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stupidsexyfandom · 3 years ago

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Thank you so much for your kind words! And for letting me know about Tumblr being a clown website, as usual. Seems the tags are even more borked than usual in the new year. Hopefully that will be fixed soon.

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Rated T // Angst with a happy ending, Canon Divergence AU, For want of a nail AU

After bringing the queen back to Arendelle, Hans sits with her in the dungeon and considers his next move.

Sequel to To Follow the Sun.

Happy holidays Helsa fandom!

Looking back, there were several times Hans should have realized he was in trouble. In the ice palace, he had been dazzled by both the ice magic and the queen herself. Shock and awe would have been permissible reactions, perhaps even the obvious ones. But his awe had stumbled a little too close towards reverence. He should have been more careful when he brought her back to Arendelle. How natural it had seemed at the time that he should carry her home personally. How comfortably she had seemed to fit in his arms. Remembering her look of terror as she faced the Duke’s men, it had been too easy to pity her. Poor Queen Elsa, he had found himself thinking, if only things could have been different. And slowly, without his conscious approval, that pity had morphed into a kind of sympathy. As they spoke of monsters in the dungeon, he had the feeling that he understood her.

Now, as he sat looking down at the sleeping queen, sympathy and reverence and understanding swirled about in his head. They threatened to combine into something unnamable, dangerous, and far too tender for a man like him to contemplate. If he had seen the warning signs, he would have known better than to hum her softly to sleep. If he had been paying attention, maybe he could have resisted the urge to stroke her hair. But he had never seen her so soft or so peaceful. Her hair seemed to glow even in the dim light of the dungeon. So he had slipped off his gloves and gently brushed the tendrils back from her forehead.

What if Anna never returns? whispered a traitorous voice in the back of his mind. It is better to be prepared for any possibility. But this was at best a flimsy justification and at worst a treacherous path to tread. He shoved the thought down with all the other foolish dreams he dared not articulate, even to himself.

He knew he should be out searching for the princess, or endearing himself to the people, or any number of other things that might be productive or useful. But when she had asked him to stay, he had found her impossible to refuse. There was something about her that entranced him. Perhaps it was the throne or the wonderous power she wielded. He did not wish to contemplate the alternative. He had even, for a moment, considered letting her go when she begged him to. But then where would he be? No queen, no princess, no thaw. No chance for his own kingdom. No chance to mean anything. Although it was not as though he was making any progress toward that goal presently.

In her sleep, she had stretched out so her head was lying in his lap. This was not the most comfortable position for Hans, but he could not bring himself to disturb her. All he could do was watch. Her expression held a serenity that was so different from her former rigid fear. It was almost beatific. Part of him wanted to remain there forever, soaking up that gentle radiance until it was a part of him. If he remained frozen in that moment, he could almost become part of the world that might have been. A world where he really was who he pretended to be, and where she had found it easy to love him. It would have been so much easier that way. So much less bloody.

He was sure he had convinced her at last of his wholesome persona. Or perhaps the people of Arendelle had done his work for him. He had been surprised by the strength of their response when he brought the queen back to the city, and he knew she could not have failed to notice. In a way, he felt more natural walking among the citizenry. There he could at least be honest. He would never have to betray them by the sword. The transition between Prince Hans, indispensable foreigner, and King Hans the Good, benevolent ruler of Arendelle, would be simple and bloodless on their end.

He knew he should have felt more satisfaction at the success of his lie. She truly thought that he was kind and brave and good and all those other things that princes were in fairy stories. She saw in him all those traits that came so easily to her. Despite all she knew and feared about the harsh cold of the world, she trusted him. He should have been glad. The queen’s trust would put him one step closer to achieving his goal. Finally, he would matter. But the rosy dawn of his approaching victory was marred by regret. Once upon a time, he too had thought he might be one of those heroic princes. Part of him still wished he could believe his own lies. But it was much too late for that now.

How funny it was that the queen had thought herself a monster. She was a force of nature unto herself, no more a monster than a lightning strike or a wave upon the sea. There was nothing monstrous about acting out of instinct, acting out of terror. She had spent her whole life learning to be afraid of herself. And despite her fear, she cared so much for her sister and for her people. There was nothing monstrous about that. No, Hans knew better. To be a monster was to coldly devise a plan and then act on it, no matter the cost. To be a monster was not to care at all. Although he may have been damned either way. Here in the dungeon, he was coming dangerously close to something like caring.

His reverie was rudely interrupted by the opening of the cell door. A guard rushed in before Hans even had time to react, his eyes widening as he took in the queen’s sleeping form. But clearly his message outweighed any shock he may have felt.

“Princess Anna has returned! She’s asking to see you. Something’s happened.” Hans was not sure whether he should cheer or curse. The princess’s return marked his impending victory. It meant he could proceed with his plan to reach the throne. But it also spelled the end of this paradoxical moment, where he felt he could suspend his choice and be at once hero and schemer. The die had been cast. His mind leapt into action even as he sluggishly moved to wake the queen. If the princess had made it back to the castle alive, what could possibly have happened? He needed more information to plan his next move. If he could just speak to her alone… One thing was certain. He could not let her see him like this.

“Take her to the library. I will meet her—” But any plans he could have made rushed right out the window, for Princess Anna came barreling through the door. She hardly seemed to notice his position with the queen, which had become less compromising only in that he had removed his hand from her hair. He noticed the princess seemed covered in snow and ice, as if she had been out in the elements for too long. Even her hair was white with it.

“Hans, you have to kiss me!”

“What?” said Hans and Queen Elsa in unison. She sat up like a shot, her chains rattling at the motion. Anna seemed to regard her sister for the first time.

“Elsa, how did you get here? What have they done to you? Oh, you can tell me later. We don’t have time!”

“What happened?” Hans stood and reached out toward Anna. She clung to him desperately. He could feel how cold her hands were even through the layers of his clothes. She seemed hardly able to support her own weight.

“Elsa struck me with her powers.”

“No!” Queen Elsa’s anguished cry cut off any response he could have made. Wind and snow began to whip around the tiny cell, although her hands remained encased in iron. She strained at the limits of her bindings, trying to reach Anna.

“It froze my heart, and only an act of true love can save me.” She staggered, and Hans lifted her up and carried her to the cot in the corner. Queen Elsa was instantly at her side, standing with her arms wrapped tightly around herself.

“I’m so sorry, Anna. I never meant for any of this to happen. I never meant to hurt you. Please, I’ll do anything I can to fix this,” said the queen. Hans could hear that she was on the verge of tears.

“You didn’t? I mean, I know you didn’t. But don’t worry, all I need is an act of true love, and everything will be all right.” Despite her weakness, Anna’s voice was tinged with her characteristic optimism. The snow hung suspended in the air.

“A true love’s kiss,” said Hans slowly. This was troublesome. He knew his kiss could not cure her. How could he continue his ruse after that failure? He doubted she would want to marry him if it wasn’t true love. But then a plan flashed into his mind, greater and more devious than any he had made before. He could be rid of both of them in one fell swoop. Let the princess die and blame the queen, clearing his path to the throne. This was the chance he had waiting for and better luck than he could have possibly dreamed. The risks were high, but so were the rewards.

“Don’t you think we should get some privacy?” he asked. All he needed to do was get the princess alone. He could have no witnesses, not even the captive queen. But things were never that easy.

“There’s no time for that! Please, it has to be now!” Queen Elsa stood aside so he could be closer to Anna. He could see no other way out. So this was how it would end. As he knelt beside her, he felt of sudden wave of anger. Of course she had run off impulsively and gotten herself into this mess. Of course her cure would have to be the one thing that would expose his deceit. He wanted to say something cruel, to twist the knife in the best way he knew how. Resentment threatened to overwhelm him.

Making a final attempt to stall, he said, “I really don’t think—” But his protestations were cut off when the princess abruptly slammed her face against his own. Her lips landed half on his mouth and half on his cheek, dry and cold as ice. It took him a fraction of a second too long to school his shocked face into a more neutral expression. Then, just as quickly, she pulled away.

“Oh,” she said softly. He did not have to look at her to know it had not worked. “I guess it has to go the other way. Maybe you have to kiss me.” His heart sank.

He could feel the queen’s eyes on him. How much had she seen? If only he had not stayed with her for so long, he could have been home free. He could have seen the princess privately and broken her heart without consequence. He could have been as ruthless as he needed to be to wear the crown. His moment of weakness had cost him everything. Had the brief illusion of goodness been worth it?

The realization hit him with the pain and immediacy of a lightning strike: it might have been. Everything else seemed to crumble away. For those few minutes, he had not been the unwanted thirteenth prince. He had not been the romantic stand-in in someone else’s fairytale. He had not even been the archetypal hero destined to save the frozen city. He had just been a good man who cared.

Perhaps this was not the ruin he had feared. Perhaps this was fate giving him a second chance, an opportunity to be the man Queen Elsa thought he was. The idea filled him with a strange feeling that could have been either euphoria or madness. He had been wrong. The die had not been cast yet, after all. The choice was his to make.

But his newfound resolution toward goodness was not enough to extricate him from his current predicament. The princess was still expecting him to kiss her. He could talk himself into being kind, but he could not talk himself into true love. There were not too many other options. Perhaps he could go through with it and pretend to be surprised when it produced no result. No, he would not prolong her suffering by lying to her. If he could not save her, at least he would not give her false hope. That left him with only one solution. He would come clean and hope for a small chance at forgiveness.

“Anna,” he began. Christ, he was really doing this. He took a deep breath and continued, “What if this isn’t true love?” The temperature dropped sharply, and he heard Queen Elsa give a muffled gasp.

“You… don’t love me?” Anna looked so hurt that he wished he had said something cruel to her, if only to put her out of her misery a little faster. Before his very eyes, another chunk of her hair turned white.

“It’s not that,” he said, even though it very much was, “It’s just, well, we’ve only just met. We only spent a few hours together. What if we both got caught up in the atmosphere? I saw in you the chance for love, recognition, power. Everything I ever wanted. It all seemed too good to be true; maybe I deluded myself into thinking it was. But it’s not a question of loving you so much as knowing you.”

There was more truth in this than Hans would previously have admitted to himself. His chance meeting with her at the docks had seemed like something out of a fairytale, and the glamorous coronation ball had only served to heighten the illusion. He may not have believed in true love, but he had briefly entertained the childish notion that they could have been happy together. How lucky he would have been if his ambitions and his heart were so compatible. But he had come back down to earth quickly. The princess was clumsy and naïve, impulsive to a fault. Quirks which he had found charming at first descended into irritations. But, for all her silliness, she did not deserve this.

“I’m sorry, Anna,” he added, making his best attempt at sincerity. He could tell from her face that his words were cold comfort. Suddenly, she pitched forward, throwing her arms around him. It took him several seconds to realize that she was not in the throes of some frozen death seizure but was merely sobbing onto his shoulder. He awkwardly wrapped his arm around her in return, patting her gently on the back.

When Anna at last looked up at him, she said tearfully, “I’m sorry too, Hans. I should have known better.” He was not going to tell her that yes, she really should have.

“It’s not your fault, Anna,” said Queen Elsa. She hovered anxiously on the periphery. Hans saw the way she hesitated to get too near to Anna.

“Yes, it is. Kristoff knew right away that it couldn’t be true love. If he could tell, why couldn’t I?”

“Who’s Kristoff?” The queen and Hans spoke at the same time, sounding equally suspicious.

“Didn’t I say? He’s an ice harvester. He has a reindeer. He’s the one who took me to the ice palace, and he brought me here safely. I should have listened to him, but I was foolish. I’ve been foolish this whole time. I’m the one who got us into this mess.”

“You mustn’t blame yourself,” said the queen, “If anyone is at fault here, it’s me.”

“Don’t say that!” Anna reached out for her sister, but she shied away. Anna’s face fell.

Perhaps trying to deflect, Queen Elsa said, “What do we do now? There has to be some other way.”

“I don’t know,” said Anna dejectedly, “I don’t know how to find my true love, or if I even have one. Unless… Kristoff!” Hans caught the queen’s eye. He could tell they were thinking the same thing: hadn’t they only just met? Why should this time be any different?

“Do you think he can help you?” asked the queen gently. Her voice was neutral, camouflaging her doubt.

“He must be my true love! Or at least he’s the closest I’ve got. It’s my only hope.” Queen Elsa still seemed dubious. But then her expression hardened, and a determined glint shone in her eye.

“All right, then. Kristoff it is. Let’s go,” she commanded. This was a side of her he had not seen before. Something within her had shifted from passive to active, from fleeing to fighting. Hans was suddenly reminded that she was descended from the warrior kings of old, who had charged into battle at the head of their troops. She had been groomed to lead since birth. Maybe this was not such a drastic change. Through everything, she had not forgotten her first duty as queen: protecting her people and her sister with them. Even her flight had been to keep them safe.

“How are we going to explain this to the officials when we try to leave?” asked Hans. He doubted they would let him just waltz out of there with his captive and the princess. How could he tell them that Anna was dying from her sister’s ice, but it had all been an accident? And that they were going to find a magic cure from an iceman?

“We’re not,” said Queen Elsa. She closed her eyes in intense effort. The metal of her cuffs groaned, and Hans could see ice was beginning to cover them. Even under these circumstances, her power astonished him. With a final push, they popped open completely.

“I would have unlocked those for you, you know.” She gave him a look.

“No need.” She then turned her attention to the window. One icy blast was enough to obliterate the bars. They would easily be able to climb out onto the frozen fjord. Hans turned and picked up Anna. She was shivering, although no more of her hair had changed color. He tried to pick up the blanket as well, but the queen beat him to it. She wrapped it around her sister, tucking in the folds so no air could get in. Hans saw how careful she was to never touch bare skin. As they left, he had a last thought that he was going mad. Why was he abandoning all the plans he had made? Why was he still so eager to play the hero? But the queen beckoned him from outside, and he banished all doubt from his head.

When they were on the ice, Queen Elsa began to conjure a sleigh. Although its creation was almost instantaneous, it was still beautifully detailed. Hans marveled at the filigree trim and intricate rosemaling. Its runners were made of sharpened ice, and it was pulled by two white horses. The latter were what awed him the most. Although they had snowy bodies and ice for hooves, they appeared to be fully alive. He had not realized her powers could reach so far. But there was no time to stand around gaping. The queen was already in the driver’s seat.

“Keep her warm,” she ordered. Hans nodded and climbed in behind her, laying Anna down in as comfortable a position as he could given they were in a sleigh made of ice. At least the seat cushions were of a softer powder snow. The back of the sleigh was covered, and he soon saw why. Wind whipped around them as they started on their way. It was so cold he thought he might freeze solid. He ducked his head back inside the compartment, grateful for its meager warmth.

The sleigh raced across the ice. They were going faster than any steam train Hans had ridden back in the Southern Isles. The snow horses were supernaturally strong, exponentially more powerful than any real horse and incapable of fatigue. Queen Elsa directed them with ease and unwavering focus. The rest of her attention was diverted to creating an ice path beneath them, smoother than natural ice could ever be. The lack of friction allowed them to glide through the streets as if they were flying. Even the wind seemed to be pushing them further and faster. But as they scanned the city, there was no sign of Kristoff.

“He isn’t here!” called Queen Elsa. She continued on, but her voice was lost among the howling winds. Hans leaned toward the front of the sleigh, braving the cold in the hopes of hearing her better.

“What?” he yelled.

“Where does he live? Ask Anna!” Hans retreated to their snowy compartment. Anna was still conscious, but she seemed even weaker. He thought her hair was whiter than before. He grabbed her frigid hands, rubbing them in his own to warm them as he spoke.

“He’s not in the city. Your sister wants to know where he lives.”

“In the Valley of the Living Rock.” At his blank look, she added, “She’ll know. It was on the maps we used to study as children.” Her hands remained covered in frost. He thought of his gloves, lying forgotten on the dungeon cot, and wished he could give them to her now.

“Okay. We’ll get there.” He did his best to sound reassuring, but he had the distinct impression he had failed to hit the mark. Why must these things be so much harder when he was attempting to be genuine? He could be suave when playing a role, but he lacked the same polish when trying to be himself.

Leaning out the window, he shouted, “The Valley of the Living Rock!” The winds seemed even fiercer and louder as their speed increased.

“What?” He repeated himself and got the same response twice more. Finally, he climbed from the back of the sleigh to the driver’s seat. The wind threatened to push him back, but he persisted. He could see no other way to make himself heard.

The front of the sleigh was frigid. Clearly Queen Elsa had no need for any shelter from the cold and wind. She reached up and created a dome of ice surrounding them as he plopped into the seat next to her and slid forward onto the floor. Hans instantly felt warmer without the wind biting his exposed skin. He stood up and tucked his hands into his armpits.

“He lives in the Valley of the Living Rock.”

“Ah. It’s funny how things come back around. I know the way.” She spurred the horses to go even faster. Hans steeled himself for the journey back to the back compartment. He was not looking forward to facing the wind again. As he moved to go, she made a small noise.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you. Look down.” Hans stared out the window in wonder. They were practically flying, suspended over the treetops on a thin track of ice. Arendelle grew smaller below them. He stood entranced, barely noticing the chill of the dome as he leaned forward to get a better view. The queen alone could save him from inadvertently sticking his cheek to the ice. She hummed delicately.

“Come, sit with me.” And she patted the bench beside her. As he settled into his seat, she slid over to give him more room. The motion exposed her leg through the slit of her dress, but the touch of ice against her thigh did not seem to faze her. None of her skin showed any sign of frostbite, smooth and creamy despite the intense cold. A pale pink tint was the only hint that she was not carved from the surrounding snow and ice. Hans shook his head, realizing he had lapsed into staring at her leg. That was really not what he should be thinking about now of all times.

To distract himself, he asked, “Why is it called the Valley of the Living Rock?”

“I don’t know if you’d believe me if I told you.” He gave a dry laugh.

“Your Majesty, I’m flying through the sky in a sleigh made of ice next to a woman with snow powers so we can save the princess from freezing the death from the inside out with the power of love. I don’t think there are too many things that would stretch my belief at this point. Try me.”

“All right. It’s called that because it’s the home of the rock trolls. I’ve only been there once, a long time ago now. I was only a child.”

“Rock trolls, eh? There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy. We have a similar legend in the Southern Isles, although ours are distinctly malicious.” But the queen had grown serious beside him. She seemed lost in thought.

Finally, she said, “I struck Anna with my powers once before, when we were children. It was an accident when we were playing. I was too slow: I couldn’t catch her in time. The trolls were able to heal her, but they had to take her memories of my magic. So you see, I’ve never been any good to Anna. All I’ve ever done is hurt her.”

“You’re helping her now,” he pointed out.

“Am I? I don’t have much experience with love, but I think we both know it cannot flourish over just one day. Anna is the most loving person I’ve ever known, but sometimes that isn’t enough. I’m taking her to Kristoff because that’s the last hope we have. But it’s a very faint one. I have made my bed, and now I must lie in it.”

“Surely…” But his protests trailed off. He did not want to admit to himself that she was right. If there was no hope for people like Anna, whose only crime was naïveté, and Elsa, who cared so much, what hope was there for people like him? They were innocent victims of circumstance. What would become of real monsters like himself?

“Promise me, Prince Hans, that you will take care of Arendelle and my sister. Promise me that you will save them from their fate. Promise me that no matter what happens, you will do whatever is necessary to protect them.” No, no, no. He did not want to hear, did not want to understand.

“You know that I cannot save your sister. And I cannot end this winter.” But after all that had passed between them, he knew what she was going to say.

“You can, and you must. You alone have that power now.”

“Your Majesty, you cannot ask that of me.” How ironic it was that he had been fully prepared to kill her when he had thought she feared death, but when she asked for the same, he faltered.

“I ask because I know you’re a good man, Prince Hans. Perhaps the best I have ever known. I know you can be the hero to save Arendelle and Anna. I know I can trust you to do the right thing.” She looked up at him, and although her eyes were pleading, they were resolute. Then she reached out and placed one of her bare hands upon his. This was the first hand he had held without gloves in a long time, and he suspected the same was true for her. He was struck by the enormity of the gesture.

“Promise me,” she repeated, and Hans realized he was done for. He could not refuse her anything.

Curling his fingers up to clasp her hand, he said, “I promise.” Their eyes met, and Hans was overwhelmed by emotion.

“Queen Elsa, I—” But whatever unplanned sentiment he had been about to express was cut short when he heard hoofbeats in the snow. Looking down, he saw a large man and a reindeer heading down the mountain. This must be Kristoff.

He looked shocked when Queen Elsa set the sleigh down directly in front of him. Hans immediately climbed down from the front seat and went around to retrieve Anna from the back. Her breathing was labored, but she gave him a weak smile when he lifted her up. He turned to find Kristoff approaching the sleigh.

“Princess Anna! Queen Elsa! Is that you?” He stared at the sleigh in wonder.

“It is,” called Queen Elsa as she climbed down from her seat.

“Why are you here? Is this Prince Hans? What happened?”

“We need your help,” said the queen, “It’s Anna…”

“Please, Kristoff,” said Anna, “You have to kiss me.”

“I thought Prince Hans…?”

“That didn’t work out,” said Hans quickly, stepping closer to Kristoff so he could get to Anna. He could feel Kristoff sizing him up.

“It wasn’t true love after all. That’s why you have to kiss me. You’re my last hope!” Kristoff accepted Anna’s weight easily, cradling her against his chest. Hans was surprised at how gentle he was for such a massive man.

“Of course, I’ll do anything I can to help you. But are you sure I’m your true love?”

“You have to be,” Anna nearly whispered. Hans stepped back, torn between feeling like a voyeur and needing to know what was happening. Beside him, Queen Elsa wrung her hands together anxiously. He reached out toward her, and she took his hand with some hesitation. For a moment, everything was still.

Kristoff bent his head to meet Anna’s and she twined her frozen fingers through his hair. Hans felt Queen Elsa’s grip tighten in anticipation. The kiss seemed to play out in slow motion, sweet and gentle and unlike anything he had ever known. Was this how it felt to gaze upon true love? It almost hurt him to look at it. He could not tell if the scene was too tender for his eyes or if envy had clouded his vision.

Then it was over. Kristoff pulled back, and they all waited with bated breath. A second passed, and then another. Nothing seemed to be happening. Anna looked as frozen as ever. She alone could voice what they were all too afraid to say.

“It didn’t work.” As she spoke, the final strands of her hair turned white. Frost began creeping across her face. The queen’s hand grew colder in Hans’ palm, but he hardly felt it.

“I’m sorry, Anna,” said Kristoff, “Maybe if we tried again…?” But the princess shook her head.

“You have nothing to be sorry for, Kristoff. I guess some things aren’t meant to be.” She slumped against his shoulder.

“Don’t give up, Anna. It’s going to be all right. Everything is going to be all right.” The queen stepped forward.

“Elsa, it’s okay. You don’t have to lie to me. I don’t blame you for any of this. Please, just let me be near you when I go.” She reached out as if to touch her sister, but Elsa did not look at her.

“Kristoff, take her to the sleigh. Do your best to keep her warm.” He moved to protest, but one look from the queen silenced him. He turned and trudged toward the sleigh as if he carried an impossible weight. Hans could hear the princess’s muffled sobs, and he would not have been surprised if Kristoff’s were intermingled with them.

“We must act quickly,” said the queen. She knelt before him.

“There’s still time for you to run away,” he said desperately, “You could leave and take the winter with you.”

“It’s too late for that now. She’ll freeze before I can make it off the mountain. Hans, this is the only way. The ultimate sacrifice.” She stared up at him as though he were her last hope of salvation.

“Are you sure this will save her?”

“It has to.” Slowly he drew his sword. She turned her back to him and swept up her hair by magic, leaving her neck exposed. Her hands were clasped in front of her as though she were praying.

“Elsa, I— I’m sorry.”

“Remember your promise, Hans.”

Steeling himself, he raised his sword. This was the end. His arm felt heavy with crushing irony. What good had his reformation been if it were all to end up like this? The end result would still be the same: the princess frozen, the queen dead by his hand, and himself likely on the throne of Arendelle. He could do nothing to save them. He had been deluding himself that the die had not yet been cast. It had been cast long before he had sat in that frigid dungeon. Very possibly he had never held it at all. His choice did not matter. He was never meant to be the hero. As he swung down, he tried to look anywhere but at the white flesh of her throat. He knew with a fatal certainty that his aim would be true.

“No!” There was a cry and a flash in the corner of his vision. He pulled himself up short, his sword stopping within inches of Princess Anna. Only it was no longer Princess Anna, but a figure of crystalline ice, perfect in every detail. She had thrown herself in front of his sword, arm outstretched in a gesture of protection. It had been her dying act.

“Anna! Oh, Anna,” cried the queen. She stood to cradle her sister’s frozen face, pleading, “No, no! Please, no.” She threw her arms around Anna’s frozen body, sobbing openly. Hans realized that this was the closest contact he had ever seen her make with her sister. His promise weighed heavily on his mind. No, he would let Queen Elsa have these last few moments. It was the least he could do for her.

Everything was still. The only sound was Queen Elsa crying. Hans and Kristoff kept a solemn vigil. Time stretched on, none of them wanting to move on from the moment and confront the aftermath. But then something strange began to happen. Color began to return to Princess Anna, radiating out from her heart to her fingertips. She dropped her arm and sighed.

“Anna?” said Queen Elsa, looking happier than Hans had ever seen her. She stood and enveloped Anna in a tight embrace.

“Oh, Elsa,” replied her sister, returning the hug.

“You sacrificed yourself for me?” They clasped hands.

“I love you,” said Anna, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

“I love you, too.”

“This must be what the trolls meant,” said Kristoff, “An act of true love will thaw a frozen heart.”

“Love will thaw,” echoed Queen Elsa, and Hans could practically see the gears turning in her mind.

“Love,” she repeated and turned to Anna. As she spoke, snow began drifting upwards. She raised her arms, and the landscape was thawing. Green trees and grass emerged as if they had never been frozen. The sky turned blue as all the snow and ice coalesced into one snowflake. With a mighty push, the queen banished it into thin air.

“I knew you could do it,” said Anna. Hans noticed there was no longer a white streak in her hair.

After that, everything passed by in a blur. Their ride back to Arendelle was much faster without the detours of the search. Hans and Kristoff were relegated to driving while the sisters sat in the back. Hans assumed they wanted to catch up or hug or do whatever it was normal siblings who didn’t hate each other did. He and Kristoff made awkward small talk, mostly about the reindeer, who for some reason was sitting with them in the front seat. (His name was Sven, Hans found out. Kristoff liked to talk for him. But considering his own close relationship with Sitron, he was not one to judge.) When they reached the city, they were greeted by a cheering crowd. Evidently the people were more than willing to forgive Queen Elsa for the cold snap. Even the castle’s dour diplomats seemed happy at their return.

The next day, everything seemed right with the world. A happy crowd had gathered in the courtyard of the castle. Anna had presented Kristoff with a new sled and the title of Official Arendelle Ice Master. Hans thought they looked happy together. It may not have been true love, but it was certainly something. Queen Elsa had transformed overnight. She was joyful and confident, showing off her powers to her people’s great delight. When she created a giant ice rink in the courtyard, there was not an unhappy face among them.

Everything seemed perfect. Even Hans was happy. But he supposed he would never be able to escape the specter of what might have been. Among this joyous throng he felt out of place. A small voice in his head whispered that he had failed in his quest for power. He had sacrificed his only chance to matter to anyone, and for what? But then he looked up at the smiling queen and princess, happy together at last. And when he saw the queen’s eyes when she grabbed his hand and spun him across the ice, he knew he had his answer. For this.

***

Hello everyone! Surprisingly enough, I'm still alive. I thought I would post this as a bit of a Christmas treat. I've been sitting on it for the better part of a year.

There is also an epilogue, which will hopefully be posted one week from now, on New Year's Day. If I can get myself together, that is. My sincerest thanks for reading. I have been absent, but I've never stopped thinking about the kindness you've shown me and my work.

#apparently nothing new is showing in the tags at all as of jan 1st

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