Over the week that he was here, Hans and I became much better friends. At first Kristoff was wary and jealous, but with honesty and amicability Hans soon won him over. The castle was quiet and, for the most part, with Hans, Rapunzel, Flynn, and a few others here, I was surrounded by friends. Hans was a little on the overeager side, getting as chummy with the mayor as possible whenever he visited. This, and only this, made me a little uneasy about him. I was completely oblivious to the more sinister things taking place in the castle.

*** The night of the coronation, revisited ***

Hans was unhappy with how the evening was going. He'd seen the way Elsa looked at that big clumsy oaf she danced with first. Then, when he'd finally gotten a chance to dance with her, Hans had noticed how detached she was from him, keeping up the conversation but with her eyes always drifting somewhere else. He hadn't won her over and stolen her heart like he'd hoped for.

Then, joy of joys, she'd revealed that she alone was not the ruler of this kingdom, that there was a 'mayor' helping her. The concept was unfamiliar to him, but when he asked she explained willingly enough.

He had all week to woo Elsa. But if it didn't work he could always 'offer to help' the mayor in the event something should happen to their new queen.

Then there was the most unexpected stroke of luck. He was lying in bed in the lavish guest room he'd been assigned, thinking these dark thoughts, when there was a knock at the door. He waited a few moments before getting up; it was late and he should have been sleeping instead of scheming. He ruffled up his hair and rubbed his eyes, slouching his shoulders a little. A high, girlish hum could be heard from outside, muffled by the door.

"Do you wanna build a snowman?" the voice sang. "Hans, please, I know you're in there. Open the door and let's be friends..."

Down in the ballroom, Elsa was singing too. "They say 'have courage,' and I'm trying to, I'm right here for you, just let me in."

The little girl kept singing. Hans put his ear to the door. "We only have each other, it's just you and me… what are we going to do?"

"Do you wanna build a snowman?" Elsa finished quietly, closing the ballroom door softly behind her. "It doesn't have to be a snowman… okay bye…"

Hans was frightened. "How do you know my name?" he whispered through the keyhole.

"Let me in," the girl replied.

Hans cautiously opened the door. Standing there was not the child he expected, but a beautiful young woman bearing an uncomfortable resemblance to Elsa, despite her orange hair and freckles. She wore a long green dress with her hair in a bun similar to Elsa's.

"Who are you?" Hans asked.

"I'm Princess Anna," she said. Though she was probably only a little younger than Elsa, her voice was still the high whine of a child. It sent chills down Hans' spine.

"Princess Anna… died years and years ago. She… was only a little girl."

"Do you know how she died?" the woman asked.

"She wandered outside the castle one night. No one knew until morning. She froze."

"That's now how Princess Anna died," she said, her voice low. "Elsa killed her. Elsa, with her power to create ice, froze Anna's heart. Froze my heart."

"What are you taking about?"

"I came back," Anna said, completely disregarding Hans.

"Why are you here? Why are you in my room?" Hans asked.

"I know you want to kill Elsa and rule Arendelle. I can help you. And then I can make Elsa pay."

Hans was backed up against the wall, but he put on a brave face and tried to act unfazed.

"What's in it for me?"

"I can do lots of things," Anna said. "I have lots of snowmen helpers. I can make you the king. I can make the people all listen to you." She smiled slyly. "Wouldn't you like to be the King, Hans? Wouldn't you like to show all twelve of your brothers who's the best?"

Her childish voice and manner of speaking was completely at odds with her appearance. There was something wrong with her, with this offer, but Hans was desperate. Having a higher power on his side was so tantalizing.

"Alright," Hans said. "I'll help you."

So Anna told him her plans. For the rest of the week she visited him again and again, their own goals and personalities melding together until, if one could one speak to both Anna and Hans, it would have been difficult to tell them apart. Anna didn't know it, and it wasn't part of her plan, but it was impossible to work in such close contact with a human without some of her own spirit leeching into him. It began to show in Hans over the week as he sank further and further into his dark plans, but Elsa was too busy learning how to be Queen to notice, and she didn't listen to Kristoff's warnings. She told him petty jealously did not become him.

Hans began to mistrust Anna's promises. Her high voice grated on his nerves. He didn't believe in her anymore. Her snowmen helpers were nothing but ugly and mutated piles of snow that could drag their misshapen corpses and bang their stick arms against doors. They were useless, and so was Anna, but he was full of her darkness and hatred. He formed his own plan one night at dinner to act without Anna, to claim the throne without her help. He was Hans Westerguard of the Southern Isles. He was capable of taking this throne, by force if he had to.