#Hans of the Southern Isles

[nogurlstoy]

The book I don't think is canon (correct me if I am wrong), so we can't really say it was "because they thought it was funny". In fact out of personal experiences, I doubt anyone would think ignoring a sibling for two years would be a great idea of a joke. Unless of course it was out of revenge and the glee came from seeing Hans feeling ignored and upset.

I haven't read the book but I did researched that said it's not really canon to the movie. So I think there was a more bitter and resentful reason Hans was ignored by three of his brothers (like seriously three people for two years??)

They could've been abusive to him, that is possible. But we don't really know that, and I just assumed Hans did something way out of line that no so called annoying little brother should do and that was the cause for the cold treatment. Granted that wouldn't justify the neglect, but it would at least be reasonable and show how Hans and his brothers never saw eye to eye.

Hans and his family

So this is me defending the character of Hans once again. Sort of. His desperate actions aren’t justified. Really I’m just humanizing him. 

Gifs 1 and 2 Obviously his brothers are kind of jerks and he’s the runt of the family

Gif 3 I think we can all agree with Anna’s face that no matter how badly Hans turned out it’s a pretty mean thing to ignore your sibling to that extent

Gif 6 From the moment I saw this clip I began to think about how his brothers would react. Brothers beating on each other is common in families but he has 12 brothers and is the runt of the family. That’s a pretty unfair advantage

Gif 5 Look at his unsure face when Anna offers to have his brothers live with them. He clearly doesn’t like the idea. 

Gif 4 Clearly Hans would have jumped at any chance to get out of the Southern Isles and away from his family. 

I think that should say something about how far he was willing to go. I also think it kind of progressed as the movie went along.

At first Hans didn’t know who Anna was but was concerned and not a jerk about it

That smile on his face makes him look hopeful. He finally found an opening where he can escape his life in the Southern Isles. 

Here’s one of Hans’s scarier moments when he realizes that his new position can be taken away and uses his new power to initiate a threat and the Duke immediately backs off. Something tells me growing up with 12 brothers, no one would really back down when he would stand up for himself. 

Then right here. There really wasn’t anything he could do here so he could have let this guy kill Elsa and there still wouldn’t be any blame on him. This way works too but afterwards he imprisons her rather than kills her. Yes he needed her to bring back summer but later he says that he’ll kill Elsa in order to bring summer back. 

So this is where I think it all goes downhill:

This is the opening he’s always wanted and it is so close

Finally there’s the thing with Anna and Elsa

I’m not saying he’s sincere in this but I think he does understand how she feels and could possibly hopes to find a kindred spirit in her regarding their relationships with their siblings. 

As seen here:

But:

Anna still continues to have faith in her sister. After all the years of rejected snowman making she still continues to trust and love her sister. I think that makes Hans lose faith in finding someone to relate to in Anna. 

And then:

This is the reconciliation of the Arendelle family. Despite how long Elsa had ignored Anna they forgive each other because they know life is too short to miss out on each other. 

Hans didn’t get that reconciliation with his brothers and probably never will. Mostly because he wasn’t interested in trying in the first place. He held on to that pain and anger and that’s what drove him to being the bad guy. 

The whole movie is based on sibling relationships and the power of family. So if familial true love was the solution to the movie why can’t it be the reason for the villain as well?

[artist-issues]

I’m bored and I really enjoy your opinions on Disney, so I thought you might have something interesting to say to get my brain ticking. I came across a post on Frozen and I was like, “Ah, a perfect starting place for dropping you an ask.” I’ve never really been that bothered by Frozen and I don’t know what it is that I’m just not fond about. Maybe it’s that I dislike the characters? Maybe it’s that they didn’t really have any established rules for the way magic worked in that universe and thus had anything they wanted happening? Maybe it’s the twist villain? I don’t know, it’s probably just the characters that they tried to make so cool and girlboss!

Elsa is made out to be this awesome protagonist that is never in the wrong and that grates me. She has flaws, but the film doesn’t act like they’re flaws. She runs away out of fear and shame for not being able to control her powers, but then two seconds later she’s singing “Let It Go” and making giant ice castles and bringing snowmen to life?! And “Let It Go” is super annoying for the fact that Elsa starts off worried and upset (fair enough, she’s just ran away from her home, her kingdom, her sister whom she hasn’t seen in years, she lost control of her powers) but then immediately turns round and is like, “Actually, it’s not my fault and I’m fine as I am and I don’t need any of those responsibilities!” Which would be fine, but she also finishes the film with the same attitude!

Anna, too! Naive and optimistic and perhaps a little too trusting, she never realises that even if Han hadn’t turned out evil, Elsa had every right to be worried over their marriage. She never realises that it’s partly her fault for revealing Elsa’s powers (and she definitely doesn’t apologise). There’s a lot she doesn’t realise, and the only lesson she takes away from it all is that Christoff loves her instead of Han.

Oh my days, I’ve just realised how ridiculously long this has gotten, super sorry! Have a lovely day!

Let’s do this! For fun!

1. They don't need to establish exhaustive rules for how magic works in their world.

Red Riding Hood doesn't explain how the Big Bad Wolf can talk-it just explains that he can. Cinderella doesn't explain how Fairy Godmothers work, or why the spell should only last until midnight—it just explains that she casts one, and it does only last until midnight. Beauty & the Beast does not explain how, after The Beast has died, the "breaking of the curse" could bring him back to life. After Belle confesses her love, he should just go from dead beast to dead human, for all the explanation they give.

Beauty & the Beast also famously refuses to explain (explicitly) why all of the household were cursed, along with the castle and the Prince. But what it does explain is, "there's a curse, it was put in place because of a defect in the Prince's character, and there's a time limit on it's ability to be removed, which can only happen if the defect in his character is overcome."

The whole point of having magic in the story is just as a tool...to create a plot. You don't have to explain everything; you just have to explain what will affect the characters. So, Frozen says, very plainly in the beginning: "you can either be born with magical powers or cursed with them in this world, and trolls are the experts on how magical powers work. The way Elsa's specific magical powers work is, they're beautiful, but powerful, and they're tied to her emotions. Therefore, if her negative emotions control her, her negative emotions control those powers. Also, if you're struck with magical powers in the head, the effects can be removed with memory alteration. If you're struck with magical powers in the heart, the effects can only be removed by an act of True Love.

Also, here's an explanation of what counts as 'True Love." They actually do way more explaining than the average fairy tale. And they set you up really nicely to receive that explanation by having the opening scene be a song that describes Ice Magic as “beautiful/powerful/dangerous/cold/ice has a magic can't be controlled.” Etc.

If you were wondering what limits there are on Elsa's powers, and whether or not she can just make anything out of ice, and how it's possible for her to bring inanimate snow to life

—well, you're focusing on the wrong things for this kind of story.

It's not that important for a fairy tale like this one. In a superhero story, limitations on powers would be important. Because the point of a superhero story is, "how am I going to take selfless responsibility for what I'm able to do?" And if you don't know the boundaries on "what I'm able to do," then you can't communicate that point clearly. That's why we need to know that Superman can see through just about everything, but not lead. That's why you need to know that Elastigirl can't stretch in the cold. You can't know how to take responsibility for your abilities if you don't know what they are and are not.

But Elsa? The point of Elsa having powers is not as a metaphor for her unique skills. That's what it would be in a superhero movie.

Like, in superhero movies, Spidey's ability to stick to walls is supposed to be a reference to like, your ability to...l don't know, draw really well. How is Spidey going to use his ability to stick to walls for the good of others = how are you going to use your ability to draw for the good of others, because it's something special and unique to you, you have something to offer, are you going to use it selflessly, etc.

But for Elsa, that's not what it's about. Her powers are just a metaphor for how what's going on inside of her effects everyone around her, relationally. And it's still relatable. But not in a "skills" way. Just like all of us non-superpowered people: "if you let fear control you, you'll hurt everyone around you. But if you let love cast out fear, you'll love and be loved."

That's what's so good about this movie. When you look at it like that, you realize the powers aren’t the point.

Elsa isolates because she thinks that'll keep her from hurting everyone (fear controls her) but actually, by isolating, she's still hurting everyone-nobody in the kingdom gets to see their beloved ruler, and her sister is hurt, relationally, and feels unloved and shut-out, enough to trust the first scoundrel she meets-etc. See how the powers just make the story interesting, but they're not the point of the story? If Elsa's powers were replaced by "frantic outbursts of human temper" the story could be told in a lot of the same ways. But that's a post for another time.

So I don't think you disliked it because of the powers not being "established." "Whatever they wanted to have happen" did not happen, in the story. They laid out the rules that were relevant—“if fear controls you, it'll lead to great danger/but an act of true love can thaw a frozen heart."—and then they followed those rules in an interesting and consistent way.

2. The "twist" villain worked perfectly for the story.

A good villain is supposed to be the opposite of whatever your story's message is. Frozen's is, "Self-Sacrificial Love Casts Out Fear." Elsa is afraid she'll hurt everyone around her, and afraid that makes her unloveable-so she's a control freak over her circumstances. Anna is also afraid she's unloveable-simply because she's shut out and unknown-so she's always trying to control who she keeps in her life. Hans is both "unknown" and "controlling." He's "unknown" in two ways—1, nobody sees him in the shadows of his brothers in his own kingdom, and 2, nobody in Arendelle "knows" his true nature, especially not Anna. But the difference is, where our heroes don't like being unknown, Hans does, and uses it to his advantage, because he's also "controlling." But unlike our heroes, who learn that "control" is not the way to love, Hans is willing to do anything to stay in control. Which is, always, rooted in fear, too. Hans is just afraid he'll never get a throne. So. You see that he foils the two main characters perfectly.

But the main point of Hans is that he's not self-sacrificial, he's self-serving, which is the opposite of what the story claims "True Love" is.

Why's the "twist" part important? Because he uses the main characters' fears as a weapon to serve himself, and he couldn't have done that, for these two particular characters, by being anything but a liar. Anna is afraid she won't ever be loved, so he pretends to love her to get something for himself. Elsa is afraid she'll hurt everyone, so Hans pretends to be protecting everyone from her. And honestly, that's another core of the movie-love that is self-sacrificial, true love, can't be separated from truth. Anna can't really "truly love" Elsa in a way that HELPS Elsa feel loved if she doesn't know Elsa's flaws. Elsa can't "truly love" Anna if she's refusing to know Anna by always shutting her out. And Hans comes along and doesn't let himself be "truly known." Perfect.

So, the movie says "Self-Sacrificial Love Casts Out Fear" and Hans, the villain, says, "Self-Service Uses Fear As a Weapon."

So I don't think you disliked the "twist" villain. Because it wasn't just an empty "shock-jock, look how edgy we are, to make the Prince the bad guy" move. It was the right move, for this story and these characters.

3. I think your definition of "so cool" and "girlboss" might be different from what l understand those terms to mean, because none of the characters fit those descriptions.

Anna (as we understand her throughout the story) is introduced like this:

And she's constantly dropping stuff and getting into awkward social situations-and she basically makes zero correct decisions, for the entire adventure. Tries to fight wolves like a girlboss-and instead accidentally knocks her guide out of the sleigh and has to be thrown to safety while she ruins his livelihood. Tries to climb a cliff with zero experience-looks ridiculous and falls. Tries to talk her sister into lifting a curse and insists that she knows best because her sister would never hurt her-gets crippled, because her sister absolutely does hurt her, and totally fails. Tries to marry a handsome prince-really bad judgement of character, totally duped, basically would've died without help from the weakest and most mentally-confused character in the movie, Olaf. The only "girlboss" moment you could argue she had was punching Hans in the face at the end of the movie, and I would argue that that one moment, in the face of all her failures and humiliation throughout the movie, and in the face of him as a vile villain? That moment is okay.

Also, the whole way they pace that moment is still in-character for Anna. It's still like she's not doing the "dignified" thing. She delivers her little one liner, "the only frozen heart around here is you," and then turns around to walk away with her nose in the air, like she's

"above it all." Which frames the moment where she turns around and punches him like a joke. It frames that moment like it's a satisfying, but still "not decorous, not dignified," thing to do. It would've been "cool" and poorly received if Anna, the character who's always jumping into doing the emotional, awkward thing, had suddenly become the bigger person and risen above her hurt in that moment.

So instead, she punches him. And whatever. He deserved it, blah blah blah. The point is, even that moment isn’t supposed to be strictly “cool” or “girlboss.” It’s just supposed to be “in-character funny.”

See, usually a "girlboss" character knows exactly what the best thing to do is in a situation, and does it well. Or, she gets knocked down, but consistently gets back up and hits harder. Anna does not do any of those things. She keeps trying when she fails, yeah-but it's not because of an inner strength, it's because of an inner weakness. She keeps pushing because she's desperate, and insecure, not because she's awesome and never-say-die. Eventually, after Elsa strikes her and Hans betrays her, Anna does give up. She tells the snowman "we won't (come back.)" after Elsa strikes her. She tells Olaf she doesn't know what love is. It's not until she learns that lesson that anything she tries to do works—and she gives herself up to do it. And that's finally a moment of strength from her, not weakness. As for "cool"-gimme a break.

There's nothing "cool" about Anna. Anna's not good at anything except, at the very end, self-sacrificially standing in front of a sword and getting one punch in on a villain who's already disarmed, defeated and probably slightly concussed anyway. She's not supposed to be "cool" or "girlboss." She's supposed to be "Desperate to Love and Be Loved." And that's what she is, perfectly. "Desperate" is not a characteristic that fits the definition "girlboss" or "cool."

But maybe you just meant "Elsa is so cool and a girlboss." Okay, well, again, depends on what you mean by that. If you mean "having superpowers are cool" okay, well, are they? Is that what the movie is telling you? Because powers basically ruin all of Elsa's childhood and life until the last 3 minutes of the movie. You could be like "come on, she can make snow and ice monsters, glitter gowns, and an entire palace just by dancing. They totally tried to make her 'cool." That's like saying Simba's ability to eat bugs and belch and fight with Nala is "cool." She does all those things at her "Character in the WRONG" moment, in the story, just like Simba living in the Hakuna Matata jungle. Therefore the movie is not trying to tell you that Elsa is cool, it's trying to tell you that Elsa is wrong, but you can understand why she's wrong. You can understand why she feels triumphant for a moment-and then the movie shows you that triumph is misplaced.

I mean, she's taken out by her own falling chandelier. Every time she's confronted with a problem, she runs away. When she gets into "battles of wits," she says the wrong thing, or the shy, shut-down thing, not a girlboss one-liner that shuts the other person up. Elsa's not cool either. She doesn't have the answers, she doesn't save the day-she gets saved.

Both of these characters are desperate, open wounds-—they're needy and they're in the wrong, each in their own way, for the majority of the movie. They're weak, and they have to learn to find strength in love, for most of their story. There's nothing "girlboss" or "cool" about them.

I think maybe what some people make the mistake of is noticing the Frozen mania, and the fact that the two main characters are girls and one of them has superpowers and they other doesn't get with a Prince, and then they get the impression, from that, that the characters are "cool girlbosses." But like...that's like saying Dory from the first Finding Hemo movie is a girlboss. She's so totally not. She's a wreck. A funny, appealing, sometimes-relatable-human wreck. And a good character, but the hype doesn't change who she is, as a character. And who she is, like Anna and Elsa, is just a good character.

4. Elsa does not finish Let it Go with an "I'm Fine As I Am" attitude, and she doesn't finish the movie that way, either.

She finishes "Let it Go" with an "I'm fine up here, isolated from everyone," attitude. And then the movie very quickly proves her wrong by having Anna show up and reveal to her that no, actually, she is not fine up there, because the person she cares about most can still find her and be hurt by her, and the whole kingdom is still reeling from the problems she ran away from.

At the end of the movie the only thing I can guess you got the impression that she's "fine as she is" from was the fact that she's using her powers again.

But like. Elsa's whole problem was never her powers. She wasn't supposed to learn to stop using them. She was supposed to learn to stop living in fear. Instead, she was supposed to lean on love-love that sacrifices for her, flaws and dangerousness and all-and stop trying to control her image and what everyone knows about her.

Because in trying to control what everyone knows about her, she was controlling whether or not they loved her or treated her like a monster. And even running away and singing Let It Go was still an effort to control everything-by not being around people who could treat her like a monster or be hurt by her. Instead, accepting that she might hurt people because she can't always control everything, and trusting that they'll still love and forgive her, was her character arc.

She lives by faith in sacrificial love by the end, not by fear. That's the arc. She does that perfectly.

It was never, "I'm fine as I am." Because the point was never "there's* something wrong with me." It was, "I don't need to fear a lack of control, because true love covers what I can't control." That's all.

4. Anna does communicate to the audience that she's sorry and willing to understand the reasons behind Elsa's secrets.

The lesson Anna takes away from all of this is not "which guy loves me." It's "what is love?" And you know she's learned that because she demonstrates it. If Anna had died-frozen forever-or been cut down by Hans' sword, you realize that Elsa would never have been able to repay that gesture, right? But Anna still made that choice.

Even though it meant Elsa would never repay her. And the point is — excuse me, I know this is long enough, but I feel like you're missing out on something wonderful here—

Anna could have left Elsa to be killed and ridden off into the sunset with Kristoff.

They make it very clear that that is her goal when she stumbles onto the ice, free from the room Hans trapped her in. Elsa is no longer her motivation. She isn't looking for Elsa. She's not trying to get that love she's looked for, from Elsa, in that moment. She's trying to get it from Kristoff, not just for her emotional need-but for the "breaking of the curse" that's killing her in the moment. That whole scene where she realizes he loves her-truly loves her, because he fits the description Olaf gives-is in there to communicate to the audience that he could save her. He could give her what she needs.

And the reason that's important is that it proves that this is character development: when she chooses not to go to Kristoff, and to go to Elsa instead.

Because it's her, choosing to turn away from the person who could give her something (even if it is "love") and to turn toward the person who can't give her something (Elsa.) Who has repeatedly failed to give her something, for their entire lives.

Anna at the beginning of the movie would've run to Kristoff. That was the whole point of Hans, when it comes to Anna-he represents someone who can fulfill a need in Anna. But when Anna turns away from Kristoff and runs to save Elsa instead, Anna is demonstrating what she's learned —that love isn't about her own needs. It's putting someone else's needs before yours. She stands between Hans and Elsa, with the full expectation that she's not going to get anything out of it, not even a guarantee of E/sa's love in return. And her own needs will NOT get met if she puts Elsa's first.

And that's what she does. Whereas, at the beginning of the film, Anna would not have done that. Because that's not what she thinks love is. She hasn’t realized that yet.

She thinks love means closeness. And that does come with love. But that's not love. Love is, like Olaf says, putting someone else's needs before yours. But the whole movie, Anna is not working to put Elsa's needs before her own. She's working to change Elsa's mind, now that she knows the truth, so that she and Elsa can be "close again." She's climbing that mountain and arguing with Elsa, because she thinks that all that stood in their way before was this secret that's been uncovered. And sure, Anna has always been willing to “be there for” Elsa, but you have to see that Anna wanted that to come with Elsa being there for her, in return.

Which would be nice. But it's not true love. True love is being there for someone even when they refuse to be there for you. Because that's putting their needs before yours.

Thanks for the super long ask! That was fun! I hope you enjoyed reading as much as l enjoyed writing-I think sometimes we judge Frozen by the mania that followed, not the good quality that actually caused the mania, and deserved the mania, though. Anyway 😂

Guards! Take them away! Back to the theater with you! Watch the movie again!

[venusssus]

If people only could open their eyes a little...

The thing that got me the most about Helsa is how Hans was always able to understand her, like in every single scene they have ever had together he was capable of that and it felt like he wasn't even trying to do that, it was just a natural thing between them.

So when I saw this comment under one of my tiktok edits and I've decided to elaborate on that a little.

Helsa is a ship people like to hate on for no reason and it's been going for years now. Although what I've noticed lately is that even if the haters say how much they hate the ship, how dumb it is and all - they will still say Hans understood Elsa. I swear, I've had like 10000+ comments full of helsa hate but they always mention how he understood her. I don't know what's the deal about it because if people can admit that he did... why still sooooo much hate. I mean I've been here, with Helsa and tumblr since F1 came out so it is nothing new for me, we as a fandom are used to this but It really makes me upset.

It truly amazes me every day how in todays world Enemies To Lovers trope in movies, books etc is probably the most loved trope ever but yet, people deny it when it comes to Helsa???? Strange.

Idk maybe it's all caused by the Oh Anna scene that caused all of yall some huge PTSD like it happened to me, maybe that's why😂😂

idk its 2024 its time to forgive Hans 🤓

[pirate-of-the-southern-isles]

So. Um.

Him.

...he multiplies. God, he really MULTIPLIES.

I mean, I made a joke once that Westergaards are reproducing by fission, but... jeez.

(just to inform - he is not Westergaard. But he looks like one.)

Well, Mr. Thord. Welcome in my fanfic. I have someone who would love to meet you.

[jasmindoodles]

Just a silly like comic 👀

So with @galaxygolfergirl concept of Hans dropping the facades, he also drops his shirt somewhere along the way too. 😂

Now Elsa has something else to write to Anna about. 😏

I might color this in the future who knows. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[ezinekihart]

Obsessed with this racer outfit!

[spicy-cannoli]

Here you go Hansanna nation uwu, coronation day kiss, based on the insane make out session on the broadway ver.

If you like hansanna feel free to check out my fic:

[sweetrululu]

“A Call from the Unknown”Part 1/2 Helsa Fanfic

The ballroom gleamed with the glow of crystal chandeliers, their light dancing across the polished wood floors and the rich fabrics of the guests. The swaying of silk gowns and dress uniforms added an almost ethereal quality to the evening. The great hall’s doors were open, letting the crisp autumn breeze flow through the guests, whispering between laughter, murmurs, and the sweet sound of the string quartet.

Elsa, flawless in a lilac gown, listened politely to a count as he discoursed on the recent restorations in the capital. She nodded at the appropriate moments, smiled when expected, but her mind wandered in an entirely different direction.

A stray note, barely a whisper in the orchestra, sent a shiver down her spine.

It wasn’t the music. It wasn’t the conversation.

It was something else.

A voice. Distant. Calling to her.

She blinked, forcing herself to focus on the nobleman, who continued speaking, oblivious to her unease. This was not the time.

And yet, despite her efforts, the voice persisted.

Uneasy, she let her gaze drift across the room, searching without truly knowing what for. The guests laughed, conversed, raised their glasses in a toast to Arendelle’s prosperity. Anna passed by, arm in arm with Kristoff, her cheeks flushed with the warmth of the moment, laughter spilling effortlessly from her lips. Kristoff pulled her closer, whispering something in her ear, and the way they looked at each other—with absolute certainty, with shared devotion—made something in Elsa’s chest tighten.

She remembered another closeness.

She remembered the warmth of hands that should never have felt so natural against her skin.

She remembered the weight of a body against hers, the restrained desperation in a kiss, the broken promise in a whisper.

Hans.

It had been months since she let him go. Months since that night when, she had allowed her feelings to triumph over reason. Since, entwined in the darkness, she had told him yes. That she wanted him. That everything would change.

And at dawn, with the cold weight of duty pressing on her shoulders, she had bid him farewell.

For the good of Arendelle.

For her own good.

For his.

Or so she had wanted to believe.

Her breath grew heavier, her pulse unsteady.

And then, as if fate itself were mocking her torment, she saw him.

On the other side of the ballroom.

Air rushed from her lungs all at once, as if the entire room had plunged into an impossible silence. The music continued, laughter rippled around her, but for Elsa, everything faded except the figure standing before her.

It was him.

He looked impeccable, with the aristocratic bearing and calculated elegance of a man who knew how to navigate any court. There was no trace in his expression of the monster who had once raised a sword against her life, nor of the remorseful young man who had once confessed his love in a whisper. No. There stood the prince—the man he had always been—with a barely perceptible smile on his lips, a smile that had once captivated her and now only unsettled her.

No one had warned her of his presence. And the shock hit her with such intensity that it almost made her step back. But at the same time, as she looked at him, a warm sensation began to fill her chest. It had been so long since she had seen him, and she had missed him so much… It was a whirlwind of emotions that flooded her as her steps took her closer to him. The warmth in her chest was stronger than the fear or confusion, and for a moment, she felt an indescribable happiness at the sight of him.

She took a deep breath. This wasn’t the time for hesitation.

With the grace of a queen, she moved forward, each step a battle between the desire to run toward him and the dignity she had to uphold. When she finally stood before him, Hans made a flawless bow, his bearing impeccable.

“Your Majesty,” he said with polished courtesy, his deep voice controlled, betraying no emotion.

Elsa blinked, feeling her heart race. His name escaped her lips before she could stop herself:

“Hans.”

He raised an eyebrow. He didn’t flinch, but in the barely perceptible curve of his lips, there was something akin to irony.

“Prince Hans, if I may, Your Majesty. I am no longer the man who once worked in your palace.”

The correction was an unexpected blow. Elsa held his gaze, but conscious of the crowd surrounding them, she opted for a diplomatic smile.

“Of course,” she replied serenely. “My apologies, Prince Hans. What brings you here?”

Her tone was meant to sound casual, but even to her own ears, it wasn’t convincing.

“Well, I had the impression—from your letter—that you had invited me yourself,” he replied with a hint of amusement. “But now I see it was one of your vassals.”

Elsa let out a brief, nervous laugh, unsure of how to respond.

The silence that followed was thick, heavy with everything they hadn’t said since his departure. Their eyes met, and for a moment, Elsa felt time fold in on itself, pulling her back to that night—to the promises made in the darkness, to the certainty with which he had believed her words.

Hans averted his gaze for just a second, as if trying to read something in her expression, searching for an answer that never came. But before he could say anything, a soft, melodic voice interrupted the moment.

“Hans? Aren’t you going to introduce me?”

Elsa turned, and the air around her seemed to grow colder.

The woman approaching had the elegance of a Renaissance painting—tall, slender, with dark hair cascading in perfect waves over her shoulders and eyes as enchantingly blue as the sky. Her apple-green gown highlighted her sun-kissed skin with an almost unreal charm.

Hans straightened.

“Your Majesty,” he said smoothly, “allow me to introduce Viscountess Clarisse of the Élysian Peninsula. Viscountess, Her Majesty Queen Elsa of Arendelle.”

The viscountess gave a small, graceful bow, executed with practiced perfection. Then, with effortless delicacy, she looped her arm through Hans’s.

“It is an honor to meet you, Your Majesty.”

Her voice was soft, charming, with a warmth Elsa hadn’t expected.

“Hans has told me so much about you.”

Elsa’s stomach tightened.

“Has he?”

“Oh, yes,” Clarisse replied with a sincere smile. “Of course, he could never quite capture your greatness with words, but now I understand what he meant.”

Elsa felt her throat constrict. Deep down, she had hoped to find something that would help her despise this woman—some flaw, some imperfection that would justify the discomfort tightening in her chest. But no.

“I must be honest, Your Majesty,” the viscountess continued, “your display of magic at this morning’s reception was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.”

Elsa gave a small nod, unsure of how to respond.

“I have always admired what you and your sister have accomplished here in Arendelle,” Clarisse added naturally. “Perhaps I should consider acquiring a summer villa near the fjord.”

Hans let out a soft chuckle.

“Don’t do it, Clarisse,” he teased. “If you see snow in July, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Clarisse laughed sweetly and placed her hand on the young prince’s chest—an action that made Elsa’s stomach tighten even more.

“Oh, but that would only add to the charm of the experience. Besides, what is a touch of snow compared to the majesty of this kingdom?”

Hans tilted his head, wearing that smile Elsa knew all too well.

“You know exactly what to say to captivate an entire court, Viscountess.”

“Only those that deserve to be captivated” Clarisse replied, throwing a playful wink in Elsa’s direction.

Hans’s laughter rang out effortlessly, and it stung. Elsa, on the other hand, remained still. Something inside her tightened, coiled, like a rope on the verge of snapping.

“Yes, of course,” she murmured, summoning a monumental effort to maintain her composure.

But then, with the same effortless grace with which she had steered the conversation so far, Clarisse turned slightly toward her, a thoughtful expression on her face.

“Your Majesty, I must say, what Prince Hans is doing for the Southern Isles is truly admirable.”

Elsa blinked, caught off guard by the unexpected shift in conversation.

“Oh? Is that so?” she asked, keeping her tone measured.

Clarisse nodded enthusiastically, her words neither forced nor sycophantic.

“Since he returned to his role in the naval fleet, he has spearheaded significant improvements in the region’s maritime security. Constantly traveling, securing trade routes, overseeing infrastructure projects… On my last visit to the capital, there wasn’t a single port where people didn’t speak of his work with the utmost respect.”

Elsa felt a slight shiver, something unexpected rising in her chest.

Pride.

Against all odds, pride for him. For what he had achieved. For what he had become.

And at the same time, a pang of something darker.

She had kept herself busy, focused on her own responsibilities—on her duty as queen and sister. And yet, he… he had not been waiting.

He had moved on.

“Congratulations, Prince Hans,” was all she could say.

Hans inclined his head with a measured smile. Clarisse smiled too, satisfied.

“I believe we should take our leave. We’ve monopolized the Queen’s attention for far too long,” he said.

Clarisse offered him a warm smile before bowing slightly once more to Elsa.

“It has been an honor to meet you, Queen Elsa. I hope we have the chance to speak again later.”

Hans held Elsa’s gaze for a moment longer, as if the weight of unspoken words hung between them. Then, with a slight bow, he turned on his heel and walked away.

Elsa watched as he and Clarisse moved effortlessly through the crowd. With her spirits sinking, she too left the ballroom with measured steps.

Only when she was out of sight, alone in an empty corridor, she allowed the weight of the night to catch up with her.

And for the first time in a long while, she let the tears fall.

How could he be here, in Arendelle, with another woman? How could he walk by her side, arm in arm with that viscountess, as if it meant nothing?

The memory of their last night together surged through her mind with devastating force: their hands entwined, the whispered words of love they had shared, the way she had let down every defense—for him, and only for him.

“I love you,” Hans had told her that night, with an intensity she had never forgotten.

“And I love you,” she had answered, tears in her eyes, knowing that those words would change nothing.

That love—so real, so deep—had not vanished. Not for her.

And yet, there he was, laughing and conversing with a woman who looked like she had stepped out of a fairytale.

The conversation from mere moments ago echoed cruelly in her mind.

Clarisse.

Her elegance was undeniable, her intelligence evident. And worst of all, there had not been a hint of malice in her. Elsa couldn’t detest her. She couldn’t even console herself with the thought of some obvious flaw. No. She was charming and beautiful, the kind of woman who won over an entire court only with her smile. And Hans had her by his side.

A shiver ran down Elsa’s spine.

She had no right to feel betrayed. After all, it was she who had let him go. She who, with the same cold rationality with which she ruled, had drawn an unbreakable line between them.

And yet, here she was, tormented by the undeniable truth—Hans had not waited for her. While she had buried her feelings under the weight of duty, he had moved on.

But it wasn’t just that.

It wasn’t just him.

There was something else. Something pressing down on her, wrapping around her like an icy mist.

The voice.

A persistent whisper, an insidious plea that did not belong to this world—yet now, it followed her with an alarming determination.

Elsa stopped for a moment and shut her eyes tightly, as if that alone could silence the thing that haunted her.

Elsa didn’t want to reply, it wasn’t the time.

But the voice insisted, like a melody buried deep within her mind.

“No…” she whispered, barely audible.

And then, without realizing it, she collided head-on with someone.

“Oh! I’m sorry…” she murmured, startled, barely regaining her balance.

“Elsa!” Kristoff’s familiar, jovial voice rang out, his face bright with laughter. “What are you doing here? Why aren’t you enjoying the party?”

She took a deep breath, struggling to maintain a calm façade, but the emotions welling in her chest weighed on her like a stone.

She smiled, but it was empty—a poor attempt to mask what she truly felt.

“I just… needed some air,” she replied, her voice softer than she wanted it to be. “It’s a bit overwhelming, you know?”

“Ugh, I know,” he replied somewhat gruffly, his voice slightly muffled by what sounded like chocolate in his mouth. “At least Anna seems to be in her element—she’s enjoying this more than anyone.”

For a moment, Elsa just stared at him, bewildered by the stark contrast between her own anguish and her brother-in-law’s carefree demeanor. The warmth in his face, the ease with which he smiled… it was as if he lived in a completely different world from hers.

“And where are you off to?” Elsa asked, searching for any excuse to avoid being trapped in her thoughts.

“I’m heading back to the ballroom. Anna wanted to keep dancing, but her feet are killing her, so I went to grab her slippers.”

There was something so genuine, so simple about the way he said it that, for an instant, Elsa felt the urge to smile. But the weight in her chest was too heavy.

“That’s nice, Kristoff. If you’ll excuse me, I’m not feeling well,” she said, her voice quieter than she intended. “I’m going to lie down for a bit.”

She saw how Kristoff’s expression shifted instantly, concern evident on his face. He stepped closer, as if wanting to offer some kind of support, and without hesitation, he asked:

“Are you okay, Elsa? If you need to rest, I can go with you. Or… would you like me to call Anna?”

Elsa felt her chest tighten even more at his concern. She didn’t want Anna to know what was really going on. She didn’t want to worry anyone.

“No, please… don’t tell Anna,” she answered quickly. “I just need to rest for a bit in my room. I’ll be back at the party in a few minutes, I promise.”

Kristoff looked at her with a mix of doubt and kindness, not entirely convinced it was the best idea, but he nodded.

“Well… if you’re sure. If you need anything, you know where to find me.”

With a sigh, Elsa met his gaze, trying to offer him a more convincing smile.

“Thank you, Kristoff. Really.”

She turned and began walking toward the rooms, the weight of her thoughts still pressing on her heart. When she crossed into a random room, she shut the door softly behind her and leaned against it. Closing her eyes, she tried to steady her breathing—but the voice that had been whispering in her mind for days only grew louder.

The call surrounded her, a soft melody that seemed to rise from the unknown. Like a siren’s song.

She pressed her hands to her ears, trying to block it out.

Not now. Not now.

She couldn’t face that voice while everything she felt for Hans was already pulling her into the abyss.

No! Not now! she kept repeating to herself, though the pain of her anguish stabbed at her from the inside.

But the voice persisted. Stronger. More insistent. Twisting through her mind like a whisper she couldn’t ignore.

And then, as if the universe had decided to grant her a brief reprieve, the door creaked open.

Elsa, still with her eyes shut, didn’t notice until she saw a shadow cast in the doorway.

It was Hans.

“Elsa,” he said in a low, gentle tone, as if afraid to startle her.

She straightened up suddenly, her face flushed with rage and humiliation. “What are you doing here?” she demanded, though her voice cracked, stealing all the force she had tried to put into it.

“I saw you leave, suddenly,” he replied, closing the door behind him. “You seemed… disturbed.”

“Disturbed?” Elsa repeated with a bitter laugh as tears gathered in her eyes. “You dare say I seem disturbed? And how did you expect me to be, Hans, after… after… all this?” Her hands gestured awkwardly, as if words weren’t enough to express the chaos inside her.

Hans raised both hands in a calming gesture. “I don’t understand. Please, calm down.”

“No, I can’t calm down!” she exclaimed, tears falling again as her voice rose in a tone that oscillated between fury and pain. “You! How… how could you…!” Though she tried, the words came out broken and choked by sobs.

Hans looked at her with a mixture of concern and frustration. “Elsa, what are you saying?”

“You… she… and you… with her… and me here…!” Elsa babbled between sobs, waving her hands frantically as if that would help her words make any sense.

Hans raised an eyebrow, completely confused. “Excuse me? Is that supposed to be a sentence?”

“Don’t mock me!” Elsa yelled, though the dramatic effect was ruined by another bout of crying that barely allowed her to breathe.

Hans sighed, running a hand over the bridge of his nose. “Elsa, please, breathe. Take a moment and… I don’t know, try to say something coherent. Because right now, you sound like Olaf trying to explain a philosophical concept.”

“Don’t compare my… pain to Olaf!” she sobbed, now indignant, though she didn’t stop crying. “How dare you show up here, after everything, with another woman! Don’t you remember what we lived? Everything we shared? How dare you laugh and talk with her in front of me as if nothing ever happened!”

Hans furrowed his brow, visibly annoyed.

“A woman? How dare I? How dare you say this to me?” he retorted, his tone rising. “I was the one who risked everything to stay with you! I was the one who was willing to kneel before a kingdom that despised me to be by your side! And what did you do? And now you’re upset that I’m here, with someone else?”

“I…” she muttered, unable to articulate a coherent response.

“You were the one who decided it couldn’t be” Hans said, his voice lower but full of harshness. “. You forced me to leave.”

Hans’s words pierced her like knives. She felt the truth of his reproach, and her mind filled with shadows of regret.

“Because there was no other option!” Elsa replied, raising her voice, though it no longer had the same strength as before.

Hans let out a dry, almost bitter laugh.

“Really?” he said, incredulously. “There was no other option? Or were you just afraid to imagine a future with me?”

Elsa looked at him, feeling a mix of discomfort and wounded pride. She didn’t want to admit what he was implying, but deep down, her own insecurity had driven her to reject him, to flee from what she felt.

“It’s not that simple, Hans,” she replied, trying to cling to her dignity.

“No, of course not!” he said, with a laugh that was almost manic. “It wasn’t simple when what we felt consumed us, it wasn’t simple when we gave ourselves to each other without thinking about anything else. But now, suddenly, it’s simple for you to demand things from me.”

Elsa took a step back, stunned by his words, but finally murmured, her voice broken: “I told you to go, but not because I didn’t love you, Hans. I did it because I thought it was the best… for all of us.”

Hans looked at her in disbelief, a bitter laugh escaping his lips. “The best? For whom? Because for me, it was hell.”

“And you think it was easy for me?” Elsa exclaimed, her eyes shining with emotion. “I’ve spent every day regretting letting you go.”

Hans stared at her intently, as if trying to discern the truth behind her words. He took a step toward her, his voice lower, laden with conflicting emotions. “Then, what do you want, Elsa? What do you expect from me? Do you want me to be with no one? Do you want me to leave? Do you want me to stay? Tell me, what do you want me to do?”

Hans looked at her intensely, waiting—demanding—a response. But Elsa said nothing. Her lips parted, as if she were going to speak, but not a single word came out. Only silence. Only the unbearable weight of her indecision.

Hans closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath, trying to contain the wave of frustration that was overwhelming him. When he opened them again, his expression had changed. It was no longer just anger, but exhaustion and pain.

“You see? You don’t even know,” his voice sounded lower, more bitter. “Or rather, I think you do know, but you don’t want to admit it. You push me away, but when I try to leave, you pull me back. You can’t keep doing this, Elsa. Not with me.”

She swallowed, feeling her chest tighten. Her heart pounded like it was trapped in a cage too small. She wanted to tell him to stay, she wanted to ask him to hold her, and somehow, for everything to be resolved. But the consequences of those words terrified her. It wasn’t just admitting what she felt, it was facing what would come after. Anna, her kingdom, the people who would never accept Hans.

“Hans, I…” her voice trembled, but he shook his head.

“No. I don’t want to hear another excuse. Just tell me the truth. Do you want me to stay? Or do you want me to leave? Because if you ask me to stay this time, I’m not leaving again.”

The firmness of his words left her breathless. There was no turning back. There would be no “maybe” after this. What she decided now would mark everything. She felt her eyes burn, because the answer was clear in her chest, but saying it out loud terrified her.

Hans saw her internal struggle reflected on her face and let out a dry, incredulous laugh.

“For God’s sake, Elsa…” he took a step back, running a hand through his hair, desperate. “Do you love me or not? Is it that hard to say? Why are you doing all this jealousy theater if it’s not for that?”

“And what does it matter now, Hans, if you’re with someone else?”

Hans blinked, confused. Then let out an incredulous laugh at the situation.

“Is this about the viscountess?”

“I saw you when you were with her,” Elsa insisted, the annoyance tinting her voice. “How do you expect me to tell you how I feel if you came here with someone else?”

Hans shook his head, rubbing his face as if he were dealing with something absurd.

“Is that what you think? That I’m with Clarisse?”

Elsa didn’t answer, but her wounded look gave him the answer. Hans sighed, shaking his head.

“My God, you misunderstood everything. Clarisse isn’t my partner, Elsa. We’re not even remotely close to that.”

She frowned, unsure whether to believe him or not.

“Then why did she come with you?”

He took a deep breath, trying to contain his exasperation, and then said more calmly:

“She was sent by my brother. He thought she could help me improve my image after… well, after everything that happened here. She’s respected, beloved at court, and her presence lends me credibility. That’s all.”

“And…” Hans continued, taking another step closer. “She’s married. She has a wife and two daughters.”

Elsa felt the heat rise to her face.

“Really?”

“Yes. Clarisse has no interest in me, and I have no interest in her. So tell me, what other excuse are you going to cling to now?”

The silence between them became unbearable. Elsa felt the shame tighten her chest, but also the fear. Because now, she had nowhere to hide.

Hans looked at her intensely, his eyes locked on hers.

“I’m asking you one last time, Elsa. Do you love me or not?”

Elsa clenched her fists. Her fear was suffocating, but she couldn’t keep hiding behind it. Her eyes found Hans’s, and with a broken voice, she let out the words she had been holding in for so long.

“Hans, I love you.”

He seemed to be at a loss for words for a moment. Elsa felt the warmth in her chest, the relief and the fear intertwining. But before she could continue, he spoke again.

“But it’s complicated, right?” His tone was bitter, as if the words burned his tongue.

She lowered her head, biting her lip.

“It is,” she admitted.

Hans turned around and let out a long, tired sigh. Then, after a moment, he approached, not with anger this time, but with something deeper.

“You know what? I don’t care,” he whispered.

Elsa looked up, surprised.

“I don’t care how complicated it is. I don’t care what your sister thinks, or my family, or the kingdom, or anyone else. I only care about what you want. I don’t want you to lose everything you love, but I’ll try even harder to show everyone I’m worthy of your love. But… I can’t do it alone, Elsa. I’m tired of being a secret, of being something you feel the need to hide. If you really want this… then show it.”

Her heart stopped for a second, and in that instant, she knew. She had made her decision. No matter what came after, no matter the fear.

She took a step toward him, feeling for the first time in a long while that she could breathe.

“I don’t want you to feel that way, Hans. I’ll tell Anna. I’ll tell everyone.”

Hans looked at her, and for the first time throughout the conversation, he smiled genuinely.

The redhead cupped Elsa’s face in his hands, as if afraid she might disappear at any moment. Their gazes intertwined, a silent dance of contained emotions, unsaid words, and a love that had never disappeared. Elsa, with her heart beating wildly, couldn’t look away from his eyes.

“Are you serious?” he asked, his voice husky, almost a whisper, but with a determination that resonated through the walls of the small room.

Elsa trembled, not from fear, but from the intensity of her feelings. For months, she had suppressed the yearning, the desire, the love she felt for him, but now, in front of him, everything came crashing down. “I want to be with you, Hans. I’ve always wanted to,” she replied, her voice broken but filled with sincerity.

Then he didn’t need to hear anything else.

With a determined move, he closed the distance between them and captured her lips with his. There was no hesitation, no timid touch. It was a kiss born from the accumulated hunger, the rage for the lost time, and the relief of knowing there was nothing left to hide.

Elsa clung to his coat with force, pulling him closer, feeling the solidity of his body against hers. Hans slid one hand to her waist, the other tangling in her hair, tilting his face to deepen the kiss, to drink in every trembling sigh that escaped her.

The air grew thick, charged with something electric, almost dangerous. Elsa felt the heat rush through her skin, a fiery shiver running down her back when Hans pulled her tighter, his lips demanding, exploring, devouring as if they couldn’t be satisfied with each other.

She responded with the same desperation, the same contained fury. Her hands roamed the thick fabric of his jacket before slipping to his neck, her control over her powers beginning to slip away involuntarily, and a strange, cold yet pleasurable sensation seeped under Hans’s skin. Something only she could provoke, drawing moans from his throat.

When they finally separated, breaths ragged and lips reddened, Hans pressed his forehead to hers, his eyes half-closed, his voice rough from the unsatisfied desire.

“Say it again,” he murmured, with a crooked, dangerous smile.

“I want to be with you, Hans.”

Elsa barely managed to smile before she pulled him into another kiss.

Everything reminded her of the first night they had been together. Hans groaned against her lips as Elsa kissed him again, with the same hunger, the same desperation burning in her chest. Her hands traced his back, her fingers slipping beneath the fabric of her dress until her legs wrapped around his torso, pulling her closer to him.

Hans held her tightly, and between increasingly passionate kisses, he leaned toward a nearby table, gently positioning her on its surface. Elsa felt the heat rise from her feet to her face, but she didn’t pull away. Her breath became erratic as Hans’s hands, firm and sure, slid to find the clasp of her dress.

She no longer thought, no longer analyzed, she only felt. She felt the frantic beat of her heart, the warmth of his lips exploring hers with more intensity, the way every touch made her lose herself more in him. Her heart left her no other choice: she wanted him, needed him, had longed for him too much.

Hans slid his mouth down to her neck, taking a deep breath before pressing a kiss against her skin. Elsa shuddered, a sigh escaping her lips as she felt the warm moisture of his mouth, the brush of his breath burning against her exposed skin.

“Gods…” he murmured, his voice rough and filled with longing. “You have no idea how much I fantasized about this.”

Elsa clung to him, feeling how the tension of months of separation broke in that moment.

“I did too,” she whispered, letting her words sink into his thoughts. Hans closed his eyes for a moment. Then, without hesitation, he kissed her again, this time with more calm, more devotion, as if savoring each second, memorizing every detail.

Elsa knew then that there was no turning back. And for the first time… she didn’t want there to be.

•••

The dimness of the room was only interrupted by the flickering glow of the fireplace, whose dancing light cast long shadows across the walls.

Elsa lay on the living room rug, curled up against Hans, her breath synchronized with his, as if, at least for this fleeting moment, the world had ceased its relentless chaos. Her body, still warm from the passion that had consumed them, fit naturally into Hans’s embrace, in a way that almost frightened her.

He slept, exhausted, with an arm around her waist, a gesture that oscillated between possession and need. Elsa closed her eyes for a moment, letting herself be enveloped by the sense of security the contact brought. She allowed a sigh to escape her lips, not of regret, but something that dangerously resembled peace.

And then, she heard it.

The voice.

A shiver ran through her.

She stirred uneasily, without opening her eyes, trying to hold on to the warmth surrounding her. Hans, still half-asleep, tightened his grip on her and placed a sleepy kiss on her shoulder.

“Don’t think,” he murmured against her skin.

Elsa felt as if Hans could hear her thoughts. She unconsciously smiled, her body relaxing by instinct. She wanted to be there, in the safety of his embrace, in the warmth of the fireplace, in that moment when it was only the two of them, with no one else, no doubts, or voices calling her from a distance. But the voice returned, more insistent this time.

Her eyes snapped open.

Hans was still asleep beside her, unaware of the unease now twisting in her chest. Slowly, Elsa sat up, carefully freeing herself from Hans’s embrace. She slipped out of the warmth of his body and, in the dim light, searched for the time.

The party was already ended long ago. They were probably looking for her.

With hurried movements, she began to dress, adjusting the ties on her dress with trembling fingers. It wasn’t just the worry of having disappeared without explanation, but the persistent echo of that voice, calling her from some distant place.

When she was ready to leave, Hans noticed the cold that now occupied the space under his arm where she used to be. He groaned softly and frowned.

“Elsa? What are you doing?”

His voice, still drowsy, carried a hint of fatigue… but also something else. Something that stopped her dead in her tracks.

“Where are you going?”

Hans, still lying down, was watching her with a slightly furrowed brow, his voice tinged with concern.

Elsa hesitated for a moment.

“I have to go,” she finally said. “The party is over, they must be worried about me.”

A heavy silence followed.

Then, Hans sighed, and when he spoke again, his voice was no longer sleepy, but alert.

“Is that all?”

Elsa pressed her lips together.

Hans sat up, resting an arm on a small tea table as he studied her with an intensity that made her feel trapped.

“Because that didn’t seem important a few hours ago.”

Elsa closed her eyes for a moment, anticipating what he would say.

“The last time we did this, you disappeared without saying a word.”

She didn’t want to talk about that. Not now.

Hans let out a brief, humorless laugh, running his hand through his messy hair.

“And the next day, we signed a stupid document and you sent me back to the Southern Isles. End of story.”

“Hans…”

“No,” he interrupted her, his laugh brief and without humor. “Don’t do this to me again. Please”

His tone made her turn. Hans was looking at her with a furrowed brow, his jaw tense, his eyes reflecting something deeper than just anger: exhaustion.

“You said these games were over. You said you weren’t going to hide me anymore. That we were going to be together.”

Elsa felt his gaze on her, but she could barely focus on his words.

That siren.

At first, it was just a murmur, an almost imperceptible echo between the beats of her own heart. But it was there.

—And we will be —she answered, taking longer than she should have.

Hans raised an eyebrow.

—Oh, really? Then why does this feel just like last time? You say things, we make love, and then you leave. And when you come back, you act as if nothing ever happened. As if I don’t exist.

Elsa opened her mouth to respond, but the sound interrupted her again.

It was more insistent now, an invisible current pulling her toward the unknown. Her stomach tightened.

Hans frowned.

—Are you going to say something, or are you just going to stand there, staring at me like you’re in another world?

Elsa swallowed.

—This time it won’t be like that.

But she didn’t know what to say. She didn’t even know what she was feeling.

Hans clenched his jaw and looked away.

“I don’t know if I can believe you, Elsa.”

His words were soft, but they stung like a knife.

“Hans…”

“I don’t want to wake up tomorrow and find out you’ve regretted it again.”

The harshness of his words hit her harder than she wanted to admit. She bit her lip, feeling her chest tighten with an anxiety she didn’t know how to handle.

Hans sighed again and shook his head. He stood up in frustration and began to button his shirt.

“Do you know what the worst part is?” he said with a bitter laugh. “I don’t know if I’d rather it be that… or that what we have is just a game to you.”

“It’s not. How can you say that?”

Hans shrugged, although his expression betrayed him.

“I don’t know, maybe because I notice you… distant. Even now.”

Elsa felt a lump in her throat.

“I’m not…”

“You’re not?” he interrupted her. “Because it seems like you’re not even here.”

She looked away, hearing the siren in the distance.

“It’s more complicated than that.”

Hans ran his tongue over his teeth, frustrated.

“Then tell me, Elsa. Make me understand.”

Elsa wanted to answer, she really did. But how could she explain something she didn’t even understand herself? How could she tell him there was something inside her that was calling her? That scared her. That made her feel so small and lost that, for the first time in a long time, she didn’t know what to do.

And that he, without meaning to, had become another piece of that chaos.

“I can’t.”

Hans clenched his jaw, looking away.

“Of course.”

Elsa felt the weight of his disappointment like a stone in her chest.

She approached him and, gently, took his face in her hands. Hans didn’t pull away, but he didn’t look at her either.

“It’s not what you think,” she whispered.

Hans let out a brief laugh.

“It never is.”

Elsa sighed and kissed him.

At first, Hans didn’t respond. Then, little by little, his body relaxed and his lips moved against hers with an unexpected sweetness. A kiss without haste. A kiss that only longed for him to trust in her love.

When they separated, Hans looked at her in silence, with an expression she couldn’t decipher.

“Will you talk to your sister?”

“I will,” she answered after a moment. “I just… need to think about what I’m going to say.”

Hans raised an eyebrow.

“Do you need help?”

“No, it’s better if I do it alone.”

“I must accompany Clarisse to the port tomorrow at noon. We have a ship that will take us back to the Southern Isles, you have until then, Elsa.”

“I will.”

Hans nodded slowly, though he studied her carefully, as if sensing that something else was troubling her. And it was. The voice echoed again in her head, louder this time. Elsa felt a chill run down her spine.

Hans noticed her tense expression.

“What’s wrong?”

She opened her mouth but didn’t know how to respond. Should she tell him that a voice was calling her from the unknown? That something greater than herself seemed to be waiting for her somewhere? No. No one would understand. Least of all him. He’d think it was just an excuse, a way to avoid facing the truth with Anna.

So she simply shook her head. And planted a fleeting kiss on his cheek.

“Nothing. Get dressed, we’ll talk tomorrow morning. I promise.”

She left the room before he could insist.

Hello!

I hope you liked this new story! It’s basically a prequel to Echoes of a Forgotten Past. It shows how Hans came back to Arendelle, and how the idea of him joining Elsa and Anna on their journey to the Enchanted Forest came about.

There’s still another part to come, so I hope you enjoy this one! Let me know what you think. This is my first time writing something this detailed—well, passionate might be the better word. I hope the story’s idea came across clearly! Since English isn’t my first language, I had to translate everything, but I really hope you like it!

I know I had mentioned thinking about leaving the community, but honestly, I really enjoy writing these stories. It’s something that actually helps me relax, so I’ve decided to keep sharing them here. I truly appreciate your comments, and I love reading your thoughts on my stories—no matter how short they are, they always make me happy!

I’m not sure if I’ll have time to post on other platforms, but I give you all permission to copy and share my posts elsewhere if you’d like!

[chaossmith2]

Official poster for Frozen 3: The Heart of Arendelle

A little side fan project I'll be working on every now and then!

[deeply-unserious-fellow]

I am going insane

[rainedr-p]

Okay, here's my thought on Frozen.

Hans absolutely could have finished the job when he had Elsa in her ice castle.

He could have let that crossbow arrow hit her. Easily. Or he could've finished her when she passes out after the chandelier falls.

If you're arguing that the other men that were there would have seen it as treason, he absolutely could have argued that it was purely self defense. She was attacking them out of her own self defense but only the 2 crossbow wielders knew that. Everyone else thought she was just running, but they were also attacked by the raging snowman. So seeing all of this and the winter storm, all those men had it in their mind that she was evil anyways.

Hans could've defended that she was in fact a danger. She brought upon them this winter that no one was prepared for, and she attacked the men that just came to ask her to fix it, albeit more forcefully than Anna did.

Hans had every chance to finish her easily. He had the defense and a whole team of men to back up his word. He could've done the job, came back to the kingdom, used all of these arguments, married Anna (who was already dying of a frozen heart to begin with), and gotten the kingdom he wanted.

So... why did he choose to save her from the arrow, bring her back and put people in more danger?

[cc-tinslebee]

starting a lil series of post where I theorise about Descendants parents because they make me certifiably insane

starting off with Ms. Evie Grimhilde

in the Isle of the Lost book, the Evil Queen and Evie are extremely well-liked on the Isle, before Maleficent scares everyone away from them.

and based on how she hates slumming it following her exile within her exile and her insistence on Evie marrying into royalty in Auradon, I don’t believe she’d be caught dead with someone “below her calibre”, even on the Isle

I reckon Hans felt the same 👀

[venusssus]

We fucked up as a society and I’m very tired of 2023 and not being able to ship my favourite ships anymore, like a character not eveyone loves, having my own opinion.

When I say I ship Helsa people go INSANE. Not only they tell me I’m weird and crazy but sometimes also give me death threats. Once I left a comment on tiktok saying : „I dont ship elsamaren but I love your edits!” And then this girl checked my account and saw Hans/Helsa tiktoks and texted me : „Kill yourself honestly, you homophobic idiot”.My question is WHY? Why am I being called a homophobe when I’m not? And Why Can’t I ship Helsa? Is it killing people?Am I hurting innocent kids because of it? Setting World on fire? AM I FORCING YOU TO LIKE THIS SHIP? ABSOLUTELY FUCKING NOT.

I don’t ship Elsamaren and Jelsa, I don’t think they have chemistry at all. I love Hans with Elsa and in my eyes they have the greatest tension and chemistry. But — Let me surprise you now…This is my own preferance! My point of view! My opinion! MINE.

[pirate-of-the-southern-isles]

Hello my pals

Let's talk the Southern Isles

Now, the only picture we have from there is this one:

This one Gazette snippet:

And the vague description in "A Frozen Heart".

But I would like to focus on the one picture we have, from "Frozen Fever" and no, it ain't about Hans, it's about everything around him.

Now, let's remember the date. It is June. It is Summer Solstice.

Look. At. The. Trees. Those trees aren't just late with their leaves, they look dead.

And now look at the ground. Look at the sky. Look at the gate which looks like ruins.

And the Gazzette says it is a "beautiful, clear day". I am sorry, that is what you are considering "a clear day"?

Now, it is probably just an animator's way to show us how bleak Hans' life is now, but this + what we know about their king from "A Frozen Heart" gives me the vibe of...

This.

I may be reading too much about it, but I don't think this kingdom is fine.

[jasmindoodles]

Part 2 of my silly lil comic of these two. Enjoy. 😏

@galaxygolfergirl