Love That We Cannot Have

Chapter Two: The Return

⠀⠀⠀⠀Elsa immediately walked off the ship as soon as it was secured to the dock. When she walked up the steps to the cobblestone courtyard, she didn't even have to say a word to get everyone to stop their chaotic play.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Where is Kristoff?" she inquired, attempting to stay calm about the disorder of her kingdom.
⠀⠀⠀⠀Before anyone could answer, Kristoff came out of the gates riding Sven erratically around the fountain until he noticed Elsa's disgusted glare. His expression transformed from pure happiness to the look of a small, guilty child.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Do you happen to have an explanation for any of this?" Elsa demanded, crossing her arms.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Well... no, but I figured everyone needed a little more time to have fun around here!" he admitted hesitantly.
⠀⠀⠀⠀I put my face in my hands, ashamed that he thought it was okay to say something like that to my sister. He should've known by now that her kingdom was to be run the way she wanted it to be.
⠀⠀⠀⠀I was expecting her to shout at him, but instead she turned and whispered to me, "I knew we never should've left. This was an awful idea."
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Elsa, everything will be back in order in no time," I assured her.
⠀⠀⠀⠀Elsa was preparing to address the crowd again when suddenly everyone gasped. I couldn't figure out why they had made such a noise until they began to converse nervously and shout over each other.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"What's he doing here?"
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Seize him! He's back to take the crown!"
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Oh my! He's supposed to be banished from Arendelle!"
⠀⠀⠀⠀"HE'S COME TO KILL US ALL!"
⠀⠀⠀⠀I looked back towards the ship and saw Hans walking down the ramp that created a way off the ship and onto the dock. I hadn't thought about the suspicion he would a rouse upon returning. Immediately, Elsa raised both arms in front of her to silence the crowd.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"He came back with us to serve his penalty here! We will take care of the issue! Just please return to your work and don't worry about a thing." She then turned to the guards, "Take him down to the dungeon. We'll deal with him later."
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Elsa, no! We didn't bring him back here just to lock him up again! At least have him do something to help around the kingdom," I pleaded, grabbing her arm as she began to walk towards the palace.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"I think you've made just about enough demands in the past few days, Anna! Now, let me do what's needed to keep this kingdom in order!"
⠀⠀⠀⠀Elsa walked away with the guards that had Hans before I had a chance to say anything back. She hadn't talked to me like that since the night of the coronation party when I grabbed her glove and I couldn't help but feel rejected once again. Kristoff walked towards me, preparing to embrace me, but I just walked away, deciding to go to the gardens.
⠀⠀⠀⠀As soon as I got there I dropped to my knees, losing the strength I had just a few days ago when I requested the trip to the Southern Isles. If someone were to have told me that my sister was going to act as if I were being naïve again, I wouldn't have believed them. I thought Elsa would stop trying to protect me all the time and see that I can make my own decisions, but of course not. She's always needed that control; whether it be over her powers, her kingdom, or me. I suppose I shouldn't be thinking about her that way since she was holed up in a room most of her life, but then again I was in the same situation, only for me it was gates around the castle that held me inside.
⠀⠀⠀⠀I noticed a small duck at my side that seemed to understand my current emotions. I gently picked up the little duckling covered in yellow fluff and wondered what it must be like not to have so many worries. He let out a small quack which broke the frown I had into a smile. As I set him back down to join the rest of his family in the pond, my thoughts jumped back to Hans. I had to get Elsa to let him out, even if she was angry with me.

~

⠀⠀⠀⠀I burst through the doors of the palace and ran down a plethora of hallways, striving to remember where the stairs to the dungeons were. At last I found them, almost tripping down the steps. I reached the grimy floor and ran through the dark passage between the rows of cells, looking into the small window of each door for any sign of Hans. Instead of finding him, I heard voices around the corner,
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Anna's been acting weird for the past few days, almost as if Hans never did any harm." It sounded like Elsa.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"I'm sure she'll come to her senses if you let her spend time with the monster that he is." I didn't recognize that voice at all.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"It's too dangerous, I can't do that. There's no way he'll act the same way he did before he tried to kill us both."
⠀⠀⠀⠀"It's the only way, your majesty. Eventually he will drop the innocent act."
⠀⠀⠀⠀"I told you, I can't. I appreciate your advice, but I'm afraid it's not useful. Make sure his cell is locked and return to your post," she concluded. She must have been talking to the guard.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"As you wish," he replied, walking further down the corridor, presumably to secure the cell.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"No, Wait!" I called after the guard as both him and Elsa turned to look at me.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"How much of that conversation did you hear, Anna?" Elsa mumbled to me hesitantly.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Just the last part," I lied. "You can't keep him in the cell, Elsa. I'm sure he would be much more useful outside and he deserves a chance to prove that he isn't a bad person! I gave you a chance when you froze Arendelle. Why can't you give him one?"
⠀⠀⠀⠀The guard 'discreetly' gave Elsa a look that suggested his idea again. She seemed to debate what she should do silently until she finally spoke, "I shouldn't be agreeing to this, but... fine. He can work on the grounds to pay for what he's done, but you are not to associate yourself with him, Anna. Is that clear?"
⠀⠀⠀⠀"But-"
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Is that clear?"
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Yes, Elsa, thank you."
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Good," she concluded, and then turned to the guard. "Now if you would unlock the criminal's cell and give him something to do within the gates."
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Yes, your majesty."

~

⠀⠀⠀⠀After dinner that evening, I was standing outside in the garden once again, the moonlight turning the greenery into a glowing blue. I didn't know why I had come out to the garden this time, but I suppose it's always been a place where I could be alone and avoid boredom at the same time.
⠀⠀⠀⠀Suddenly, I heard footsteps behind me, so I turned my head. Hans was walking toward me, but he stopped when he realized I had noticed. I lessened the gap between us so that we could talk one another quietly.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"How have you been since..." he trailed off, probably unsure of how to say 'How have you been since I left you to die?' in a subtle way.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"I've been doing alright," I replied with a smile.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"How are things with you and... Kristoff?" he asked awkwardly.
⠀⠀⠀⠀I was a bit surprised he had asked about my love life since we were together before, so I answered broadly, "We've been doing good. Sometimes he can be a little careless, but then again, so am I."
⠀⠀⠀⠀He chuckled a little bit and then a blank silence filled the night again. We locked eyes and I almost forgot that I wasn't supposed to be talking to him.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Elsa told me not to spend time with you so I think it would be best if you left. You never know how she would react if she saw you here," I explained while rubbing my hands together anxiously.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"I won't stay much longer," he assured me, continuing to speak, "I just wanted to tell you that you don't have to be so kind to me. Even if I didn't personally plan to take over Arendelle I was still a threat and I deserve punishment."
⠀⠀⠀⠀"You also deserve a second chance, Hans. In some twisted way I did love you when we met, which means that I take pity on you, even if that sounds... downgrading," I laughed nervously. "Anyway, you should probably go."
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Yes, of course," he agreed.
⠀⠀⠀⠀I expected him to turn and leave, but instead he leaned in closer to me. I didn't know what I had initially been expecting when he neared my face with his, but he kissed me on the cheek, lingering a little longer than he should've. I felt my stomach flutter involuntarily from the soft touch of his lips on my skin. I could tell that I was beginning to blush as well and I praised the powers above that he couldn't see my pink cheeks in the shadows that the moon produced upon the garden.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Goodnight," he added while striding away.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Goodnight," I called after him.
⠀⠀⠀⠀I shouldn't have felt anything when his lips grazed my cheek, but I knew there was something for him in my heart that had stayed through the misery. What did this mean? No matter. I wasn't supposed to be with him. It just wasn't meant to be.

A/N: It's been a while since my last update, but I hope this chapter was satisfactory! I decided to add in the scene with Hans and Anna at the end to get the story moving a little more. Please leave a comment with any thoughts on the chapter and make sure to vote so that I know to keep updating! Thanks for reading!