This came about as a writing prompt ask for Tumblr. Someone had requested a piece involving an evil-Hans romancing Anna. Well… I started out alright, and mentally planned out this whole thing—and then decided half-way trough this that Hans wasn't exactly evil enough, and Anna wouldn't end up the way the requester wanted…. Oops. But I was already far too invested in seeing this through to the end, so this turned into practice! I've never actually written a dark or evil Hans before, so this is my first shot!

This will be a three-part fic with the focus and perspective from Hans engaging different characters as it replaces the final act of the film.

Summary: With his fiancé and the entire kingdom freezing before his eyes, Prince Hans is given the ultimate opportunity to be the hero Arendelle wants, but not exactly the hero it needs. The crown calls to him first and foremost, and there's only one way to obtain the ultimate prize: Queen Elsa has to die.

"Don't you see? I can't! You have to tell them to let me go!"

Queen Elsa's words echoed in Prince Hans' head as he left the dungeons and returned to the sanctuary of the Arendelle castle. So much for trying things the easy way. The nice way.

Though, that certainly wasn't the easiest option. That would have been to let that Weselton bodyguard to finish the Queen off right there in her own palace of ice. She was about to commit double murder anyway. A life for a life. The killing would certainly have been justified in his eyes—and it was later revealed that the Duke himself ordered his men to commit such an act in the first place. And here he thought he hated that spineless little man.

Still, he couldn't deny that the Duke had a solid idea. What if Elsa did perish? Would the winter end? He sighed as he started up the stone staircase into the castle's west entrance. I suppose I'll never know now. I can't just kill her. I still need a link to the crown. What I need—no, who I need, is Anna.

After his return to the castle hours before, he had inquired about the princess, in case she returned while he was on the Northern Mountain. She was still out there somewhere. Gone for days now. If she had perished in the snow, Arendelle would be doomed. He could only argue his position as regent so far. He and Anna weren't married yet, and if she were dead, he'd have nothing. Just a visiting prince, like so many others now trapped in the cursed kingdom.

Hans scowled. Not that it mattered in the long run. Queen Elsa was out of control. Anna was missing. He estimated that within the next week, if that, everyone would be dead. Living in the Isles with his twelve abusive brutes of brothers would be preferred to than this fate.

Hans stopped outside the double doors to the library, where the leading foreign dignitaries had congregated. He promised to update them on the situation. Not that there was a lot of news to tell. He took a deep breath and applied his mask—the face of a worried, concerned regent with nothing but misery to share.

"Gentlemen." Hans greeted them as he walked into the room.

"Ah, Prince Hans." The Spaniard said as he approached. "What news?"

Hans stood still just beyond the entrance as he closed the doors behind him. "Queen Elsa won't stop the winter."

"What?!" Weselton's Duke exclaimed. "Why?"

"She claims not to know how." Hans replied, crossing his arms. "We are left with little options now."

"I agree." The Frenchmen said.

Hans strode further into the room and the group parted to let him through. "There's only one course of action left. I have to go back out and look for Princess Anna."

"You can't risk going out there again!" The Frenchman protested.

Hans spun around to face him with as much air as a concerned fiancé could muster. "If anything happens to her—" I need Anna. I have nothing if she's gone. I need her to solidify my claim.

"-If anything happens to the princess, you're all Arendelle has left!"

That statement gave Hans pause. Was that really true? Are they already prepared to hand the kingdom of Arendelle over to him should Anna not come back? He mentally shook his head. It couldn't possibly be that easy. Nothing in life was easy—was ever easy for him. He learned that the hard way for twenty-three years. He was the unlucky thirteenth son, after all.

There was still the issue of the Queen. He couldn't possibly rule if she still lived. That would involve killing her. He had no issue with that, really. It almost happened earlier, and he felt no remorse or shame over it. And if Anna never returned…, no one to be upset over the monarch's death. Or… he mused, if Anna did return, perhaps killing the Queen wouldn't be best. There had to be another way to appease everyone, save Arendelle, and get the crown in the end. He'd even settle for the latter two of the three.

Abdication? Anna would become the new queen, and he her king. That's solid. That could work… he supposed. Although, having Elsa around afterwards would make him nervous. Would she try to reclaim her throne? Would she try to influence her sister? Influence him? Would her magic wreak havoc all over should something spook her? Elsa would be a major loose end he wouldn't want to deal with.

She would have to go. In some way, somehow, she needed to die. He just needed to find a good way to convince everyone else.

Now if only he suddenly had a rare bout of luck…

There were voices on the other side of the door. "He's in here." The library doors opened once more, and Kai called out. "Prince Hans!"

Hans and the other dignitaries turned to see Kai and Gerda clutching a freezing, familiar princess. It was like magic. Think of Anna and she suddenly appeared! Perhaps he really did have luck on his side after all….

"Anna!" He exclaimed excitedly and immediately crossed the length of the room to take her into his arms." God Anna, you're so cold!" This wasn't at all how he expected their reunion to go. Why was she cold? Why was almost all of her hair white? The last he saw, it was just a narrow streak that was twisted up and around into her formal hairdo.

"H-Hans, you have to kiss me!" she immediately replied and started tugging on his lapels to pull herself up.

"…what?" He mentally scoffed at first. What, no 'Hans, I'm safe! Hans, I'm back.'. The first thing she wants is some kiss? While put off at first, he calmed himself down when an appealing thought suddenly formed in his head. … Did she really miss me that much?

"Now… now!" She begged and stood on her tip toes. Behind her, Gerda waved to usher the remaining gentleman out of the room, leaving the couple alone.

Anna tugged again on his clothes, but Hans would have none of it. Before he would even consider getting romantic with her, he wanted answers. It wasn't that he didn't want to kiss her. They were engaged after all, and he had a part to play. He knew it'd only be a matter of time before he'd have to start certain intimacies. Kissing her might actually be nice. Granted she was cold, but the way her lips puckered in and out as she shivered… they looked so beautifully pink and soft. He wondered how they would taste. And as she whined, and the way her body trembled as she clung to him, she was so desperate for him, she needed him. He had never felt that way before from anyone and his imagination was getting the best of him. It sent a rush of desire through him, and he almost dipped his head down to hungrily oblige her but immediately came to his senses. Focus, idiot. Focus.

"What happened out there?" He asked, sobering himself.

"Elsa… she struck me with her powers!"

He let shock show across his face. "You said she would never hurt you."

"I was wrong." She cried and crumbled against him.

Hans acted fast and lifted her into his arms to carry her to the chaise. He laid her down across it and sat at the edge beside her, searching her face, silently asking for an explanation. "What did she do?"

Anna laid her hands over her chest. "She f-froze my heart, and only an act of true love can save me!"

And… there goes that lucky streak. What nonsense is this? What act could possibly break—He stopped his thoughts, the answer suddenly so obvious. He recalled during their time at the coronation how she was so engrossed in fairy tales and the like. There was always one common element to such stories, and he wanted to kick himself for not immediately recognizing it.

"…. A true love's kiss."

Anna nodded.

Hans mentally started swearing. Just when he thought things were working. Naturally there would be yet another flaw in his plan. Still. He had to kiss her. She was expecting it from her gentlemanly, loving fiancé. To refuse her now would expose his entire plan, and he couldn't risk everyone turning on him now. Not when he was getting so close.

And what harm would it do? He had just fantasized about kissing her not two minutes ago. He could at least pretend to enjoy it. He may actually enjoy it, even if it held serious implications. It was a kiss of life, essentially, not a real moment for passion. What's the worse that would happen? If it didn't work, she would die. It wouldn't be any different if she died out in the woods from ravenous wolves or frostbite. Only he'd get one sweet moment of her to remember.

His eyes searched her entire face before returning to her gaze, and his hand traced along her cheek. This certainly wouldn't be a kiss of true love, or even love, but it'd be a kiss nonetheless. He decided he wouldn't have to fake anything, at least. Anna may be a pawn in his great plan, but it didn't mean he didn't care for her. She was a kind, compassionate, loving creature, full of boundless energy and hope, someone unlike any he's ever met before. A small part of him actually hoped the kiss would work. Ever since she appeared at the library, he had started banking on her being a part of his plan again, a part of his future. It was the only part that he could depend on. Like everything else though, it was slipping away as she shivered beside him and leaned into his touch. Her skin was growing paler. And those lovely pink lips were starting to turn into mixed shades of bluish purple.

Right. Kiss her.

Hans let his gloved fingers stroke her cheek once more before sliding down under her chin to guide her face closer to his own. He leaned forward, too. His mouth twitched into a slight smirk as her eyes closed and her lips began to pucker the closer she got to him. When she was near enough to him that he could feel her chilly breath on him, Hans closed the remaining gap and gently brushed her lips with his, closing his eyes to savor the fleeting moment. Her lips were frigid just like the rest of her skin, and he had to do everything in his power to resist yanking his head back from the icy sensation. After a few seconds, he was able to adjust and manage the cold.

Merely brushing lips wouldn't do. This was a kiss of supposed-true-love. He had to play it up. Hans raised his other hand to cup her cheek as he leaned into her further, pushing her head back against the cushioned arm of the chaise. When he heard her moan ever-so-softly through it, he found himself deepening it a little, just enough to give her a pleasant taste of himself without probing to far. He wouldn't dare try to part her lips and explore further. A kiss like that would have to wait until their wedding night.

Assuming they would even have one.

Hans broke off the kiss and leaned back, though he kept his hands on her face. He was starting to feel the chill through the fabric of his glove. She still looked exactly the same. Her hair was still white—no. It was whiter.

"A-Anna?"

She opened her eyes and looked herself over, taking one braid in her hands to see if it was back to its natural strawberry-blonde pigment.

"It… it d-didn't work?" She asked. "But…but why not?" Her eyes looked back up to his with sadness and confusion. "A-aren't you my t-true love?"

Her voice sounded so broken, and it wrenched at him. Hans almost couldn't bear to see her like this. She, so full of light and love suddenly believing everything was hopeless. He needed her to have hope. He needed it for himself.

"Of course, I am." He said softly even though the truth was screaming at him otherwise in his mind.

"T-then why didn't it work?"

Shit… he didn't have an answer prepared for this. How could he overlook such a jarring flaw?! Naturally the kiss wouldn't work, he knew as much. Surely, he should have expected to her demand why. Think fast.

"It… it must be your sister's magic." Hans suggested. "Are you sure it has to be an act of true love?"

"T-that's what the t-trolls said…"

Trolls? What trolls? Hans wanted her to clarify but decided against it. There would be time for full explanations later. She was running out of time. He was running out of ideas. "There has to be another way to save you…"

"But how?" Anna asked. Her trembling hands reached out to clutch at his tailcoat lapels once more.

Hans' eyes searched hers once more. "I… I'll think of something."

"H-Hans?"

Her voice sounded weak and she shivered violently. Now all of her hair was white.

"Yes, my love?" He never did like pet names and such, but he used one anyway. Maybe it would help reassure her of his so-called- honorable intentions.

"Am I g-going to die?"

The breath suddenly left him as he looked at her wide-eyed. Her fearful question suddenly made everything fall into place. Hans felt foolish for overthinking the most obvious solution. It was the same solution the Duke had come up with. Kill the Queen. End the winter.

Kill the Queen. End the Winter. Save the Princess. Claim the crown.

Now, he had his excuse—that final piece of the puzzle.

Another soft whimper from Anna broke his concentration and he suddenly remembered she had asked him that morbid question.

"No." He said firmly and took her trembling hands in his larger gloved ones. "Not if I have anything to do about it."

"But… the kiss—"

"The kiss doesn't matter. We can't let one off-moment dictate our lives, can we? We can't measure the weight of our feelings for each other by the advice of some mystic troll that I certainly have never met, and therefore has no right to judge me for what's real and what's not."

Anna only responded with a shivering shrug of her shoulders. "W-what are you g-going to do?"

"Whatever I have to do to stop this curse." He replied rather bluntly. Her eyes searched his full of uncertainty. Hans glanced down at their joined hands, and he brought hers to his lips, grazing kisses along her knuckles, pretending to try warming her. He knew the gesture would be ineffectual, but any little thing to keep the façade going….

When he moved to get up, she whined again. "w-wait! D-don't go!"

"Anna, I must."

"Don't leave me here alone…" Anna said quietly with pleading eyes. "I'm… I'm so cold… and I'm scared."

Hans flipped her hand over and traced his lips across her palm. "Don't be. Everything will soon be set right." Releasing her, he stood and yanked on the servants' chord. Within minutes, there was a knock and Gerda came inside.

"Yes, Your Highness?"

"Gerda. Take Anna back to her room. Give her a hot bath, hot meal, anything and everything you can to keep her warm."

"Yes, Sir." Gerda moved swiftly to the couch and helped the princess to her feet. As Anna was led from the room, she turned around to give Hans another uncertain stare.

Once the women were gone, Hans slumped back down onto the chaise and ran his fingers through his hair. A quiet, nervous laugh escaped him. That was close. Too close. She may have been growing suspicious.

But I can't worry about that. This plan is finally coming back together again, and I can't lose focus now. Onto the next step- I have to tell everyone else what's happened.

Hans cleared his throat and stood. The doors to the library were still open, and he sauntered out into the corridor. There was a small mirror hanging not far down the wall, so he went to it and examined his reflection. His clothes were a bit unkempt with Anna's fusing. And his hair was a mess. Hans raised his hand to at least tidy his bangs but paused. Maybe this will help seal the deal.

Once convinced he looked the part, he quickly moved to the conference room. There was still work to be done.

"Prince Hans!" Weselton's Duke exclaimed as the prince returned to their chamber. "What happened?"

Hans tried his best to look both poised and unhinged all at the same time. "It's Princess Anna—she's dying."

"What?" The Spaniard asked. "How?"

"The Queen turned on her—struck her with her magic."

"I knew it!" Weselton said angrily. "That woman is a monster and we are all in grave danger!"

"Where is she now? The Princess?" The Frenchman asked.

"The maids are trying to keep her warm, but I'm afraid it's ultimately useless. I held her in my arms and she only grew colder—freezing from the inside out. I fear before nightfall she will be dead." Hans said, sinking into a chair and bowing his head in grief. "I don't know what to do." He said in a lie. "I can no longer reason with Queen Elsa. And if I-… I-I mean, we lose Anna… what will become of Arendelle?"

"You must lead us." The Spaniard replied. "The princess has given charge to you."

Hans let out a long, audible sigh. "What of the people?"

"Reports from the guards say conditions are deteriorating on the far outskirts of Arendelle. And the ships in the Fjords are weakening as the ice continues to strengthen."

"This winter needs to end." Weselton said firmly. "It's getting colder by the minute, and we can't stand here talking in circles any longer. If we don't do something soon, we shall all freeze to death, just like the Princess."

"In that case, Arendelle looks to you." The Briton said.

Hans gripped the arm of the chair as he wasted a few minutes in silence. He needed them to believe he was considering his next move, and above all else, he couldn't break under the pressure and show his sleight of hand. "For turning on and attacking the Princess, for wreaking terror and destruction upon her people, for abandoning the kingdom without remorse…" he sighed, "it's with a heavy heart I charge Queen Elsa with treason—and sentence her to death." He looked up at the Duke, the one man who he was most certain to share similar mind. "With her gone, the magic will stop, and Princess Anna will be saved." Weselton nodded in agreement.

"Unless she's already gone." The Frenchman said quietly.

Silence.

"And if it doesn't work?" The Spaniard spoke up.

"Then we'll all die a lot faster." Weselton said grimly.

Hans cleared his throat and then rose from the chair. "I'll… I'll go rally the men. For Princess Anna's sake, we can't delay. The Queen needs to be stopped." After a slew of solemn nods from around the room, Hans swept from the chamber.

That was far easier than I expected it to be. Everything's back on track, but I have to stay focused. I mustn't trip at the finish line, not while I'm so damn close. Now, Queen Elsa, it's time this winter ended once and for all.

Once he was far enough away and alone, the corners of Hans' mouth turned upwards into a twisted grin, and his chilling laugh echoed throughout the empty corridor.