DeFrosted

Chapter 13

I rolled my eyes and brushed his hand away. If he wanted pity, he wasn't getting it from me. I'm sure the royal dungeon was quite a little vacation, more like house arrest then inprisionment. "Don't waste your breath telling me your pampered tale of woe Hans, I won't buy it." I shook my head.

"Pampered..." I heard him laugh under his breath.

"It wasn't even close, Highness." He started to complain. "I wasn't even put into the prison! The nice, clean, well lit prison, oh no! My father had me placed in the old castle dungeon, the filthy, musty, dark, cold, wet lonely and centuries old dungeon." He stated dramatically. Hans was always such a drama queen

" The place he puts things to forget them. But of course in easy access of my 12 brothers, most of which came to mock me weekly. The food was barely edible, And my cell was a 10 by 10 cage. Don't think I didn't suffer, Anna. I did! I hope that pleases you!" He crossed his arms and turned away from me.

I rolled my eyes and kept walking. I knew he was telling the truth though, those circumstances seem to dispicable for even Hans to make up. Not that I felt pity for him. You do the crime, you gotta do the time. And what a crime he did commit indeed. He was a thief and attempted murderer. He stole my heart, and convinced me to marry him, only to betray me and try to murder my sister. All so he could take over Arendale because he was the youngest to his throne with the least likelihood of EVER ruling.

We walked in silence, slowly I hobbled along till we we reached the camps of the villagers who I had moved to the safety of these walls. White tents covering almost every inch of the garden, the town folk inside them, staying out of the ever present cold. With no medical supplies and the ground to frozen over for any herbs to be grown, falling ill or dying was a strong possibility.

I looked to the castle walls, gaurds stood posted in strategic positions. Each bundled up tightly in blankets or huddled around the fire. More then half of them dressed in the blue uniforms of Kingdom of the southern Isles. Hans's men.

"I have the men on lookout 24/7, I have them stationed in 4 hour shifts. I relieved most of your men temporarily, as they were too malnourished and weak to be of much use. I had those men put on double rations to boost them up, because as you know, weak solders are useless ones. I have enlisted some of your civilian carpenters and construction workers to fortify the walls there and there." He explained pointing to different sections of the wall. "Should the enemy be spotted, the bell will ring and all troops will assemble here at the base of the front wall, and all the Woman and children will be moved into the ballroom of the castle, the most secure room."

We walked along the wall and he showed me all the different weapons of war he had put in place, boiling kettles of water over the gates, a catapult...

I was impressed, I wouldn't have thought to do any of that. A wave of fear occurred to me. If Hans and his troops had not arrived I wouldn't have known to do any of this and this palace would have easily fallen to the enemy. But then again, if Hans hasn't shown up I wouldn't have even made it here in the first place. I shuddered at the memory of what almost happened at the campsite. Suddenly feeling tired, I sat down onto one of the marble bench of my mothers garden.

"Are you ok?" Hans inquired in what seemed like genuine concern, sitting down beside me and pressing his hand against my cheek to feel my temperature.

"I'm fine." I replied batting his hand away.

"Hans?" I called out quietly after a minute of awkward silence. "Yeah?" He replied, still not meeting my gaze.

"Thank you, As much as it pains me to admit it, You did a great job. You really know your stuff, and I... Less know this stuff. Keeping my people safe is my top priority now, thank you for helping me. Thank you for giving Arendale a fighting chance." I said, my mind starting to cloud over.

He didn't argue, or boast, or claim he was doing it to save his own skin, which is what I was expecting. Instead he smiled slightly.

"Ok, I feel not so great. I want to go back to my room now."
I said pushing my staff into the ground and tried to stand up, but no use, my legs quivered and gave out beneath me.

He started laughing, loudly I might add. "Told you so!" He stood up and scooped me into his arms, bridal style.

"Unhand me!" I shrieked, arms flailing, but I was growing more fatigued by the second.

"I think it's sleepy time for you your highness." He quipped, still laughing like a madman and with giant steps he started carrying me to the castle. Ignoring the orders to put me down.
"I need to get some more food in you, I have Saddles that weigh more then this." Laughed Hans.

By the time we reached the foot of the spiral staircase I was to exhausted to argue or fight, instead I found myself turning Into his shoulder and falling fast asleep.

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-Authors note-
This chapter was so much fun to create. Hans is truly a fun character to work with. Can't wait to hear the feedback! (Don't forget to vote) -geekpower1