It was May Day.
For the life of him, Kristoff could never understand what all the fuss was about. 25 years living in the palace, 23 years of marriage to the second-in-line to the throne of Arendelle, and 3 children later – and all the celebrations that went along with all of these things – and he still couldn't understand what magic the first day of May seemed to hold over everyone. The whole town shut down, and there was dancing, food, contests, drinking, the bizarre central focus of the town, the maypole, and above all else, lovers.
He had been following his wife and his children and their families all day and participating in all the activities with them. Running into shops, buying inordinate amounts of food, and dancing were taking their toll, however. His leg usually didn't bother him despite his breaking it nearly 15 years earlier, but after a long day of use, the aches started to take over and he found himself finally sitting on a bench longing for relief.
The bench was placed optimally on the edge of the square. From here he could watch his family and all of Arendelle enjoy themselves. Despite it being late in the afternoon, the sun still hung high in the sky, and the bustle of the festival had only slowed due to the warmth and food consumption.
His children and their mother – still the epitome of frenetic energy – were caught up in a dance with Elsa. It was one of the few times the whole royal family dressed in street clothes and mingled among the masses. And this was a particular favorite moment of his sister-in-law's. Her personality had changed so much in the years since he had met her, and playing Aunt had become more than a pastime. It was an obsession. Anything his children wanted, Aunt Elsa was only too happy to oblige.
Hence the fact that the Queen of Arendelle was dancing like a chicken in the town square.
Kristoff hung his head and chuckled. Orders from the every other kingdom around could never manage this; his three had but to ask.
He looked up and saw a young couple. Wandering aimlessly, arm in arm, staring at each other, not minding where they were going. They couldn't have been older than teenagers. Kristoff sighed. He remembered that feeling. Sure, he was a little older when he met Anna. But, oh, that feeling of butterflies. That feeling that the world was perfect and that they had eternity together. That feeling that he got when she looked at him. The rush he felt when they were sneaking around the palace looking for hidden spaces to kiss –and the thrill of nearly getting caught.
He couldn't help himself. The smile spread across his face wider and deeper than he had felt in a while. It shocked him that it almost hurt.
A little girl ran out in front of him, breaking his reverie. Hot on her heels was what could only have been her mother. The same raven hair, the same dark eyes. And clearly the girl's father was close behind, laden with purchases of the day, nonplussed that he had flowers in his hair and a new little dress in his arms.
Kristoff drew a long deep breath. His children meant the world to him. He was in that exact same predicament on more than one occasion. He remembered dancing with his daughter at her first ball, making them both the highlight of the evening. He remembered teaching his boys to hunt, to fish, to survive the wilderness. He remembered being of frustratingly little use in their academic endeavors. And here they were, 23, 20 and 18, all trained up to be leaders and diplomats. It couldn't be possible. How had so much time passed?
How had a young man, orphaned, brought up by trolls, taught a trade in the school of hard knocks, basically uneducated by royal standards, how could he possibly be the father of this group of attractive, intelligent young people? The trolls often told him they knew he was destined for greatness. He had no inkling they meant this.
"Sir Kristoff!"
He looked up. There approached Gerda and Kai. They were bent with age, and on this one day, when the castle staff was relieved of their duties, they allowed themselves to display publicly the near-secret affection they had for each other. They were holding hands, Kai with a cane in his free hand, Gerda with a nosegay. Honestly, they had never kept it secret that they were wed, but on duty in the palace, they behaved rather cooly toward one another. When Anna asked – of course she asked – the response was a short sermon on propriety and station. Nothing more.
"Gerda! Kai!" Kristoff tried to stand, an unsolicited groan left his lips.
"Oh, dear, don't get up on our account," Gerda insisted.
"Sorry, Anna wore me out today."
"You may need to eat a bit more oatmeal and sugar to keep up with that one!" Kai joked.
"Kai!" Gerda admonished.
"No, he's right!" Kristoff laughed. "Will you be able to join us for dinner tonight? The whole staff is welcome."
"I'm afraid not, Sir. I'm planning on taking my lady to dine under the stars this evening," Kai explained.
"We'll see you in the morning, Sir," Gerda excused themselves.
"'Till then," Kristoff replied.
Would they? Would he and Anna still act like lovestruck children when they were that old? They were well into their forties already, and while life was a bit more routine, they still often sat at night, tending to one another's aches and pains, reading to one another, singing, playing games. It felt right. It felt comfortable.
Sure, the fire had slowed a bit. They didn't have sex like rabbits anymore, but it was still wonderful. They often fell asleep before any romantic progress could be made. But then again, since the kids had grown a bit, that aspect of their life had indeed rebounded significantly.
He wondered if he would still be able to hold her against a wall when he was 80.
That image was followed by the image of a heap of tangled limbs on the floor, and the embarrassing need to call for help.
Perhaps they should stick to the bed at this point.
Anna came running over. "Hey, you! Did we wear you out?"
Kristoff just stared at her.
"What's wrong? Kristoff, are you ok?"
A smile crept across his face. "I feel amazing."
"You sure?"
He nodded. "Hey, quick question. Does longevity run in your family?"
"Um, well… I don't know. I mean, obviously my parents didn't live out their lives completely, and I vaguely remember my grandfather, but I think he was killed in an accident. So, I don't really know. Why?"
"Just wondering how much longer we have."
"Kristoff, really? Everyone's having a good time and you're being morbid?"
"Not morbid. Planning how much more I get to love you."
Anna's mouth fell slack as she knitted her brows. "Are you sure you're ok?"
"Never better. Another question."
"I'm not sure I can handle another."
"Too bad, here comes. Will you go on a date with me?"
"A date?" Anna deadpanned.
"Yup. I want to get to know you all over again."
"Kristoff?"
"Listen, we only get to live once, but I want to fall in love with you again. I want to be reminded of what a wonderful woman you are. I want to find myself in you once again. Think we can make that happen?"
Anna's eyes were glassy with tears. "I don't know, but I really want to try."
"And maybe every so often we can just keep starting over, and I'll just be able to love you forever. Sound good?"
"Forever? Sounds amazing."
Anna leaned in for a kiss, and for the first time in a long while, it wasn't a kiss of comfortable love, it was a kiss with electricity, a kiss with the promise of better things to come.
