A/N: Brand new story, brand new pairing! I've been inspired by the likes of SiS and r9k, not gonna lie. Decided to add my own to the growing pool of marvelous Elsanna fics! I hope you all enjoy!
Chapter One: General POV
Ice had grown over the water buckets last night. It's thin film was beautiful, delicate, and a massive inconvenience. It just had to be Barn A, didn't it? The wiring for the line that handled the heated buckets had been on the fritz since last year. In the summer of course it hadn't mattered, and subsequently was forgotten about. Anna cursed under her breath and prodded the obstinate layer with one gloved index finger, harder and harder until it cracked at last, slopping water up her arm.
"Shit," she grumbled, trying to shake off the errant drops that had yet to seep into the fabric.
Barn A was the largest of the four, the main barn, the special barn. All the fancy horses were stabled here, or the fancy-er ones. To Anna, they were just the nasty ones, allowed to get away with bad behavior because they 'rode hot' or were just 'spirited.' It was total bullshit. The horses were pissy because their prissy little riders never worked them. Oh sure, they'd practice their forms and patterns before the show circuit started up again, but work them? God no. Of course Anna wasn't about to tell them any of this. For one, they signed her checks, and for another it would put her out of a job. Working the pissy hot heads was her job.
She loved it of course, despite this. It was her dream and had been ever since she was a little girl. They myriad colored coats flashing in the sunlight, the tack oiled so well it seemed to glow, the elegance of it all. She'd even dream of mucking stalls. Her dreams might have been fractured by the early mornings or snobs, but they hadn't been broken. Especially today, when the world was so cold and calm and quiet. By the time she had finished feeding and watering, the sun had just crested the horizon and the frosted grass of the fields had taken on a golden hue. Rays of light slipped in through the gaping doors, the windows, and spilled onto the cobbled walkways. Mornings like this, even when it was ten below freezing, weren't so bad. Not to mention she got a sadistic sort of pride knowing these hugely expensive steeds liked her more than their actual owners.
Finishing the buckets went quicker once she was lost in her thoughts. It'd been four years since she'd been allowed to start working there. They would let you shovel shit at sixteen, but you weren't allowed to be paid until you were eighteen. It was a meager existence of course, especially when they took the rent for your little room above the hayloft out of your bi-weekly check. But really, how much did a twenty year old girl need to eat when it boiled down to it? She didn't have fancy clothes to buy, they wouldn't take the dirt and grime. She didn't need gas, she didn't even have a car. At the end of the day Fresca and ramen would be good enough. She knew a half eaten bowl of the latter sat still on her tiny desk, along with a few others. Grimacing, Anna knew the horror of dishes hung over her in her near future.
"Excuse me!" A voice called out from the other side of the long isle.
Anna whirled, pulled suddenly back into the real world. A startled nicker and a kicked stall door was her reward, and she knew she'd startled Kraken. The small girl turned to stroke the stallions nose and murmur apologies before stepping away from his window.
Finally coming to examine her company, Anna felt her shoulders slump just a bit. It was Mr. Weselton. He owned the whole complex, which made him Anna's boss, even if she knew the aging man was utterly hopeless when it came to the business of it all. He'd inherited the land from his father when he'd passed. Word around said he'd been going for politics, but he figured negotiating board rates and bossing around the help was good enough. All things considered, he wasn't a bad man, just a little... odd.
"Miss Anna! How good to see you up and about."
She laughed nervously as the man came to stand before her, trying not to look down at him. Anna was practically jockey standard herself, but even she had a few inches up. "Yup. Haven't frozen yet!"
"Good, good," the man said dismissively, pulling out his phone and scrolling through it's contents, which meant he missed Anna's grimace. "Erm, a few matters to attend to. We have a new boarder coming today. I need you to walk her around."
Anna's brows drew together in confusion. "Why not-"
"Hans is away on business and Kristoff left for his... his... Oh, you know what I mean."
And she did. The memory slapped her in the face and she sighed. Kristoff was technically Anna's boss, though he hardly ever acted like it. As head trainer he had the admirable trait of being totally horse crazy, and while it made him great for his position, he tended to want to spend more time with his equine charges than the human ones. At the moment he was off on a three day trek with his own horse, Sven.
"On his trek, right."
"That's the word!" Weselton crowed, apparently proud of himself for 'remembering.' "And with them gone, you know the most about the grounds."
Anna was suddenly nervous. She didn't delegate well. What if the woman coming wasn't certain this was the barn for her? Would Anna have to sell it, like a business pitch? Most of the prissy little princesses had the deals brokered by their executive fathers or something. Anna would be totally intimidated! She'd just ramble on and make an ass of herself and Weselton would be furious, and oh, this was going to be a disaster!
If the panic showed on her face, which she was sure it did, her boss's boss didn't notice. "Excellent. No clue when she'll be arriving, so best get your work done quickly, eh?" He laughed like she might enjoy his humor as well, before turning and walking away.
Anna turned back to Kraken with sheer terror in her eyes. "What am I gonna do, buddy?"
The bay stallion laid his ears against his neck and bared his teeth, and Anna just scowled and moved along.
She only had five horses to exercise this morning. They'd be out in the field today seeing as last week's snow and ice was mostly gone. She didn't want them working up a sweat and then heading out into the elements, so she resigned herself to half an hour, forty-five minutes each. She could do that, right? I mean it was only seven, and what kind of fancy-pants princess would be up and moving before nine anyways? Well, more like ten or eleven when she figured in saddling, brushing out, making them pretty again in case their owners actually decided to show up on a day as cold as this one. Sighing, she got to it.
The barn was divided loosely into thirds. In the middle sat an indoor arena, large and combed out and pristine, but not for long. On either side were two rows of stalls facing an inner isle, that offered access to the arena at either end, and again in the middle. In the mornings she did light exercise for her charges on one half, and the long exercise for the other side in the evening. The pattern switched back and forth every day. She'd have seven horses this evening, unless Weselton foisted more onto her in Kristoff's absence. Between her and the other two assistant trainers assigned to Barn A they survived, but it wasn't always easy. Anna liked to do her work as early as possible so she'd have the arena to herself for at least a moment or two. Merida usually showed up around eight, but Rapunzel was a 'balanced breakfast at home' type, and sometimes she was as late as ten. If she wasn't so damn pretty Hans would have fired her for sure, but alas, the male mind was a strange thing. Punz's boyfriend hated Hans.
Anna slipped into the tack room, unlocking it with the key that hung around her neck, the one that she was forbidden to ever take off. Contract's orders. The musty smell of leather washed over her, fresh and exhilarating. It never failed to bring a smile to her face. Out of the five horses she decided to start with Catch Me Maximous first, or just Max as she liked to call him. Of all the horses in Barn A he was the sweetest. Her and the other two girls had drawn straws for him, and Anna still counted winning as one of her life's proudest moments. Whether that spoke to the enjoyment she found in her career or that she really needed to get out more, well... She didn't bother thinking too deeply on that one.
His tack was worn but well made, and mismatched his bridal. Anna loved that about him too, for some strange reason, though it reflected more on his owners than the horse himself. The only other horse stabled in Barn A who had mismatched tack was Sven, if that said anything. She lugged it and his brushes to the cross ties before fetching the horse himself. That was a rookie mistake she would never make again. Halter and lead rope in hand, Max's ears perked up when he saw his rider approaching. He gave a friendly whinny and Anna smiled at him, immediately crooning back praises and compliments. The white board by his stall denoted careful instructions about how mean-spirited and stubborn he was, but Anna dismissed it entirely, knowing that he was really a big softie, once he got to know you.
The Irish Sport Horse was a jumping prospect. He was only four, barely spent any time under saddle, but his owners were already plagued with offers to buy him. He took up to two feet easily as breathing, but she was under strict orders not to take him any higher before he got a little older. She led him to the waiting cross ties and brushed the boy out, giggling as he pressed his face into her chest, nearly knocking her off her feet. He may have just been saying hello but it was rude nonetheless. She pushed him back a pace before starting his hooves. Kraken had given her a black eye the first time she'd tried it with him, but Max' lifted as easily as a kid's Shetland. Tacked up he was a sight to see, white and bright eyed and loving life. Max was one of the smartest horses Anna had ever worked with, and damn it all if he didn't know it.
The small girl led him into the arena with a smile glowing on her face. He stood stock still while she mounted up, but she could feel the energy wound up inside him, waiting for her to tell him it was time to work. She turned him to the wall with her legs, eyes bright with determination, walking him out for just a lap. She could feel his desperation to get up and go and she was happy to oblige. She took him into a trot, a lap or two, before doing a circle at each end. She switched directions, noting that his transitions were getting much better. Taking him up into a canter though, she frowned. He still lunged into it. She knew he was just excited, but he'd never place in the ring with that kind of habit. With a sigh she let him take the corner before bringing him back down. Again she tried and again he lunged and again she slowed him. On the third try he took up the gait as smooth as butter and she leaned forward out of the saddle to pat his neck. His ears flicked at the praise and she let him get some run out.
On the second lap she turned the stallion towards the first jump, barely more than six inches off the ground. He took it with ease, never mind that her first horse she'd been set to train had balked at ground poles. Oh, how she loved Max. Each set up he flew over with a glee she could feel radiating out through the reins, through the spring in his step. Finally she was laughing with joy, everything she shifted into 2-point, giving him the space he needed to fly. The smooth rhythm of his canter was lulling her into her comfort zone, but she knew their time was almost up. She didn't want to work him too hard so early. He'd been fed a while ago, but he was still the first one in the arena, so she took it easy. All too soon she was walking him out, still laughing and exhilarated.
"Yoo hoo! Vell done, as alvays Anna!" Anna was startled by the sudden intrusion and she whirled Max around, even though she recognized the voice instantly.
West Run Stable's very own personal farrier leaned against the rail that separated the indoor arena from the courtyard on it's north side. He was a large, genial man who's presence she had always enjoyed immensely. Anna smiled and waved, about to open her mouth and thank him for the compliment when she noticed he wasn't alone. Platinum blonde hair hung in a single braid, drawn over her shoulder. She leaned against the gate with an air of practice, one boot propped up against it, yet her posture was stiff. Anna doubted she'd be any taller than eye level with her chin, by her best guess, but damn it if she wasn't stick thin. She was also very, very pretty. Normally she would have had Max bounding forward to greet her, but instead a blush bloomed in her cheeks and she found her hand rising, waving awkwardly.
Oaken, to his credit, just laughed and smiled. "Come say hello, ya? Miss Arendelle vill be boarding vith us for a while!"
Anna gasped and squeezed Max's side with her legs. With what can only be described as equine glee Max dug in his hind hooves, launching us towards the gate. For a moment Anna was too exhilarated to remember to be afraid. The girl, eyes wide, took a pace backwards as if she was going to scramble away, but Oaken just laughed and crossed his arms. Anna sat back in her seat, shifting her weight, and Max dropped into a glorious slide, (a trick his owners had no idea she'd taught him, and she was not about to pass that news along.) While he was skidding to a halt, she was vaulting down over his side, stumbling forward the last few paces before she came to a halt, panting horse prancing and mincing about behind her.
"Miss Arendelle, I am so sorry, I mean Mr. Weselton told me you'd be coming today I just figured, you know, it's so early that the only one crazy enough to be up and about would be me-"
And just like that she was rambling.
"So I figured it'd be okay-"
There was really no way to stop her.
"Oh! Wait, no, I didn't mean that you're crazy, only that it wasn't really likely, and I've got a bunch of horses to exercise-"
Oaken knew the routine by now. He just chuckled under his breath while she went on.
"And if I don't get them all done in a day I don't get paid as much, which I guess doesn't matter that much, seeing as I don't ever really do anything-"
But by then Anna had realized as well, mostly due to the shock and maybe even fear on the taller girl's face.
Anna's eyes widened in horror and she clamped her mouth shut with an audible click of the teeth. Weselton was going to kill her. The blush spread on her face like wild fire, and she would be surprised if her cheeks were anything less than the color of her hair.
God, she's pretty. And also, somehow she seemed familiar.
The awkward silence was stretching on into a painful duration, and Miss Arendelle still appeared to be frozen in shock. Oaken had the good grace to intervene, and said, "Ah, dat's our Anna, ya? Pardon her, she get's like dis vhen she is excited! Ve just startled her is all!"
"I, er- I mean, I didn't mean to-" Anna stuttered out, but ground her teeth together once more, forcing herself to take a deep breath through the nose. When she was collected, or at least as collected as she ever was, she offered a weak smile. "He's right. I'm sorry. But my boss is gonna kill me if I scare you off, and I'm pretty sure I already have."
The girl's eyes widened a bit further and she shook her head from side to side. "N-no! Sorry. Uhm, you just startled me too. It thought you were going to jump the gate."
Anna chuckled and rubbed at the back of her head. "Oh, er, no. He's too young. I'm only allowed to take him over two feet, at the most."
"Oh," she said. Awkward silence fell over the pair once again, but Anna had no idea how to break it.
"I vill leave you two to it! Have a good day, ya?"
Anna had never hated Oaken more than she had at that moment, when he abandoned her red-cheeked and wide-eyed, in the hands of a beautiful girl.
A/N: Well, here ya go! The very first chapter, let me know what ya think?