**Chapter 5: Restraints and Confinement**

The cold, grey stone walls of the palace seemed to close in around Hans as he lay on his bed, his wrists and ankles bound by thick leather straps. The restraints had been a necessity, a desperate measure to prevent him from harming himself or others. But as he gazed up at the ceiling, Hans couldn't shake the feeling of suffocation, of being trapped and helpless. The palace staff had been kind, but firm, when they sedated him and secured him to the bed. Lars, his brother, had been the one to give the order, and Hans had seen the sadness and worry etched on his face. But even Lars' concern couldn't alleviate the sense of despair that had settled over Hans. As he lay there, Hans' mind began to wander, drifting back to the events that had led him to this place. He thought of Anna, of Elsa, of the throne of Arendelle that he had so desperately sought. And he thought of his own failures, of the mistakes that had brought him to this point. The door to his room opened, and Lars entered, his expression somber. "Hans, I know this is hard for you," he said, his voice soft. "But it's necessary. You can't keep hurting yourself, or others. You need help." Hans didn't respond, didn't even look at Lars. He just lay there, his eyes fixed on the ceiling as the sound of his brother's footsteps faded away. Days passed, and Hans lost track of time. He was fed, bathed, and tended to by the palace staff, but he didn't really live. He existed, trapped in a prison of his own mind. And then, one day, Lars returned, a letter in his hand. Hans watched, curious, as Lars read from the page. "Anna has agreed to come," Lars said, his voice filled with hope. "She'll help take care of you, Hans. She'll help you get better." Hans didn't react, didn't even feel a spark of emotion. He just lay there, his eyes fixed on the ceiling as the news washed over him. But as the hours ticked by, Hans began to feel a sense of restlessness, a growing need to be free. He tugged against the restraints, testing their strength, but they held fast. And then, he heard the sound of footsteps outside his room. The door opened, and Anna entered, her face etched with concern. "Hans," she said, her voice soft. "I'm here. I'm going to help you." Hans looked up at her, his eyes searching for something, anything. But all he saw was kindness, and compassion. Anna approached his bed, her eyes taking in the restraints that bound him. She nodded, a small smile on her face. "We'll get you out of these soon," she said. "But first, we need to get you cleaned up. You must be uncomfortable, and your skin is raw from the restraints." With gentle hands, Anna began to prepare a sponge bath for Hans. She filled a basin with warm water, added some soothing oils, and then dipped a soft rag into the water. She wrung out the rag, and then gently began to clean Hans' skin, taking care to avoid his raw wrists. As she worked, Hans felt a sense of relaxation wash over him. It had been a long time since he'd felt human, and Anna's gentle touch was a balm to his battered soul. The sponge bath was a slow, gentle process, but Hans felt his tension ease, his muscles relaxing as Anna worked. And when she finally finished, he felt... different. Cleaner, somehow. More human. Anna helped Hans sit up, and then swung his legs over the side of the bed. She supported him, holding him steady as he looked around the room, taking in his surroundings. And then, with a gentle touch, Anna began to remove the restraints from Hans' wrists and ankles. She worked slowly, carefully, taking her time to avoid causing him any further distress. As the last restraint fell away, Hans felt a sense of freedom, of release. He stretched, flexing his wrists and ankles, and then looked up at Anna. "Thank you," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. Anna smiled, her eyes kind. "You're welcome, Hans," she said. "I'm here to help you. We'll get through this, together."