I've Come to Kill You (Elsa x Hans)

For The First Time in Forever

When Elsa finally descended the stairs, she was shocked. Hundreds of guests were packed into the castle’s halls. The women were dressed in their finest gowns, ones with flared collars and layered skirts. Most of the men wore buttoned uniforms, and had their hair slicked back quite handsomely. Elsa wandered into the festivities, grinning at the colorful lights and streamers.

Out of nowhere, a gloved man appeared. He raised a bronze tray toward the queen, and she inspected it. Hundreds of miniscule glasses decorated its surface, all shimmering with golden liquid. Elsa took one, and dismissed the strange little man. She took a sip, and then another, and barely refrained from pinching herself until she saw Hans on the stairwell.

He had been watching her. For how long, she was unsure. He came to stand beside her, and for a moment she wondered if he was himself again.

“I don't remember inviting you to my party.” He cocked his head to one side. “Perhaps I’m becoming more forgetful.”

“Perhaps,” Elsa could barely tolerate him in this state, and it took every ounce of her willpower to refrain from slapping him. “But after last night’s stunt, you kind of owe me.”

“Owe you?” Elsa had turned to the side, and Hans made a point of blockading her view of the party. “I don’t owe you anything, Elsa. In fact, you might owe me, for putting up with a girl like you.”

The castle doors flew open. A rush of glacial wind and snow assaulted the guests, causing many to drop their glasses. The sound of gasps and shattering was overwhelming, and Elsa had to crane her neck to see the source of the disturbance. At the cusp of the door, there were eight armed men. Some wielded swords, and others held crossbows, but they were all adorned in obsidian armor and heavy woolen cloaks.

The tallest spoke first, his voice thundering around the room. “We come seeking Queen Elsa of Arendelle. She killed a number of our men at sea, and she will be punished for her misdeeds.”

His words sent noblemen sprawling up the stairs, seeking refuge wherever they could. Other lords and ladies found shelter behind tables, where only their eyes and sizable wigs were still visible. Soon, only Elsa and Hans were left in the hall. They stood side by side, before a field of discarded handkerchiefs and smashed wine glasses.

“Hand her over. We’ll treat her well.”

Hans glanced over, and pushed her forward. Her heart was beating fast, and for the first time in forever, she felt wholeheartedly alone. She walked forward in small steps, as if balancing across a tightrope. Once she had traversed half the hall, one of the men raised his crossbow. He aimed at the chandelier, and fired twice.

Elsa had no time to react. She cowered down, anticipating the explosion of glass that would split her skull and fill her ears with blood. Tendrils of ice blasted toward her assailants. One was speared against the wall, another thrown into the snow.

And then something miraculous happened, something Elsa hadn’t anticipated. Hans dove forward and thrust her out of the chandelier’s path. The fixture struck the ground with an intimidating impact, missing Hans by less than a foot.

Elsa looked up, dazed, and saw Hans looking back.

“Elsa?” He turned around, and searched every corner of the room. He lifted both of his hands, and examined them. “Where in God’s name are we?”