**Chapter 5: A Family in Turmoil**

In the dimly lit throne room of the Morissey palace, King Morissey sat on his throne, his eyes fixed on his wife, Queen Vivian. The queen's gaze was subdued, her eyes cast downward in a gesture of submission. The air was thick with the scent of old parchment and burning candles. "Hans's mother, I need you to attend a political event with me tonight," King Morissey said, his voice low and commanding. "The Duke of Weselton will be in attendance, and I must ensure that our alliance remains strong." Queen Vivian nodded, her voice barely above a whisper. "Of course, my lord. I'll make sure to be ready." As she left the throne room, Crown Prince Caleb entered, his eyes gleaming with a mixture of arrogance and disdain. He was a tall and lean man, with a sharp jawline and piercing blue eyes. "Caleb, I need you to take care of something for me," King Morissey said, his voice dripping with malice. "Hans has been acting out of line lately. I want you to teach him a lesson." Caleb smiled, his eyes glinting with excitement. "Consider it done, Father." Caleb called for his brothers, Rudi and Runo, to carry out the task. The three brothers made their way to Hans's chambers, their footsteps echoing through the hallway. When they arrived, Hans was sitting on his bed, his eyes fixed on a book. Rudi and Runo pounced on him, their fists flying as they beat him mercilessly. Hans tried to defend himself, but he was no match for his brothers' brute strength. Crown Prince Caleb watched the beating with a mixture of amusement and disdain. He was the eldest son, and he took his role as a future king seriously. He had always been at odds with Hans, who seemed to be the only one in the family who didn't share his father's ruthless ambition. As the beating continued, Hans's mother, Queen Vivian, appeared in the doorway, her eyes filled with concern. "Stop it, Caleb! That's enough!" But Caleb just smiled, his eyes glinting with cruelty. "You should have thought of that before you asked me to take care of Hans, Mother." The beating finally stopped, leaving Hans battered and bruised. Rudi and Runo stood over him, their chests heaving with exertion. As the brothers left, Queen Vivian rushed to Hans's side, her eyes filling with tears. "Oh, Hans, I'm so sorry. I'll get you some medicine, and we'll get you patched up." Hans winced in pain as his mother helped him onto the bed. He knew that he had to find a way to protect himself from his family's cruelty. In a distant part of the kingdom, Iduna was recovering in the palace of King Westergard. She had brown hair, which she wore in the same style she had in the flashbacks of her life with Agnarr. Her thoughts drifted to her daughters, Elsa and Anna, and she wondered how they were faring without her. As she lay on her bed, Iduna felt a sense of determination rising within her. She knew that she had to find a way to return to her daughters, but for now, she was trapped in this strange and foreign land. The warm sunlight streaming through the palace windows highlighted the kind faces of King Westergard and Queen Lora as they stood beside Iduna's bed. Iduna felt a sense of gratitude towards these strangers, who had taken her in and were nursing her back to health. As she drifted off to sleep, Iduna felt a sense of unease. She knew that she had a long and difficult road ahead of her, but she was determined to survive and thrive, no matter what challenges lay ahead. The next day, Queen Vivian visited Hans, her eyes filled with concern. "Hans, I need to get you cleaned up. You can't stay like this." Hans nodded, wincing in pain as his mother helped him onto the bed. Iduna's thoughts drifted to Hans, and she wondered how he was faring. As she sat on the bed beside Hans, Queen Vivian called for a servant to bring a basin of warm water and a rag. Iduna watched as the servant carefully washed Hans's face and body, using a soft rag to clean his skin. The warm water and gentle cleaning seemed to relax Hans, and he closed his eyes, a look of relief on his face. Queen Vivian smiled, her eyes filled with love and concern. As the servant finished the sponge bath, Iduna felt a sense of satisfaction. She knew that she had to find a way to help Hans, and she was determined to do just that. The servant handed Queen Vivian a towel, and she gently patted Hans's skin dry. "There, Hans, you're all clean," she said, smiling. Hans opened his eyes, a look of gratitude on his face. "Thank you, Mother," he said, his voice weak. Queen Vivian smiled, her eyes filled with love. "Anytime, Hans," she said. "I'll always be here for you."