Words: ~2400

In dreams I am wed to a faraway boy - a love that has never been.
He was all that I knew, he was all that was home - I am bound to the love of him

The Cowardly Rescuer

The young woman closed her eyes as she felt the cold water pour over her body. She was standing on a bucket so that the water would not wet the floors.

"I'm sorry," Johanna said as she set the pitcher on a wooden table. "The water's not very warm."

"The cold doesn't really bother me," the young woman said as she opened her sapphire blue eyes and rubbed her dirty skin with the white cloth the gypsy gave her. "Thank you for your aid, Johanna. I don't know what I would have done without it."

"Thank Hans," the smith's wife said. "He was the one who found you."

"I would, if only he was not so hard to find!" the young woman said as she looked around the house she had called her home in the last week. "I think my savior is avoiding me."

"Nonsense," Johanna replied with a smile. "He's just giving you some breathing space. You're a young, probably unmarried lass - judging by the absence of a ring on your finger... it could have gotten lost though. Hans would never know how to deal with you."

The young woman nodded but still could not quench the feeling of loneliness in her heart. The last few days all she ever knew was the walls of this little hut and nothing else. It did not help that this was all she knew - she had no memory of husbands or brothers, sisters or parents, friends or foes. It was not simply disconcerting, it was absolutely frightening. Still, a deeply rooted respect for herself, stronger even than her lack of memories, kept her spirits at check.

The first few days she was told to rest. There had been little else to do but to sit and think, to smile at the faces of the curious children peeking through the windows.

"Are you a nymph?" one boy had asked, his voice muffled through the glass but still easy to hear.

"I might be," she had teased with a smile. The boy had gasped and jumped and turned to his friends.

"She's a nymph!" the boy had yelled. "Hans caught himself a nymph in the river!"

"Do you think," a little girl had asked, her voice quieter than the boy's. "That he'd marry her?"

"I bet he would!" a second boy had replied with a huge smile. "Let's go to the river! We might find another one!"

They had gone in a cacophony of yells and laughter, leaving Elsa alone with her thoughts again.

Her rescuer rarely appeared. He came once or twice a day to check on her and inquire if she needed anything, to bring her food and drink, or leave a few logs for her to throw into the fire - but he was all so terribly formal about it all. She only really saw him late at night, when he came to sleep on the bedding on the floor by the fireplace. That is, if she had not fallen asleep before that because usually he came late. On the morning he was always gone.

One night, as she caught on his evasive ways, she had stayed on purpose and tried to speak with him.

"I'm tired," he'd stated simply. She hadn't persisted but after he'd fallen to sleep, the young woman marveled at the handsome face of her rescuer, illuminated by the playful light of the fireplace. There was something in his features that betrayed nobility, even if he was not a noble. But his pose was not one of an aristocrat - there was something almost vulnerable in it. Hunched on one side and a sort of ill ease on his face even as he slept, the young woman thought he rather looked like a man running from a pack of wolves in his dreams.

In the morning, when she awoke, he had already gone.

"Lass," Johanna said, startling her back from her thoughts. "We really ought to think you a name. Unless you prefer to always be called 'lass'."

"No," the young woman said as Johanna handed her some clean garnets, perhaps one of her older ones. "I'd rather have a name."

The smith's wife smiled. "Let's play a sort of a game," she said. "I'll say any name I can think of, and if it sounds familiar, you'll tell me." The young woman nodded. "Your cloak had the initial E. There can't be too many options. Were you an Esmé in your past life? Or perhaps an Emma? Eleonora? You look like an Eleonora to me. No?" The young woman vigorously shook her head with a smile.

"Doesn't ring a bell," the young woman said finally as she put on the garnets and the older woman handed her a dress. "I'm sorry but this dress might be a bit too big for you - you're such a petite creature, obviously you haven't given birth before!" The young woman relaxed a bit. The thought that there were some children missing her was terrifying. "I have a son and two daughters but they're all grown. The daughters married into the near villages and the son is in the town, studying for an accountant. He never thought to ask his parents if we had the money, but we're doing everything for him. We even sold the sparse beds. Education is a very important thing, even if neither his father nor I had it. Don't you agree?" Johanna asked.

"I do," she said.

Johanna remained still for a second. "Sit," she motioned. The young woman sat on Hans' chair and the smith's wife proceeded with combing her hair. "Eva? Edith or Elisabeth?" A chill ran down the young woman's spine. "Oh, Elisabeth then. It's a very common name, after all. I wonder what they called you? Elisa? Beth? Elisa feels right, I think."

The young woman laughed. "You thought Eleonora was right too, a minute ago."

Johanna said nothing as she began braiding her hair. "Although," she said, letting it fall once more. "I think you should wear it down."

"It's not very practical though, is it?..."

At that moment, the door swung open and Elisabeth's rescuer entered, his hands full of all kinds of packages. "Hello, my ladies," he said cheerfully. "I'm the bringer of food and good humor!"

"Or perhaps you've had your lunch in the inn again?"

Hans smiled charmingly. "Where else do you expect me to bring the best roasted venison from? Bart's wife cooks like a chef!"

"Elisabeth and I were just wondering why you were avoiding her," the smith's wife said nonchalantly, never one to beat around the bush.

Hans' charming smile froze on his face. "Elisabeth?"

"Yeah, we couldn't always call her 'lass' now, could we? So, why are you avoiding her? Did you fall in love with her or somethin'?" Elisabeth looked into Hans' eyes like a startled doe and blushed vigorously.

The woodcutter slowly started to unload the packages on the lone table next to the foor and shrugged off his coat. "She is a pretty one, isn't she?" he said, as if to himself. Then he avoided the subject altogether, no matter how much Johanna pestered him.

When the smith's wife left with a final dark look towards him and a friendly smile for Elisabeth, Hans didn't speak up much. Elisabeth stood up to help set the table and sent a probing gaze his way every few minutes.

The meal was wonderful and the food gave her the courage to finally break the silence. "You're cold."

Hans went very, very still. "Pardon?"

"You're a cold person, Hans. The kind of cold that bothers me. I might not know many people - only Johanna and you as of now, but you're only confusing me and epressing me with your behavior. If you find me so revolting, you should tell me now - because I don't want to be trouble."

Hans sighed, stood up from his place and kneeled before Elisabeth. The petite woman looked at him with raised brows and timid, curious gaze. "Look, I am sorry for the way I acted, my lady." Elisabeth almost giggled at his courteous manner. "I wasn't being considerate and I never wished you any harm. I- I have to tell you something and I thing it's about time now... " The young lad struggled for words a bit before he sighed, giving in. "I wasn't a good man before. I don't know if I have truly changed now. It's just... your goodness and the purity of your soul remind me of all the darkness that hid in me. That's why I was avoiding you. I was a monster."

Elisabeth was quiet for a long. "For all it's worth, I don't remember what kind of person I was before. And if you truly repented, Hans, then I think your own memories are your jailors and you are paying for whatever sins you committed as we speak. You are not a monster, Hans, I can see it in your eyes."

Hans looked at her, still kneeling, and didn't say anything for a long moment. "Thank you, lady Elisabeth. I promise I will try to be the best version of myself for you and never, ever to cause you harm or sadness again. If anything, I will protect you." And it sounded like a vow.

Elisabeth wanted to touch him, to caress his passionate features but something stopped her. Perhaps she had never touched a man before. The only thing she managed was a warm smile. Still, it was an improvement.

After that, Hans stood up and they went by the fireplace where Elisabeth asked Hans as many questions as she could without sounding too impolite.

What about his parents? They were dead. And his siblings? Most of them were married off and estranged. Was this village where he grew up? No, he was from the North. Why did he move away? He was looking for a new beginning, after his best friend died. A pause.

"My condolences," Elisabeth said. "What kind of man was he?"

"One of the best. Especially for putting up with my bad temper and managing to smooth it out. Somewhat. He was optimistic and wise, had a blazing sense of humor, there's just no other word for it. He loved to tease me and ignore my pretentious rants. He was my brother." Their gazes met and held. This time, Elisabeth found the courage to put her small hand on his shoulder. Hans smiled gratefully at her. "All's well now, I found my peace, lady." He looked through the window - dusk had fallen already.

That night Elisabeth wanted to giggle into her pillow as she watched him ready his bed. He was humming a catchy melody.

"Did you compose it?" Elisabeth asked. The woodcutter laughed.

"I wish. But it's Beethoven."

"What's the piece called?"

"Fur Elise..." Then he looked at her and smiled. "Elise... it seems more becoming."

"Elise?"

"Yes."

The young woman smiled. "I rather like the sound of it too. It sounds like something I half-remember."

Hans looked at her very intently for a moment, struggling yet again, it seemed but soon that moment was over and he bid her a quiet, warm goodnight.

Elise sighed and hugged her pillow.

Her rescuer was a handsome man and there was something in him, a strong pull. She supposed it was because she had somewhat imprinted on him, him being the first face she remembered ever seeing and all.

Hold on... Elise thought just the second before she fell asleep. '...And never, ever to cause you harm or sadness again?'

But of course he had never harmed her before, had he? No, no it was too paranoid of her to even think of it.

Hearing screams and yells throughout the corridors of this prison was not something unusual. No one batted an eyelash this time too.

"Let me go! Let me go, you fucking beasts!" a fiery woman shouted at her captors as she struggled wildly and kicked one of them so hard he cried out.

Whatever the color of her dress had been, it was now nothing but a dirty, faded rag. Her hair was wild and messy, but despite all her filthiness there was something intelligent in her eyes that spoke there was more to her than met the eye.

"Now, now, lassie - what a potty mouth you have," the older man said with a wry smile.

"This isn't how one talks to the Captain of the guards and his second in command!" the younger one protested, indignant.

"See if I bloody care, rat-face! I want to know where the hell is my husband!"

"No, I don't think so," the older one said. "Unless you tell us where are the other miserable members of your fancy, made-up insurgence are!"

"The Resistance!" the woman corrected hotly.

"It doesn't matter how you call yourself, sweety pie," the younger spoke acidly. "Tomorrow, we'll be sending you to king Kaldr and his dungeons in Arendelle and you'll be singing names, places and dates before the week is over!"

"This piece of shit will never be a true king!"

"Mind your place, commoner!"

"I'm no commoner, you swine! I'm the crown princess to Arendelle now that my sister is dead, I'll never tell you anything, and I want to know where is my husband- Woah!" She was thrown none-too-gently into a cell.

"Bye, bye, crown princess of Arendelle," the younger one said with a malicious smile as he locked the cell. "Sleep tight."

"Bastards!" the woman yelled after him and after a long moment of glaring after their retreating figures, she sat down.

"Anna?!" someone exclaimed in a hush from the cell next to hers.

It took her a moment to recognize him. "Oaken!" she exclaimed and moved closer to him. "What are you doing in this god-forsaken dungeon?!"

"Long story. And you? Is there truly a Resistance, fighting for Arendelle's freedom?"

Anna nodded vigorously, glad to see a familiar face that would distract her from the bitter worry over Kristoff's well-being. "I hope you have a lot of spare time, my friend, because what I am about to tell you is hell of a fucked-up story."

Oaken laughed dryly and found himself a more comfortable position.

A/N: This isn't really some unrealistically fluffy helsa story. The 'pull' I mentioned was inspired by an article I read. It said that whenever you feel a love at first sight, it's your subconsciousness recognizing patterns from the past that hurt you. Because the mind is the quickest processor, you don't need more than 6 seconds in order to decide if you're felt drawn to a person or not. In theory, the healthiest of relationships are the 'slow burn' ones.

Anyways. 'Bout the brother. Hans bonded with Jørn after the events of Frozen. You'll get to hear the whole story later on, probably next chapter.

Also- Anna! I love Anna! Anna's turned into a tough cookie, hasn't she? And she married Kristoff! And now he's missing and she's in trouble. Anyone excited for Kristanna?