Author's Note: My story is also based on the young adult book from Disney Publishing "A Frozen Heart". Everything is canon with that book except for one thing. I will explain it at the end of this chapter.
"Help! Someone help me! Please!"
A young woman's calls disrupted the peaceful morning in a small town. The majority of the townspeople were barely waking up from their slumbers. Some of the citizens did notice the girl but once they saw that she was a beggar, they rolled their eyes and left. The girl continued to call out to no avail.
Finally, a door flew open in her peripheral vision and four people exited a small building. The small group noticed the girl and calmly approached her. One of the people suggested that they bring her into an inn and they calmly ushered her into the building.
The woman's eyes searched the area as the group brought her closer to an old, wooden chair and gently sat her down. The walls were recently painted and there was barely any furniture other than some tables and chairs. Some residents were seated at their tables, having their breakfasts.
"Alright!" a voice shouted before anyone had a chance to ask her anything. The group turned to see an old landlord entering the scene in utter silence. "What is going on here?"
"That's what we're trying to find out," a man answered. "This woman was calling out for help and we brought her inside."
The landlord furrowed his eyebrow. "What does she need help with? Is she lost?"
"We don't know," a woman answered. The girl's eyes shifted to the right and then to the left. "She was just in distress."
The residents nearby overheard the conversation and turned to the scene. While the landlord was addressing them in frustration, the woman glanced over to the right wall where a long mirror hung. In her reflection, she stared at a young, beautiful girl with long brown hair and bronze eyes. By the way she was dressed, she could tell that she was a peasant.
"Miss?" the landlord's voice asked. The girl slowly turned to him. He was standing right in front of her and the small group stood behind him. The girl crossed her arms as she peered at him. "What is your name?"
The girl shook her head. "I don't know. Where am I?"
"You are in the village of The Northern Isles," the landlord answered. "You are inside an inn. Where did you come from?"
"I don't know," the girl replied, her voice shaking. She felt humiliated being asked all those questions when she couldn't even answer them. "I don't know where I'm from."
"What's the last thing you remember?"
"I don't know," the girl answered, shaking her head. Her eyes peered around the room before they locked back on the landlord. "I can't remember anything."
The landlord turned to the residents at the tables. "Do any of you recognize her?" The girl's heart sank as she watched them shake their heads and murmur to each other. The landlord turned and peered down at the girl before he spoke to the crowd again. "Anyone at all?"
The girl stared out into the audience with wonder as she quietly begged that there be at least one person in this place who knew her. She was desperate to find someone that she knew and could help her. She can't remember her past and the worst part was that she doesn't even know if this country was her actual home.
"What's all this?" a gruff voice boomed over the muttering residents. Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to the doors. "Can someone tell me what is going on?"
"Lieutenant Larson?" the landlord asked. He quickly stood straight as he spun around to him. "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in the city?"
The small huddle all took a step back and allowed the lieutenant to stalk over to the landlord. "Last night, I took the train and left the city. Today is the prince's last day here so I had to report here before morning. Now, what is going—" When he saw the girl, he paused with a perplexed expression. "Ella? What are you doing here?"
Ella's eyes widened and she craned her head forward. "You know me?"
"Alright!" the landlord demanded. He shot a look at Ella before he fisted his hips and peered back at Lieutenant Larson while the residents muttered to each other in the background. "How do you know her?"
"Last night, I met her in the town square shortly before I left," Lieutenant Larson explained, stepping closer to Ella. "How did you end up here? You shouldn't be here already unless you took the train or a horse."
"I don't know," Ella stammered, nearly on the verge of tears. "I don't remember anything."
"She was crying out for help in the streets," one of the townspeople explained. "We brought her inside and she doesn't seem to remember anything."
"Well, when I saw her last night, she told me her name," Lieutenant Larson said. "She seemed to have her memory for she told me that she was not from The Northern Isles."
"By the looks of it, she must've been recently bewitched," an elderly man with a cane suggested. The entire room turned to him.
"Why would you say that?" the landlord asked.
"Her eyes," the elderly man answered. "They're bronze." Ella rapidly turned back to the long mirror. Her eyes were indeed bronze just like the elderly man stated. "When a witch or a wizard mind wipes someone, their eyes turn bronze as they are newly bewitched. Someone must've erased her memories shortly before she arrived here."
"That's impossible!" Lieutenant Larson denied. "There is no way that happened. There aren't any witches or wizards in this country."
"How do you know?" the elderly man asked. "You never met one. What color were her eyes when you saw her?"
"I don't know. I think brown?"
"See?" The elderly man asked. "And since you said that she remembered everything last night, she must have been bewitched."
Ella turned back to see that the Lieutenant and the landlord were staring right at her. In her short time here, she only learned two things about herself. She was a peasant named Ella and someone had bewitched her. But who was it and why?
"She's lucky that she didn't hit her head or anything," the elderly man said. "At least she came here before her eyes changed back to their color. If she had shown up here when her eyes changed back to her color, there would've been no proof that she was bewitched."
Ella crossed her arms while she stayed still in her seat. The old man was right that she was fortunate that she didn't have a head injury, but how would she get her memory back? How would she find out who had bewitched her? If she wasn't from this country, then what was she doing here?
Lieutenant Larson turned to the landlord and asked, "May I have a word in private?"
The landlord nodded and ordered the crowd to get back to their usual business while Ella sat in her seat, unsure of what to do next. Lieutenant Larson and the landlord went over to the center of the room and made sure that no one including Ella was paying any attention to them.
"Well, what do you think, Lieutenant?" the landlord asked, crossing his arms. "Do you think she's bewitched?"
"It appears so," the lieutenant answered. He shot a look at Ella before he turned back to the landlord.
"But remember that scam a few months ago?" the landlord asked. "It could just be another one of those and she could just be pretending so we give her food and a place to stay."
"Her eyes are bronze. You really think that?" the lieutenant asked. The landlord nodded at him and the lieutenant shrugged. "Well, it's a possibility. Do you think you can let her stay here for the night?"
"Of course not," the landlord scoffed. "She's a street rat! Plus, if I let her stay here for free, then some of the villagers would try to let me do the same for them!"
"I don't know who would take her in," the lieutenant said. "She's a beggar. How would she be able to pay for her stay?"
"So, what are you going to do with her?" asked the landlord.
"I'll put her in the stables," Lieutenant Larson declared. "She'll work there until I figure out what to do with her."
Lieutenant Larson and the landlord turned to approach Ella, but she was gone and nowhere to be seen.
. . . . .
Residents were coming out of their homes while the markets were beginning to open. A man in a carriage was blowing a horn and calling out about fresh fish. Ella strolled in the streets, surveying the area. For a small area, it felt more like a large, noisy cage.
Ella couldn't help but wonder what would happen to her now. Since she couldn't remember her past, it would be very difficult to find more people who knew her. How would she know if someone was lying to her? Who would help her?
Her thoughts were interrupted as she heard her stomach growl. She peered down at her stomach then back to the area, looking for any open markets just as an owner put an 'open' sign on a tavern. Ella strolled over to it.
Being one of the first to arrive, Ella went over to a table by the window and took a seat. She watched as several men went over to the bar and some citizens took their seats at nearby tables. As the owner went over to the table, Ella delved into her pocket but she couldn't feel any change. Of course, she should've known that she didn't have any money with her, she was an unhoused person. If she'd checked her pockets before she came into the tavern, she would not have come.
She heard the owner halt in front of her table. "What do you want, street rat?"
Ella disliked being labeled but she decided to keep a calm demeanor and turned to the owner. "Could I just have a glass of water?"
"No money, no drink," the owner denied, causing some of the citizens to turn to them.
"I'll just sit here then," Ella said.
The owner shook his head. "No money, no table." Ella slowly rose from her seat and heard the men from the bar, snickering at her. "What makes you think that I would give free service to a street rat?"
"I didn't know that I had no money," Ella admitted. She felt foolish for saying this and knew that it definitely did not sound good, but that was the truth.
"I do not allow street rats into my tavern," the owner grunted, frustration rising in his tone. He pointed to the door. "Now get out!"
Ella strolled over to the door when she fell forward on the ground. Someone from one of the nearby tables had stuck their leg out to trip her. The men at the bar and the people at the tables laughed and pointed at her. She was unharmed but she was humiliated and couldn't imagine how they thought that this was humorous.
Just then, the door opened and all of the mean laughter ended. At first, she thought that it was Lieutenant Larson until she heard a soft male voice ask for him and there was no answer. She heard footsteps coming over to her and a pair of black boots appeared in her vision.
"How did you end up on the ground?" the soft male voice asked. A white-gloved hand appeared in front of her face. "Let me help you up."
Ella slowly peered up. There was a generally good-looking, well-built male, peering down at her. He had sideburns and his red hair was chin length. His royal clothing was covered in filth and smelled of manure.
"What are you waiting for?" the young man asked. "Let me help you up, miss."
Ella slowly took his hand and allowed him to raise her to her feet. She saw that he was taller than her by several inches and noticed his green eyes looking into her own.
"Are you alright?" the young man asked. "Why were you on the ground?"
"Someone tripped me," Ella answered. "I'm alright."
"I'm sorry about that," the young man said. "At least you're not hurt. You wouldn't happen to know Lieutenant Larson? I was supposed to meet him in the stables this morning but he never showed up."
"He was in an inn the last time I saw him," Ella answered.
"Do you know which—"
"What are you doing in here?" the owner asked, rudely. "You may be royalty but you are a disgraced prince! You are the lowest of everyone, even that street rat!"
The prince appeared annoyed, but he was able to keep a calm demeanor. "I was looking for the Lieutenant, sir."
"Shouldn't this guy be in the Southern Isles?" one of the men at the bar asked. "Why is he here anyway?"
"His older brother, Prince Lars Westerguard, convinced their father to spare him a life of servitude," another one of the men at the bar explained. "So, his punishment is a year of servitude in the Southern Isles and a month here and for the rest of his life, he'll forever be known as the disgraced prince."
The doors opened behind them and Lieutenant Larson entered the tavern.
"Ah, Prince Hans," Lieutenant Larson said. "I see you found Ella. I'm sorry that I didn't meet you in the stables earlier."
"I didn't know you had a daughter, Lieutenant," Hans commented.
"Oh, she's not my daughter," Lieutenant Larson began as he went on to explain to Hans about Ella. Many questions came into Ella's head. What was this prince being punished for? Was he dangerous and should she stay away from him? What had this man done to end up here?
"Hans," Lieutenant Larson stated. "As part of your job for today, you will take her in the stables. You will show her around and help her when she needs it. This is your last day, here so you will be wise to do what you are told. Do you understand?"
"Yes, sir," Hans said.
"Good," Lieutenant Larson said firmly, pulling out a sealed envelope from his pocket. He handed it to the Prince and said, "This is addressed to you."
Hans slowly took the envelope and a frown appeared on his face when he looked down at it. Lieutenant Larson left shortly after, leaving Ella alone with Prince Hans. Hans peered at her and gestured for her to follow him.
. . . . .
As Ella followed Hans deeper into the town, she was able to get a better view. In the center of town, there was a very tall clocktower with a large hedge wall behind it. They were walking on a brick path that was guarded by lanterns on each side. The townspeople passing by would snub Ella like she was some prop in a play, and glare at Hans.
Ella noticed that Hans was aware of the reactions from the townspeople, but he seemed like he was used to it. For a second, the prince almost seemed saddened before he planted on a blank mask, passing by every single person. Ella couldn't understand how Hans could put up with this and wondered if he had been treated like this in the past.
Within a short time, Hans and Ella finally arrived at a large wooden building where horses neighing could be heard nearby.
"What will I be doing in there, your highness?" Ella asked.
Hans whirled to her as his hands seized the handle on the door. "You will be feeding the horses, brushing their manes, and restocking the hay."
He pulled the door forward, revealing the inside of the stable. As they stepped inside the building, Ella saw that there were about ten horses in there and the smell was horrible. The sounds of the horses neighing and whinnying carried over the atmosphere in the room.
Ella instantly halted when she heard a low, soft sound, and glanced over to a stall right across from her. When she approached it, she smiled as she wrapped her fingers around the vertical bars. Inside the stable, a dapple-grey horse was nursing a dun-colored foal. Ella loved seeing the mother with her baby. It made her wonder what her mother was like and what kind of relationship she shared with her. Were they close? Did they have a complicated relationship? She wished that she could remember.
Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard soft footsteps strolling behind her.
"Reminds me of my horse, Sitron," Hans commented with a small smile. "He looks so much like him. I even almost called him that once."
Ella glanced over her shoulder to the young prince. "Which one?"
"The foal," Hans answered. Ella nodded in response before she glanced back over to the horse and her baby. "I always come in here whenever I finish my job."
The mother nuzzled her baby, bringing a smile to both Hans and Ella. Hans gestured for Ella to follow him and she obeyed. They went further into the barn, passing all of the horses on each side of the room. Ella's eyes glanced at the horses as they went past them.
"I'm sorry that someone bewitched you," Hans said. Ella turned her attention away from the horses and to the prince.
"No one knows me," Ella commented. She folded her arms when she and Hans reached the back of the room, right next to a bucket. "And I don't remember anyone."
"That is unfortunate," Hans commented. After he pointed at the bucket, Ella reached over and lifted it. The prince turned around and walked back over to the doors with Ella right behind him, carrying the large bucket. "At least you told the Lieutenant your name before you lost your memories. It could be worse."
When they returned outside, they went over to a well. Ella wrapped her fingers around the bucket. The weather was cool, much to Ella's relief. She couldn't imagine carrying this or working in the stables in that weather.
Right when Hans was about to help her fill the bucket, two men that were loading a wagon nearby, glared at the prince. "You're still here, are you?" one of them commented.
"This is my last day here, sir." Hans frowned, helping Ella lift the bucket. "Then you'll never see me again."
"That's not good enough for me," the other man scoffed.
"I can assure you, it won't be much longer," Hans sighed. "Then you'll forget that I was even here."
"But no one will forget about your crimes," the first man grunted. "You're the one who tried to kill Queen Elsa just so you can steal her crown."
Ella paused and clenched on to the railing of her bucket, staring at Hans. This man was charged with attempted murder and she was standing right next to him.
"You're a disgrace to the Southern Isles," the other man said. "You brought dishonor to the good name of the Westerguards."
Hans frowned at the two men and in a short time, he and Ella watched them load the wagon and head to the town. He gestured for Ella to follow him back to the stables, which she did. Ella could no longer feel the heavy bucket. The idea of being around an attempted murderer was frightening and uncomfortable. She hoped that the day would go by quickly so she wouldn't have to see him again.
They returned to the stables and Hans shut the door behind them. "Do you need help with anything for the moment?" he asked.
Ella shook her head. "No, thank you."
"Are you sure? That bucket is heavy."
"I'm fine," Ella replied, turning away from him. She clenched the bucket tighter as she went towards one of the stalls and away from the prince. "I don't need any help."
For the next few hours, Ella fed the horses and brushed their manes while Hans shoveled the manure. Neither of them spoke to each other, to Ella's relief. She didn't want to have anything to do with that prince and couldn't wait for him to leave when he finished his work.
It was a quiet day for Ella and she almost felt alone. Some of the citizens would come in for their horses but she was ignored. The horses kept her company and she loved caring for them, other than the smell.
When Ella finished brushing the horse's mane, she noticed that there was no more hay in the stalls and figured that it must be time to feed the horses. As she put the brush away, she didn't see any sign of Hans, not that she cared. It seemed like he had been gone for a while now. Eager to get her chores done, Ella opened the stable door and left without looking back.
. . . . .
Grey clouds blocked out the sun and a gust of wind made the weather colder. The hayfield was large with tall grass blowing and was devoid of everything except hay bales and a large boulder in the far right of the field. As Ella walked further into the hayfield, she felt like the area grew larger the further she walked.
As Ella bent down to pick up a bale of hay, her hands felt the coarse texture and her nose took in the sweet smell. Her legs wobbled as she picked up the heavy hay, and she exhaled when she finally held the hay closer to her chest before she returned to the stables. She repeated this process until there was one hay bale left in the field. Right when she got the last hay bale and was about to get back to the stables, a narrow plume of black smoke traveled towards the sky right behind the boulder.
With no hesitation, Ella dropped the hay and raced over to the bolder, picking up her skirts. Why was there smoke coming from behind that bolder? Was there a fire? If there was a fire, she would have to get help but first, she needed to be sure.
When Ella came to a standstill, a sharp, acrid scent stung her nostrils and a crackling sound filled her ears. She noticed that a dark shadow stretched out from behind the bolder. Ella laid her hand on the bolder and quietly strolled behind the bolder. What on earth could someone be burning at this time? Right when Ella stopped, she gasped.
Startled, Hans quickly peered up and gasped right when he saw her. His foot immediately stomped on a burning piece of paper and pressed on it until the smoke went out. He bent down and right when he was going to reach it, Ella bent down and started to approach it.
"No!" Hans hollered. Ella did what she was told and her eyes darted at the paper and then back to the prince. She noticed that one of his gloves was missing. "Stay where you are! Don't come near me!"
"What were—"
"I said stay where you are!"
Ella froze as she watched him snatch the paper from the ground and realized that it was the same letter that Lieutenant Larson had given to him earlier. While Hans tore the letter into a million pieces, he shook his head and muttered some cruises to himself.
"Why were you burning your letter?" Ella asked, rising to the ground.
Hans' green eyes glared at her as he delved something from one of his pockets and quickly slid the glove back on his right hand. He crossed his arms and a stern frown appeared on his face. "That is none of your concern, Ella. What I was doing has nothing to do with you. You have no right to be poking around in anyone else's business."
Ella's eyes peered around the area and didn't see any flints nearby. "How did you even burn the letter?"
After a second, Hans cleared his throat and stood up straighter. His eyes peered down at the ground before they peered at Ella again. "I used some matches," he explained. "They are mine and they are in my pocket. I brought them with me for emergencies but I can't let anyone else know or they will accuse me of plotting against the Northern Isles."
"Are you doing something behind the Lieutenant's back?"
"Of course not," Hans replied. "You know, I could say the same with you. What are you doing back here, anyway, Ella? Aren't you afraid of me?"
"I was restocking the hay at the stables," Ella answered. "And why would I be afraid of you, Your Highness?"
"Because of my crimes in Arendelle."
"That is not true, Your Highness," Ella denied.
"Really?" Hans asked. "Ever since we came back from the well, you've been avoiding me and refused to let me help you."
For a long minute, Ella said nothing. She was uncertain if this was because she couldn't find the right words, or if she just wanted to end the conversation and move on. It was obvious that this man—an attempted murderer—was quick to pick up on things like he was reading her mind.
Ella's eyes darted to him as she held her head high. "I am not afraid of you, Hans. I just mistrust you and want nothing to do with you."
Hans raised an eyebrow, staring her down. "Well, you'll soon get your wish. I will be leaving soon since I just finished my work and then you'll never hear from me again."
Without paying any attention to her, Hans went past her and started to make his way back to the stables to wait for Lieutenant Larson. Ella was still for a second before she went over to the last hay bale.
When Ella returned to the stables, she saw that Hans was next to the stall with the mother horse and her foal, smiling at them. She sighed because that was the last stall that needed the hay and she wanted him to be gone already. When Ella approached, Hans' smile faded and he opened the stall, ignoring the girl. Ella paid no attention to the prince and refilled the hay in the stall.
The mother and the foal approached the hay and began devouring their meal. Ella smiled and petted both of them.
The stable door opened and footsteps marched inside. Ella glanced over her shoulder to see that Lieutenant Larson was standing right in front of Hans.
"Ella, after you finish feeding the horses," Lieutenant Larson began, "grab a sponge and bucket. You will report to the courtyard and clean it up. Prince Hans, you will accompany her there."
"Yes, sir," Hans replied.
Lieutenant Larson turned and left the stables, leaving Hans and Ella alone with all of the horses. Hans allowed Ella to spend a few more minutes with the horse and foal. After Ella left the stall, Hans smiled and petted the mother and foal before leaving as well.
. . . . .
This late afternoon, the courtyard was busting with townspeople. The courtyard was a large area surrounded by trees and many of the buildings and a large statue lay in the center. When she and Hans reached the steps, Ella felt uneasy as the residents turned and glared at Hans. Nearby, some of the townspeople were mocking her as well.
While Hans walked down the steps, Ella sat on her knees and placed her bucket next to her. She reached into it, pulled out a brush, and began brushing the muddy steps. She heard footsteps walking past and she peered up to see Lieutenant Larson approaching Hans.
"Your highness," Lieutenant Larson began, "you have officially finished your sentence today. You have done a good job and you should thank your brother, Lars. If it hadn't been for him, you would be serving a lifetime of servitude in the Southern Isles."
Ella went back to her job, but she couldn't help overhearing their conversation. As she scrubbed harder, two women walked down the steps and chuckled at her. Her eyes dimmed and she continued to scrub the steps.
"What are you going to do with her?" Hans asked.
"There might be a shelter that would take her in," Lieutenant Larson answered. Ella felt like she had finally gotten a break. The citizens in their town seemed to have a strong dislike for beggars and now, there might be someone who would have a heart and take her in. "The landlord told me that he would pay for her if there's enough room for her. I should hear from him sometime today."
Just then a tall, rich man almost slipped on the wet ground, scaring Ella. The man was unharmed, but he glared down at Ella making her feel uneasy.
"You should watch where you're cleaning, street rat," he snapped.
"I'm sorry," Ella answered. "I didn't know you were coming."
The man rolled his eyes and turned away from her. "You are a worthless street rat. You were born a street rat and you'll die a street rat. You'll spend the rest of your life here."
The words hit Ella like a rock and tears almost formed in her eyes. She couldn't help that she was a peasant. Footsteps came over to the man.
"Excuse me, sir," Hans said. Ella sniffed as she scrubbed the steps. "You have no right to say those unkind things to her. Someone mindwiped her and she doesn't remember anything. No one knows who it was who bewitched her."
"You're preaching to me?" the rich man scoffed. "You tried to kill the Queen just to steal her crown and you're telling me how to act towards other people. You committed treason so why should I listen to you?"
"I may have committed treason, but I am still a prince," Hans said. By his tone and expressions, he appeared to be mirroring the rich man. "While I am still here, I will not hesitate to stop you from bringing her down."
The rich man rolled his eyes and strolled over to the two women who were poking fun at Ella. Ella scrubbed the steps as she heard Hans walk closer to her.
"Lieutenant!" a voice called.
Ella's eyes widened and, when she peered up, she saw that Lieutenant Larson, followed by Hans, was walking over to an elder landlord.
"What is it?" Lieutenant Larson asked.
"I have some bad news regarding the homeless person," the landlord answered. Ella's heart thudded and she slowly shook her head. Bad news? This couldn't be. Maybe she just misunderstood them? "The shelter is overcrowded. We will not be able to take her in."
Ella's heart thudded even faster and she quickly peered back to the ground. She couldn't believe what she had just heard. She was so looking forward to a break and now her hopes were dashed. What would happen to her now?
In mere seconds, the temperature grew below zero degrees and Ella could hear the crowd muttering about something and wondered what they were fussing about.
"Snow?" a woman exclaimed. "In August?"
Ella peered up and saw what everyone was talking about. Large snowflakes were falling from the sky, covering the courtyard. She was bewildered by the sight and thought that this was impossible. Why was it snowing?
While Lieutenant Larson was ordering the citizens to return to their business, Ella decided to take his advice and peer down at the brush. When she reached for it, it slowly transformed into solid ice. Ella gasped, jerking her head back and removing her hand from the brush. Had she just done that? How was it even possible?
"Well, well, well," the rich man scoffed. The two women next to him chuckled. "It looks like the street rat isn't doing her work. How is she going to make it in this town?"
Ella's eyebrows furrowed and she rose to her feet. She threw her brush on the ground and stomped over to the trio, drawing attention from the citizens nearby. "How could you treat people like this?! Do you think I asked to be like this?!"
"That's not our problem," one of the two women snickered.
"Why don't you go back to your job, street rat?" the other woman mocked.
The trio laughed and some of the citizens joined in.
"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Ella yelled, swinging her arm forward.
Suddenly, sharp shards shot right got out of the ground, forcing the two women to run away and the rich man to cower in fear. Ella gasped and she peered right at the crowd. Hans was awestruck while everyone else backed away in fear. Ella peered down at her hands in horror and back at the horrified crowd.
"She's evil!" a man yelled.
"She's a witch!" a woman yelled. "She's plotting to destroy us all!"
"No!" Ella stammered. She didn't even know how she released ice. Was she a witch and she didn't even remember it? "No! Not at all!"
Without warning, a sheet of ice shot out of her fingertips and hit the center of the courtyard, forcing some of the townspeople to slip and fall on the frozen ground. More of the citizens fled as solid ice layered over the ground and the temperature continued to decrease.
As Ella stepped back, she heard ice crackling, forcing her to turn around and she screamed in horror as she watched the ice layer over the steps. A large wind howled and more snowflakes fell from the sky, covering everyone.
"She's a monster!" one of the citizens yelled.
Ella's eyes darted all over as she listened to the townspeople shouting curses at her. She felt overwhelmed with everything that was transpiring around her and couldn't stay in the same area any longer. Ella raced out of the courtyard and started to dart towards the large building with the hedge behind it.
The storm died down and the snow faded away but the townspeople were still afraid and muttered insults about the girl.
"I knew it!" Lieutenant Larson growled. Hans swiftly glanced over to him with a surprised expression. "It was a scam all long. She was scheming and she had us all fooled. Lousy little street rat. She's on her own with her black magic!"
"You're not going to help her?" Hans asked. Lieutenant Larson was just to leave when Hans seized his arm. "Someone mindwiped her! How is she going to get help?"
"She could rot in the streets for all I care," Lieutenant Larson seethed. "This whole memory loss was only part of her scheme!"
Lieutenant Larson tore his arm out of Hans' grip and marched away from the area. Hans turned his attention away from the Lieutenant and peered in the direction that Ella had run off.
. . . . .
When Ella passed the tall building, she raced into a large hedge, ignoring the two bear trophies and trees in the area. Eventually, the hedge led to a large pond with a waterfall behind it. Ella raced over to the waterfall and started climbing up the rocks. She almost slipped a few times but she was able to push herself up.
Finally, Ella reached the top and saw that she was standing on top of a crest. The area was devoid of trees and boulders and she felt so small when she saw the ocean waves underneath the cloudy sky. She stared down at her hands in horror and slowly sat down on the ground. She buried her head in her arms and started sobbing.
Why was she able to freeze things? Why was she able to make things snow? Was she born with it, cursed with it? Was this the reason why she'd gotten bewitched in the first place?
After a few minutes, someone reached the top of the rocky steps and footsteps started to come over to her. Ella ignored them and kept sobbing. She was sure that whoever it was thought that she was a monster just like in the courtyard.
The footsteps halted and someone bent down in front of her.
"Ella?" a voice asked. Ella slowly peered up and saw that Hans was right in front of her. "Hey, it's okay."
"Go away," Ella cried, shortly before she threw her head back in her arms. "I'm dangerous!"
"That doesn't scare me," Hans said.
"Leave me alone, Hans!" Ella snapped. "Were you not there in the courtyard?! I'm a danger to the Northern Isles!"
"I saw it all happen," Hans admitted. When Ella lifted her head from her arms again, Hans took out a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her. "Honesty, that man and those two women got what they deserved."
Ella sniffed and she took the handkerchief from him. She wiped her eyes as she and Hans rose from the ground. Her tears hung on the ends of her eyelashes as she stared at him. She was surprised that he'd come up here when he had every reason to be frightened of her. "Why aren't you afraid of me?" she asked, wiping her eyes.
"You're not the first person I've seen give away their ice powers," Hans chuckled. Ella handed the handkerchief back to him but he declined. "Queen Elsa sent her kingdom into an eternal winter until she learned to thaw it and, from what I've gathered, she's had those powers since birth."
"I don't know how long I had them," Ella answered. "Maybe that could be why I was bewitched?"
"Well, Ella," Hans answered. He started to wander towards the edge of the cliff. "Anything is possible."
"I'm not like them," Ella said. "They are all afraid of me because I am different."
Hans paused and glanced over to her. "I know how it feels to be feared for being different."
Ella's eyes narrowed at him. "What are you talking about?"
Hans's head slowly turned back to the ocean waves. Seagulls could be heard in a distance as the wind sighed. "When I was burning the letter," he began, removing his right glove, "I had no matches with me."
When Hans flattened his hand, a bright yellow and orange fire formed in his palm, trailing off his fingertips. Ella was speechless at the sight of the flame.
"If they knew that I was magical," Hans said. In an instant, the fire flame went out and his palm showed no signs of his powers, "they would be more afraid of me than they are of you."
"How long have you possessed this power?" Ella asked.
Hans glanced over his shoulder. "Since I was born," he explained. "I don't know why I have my powers, but all I know is that I am the only Westerguard with them."
As Hans slid his glove back on, Ella peered down at her hands and back at him. "Hans?" she asked. "Do you think that it's possible that I had my powers since birth like you and the Queen?"
"It's likely," Hans replied, walking over to her. "As I said, anything's possible."
Ella crossed her arms and she peered back at the Northern Isles. She knew that now that her powers had been exposed, there was no way that someone would help her.
"I don't know what I'm going to do now," Ella muttered. "The entire city is frightened of me. I doubt anyone is going to help me now."
"How about I offer you a proposal?" Hans offered.
Ella's eyebrows rose. "I just met you."
"I didn't mean that," Hans chuckled. Ella narrowed her eyes and Hans's chuckle faded away. "Anyway, I will be leaving in two hours and I am offering you to come with me."
"Where are you going?"
"Since I finished serving my punishments," Hans began, "I am going to be moving to Reignlen to work for my uncle in his castle."
"How is Reignlen any different from the Northern Isles?" Ella asked.
"The country approves of magic and the homeless are treated with kindness," Hans explained. "My uncle can help you. Maybe he'll even find a place for you to stay."
Ella stood there in silence. That country sounded much better than this place, but how could she know that Hans was telling her the truth?
"Look, Ella," Hans said. "I understand that you mistrust me—"
"How could I trust you?" Ella snapped. She didn't mean for it to come out that way but it was the truth. "I hardly know you! You tried to kill a queen and take her kingdom! Why should I trust you?"
"Well if you can't trust me, who would you trust?" Hans snapped. "You don't know anyone in this country and you got your memories wiped. No one will help you and I doubt whoever bewitched you will come forward. I know that I've committed treason, but if you want to leave this place, you're going to have to ignore my past because I am your only chance."
As much as Ella hated to admit it, Hans had a good point. The townspeople would never help her either because of her magic or her status. Most likely both. Even if she did try to get help, everyone would refuse because they were frightened or could care any less. Hans could help her but he still could be the wrong person to help her.
"Hans?" she asked. "What if I say yes?"
"I'll take you to Reignlen," Hans answered softly. "I will take you to my uncle and he will help you."
"What if I say no?"
"Nothing," Hans answered. "I will leave and you will be left behind."
"Hans," Ella said. She decided that she must get more out of him before she would seal her fate. "If I were you and you were me, what would you do?"
"You and I are completely different people, Ella," Hans answered. "Whatever you decide, I cannot convince you to change your mind. That is your choice."
Hans began to walk towards the rocks and right when he reached Ella, he paused and they were staring at each other in the eyes.
"I know that you haven't made up your mind," he said. He pointed to the clock tower and both hands were on the four. "I will be leaving in two hours, so that will give you plenty of time to make your decision. You will need to think about it very carefully. What you decide will affect you. If you do decide to come with me, go over to the docks." He peered at her one last time before he peered back to the clock tower. "I'll give you the directions in case you're coming," he continued. "Go past that building, go straight, then turn right and go straight until you reach a two-way road in town and take the left way. This path will lead you to the docks straight ahead and my ship will be there exactly at six. If you decide not to come with me, then that is your choice. Just don't go crying that no one will help you."
It all felt like slow motion as Ella watched Hans climb down the rocks. Her heart slowly thudded at the thought of her potential fate.
. . . . .
Time slowly passed by as Ella sat on the ground and watched the waves hit one another with the seagulls soaring above them. Her brown hair blew in her face as the gentle and light breeze soughed. The only problem was the dilemma she was in and knew that she must make her choice.
Without a doubt, Ella never wanted to go back into that town, but she knew that she couldn't stay on this cliff forever. By now, the entire town would've heard about the incident in the courtyard. The townspeople would just back away in fear and God knew what they would do to her when they saw her.
She mistrusted Hans. He had tried to kill someone and she wanted nothing to do with him. Hans might be her ticket out of here but how would she know that it wouldn't be a scam? But there was a chance that he was being honest with her because he'd shown her his powers. Either way, the truth was that she was better off taking her chances with him than staying here.
When Ella reached the clock tower, she jumped as she heard it chime louder. She shook her head and raced over to the town. She didn't want to go through the town, but she didn't have a choice. She had to get to the docks before it would be too late.
As she followed the directions that Hans gave her, the buildings on each side grew smaller and her feet were hurting, but she kept on pushing herself. Her legs were burning and she was running out of breath.
Just as she reached the two-way road, another loud strike was made and she took the left way, racing toward the docks. Her stamina was decreasing when she saw the bow of a ship far across from her, prompting her to not slow her pace. In the far distance, she could see Hans walking forward on a gangplank and her chances of escaping the Northern Isles were decreasing by each second.
"HANS!" Ella screamed. "WAIT FOR ME!"
Hans, the captain, and the sailors turned in her direction and saw her rushing towards the docks. Hans ordered the captain not to leave yet and he raced over to her.
"Whoa, whoa," he said. "You made it just in time. Come with me, Ella."
Hans and Ella reached the dock and walked on the gangplank to the ship. Ella didn't look down at the water below her for her biggest priority was to leave the Northern Isles for good. As she reached the deck, she noticed that all of the sailors were preparing for their signal to sail away.
When Ella sat down on a barrel to catch her breath, she heard Hans give the Captain permission to set sail. As the ship began to move away from the docks and further into the sea, Ella glanced over her shoulder and back at the Northern Isles as she breathed in and out.
She still was unsure about her decision to go with Hans. At least now, she would be going to a safe place, and hopefully Hans' uncle would help her as he'd said.
"I'm surprised, Ella," Hans' voice said as footsteps came over to her and Ella glanced over to him, still breathing heavily. "I didn't expect you to show up. When I arrived at the docks, I thought that you had decided to stay. You've made a wise decision to come with me. Reignlen is a much more pleasant place than that country."
"Will you take me to your uncle?"
"You have my word," Hans assured. "When we arrive in Reignlen, I will take you to my uncle and he will help you." He started to reach into his pockets, causing Ella to raise an eyebrow. "Good thing that I decided to stop at a shop before I reached the docks."
"What did you get?" asked Ella.
Hans pulled out a pair of violet gloves and handed them to Ella. She peered down at them and then back up at him. "Look, I knew that you wouldn't be pleased about this," Hans began, "but we still need to sail to Reignlen first, and you have yet to learn to control your powers. We have to avoid sinking at sea."
Ella slowly took the gloves from him. When the captain called for Hans, he went over to him and they began a conversation. Ella stared down at her gloves for a few more minutes until she finally slid them on her hands.
Author's Note: For those of you who haven't read "A Frozen Heart", Hans did not have fire powers in that book. I just added that in my story. From when I started working on this story in September 2015, it had always been the plan to have Hans be magical like Elsa. I had recently read the book over Christmas 2019 and I really liked it so much that I decided to have it be canon with this story with the idea of Hans having fire powers.
Just to be safe, I am going to address another major thing in this chapter in case you are confused. Hans is not aware that it's Elsa in disguise so yes, he really does think that she is a peasant named Ella. He is not pretending or anything like he did with Anna in the first Frozen film.
My story is also based off of the young adult book from Disney Publishing, "Dangerous Secrets" and the only thing that is not canon with that book as well is obviously Arianna and Willow being Iduna's two older sisters.