Chapter 8: A Royal Welcome

As Anna made her way to the throne room, she couldn't help but feel a sense of trepidation. She had heard stories about King Westergaard's brutal treatment of his subjects, and she wasn't sure what to expect. The cold stone corridors seemed to stretch on forever, the only sound the soft creaking of the wooden floorboards beneath her feet. She took a deep breath and steeled herself for what was to come. When she arrived at the throne room, King Westergaard was seated on his throne, his expression cold and unforgiving. The room was dimly lit, with only a few candles casting a warm glow over the proceedings. The king's throne was a massive, ornate structure, with intricate carvings of leaves and vines etched into the wood. Anna's eyes were drawn to the throne, and she felt a shiver run down her spine as she approached. "Ah, Princess Anna," he said, his voice dripping with disdain. "I've heard a great deal about you. You're quite the legendary figure in Arendelle." Anna curtsied, trying to keep her cool. "Your Majesty," she said. "It's an honor to meet you." The king snorted. "I'm sure it's not an honor at all. You're here to help your brother, Hans, I presume?" Anna nodded, her eyes locked on the king's. "Yes, Your Majesty. I'm here to help him." The king leaned forward, his eyes glinting with amusement. "I doubt you can do much to help him. He's a lost cause. A disappointment to our family and to himself." Anna felt a surge of anger at the king's words, but she kept her cool. She knew that she had to tread carefully if she was going to help Hans. "I'm willing to try, Your Majesty," she said. "I want to help him recover." The king shrugged. "Very well. You may try. But I warn you, Anna, Hans is beyond help. He's been like this for a long time, and I doubt you can change that." Anna nodded, her mind racing with thoughts of how she could help Hans. She left the throne room, feeling a sense of determination. She was going to help Hans, no matter what it took. As she walked back to her room, she ran into Elsa, the Queen of Arendelle, who had come to visit. Elsa was a tall, statuesque woman with long, flowing hair the color of snow. Her eyes were a piercing blue, and they seemed to gleam with a warm, inner light. "Anna, I'm so glad I ran into you," Elsa said, smiling. "I've been wanting to talk to you about Hans." Anna smiled back, feeling a sense of gratitude towards Elsa. "I've just come from seeing King Westergaard," she said. "He's not very optimistic about Hans' chances." Elsa's expression turned serious. "I know. I've seen the way he treats his sons. It's... brutal. But I have faith in you, Anna. I know you can help Hans." Anna felt a surge of gratitude towards Elsa. "Thank you, Elsa," she said. "That means a lot to me." Elsa handed Anna a letter. "I've written a letter of introduction to the palace staff," she said. "It will help them know that you're here to help Hans, and that you have my blessing." Anna took the letter, feeling a sense of relief. She knew that she was going to need all the help she could get to help Hans. As she walked back to her room, Anna felt a sense of hope that she hadn't felt in a long time. She was determined to help Hans, and she knew that she had the support of Elsa and others. When she arrived at her room, she found Kristoff waiting for her. "Hey, Anna," he said, smiling. "How's it going?" Anna sighed, feeling a sense of frustration. "It's tough, Kristoff. King Westergaard is... not very pleasant. But I'm determined to help Hans, no matter what it takes." Kristoff nodded, his expression sympathetic. "I'll do everything I can to help, Anna," he said. "You know that." Anna smiled, feeling a sense of gratitude towards Kristoff. She knew that she had a long road ahead of her, but with Kristoff's support, she felt more confident than ever that she could help Hans recover. That evening, Anna decided to visit Hans, to see how he was doing. When she arrived at his room, she found him lying on his bed, his eyes sunken and his skin pale. "Hans?" she said softly, trying to gauge his reaction. Hans' eyes flickered, and he looked up at her. For a moment, Anna saw a glimmer of recognition, but it was quickly extinguished. He stared at her, his expression vacant. Anna felt a pang of sadness and regret. She had thought she was over Hans, but seeing him like this brought back a flood of memories. She reached out and took his hand, trying to comfort him. "I'm here, Hans," she said. "I'm going to help you." As she looked at him, Anna knew that she had made the right decision in coming to the Southern Isles. She was going to help Hans, no matter what it took.