"What do you mean, Anna's gone?"
"We found this note in her room, your Majesty."
Icy blue eyes read carefully over the words written briskly on the sheet of parchment. She glanced over at Nicolas, who was often at her side when she sat on the throne.
"Some wars can be finished before they start."
The older man's expression fell as he heard his words read to him from his daughter's message. It was both heart-breaking and warming to know that Anna took his message and her desire for Elsa's safety so passionately. He was proud of her breavery, however naive her actions were.
"She's gone to talk Hans out of the war," he spoke, an air of guilt in his voice.
Elsa's eyes widened. Anna had ventured all alone to the Southern Isles? Something griped Elsa's heart; worry? Anxiety? No. Stone cold fear. Not of Hans, not of the war, but pf losing Anna.
"Ready the troops. I want to leave at sun down."
"Your majesty?"
"If we get there by dawn we can catch them off guard, their sleepy soldiers will put up little fight for our men."
"And what of the men who stayed through the night to steer the ships? Will their sleep deprivation make them easier targets?"
"I will have them sleep shifts."
"My queen, let's not be rash. King Hans isn't stupid enough to kill Anna when he can use her."
"Then ready the troops, we set sail in four hours. That will give us time to cross the seas and get our barings before we attack at dawn." Her voice was low, cold and unyeilding. Elsa's eyes fixed on the man in golden armour. Her gaze held determination, power, and devotion.
He said nothing, only nodding his head in understanding. Nicholas was well aware that there was no changing Elsa's mind. It was fixed on Anna.
"Hans. How did you-" Anna's gaze shifted, perplexed as to how he had known she was there.
"King Hans, actually." He corrected, idly stepping about, twirling the knife in his hand. "Do you know where you are Anna?"
She was silent, a scowl on her face, her hatred for the man burning in her gut. "The Southern Isles."
"And do you know who rules the Southern Isles?" He spoke coyly.
"You." Her reply came quicker this time, colder.
"That's right, I do. And because I rule this kingdom there is not a thing that happens in it that I am not aware of. I was alerted by raven the moment you arrived. It took you a while to get here, I was afraid perhaps you had gotten lost."
Anna felt a low growl crawl up her throat as he circled her, fingers itching at her concealed weapon.
"I'm surprised you came alone- Elsa must not know you are here."
"Queen Elsa, actually," she mocked. "And I came of my own accord; I came to ask you to not fight Arendelle. Surrender. Stop this war before it happens."
"Ohhh, so noble of you Anna. " Her mocking tone had not been over looked, it brought a smirk to his face. He liked her fire. "Why would I want to stop the war when i worked so hard to start it?"
Anna felt her jaw clench. "I don't understand why. Why start a war when you were betrothed to Elsa in the first place? You could have married her and none of this would have needed to happen."
"Marry Elsa? Yes, that was my original plan. However, I decided myself too good for that worthless bitch. She's too weak. I found myself wanting to crush the life from her, hand wrapped around her little neck, more than I wanted to rule with her by my side."
The young woman twitched as he spoke of Elsa so lowly. "She trusted you, the KING trusted you."
"He was weak as well. In fact, sadly it is his misguidance that lead a woman with such potential to be weak as well. With her power she could have ruled the world, but now, he taught her honor, virtue, kindness. None of which have a place in ruling."
"You're wrong."
"Excuse me?"
"Elsa isn't weak, the king wasn't weak... You are a monster, you have lived as a monster and you will DIE as a monster!" She reached for her blade, but Hans already had his blade at her neck.
"Ah ah ahh.," the monarch scolded, pressing the blade dangerously hard against her throat. His hand made a beconing motion and she reluctantly handed it over, her eyes fixed on his with a glare. "Atta girl, Anna. You're not as stupid as you look."
"Elsa will tear you apart," she spoke simply, as if there was no doubt in her mind.
Angered, Hans kicked her, face down on the ground. He pressed her into the hard stone below and gripped her hair, pulling her head back so he could whisper in her ear. "No, I will tear her apart. I will sink her ships, kill her men. I will force you to watch as I run her through, her blood staining my sword. I will sever her head from her body, kiss her lips aNd throw her at your feet. And then Anna. Then I will burn all of Arendelle."
Through her widened, and fearful gaze Anna saw two men enter the room, each with rope in their hands. Moments later she was tied, almost tOo tight to breath, and made to stand.
"Tie her to the mast of my ship. I want her to have a front row seat to the slaughter of her people."
They hauled the struggling woman from the room, leaving Hans to smile wickedly in his own pride. In a single swift movement he threw the knife in his hand, blade landing half an inch deep into the map upon his wall. It's destination, Arendelle.