Magic

by ElsaLuver

You're right, Varian. Being powerful is an extraordinary gift, but unfortunately, not everyone sees it because they let fear get in the way. Magic is feared by many therefore the Emperor is doing everything he can to prove them wrong. I know that three cousins will find their destinies to help change the world for good.

17. Chapter 17: The Southern Isles

The rich sounds of birds chirping and singing, along with the gentle sound of a pond, were enough to calm everyone down. Ella gently put her book down for a moment to see what kind of birds were nearby. While she peered around, she couldn't get enough of the atmosphere. Tulips of various colors stood tall surrounding the area and the small circle of water where lily pads floated on top. Light shone through the autumn trees, brightening the area. The soft breeze soughed, sending leaves to the ground. When a leaf fell on Ella's head, she slowly plucked it out of her hair and glanced up to see if there was a bird in the tree that she sat against. Owl sat in the tree nearby.

Soft hissing followed by a small thud startled her until Ella saw that another arrow had reached the bullseye on a target in a tree across from them. She watched Cassandra pull a new arrow and connect it with her bow.

"How often do you come here?" Ella asked, gently taking another leaf from her hair.

Cassandra released the arrow and it landed a few inches above the inner target. "Whenever I have free time or when I take some guards out for target practice." She glanced over her shoulder. "If you want, you could try to shoot some ice and see if you hit the target."

For a moment, Ella slowly rose until she paused. If she still hadn't improved with the peach, what was to say that she was ready to use the target with her magic? She shook her head and Cassandra pulled another arrow. "I wish I were ready. It'd help with my magic."

Cassandra's arrow landed right below the inner circle. "Don't push yourself, Ella. You'll just put too much weight on your shoulders." She pulled an arrow out of her quiver and lined it up with her bow. "Besides, with everything that happened at the party a few weeks ago, you're doing well. As Hans said, it takes time. When you're ready, you'll know it."

Cassandra's statement ultimately reminded Ella of a few weeks ago at the party when Hans had told her that she had the potential to control her magic. While she was still cautious with her powers, she had to admit that she'd done well with them at the party, therefore there might be some hope after all.

"Cassandra, do you think Hans is right?" Ella asked, gently placing her book on her lap. "Do you think I will control my magic?"

"Eventually," Cassandra answered, pulling the last arrow out from the quiver.

"Do you mean it or are you just saying what I want to hear?"

After connecting the arrow with the bow, Cassandra lowered her weapon, turning back to Ella. "Why would I tell you what you want to hear instead of the truth, Ella?" Cassandra bluntly asked. "I think that you will because you saved us from the pirates and you saved Namaari at the party. If I thought otherwise, I would tell you."

"Hans thinks that I gained control of my powers before I got bewitched, but I don't know. What if I didn't? How would I know if I did?"

"Honesty, I think that you may have gained control of your magic in the past," Cassandra replied. "But yes, you're right. There is also a possibility that you didn't."

"I hope that I did."

"Think of it this way, Ella. If you didn't, then you'll learn to control it this time."

That made Ella feel hopeful for a better future involving her magic.

Just as Ella was about to speak, a pair of mewing yellow-bellied sparrows fluttered over them and landed on a nearby branch. The birds chirped to each other as if they were singing a duet and hopped towards each other before they called and flew off the branch. They fluttered forward and disappeared to find a new area.

"They almost look like how Rapunzel did when we were birds," Cassandra chuckled. Ella threw a perplexed expression at her. "It's a long, crazy story. Honestly, I haven't thought about that memory in a while."

Ella dimmed her eyes and peered at the ground. "I wonder if I had any friends like Rapunzel. I wish that I could remember my past."

"I know, Ella," Cassandra said softly. "I can't imagine."

"Even if I had just one brief memory, I would be happy," Ella sighed. "Any memory would be good."

"Depends on what it is," Cassandra commented.

A gust of wind gently brushed Ella's hair over her forehead. "Why would you say that?" she asked, tucking her wave behind her ear.

"Well, everyone has bad memories or things that we wish to forget," Cassandra replied. "Would you like to remember the Northern Isles?" Ella shook her head. "I thought so. Sometimes, it's not always good to reflect on the past. There are memories that either hurt people or remind them of the horrible things they did. Maybe you hurt someone that you cared about in the past and wish to forget it. A friend of mine in Corona regretted the bad decisions that he made." She paused before she sighed and continued. "As you know, I've made a lot of bad decisions and wish that I could take them back. Like. . ."

"Your betrayal to Corona and Rapunzel."

Cassandra nodded. "And when I found out who my mother was."

For God knew how long, Ella remained still, taking in everything that Cassandra had said to her. She'd never thought about it that way. She definitely agreed with Cassandra that she despised reliving that memory of the Northern Isles. If she had been mistreated there, it was likely that she had been mistreated before and she had no memory of it.

"Are you okay, Ella?" Cassandra asked.

Ella nodded meekly. "Why do bad memories have to exist if they're just going to bother us?"

"Because they help us make better choices for the future," Cassandra replied. "As harmful as they can be, they can sometimes make us stronger. Depending on the bad memory, they could help shape the future. Sometimes, people learn from them. Sometimes they don't and let them corrupt themselves."

"You can't change the past but you can change the future," Ella replied. Cassandra nodded. "And you learned from yours."

"Yes, though I don't like to think about it," Cassandra answered. "But yes, if I hadn't learned from my mistakes, I would not help Rapunzel and Corona and come here and save Reignlen. I wouldn't have found my destiny."

"And in the end, you finally found a place where you're the hero," Ella said. "Do you think that I have a destiny?"

"I believe that everyone has a destiny," Cassandra said. She gave Ella a small smile before raising her weapon back, aiming it at the target, and preparing to release it. "They just need to go into the unknown to find one."

"Cassandra!" Lewis yelled nearby, almost causing Ella to jump.

This caused Cassandra to accidentally release her arrow and it flew past the tree. Ella watched the arrow disappear into an unknown area with Owl flying after it. She glanced over her shoulder to see that Lewis and Hans were strolling over to them.

"Lewis," Cassandra hissed, glaring at him. "What have I told you about interrupting me when I'm practicing? I could've shot you!"

"I'm sorry," Lewis said. When Hans placed the bucket on the ground, Ella could smell a strong scent from the river. "I had no idea you were out there."

Sighing in frustration, Cassandra placed her bow and arrow down, laid them against a nearby tree, and spun to the boys. She was about to speak when Hans noticed Ella and said, "Oh, I didn't expect to see you out here, Ella."

"Yes, since the party Ella's been joining me for target practice sometimes," Cassandra said. "Do you hang out anywhere else or just around here?"

"I still spend most of my time in my room," Ella answered. "But other than our training and meals, I sometimes wander around the palace."

"Good for you, Ella." Hans smiled. "You're getting there. I'm glad that you're starting to get out more."

As hooting neared, Ella, Hans, Cassandra, and Lewis glanced forward to see Owl returning. As Ella narrowed her eyes, she noticed that he was carrying something. Once Owl flew above Cassandra, he dropped the item into her hands.

Cassandra's eyes widened as she stared at her arrow that was now split in half. "You have got to be kidding me." After she thanked Owl, he flew over to a branch nearby. "You have got to be kidding me! How am I going to fix this?"

Lewis peered down at the broken arrow. "Maybe you could still use it as a fishing spear?"

Cassandra peered up, arching an eyebrow. "That reminds me, why aren't you at the town square with Derek? George is supposed to teach Hans how to fish."

"He blew him off," Lewis explained. "We saw George and his friends going on another one of their hunting trips. Derek told me to get to Hans while he goes to the town square."

"Why am I not surprised?" Cassandra groaned, shaking her head. She placed the broken arrow on a boulder nearby. "We're lucky that we're not short on guards today."

While Hans, Lewis, and Cassandra complained about George, Ella picked up the arrow and examined it. Maybe they could use some rope? Or maybe—she remembered that dress she'd made. Ella slowly removed her left glove and laid her arm out, flattening her hand.

Ella closed her eyes and let out a breath. "Okay. Okay. Come on, Ella."

As she motioned her hands, ice crystals tingled from her fingertips and traveled towards the arrow. Ella's mouth dropped as she watched the ice swarm. Am I doing this? Hans, Cassandra, and Lewis ended their conversation. A line of ice formed between the point and the fletching before covering the entirety of the arrow. When the ice faded away, Ella peered down in awe at her newest creation. The shaft was a light blue crystal with sparkles that shone off it. The point and the fletching looked the same except that they were dark blue.

Awe transformed Lewis's features. "Wait, did you just do that? I don't believe it! Cassandra, she just fixed your arrow!"

Ella picked up the arrow and held it out towards Cassandra. "Do you like it? I know that it's made out of my magic but—"

Cassandra took the arrow from her. "Wow, thanks, Ella. I appreciate it."

Hans glanced down at the arrow in astonishment. "Impressive. It's amazing what you can do with your powers."

Ella crossed her arms. "Do you think that it'll work?"

"Here, let me try," Cassandra answered, connecting her new arrow with her bow.

Cassandra pulled the arrow back and released it. The arrow flew straight into the inner circle. Ella gasped. It worked! I just created that? Cassandra smirked and headed towards the target.

Lewis turned towards Ella. "Wow, that's amazing! You should create new swords for us, Ella!"

Owl flew over and helped Cassandra pull the arrows from the target. "Our swords are fine. Remember, we got new ones over the summer."

"I agree with Cassandra, Lewis." Hans nodded, crossing his arms. "I've seen how well you and. . .well, most of the others can handle their swords. Blake, Vance, and Thiago aren't exactly skilled, therefore a new sword won't help us. They can't even run three whole laps."

"They're still learning," Cassandra replied, pulling Ella's arrow out and placing it in the quiver. Her icy eyes glared at Hans as she strolled over to them. "I just told you that they'd only been on the guard two weeks before I left to get you."

"I wasn't intending to speak badly about them," Hans replied, mirroring her. "I was trying to make a point to Lewis."

Cassandra raised an eyebrow. "Really, Hans? That wasn't what it sounded like."

"If it came out that way, I apologize. I was only trying to make a point."

"Fine." Cassandra curled her lip. "And will you quit mirroring me? I don't like it."

Hans refrained from retorting back and sighed. "Alright, I'm sorry."

"Why do you that anyway?" Cassandra asked, irritably. "I've seen you do that several times to a lot of people, even to Ella back on the Daaphelia. You did that in Arendelle too, didn't you?"

Hans' eyes shifted to the left and then the right before they locked back on her. "It's just something that I was taught by my father."

"He taught you to mirror other people?"

Hans nodded. "Yes. Actually, it was the only useful thing that I'd learned from him."

What did Hans have against his family? Ella was tempted to ask but felt like she could escalate things, therefore she left it alone instead.

Cassandra looked askance at Hans for a long moment before she shook her head and Lewis spoke up. "That reminds me—when are you leaving, Hans?"

"Tomorrow morning. I'm packing my things tonight."

It reminded Ella of something that she'd meant to ask as well. "Who's going to train me while you're gone?"

"I don't know, Ella. I promise that I will let you know before I leave," Hans answered softly. He glanced up at Cassandra. "There was a council meeting yesterday, wasn't there? Did Uncle Edgar say anything about Ella's training while I'm gone?"

"Fisher didn't come to either of you?" Cassandra asked just when Owl landed on her shoulder. "He was supposed to."

Ella picked up her book from the ground."I heard that Fisher had to clean the ballroom, but I haven't seen him today."

Cassandra sighed. "Okay, there's a council meeting in an hour and you're required to come."

Ella's eyes dimmed and she crossed her arms. "It's about me, isn't it?"

"Ella, it's okay," Hans assured. The temperature started to decrease. "You should relax. I'm sure that it's nothing to worry about."

"He's right," Cassandra agreed. "I promise that you'll be fine."

"Alright, I'll head there after I feed Vioran," Hans declared, picking up the bucket.

"If it's alright, I can help you, and then we can go to the meeting," Ella suggested, stepping towards him and handing her book to Cassandra. "We're both needed there anyway."

"That's a good idea," Cassandra said. After handing the bucket to Ella, Lewis made his way back to town and disappeared from view. "We should head back now. I'll see you two later."

---

As the shelf opened, Ella glanced down at the bucket to see fish with the brightest scales that she'd ever seen.

"I can take that, Ella," Hans offered, stepping inside the passage.

Ella stepped in after him. "It's alright, Hans. I can handle it."

"Are you sure? You've carried it for a while."

"It's fine."

Once Hans closed the shelf, Ella followed him up the stairs, clenching the railing. She was going slower than normal due to the bucket. Hans made sure that she kept up with him, going slowly as well. They paused once to see if Vioran was on the walls nearby before continuing.

As they neared the top, Ella glanced up when she heard the dragon let out a small roar, and a small thud was heard. "I'm still surprised that your uncle and aunt allowed you to let him stay. I thought that they would object to it."

"Trust me, it took a while for me to convince them."

When the duo reached the top step, they glanced over to the table where a see-through silhouette crawled. Hans stepped further into the room with Ella following behind. "I'm back, Vioran. And I bought Ella with me."

After revealing himself, Vioran lifted his head and smiled at them. The dragon crawled forward on the desk, stretching his neck out. Without warning, he leaped off the desk, growling in excitement, causing Ella to flinch.

"It's okay, Ella," Hans assured. "He's just excited. He does this whenever I feed him."

That was a surprise, considering whenever Ella would come in here for her lessons, Vioran would crawl on the walls. Once he had leaped on the desk when she was practicing with a peach, but other than that he never disturbed them.

"I'm sure that he'll grow out of it. Not that there's anything wrong with it."

Ella stood straight and stepped forward. "Of course not. And I wasn't frightened, Hans. I was just surprised."

"Really? It looked like you were startled," Hans answered, furrowing his eyebrows.

"I'm not—I mean I—I wasn't startled."

"It's okay to be afraid. You just have to make sure not to let your fear take over."

"I'm fine," Ella assured. Her tight grip on the railing reminded her of the heavy bucket. "Where should I put this?"

Hans pointed to the table. "There will be good. Last week I sat the bucket on the ground and Vioran spilled it."

Vioran let out a small squeak before Ella had a chance to speak. She glanced down at the dragon who was smiling up at her and she did the same. Once Ella sat the bucket on the table, Hans pulled out a sliver plate with Reignlen's symbol scattered on the rim.

"Do you always leave a plate in here?"

"No." Hans shook his head. "I always bring one here in the morning before I go to the training grounds."

"How many fish do you feed him?"

"Two. I often try to get three so I can feed him dinner later."

For a brief moment, the musky scent caused Ella to focus on the fish until Vioran's cooing and small roars took her attention away. She reached into the bucket and grabbed a slippery fish, feeling the wetness around her gloved fingertips. As she lifted the fish from the bucket, something pulled at the end of her dress, giving her pause.

"No, Vioran," Hans said firmly. Ella glanced over her shoulder where Vioran was pulling her dress, chewing on it. "You don't do that. That's not dinner."

Vioran pulled on Ella's dress a few more times until Hans' firm orders finally made him stop. The bottom of her dress was now torn with holes scattered about. Vioran peered up at Ella, smiling.

"My apologies," Hans said. "He's still learning what he's supposed to eat. Until now, he was getting better."

"I understand, Hans," Ella assured, placing the fish on the plate. "He's still a baby."

While Vioran squeaked in the background, Hans chuckled and reached for the plate. "You should've been there when Norman came in."

"What? What happened?" Ella chuckled, a strand of hair passing her right ear.

"After I first fed Vioran," Hans began, "I started working on some documents. Vioran leaped over and tried to eat them, but I wouldn't let him. Norman came in to bring the plate to the kitchen. At first, Vioran left him alone until Norman started to leave. I was so busy that I didn't know what was going on. As soon as Norman reached the door, Vioran pulled on his pants and tore a large piece of them. If I hadn't peeked up from my work, Norman would've been walking around the castle with a hole in the back of his pants."

"Wow. Really?" Ella asked with a small chuckle. "How did you handle that? What did Norman think?"

"He was surprised, but he was more thankful that Vioran didn't attack him," Hans answered. "I gave him a towel to wrap around himself until he found another pair of pants to change into. Luckily, he didn't get humiliated."

Ella refrained from chuckling again. "Well, that's good."

Vioran squeaked and let out a small roar. "Okay, Vioran," Hans chuckled. "Time for lunch."

They spun around to see the dragon approach them. Vioran stretched out his tail and let out a small roar, causing Hans and Ella to smile. The duo sat on their knees across from him. Vioran jumped, attempting to open his wings, but failed.

"Don't worry, you'll fly one day." Hans smiled. He gazed at Ella as he lowered the plate towards the ground. "He's been trying to fly."

"I can see that," Ella chuckled. Again, Vioran bounced, trying to lift himself off the ground. "He's quite determined, isn't he?"

"Without a doubt," Hans said, stretching the plate towards Vioran.

Vioran craned towards the fish and sniffed it a couple of times before he took a large bite. He lifted the fish off the plate, hanging it in his mouth. He slowly chewed until he finally devoured it and did the same to the other fish. Hans smiled and petted him before he held his arm towards him. Vioran cooed and crawled up his arm. When he reached his shoulder, he let out a long small roar, bringing laughter to both Hans and Ella.

"That was good, wasn't it?" Hans asked.

Ella petted Vioran's head, feeling the hard scales against her glove. He peered up at her and smiled.

"He likes you, Ella." Hans smiled.

Vioran rubbed his head against Ella's hand. Ella smiled at him and petted him again. Vioran let out a small roar and crawled onto Ella's right shoulder, giving her pause. Hans gestured to her that it was alright but still kept a vigilant watch on his dragon. She felt pokes on her back as Vioran crawled and his tail brushed against her shoulder. Vioran reached Ella's left shoulder and gazed at her. Ella felt her heart pounding as she peered back at him. What was he going to do? Was he going to climb on her head? Crawl down her chest? Could he even attack her? The latter was unlikely, given that Hans was his keeper, yet Vioran was still a baby.

Vioran smiled and cooed before he leaned towards her face and licked her cheek. Before Ella could process her thoughts, Vioran turned and leaped onto the wall nearby. After a second, Ella slowly smiled. "Has he done that to you before?"

Hans nodded. "You're the first person other than myself."

Vioran squeaked as he crawled further on the wall. Ella and Hans rose from the ground. "Hans," Ella began, "do you think they'll ask for my progress?"

"Maybe," Hans said, heading towards the stairs with Ella following behind. "Though, they might already know."

Ella's eyes dimmed. "Would they throw me out?"

Hans came to a halt, turning his gaze towards her. "No. They would never do that. If anything, you would just have to keep wearing the gloves, but I'm sure that it won't come to that."

"How do you know?"

"Because my aunt and uncle are good people. Everything will be okay. I promise."

Ella placed her head in her hands. Just as Hans reached for his handkerchief, she found herself wrapping her arms around his back and burying her head into his broad shoulder. She heard herself sniffing as she clenched him tighter. After a long pause, she felt his arms wrap around her back.

"It's okay," Hans soothed in her ear. "It's okay. Just let it out."

Finally, Ella gently lifted her head off his shoulder and peered up at him. He comforted her and she couldn't appreciate it even more. They slowly backed away from each other. Finally, they went towards the stairs.

When they reached the last step, Ella wrapped her arms around each other and watched Hans open the passage. "How long do you think we'll be at the meeting?"

"I'm sure that it won't be very long," Hans said. "Cassandra said that the meetings take over two hours." As he stepped out into the library, he glanced over at Ella. "And you did a good job up there not concealing your emotions. I know that it's not easy, but it'll help you and your magic."

---

They came to a halt in front of two large doors that looked similar to the study except that this was flanked by two trophies of the Kingdom's symbols. Ella folded her hands as she watched Hans politely knock. After they were permitted to enter, Hans opened the door for her.

As Ella stepped inside, she glanced around the room. This was another one of her favorites, despite the fact that she hadn't been inside that much. The golden wall was decorated with portraits of past leaders, historical events, and even coronations. A large, dark green rug lay in the middle of the burgundy floor. To the far left of the room was a large painting of a past ruler and on the far right was a large window with a view of Reignlen.

In the center of the finely decorated room, Edgar and Heidi were each seated at the ends of a long table covered by a white tablecloth. Cassandra was seated in the middle of two fellow council members nearby Heidi's end. There were two empty chairs in the middle and Edgar gestured for them to take a seat, which Ella did.

Hans shut the door behind him and went over to the table. After he sat next to Ella, he said, "We were told that you asked for us, Uncle Edgar and Aunt Heidi. What do you wish to see us for?"

Heidi rose from her seat, folding her hands. "Are you familiar with the name Madrigal?"

"The Madrigals?" Hans asked. "Yes, I've heard about them. Lars mentioned them in one of his history books. Once he said that the matriarch, Alma Madrigal, had invited our family over for dinner, but my father never wrote back. Do you know her and her family?"

Heidi nodded. "Yes. I've been friends with her daughter, Julieta for a while. Before I met Edgar, my sister, Evelyn, and I came from a noble family in Belliville. For a long while, I used to be a tightrope walker and I traveled from town to town performing acts. One day, I went to Encanto for my tightrope act. While I was performing, I wasn't aware that the rope was fraying, and right when I'd almost finished my act, the rope snapped.

"Afterwards, I was brought to the Casita where Julieta healed me. When I thanked her, we realized that we had some things in common with being the firstborn and all, therefore we instantly became close friends. For a while, I went to Encanto to visit Julieta and her family until I saw how Alma and the town treated her brother, Bruno. I stood up for him against Alma and never went back.

"When I was pregnant with Margaret, I thought about returning to the Encanto and reconciling with Julieta until I heard about Bruno's disappearance and how her youngest daughter was being treated, so I decided otherwise.

"Over this past summer, I had heard that the Madrigals had turned everything around. I wanted to see for myself, but I was unsure until I mustered up the courage. Two weeks before Cassandra was sent to the Northern Isles, my husband and I left for Encanto. We were pleasantly surprised to see that the Madrigals had changed their ways and Bruno had returned. Julieta and I rekindled our friendship and I met her daughters, nieces, and nephews, and they met Edgar. Since then, we've been supporting each other."

"I'm glad to hear that," Ella said. "So, her family has powers like me?"

"Most of them," Heidi answered, sitting down. "They help each other out as well as their community."

Hans reached for a quill and piece of paper on the table. "Maybe we could invite them over if you're comfortable. Perhaps they could give us advice on how to control our magic?"

"That's not a bad idea, Hans," Edgar said, leaving Ella no time to answer. He rose from his chair and held out an unsealed letter. "However, we received this."

"What does that have to do with us?" Hans asked, raising an eyebrow. "With Ella?"

Ella felt her heart thudding, but she managed to heave some breaths before her magic went out of control.

"Alma has recently written back to us," Edgar began. "She's suggesting that Ella could come to see her and her family. She thinks that if Ella sees how helpful they are, it might help her gain more confidence in her magic." He glanced over at Ella. "My dear, would you be comfortable going to Encanto and visiting the Madrigals?"

After a long moment of pause, Ella peered up at him. "When would I be leaving?"

Edgar placed his hands on his eyes and sighed. From the looks of Heidi, Cassandra, and the other council members, they didn't seem thrilled with what was coming next. Ella fought the urge to gulp and stayed straight in her seat. She noticed that Hans drew his brows together at his uncle.

"The Southern Isles is on the way to Encanto," Edgar answered, rubbing his eyes. "You would have to leave with Hans tomorrow and go there first."

A council member rose from his seat. "Your Majesties, I still don't think that Ella should go to the Southern Isles." Ella could tell that everyone else felt the same way. "You know how—"

"I'm sorry," Heidi said, her eyes dimming. "Edgar and I don't want her to go there either, but this is the only way."

"Isn't there another ship that could take her?" Hans asked. "Cassandra could take her there while I'm in the Southern Isles or I could take her to the Madrigals when I get back."

"That was what we were intending," Edgar began. "Unfortunately, the other ships aren't available." Why would they not want her to go to the Southern Isles? It didn't make any sense. "We even tried to see if the Daaphelia would be willing to take her after you return, but Captain Murphy informed me that they already have plans that they can't change."

Cassandra rose from her chair. "Your Majesties, I could travel with them. We could tell King Reynold that I brought Ella to help with her education. They won't touch her since I'm Captain of the Guard."

"I think that's a good idea, Cassandra," Heidi said.

"I agree. We'll do that," Edgar declared before he peered back at Ella. "It's up to you. If you think that you're comfortable going, you may go. If not, we can wait."

Ella still felt uncomfortable with meeting strangers, but it sounded like this family could help her. If there was something that could help her, she should take it. "I'll go." She nodded after Hans asked if she was sure. "How will the voyage last?"

"Three weeks," Edgar answered. "The trip from here to the Southern Isles will last five days and you'll spend the evening there. Afterward, it'll take the Daaphelia a week to travel to Encanto, and I believe that you'll stay for three days. And then it'll take six days for the Daaphelia to bring you back home."

"What about her training?" a young council member asked.

"I can train her on the Daaphelia," Hans declared. "I remember this nice room that would be the perfect place. And when we get to Encanto, I'll see if the Madrigals will let me train her somewhere."

Edgar brought out piles of parchment paper on the table and passed them out to everyone. "That'll work. Just make sure that you gather everything that you'll need."

For the next hour, they continued the meeting until it was officially adjourned and everyone rose to make their way to the dining room.

---

After dinner, Ella strolled into the hall. The sooner she got her packing done, the better. She heard footsteps racing over to her, followed by Miss Bellwood scolding someone for running. Ella glanced around her shoulder and greeted Margaret with a smile.

"Hey, Ella!" Margaret exclaimed. "Do you think that you could show your magic today?"

A small smile formed on Ella's face. "Perhaps another time."

A few council members noticed her and approached her. "Ah, you saved Princess Namaari at that party, didn't you?" one of them asked. Ella nodded. "If it hadn't been for your magic, we can't imagine what would've happened."

"Yes, you should be lucky that you're blessed with magic," the other council member agreed. "It can help out with so much."

Ella's smile slowly faded away. "Yes, I suppose it can."

"Yeah, you're like a warrior." Margaret beamed. "Your magic could make you a hero!"

"I guess," Ella said, slowly turning away. "I should start packing."

Eventually, Ella reached the corridor and was just about to stroll over to her room when she saw two maids carrying laundry. She asked them if they needed help, but they politely declined. When she reached her door, Ella glanced over her shoulder, watching them head towards the end of the hall. They talked about the dress she made at the party and how talented she was with her magic.

When the two maids reached the end of the hall and disappeared, Ella's eyes glistened with tears before she closed the door behind her.

---

When morning came, Ella met Cassandra and Hans at the main stairway. Afterward, they left the castle where a royal escort was waiting for them. Eventually, the royal escort finally reached the town.

As the royal escort led them to the South Bay, Ella couldn't help but look out the window, holding her book closer to her chest. She was lucky that this country was filled with kindness and compassion. She couldn't be any more grateful that this was her home.

"What is Encanto like?" Hans asked Cassandra as they turned a corner and headed towards a pier where fishermen were leaving their boats. "Weren't you with my uncle and aunt when they saw the Madrigals?"

Cassandra shook her head. "I was in Kumandra at the time."

When the royal escort came to a halt, the coachmen opened the door for them, revealing the Daaphelia floating behind the pier. After they left the carriage, Ella watched a sailor lower a gangplank before listening to the carriage take off.

Ella suddenly thought of something and glanced over to Hans. "Hans, when will we work on my training?"

"We'll do it after lunch like usual." Hans glanced over to Cassandra. "What are the guards going to do while you're away?"

"I assigned Nedria as Acting Captain until we come back," Cassandra answered. "Whenever I leave Reignlen, I assign someone to temporarily take my place."

"Is he always your Acting Captain?"

"No, I choose the ones with the most experience at the time."

"Ah, good morning!" a voice behind them exclaimed. They spun around where Harold approached them with a tray filled with large cupcakes of all sorts of flavors. He greeted Cassandra, Ella, and Hans with a friendly hello. "I didn't expect you three to be up so early!"

"We're going on a trip," Cassandra explained. Hans adjusted his satchel."We'll be away for three weeks."

"Well, I hope that you'll have a fun time," Harold said. He held out the tray to them. "Would you three like a cupcake? It doesn't hurt to have something sweet this morning."

The trio expressed their gratitude as they picked one cupcake each from the tray. Ella glanced down at her treat. It had whipped chocolate frosting with chocolate sprinkles dusted around it and a cherry on the top. The bottom was wrapped in silver foil. As Harold was asking Cassandra and Hans about their trip, Ella was just about to enjoy her treat when she spotted something nearby.

Behind a market stall was a young boy staring at the fruit with sadness clouding his features. He looked to be about four years younger than Margaret and, from the way that he dressed, Ella could tell that he was a beggar. Her eyes almost watered as she watched the boy lick his lips and sigh.

Without hesitation, Ella strolled over to the boy. The boy widened his eyes and hid behind the stall. "Hey, it's okay," Ella soothed. The boy slowly peaked out. For a moment, he looked like he was about to step out, but instead, he remained where he was. Ella slowly handed the cupcake to him. "Here. Go on, take it."

The boy slowly stepped further toward her. He gently took the cupcake from her hands. He slowly brought the cupcake towards his mouth before he finally took a bite. After she watched him smile, Ella smiled back.

The boy then strolled away from her, eating the cupcake. Ella glanced over her shoulder where she saw that Hans was peering at her. His expression slowly formed into a smile and his smile dimmed before Harold spoke.

"Oh, I didn't see him," Harold exclaimed. "If I would've known, I could've offered him one."

"Did he say where his mother was?" Cassandra asked, peering ahead of her.

Ella shook her head. "I didn't see—"

After some people in her view went in another direction, Ella finally spotted the boy over towards a woman. After the boy gently tore the cupcake in half, he gave one half to the woman, and they both nibbled on the treat. Their faces lit up and the boy hugged the woman.

"Well, Ella, it looks like you helped two people." Cassandra smiled.

"Nothing beats an act of kindness," Harold said. "That's the Reignlen way."

Once Captain Murphy called for the trio to get on board, Harold wished them a good trip and left the area. Owl flew over them and sat on the railing. Afterwards, Ella, Hans, and Cassandra went up the gangplank.

After the sailors pulled the gangplank on board, Captain Murphy strolled over to the trio and welcomed them on board. Afterward, he ordered his crew to sail away. As the sailors obeyed, Ella placed her heavy suitcase on the ground next to her. Her hands needed a break from carrying it.

When the ship was finally in open water, Captain Murphy ordered all the sailors to turn to him. While the captain was informing them about something, Ella noticed that Hans' satchel was moving. He kept trying to calm something down to no avail. Suddenly, something jumped out of the satchel and Vioran landed on the ground, causing panic among the sailors.

"What is that?" Samul exclaimed, pointing at Vioran. "Someone get rid of it!"

Hans frowned at him. "That is my dragon, Samul."

The sailors gasped, causing Cassandra to roll her eyes at their overreaction. After Captain Murphy ordered them to remain calm, he peered down at Vioran. "Why is this on here?"

"I'm taking him with me," Hans answered.

"Why couldn't you have someone at King Edgar's castle to take care of him?" an older sailor asked.

"I don't trust anyone else to handle him," Hans explained. Vioran stretched out his tail. "Besides, he is my responsibility. I feel like it would be unfair to dump him on anyone else."

"Okay, but how is bringing him any better?" Cassandra asked. "What're you going to do with him when we arrive?"

"He'll stay on here," Hans answered. He glanced over to Captain Murphy. "I recall that you mentioning that you've dealt with dragons before. You can keep an eye on him."

Captain Murphy sighed. "I suppose I could."

"What about when we reach Encanto?" Samul asked. "Are you going to keep him on here then too?"

The temperature started to heat up until Hans calmed himself down. "I'll decide when we get there." Vioran peered at a few sailors and hissed at them, causing Hans to bend down to him. "No, don't do that, Vioran. You have to learn your manners." Vioran tilted his head at his master. "And you will."

Without warning, Vioran leaped onto Hans' shoulder. Hans smiled and petted him. Captain Murphy then ordered the sailors to get to work. Afterward, he advised the trio to go to their cabins to unpack their things. "We have a long trip ahead of us. Let's hope that nothing will go awry."

"If it does, Ella could save us again," a sailor said, nodding.

Ella's eyes dimmed as she continued to head towards the door.

"Yes, her magic could help us," another sailor said as she headed down the stairs below deck.

When Ella finally reached her cabin, she couldn't have been any more relieved. She needed time for herself. She placed her suitcase on the bed and opened it, yet she was too overwhelmed to put her things away. Instead, she glanced over at a mirror and approached it, peering at her reflection and reflecting on how everyone talked about her powers.

Is that all I am? Just my magic?

Many would think that having magic would impress people. To her, it was almost the same as liking someone just because of their beauty.

---

The five days came and went, a storm delayed their voyage yet nothing else happened overboard, much to everyone's relief. At this time, Ella was in her cabin, dressing for Caleb's birthday dinner. She glanced at the mirror, taking in her appearance. The button-down bodice of her beige dress had flowing laces around her sleeved shoulders. The sleeves were long and puffy. There were ruffles around the waistline and the flouncy skirts reached the ground. She had put her hair up in three, intricate buns, one at the top of her head while the other two covered her ears. Her corset squeezed back, compressing her ribcage. She should've had Cassandra help with her corset. She heaved some breaths, uncertain if it was because of the corset or her anxiety, or both.

The last thing Ella wanted was to be the laughing stock. While Reignlen treated their subjects with kindness, she was unsure about the Southern Isles. How did they treat the poor? What was the family like? For sure, she would finally discover Hans' relationship with them.

Ella still wondered why Hans wanted nothing to do with his family. He came from a large, wealthy family and still, it wasn't enough. Maybe if he was happy with what he had, he wouldn't have attempted to kill Queen Elsa and take over Arendelle. She glanced over to her door. Should I ask him? She took a step forward and then gave pause. Perhaps it was best if she didn't.

She suddenly remembered that hug she'd given him back in Reignlen and still couldn't believe that she'd done that. Though, she was starting to feel more comfortable around him. Her mistrust of him had somewhat gone down since she knew him better now and how much he helped her. But how did Hans feel about the hug? He never said anything about it. Would—outside her room, she heard a door closing and the floor creaking.

Is he there?

The creaking continued further into the hallway and up the stairs, reminding Ella that she should head up on deck too. She snatched a fan that matched her outfit. This could help whenever she got stressed. When she reached the door, she peered down at her beige gloves. She wished that she could use her magic to create her dress, yet she shook her head and pulled the door open.

---

As Ella stepped further on the deck, she spotted all of the sailors bustling around and heard Captain Murphy giving instructions. When Samul raced past her, she asked, "Have we arrived?"

"Not yet, but we will any second," Samul replied before he took off when Captain Murphy called him.

The cold, howling wind caused her to peer up at the cloudy sky. It looked like it was late in the afternoon, maybe almost early evening. As Vioran's tiny roars carried over to her, almost intermingling with the wind, she took her attention away from the sky and instead, focused on Hans and Vioran right across from her. Cassandra was sitting on a barrel, sharpening her dagger. When Ella didn't see Owl, she assumed that he'd flown somewhere.

Vioran was climbing towards the railing with Hans watching over him. Ella chuckled and strolled over to them. "It looks like you have your hands full." She grinned, laying her hand on the railing.

"He's doing better today," Hans chuckled.

Vioran spun around towards her and smiled, letting out a small squeak. He was about to leap at her until Hans stopped him. Instead, the dragon stretched his neck out towards her and she petted his head in response.

Ella rose and laid her arms on the railing, holding the fan in her hand. "Have you ever thought about bringing him to your family's palace? Maybe they'll accept him."

"Lars and possibly my mother would, but my father and the rest of my brothers wouldn't. Without a doubt, my in-laws would keep my nephews and nieces away from Vioran."

"Oh, which of your brothers are married with children?"

"All of them. Most of them were married before I even reached adulthood. They all have so many children, it's ridiculous."

His family was larger than she'd expected. Edgar and Heidi's family couldn't even compete. "I had no idea. Your nieces and nephews must love you."

Hans' eyes dimmed. "I wish."

The wind howled again, this time sending a salty scent that filled everyone's noses. As Ella glanced out at the ocean, she noticed that they were surrounded in a large expanse of sea. "I heard that we'll be arriving any second now."

"Yes, we'll be arriving in prison just because my father, the jailor, insisted that I come," Hans commented. Ella didn't like that. What did he have against his home and family? "It is what it is. I just hope that Father won't have my head for being late." Once he petted Vioran, he sighed and glanced at the open water. "Are you okay with not going over our training?"

Today, they didn't have training because Hans felt that Ella could get overwhelmed with everything going on. Honestly, Ella was glad that they hadn't; she already had a lot on her mind. "It's fine, Hans," she answered, softly. "I understand."

"What did you do today?"

"I just spent my time reading earlier," she replied. Ella was still reading 'The Month is August' and so far, it kept getting better and better. She would either refuse to put it down or be hesitant to read it because she didn't want it to end. It was a wonderful book and she could see why it was loved by so many. Suddenly, she recalled what she had read in her book. "And I'm just at the part where Daniel opened his letter."

In the book, Brian was one of Vincent's servants who had met Daniel at Vincent's engagement party. Brian's fiancée, Cindy, had fallen ill and needed medicine or else she would die. Neither one of them could afford it, therefore Brian decided that he would break into Vincent's family's vault to steal the gold. Daniel didn't agree with this, but Brian forced him to keep it a secret. It created more tension for Daniel because if Vincent found out, he could lose his position as a guard, causing himself, his mother, and sisters to be out in the streets. To make matters worse, shortly before Brian spoke to Daniel, Vincent told him that he was the most honest and loyal soldier that anyone could have. Time had gone by so quickly while Ella read those pages. She remembered how her heart had beaten and how tightly she'd held on before she finally had the strength to turn the pages.

"Ah, I remember that part," Hans recalled. "I was shocked when Jacob sent him that letter. I couldn't be—"

"No, he got the letter from Vincent," Ella said, causing Hans to blush. He tried to hold back a chuckle. Ella mischievously grinned, raising a curious eyebrow. "I thought you said that you weren't going to give anything away?"

"My apologies," Hans chuckled. Ella playfully rolled her eyes, giggling. "I forgot about that part."

"You see what you've done?!" Ella playfully scolded. "Now, I have to wait to see what Jacob sent to him! Thanks a lot!"

"Well, to be fair, it's been years since I read it." Hans playfully frowned. "You should give me a break." Ella playfully shook her head, rolling her eyes. "Will you ever forgive me?"

"Apology accepted," Ella laughed. "I'll let you off with a warning." They both chuckled for a moment until their laughter died down. "I did read the part where Brian forced Daniel not to tell anyone that he's plotting to steal Vincent's money so he can heal Cindy."

"I remember that. What did you think about it?"

"I understand why Brian would want to do that, but I think he should've found another way to help. Even Daniel should've tried to convince him to do the right thing."

"Exactly," Hans agreed. "But it's not simple. Sometimes when someone loves someone so much, they don't want anything to happen to them, therefore they become so desperate that they allow their bad judgment to consume them." Hans' eyes dimmed. "Sometimes, they would even go to great lengths to protect them and ends up hurting them in the process. They wish that they could do easy things to help their families, but, sometimes, they just don't have a choice."

Everything that he'd said made sense, yet something about those last sentences hit Ella differently. It felt like she might've experienced something like that in the past and she couldn't remember it. "I can't imagine. I wonder why it has to be like this."

"It's just the way things are. And it's often out of anyone's control whether we like it or not."

Ella's right hand held the railing while the other held her fan, yet she almost forgot about them. "It seems like life is always out of everyone's control, isn't it?"

"Yes," Hans said softly. "I suppose that it is always up to the fates."

For a long moment, they took their attention away from the sea and to each other. Ella's eyes fluttered down to the ground for a second and back to Hans. Before either of them had a chance to speak, Captain Murphy announced something.

"What is it, Captain?" Hans asked, turning a curious gaze towards him.

After he gave an order to a sailor, he strolled over to Hans with his hands behind his back. "We're arriving at your home, Your Highness. We'll be docking shortly."

Hans silently nodded with an expression of dismay. Vioran climbed up his shoulder, causing a smile to slowly form, and Hans gently stroked his head. Cassandra placed her dagger in her boot and rose from the barrel. Everywhere all at once, the sailors were occupied. Along with her beating heart, Ella opened up her fan and sent waves of air to herself, hoping that it would with her magic.

"Are you okay?" Hans asked. Ella meekly nodded as she fanned herself faster.

Cassandra strolled over to them. "Do you need to sit down?"

"I'm fine," Ella assured, fanning herself.

To make matters worse, this dress was way beyond uncomfortable. She was uncertain if it was because of the dress or the corset. Without a doubt, this was her least favorite dress.

"I'm surprised that you didn't use your magic for your dress," Cassandra commented. "You don't look comfortable. Maybe you should go and change."

"It's alright. Besides, I don't have much time anyway. We're already late as it is."

"We could wait," Hans said. "We're only a few minutes late."

"If you're so worried about losing time," Cassandra began, "you could use your magic to—"

Ella shook her head. "No! I mean no thank you." She understood that they were trying to help, but she wanted just one night where she wasn't seen as just her magic. "I'll be okay. I won't be using my magic today."

"I hate to say it, but that would probably be for the best until we leave," Hans commented.

Ella swiftly glanced at him, raising her eyebrow. He had been training and helping her and now he said this. It was the last thing that she'd expected him to say. Why would he say that? From the look on Cassandra's face, Ella could tell that she felt the same. Ella opened her mouth and was just about to ask Hans when—.

"Uh, Captain? You better come here now!" a young sailor called nervously. "I think there's a sea monster ahead!"

"No, that's the palace, Hugh," Samul said.

"Really? It doesn't look like it!" Hugh argued.

Captain Murphy and a few older sailors went towards the bow of the ship with Ella, Cassandra, and Hans following behind. "That is the palace," Hans confirmed.

"Well, what do you know?" Samul smirked. Hugh shot an annoyed look at him. "I was right all along."

"Can it, Samul!" Cassandra hissed. "We should be lucky that nothing is attacking us."

Ella's eyes widened as she glanced ahead. The Daaphelia was sailing towards a gleaming black stone building that resembled a serpent. From the way it was built, Ella was amazed that the palace was able to house citizens.

One of the older sailors whistled. "I've never seen a palace like that before. I can't blame you for mistaking it for a sea monster."

"Should we prepare to attack, Captain?" a young sailor from far off asked.

"No, we're fine," Captain Murphy called. He held onto his hat, preventing it from being blown off. "I'm just glad that our voyage went swimmingly. We deserve a break. We don't need to get involved in an incident with sorpoises or pirates."

"Speaking of pirates, why would Flynn Rider join Golden Eye's crew?" an older sailor asked. Ella noticed that Hans paused with a dirty look. "I mean, if it was him, why would he be there? He's married to Princess Rapunzel and is Captain of the guard in Corona."

"Who knows what the scoundrel is up to," Hans commented, bitterly. "Especially since he's the heir of the Dark Kingdom along with those titles. He practically has everything."

"So, was that Flynn Rider on the Robin Gallery?" Captain Murphy asked.

Cassandra answered with a "no" while Hans answered with a "yes" at the same time.

"No, he's in Corona," Cassandra replied. "It wasn't him."

"Of course, it was him," Hans said. This garnered an icy look from Cassandra. "I should know. I haven't forgotten a single detail about him since I dealt with him."

Captain Murphy ordered Samul, Hugh, and the older sailors to get back to work. When Captain Murphy went over to another sailor, Cassandra narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. "How exactly do you know Rider, Hans? Just curious."

The voices of the sailors and the orders of Captain Murphy intermingled until they were drowned out by the howling wind. Ella glanced back at the Isles and saw that there were no mountains to block out the wind. She couldn't imagine how the citizens could put up with the howling sound. However, not even the wind nor the sight could distract her from hearing Hans' story.

"It was almost seven years ago. When I was made Admiral, I was expecting my father to be proud. Instead, he pushed me to the side and droned on about Caleb's new portrait painted by the Giovanni. I remember that it was a big deal to my father and brother when they hung that portrait. A few weeks later, my family invited a bunch of trading partners and guests for my mother's birthday. I was on my way back from the docks when I overheard four guards complaining about their lost uniforms. I asked them for information and they confirmed that they had no clue what happened. I wished that I could help them more, but unfortunately, I had to report to the grand hall.

"After I wished my mother a happy birthday, I spotted the Stabbingtons, Lance Strongbow, and Flynn Rider in the guards' uniforms. I instantly knew that they were up to something and right away, I ordered a guard to spy on them while I fetched the other guards. Eventually, we caught up with the guard and he informed us that Strongbow—who had grabbed a piece of pecan pie from the kitchen—was just asking him about Caleb's portrait when Rider cut him off and they took off running. I put two and two together and I led the guards there. I thought that this would finally be my big chance to impress my family. We arrived just when they were taking the portrait. Before I had a chance to arrest them, we broke into a fight. Once Rider grabbed the portrait, I chased after him until we reached the great hall.

"He pulled out a sword, I pulled out mine, and we broke into a duel. I remember the growing sound of the blades constantly hitting each other. I had never fought so hard in my entire life, not even during military training. I clenched my sword tighter, held my breath, and fought harder. I was so confident that I would win and return Caleb's portrait.

"However, before I knew it, Rider disarmed me, and he took off with his friends and my brother's portrait. He made a fool of me in front of everyone, especially my family. Since then, I've never heard the end of it."

Ella couldn't imagine being humiliated in front of so many people. She expected Cassandra to reply, but instead, there was a long silence between them. As the Daaphelia sailed closer to the Southern Isles, she debated whether or not she should glance over her shoulder to catch a glimpse of their reactions. She almost jumped when she felt the end of her dress being pulled. She glanced down and saw that Vioran had the end of her dress in his mouth.

"No, Vioran," Hans said, bending down towards him. "You don't do that."

As Ella felt the Daaphelia come to a halt, she watched two sailors pick up a gangplank. She crossed her arms, holding her fan against her chest. Hans held out his arm, allowing Vioran to climb on. When the dragon reached his shoulder, he let out a small roar, causing Hans, Cassandra, and Ella to chuckle. Vioran stretched out his tail and screeched.

"Don't worry, Vioran," Hans cooed. "We won't be gone long. We'll be back before you know it."

After he gave an order to a sailor, Captain Murphy strolled over to him. "We'll take good care of him."

Hans stroked his dragon's head. "Are you sure?"

"Positive." Captain Murphy nodded.

Hans brought out his arm towards him. He expected Vioran to jump off his shoulder and onto Captain Murphy, but instead, he growled. Hans brought Vioran back towards him. "Hey, that wasn't very nice, Vioran. He means no harm." Vioran stretched his neck back and glanced back at the Captain then Hans. "It'll be fine, I promise. Now, behave. Alright?" Vioran let out a tiny squeak before climbing onto Captain Murphy's shoulder. "Good boy. Now that wasn't so bad, was it?"

Once the gangplank was brought down, Ella followed Hans and Cassandra. While the sailors went back on their ship, Ella glanced around the village. Unlike Reignlen, this place looked gloomy and the people looked miserable.

As a royal escort led them further through the Isles, Ella noticed that all of the citizens were unwelcoming to Hans. They either were afraid of him or they glared at him as if he was an insect. It reminded her of the Northern Isles, except this time, it was much more intense. She couldn't imagine how it made him feel.

Anyone would think that there'd be some generosity, what with the Queen being a former resident of Reignlen. Much to Ella's dismay, she never saw any. She never saw any beggars, therefore she had no idea how they were treated here or what the citizens thought of them.

Eventually, they reached the palace and retreated from their carriage. The trio was just about to head inside when Ella paused, putting her hand on her back. Her corset was cramping into her spine, causing her Hans and Cassandra checked in on her, they gave her a minute until Ella finally decided that she was ready.

Once they stepped inside the castle, Ella barely had time to examine the surroundings around her as a servant informed Hans to retreat to his father's study. Before Ella knew it, she and Cassandra were following behind Hans. As she finally glanced around the surroundings, she saw that everything looked slightly better than in Reignlen.

When they rounded the corner, Ella glanced over to Cassandra. "I'm surprised that you've never been here before."

"Edgar and Heidi haven't made trips here," Cassandra answered, just as a door nearby opened.

Hans glanced over his shoulder. "I know you've never met Lars—have you met my parents or any of my other brothers?"

"I only met your father and Caleb once at a party," Cassandra confirmed. A pair of laughs startled Hans and forced him to stop. After a minute, he continued down the hall. "Your mother's been to Reignlen before, but it was always during my travels, so I never met her."

Two men strolled out of an opened doorway, causing Hans to freeze. The one on the left was of average height with red hair like Hans. The one on the right was freakishly tall with freakishly blonde hair that was straight up. Both of them had pitchers in their hands. For a moment, Hans spun around, hoping to find another way around, instead he sighed and strolled forward. As the girls followed him, Ella noticed that he was trying his best not to pay attention to the men. For a while, it seemed like they were ignoring him much to his relief.

However, right when they were passing each other, the men stretched their arms out, aiming their pitchers toward Hans. The water tossed onto Hans, drenching him from head to toe. He abruptly froze and the girls did the same.

As water dripped from his hair and nose, the men laughed cruelly at him. Hans stomped toward them before either of the girls had a chance to react. "What the heck?! Why would you do that?"

"Well, someone had to put the fire out so it might as well be us," the blonde one laughed.

"Father wouldn't want anything to happen to our home," the redhead laughed. He turned to the blonde one. "Don't you think, Runi?"

"Of course, Runo."

Hans glared at the men, growling at them. "You know that I won't have time to change!"

"Oh, poppycock!" Runi scoffed. "You'll warm up in no time!"

Hans furrowed his eyebrows, pointing his finger at them. The room temperature increased. "You have no idea—"

"Oh! Oh no!" Runo mocked, clasping his face. "I'm so scared!"

"Well, go on! What are you waiting for, little boy?" Runi challenged, aggressively. "Be a man!"

The longer Hans glared at them, the higher the temperature increased. Despite the fact that it made Ella more uncomfortable, that was the least on her mind. She felt disgusted seeing those men act that way towards Hans. George and Lydia had their moments back home, but even they never were this cruel.

After heaving a breath, Hans calmed down and so did the temperature. The men stared him down with smug expressions, laughing at him.

"What a disappointment!" Runi laughed. "I knew that you'd still be a mouse. You know how much Father abhors mice."

Hans muttered a comment.

"Wait, what was that?" Runo asked.

"Nothing," Hans answered, meekly.

"I can't hear you," Runi mocked in a sing-song voice.

"Nothing," Hans answered, a bit louder.

"Louder!" the men said.

"Nothing."

"Louder!"

"Nothing!" Hans yelled, his face turning red.

"Awww, what's the matter, little brother?" Runi asked in a mocking tone. "Did we hurt your feelings?"

"Why don't you go run to mommy?" Runo mocked. "You're a momma's boy after all. Oh, and you better see Father. He's not thrilled about you being late."

Hans stood there, defeated, glaring at them. The men spun around and strolled through the hall, laughing about their 'victory'. Ella glanced over at Hans. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he answered.

"What is up with those guys?" Cassandra asked, shaking her head. "George doesn't even act like that."

"It's just how the twins are," Hans commented. "I still can't fathom what their wives see in them."

Cassandra arched an eyebrow. "They're both married? You've got to be kidding me."

"I wish I would've done something," Ella said. "I'm sorry."

"You're not to blame," Hans said. "Besides, it's best that you stay out of this." He let out a small breath. "We should get to my father's study. He doesn't like to be kept waiting."

---

They ventured down the hall for a bit until Hans finally went towards a door. He raised his hand towards the wood but hesitated. Judging from his expression, he seemed to be perturbed. Hans took a breath and gently knocked on the door. A deep voice then permitted them to enter. Hans turned the doorknob and slowly pulled it open, allowing Cassandra and Ella to enter before him.

A big, older man dressed in the finest outfit was at his desk, writing something down. He didn't look much like Hans, but Ella could still see the resemblance. Something about him intimated her. The door closing behind him didn't even distract him.

Hans stepped over towards Cassandra and Ella. "Father," he said, his voice nearly croaking. "I'm here."

His father tossed another page and wrote something down. "It's about time. You are late, you know, Hans. I was starting to think that you wouldn't show up. Did you not think your brother's birthday was important?"

"I know, Father. It wasn't my fault. I can explain. I did everything that I was supposed to. I packed everything and got up earlier than I was supposed to. I—"

"To the point," Reynold said irritably. He finally peered up at his son with an intense glare. "Just get to the point. You know how I hate wasting words, Hans."

Hans refrained from talking back and bit his lip before he spoke. "Our ship was delayed by a storm. It was out of my control."

"Out of your control?" Hans' father slowly rose from his chair, his shadow towering over Hans. "Always making excuses, aren't you, Hans? How do I know that you're not telling tall tales?"

Cassandra stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty—"

Reynold finally noticed Cassandra and she bowed. "Cassandra, I had no idea you were coming. I'll make sure that you'll be seated in the Great Hall. How have you been? I hope that you don't have any weak links on the guard, do you?"

A frown formed on Cassandra's features. "The guards are fine, King Reynold. They're strong, caring, kind, and responsible. And I was informing you that your son is telling the truth about the storm. There was nothing that could've prevented it."

Reynold turned his attention back to Hans. "You should've planned your voyage more carefully, like perhaps, leaving earlier than you did. You should've left right when you received the letter."

"But Uncle Edgar told me that I should—"

"You may be living there, but you're my son and the Southern Isles is still your home," Reynold said, going around his desk. "I had to deal with protests from the second and third isles after I tripled their taxes! A bunch of street rats tried to steal grapes from a market!" Ella held her breath and held back some tears. "It would've been nice if you'd come earlier and helped out! Caleb would've if he were you!"

"Caleb?!" Hans nearly shrieked. "He doesn't even take his job seriously! Mark my words, Father, he'll make a horrible king!"

"Enough!" Reynold snapped. "Caleb is just what we did for the Southern Isles. You should learn a thing or two from him and your other brothers. If you did, you wouldn't have done what you did in Arendelle. To think that I sent you there to represent our country." Hans was about to protest but again refrained himself. "You should be lucky that you arrived before dinner. I hope that you're not setting wildfires in Reignlen, are you?"

Without thinking and before Hans had a chance to answer, Ella replied, "No. He's been doing great in Reignlen."

Reynold finally took his glance away from Hans and to Ella, causing her to gulp. She should've stayed quiet. She took a breath and curtsied, addressing his title.

"Rise," Reynold replied in a cold tone, sending chills down her spine. Ella did what she was told and took the courage to peer up at him. His hazel eyes made her feel uneasy and she fanned herself. "What is your name?"

"Ella."

"Ah, you must be that petty street rat my in-laws took in," Reynold said. Hans glared at him and was about to open his mouth when his father beat him to it. "Why are you here?"

"I brought her with me," Cassandra answered with a frown. Her icy eyes glared at him. "King Edgar and Queen Heidi believed that a trip here would help with her education."

A long moment passed by dreadfully slow. Reynold cocked an eyebrow before he went over to his desk. "Very well. I'll make sure that she'll be seated in the Great Hall for dinner as well. In the meantime, Cassandra, you can take her to the library. My third oldest son, Lars will be there at this time. He'll be willing to help her with our country's history."

"We'll head there," Cassandra declared, peering at the King with icy eyes.

Hans strolled over to the door. "I'll lead us to the library. I know where—"

"Not you," Reynold replied before Hans could even touch the doorknob. Hans spun around to him, asking him why. "Your brothers need you in the nursery. Their children need to be watched until dinner."

"You must be joking," Hans retorted. "I'm not here to watch my brothers' children. Didn't you get a nanny when I left?"

"A few moments in the nursery won't hurt you," Reynold said. "It's the least you can do after arriving late. Afterward, you will report to the Great Hall to celebrate your brother's birthday. Is that clear?"

For a moment, it looked like Hans would protest, but instead, he sighed and nodded. "Yes, Father."

Once Reynold returned to his desk, he gestured a dismissive wave at his son, not even looking at him. "Go! What are you waiting for? You're wasting my time!"

After he shot a glare at his father, Hans led Cassandra and Ella out of the room. Ella didn't even bother to look back. No wonder Edgar and Heidi never wanted her to come here. This place was just as bad as the Northern Isles, maybe even worse.

"I'm sorry about that," Hans said, breaking Ella's thoughts. He brought out a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her. "I wish that we didn't have to bring you here."

After she handed her fan to Cassandra, Ella gently took the handkerchief and brought it towards her eyes, her tears wetting it. "Now I understand why you never wanted to bring me here. Why does he act like that?"

"Because he's an ass, Ella," Cassandra said. "No offense, Hans."

"None taken," Hans said. "Well, I should get to the nursery. Continue down the hall until you see a red door to the left. That's where Lars will be."

Before Hans turned, Ella placed her hand on his shoulder. "Are you alright?"

Hans glanced into her eyes before a soft expression formed. "I'll be fine. I'm used to this."

---

After following Hans' directions, they finally reached the door and entered the room. Ella's eyes widened as she stepped inside, placing the handkerchief in her pocket. This library reminded her a lot of the one back home, except this one was somewhat smaller.

After Cassandra shut the door behind them, Ella glanced forward where a man was peering down at old maps lying on a table. He looked very similar to Hans except that he was taller and wore glasses. After inspecting something, he marked something down.

"Are you Prince Lars Westerguard?" Cassandra asked, handing Ella back her fan.

The man glanced up. "Yes, I am." He left his table and went over to the girls. "Ah, you must be Cassandra, savior of Reignlen and Goldenpolis, Captain of the guard and a royal council member in Reignlen. It is an honor to meet you."

Cassandra cocked an eyebrow. "How do you know who I am, Your Highness?"

"Oh, my apologies," Lars said. "I received the newest history book about Goldenpolis and it had a picture of you." Cassandra nodded. "How may I help you?"

Ella stepped forward holding her arms together and clenching her fan harder, her eyes dimming. She bowed her head as she performed a curtsey to him. "Your highness, my name is Ella. I am from Reignlen and I came with Cassandra for my studies here."

She slowly lifted her head, expecting him to give her the same reaction as his father, but, instead, he peered down at her with a warm smile.

"Ah, you must be the girl that Hans is training," he said. He knew that Hans was helping her? Was he aware that she had powers? He held out his hand and she slowly took it. Ella felt her mouth form into a smile form as they greeted each other. "Nice to meet you. Welcome to the Southern Isles. I hope that my family didn't give you a hard time."

Ella's eyes dimmed. "Your father did. He called me a. . .street rat." That last word left a bitter taste on her tongue and she felt dirty saying it.

"I'm sorry about that, my dear," Lars said, solemnly. "No one deserves that kind of treatment. I'm glad that Reignlen has given you such kindness. I wish that my family would be caring and compassionate towards their subjects." He spun around and went over to the table with the girls following behind. "I thought that Hans had the potential to succeed." He sighed, peering down at a map. "As disappointed as I am in him, I can't help but feel responsible. After all, it was my idea for him to go to Arendelle to become Queen Elsa's suitor. I just wanted to help him get out of here for good and start a new life somewhere else with a wife. I told him everything that he needed to know about the Queen and earn father's permission to go to Arendelle. Never did I expect my brother to become someone else there. Such a waste because I've been hearing that she's turned out to be one of the greatest queens ever and he would've been a good match for her. At least I was able to get him a new life in Reignlen, though I wish it wasn't because of his crimes."

Ella stayed where she was, taking in everything that Lars said. He wanted his brother to succeed the right way, to have a better life, and he did all of this for nothing. "You shouldn't blame yourself, Lars. You were just trying to help him."

"Thank you, but I still feel like I could've done more," Lars lamented. He marked something down on the map before peering back at her. "He hasn't acted coldly towards you, I hope?"

Ella shook her head. "No. He's the reason I'm in Reignlen in the first place."

"Oh?" Lars asked. "What happened?" After taking a deep breath, Ella explained everything from when she met Hans in the Northern Isles to when he brought her to Reignlen. "I'm glad that he did that. I heard many terrible things about the Northern Isles and it sickens me that my father supports what they think. You are lucky that he was there to help." He peered at the door. "Where is my brother?"

"Your father sent him to the nursery until dinner," Cassandra explained. Lars nodded in realization. "Your uncle told me about your knowledge of history. You think that you could teach some of it to Ella?"

"Of course!" Lars smiled, heading towards a bookshelf. He gestured for the girls to follow him. "I'm aware that many find it boring, but I find history to be fascinating."

For the next half hour, Lars referenced books and explained the histories of the Southern Isles. Though he would sometimes go on the same topic for too long, Ella too thought that history was fascinating. She loved hearing about the past, events, and families from long ago. Some were tragic, some were heartfelt, some were terrifying, and some were exciting. She could see why Lars would be so interested in history.

"Wow, you know your history, Lars," Cassandra commented with an impressed expression. "You would bore George to sleep."

"I once tried to explain Reignlen's history to him and he just laughed at me," Lars said with a serious expression. "I had never been so appalled. History should never be a laughing matter."

"I agree." Ella nodded. Something caught her eye on the shelf ahead of her. She raised an eyebrow and pointed to it. "Lars, what's that over there?"

Lars glanced over his shoulder and pulled out a book. "That is about Arendelle where Queen Elsa rules. This book isn't updated, but would you like to see?"

After Ella gave him a nod, Lars placed the book on the table and flipped through the pages until he pressed his finger down. There was a beautiful illustration of a lovely kingdom surrounded by mountains. "It's not as rich and powerful as some of the other kingdoms, but it is very peaceful, comfortable, and known for their fair trade."

"I wonder if Raps goes to Arendelle, often?" Cassandra asked, peering down at the page. Lars glanced at her with a puzzling look. "Princess Rapunzel, Queen Elsa's cousin. I'm sure you know that name?"

"Yes, I know all about Corona," Lars answered. "And I know that you used to be her lady in waiting." Cassandra was just about to open her mouth when Lars did first. "Yes, I did hear about your betrayal and everything that happened with Zhan Tiri, but that is all in the past. The most important thing is that you atoned for your actions."

While Cassandra and Lars continued their conversation, Ella glanced down at the beautifully drawn illustration. Arendelle might not be as large and rich as Reignlen and the Southern Isles, but it still looked like a beautiful place. Queen Elsa must be lucky to rule a place like this. As she scanned more of the page, Ella narrowed her eyes. In the far-left corner, there was a forest surrounded by a mist.

"Lars?" Ella asked, drawing the attention of Lars and Cassandra. She pointed towards the page and asked, "What's this?"

Lars peered down at the page and widened his eyes. "Oh, that was the Enchanted Forest! It was ruled by magical spirits and that was where the Northuldra resided! That was, until the mist appeared."

Cassandra raised her eyebrow. "Is the mist still there?"

"I believe from what I last heard, yes," Lars answered. "I've never been there, but I've heard that it was quite beautiful. I knew one person who went there and heard a Northuldra sing a call. They recalled it as…" Lars went on to sing a series of ahs. "It's actually quite lovely. Maybe one of you should try it when you get a chance."

The illustrations of the forest were so beautiful. Ella wondered what it would be like to go to there. Something caught her eye. On the left side of the page was a water horse walking on water next to a Northuldra camp.

Ella placed her fingers on the horse. There was something about it that drew her to it. "What's that?"

"Oh, that was the Nokk, the guardian of the Dark Sea," Lars answered. "That was one of the spirits. This one helped the Northuldra across the water, though I have heard a rumor that it has tried to drown strangers out of fear."

"It's beautiful," Ella said, still peering at the Nokk. "Did anyone ever ride on it?"

"Now that, I don't know," Lars admitted, adjusting the glasses on his nose just as footsteps came towards the door. "I've never found any record of that."

"Lars!" the twins' voices yelled from the doorway, causing the trio to whirl around to them. "Get your head out of your books and get to the Great Hall! It's time for dinner!"

"Alright, we'll be there," Lars said, shutting the book. He held it close to his chest as he went towards the shelf and the twins went further into the room. "Just be patient."

Runi snatched the book out of Lars' hand, much to his brother's dismay, and flipped through the pages, raising an eyebrow. "How could anyone read this? History's so boring."

Lars grabbed the book back, shooting a frown back at his brother. "I find it sad that you don't appreciate history, especially about our country."

"How could anyone possibly like it?" Runo scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Why do we need it anyway? Besides, it's not like we're ever going to use it again."

"It is important and everyone should know it," Lars said sternly. "You never know, history may repeat itself."

"Whatever," Runi commented. Ella froze when he finally noticed her. "And where is that street rat going to sit?"

Lars furrowed his eyebrows. "She is not a street rat and that is no way to address anyone." Ella swore that she heard Cassandra crack her knuckles. "I believe that she'll be in the Great Hall with us."

"She shouldn't be here anyway," Runo scoffed. Ella's lip quivered. "She's not one of us."

Cassandra curved her index finger at the twins. When Runi came closer to her, she headbutted him, knocking him to the ground. Runo stepped forward, whether to protest or fight or curse at her, Ella would never know since Cassandra growled at him, forcing him to step back.

"Okay, we're sorry!" Runo cried, covering his hands.

"You'll leave her alone, right?" Cassandra asked, clenching her fists.

"Uh…well," Runi began.

Cassandra grabbed both twins by the collar and pulled them towards her. "You'll leave her alone," she hissed. "Do you understand?"

The twins gulped and nodded. Once Cassandra released them, they straightened themselves up and scurried out of the library.

"Thank you," Ella said. "Are you sure that you should do that? I don't want you to get in trouble."

"I'll be fine," Cassandra answered. "That's why I came with you and Hans. They'll leave you alone when I'm around."

"What would King Reynold say about that?" Ella asked.

"Father always wants us to fight back," Lars answered, putting the book away. "If anything, he'd just accuse the twins of failing. Besides, that's what they get for being cruel."

Cassandra led Lars and Ella towards the door. "Just sit by me, Ella. They'll leave you alone. I promise."

As grateful as she was that Cassandra had defended her, she still wasn't sure if she'd done the right thing. All Ella could think of was that Cassandra was lucky that Reynold encouraged violence. Otherwise, hell would break loose.

---

As they strolled closer to the Great Hall, Ella's eyes widened when she noticed many princes heading inside with their wives. They went inside so abruptly Ella couldn't get a good look at them. The second oldest brother, Franz, went over to Lars and asked him a question about a neighboring kingdom, resulting in a conversation. When the last pair entered the room, Hans was slowly walking across from them. From the look on his face, Ella could tell that Hans had no desire to enter, but they both know that he didn't have a choice.

Ella craned towards Cassandra, holding her fan in her hand. "Cassandra, do you mind if we have Hans sit near us?"

"I never thought you'd ask me that," Cassandra said. "But yes, he can sit by us."

As they reached the door with Hans right across from them, Ella noticed that a tall princess was coming from the right. She was dressed in a dark green, long-sleeved dress with ruffled skirts. Her light brown hair was tied in a tight bun at the top of her head. She wore small green earrings and a necklace with a green pendant. She was lucky to be dressed in the finest royal outfit that any princess would wear.

Her face said otherwise. She had a blank expression on her face but her eyes appeared saddened.

"Ella?" Hans' voice broke her thoughts and she spun to him. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes." Ella nodded.

"No one has been cruel to you I hope?"

"I taught the twins a lesson," Cassandra commented. Ella noticed that the Princess was coming closer. "They won't be picking on her again."

"Good. Let's keep it that way," Hans commented. After Franz strolled into the room, Lars and Hans finally noticed each other. For a long moment, the brothers stared at each other in silence, not saying a word until Hans did. "Hello, Lars."

"Hello, Hans," Lars said softly with a small smile. "How's everything?"

"It's going well," Hans answered. From the way they interacted with each other, Ella could tell that their conversation wasn't always like this. "Reignlen is way better than here."

"I should hope so, little brother," Lars answered. "I finally got you out of here. I just hope that you won't let your thoughts get to your head again. We're all liable to repeat the same mistake. I'll always care for you, but it doesn't mean that I'll agree with everything you do."

"I won't disappoint you again. I promise."

"Good. And don't worry, I took good care of Ella. I've never met anyone so interested in history before."

"Yes, she loves to learn and she's a quick reader, aren't you, Ella?" Hans asked.

Ella nodded. "And you're teaching me well."

As Hans and Lars started a conversation, Ella noticed that the Princess had been watching her and Hans very closely. She didn't look happy or sad but rather bitter and even envious. The Princess came to a halt, folding her hands and clearing her throat, causing Hans and Lars to turn to her.

"Hello, Helga," Lars said, standing up straight. Helga gave him a weak smile before it quickly faded away. "Where are the children?"

"I just placed them in the nursery," Helga answered, quietly. After she greeted Hans and Cassandra, she turned to Ella. "Who is this?"

"This is Ella," Hans answered. "I'd been training her. Cassandra brought her here for her education."

"Oh," Helga commented, bitterly. "I'm sure that this 'paradise' will give you everything that you need to know."

"Okay, what's your problem?" Cassandra asked.

"Nothing. Just a long day," Helga replied, quietly.

Lars offered her his arm and she took it with a weak smile. As they went into the room, Ella went over to Hans and said, "Sit with us. They won't pick on you."

Ella noticed that Helga glanced over her shoulder as she and Lars went over towards a table, again peering at her and Hans with a bitter expression. Before Hans could answer, Reynold ordered everyone to step inside for Caleb's celebration. As they followed Cassandra into the room, Ella gently held out her arm towards Hans and he gladly took it.

In the front of the room, Reynold was sitting at the dais, talking proudly to a prince. Both of them had women at their sides. Ella recognized the woman at Reynold's side to be Hans' mother, Queen Eliza. She had her greying red hair tied in a tight bun at the nape of her neck. The meek and quiet woman took a sip from her goblet. A servant asked the Princess next to the Prince for a drink, but she shook her head and asked for water instead.

When Ella stepped further into the room, she finally got a better look at all of Hans' brothers. Apart from Runi, the brothers were a bunch of handsome redheads who took after their father. However, Hans was the only one who had his mother's green eyes while his older brothers all inherited their father's brown eyes. The brothers all sat down with their wives by their sides and she could tell that the wives were princesses from other kingdoms.

Ella and Hans were just about to head towards a table where Lars, Helga, and Cassandra sat when Reynold called them. After hearing Hans sigh, he led them to the front of the dais.

Hans planted on a weak smile. "Hello, Father." He peered over at the Prince and Princess. "Hello, Caleb. Happy birthday. Hello, Louise." He turned his attention to the Queen. "Hello, Mother."

Eliza gave him a weak smile. "Hello, Hans. I hope everything is going well."

Hans nodded. "Yes, I am doing quite well—"

"To the point, Hans. Always just get to the point," Reynold grumbled, gesturing impatiently to him. Eliza took a slip from her goblet. "You're wasting time."

At first, Hans looked like he was going to protest, but instead, he bit his lip and led Ella towards a table with Cassandra and Lars. Hans pulled out a chair for Ella in between Lars and Cassandra. Hans was just about to grab a chair when Reynold cleared his throat.

"What is it, Father?" Hans asked, clenching his teeth. Reynold pointed to a table at the back of the room. "Why can't I sit here?"

"You're not assigned there," Reynold said. Ella heard some of the brothers chuckle under their breaths. "You are to sit where I arranged you."

Ella glanced over to the other table. To make matters worse, Runi and Runo were seated there with an empty seat in between them. She rose and said, "Your Majesty, Hans could take my place here. I'll head back to the Daaphelia."

"Hans will sit where he's supposed to," Reynold said, glaring at her. He glared back at Hans. "Don't make me tell you again. Go to your seat."

Without fighting or protesting, Hans went over to the table. Runi and Runo snickered at him. He shouldn't be there. Why did it matter where he sits? He didn't deserve to be there. No one did .

To Ella's surprise, Reynold rose from his seat and ordered everyone to do the same. He cleared his throat and made sure that everyone was paying attention. "Thank you all for attending. You have no idea how important it is to celebrate our future heir. I fear that more countries are following Emperor Michael Rubavian's views on magic. Magic is a wicked act of sorcery that'll destroy humankind." Ella felt sick to her stomach. No wonder why Hans thought that it was best not to expose her magic here. She noticed that Cassandra was glaring at the King. "Magic does not belong in our world."

As Reynold droned on, Ella noticed that Eliza's eyes dimmed, not looking at her husband. She didn't seem to agree with Reynold's views.

"Speaking of which," Reynold said, pointing to Caleb. "My son has some announcements that he would like to share."

"Thank you, Father." Caleb smiled, rising from his chair. "I am pleased to announce that Louise is carrying our fourth child. We are expecting our new heir this spring."

Everyone in the room clapped and congratulated the couple. When Reynold smiled at Caleb and praised him, Ella noticed that most of the brothers were staring at them with envy.

Right as everyone took their seats, a thud was heard, followed by the twins' laughter. When everyone turned to the scene, Hans was on the ground and the twins were behind the chair that had been pulled out from him. All of the brothers, except Lars, were roaring with laughter while Reynold was amused.

Hans glanced over his shoulder, glaring at the twins. "What the heck?! Why would you do that?"

"Come on, little brother," Runi laughed. "You need to take a joke."

"I could've hit my head," Hans snapped, rising from the ground.

Lars rose from his seat. "Are you alright, Hans?"

"I'm fine, Lars," Hans assured, before turning back to the twins. "I find it sad that two grown men still act like children."

"Aww, did you get a booboo?" Runo mocked in a sharp tone. "Are you hurt, little boy?"

As Hans glared at them, it looked as if he was going to fight back. Instead, he pulled his chair up and sat down. However, the twins still towered over him.

Runi faked gasped. "You're not fighting back?! Don't you want to get back at us, little boy?"

"Wow, we do have a mouse here, Father," Runo commented, raising his voice for his father to hear. "We can't have that around."

"How disappointing as usual, Hans," Reynold commented. "You know that Westerguards are lions, not mice. I find it pathetic that you didn't fight back. Just because your magic is dangerous doesn't mean that there isn't another way to fight back." Ella dropped her jaw in disgust. "It's bad enough that you were late."

"Father, can we move past that?" Hans asked, trying his best to stay patient. Ella heard some more of his brothers snickering at him and Lars attempted to make them stop. "We already discussed this."

Caleb tusked. "It's such a shame, Hans. You are either too late or too early. You're lucky that you're not the heir. I can't imagine the chaos that would ensue. Don't you agree, Father?"

"You're absolutely right, Caleb." Reynold grinned, patting his son on the back. "Ah, I can't wait for you to take my place as King. You will lead the Southern Isles in the right direction."

Hans muttered something which only escalated things. It resulted in him being scolded by Reynold and more brothers joined in on the teasing, looking to their father for approval. Ella heard Cassandra mutter a bitter comment about the family.

As the dinner slowly dragged on, Ella easily saw what made the Southern Isles a contrast to Reignlen. Reignlen was very kind and welcoming to everyone regardless of their status. The Southern Isles, on the other hand, was the complete opposite. A couple of times, she'd seen Reynold bark an order at several servants, and sometimes, some of the brothers would ridicule them. Edgar and Heidi would never do such a thing. All of the brothers, except for Lars, humiliated and ridiculed Hans throughout, and not once did Reynold berate them for their behavior. Ella couldn't feel any more sorry for Hans. No wonder why he never wanted to come back.

A couple of times, Ella peered back at the dais where Reynold and Caleb were engrossed in conversation with each other. She could hear the King's voice echoing over to her, praising his oldest son. There was no doubt that Caleb was the golden child. Ella glanced over at the table where Hans sat. He was lost in his world, glancing at his father and oldest brother. From his expression, he looked saddened.

Just then, a few knocks came on the door and a royal advisor entered the room with his hands behind his back. "Your Majesty, is Captain Cassandra around?

Cassandra rose from her chair, raising her eyebrow. "That would be me."

"What is this about?" Reynold asked.

"Someone has reached the palace, searching for her," the royal advisor answered. "She said that she needs to see her immediately."

Reynold raised an eyebrow. "Well, they can wait. We are in the middle of an important affair."

"Who asked for me?" Cassandra asked.

The royal advisor turned to her and answered, "Princess Raya of Heart."

Cassandra's eyes widened and glanced over to Reynold. "Your Majesty, if it's alright, I'm going to go to Raya and you can continue."

After a moment of thought, Reynold sighed. "Fine. As you wish."

"Thank you," Cassandra said. She bent down to Ella and said, "You can come with me if you want."

As much as Ella would love to leave the dinner party, she didn't want Hans to be here alone with his family. He had helped and protected her; she should do the same for him. "I'll stay here with Hans."

"Are you sure?" Cassandra asked. Ella nodded. "Okay. I'll leave you later."

Ella remained still as she watched the royal advisor lead Cassandra out of the Great Hall. As the doors closed behind them, a voice across her said, "Hey you!"

Ella glanced ahead and saw that one of the brothers was addressing her. He looked very similar to Hans and Lars, except that he had no sideburns and no glasses.

"I've never seen you before," the brother said. "Are you that street rat that Hans picked up from the Northern Isles?"

Lars glanced over to his brother with an annoyed look. "Her name is Ella and you will not call her such names, Wesley."

Wesley threw an annoyed look back. "Fine, Lars." He glanced back over to Ella, wiping his face with a serviette. "You have gloves on."

"Why is this an issue?" Lars asked.

Wesley ignored him and focused on Ella. "Are you aware that Hans has fire magic?"

Ella suppressed her anxiety from showing and opened her fan, fanning herself. "Yes. What are you implying?"

"Hans can't control his magic," Wesley said. Ella knew where this was going, still, she did her best to remain calm. "He can only hide his magic with his gloves. I heard that he was training you with something and you're wearing gloves. I wonder. . ."

"Wesley, you've come to many of your father's political parties, right?" Ella asked. Wesley nodded. "I suppose that many of your trading partners and guests wore gloves, did they? That doesn't mean that they have powers. Your wife and Louise are wearing gloves, and they don't have magic now do they? I am wearing gloves to go with my outfit. Just because someone is wearing gloves doesn't mean that they're powerful."

Lars nodded with an impressed look. "Good point, Ella." He glanced over to Wesley. "Going forward, Wesley, it would be very wise of you not to jump to conclusions. You know better. You are the seventh out of thirteen sons."

After a minute of pause, Wesley gestured to himself, admitting that he made a mistake much to Ella and Lars' surprise. "You're right. What was I thinking? I was foolish to go beyond myself. I owe you an apology. I hope that you can forgive me?"

Ella placed her fan back on the table. "It's alright."

After Lars placed his serviette on his lap, he said, "I heard that you're going to see the Madrigals after dinner." Cassandra must've told him while she and Hans were at the dais earlier. "That's good. I know all about them."

"Ah, I know that name," a brother nearby said. "That's the family with Alma and her children, Julieta, Pepa, and Bruno."

One brother shook his head. "We don't talk about Bruno, no, no, no."

"Actually, Jurgen, everything is fine with Bruno," Lars answered, shooting a glare at him. "You would know that if you paid attention, and even if you were, you shouldn't be bashing someone." Jurgen rolled his eyes and went back to his soup. "I'm glad that Hans is helping you, Ella. Hopefully, that'll push him in the right direction."

Wesley placed a spoonful of soup in his mouth. "I find it odd that he's helping a beggar considering what he did in Arendelle."

"Well, I appreciate all that he's done for me," Ella said. "If it hadn't been for him, I'd still be in the Northern Isles."

"Do you know what he did?"

"Yes, I knew before he offered to help me."

"So, you knew what he did and you still went with him?" Wesley asked, rubbing his chin.

Ella furrowed her eyebrows. "What else could I do? No one else would've helped me."

"Foolish girl," Wesley said. "You were bewitched and you followed a criminal you barely knew. How pathetic."

"I disagree," Lars answered, frowning at him. "I think that it was a very smart and brave thing for her to do. I would've done the same if I were in her condition."

A laugh between Reynold and Caleb caused them to peer over at the father and son. Reynold placed his hand on Caleb's shoulder, praising him for something.

"Oh, look at that. I bet Caleb is happy with all the attention that he's getting, being Father's favorite," Wesley commented. He glared over at Hans. "And I don't get how that monster could be Momma's boy."

"He is not a monster," Ella said. "Why would you call your own brother that?"

"Come on! Isn't it obvious?" Wesley asked. "He was born with fire magic unlike the rest of us. I remember when he was born, the midwives were afraid of him. That makes him a monster and his crimes make him even more of a monster. He's nothing but a freak."

"Just because he is different doesn't mean he's a freak," Ella said.

"Exactly." Lars nodded. "Wait until Emperor Michael proves you wrong. Just you wait."

"He won't change our minds," Wesley said. "It definitely won't change that Hans is still worthless. Even if he wasn't magical, he would still be a throwaway, being the youngest."

"He's not worthless," Ella said. "He has been kind and compassionate towards me, unlike you."

Wesley's face turned red. "How dare you talk back to me? Do you have any idea who you're dealing with? I am a Prince and you are—"

"If you insult her, I'll make sure that Cassandra hears of it," Lars answered. "And I can assure you that you don't want to get on her bad side, now do you?"

Without hesitation, Wesley went back to his meal, ignoring Ella. Ella mouthed 'thank you' to Lars and he nodded. Multiple clicks against a goblet almost caused her to jump and everyone turned to Reynold.

"I'm glad that you all kept up with appearances for your brother's birthday," he began, rising from his seat with his goblet in hand. He glanced down at Caleb. "We'll have to have a new portrait of you soon. The one by the Giovanni was perfect. Such a shame that your brother failed to catch those thieves that took it."

Most of the entire room turned to glare at Hans, with Runi and Runo snickering in the background. Hans sat in his chair with his face turning red. Ella couldn't feel any more sorry for him. "Father, that was a long time ago."

Reynold placed his goblet on the table. "It may be in the past, but you still brought shame and disappointment to the family. That portrait was important to our country. It was painted by an established painter, showing an image of the Southern Isles' future King. If you had learned from your brothers, you would've got the painting back."

"Why do you have to bring this up?" Hans asked. "I tried to fight Rider, but he defeated me. I told you countless times."

"Try is not good enough, Hans," Reynold said. "You should've come at him with full force like a lion. A true Westerguard would've easily beat him. Caleb would've easily beat him. Any of your brothers would've easily beat him."

"Father, he did the best he could," Lars answered. "He figured out what was going on and sent guards after Rider and his allies."

"It still wasn't good enough, Lars," Reynold said. "He didn't fight back hard enough. You'd think with all of his training, he'd defeat him, but no."

"Hans went through years of dueling and he still lost," Wesley commented. "How pathetic!"

Many of the brothers laughed and pointed at Hans, looking at their father for approval. Reynold watched in amusement. Lars rubbed his eyes and sighed, shaking his head. Ella almost felt tears in her eyes, watching Hans' brothers ridicule and humiliate him.

"He better not mess up when he gets to Riverland, Father," Caleb said.

"What are you talking about?" Hans asked. "Why would I be going to Riverland?"

"A source told me that their King has been criticizing the way I run my Kingdom," Reynold began, "I need you to head there and use your magic to destroy their village to send them a message."

As Ella gasped, she felt the room temperature heating up, causing her further discomfort in her dress. Waves of air cooled her down as she fanned herself. Still, it didn't take away her thoughts. What kind of King was this? Who would do such a thing?

Everyone could see the look of disgust on Hans' face. "Oh, so that's what you're really after? That's why you invited me here! Well, you can forget about it! I don't live here anymore! Besides, I have to take Ella to Encanto."

Reynold rolled his eyes. "Cassandra could take her for you. You will stay here and do as I say."

"I won't," Hans refused, shaking his head. "I'll have no part in it."

A vein popped in Reynold's neck. "I am your father and your King," he growled. "You will do as I say."

"No!" Hans snapped.

Lars quickly rose from his seat. "Father, he's working in Uncle Edgar's castle in Reignlen, remember? You and Uncle Edgar both agreed on that. Having Hans stay here would damage our relationship with that country."

"There's nothing to worry about Lars," Reynold said. The room temperature continued to grow hotter. "After the dinner, I'll just send him to Riverland, he'll do his job, and then I'll send him back to Reignlen. Besides, Hans was my right-hand man before he went to Arendelle. He'll do as I say."

"I'm not going to Riverland, Father!" Hans snapped, rising from his seat.

The temperature grew hotter and hotter. Ella felt like she was going to faint.

Wesley rose from his chair, carrying his goblet in his hand. "Well, Father, it appears I was right. Hans is a weak link after all. A real man would follow your orders without hesitation." He glanced over to the twins. "Runo, Runi, do you remember when we pretended that Hans was invisible?"

The room temperature grew hotter.

"Oh, yes! How could we forget that?" Runi laughed. "He was invisible for two years!"

"I think that I might've sat on him a few times!" Runo laughed.

Again, the room temperature grew hotter. Hans stood still, trying to keep cool, but his brothers kept teasing him, forcing him to glare at them.

"Oh! It looks like Hans is going to throw a huge tantrum just like a little boy!" Runo laughed, pointing at him.

"Why don't you go run to mommy?" Runi mocked, shortly before laughing.

All of the brothers except Lars laughed and ridiculed their youngest brother. The room temperature grew more humid than ever. Ella heard some of the wives complain about the hot temperature.

As if on cue, a servant peeked in the room and asked, "Anyone ready for dessert yet? The cake isn't ready yet, but we could bring in ice cream if you wish."

"That would be great as long as Hans doesn't melt it," Wesley joked.

The eleven brothers burst into laughter and the servant left the room. How could anyone act so cruel? No one should be treated like this. She couldn't imagine how Hans was feeling.

Just then, right when the room temperature grew beyond humid, Hans' eyes turned bright red for a moment before they changed to yellow. The walls grew dark with bright red cracks growing in the middle where smoke was crawling out. As soon as the room went silent, the tables were being pushed around the room by a strong, gusty wind. Ella fell out of her chair and onto the ground. The smoke forced some coughs out of her. She slowly peered up, listening to the panic of everyone in the room, and watching the wind spin the tables around the room in a circle.

"Hans, calm down!" Lars shouted. "This isn't helping!"

Suddenly, some whirlwinds of fire shot out of the ground and rapidly spun around Hans. Tall flames on the ground surround his feet. So far, no one has been harmed, still, everyone backed away from the fire devils in fear. Ella felt some strands of hair fall out of her buns.

"Hans, stop!" Lars shouted.

As Ella tried to rise from the ground, she heard violent coughs escape from her throat. "Hans," she said in a raspy voice. "Please."

Through the smoke, Hans glanced over and his anger faded once he saw her. An expression of guilt made its way onto his features. He mouthed "What am I doing?" After he took some breaths, his eyes turned back to green, and the fire tornados faded away with the wind and smoke. The tables came to a halt and the walls and room temperature went back to normal. No one was harmed by the firestorm, yet it didn't stop them from either glaring at or backing away from Hans. Without hesitation, Hans darted out of the room, not looking back. Ella jumped to her feet, grabbed her fan, and scrambled after him.

Eventually, she pushed the main doors open and glanced out into the front yard, looking for any sign of him. While she couldn't see him, she heard sobbing coming from the left. She glanced over and saw a large bush where the cries were coming from. As she slowly went over to the bush, the cries were causing tears to well up in her own eyes.

When she strolled around the bush, she spotted Hans on the ground, sobbing into his gloved hands. She bent down to him, placing her hand on his broad shoulder. As he peered up at her, his wet, red eyes (not from his magic) showed how much damage his family had done to him.

"Ella, are you alright?" Hans asked, wiping his eyes. "I didn't mean to let my powers get out of hand."

"I'm fine," Ella said. The sight of his saddened eyes caused her to break down. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Hans."

"Ella, you shouldn't be upset. Why are you crying?"

"I'm such a fool!" Ella cried. "I thought that you were being selfish for burning that letter and not wanting to come back there! I—"

Hans gently shushed her, cupping her cheek. "Ella, it's alright. You didn't know."

"That's why you never wanted to come back," Ella said, wiping her eyes. "Because of how they treat you." Hans slowly nodded. Ella still kept her hand on his shoulder, peering up at him as he began to rise from the ground. "Have they always been like this?"

"All my life," Hans said. "You see? I mean nothing to my family, especially my father. My brothers always picked on me and laugh in my face."

"How could they treat you like this?" Ella asked. "Why?"

"Because I am the youngest and I have powers," Hans answered. "Therefore, I am either weak or a threat to them."

"That's awful. I wish that you didn't have to go through this."

"As much as it pains me to say this, it's just the way it is."

Suddenly, the front doors nearby opened and footsteps started to make their way down the stairs. Ella and Hans took a peek from behind the bush, watching three guards step forward in the yard.

"Do you think we'll find him?" the first guard asked.

The second guard nodded. "He's around here somewhere. Keep looking."

"As soon as we find him, take him back to the Great Hall," the third guard said. "The King wants him back."

There was no way Ella was letting Hans back in that room. If only they knew where Cassandra was, they could've found her and gotten back to the Daaphelia.

"We're not going back there," Ella said. "If only I knew where we could go."

Just then, Hans smirked and leaned toward her. "Actually, I know a place." Ella glanced at him with a questioning gaze. He held out his hand towards her and said, "If you trust me, let me show you."

Raising an eyebrow, Ella slowly took his hand. Her eyes widened as Hans abruptly darted, taking her with him and she held on tighter. In the background behind them, the guards were shouting and loud footsteps were coming after them. For a moment, Ella considered looking back, yet she focused only on Hans.

"Where are you taking me?"

"You'll see!"

---

After some time, Ella and Hans finally came to a halt once they reached an unfamiliar area with no sign of any guards. Heaving some sighs, they locked eyes for a moment before they burst into laughter.

"Wow, that was exciting!" Ella laughed. "I can't believe we did that!"

"I know!" Hans laughed. He took one last glance around before he peered back at Ella and laughed again. "They won't be finding us again!"

Strands of hair came in Ella's face, causing her to finally undo her buns. "How often do you run from them?"

"This is my first time, actually," Hans laughed.

Ella's eyes widened. "Really? What got into you today?"

"Hmm…I don't know," Hans mused, his eyes locking towards the sky. "I guess I was so sick of the party that I ran away and took you with me."

"I'm glad that you did that," Ella said softly, tucking her hair behind her ears. "I hope we don't go back."

"We won't," Hans said. "We'll avoid the guards and once we meet up with Cassandra, we'll leave. Sound good?"

"Sounds great, actually." Ella nodded. The harsh wind pushing her sleeved shoulders reminded her to survey the area. "So, where did you take me?"

As Hans gestured her to follow him, Ella glanced ahead to the docks while listening to the waves gurgling. The setting sun was halfway behind the orange water. There was nothing but a large expanse of water around them. "This is where I go to clear my head."

When they reached the end of the dock, Hans sat down on the ground and Ella sat next to him, placing her fan on the ground. The waves grew louder as she glanced out to the open sea. She glanced to the right where she saw that the Daaphelia was docked far off from them.

"It's beautiful," Ella commented, peering down at her reflection below. The atmosphere around her calmed her nerves and allowed her to take a few breaths. "I can see why you would come here, it's peaceful."

Hans shot a weak smile at her. "It's one of the few places I can go where my brothers won't get to me."

Ella's eyes dimmed. This man didn't deserve the treatment that he endured. How they treated him reminded her of how she was treated in the Northern Isles. A memory from the party two weeks prior caused her to ask him this. "Was that what you meant? You know when you said that you'd been in my position before and understood what it felt like?"

Her question gave him pause. "Yes. I'd been treated the same way as you. They see you as a petty beggar. To them, I am just a throwaway. A disgraced, disowned throwaway. Nothing will change that. My crimes made my life worse than it already was."

"That's why you went there, wasn't it?" Ella asked, her voice nearly coming out in a whisper. "You were trying to prove yourself."

Hans placed his hand on his forehead and sighed. "I just wanted to win respect from my family, especially my father, just once. I only wanted to leave the Southern Isles for good and have a better life only for me to. . ."

"Try to kill the Queen," Ella finished.

"That was never the plan," Hans said. " I was afraid of disappointing my father again and I was willing to do anything to make him proud. I meant to marry into the throne, but once I was told that Arendelle would look to me if something happened to the Queen's sister." Hans sighed. "I thought that I never needed either of them, to begin with, and was done playing games."

Ella said nothing. Instead, she peered right into his eyes. On the outside, this was a criminal who committed an act of treason. On the inside, he was a sad, lonely soul who had let his thoughts and greed get to his head.

"It doesn't excuse what you did," Ella said. "I'll never condone your actions, but I understand why you did it."

"I appreciate your words, Ella," Hans said softly. "I always appreciate Emperor Michael's views on magic and wanted to be like him. I wanted to rule over a kingdom as a strict but kind ruler, unlike my father. I wanted to show the world that magic isn't as bad as they make it out to be. I wanted everyone to be equal whether magical or not."

"That's a good reason to be king," Ella said. "You just wanted to make a change and care for your subjects."

"You know, every time I daydream about being my father's only son, I always imagine telling my father that and him being proud of me. I remember at Queen Elsa's coronation, I saw that she and her sister had a special bond and it made me wish that I was like that with my brothers. I know you would think the same if you saw them."

"I'd be wishing that I remembered my family," Ella said. "But now, after seeing yours, I don't know if I want to. My family could be cruel too."

Hans gave her a weak smile. "Ella, I promise you that your family loves you and are very kind people."

"I hope that you're right." She looked down for a moment before looking back at Hans. "I think that you would've been a great king."

"Thank you," Hans said. "Sometimes, I wonder how Arendelle would've reacted if I had exposed my magic. I imagined that they would be afraid of it."

"Or they could reduce you to your magic," Ella unintendedly blurted out loud, drawing Hans' attention. Once she saw the look on his face, she regretted it right away.

"What do you mean by that, Ella?"

There was no way that she could keep this to herself. She'd said it out loud, she might as well tell it to him. "Everyone only sees me for my magic. All I ever hear is 'she's lucky that she has powers', 'I wish that I have her magic', or 'Her magic is neat!'. What else is there about me? I don't want to be just my magic. I don't want people to think I'm magical and nothing more."

"So, that's why you didn't use your magic for your dress."

Ella nodded. "I just wanted to fit in. For everyone to see that I'm just as human as everyone else. I feel like my magic takes that away from me. It's bad enough that I'm different from everyone. I'm not only my magic."

"Wow, I actually never thought of it that way," Hans said. "You're a very intelligent, determined, relatable, sweet person. Magic is only a part of you. You are not your magic."

"I have a feeling that you're trying to make me feel better."

Hans shook his head. "No, Ella. When I saw you feed that boy a couple of days ago, it touched me. I don't know if I would've done that if I were a beggar like you. It takes an extraordinary person to give up what they have to help others. A person like that is one in a million and I am lucky that it was you."

"You mean that?"

"You're an old soul, Ella. You're a better person than I ever was or will be."

For God knew how long, Ella and Hans spent their time together by the docks. They kept finding new subjects to talk about and never got bored. Throughout, Ella felt like they had a connection with each other and by the look in his eyes, Hans did too.

"I see that you're more comfortable around me now," Hans said.

"What do you mean?"

"You mistrusted me for a long while and wouldn't come anywhere near me. Now, you have no problem with me being nearby."

"Well, I got to know you more. It turns out that you weren't as bad as I thought you were."

They looked each other in the eyes for a long while. Neither of them wanted to take their gaze away. Before Ella could process her thoughts, the gusty wind pushed against their shoulders, forcing them to peer up at the darkening sky.

"We should find Cassandra and get out of here," Hans declared, rising from the ground with Ella. "We should leave before the guards—"

A splash nearby caused them to be alert. They lifted themselves from the ground, peering out at the dark water with the moon's reflection, keeping alert for anything nearby.

"What was that?" Ella asked, searching the surface of the water for movement.

"I don't know," Hans answered. They were still and waited for whatever it was to show up. Nothing came. "It probably was nothing."

Just then a splash was heard again only this time, Vioran's head broke through the surface, splashing water to Hans and Ella, who shielded themselves. The little dragon let out some squeals as the duo lowered their arms, staring at him in bewilderment.

"Vioran?" Hans asked. Vioran laid on his back, kicking forward. Ella glanced over her shoulder for anyone nearby. "What are you doing here? I thought that the crew was watching over you?"

A small roar escaped from Vioran's mouth as he spun his body around, splashing once more. Ella glanced back just in time to see him slithering closer to the docks. "What'll your family do if they see him?"

"I don't want to think about that," Hans said. "Is anyone around?"

"I don't think so," she answered, leaning closer to him. "Hans, we have to get him back to the Daaphelia before someone sees us."

Hans sat on his knees and stretched his arm out towards his dragon. "Come here, Vioran. We have to get back to the ship. Come on. It's okay."

Vioran paused in the water, peering at Hans' hand. For a moment, he remained still until he finally dove underwater. The duo expected him to break the surface, however, he didn't. Ella felt her heart thudding as she glanced back at the water.

"Vioran?" Hans asked, his voice shaking. "Vioran, are you alright?"

Without hesitation, Hans threw off his gloves, leaped off the dock, and broke through the water. Ella held her breath with her eyes locked on the water. Was Vioran alright? She felt like she should help but couldn't think of what she could do, other than look for anyone approaching.

Within a second, Hans broke through the surface, gasping for air. When Ella bent down to him, he said, "He's trapped. He got caught in a fishing net!"

"We have to get him out of there!" Ella said. She glanced over her shoulder. "If only we knew where Cassandra was, she could use her sword."

Hans' eyes widened. "Ella, do you suppose that you could use your magic to create a dagger?"

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Ella asked.

"I'm afraid we don't have a choice."

Letting out a breath, Ella stretched her arms around and motioned her hands, creating a swarm of ice. The ice formed into a small dagger. Before it could fall into the water, she caught it and handed it to Hans.

"Careful," he said, gently taking it from her. "The last thing we need is to attract sharks."

"Are you sure that you can do this?" Ella asked. Hans nodded. "Alright, I'll keep an eye out. Be careful."

After he nodded, he held his breath and dove underwater. Ella crossed her arms and glanced over her shoulder before peering at the water, waiting for him and Vioran to peer up. Hopefully, he'll be able to free his dragon, then they could find Cassandra and head back to the Daaphelia.

She knew that as soon as they got back, she'd be changing into something else. She couldn't stand being in her dress much longer, so she threw it off and stood in her corset. Her chest grew tighter and she was feeling faint. Her eyes shut a few times, but she forced them open. Then she shut her eyes and leaned towards the cold water, creating a loud splash. Her body sank into the water as everything went black.

---

When her eyes flew open, she gasped for air and coughed multiple times. Her blurry vision cleared, showing Hans peering down at her with Vioran on his shoulder. She felt the wood of the dock underneath her bare fingertips. Within a second, she felt ice covering the wood. "Ella, are you alright?"

After she nodded, she glanced down to see that her corset had been ripped in half, revealing her beige chemise. "What happened?"

"You fainted and fell in," Hans explained. "Your corset was laced too tight."

Vioran leaned towards Ella as she sat up, smiling at him. If it hadn't been for her magic, she would've petted him. "Is he alright?"

"He's fine. He just—"

Just then a large thud was heard, causing the duo to seek the source of the sound. There was a young man with his hooded cloak down. He was lying straight on his stomach on the frozen ground with Ella's fan in his hand. Next to him was a bag with many swords and a whip sword that stuck right out.

Hans furrowed his eyebrows. "Can I help you, sir? And what are you doing with her fan?"

The man scrambled to his feet with Ella's fan, chuckling nervously. "Nah. I was just—uh. . . returning this to this fine lady." He smiled, placing Ella's fan back in her hands. He walked backward until he finally picked up the bag. "The name's Dwayne. I best be going. I gotta get to—"

"Dwyane?" Ella narrowed. She glanced back at the bag with the swords. "Hans, that's the guy that took Raya's sword."

Dwyane refrained from gasping. "Oh, I'm not that Dwyane. I don't know what you're talking about."

"Sir, I'm afraid that you have to come with me," Hans informed, stepping closer.

"No, I think that I can manage on my own," Dwyane chuckled.

Without warning, Dwyane darted off, leaving Hans no choice but to pursue him. "Stop!" Hans shouted to no avail. Vioran remained on his shoulder and camouflaged, making it difficult for anyone to see him. "I said stop!"

Ella unhesitatingly dashed after Hans, kicking her heels off to give her more speed. She ignored everything that went past her and instead, focused her vision on Dwyane and Hans. This must be why Raya asked for Cassandra. She must have followed him here and needed her help to find him.

---

When they raced into the village, Dwyane dodged out of the citizens' way, hoping to lose Hans. Luckily Hans figured out his scheme and successfully avoided the villagers. Ella nearly bumped into someone but kept her balance. She formed a slight grin when she was finally catching up with Hans.

Dwyane glanced over his shoulder, laughing at the duo until he ran smack into a market man. The thief fell to the ground, scrambling to pick up his items while the market man cursed at him. Some people nearby took a glance before carrying on with their business.

Ella had just finally caught up with Hans when she heard some voices shout, "Hey! Stop right there!"

Ella and Hans came to a halt, thinking that it was meant for Dwyane. However, they spotted the same guards from earlier coming over to them. "You better come with us, Your Highness," one of them said. "Your father wants you back as soon as possible."

The guards all surround them in a circle with Dwyane gathering his stolen items in his bag. Ella and Hans surveyed their surroundings, hoping for another way around.

"Dwyane!" a girl's voice yelled, startling the thief.

Dwyane slowly peered up and gasped when a large creature was rolling towards him with a rider on his back. The creature looked to be a hybrid of a pill bug, armadillo, and pug. Once the hybrid froze, the rider leaped off its back and marched towards Dwyane. The rider was a young, slender girl of average height with a slightly muscular build. She wore a red cape with a turquoise stripe and a salakot on her long, black hair.

"O-oh it's you!" Dwyane nervously stuttered, clumsily snatching his bag with the stolen swords as the girl came towards him. "What brings you here?"

Suddenly the girl punched him in the stomach. Dwyane tried to punch her in the face, but she blocked him. He tried to punch her in the stomach, but again, she blocked him. She jumped in the air and kicked him, sending him across the street.

The girl marched over to him with heavy steps. Once Dwyane got up and saw the look in her eyes, he cowardly backed away, clenching the bag in his hand. He spun around to make a run for it, but the creature rolled over and blocked his way.

"What are you waiting for?" one of the guards asked impatiently, drawing Ella's attention back to them. "Let's get to the palace!"

As Ella turned to glance at Hans for any ideas, she spotted Cassandra creeping up behind them with her sword in her arms. She came to a standstill right next to a pillar that supported a balcony above. Cassandra brought her finger to her lips and Ella and Hans nodded in response. Cassandra held her arms up and swung her sword at the pillar. The sword created a large break in the pillar and created a long creaking sound as it started to fall, allowing Cassandra to race away from the area and head towards the girl, the hybrid, and Dwyane.

As the pillar finally broke, the balcony began to fall towards the ground, drawing the attention of the guards. Hans and Ella seized the opportunity and went around them. The sound of the balcony thudding on the ground almost caused Ella to jump. She quickly glanced around her shoulder to see that no one was harmed, but the guards were looking for anyone nearby.

The girl and the hybrid were closing in on Dwyane, forcing him to come to a halt next to a table where the market man had previously been. The table was filled with strawberries, fruit, and any dessert one could imagine. When he peered at the table, a grin formed.

He snatched the bowl of strawberries and tossed them out of the bowl over his shoulder, sending them flying towards the hybrid. The hybrid smiled and opened his mouth towards the strawberries.

"Tuk Tuk!" the girl exclaimed. Tuk Tuk caught the strawberries in his mouth and devoured them with his eyes closed. "Focus! We—"

Dwyane grabbed the table and knocked it towards the girl without warning. The table nearly knocked her over, but fortunately, she got out of the way in time. Unfortunately, Dwyane sprinted away from her and left in another area, unaware that he had just passed Cassandra.

"Raya!" Cassandra yelled. She pointed to "He went that way!"

"I know! He's getting away!" Raya yelled, darting in the direction that Dwyane took off in. "Come on! Help me!"

After Raya disappeared into the area, Cassandra followed after her. Cassandra took a right turn and disappeared. After Ella and Hans took a glance over their shoulders, they continued to run until they went behind a wall and pressed themselves against it, staying out of anyone's sight. Vioran revealed himself and jumped across the wall from them.

"We have to help Cassandra and Raya!" Ella exclaimed.

"How are we going to get there without running into my father's guards?" Hans asked. Ella felt the same, though she didn't understand why he couldn't just get the guards to arrest Dwyane.

Just then, a vase from one of the windows above fell and headed toward Hans. Before Ella could pull him out of the way in time, a tall flame formed around Hans and disappeared. The tall flame went on the other side of Ella, startling her. Right when the tall flame disappeared, leaving a bewildered Hans in its place, the vase fell smack on the ground, shattering into a million pieces.

After letting out a gasp, Ella spun around to Hans who was just as shocked as she was. "Did you know you could do that?"

Hans shook his head then his eyes widened. He lifted up his right hand towards Vioran and he leaped back on his shoulder, camouflaging himself. Afterward, Hans gestured for her to come closer to him. "I have an idea! Stand close!"

"Do you think it'll work?"

"Only one way to find out."

When Ella stood close to him, a fire tornado formed around them. Not even a second later, the fire tornado faded away and they found themselves in an unfamiliar area right next to an open path in the middle of two buildings. Vioran leaped off of Hans' shoulder and onto the wall across from them. Footsteps were coming from the right along with Dwyane's breaths.

"Seal that path!" Hans pointed. "Now!"

Ella motioned her hands towards the path, cracking filling her ears as she created a large ice slab blocking it. Right when Dwyane turned the corner and darted forward, he gasped when he saw the frozen path.

"What the?" he exclaimed in bewilderment.

Hans stepped towards him, forming a flame in his hand. "It's over, Dwyane. Give us the sword!"

Without warning, Dwyane threw something at Hans, forcing him to send the flame into an unknown area. Dwyane held onto the bag tighter and brought it behind his shoulder, holding it away from Hans. He raced forward, hoping to get away, however, Ella quickly placed her hands on the ground. Ice layered over the ground and snuck under Dwyane's feet, causing him to slip. He fell straight onto the ground. Not even a second later, Raya turned around the corner with an intense glare.

"Please leave me alone!" Dwyane yelled, scrambling to get up. "I'll do anything!"

Raya came to a halt, towering over him. "Give me back my sword, Dwyane!"

As Dwyane jumped up, Raya jump-kicked him, knocking him down. She tried to grab the bag, but he knocked her down with his legs. He turned to escape, but Raya grabbed him and pushed him down. Dwyane tried to defend himself but was unsuccessful as Raya kicked him in the back, knocking him down.

Cassandra came out from around the corner and strolled towards Dwyane and Raya. "Give her back her sword, Dwyane!"

Dwyane glanced up from the ground and spotted Cassandra. "Oh, it's you! What are you doing here?"

"None of your business!" Cassandra snapped. "Give her back her sword!"

Dwyane again attempted to get up, but Raya kicked him in the back.

"Alright, I think he gets the point," Hans said.

"What's going on here?"

Everyone turned to the left where Lars was coming toward him. "What are you doing here? What are you even doing?" Lars glanced over at Raya and Dwyane. "And who are you two?"

"I am Princess Raya of Heart," Raya answered. "Dwyane stole my sword and I'm getting it back from him."

Dwyane scrambled up to his feet and backed away from Raya. "How about I make you a deal?" He frantically delved into his pocket and pulled out a pouch. He poured something into his hand and laid it out towards her. His palm had dozens of gold pieces scattered about. "I can pay you!"

"I don't give a damn about the money!" Raya shouted. "I only want my sword back!"

"Well, too bad!" Dwyane scoffed. "I'm not giving it back to you!"

Cassandra raised her eyebrows. "You stole that, didn't you? On my way to the palace, I recalled hearing someone complain that their money was stolen. It was you, wasn't it, Dwyane!"

Dwyane's eyes grew big before he brought the money towards the pouch. "I don't know what you're talking about! You must be thinking of—"

Out of nowhere, Vioran leaped towards Dwyane, knocking him to the ground. Piles of coins scattered on the ground, creating a cling sound that repeated multiple times. Dwyane hollered and jumped off the ground. Ella glanced over at Hans.

His eyes were bright red as he stepped toward Vioran. "Vioran, adducere Raya's gladius, sed relinquo eum incolumus."

Vioran leaped towards the bag, but Dwyane grabbed it and threw it up in the air. The bag started to fly towards the wall nearby. Vioran abruptly leaped onto the wall and then to the wall across from him. He repeated this process until he reached the top of the wall where the bag was just about to go over. He leaped towards it, catching the bag with his mouth.

He came down the same way and landed in front of Raya, opening the bag. Raya grinned, delved her hand in, and pulled out a long, green whip sword. "Thanks," she said, laying her sword on her shoulder. "It's about time I got this back."

Dwyane backed himself against the wall, hoping to get away from the dragon. "Please, don't let him hurt me!"

"Calm down!" Hans said. "I've told him in Latin to leave you unharmed."

Suddenly some screams were heard nearby, followed by some guards commanding someone to calm down.

"Dwyane!" Lars yelled. "Get out of here!" Dwyane stood there puzzled. "Get out of here!"

Without hesitation, Dwayne darted away from the area and disappeared once he went around the corner. Raya and Cassandra were about to protest when the screams came again, leaving the group no choice but to follow them. Lars gestured to Ella to let her ice fade away and she did. Shortly after, Lars opened up his satchel and Vioran raced inside. Once he sealed the bag, Lars and Ella went to catch up with Hans, Raya, and Cassandra.

When they entered the town square, the citizens were frantically racing from all over. Ella raised an eyebrow, wondering what they were doing until she glanced over and gasped.

In the middle of the town square, the Southern Isles pole was covered in flames. Nearby, Tuk Tuk was panicking, causing Raya to race over towards him. Without hesitation, Hans darted over towards the flag, removing his gloves. He lifted his arms in the air and moved them back, causing the fire to fade away, leaving bits and pieces of the flag left.

All of the citizens stepped toward Hans, glaring and cursing at him. Hans spun around towards them, putting his gloves back on. "Is everyone alright?"

"You monster!"

"You tried to kill us, you demon!"

Hans stood there like he was used to it. How could anyone get used to this? This was horrible.

"I can assure you that it was an accident," Hans said. "I should've been more careful, but I didn't mean it. You should all be grateful that you're unharmed."

The crowd continued to glare and curse at Hans until the head guard addressed them to get back to their business, which they obeyed. Afterward, Ella and Hans found themselves surrounded by the guards with the captain ordering them to get to the palace. This time, they had no choice, but to obey.

---

To Ella's surprise, everyone who had attended the dinner party was still present in the Great Hall. At this moment, she and Hans were facing Reynold on the dais while Cassandra and Lars were in the back of the room and Raya was on her way to the palace with Tuk Tuk. Ella folded her arms as she surveyed the room while Reynold was berating Hans. Most of the brothers were either smirking or shaking their heads at Hans while Caleb smirked.

"Do you have any idea what you could've done?" Reynold yelled. "You could've destroyed our home!"

"It was an accident, Father!" Hans said. "I didn't mean to—"

"Why were you using your powers in the first place?" Reynold yelled. "You know that you aren't supposed to use them!"

"I can explain—"

"Father, there was an incident in the town," Lars explained, stepping forward. "He didn't intend to cause a fire."

"Regardless, he wasn't supposed to be in town anyway," Reynold retorted. "He was supposed to stay here for his brother's birthday! He had no right to leave early!"

Hans glared up at his father. "Maybe if you didn't—"

Reynold growled, rising from his seat. "Don't you use that tone with me, young man!" He pointed a finger at him. "As your father and your King, you are to respect me!"

Ella couldn't take more of this. She stepped forward and said, "None of this would've happened if you all treated him better, Your Majesty."

"Silence!" Reynold ordered. "It is unwise of you to speak up against a king. As a commoner or in your case, a street rat, you're advised to hold your tongue unless you are granted to speak." Before anyone could react, Reynold turned back to his youngest son. "You will stay in your room for the rest of the night. When morning comes, I will send you to Riverland where you will do your duty."

"I'm not staying here, Father!" Hans yelled. Ella heard Lars explaining to Cassandra in the background about dinner. "I'm going to the Madrigals with Ella and Cassandra!"

"Oh, no you won't!" Reynold yelled.

Cassandra cleared her throat and stepped forward. "Your Majesty, may I make a suggestion?" Reynold sighed and gestured for her to continue. "At one of King Edgar and Queen Heidi's council meetings, they mentioned that Riverland would not be attending their New Year's Eve ball. Maybe you could send one of your sons to Reignlen to take Riverland's place instead of sending Hans?"

Reynold was about to protest when Lars stepped forward. "Yes, Father, I believe that it would be a smart move for our country. Sending Hans to Riverland without discussing it with Uncle Edgar would only create chaos between the two Kingdoms. Sending someone to represent Reignlen would strengthen our ties."

Reynold rubbed his chin, preoccupied with his thoughts. He shrugged and said, "Alright, Hans will leave the Southern Isles with you and the girl. When Christmas comes, I'll send four of my sons to Reignlen where they'll represent the Southern Isles at Edgar's New Year's Eve. They will come home two days after New Year's." He sat down in his chair and waved a beckoning hand at them. "You may go now."

After Cassandra bowed to him, she turned to Hans and said, "Sorry, Hans. We don't have any other choice."

---

As Ella followed Lars, Cassandra, and Hans into the yard, they watched Tuk Tuk roll near them until he came to a halt. Raya jumped off him and strolled towards them as Lars handed Hans the satchel.

"Thanks for helping me get my sword back," she said.

"No problem, Raya," Cassandra said. "How did you know that I was here?"

"I saw Owl when I arrived and he told me," Raya answered. Owl landed on the bush nearby. "I figured that you were in the palace so I went there. I'm glad that we got my sword back before Dwyane took off with it."

Cassandra peered at Lars. "That reminds me, why did you let him take off? You could've had the guards arrest him."

"Father executes thieves," Lars answered. "It's best if he gets arrested in another country."

What kind of place was this? Ella was surprised that this country had any association with Reignlen. After what Lars had just said, she agreed that he did the right thing to let Dwyane go.

"Did you find out where the map is?" Cassandra asked.

Raya sighed, shaking her head. "Unfortunately." Vioran popped his head out of the satchel. Raya peered at it in astonishment. "I'd never thought that I would see an inferzoon dragon. How long have you had it?"

After Hans explained to Raya about Vioran, Cassandra crossed her arms and asked, "What is he doing here? Isn't he supposed to be on the Daaphelia?"

"We don't know," Ella answered. "We found him in the water by the docks."

"Did you signal him to come?" Raya asked.

Hans shook his head. "Not that I'm aware of. I have been teaching him to listen to me through my Latin, but I didn't signal him. How could I even signal him?"

"Your eyes would turn red when you use your magic."

"Wait, Hans," Ella said. "Your eyes did turn red when you made that firestorm in the Great Hall earlier. You must've accidentally signaled him."

"That's right," Hans said. "I am going to have to work on that."

"Yes, you should," Lars said, glancing over his shoulder. "You're lucky that father didn't see your dragon. I can't imagine what he would do if he had."

Ella suddenly recalled that Reynold was going to send four of his sons over at Edgar's around Christmas time. "What are we going to do about him when your brothers arrive?"

From the look on his face, Ella could tell that Hans was thinking the same thing. He sighed, placing his hand on his eyes. "We'll figure it out when it gets closer."

Raya headed towards Tuk Tuk. "Well, I better get going. Hopefully, I'll find out where the map is." She climbed on Tuk Tuk. "Tuk Tuk, roll."

After they watched Tuk Tuk roll away, Owl landed on Cassandra's shoulder. Cassandra turned to Lars and said, "We should get going too."

"Yes, I can't wait to get out of here," Ella agreed. Hans remained quiet, but Ella could tell that he thought the same way. "I don't want to be here much longer."

Lars nodded and bid them goodbye. Right before they left, he called Hans and he turned to him. "I meant what I said earlier. Don't let your thoughts get to your head again."

---

A few hours after they returned to the Daaphelia, many of the sailors aboard decided to turn in for the night. Ella was about to do the same until Hans approached her. "You stood up for me against my father."

"I couldn't let him treat you like that," Ella said softly. "Especially with all you've done for me."

A light smile formed on Hans' features. "I appreciate it." After he gave her his gratitude, Ella was just about to retreat to her cabin, when Hans asked, "Would you like to watch the stars with me for a bit?" Ella's eyes widened which caused him to blush. "If you don't want to, I understand. It's up to you."

Ella's mouth formed into a smile, and she nodded.

Author's Note: In 2015, I came up with names for Hans' brothers but changed them upon reading "A Frozen Heart" in December 2019. The names Caleb, Lars, Runi and Runo, and Helga are from that book. It did not mention the names of Hans' parents, Caleb's wife, and the rest of the brothers, so I came up with the names for them. Jurgen and Franz were the names of two of the brothers in "Once Upon A Time" so I gave those names to a pair of them. Wesley is the only name that I came up with in 2015 that made it into the final draft of my story. It was always the plan to have him as the middle brother, and when I saw that Disney didn't reveal the name of the seventh son, I named him Wesley as planned.