Disclaimer: I do not own Frozen—that wonderful movie belongs to Disney.
The Song in My Heart
Prologue
-x-x-x-
"Let me go, and I will run,
I will not be silent."
An energetic eight-year-old ran through the park, her fiery hair a stark contrast to the freshly powdered snow all around her. She giggled in absolute delight, throwing her mitten-clad hands in the air as snowflakes tickled her nose and kissed her cheeks with all the tenderness of a doting parent. The girl stuck her tongue out as she spun through the snow, and burst into a fit of giggles every time she managed to catch a snowflake. When her short legs grew tired, she unceremoniously flopped onto the ground, lying on her back as teal eyes gazed up at the sky with unbridled wonder.
For as long as Anna could remember, winter was her favorite season.
There was just something about playing in the snow—building snowmen, throwing snowballs, making forts or castles, tasting the snowflakes—that she couldn't seem to get enough of. The cold nipped at her cheeks and nose in a strangely pleasant sort of way, and the snow and the ice and the snowflakes were just all so—
"So pretty…"
The redhead giggled, holding her hands up to her mouth as she quickly stood back up, ignoring the clumps of snow that clung to the back of her green winter jacket like puffy white burrs. Anna turned her head in the direction she had come from, only to find another girl strolling along a nearby path. The black headband stood out in her platinum blonde hair, which ended in a simple braid down her back, and she was dressed only in a blue sweater that seemed too light for the cold season, white pants, and black boots. Her eyes were closed as she hummed a song under her breath, and Anna couldn't help but note how pretty the content smile on her face was.
"Hi!" the redhead called out as she hurriedly ran over to meet her, nearly tripping in the process and kicking up clumps of snow behind her.
The girl gave a small start, immediately stopping in her tracks and opening her eyes to reveal the prettiest shade of blue eight-year-old Anna had ever seen. She blinked in surprise, the smile she offered hesitant as the redhead came to a stop in front of her. Anna tried not to pout as she realized that the girl was at least an inch or two taller than her.
"Hello."
Whoa! Even her voice is pretty!
"My name's Anna!" the redhead said, unable to stop the large grin that formed on her face. "Do you like the snow, too? It's so pretty, just like your song…and your smile!"
The girl blinked again, her mouth parting slightly. Anna's grin quickly slid off her face as she realized the inadvertent slip in her words. Cheeks growing warm in embarrassment, she fiddled with her mittens as she averted her gaze, hoping she hadn't scared the girl off and lost a potential playmate. "Um…N-Not that I was listening to you singing, or anything. You just…happened to be there, and I was playing in the snow, and I had all these thoughts about how pretty the snowflakes are, and—"
"They are beautiful, aren't they?"
Wait, what?
Teal eyes hesitantly looked up to meet an amused, icy blue. The girl's smile seemed more assured and friendly as she held out her hand. "My name is Elsa…and I love the snow."
Without hesitation, Anna's grin returned in full force as she shook the platinum blonde's hand, noting belatedly that the girl wasn't wearing any gloves, scarf, or hat. Didn't she feel cold? "Me too! But you know that already…and yeah, snowflakes are so small, and they melt so easily, but they're so pretty…How could anyone not like them?"
Elsa giggled, casting her gaze skyward as the snowflakes seemed to increase around them; that content smile forming on her face again. Anna felt the urge to go for another run in the snow and nearly bounced with excitement when the platinum blonde looked back at her, smiling mischievously as if she had just read her mind.
"First one to the fountain gets to build a snowman!"
And with that sudden declaration, Anna was left for a second to stare at the platinum blonde braid swinging back and forth as its owner pelted across the snow with all the ease of a snow leopard. Her short legs immediately jerked into motion as she ran after Elsa, laughing as the snowflakes swirled all around the two, as if to join in their delight. Anna didn't make it to the fountain in the center of the park first, but she did end up tackling the platinum blonde into the snow—partly to sabotage the race, and partly because there was a big enough pile nearby to jump into.
"Hey! That's cheating!"
"Only 'cause you're a stinker who didn't count to three!"
Anna laughed as she rolled off the pile, having been playfully pushed by Elsa. Snowflakes clung to her eyelashes as she looked up, grinning at the sight of the other girl towering over her with snow in her hair, and all over her blue sweater.
"Hey…how old are you, Elsa? You look really tall from here."
"Everyone looks tall if you're lying down, silly," Elsa said, giggling as she knelt down to poke her forehead. "And for your information, I'm eight."
The redhead playfully batted her hand aside, sticking her tongue out. "For your information, I'm eight, too!"
"Really?" The taller girl smirked, causing Anna's cheeks to warm up again. "You look a lot younger than that. Are you sure you're not seven? Or six?"
Why you…! Anna tried to frown at her, but from her position, it seemed more like a goofy upside down smile, earning another giggle from Elsa. Noticing yet again how bare the girl's hand was as she held it to her mouth to hide a smile, the redhead furrowed her brow curiously. "Arentcha a little cold? 'Cause I'm sure I got snow inside my jacket and it's super cold to me!"
As if reminded of their little tumble moments ago, Elsa casually brushed the snow out of her hair and sweater, her icy blue eyes dancing with a mischievous light. "The cold doesn't bother me."
"Pffffffft…Liar. Everyone gets cold." Anna rolled to her side, and onto her hands and knees before she turned to the snow pile with a large grin on her face again, teal eyes darting over to meet Elsa's. "Do you wanna build a snowman? I think we have enough for a baby one."
The platinum blonde rolled her eyes, even as her lips twitched into a smile. "I thought the winner got to build the snowman."
"Ah, but there was no winner!"
"And whose fault was that?"
Anna stuck her tongue out as she started gathering the snow into a small, lumpy mound for the base. "Shut up and build a snowman with me, Elsa."
The taller girl giggled, reaching over to scoop more snow towards them. "Yes, ma'am."
They worked in a comfortable silence for a few minutes, packing the snow into a distinct shape. Normally, Anna could talk up a storm, but she was intent on making the best baby snowman she could from the small pile they had. So focused was the redhead on her work, that she didn't notice the snowflakes falling around them at a greater rate, as if to help by replenishing their dwindling supply of snow. Needless to say, she was surprised at the result when they finally stood back to admire their decently-sized snowman.
"I was going for a baby one, but this is nice too," Anna said, grinning proudly as she patted its head. They didn't have any sticks, coal, or carrots lying around, so they did their best with well-placed indents and bulges. It actually wasn't that bad of a snowman.
For some reason, Elsa furrowed her brow worriedly, her eyes not quite as bright as before when they were in the midst of building. "Anna, did you…did you want a different snowman?"
Why does she sound so afraid? Anna lazily wrapped her arms around the snowman, peeking around its head to fix the taller girl with a puzzled look. "What do you mean? We got to build a snowman together, didn't we?" She giggled, resting her cheek against the snow. "And it looks great!"
Elsa still looked unconvinced, frowning as she wrung her hands anxiously. "But…you wanted a different one, right?"
"Well, yeah. 'Cause there wasn't that much snow around," the redhead snorted, grinning again in the hopes of putting the platinum blonde at ease. "But since we got more of it than I thought, that doesn't matter now! What matters is what we should name it!"
"'Name it?'" the taller girl repeated, as if the thought had never occurred to her.
"Yeah! Like…like Oliver, or Joan, or Frosty, or Ola—"
"Gunther?"
The redhead blinked, looking at Elsa to see if she was being serious.
She was.
"…Gunther," Elsa repeated distantly, her gaze oddly aimed somewhere over Anna's left shoulder before blue eyes returned their attention to her, gleaming with amusement. "Unless you have a better idea?"
Anna playfully stuck her tongue out at that, earning a small giggle from the platinum blonde. She nuzzled into the snowman's head, tightening her arms around it protectively as she pouted. "We are not calling it Gunther! That name sucks, Elsa…Nevermind; we don't have to name this one."
"Hey, it's not like you were any better, silly," Elsa playfully jabbed back, stepping closer to lean her head against the snowman's in imitation of Anna. "Huh. This is actually pretty comfortable."
"Isn't it?" Anna mumbled with a sleepy grin on her face. "The snow's really soft this time…I like it."
"The first snowfall always is," Elsa murmured, definitely more relaxed than her weird state from earlier. "Aren't you cold, Anna?"
"Yeah…but it's a nice kind of cold, and so soft…" The redhead sighed contentedly. "I love you, snow…And you too, winter. You're awesome…Except when I get sick. Then I love you a little less."
Elsa smiled fondly, closing her eyes as she placed a hand atop the snowman's head to lean in further. "Winter is definitely my favorite season. Listening to the whispers of the ice and snow, and the singing of the snowflakes…it's simply enchanting."
"You're using big words, Elsa. Stop it," Anna mumbled in reply as the taller girl opened her eyes, revealing twin pools of an amused icy blue. "Maybe…Could you sing for me? Please?"
The platinum blonde blinked in surprise, causing Anna to duck her head, cheeks growing warm in embarrassment. "Your song was really pretty earlier. And since you were talking about the snowflakes, I thought—"
"I'd be happy to, Anna."
The redhead looked up in surprise, just in time to see Elsa step away from their snowman, trying to hide a big smile behind her ungloved hand. Her eyes were shining with sheer joy, and with so much life, just like when they were building earlier. Anna couldn't help a grin equally as big from forming on her face, her nerves tingling with anticipation to hear the platinum blonde's singing and not just the humming from earlier.
Elsa lowered her hand, and opened her mouth—
"…You."
—only to have it snap shut again as both of their heads immediately turned in the direction of the ancient, gravelly voice.
An old man—actually, a very old man—dressed in a black coat stood on a path nearby, pointing a shaky, bony finger in their direction. His other hand gripped his walking cane as tightly as his age would allow, almost threatening to have his bones break free from their wrinkly prison with how violently it was shaking. His aged face was pulled into a hateful snarl so intense, Anna jerked away from their snowman, stumbling over to hide behind an equally frightened Elsa. From beneath the brim of his hat, dark eyes blazed with a fiery hatred and loathing—at odds with the cadaver-like paleness of his skin.
And that's when she noticed he was pointing directly at the platinum blonde in front of her.
"Spawn of that madman," the old man snarled, hobbling forward while the two girls took several hasty steps backward. "I'd recognize those damn eyes anywhere! Oh, my pap was very, very descriptive about 'em! The ice that holds you fast, steals the life outta your breath, burns into your soul!"
He stopped just as Anna felt her back bump into the fountain's edge. She reached out to grip Elsa's sweater for comfort, but the taller girl immediately flinched the moment her mittens brushed against the fabric. Quickly withdrawing her hand, the redhead mewled, "Elsa…I'm scared. Who is he? Do you know him?"
Her icy blue eyes never left the old man's hateful gaze, even as she shook her head.
"They're just like his," he continued, violently stabbing his cane into the snow as he took another halting step forward. "Pap always went on and on about him. Even now, his filth still walks the earth! And me? No grandson to call my own; an only child! Grew up on pap's words; called me obsessed, they did!"
Who is this guy?!
Anna saw Elsa swallow hard, moving to better shield her as he slowly drew closer, passing near their snowman. "I-I'm sorry sir, but I don't understand."
"The damn snow!" the old man barked angrily, suddenly swinging his cane to decapitate their creation. He stumbled a little, thrown off balance, but swung once more to completely demolish the snowman. "The damned snowflakes! I heard you! Oh, yes…Pap told me much. Pap told me what you did!"
The redhead whimpered in fright, eyes darting back and forth between the old man, Elsa, and the direction she had come from before, back to her undoubtedly worried parents. All around them, the snowflakes fell heavier and heavier as the wind started to pick up. Her parents had mentioned it would snow today, but it was only supposed to be lightly—just enough to blanket the ground. Clearly, the man on TV had lied…
Anna shivered against the suddenly biting cold, her eyes watering as she rubbed her mitten-covered hands together to keep them warm. She looked at Elsa, wondering if she felt just as cold, only to find the platinum blonde standing there in her light sweater as casually as if it were spring.
Anna noticed something else, too.
The old man was grinning now, but not in a good way. It looked distorted, wrong, and sent shivers down her spine in a way that the coldness of winter never could. She wanted to run, to get away from this creepy, obviously crazy man, but doing so would mean leaving Elsa behind. With how much he seemed to hate her for some reason, she shuddered at the thought of what he might do.
"Anna. I want you to run," Elsa whispered shakily, her voice low enough so only the redhead could hear. "Please go back home. I can…I can handle this."
You can 'handle this'? Are you outta your mind?! The guy's crazy! He killed our snowman, for cryin' out loud! Aren't old people supposed to be nice?!
A small—albeit tight—smile formed on the taller girl's face, and Anna realized that she must have voiced her thoughts aloud. Normally she would've been embarrassed, but at this point, it didn't really matter. If they were going to run, they were going to run together.
"I'm not leaving you, El—"
She was cut off by the old man's sudden bark of laughter, broken and full of spite.
"I see you now! I see what you're doing! Madman, madman! The madman with his talk of snow and ice!" His eyes blazed with the full force of his hatred as he spat, "The fucking ice and his winter."
And with that, he doubled his pace, hobbling frantically towards them—or rather, Elsa—with murder of the highest degree in his eyes. Terror wound its way through Anna's small body, and she grabbed the platinum blonde's arm, ignoring her surprised flinch as she desperately tugged her back in the direction they had come from. "Mama! Papa!" she screamed, hoping that maybe they could hear her and save them from the crazy man. The snowflakes, instead of offering their previous comfort, stung at her eyes as the wind violently whipped them around.
"Anna, just let me go! I'll distract him!"
"You! You can't run from me! You think I'll just let this slide?! You think I'll just give up like pap?!"
"No, you're coming with me, Elsa!" Anna tugged harder, stumbling in her haste as she waded through the slowly thickening snow. She could hear the old man's cane violently slashing at the snow, trying to clear his way. "Mama! Papa!"
She faintly heard something, and immediately grew hopeful. Is that…?
"…na…nna…Anna…?!"
Yes! Yes, it is!
"I'm gonna kill you for what you did!"
"Anna, I have to go," Elsa insisted, sounding terrified. "I can't come with you. That guy might go after you, too."
The redhead looked back, meeting wide, blue eyes filled with worry and fear. Over her shoulder, she could see the old man doggedly maintaining his pursuit, shouting words that she was sure her parents wouldn't want her to know. He had tripled his efforts and was moving closer and closer, nearly frothing at the mouth like the racehorses she saw on TV when pushed to the limit.
"Anna! Anna!"
Speaking of her parents…
"Mama! Papa!" Anna called out, catching sight of two figures hurrying towards her amidst the flurry of snowflakes. She was so relieved to see them that her grip slackened on Elsa's arm. It was too late for her to do anything once she realized her mistake—the platinum blonde had already backed away out of reach, just as she quickly turned around. Her eyes looked so apologetic, yet oddly enough, faintly happy at the same time.
"I'm sorry, Anna…but I'm not going with you," Elsa said, cradling her hands close to her as she managed a small smile. "And…thank you. For building a snowman with me, and for loving winter almost as much as I do."
No, no, no…No! This is the part where you're supposed to come with me! Where mama and papa can protect you, too! Didn't you hear him? He wants to kill you!
"Elsa—"
Both girls shrieked in terror as the old man's cane slashed within three feet of them. His hat had fallen somewhere along the way, revealing the faint wisps of hair on his mostly bald head, as well as an ugly-looking scar that was even paler than his skin. His breathing was ragged, his eyes far, far too wide and bloodshot. The old man's face was twisted into that horrible snarl again, and his hands shook violently as he aimed another swing, clearing through more of the rapidly growing snow.
"This is for pap!" the old man rasped, his voice as cutting as the wind blowing fiercely around them. Elsa quickly backed away, and he followed, completely forgetting about Anna…if he had even noticed her at all through his hatred. "And once I'm through with you, I'll kill the rest of your fucking spawn! Those bastards of yours with the ice-eyes! The bitch who nearly killed me!"
"Anna, go!"
"Anna!"
Strong arms immediately scooped the eight-year-old up into a tight embrace, but Anna barely felt her father's presence. Her gaze was fixed to the small braid of platinum blonde swinging back and forth as its owner stumbled across the snow, heading in the opposite direction. The old man was still attempting to follow, wildly stabbing into the snow with his cane as he gave chase.
"You can't run from this! You think you can run from this?!"
"Elsa!" Anna shouted, twisting around in her father's hold as he picked her up. She didn't even acknowledge her mother coming up beside them. Elsa was but a figure in the distance, drawing the surprisingly quick old man further away from them. The wind was gradually dying down, and the snowflakes slowly fell at a lesser rate. Her cheeks felt numb, and she couldn't stop shivering as her feet futilely kicked at air, wanting to chase after the platinum blonde and bring her back to safety.
"…mon…et…ov…"
The old man's voice had been loud, but by now, she could barely hear his frenzied shouts. Her parents had already enveloped her in a worried group hug, nearly suffocating her in the process but providing warmth she reluctantly admitted she needed.
"Anna, sweetie…are you alright?" her mother asked, pressing frantic kisses into her hair. "When the storm started rolling in, we got so worried! You said you wouldn't wander too far!"
"Well, I sorta met a friend…or, at least I hope we could be friends." Anna felt her lip tremble, her eyes starting to sting, and not because of the cold. "Mama, papa, we have to save her from this crazy old guy! He said he wanted to kill her!"
Thankfully, her parents released her from the stifling hug, eyes widening at the news. "'A crazy guy?'" her father repeated as he set her back down on her feet, placing both of his gloved hands on her shoulders. "Where is your friend now? Is she that 'Elsa' you were calling for?"
"Yes! And we have to hurry!" Anna tried not to cry, but ended up sniffling as her eyes welled up with tears. "I don't want Elsa to die, papa! She built a snowman with me, and she loves winter and snowflakes! Her voice is so pretty too, and she was supposed to sing for me!"
Her mother's face looked pained at her daughter's distress, and she glanced at her husband, teal eyes filled with worry. "Should we call the police?"
His lips pursed into a thin line as he shook his head. "Let's go see what this is about first before jumping to conclusions. Anna…will you lead the way?"
She immediately pulled away from her father's grasp and sprinted in the direction Elsa had gone earlier, hoping her parents were right behind her. Thankfully, the snow wasn't falling as much and the blanket covering the park wasn't as thick as before. Anna called for the platinum blonde, teal eyes darting about frantically for any sign of that hair or her blue sweater.
…Or blood.
"Elsa! Elsa! El—"
There! Standing on a path near a small group of trees whose bark was finely dusted with snow, and the branches completely barren. The blue sweater stood out like a sore thumb amidst the wintery expanse of the park…as well as the dark gray coat of the figure standing beside her, leaning against one of the trees. Running on pure adrenaline and fear, Anna did not make the distinction between the old man's black coat and this newcomer's dark gray one, bolting towards them with all the speed a worried—and furious—eight-year-old could possess.
"Elsa!"
"A-Anna…?!"
"Get away from her!"
"Anna, wait—!"
Too late. The redhead barreled into the figure just as they turned around, almost falling into the snow. Unfortunately—or not?—whoever it was managed to keep their balance, uttering a small grunt of surprise. Undeterred, Anna drew her arm back to pummel at their stomach, but arms quickly wrapped around her and forcibly pulled her away before she could even get a kick in, let alone a punch.
"Papa, let me g—"
"Just stop, Anna!" Elsa's voice sounded in her ear, faintly hoarse, and only then did she notice whose embrace she was in. "Don't hurt him! He's not…the crazy man."
Wait…what? So where did he go, then? How'd you get away? Who is this?
The taller girl released her; a hesitant smile on her face as she turned her gaze to the guy Anna was all but ready to fight tooth and nail against. "Although…he is a bit old."
"Now, now, Elsa," came a deep, rumbling voice as Anna turned her head to truly look at him. "Is that any way to speak about your elders? After all…with age, comes wisdom."
The old man towered over her, his dark gray woolen coat hanging loosely on his thin frame. His skin wasn't as wrinkly or pale as the crazy guy, but his face definitely looked weathered, and his aged, dark eyes shone with an oddly wild fire that made the hairs on the back of Anna's neck rise. His silvery hair was cropped relatively short, sticking out like the ridges and spikes on a dragon's head that she once saw in her fairy tale books, and his beard was neatly trimmed. The old man noticed her blatant staring, and offered an amused smile.
"Greetings, young one," he rumbled in a resonant voice that somehow brought an image of mountains, and soaring freely through the sky to her mind. It may have been her imagination, but she swore she could almost smell the faintest hint of smoke amidst the wintry air. "I am…Arthur. Elsa's guardian."
"'Guardian?'" Anna repeated, wondering what he meant by that word. Before she could ask him to explain, her parents were suddenly at her side, pulling her close to them and eyeing Arthur warily.
"Is this the man, Anna?" her father asked curtly, his hazel eyes narrowing.
"N-No, sir," Elsa spoke up for her, walking over to stand beside her 'guardian' as she wrung her hands nervously when he directed his gaze to hers. "That man is…He's not here anymore."
Not here? But where did he go? Did he almost kill you? What if he tries to hurt other people? What's his problem, anyway? Are the police gonna get him?
Arthur arched an eyebrow, and Anna realized that she spoke her thoughts out loud again. This time, however, she had the grace to look embarrassed; fidgeting in spite of the faint smile Elsa gave her. That's better, the redhead thought, noting that those pretty blue eyes weren't so terrified anymore. She deserves to smile and not be scared.
"He was a rather…bitter man," Arthur said as he reached out to lightly ruffle Elsa's hair, as if to comfort her after the events from earlier. "Thankfully, I found Elsa before he could hurt her, and…dealt with him accordingly. He will not bother innocent folk again."
Instead of offering reassurance, Anna felt a shiver ghost down her spine as she tried not to imagine what the old man meant by 'dealing with him.' He had spoken with such utter finality, she wouldn't be surprised if Arthur had somehow killed the man himself. But…Elsa clearly trusts him. She wouldn't trust a killer, right? the redhead thought to herself even as she squinted her eyes suspiciously at this so-called 'guardian.' He probably got the police to lock him away or something. Or knocked the crazy out of his head.
"But who was he? What did he want with Elsa?"
She saw the platinum blonde bite her lip, reaching out a trembling hand to grip the edge of Arthur's dark gray coat. The old man's eyes softened as he glanced down at the girl standing beside him, and he carefully tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "He was not in full possession of his faculties and…mistook her for another."
"Papa, what does he mean by 'faculties'?" Anna asked, looking up at her father. She couldn't help but feel a little frustrated with herself—first 'guardian' and now 'faculties'? Elsa probably knew them, since she liked using big words…Meanwhile, Anna didn't.
"He's, um…saying that the man didn't know what he was doing and thought Elsa was someone else," her father explained, his previously rigid shoulders relaxing somewhat as he held out his hand. "I apologize for not introducing ourselves earlier, sir. I'm Agdar, and this is my wife, Idunn. You already know Anna, I presume?"
The silver-haired man firmly shook the offered hand, and judging by the brief wince on her father's face, his grip must have been surprisingly strong. "You presume correctly. Elsa briefly informed me of her," he rumbled as they parted, nodding at her mother, who politely smiled back. "As I have already revealed to Anna…I am Elsa's legal guardian, Arthur Nax. However, I would prefer if you address me as Mr. Nax. It is…easier for me."
Nax? What kind of a last name is that? Anna thought, scrunching up her face in confusion. And why wouldn't you wanna use your first name? He can't be that boring, can he? Besides, 'Arthur' is definitely better than that! She must have looked funny, since Elsa barely stifled a giggle, hiding her smile behind her hand. Arthur's eyebrow arched once more, dark eyes puzzled, and her embarrassment increased twofold as she hurried to form a normal expression again, cheeks almost as fiery as her hair.
"Anna?" her mother's voice shook her out of her thoughts, gentle and warm. The redhead looked up to see her smiling encouragingly. "Would you like to play with Elsa for a little longer? Before we leave?"
Yes! Yes, I do! she wanted to shout giddily, but hesitantly glanced over at Elsa to see if she wanted to, as well. Their gazes met, and she had never seen a shade of blue look so happy. Well…if a color could look happy, this was it. The large smile on the taller girl's face also helped, too. Together, they both looked up at the silver-haired man pensively watching the exchange, with Anna using her best puppy-dog expression and Elsa merely tugging excitedly on his coat.
Arthur chuckled, the rich sound ringing strongly in the wintry air. "A splendid idea. I see no problem with the young ones playing, especially after such a scare…There certainly is enough snow to entertain them."
There was a certain lilt to his deep voice then, which made Elsa pick at the hem of her sweater for some reason, averting her gaze even as the smile remained on her lips.
Anna brightened immediately, grinning broadly as she realized what could wipe the bashful expression from the platinum blonde's face.
"Elsa?"
Pretty, icy blue eyes looked up to meet hers.
"Do you wanna build another snowman?"
Elsa's smile grew.
And so they did.
At Anna's insistence, they called it Olaf this time, with a goofier-looking head than the previous one, and a bigger base. The adults stood a little ways off, talking amongst themselves as they watched over the children. She rolled her eyes at that, unable to understand how someone could just stand there and not play in the snow. Across from her, Elsa was using the leftovers to make a much, much smaller snowman beside their bigger one, smiling contentedly as she worked.
"We can name that one Gunther, if you want," the redhead offered, flopping unceremoniously onto her back to look at the other girl, upside-down. "I still think the name sucks, though."
Elsa shook her head as she packed the last of the snow into place on her 1-foot tall creation, her smile growing thoughtful as Anna openly admired the dexterity in which she was able to build with snow, even from her position. "I'm fine. It wasn't really my idea, anyway."
Anna barely heard her; she was too busy squealing over the little snowman. "It's so cute, Elsa! It's so small and…and just soooooo cute!" she gushed, squashing her cheeks together with her hands as she rolled over onto her stomach, kicking her feet back and forth in the air. "Like a baby snowman! But a whooooole lot cuter!"
"I'm glad you like it, Anna," Elsa said, giggling at the redhead's silly expression. "What do you want to name it?"
"Olaf Junior!"
It started with a snort, piercing through the momentary silence that hung between them.
…And then it was quickly followed by one of the prettiest sounds eight-year-old Anna had ever heard.
Elsa laughed. Not the giggles she'd been having before, but the sort of hearty laughter that made you hug your arms around your waist, made your cheeks flush, and almost made you bring tears to your eyes. Normally, Anna's face would burn with embarrassment over someone laughing at her—admittedly, somewhat serious—idea, but…Her laugh is just as pretty as her voice, the redhead thought in wonder, unable to help the smile that curled on her lips. Just like the rest of her.
"Are you done?" she asked, resting her chin in her hands as she feigned indifference. The smile said otherwise.
Elsa merely smirked, blue eyes twinkling mischievously. "Now what name did you say sucked?"
Anna frowned, her mind wandering back to before as the curiosity she had so carefully kept in check started to slip free. She hadn't wanted to scare the girl away earlier with her usual flurry of words, especially if it had to do with her 'guardian'. "Arthur's last name is weird. It doesn't suck as much as Gunther, but it sounds a lot like 'snacks'," she blurted out, just before her teal eyes suddenly widened. "Wait, am I suppose to call him 'Mr. Nax,' too? 'Cause I don't really wanna call him that. I think I'd get hungry every time."
The platinum blonde blinked in surprise at the sudden change in topic before she tapped her chin thoughtfully, her gaze drifting to the sky. "I don't think he'd mind if you did; just the adults. You didn't even know his last name until he told your parents."
The redhead sighed, relieved. She started idly kicking her feet again, encouraged by Elsa's response to ask another question. "What did he mean by 'guardian'?"
"From what I understand…he said that he's taking care of me now since my…my parents aren't around. He's sort of like an uncle, except we're not related," Elsa answered hesitantly as sorrow flickered across her eyes. "I still have my Aunt Gerda and Uncle Kai, but they said papa wanted me to live with Arthur if something bad happened. It's safer."
Her parents…are they dead?
"Are you…okay, then?" Anna asked, not intending for her voice to sound so small. "At least you still have your aunt and uncle." Even at eight years old, her heart went out to the taller girl. She couldn't imagine a life without her parents around—it was much too scary of a thought. She hoped Elsa's parents were just actually super busy or something instead of…being dead. "Arthur still seems suspicious, though."
Elsa managed a small smile at that, the sorrow slowly abating as the redhead briefly glanced over at the silver-haired man in question, eyes narrowed in childish suspicion before looking back at her. "Even if he's not like papa, Arthur's not too bad," the platinum blonde said softly, fondness evident in her voice. "He protects me, like he did with that man earlier. And…he teaches me a lot of things too, like where the North Star is in case I get lost in a forest somewhere…but he really loves teaching me how to use my voice."
Your voice is really pretty, Anna wanted to say, but put that aside for the moment.
"Thank you, Anna."
Oh my gosh, did I just say that out loud?! Again?! Horrified, Anna covered her reddening face with her mitten-clad hands, but not before she saw Elsa's smile grow slightly, her cheeks faintly pink and the sadness from earlier all but gone. Her blue eyes were bright with joy, just like that moment before—
"Y'know…I don't get why that guy hated you so much," Anna grumbled, slowly lowering her hands as the blush swiftly vanished at the thought of that scary old man. "You're only eight. The only bad stuff I've done was crashing my bike inside the house, or eating this whole bag of chocolate before dinner, or knocking over a vase or two. It's not like you killed anyone, or somethin'."
Elsa's eyes widened. "Kill someone?! I could never do that!" She ducked her head, twiddling her thumbs in her lap. "Besides…I don't want to hurt anyone, let alone kill them."
"I'm not saying you would! I just…" Anna quickly exclaimed, before she frowned grumpily, frustrated at herself for bringing it up in the first place. "He's stupid, that's all. A poopyhead. A big, stupid, bald poopyhead that smells like old people." No need to also mention how scary he had been.
That certainly brought a smile back to the taller girl's face, albeit a small one.
"'Smells like old people'?" Elsa repeated, the corners of her eyes crinkling a bit as her smile grew. "Anna, he was an old person. He's supposed to smell like that."
"Well, Arthur doesn't smell like that!" Anna retorted, grinning at the much lighter mood. "And his voice isn't as raspy and old-sounding! It's cool!"
Elsa giggled behind her hand. "Anna, he's still old. I mean, his voice is pretty deep, but—"
"A-And I like your voice better, anyway."
…Oh. I did not just say that, did I?
"You did," the platinum blonde giggled as her cheeks flushed a faint pink. "And thank you…Again."
Oh, this would not help with her tendency to blurt out the first thing that came to mind. "I-I mean, you're only eight and stuff, and if your voice sounds really pretty now, just…Oh my gosh, just think would it would sound like when you're older! A-And you're really pretty, and brave too, 'cause you faced that guy on your own, and did I say I like your voice? Does Arthur know how pretty you sound? Does he teach you songs and stuff? 'Cause I bet your singing—"
Anna paused, excitement bubbling up inside of her with the realization that she could finally ask again without any interruptions—
—only for Elsa to hold up a hand to stop her, trying not to smile at the redhead's obvious frustration, and utterly failing. "Slow down, Anna. You asked your questions. Now it's my turn."
But that's not fair! I still got loads to ask! Like…what else you like to do, what's your favorite color, and what's your favorite food! Do you like sandwiches? And…And you totally knew I was going to ask you to sing! Anna inwardly huffed, but outwardly, she sighed overdramatically, rolling her eyes. "Fiiiiiiiiiiinnnne…If you insist, Elsa."
The platinum blonde fiddled with the hem of her sweater, suddenly looking a little nervous. "Your mom said you would have to leave soon. Do you think I could see you again? Today was…really fun, and it's nice having a friend who likes winter. Arthur doesn't mind sometimes, but he's old and doesn't like to leave the grounds too much."
Anna stopped listening after she heard the word 'friend.'
…Friend.
She said friend.
Before Anna could even grin and agree wholeheartedly, she suddenly remembered what day it was today. She swallowed hard, averting her gaze as she rested her chin on her left hand, using her right to absently brush at the snow, much like scuffling at the ground with her boots if she had been standing. Her bottom lip quivered, and she felt her eyes sting a little. Why couldn't we have met earlier? At least then we could've squeezed in a few more days of playing…
"…Anna?" Elsa's voice was soft and hesitant, with a layer of concern.
The redhead sighed heavily, and when she spoke, her voice was small. "Papa's job is making him move all the way to Corona, where he sent my older sister for school. He didn't say how long we'd stay there, but he said we'd come back when it's over." She bit her lip as a mitten-covered hand curled tightly around the snow. "…I'm sorry, Elsa. We're supposed to leave today, but since mama and papa know I love the snow so much, they let me play for a bit before we go since it's a long drive."
For a few moments, there was silence, broken only by the faint whispers of conversation from the adults farther away.
I messed everything up, Anna thought dejectedly as she steeled herself to look up and meet the other girl's gaze. Now I probably won't even get to hear her sing before I go.
As expected, Elsa looked crestfallen; absolutely so. She wasn't looking at her anymore, choosing instead to busy herself with a stray thread on her sweater. Her lips were pulled into a sad frown as her fingers slowly curled until she was cradling her hands to her chest. The snowflakes started to fall in greater numbers again, and Anna hurriedly sat back up, not wanting to get buried if another storm suddenly hit. That guy on TV must be the biggest liar in the history of liars, the redhead thought grumpily as she brushed the snow off the front of her jacket.
She heard Elsa swallow, as if to recompose herself, and she paused. Slowly, those pretty blue eyes looked up to meet hers. They were full of sadness and hurt, yes, but they were also full of determination. "Arthur said that…things happen for a reason. That we won't know why until it's time," she began, her voice growing steady again. "And…someone else said that I should listen to what my heart tells me…I don't know how, but meeting you like this, and all that happened after…"
Elsa managed a small smile then—not tight-lipped and sad, but shy and warm.
"I know that we'll meet again, Anna. That's what it's telling me."
She reached out a hand, and immediately it was gripped by Anna's mitten-covered one. Teal eyes shone with hope, urging her to continue.
"And when that happens, we'll be friends."
"…Best friends?"
"The very best."
"A-Are you sure? 'Cause we might be all grown up by then, and I…well, I dunno if I'd even remember you since I have like…a ton of things always goin' on in my head, and who knows if you'd even remember someone like me—"
"Anna."
The redhead ceased in what promised to be the beginnings of a ramble, silenced by the prettiest smile she ever saw in her eight years on this earth.
"It'll be okay. Even if we don't remember each other…we'll still find our way back, I think."
"…Is that what your heart is telling you?"
Anna didn't mean for her voice to come out so small, so insecure…yet so hopeful.
Elsa giggled at that, nodding her head as she used her other hand to carefully brush the snow from Anna's fiery hair. Snowflakes tickled her nose again, encouraging the already large grin forming on the redhead's face. Elsa squeezed her hand, blue eyes bright with joy as her smile grew.
"Now…I believe I owe you a song?"
A/N: In terms of emphasis, from least to greatest, it's: emphasis, emphasis, emphasis. Just so no one gets confused later. Some characters will get really passionate at times, and I want to convey that.
So…this prologue ended up way longer than I expected. Whoops. Unfortunately, I can't really split it since it's kicking off the story and chapter 1 is in the present. Arthur doesn't actually belong to me if you can pick up on the about-as-subtle-as-a-wrecking-ball hints I've left lying around. Subtlety isn't my forte, as I mentioned in Tick Tock.
Anyway, I replaced the prologue I initially uploaded with this one, since I have a better grasp on my plot now and what direction I want to take. Or in other words, I didn't want to just make Hans a jerk for no reason, so I had to construct a ridiculously massive…thing, (let's call it that for now) just to fuel/justify his actions in later chapters. Namely when they do Phantom of the Opera in their senior year. For those of you who read the initial one, don't worry—that confrontation will be addressed again at a later time, for all of its intentional super-vagueness, which will probably make more sense with chapter 2.
Updates will be sporadic due to a myriad of reasons, but reviews would be welcome so long as they are not flames. Author's Notes will also get shorter as you become more familiar with the story and I don't have to take as many preemptive measures. Sorry, it's a bad habit of mine. I'll try to cut down by chapter 3.