Chapter 5:

Cold As Ice

The trek the rest of the way up the North Mountain was grueling, mostly because the thick snow left the horses winded, and they needed to stop more frequently than Hans would have preferred. He tried his best to shake off the conversation with Oaken, but the more he thought about it, the more he quietly fumed.

So far, there'd been no sign of Anna. He realized, if he found her, that somehow he would have to keep his cool long enough to at least marry her, otherwise the plan was ruined and he would be going home empty handed and shamed. His fear now, however, was that with Anna running around with some random, strange man, that maybe her affections for him had changed. He knew for certain his had; in his eyes and his heart, she had betrayed him. He never should have fallen so quickly, he never should have let his guard down. He just hoped she was naïve enough to say 'I do,' still. But Lars had been right, and that thought killed him the most.

This had turned into way more than he had bargained for, and he was becoming increasingly resentful of just how inconvenient this search and rescue mission was becoming. On the positive side, however, he'd gained favor with the kingdom. Now all he had to do was marry Anna and get Elsa to stop this winter.

The search party came upon a bridge of ice, and there was a change in the wind. Hans could see a glimmering, shining, castle made of ice in the distance. They'd found it. Hans suddenly felt nervous.

Perhaps he didn't have to kill Elsa. The kingdom seemed to love the queen, and what if killing her, no matter how justifiable it may seem, sparked outrage? What if they turned on him? Yes, he still wanted to take her place, but maybe there was another way.

"We are here to find Princess Anna," Hans yelled out to his men. "Be on guard, but no harm is to come to the Queen. Do you understand?"

Suddenly, Hans felt a shift in the ground, a deep but gentle rumbling. A mass of snow began to rise behind him, taking the form of a huge, snowy being. Hans had never seen anything like it before.

"Go away!" the creature bellowed, slamming his giant fist down in the snow only a few inches away from Hans, who was able to narrowly escape the impact. All of the guards rushed the monster, only to be quickly knocked down into the fresh, powdery snow. The snow creature then sent a guard and his horse across the way, toppling over Hans who again remained unscathed. Militant training came flooding back to Hans in an instant, although he'd never properly trained for defeating a mystical, evil snowman. He watched in horror as the creature rose his foot to stomp on him, but he quickly barrel-rolled himself out of the way.

Out in front of him, Hans spotted his sword, the metal glistening in the snow. With all his force, he threw himself towards it and grabbed it. The monster rose his foot again, nearly crushing Hans under it. Out of breath and over-tired, Hans found a reserve of inner strength as he jumped to his feet, and with all the strength left in him, he sliced at the creatures leg, lopping it clean off his body. The snowman began to hobble, quickly losing his footing falling backwards over the ridiculously high cliff, but not without striking Hans who immediately fell over the edge.

With a stroke of sheer luck and agility, Hans grabbed onto the frozen steps, clinging to life. In a matter of seconds his men n were there, helping him up over the edge. In normal circumstances, one would need a few moments to regain their composure. Hans looked back, the cliff so deep that he couldn't even make anything out at the bottom; if he had fallen down the cliff it would have all been over. But there was no time for that, Hans had seen the Duke's henchmen rush the castle while he was dealing with the creature, and he had to get inside to make sure the plan was not going awry.

Hans and the men ran inside, hearing yells from up the steep, shiny stairs. They ran as fast as they could to the top, where they saw the destruction, Elsa holding off the two henchmen as they clung to life.

"Queen Elsa!" Hans called out to the beautiful frightened queen. "Don't be the monster they fear you are!" He wasn't sure why that choice of words fell from his lips; in all honesty, he hadn't really thought a whole lot about what he would say to her once he came in. She seemed to snap out of her rage, realizing that she was very close to killing two men that were only afraid, as she was. Hans watched the terrified queen, her franticness only confirmed to him that she really didn't have any control over herself or her powers, just as Lars had suspected.

Hans could see one of the henchmen raising his bow towards the queen.

Not like this, he thought, running towards him. It needed to be an accident, or not at all. But not like this. He knocked the crossbow up, the arrow shooting off at the chandelier above instead, falling down from the ceiling. Hans watched as Elsa dodged the icy sculpture, only to be knocked out from hitting her head upon the hard floor. Shards of sharp, icy pieces went flying and the crash echoed through the room. Hans turned to the henchman in a rage.

"What were you thinking?" he yelled, his face reddening. "What part of no harm to the Queen do you not understand?"

"I-I…" he stammered. Hans turned, wiping sweat from brow. He heaved a great sigh, loosening his cloak around his neck, trying to catch his breath. He walked towards the center of the room, the ice crunching like glass underneath his boots. He kneeled down towards the lovely queen, brushing her hair from her face.

Hans felt sorry for her, especially now. She was a danger to her kingdom, a danger to herself. Without any control of her powers or emotions she was surely going to be overthrown, the people would not survive with her as queen. He scooped her up in his arms, lifting her up.

"We need to take her back to the castle before she awakens, it is unsafe for her to be free, she has no control."

"But, your majesty, where will we take her?" a guard asked.

"To the dungeon."

"What part of the plan were you unclear on?" Lars seethed.

"I couldn't kill her," Hans defended. "I was afraid the kingdom would turn on me for killing their beloved queen…a part of the plan I don't think you completely thought through," Hans challenged, his eyes narrowed into tiny slits. Lars stood silently, clenching his jaw as he watched the unconscious queen through the bars of the dungeon door.

"Well, what do you suppose we do with her now?" Lars asked, bitterly. "Since you are the one with the master plan, I see…"

"Her hands are bound, that seems to be the source of the ice. If we can just keep her from getting upset we might have a chance-"

"Are you mad or just an idiot?" Lars spat angrily. "She is dangerous, she has no control! You said so yourself when you brought her down from the mountain!"

"I just-" Hans attempted.

"You're just USELESS. You couldn't even follow through with a plan that has been laid out for you."

The men stood silently, watching Elsa stir in the cell. Hans felt a twinge of sadness, watching her. She wasn't a villain. She was confused, she was scared. He knew the feeling. But people like this, with uncontrollable powers, they couldn't stay free among the others. It was too dangerous.

"I am going to talk to her," Hans said, Lars refused to reply, clearly unhappy about the most recent turn of events. Hans took a nearby torch, unlatching the locks upon the door and entering the cell. He walked in timidly, afraid to frighten the already timid Queen. She turned to him, the shackled gloves upon her hands keeping her from coming any closer to him.

"Why did you bring me here?" she asked, upset.

"I couldn't just let them kill you," Hans said, honestly.

"But… I am a danger to Arendelle! Get Anna," she demanded. Hans stepped to her, holding his arms. He was freezing.

"Anna has not returned," Hans said, morosely. He watched her scared face twist into one of worry, her eyes averting towards the storm raging outside. "If you would just stop the winter and bring back summer…please," he said, another step towards her. Then maybe things could go back to how they were, just a day ago. Her pleading eyes met his, both asking of each other what they could not deliver.

"Don't you see, I can't. You have to tell them to let me go." Hans realized there was nothing more he could do. If she didn't know how to end this winter, there was only one way. And Lars was right again.

Elsa had to die.

Defeated, Hans walked to the wooden door, taking his torch.

"I will do what I can," he lied, thankful it sounded more sincere than he expected.

As Hans stepped into the freezing hallway, shutting and locking the door behind him, he could hear the unmistakable sound of ice cracking behind him. She was getting upset, and she was going to take the whole castle down with her when she finally imploded upon herself.

"Well?" Lars cooed, sarcastically. "Did you get her to end the blizzard?" Hans hung his head down, "that's what I thought." Lars placed pressure from his fingertips against his temple. "I swear, Hans, it is getting exhausting cleaning up your messes. We will find a way to dispose of the Queen as soon as possible, although now that she's here I supposed we need not only just cause, but full support from the visiting dignitaries as well," he said, his mind clearly racing. Hans swallowed hard.

"What about Princess Anna?" Hans dared ask.

"If she gets in our way, I suppose we will have to dispose of her, too," Lars said simply.

Hans and the dignitaries sat in the fireplace-lit library, trying to come up with a solution to their problem. The castle creaked and groaned beneath them, reminding them constantly that their time was running out. They wouldn't survive even 12 more hours of this freezing weather, and although they all knew that more than likely destroying the source of the storm, destroying Elsa, would likely end the blizzard, no one wanted to be the first to suggest such a thing. Hans couldn't help but regret not letting the Duke's henchman kill her on the mountain, at least then the storm would be over.

He felt defeated, pathetic for not being able to carry through with that part of the plan. He liked to think it was the good in him that caused him to hesitate taking an innocent life for the sake of the plan, but now it was becoming increasingly apparent that bringing her off the mountain was only progressing the destruction of Arendelle.

"I'm going back out to look for Princess Anna!" Hans said to the dignitaries and guards, indignantly. He couldn't keep Elsa down in that dungeon forever, and he needed Anna here and alive to ensure he could take his place as king beside her when Elsa was overthrown.

"You cannot risk going out there again," one dignitary said firmly. Hans was feeling increasingly desperate.

"If anything happens to her-" he didn't get a chance to finish his thought, which was probably for the best since the only thing he could really concentrate on was the throne… and their impending doom.

"If anything happens to the Princess, you are all Arendelle has left," another dignitary said profoundly.

Hans hesitated; with one sentence, Hans realized that it didn't matter if he married Anna at all. He didn't need Anna to take rulership of Arendelle. After all, Anna had put him in charge in her absence, did that still stand if the temporary situation became…permanent? Why had this never occurred to him before? He didn't need her to carry through with the plan. And with his heart in pieces over how he felt about her anyway, he figured that was for the best.

But then, suddenly, the doors burst open and in came Gerda and Kai, ushering in a weak Anna, who appeared frantic.

"He's in here. Prince Hans!" Kai said urgently, pushing Anna towards him.

"Anna!" Hans said, hurrying towards her. She fell into his arms. Although he hated to admit it, genuine concern washed over him, and he against his better judgment, Hans was surprised to find himself relieved to see the beautiful princess for a moment.

"You're so cold," he said to her, feeling her cold, fragile body even through his gloved hands, trembling. He looked into her desperate, pleading eyes.

"Hans, you have to kiss me," she said, her eyes full of tears.

"What?" he asked, confused at her erratic behavior.

"Now. Here we go," she said, attempting to pull herself up to meet his lips with hers.

"We'll give you some privacy," Gerda said, everyone beginning to shuffle out, leaving them alone with the crackling sound of the warm fire.

"What happened out there?" Hans asked. It was a loaded question. What did happen out there? Who was she with? Why did she stay the night in a stable with a random man? And why was this kiss so desperate? Then he realized…he didn't care what the answer was. The fact was that he would not be made a fool of any longer.

"Elsa struck me with her powers," she said below saddened, furrowed brows.

"I thought you said she'd never hurt you." Just like you probably thought Anna would never hurt you, the voice hissed in his mind, reminding him.

"I was wrong," Anna said, her knees failing beneath her. Hans caught her quickly, scooping her up and carrying her to the sofa. He sat beside her as she shivered. Her stared into her eyes; the warmth and naïve luster was gone. Her hair was white, her body freezing. She was dying, and it made his heart ache in his chest for her whether he wanted it to or not. "She froze my heart and only an act of true love can save me."

"A true love's kiss," Hans said quietly, realizing why she was so desperate for his lips. A million things ran through his mind, he felt trapped within it. Why didn't she just ask her secret lover for a kiss? In fact…had she? Had it not worked and that's the only reason she was here now, out of desperation?

Hans began to lean in, slowly, gently. He wanted to kiss her, he wanted to heal her frozen heart and make it better for her. The sad, awful fact, however, was that Hans knew that the kiss wasn't going to work. They weren't in love.

And if it DID work, what if she just left him for her mystery man anyway? It was no longer a risk Hans was willing to take.

You don't need her anymore. Arendelle is yours regardless.

Power or love. Power or love. Power or love.

Power.

"Oh Anna," he sighed. "If only there was someone out there who loved you." He felt the words leave his lips and sting when they hit her ears. At that moment, Hans was no longer In control of himself, but powered by an insatiable drive to take the throne and take out some much needed aggression upon the subject of all of his angst, confusion. Anna was ultimately the wrench that was thrown into his plan from the very beginning. She ruined this plan, with her bubbly attitude and big, beautiful eyes. She threw him off, inadvertently ruined his plan and then left him for the first stable boy that came along.

And now she sat before him, begging for his true love's kiss.

"What?" she asked, her eyes large and confused. Hans stood, leaving her crumpled upon the sofa. "Y-you said you did." Hans quietly walked across the room, staring out the window at the snow whipping around outside in a flurry. He caught a glimpse of his reflection, staring back at him.

"As thirteenth in line in my own kingdom, I knew I'd have to marry into the throne somewhere-" He began shutting the curtains; he didn't want to look at himself as he said these things to her.

"What are you talking about?" she said, her voice cracking. He tried his best not to look at her heartbroken and bewildered expression. He began snuffing out the candles around the room. The least he could do was hurry her death along. It was the more humane thing to do, he reasoned.

"As heir, Elsa was preferable, of course. But no one was getting anywhere with her. But you-"

"Hans," she said pleadingly.

"You were so desperate for love you were willing to marry me, just like that." Hans realized as soon as he said it, he was describing himself, as well. He wanted love, that's all he'd ever wanted. But look what it got him.

Nothing. Betrayal.

No, the Hans that she met that night, the one that proposed on a whim? He was a weak man. He was the kind of man his brothers had used as a doormat his whole life. That Hans was naïve, pathetic. Just like her right now.

This Hans couldn't get hurt.

This Hans was powerful.

This Hans was invincible.

He crossed the room, taking a pitcher of water from a table. He sauntered towards the fireplace, menacingly.

"I figured, after we married, I'd have to stage a little accident for Elsa." Anna watched in horror as he began to douse the flames, realizing what he was doing, no doubt. She tried to stop him, falling to the floor and weakly trying to pull herself up.

"Hans. No, stop," she begged.

"But then she doomed herself, and you were dumb enough to go after her." Alone. He forgot to add ALONE. Maybe if she had let him come. Maybe if she hadn't inadvertently given him a taste of power and just handed a stranger the throne, the way she handed a stranger a night in a stable.

She did this to herself. You've been pushed around and beaten down enough in your life. It ends now.

"Please," she cried.

"All that's left now is to kill Elsa and bring back summer." His eyes met hers; they were strong and tense, almost stopping him in his tracks. She had a will to live, she wasn't going down without a fight.

"You're no match for Elsa," she said angrily. He bent down, taking her chin in his hand.

"No, you're no match for Elsa. I, on the other hand, am the hero who is going to save Arendelle from destruction," and it wasn't until Hans said it aloud that he realized he actually believed it. This…this was for the best.

"You won't get away with this," she insisted. Hans rose, staring down at his now ex-fiancée, lying on the floor near death. Nothing he could do about it now, even if he wanted to.

"Oh, I already have," he declared haughtily, leaving the room and locking the door behind him.

Hans stood a moment, leaning against the tall, wooden door. He could hear her struggling after him, jiggling the handle. The door vibrated against his back as she attempted to get out, too weak to yell for help. Hans' stomach hurt, his heart raced. He'd never heard himself say such hurtful, awful things. He was surprised at himself, and hated to admit that the hot, sick feeling that washed over him instantly was more than likely guilt and regret.

"My my, your majesty," he heard a deep voice croak behind him. He turned to see Lars, leaning against the hallway close by. He hung his head in shame, he couldn't believe anyone had heard the horrible things he'd just said. Lars walked towards him slowly, deliberately. "I must say, even I didn't know you had that in you."

"I- I don't know what came over me-" he began to explain. He didn't. The whole situation felt so surreal, so out-of-body.

"I'm impressed," Lars said, his cold voice almost giddy.

"Wh-what do I do now?"

"Let the council know you exchanged your marriage vows. Then-" he paused, a toothy grin spreading across his aging face, "you said so yourself: do away with Elsa and bring back summer…King Hans."

A/N - - Can't believe that we are nearing the end of Part I. I have to say, this has been such an interesting challenge as a writer to write. It is often difficult to portray things simultaneously with a story already told, but it's also really fun. I look forward to breaking away from the format of the movie soon to have more creative freedom and see where our characters go. Thanks so much for the reads and the support. Don't forget to review. It makes my day.