Fear will be your enemy [Jelsa]

Prologue: Don't fight the fear.

Arendelle, during the Big Freeze.

Hans sighed as he looked outside the window, where the winds were still howling outside. The situation was getting worse and worse by the day. And even though they had retrieved the queen, the princess was still missing... And the queen didn't know either where her sister was, nor how to stop the winter she had created.

"Your Highness?" Hans shook himself out of his thoughts when he saw a servant with two shivering children by her side. "I found them at the gate, your highness. They have no food..."

And the lack of food was another problem. Hans' mind reeled as he looked to the two children. How long untill their food ran out? maximum 3 days for sure, since the people hadn't harvested anything of course, as it had been the middle of summer...

"Alright, Gerda. Give them a bowl of soup, and some warm clothes will you?" smiled Hans tiredly.

"Certainly, your highness." said the elderly woman, leaving the prince once more with his thoughts.

Even with the queen back, she had no clue as how to stop the winter. Hans rubbed his eyes. God, why did Anna leave! He only had that much credibility for the people. Soon, their patience would run out. Hunger and cold made every human desperate. And like any animal, they would fight for any scrapes that was left.

"Your highness?"

"What now?" snapped Hans as he swirled arround. His irritation quickly melted away when he saw the two young children again that Gerda had brought in earlier. "I'm terribly sorry, child. What is your name?" apologized Hans immediately, causing the girl to widen her eyes. No royal had ever apologized to a commoner like that.

"I...forgive me your highness. The fault is mine. My name is Sigunn." spoke the girl softly. "I was just wondering if there is a bed where we and my brother can sleep? All the other guest rooms are occupied, your highness"

"I'm sure there is still place in one of the nobility rooms" remembered Hans. "They have double beds..."

"They...have, your highness." said the girl hesitantly.

Hans frowned. "So, you have already a room?"

The girl swallowed heavily, as she didn't feel comfortable telling the prince.

"Girl, tell me" spoke Hans sternly as he knelt before her. "Tell me the truth. Did they give you a place in their rooms or not?"

The girl kept looking down. "No...your highness." She flinched when she saw Hans' angry gaze. "Forgive me, your highness!" cried the girl as she knelt to the ground. "I didn't meant to be such a nuisance for you!"

Hans blinked, returning his attention back to reality; His anger hadn't been for the girl, but for the nobilities, who had been so selfish in letting a girl standing in the cold. "Nuisance?" Hans slowly took the girl's chin up. "Child, you are no nuisance to anyone here. If they won't provide you a place to sleep, I'll give you one. I wasn't planning on sleeping that much anyway."

"I... Thank you, my lord" stuttered the girl astonished by the prince's generosity. "Truly, I am in your debt. I'll repay you, I swear to God."

The prince waved it away. "You don't have to pay me child. Your smile during these dark times is already a great gift."

"Can you tell us a bedtime story?" called the younger brother out as they both went under the blanket.

"Gunnar!" sissed the older sister, afraid that the prince might be offended.

Hans chuckled softly. "Sure...Now, lets see...Do you know the story of the Little snow drop?" Both children shook their head. "Alright... Once upon a time.." It did his mind some good as well, as he told the little story for the children, remembering his own youth. Oh, how innocent and joyful everything still was back then...