AN: I'm back with a new chapter! This one drops back down to the T rating, so there's nothing to worry about. Um, we're getting closer to the end, and everybody better get pumped. XD Alright, reviews are highly appreciated. I love all of you people, and thanks so much for taking the time out to read this.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything involving Frozen, have not and will probably never work for Disney. This is a not for profit fanwork. Thank you for reading.


Hans woke up beside his wife, for the first time in several days.

Elsa had gotten into the habit of sleepwalking, which he assumed was something new since she'd never done it before. Normally she would be gone before he woke, but not this time.

She silently got up and dressed, eyes open as if she were awake, but she couldn't have been, she was like a statue. Hans followed behind her after dressing as well, just to see where she was going.

Elsa led him, quietly padding on bare feet, out of the castle, through the courtyard and up through the countryside, to beside the waterfall where Anna had taken him so long ago.

"Elsa.." He made a grab for her arm. She shook him off as if he were made of paper, before kneeling before what looked like a blooming black rose and presenting her wrist to the thorns. From what he could see, it looked like she had visited this cursed plant several times already.

Watching her, knowing he couldn't stop her, Hans let out a gasp of horror as she pierced her blue pulsing vein and allowed fresh blood to begin to drip down her hand and onto the rose. He made another attempt to stop her, and this time she did not resist.

Her eyes were completely filled in with black, and he wondered why he did not see that earlier, as black liquid flowed like tears down her white cheeks. Elsa bared newly sharpened teeth – Hans absently wondered when she had gotten those too – and dove at him, knocking him into the pooled water beside the bank where the rose sprouted. She scratched at his face and blood, he wasn't sure whose, began to leak into the water, clouding it.

His face and lungs burned in agony and he raised his hands to defend himself. Elsa then sank her teeth into his throat, holding him down under the water as it began to freeze. He was struggling, unable to breathe, water filling his lungs the same way his life's blood was spilling out from his torn trachea into the freezing water above him. His fingernails tore pointlessly at her unmarred face, until those too froze and turned black.


Hans jolted awake with a cry, feeling his face and throat. They seemed to be whole and unhurt, besides the scar on his cheek that had near fully healed now. Beside him lay Elsa, sleeping soundly, the sheets wrapped around her chest. Her bare shoulder was littered with kiss-marks where he could see, and Hans let out a sigh, brushing his sweaty hair back from his face and trying to relax. It was only a dream.

He touched her mussed hair, just for a second, his hand trembling. She stirred and opened her eyes. They were perfectly blue, the same they always were.

Hans leaned in and kissed her, before pulling back. "Just a nightmare, Elsa.. Nothing more."

She sat up, clutching the sheets to her chest. "I know nightmares, I've had plenty."

He let out a shaky breath. "None like this."

"Tell me then." Elsa shifted, turning to face him.

"I... You would be upset if I did."

"Did you have another dream about your brothers?"

Hans stared at her before shaking his head. "No. It was about you. But it's nothing. I know it was just a dream."

Elsa draped her arms around him, climbing into his lap. "I'm not going anywhere, Hans. The Dowager won't get rid of me that easily."

A small smile crept across his face and he returned the embrace. "I wouldn't let that happen anyway."

She lay against him, back against his chest, as she took his hands, placing them gently against her stomach. "You have this baby to worry about too."

Hans kissed the top of her head, and let her cover his hands with her own. "I know."

Elsa smiled. Hans couldn't see it, but that was a good thing. She didn't want him to see how happy she was with all of this domesticity. Elsa had told him she didn't love him, which wasn't entirely the truth.

"Elsa?"

"Hm?" She drowsily looked up at him.

"I love you.."

She lay her head back against him, not responding particularly articulately. "Mmhm."

He leaned down and kissed her, far more tenderly than he ever had before. Her hand flew up to his cheek and she held him there, letting the kiss linger.

Hans pulled back after a long moment. "Elsa, you're smiling."

She opened her eyes, making an effort to frown. "I have feelings just like everyone else. Maybe I just think you look better upside down?"

Hans let himself chuckle at that. "And you say my jokes are bad?"

She began to laugh before she pulled away, clutching her stomach.

He climbed out of bed, worried. "What's wrong?"

"M-my stomach hurts, it's nothing.."

"Elsa.."

"I promise." She held up her hand to silence him. "It's nothing."

He relaxed, and lay back against the bed.

Elsa stood up, both hands resting on the gentle swell of her stomach. The pain seemed to have diminished. "It feels good to be home."

He tensed up, looking out the bedroom window at the bay. It was still dark. "It feels good to be away from my mother."

Elsa shot him a look, before shuddering. "You've been cooped up in here for too long. I half think you're going mad."

He scoffed. "Or are you just getting sick of me?"

The Queen scowled. "I mean it, Hans. Sometimes you scare me with your worrying."

"Maybe it's good that you're afraid of me."

Elsa clenched her fists and closed her eyes, letting out a soft breath to calm herself. "I'm sure the horses would enjoy your company."

"Unlike you, is that it?" Hans hissed, irritable from his dream still.

"You're upset, I understand. We should go back to bed."


The first thing Hans knew was that he had to be dreaming. Jekaterina wasn't in any way part snake. The next thing he knew was that this wasn't an ordinary dream. He didn't even remember falling asleep.

"M-mother?"

Jekaterina smirked, alluring even as she was terrifying. "Would you call me that even now?" She touched his cheek, elongated fingernails scraping his sideburn and scars.

"What are you talking about?" Hans felt fifteen years old again, his heart pounding.

"You're the spitting image of your father, my son." She lifted his chin with a spiked finger. "So handsome and strong.."

He swallowed hard and the Dowager's eyes followed the line of his throat, before her hand slipped against his chest, slowly going lower to where Hans could not deny the attention was getting to him. "Mother.. Stop this insanity, please."

"Do you honestly believe I would give you up this easily to that trollop of yours?" She dug her nails into his flesh, too-red lips pursed so close to his mouth.

"Stop.."

Jekaterina froze, staring up at him. Her gaze was scorching. "Stop? You dare to order me?"

"Mother, that's not what I meant. Leave me be, please." He even sounded as if he were a child again.

"You ungrateful wretch!" She slapped him across the face, causing him to fall to his knees. When he managed to sit up, clutching where his scars had opened and begun to bleed again, she was no longer part snake. She was also completely naked.

Hans forced his gaze away, even though he knew it was just a dream. "Mother. This is not how you should behave around your son."

"Oh, my darling Hans, do you really think this is what it's about, a mother and son?" She began to stroke his face through the blood.

"If I cannot have you, no one can." She thrust her hand through his chest as he screamed.

He woke up with a jolt, still crying out. Familiarly sticky, he relaxed upon realizing where he was, sunlight streaming in through the window. Elsa was looking at him, seated in an armchair as if waiting for him to wake up. "You pushed me out of bed with your tossing and turning, Hans. I think you're too worried about me."

He leaned forward, running his hands through his hair. "I guess you're right.."

She sighed and stood up, sitting on the bed beside him. "Would you like to talk about it?"

Hans shook his head. "No, I just want to get some fresh air."

Elsa watched him dress, and step out of the room.

Meinhard was waiting for him, outside, strapping on his boots. "Heard you were having marital troubles, brother. Sound travels well in an empty castle."

He scoffed, "The servants and their loose lips too, no doubt. The way it's always been."

His brother shook his head and let out a derisive laugh. "Same as its always been, I should have known you'd say something like that."

"It's not Elsa.. It's these nightmares, and they seem too real to be anything but real life. I feel like I'm losing my mind."

"That sounds like a curse, boy. I've seen many a curse in my day, and looks like you've got a big one laid on your sweet bride there."

Hans' eyes narrowed. "I don't believe in curses."

"Hm? Don't you?" Meinhard tilted his flask to his lips, taking a draught.

"No, I don't." Hans crossed his arms over his chest.

His brother offered him a draft and he accepted, feeling the burn of alcohol down his throat.

"Your bride, for instance?"

"She's not cursed. Not that I know of."

Meinhard frowned. "Hm." He tossed his head back, finishing the flash.

"How many other people have you seen cursed?" Hans gaped at him, flexing his hands in their gloves.

"In total? Three. Two of them were by spurned lovers one was by an enemy."

"And how did it end?"

Meinhard stuffed his flask into a moleskin bag around his neck. "Every one of them died."

"How is that supposed to help me?!" Hans demanded, shaking him.

"There's a way to stop it, but I don't think you'd like it."

"Tell me, damn you!"

"You kill the person who put the curse on them."

Hans stiffened, feeling faint all of a sudden. "What if it's me?"

Meinhard shoved him hard. "Have you been meddling with witchcraft?"

"N-no! I just–What if I inadvertently caused it?"

"Unlikely." He shook his head. "Unless some part of you had some tie to powerful magic."

"And how would you know this?"

Meinhard stared him down, full in the face. "I've had my fair share of dealing with witchcraft, both being on the giving and receiving end. Niklaus would have a conniption if he knew."

Hans looked away and Meinhard forced his gaze back, jabbing his chest hard. "It taints you, boy. It gets in your blood and messes you up."

"Like my mother." Hans added, simply, letting his hands drop.

"The whore is a witch then, isn't she? I knew it." Meinhard let go of his brother's lapel, letting him fall back.

Hans rubbed at his throat where his collar cut into it. "I'll kill her myself. I've been meaning to do it for years. Ever since she sent those men to kill Darja."

"This isn't the first time then."

"No, I think she's getting craftier."

"Did you dream of her before she killed your.. lover?"

Meinhard's eyes grew wide and he looked at him. "Yes. She was younger then. I.." He looked down at where he was wringing his coarse hands guiltily. "I had a moment of weakness. It was only a dream after all."

"She tried to seduce me. I refused her and she.. stabbed my chest with her fingernails." Hans shoulders sunk.

"You're a stronger man than I."

"Of course I am. Have you met my wife?"

"She's beautiful."

"And headstrong."

Meinhard laughed. "Maybe it takes one to know one."

Hans shoved him, half seriously. "Elsa aggravates and worries me like no other."

"Sounds like love, baby brother." Meinhard teased.

"And you'd know what that is, since your own lover meant less to you than a dream about your own stepmother!" Hans turned to his brother, growing defensive at the mention of Elsa and love in the same sentence.

"Don't you dare say that to me! If I had known she would be killed, I'd take it back!"

"But you can't, can you?"

"You're one to talk, brother! You tried to kill your wife and her sister!"

"I regret that more than you'd know!"

"You're a filthy liar and you know it."

Hans ran at his brother, taking the giant by surprise as that was the only way he could knock him down.

Meinhard didn't even try to fight back because he knew his brother wouldn't be able to hurt him as much as he would have if he hit Hans back with his massive hands.

The prince fell back, breathing hard. "C'mon, hit me. You know I deserve it."

"I'm not touching you."

"Hit me." Hans looked exhausted.

"No. Get off of me." he shoved him aside and Hans simply fell over, rolling onto his back beside him.

"I'm sorry.." He sighed softly. "Why am I always sorry?"

Meinhard glanced at him. "You've done a lot of things to be sorry for."

"Have I? Sometimes I don't know anymore."

The mountain man kept watching his half brother's expression. "Were you ever aware of your actions?"

Hans didn't move, looking up at the sky. "I suppose so, since I regret what I've done, but I don't remember ever making the decision to try to kill anyone. O-or even the voyage to Arendelle."

Meinhard tsked. "Jekaterina must have bewitched you."

Hans' fists clenched painfully tight. "I trusted her."

"You had no reason not to."

"She betrayed me."

"No. She never cared for you, even when you were small. You're only a pawn in her game, same as your wife or anyone else." Meinhard sighed shakily. "I managed to pry myself free but at great cost."

"Are you implying I'll have to do the same?" Hans sat up.

"Like you said, Queen Elsa is obstinate. She won't go down without a fight, and now that the bitch knows you're onto her, she would try to wipe you both out in one swipe."

Hans ran his fingers through his hair, playing with the one lock of pure white as he thought, biting his lip.

"We'd have to take her out first."

"Do you think we could?"

Meinhard sat up as well, bits of grass snagged in his long hair. "She's strong, but together we could manage."

"That's comforting to hear." Hans added sarcastically.

"Would you rather I say we just give up and die?"

"No."

"Then hush and we'll discuss this again later." Meinhard stood, towering over his half brother, and brushed the dirt and grass off of himself from where he took a tumble.

Hans watched him walk off, before standing up as well. He felt a little better, now that he knew Meinhard was on his side. Looking up at the window above him, he could see Elsa watching. He waved and grinned up at her, feeling a weight lift from his chest, before going back into the castle.

"What happened to your wrists?" Hans grabbed Elsa's hand as soon as he saw her waiting for him, examining the pristine bandages tightly wound around her forearms.

"I don't remember. I bumped them, or something." She jerked her hands back. "Its nothing life threatening."

"Elsa—"

"Hans, I'm completely fine, look at them. It's only a scratch I received outside. I've cleaned it and everything."

He gripped her wrists tight enough to hurt, as he remembered his dream. "Hans. Don't look at me that way.."

The prince pulled her tightly against him in a sweet embrace, whispering against her ear. "Elsa, I've figured out how to get rid of my mother for once and for all."