Facing Mother

A Disney one-shot by Andrew J. Talon

DISCLAIMER: This is a fan-based work of prose. The Little Mermaid and Frozen are both the property of Disney. Please support the official release.

Prince Hans was brought off the ship in shackles, and led up the steps to the castle he grew up in. The palace stood, white and gleaming in the sunshine, just as it always did. He couldn't lift his head to look at it though. The humiliation forced his eyes low. His guards guided him to his rooms. The shackles were removed, and his guards left. They shut the door behind him. He sighed, and looks over at the bed... Where a familiar redheaded woman sat. She stares at him with the hardest, most disapproving look he has ever seen, and he couldn't help a flinch before returning a glare

"Well? What do you have to say for yourself, Hans?" Queen Ariel asked, in a cool voice. Hans immediately felt anger rise in his gullet.

"Mother, please! I-I only did what you told me to do! Tried to make my own place in the world!"

Ariel took a deep breath, the way she did when she tried to calm herself before she became violent. Hans was familiar with it.

"How? By usurping a throne? Plunging a kingdom into chaos? Regicide?" Ariel demanded.

"Mother, I-!" Hans tried, but Ariel rose from the bed and was glaring furiously into his eyes. Despite him being taller than her, she still seemed to loom over him.

"Do you have any idea what you have done? The Congress of Vienna is demanding I send you there to be HUNG!"

Hans paled, the fight draining out of him at this revelation.

"Mother...!"

"Hans…" Ariel took another deep breath, "I love you with all of my heart, so I'm not going to do that."

She rested a hand on his chest Hans looks down at the floor, bitterly.

"Now, Queen Elsa and Princess Anna both have spoken in your defense. So with time, this awful business will blow over." She shook her head, before lifting his chin to glare into his eyes.

"But for heavens' sake, you need to realize what kind of responsibilities and expectations you have!"

The anger returned to Hans, and his snorted dismissively.

"What responsibilities? I'm just the spare!"

"No, Hans," Ariel tried, but the fury bubbled out of Hans' mouth before he could think.

"That's all I've ever been! To anyone! To you and Father! Just insurance! Nothing more!"

"Hans, you are my son-!" Ariel tried, louder this time, but Hans shouted over her.

"Maybe you should send me to the Court of Vienna to be hung! You'd have five more sons who wouldn't disappoint you-!"

"HANS!"

Lightning struck outside, and thunder shakes the castle. Hans stumbled, his back meeting the wall of the room as he fell. He stared up at his mother, no longer a disappointed parent: Now she was a Queen, powerful and terrible, her face filled with the fury of the storm. Hans trembled and looks away, feeling very small. She stood over him. Hans shut his eyes tightly... And then her gentle hand grasps his chin and lifted his eyes to hers. She was solemn, but sincere.

"Eric and I had all of you out of love, and we still love you all dearly. I will always love you. When I said for you to make your own place in the world, I didn't mean for you to take someone else's, or to cause others to suffer for your benefit."

Hans blinked tears out of his eyes, and didn't resist her tight hug. He returned it, burying his face in her shoulder.

"Son... Please believe me," Ariel murmured softly.

"... I... I'm sorry, Mother... I just... I grew up, with so much... I saw so much pity in the eyes of others, and I... This is all I know how to do, Mother! This is all I could do to prove I was... Was good enough... Maybe I was wrong…"

"You were wrong, Hans," Ariel said blandly. She sighed, and kissed the top of his head. "But... everyone makes selfish mistakes. I made them too, and almost destroyed two kingdoms."

"Huh?" Hans blinked, thinking. Old memories came to mind. "Does this have anything to do with... Melody? Where she went?"

Ariel smiled at him.

"Yes. Yes it does. And I'm going to be sending you to her, and to your grandfather."

"But-Where? And who?" Hans asked. Ariel's smile grew just a bit.

"Why, to the Kingdom of Atlantica, of course... And as who? King Triton... My father."

Just a random thought.