"The death of one man is a tragedy. The death of a million is a statistic." -Joseph Stalin
October 17th, 1840
Hans was peacefully enjoying his evening meal when the door of the dining room flew open, revealing a bitterly angry Johanna who launched into a tirade before Hans had any time to react.
"What the fuck were you thinking, hiring Johana? You're doing this to spite me, aren't you? Goddamnit I can't believe you!"
"Calm down, Johanna. I-" Hans interjected, before Johanna picked up a glass and threw it at the wall behind him, while continuing to yell.
"You stupid prick, shut the fuck the up! She cannot be trusted, she's, she's a-"
"A witch?!" Hans stood up, defiantly confronting his wife. "A foul sorceress? Deserving of burning at the stake? Does this all sound familiar to you, Johanna? Is this why you hate her so?"
Johanna faltered a moment, before continuing. "No! She's a lying bitch, that's why I hate her! Lying to my face for so many years! She did all of this even though we were-"
"Sharing the same bed. And yes I knew. For quite some time. But regardless, she did all of this because she loved you! She still does, in fact. So much so, that she's working to improve your island as we speak."
"How so?" Johanna asked tentatively, suspecting that Hans was planning something sinister.
"She's going to win the ceramics contest by making our china better than all the others- with magic."
Johanna's face went blank as she pieced together everything, tying Hans' guilt into the equation as Hans took a long drag from his wine, suspecting it would help when Johanna's rage would get the better of her. It took mere seconds to do so.
"You… you bastard. You knew." Johanna's anger became even greater, her eyes gleaming with hate and her teeth bared as she ground them against each other. Hans couldn't recall her ever being this angry, ever.
Still, Hans looked at her with a bald face. "I have no idea of what you are talking of."
"You found out! Even so, you still planned your scheme, regardless of the damage it caused to me!"
To this Hans only gave a guilty smirk.
"I'll play this game for now, Hans of the frozen heart!" Knowing she was on the verge of uncontrollable rage at her bastard of a husband and about to lose all self-control, Johanna decided discretion was the better part of valor for today. "I'll be in my room, you heartless swine!"
Hans sat and watched silently as she departed for her own private wing, smiling when she had left the room.
That went as planned. Hopefully, she'll continue to see me as the culprit, and Kristina as a victim. And soon things will return to normal.
…
October 27th, 1840
Kristina finished applying her magic to another piece of porcelain, sighing and running her hands through her fine golden hair when she finished and placed it with the other 'treated' china. They workers had delivered the last of the 250 sets of fine porcelain this morning, finishing their part of the equation. It was all finely made, certainly earning the title 'handpicked.' Kristina could easily tell that these people were certainly good at their craft and was grateful, as turning good into excellent was far less draining than turning mediocre into the same.
But draining it still was.
Kristina had never practiced so much magic before as she had the last fortnight. She liked the challenge, but she was eating as much as her stomach could hold multiple times a day and still was visibly losing weight and when she wasn't working she was sleeping. The only thing that didn't make her blow it all off was her strange love of Kurzheim, and a forlorn hope for getting back together with Johanna.
For Kurzheim, it was the closest thing she ever knew as home. She spent the better half of her childhood there, only leaving for a brief period in her late teens. Johanna's mother had discovered her daughter's 'relationship' with the maid, and was none too pleased. However displeased she was, was offset by both Kristina's and her mother Anna's skill and ability. As such, the Lady Kurzheim sent a glowing recommendation to the Royal Family of Kristina's skill, and the young girl found herself shipped off to the capital.
The capital was hardly a punishment, Kristina found out. With better pay, better education, and more freedom, Kristina took the opportunity to flourish and better herself, often in ways surprising to her. She took to the increased book learning as a matter of course, but was surprised to find that the maids and staff were heavily involved in palace intrigue themselves. Never against the Royalty, as one didn't bite the hand that fed it, but about everybody else was fair game. Johanna became quite skilled quick, and soon had a good mass of both wealth and connections thanks to the secrets she knew and favors she collected.
Even more surprising was the… special education she received. Within a month or beginning her service at the palace, her matron maid had a discreet conversation with her and shared some information with her. Apparently her sexuality was not as rare as she thought, and was much more common in the capital. So much so, there was openly secret groups where men and women who fancied the same sex could meet and… mingle. Before long, Johanna was a regular within the group that had established itself for women like her of similar class in society. And when her courtships became physical, these women knew all manner of ways to make love.
What was odd was that everybody seemed to know, but as long as it was never admitted to or paraded, people looked the other way. After all, physically speaking, Kristina was still a virgin as far as a doctor was concerned. It was living a lie, but it was a more liberating environment than the backwater of Kurzheim.
But despite it all, that backwater was home. She missed the rustic island, her mother, and Johanna. And before long both the old Lord and Lady of Kurzheim passed and Kristina returned home.
Her reminiscing was interrupted by the opening of the door to her 'office', which Kristina knew meant Hans, as only he had the audacity to enter without knock. She turned about, her eyes confirming her thought process when they saw the suit clad Hans.
"Finally assuming the role of industrialist, Hans?"
"Hmm?"
"The suit. That's a new suit, much like a number of other new suits I've seen you wear. And you haven't worn your old uniform in over a week."
"Well, yes. I did think it's time for me to switch over. After all, no noble uniform is going to change the fact that the royal court hates the living shit out of me for 'selling out.'" Hans explained, sure to make quotation signs with his fingers. "Anyways, how is it coming?"
Kristina spun about, gesturing to the less than half a dozen sets of fine china left. "Very well. I'll easily be done early tomorrow, if not tonight."
"Excellent. Tomorrow we'll begin packing and shipping these to Kesselburg. Then we'll leave as well."
"We'll?"
"Myself, Johanna, yourself, and a small staff. Johanna needs to be there by social convention, and I need you in case there is a mix-up with the magic."
Kristina's demeanor worried, clearly nervous about facing Johanna again. Hans smiled as warmly as he could, something he was skilled at. "Don't worry about it. Also get some sleep, Kristina. You need it."
…
Oct 29th, 1840
Forladtnr Docks, Kesselburg, the Southern Isles.
Hans stood on the damp dock, as the clouds that had just showered the tiny island with rain loomed over head as was common in the Southern Isles, adding to the solemn mood. Before him was a new Steam paddle ship, the Kong Neptuns, loaded with the porcelain as well as other passengers for the capital Kesselburg.
Most aboard were fairly nervous, as not only was this a fairly new technology to the people of Kurzheim, but most had not been to the capital before and were a little intimidated. But for Hans, it was a major moment of doubt. A good chunk of his assets and capital had been sunk into this venture, and while he was fairly sure he could at least profit at this point, his goals was much higher. He didn't want to just make a living, he wanted financial mastery. And this contract represented his second and most likely last great gamble for power.
And the fact that it was the second wasn't lost on him. Even now, Arendal hung over him as much as the seemingly always overcast skies did, haunting him with its failure. He came so close to being a King, possibly a great one, only to come crashing down. His poor decisions haunted them, less from morality and more due to their outcome. Hans had become slightly timid, more cautious at going at it all again. So much so that the fallen Prince had not even remotely considered vengeance against Arendal, though other issues factored in.
After all, he had a frozen heart. Therefore, revenge was an odd concept to the Lord. He bore no serious ill will against Queen Elsa and Princess Anna. Make no mistake, while he would have happily killed them to achieve his dreams, they were no longer in his way to power and as such didn't concern him. Sure, he liked to occasionally mess with them to keep them on their toes, but he had no real vendetta to pursue.
But while he bore no dreams of vengeance, Arendal still haunted him so. Not from guilt, but from shattered confidence. Before, Hans considered himself unstoppable when it came to intrigue, especially against the sleepy back water of Arendal. After, well, not so much.
So Hans stood on the dock, unsure of the future, which did not give him a good feeling on the matter. But, it was already decided now. He had put too much work, too much capital, too much intrigue to turn back now. As it was, the dice had already been cast, to turn back now was to forfeit even before the dice had stopped tumbling.
He looked down at the parchment in his hand, reading the bottom again.
… and due to the legitimate nature of your entry into the trial for the Royal Porcelain Patronage, I have decided to grant you leave to visit Kesselburg for a period not exceeding 3 days after the conclusion of the trials. Whether or not you are permitted to visit the Royal Palace will be determined once you arrive.
-His Royal Majesty, King Frederick of the Southern Islands.
Hans sighed, before sliding the document into his suit jacket pocket. It was time to see how the dice would land.
…
Kesselburg, the Southern Isles
As the Kong Neptun steamed toward Kesselburg while darkness fell, King Frederick prepared to sit down for his evening meal. Like most days, the King ate his dinner with just whatever family had gathered in the Capital, a tradition dating back to camp life during Napoleon's wars. Back then, a late evening dinner with his wife and young children always had the potential to be his last on earth with a battle waiting for him the next day, so he always took the opportunity to spend time with them. After the war ended, Frederick was simply used to it and kept it going, always making a point to have official dining ins during lunches or breakfast, never dinner.
For today, the large table that housed 16 found itself sitting two. Frederick sat where he always sat, while the child gracing the table with their presence was his youngest, Princess Athena. The fraternal twin sister of Hans, Athena was named after both the Greek goddess as well as Melody's maternal Grandmother. The latter was described to Frederick often as a warm, kind and wise woman, and Athena certainly was this, so much that more than once she was described as her twin brother's opposite.
Athena was physically very similar to her twin, however. She had many of the same features, merely feminine. So much so, that to an acute observer her traits highlighted Hans' genetics having borrowed much more from his mother's family than his; as Athena looked very similar to her mother and grandmother. While her hair color was less fantastic as Queen Ariel's vivid red, the reddish brown was not something found in Frederick's family of blondes. Just about the only thing that Frederick could claim as his was her eyes. Like most of his family, Hans and Athena were born with blue eyes that turned green with age.
But in terms of spirt, his only daughter was the best of both families. Athena combined a warm empathetic soul of her mother with the tireless work ethic and rationality of himself to create a true philanthropist. As such, the Princess Athena spent most of her time travelling the Southern Isles and nearby Scandinavia always looking to make a difference. Her latest exploit involved helping Queen Elsa's war-torn Arendal, a cause Frederick was more than happy to support. Today however, the conversation was closer to home.
"So father, how is Hans?"
Frederick finished chewing his food, before responding curtly. "He is fine, Athena." It was not a fond topic for the King.
"I heard he's coming home." She added, fishing for information.
"He is. He's entering into the porcelain patronage trial, nothing more."
"Good." She said, rather coldly, casting her eyes down.
Frederick felt unease, as this was very unlike Athena, though he knew why. Unlike his other brothers, Hans and Athena always got along and were very close, all the way up to Arendal. Athena, always believing in the best of people, especially her twin brother at first denied it all, before feeling very betrayed by Hans. The following months did not help. Months in Arendal immersed Athena in an environment of intense hatred of the former Prince, which helped cement her feelings of betrayal. This was not something Frederick was pleased with, or wished to continue.
"He never meant to hurt you, Athena."
She looked at her father, with a sober look. "I know. The problem is Hans would hurt just about anyone else."
He couldn't argue. Hans was always a statistician first and foremost, a cold blooded one at that.
She shook her head. "I just never understood it. You, myself, mother, maybe Alexander, he would never as much risk our disapproval. But from what I was told, he left Anna to die, and he smiled at her!" She paused, returning to look at her father. "How are you so calm about that?"
"I don't know, Athena. He's my son, and I love him. But I feel I made him into what he was in Arendal. He's probably the smartest of all of you, but he was born the last son. He was desperate to be great, and I certainly never discouraged that. He must have felt that Arendal was his ticket to a throne and glory. And one thing I must add is, Hans wasn't cruel about any of it. He wasn't glad to have left Anna to die or to kill Queen Elsa. He was smiling because of his own cleverness for the former and smiling because victory was within his grasp. Hans wasn't cruel or sadistic. He was simply disregarded the value of human life in the greater scheme."
Athena grimaced in bafflement. "How does that make it any better?!"
"Once, a senior officer gave me some advice: that to be a good soldier required one to love the army, but a good commander must be prepared to order the death of the thing he loves. A cruel man or leader is never desirable, neither is an overly kind leader. For both let emotion cloud their judgement. But a cold hearted one, a man who looks at a thousand as mere statistics, while pursuing the greater good… he can truly rule and achieve greatness. What the Arendaler people didn't tell you was that Hans was a model leader during the great freeze in Elsa and Anna's absence. As I continue to believe that Hans could one day be a fine King, or at least leader."
Athena looked puzzled. "But you made it so he could never inherit the crown."
"That I did. Just as I could one day undo it, if he becomes the sort of man I want him to be. Or perhaps he'll simply make a fine Lord or perhaps Duke, when Alexander become King. It's always good to stay flexible, after all. Now, let us eat our food before it becomes cold."
What Frederick didn't say was he hoped Hans would become that man, as while he would never tell his children so, but he felt that Hans was the most qualified to rule when he was gone. And while Arendal disrupted that thought, the old King still saw more potential in Hans than any of the other brothers.
Perhaps there will be a King Hans one day, after all.
…
Bit of Notes-
So yeah, this is turning into the never-ending chapter apparently. Once again, I found myself having to split one chapter into two as I didn't want to make the chapter overly long, and I wanted to release this in a timely manner. Well, somewhat timely. The next chapter should be the last before the hiatus, but no promises.
O7,
Dragunov