I have to give this everything I have, Anna thought fiercely. This is my last shot. I can do it…
"Go Anna!" Olaf cheered, jumping up and down. Elsa sent a warm smile toward her little sister. "You can do it, Anna!" she called out.
And Anna did do it. She picked up the last sugar cookie on her plate and shoved it down her throat before Kristoff did the same to his last cookie. Afterwards, she threw her hands up in the air. "30 COOKIES! A NEW RECCORD!" shouted the princess, chewed-up sugar cookie about to spill from her mouth. Olaf cringed in disgust, and Elsa turned around, both hands over her mouth, about to double over with laughter.
"I think you really were raised in a barn," muttered Kristoff, who had lost the cookie-eating competition. "Didn't your parents tell you not to talk with your mouth full?!"
"They did," Anna responded after swallowing. "But since when did I listen to anything my parents told me? I waited for hours in front of Elsa's door when they told me not to, I almost married a stranger when they warned me about strangers, and they told me not to ask Elsa any 'personal questions…' which we all know I did."
Elsa nodded, knowing. Anna ran to her older sister and gave her a hug. "Thanks for cheering me on," she grinned.
"It was no problem," Elsa smiled back. Suddenly, her smile faded. Sensing her sister was troubled about something, Anna looked up at her. "Elsa? What is it?" she asked, concerned.
"It's nothing," lied Elsa. But Anna was smart enough to know that wasn't the truthful answer. She gave her sister the puppy-eyes. "Pwease tewl me what's wong," she pleaded in one of those mock-cuteness voices that Elsa fell prey to every time her sister begged her for something… including this time.
"Okay," the queen finally gave in, unable to suppress a light chuckle. "But I want to talk to you alone."
Anna's face brightened again. "Alright," she agreed, speaking normally. Kristoff, Olaf, and everyone else decided to wait in the palace dining room while the sisters retired to the hallway where Elsa's room was. Once they were out of sight, Elsa began to speak, "Anna, you know I love you…"
"If this is about getting a boyfriend, I told you I don't mind!" interrupted Anna. "We both agreed that a guy can't come between us!" This statement earned a small smile from her big sister. The queen continued, "No, Anna, that's not it. I love you, but… but I agreed at my meeting yesterday that I would go overseas to Weselton in a couple of days, and the thing is… I don't know if I'll be back in time to celebrate Christmas with you."
Anna just stared at Elsa for a moment before going completely berserk. "Ok, THIS I mind!" she squeaked out. "Not only are you leaving me during the holidays, which everyone knows you're supposed to spend with your family, but you're going to Weaseltown?!"
"Weselton, Anna," Elsa gently corrected.
"Either one; it's bad over there! Am I the only one who remembers the psycho Duke who ordered those scary-looking body guards to kill you?! Or the fact that he was just a plain jerk?!"
"No, you're not the only one. But Anna, if I go over there now, maybe I can negotiate peacefully with them and lift the embargo I placed on them. If I do that, maybe… maybe they'll see that I'm not…"
"Elsa, if you say the m-word, I will go right back into that dining room and purposely chew with my mouth open." Elsa bit her lip and stared at the ground. Anna approached her as the room began to grow colder, and she began to run her fingers through Elsa's braid.
"You're not a… well, you're not a monster," Anna comforted. "You're a smart person, and you're a great ruler. And you have a heart as pure as the snow you make."
Elsa smiled sadly and placed her hand on her sister's, which still was stroking her hair. "Thank you, Anna," she whispered.
"You're welcome. And I'm sorry I freaked out earlier. If you feel that you really need to do this, go ahead. Just… promise me that you'll be home in time for Christmas."
"Anna, I don't know for sure if-"
"Promise."
Elsa sighed. She took both of her sisters' hands and squeezed them tight. "I'll be home for Christmas," she promised.
"Yay!" squealed Anna, throwing her arms around Elsa, who returned the hug with pleasure. "This Christmas is going to be awesome! Ooh, before you leave, maybe you can make a huge ice rink, and-"
Elsa grinned. She hadn't even left yet, and she was already beginning to miss her sister.