Treachery and the Devil's Advocate
(A/N: Prepare for a roller coaster of emotions, not of the sad variety, but I swear to you that if you read this chapter through to the end, you won't be disappointed. I hope. A lot of stuff happens in it, honestly thought it would be longer than it is, but nonetheless here it is. One more chapter left to go up after this.)
Elsa ran down the corridors, determined to reach the others quickly. Soon enough she came to the door. She began freezing the lock the moment she saw it. By the time she reached the doors, she only needed to shatter it. She did so, driving an ice block into it with as much force as she could. It was enough, and the lock broke. She threw open the doors and ran down the stairs quickly. She wanted to erect ice walls behind her, in case Hans fell and the creatures came after her, but there was the possibility Hans would slip away, and if he did the last thing she wanted was to have built up a wall that would trap and doom him if he couldn't pass it, so despite her misgivings and unease, she left the path clear.
Elsa threw open one more set of doors blocking her way, and slammed them shut again. These ones she froze over. If Hans reached them, he would call out and she could unfreeze it so he could get in. She looked back and caught her breath. The cells! "Anna, Kristoff!" she called, running through them. "Anna, Kristoff, where are you?!"
Frozen
In the cell, still trying to find a way out, the princes, Anna, and Kristoff froze, looking sharply over with wide eyes. "Was that…?" Kelin-Sel began.
"Elsa!" Anna shouted, leaping up and racing to the door, grasping the enchanted bars. She knew they were enchanted because if they weren't, they would have gotten out of here days ago. "Elsa, over here! Elsa!"
"Elsa, we're near the back, hurry!" Kristoff joined in shouting.
Elsa grinned so widely it hurt. She felt tears of relief stinging her eyes, but there was no time to break down now. The tearful reunion could happen when they were safe, not before. "I'm coming! Anna, Kristoff, are the princes with you?!"
"We are, your majesty!" Iscawin called out. "All of us! And your people are in the room at the very end of this corridor. Is Hans with you?!"
Elsa's grin fell to a worried expression. "We-we lost each other in the palace, but he'll be okay!" she called back. A lie, but right now wasn't the time to explain the whole situation to them. There was no time for it. "I hope," she added quietly. She saw her sister's hand waving out between the windows and ran to it, taking it in hers. "Anna!" she exclaimed.
"Elsa, you came! Hurry, get us out! If that wicked sprite learns you're here…" Anna began. Suddenly Elsa was seized from behind and screamed. "Elsa!" Anna shrieked as her sister was torn from her.
"No, Anna, Kristoff!" Elsa cried in dismay, struggling. She tried to use her powers only to scream in pain as they were channelled back into her and converted into something decidedly not her magic. Her legs gave out as she gasped in pain, feeling dizzy and nearly passing out. All that was holding her up was whatever had seized her.
"No!" Kristoff cried out.
"Your Majesty!" Iscawin shouted, protective instinct going into overdrive.
"You know, I gave you more credit than this. I dared think you were less naïve than your sister. Guess I was wrong," a voice, an all too painfully familiar one, said.
Elsa, shaking, weakly looked up, eyes opening. "Hans?" she gasped in pain. He was leaning against the wall with an icy and traitorous smirk on his lips, eyes cruel and merciless.
"Really, you shouldn't be so surprised at this," the prince answered, straightening up and approaching her. "You knew what I was, after all." Elsa felt a chill shoot up her spine.
Frozen
"You bastard!" Anna shrieked, tears flowing from her eyes. Oh how she wanted to rip out his pretty eyes. And his tongue. And pretty well his every extremity and sensory organ.
"When I get my hands on you, pretty boy, I'll rip your head off your body, you hear me?!" Kristoff screamed in outrage. "I'll rip your head off!"
Hans's brothers, on the other hand, were stunned beyond words, looking at their sibling in numb disbelief. "What, you can't say anything?" Hans asked them, attention painfully obviously focused on his siblings. "No remark of hatred, surprise, awe? Not a surprise, I suppose. Not like you could ever say much," Hans said to them.
Iscawin, first to find his voice, felt his knees give out and fell to them with a gasp, looking down. He couldn't look at his brother. He couldn't. "Why…?" he finally managed to hoarsely whisper. "Why…?" he asked again, voice breaking as he closed his eyes tightly.
Hans knelt in front of him and tilted his brother's chin up to face him. Eyes cold, he answered, "Because I could." He roughly let go and rose again, going to Elsa. "Sorry, your highness, but the troll king offered a deal no sane man could refuse. In exchange for you, whatever I wanted."
"You believed him?!" Jürgen freaked, lunging at the cell bars and seizing them. "You piece of sh…" he began to sputter before forcing himself to get a grip. Getting hysterical or furious would do no good at this point. He knew how minds like Hans worked. The less you gave them, the less satisfying it was, the more likely they were to… You know what, he didn't even know. "Hans, he's lying to you. He always has, he always will. The curse on our family is blinding you, baby brother. Snap out of it."
Apparently he wasn't doing a good job at hiding his fear and shock, because Hans icily laughed. "Spare me the lecture," he scoffed, turning back to Elsa and looking at her. She, breathing a little heavily, slowly looked up at him with a scowl, eyes filled with tears of hatred.
Flashback
As the creatures closed in on him from both sides, he looked at his sword, considered fighting, then determined it would do no good. Not now. He growled in annoyance and tucked it away. He stood still, waiting for them to come. There was always a way out. After all, now that they were here, he had little use for Elsa anymore. Those things could believe as much. She was disposable and so she'd be disposed of. He was forced to admit that the closer he got to the palace, the more drawn he was to the idea of the power the wicked sprite could offer. If he played his cards right, he could turn this whole thing around on his head. After all, what loyalty did he have to his brothers again? Not like he'd shed a tear if they were 'disappeared' permanently. And Anna and Kristoff? Hah! They were as expendable as Elsa at this point. The citizens of Arendelle, ideally, would be freed, but if not, hey, collateral damage happened. Thinking about it, was the curse on his family really so bad?
The creatures seized him, rather than killing him, and brought him away. So, they knew who he was. Good. Made his job easier. They dragged him to the throne room of the wicked sprite. Hans looked ahead at the massive doors they were about to pass through. Apparently his captors were addressing their king, probably telepathically or however the Fair Folk communicated when not in words. They had to be if they hadn't killed him yet, or bound him. They were through the doors now, then before the king. They tossed him down in front of the creature. He fell on hands and knees, scowling. His eyes narrowed and he stood, brushing himself off. He glared defiantly at the once man. Humph, that title was a mockery for what this thing was. The troll guards nodded for Hans to speak to the king. Oh this was too easy. What had he been concerned about again? Then he remembered and grimaced. Best not to let his guard down here.
He approached the throne and knelt before the wicked sprite that was sitting in all his hybrid glory. It took on the form of a man and smiled chillingly at the young prince. "You have a death wish, or there is some ulterior motive in your approaching me," the creature said. "Where is the queen?"
"Dead," Hans lied. "Or if she isn't now, she will be."
"Oh?" the troll asked, feigning surprise.
"It was the fall that took her and separated us," Hans said. Was it wise to lie? If he got caught, no, but telling the truth would only make the sprite suspicious, and frankly, he wanted to transition into this new allegiance as smoothly as possible and forget he was ever working against it. After all, doing good got you nowhere. This, on the other hand… Enough said. He'd tell the truth, in time, once he was more firmly established as trustworthy. Oh how he'd tell the truth. "I didn't see a body, but she certainly couldn't save herself like I did, because she was nowhere to be seen when the dust cleared. I'm not approaching you to discuss Elsa or what may or may not have befallen her. All I'll say to that matter is that if she's here, I'll find her and I'll kill her myself. And make sure the body is really a body."
"You who has thus far been helping her? Fighting my soldiers? Attacking my sort? Hiding from all those I send after you?" the creature incredulously replied.
"Yeah, well that much time left alone to my thoughts kind of put me on the fence. You, after all, made a tempting case in that dream you set on me. Would you like to see if you can finally push me over in one direction or the other?" Hans questioned. Of course he'd already chosen his side. It should be obvious which one that was.
"Why would you consider this thing? This treachery?" the wicked sprite questioned.
"Chameleon Prince," Hans replied with a shrug. "Who's to say I haven't had an ulterior motive since the start? I despise my brothers, I despise the queen and princess, I have no loyalty to Arendelle, and what I want more than anything is power. Maybe playing the part of ally was just my way of reaching you alive while not betraying my other plans."
"And what plans are those?" the troll king asked.
"To finish what I started," Hans answered. "Kill the queen and princess, secure my place as ruler. And for good measure, kill my brothers and ensure that even if Arendelle doesn't accept me as its king, the Southern Isles won't have a choice but to. Well, once by siblings' heirs are taken care of."
"Why would I believe this?" the sprite questioned.
"That's not my question to answer. But if you want proof of my allegiance, well… just say the word," Hans replied. "Whatever it takes, I will prove to you my side is and has always been against Elsa. You told me you wanted her alive. So if she's alive, I'll bring her to you. It'll be easy. She trusts me, by now. I made sure of it. Playing the right cards, telling a couple of heart-wrenching stories, opening up about a few things… It does wonders for building trust. Especially for someone as merciful as her."
The troll was quiet a long moment. Finally it smirked maliciously. "If that is so, and if you're ready to take on your family's blessing, then who am I to prevent you? I'm sure you will prove soon enough where your allegiance lies."
"With you and you alone," Hans said, bowing lower. "Or it will be. Once problems are dealt with. If Elsa's alive, she's in the palace now and searching for her sister and my brothers… And it will be my greatest delight to show her just how wrong she was… Some men can't, and shouldn't, be forgiven or shown mercy. I'm one of them. She was just too desperate to save Anna to see it. Tell me where the dungeon is and we'll get started."
The wicked sprite smirked cruelly, approvingly, and nodded. "So be it. Go to your brothers and show them just where your loyalty lies."
"With pleasure," Hans replied. "It'll be nice to see them squirm for a change."
End Flashback
"Take her to the wicked troll," Hans commanded the sprites and trolls. "Get her out of my sight. I've been stuck with the monstrous sorceress queen long enough."
"You'll suffer for this," Elsa hissed. "Mark my words."
"What are you going to do dead or his prisoner?" Hans cooed to her. He blew her a kiss and she scoffed, looking away from him. Roughly the trolls and sprites pulled her away.
"Elsa! Elsa, no! Bring her back! Bring back my sister!" Anna screamed in tears. She burst into sobs, collapsing in Kristoff's arms. Kristoff could only scowl disgustedly at the youngest prince.
Hans turned attention back to them all. His brothers remained stunned. Iscawin remained kneeling on the ground with head hung. "How could you…?" Kelin-Sel finally breathed.
"For the torment you all put me through, consider this a mercy," Hans answered. "I could have had you all tortured like Moren was."
"How could you…?" Kelin-Sel repeated numbly.
Hans harrumphed. "Could even the slivers of the mirror in your eyes and heart change you into what we see before us now…?" Mael whispered, barely whispered, eyes filled with pain. Tears filled them and he closed his eyes tightly, willing them back.
Hans's arms folded tighter around himself, his eyes narrowing more. "That depends on whether I ever had them to start with," he answered. "If not, then, well, what can I say? I'm a deplorable monster. And I'm done with you. All of you. Starve to death in these miserable catacombs, for all I care." With that, he turned and left.
Frozen
The others watched numbly after him. "This… it can't… Hans…" Coth said, voice breaking.
"Do we… do we really deserve… Everything that we did to… Oh god…" Duach numbly stated, collapsing back onto a seat. "We did this… We turned him into… god, no! Please no!" he sobbed, covering his mouth. Duach never, ever broke down, and so to see this now… There was no more that needed to be said. "Don't let this be true," he begged through sobs.
"Whatever the matter of it, we can't do anything anymore… He's left us to die…" Justic whispered.
"And I've gotten us a way out," Iscawin suddenly said. They all sharply turned to him. He was rising. In his fingers dangled a key ring! Their eyes widened.
"Are those the keys to the dungeon?!" Connyn freaked.
"Damn right," Iscawin stated, looking at them. "We free ourselves, we free the people, we save Elsa, we deal with Hans."
"How did you even…?" Calcas began.
"I snagged them," Iscawin answered.
"Did you now? You've never been a pickpocket, Iscawin," Franz said, looking dubiously at him. "No matter how hard I tried to teach you to be."
"Yeah, well, desperate times," Iscawin replied.
Rhun looked as doubtful as Franz. "Oh really?" he asked.
"Yes really," Iscawin defended, frowning at the other. Rhun still seemed unconvinced, but made no further comment. After all, his brother was holding the keys in his hand.
"Then we need to move. Now," Moren stated. "As quickly as we possibly can." Iscawin nodded and immediately unlocked the cell door. Quickly they ran out and raced to free Arendelle's citizens.
"I can sense the way out. Half of us need to guide them to freedom, the other half need to go after Hans and Elsa," Mael stated.
"Iscawin, Anna, the triplets, Duach, Franz, and I, will go after Elsa and Hans. The rest of you get the citizens out and away from here. As far away as possible. Our time is limited. If that hobgoblin gets his hands on Elsa…" Moren began.
"He won't!" Iscawin immediately stated, eyes narrowing. "Over my dead body will he get anywhere near her!"
"Here, here!" Anna agreed.
"Duach..." Rhun uneasily began. He hated it every time his twin, semi-twin, was away from him. And they were apart often. It made his big brother instinct scream in protest and frankly felt like his other half was disappearing for good.
"I've come out of worse, brother. So have you," Duach assured, placing his hand on the other's shoulder. "I'll be fine." Rhun hesitated then sighed, nodding.
"Anna, be careful. Please. I can't lose you," Kristoff pled, taking her hands in his.
She smiled at him. "I'll be fine," she promised. She kissed him quickly then hurried after the others that were going to save Elsa.
Kristoff watched painfully after her then bowed his head. "Promise it…" he pled in a whisper.
Frozen
Elsa, still weakened from whatever power had been channelled back into her, was held on her knees in front of the troll king. Hans stood at the creature's side, arms folded. Elsa didn't even look up. "Well done, young prince," the troll praised, obviously pleasantly surprised. "You did it. And the sentence you carried out on your brothers… I haven't seen anything, or anyone, so despicable and heartless since me. Well, me and certain ones of your ancestors."
"I'm sure," Hans answered, glaring at Elsa. "Get on with this. Whatever it is."
"Very well. Take her. Lock her in the tower," the creature commanded.
"Yes, of course, the most clichéd thing you could possibly think of," Hans said, rolling is eyes. The troll gave him a dangerous look but didn't remark. The sprites obediently took Elsa, dragging her away and out of the room…
Frozen
Anna, Iscawin, the triplets, Duach, Franz, and Moren raced through the palace trying to find Elsa. "Of all the brothers you could have picked, you brought the ones most likely to spare him," Anna remarked.
"He is our brother," Moren answered.
"That thing is not even human!" Anna freaked. "He's the spawn of hell! I have no idea who or what his parents were, but they weren't the same ones you had!" Moren was silent. There was no use getting into it with Anna. Her mind was made up. "I will make sure Elsa executes him for this, do you hear me?! Hans dies!"
"We'll do the job for you," Franz darkly—in a darker tone than any of them had heard from him in years—stated, taking the others aback. His gaze was hollow, expressionless, dark… Anna actually got a chill and cringed, glancing away.
"Something's coming!" Duach suddenly said. The others stopped and listened. Sure enough doors were heard shutting.
"Elsa," Anna breathed.
"If it is, we strike the minute they're in sight. Hide, all of you," Moren commanded. Immediately they all dodged out of sight behind whatever they could. Sure enough, coming down the hallway were the sprites and trolls. Elsa was held in their grasps and now had recovered enough to struggle, though she knew magic would do no good. It would just be converted and channelled back into her as something else by the sprites.
The brothers and Anna stayed silent. The creatures were passing. All at once the triplets and Iscawin leapt out of hiding with battle cries, descending on the beings and throwing them into confusion as they frantically tried to fight back against the ambush. When it seemed they enemy was gaining ground, when the creatures seemed to be getting more confident, the rest sprang from hiding and fell on them. Anna ran to the two holding Elsa and attacked one viciously with a scream of rage. Elsa, the arm that one had been holding now free, spun on the other that held her and began fighting back against it with a grin. "I knew you would come!" she called to them.
"Always, my queen," Iscawin said, moving into closer proximity with her. She grinned at him then turned to Anna, who was falling back to her side.
"We need to get out of here, fast!" Anna said.
"What about Hans?!" Connyn demanded.
"Leave him! If he wants to be the troll's pet, let him," Calcas viciously said.
"I don't think so! Let's get him, drag him back to Arendelle, and execute him like we should have done from the start!" Anna argued.
"Anna!" Elsa said.
"He betrayed us! In the cruellest way possible! He betrayed you! Can't you see he's not worth sparing?!" Anna protested, obviously still very upset at what she'd seen. It was the second time, Elsa realized, that her sister had seen that look in his eyes… She feared the younger would be traumatized by the memory forever.
"Leave him… When the troll king learns we've escaped, he will not suffer Hans being alive any longer," Duach stated darkly. "Let the dog die at the hand of the one he decided to align with over even his own flesh and blood."
"He is our brother," Calcas quietly murmured.
"He was… Now he's dead to us," Franz stated.
Moren looked in the direction of the throne room. Could he suffer to abandon his youngest sibling again…? He didn't want to… But he knew in his heart it was all that could be done for him anymore. If he returned now, there would be no redemption for him. He bowed his head low.
Forgive me… I failed you, brother…
"We leave," he whispered. Elsa watched him quietly but said nothing, only nodded. Immediately they turned and ran to meet up with the others.
Frozen
"Now, we had a deal, didn't we? So, tell me what it is you want," the wicked sprite, still in a man's form, said. Hans said nothing. "I could give you the queen, you know," it tempted, turning its back on Hans to get something to drink. "In all her glory and vulnerability."
Hans shot him a sharp glare that bordered on murderous. "I may be despicable, but I'm not perverted. The only use I could have for her is ending her life," he said.
"Think about it," the troll answered. "Her writhing before you, at your mercy. You detest her so much that even if you didn't touch her, you could have just as much fun psychologically tormenting her."
"All I want is the power you offered and my brothers' heads mounted on the wall," Hans stated.
"Fair enough… And as a bonus I will give you the queen as your plaything," the troll said.
Hans grimaced. "Please don't do me any favors," he deadpanned, rolling his eyes.
"I think you'll grow to be tempted in time," the wicked sprite stated. "When you see her at her weakest point with so little protecting all of her from you." Hans looked at the ground, feeling bile rise in his throat. He seriously considered killing the wicked sprite, but then really what were the odds of his succeeding at this point?
"Your majesty!" a troll roared, barging in.
The wicked hobgoblin king turned sharply. "What is it that you're interrupting me for?" it questioned darkly.
"The queen has escaped! And the prisoners! All of them!" the troll roared.
Hans was still, a smirk briefly flickering across his lips before he hid it again. The troll king's glass broke in his hand and for a moment he was silent. Finally, though, he said, "Leave us." That tone was enough that the other troll quailed and was swift to leave the wicked king along with the prince.
Frozen
They were riding away from the castle, all of them. Rapidly. Elsa soon slowed her ice mare and looked back at the palace quietly, a solemn look on her face. "Elsa, come on! Don't turn back. Hans isn't worth it," Anna pled.
"I know," Elsa quietly answered. "It still… It feels wrong…"
"He is the definition of wrong," Anna said.
"Alright. I'm coming. Go on ahead. I'm waiting for the rest of our people to catch up," she said. Anna smiled and rode forward.
Elsa, smiling after her, frowned concernedly once more when Anna was out of sight, and turned again. Her people rode by. Iscawin took up the tail end. He reached her side, looking near panic. "What are we supposed to do?" he immediately demanded. "We can't leave Hans there! Not after this! He's out of his mind!"
"It had to be done," Elsa said. "Hurry, catch my people up to the others. I need to build up an ice wall around this place. Lock them all in for a good long time."
"My brother…" Iscawin began.
"Trust me," Elsa said.
Iscawin was silent. Soon, though, he sighed, shoulders sagging. "Very well… I'll trust you," he said. "Don't fall too far behind."
"I won't," she promised. He nodded and rode after the rest of the citizens. As soon as they were a good distance ahead, Elsa looked back once more, pursed her lips, then spurred her ice mare to action, charging back towards the palace.
Frozen
Hans turned to the troll king. "I can get them back," he said seriously. "I can get them back to you, I swear!"
"How could they have gotten the keys?" the troll mused out loud.
"Give me the order and I'll pursue them to the ends of the earth," Hans said.
"They know your true colors now," the troll muttered.
"That doesn't matter!" Hans insisted, approaching it. "I can do it!"
"You… You are of no more use to me," the troll king darkly said, turning menacingly to Hans. Hans tensed, eyes widening. Before he could move, the wicked sprite had conjured a dark sword and was swinging at his neck with intent to behead! Hans gasped.
Suddenly the troll shrieked in pain, the sword dropping. Hans blinked then looked down. An ice javelin was protruding from the creature's body! It looked up and fell to its knees on the ground. Hans's pounding heart slowed drastically and he grinned coldly. "About time," he said, pacing around the writhing enemy. "I almost feared I'd played the part so well even you'd started to believe it."
"I almost did," a voice replied. Her voice. Elsa's.
"Play to your strengths," Hans replied, shrugging.
"You have the masks down to a fine art, chameleon," she replied, approaching from the doorway in which she stood, a smug smile on her lips.
Frozen
"Wh-What?" the troll gasped out as Elsa came alongside Hans, both of them smiling coldly and victoriously down at him.
"What did he offer you?" she asked of Hans.
"Let's just say you're fortunate it wasn't a man with less character than I who was given this task," Hans replied, grimacing.
"You a man of character?" she scoffed.
"When it comes to that matter? Yes," Hans deadpanned.
"I don't want to know," Elsa bluntly stated, frowning. She got the feeling her guess was probably right. She didn't need it confirmed.
"You-you…" the troll said, stunned.
"I told her about the dream, 'master'. As we were rock climbing down that cliff to reach the bridge. Told her of all you offered in exchange for me bringing her to you. The plan kind of fell into place from there. She came up with it, you know. I have to admit, I'm impressed. She's more brilliant than I knew."
"Of course he wasn't keen on the idea. He knew what would be risked. I'm sorry," she said to Hans, looking at him regretfully.
"It's… it's okay… It was the only shot we had, realistically, to take the thing on," Hans said. "Besides, how else was I getting the keys? Slipped them to Iscawin when I got to his level after he collapsed to his knees."
"But it could have doomed you," Elsa gravely said, looking down.
"It didn't," Hans replied, eyeing the slowly recovering hobgoblin warily. "And even if it did, it wasn't like I had anything to lose."
"Your brothers…" Elsa began.
"I never had them in the first place," Hans cut off bluntly, giving her a look that warned her to back off. She sighed and did so.
Elsa looked at the troll coldly. "Stay down. And if you ever come near my kingdom again, you will regret it," she threatened. And to ensure that vortex didn't come again, she fully intended to take the matter up with Kristoff's trolls. And hope it worked.
"Let's go. Fast," Hans said. Before this thing could recover. They bolted, the wicked sprite's furious and vengeful roar echoing after them. They wouldn't get away so easily as this, it promised itself. Oh they wouldn't get away with this.
Frozen
Riding their mounts, Hans and Elsa galloped away from the castle as quickly as they possibly could. "This is so, so bad," Hans said. "Do you have any idea of the power we just ticked off?"
"I'd rather not think about it," Elsa answered.
"This isn't something that can just be forgotten about, Elsa!" Hans shot.
"For now the priority is re-establishing the kingdom and getting your trial underway. After what you did and risked, the punishment will be greatly lessened. I don't want you anywhere near my kingdom ever again, more importantly my sister, and so banishment from Arendelle will be as good a starting place as any, but beyond that I don't know. At the sentencing we'll figure it out," Elsa seriously said.
"Look, just build your ice dome thing and let's get as far from here and as far from that as possible," Hans replied, frowning coldly at her. He was almost tempted to kill her. Again. Seemed he was tempted to do that a lot. Or was he just telling himself that killing her was what he was tempted to try? Elsa nodded and stopped, turning back and beginning to erect a massive dome around the whole palace and in fact the whole area. It was obvious it was taking a toll on her. Not bad enough to be concerned over, but bad enough that by the end of this she'd probably be pretty tired. "Easy," Hans said, noticing her wavering slightly. "You're almost there." He turned. "I'll ride ahead with Sitron and see how far ahead the others…" he began. Suddenly she screamed in pain. He started and whipped around, eyes wide. "Elsa!" he exclaimed. He gasped, seeing what had happened. She was numbly looking down at her hands, covered in blood! A dark spike had driven itself into her body and was only now dispersing slowly.
Elsa looked slowly, numbly, up at him, shock in her eyes. He felt just as stunned and numb, looking at her stomach. He lifted his gaze to meet her eyes.
Those blue eyes. Eyes like crystal ice… so confused, pained, fearful, uncertain…
"Hans?" she whispered.
He couldn't find his voice to speak. She shuddered and began slipping from her horse. He leapt ahead, catching her in his arms in alarm. Oh this wasn't good. This was so very, very not good. "Elsa? Elsa! Elsa, look at me! Stay with me!" he said. The sprite, or one of its subordinates. It had to be! A threat and warning that this wasn't over. Why was she paying the price for his betrayal of the beast? That wasn't what he wanted!
Her eyes flickered open, falling on him. "The cold I feel… It isn't the cold of winter or snow…" she whispered. He inwardly panicked.
The cold of death…
"Dammit!" he exclaimed, pulling her onto his horse. Into his arms. He held her tightly and turned Sitron. "Go boy, go! We need to catch up to the others!" Sitron spun with a whinny and galloped full tilt after the princes, Anna, and Kristoff. The ice mare followed at Sitron's side, suddenly very quiet. Which wasn't a good sign.
If she died, did all her living creations die with her…?
He didn't plan on finding that out any time soon. She was the only way he was getting out of Arendelle alive at this point. He needed her alive. He wanted her alive. Wait, what? Ugh, no! He just needed her alive, end of story. Suddenly a pillar sprang up from the ground, a last stand of the enraged sprite. Sitron whinnied, rearing up. Hans cried out, tumbling to the ground with Elsa in his arms. Sitron, panicked and bolted, the ice mare at his side.
Frozen
"Sitron! Sitron, don't! Come back! Sitron!" Hans shouted. There was no way he was making it to help in time on foot! Not through this snow. Not carrying the queen! She coughed painfully and he turned sharply to her, eyes wide. "Elsa. Elsa, stay awake," Hans pled. "Don't do this. Not now! Stay with me. Elsa, stay with me!"
Her eyes flickered open and she met his. She was shivering. "M-my sister… Sh-she needs-needs to know… She needs to know I'm sorry," she said, voice weak.
"She'll know, she'll know, just… just be calm. Be okay. I can't… You can't die! Not at this point! We're so close," Hans said. "If I go back to Arendelle now, it'll just be to face execution! I mean, you're the only way I'm getting out of this after what we did! No one but you knows, and maybe Iscawin suspects, but…" He was losing her. Her eyes were shutting. He shook his head. "Dammit, Elsa, don't go! Don't give up. I can't… I can't be 'never good enough' again. Not this time… Please, please, I want to be good enough. I have to be."
She looked at him again. "You will be good enough… This wasn't your fault. This has nothing to do with your not being good enough… This time it's me who wasn't good enough… Not strong enough to… to fight this…"
"You have to hold on," Hans said again. His throat felt tight. He hated that sensation. "Please…"
"Hans…" she began.
"This time we both need to be good enough," he cut off, picking her up in his arms and starting to slog through the ridiculously deep and annoying snow.
"I can't be," she whispered.
"Try," he replied softly. Of all the climates to be stuck in this situation in. At least the cold from the winter air, and perhaps from her own powers, was helping to slow the blood flow. Maybe it would be enough. It had to be. It couldn't not be! He looked down at her. Her eyes were shut again, but he felt her breathing so that was good… Albeit her breathing was slow. He looked ahead. "Please, please… If I'm never good enough again, let me be good enough to save her," he whispered. "Let me be good enough to save her!" he shouted to the sky. Him, he inwardly corrected on realizing what he'd said. Saving her saved him, and that was all that mattered right now. Please let his brothers be heading back. Surely Sitron and Anne Marie would have reached them by now. They'd know something went wrong. They'd be coming back! They had to be. He looked down at her. "Elsa, please… Please, try." He felt her hand tighten slightly on his coat, a subtle sign she could still hear, could still understand, was still fighting. That made him feel about a thousand times lighter. There was still hope after all. He pressed onward.
Frozen
He'd lost track of how long he'd been traipsing through knee deep snow. He couldn't feel her breathing. He actually stopped to check if she was still here. She was. Her chest rose and fell ever so subtly, shaking. It was painful for her to breathe. Honestly it was no bed of roses for him either. He felt like his lungs were frozen, and his hair and skin was definitely frosted, his lips probably tinging blue. He was freezing to death, he realized. This couldn't be happening now. He looked ahead. Wait. There, in the distance, outlines of horses galloping towards them! Don't let it be an illusion. Don't let it be a damn illusion! He couldn't afford illusions now. He gasped in relief. As they neared it became obvious it was real. He could have sobbed. Maybe he would have had he not been half frozen in this blizzard from hell. As it dawned on him how this would look, though, he sobered. Maybe it would be better to freeze, because in the position they were in, and given all that had happened, it wasn't unlikely they would assume he was the one who'd stabbed her. Sure enough…
"Put the queen down, you bastard! Put her down now!" Rhun's voice furiously shouted. He heard a pistol cock and froze. He almost considered defying the order and letting his sibling shoot him, if only so they'd feel guilt so painfully they'd never recover from it. Once Elsa woke—if she woke—and told them the truth, it would be the sweetest revenge. No other revenge he could fathom would be so satisfying, but unfortunately, he happened to be a fan of life at the moment. He put her down.
"Get away from my sister!" Anna screamed, leaping from her horse and shoving through the snow towards them. "Elsa, no!"
"Elsa!" Kristoff shouted, following his fiancé.
Hans didn't move as his brothers' horses rode up and surrounded them. He looked around at his siblings, expression grim and cold and bitter. His look perfectly reflected their gazes. It always did.
Be a mirror. Always a mirror. Wear a mask. Be a mirror. Be anything but what you are. What you are isn't worth existing. What you are will only get you killed all the sooner…
He didn't flinch when Duach and Rhun seized him and forced him down, binding his arms so tightly behind him that the ropes bit into his skin and made him begin to bleed. His eyes were fixed on Elsa, who the others were frantically tending. His expression was non-existent.
He had been good enough…
This time he had been good enough, and it was going to cost him his life… He couldn't hear the curses screamed at him. He didn't feel the blows Kristoff and even some of his own siblings were delivering to his body. He hardly registered one of them spitting at him in disgust. He just knew it was over. For once he'd been good enough… It would cost him his life… He almost scoffed at himself. "No good deed goes unpunished," he muttered in response to a question someone had asked. He believed it had been Moren, asking him what he had to say for himself or something like that. It was better to be the villain, he decided. When you were a villain, at least you died knowing you deserved death. Died knowing that it was only a matter of time.
But he didn't want that anymore, to be the villain…
No, that wasn't right. Yes he did! He did…