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The day after, Hans and his troop, with two men from Weselton, arrived at Elsa’s palace at dawn. Hans briefed, “We are here to find Queen Elsa and get her back to Arendelle: ALIVE!”

He walked up closer to the men, demounting the horse and looking each one in the eye, “Alive. You understand?”

“Yes, Prince Hans!” the soldiers complied—all except the ones from Weselton. A mass of snow rose out of the ground behind Hans.

“Go away!” rumbled Marshmallow in a heavy voice. He slammed his fist inches away from Hans. The entire troop took up arms against Marshmallow. He quickly knocked Hans’ horse. Marshmallow raised his leg to stomp him, but he barrel-rolled out of the way. Hans spotted his sword and jumped to grab it. Just then, Elsa peeked out of the front doors.

“The Queen!” identified one soldier from Weselton and began to charge up the stairs.

They burst into the ice doors, armed with crossbows. Elsa fled further up her palace stairway, and the men pursued. They trapped her on the top floor and raised their crossbows.

“No. Please.” pleaded a scared Elsa as she held up her hands in defense.

One of the men shot an arrow right at her. At the last moment, she erected an ice wall and stopped the arrow. It almost hit her face. The men negotiated to take another shot.

“Stay away!” warned Elsa, growing steadfast. She shot ice at them. Ducking out of the way, the soldiers continued to try and attack her.

“Get her, get her!” one thug motioned to the other. Elsa fought for her life.

Back outside, Marshmallow nearly crushed Hans, but he rolled away. He jumped to his feet and, with agile might, sliced Marshmallow’s leg off with his sword. Marshmallow stumbled back and lost balance. He fell over the cliff—but not before striking Hans and breaking part of the bridge. Hans hung from the ice steps.

“Prince Hans!” Some of his soldiers helped him up. He continued into the palace. Elsa was trapped—It was her last chance. In two swift moves, she trapped one man in a cage of spikes that threatened his neck. She pushed back the other man with a wall of ice up against the balcony doors. The doors burst open, and he was about to fall to his death.

Back inside, Hans rushed in with his guards and witnessed the destruction and the men near death.

“Queen Elsa!” he began. “Don’t be the monster they think you are.”

Elsa snapped out of her rage and looked around at the frightened men who were moments away from death. The wall retracted from the balcony, and the ice spikes lowered away from the other man. He, however, took advantage and aimed his crossbows at Elsa’s back. Hans took notice, alarmed—this wasn’t part of the plan. Just as the soldier pulled the trigger, Hans pushed the crossbow up as it released. The arrow hit the chandelier, hanging directly above Elsa. Diving out of the way as the chandelier came crashing down, she was instantly knocked unconscious.

Hours later, she opened her eyes to find herself in a dungeon. She looked out a nearby window and tried to rush to it but was pulled taut by shackles that fitted like iron gloves. Elsa strained the length of her chains to get a glimpse out the window. Outside, she saw Arendelle frozen solid and getting further buried under the snow and ice. Her eyes darted around the place in distress.

“No… What have I done?” Hans entered and hung a torch by the door.

“Why did you bring me here?” asked Elsa.

“I just couldn’t let them kill you.”

“I’m a danger to Arendelle. Get Anna,” instructed Elsa.

“Anna has not returned.”

Elsa looked distraught at the storm outside, as if she expected Anna to show up magically.

“If you would just stop this winter, bring back summer… Please.” he requested.

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Her eyes met his, heartbroken, “Don’t you see? I can’t.” Hans saw the sincerity in her eyes. “You have to tell them to let me go.” pleaded Elsa. Walking to the door, Prince Hans took the torch.

“I will do what I can.” He concluded and left.

Elsa heard the cracking. She saw the shackles on her hands freezing over. However, the storm outside too started to pick up.

Descending from the mountains was Sven, with Kristoff and Anna on his back. Olaf slid along like a penguin. Anna shivered in Kristoff’s arms—she was weakening.

Kristoff took off his hat and put it on her head. “Just hang in there,” he said to her. “Come on, buddy, faster!” he rallied Sven.

The walls of Arendelle were soon in sight. Olaf sped past them, out of control. “I’ll meet you guys at the castle!”

“Stay out of sight, Olaf!” required Kristoff.

“I will!” he agreed, disappearing into the village streets. Breaking into a house, he greeted in his classic, crazed voice, “Hello!”

“Ah! It’s alive!” a woman in the distance cried out in terror.

A pair of foreign guards noticed Kristoff and Anna approaching from an occupied turret. “It’s that princess again.” a soldier informed his comrade.

“And who’s the other guy?”

“Who cares? Let’s send someone to open the gates. And get the princess to Prince Hans.” directed the first man.

“Okay, let’s double up.”

Sven skidded to a stop outside the gates. “I’ve got you.” ensured Kristoff to Anna.

“Are you go-gonna be okay?” she stuttered, growing feeble.

Kristoff was touched. “Don’t worry about me,” he told her. Just then, the castle doors opened, and out came a couple of men in uniforms. They swept Anna away from Kristoff and covered her with a blanket. “Get her warm and find Prince Hans immediately,” advised Kristoff.

“We know what to do! You can leave.” growled a soldier as he slammed the door on his face.

“Make sure she’s safe!” shouted Kristoff one last time at the closed gates before turning away. He stood by Sven and contemplated for some time. He was convinced, nevertheless, that she was in safe hands and walked away; Sven followed.

Within a room, Hans stood with various dignitaries and his guards. The dignitaries weren’t well-versed with the troops, so they were kept unaware of the recent happenings. Hans, too, cleverly played along.

“I’m going back out to look for Princess Anna.”

The French dignitary protested, “You cannot risk going out there again.”

Hans persisted, “If anything happens to her--”

“If anything happens to the princess, you are all Arendelle has left.” the Spanish dignitary interrupted. Hans realized the kingdom was almost in his grasp. All he worried about now was the fact that Anna and Elsa were still alive.

Just then, the door opened, and soldiers brought Anna covered in a blanket.

“We’ve got her, prince… Princess Anna.” a guard stated.

“Anna,” Hans called as he rushed to her. She fell into his arms. “You’re so cold.”

Weak but desperate, Anna pleaded, “Hans, you have to kiss me.”

He was shocked, “What?”

Anna demanded, “Now. Here we go.”

She tried to kiss him but was too weak to pull herself up in his arms.

“We’ll give you two some privacy.” the Duke of Weselton ensured and left. Others followed suit, and only Hans was left in Anna’s company.

“What happened out there?” he wondered. Anna, somewhat trying to get over the subject, told him,

“Elsa struck me with her powers.”

Hans played concerned, “You said she’d never hurt you.”

“I was wrong.” she quietly agreed. She began to crumble, weak.

“Anna.” Prince Hans carried her to a couch and set her down. Anna shivered,

“She froze my heart, and only an act of true love can save me.”

Hans beamed and spoke understandingly, “A true love’s kiss.”

He took her chin and continued to smile and leaned in slowly, gently. Promptly, he stopped.

“Oh, Anna. If there was someone out there who loved you.”

“What?” Anna gasped as he walked away. “… You said you did.” she wondered. Hans walked to the windows and shut the curtains.

“As thirteenth in line in my own kingdom, I didn’t stand a chance. I knew I had to marry into the throne elsewhere or take control of another kingdom by force. So, I brought my men along.”

Anna was befuddled, “What are you talking about?”

He put out the candle. “As heir, Elsa was preferable, of course. But no one was getting anywhere with her. But you--” He was reduced to a heartless chuckle.

“Hans?” Anna was taken aback. Prince Hans crossed the room, grabbed a pitcher from the table, and went over to the fireplace.

“I figured, after we married, I’d have to stage a little accident for Elsa.” he poured the water into the fireplace, putting off the flames. Anna tried to stop him, but she fell to the floor, weak.

“Hans. No stop,” she pleaded desperately.

Hans didn’t stop, “But then she doomed herself! And you were dumb enough to go after her!”

In her weakened state, Anna tried to attract attention, but all in vain.

“Help, help! Somebody, please.”

Hans chuckled evilly, “No one’s coming to help, Anna. With the help of the duke’s men, I threw all your guards and attendants in the dungeons. And no, I didn’t even spare that royal sergeant of yours.”

Anna begged him one last time, “Please.”

He ignored her, “All that’s left now is to kill Elsa and bring back summer.” He approached her again.

“You’re no match for Elsa,” told Anna, as her desperation turned into anger. Hans took her chin, but not as gently as before.

“No, you’re no match for Elsa. I, on the other hand, will win the support of Arendelle for putting an end to this devastating winter. Your staff and guards will spend the rest of their lives in the dungeons—for helping Elsa conceal her secret.”

Anna wrenched her face out of his hands. She raged, “You won’t get away with this.”

Hans put on a wide grin and moved to the door. “Oh, I already have.”

He left and shut her in, locking the door. Anna struggled to the door and yanked the door handle.

“Please, somebody help.”

But her distress signal was only feeble as a whisper.