I'm sorry this has taken a ridiculous amount of time to post, but life has gotten in the way. Thank you all for reading this.
Je t'aime – I love you Tu es beau – You are beautiful Tu es l'amour de ma vie – You are the love of my life Je t'adore – I adore you J'ai besoin de toi – I need you Je veux être avec toi pour toujours – I want to be with you forever Embrasses-moi – Kiss me
I don't actually speak French, so please forgive me if these are incorrect.
The unmistakable mass of the Absalon had just docked in the harbor and a petite brunette raced down the gangplank almost as fast as it was lowered. Her eyes scanned the crowd and lit up when she saw whom she sought, "Reinvald!" she yelled above the din of the crowd, picked up her skirts, ran to her husband and leapt into his arms. His face was covered in kisses, "Je t'aime! Tu es beau! Tu es l'amour de ma vie! Je t'adore! J'ai besoin de toi! Je veux être avec toi pour toujours! Embrasses-moi!" she was far too excited to speak in anything but her native tongue.
Her husband held her and sobbed into her shoulder, "I thought I'd never see you again."
"You had me so scared! You stupid, stupid man!" she scolded but couldn't stop kissing him.
"My baby!" Adelaide embraced her youngest son, soaking his shirt in tears, "Are you alright?" it had been nearly a fortnight since the attack, but she checked him over as though it had only happened a few minutes prior.
"Mother," he laughed, "I promise, I'm perfectly alright," his eyes locked with those of his father and he smiled and gave the king a confident nod, which he returned with the same smile.
"And you're to be king! Aren't you excited?" she let go to hold her hands in front of her chest and look up at her son with a proud smile, "I know you were happy commanding ships, but now you'll have an entire navy to command alongside Elsa," the queen scanned the crowd for the younger one and ran to embrace her.
"The both of you are going to bring this kingdom into an era of unprecedented prosperity," Anders said as he slapped his son on the back, "The love and happiness between you and Elsa will reflect in the way you rule and your kingdom will be all the better for it."
"Uncle Hans!" Brigitta yelled as she came running full speed to her uncle who had no choice but to catch the child when she jumped at his chest, "Are you and Aunt Elsa going to live happily ever after now?"
"Well, that's the plan," he blushed and smiled at the small girl, "If your grandmother ever lets her breath again," he turned his eyes to see his lovely wife in the vice like grip of one of his mother's hugs.
Queen Adelaide, King Anders, Prince Hans, Queen Elsa, Prince Reinvald and Princess Priscilla sat silently, mostly due to shock, in a small, private parlor. Queen Adelaide held her hand in front of her mouth as tears streamed from her eyes, "Why didn't you say something?"
Reinvald turned his head, embarrassed, "I thought I had been replaced. Klaus was the smart one, Viggo was the funny one, Torvald was the athletic one, the rest were honestly too much older than I was for me to understand, and I was the cute one; I though had nothing else that made me special to you, that made you love me," Priscilla wrapped her arms around her husband to comfort him as he confessed to his parents most of what he had told her only a few years prior; his behavior giving away more than his tongue would say, "I realize now none of that was true and he was only preying on the fears of a jealous child to get what he wanted."
"I'm so sorry," King Anders said solemnly as he placed his hand on his son's shoulder and squeezed, realizing Reinvald had suffered as much as Hans had, and in some ways more.
"Hans!" Rapunzel peeked from around Eugene's shoulder. "Are you going to give a speech? You probably should since you're officially the king!"
"I hadn't really given that any thought," he said as he looked over at Elsa with slight panic, "I'm not really one for speeches."
"You're wonderful at giving speeches." Elsa patted his strong shoulder. "What about all those speeches you gave to your crewmen back on your ship?"
"He actually does this lame thing to psych himself up where he looks in the mirror and calls himself the red lion of Baltia and snarls at his own reflection," Eugene snorted, hoping Elsa would believe that.
"I do not!" he yelled in his own defense, "I pace, wring my hands, and talk to myself!"
"You'll be wonderful," The queen cupped the soon to be king's face and rested their foreheads together, "Calm down, you're not expected to rile up anyone. Just simply to thank everyone for accepting your sovereignty is more than enough. I didn't give a speech at all, remember?"
"You didn't need to. Everyone was too stunned and thankful just seeing your beautiful face."
She looked away to hide her deep blush; he always did have a way with words, "And you said you couldn't give a speech."
"That wasn't a speech," he chuckled, "I just love you, and apparently can actually flirt with you," soft lips gently brushed her reddened cheek.
"Then, just focus on me while talking?" She closed one eye from the kiss, and moved her cup of coffee as to avoid spilling on her husband.
"You think I can stop focusing on you?" he chuckled, "That hasn't happened since we met in Baltia."
"I think I might know a way that can help," The queen pondered and glanced to her right.
"It's easier than it looks, I promise." Elsa sat on the floor before her husband. She, Anna, Eugene, Kristoff and Rapunzel were all seated before him in the princess's chambers, with rows of stuffed animals facing Hans like they were a crowd of people' "I did this for a year until I got better at it."
"Elsa practiced the speech she gave for his birthday in here," Anna was met with an elbow to her midsection by her sister.
"I feel stupid," he said flatly as he scanned his furry audience, "I've spoken in front of hundreds of men at a time, but I've never prepared a speech. It's always just what comes to mind."
"So pretend we're your men and you've just had incredibly aggressive marital sex with one of them last night." Eugene rose his hand like they were in a staff meeting.
Everyone burst into a snicker fit, while Elsa covered her face and snorted to conceal her bright blush.
"Oh dear God," he said as he buried his face in his hands, "I can't do this."
"Elsa, get out. He'll be thinking of the aggressive marital sex he had with you. He can't concentrate." The rogue smirked, and the queen fell face first on the floor; her shoulders shook form her muffled laughter.
"Better idea. I'LL get out," the red faced prince went for the door, "I'll just have to wing it and hope I don't royally mess it up."
"Please," Elsa giggled as she scurried to him, arms wrapped around from behind, "We're sorry. We'll stop teasing. It was a LITTLE funny."
"Elsa," he said softly, "I'm terrified. I was the most hated man in Arendelle for years, and now I'm to present myself as her king? I worry this could backfire and turn your people against you."
He was greeted with a warm, loving squeeze from his wife. "Hans, you'll be magnificent."
He placed his hand on hers and softly smiled, "I need you with me."
"Of course, I was going to be with you!" Elsa pat his chest, and softly hummed in appreciation at his muscles under his layers of clothing, "Where did you think I was going to be?"
"I don't think you fully understand," he sighed; it was hard for the hardened admiral to admit such a weakness, "I need you beside me, I need you touching me. I need to have proof that you're there when I'm not looking at you."
"Exactly what I meant," she walked around him, appeared before him, and stood on the tips of her toes so they could nuzzle noses, "I fully intend to be touching you. Holding your hand, I'll even steal a kiss from time to time."
"I don't plan on talking for long and I would like you to speak with me," he hoped it would help if her people her from her as well.
She nodded, their noses brushing together in an up and down motion. "I don't plan to leave your side. Why don't you just do a quick practice round here?" Elsa gestured to the row of stuffed animals.
"I appreciate the thought, but I'm going to just feel like an idiot trying to give a coronation speech to stuffed animals and people who have seen me cry."
"So what?" Anna piped up, "I cry all the time."
"Yeah. I cry at the drop of a hat," Rapunzel added.
"You cry to me all the time," Eugene shrugged.
"I'm supposed to go introduce myself to the people of Arendelle! I never cried in front of my crew!"
"Excuse me," Eugene lifted a hand to his chest like he were an offended lady of the court, "We are your emotional support crew."
"Hans, you led my men in defense of the kingdom, I don't believe this is going to be nearly as difficult as you think," The Queen said and traced her finger over the lapel off his jacket.
His forehead rested against hers, "I hope you're right about this."
"If I'm not, you can get back at me however you wish." She stood up on the tips of her toes to nuzzle noses again. His freckles temporarily turned blue from her magic, "but I am certain they will adore you."
"I love you too," he kissed her softly, "When am I to throw myself to the wolves?"
"Well, since you wasted your time whining you have," Eugene checked his pocket watch and raised a brow, "twenty minutes."
"And now I think I may vomit," he said as he ran his fingers through his hair.
"You'll be magnificent. I just know it," Elsa smiled and caressed his cheek.
"That makes one of us, but I'll make it short. I have no interest in being up there for long," he took her hand and pressed it to his cheek.
The Queen gently pulled her husband out to the hall and she adjusted his jacket. The corridor seemed to be closing in on Hans thanks to his building nerves.
"The ceremony will be short and sweet, just like mine was. You'll only be up there maybe twenty minutes. Just make a small speech, and then we'll enjoy lunch."
"Twenty minutes?! I was hoping for more like two minutes!" his green eyes went wide with panic.
"No no no no!" Elsa lifted her hands, "I mean twenty minutes total! Including the ceremony."
"I thought you meant a twenty minute speech," he slowly returned his breathing to normal. Hans did not fear public speaking usually, but the circumstances of this no one could consider usual.
"Oh god no," Elsa recoiled in disgust at the idea, in complete agreement with her husband about publicly speaking for so long, "That would be a nightmare!"
"Under these circumstances it would be. I've given longer speeches on deck before, but I knew my crew didn't hate me."
"What if you knew your first mate was head over heels in love with you?" She lifted one shoulder and flashed Hans the most adorable blue eyes.
"It would have made things terribly awkward at sea," he chuckled before wrapping his arms around her waist, "but here, I'm hopelessly in love with her too."
"How would that be awkward?" Elsa frowned.
"Because knowing that Lieutenant Dahl was in love with me would be very uncomfortable," he chuckled as he lifted her from the floor and kissed her repeatedly.
"Aaaaand now you have ten minutes," Eugene lifted the pocket watch and pointed to the minute hand as the king and queen once again were too wrapped in each other to realize the time.
He swallowed hard, "We should probably head towards the chapel," she was placed down gently but he refused to let go of her hand.
Elsa proudly squeezed his hand in hers, and the royal family followed right behind. The sound of chattering guests was heard as they traveled to the great Hall, where Elsa's own coronation had taken place so long ago.
"You'll be just fine." She turned and whispered low enough so only he could hear. "Everyone is so proud of you, especially me."
He squeezed her hand as they stood before the chapel doors and heard the choir start to sing; she went ahead to prepare for his entrance.
The chapel was filled with visiting royalty, Hans' family taking up most of the room, all standing and turning to greet the soon to be king. The redhead stood at the end of the aisle in his full Arendellian naval dress regalia, decorated with medals from his time in the Southern Isles' navy and for his recent defense of the kingdom. At the opposite end of the aisle stood Princess Anna, Prince Kristoff, the bishop, and his loving queen. She was dressed in an ice gown of shimmering deep blue, atop her coiled braid sat her mother's tiara recovered from her ice palace by Marshmallow, and she beamed at her husband as he walked towards her smiling nervously. The bishop who oversaw Elsa's coronation waited at the end of the aisle as well, with King Adgar's crown and scepter on a pillow.
Elsa eyed the Crown Jewels with a solemn smile. She'd like to think her father would have liked her husband. She wrung her hands, and she stole a glance upward.
He stood before the bishop flanked by Rapunzel and Anna on either side. His hands were folded behind his back as he quietly listened for the protests he was expecting or the crossbow bolt that he knew would pierce his back at any moment.
Elsa stood proudly by her husband, bowing her head in respect to the bishop. A proud, happy snow fell in the chapel. Guests gasped in awe and giggled at the sweet gesture; it was snowing just as it did on their wedding day.
"King Admiral Hans Westergaard, first of name, husband to Queen Elsa of Arendelle, the Sovereign of the land, May you rule with the strength and nobility on land as you did at sea. Protect and serve your queen with your life and heart. Guide your kingdom with grace and wisdom."
He bowed his before the bishop as he trembled almost visibly, "I will protect her with my life and my soul," he whispered just loud enough for the bishop to hear.
The crown was placed on Hans' head. It felt lighter than expected, but the weight that came with it was overwhelming. He was wearing Elsa's father's crown, and the new sovereign of Arendelle after being the most hated man in the kingdom three years prior. The woman he almost killed was at his side as his wife. With the same slightly trembling hands he took the scepter and globus cruciger from the pillow presented by the bishop. He turned to face the crowd in the chapel, still fearful of some sort of attack. Instead the mass of people stood and either bowed or curtsied in his honor. The items were quickly placed back on the pillow and he took Elsa's hand to leave the chapel.
"People of Arendelle," he said as he stood on the balcony overlooking the courtyard that was brimming with citizens, "I would like to take this time to thank you for your kindness and understanding. After the incidents I was involved in that occurred surrounding Queen Elsa's coronation I would have never dreamed I would be standing here at all. I refused to set foot on your kingdom's soil for fear of dishonoring you. I will not forget that I am truly blessed to be standing her not only as your king, but as the husband to your queen," he looked down at her with a loving smile and gently squeezed her hand.
"It may not seem so now, but King Hans was terrified of your rejection even after being solely responsible for our survival the winter after my coronation and defending the kingdom from the pirate attack. Which reminds me," Elsa gestured to Kai who brought for a small box and handed it to her, "Prince Reinvald of the Southern Isles," she stepped aside indicating she wished the blond man that stood behind them with the rest of the Westergaard family to step forward. The prince's brown eyes went wide at the mention of his name and he glanced down to Princess Priscilla who smiled, slipped her arm from his and nodded her heard towards the queen.
"Yes, your majesty," he bowed politely but paused when he felt a sudden weight hanging from his neck and looked down to see a gold medal embossed with a crocus glittering in the sunlight.
"For your bravery and valor in protection of Arendelle, King Hans and I bestow upon you our kingdom's highest honor."
"The Councilor boldly declared the time of King Hans to be the noblest and the most happy period."
"The Shoes of Fortune" – Hans Christian Andersen