kingdom, I knew I didn't stand a chance- I knew I'd have to marry into the thrown somewhere." He looked back at her from his position next to the window; he was smirking villainously.
"What are you talking about?" Anna was torn between despair and outrage. She didn't know whether she longed to cry her heart out, or scream until her lungs burned; it didn't matter that she couldn't decide, though, because Anna didn't have the strength to do any of those things. She could only sit in that armchair, numb as she watched her world- her reality and her fantasy- crumble around her.
Would she never be happy? She wondered, Was companionship and love really too much to ask for? She had never been given such things by anyone besides her dear dead parents; a child could only take so much pain and rejection.
Hans continued; he obviously didn't care about the effect of his words; who ever did care, Anna thought, when they were speaking to her? "As Heir, Elsa was preferable, of course, but no one was getting anywhere with her." He looked at her sharply, "But you?"
Anna shivered. Hans had licked his index finger and thumb, and he had diminished the tiny warmth and light from the candle nearby. He was pacing by her.
"You were so desperate for love," Hans continued, throwing his hands up in the air and smiling- amused by her stupidity. "You were willing to marry me just like that." He sounded so triumphant, it was sickening. "I figured after we married, I'd have to stage a little accident for Elsa."
Anna gasped, "Hans!" She reached out for him and tumbled down onto the floor. She landed with a light thud and a yelp. She looked at Hans. He was pouring cold water over the fire, and the flames were already dead when she exclaimed, "Hans, no!" She could feel the shiver in her bones as it intensified, "Stop!"
"But then she doomed herself," He was so caught up in his little story, he hardly even heard her protest. "And you were dumb enough to go after her." He chucked, sounding cruel and sinister. He placed the empty jug on the small fireside table, and admired his handiwork; the fire was gone altogether now; there was no warmth in the room, or in his voice as he turned back to her, "All that's left to do now is to kill Elsa," Anna was making muffled, low noises of protest; 'no, please, Hans'. Even Anna thought that she sounded pathetic. "And bring back summer." The finality in his voice was almost shudder-inducing.
She looked into his eyes when he crouched to her level. She had pushed herself up on her arms and she was glaring at him menacingly. Despite her weakness, she could still scowl at him fiercely. "You are no match for Elsa." She said spitefully, and she remembered the force of Elsa's magic. Hans was as much a fool as Anna was, if he thought he could overpower Elsa.
"No," He gripped her chin and raised it aggressively, "You're no match for Elsa."
Anna yelped and pulled her face away from his suddenly feverish hand.
"I, on the other hand, am the hero," He had pulled his white gloves back onto his hands, so as not to dirty his hands with his traitorous behaviour, "Who is going to save Arendelle from destruction." He was walking away from her when he heard her voice again.
"You wont get away with this," She vowed. She couldn't move, but she watched as he walked to the door with grace. She realised that she had never despised a person more.
"Oh," Hans smiled sympathetically at Anna, "But I already have." He ducked out of the room and the door shut behind Hans with a decisive slam.
Anna heard the key jolt in the lock, and she slumped to the ground.
Hans was not perfect; he was a monster- more monstrous than Elsa could ever be! Anna felt guilty for letting him into their lives so easily, and she felt embarrassed, because she had been so- as he put it- desperate. She had allowed him to ruin her life, and he wasn't about to stop, even now that she was dying.
In the cold room, she felt even more ill. She felt as if she were already dead- she was that cold- and her spirit remained in her motionless body.
Anna wouldn't be able to say just how long she laid on the cold, wooden ground, because she could focus on nothing other than the cold. She was freezing from the inside out, and she had stopped counting breaths, and begun counting shivers- but it wasn't long until she lost count.
The door suddenly rattled, as if there was someone on the other side, trying to get in.
Hope jumped in Anna's chest, and she whispered, "Help," but her voice was so quiet, she doubted the visitor could even hear her. She was barely able to hold back her surprise when Olaf entered the room, looking quite proud of himself because he had cracked the lock.
His smile dropped straight away, and he rushed to Anna's side- faster than she had known a snowman could move- and he was saying her name in an urgent, worried way, "Anna!" He felt her, and could see that she was terribly cold. He looked at the dead fire, "Oh no," He said faintly. With one last look at Anna, Olaf hurried over to the fireplace. Anna raised her head just slightly, and she watched the small snowman as he threw more logs on the fire; she even breathed a sigh of relief when Olaf gasped and pulled on of his twig-arms from the pile.
Anna's eyes were round when Olaf lit the fire. A maternal worry sparked in her heart, "Olaf, get away from there!"
Olaf was bewitched by the steady flame, "So this is heat," He mumbled slowly, his eyes still transfixed on the fire. HIs voice was an amazed whisper when he spoke again, "I love it." He reached forward, and Anna watched in alarm as one of his little hands caught fire. Olaf swung his hand around, "Ooh, but don't touch it!" He warned himself after he had shaken the fire away from his little wooden hand.
Olaf hurried back to Anna, and he helped her to her feet. She was too weak to even walk, so he let her lean heavily against him as he lead her to the fireplace. Olaf gently settled her onto the ground again, and she sat, cross-legged, in front of the comforting warmth of the fire.
"So, where's Hans?" Olaf asked, confusion puzzling in his eyes, "What happened to your kiss?" Olaf had been so sure that the kiss would work- that it would save Anna! He couldn't understand how the kiss could have failed! Unless Hans was not truly in love with Anna, but how could that be possible, when Anna was so lovely?
Anna sighed, drawing her cape around herself, "I was wrong about him." She admitted sadly, "It wasn't… true love." She frowned.
Olaf's eyes grew wide, "But we ran all the way here-"
"Olaf, you cant stay here," Her eyes flickered nervously to the fire, "You'll melt." She almost felt guilty, as if she were snatching away his innocence, but she knew that she would feel worse if she watched him melt until he was just a cold puddle on the floor.
"I'm not leaving here," Olaf reasoned, slumping down behind her, their backs against each other, "Until we find some other act of true love to save you." He looked very nervous, "You happen to have any ideas?" He asked uncomfortably.
Anna looked very sad as she said, "I don't even know what love is."
"That's okay, I do." Olaf hurried to his feet, trying to comfort her. He patted her shoulders gently, "Love is putting someone else's needs before your own, like, you know, how Kristoff brought you back here to Hans, and left you forever.
Realisation struck Anna, and her eyebrows furrowed uncertainly, "Kristoff… loves me?" She wasn't sure she could believe that.
Olaf moved so he was in front of her again- and dangerously close to the roaring fire. "Wow, you really don't know anything about love."
Anna was afraid for him again, "Olaf, you're melting!" She watched in horror as the left side of his snowy face began to droop.
He didn't look scared, though, or even sad. He spoke simply; resolutely, "Some people are worth melting for." Anna smiled at him tenderly. His face did become concerned, though, when his face began to liquidise and fall; he held it up with his small twig-hands, "Maybe just not right this second."
The windows swung wide open so suddenly, Anna jerked, and Olaf let out a yell. Anna was shivering with the cold breeze, her arms wrapped tightly around herself.
"Don't worry," Olaf assured Anna, hurrying to close the window again, "We're gonna get through this." He had almost closed the window completely when he exclaimed, "Hey, look, it's Kristoff and Sven!" He looked back at Anna, "They're coming back this way!"
Anna looked up slightly, looking momentarily brightened, "They are?" She asked.
"Wow, he's really moving fast," Olaf said, ignoring Anna's question, "I guess I was wrong," Olaf said miserably, "I guess Kristoff doesn't love you enough to leave you behind." He shrugged wordlessly at the girl.
She was struggling to her knees, "Help me up, Olaf, please."
Olaf rushed back to her, "No, no, no," He exclaimed, "You need to stay by the fire and keep warm!"
Anna shook her head insistently, "I need to get to Kristoff," She argued.
Olaf looked at her dumbly, "Why?"
Anna only tilted her head and quirked one eyebrow, as if asking, 'really?'
Olaf suddenly jumped and gasped, "Oh, oh," He realised, "I know why!" Olaf swung back to the window, "There's your act of true love, right there!" He looked so excited, Anna felt giddy. "Come on!" Olaf helped her to her feet and the two set off.
Just past the door, a trail of crunching ice started to follow them; they gasped in horror as the ice sharpened and blocked their way. "Back this way," Olaf said, tugging on her hand and pulling her back, only to find the ice blocking them there too. Olaf whined. "We're trapped." He uttered.
Anna looked up, her eyes wide and afraid. Was this the end of the line for her? Did the same go for Olaf? She hoped not.
They were well and truly hopeless.
A/N: Hi guys. I'm sorry if this is a disappointing upload, cause it isn't actually about Jack OR/AND Elsa. I just felt that- for the story to properly continue- we needed to know where Anna was now, and what was going on in Arendelle. Do not worry, next chapter, we will be returning to Elsa's ice castle!
I've realised that (according to the film timeline) this is nearly over, but this fan fiction will stretch a little beyond the film end-point.
Okay, so I am sorry that this upload was a pretty long time coming… I'm sitting my GCSE's at the moment, so I've been a little distracted…
Also! The final Mortal Instruments book comes out on Sunday! I am such a fangirl for TMI, and I CAN'T WAIT! Since it's half term next week too, that means I have a whole week to do nothing but read COHF! Yay!
Okay, bye, Kate xxx