Hans can't take it anymore; he needs to leave Arendelle. But something inside him says otherwise. He needs to get to the bottom of it. The people, the kingdom, the Queen; why is everyone so overly happy? Almost like fate ran into him, someone else is determined to figure out Arendelle's "perfect" secrets.

"Come on Sitron! We're getting out of here," I catch my breath only for a second before I dismount my horse. I quickly hoist myself up, gripping onto his reigns. "Go, boy! Go!" By my command, he started to gallop of out the stables, through the courtyard and out of the place.

"Did she just… conjure up a Winter? Inside the ballroom?" I ask to myself somehow hoping talking out loud would make sense to all of this. "Queen Elsa of Arendelle… How long has this been going on?" I didn't want to admit it out loud, but Father was right. Arednelle has changed. As if on cue, the temperature dropped instantly and snowflakes started to fall. "What the hell is going on-?!"

"Ah!" Too distracted by my thoughts, I didn't look where I was going and ran into someone. If it weren't for the boat on the dock, the poor woman would have fallen in the water.

"Quick, Sitron!" With ease, my horse slammed his hoof on the boat, balancing it on the edge of the dock. "I'm so sorry! Are you hurt?" I ask with worry at the poor maiden.

"Not really," she groans, slightly sitting up from the sudden fall.

"Sorry," I apologize, in embarrassment. I mount down and quickly go for her assistance. "I wasn't exactly looking where I was going,"

"Yeah obviously," she dismisses my hand and stands on her own, dusting off her gown. "Why are you in such a rush anyway?"

"I need-" I bite back my tongue, thinking about my next move. Should I really trust anybody here? So far, with everything that's been happening, I should be on my own.

"Hey!" I blink out of my thoughts when she snaps her fingers in front of my face. "You still with me here? Geez, I swear everyone here is nuts,"

"Wait, what? What do you mean?" I mask on my true intentions, keeping on my toes.

"Have you seen everyone around here? There's too much happy going on, its really freaking me out!" She shivers at the thought. "Since when does everyone decide to be overly happy? It just doesn't make sense,"

"So, you think something is going on around here?"

"I know something is going on here. I've been here for a while and I'm just starting to figure it out," I stare in awe, finally finding someone in this kingdom just as sane as myself. "And by the looks of it, you don't seem to be under Queen Elsa's spell,"

"Her spell?"

The young maiden looks around, checking for any bystanders. But by the looks of it, the entire kingdom somehow is able to fit in the castle that Arendelle looks completely empty; like an abandoned wasteland that was forgotten.

"Follow me," she moves past and walks off the dock. "We need to get out of the public," a little confused, I look around at the empty town, I grab a hold onto my horse and follow her suit.

"The name's Anna by the way," she introduces herself without turning to face me.

"Anna?" I ask, familiar by the name. Isn't she…

"And you can forget to worry about me having any relation to that damn Ice Queen. We're anything but related to one another," despite the sudden Winter in the middle of Summer, I feel really cold being around this woman.

"I-I'm Hans," But somehow, I trust her. Definitely more than the crazy people here.

Anna leads me to a hideout on the outskirts of town into the woods. It's a small cabin that looks welcoming yet isolated from everything else in Arendelle.

"You can mount your horse here in front. I'll meet you inside, okay? There's a lot I need to explain," she disappears inside and I stand there for a moment, thinking to myself.

"What have I gotten ourselves into, boy?" I sigh, tying him to the front porch.

Promise me one thing, come back home.

Suddenly, a new feeling of determination fills me. I tie Sitron securely, give him a firm pat on the back, and march inside. I am greeted by Anna dressed in comfy dress pants, a button up, and boots. She carries in what seems months of documents and work in her fragile arms and slams them on the coffee table.

"Go ahead and help yourself to some food, something to drink, or whatever," she focuses on organizing her work while she waves nonchalantly towards the small kitchen. I chuckle at the different type of hospitality, but nonetheless, still hospitality. I walk over to the kitchen and just pour two glasses of water.

"So what exactly is going on here?" I ask as I walk over and take a seat next to Anna.

"You have to leave this place as soon as possible,"

"Wait, what?"

"Okay," Anna sighs. "I should start from the beginning. Long story short, Elsa… She wasn't always like this. Arendelle, this place I used to call home, isn't home anymore. Ever since my parents died," I stay patient and quiet, respecting her mourning. "Elsa completely lost it. And before we all knew it, she had ice powers. It wasn't until the night of her coronation day that she discovered what she was capable of. Ever since she just couldn't control herself. Elsa decided to use her powers only for herself; she figured how to control others wither powers.

She puts on this performance every year… It's like mind control, I've never seen anything like it. People all over come here and celebrate her coronation day but never go back home. Arendelle is in a deep famine of not just food, but of everything! We're low on supplies, housing… It's the worst! And we've lost all connection to other trading kingdoms because they all live here now!" Anna seems to have held all this frustration in for so long, I just sit and listen.

"But why do you think she wants all these people here?"

"I guess… Ever since our parents died, she felt really lonely. I wasn't enough for her; she wanted this place to be home and fill it with a bunch of people. Elsa's powers have gotten to her head. We need to put an end to it,"

"But she's your sister,"

Anna glares at me, revealing a dark emptiness deep inside. "Not anymore Hans," Heh, why does this all sound so familiar?

"That's why we need to get out of here," Anna stands, gulping down the water and rushes to her room. She comes back with some luggage. "We need to warn others and bring them to Arendelle. She's a lost cause and needs to be stopped,"

I sat there for a second, taking it all in. And here I was looking to court a princess. I gulp down the water and sigh with sudden tiredness.

"My home kingdom isn't that far from here; The Southern Isles? Have you heard of it before?"

Anna taps her chin for a moment. "No, not really,"

"Yeah, I thought so," I sigh with a bit of defeat but not high expectations. "We're not that widely known as Arendelle," I chuckle dryly.

"Hey," Anna smiles softly. "Maybe after you help me, I could help put The Southern Isles on the map," I look up at her in wonder and scoff at the thought. "I'm serious," she laughs as she squares her arms on her hips. "I assume you came here to join our kingdoms together, right?" Anna smirks when I feel a sudden heat creep to my cheeks.

"Um…"

"You're so easy to read," Anna laughs playfully. "We'll see how it turns out. Maybe we'll both get something out of it in the end," she shrugs with a sarcastic yet optimistic tone.

"You know, for a princess, you definitely don't act like one," I smirk back at her coyness.

"Hmpf," Anna smirks. "Thank you," she turns her heels and walks to her room. "Make yourself at home but you get the couch. We'll leave first thing in the morning," she calls from over her shoulder and closes the door.

Come back home.

"Don't worry Mother," I say to myself as I kick off my boots. I lay down and get comfortable on the sofa. "I will,"

I was woken up by a loud pounding at the door, I fell out of my sleep with a thud. I look up, hair in disarray, trying to calm my anxiety. I snap my head to Anna's room but the door is open and she's not storming out here.

"Um… Anna? I think we may have some company," I harshly whisper as the pounding got louder. I quickly fix my hair and stand tall. I go through Anna's luggage and find a dagger protected by its sheath. I pull it out carefully and, with caution, approach the impatient person (or people) just outside the cabin. With a deep inhale, I grip the knob and open the door with a loud yell, dagger in the air.

"Whoa whoa whoa! Calm down, it's me!" Anna shields herself. "Relax, I was just getting some rope for the trip," I look down at the bundle of rope sashed around her shoulder. I sigh in relief and lower the weapon.

"Don't scare me like that," I toss the weapon to the side and turn to go back in. The sudden fog stops me in my tracks.

"Boo,"

Then, it goes black.

I wake up to a bad headache, almost - just almost - as bad as the ones I get from a fight with my brothers. I slowly sit up and adjust myself to my new environment; cold, hard, and quiet. "Am I… Am I in a cell?"

"Where else would you be?" I stand up quickly by the sound and there she stands; Queen Elsa on the other side my prison bars. "Hello Prince Hans," she smiles.

"What did you do with Anna?" I demand, stepping out of the dark.

"Oh, you're worried about my sister? Isn't that cute?" She cocks her head to the side. "It's a shame, really. I didn't want any disturbances during my coronation holiday. But yet again, The Southern Isles decides to mess it all up!" I wince at the sharp pain in the body as she conjures a brief yet strong enough Winter breeze to bring me down to my feet.

"What are you talking about?"

"Let's just say that you weren't the first of your kind to come here and try to ruin my perfect kingdom," unsure if it was from the burning cold or what, but my heart seemed to freeze. "And we'll be sure that you're the last,"

"We?"

I hear a click of heels down the dungeon halls, growing louder as it gets near. I stare in disbelief and confusion. "Anna?"

"Such an obedient little sister," Elsa smirks, hugging Anna's arm. "Thank you for looking out for him while I was busy with our people. Poor thing was long gone when Mother and Father died," for a moment, she actually sounded genuine about their death. "But now, she no longer has to worry about that, don't you Anna?" Elsa waves her hands through the air around her and sprinkles Anna with a small snowfall. Anna sighs in pleasure, closing her eyes and taking in her sister's magic. I shrink back a bit in disgust and even more confusion.

"Yes Elsa," Anna smiles brightly. "Arendelle is home,"

"You won't get away with this!" I yell in frustration. "Don't you see, this isn't a perfect kingdom if your people aren't genuine! They're all your little robots waiting to be commanded; they're blinded from your powers that they all forgot who they are. Families are still waiting for their return or they just lost hope after all these years of being gone. You need to set them free! Everyone here is captive and prisoner! What kind of kingdom is that?!"

"The kind that I get to finally control after years of being isolated and ignored!" Elsa roars. I step back as her emotions get the best of her; a small but growing snowstorm builds bellow her. The walls have grown colder and coats in layers of ice, turning dark red instead of a crimson blue. "I've been alone for so long and I'm not going to let some little prince take it all away from me!"

I scream as Elsa's magic strikes me. I yell in agony, falling to the floor helplessly. What is this?! I look down at my hands as they slowly turn white. The pain is so bad I don't feel anything anymore. I look up and see a furious, hungry, and seductive Ice Queen.

"What did you do to me?!"

"What I did to everyone else around here; I froze your heart," she smirks. "You'll die soon enough. But don't worry, you'll come back; reborn. A brand new addition to the family," Elsa snaps the prison bars in her hands and struts forward. I try to crawl away but her heels stab my calf, making me cry in pain.

"I'll make sure you'll never leave," Elsa grits her teeth in annoyance as I try to shake away her surprising strength. "Arendelle is home, Hans." She caresses my face in her touch and I suddenly can't move. I'm lost in her gaze; wanting - craving - to be touched again.

"Elsa," I sigh hopelessly.

"Our home is your home," she whispers causing my body to shiver. I wine as my Queen steps back, leaving me alone to myself. But her smile, her beautiful smile, gives me so much hope. "I'll come back for you my prince," Anna holds out her arm and the two sisters strut out of the dungeon, slamming the cell door behind them.

"Elsa, come back," I tiredly plead reaching out for a touch. "Please,"

Come back home.

"What?"

Come back home. My son, please. Come back home.

I gasp, probably the last of my breath, and cry. I hold myself, shivering vigorously, and sob on the cold prison floor. Mother… I look up and see the prison window. Outside is nothing but white; a blanket of cold and lifeless white. I've failed everyone. I'm never going to see my family again. Those damn brothers, such bastards! I'm never going to prove myself to those idiots.

"Mother…" I shiver, feeling the ice consume the entire lower half of my body, quickly up to my neck.

Come back home.

"I'm so sorry,"

"Welcome to Arendelle!"

"Oh, thank you, sir. We're happy to celebrate Queen Elsa's coronation,"

"Arendelle is home. Our home is your home. Please, come join us inside," Anna steps out to the courtyard and hugs my arm. I look down at her happily as we both kiss each other sweetly.

"Elsa wants to see us before the event, sweetheart. Won't you come join me?" Anna smiles sweetly.

"Of course, anything for-"

"HANS!" I turn my attention forward as a party of people come rushing into the gates; twelve of them to be exact. I look down at Anna in confusion and she smiles brightly, reminding me what to do for the new guests. Then, I follow suit.

"Hello! Welcome to Arendelle, where our home is your home! Please, come join us inside,"

Thank you so much for reading! This is probably my favorite series up to date, I really liked how it all turned out in the end. I hope you did too!