Getting the Kingdom back in order was a slow process. As promised, Elsa and the others needed three days before they were able to start worrying about the Kingdom and their prisoner. Marshmallow kept to his duty and held on to Hans like an unyielding vice, not allowing him any wiggle room, while not crushing him to death. He was brought food and water, and was taken care of fleetingly to keep him alive, but he was a prisoner of the giant monster and had no way of escaping. His magic had failed him, and when he tried to summon it, it left burns on his skin where he used it. His ties to his blood, his brothers, were somehow broken or interrupted. Perhaps he had simply just pushed his limits too far.

Whatever the case, he was stuck.

Elsa spent her time in bed, with a very protective Prince hovering over her. She was resting in one of the beds of the servant's quarters, two very trusty, newly appointed Captains of her guard at the door, just in case. The Queen had enjoyed her few days in bed, for what they were. She gathered a lot of her strength back, and her physicians treated her injuries far better than she had been able to, giving her drafts to ease her pain. The others all got similar care, but Elsa was bedridden longer due to the strain of using her magic and pushing her body so far. Her arm was completely immobilized and secure in a sling.

Ian made sure she was undisturbed and allowed to rest, though that, in turn, got her a bit restless. He began to notice around the second day, and came in with a book to read with her. They were inseparable after that, and he read to her a few times a day until she was ready to start exercising and walking around, though under supervision and for limited times. The court doctor was not willing to push her too far, either, but that likely had something to do with the fact that she was the Queen, and he had never had a more important patient.

Anna and Kristoff were up and about on the second day, though not to the pleasure of their doctors. They simply had no one to reign them is, as Elsa had Ian. Anna and Kristoff were too much alike, sometimes, and since neither of them took to inactivity very well, they were all too happy to get back to helping the Kingdom get back on its feet. Anna relayed orders from Elsa, and got the building and restoration efforts underway, more and more people able to return to the Kingdom each day. The castle needed a lot of work, but there were more than enough volunteers to get it rolling quickly and efficiently.

Stories of the epic confrontation spread rapidly, the heroic group of royals and soldiers held in high esteem by the citizens that could not stop talking about it on the streets. These were rumors Anna was much happier to hear, considering what she had been listening to not too long ago. Now no one doubted the loyalty and love of their Queen, their Princess, or the mysterious new Prince that seemed to have captured the eldest daughter of Arendelle's attention.

That was also something Anna did not fail to miss.

She saw the way Ian waited for Elsa to wake up each day, and was delighted when he could go in and spend time with her, read to her, and make sure she was healing well. He smiled any time she spoke to him, or someone asked him about how she was doing. He was very patient and thorough in his attention to her, not letting anything slip by his knowledge or care. Her well being was almost mort important than his own, to him at least, though he did make sure his injuries were tended to. Mostly out of the need to be healthy, in order to take proper care of her.

On this fourth day of healing, Anna found Elsa in her room, just finishing pulling on a light shawl to cover her shoulders, though she was not bothered by cold and only wore it out of habit from her upbringing, and to keep up appearances. She was dressed in the colors of Arendelle, and her dress was beautiful, not overly ornate but form fitting and decorated in subtle, but beautiful adornments of gold. Even her sling matched her outfit. She turned when she heard the door, surprised to see Anna.

That just made Anna grin broadly.

"You look beautiful, Elsa. Are you going out today? Are you sure you're ready?"

"I have to deal with Hans today, I can't leave poor Marshmallow sitting there for eternity. I thought I would uhm... dress like a Queen, I suppose... is it too much? Should I just wear something more common?" Elsa looked worried, looking at herself in a mirror on a vanity. She pushed a wisp of stray hair back from her forehead, though it fell right back where it had been. A second effort had the same impact, and she sighed, watching as Anna approached her in the mirror. Stooping down, Anna smiled at her from over her shoulder, reaching to brush the stray wisp of hair to the side instead, where it sat contentedly.

"You look beautiful, Elsa. I already said that. You are a Queen, why not dress like one? I'm sure it will give you more authority with Hans... and Ian will like it too, no doubt about that. He'd be crazy not to notice."

Elsa turned bright red, turning to look at her sister directly, rather than through the relative safety of the mirror.

"Anna! What are you talking about?"

"You're blushing! You can't tell me you're the only person in this entire Kingdom that doesn't know what's going on, can you? You like him. The way he looks at you, you might even love him. He certainly loves you, the care he's giving you."

"Oh Anna, not all this talk of love again... I barely know him, but for all the trouble we've been through... he saved my life. More than once. I owe him everything, and I... I do want to get to know him... do... do you think he really lo... h-has feelings for me?" She felt like she was trying to do something completely new, as though she was supposed to be a master of a skill she had only just learned. She had no idea what she was doing and felt thoroughly overwhelmed because of it. Anna had figured it out much easier than Elsa herself, which was at once troubling and a relief.

"Elsa, you're adorable. You really are. You're so good at being Queen, but you need to loosen up. It's okay to trust your heart every now and then, and let your emotions guide you. Like in this situation, with him. Just let your heart tell you what to do and, for once, ignore your head."

Elsa looked at Anna and opened her mouth to say something, but a knock at the open door drew her attention. Ian peered into the room, looking none the wiser, but whatever it was he had come to talk to Elsa about was immediately forgotten as he took in her appearance. Since they'd met he had only seen her in rags or peasant clothes. Seeing her in that dress knocked his brain for a loop and it had to shut down out of sheer and dire survival instincts. He stared at her blankly as his brain rebooted, blinking and shaking his head when he remembered how to speak.

"You... I... uhm. I... er... sorry."

Well, he remembered a handful of words, anyway.

"Ah... Ian. I was hoping you might join me... I am going to transfer your brother to the dungeon, and pass judgment on him. I thought you might like to be there for it." She held her posture, demure but controlled, and Anna could not help but roll her eyes. She elbowed Elsa, who stubbornly ignored her while struggling to keep her herself from blushing again.

"Yes, of course, your majesty. I would be honored. It will be nice to see him finally sorted out, whatever it is you decide is punishment enough for him."

For Ian, there was no punishment strong enough for Hans. Not even death would be fitting enough, and that was the one he had been aiming for in their previous battle. He moved in to hold the door for her, though it stayed open on its own, and she nodded her head in thanks, passing by him with her eyes glued to the floor. Ian watched her go, then glanced over at Anna, whose eyebrows lifted and she nodded her head in the direction Elsa had gone. Flustered, Ian nodded and followed after the Queen, catching up quickly.

Gunnar and Roland watched the duo as they left, and had been listening to the exchanges inside. They kept silent about it, though.

"Are you ready for what this might mean? You understand the gravity of what Hans has done... and the seriousness of his crimes? Are you... are you sure you've rested enough to be facing this right now?" The adventure had been a trying and terrible time for Elsa, that Ian knew first hand. She had suffered profoundly, both physically and emotionally, and he did not want Hans to prey on that as a weakness. The man was capable of anything, and was not above picking at any crack in her defenses that he could find.

"I will be all right, I'm sure. I'm glad you're coming with me, though. I just hope this won't be difficult for you, either. He is your brother..."

"No," Ian said, with a sad smile, "he isn't."

The two walked in silence after that, though Ian did offer her his arm and she hooked hers with it, walking with him without much of a hurry in her step. They were not too far from the courtyard and the castle, anyway, so the silence between them did not last for too long. Ian could not help but smile when he saw Marshmallow sitting there, right where they had left him, holding his hands together contentedly with Hans still trapped in his hold. Hans looked up when Elsa cleared her throat, stepping away from Ian to stand in front of Hans on her own.

"Good morning, Hans," she said quietly, and he grumbled something rude in response. He was decidedly not in the best mood, but she supposed she could understand that. He had been made to suffer a lot of indignity over the last few days, and of course he had not been able to move very much. Hans lifted his head a bit more to look at her, taking in her dress and the authoritative way she was holding herself. The Queen was back again, the one he had glimpsed before. She had changed, far more than he had been willing to give her credit for before. Or perhaps he had simply not known her.

"Queen Elsa. A pleasure. Forgive me for not freshening up for this visit."

"I see that would be a little difficult for you. But our castle is fixed enough to transfer you to our dungeon."

"And how long will I be there?"

"Not long. Your father has been in contact with us, and given his permission to return you to him for sentencing. He will not consider banishment as an option this time, and assures me you will never step foot in my lands again. That is all I can ask for." She did not look back at Ian, not wanting to see his surprised face. She was being very lenient and gracious, giving Hans another chance that he did not deserve. Hans watched her as well, suspecting some sort of trap, then growled.

"Am I supposed to thank you, for allowing me to continue this pathetic charade called a life?"

"I do not expect anything of you, Hans."

Elsa looked at Marshmallow and nodded her head. He moved to open his hands and let Hans go, the young man immediately falling to his knees from lack of strength. Ian moved to him and hauled him up, holding his hands behind his back and keeping him in place firmly. The Queen led the way into the castle, not needing guards to help her since she had Ian with her. If he had not accepted her request, she would have brought the new Captains. They passed through the castle, down to the dungeons, and Ian shoved Hans into one of the cells. Elsa nodded and moved to stand in the doorway of the cell, watching her prisoner somberly for a potent stretch of time. Ian stood behind her, still on his guard.

"So, this is how it all ends, then," Hans said, though he seemed to be speaking mostly to himself. "Shipped right back where I started, likely to be put to death. Why not save us all some time and do it yourself, Elsa?"

"I will not give you the satisfaction of leaving your blood on my hands. It is more fitting for you to be in your own land."

"I have no land."

"Be that as it may, you are not welcome in Arendelle. Dead or alive."

"I see now why they call you the Snow Queen, Elsa. Not for your powers, but your cold resolve. How strange that you will send me away, after all the things I've done, all the people I've hurt and killed from your Kingdom, because you do not want to feel guilty for killing me."

"I'm giving you a chance, Hans. It's more than you deserve. I did not get to see my father before he died, and I did not get a chance to say goodbye to him or my mother, not knowing what was about to happen. Though you have burned the bridge between you and your father... I thought maybe seeing him one last time might be fair for you both, and something you father will be able to live with, after all is said and done."

"Sentimental little fool," Hans spat, and he lunged at her suddenly, fire engulfing his hand, though it burned his skin badly now. He pulled his arm back to strike her, and Ian moved to grab her shoulder and try to pull her out of the line of fire, quite literally. Elsa was not weakened and not injured, at least not without proper care this time, and was fast on her instinctive response. He hand flashed up and magic burst from her hand, a bolt of icy magic striking Hans square in the chest and seeping into his body, halting him and dropping him to his knees. He looked up at her, eyes wide. "What have you done?" He asked, already knowing the answer.

Elsa watched him with a sad gaze, looking disappointed more than anything else. She shook her head sadly.

"I have frozen your heart. I supposed it's fitting, considering, but it's not what I wanted to do. I'm sorry, Hans." She felt Ian's hand on her shoulder and took a step back, closing the barred door of the cell behind her. It locked automatically as Hans remained on his knees, staring at the ground. A frozen heart had only one cure, and it was unlikely he would be able to find it in time to save himself. An act of true love, by him or for him, would spare him from freezing completely. Unfortunately, he had frozen his heart from others far before Elsa had ever gotten to it.

She looked at Ian, who nodded his head gently. They left Hans to his thoughts and to his fate, Elsa ordering a message to be sent back to the King of the Southern Isles, as quickly as possible. She wrote out what happened, and sent her condolences and apologies. It was unlikely Hans would make a trip back, though the message had a chance of reaching the King before the worst happened.

It was all up to fate now.

Walking away from the dungeon and back into the mostly restored castle, Elsa leaned on Ian's arm and tried not to think too hard about anything. They reached the main floor, and Elsa asked to explore the rest of the castle, to see how things were going. It was a nice distraction, at least, and she liked seeing the progress that had been made. Most of the fire wreckage had already been cleaned up, and the castle was looking very good, considering.

She went into her throne room, looking around thoughtfully and smiling at how nice it looked. This had been the site of the battle, after all, and she was surprised they had been able to clean it all up so fast. There were still some damages to be cleaned and fixed, but the room was not the charred mess it had been before, and her throne had even been replaced.

Running her hand over the arm of the chair, she smiled and looked back at Ian, surprised to find him standing nearer to her than she thought. He lifted his hand and touched her face lightly, running his thumb over her cheek and looking at the bruises that were fading quickly now, the wound over her temple from where she had been knocked unconscious healing well. She watched him timidly, admiring his gentle, familiar face. How she had thought he looked like Hans was beyond her now. All she saw was Ian.

"Are you... are you okay?" she asked gently, lifting her hand and placing it over his as he pressed his palm to her cheek. She closed her eyes with the touch and felt him guiding her forward, toward him. Afraid of what might happen if she opened her eyes, she kept them closed.

"When we were in this place, in the other room, trying to get away from all that fire, I kissed you. When you woke up from nearly dying, and I thought I had nearly lost you. It was a moment borne of panic and fear... but kissing you felt... nice." He was very close as he spoke, his lips brushing hers and sending shudders down her spine. Her heart felt fluttery and knees weak. She moved her hand from his, placing it instead on his chest and gripping his shirt.

"Ian..."

"I would like to kiss you again, Queen Elsa, if that's alright. No panic, no fear. I just want to kiss you."

"I want that, too. For you to kiss me, I mean."

"That's good to hear."

Ian moved toward her, closing his eyes and kissing her deeply, catching her by surprise since she had not been watching, though she knew it was coming. She did not resist this time, returning the kiss and deepening it affectionately. She hummed at the feeling of his lips against her, the warmth that flooded through her. It was much different to the kiss before, now that she could focus on it, enjoy it, and savor it for what it was. She could feel the depth of his emotions for her, and knew vividly that her own feelings for him were stronger than she would ever be able to say out loud. She was so withdrawn, especially when it came to relationships, that something like this was unfathomable to her. She had never even imagined it, and her nerves were evident in the way her quivered when he drew away. She looked at him now, her expression anxious for a moment, but a smile tugged the corner of her lips upwards, and she moved to kiss him again.

This time his arms wrapped around her and he tugged her to him, walking her backwards until her legs tapped the front of the throne and he sank her into it, bending over her as her back pressed against the soft plush of the chair. She couldn't help the moan that was dragged from her throat with the kiss, gripping his shirt and not letting him draw back this time. Her emotions took over and she lost herself to the wonderful feeling her inspired in her, finally breaking the kiss and seeing him breath out a puff for frozen air. He stared at her with his mouth hanging slightly open from surprise.

"Oh, I could get used to this," he said, grinning at her and licking his lips, feeling the sting of warmth suddenly meeting cold. She smiled at him sheepishly, though there was a coy, playful glimmer in her eyes and am attitude in her body language that made his blood run cold and hot at once.

"I'll make sure you never do," she said breathily, her chest rising and falling heavily as she watched him, her ice blue eyes burning now. He could not help but be drawn back to her, kissing her deeply once more, her tantalizing promise ringing in his head.

"Is that a challenge?" He asked, when he took a moment to catch his breath. He could hardly hear his own voice over the pulsing of his heart in his ears. Her face was flushed red, and he could hardly keep himself from kissing her again, quickly addicted to the feel, the taste of her lips, and needing her touch like he needed oxygen. He did not even let her respond that time, her words muffled against his mouth, her fingers digging into his chest almost painfully.

"I need you by my side, Ian, to help us repair Arendelle," she spoke seriously when she finally could, holding on to him still, gazing into his eyes, "but I want you by my side, because I cannot imagine you not being there now. Will you stay here with me, for a little while at the very least?"

"Far more than the very least. As long as you will have me, or until you tire of my company. My place is at your side, my Queen."

"I am glad to hear that, my Prince." They kissed again and she smiled against his lips, giggling as he pulled back, his eyebrows arched in wonder and amusement, her smile infectious and making him laugh as well.

"What is it, Elsa?"

"Let's just not tell Anna about this, not right away. She's going to have a lot to say about all of this."

"Roland and Gunnar, too."

He grinned at her and she laughed as he tugged her up from the throne, hugging her to him and lifting her up off the ground, mindful of her still healing form but spinning her around before he set her down on the floor in front of him, looking down at her as he smiled, admiring her beauty without needing to hide it now. She smiled at him radiantly, laughing at the idea of them all chattering about this newly budding relationship.

"Then we'll just not tell them, and leave them guessing."

"Oh, that won't be necessary. I think we can figure it out pretty easily at this point." Anna's voice caught them both completely off guard, and Elsa immediate buried herself against Ian's chest, hiding her face away and not daring to look toward the door to the throne room. Ian did, though, and saw Anna, Kristoff, Gunnar and Roland all standing in the doorway, each one grinning ear to ear at them. Elsa peeked out from her hiding spot with one eye, letting out a laugh of misery as Ian wrapped his arms around her protectively. Anna lead the charge into the room, and cheers of congratulations and approval rang out, laughter filling the castle.