One hour.
"Princess Anna, I do believe it's best if we remove Kristoff's dinner plate? I am sure he would much prefer eating something warm when he arrives." Gerda slowly reached for Kristoff's plate.
"That is quite alright, Gerda. I am certain Kristoff will be here any minute." Anna raised her eyebrows and straightened her back, attempting to emphasize how positive she was in what she was saying. Gerda let out an exasperated sigh. "If you insist, your Highness. Would you like me to-" Gerda began leaning forward to collect Anna's plate. "No!" Anna held out her hands as if protecting her plate. Gerda never questioned Anna or Elsa but she was particularly perplexed with Anna's current behavior. The servant knelt on the floor beside Anna. "Is there a problem, dear princess?" Anna stared at Gerda. Her eyes fluttering between Gerda's face and the dining hall door. Anna's hands were clammy and her lips chapped. "No. Everything is fine. I just..." She trailed off and gazed at Kristoff's plate. "Want to eat with my husband, is all. It's only been an hour since we finished. The food is cold yet." Gerda narrowed her eyes and tilted her head, still concerned at how stressed Anna appeared. "Very well. I shall leave you to your thoughts." Gerda curtseyed and exited to go fetch Queen Elsa.
Two hours.
"Anna?" Elsa slipped into the dining hall with a look of serious concern on her fair face. Anna perked up at the sound of her name echoing throughout the hall. She stared at Elsa blankly for a few moments before speaking. "Oh! Hi Elsa. W-whatcha up to?" Anna brushed the crumbs off of her dress, from the bread she had been tearing apart. Elsa gracefully sat down in the seat next to Anna. "Gerda told me that you were acting-" Elsa peered down at Anna's hands, she had them folded in her lap so tight her knuckled had turned white. "Peculiar. I just wanted to make sure everything was alright?" Anna frowned. "Oh I'm fine! Splendid, actually! Absolutely perfect! I don't understand why Gerda thought I was acting strange I am acting just the same as I have every other night! Just sitting here ripping up bread and staring at a plate full of food waiting for two hours after supper to eat. I don't know what could possible be strange about that." Anna turned away and bit her lip. Elsa placed her cold hand on Anna's shoulder. "I can tell you're nervous It's because Kristoff isn't home yet, isn't it? I understand Anna and I will be right here." Anna looked up at her older sister, her eyes were beginning to water and her cheeks to burn. "Th-thanks Elsa. But I'm— I'm fine." Elsa nodded and stood. "I understand. I will be in my room, if you need me." Elsa crept out of the dining hall like a spirit in the night.
Three hours.
Anna's gaze was locked on Kristoff's plate, and his untouched roast and potatoes. "It's been three hours since you were supposed to come home. Where are you?" Anna whispered into her lap, it was barely audible.
Four hours.
The servants continued to clean up the dining hall but left Anna and Kristoff's plates untouched, as instructed. Anna heard everyone scuttle about outside the room, concerned whispers from right outside the door and hurried footsteps from the kitchen. The only noise she didn't hear was the sound of Kristoff's voice.
Five hours had passed when Anna began to cry. The tears were cold against her flushed cheeks and as they hit the palms of her hands. Anna grabbed her napkin to blow her nose and wipe away her tears. She pushed her chair away from the table and left the hall. Her stomach churned as Anna slowly trudged up the stairs. Keeping a sturdy grip on the banister, unable to keep her balance while her mind was preoccupied with worrisome thoughts. "Don't worry Anna. He'll be back tomorrow." She whispered to herself at the top of the stairs. "Everything's fine."
It was three in the morning when Anna had first heard the noise. A soft galloping, followed by grunting. "S-Sven?" Anna bursts through her bedroom door and out towards the castle gates. When Anna slid out into the courtyard she was paralyzed with fear at the scene before her.
Sven was on sitting on the cobblestone street, weak and obviously in pain. But, seeing Kristoff's face crushed her. He was tossed over Sven's back, and completely unresponsive. A large purple bruise on his head and multiple scratches and rips in his sweater. His eyes were shut and unmoving. Anna's hand hovered over Kristoff's face. She let her fingertips grace over the side of his face. His skin was colder than the ice he sold to the villagers.
"No." Anna bolted upright and started screaming. "Help! Please! Someone, please, help!" Anna couldn't catch her breath but she continued to run around the courtyard begging for help. "Call- call the doctor! Someone please!" Anna crouched down beside her husband and held up his head. "You're gonna be okay Kristoff. I've got you Don- Don't worry." She kissed his forehead and held his face beside hers.
Anna awoke the next day in Elsa's bed, the sun was already at its highest peak and everyone else in the palace seemed to be awake due to the busy noises coming from outside the door.
The princess hobbled out of bed, taking a piece of dry bread from the tray next to her sister's bed. As soon as Anna opened the bedroom door the surrounding servants gasped. Anna was bombarded with various "Princess! You should be asleep!" and "Every thing is fine. We can assure you. Just go back to sleep." The maids and servants began pushing her back into Elsa's bedroom. Of course, Anna, always stubborn, wouldn't back away without knowing what was going on. "Wait! No! I want to know! What's happened? Let me through!" Anna furrowed her brow and tried to push her way back into the crowd. She ducked into her knees, crawled beneath the servant legs and scurried down the hall to Kristoff's room.
Anna grasped the handle and tugged the door open. She barely got a glimpse of Kristoff before Elsa and Kai were standing in front of her, strategically blocking her view.
"Elsa please! You have to let me in. Kristoff is my husband. I need to know he's okay!" Anna slid from left to right and attempted to push between her sister and Kai. "Anna you can't..." Elsa made direct eye contact with her sister. Anna's eyes were dull and lifeless. Her cheeks were still tear stained and her eyelids red and puffy. Elsa couldn't speak. She wanted to let Anna see Kristoff. Let her little sister know the truth and see what had happened for herself. Elsa continued stuttering "You-you can-" Kai finished for her "You have to wait, Princess."
Anna was shocked and offended. Kristoff was her family, and she was being pushed away from him. "I can't see my own husband?" She was frozen in place and begin to cry silently. Tears were streaming down her face in confusion and terror.
Elsa leaned forward to hug her "Anna I'm sorry but the doctor..." Anna backed away and shook her head.
"Let her over here. She can come now." The doctor stood up from the bed and took Anna's hand. Anna floated over to the bed in a sort of haze, but it broke once she saw her husband. Anna collapsed onto the floor in hysterical sobs. Her words barely made sense, mostly sounds similar to "No. Please." The doctor placed his hand on Anna's shoulder. "He's still alive. Just unconscious." Anna continues to wail but muttered "Unconscious?" The doctor nodded "It's like he's asleep. He... Should wake up soon. We will, leave you two alone." The doctor, Elsa, and Kai slunk out of the room and disappeared into the hallway.
The princess sat down on the side of the bed stroking Kristoff's messy head of hair. "Wa-wake up sle-sleepy head. It's mor-orning time."
Anna remained this way for the next two days. Waking up at the break of dawn, eating a piece of dry bread with water and spent the rest of the day sitting. Sometimes Anna would sit in silence and hold his warm and motionless hand. Others Anna would babble to her husband. About anything; how she missed him, how Sven missed him, how Elsa missed him, and what was going on around in the palace. But every sentence that Anna uttered would always start with "Wake up."
The third morning that Kristoff was unconscious Anna didn't eat any breakfast. The doctor had informed everyone the night before "If he doesn't become conscious tomorrow it's likely he will pass." Anna spent the night tossing and turning and sobbing helplessly. "Wake up. It's morning time." Anna whispered, her voice horse from wailing. She slid down next to her husband and kissed his cheek gingerly. "Pl-please wake up..." She didn't move until she heard a slight noise. A moan. Followed by a gasp for air. Anna screamed and jumped back "K-Kristoff?" The burly mountain man turned to the side and blinked his eyes open, forcefully.
"How—how long? Have I been asleep?" Anna wrapped her arms Around him. "Oh I missed you so much. I'm so happy you woke up." Kristoff smiled, using what was left of his energy, he whimpered
"Me too."