There was a knock on the door. Hans frowned. He'd finished killing the captain and his crew for the one reason that it would stop people from researching Sophia. Without Black alive, Archer's place on the throne would be secure, and he'd have no reason to... 'disappear' the young girl. Without Black, the 'king's errand' should have come to an end.
So who was outside the door?
Throwing on Black's cloak (which was amazing at disguising people) Hans opened the door.
"We need a captain with experience."
Hans cleared his throat, "I'm-!"
His voice faltered when he recognized exactly who he was dealing with; a Southern Isles guard. And...
"Gunther."
"Hans."
They stood there, staring at each other.
"Soooo... I hear you're dead again," Gunther said conversationally.
"Well, you know me; I can barely stay alive."
"You have a king's errand," Gunther explained. Noticing Hans' glare, added, "Allow me to explain; you either pick up some luggage from the Southern Isles,"
"A steamer trunk special."
"...or we can simply disappear you. You are dead after all."
"Fantastic, but I'm just Captain Black."
"Ah, yes, and Sophia is just a peasant girl you ran into a few weeks ago..."
Hans straightened, hand going to where his sword should have been.
"...Sophia isn't a threat."
This, of all things, was what brought the conversation to a screeching halt. The idea of Gunther killing Hans, stealing Black's identity, and plotting behind the back's of Arrendale... all these were accepted. The idea, however, that Hans would defend someone as a 'non-threat' though, was... unthinkable.
"I don't know what's a threat, and I don't care. Your job," He said, poking Hans in the chest, "Isn't to decide who is or is not a threat. That belongs to Archer. He decides what a king's errand is, since he is, you know, the king? And you're just... Hans."
Hans growled.
Gunther continued, "It doesn't matter if you're picking up seventeen crates of lollipops, or assassins, you are to obey your king."
"What if Archer isn't my king anymore."
Gunther laughed, "What?! You gonna go to the queen? Hmmmm...? After all you've done!? What?! You have loyalty? Compassion?" He paused here, letting his face grow dark, and his voice deep and sneering, "...love? Pathetic."
Hans swallowed. His heart had to be frozen, period. It bothered the prince to think that he had allowed love so deep within himself. It hurt.
"Get on the boat, little brother. It leaves... now."
Hans flew out the door, onto his horse, and galloped for the port. He could see Black's ship retrofitted to mimic his old military vessel. He paused as it sailed past him, ropes dragging in the water.
Looking towards the castle, Hans felt his heart leap with hope.
Anna...
Oddly enough, he felt a strong obligation to her. His proposal had been a sham, but fighting for her was fighting for himself. She represented the place he wanted to be. Home. She needed him to be the prince she had believed in.
Sophia...
His niece. His heart fell. Her father was dead. Her mother... who knew? All dead. All gone. She'd been left alone, abused, ignored, hated. For no reason. She deserved much better than he could provide. She deserved a kingdom, not him.
...Elsa...
His heart broke. Love. Love. Love... it was amazing and wonderful. He wanted nothing more than to get off his horse, march into the castle, and tell them everything.
But he couldn't.
...
...
Hans leapt into the water, grabbing the rope and dragging himself up. His former crew was there. Of course. Archer must have known Hans was alive...
"Steamer trunk special sir?"
Hans nodded.
"...I'll tell the crew to be extra careful, sire."
Hans held up a hand, "Not- too careful."
"Sire?"
Hans glared, "I'm captain here."
"Yes sir."
Hans looked towards Arrendelle. Perhaps he would never serve another king, but a princess.
(days later...)
The surf was rough as Blacksails once more transported people from the Southern Isles to Arrendelle. Hans let out a moan of grief.
His past seemed so foolish now. Kidnapping, murder, and for what? A crown? Power? Foolishness! A deep ache within him demanded to be filled.
"Elsa..." He could see her if he closed his eyes tight enough. But even though he saw her, he could still smell the ocean and hear the creak of the wooden crates.
Hans opened his eyes. He'd indulged himself in his feelings long enough. He had a heart, and that heart had to remain frozen, for the greater good. Elsa deserved to be with someone... better than him. He had to give her up, and any hope he had of their future together. Steeling himself, he went to the first crate. His sword slid through it with ease. A small grunt, and Hans withdrew the blood-drenched tool. His day was just beginning.
He had finished the third off when his ship rocked.
"What?!" Hans went to the side and realized that there was another ship docking to his.
"Good job, Blacksails," Sneered the other captain, "We'll take it from here."
Assassins burst from their crates, boarding the other ship. Hans watched, frozen in place as he heard the plan to kill Sophia.
"No," He whispered.
"Alright, boys, here's the deal; the princesses will be out on the royal yatch this morning. We'll set our ship on fire and ram 'em!"
The thugs cheered. Hans ground his teeth.
"Yeah, the guards'll think we're just having some technical difficulties, and try to help. Then we'll slash their throats!'
This lead to another cheer.
"Your errand is finished Hans!" Crowed the other captain. Hans watched the other ship sail away. He couldn't let this happen. The captain went below decks and awoke the crew.
"Everybody up! Change of plans!" All hands aboard set the ship sailing after the one it had just docked with it. Hans watched in horror as the lead ship burst into flames when the sun rose.
"Whoooooaaa!"
"What're your orders captain?"
"...ram 'em."
"What?!"
"Ram them!"
"Aye sir!"
Hans prayed to whatever god would still listen to him that, for once in her life, Elsa would not put others' needs before her own. It was a pointless prayer, but that never stopped him in the past.
"It's not your problem," He whispered to her ship over the waves, "Please, just let them die. It's what I'd do. Don't-!"
His breath caught in his throat when a white and blue figure leapt from the royal ship and froze the water. Of course...
"NO!"
Hans' eyes swept the deck until they landed on a crossbow. His misson wasn't over, not until Sophia was safe. He picked it up, resting its weight on his shoulders.
Across the water, Elsa blasted ice on the fiery ship, killing the flames. She had no idea that there were over a dozen men aboard, all prepared to kill her, her sister, and her ward.
Hans aimed. He felt panic draw his mind from the situation. The prince had never felt fear like this before. It was horrible. If he missed someone he loved was going to die. Is that what it was like for Elsa, living alone all those years? Or Sarah?
"I can't..." Then his heart froze again, "I have to."
The bolt fired.
Elsa had finished dosing the flames when something wizzed by her faze. She was startled when, drawing her hand away, she found blood. Instantly, she drew a protective wall of ice, realizing the danger she was in. A knife froze in the shield as she erected it.
Hans let out a breath, seeing she wasn't dead. On the other hand, guilt boiled up from his stomach about hurting her at all.
"Alright, boys! They want a fight." He snarled turning, "And we'll give 'em one!"
The men cheered. Hans felt the rise of adrenaline in his blood. Anger, hate... good, good. He knew how to use those. Feelings that caused men to destroy themselves and others. Now he could kill and maim as the day was long. Love was harder- it meant being vulnerable and afraid- powerless. He tried to drown out the voice that screamed you love her! You love her! In a small voice. Today, there was only room for one thing in his heart: hate. And they deserved it.
The ships collided in the nick of time, saving the royals' from destruction.
"Attack!" Hans cried. His men obeyed.
The captain leapt onto the assassin's ship, pulling their wheel away hard to starboard. Three of the smuggled killers leapt off their deck and onto Elsa's.
"Oh no you don't!" Hans grabbed a torch to set the ship ablaze again and followed. He swung aboard, kicking on in the head. The second was headed towards Anna. Hans paused. Yes, he wanted to protect her, but... he was dead. Technically. And it's not like informing her of his status as a living being would help matters that much.
It didn't matter anyways. The princess picked up an anchor and threw it with enough force to knock the guy overboard. Ouch. Hans winced in sympathy. That had to hurt. He was very happy for a moment that he never ended up marrying that girl. The third headed towards a small cabin.
Sophia's room.
The prince charged after him, drawing his sword. No one would ever hurt her again, not if he had breath or flesh to protect her. He tackled the larger man, getting into the most intense sword fight he'd had in awhile. Metal struck metal faster and faster.
cling, cling, cling-cling, CLANG! Cling. Cling-cling-cling... shhhhving!
Hans became desperate to end this fight. He looked around, hungry for an advantage.
Three more strikes, and his right arm was bloodied. It was worth it; he had positioned himself in front of the stairs and began to fall back.
The second he gained higher-ground, Sophia poked her head out.
"No!" Hans leapt between her and her would-be assassin. The killer's sword went right through his right shoulder, "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
The murderer smiled. Then Hans smiled. His dropped sword landed on his foot. Focusing through the pain, the prince kicked it up, caught it with his left hand, and drove it through his opponent's neck. There was no time to celebrate.
"Elsa..." He whispered. On his way to the side of the ship, the prince bumped into Anna's opponent. The brute was hefting the anchor over his head to bludgeon the princess to death. Hans slashed the guy's back shallowly, allowing the anchor to do the dirty work. He didn't even slow down when he reached the side of the vessel, leaping overboard between Elsa and her attacker. The queen was trying to stop the guy without killing him, which was tricky. Hans crashed through the ice, taking the assassin with him into the water. He held his opponent down and Elsa's feet refroze the water. He could see her, muddled through the ice, and prayed that this was the last time he would almost-die. The last half a year had been filled with almost-death. Hans was tired, and wanted to give up.
Something crashed through the ice. An anchor. Hans tied the chain around his opponent's neck, and let him drop. The prince drifted towards the surface, praying for the sweet release of death.
Well, here I come, Hell. Can't say I won't try to take you over... He thought, drifting off from blood loss. The dying man watched his blood float upwards towards the ice, immediately freezing. Then, the ice exploded. Small hands grasped the cloak.
No, oh no... please. let me die!
Those small hands were strong; powerful enough to drag him back up to the surface. He was dragged onto the ice, unmoving.
"Who are you?" He heard a female voice cry, "Please, please don't die!"
Hans' arm shook from the pain. She was calling for help. Suddenly, cool lips were on his.
...figure it out... Elsa pleaded. She remembered this from the mines. In her desperation, this was what she called to the forefront. Her lips pressed against his, driving life-giving air deep into his body. This man... was so familiar. Drawing away, she realized where she'd felt those lips before. Surprisingly soft for a sailor; smooth, and they tasted like fruit.
She knew that taste, drenched with salt.
"You were there...!"
Hans coughed, spitting out the ice water. He crawled away from her, hoping his disguise had worked. He'd let his facial hair grow, and allowed himself to remain filthy from working on the ship. Perhaps that was enough to conceal the identity of a dead man.
"Who are you?" She pleaded. She had to know. Ever since that night in the mines, questions came to her in her dreams. How had she escaped? What had really happened to Shadow? (it's not like Hans was a reliable source!) Who had been that man on the beach? Why had he saved her, then disappeared? How had that old woman (who also disappeared) known where she was and in what condition? The questions kept coming, filling her heart with confusion.
He groaned, rising up. His ship was nearby. There was no point to fighting anymore. He leapt from the ice, back through the burning ship to his own. "Boys! We're going home!" He crowed. His men were more than happy to run. Looking back, he watched Anna decend on the anchor chain, trying to get her sister back to reality. Elsa was staring at him, numb to the world around her.
Sophia was on deck with a big smile on her face. She knew.
Hans ducked his head. He had no business here anymore. Sophia was safe, Elsa was safe, and Anna had no more need to kill him. He was done.
"Maybe I'll die another day." He thought miserably. Still, a part of him thought of that kiss, er, resuscitation. Maybe life wouldn't be that bad after all.