“It’s warmer than I thought,” Anna finally said. And I don’t just mean the room, she added silently. Forcing her arms to stay at her sides even though she wanted to throw them around Elsa, Anna noticed that Elsa’s nose was twitching in a rather unqueenly way.
“What is that amazing smell?” Elsa asked.
The two girls closed their eyes and inhaled.
“Chocolate!” they said in unison.
Anna’s eyes popped open and she met her sister’s gaze. Then they both began to laugh. Chocolate was one thing they most definitely had in common. Before Elsa had gone all silent on her, Anna remembered them sneaking into the kitchen while Cook was baking and dipping their fingers in bowls of warm melted chocolate. Their favorite thing to do had been to dip their fingers first in chocolate and then in powdered sugar. That made for the sweetest treat. Ultimately, Cook would always catch them and scold them, but it had never mattered to Anna and Elsa. To this day, the smell of chocolate always reminded Anna of those stolen moments.
As their laughter faded, Anna found herself wanting to say so much. But how could she begin to talk about all the things she had wondered about for so long? There was no way this was the time or the place to find out if Elsa had missed Anna as much as Anna had missed her.
Anna sighed happily. Her sister was back. She was back and wonderful and funny and there was no way Anna was going to lose her again. She would do whatever it took to keep her warm, loving, happy sister right there by her side…forever.
HANS WATCHED AS the two sisters giggled, their heads bent together—one blond, one copper, both beautiful in their own ways. It must be nice to have such a bond, to share each other’s ups and downs. He couldn’t remember the last time he had laughed with one of his brothers. Lars was far too serious to share a joke with. And the others were more likely to be laughing at him.
Hans had been waiting for the right moment to introduce himself to the new queen. He hadn’t wanted to seem overeager, nor had he wanted to seem uninterested. The introduction was going to be important if he was going to follow through on his new plan. He was growing more and more confident that marrying Princess Anna was the right way to go. From what he had seen of the new queen at the coronation, it seemed she was as removed and distant as he had heard—at least with everyone but Anna. Let everyone else waste their time trying to woo the queen. He had found a better way to get to her and get what he wanted.
Looking back at the sisters, he saw the Duke of Weselton approaching them. Hans stepped closer, interested to see what would happen next. The little man looked like a weasel, and as he walked across the dance floor, he lifted his nose in the air, giving the appearance that he was sniffing for something.
The Duke stopped in front of Elsa and Anna, did an odd little hitch and kick with his skinny legs, and then bowed, offering his hand for a dance. As he did so, the toupee Hans hadn’t realized the man was wearing flipped forward. Hans stifled a laugh. He noticed that Elsa and Anna were struggling not to laugh, as well.
“Thank you,” Hans heard Elsa say as she tried to regain her composure. “Only, I don’t dance.”
The Duke straightened up, clearly offended by the queen’s statement. “Oh?” he said, raising an eyebrow, the toupee shifting around again.
“But my sister does,” Elsa added, giving Anna a teasing glance.
Anna’s eyes grew wide. Hans could practically hear her trying to mentally tell her sister that she did not want to dance with the Duke. “What?” she finally squeaked. “I don’t think…”
But before she could finish protesting, the Duke had grabbed Anna’s arm and begun pulling her toward the dance floor. “If you swoon, let me know,” he told her. “I’ll catch you.”
Looking over her shoulder, Anna shot her sister a desperate “help me” look, but Elsa just giggled and shrugged her shoulders. “Sorry,” she mouthed.
As the Duke began to lead Anna in a dance, Hans saw that she was actually a lovely dancer. A little unsteady, but the Duke was not helping that situation. His dancing looked like a cross between a peacock’s strutting and a kangaroo’s hopping. It was all leaps and head bobs and feet. Feet that kept landing on Anna’s toes. Hans winced as he saw the Duke land particularly hard on her shoes after one awkward twirl.
“Ow, ow, ow,” Hans heard Anna say. He wondered if he should try to cut in, saving Anna once again.
But Hans could tell the Duke wasn’t going to let go of Anna that easily. The little man was using the dance as an opportunity to drill Anna for information about her kingdom.
“So great to have the gates open,” the Duke said. “Why did they shut them in the first place? Do you know the reason?” He rose on his tiptoes, trying to get into Anna’s face.
Anna shook her head. “No.”
The Duke stared up at her, his own face filled with suspicion. Then he shrugged, and as Hans watched in growing horror at the man’s awful tactics and even more terrible dance moves, the Duke dipped Anna. Hans saw Anna shoot her sister a look of sheer desperation from her upside-down position.
He couldn’t let this go on any longer. But just as he was about to ask Anna to dance, the music stopped and the Duke released his grip on Anna’s waist.
It was time for Hans to make his move. Anna had returned to her sister’s side, and he could see the two were chatting and giggling. From the way Anna was rubbing her toes, he was fairly positive it was about the Duke and his two left feet. Suddenly, though, Anna’s face dropped and Elsa’s body stiffened. A moment later, as the music started up again, Anna turned from her sister and began to make her way across the crowded dance floor.
Hans didn’t even bother looking back at Elsa. He just took off after Anna. He watched as she tried in vain to avoid the flying arms and moving feet of the dancers. It was nearly impossible on the tightly packed floor. And then, just when it looked like Anna might get out of the ballroom unscathed, a man bowed deeply, his backside bumping into her hard. The motion knocked Anna off her feet and she began to fall. In one smooth motion, Hans stepped across the floor and scooped her into his arms. Looking down at the princess, he smiled. “Glad I caught you.”
Bringing Anna back to her feet, Hans bowed. Then he held out his hand, just as the Duke had done. But whereas the Duke had two left feet, Hans was all grace. As they glided across the room, he felt Anna relax in his arms.
“Where were you a few minutes ago?” Anna said after a few moments of silence. “I think my toes are permanently crushed from the Duke’s so-called dance moves.” She looked up at him.
“What? You didn’t enjoy that?” Hans replied, his tone teasing. “I figured that was the highlight of your night.”
Anna giggled. “Are you kidding me? I have enough trouble dancing as it is. I don’t need help looking less graceful.” She paused, as if weighing her next words. Then, in a rush, she said, “You make me look graceful.”
Her honesty surprised Hans, and he found himself saying the next words before he could stop himself. “You make me look happy.” Instantly, he wished he could take it back.
Anna looked up at him, her eyes questioning. Before she could ask what was on his mind, Hans stopped dancing. He nodded at the balcony doors just a few feet away. “You want to get some fresh air?” he suggested.
Anna nodded. “Fresh air would be nice,” she said bashfully.
Anna and Hans were both silent as they looked out over the castle gardens. Hans wasn’t sure what to do now. Until his little slipup on the dance floor, he had been in control of the situation. But now he wasn’t sure. He knew he needed to keep the evening fun and light and, of course, romantic. He just didn’t know how to do that exactly.
“You really are a lovely dancer,” Anna said, breaking the silence. “Have you been to many balls?”
Hans shrugged. “I’ve been to my fair share, I suppose. Isn’t that what princesses and princes do?” Catching the eye of a waiter passing by, Hans grabbed two glasses filled with sparkling cider. Then he snagged a small crea
m puff. “And eat, of course. We royals must eat.” He held out the cream puff.
Taking the delicate dessert in her hand, Anna looked at it. “I suppose you’re right. That is what we’re supposed to do. I just haven’t had much opportunity.”
Hans smiled. “Well, maybe tonight should be all about new opportunities,” he said softly. “And speaking of new opportunities, I’ve heard the Arendelle gardens are truly spectacular. Would you be so kind as to give me a tour?”
Together, they made their way down into the gardens. Overhead, the moon hung heavy in the sky, its rays bathing everything in a crystal-bluish light. Hans half listened as Anna babbled on about the various flowers and plants they passed. He couldn’t help noticing the way the moonlight made her hair glimmer. “What’s this?” he asked, noticing a streak of white hair that had been tucked away. In the moonlight, it was bright white and hard to miss.
Self-consciously, Anna raised a hand to her head and gently touched the white strands. “I was born with it,” she explained. “Although I dreamed I was kissed by a troll.”
“I like it,” Hans said, pleased to see Anna blush at the comment.
The couple toured the garden, laughing and chatting, the comfort between them growing with each passing moment. By the time they made it back to the balcony outside the ballroom, Hans was barely pretending to be having fun and Anna was no longer acting shy or reserved. In fact, she was the complete opposite. She had snagged a krumkake from the dessert table and was showing Hans how they ate the dessert in Arendelle.
“Yeah, the whole thing!” she cheered as Hans tried to press the rather large piece of cake into his face. It crumbled everywhere, causing Anna to laugh hysterically.
“You know, you’d fit right in on the Southern Isles,” Hans said, wiping his face. “Everything is a competition back home.”
Anna, who had been readying another krumkake, paused and looked up. “Okay, wait, wait,” she said, clearly eager to learn more about Hans. “So you have how many brothers?”
“Twelve older brothers,” Hans replied. “Three of them pretended I was invisible….” Anna laughed. But then Hans went on. “Literally. For two years.”
Anna’s face fell. “That’s horrible,” she said.
“It’s what brothers do,” Hans said, shrugging.
“And sisters,” Anna added, her face pained.
Hans was surprised at the look on Anna’s face. She and Elsa had seemed so happy together.
“Elsa and I were really close when we were little,” Anna explained. “But then, one day, she just shut me out. I never knew why.”
Looking down, Hans saw Anna’s lower lip quiver.
He reached out and took her hand in his. “I would never shut you out.”
IS THIS WHAT LOVE is supposed to feel like? Anna asked herself as she stared into Hans’s eyes. This wonderful? This new? Her stomach gurgled nervously. This nerve-racking?
For years, Anna had felt so alone. Her sister had shut herself off from the world. Her parents were dead. Her only friends were the household staff and the animals in the barn. And then, all of a sudden, Hans had swooped in and turned her life upside down.
Looking down, she saw that Hans’s hand was still placed atop hers. She was surprised by the contrast. Hers was pale, the skin smooth and the fingers thin. His was large, and she imagined that under his glove the skin was slightly more sun-kissed. And yet they seemed to fit together so perfectly….
“Can I just say something crazy?” she said, looking back up and into Hans’s eyes.
Without hesitation, he answered, “I love crazy.”
Anna smiled and opened her mouth, about to tell him that bumping into him was one of the best things that had ever happened to her. But she stopped herself, suddenly nervous and unsure. What if she said that and he didn’t feel the same way? What if he ended up thinking she really was crazy for saying such a wild and spontaneous thing? So instead, she said the first thing that popped into her mind. “Do you wanna go sock sliding?”
As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she wanted to take them back. Sock sliding? Had she really just said that? Judging by the confused look on his face, she really had.
“Um, yes?” Hans said.
“It’s really fun. You’ll see.” She turned and walked back into the ballroom, gesturing for him to follow her into a smaller parlor next door. Making sure they were alone, she leaned down and kicked off her shoes. She slid one foot forward, then the other. Soon she was gliding across the parlor floor like an ice-skater on ice. Anna kept her head down, worried that when she looked up, she would find Hans staring at her like she had three heads—or worse, she wouldn’t find him at all because he would have run away. But when she finally got the courage to raise her eyes, her heart nearly burst out of her chest. Hans wasn’t giving her a funny look. He had taken off his own shoes and was moving along the floor beside her! She giggled when he tripped and fell forward, catching himself just before he face-planted on the floor and then, in one smooth move, resuming his glide. He’s a quick learner, Anna thought as she laughed and tried to keep her balance. Not that she had to worry about falling. Hans was always right there, ready to steady her, his strong hand on her waist making her feel safe.
“This is pretty fun,” he said. “I mean, not exactly what I do back home, but I can see how you’d rather do this than dance with Duke Weaselly.”
This time Anna didn’t just giggle. She threw back her head and laughed. Urging her feet forward, she came to a sliding stop mere inches from Hans. “Like I said, not much opportunity to dance with other people. I often had the whole parlor to myself to slide….” She gestured around the room. Unfortunately, in her excitement, she swung her arm a bit too hard and the momentum sent her flying straight into his chest. She had only a moment to register the thud of his heart against hers and then they were lying on the floor in a heap. “I’m so, so sorry!” she cried. “I keep falling on you and I don’t mean to. My feet just seem to have a way of getting away from me. At least that’s what Gerda says. She says that if there is something breakable in a room, I’ll find it and…” Her voice trailed off as she realized Hans hadn’t tried to move away from her.
“I’m beginning to realize I like having someone to hold steady,” he said, reaching up and tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear.
Anna felt warmth rush through her, and she ducked her head shyly. “Really?” she asked.
“Really,” Hans replied, smiling.
“Well, then I guess you must really like me,” Anna said, the words popping out of her mouth before she could think better of it.
“I’m beginning to realize that, too,” Hans said.
For a moment, they just lay there, the moonlight shining down on them through the balcony door. It was as though they were the only two people who existed in the world. Anna could have sworn she heard music in her head and felt her heart bursting.
Reluctantly, she stood up, breaking the spell. “We should probably get back to the ball,” she said softly. “My sister is probably wondering where I am.”
She quickly brushed herself off. The last thing in the world she wanted to do was go back into the ball. She felt like if she did, the moment would be over. Hans would waltz out of her life and she would never see him again. Watching as he got up, she suddenly knew she couldn’t let that happen. “Or we could wait a little bit longer. Maybe we could go…”
“To the lighthouse,” Hans suggested, finishing her sentence.
Her mouth dropped open. “I was just about to say that. How did you…?”
“Know?” he asked, once again saying exactly what she was going to. He smiled. “I saw it when we sailed in, and I thought it was beautiful. Would you show me?”
A grin spread over Anna’s face. “I would love to,” she said happily. “Though I have to warn you, I’ve never been there myself. Or at least, not in a long time. Not since the gates closed…” Her voice trailed off. Despite the happiness flooding her body, t
he thought of what her life had been like before this night, and what it might be like after this night was over, made her sad.
As if sensing that, Hans grabbed her hand. “Well, what are we waiting for, then?” he asked. “Let’s go exploring!”
The next hour felt like a fairy tale come true to Anna. They climbed to the top of the lighthouse and danced to their own tune. When they grew tired, they stopped and sat down, their backs against the lighthouse wall, heads tilted up to the sky. And then they talked. Hans told her more about growing up on the Southern Isles. He described the different islands and the long, low castle that reminded people of a sea serpent. She, in turn, told him what she had done to pass the time behind the closed gates of Arendelle’s castle. It seemed as if Hans shared her taste in everything—even sandwiches!
“Only with the crusts cut off,” Hans said.
“Oh, absolutely,” Anna agreed, laughing. “Crusts are the worst. They’re so…crusty.” Hans burst out laughing. Anna loved making him laugh. And she loved that he made her laugh.
It feels so nice to just let go and enjoy the moment, Anna thought. Not to worry about gates that never open or people who can never be seen or parents who will never come home.
With each minute that passed, Anna felt more and more comfortable in Hans’s presence. They had so much in common. It was almost as if he were custom made just for her. They just…fit. This had to be what love was—having someone who made the pain go away. Someone who filled all the holes in your heart. Yes, this has to be it, she had thought as they left the stables and made their way out of the castle gates and toward the hills above Arendelle. This was the big love. The love like she had read about. The love like in the stories she had crafted sitting in the gallery.
So when Hans suggested they make one more stop before going back to the castle, Anna didn’t hesitate. She only smiled and nodded. She would go anywhere with Hans. He just had to say where.
Anna and Hans stood looking down at Arendelle. A waterfall rushed in front of them, the sound of the pounding water drowning out the sound of Anna’s pounding heart. “I’ve always wanted to come up here,” she said softly, looking up at the full moon. “I would sit in my room and see the water glinting and think it was magical. That the trolls who I dreamed about lived behind the water, and on nights like this they would come down and bestow gifts on the children of Arendelle. Special ones, like my hair. I always thought maybe it meant I was destined for something…amazing.”
A Frozen Heart Page 7
