**Chapter 11: Signs of Abuse**

The grand halls of Arendelle's castle seemed to whisper secrets to Iduna as she sat on her throne, her brown hair adorned with a coronet braid that shimmered in the soft light. It had been a few days since she had returned from the Southern Isles, and she was still reeling from the events that had transpired. Her daughters, Elsa and Anna, sat beside her, their faces etched with concern. The door to the throne room burst open, and Hans, the young prince from the Southern Isles, stumbled in. His auburn hair was disheveled, and his eyes were red-rimmed. Iduna's heart skipped a beat as she took in his disheveled appearance. "Hans!" Iduna exclaimed, rising from her throne. "We were worried sick about you. What happened?" Hans's eyes dropped to the floor, and he hesitated before speaking. "I...I was kept behind by my father," he muttered. Iduna's instincts told her that something was wrong. She beckoned Hans closer, her coronet braid bouncing behind her. As he approached, she noticed signs of abuse on his body - bruises on his cheeks, a cut above his eyebrow, and a faint scar on his neck. "Hans, what happened to you?" Iduna asked, her voice firm but gentle. Hans's eyes welled up with tears as he looked up at Iduna. "My father, King Westergaard, he's...he's been mistreating me and my brothers, Rudi, Runo, and Caleb," he revealed, his voice cracking. Iduna's face hardened with anger. She felt a pang of regret for leaving Hans behind, and she knew that she had to make it right. "Tell me everything," she urged, her voice soft but insistent. As Hans recounted his story, Iduna listened with a heavy heart. She learned about King Westergaard's brutal rule, his favoritism towards Caleb, the crown prince, and the cruel treatment of his other sons. She heard about the endless beatings, the verbal abuse, and the isolation. Elsa and Anna listened with wide eyes, their faces set in determination. They had always known that King Westergaard was a harsh ruler, but they had no idea about the extent of his cruelty. Iduna's coronet braid seemed to tighten, a symbol of her resolve to help Hans and his brothers. She vowed to do everything in her power to protect them, to help them escape King Westergaard's tyranny. As Hans finished his story, Iduna rose from her throne, her eyes blazing with determination. "We will help you, Hans," she promised. "We will do everything we can to help you and your brothers." Hans's face lit up with hope, and he smiled weakly. Iduna smiled back, her heart heavy with compassion. She knew that the road ahead would be difficult, but she was ready to face it head-on. Together, they would bring down King Westergaard's regime, and they would bring hope to those who had been oppressed for so long. The tides of change were coming, and Iduna was ready to face them head-on.