A Frozen Heart

by Elizabeth Rudnick

  Hearing the jingling of keys outside the door, Hans looked up. “Prince Hans,” a voice said from the other side of the door, startling him. “It’s time to go.”

  “Go where?” he asked, his voice cracking.

  “Home,” the voice replied.

  Slowly, the door creaked open. The breath hitched in Hans’s chest. Two guards stood on the other side, their hands on the swords at their sides, their expressions serious.

  “Stand up,” one of them ordered.

  Hans did as he was told. His hands shook ever so slightly as he held them out so that the other guard could tighten the manacles around his wrists. “Any way you might want to, I don’t know, take them off for our little walk?” he asked hopefully.

  The guard did not respond.

  “It’s just that, well, I am sure the queen and princess would rather I’m not paraded around town in shackles. It isn’t good for political relationships and all that.”

  “Princess Anna said you might say something like that,” the other guard said. “She told us to ignore you. She said not to believe a word that comes out of your mouth. We are to bring you straight to the harbor.”

  Why am I surprised? Hans thought as the two men began to escort him from the room. Did I honestly think that Anna would overlook the fact that I tried to kill her and her sister? Or the fact that I tricked her into thinking I loved her? He shrugged. A part of him had, sort of. He had been so sure of himself and his plan, he had never factored in failure.

  Yet he had failed. Completely. And if what the guards said was true and he was going home, he was never going to live that failure down.

  As the reality of what was happening began to set in, Hans started to drag his feet. He struggled against the guards and tried to pull away, but the guards held on, ignoring his protests.

  I can’t go back. Please, I can’t go back home, Hans thought desperately. But as far as the Arendelle guards were concerned, that was exactly where he was going!

  ONCE AGAIN, the Arendelle port was open. The castle gates were thrown wide, and the market was bustling. The air, rich with the warmth of a summer day, had a celebratory feeling as people hustled to and fro, happy to once again be outside.

  Inside the castle, the celebratory feeling continued. The windows let in every delightful breeze, and not one door was shut. The abundance of dinner plates that Anna had found so incredible only a few days before remained out, ready for the next party or ball. The Great Hall no longer resembled a relief station. The floors had been repolished and the candles replaced, while the blankets taken from storage had been put back. Even the firewood had been recycled, used to replace fences that had been knocked down in the storm. Servants made their way down the halls, talking and giggling among themselves, amazed at their good fortune to have such a wonderful, loving queen and kind princess. All in all, the castle felt alive and rejuvenated.

  And it was not just the castle that had changed. Inside her room, Anna sat at her vanity, staring at her reflection. The girl who looked back at her appeared the same as the one who had stared out just a few days before. Yet I’m not the same at all, Anna thought, twisting her hair. The physical differences were subtle: the white had vanished from her hair; her eyes, which had once looked so sad and lonely, were now full of hope and life; her smile now came quickly and happily. Small, subtle shifts, Anna thought, that reflected so many huge changes.

  The emotional changes, Anna mused, now those were far less subtle. No longer did she tiptoe around the halls of her home, expecting rejection at every turn. For the past few mornings, she had burst from her bed before the sun had even risen to race to Elsa’s room. They would sit for hours, catching each other up on all the things they had missed as the sun’s rays lengthened across the floor. And then, together, they would start their day. Anna had shown Elsa all her favorite spots on the grounds and introduced her to Kjekk. She had shown her where Cook now hid the chocolate and, just as they had when they were young, they had tried—and failed—to take some without getting caught.

  They had also adventured outside the gates. Both knew so little about life beyond the walls of the castle. Every moment brought with it a new experience: going fishing, watching a chorus of children singing in front of the small school, walking out in the fields beyond the kingdom’s gates and running their hands through the now green fields of grass.

  “I never thought I could be this happy,” Anna had told her sister the night before as they sat in the cozy library.

  “Me neither,” Elsa had said softly. “I can’t believe how much time I wasted hiding. I’m sorry.”

  Anna had shook her head. Her sister had told her all about what happened the night everything changed. Knowing the truth—that Elsa had struck her in the head by accident—had lifted a weight off both sisters’ shoulders.

  “You were so young when you hit me,” Anna had said. “I was so young. We didn’t know any better. And Mama and Papa should never have told you to hide who you are, Elsa. Who you are is beautiful and amazing. I’m the one who’s sorry. Sorry that I couldn’t see you were just trying to protect me.”

  “Oh, Anna,” Elsa had said, smiling. “I love you and I have always loved you. And I always will. Let’s never make the mistake of hiding things from each other—ever again.”

  Anna had laughed and held out a hand. “Deal,” she’d said happily.

  Sighing, Anna stood up from her vanity and crossed over to the window. She and Elsa had made their peace and gotten closer. But there was still one thing Anna needed to do before she could fully move on.

  Out in the harbor, the ships rocked gently back and forth on their moorings while those tied to the docks pressed back and forth on their bumpers. Most of them were empty, the captains and crews delaying their departures to take advantage of the fine weather and enjoy their time in Arendelle. But several were a hive of activity. And one of them was the boat that was going to take Hans home—as soon as Anna stopped stalling and went downstairs.

  The decision to send Hans back to the Southern Isles had, much to Anna’s chagrin, been a group decision. Elsa, Kristoff, and Olaf had all wanted to weigh in. She had just wanted to get him on the boat and gone as soon as possible. Elsa, on the other hand, had wanted him to stand trial for his actions and for his attempted murder of both sisters.

  “He would have put me on trial,” Elsa pointed out when the group had gathered in the council chambers. “So why should I not do the same?”

  “Because there would be no point,” Anna had said. “Trust me, I thought long and hard about it when I was stuck in that freezing room. I came up with so many ways I would have punished him. But the best way to punish him is to make him come face-to-face with the one thing he is most scared of—going home. Let his father and brothers deal with him. If they are truly as terrible as Hans says they are…”

  “I bet they are wonderful!” Olaf had interrupted, always seeing the positive. “Imagine! Twelve brothers! You would always have someone to play with.”

  Anna had smiled at Olaf’s innocence. But he was probably right. All she had heard was Hans’s version of his family. For all she knew, they could be the most wonderful people in the world and Hans was just the black sheep.

  “Well, I, for one,” Kristoff had piped up, “agree with Elsa. Hans hurt you, Anna, and he deserves to pay.” He had looked over at her and given her such a warm look that Anna had blushed. They still had yet to discuss the fact that he had raced back for her. But she had learned her lesson from Hans—no use rushing into anything. Having him there was good enough—for now.

  “You are all wonderful and I appreciate your advice,” Anna had finally said, putting an end to the conversation. “But this is my decision. And I want him sent home.”

  Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Anna turned from the window. So what was she waiting for? It was time to send that prince packing—once and for all.

  Anna stood on a bluff overlooking the dock. From her vantage point, she could see
the guards dragging Hans back to his ship. The last time she had seen him, he had been splashing around in the water, looking fittingly like a drowning rat. Now he was back on dry land and he once again looked like the handsome prince that had so cleverly fooled her. It stung a bit to see him so composed, but not as much as Anna had feared.

  She had written a detailed account of Hans’s crimes to be sent back home with him. Southern Isles justice would surely be more terrible than any punishment that might befall him in Arendelle. Any time Anna started to pity Hans for being sent home to his father, she reminded herself that Hans was a grown man—he was responsible for his actions, no matter how miserable his home had been.

  She heard a horn blow on the deck of Hans’s ship. It was time for them to set sail. Grabbing Hans by the arms, the guards threw him onto the brig.

  “Good-bye, Hans,” Anna said softly, knowing he wouldn’t hear her voice over the waves lapping against the boat. But she didn’t care. Saying good-bye was more for her than for him. It was the closure she needed. Turning, she made her way down the long path toward the stairs that led back to the palace. She would never forget Hans, even if she wanted to. But she was not going to allow him to hurt her any longer. She wasn’t going to let him turn her heart cold or ruin her outlook on life or love. No. Prince Hans had hurt her. That would never change. But she wasn’t going to let him win by taking away another moment of her happiness. She wasn’t going to let him be a mistake she couldn’t overcome.

  Reaching the top of the steps, Anna paused. Her shoulders already felt lighter, her heart already fuller. Looking up, a smile spread across her face. And speaking of fixing mistakes…she thought. There—tucked behind one of the fishermen’s stalls—stood a shiny new sleigh. Kristoff’s shiny new sleigh, to be exact. The wood gleamed in the bright sun, and the leather harness creaked, ready to be broken in. Anna clapped her hands together. Kristoff was going to love it. I can’t wait to see his face, she thought as she resumed walking. I bet he turns all red and starts tugging at his hair and gets all embarrassed. He’ll probably want to show Sven right away. Or he’ll start talking like Sven….The thought made her smile even broader. Getting the sleigh made had been her secret ever since Elsa had ended winter. She didn’t even know if Kristoff remembered her promise—to get him a new sleigh—but it didn’t matter. She had made the promise, and she couldn’t wait to deliver.

  Letting out a happy little laugh, Anna increased her pace. Until this moment, she had wondered if she would have any regrets about all the events that had transpired. But now she was sure: what-ifs were pointless when the here and now was so much more fantastic. She had three wonderful new friends, the castle had come back to life and, most importantly, she had a life full of countless possibilities now that love had opened the door between her and her sister. And the sooner she got away from the dock—the sooner Hans was nothing but a memory—the sooner she could start living that amazing life.

  And that is just what she did.

  ELIZABETH RUDNICK has written over thirty books, including the original novel Tweet Heart and tie-ins such as Frankenweenie: A Novel; Oz: The Great and Powerful; and the best-selling junior novel based on Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest. She lives on Cape Cod with her husband and two lovable mutts, Jack and Ginger.