A/N: Sorry it has taken SOOOOOOOOOO long to update. I'll spare you the details, but it's been nuts. I apologize it's as short as it is, but I'm still working out how to write battle/fight scenes
The wind was warm and belied the danger that was to come. This day, the day he hoped would never come. He watched the sun slowly rise over the horizon and adjusted the ill-fitting guard's coat. There would be blood spilt this day and he would be responsible for every injury, for every life lost. Guilt, fear, regret, all the emotions you have been protected from will soon come flooding back and tear at your heart like a rabid animal. His words came back to haunt him as they did since he awoke on the floor of the parlor after the glass was taken from his brother.
"Frightened?" Hans asked as he stood next to him.
"Terrified," he turned to look at him, "I only hope Queen Elsa will arrive soon; I have been responsible for enough death."
"Come, we have to ready the militia."
After several lengthy discussions with Siegfried and Tvedt it was decided it would be best to let them dock and fight on land; with the smoke of a naval battle Skytte would likely slip through the fog into the harbor and splitting the defenses that could be summoned to the capital was not a good strategy.
Gone was the smugness and pride with which Reinvald carried himself. Hans glanced over at him feeling as if his brother had shrunk somehow. He remembered the weight he carried when he blamed himself for the destruction of Arendelle's crops and realized Reinvald felt that weight too as well as others he would never know.
Siegfried and the rest of the royal guard had finished escorting the people of the surrounding town into the heart of the castle, "Only the castle guard, militia, and naval personnel remain outside, your highness," Siegfried reported. The force present was far beneath what Hans felt was needed, but with so little time to prepare more personnel wasn't an option.
"Good, it can't be too much longer."
Hans returned to the harbor with Reinvald at his side, "Do you know how Skytte obtained the shards, or how he knew they were more than just a myth?"
The blond pulled the oversized coat tighter around him and never lifted his eyes, "from what he told me he purchased them and the spell from a dark noaidi," he sighed, "he knew of their reality because of me. I overheard the staff speaking of how King Agdar's steward had been a victim of the shards as a child. A few years later Skytte asked me if I knew anything of magic and I told him what I had overheard, I believe I was three and ten at the time. He had me search every inch of the library for information on the mirror. I found a single tome that contained knowledge on it; it was the same book I took the memory spell from. I dutifully translated the old runic into a modern tongue he could read and sent the pages to him."
"Your highness," a guard came running to him with a spy glass, "ships just came into view flying flags of Friezenburg."
Hans took the glass and scanned the horizon until he saw the approaching fleet, "Everyone except those disguised as dock workers fall back behind the walls," he yelled at the guards.
This had to happen outside the walls, but the forces needed to be hidden until Skytte emptied his ships. As the fleet approached Hans heard an odd sound and turned to find his brother trembling; the sound was the sword in his hand hitting his wedding ring, "I won't let him kill you," Hans said trying to be reassuring.
"It's not that," his voice shook worse than his body, "I'm not ready to face him," Reinvald's eyes held more fear at the moment than they did when Hans had him pinned by his throat.
"Your highness, they are emptying the ships," Siegfried informed Hans.
The prince looked from the captain of the guard to his brother and sighed, "Perhaps I should surrender myself. My life isn't worth the loss of more."
"No!" Reinvald screamed, "This isn't just about you, Hans. If you die, he wins. You are the best naval strategist in these waters with regard to piracy. If you die he will roam these waters virtually unchecked and even more will die!"
"Prince Reinvald is correct and with all due respect, your highness, my men and I wouldn't let you do that," the men tapped their spears on the ground to indicate their agreement.
"You're going to have accept that's not going to happen," Kristoff smiled and slapped a hand on Hans shoulder.
"Your highness, he's demanding your presence," a guard dressed as a dock worker informed the flame haired prince.
"So it begins," Siegfried said as he gripped his sword.
"Admiral Prince Hans Westerguard, at last we meet," Skytte mockingly bowed. Gustav Skytte stood taller than any other man present. He wore a dark blue overcoat, black shirt, brown trousers, and black boots over his thin frame. His tan skin, graying black hair, and the black leather tricorn he wore only served to accentuate his piercing grey eyes.
"I assure you, the honour is all yours," Hans smirked.
The smile on the pirate's face became a sneer but quickly split into a grin again when he noticed the frightened man at Hans' side, "I see my pet escaped his cage," he fixed his stare on the fair haired prince, "that explains your preparedness," Reinvald's eyes were wide; he shook uncontrollably, and seemed to shrink under the man's gaze, "I should have kept him on a shorter leash."
Hans stepped in front of his brother, "You came here to kill me, not torment him."
Skytte chuckled, "I had him so convinced you would hate him."
"Enough!" Hans roared, "If you only plan on talking you can do that very well on your ship and leave my harbor."
Skytte snapped his fingers and his men rushed forward.
Siegfried and the castle guard surrounded Hans, Kristoff, and Reinvald as the militia charged from behind them. Siegfried and Kristoff plowed through the oncoming pirates; the guard captain with a sabre and shield, the former ice harvester with an ice axe.
The circle around the two remaining princes fell apart as the fighting intensified. Hans' skills as an accomplished swordsman left him with only minor scratches as he defended himself. Reinvald's movements were quick and efficient; defense became offense as he felled his attackers with a single precise wound.
In the distraction of battle Skytte moved unhindered towards the future king; not bothering to unsheathe his sword as he wound his way through the fighting.
Kristoff didn't move with the grace of a practiced swordsman, but his axe cut flesh as well as it did ice. A loud clang caught his attention and he turned to find the back of his head blocked by Siegfried's shield, "Not accustomed to combat?" he asked blocking another blow.
"Not with people!" Kristoff yelled as he ducked to avoid a swing of a sword.
The stone was coated in blood and the din of combat was deafening. Hans pulled his sword from the chest of his attacker, stepped back and slipped in a puddle of blood. He landed on his back, his sword falling from his hand. He turned over and extended his hand towards the blade. Skytte kicked the sword out of Hans' reach and swung his at the prone prince. His sword rang as it came in contact with that of Reinvald who held his parallel to his forearm. Skytte stepped back in surprise and Reinvald moved his sword into an attack position, "Oh," a disturbing grin split the pirate's face, "my kitten has claws."
"I am no longer your pet!" The blonde prince swung, but the blow was easily dodged by the agile pirate.
Hans watched in horror as Reinvald swung wildly, Skytte knocked the sword from his hand, picked him up by his shirt and held him inches from his face, "My dear boy, you will never be out of my grasp," his grin never faltered.
Reinvald's expression of terror quickly darkened, "you have underestimated me," Skytte's eyes widened, he dropped the prince, and stumbled back clutching the bleeding wound in the left side of his chest before falling, the daggered clattered as it hit the stone. Tears ran down his face as he stood over the dead man, but he wore a stoic expression, "I was an assassin, not a swordsman."
Hans had gotten to his feet by this point and retrieved his sword. He blocked a blow that had been meant for his brother, "I had hoped this would be over once he was dead!"
"No, now most likely whoever kills you will take his place," Reinvald grabbed his discarded sword and returned to combat.
"Where do they all keep coming from?" Kristoff yelled to the guard captain.
"Those boats can hold hundreds of people each," Siegfried used his shield to push a man back before striking him with his sword.
Siegfried and Kristoff fell back with Hans and Reinvald. There were more men inside the walls ready to fight if needed, but they weren't as experienced as the men on the front line and were only to be used as a last resort.
"Enough!" the battle came to an immediate halt as ice encased every combatant to their necks. Elsa walked through the still battle unfreezing the members of her guard and militia.
She released Kristoff, Siegfried, Hans and Reinvald. She examined Reinvald's ill fitting guard's uniform and gave Hans an inquisitive look, "It's a very long story," he said as he embraced her; Kristoff had to catch Anna as she threw herself at him. Hans turned to Siegfried, "Treat the wounded and take the rest to the dungeons."
"He what?!" The queen yelled as Hans told her his brother's tale.
"I know it's a lot to take in…," he bounced his leg as he sat on the bed.
"How can you be so calm about this?" she paced the room in frustration ice crept along the floor and a light snow began to fall.
"I wasn't at first. Kristoff stopped me from strangling him," he stood and held her tightly to him, "you told me once that everyone deserves a second chance."
She returned his embrace, "I did," she sighed, "Has anyone informed his wife of his whereabouts?"
"Yes, I wrote to Priscilla yesterday. She should receive the letter by midweek," The scent of her hair filled his head and his body reminded him that she had been gone for nearly a fortnight. He gently kissed her and the touch of her cool lips caused the familiar pull of desire below his waist. The adrenaline of battle had not left him yet, he slipped his hand into her hair, pulled her head back and let a predatory growl as he bit her neck and ground his hips against her. He remembered all the after battle port calls when the men would go ashore to find a way to release all the pent up aggression. He had never experienced that before, but now he had a loving wife and no reason to abstain.
She gasped in surprise and a moan left her open mouth. He had always been a slow, seductive lover, but this was more primal. He smelled of blood and his wounds had not been cleansed so his face was still streaked with it from a cut above his eye. He said nothing as he lifted her by her thighs which she instinctively wrapped around his waist. She let a small gasp as he threw her on the bed. He pinned her beneath him holding her wrists above her head in his one hand and lifting her skirts with the other. He licked his lips and grinned down at her before crushing her lips with his and pushing his tongue into her mouth. She moaned into his mouth and bucked her hips against his.
"Ow!" Hans yelled as Dr. Lovig cleaned the wounds on his face.
"I've seen your tattoo, your scars, and stitched you myself, now you're going to complain about this?"
"The other things don't suddenly make me not feel pain!" Elsa snickered at her husband's exchange with the royal physician; the smaller the injury the more he seemed to complain about it; Hans huffed and rolled his eyes, "Has my brother come by for treatment?"
"Yes, Prince Reinvald is fine, you took more damage than he did, but he seems rather shaken up about the whole thing."
"He's dead. He's actually dead!" Tears streamed down Reinvald's face and he laughed like a mad man as he stared at the blood on his gloves. Gustav Skytte had been the prince's personal devil for over twenty years and now he wore the proof that it was over. He would be no man's 'pet' anymore.