The Ice Palace

(A/N: Second chapter up today. Given this one's so short, at least compared to the others, I decided to tack it on today as well.)

Elsa pushed open the ice doors gently and looked inside. Hans, following, felt his mouth slowly dropping in awe. It was as beautiful and awe inspiring as ever. Perhaps more so now. "Wow…" he whispered.

"Wow. Marshmallow's been keeping house. Stay close. He still lives here and he doesn't like you," Elsa said, admiring the freshly smoothed ice. "You cut his leg."

"He attacked me! And my men!" Hans defended.

"Also a lot of the little snowgies - those are snow-babies - are here, ones I conjured up during my fever," Elsa said. "They don't like you either. Marshmallow was sure of that."

"Perfect," Hans said, frowning and looking annoyed with it all. He kept an eye open for any movement that could be hostile and stayed close. She led him up the ice staircase. He tread carefully, wanting to be sure he didn't fall. Wow these things were slippery. He stumbled with a gasp, but managed to catch himself. Fortunately, his gloves had good enough grip to hold onto a railing made of ice. Oh it was going to take him forever at this rate.

Elsa looked back and saw his struggle. She sighed and returned. Hans, trying to focus on his footing, was suddenly distracted when a hand came down in front of him. He froze, looking at it. It didn't take much to guess whose it was. "Take my hand. I'll help you. It'll be quicker that way," she said to him.

He stared a moment then looked up at her, eyes narrowed guardedly. "No kindness is done without a price," he said to her. "I'll help myself."

"Let a helping hand just be a helping hand for once," Elsa answered. "I'm not your brothers."

Hans raised an incredulous eyebrow at her. After a moment, though, he took her hand in his. She pulled him up and led him carefully up the steps, being sure he didn't fall or slip. Soon they were on the landing and he looked back. "Thank you," he said after a moment. Humph, he hadn't had trouble mounting those steps before, when he was racing with his men to take her into custody. But then they were more brittle then, he recalled. These looked like they'd been smoothed over time to almost sheer ice. No footholds, no grip, no anything.

"You're welcome," she replied, turning and marching proudly forward, head held high and regal. He watched after her. She seemed so at ease here. So at home. Even more so than back in Arendelle. To see her so queenly… It almost took him aback a moment. Seeing her ferocious and fighting for her life had been just as stunning to him, he recalled. He shook his head and followed.

"I wish I could understand you," he dryly said.

"What have I done that you can't understand?" she questioned.

"Just this. You… The Snow Queen," he muttered.

"The what?" she questioned.

"The Snow Queen," he repeated. "It suits you. The snow and ice is as unpredictable and changing and unique as you are."

And as mysterious, as powerful, as commanding of respect, as beautiful, as unobtainable, as precious…

Whoa now, too far! Immediately he erased that thought and pretended he'd never had it. She, for her part, started and blinked. That had been… unexpected. "I can't tell if that's a good thing or not," she finally, and dryly, settled on saying.

"Take it however you please," Hans answered as they entered the room where the chandelier had fallen and knocked her unconscious. "I carried you out of this place," Hans muttered. "Back to Arendelle…"

She paused, silent. She bowed her head. "Not surprising. According to the laws of hierarchy, you would have been the only one even remotely close enough to my class to even touch me in such a vulnerable state."

"I was of your class," Hans deadpanned. "That's why I did it… But between you and me, I'm no more a fan of those rules than Iscawin is. I just hide it better."

Elsa blinked at him then smiled in amusement. "I feel the same," she admitted.

"But I have to say, sometimes they do come in handy," Hans remarked, grinning.

"Oh without doubt. Doesn't mean I approve of them," Elsa replied slightly teasingly.

"They're a necessary evil," Hans said.

"At least for now," Elsa agreed with a grin. He chuckled, grinning at her in turn.

Frozen

Suddenly they seemed to realize they were both smiling at each other. Immediately their grins disappeared and the two cleared their throats awkwardly. "So, um, I suppose you crafted rooms in this place," Hans remarked.

"Uh, yeah, I-I did," Elsa answered, telling herself to smarten up. "Follow me," she said. He did so. She led him through a hallway and paused outside of a door. "This is where you'll stay," she said. "If you need anything, I mean if Marshmallow finds you, or the little snow-babies, just call. I'm in the room at the end of this corridor."

"Alright," Hans agreed. "I'm not going to freeze?" he uneasily questioned.

"Take these blankets," she answered, handing him all the blankets they'd brought. "I mean, I hope it isn't too cold for you, but I can't really tell. The cold…"

"Never bothered you anyway. I know," Hans cut off. "It's something, at least. Tomorrow we take off early, then."

"Yes," Elsa confirmed.

Hans nodded. "Then I'll see you in the morning," he said. He hesitated, cringing. He didn't want to say it, but years of manners being drummed into him kind of refused to let him just walk away. "Sleep well, your majesty," he said, bowing to her.

"You as well, your grace," she answered, curtseying. Turning on her heel, she went to her room. He watched her go then entered his own, shutting the door tightly and hoping he didn't wake up with snowgies on his chest. Or Marshmallow in his room. He shuddered at the thought. Ugh, he needed rest. He set up his bed than collapsed onto it. For ice it was actually pretty comfy. And warm. Surprising, actually. Like cold warmth. He sighed and closed his eyes.

Frozen

A cell door opening. Terrified faces looking quickly up. He realized it was his brothers, Anna and Kristoff with them. They gaped at whatever had come in horror and fear. Anna buried herself in Kristoff's arms. His brothers never moved, just stared at the being, some in terror, some without expression, some defiantly. "Seize the king," the being that looked man but wasn't commanded. Immediately Moren was seized and dragged to his feet, held between two shadowy sprites.

"Where are you taking him?!" Jürgen immediately demanded, leaping to his feet.

"Sit down!" the being commanded.

"Take me in his place!" Jürgen replied, refusing to obey.

Suddenly Mael shrieked in pain. Jürgen's head whipped around in terror. Mael was rocking back and forth in agony, holding his head. "Stop it! Stop, stop, please!" Mael pled desperately, suddenly breaking down into sobs at whatever was happening to him. Mael never wept. He hadn't for so many years.

Immediately Jürgen leapt to Mael's side and pulled him into a protective hug, instantly obeying the wicked sprite. The others were quick to crowd around the third oldest, frantic, scared, but ready to attempt a mass rebellion if whatever was happening to Mael didn't stop in timely fashion. It seemed the troll king still considered them a threat. At least enough to be wary of such a formation. Instantly whatever Mael was suffering was cut off, and the prince collapsed unconscious into the arms of his brothers.

"Mael" Anna screamed in fear. Kristoff held her back from going to him, his eyes wide in horror. "You monster!" Anna shrieked at the troll. The troll beckoned for the sprites holding Moren to follow. Moren bowed his head and didn't struggle. To struggle would only mean more agony upon his brothers, Anna, Kristoff, or Elsa's people. He would not stand for that. Let this thing do what he would to him.

He wanted to scream out. He wanted to attack that creature taking his brother away, but he couldn't! He knew he couldn't because he was here in an ice palace while his siblings were captive and at this being's mercy. He tried to scream Moren's name, but no sound came out. He knew this was a dream, and yet he also realized it wasn't. Whatever was happening, it was very real, and it was occurring even now. They were suffering… He couldn't get to them… No, no, he didn't care, he didn't! Let the hobgoblin kill them off one by one, let him! He didn't care, he didn't care, he didn't care!

Moren shrieked and writhed in pain as they shrouded him in a mocking robe of molten gold. He would be dead, Hans knew, if the sprite wasn't keeping him alive. "Submit to my will! Submit to me! Place your life and the lives of your brothers in my hands. I will release you, all of you… All you must give me is your youngest sibling… Give him to me!"

Moren, hardly able to open his eyes for the pain, body shaking, somehow managed to open them and still look defiant and regal doing so. "I would suffer eternal hell before I gave Hans into your hands. I will not submit to you! Not now, not ever!" he shouted. The shroud was heated again and Moren threw back his head, shrieking in pain

Don't come. Hans, please, don't come… Mael's voice begged in his head. Don't come for us… If you do, you come only to your doom…

"Come, youngest prince," another said. The voice of the wicked sprite. "Come and I will give you all you desire. Power, strength, revenge. Your enemies at your feet, your brothers set free if you wish, or executed if that is your desire. Whatever you wish, it will be given you… Only bring me the Queen of Arendelle. Alive. Bring her to me and give her into my hand. Show me what you are."

In his dreams he saw the palace and the place in which it was located. He saw the path. His brother's pleas for him not to come faded away, and all he heard was the roar of a bear and the wicked laughter of the once-man, the wicked sprite, as sparkling glass shards fell from the sky and came upon the earth, reflecting to him all his longings and deepest or darkest desires…

Frozen

Hans jolted awake with a gasp, sitting up quickly and covered in a sheen of cold sweat. He shivered violently. Sweat and an ice palace didn't mix. If he got hypothermia, he swore… Ugh, never mind. He willed his heart to stop pounding a mile and minute and looked around, hoping it was day or early morning. He… he didn't want to go to sleep again… Fortunately, light was trickling into the room through the window. Hans shivered again and got up, wrapping his jacket around him as well as the blankets. He wondered if Elsa was even awake at this time of day. Whatever the case, he knew he wasn't going to sleep. He sighed and left his room, looking around carefully. He turned towards her door and considered waking her up, but just then he saw a lumbering shadow approaching it. His eyes widened. Marshmallow was standing guard. Quickly he ducked back into his own room, heart thumping. He did not need a battle with a snow beast right now.

He heard a door open. Elsa, hopefully, coming to 'rescue' him. He scoffed at the thought. The last person whose help he wanted was her. Unfortunately, she was also the first person whose help he needed. Not regarding Marshmallow, just this whole going after the hobgoblin thing. The door was knocked on. "Prince Hans?" Elsa called.

"I'm here," he answered.

Elsa smirked at the door and patted a growling Marshmallow gently. "Easy. He's here by my permission. We need him to save Anna, Marshmallow. Please understand that," she soothed the snow beast. It roared angrily in protest but then sighed and nodded, relenting. "Good. Now don't scare him off."

"That thing couldn't scare me off it if wanted to!" Hans called back, indignant that she thought he couldn't take on her snow creature. He'd done it before, after all. He would do it again if he had to. Marshmallow roared angrily again.

Elsa sighed. "Hey, we're leaving within the hour, okay? You don't need to be bothered about Prince Hans for long," she said, smiling at her creature. It growled in annoyance and thumped off. When she was sure Marshmallow wouldn't decide to charge back for a sneak attack, she turned to the door. "You can come out now."

Hans opened the door warily and looked out. "I've faced that thing before. I hardly needed you to call me out. Hurting your snow beast again wasn't exactly the way to keep this understanding between us going. That's why I didn't come out sooner," he defended.

"You don't have to explain yourself to me, Hans," Elsa replied coldly, folding her arms. "I've seen firsthand what you're capable of."

"You haven't seen a fraction," Hans replied.

"Unfortunately, I believe you," she answered.

"Unfortunately for you, maybe," Hans answered.

"You've seen firsthand what I can do too," Elsa threatened evenly. "You couldn't hope to stand." She turned her back on him and continued on.

He scowled darkly after her and seriously considered going at her with his sword. His scowl became a frown. "You know, Queen Elsa, you have a bad, bad habit of turning your back on your enemies. One day it's going to cost you. Powerful as you are, it means nothing when you don't see it coming," he warned. She paused and turned sharply back to him, eyes narrowed. She considered retorting then decided it wasn't worth the effort. She harrumphed and turned her back again, walking off… Albeit this time she kept herself a little more aware of how close or far away Hans was from her.