The morning air was heavy in the warming light. The summer heat was creeping in, shattering the outline of the road with shivering mirages. The groomed horse swept his lush mane and snorted unhappily, warding off a pesky gadfly. The sunny day broke through the rider's closed eyelids. Hans woke up abruptly and straightened his back, almost falling out of the saddle. The rapid awakening had made the back of his head ache. Or was it for some other reason?
How had he even managed to fall asleep on horseback?
He remembered that on his first day in Arendelle he had decided to busy himself with exploring the surroundings of a kingdom whose gates had only recently opened. The unfamiliar forest beckoned a continuation of a barely begun adventure in a mysterious place. The climate and nature were unlike anything Hans was used to seeing in his homeland. Evergreen landscapes, snow-covered shards of mountain range piercing puffy lazy clouds, endless fields of lavender. Arendelle resembled a wise hermit, preserving his blossoming youth through detachment and oblivion.
The Southern Isles, from which the prince came, had a very different natural character. Shattered by the savage tempest of the sea, the archipelago cradled in its rocks the evidence of wars past. The ruins of ships, destroyed by salt and time, framed the shores like a trophy from the teeth of an enemy around the neck of an old pirate. Only the tides briefly concealed the brutality of history written in blood. For Hans Westergaard, the trip was a welcome breath of fresh air.
When first visiting the mysterious, prosperous in unknown ways, but so unsociable neighbors, everything feels like an adventure from a fairy tale. Hans was not so much excited about the coming diplomatic alliances and realizing his potential as the youngest ambassador of the Southern Isles. It was achievable and realizable with due diligence. It doesn't even need the support of his older brothers. Let them choke on their skepticism. The anticipation of meeting the young reclusive princesses was fabulous. In his wildest fantasies Hans conquered the heart of the future queen, while his brothers sprinkled their heads with ashes, regretting their ridicule and neglect. Who but a charismatic and courteous prince to capture the attention of a beautiful lady, who, Hans thought, was unsophisticated and lonely. It was an opportune moment to present himself in the most favorable light. The coronation ceremony coincided with the opening of the gates of Arendelle for the first time in three years.
A ride in the trusty Sitron fit Hans's idea of a typical prince's pastime. For the royal family of the Southern Isles, perhaps a race or a hunt for hunted foxes would have been preferable. But Hans wanted to get away from the imposed patterns of behavior, if only for a little while. He wanted to be alone with himself in a peaceful place that he could only see in the paintings of dreamy independent artists.
The way through the meadows was not far, and the prince expected to return long before the ceremony began. But the forest was met with unexpectedly dark shadows for such a bright summer day. He had to slow down. The stony road hid shamefully behind the white veil of fog that had not yet cleared. Sitron stepped carefully over the protruding roots in the overgrown path. If it hadn't been for the settlements he'd seen earlier, Hans would have thought that the people had long since left, and that the forest had forgotten the influence of neighboring civilization.
The green crowns were imperceptibly replaced by the creaking branches of age-old trees. The sky was almost completely covered by dry tops. Abnormally sprawling ivy waved an impenetrable net everywhere, closing the space. Claustrophobia opened its arms in this cramped space. Hans suddenly felt a presence behind him. From the darkness between the trunks of the oddly curved trees, yellowish lights appeared. Eyes.
Someone's glowing eyes. Flashing here and there, they surrounded the rider.
Hans spurred his horse and hurried out of the forest. He had to pick his way through a large amount of dead wood and mossy boulders that had never been there before. Sitron galloped faster and faster. Suddenly something spooked the horse. He spurred and reared. There was a crunch under his hooves. Hans was unable to keep his horse in the saddle, and he collapsed into the bushes, cursing everything in the world. The pain of the impact with the ground pierced his body. Before the prince knew it, he was flying into a ravine. His consciousness was cut off by the next impact with the rocks.
But how Hans found himself riding again, he could not remember. Then, after the fall, he was not alone in the darkness of the forest. All around him were the rough walls of a dusty gorge. There were rough voices above the prince's ear, drowning out the rustles and murmuring whispers of the silhouettes standing in the distance. His consciousness was confused, his eyes were double, and the darkness made it impossible to see much of anything. He could only smell the intrusive odor of pine needles, feel the grip of bony fingers, and hear creaking voices. Why did he feel anything at all if it was only a dream?
-What are those clothes? A stranger?
-You still have doubts? The locals wouldn't have the nerve to come into our valley like this. He looks rich. He's sure to be among the guests.
-Pabby, can you read something in his head?
The pine odor crept even more strongly into Hans's nostrils, making him suffocate. The stupefying aroma tingled nastily in his throat, but it stopped after a few moments.
-Healous to power, vicious. He knows the taste of betrayal. There are no princesses in his memory. It's not much, but it's what he's got. He's already coming to his senses.
-He's finally fit. I hope it doesn't break as quickly as the last one. This one's still in one piece.
Someone pinched Hans' cheek.
-Don't leave any marks on it. We don't want to wrinkle that pretty face.
-You didn't take much care of him when you threw him off the horse. If he shows up at the castle without teeth, he'll attract unwanted attention.
-Who do you think put the bush in the right place? My teeth are fine. Better than yours, old girl.
Someone snapped his jaw and laughed unkindly right next to the prince's ear.
-Hurry up before he wakes up. -Hurry up before he wakes up.
-However, I'd still have to explain it to him.
The owner of the second voice began to make frightening guttural sounds, murmuring words in an unfamiliar dialect. Bony hands clung tighter to Hans, who was hardly able to resist. Woolly clawed fingers touched his left palm and then pierced his skin with an unbearable burning pain. Hans howled and jerked, but was roughly pressed to the ground in a way that knocked the breath out of him. There was a ringing in his ears and panic clouded his consciousness. Would they try to burn him alive? The smell of burning flesh mingled with pine. The nauseating combination was so absurd that the prince was lost in his nightmare.
Reason treacherously planted visions of a stern father who might comment judgmentally on such torture:
"What's all this yelling over nonsense? You're just pathetic. Just as worthless as your mother."
The yellow lights of eyes flashed just above Hans' face. A harsh voice addressed him:
-Dispose of the queen, and we will repay you. Your dream will come true if you do not disobey. Arendelle will be yours, but the queen must die.
The lights flared up especially brightly and disappeared into the darkness. It seemed to the prince that the only one who was going to die was himself. Gray flies danced in front of his eyes in time with his heartbeat, until darkness swallowed everything.
And then Hans woke up on the Sitron. Examining himself, the prince saw no sign of the fall. Not a single stain. His boots glistened with perfect cleanliness, not a speck of dust on the fabric of his gloves, and his clothes fit flawlessly, as if they had just been ironed. So the mysterious silhouettes and their torture were unreal?
A strange, frightening dream. Hans chased away from himself the thought that he was sleepwalking, which had passed to the stage when he was able to fall without breaking his neck, to lie in a ravine, to find a runaway horse in the darkness and to climb back into the saddle...Till the last without regaining consciousness. Something was clearly just a mistake of the imagination. The prince could find no explanation for his disturbing memories. There was no rational explanation, nor was there any proof of what had happened.
He tried to convince himself that he had not fallen at all. The pain in the back of his head was due to the uncomfortable position in which he had fallen asleep... after the tiring voyage to Arendelle. Yes, that's exactly what it was. Maybe it was also the summer sun, which had caused a brief hallucination.
Hans turned back to the forest. The trees swayed their branches indifferently in the wind, and the silver light glistened carelessly in the green leaves. The prince tapped his horse's heels lightly to rush towards the palace. He wanted to be away from the forest, though nothing in it was like the oppressively dark place from his dream.
A place where they knew everything. The owners of the yellow eyes had recognized the 13th prince's innermost thoughts in a matter of moments.
How did he give himself away? No, not yet. We need to bury this side of his personality. No one can get into the head and pull out the hidden skeletons from the darkest recesses of the mind. It's all a bad dream, which is almost forgotten. The change of familiar surroundings had an effect. Here and surfaced silly complexes because of the ridicule of his brothers, who escorted him on his way with another portion of humiliation.
"Have a good disappointment, brother. If you don't want to return without the spoils of love, try looking for a favorable match among your equals. Servant girls, for example. With connections like that, you could land a position as butler."
"You're no stranger to loitering and pounding the pavement."
"I bet they'll close the gates again just to get Hans out."
"Get more stuff, stay there a while, and we'll find a use for your room in the meantime. I've been wanting to expand my dressing room for a long time."
The brothers' caustic phrases readily emerged as a nasty memory, filled with details of intonation and gesture, in contrast to the vague idea of the events of the morning ride.
"You'll be damned if we miss a trading partner. Try not to bore the queen to death with your chatter."
To death? Why were those eerie voices ordering him to kill the queen? Goosebumps ran down Hans's back. He decided that it was just a wicked subconscious joke and the inevitable influence of the traditional upbringing of the king of the Southern Isles. The underhanded games of politicians, including brothers, often led to murders. Or rather, accidents, mysterious illnesses, and sudden moves to the most remote corners of the world. As strong as his lust for power was, Hans had a better judgment of his abilities. His own ambition elevated him above his brothers and father. Hans believed he would never stoop to dirty methods. That, however, did not prevent him from having a couple or three backup plans for achieving his goals or imagining in colors the reprisal of offenders after especially serious family quarrels.
The noise of the city and the invigorating air of the sea gradually displaced from the prince's thoughts the tangled fragments of memories, false and real. Imperceptibly, he arrived at the wharf. The Sitron stopped abruptly. There was a surprised exclamation and a rumble.
The red-haired girl clumsily stumbled and fell into the boat standing on the dock. The landing was not the softest, and Hans rushed over to give the injured lady a hand.
-I'm sorry. Are you all right?
-Yes... that is... no... Hello," the girl was clearly embarrassed, but a warm smile blossomed on her face when she saw the rider, "I'm fine.
-Are you sure? - Hans asked guiltily.
-Yes, I wasn't looking where I was going. But I'm fine, really fine.
-Oh, I'm glad to hear that," he exhaled, helping her up.
The girl continued to stare mesmerized, squeezing his left palm. Hans felt an unpleasant burning sensation in his hand and pulled away. The movement was strange, and Hans hastened to end the awkward pause with a bow.
-Prince Hans of the Southern Isles,- he called himself.
-Princess Anna of Arendelle,- the girl replied affably.
-Princess? My Lady,- he respectfully knelt down on one knee in front of the royal family, "I apologize for hitting the princess with the horse."...
-Oh, no, it's okay, I'm not that princess,- Anna waved her hands in protest, backing away a few steps.
The boat began to rock, and they almost capsized. Hans tried to hold the girl by the elbows, but gravity had decided to get even with him today. Finally losing her balance, Anna fell down again and crushed her new acquaintance. The prince gave himself up to chance and could not hold back a carefree smile. The girl fidgeted and with all her agitated appearance showed her desire to return to an upright position as quickly as possible. Tangling in the layers of the lush skirt, they still managed to stand up and get out of the boat.
-Oh, how clumsy...I mean, not you clumsy, I'm clumsy, but you...you're gorgeous...-the girl hastily chose her words and trapped herself in awkwardness. She staggered slightly, reached down and took off one of her shoes, -The heel broke...
-I'm sorry again," Hans blushed.
-It's nothing, it's nothing, honestly. But if you get my sister Elsa... Oh, it's a scary thing,- the princess laughed nervously, fixed her hair, turned around and almost crashed her forehead into the horse again. - As your luck would have it, it's only me and only my flimsy heel.
-This is Sitron," Hans introduced his horse to her. - To make it up to you, he'll take you to... Where were you going?
-To my sister's.
-Who's not you?
-Oh, she's not "only", she's the opposite. She's going to be queen today. You'll be at the coronation, won't you?
- So we're on our way,- Hans nodded.
The confusion between them quickly faded away. Hans noticed that Anna could easily mount the horse by herself, but she accepted his help gratefully. As they approached the palace, where the last preparations for the ceremony were being finalized, the princess spoke passionately about Arendelle and showed the local sights. Hans listened with interest, guiding Sitron by the reins in the right direction.
Anna missed new acquaintances. The maelstrom of different perceptions and mysterious reticence beckoned to the princess. Her usual social circle had become too predictable and ordinary in recent years. And now she was embraced by a long-forgotten feeling, like a moment of weightlessness when riding on a swing. With genuine delight, Anna seized the opportunity to talk, as if she had been silent for years or had been waiting for the right company.
Her tone changed several times. In order not to be too overwhelmed by the excess of her feelings, Anna would pour over the historical facts she knew with the most important look she could muster. But, word by word, she remembered something amusing. The girl joked a lot and was the first to start laughing even before she voiced the end of the thought. The princess went over the topics of the city's troubles as well. She was obviously involved in the management of the city, but she tried not to bore the guest with too many stories about the daily routine. To Hans's surprise, the girl knew every citizen they met along the way. Some came up to express their gratitude, and Anna responded with remarkable modesty.
-You should also thank my sister Elsa. I have prepared your final petition for next week," Anna assured the gentleman in the austere suit with a smile.
Hans wondered if the girls had really been isolated for several years. Anna held herself quite confidently. During the walk, her status as a princess, not indifferent to the needs of her people, had become firmly established. On the other hand, the inhabitants seemed to avoid talking about Elsa. No one, except Anna, remembered her in their gratitude. And as soon as the younger sister brought the topic to the merits of the future queen, the interlocutors retreated.
The queen must have been awe-inspiring. Hans imagined her as a kind of powerful, strict ruler, about whom they were afraid to say an unnecessary word. Although this image contrasted with the carefree princess, who blushed at the praise and embarrassedly asked to go to a deserted part of the city. She began to share her impressions of the upcoming ceremony in an attempt to shift attention away from herself.
-And as is tradition, Elsa has organized a beautiful ball! Everyone's been waiting for the gates to open, and she picked the perfect moment. Of course, she honors King Agnarr's will, so she wouldn't have opened the gates before their due date," Anna said excitedly. - But the main thing that will be remembered is the wonderful feast, the beginning of a new era of Elsa's glorious reign ...
Hans suddenly shared her elation easily, it was so contagious. He even envied Anna's joy at her sister's coronation. Such warm, sincere feelings toward his family were foreign to him. On the day when power would pass to his older brother, Hans expected to remain a faded shadow with an imperturbable face set in a false smile.
By going to Arendelle, he hoped to make an acquaintance with the newly crowned queen and charm her. A successful meeting with the princess also opened up some prospects. However, Anna's childishness and directness confused him. Hans didn't notice how he began to support her casualness. As if they were old friends, the girl touched him every now and then. Hans would be lying if he said he didn't like it.
As they neared the high fence near the stables, Anna straightened up and smiled proudly. Hans guessed some grand plan by the satisfied look on her face.
-And over there I've organized a training ground, but it hasn't been much fun to train the last few years, -Anna pointed toward the fence and watched her companion's reaction. - Maybe this year we'll be able to attract new participants, fresh blood, so to speak. You should definitely try it!
-Fresh blood? - Hans didn't know what kind of training and participants he was talking about.
-Yes, yes. The new participants of the warrior tournament! - The princess explained happily, -It's been three years since we've had one, I've missed it so much.
-You, Princess, are you organizing a warrior tournament?
-Not really, -dropping modesty, admitted Anna, -I also participate. Oh, I wish I could break my previous records.
-I'm surprised that you're into it,- Hans said, a little stunned, noticing the previous years' standings on the wall. The first places were taken by Anna.
-Because I'm only a princess?
-No, no,- he corrected himself, -Not in that way. I understand perfectly well the interest in training, sparring, and even more so in competitions. And you are by no means "just a princess." To have the skills of a warrior, to successfully govern a state, to engage in foreign policy - all these things are inherent to a queen.
-You're making me blush,- she laughed. -What kind of foreign policy is there with the gates closed for so many years?
-Right now you're personally giving a tour to a prince from a neighboring kingdom.
-Well, it turns out that today's list of duties of the princess is one less item, - rejoiced Anna, -The next goal we have in common. The coronation ceremony will begin soon. Let's take Sitron to the stables and hurry up.
-And about the tournament...
-Yes?
-I'm honored to accept a personal invitation from the princess herself,- Hans said solemnly and smiled, -You'll work on my kicks.
-Great! But I'm counting on an equal fight," Anna was glowing with happiness, "I just need to coordinate it with Elsa. A test of diplomatic skills is a breeze.