A Twist Of Fate

Chapter 7

Anna smiled giddily the whole time in the gardens until Kristoff appeared and tried to coax her away from Elsa and Rolf.

"Come on, Anna, they probably want some time to talk alone..." He smiled awkwardly at the two royals. Anna huffed but gave little protest, knowing there wasn't much for her to do there except eat cookies; and she was already getting full. Elsa made a mental note to thank Kristoff and freeze Anna's chocolate later. Once the Princess and her Ice Master left, Elsa turned back to Rolf, who was resting his right ankle on his left knee, looking at his nails and seemed very unimpressed by the couple that just left.

what a prissy little prince. Elsa groaned in her mind, but her forced smile still stood. "So..." She cleared her throat. "A...courtship...you say..?"

Rolf looked put at her and flashed another 'charming' smile. "It would be my honor to court the lovely flower of Arendelle."

Comments like that would make any other woman blush like mad, but it only made Elsa swallow vile. "T-thank you, Prince Rolf...I'll need a day or two to think about it, of course..."

"Take all the time you need, Your Majesty." He seemed to be staring at another place that wasn't her eyes, and Elsa had to clear her throat loudly to get his attention again. He looked up, unashamed of where his eyes just were. "In the meantime, please, make yourself comfortable in my kingdom. I'll have a servant show you to your courters." She ushered over a maid whom was standing by the servants entry, and she guided the prince inside the castle and to his room.

Elsa sat alone there for a moment or two, pinching the bridge of her nose and groaning. This was the last thing she needed. All of Anna's wedding planning, the search for a new trade partner, Hans-

oh, God.

Elsa got up and quickly made her way back to her room, silently praying it wasn't burnt down. When she got there, her icy lock was still present along with the rest of her room. Thawing it away and opening the door, she found Hans sitting on the floor, tears covering his face, and a book in his hands. "Hans..?" She whispered, closing the door behind her. "Are you...okay..?"

He didn't look up at her, he only tried to brushed away the tears but had no avail. Elsa sighed and took carful steps forward, sitting down next to him. "Please...what is it..?" Elsa didn't care at the moment what his past was, only that he was hurting and she was never one to not help someone who was upset.

Hans seemed to have had a trip down memory lane. All the tormenting things from his childhood always haunted him, but sometimes he let them completely take over his mind. Elsa watched him for a moment, silent tears running down his face, and she softly took the book from his hand.

A...Fairytale..?

She furrowed her eyebrows, flipping through the pages. The hero saving the princess...happily ever after...all the things she used to fantasized would happen to her. Elsa pressed her lips together, closing the book and putting it down with a new realization. "You've been hurt, Hans, haven't you.." She looked at him again. He gave her the smallest of nods before choking on a sob. Something tugged at Elsa's heart strings, and she frowned sadly. Hans felt a cold hand brush away his tears, and out of the corner of his vision, he saw Elsa get up and go into her washroom, bringing a handkerchief back with her. She handed it to him, and he took it after a moment. "I'm sorry," she heard him say, barely above a whisper. "I don't mean to burden you with my troubles."

Elsa shook her head. "It's not a burden," she whispered, unconsciously brushing his hair away from his face and soothingly ran her fingers through his hair, giving him care that he never had before. "Tell me what's wrong...please?.."

Hans kept his head down, not minding Elsa's touch in the slightest, just scared to tell her anything. But he spoke anyway. "When I saw the ships flag..." He started, and Elsa looked back down, listening closely. "I new it had to be a family member. But when I saw Rolf..." Hans choked back another sob, and Elsa hushed him, still combing her cool fingers through his hair. "What did he do to you, Hans?" She asked, hoping she hadn't hit a nerve. Hans was silent for what seemed like forever until he decided that maybe if he told her, she could help.

Maybe, just maybe...

"He was the cruelest of all my brothers. He made sure to remind me that my mothers death was my fault. That I was just a mistake. That I-" he was cut off by another sob, and Elsa gingerly held him to her, letting him cling to her like she were his only salvation.

Which she was, really.

"It's alright..." She told him over and over again. "You're okay..." She wrapped her arms around his neck and brushed away his still falling tears as he wrapped his arms around her waist and sobbed into her shoulder. They stayed like this for what seemed like forever, until she noticed Hans' breathing even, telling her he was asleep. She gently dried away the rest of the tears still on his cheek, and just as gently moved away from him. She took a pillow and blanket from her bed so he could sleep semi-comfortably, sense she wouldn't be able to move him to her bed.

As quietly as a cat, she moved to the door and opened it, stepped out, and looked back one more time with that same tug on her heart strings. She would ask him about the book later, but for now...

she went to help the servants remove the ice from his room.

~

A/N: oh my gosh this chapter really hit me in the feels!! I hope you enjoyed this lil Helsa moment, loves💕