Elsa sat at the window, stroking the collar. It was heavily embossed with gold, silver, platinum, and a handful of precious jewels. It belonged to Prince, her faithful dog. He... was gone. And her memories of the incident were, at best, confused. His disappearance had something to do with the reappearance of... someone she would rather not think about. Just like everything else about him it was shrouded in mystery and pain.

Elsa had had enough of pain in her life. As a girl she had watched Anna playing outside, wishing to play along side. It had been the highlight of her day, seeing her sister so happy. Thankfully, happiness was in great abundance in the castle these days.

Elsa looked serenely out the window, once more enjoying being merely a spectator in life. Anna was outside, in the sunshine, playing with Sophia.

Sophia...

Yet another mystery. She had ridden into the palace and their hearts with him. (She daren't say the name out-loud.) Small, but pretty in her own way, the girl had a plucky spirit, and a way of bringing joy and life to those around her. She was a lot like Anna in that regard, but less, far less crazy.

Currently the two were playing a bizarre game using tree branches, a pair of Kristoff's old boots, and a bucket of candy. The mirth was just so... wonderful. It almost overshadowed the concern Elsa's occupied heart now shared; what was Sophia doing here? She had ridden in on a horse alright.

His horse.

Hans.

"Nnnnnngh...!" Elsa moaned.

And Hans, good, evil, plain or extra-crunchy, whatever he was, he was smart and that was what made him dangerous. If he was just a thug, she could have stopped him, but no, he schemed and hid and lied. It wasn't the knife you saw that was dangerous, or even the knife you didn't see. It was the poison on the arrow that you saw that one time but thought it was harmless because no one had a bow, except he had secretly snuck a bowstring in and had fooled someone you loved into bringing in the other half of the weapon, so when you lay dying in agony from the poison...!

Elsa stopped that train of thought. Trying to unravel Hans' wicked mind was like trying to pull apart a pit of venomous vipers.

But still... Why grab a random peasant girl, rescue her from a life of abuse and neglect, carry her into a palace where she would be loved and cared for...

then surrender!?

And that's what kept her up at night; Hans didn't lose, not really. He surrendered, which means that it was part of his plan to surrender, which meant that things were going according to his plan, which meant... what? It's not as though someone as bad as him could turn around and feel sorry for their actions, then try to make them right! No... people like him were evil, through and through.

Elsa feared the worst. At least he was still in prison, and couldn't hurt anyone, right?! They said he would be amongst real criminals now, no special treatment from which he could escape. He would see what it was like to be powerless. He would see what a true murderer was like.

A messenger arrived, carrying a letter on a plate. Elsa frowned; she had asked for monthly reports about- HIM- but now that they actually showed up monthly, she found herself regretting having to read about HIM.

She browsed through the first few lines, suppressing the compassionate stirrings when she found he was being bullied. Then she read the next few lines with interest.

Work Release Form.

"What?!" She read it again, her eyes growing wider, "WHAT?! Are you-" She almost released a string of swear-words. Calming herself, the frost growing on the walls faded.

"NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!"

Anna, who just came in from playing outside, found Elsa in a state of disarray.

"...what?"

Elsa slowly looked up. Shock, mixed with a bit of fear, danced across her face. She swallowed hard, "...nothing, it's nothing... why don't you call Sophia in? And stay inside... forever...?"

Anna looked at Elsa the same way she looked at Kristoff when he tried explaining why he thought it was okay to lick random trees. She had a wild, manic look about her.

"...or not..." Anna said, concerned. This was excessive, even for her sister.

Elsa sighed. Anna had to know, she had a right.

"Hans..." cue sharp intake of breath, "Is free."

"Again?"
"Again."

"Really?"

"Really."

"REALLY?!"

"...really."

"Seriously?! Didn't he just escape, like, two months ago?"

"Yes, yes he did."

"Don't you pay these people for rights to drop off prisoners, as well as rights to get messages about them?"

"Those are my rights."

"And he's free."

"..."

"Again." They said in unison.

"Write them a letter!"

Elsa sighed, "They said he would be running a King's errand in Meridian. He shouldn't need to cross into Arrendelle territory."

"...Meridian? That's just across the mountains! They border us!"

"Anna, I know."

The younger sister sighed, "Just... why?"

Elsa sighed as well, "And why use him of all people on a King's errand? I wouldn't trust him."

Anna slumped against the wall, "I feel so helpless."

She peered out of the gates to Kristoff, her boyfriend, who seemed to be speaking to someone in need of a navigator.

Elsa managed a smile, "I mean, it's not like he's stupid enough to waltz right back into the palace, right?!"

The sisters took a breath, trying to believe that there was no way that Hans would ever set foot in Arrendelle again.

Outside, Hans, in disguise, was talking Kristoff into navigating for him, "I need a swift ride straight to Meridian. No stops."

They haggled a bit over price. As they were leaving, Hans stopped. He saw something that made his heart swell with happiness.

Sofia...

The young girl was playing happily in the garden. It was the one thing in his whole twisted life he could be proud to call his own.

"You know," Said Kristoff, "I'm not saying I have anything nice to say about Hans, but if I did, I would say he did a great thing bringing that little girl here."

"Yes..." Said Hans, "I certainly hope he did."

a.n. please read and review. You know the drill. You r&r, and I write and re-edit.