The doors to the cell closed and Hans told himself to keep a remorseful look upon his face. He needed to play on these humans' desire for sympathy. To make himself less of a target, while pointing the blame to someone that would easily fit into his plans. His eyes went from the door of the cell to the guard. He was young. Narrowing his eyes on the man, he asked him curiously. "Are you new?" The guard nodded, then answered promptly without looking at him. "Yes, Sire." Hans glanced at the other Nobles that were staring at him with interest. Knowing their eyes were on him, he told the guard causally. "Show no fear. Keep a close eye on him and if he does anything. Alert others first. He's too dangerous to handle on your own." The young man huffed, blurting out in return. "I'm not afraid of a Northuldran traitor. They are cowards that hide behind magic." Hans straightened himself up, trying not to take it too personally when he shot back firmly. "Watch yourself, boy. There is a fine line between confidence and arrogance. It's not for you to judge what he is or isn't. That is MY job. Whatever he is... he is of royal blood. Part of him is Arendellen."

The young man frowned but didn't respond. Hans turned away quickly, walking briskly from the dungeon. A small smile pulled at his lips as he walked up the steps. He couldn't have planned that more perfectly. Now he had a sacrificial goat. He couldn't have planned his reaction any better. When they were far enough away from the cell, he stated over his shoulder to one of the Nobles. "I want that man replaced at once. He's too young and inexperienced. Too biased against the Northuldra." One of the nobles let out a confused chuckle, retorting out. "Aren't all young men? True, he is inexperienced on this matter, but I think his youth is vital." Hans stopped in his tracks, turning on his heel to inform the others as coolly as he could. "Call it intuition. I can't afford for anything to go wrong. You didn't see what we did out there. Hurting him made the winter worse. If his arrogance and youthful follies get the better of him... things could get worse. I'd feel much safer if we had someone else watching him. Someone older who puts duty to the crown over opinions." The Duke nodded, telling the others in a slightly bitter tone. "I agree. I want him alive long enough to see his end... personally."

Hans put a hand on the Duke's shoulder to falsely comfort him when he told him softly. "I am sorry about your, boys. I did everything that I could... it is a burden that I will always carry. I will do better. Speaking of which... We should discuss what to do with him and the future of Arendelle. As much as it pains me to bring it up now..." One of the nobles sighed heavily, before telling them seriously. "He's right. We can't wait. Hans is the next heir to Arendelle. Now that the Duke's sons are... We should take this chance to crown Hans before sentencing Nathan to death for treason." Hans hugged himself, shrugging out. "Death? Must the sentence be so harsh? He claims it was an accident. That he doesn't have control..." The Duke snorted, snapping out. "Bullshit! He's controlled it enough to keep it hidden all this time! And how convenient that he killed my boys after I revealed his dirty past! He targeted my boys on purpose, I tell you! He's a liar! Just like all Northuldran! He killed two of royal blood! That is a death sentence! So, kill him. Show him no mercy."

One of the nobles shifted uncomfortably but shrugged out reluctantly. "I have to agree. He killed two royals.... The law says that is a crime punishable by death. And even without that, he is conspiring with the King of Trolls. You saw the peasants the King of Trolls hurt. He's violent and the hunter claims he summoned a massive troll from under the ground to attack him..." Another noble nodded, mumbling out. "He could turn the whole forest on us to get him back. So, I think whatever we do. We should do it quickly. Who knows how long we have. The storm is getting worse and if you say that hurting him made a... monster. This... dragon. Then I fear the time we waste talking about this." Leading them into the war room, the nobles all quickly took their seats. All except the Duke. The Duke's attention was drawn to the large windows, before informing the others nervously. "It's getting colder by the minute. If we don't do something quick, I fear we'll all freeze to death." Hans moved up to the high chair at the end, looking toward the windows now. They were frosting over until there was no way to see out of them. Silently tapping his fingers on the chair, Hans tried to keep a neutral to worried faced.

The Duke turned to face the others, straightening himself up to say firmly. "We can't sit around. We must act quickly before it is too late. The monster dies. Agreed? Shall we put it to a vote to speed this along? We can crown Hans later." Hans' eyes drifted to the others. He didn't want to say anything to change their minds, but he also didn't want to take the chance of incriminating himself later. The Nobles bowed their heads one by one, voting grimly. "Death." When it was Hans' turn, he lifted his chin and told them honestly. "I understand how you all feel. My vote won't matter... but I feel like that there should always be a vote of doubt. So... I don't agree." The Duke bowed his head just a little in thought, while another noble told him. "You have a big heart, Highness. I'm sorry, but whether you believe him or not... the majority has decided." Hans exhaled heavily, then told him them all in his best sullen tone of voice. "With a heavy heart. I, Prince Hans of the Southern Isles and newly appointed King of Arendelle, charge King Nathan of Arendelle with multiple accounts of treason... and sentence him to death. Summon the executioner at once and have a chopping block delivered to the cell with a priest. Let's give him a chance to say his final words and hopefully... find peace. Let's all hope that this brings back summer."

Moving away from his seat, he turned his back to them and added over his shoulder. "Please excuse me a moment. I... I need a minute to process this. Inform me when the arrangements are in order. Since I gave the order, I want to be there when it is carried out. I owe him the right to look upon his murderer before the end." Without question, the nobles excused him with sympathy for the burden he was to carry. Hans slowly walked from the room with a pained and almost tormented heart. However, as he slipped from the room and out of sight, Hans grinned brightly. Everything was perfect and now. He just had to spring the trap. Going to his room, he closed the door and locked it from the outside. Then walking down the hallway, he glanced at his reflection and rolled his eyes. His body had no reflection because it was a wooden construct of Hans and it was getting harder to maintain. He needed to do this soon and get out to rest. He needed to recharge his magic, before this vessel turned back into a log with him trapped inside. He was confident that no one would discover the real Hans until it was too late... but the closer he got to the finish line... the more risks he was willing to take to end this.

Taking the steps down to the dungeon, he reached under the back of his jacket to remove a dagger from the back of his pants. The dagger was so small that it was easily hidden within his belt. Walking up toward the cell door he snuffed out the torchlights with the touch of his fingers to soak them in water. He grinned at how fast his order to have the kid removed had been carried out. He loved when people did whatever he wanted with just a simple complaint. The older guard snapped to attention, asking him proudly. "What can I do for you, Sir? Is something wrong? What are you-?" Hans flashed him a wicked grin, then jammed the tiny dagger into the man's throat. The man staggered back against the wall, but Hans quickly pinned him to the wall with his free hand and slashed the small blade across his vocal cords. The man coughed and sank to his knees as he bled out slowly. Hans slowly crouched down to remove the keys to the cell off his belt, then got up to unlock the door himself and snuffed out the last light in the dungeon. He had a few minutes to get Nathan's eyes before the priest showed up but guessed it wouldn't take long. Opening the cell door, he stepped inside and hid the little dagger against his palm. The room was pretty dark but with his sharp troll eyes, the dark was nothing to him.

The chains rattled as Nathan very softly asked him from his seat on the stone bed. "What do you want?" Hans debated about answering but whispered in his normal troll voice. "I want to help you." Nathan blindly scanned the darkness, shaking a little as he warned him. "Stay back. It's not safe... I can't..." Hans saw the frosted over shackles and walls of the cell, he could see the floor starting to frost as Nathan shook with fear. Hans stepped on the chain to the shackles discreetly to pin it down and he inched closer to him. Keeping his voice calm, he purred out as he raised his dagger at the ready. "I can help you. I can make all the pain go away... All the fear." Hans licked his dry lips, when Nathan asked him desperately. "The Troll King? Do you know where he is? Is he alright? Please tell me..." Hans took aim to stab Nathan in the eye, his anxious and eager desire prompting him to state out gruffly. "He's dead. As you will be!" Hans lunged his hand out to stab him, but Nathan jerked his head away at just the right moment. Instead of stabbing his eye, the sharp blade sliced his cheekbone. Hans cursed, trying to stab him on the backswing, but Nathan laid back across the bed and kicked him in the gut. Which knocked him back across the floor.

Jumping to his feet, Nathan snapped out. "You son of a bitch! You liar!" Sitting up on the floor, Hans coughed gruffly, before retorting back in the hopes of breaking him. "I'm not lying! He got distracted by a dragon made of ice and the hunter slit his throat! He bragged about his blood tainting the snow red and tonight... all of Arendelle will be feasting on his reindeer! While they watch your head roll to join him! Monster!" To Hans' utter shock, Nathan straightened up to his full height, his voice crackling like the frost around him when he sneered out angrily. "You want to see a monster? I'll SHOW you a MONSTER!" Hans scooted back, stammering out to himself. "Oh, shit..." Nathan's eyes started to shine a solid bright icy blue and from his eyes a frost rippled down his body like snowflake tattoos. The room grew colder and the frost turned to thick icy patches that stretched out like spikes from every corner. Nathan tilted his head back suddenly, letting out a sharp scream as his body pulsed and send out frost in all directions. Hans flinched, thankful that he hadn't gotten up yet. The cell door slammed and froze shut, while the glass window shattered from the pulse and turned the iron bars to rusted dust. Even some of the stones making up the wall turned brittle and fell away.

Nathan lowered his head, exhaling a long icy breath in a way that gave Hans goosebumps. It was too late. He'd pushed Nathan too far. His heart had frozen. Nathan lifted his shackled hands and the metal frosted over more before shattering off him under the strain of the sheer cold. Running a hand through his hair, Nathan told him in a dark lifeless tone of voice. "You wanna be afraid? Then I'll give you something to be afraid of!" Turning to leave the cell, Nathan raised his hands and conjured a thick icy fog to shroud him from unwanted eyes. Hans jumped to his feet and threw the dagger into the fog in the hopes of hitting him before he vanished. Only to hear the dagger clatter to the icy ground. He'd missed. He'd failed... but he wasn't ready to give up just yet. He felt like he could work with this. After all... Nathan was angry with the humans. Not the trolls. Licking his lips, he smiled to himself. He could get around this little setback. Rushing from the hole in the cell, he quickly joined the group of guards and tried to act like he was just coming upon the scene for the first time. Checking the dead guard, Hans focused on him and told the others to call a medic while the guards struggled to open the frozen shut cell door. By the time they got it open, Hans stiffened and told the guards mercilessly. "Get the soldiers ready. We have to end this now."

Meanwhile, back up on the North Mountain, Mark was petting Aputsiaq and told her to stay where she was. He didn't want her to go anywhere and get herself hurt. Heading out of the cave, he took a deep breath and tried to gather up his courage. He had to go to Arendelle and find Nathan. He didn't know how he'd rescue him or how he'd even get in... but he had to try. Reaching the end of the cave, Aputsiaq suddenly thrashed around angrily. Her body slamming into the walls, causing tremors that shook Mark off his feet. Turning back, he yelled out in shock. "Aputsiaq?! What's wrong?!" Aputsiaq whirled around to face the exit, letting out a thunderous and vicious roar that made Mark stumble backward from her. She didn't look rational. She looked suddenly wild and enraged. Her wings curled up over her and her tail flicked out with a soft crackling sound. Then long spikes of ice sprang up down her spine and along the sides of her tail! Her icy breath leaked from her massive jaws like thick fog and her icy talons pierced easily into the stone floor. Thrashing her head with long icy horns, she roared and then blasted a beam of ice straight toward him.

Yelping, Mark dived out of the cave, barely avoiding the blast. Mark crept into the berry bushes, trying to hide as she jogged out of the cave. He thought she was going to hunt him, but instead, she rushed to the mountain edge and leapt off to take flight. Mark discreetly watched her circle to stretch her wings out, then straighten out to head directly toward Arendelle with snarling fury. Climbing out of the bush, he ran around to the front, yelling out after her. "APUTSIAQ! DON'T!" She wasn't listening. She was drawn to Arendelle like a moth to a flame. Running toward a confused and startled Donner, he hopped onto him and told him quickly. "GO! After her, Donner!" Donner grunted, then leapt into a run. Donner grunted loudly as he ran as fast as his legs could take him. They couldn't keep up with her speed, but he just wanted to keep her in his sights. As they dashed to the top of a hillside, Mark got a glimpse of Arendelle in the far distance. As Aputsiaq reached the castle, she opened her jaws and expelled a thick fog around the castle. The cloud swirled around Arendelle and only seemed to expand out across the fjord and town.

Mark's heart started to race as fear filled him. A single name on his lips as he felt the waves of snowy cold rippling up through the forest, making the falling snow increase into a raging snowstorm with sharp bone chilling winds. "Nathan." To Be Continued...