Hello.
Disclaimer: If I had to choose between having a cold, or having Frozen, I'd choose Frozen.
But I have a cold instead.
_xx
"No!" Anna shouted with the rest of her strength. She raised one powerful hand up in the air to block Hans' sharp weapon; shielding her sister. Before Hans' sword could strike her cold body, she felt her bones freeze into place, the sharp splintering of the cold spreading through her body, the piercing frost stabbing into her torso as it made its way to the rest of her. She wanted to scream—but nothing came out as her pain only worsened. The cold was freezing her body solid—into ice. Yet she did not panic; she knew this was her fate. As the ice froze her throat, it soon reached her face; sending every kind of pain known to man frantically up and down her unmoving body.
But all she could think about were the people she was now leaving behind: Kristoff; her friendly lover she had deserted only moments ago, the man that risked his all trying to get her back here—that put his needs before hers throughout this whole journey. Even Olaf and Sven—the two companions full of the most wonderful optimism she had ever experienced—had stuck by her side all this time.
And Elsa.
The sister she truly loved.
The sister she'd always cared about.
The sister she never saw.
The sister she dearly missed.
The sister she was now shielding.
Ever so silently, Anna let out a final breath—all her thoughts escaping out with the icy fog.
She woke up with a jolt and a cry. She felt her body trembling beneath the silky sheets that covered her thin legs. Already sitting up stiff, she felt her shaky hands grip the soft beddings before coming up to her she softly wept into her dainty fingers, she felt the same cold chips splintering throughout her center, making her frantically choke and gasp even more into her small hands. The incident had only occurred a month ago, but why was she remembering this?
"Anna?" she heard a voice call out.
Anna, feeling as skittish as an apprehensive child, snapped her head up from her palms to see her sister Elsa standing in the doorway. With willful movements, Elsa rushed over to her weeping sister, wiping her surprisingly cold tears away from her freckled cheeks. As Elsa wrapped her arms around Anna's thin body, Anna looked up into her sister's powerful icy-blue eyes with her own weary teal ones. She couldn't say anything to her sister—no words would come out. She could only seek comfort in Elsa's warm embrace.
After what seemed like forever, Anna managed a faint, "It was just a… nightmare." To which Elsa sympathetically nodded, squeezing Anna tighter.
The antique clock next to Anna's bed stood tall, reading past midnight. Besides the rhythmic tick-tock, the dark silence of Anna's bedroom wore on, as Elsa decided to sleep with Anna that night.
_xx
"Anna," a gentle voice cooed, "Anna, it's time to wake up."
Unlike other mornings, Anna's hair didn't stick to the back of her head, nor did she feel the usual pool of her saliva gathering near her cheek on the pillow. She just flicked her eyes open, not saying a word. A soft hand was brought up to her freckled cheek, and her eyes met with Elsa's stunning blue ones. "Are you alright?"
"Better than ever," Anna lied.
"Is it the nightmare?" Elsa questioned, clearly seeing past Anna's words.
"I'm fine," she smiled.
"If you were fine," Elsa smiled, "Your hair would be a rat's nest, and you wouldn't even have woken up by now."
It was true. Within a month, Elsa had already gotten used to her playful sister along with her habits. Anna cocked her head up to read the clock. 7:42. "Whoa," the word escaped her mouth. She'd never woken up so easily at this time.
"I'll send breakfast up." Elsa said.
Anna nodded as the Queen walked elegantly out of the room. She slowly exhaled a long breath she didn't know she was holding, and then got up to start her morning routine.
_xx
The wind gently tugged on Anna's light green dress like a shy child behind its mother. Today she was traveling throughout the woods in hopes of clearing her foggy mind. Her hair was neatly folded into her two usual braids, and her dress a very subtle emerald, were swaying about with her every stride. The air smelt alive today; a combination of wood and fresh grass, and the sun shown a little brighter; the light weaving its way through the tall tree's evergreen leaves. At least this is a nice place to sort things out, Anna thought to herself. She planted herself on a big rock leveled enough for sitting and thought.
She was never so shaken up by a past event, at least not since the death of her parents. Yet somehow, the two feelings differed; she was afraid this time. The past is the past, so why couldn't she now accept that? Was she afraid the piercing cold would come back? Was she afraid of Hans? Was it fear of losing Elsa? Or maybe leaving Kristoff? Or was it… fear of leaving everyone behind? Anna envisioned Kristoff laying his head in his large, comforting hands, with his blonde locks of hair brushing over his skillful fingertips. Kristoff, Anna thought. She missed him dearly. The last time they'd seen each other was only the moment after they joyfully ice-skated together in the center of the kingdom.
Anna brushed her lower lip with the tip of her finger. She longed for his touch; she wanted to feel his broad chest beneath her fragile hands, to look into his stunning amber eyes, to feel his warm lips sliding over hers, to feel his protective hands sliding up from the small of her back, she want to feel safe. Kristoff had stuck by Anna's side throughout the entire chase for Elsa, protecting her. Shortly after that day had ended, Kristoff explained he had to leave to finish up the rest of his work, promising to see her again. A whole month, Anna whispered in her head. All she could think about now was the pressure of his soft lips gently on hers.
Anna sat up straight as if making as final decision, and thought to herself; the worst is over now. She knew that what happened in the past stayed in the past. Yes, she might be scarred by the incident, but she would have to accept it as a lesson. Anna smiled in triumph, and finally fell in tune of her normal self.
She heard a loud cracking noise.
"Look out!" She heard a husky voice yell.
Before Anna had time to get up, two unfamiliar strong arms roughly seized her small frame and pulled her away from whatever was tumbling down at her. They both fell upon their knees whilst landing in a farther area, which made Anna wince in a stinging pain.
"Oh my, are you hurt? My apologies," she heard the rough voice say. Anna looked up at the fallen tree, and noted the axe lying beside the fresh stump. Then she looked at the man who rescued her; a tall and slender man, with milky-brown eyes, athletic shoulders, and dark-brown hair. His face was structured with a strong jawline that complemented his features very nicely; all the while he was holding Anna in his tense arms. The mysterious man was protectively curled over Anna; shielding her from anything that might've crashed with them. Anna, on her knees, shifted to her other knee and chuckled, "I'm alright."
"S-Sorry I was cutting down the tree and—" the boy started.
"Don't worry about it! I should be sorry—I was in your way. Ah! Why didn't I see that?" She rambled, turning over to face him.
"Oh my," he uttered, looking at Anna's leg.
Anna reverted back to the stinging sensation, and darted her eyes to her legs. She'd been wounded through her stockings; a deep-set scarlet line lay diagonal below her knee. "It doesn't hurt, 'Tis but a flesh wound." she laughed, her voice imitating a man's at her last sentence.
"Nonsense," the young man chuckled, "We're going to get you cleaned up."
The peculiar man stood with one swift movement, offering his nimble hand for her. Without protest, Anna slipped her delicate fingers into his, and they both headed further into the woods.
"I don't even know your name, sir." Anna explained as professionally as she could.
"My apologies," he said without stopping, "I'm Ezekiel."
"I'm Anna," she said following his careful footsteps.
Ezekiel paused, and turned to Anna with a puzzling look. "You seem familiar."
"Do I?" Anna replied, reflecting the same perplexed look he gave her. Although she wasn't surprised, she was the Princess of Arendelle, and yet she barely gets recognition next to her sister Elsa.
"Indeed," Ezekiel said with a perk of his eyebrows, "Nevertheless, your leg needs the attention now." He then chuckled.
_xx
Ezekiel led her back to his small cabin, and sat her down on his soft bed of animal skins. He was now fetching supplies from another room while she absentmindedly glossed her fingers over the rough patches of various animal prints, examining the room. The ceiling of the small bedroom was shaped like the top of a hexagon, with candles scattered about the walls, and to her left; a hand-crafted stand with a lamp atop it, a desk near the right corner, a book-shelf next to it, completed with a window behind her. A simple room, she thought, something Kristoff would live in. Kristoff.
Anna's mind was about to flood with longing and loneliness when she heard an, "Aha!" coming from the other room. She giggled as Ezekiel made his way into the room and kneeled below her, examining the wound.
"May I, uh," he said while blushing.
Anna realized her stockings were in the way and immediately blushed with him. Luckily, she could detach her stockings without needing to strip all the way. Anna hesitantly reached beneath her pear-colored dress skirt and found the clip that connected the stockings with her underwear. As she brought down the fabric, she made sure to be careful around peeling the nylon from the wound.
"You may," she nervously said.
Ezekiel's skillful fingers brought a small fragment of cloth wet with a medicine she didn't recall recognizing, and ever so gently patted down her smooth leg—the wound stinging. Anna bit her tongue to keep from making any sound as the area cleared of dirt and grime; cleaning the cut. Every little movement his fingertips made; she felt a twinge of guilt. Kristoff she said in her head.
"I guess I might've hit a rock, yeah?" She said breaking the silence.
"Sure looks like it," the young man smiled, concentrated on her leg.
"I hope this isn't any trouble," Anna apologized, "I'm very clumsy. I-I don't mean to be, but it's ridiculous how many times it has unintentionally happened!"
"Don't worry about it," Ezekiel said, "I'm the one who's clumsy! I almost hit you with a tree!"
They both exchanged laughter as he grabbed a roll bandage and delicately wrapped the wounded area. As soon as he finished, she gently dragged her stocking back up, clipping it in place once again.
"May I ask you something?" Ezekiel said, watching her nod, "Why were you in the middle of the woods?"
"I uh—" Anna stopped herself, "I wanted to clear my head." She said with a polite smile.
"Of course." he concluded, resting his palm on her knee.
"Thank you very much, Ezekiel," Anna smiled, trying to muster up any manners she had to offer. "But I really should be going."
"I understand." He politely replied. "Do be safe, Anna."
She smiled and nodded, standing up and making her way out of the room. "I hope to see you again." Anna kindly said. Ezekiel let her go with a small, "And you, too."
_xx
"Where have you been, Anna?" Elsa questioned as Anna returned into her lush bedroom.
"I went to sort some things out," Anna said quietly, "B-But everything's fine now!" She remarked with a smile.
"Well," Elsa smiled back, almost with relief, "Great to see you're doing okay."
"Yeah—I was just really out of it this morning!" Anna giggled.
"What a shame," Elsa said as if trying to remember something. "I forgot what I was going to say."
"Get back to me on that," Anna said childishly, skipping to her soft bed.
"Wait…" Elsa muttered, "Anna."
Anna turned to face her sister.
"It was Kristoff," Elsa said, "Yes, one of the gate keepers told me he stopped here earlier."
"Kristoff…" Anna said as her turquoise eyes widened. "Kristoff stopped here?"
Elsa smiled like a child caught red-handed, "Yes. He was going to visit you but…" her voice trailed off.
Anna cursed under her breath, and sulked, face-palming herself. She missed her chance!
"He might still be in town!" Elsa encouraged.
Then Anna wasted no time; she hurried out of the tall door, and attempted to fix her red hair in the process of running. It was time to see her only love after a whole month of being away from him. As she staggered onto the long path of stairs, she realized what a short time they really have had together. They had only kissed once—a month ago—and then he disappeared. At least there was an upside, both Anna and Elsa took the entire month and a half to catch up with each other; making up for all the years apart. They reached the happiest part of their relationship, but without Kristoff, Anna felt a piece of her missing throughout all the bonding she did with her sister.
Anna was now in the crowd of people in the town. She heard merchants verbally advertising, the chatter of the townspeople, the cute voices of children, and the familiar huff of a reindeer.
"Sven!" Anna exclaimed to herself.
She darted her eyes around the traveling commotion of people to spot Sven. After thirty seconds of Spot the Reindeer, she found the big animal. Sven's eyes met hers through the crowd of people, and she could see his antlers perk up with his head. Anna rushed to the excited reindeer, petting him on the head, and giving him a small peck on the cheek.
"Anna?" a familiar voice said. Kristoff.
"Krist—"
_xx
Eh. This probably wont get very nice reviews—or none at all.