Author's Note: Yeah, it appears that I'm going to continue writing this. Welp, hope you guys continue to enjoy the weirdness that's encompassing my imagination as of late, because there doesn't seem to be an end of it for the time being.
Oh, and everyone's favorite Arendellian sisters (and ice-harvester) finally make their appearance. And a certain Coronian couple.
(What's the nationality form for a person from the Southern Isles? Southern Islander? Well, I guess I'll just keep wondering.)
Anyway, if you guys feel that the rating should be bumped up to M at any time, let me know. Especially for umm... TW: perceived suicidal actions... Yeah...
I'm sorry, it got really dark.
A Test of Ability
"What happened out there in the field, Hans?" the king asked from his seated position on his mattress. Hans noted the worry lines and specks of grey hair on his brother, admiring the reality that his brother was actually getting old. His brother rubbed his face and ran a hand in his hair as if he was debating something in his head.
"I'm wondering the same thing," Hans replied, laying on the cushioned mat the servants brought for him in his brother's bedroom. From where he laid himself, he could see the painted portrait of his late parents hanging above the fireplace. He wondered what they would think of him if they knew about the deal he had with the pixies. Probably not very pleased, or frightened for everyone's well-being. Though mere apathy was a huge possibility. They were already dead, after all.
"Just tell me from when you and the guards made it to the field."
"Alright, the guards and I made it to the field. I started to bundle up the wheat, and then... nothing." Hans emphasized the last word with a grandiose, circular gesture to the ceiling. "I'm sure the guards can attest to that." There were murmurs of agreements from the guards posted around Hans and his brother. One, however, coughed into his hand. Upon realizing that it was the same guard who he was almost tempted to kill, Hans stiffened, but was intrigued by what he was going to say.
"If I may add, Your Majesty, what I think is relevant? Though I will regretfully admit that I am not quite sure what to make of it yet," the guard ventured. When the king nodded for him to continue, the guard shifted his stance back and forth between his feet. "I remember going to the field, and the blank space in my memory, coinciding with what happened to Prince Hans. However, I do remember feeling like something was being ripped out of me. It was agonizing, and I felt it throughout my whole body. I couldn't see what was going on, nor hear anything, nor could I move, but everything around me was covered in a white light. The pain felt like an eternity, but it gradually faded back into nothingness. Then I remember waking up. I'm sure you know the rest of the story, Your Majesty."
The revelation that the "coaxing" process was torture to its victim drove the fact home that he really didn't know anything about the powers he was working with. Before Hans could further contemplate the severity of the situation that landed in his lap, the king asked, "Have any of you experienced anything else similar?"
Throughout the room, there was a resounding "no" as an answer.
"Then I suggest that my brother and I return to sleep. There is much deliberation that must be done come sunrise," the king said, pulling his bedsheets over himself. At that, the guards resumed their watch over Hans and the king, while Hans continued to stare at the portrait of his parents, the ache in his chest a constant reminder of what was to come.
###
"Elsa, I don't know what dress I should bring! Should I wear our kingdom's colors, to show who we are? Oh, or should I wear Corona's colors? Maybe it'll seem like I'm trying too hard. Oh, should I wear green instead? I've been told that it brings out my eyes. Or maybe not, because then it would seem that I'm too self-centered and care too much about my appearance. That won't do, since I'm not like that at all and..." Princess Anna huffed, gushing over the logistics of wardrobe with her sister, Queen Elsa.
"Oh Anna," Elsa giggled, amused at her sister's antics. "I'm sure that, whatever you decide, you'll do fine." She waved her hands, procuring a few dress ideas on a mannequin with her magic. Elsa herself was having a bit of a problem deciding her attire, too.
"Ooh, that one's perfect! You should definitely wear that one!"
"You don't think it's too... simple?" Elsa regarded the dress, similar to the design she wore when she made her ice castle in the mountains (also known as her go-to design), but with a swirling pattern near the neckline. She had to admit that the design felt uninspired.
"Well, maybe if you continue the swirly things to the rest of the dress, maybe you might think differently?" Anna suggested. With a flick of her fingers, Elsa continued the swirls around the entirety of the dress. "Umm... it looks like a doily... Do you like doilies?"
Elsa regarded the addition to the design and couldn't hide the amusement in her face. Laughing softly to herself, she removed most of the swirls, but saved the original idea along with the swirls trimming the edges of the dress.
"Much better," Anna said, nodding in approval. She looked back to the dresses laid before her on her mattress. "I still have a problem though."
"Why not have Kristoff help you? Maybe a man's opinion will help," Elsa offered.
"But he's busy with helping load the supplies for our voyage. I don't want to bother him." Anna then started to bounce on the balls of her feet at an epiphany she had. "Wait, purple!"
Elsa raised an amused brow at her sister's exclamation. She didn't prod for an answer, knowing her sister was bursting at the seams to reveal her thought process.
"It completely escaped my mind that Arendelle and Corona share purple as common colors on their flag. Oh, and yellow too! Ah! I have the perfect dress for this! Wait here, Elsa," Anna said, scampering to her closet and pulling out a purple ballgown and a yellow ribbon. "Oh, now I need to decide where to put the ribbon." She presented the dress to her grinning sister. Anna was very glad that they were finally free to have sister bonding moments like these after being separated for so long. "Should I wear it like a corsage? Oh wait, maybe in my hair? Or, how about as a necklace? Yeah, that sounds like fun!"
"Elegant, simple, yet enough personality. I love it Anna," Elsa said, running her hands across the purple satin skirt of Anna's presented dress, admiring the embroidery. "Make sure you let Kristoff know, he might have a heart attack if you don't warn him ahead of time," she teased.
"Because of how gorgeous I'll end up being?" Anna said, continuing her sister's jab at jesting.
"Oh, definitely," Elsa laughed.
A knock on the room's doorframe drew the sisters' attention to the steward, clearing his throat.
"I'm sorry to intrude, Your Highnesses," the steward, Kai, said as he entered the room when beckoned inside by Elsa. "Princess Anna's fiancé, Kristoff, has announced that the ship is stocked with all the supplies needed for the journey. He just needs Queen Elsa's and Princess Anna's suitcases."
"Oh, good timing, Kai. We've just finished packing," Anna said, haphazardly stuffing her dress into an open suitcase and clasping it closed. Elsa did the same with her own, though much more neatly. "Tell him we're on our way. Thanks!" Kai bowed and left the room.
Anna turned to Elsa, nervousness etched on her face.
"Can I tell you something, Elsa?" Anna asked, voice low.
"Always, Anna," Elsa replied, emulating her sister's tone.
"I'm actually really scared about the sailing part of our trip."
Elsa embraced Anna in a hug, her fears of freezing those she loved thawed months ago, hoping to comfort her little sister.
"Can I tell you something, Anna?"
Anna giggled when she heard her sister mirror her words. "Always, Elsa."
"Me, too. But I've learned that love can overcome fear. As long as we're together, I think we will get through this."
"And Kristoff."
Elsa giggled, "And Kristoff. He won't abandon you. The sailors also assured us that there aren't any storms between Arendelle and Corona this time of the year. We'll be there in about two weeks, a week and a half if the winds are good."
###
With the royal sister's luggage safely on the floating vessel in the moonlit bay, Kristoff brushed his hands together in finality. He pulled out a carrot from his pocket and handed it to Sven. Sven happily crunched at the vegetable, making sure to leave some for Kristoff to munch on.
"Well, it looks like we're all done here," Kristoff said to the reindeer. Sven looked at Kristoff with sad eyes, hanging his head down low.
"Why can't I go with you guys?" Kristoff said in "Sven's voice."
"Corona is way too hot for reindeer. I explained this before."
"But what about Elsa?"
"Just because she controls ice, doesn't mean that she's made of it."
"Why can't she give me a flurry like Olaf?"
"You bring up a good point there, pal. But I guess it's for the same reason that Olaf needs to stay here. Not everyone knows that Elsa has ice powers. A reindeer with a miniature snow cloud over his head would bring too much attention. And you know how nervous Elsa gets with unwanted attention."
"Alright, if you say so." Sven hung his head lower, eyes now gazing toward the floor.
"Oh, come on now, Sven. I know that we're going to be gone for about a month. Think of it like this: you don't have to share the carrots while I'm gone."
At this, the reindeer perked his ears up and cantered happily with his front legs. "Okay!"
Elsa and Anna exited the boat after their cursory inspection of all their supplies. Anna approached Kristoff and gave him a peck on the cheek.
"Has Sven warmed up to the idea of being away from you for a month?" Anna asked, laughing at the reindeer's little jig.
"You bet I have."
"Hey, some loyal friend you are," Kristoff chuckled, assured that his friend would be fine as we went on the voyage.
"Your Majesty, are you ready to disembark at this moment? The waters are calm, and the skies suggest smooth sailing for the next few days. And considering the late hour, there would be fewer vessels around the pier to delay our journey a few hours," the captain of the ship said, taking off his cap and bowing to the queen.
"We're ready," Elsa said, nodding. The captain straightened and replaced his hat upon his head and whistled sharply to the sailors on the ship.
"Hoist the anchor and man the rigging! We're setting off!"
Anna gripped Kristoff's hand with a shaking, nervous fist as the two walked the ramp up to the ship. Elsa, taking a few calming breaths herself, followed the couple and boarded the boat.
###
As the rays of sunlight filtered into the room, Hans, bleary-eyed, woke up to his surroundings confused. It was plain to see that he wasn't in his cell, and a few more moments of wakefulness connected that he was in his brother's bedroom. A quick glance at said brother's bed indicated that he had already awoken.
A sharp stinging in his chest brought him back to reality, as well as the shaking of his shoulders by one of the guards to rouse him further. He also noted that the bag and the scythe were still in the possession of the guard from the other night. Seeing them eased the ache, strangely enough, a fact that he knew would prove useful to remember.
"Your Grace, your presence is requested by the king at this instant," the guard said, helping Hans up to his feet.
"I'm not yet presentable," Hans said, gesturing to the dirtied clothing he wore to the field the night before. The guard shook his head.
"There's no time for that, he needs you right now."
"What's the matter?" Considering the tone of the guard, something was terribly wrong. Two guards grabbed him by the elbows when Hans made no move to answer the summons. The halls of the castle blurred past him as every worst-case scenario played out in his mind, wondering what in the world was happening. Before he knew it, he was kneeling before the king. Gauging by the disheveled appearance of the king and the rest of his brothers, something terrible enough happened to have all of them awake and present at this early hour. A feeling of dread bottomed out at the pit of his gut when he saw that his "ringmaster" brother, the tenth in line, wasn't among them.
"W-where's Klaus?" Hans asked, fearing their answer.
"He's dying, Hans," the king said, pain in his eyes. "He didn't want to see anyone else but you."
"But... but why? What happened?"
"He's poisoned himself."
"What!?" Hans' heart skipped a few beats as he scrambled to his feet and took off toward his dying brother's room. No, no, his brother wouldn't do something like this. He wouldn't. He heard the footsteps of guards scampering to follow him in his mad dash to find Klaus. Of all the stupid things his brother had done in the past, he wouldn't ever do such a thing to himself. To Hans, to "show him his place," yes, but never to himself.
"Klaus!" Hans gasped when he saw the condition his brother was in: pale skin, droplets of blood spattering the corners of his lips, eyes sunken in. "Oh no, what did you do? What did you do?" He gripped at his brother's shoulders and clung to them as if his brother was about to die at any moment. Which, in actuality, was likely going to happen.
"Hey, Hans," Klaus coughed out, weakly. "A little pixie told me about helping you out."
At that moment, the guards filed in, panting for breath. For some reason, Hans observed, the same guard was holding his bag and scythe.
"Can you leave those for me?" Klaus whispered out, waving to the objects in the guard's hands. "And leave us alone for a bit?" Unsure, the guards did as he requested, and shut the door behind them on the way out.
"Pixie, what pixie? What are you talking about?" Hans asked, dread creeping its way across his mind.
"Save your breath, my prince," the familiar voice of the pixie tittered. "You're in no state for story telling."
"What have you done to my brother?" Hans ground out through gritted teeth.
"Exactly what he said. I told him about helping you out. Your poor older brother felt extremely guilty about messing up everything in your life, and he jumped at the chance at hoping to redeem you, even at the risk of his health. All he had to do was cooperate, and I promised that everything will be as it should be in the end. After all, a pixie's promise is guaranteed.
"Of course he agreed. Anything to save you from yourself, and fulfill all your missed potential. No greater love, am I right?" She waved her hands, and the door behind him glittered with an otherworldly sheen. "That should keep the guards from listening in. No sound will escape this room, and no one will be the wiser."
"You mean... you did this?"
"Of course! How else to help ease you into your new responsibilities? Pah, you thought he was man enough to off himself for your sake? Please. Besides, if he wanted to, there was no way to make sure that you'd fill into your new role properly with him dying prematurely. At least this way, he'll see what you've become."
The hopeful gaze on Klaus' face shattered all resolve within Hans. With the look he gave him, there was no way he knew what was really going on! The pixie harrumphed, and waved her hand, causing Klaus to groan in painful anguish.
"He's already made a last request to send you over to Corona." She waved a hand at the letter on the nearby desk. "It'll be enough to convince the others to send you there. But the other pixies and I have to make sure that you're even capable of doing what we require."
"It'll be alright Hans. You can do this, she says that you can fix so much more if you just do what she asks."
The pixie waved her other hand, causing the scythe and bag to float over to Hans, who took them regretfully. She nodded at him, a wicked smile on her face.
"Just do what I showed you," she persuaded. "Or else this gets really nasty, really quick. I'm sure you can at least give him some mercy, if your new conscience is anything to go by."
With jittering hands, Hans opened the satchel of dust, grabbing a small cluster. Klaus eyed his movements, eyeing the dust and relief filling his gaze. Hans sprinkled the dust on his brother's torso. The relief in his brother's face turned to betrayal when the pain did not lessen, but increased tenfold.
"B-but Hans, why?" his brother choked out. "I thought. I thought this was for good!"
"It is, my sweet prince," the pixie cackled. "But isn't it obvious what he was going to do? The scythe and satchel didn't bring to mind anything of the stories you humans tell? Well, I guess your brother is missing that black hooded cloak. Oh my, betrayal is so much fun to witness firsthand!" She clapped her palms together in glee. "Come on, Prince Hans, the land is waiting!"
As soon as the pixie said as much, a soft light began to emanate from his brother. Klaus, in greater hysterics, struggled against whatever was happening, but was too weak to resist. The voice within Hans returned, commanding him. Kill him.
"Hans, tell me that what she says isn't true! Please! Please don't tell me I'm making my brother into a monster!" Klaus pleaded, realization of what was about to happen setting in. Then, much softer, "Please, tell me that all I did won't destroy you in the end."
"Ooh, look, he's perfect. See? He's in the prime of his summer, the ties that hold him to the physical world is strong. Well, there is a bit of grey around him. I guess it makes little difference. He wasn't the best person around though, was he? Enough waiting around, either you're going to do it, or I will. If you aren't going to do it for some faceless guard, or the brother you were bitter towards for many years, I'm not going to give you a better choice next time, I swear it." She fluttered away from Hans and landed on Klaus' chest. She knelt down and placed a quick kiss on his collar bone and smirked.
Klaus' eyes widened at the sudden rush of pain firing against all his nerves, the glowing around him intensifying.
"Oh, God! Oh, God, make it stop! Hans! Just do it! I can't..." Klaus gasped out, clawing at his neck. His eyes rolled back, and he wracked about in spastic kicks of his legs.
Hans, sobbing at what he steeled himself to do, gripped the handles of the scythe and slashed its glowing blade at his brother's torso, passing through as if it was a ghost. His brother's movements stilled, body limp and void of life, but still in one piece. The light around his brother wafted up into the air, resembling smoke from a sizzled-out fire and fading out of existence.
"You feel that, Hans? The land's very happy right now. I told you having a mortal human do the deed is the only correct way to go about this. Just keep doing that, and things will go smoothly. Though, feel free to do whatever else you want with those new gifts of yours. They are for you to do with them as you please, save for the occasional sacrifice requirement."
He didn't deny to himself that the ache in his heart from earlier was completely gone. He almost doubted that it was there in the first place. Almost, but now his heart was heavy with the burden of killing one of his siblings.
"Please, just go," Hans whispered out, walking to his brother's corpse. "You got what you wanted, right? No more pixie influence as soon as I secure voyage to Corona. I assure you that my brothers will see to it, Klaus' death made sure of it. So please, no more."
"As you wish, Your Highness," the pixie said gleefully. "No more pixie influence from here on out, cross my heart. The land though... no promises there." With a wink and a wave at the charmed door, the pixie flew up into the room's ceiling. Hans didn't even register that the guards piled in the room, hoisting him away from the corpse. He was totally, and absolutely numb inside.
###
The voyage to Corona went by a lot faster and far less painless than the two sisters had originally thought. The sea was accommodating, and the skies were clear throughout the journey. In two weeks' time, they finally docked their ship at Corona's port, the shining sun casting the kingdom in a golden light.
Their welcoming committee consisted of the king and queen of Corona, a horse, and a chameleon perched atop the horse's head.
"Welcome to our humble kingdom of Corona, Queen Elsa and Princess Anna of Arendelle!" the Coronian queen greeted. "As well as Princess Anna's betrothed, Kristoff of Arendelle."
"You can just call me Elsa. Thank you for the warm welcome, Your Majesty," Elsa said, curtsying to the king and queen. Anna mimicked her sister's movements, not quite up to speed with etiquette like her older sibling. Kristoff followed suit with a clumsy bow.
"Oh please, Elsa, just call me Rapunzel. Though I'm not sure what Eugene here would like to be called."
The man in question grinned, embarrassed, and coughed into his hand.
"Eugene or Flynn is fine, but I prefer Flynn," the king responded after a short beat. The crown on his head felt foreign, still feeling a bit unsure how to fill his new role as a ruler. Even if he had a few years of experience already. "This is Maximus and Pascal." He referred to the two animals standing beside him.
"A pleasure to meet both of you," Anna greeted, laughing as she curtsied to the strange pair.
"Uh, so! Let's get the festivities started, yes?" Flynn said, clapping and rubbing his hands together, trying to relieve the embarrassment he still felt. Rapunzel laughed and took her husband by the arm while she beckoned the guests to follow.
She led them to the middle of the town square, where the citizens of Corona were engaged in dancing and general merry-making. Upon seeing their rulers among them, the crowd cheered and parted to make way for them to walk to a raised platform in the center.
"Citizens of Corona, please give a warm welcome to our guests: Queen Elsa, Princess Anna, and Kristoff of Arendelle!" Rapunzel announced, eliciting even more cheers and hurrahs from the crowd.
Kristoff, unused to having this kind of attention, shied back a bit from the crowd. Flynn, noticing his discomfort, smiled in understanding, and edged back to lean over and whisper to him, "Don't worry, it gets worse."
"Worse?" Kristoff gasped, backing even further away from the crowd.
"Hey, there's no point in lying to you, right? Don't worry, I've been in the same boat before. Well... kinda. I'm sure you heard the stories of my... infamous past. Still, a commoner pushed into the limelight of royalty? I could practically write a book on it."
"How do you deal with it?"
"Actually... Uh... I just let Rapunzel do all the royal stuff. We make decisions together, of course, but she's the one who's more a natural at it."
"Great..."
"Hey, if you want, Rapunzel and I can give you and Anna a few pointers."
"That would be great, thanks."
"Though, first thing: just smile, wave, and try not to pick your nose."
"Ew! Don't tell me you do that, too!" Anna squealed, disgusted at hearing the subject of their conversation.
"I told you, Anna. All guys do it," Kristoff said, a smug grin on his face. Feeling more confident, he waved at the crowd.
###
"Wow, your kingdom really knows how to throw an anniversary celebration," Anna stated, cutting into the fish on her dinner-plate with a knife. "And man, your castle is a lot more lively than where we live in Arendelle."
"We can actually get away with a lot more with the climate around here. It gets too hot to have fewer windows. Though I will admit that I wish the castle were more cozy sometimes. It's a trade-off for when it gets cooler. While it doesn't snow here very often, the castle lets off the same amount of heat in the summer as it does in the wintertime," Rapunzel said before taking a sip from her glass.
"That's true, ours is the perfect castle to snuggle up in when it's cold."
"So how have you managed with your kingdom lately, Elsa?" Rapunzel asked, politely changing the subject. "How are they taking things?"
"In regards to my powers? They know, though we're not really going to announce it to the world, but we're not going to be secretive about it like before," Elsa replied. "Whoever knows, knows. If they ask, we'll just confirm it. What they make of that information, I'm sure there can be further discussions about it on a case-by-case basis.
"Though in regards to the economy... It's been better. Cutting off trade with one of Arendelle's most prominent trade partners has taken a toll on supplies and goods, but thankfully we have your kingdom to thank for keeping us relatively stable. While it certainly is a further distance from Arendelle to Corona, than it is to Weselton, it's not completely undoable."
"Oh, we heard about the fiasco revolving around its duke's actions at your coronation. He should have been more diplomatic about it though, he was practically shooting himself in the foot with all that he's done," Flynn added to the conversation.
"Excuse me, Your Majesties, a letter has arrived, as well as a ship from the Southern Isles," a butler said, bowing and handing Flynn a letter, who in turn passed it to Rapunzel.
"The... Southern Isles?" Anna gaped, hands gripping her utensils in anticipation. Kristoff placed a comforting hand on top of hers, squeezing lightly. Elsa flinched, and was thankful that she was wearing her gloves at the moment. While she knew they didn't really provide a barrier for when she used her magic, and that she would have days where she loathed to put them on, their familiarity and associative reminder to maintain control helped to soothe her.
"Why now? They've never really asked us for anything before," Rapunzel said, half to herself, as she opened the letter. As she read silently to herself, her eyes widened in shock and confusion, and then to sadness. Then clearing her throat, she read the letter, again, aloud:
"To the King and Queen of Corona:
In light of recent events, I hope that you forgive any informality that comes across in this letter. We are desperate, and we have no other kingdoms to turn to after our youngest heir's treachery in Arendelle. Please, we beg of you, at least have the mercy to hear us out.
While Arendelle sent Prince Hans home to us to receive his deserved punishment, it happened that we couldn't bring ourselves to do such a thing. Attempted murder means to be hanged in our kingdom, and we couldn't do it. We couldn't bring ourselves to revoke his birthright, since it felt that we would tear the last vestige of connection that we had with him.
You see, we were terrible to him in the past, and in our immature squabbling and treatment of him, raised and molded him into the man we sent to Arendelle. We hoped that getting him away from our toxic influence would be beneficial to him, but it turned out not to be the case and was returned home much worse than before. We still hold onto hope that there is something in Hans to redeem him, and it continues to be apparent that he will not find it at home.
It tears us apart to see him slowly descending into madness. The guilt even drove one of us to take our own life. Please, I beg of you. Your rule has been characterized with fair judgment and mercy, we cannot follow in such footsteps regarding our brother. It appears that we are only making it worse. As the final wish from Prince Klaus before dying of self-poisoning, please help us with Hans.
We sent him in the boat that delivered this letter to you. If you see it fit to execute him, so be it. It's only right for just people to make such a call. If not, we only hope that it's not too late to reach him.
I hope this fact doesn't hurt Hans' case: he brought no other possessions of home except for the harvesting tools he used in his last occupation as punishment. I'm afraid he gets terrified and certainly inconsolable when they are not with him. It seems that they are the only source of solace he has, strange as it is, since the death of Klaus. It's pertinent to note that he was also the only one who witnessed Klaus' death, and I fear he is close to completely losing his grip with reality because of it. He constantly claims that he was the one who killed him, cutting him in half with the scythe.
Rest assured, though, that it is impossible. There was no evidence of foul play in Klaus' death. But I will not deny the need to have eyes watching him as much as possible. Its hard to tell if Hans is still capable of regicide in his delirium.
I don't ask for you to keep him, if it's against your wishes. I only ask for you to do what is right, since the Westergaard family seems to have lost sight of right and wrong long ago.
King Pieter Westergaard of the Southern Isles"
"Hans is here!?" Anna exclaimed, now gripping the tablecloth and worrying its edges. "Why did they have to send him here? I'm sure their king is just as vile and conniving if their brother is anything to go by."
"Anna, please understand that King Pieter is not like his younger brother. He's a fair and just ruler, though somewhat reserved when it comes to foreign relations. And also known to be a bit of a push-over. Their kingdom is constantly struggling, and would have definitely ceased to exist if Corona cut off alliances with them. I'm sure he meant what he said in sending Hans to Arendelle, he only wanted to do what he thought was best for him. If Elsa was a terrible person, trying to kill innocent people, and you were the one to decide her fate in the end, what would you do? Especially if you still feel the bond siblings have with one another?" Rapunzel reasoned. "And if you doubted your own decisions, as well?"
"Okay, fine, I'll trust your judgment about King Pieter. It doesn't change my attitude about Hans," Anna relented, sighing and crossing her arms. Kristoff put a hand on her shoulder and rubbed circles with his thumb. She smiled gratefully at his attempts at comforting her.
"What are you going to do about him?" Elsa asked, finally finding her voice.
"What would you like for us to do?" Flynn asked. Rapunzel nodded in agreement. "I mean, he wronged the two of you, it would seem fair for you to have a say in what's going to happen."
What would she like for them to do? As the letter suggested, it was alright to execute him if they willed it. But she also didn't rest easy with the idea of having a man hanged if he wasn't mostly entrenched in reality. Moral dilemmas were always so hard for her to decide upon, but it came with running a country. No matter what choice, she needed to make sure she did it justly and for the greater good, in the end.
Justice called for seeing Hans' situation firsthand, as a start. It wouldn't do to make a choice and not have enough detail about a situation without at least seeing it in person, if she could help it.
"We need to see the prisoner, for starters. From there, I guess the appropriate arrangements can be made," Elsa answered at last.
Author's Note: Hey, there's the end of that chapter. It's a bit shorter than the first one, sorry about that, but it feels better to cut it off right here.
I don't know about you, but sometimes it feels like my writing style flip-flops the further I get. Eh, I guess it's readable enough, though.
Anyway, thanks to everyone who's left a review! I'm surprised that nobody has raised pitchforks and torches against me yet, hahaha.
Please don't hate me for killing off someone so early in the story! Well, I'll just warn you it's going to happen a lot. I mean, uh, you know, what else is there to write about when it comes to the Grim Reaper? I mean, death and dying is kind of a part of the whole spiel.