Httyd: The Untamed (Remastered)

A week later

After an hour, I spotted the silhouette of a small kingdom in the distance. As we drew closer, I sensed something amiss. The powerful ice magic that had permeated the air was slowly dimming, like a flower on its deathbed. I quickened my pace, Viggo right beside me. I raised a hand, and one of my soldiers stepped forward.

The soldier took out a horn and blew it.

Vooooom

Ten minutes later, a man on horseback emerged from the kingdom gates. He was dressed in noble's clothing, well-kept and clean, but his aura left a sour taste in my mouth. As he approached, he spoke.

"Hello, I am Prince Hans. May I know who you are?" he asked, though I could sense the fear beneath his polite facade.

Viggo stepped forward and introduced us. "I am Viggo Grimborn, general of the great warlord, Erik Horrendous Haddock." He paused for dramatic effect before continuing, "And today, we come for one thing and one thing only… for your immediate surrender."

Hans physically shuddered. He could see the rising tension in my army, the dragons circling overhead, and the raw energy emanating from my soldiers. He gulped and nodded.

"Please, let me report back," he requested.

I nodded, granting his request. After ten minutes, the gates swung open. My army and I entered. I could feel the fear radiating from the citizens in the streets, their faces paling as more soldiers and dragons poured in. Even Hans, who remained close behind me, could barely stand.

"Sir Erik, is there something wrong?" Hans asked, his voice strained.

I ignored him, continuing to walk, following the trail of the fading magic. Eventually, I reached the castle and entered. "Where is the queen?" I demanded.

He gulped. "T-The Queen is not in the kingdom. She ran away just last night."

I paused. That must be why her magic was fading. After a short walk, I stopped, looking down at a small glacier the size of a human. Water pooled around it; the glacier was melting. This must have been the source of the powerful magic I'd felt.

"Tell me, why did the queen run away?" I asked.

He fidgeted before answering, "The queen was a witch and used ice witchery to attack us. The guards tried to capture her, but she ran away in time."

"A witch, huh? Her magic is quite strong. If she wanted, she could definitely freeze this whole kingdom," I muttered, more to myself than to him.

Hans heard me and shivered at the implication. I ignored him, but a nagging feeling persisted—I felt like I was forgetting something crucial. I remembered watching Frozen but only fragments, as I was often preoccupied with the children. If I recalled correctly, Hans was the princess's love interest, but something about him felt off.

I pushed the thought to the back of my head as I sensed my assassins approaching. I walked back out of the castle and onto the kingdom streets, eventually reaching the main gates.

"Open the gates," I commanded the trembling guards, and they promptly obeyed.

Soon, thousands of my men and dragons poured into the kingdom. The citizens looked horrified, growing paler with each soldier and beast that entered. Even Hans, still directly behind me, swayed precariously. Nala and Alvin came forward and bowed.

"My lord," they spoke in unison.

I nodded. "Did you rest well?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

Their mouths twitched. "Yes, my lord," they answered, clearly lying.

I smiled. "Good, then finish the rest." I commanded.

They nodded and moved off, the army following behind them. Hans, still trembling in fear, remained rooted to the spot. Just then, one of my assassins appeared and knelt before me, startling Hans.

"Report," I commanded.

"Ten are trailing the queen, my lord. The rest have done extensive digging and found multiple corrupt officials and nobles. As for this person next to you, little is known. He arrived on a ship a few days ago and managed to make the princess fall for him," the assassin replied.

"I see. Report your findings to Nala and have the corruption disappear by the time I return," I commanded.

The next moment, the assassin vanished into the shadows. I turned my eyes to Hans, a cold assessment in my gaze, before walking out of the kingdom gates.

When I reached a sufficient distance, I transformed into my dragon form. My skin began to shift, bones cracking and reforming. My mouth elongated, teeth growing sharper and bigger. Wings sprouted from my back, and scales erupted across my body. I roared in finalization, a deep, resonant sound that echoed across the frozen landscape.

Below me, the city guards and several civilians who had gathered near the gates watched, their faces draining of color. Their eyes, wide with sheer horror, reflected my monstrous, scaled form against the pale sky. The distant cries of alarm followed me as I flipped my massive wings and ascended. I flew toward the direction I'd felt the magic fading, coming across a huge, desolate pond frozen over. I soared above it, my senses guiding me to Queen Elsa.

One hour later, I saw a castle made of pure ice magic. My eyes widened in wonder—such great control and power. The mana I could feel within the castle was immense, but not nearly as much as mine.

I untransformed and dropped right above it.

Crash!

I fell through the ceiling and landed, causing a huge crater. I slowly stood and looked around. Even the indoors were made of pure ice magic. I then sensed a presence getting closer to the place I had landed. I waited for the person to appear. I knew who it was: the Queen of Arendelle. As the doors opened and she entered, I never took my eyes off of her.

My eyes widened. She was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. Blond hair, almost white, pulled into a ponytail lying on her shoulder. A beautiful dress made of pure ice magic. Her skin looked silky smooth.

"Who are you?" she asked, looking around as she took in the gaping hole in the roof of her newly made castle.

I paused at her question before answering, "I am Erik… And you must be Elsa."

She nodded, wary.

I'd seen only a few parts of the movie, and I wondered if she knew how to fight. If she could, perhaps I could finally have a good fight.

"Can you fight?" I asked.

She paused, puzzled by my question. "No, I cannot fight," she answered.

"...I see," I replied, a hint of disappointment in my voice.

"What are you doing in my castle?" she asked.

I started walking towards her. "It's pretty simple. I have taken over the kingdom of Arendelle. But the kingdom itself is not very valuable. What I'm looking for is you." I paused, letting my words sink in.

Her mouth twitched slightly.

"You have an immense amount of magic. With enough training, you can become my greatest general. You already have all the qualities of a leader. Now all you need is strength. Join me, and let's conquer this world together." I said.

Her eyes widened as she heard my declaration, before she settled back into her usual calmness.

"I refuse. I do not like violence. Please leave and let me be," she requested, her voice firm.

"Let's put it this way. I am Erik Horrendous Haddock. I am a conqueror and refuse to let variables remain in my territories. You are a variable. Someone with your magic is a danger to my people," I stated, my voice unwavering.

"I will not leave this castle. You will not have to worry about me," she answered, a flicker of defiance in her eyes.

"Ah, you must not understand what you did," I said, observing her reaction.

"W-what did I do?" she asked, a tremor in her voice.

"You consciously or unconsciously have cursed Arendelle to an endless, cold winter. Eventually, the people will freeze to death, and this is all you're doing," I replied, my gaze fixed on hers.

"I-impossible! I would never do such a thing," she stammered, her composure cracking.

"Your words mean nothing when I see the reality with my own eyes," I stated, my tone unyielding.

"I-impossible," she muttered again, taking a step back, her eyes wide with dawning realization.

"Make your choice. I don't have time for nonsense," I commanded, my patience wearing thin.

"I-I can't. Please leave," she said weakly, tears beginning to well in her eyes.

"I have no time for this. I have things to do. Either make your decision, or you will have to die," I stated, my voice cold and final.

"Leave!" she screamed, her voice echoing through the ice halls.

As she screamed, a torrent of sharp ice materialized and rushed towards me. I released some of my fire dragon slaying magic, causing all of the ice to turn to steam before it could even touch me.

After a few moments, the onslaught of ice stopped as the steam slowly dissipated. I stared at her, her eyes widened in profound shock.

"H-how?" she asked, her voice a mere whisper.

With my speed, I disappeared and then reappeared right in front of her. Her head tilted up as she took a step back. I then grabbed her wrist and lifted her. She struggled and again used her magic against me. Sharp ice spears formed and were sent towards me. This time, I did not stop. When they touched my skin, they shattered. Her eyes widened in shock.

"T-this… how?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

What should I do? With her magic, she would be a great asset. But she was quite determined not to join me. As I pondered, she spoke again.

"I-I will join you," she muttered, the words barely audible.

I paused, then released her. Before I could say anything, I sensed four distinct presences approaching. Elsa looked confused as to why I wasn't speaking. I lifted a hand, signaling for her to wait.

A few moments later, a group came into view. If my fragmented memories served me, that was Princess Anna. There was also a talking snowman, a reindeer, and a man right beside her, likely a bodyguard.

"Anna?" Elsa spoke, her voice laced with surprise.

"Elsa," Anna replied, her own voice filled with relief.

"What are you doing here, Anna?" Elsa asked.

"I came looking for you. The kingdom needs you, please come back," Anna requested, stepping forward.

Elsa remained quiet, then turned her head to me. I blinked and pointed my finger at myself, confirming her silent query. She nodded. I then cleared my throat and spoke.

"I am the new king and ruler of Arendelle, and I command you to return with me, Queen Elsa," I stated, my voice echoing through the ice hall.

The room fell silent, everyone's eyes wide with disbelief.

"Y-you… married?" Anna muttered, pointing at Elsa in shock and disbelief.

Elsa immediately denied it. "No, I never married. He took over Arendelle, didn't you know?"

Anna's eyes widened even further as she practically shouted, "What?! How?! I was just in Arendelle! How could someone conquer it within a day?!"

"Silence," I commanded, my voice cutting through her outburst. The room fell into an eerie quiet as I continued, "I conquered it just a few hours ago, and now I'm in the middle of fixing some problems."

"What problems?" Anna asked, her voice tight with a mixture of confusion and burgeoning fear.

I pointed at Elsa, then spoke, my voice cutting through the tense silence. "Including her, there are also some corrupt nobles that need to be executed. As well as an unknown prince and other things."

"E-execution?" Anna quivered, her eyes widening.

"Yes. Have you ever seen someone die? Why that reaction?" I asked, observing her closely.

"I-I no," she muttered, her gaze dropping.

Before anyone else could speak, one of my assassins materialized before me, dropping silently to one knee.

"Speak," I commanded.

"All the corrupt nobles have been rounded up, my lord, and we've found numerous illegal and disgusting acts committed by them," she reported, her voice devoid of emotion.

I nodded. The assassin, a dark blue, disappeared back into the shadows as swiftly as she had arrived.

The silence that followed the assassin's report was heavier than before, laced with the chilling implications of my words. Anna's face had gone pale, her previous defiance replaced by a visible tremor. The man with her, who I now knew was not merely a bodyguard but seemed intimately connected to her, shifted uneasily, his hand still on his ice pick, but his stance less aggressive. Even the snowman seemed to shrink slightly, sensing the grim atmosphere.

"Illegal and disgusting acts," I reiterated, my gaze sweeping over Anna and her companion. "These are not mere 'problems,' Princess. These are deep-seated infections that threaten the very core of Arendelle. Your kingdom was being eaten from the inside out, while its royal family, consumed by their own internal struggles, remained blissfully unaware."

I took a step closer to Anna. "The prince you so readily welcomed into your inner circle, the man you almost married, was orchestrating a coup. He arrived with an agenda, not affection. His intent was to exploit your kingdom's vulnerability, to seize power for himself while you and your sister were distracted by this… self-imposed winter."

Anna gasped, looking from me to her companion, then back to me, her mind clearly struggling to process the accusations. "The prince? No, that's... that's impossible! He was helping us!"

"He was helping himself," I corrected, my voice cold. "My assassins have uncovered evidence of his conniving, his manipulation of the local guard, and his plans to discredit and remove both of you from power. He's a snake in your garden, Princess, and he's not the only one."

I glanced at Elsa, whose eyes were fixed on me, a new kind of understanding dawning in their depths. Her fear was still present, but now mixed with a chilling realization of what she had truly unleashed and what she had overlooked. The magnitude of the corruption, and her own unwitting role in allowing it to fester, was clearly settling upon her.

"My actions, while seemingly harsh to your unaccustomed sensibilities, are a swift and necessary surgery," I continued, my gaze returning to Anna. "I remove the rot, stabilize the patient, and then rebuild stronger. Arendelle will emerge from this better, under proper leadership. And for that to happen, all threats, internal and external, must be neutralized."

I gave them a moment to absorb this. The stark reality of my invasion, previously framed as a simple conquest, was now revealed as a brutal, yet perhaps necessary, purge.

"You and your companions will return to the city," I commanded, my voice brooking no argument. "Inform the populace of the new order. Your sister, Queen Elsa, will return with me. She has a crucial role to play in the healing of this land and in my empire." I looked pointedly at Anna, then at her companion. "Do not attempt to interfere. Your cooperation will ensure a smoother transition for Arendelle. Any resistance will only prolong the inevitable and incur further... unpleasantness."

Note: sorry for the wait. life just hits real hard right now.