The Magma Cavern

They rode up a cliff path and came out onto a more open area of the mountain. Elsa looked back. Her castle stood situated in the distance, haunting and menacing in its beauty, but somehow also reassuring and comforting. That was the end of their familiar territory. Everything from here on out would be new to them both. Truth be told, that knowledge concerned her. She looked ahead at Hans, who kept riding without looking back. She looked back towards her castle and closed her eyes, bowing her head. She turned her ice horse and swiftly moved to catch up to Hans. He was probably as lost as she was, she knew, but if he was, he was hiding that fact pretty well.

Hans glanced over at her then ahead again, searching the sky worriedly. "Is something wrong?" she questioned.

He grimaced and sighed, rubbing massaging his forehead. "Just a nightmare I had last night," he answered. He looked up again. Or premonition, he inwardly added.

She nodded. "What was it about?" she questioned.

He was quiet, debating whether to answer or not. Soon he replied, "It's not important. Yet. Maybe I'll tell you later." Or not. Depending on what he chose to do with it.

Elsa didn't press. "Are we going the right way?" she questioned.

"Yes," he answered.

"How can you be sure?" she asked.

He looked over at her. After a moment he replied, "I saw it in my dreams."

Elsa started. "In your dreams?" she asked, sounding a little dubious.

"It might seem like nonsense to you, but it's all we have… Besides, it's more a feeling than anything," Hans said.

Elsa was quiet. He inwardly sighed. She probably thought he was off his rocker. Which probably wouldn't be far from the truth. "Do you think Mael is trying to reach you?" she asked, to his surprise. So much for her doubting. "Is that why you saw the way in your dreams? Because your brother is trying to help?"

Hans paused, frowning and thinking. "Maybe? I don't know. I just… I just sense we have to go this way," he answered. Lie. Well, partial lie. It wasn't Mael leading him to their destination. It was the wicked sprite. He was disturbingly flattered the creature was displaying such a show of good-will. And more than a little tempted to see where it would go, but then curiosity, cats, and all that. Of course there was also the counter about satisfaction… He shook his head, banishing those thoughts. No thinking on it now.

"We can't go much farther this way. Unless there's a cave through this mountain, we're going to be trapped in a dead end," Elsa said, noting the mountain ridges closing in. It indicated a dead end soon.

"Then I guess we're taking our chances with there being a cave. We can't go back now. We've spent too much time coming this way. We can't afford to retrace our steps," Hans replied. He looked forward again. "We… we might be too late as it is…"

Elsa bit her lower lip, catching sight of something like concern flicker in Hans's eyes before he buried it. "Hey, they're going to be okay," she said to him gently.

"I don't care what happens to them!" Hans immediately replied. "If they're gone, they're gone."

"Really? Because I'm starting to think my original assumption was wrong. You're not doing all of this just for your kingdom and Arendelle, or for a chance at escaping trial and punishment," Elsa answered.

"You're wrong," Hans stated. "And giving me far too much credit. I'm a monster, remember? What does a monster care for family ties?" Elsa cringed and looked away, something almost akin to shame in her expression.

Frozen

They stood, now, outside of a massive entrance to what promised to be a lengthy and potentially massive cave system. They were frozen in place. "You know, we might never find our way out of there if we go in," Elsa remarked.

"Ariadne," Hans replied.

"What?" Elsa asked.

"Ariadne's golden thread," Hans said, looking at her.

She caught on, eyes lighting up, then nodded and looked ahead. "For Anna," she said. Only for her sister's sake would she risk something this insane. She reached out, trailing her hand along the cave walls and leaving a trail of ice to show the ways they'd gone.

Hans followed with a very uneasy and nervous Sitron nickering concernedly. Suddenly there was a distant roar from somewhere in the caverns. Sitron reared up, acting jittery and panicked. "Easy boy, easy," Hans soothed. Sitron whinnied again, not liking this and trying to balk at it before Hans forced him onwards again.

"Whatever that was, we'd better hope we don't run into it," Elsa remarked, looking warily around. She hissed in pain suddenly and quickly drew her fingers away from the wall. She looked at them. She'd been cut. She turned to the wall. It was getting jagged. She'd have to be more careful. She felt her hand being taken and turned. Hans held it in one of his, carefully wrapping cloth around the injury. She blinked at him in vague surprise. What reason was there for him to be tending her wounds? She couldn't think of anything he could gain by doing it. Then again she couldn't think of anything he could lose by not doing it either. He finished tending the cuts and released her hand.

"Repayment for helping me up the stairs and with your snow beast," he muttered by way of excuse. She nodded, accepting the explanation, then focused on leaving an ice trail again, this time more carefully.

Frozen

As they got deeper, the roaring sound became louder. Now Sitron was desperately trying to back out, and even the ice mare was struggling against Elsa. "Easy, easy!" Elsa ordered it. "We're okay, girl, we're okay."

"For now," Hans more pessimistically added. Elsa shot him a warning glare. "What? I'm right," he defended. Elsa looked uneasily ahead. She hated to admit it, but he probably was.

Suddenly the ground began to quake. Hans and Elsa gasped, looking down. The horses began whinnying in terror, trying to bolt. "What's happening?!" Elsa demanded.

"How should I know?" Hans demanded. Rocks began to fall from above and they looked sharply up in alarm.

Their eyes widened. "Cave in!" they cried together.

"Go Sitron, move!" Hans commanded, kicking the stallion into action. Sitron didn't need to be prodded. He tore down through the caves, Elsa and the ice mare hot on his heels as the roof collapsed behind them. "Oh this can't be happening!" Hans exclaimed.

"Well it is!" Elsa shot. "Focus!" She looked ahead and screamed, reining in her mare sharply. Hans quickly looked ahead and cried out as well, reining in Sitron. Sitron slid with a scream and fell to the ground in his desperate attempt to stop. Hans tumbled from the horse with a cry of pain. Pain was followed by terror as he cried out, feeling the ground vanish beneath him. "Hans!" Elsa shouted. She leapt from her mare and raced to the ledge that had seemed to appear out of nowhere, darting passed a struggling Sitron. The ice mare raced to the stallion and seized his mane in her teeth, helping pull him back onto solid ground.

Elsa looked over the ledge in horrified dread. Please don't let him be dead, please don't let him be dead. Not now! Not like this! She searched for a sign of him then caught her breath. There he was, at the bottom of the drop! Relief turned to concern and worry. He wasn't moving. He wasn't moving! "Oh gods!" she exclaimed. Quickly she formed an ice slide down to the ground below and slid down it. The two horses neighed for her frantically and looked around. Sitron nickered, nudging the mare and looking towards a path that seemed to continue across this sudden drop. It was apparent they were separated from their riders for a good long while now. It was up to them to find their own way out. The mare nodded to Sitron, and the two mounts went cautiously towards the path. Hans and Elsa probably wouldn't be coming back up any time soon. Elsa could raise a platform of snow, most probably, but odds were she wouldn't.

Frozen

Elsa watched the two horses go. She hoped and prayed they found their way out. If Sitron was lost to Hans… She didn't even want to know how badly that would affect the prince. And admittedly, she'd become quite attached to her ice mare. Immediately she turned attention to the young man and ran to his side, falling next to him. "Hans? Hans!" she said, carefully rolling him onto his back. "Come on, wake up," she pled. She placed her hands on his cheeks and used her powers. Maybe the cold would revive the young man. Hans shifted slightly. Good. He was alive and he could feel. She channelled her power into him a second time. His eyes began to flicker.

Hans moaned softly and opened his eyes. He blinked on seeing her. Waking up in her arms, or even with her at his side, was getting to be humiliating now, he decided. Ugh, he was an embarrassment to princes everywhere, he inwardly joked to himself. Carefully he sat up and winced, placing a hand to his head. "Dammit," he whispered under his breath. He blinked, looking around. "Where is Sitron?" he immediately demanded.

"He's fine. He and my ice mare are finding their own way out. It seems you and I are working alone from here," Elsa answered.

Hans looked worriedly up towards the path the horses had probably gone down. "If anything happens to my horse…" he began. Sighing, he trailed off and carefully stood. He wavered slightly before getting his balance back.

"Careful. You took a really bad fall," Elsa said.

"I'm fine," Hans replied, shaking his head. "Let's just get this nightmare over with."

"I agree completely," Elsa dryly said. Cautiously the two began down their own path.

Frozen

For a little while there was silence. Eventually Elsa looked over at Hans. He was thinking about something. She was just about to ask what that something was, in fact, but he seemed to read her mind. "Why do you keep coming to my rescue?" he questioned bluntly. She started, blinking. Well, that had been direct. He paused, turning to her. "Well?"

Elsa was quiet. She honestly had to think that one through for a while. "Don't be the monster they think you are," she finally answered. He started, blinking. Had she just kind of quoted him? "I won't be the monster you think I am. I am a good person, and that's why I come to your rescue. So I can prove it to myself as much as to you."

Hans was quiet. "I never thought you were a monster," he finally answered. "They were words said to hurt."

Elsa looked down. "Well they did, so congratulations," she answered. A little rougher than necessary, she pushed passed him.

Hans watched after her, surprised at the action. He grimaced, shifting uneasily, then looked after her once more. "Queen Elsa!" he called. She paused but didn't turn. "You don't need to prove anything. Not to anyone. Not to yourself and definitely not to me," he said. "Not everybody is going to understand you, some will even fear you, but that doesn't matter. Just be. Just be, and let them think what they want."

She turned to him. He started. Were those tears misting in her eyes? Hidden, but they were there nonetheless. "Thank you," she said quietly.

He was frozen. What was this reaction to those words? That look? He'd never felt it before. He didn't like it. At all. Nor did he like the way his heart got a little louder and faster briefly. It was a sign of attraction, and attraction was the last thing he needed. Especially when it came to her. "I never said anything particularly deserving of a thanks, at least in my eyes, but you're welcome," he finally answered, willing the fluttering to go away and the heart to slow. Both happened in quick order. He was glad for it. He hadn't trusted those sensations. Never had.

Frozen

They were heading towards light, but it wasn't an outside sort of light. Elsa grimaced, shielding her face from the sudden brightness. "It's so hot down here," she said.

"I know. It can't be good," Hans answered. "I think… I think we might be near a magma pocket."

"Are you saying we're in a volcano?!" Elsa demanded sharply.

"I'm saying we'd better watch our step and hope and pray that if it is, it's long dormant with no plans to erupt any time soon," Hans answered.

"Heat and snow aren't going to mix well," Elsa dryly said. She tried to form a snow cloud. It did precious little and became more a rain one. Warm rain. She shook her head hopelessly. It was so hot down here... She could feel the heat through her shoes. She almost believed that had any normal human come down here, they wouldn't have made it so far without being burned. Except Hans was normal, as far as she knew, and he hardly looked bothered by this. She looked around. Maybe it was just her. She felt like she was melting. She didn't like that sensation."My ice may be enchanted, but even magic has its limits. If it gets much hotter than this, my powers aren't going to hold up." So hopefully she wouldn't need them.

Hans looked her over and froze, eyes popping open wide. "Oh you don't have to tell me twice," he hollowly said.

She paused, looking back. "What do you mean?" she questioned.

"Elsa, your dress is melting!" he exclaimed in horror, blushing suddenly a bright red and feeling more flustered than he had in, well, ever. Maybe sheening was a more correct term than melting. Drops of water were forming and slipping off of it, but it was no reason to panic, right? Right?! Oh who was he kidding?

"What?!" she shouted, looking down at it. Her eyes widened. It was! She shrieked, covering her chest—though it was nowhere near to the point of being revealed - and looking frantically around. Had they brought anything else for her to wear?! "Oh no," she exclaimed. "I don't have spare clothes!"

It-it's okay! It's alright!" Hans said.

"How is this okay?!" she shouted at him, now blushing as brightly as he was on realizing her situation.

"I-I mean it's melting slowly! Maybe it'll hold up to the end. Even if it doesn't, if you're wearing a corset under that, or a slip, then hey, that's not so bad," Hans said, trying to reassure her.

"For you!" she shouted.

"It's worse for me. You think I want to see you like that?" Hans demanded. "I can hardly stand you clothed!"

"Bite me!" she shot at him sharply. She gasped, feeling her dress melting faster the closer to the magma pocket they got, and looked down uneasily. Fortunately she was wearing a corset and slip. At least that was a plus. But to be in that state of undress in front of him… She nibbled her lip vulnerably and looked up at him, eyes slightly fearful.

"I desire nothing from you, your majesty," Hans said, noting her fear. "Somehow I'll restrain myself."

She turned away from him. "Walk in front of me and don't turn back or so help me I will freeze you solid," she finally relented. She would defy the very forces of nature to do so. Limits be damned. He wasn't about to argue. He quickly moved in front of her and pushed forward, not once looking back or even seeming tempted to. Which probably shouldn't have burned her as much as it did.

Frozen

The two looked down over the ledge into the magma pit beneath them. Fortunately, they were a long, long, long ways up from there. Not far enough for the heat not to be painfully uncomfortable, though. Both were sweating. Hans, by this point, had stripped off his coat and removed all layers of clothing say for the undershirt. He was about ready to whip that off too at this point. Forget propriety. He wasn't dying of heat stroke down here. To be honest, he really hadn't started to notice the heat until now, when it was staring him in the face. He found it actually very pleasant. Elsa, on the other hand, was highly uncomfortable and highly uneasy. Her dress had long melted away, and besides that, snow queen plus magma lake equalled issues. The prince looked ahead. "The cave ends up here. I know it does. It has to. Just a little further, Elsa. We can do this."

She was quiet. Disturbingly so. She'd been disturbingly quiet for quite a while now. If not for the fact he could hear her breathing, and hear her footsteps, he'd almost believe he'd lost her long ago. He set his jaw and narrowed his eyes determinedly. This wasn't going to stop them. He set off. He heard her following, but her footsteps were slowing. He paused, finally, debated whether it was worth the risk to turn around, then did so. In her weakened state what could she do anyway? He started. She was dizzy, that was obvious. She was staggering entirely too much and entirely too close to the ledge. He looked ahead then back at her. He sighed and went up to the Queen, taking her hands in his. She looked weakly up at him, fear in her eyes. She knew how vulnerable a state she was in. She knew she couldn't fight back if he tried to murder her or worse. He felt her shivering. She was frightened. Of him. That only served to make him feel angrier and more resentful, but those thoughts he forced away. Now wasn't the time for anger and resentment.

"We're almost there," he said gently. He drew her along, walking backwards and leading her by the hands.

She shook her head. "I can't make it," she whispered.

"We're almost there," he repeated. She nodded. He nodded back and released her hands when he was sure she would follow, starting off again. They were about half way across. Only a couple more minutes. If she could hold on… He paused suddenly. He couldn't hear footsteps. Sharply he turned and his eyes widened. She had fallen to her knees and was holding her arms tightly around her body, breathing weak. She looked slowly up at him, eyes pained and exhausted. He didn't move. All at once she collapsed to the ground and lay still, eyes shut.

Hans blinked at her. She was dying, he realized suddenly. This was far, far worse than just exhaustion or heat stroke. She was actually dying! The heat in this place was killing her! He was surprised that his first thought hadn't been how wonderful the sight of her dying would be... He could leave her here, he realized. Leave her to expire. Her body would never be found, or if it was, by the time they discovered it, it would be unrecognizable. Her death could only benefit him. The troll king might be harder to take, but he could do it. He hoped. Her death… it just meant she was out of his life forever.

But he couldn't do it…

He shifted then went back to her. He knelt at her side, rolling her gently over. She was limp in his arms, teeth gently clenched in pain. He bit the inside of his cheek then picked her up bridal style with a slight grunt. He adjusted her more comfortably in his arms and looked down at her.

She was so beautiful…

He immediately banished that thought, shaking his head in annoyance. Quickly he set off again. With every step he took, she seemed to be having more trouble breathing. He had to hurry or soon a body was what he would be carrying.

Frozen

As they neared the surface, the air became colder and colder. It would be frigid if not for the fact the heat from the magma lake could still be felt even here. It was probably what was saving him from freezing. Then they were at the exit. Hans could have cheered. He looked down at the queen in his arms and adjusted her weight ever so slightly so she was in a more convenient position to be lain down. He exited the cave and collapsed to his knees as it suddenly struck him how exhausted he was. He looked down at Elsa again then laid her gently on the ground. He pursed his lips. She still wore only the corset and her slip. It may be too cold for her, but then again she had an insanely high tolerance for the cold. Perhaps the cold, in fact, would be what revived her. Just in case, though… He laid his cloak over her. It would keep her relatively warm, but not so warm that the cold air wouldn't chill her to the bone had she been a regular human. He sat back in the entrance of the cave, where it was still relatively warm, and observed her. He looked around the area they were in. Hot springs. He chuckled to himself. Sleep first, then bath and relaxation, he decided.

He shivered in the wind and put on his layers of clothing again, say for the cloak he'd lain over her. He still felt himself getting chilled, but whatever warmth could be felt from deep inside the cave was helping. Slightly. He shivered, drew his knees up, and wrapped his arms around them before laying back his head. He needed sleep. It was probably midnight—possibly even later—and he desperately needed to rest. As long as he woke up tomorrow, it would be all good.