**Chapter 5: The Dark Legacy of Hans**

The sun was setting over the southern isles, casting a warm orange glow over the kingdom. But despite the peaceful appearance, Iduna sensed a darkness lurking beneath the surface. King Westergaard, noticing her curiosity, leaned in to whisper, "There's much you don't know about this kingdom, Iduna. Much that I've kept hidden, for the sake of diplomacy and politics." Iduna's eyes narrowed, intrigued. "What do you mean?" The king's expression turned somber. "Hans, one of my subjects, comes from a family with a... complicated history. His father, King, rules with an iron fist, crushing any opposition and taxing his people to the brink of poverty. His sons, including Hans, have grown up with a sense of entitlement, but also a deep-seated cruelty." Iduna's thoughts turned to the stories she had heard about the southern isles. Whispers of a ruthless king and his equally brutal sons. She had dismissed them as rumors, but now, she wasn't so sure. As if summoned by the king's words, a figure emerged from the shadows. Hans, tall and lean, with piercing blue eyes, approached the pair. Iduna noticed the tension in his shoulders, the way his eyes darted between the king and her. "Your Majesty," Hans said, bowing low. "I see you're recovering well." Iduna smiled graciously, but her eyes lingered on Hans's face. She sensed a deep pain there, a pain that seemed to echo through his very being. King Westergaard cleared his throat. "Hans, tell Iduna about your family's... business ventures." Hans's expression turned guarded, but he began to speak, his voice low and measured. "My family has... interests in the southern isles. We collect taxes, manage trade, and maintain order. But some of my brothers... they take it too far. They exploit the people, using our family's influence to line their own pockets." Iduna's eyes widened, shocked by Hans's words. She had suspected that something was amiss, but she had no idea it was this bad. The king nodded, his face stern. "Yes, Iduna, Hans's family has a dark legacy. One that I'm afraid will take a lot of effort to change." As Iduna listened, she felt a sense of unease growing within her. She had thought that she had left the politics of Arendelle behind, but now, it seemed that she was being drawn into the intrigue of the southern isles. And Hans, with his complicated past and conflicted loyalties, seemed to be at the center of it all. Little did she know, Hans's story was about to take a dramatic turn, one that would test his resolve, his compassion, and his very soul. And Iduna, with her own experiences and her daughters by her side, would be there to guide him through the darkness and into the light.