- Kristoff, are we there yet?! Please, we've been walking for ages... Can't you at least tell me where are we going? -
It was very late at night and while the whole kingdom of Arendelle was already sleeping, princess Anna was blindly wandering all over the garden of her castle, unaware of what her boyfriend Kristoff had planned for her that night.
- Try to be patient, Anna! - Kristoff said, giggling - We're pretty close, just keep on walking and hold my hand, don't ever let it go. -
Anna winced and settled the handkerchief that Kristoff had put on her face, to prevent her from peeking around.
- Why did you have to blindfold me? - Anna protested - I hate this thing, it really bothers me and I can't even see where I am going. -
Kristoff chuckled.
- That's kinda hard for you even with your eyes opened! - he said affectionately - And besides yes, I had to do that. I really don't want to spoil my surprise. -
Suddenly, Anna's face seemed to light up to the sound of those words.
- A surprise for... Do you really have a surprise for me?! Gosh, I never got a surprise from someone before! Well, I'm talking about real surprises, not about Christmas presents or Birthday gifts... I mean, you alwas get presents for Christmas or for your birthday, that's not very surprising. What I really mean is that I never got a surprise when I wasn't really supposed to get one, nobody ever gave me... -
- Anna... Anna... Anna! -
- What? -
Kristoff sighed and rolled his eyes.
The princess was too busy with her chatting and she didn't realized that their journey was finally over. Kristoff came close to her, smiling, and he slowly took off the blindfold to finally unravel that mistery.
- Here we are! - he exclaimed, a huge smile expanding on his lips - So... What do you think? -
Anna rubbed her eyes trepeatedly, to focus: according to the flowers and all the forniture, they must be in the centre of the garden, her very favorite place. The princess looked up to see the sky and the stars and that beautiful sight almost took her breath away.
- That's amazing! - she said, clumsy whirling on herself - Kristoff, I love that! Who knew you were that kind of guy who loves staring at the stars by night! -
Kristoff laughed.
- You don't know a lot of things about me, Anna. Anayway, there's something else I wanted do show you. Come with me. -
Kristoff took Anna's hand and lead her to a lovely rocking chair hidden among the trees. She immediately noticed Kristoff's dulcimer right next to it and her heart suddenly filled with interest and curiosity.
- Kristoff, what... -
Kristoff put his finger on Anna's lips to keep her quiet and told her to sit on the rocking chair, then settled by her side and took up his instrument, lightly blushing.
- Anna, I... There's something I need to tell you. - he stuttered, randomly plucking his dulcimer's strings to release the tension - I should have said that long time ago, but... Well, I guess you've noticed how hard it is - for me - to express my feelings. -
Anna softly chuckled and nodded.
Yes, she knew that. When she first met Kristoff he looked like he didn't really know how to deal with people and though - time after time - he finally managed to let himself go and put his pride aside, he was still pretty bad at showing his real feelings.
Anna didn't really need him to prove anything - she knew how much he loved her and everytime Kristoff looked into her eyes, that was even better than anything he could possibly say - but she wouldn't mind, occasionally, to hear something cute or endearing from him.
- You know, Anna... Before I met you my life had always been so... Peaceful. My job was my whole life and Sven was my only friend, I didn't care about other people and I really didn't need to feel any different kind of emotions. -
He stopped and suddenly looked down, as if he could go ahead with his speech. Anna looked at him tenderly, her heart rushing into her chest, and she gently put her hand on Kristoff's shoulder, giving him courage to continue his statement.
Kristoff sighed and then he started talking again, his voice trembling and uncertain.
- T-then I met you, Anna, and in just a few days you completely rocked my world! I didn't even know it was possible to feel something so intense for someone, not until you came into my life! It was weird, I think at first I even planned to kill you in your sleep and... -
- Wait, what?! - Anna looked at him badly - You would have killed me in my sleep?! How dare you, I have alwas been so kind and gentle and... -
- Anna, please. - Kristoff chuclek and rolled his eyes - Just let me finish, I really don't know how to say this. -
Anna crossed her arms and put on a face, though she couldn' manage to hold back a little smirk. Kristoff sighed again, then kept on talking.
- I know it's not easy for me to tell you exactly how I feel about you. - he stuttered, continuously plucking the strings of his dulcimer - Maybe I should just go back to the start, but this might be useless. Anyway, I think I actually found the perfect way to finally express all my feeling for you, Anna. -
Anna looked at him curiously and her heart started beating faster into her chest.
- R-really? - she asked with and hesitant voice - And what is that? -
- Well... - Kristoff slowly lifted his head and gave her a tender smile, his fingers gently slipped along the strings to create a lovely melody which immediately warmed the heart of the young princess - I have always been better with music than words, so... -
Anna put both hands on her mouth in a gesture of irrepressible wonder. She knew what Kristoff was about to do and that was in itself enough to make her heart literally break with joy.
- Kristoff, I... -
- Anna. - Kristoff stopped her gave her a bad look - Please, just shut up and listen. -
Anna nodded silently and she curled up on herself, staring at him while he started to play his dulcimer.
- This is a song that I wrote for you, Anna. - ha stated - I know it's not much, but it's certainly my best way to express my feelings. -
Anna held her breath and sighed, while Kristoff's bariton voice sang the first notes of that tender melody.
It's beautiful, your honesty
You cry when you need to
Say what you feel
You're never afraid to wear
Your heart on your sleeve
You're always so open with me
It's in your voice, I can hear it
The sound of a woman in love
Only a woman can love you so much
Give you her life and give you her trust
Not any woman can do what you do
Only a woman like you
Anna couldn't believe her ears.
She couldn't believe that those words - so sweet and touching - had been written for her, she couldn't believe that Kristoff had composed that wonderful song just for her.
She couldn't believe that the man that she loved more than anything else in the world reciprocated her feelings with so much devotion and sincerity.
It's magical, your love for me
It's more than a man could ever receive
I'm just a man and it's hard to believe
A woman like you could love me
It's in your eyes, I can see it
The look of woman in love
Only a woman can love you so much
Give you her life and give you her trust
Not any woman can do what you do
Only a woman like you, oh
Anna put an hand at the level of her heart and bit her lips to hold back the tears.
Kristoff's voice was like a sweet balm to her ears and those words moved her heart more than anything else had ever managed to before. They looked at each others and suddenly forget the rest, lost in each others eyes, floating on that mutual love that had brought them there that night, under that starry sky, to swear their eternal devotion without even needing a single word.
If only I could find the words to say
But I just can't so, forgive me
'Cause you took the words away
Yeah, you answered every prayer I always prayed
It's in your touch, I can feel it
The feeling of a woman in love
Kritoff's voice was lightly cracked from emotion but his feelings was so strong and sincere to give him all the courage he needed to talk with his heart opened, no longer scared to let himself go.
He knew, after all, that he had nothing to be scared of.
Not with Anna.
She was everything Kristoff needed, everything he had always dreamed of and who cares if she was so annoying, eccentric, awkward and far from elegant! Kristoff loved her just because of that and wouldn't be able to do the same if she were different.
It was this that made her so wonderful to his eyes: her sweet, irremediable imperfection.
Only a woman can love you so much
Give you her life and give you her trust
Not any woman can do what you do
Only a woman like you, yeah
Only a woman can love you so much
Give you her life and give you her trust
Not any woman can do what you do
Only a woman like you
At the end of that performance Anna could manage to hold back her tears and she just started to cry, while Kristoff's fingers played the last chords and finally decreed the end of his song. They remained in silence for a few seconds, just staring at each others without saying a word.
They didn't need to, after all.
What their eyes were saying was just enough to confirm how happy they were to be there right now, celebrating the night they would have always remembered as the most beautiful and perfect of all.
Unexpectedly Kristoff was the first one to take the floor, putting his dulcimer aside and holding Anna's hand in a very gentle way.
- I know that it wasn't so much, but I promise I put my whole heart into that song. - he stated and blushed again - Maybe I should have tried with something more... Pretentious... But I... -
- It was perfect. - Anna said, her eyes filled with tears - You really moved me, Kristoff. No one has ever done something like that before. -
Kristoff gave her a sweet smile ad reached out to caress her face. He just couldn't stop looking at her like she was the most beautiful thing in the whole world.
- I love you, Anna. - he finally said, in a very unexpected way.
Anna winced and her heart started to beat wildly, as if it was about to explode.
Kristoff loved her... He really did.
Not that she ever had any reason to doubt, but that was the very first time Kristoff finally managed to say it out loud, as if there was no reason to say otherwise. For the first time since they knew each other, Kristoff had finally surrendered to his emotions, without any reluctance.
- Oh, Kristoff... I love you too. - Anna whispered, her tears now streaming down her face.
They didn't have to say anything else.
Kristoff leaned forward and gently put his lips on Anna's mouth, who kissed him back and threw her arms around his neck, clutching at his body as if she was terrified to see him slipping away from her arms. They kept kissing at each others for hours, heedless of everything else, even of that light night breeze that was now blowing in the garden.
There was no room for anything else in their hearts, not now that they had finally everything they needed.
Maybe it wasn't so perfect or ordinary as if they had always imagined but for this, it was definitely so much better.