Kristoff looked across the table. No. This couldn't be. They couldn't be taking Anna from him. No! She had just become his. They loved each other. Couldn't the council see that? Who cared about age old rules saying she had to marry someone of royal blood. That was crazy. No one followed those rules anyway right? He sighed. There really was nothing he could do. Anna couldn't do anything either from the looks of it. He glanced at her. She was so small. And vulnerable. He thought of Hans, the Prince of the Southern Isles who had almost killed her. His fist clenched involuntarily under the table. Noticing, he released it. No use getting worked up over something that had already been taken care of. But just thinking of Anna marrying another power seeking prince who didn't love her made him angry. Calm Kristoff, calm. He thought to himself. Don't show it, don't scare her. Kristoff looked Anna over. She stared nervously ahead and kept her hands clasped tightly together. He knew if she let go, she would begin to twist her fingers around each other, fidgeting nervously. She looked determined. Good, he thought. Nothing could stop Anna when she was determined. Nothing. This led him to think of how she hadn't let anything stop her from finding her sister and being convinced that she could unfreeze the eternal winter the queen had accidentally cast on Arendelle. It had gone so far that Anna had completely frozen to ice. She had been saved by the fact that she had given her life to save her sister, an act of true love. Oh yes, Anna was a determined and feisty one. And she could definitely get what she wanted.

"I'm sorry Princess Anna, but the law is the law. Our great leaders put it into place years ago to insure that Arendelle would always remain under control."

"But can't you like, just change it once? That's not gonna hurt anything, right?"

"It may not hurt anyone now, but what will the people begin to do if they see the princess isn't following the law?"

Anna slumped into her chair and glumly crossed her arms before muttering, "They wouldn't even know. Nobody even knows about that stupid law anyway."

"Pardon, I didn't hear what you said, your highness." The head councilman leaned closer waiting for an answer. This could very well become a disaster.

"I said-"

"She said that she was grateful that you took the time to consider her problem. She wishes you all the best." Elsa quickly interjected before Anna could continue and make matters even worse.

"That's not what I-" One glance from Elsa, and Anna quickly shut her mouth.

"And I thank you, wise councilmen. But Anna, Kristoff, and I really must be going. Pressing matters, royal ice harvesting, among other things. It was an honor to speak with you. Until next time." Elsa gracefully curtsied, and then took Anna's arm and tugged her up out of the chair. Anna, at the last minute remembered her royal etiquette and offered a clumsy curtsy.

"Until next time, Queen Elsa, Princess Anna, Royal Ice Harvester. We look forward to your next visit." The councilmen gave a nod of their heads in acknowledgment.

"Have a good day." Elsa turned and walked briskly out of the room, Anna in tow. Kristoff was the last to file out of the ornately carved room, as he followed the short clip of Elsa's heels, and the long thump of Anna's boots.

"Elsa, couldn't you have done something more?" Anna angrily yanked her arm out of Elsa's grip once the door had been shut on them. "I mean sure, laws keep people safe and all, but come on. Couldn't they have bent this one? Just once?"

"Anna, there was nothing I could do. I'm sorry, but laws are laws and they are there to protect us and our people. This isn't just about you and your interests you know."

"I am thinking about our people. I'm pretty sure they want me to marry Kristoff. I mean they all feel bad for him. He's so smelly and awkward and used to be grumpy and all alone with only a reindeer and some trolls as friends, and they probably feel bad so they want him to marry me."

"Hey-"

"And none of them even know about that law anyway right? I mean if somebody does know it and they question us at the wedding we can just say we didn't see it. Like maybe that page fell out of the old, giant book of laws or something, I don't know." Anna flung her hands into the air.

"Anna, I wish I could help. I really do. But there is nothing, no rule I can bend, no pardon I can extend, nothing. I'm truly sorry. I would like nothing more than to throw that law out the window, but I can't. It's above even my power." The queen rested her hand on her sister's arm, but Anna just pushed it aside and ran her fingers through her strawberry blonde hair.

"There has to be something we can do. I can't just not marry Kristoff. He went through all that trouble to propose."

"It wasn't trouble-"

"Anna, I'm sorry. But the two of you can't get married, and you're going to need to move on. It will be hard, but it needs to happen. Spend some time alone. And I don't think it's a good idea for Kristoff to be around anymore. I'm sorry." Elsa turned to move away, but froze when Anna shouted, "Elsa you can't just take away his job too! What are you, heartless? Here I am, losing the love of my life, and you're here telling him he can't even work at the castle anymore!" She burst into tears, and took off running.

"That's not what I meant! Anna!" Elsa started to chase after her, but Kristoff stopped her.

"I'll go to her. Sorry, but I don't think she wants you right now."

Elsa sighed and fiddled with her dress. "I think you're right. Please let her know I didn't mean it like that! I just meant you shouldn't see each other as much, so it wouldn't cause more pain." She sighed and then exclaimed, "Oh, sometimes I hate being royalty." The queen sunk down on a nearby bench and put her head in her hands. Kristoff was unsure of what to say. How do you comfort a queen who doesn't want to be queen? He scratched the back of his neck and coughed. She looked up at him and said,

"What are you still doing here? Go comfort my sister." He didn't need to be told twice.

Kristoff found Anna sobbing in the library. She was hiding on the far end in a cupboard under the shelves, clutching her favorite romance novel.

"Hey feisty pants." He sat down beside the cupboard. The only reply he got was sniffles.

"Anna, you gotta talk to me. From the looks of it, we don't have much time left together." That only made Anna cry harder. Oh man, that was not the right thing to say.

"Hey, Anna, hey. I can't fit in there, so you kinda have to come out." He poked her knee, and Anna let out a tiny giggle in between sobs. Kristoff wasn't even sure how that was possible, but it was Anna, so it didn't surprise him.

"Come on, princess, come on out." She poked her tear streaked face out of the cupboard.

"Please don't call me that awful name. It only serves as a reminder that we can't-we can't-" she burst into sobs again and buried her face in her arms.

"Hey, come here." He gently pulled her out of the cupboard and wrapped his arms around her.

"It's gonna be okay. You'll see. We'll work this out together." Kristoff stroked her head hoping it was soothing. He wasn't really sure, since that was what the trolls did, but maybe people didn't really do that? Oh well, her sobs had quieted and she had wrapped her arms around him as well. They sat holding each other for a moment, and then Kristoff shifted her so he could see her face.

"I brought you something." He pulled out a thin box with a shiny silver cover. Anna grinned and swiped at the tears on her cheeks; then lifted the lid and peeked inside.

"Chocolate!" She squealed and immediately grabbed a piece and popped it in her mouth. Kristoff smiled at how easily Anna could be brought back to her normal happy self, as her watched the smile slip back onto her freckled face.

"I'm still upset about everything you know," Anna stated, her mouth full of chocolate. "I know you think I'm just happy me, but on the inside I'm really angry." She ate another piece.

"I'm not giving up that easy." She licked her fingers. "Nope. Elsa and those council members are gonna realize that it will take more than some law to keep me away from marrying you."

"That's my feisty pants." Kristoff kissed her forehead and smiled.

"Exactly. Your feisty pants. And I plan on staying that way forever." Anna stood up and brushed the chocolate bits from her dress. She reached for Kristoff's arm and tried pulling him up.

"Come on-oof! You're heavy," she puffed, out of breath from trying to pull him up, "I think-" she inhaled, "I've got a plan."