Hello everyone. Since these titles of the chapters are off center (something that annoys me) I am going to put in random trivia to fill in. Unless I have something of relevance to say.

Trivia:

Bunnymund opens a rabbit hole and jumps down it. This is a reference to Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland", where a rabbit hole leads into another dimension.

Chapter 10

Southern Hospitality

Elsa pov

I began my day like any other. With paper work, lots and lots of paper work. Anna and Kristoff were around the castle having some fun. Jack said he would be going around the castle grounds. He said that he was going stir crazy staying in the castle and had to stretch his legs. Couldn't blame him, he seemed like more of a on the road kind of guy. I liked him, I really did. I saw him every day during his stay, enjoying his stories, having fun with him. I liked hearing him talk, his infectious personality that just lit up the room. The way he moved, how he would sometimes comfort me when I got anxious…wait what I am saying? He was a friend, that's all he was. Wasn't he?

Thankfully Gerda walked in interrupting my current thoughts. She said that I had some guests, guests that have not given their names. That's it, I've really have to get Gerda and Kai to demand to tell them their names if they want to get an audience with me. It's really annoying when it happens. Annoying that I didn't know who or what I might walk into.

As I walked into the throne room and I saw my guests. They all seemed familiar for some reason. They all shared the same brown hair and carried themselves like any noblemen. While two of them seemed like well to do noble men, the other two had travel packs and had a look like they were on the road for a long time. One of the travellers looked like a scholar, while the other looks like an explorer. The ones who I assumed to be nobles were dressed like a Prince and the other a diplomat.

"Queen Elsa thank you for seeing us" the Royal looking one stated.

I stated "It is a pleasure to serve all. Now who are you four?"

"Forgive me I am Gradin and these are my brothers Eskil". He gestured to the diplomat. "Schuyler" The scholar bowed. "And this is Wendell." The explorer too bowed. Those names were familiar to me. Wait a minute, I know who they are. "We are…" I growled "From the Southern Isles!" I stomped my foot on the ground covering the room in ice, causing them to lose their footing. Losing no time I encased their bodies in ice to prevent them from moving.

"How dare you enter these halls! After all that you have done!" I shouted. These people I knew from my studies.

Gradin, crown Prince of the Southern Isles.

Eskil, fourth in line and a diplomat for foreign matters.

Schuyler and Wendell, eleventh and twelfth line for the throne. Known for traveling to other countries for god knows what reason.

"Queen Elsa you don't understand. We were not a part of the Arendelle invasion." Gradin stated.

"LIES! The Southern Isles were responsible for that. I should lock you all up forever for what has happened to us!"

"Kill us; trap us it doesn't matter just as long as you understand. If we had any part of it we would have been there. Our forces would have been there. Their plans depended on their success. Their defeat threw their plans into disarray."

"Why should I believe any of this? The last time I trusted one of you it nearly cost me my life." I stated.

"Queen Elsa you know that none of us have the means to harm you. Eskil is a pacifist; Schuyler and Wendell have no political power. Let alone armed forces prepped for battle. I did not want to start a war with any one. Why would we attack Arendelle?"

I thought about this for a moment, from what I remember these were not war bearing people. Gradin was known to be a just and fair ruling man beloved by his people. Eskil was indeed a pacifist whom found peaceful solutions for the Isles and the other two were travellers that went to many kingdoms.

Gradin pleaded "Please Queen Elsa, just give us a chance to explain." I snorted in frustration. "Guards!" I called. A dozen guards quickly entered the room. "You called your majesty." I had unfrozen the room and the four of them. "Subjugate them" I ordered. The guards hoisted the four of them onto their feet. Then they removed their weapons and packs. With the four of them in tow with my guards I took them to the study. The guards then sat them all down at the table.

"You better give me a good reason not to throw you all in the dungeons." I stated.

Schuyler said "What we have to tell you your majesty is for our ears only." One of the guards then forced him against the table and pressed his sword against his back "Or not, whatever makes you feel comfortable."

I sat down in the chair opposite to them all "Talk" Then the door open and Anna walked in with Kristoff. "Elsa what's going on? Wait Eskil, is that you."

Eskil then stood up "Anna it is good…" One of the guards then sat him back down and pressed his sword to his throat. "It's good to see you and Kristoff again. A pity it is not under better circumstances." Anna turned to me "Elsa what are you doing? There's no need for this, we can trust them."

I countered "Anna trusting his family is what got us nearly killed in the first place. After all when you first met with Eskil he was the one who told you that Hans was imprisoned."

He spoke up "In my defence I did not know he was free. No one at this table knew. We only found out he was free after what happened after the ball."

Anna turned to me "Elsa they wouldn't have come to Arendelle with ill intensions if we were already suspicious of them all. Let's just give them a chance to explain, without swords to their throats." I sighed. Sometimes Anna could be too trusting of people. "Guards leave us." Though they were reluctant they left the room leaving the seven of us.

Eskil rubbed his throat "Much appreciated Anna."

"No problem, what is it you wanted to tell us?"

Gradin began "First of all we wish to apologize for what has happened. We took no part in that conflict."

I interrupted him "Why were we attacked by someone who is supposed to be in jail? Someone who is not supposed to have an army"

"As far as we knew he was in jail. Our father spoke of started a war with other countries, but I did not take him seriously. He is a good king. He would not want this. He certainly would have done this if he was alone."

I questioned "What do you mean if he was alone?"

Eskil and Gradin looked for each other. Gradin stated "A long time ago I would sometimes hear from the servants that our father talked to himself in the darkness. Saying things like 'The master will want to know of this' or they would sometimes find him talking to thin air."

"So he's mad is that it?" I addressed.

"We thought that too until….it happened"

"What happened?"

"There were bandits that plagued our kingdom for a long time, our forces could never find them and still we suffered loses but father told the people that he had someone he knew could remove this menace someone that called himself the master would help us. The next day the king ordered the guards to apprehend the criminals at a specific location. The guards then traveled to that location and found them. Well, what was left of them. That was a bloody mess to clean up. I mean that figuratively and literally."

Eskil continued "For years this guy has terrorized the people of the Southern Isles. Even though no one has seen him clearly, people are afraid of him. I couldn't even track him down. He left no evidence of his existence, he was like a ghost. Whoever this guy is he has our father's ear. We believe that he is manipulating him. Our father would not do this if he was not forced to."

"So you think this 'master' is controlling him somehow." I stated.

"Yes we believe so. We've all tried to find a trail of him but with no luck. We will understand if you do not believe us." Gradin finished.

Kristoff said "This guy sounds like bad news."

"Say this guy is real and your father is working with him, who can we trust in your kingdom?" I asked

Gradin hung his head "Sadly only the four of us. Anyone who isn't working with them is too afraid or too loyal to help us. "

"Then why come?"

Eskil said "Because we must stop this war before it happens. This master wants war for whatever reason."

I said "To be honest this all seems farfetched."

Wendell spoke for the first time "You think we do not know that. Since my brother Schuyler and I had little influence in the court we've traveled across several kingdoms learning a great many things. Only to come back home and find it greatly changed. How would you feel if you were in our place?"

Fed up I asked. "What would you have me do?"

"Help us! In any way possible to return things to the way they used to be."

Anna said "That won't be easy. How on earth could someone manipulate a king in the first place?"

The four brothers looked at each other. Schuyler said "Our father has a great fear. If someone could convince him that this course of action would avoid the realization of that fear, then he would do it regardless of the consequences."

Anna asked "What would that fear be?"

Wendell admitted "His fear is that his sons would tear the Sothern Isles apart due to our greed." He looked at us. "Don't give me that look. No one at this table has any desire to tear apart the kingdom just so we can sit on a chair"

"Throne" Gradin corrected.

"Whatever"

I asked "A war is the best course of action?"

Gradin explained "If a war was successful then the Southern Isles would have more territories. More land means more positions to rule. Meaning every son would have their own kingdom to rule over." We thought about this. In some twisted logic it made sense. I sighed; people can make irrational strange decisions when they are afraid. My life was proof of that.

"Then opposing this war benefits you how?" I inquired.

"It doesn't. As we've said before we do not want war. I am perfectly happy with my home even if I am not ruling over it. Eskil only wants to be a diplomat. Schuyler and Wendell are content traveling, seeing new things. If you helped us then maybe we could negotiate a truce between our kingdoms. I'm sure we could get through to him if we got him away from that master from a while. " Gradin finished

Jack pov

I was flying outside the castle for a while to get used to the winds now that my wounds are healing up. Originally when I first saw Elsa I was going to chat with her, but when I saw her with the others I decided to wait until they were done. I took a seat on the castles wall outcropping. While they were all discussing the situation in the Southern Isles I eavesdropped on them from outside the window.

Elsa told them that they could stay in some of their guest rooms for some time. Although she did state they weren't going to get their weapons back during their stay. Their rooms would be guarded and she would be informed of their movements during their stay here. I wanted to give them a chance and not to go to these lengths but I had to give in to Elsa's logic. Even if they were telling the truth we had to be careful of them. No need for another incident like Than again.

I thought about what they said. War. The one thing that inspired fear in every man, woman, and child of every age. This master, I have a feeling I know just who he is. He tried many years ago to take something precious to me, failed and promised to come back. It seems this was a promise he was going to keep. I looked up at the horizon looking at the great mountains and wood of Arendelle, but mostly at the shadows that the cast.

"So you're going to try again Pitch Black. Well, give it your best shot because I'll be ready for you."

Hans pov

Returning home after my failure was definitely a mistake. When I talked to father this evening I had to suffer through his rant and his beating. He hated how I had failed. Even when I told him about the spirit he told me that I was blaming others for my mistakes. After that he told me to rest up for his up incoming plans for me. I left the throne room thankful to be out. Guess I'm not his favourite anymore.

As I walked down the hall my head was hung in shame. I came across a table and a couple of chairs facing the windows. On the center of the table was a glass of water with a tag attached to it. I read it and it said 'Drink me'. I disregarded as some servant prank and continued down the hall. When I reached the doors to the hall they slammed shut. I tried to open the doors but they wouldn't move.

These servants are getting out of hand.

I then walked the way I came and the doors to that side slammed shut as well. Once those doors were closed, the shutters to the windows closed one by one. With only the dim lights to illuminate the halls, I was surrounded by deep shadows. The servants couldn't have done this; there was no one to close the shutters.

Though I wasn't proud of it I began to feel afraid. Afraid of what I didn't understand. I looked towards the table and the glass was moving! The glass moved from the center of the table to the edge closest to me. I walked slowly to the table, wary of what might happen. I picked up the glass and looked at its contents. Believing I had nothing to lose I drank its contents. Strangely as I drained it I could feel a small piece of ice in my mouth. It tasted strange, but I swallowed it all the same.

"Hello Hans"

I turned abruptly to face a pale man in a black robe. It was as if he blended into the shadows themselves. Then I looked into his eyes, they were like an eclipse. Steeling myself I demanded "Who are you?"

He chuckled. Maybe he found me amusing. He said "Take a guess." I looked at him and remembered my conversations with father. The way he described him he must be…. "The master?" It couldn't be him though. I didn't believe he existed. I thought he was just some figment of father's imagination, old age getting to him and all that.

"Correct, although I prefer to be called Pitch Black. It is my name after all." He responded.

"What do you want? Your supposed only talk to my father." I asked.

"He's gotten boring in his years. It seems he frightened by the possibility of war since your failure. Apparently he has no problem with capturing a kingdom or two in one fell swoop but not a long war. So I have decided to search out someone with a little more…ambition."

"I suppose you are the one who talked him into a war. Why did you do that?"

"I am a spirit of fear. The more fear there is, the stronger I am and there is nothing people fear more than war. With the fear of war hanging over people's heads their dread would be great." He answered.

"A spirit?" I questioned doubtfully.

"Yes, I heard you met one while in Arendelle. That was the reason why I wanted to talk to you personally. I was going to let this little war go on so that I could amass some more power, but it seems I have to accelerate my plans." Heard me? I only talked about it with father a moment ago. Was he watching us this whole time? He looked to me. "Yes, I was watching you when you were with your father"

He could read my…

"Mind? No, I can't read your mind Hans. I only know what you are afraid of. So try not to be afraid of every little thing we talk about"

I decided to change the subject. I asked "Why are you talking to me, because of one spirit?"

He sat down in one of the chairs. He answered "Well I have a history with that one. We met some years ago and to be honest I'd rather focus my attention on him and Arendelle then play around with a little war. I do enjoy watching people squirm and shiver in fear of things but it's time to get down to work."

I huffed "Having the war would be better. We would become much wealthier because of it."

"Ruling over a kingdom or two is small time. Ruling over everything now that is a proper goal." I blinked; he certainly had my attention now. "To do that you need power, speaking of which here is that tablet those….other brothers of yours were sent to find." He handed it to me it was indeed the tablet that those four promised to me.

"How did you get this? My brothers haven't reported to me for days."

"Those brothers of yours weren't going to give that tablet to you. They discovered what that tablet held on their way back. They decided to keep it for themselves." Those sneaky, two bit, back stabbing brothers of mine. Wait…

"What happened to them? If it was truly that valuable, they wouldn't have just given it up to you."

"I dealt with them properly. After all, betrayal of a contract is deserving of a proper punishment. Don't worry you won't be seeing them again." I thought about this. Gabriel, Label, Dov, and Roscoe were dead. No question about it. I didn't feel sorry or sad about it though. They planned to double cross me. They deserved what they got and with them out of the way, the flow of magical knowledge would be interrupted. Someone needed to take control of it for their own gain.

I sat in the other chair, across the table from him. I commented "I appreciate this but now let's get to the real subject of conversation shall we." He nodded in agreement. He stated "What I want is for you to join me in a little conquest."

"Of what?" I asked.

"Arendelle, more specifically the Snow Queen. Her power greatly interests me." So he too is interested in Arendelle. It seems we have some common ground. Perhaps we can finally be rid of her. He said "We are not going to kill her Hans. She's much more useful to us alive."

I countered "I thought you said you couldn't read minds."

He rolled his eyes at me "Your thoughts are predictable with certain subjects. It doesn't take a genius to figure you out."

I stood up. "Well since we have a common goal. I agree with joining you, as long as I still control my forces." He nodded in agreement to my terms and stood up. He said "Then we are…partners in this arrangement." He held out his hand to me. "Shall we shake on it?"

I took his hand. He tightly grasped my hand and he pushed up my sleeve. With his free hand he cut open my wrist with some kind of black knife. He then placed his hand over the wound and it felt like something was entering it. It was agonizingly painful. When the pain stopped he removed his hand and let go of me. I looked at my wrist and on it was not a bloody wound I was expecting but a tattoo. It was a tattoo of a black horse.

"What did you do to me?" I questioned.

"I simply gave you a little power. Go on try it out."

Suddenly my hand had some kind of black sand floating around. I waved my hand around. I was able to control it, change its shape. I threw the sand around, easily tearing up the walls and floor. I was even able to use it to blow out the windows with it. Looking at Pitch a thought came to mind. I threw the black sand at Pitch. He held up his hand and the sand stopped in its tracks. He looked at me unamused. "Just because you have a little power don't you think you can face me. You're a few centuries too early for that." With a wave of his hand the sand disappeared. "Now that you seem to have grasped the basics, try to summon a nightmare."

"A nightmare?"

Suddenly a horse black as night appeared before me. I backed away from it quickly. The horse reared up on me. I was afraid it was going to kill me right here and now. Then Pitch stepped in front of me and the horse disappeared. He turned to me "That was a nightmare. A creature made out of the fear of others and yours. The reason it tried to attack you was you were afraid of it. This power is great but it will fight back if you do not control it. Fortunately I've only given you one nightmare for you so your power is not as dangerous as it could be. More nightmares mean you have more power" He then walked away from me. He created a scythe of black sand. "Now you try. Focus on the shape you want and it will appear."

I focused on the shape of my sword. With a wave of my hand I created a duplicate of it with my black sand. I tried a few movements with it and it was better than any sword I've had. "Enjoying your new found power?" he asked.

"Yes. This power…I feel I can do anything with it." I answered.

"Very well then, kill the king." He responded.

I looked at him. "Kill my father?" The thought crossed my mind before, but could I really do it now? "Yes. He has no purpose any more. We don't need a war to generate anymore fears. Other things would have the same effect. Besides after all these years don't you just want to finish him off?" I had to think about this. He was my father but he was a liar. He was kind to everyone even to his sons but not to me. He hated me, treated me badly. Even my brothers took up on it. Ignoring me, hating me, pretending I didn't exist. I was always thought of as one spare too many, an unneeded entity. My life was his fault. He was still my father though. He was family.

Pitch walked up to me "What's wrong, not feeling up to it? Remember your father no longer favours you and you hate your father. What do you really have to lose? If its motivation you need then let me illuminate you. People fear death; as you strike down your father his fear will fill you up and make you stronger." I looked at the tattoo. This power, it was….indescribable. I wouldn't have felt this kind of strength if I was a king.

"A kingdom without a king, people will scramble for power. People will be fighting, hating, afraid of what might happen. A battle, a riot, things like that will generate fear and power for us. Don't you want to know what some real power feels like?"

His question ringed in my mind. It made sense, all of it. I walked past Pitch and made my way back to the throne room. He would still be there, alone. Thinking up his little schemes. I could dispose of his body easily enough. With this power I can deal with him easily. The people of my homeland resented me. They saw me as a mistake, someone to be erased from history. No, he will be the one to be erased and I will be the one to be remembered.

Bet none of you saw that one coming. The Southern King was not behind the attack on Arendelle, but Pitch Black himself. Well the king kind of was, but he was more of a puppet.

And he has a history with our favourite winter spirit. Stick around to find out what that just might be.

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