Chapter 3: The Royal Family

The Southern Isles, a land ravaged by poverty and despair, was ruled by a family as cruel as it was corrupt. King Westergaard, a harsh and brutal king, sat on the throne, his iron-fisted grip on the people suffocating. His 12 sons, each one more ruthless than the last, were equally guilty of perpetuating their father's cruelty. The only exception was Lars, the third in line to the throne, who was rumored to have a compassionate side. As Hans, the prince who had returned from his failed attempt to take over Arendelle, stood before his family, he was met with disdain. His father, King Westergaard, looked at him with contempt, his eyes cold and unforgiving. Hans's brothers sneered at him, their faces twisted with cruelty and mockery. "You have brought shame to our family," King Westergaard spat, his voice like a crack of thunder. "Your failure in Arendelle is a reflection of your weakness, your incompetence." Hans's brothers chimed in, their voices a chorus of ridicule and scorn. "You're a laughing stock," one of them jeered. "A prince who can't even take over a small kingdom like Arendelle." Lars, however, stood silent, his eyes filled with a mixture of sadness and concern. He had always been the most empathetic of the brothers, and Hans could sense that he was trying to understand what had gone wrong. Caleb, the crown prince, who was as arrogant as he was brutal, sneered at Hans. "You're a disappointment," he sneered. "You don't deserve to be a member of this family." As the verbal abuse continued, Hans felt his mental state begin to deteriorate. He had always been confident, always been sure of himself, but now he was beginning to doubt his own abilities. The constant barrage of criticism and ridicule was taking its toll, and Hans could feel himself becoming withdrawn and isolated. The palace, a foreboding structure that seemed to loom over the city like a monolith, was a place of darkness and despair. The walls seemed to close in on Hans, suffocating him with their oppressive weight. He felt trapped, with no escape from the cruelty and contempt that surrounded him. As the days passed, Hans's condition worsened. He became withdrawn and isolated, unable to cope with the constant ridicule and scorn. His family did nothing to help him, instead choosing to exacerbate his misery. It was then that Lars decided to take action. He knew that Hans needed help, and he was the only one who could provide it. Lars decided to send for Anna, the queen of Arendelle, who had been hurt by Hans's betrayal but might be willing to help him. Lars hoped that Anna's presence would help to calm Hans down, to bring him back from the brink of madness. He knew it wouldn't be easy, but he was willing to try anything to help his brother. As the messenger set off to find Anna, Lars couldn't help but feel a sense of trepidation. What would Anna say when she arrived? Would she be willing to help Hans, or would she turn her back on him? Only time would tell, but for now, Lars could only wait and hope that Anna would be able to help his brother. He knew that Hans's road to recovery would be long and difficult, but with Anna's help, he might just have a chance to redeem himself.