DISCLAIMER: All of the places and characters in this story belong to Disney and are inspired by the work of Hans Christian Andersen. No profit is being made from this story. It only serves to (hopefully) entertain.
Rated T for some sensuality and scattered uses of the word "damn." (Does that even require a warning...? Whatever. Better play it safe. :p)
-Petra's Song-
Anna heard the wind first. It rattled against the stained-glass windows of the sleeping quarters she shared with Kristoff and slowly disrupted her peaceful slumber. The tired princess had every intention to ignore the brewing storm, refusing to open her eyes while preparing to wrap her pillow around her head. She wanted her worry-free dreams back.
Then she heard the crying in the next room.
Anna groaned and rubbed her eyes as she reluctantly sat up. She loved her daughter – truly, she did – but the little girl was such a light sleeper; a feather could land on the ground three rooms down and she'd wake up. She couldn't figure out where Petra had gotten it from, as both herself and Kristoff slept like rocks. Well, at least they did until about five months ago when Petra was born.
"Damn wind," Kristoff mumbled tiredly from beside her; Anna hadn't even realized he'd awoken, too. "We almost made it the whole night."
Anna glanced at the clock on the mantle: four in the morning. They'd been so close.
"I'll be right back," Anna yawned, shifting the covers away from her. She winced mournfully at the instant loss of warmth.
"No, you stay in bed," Kristoff said, placing a hand on her arm. "I'll take care of it."
"Are you sure?"
"Of course. You always get up. I've got this one, alright?"
"Okay. Thank you."
Anna certainly wasn't going to argue. She smiled, leaning back into her cozy pillow and burrowing beneath the thick quilts while Kristoff left to tend to Petra. Surely their daughter had only been startled by the storm and wanted to be held for a while. She most likely wasn't hungry, as it was still three hours before her regular feeding time. Yes, Anna could sleep. Kristoff would handle it.
But a minute passed. Then two. Three...
Damn it, Anna thought, Petra's wails still wafting across the corridor and into their room. She probably is hungry.
Anna heaved herself out of bed and stretched as she walked to the door. She appreciated Kristoff's willingness to try to take care of things, but she'd much preferred going back to sleep, and if that meant getting out of bed for a while, she'd do it. Shuffling her bare feet across the carpeted floor of the corridor, she made her way to the nursery.
The door was ajar, and Anna had every intention to walk right in until she saw Kristoff. He was in full father mode, walking slowly around the room while gently cradling Petra against his chest. His hold on her was tender, yet strong and protective at the same time, and though concern was painted on his face, he'd never looked so placid. Even as Petra's cries pierced the air, everything he whispered to her was calm and kind.
"I know how frightening storms can be, sweetheart," he murmured. "They used to scare me, too. But it's okay. It's not going to hurt you. Me and your mother and your Aunt Elsa and everyone in this palace is here to keep you safe, okay? We're not going to let anything happen to you."
Anna's motherly instincts told her to join him and try to help, but she was too enamored with the sight before her. She'd never really seen Kristoff alone with the baby before, at least not without him knowing she was nearby.
"You know something my mother used to do for me when I couldn't sleep?" Kristoff continued in a soft whisper. "She used to sing for me. She was always making up songs and lullabies. There's one I still remember really well. Would you like to hear it?"
Petra continued to cry in response, but Kristoff apparently took that as a yes, because he began to sing:
"The darkness of night can be eerie,
But sweetheart, don't you weep.
Listen to this song
And hum right along,
And you'll drift calmly to sleep.
My baby, don't you be worried.
Dream sweetly and soundly tonight.
But if there is fear,
know I am right here
To hold you and make it alright.
Good night.
Sleep now 'til morning light."
While she couldn't recall hearing those lyrics before, the tune sounded strangely familiar to Anna. She didn't spend too much time trying to figure out where she'd heard it, though, as she was too busy wiping a tear from her eye. Kristoff had lost his mother long ago, and it was so sweet that he'd remembered her song. What made the moment even sweeter was that Petra seemed to like it; her cries mellowed out into soft whimpers and hiccups, and she wasn't wiggling around in Kristoff's arms anymore.
"Isn't that a nice song?" Kristoff asked with a smile. "Your grandmother made it up. We named you after her, you know. Maybe one day you'll make up songs, too, and sing them just as beautifully as she did. But for now, will you sleep for me? Please? Don't let the wind scare you. I'm right here, okay?"
Anna tiptoed back to their room. She had plenty of her own special moments with Petra from night after night of waking up to nurse, and she wouldn't deny Kristoff his. He had fewer opportunities simply because she always had to be there; it hardly seemed fair, but that's how it had to be when she was still so little. But for once, Anna's presence hadn't been necessary; this time, Petra had needed her daddy.
Kristoff returned to bed about ten minutes later. Assuming she was asleep, he was very obviously trying to be as quiet as possible as he lifted the covers slowly. Too slowly.
"I'm still up," Anna whispered. "Just hop in."
"Why aren't you asleep?" Kristoff asked, sliding in next to her beneath the quilts. "I thought you'd be snoring like a bear by now."
"I don't snore!"
"Whatever makes you feel better, love."
Anna chuckled as he snuggled up behind her, wrapping an arm around her middle and pulling her back against his chest. She nestled right into his warmth and sighed contently.
"How's Petra?"
"Sound asleep," Kristoff confirmed. "Took a while, but she'd tucked away in the bassinet like nothing ever happened."
"Mm, good," Anna replied, closing her eyes. Hopefully she'd stay that way until the sun came up. She really just wanted another hour or two of sleep. That wasn't too much to ask for, right?
Her eyes snapped open again when the hand that had been resting on her abdomen mysteriously made it's way up to massage her hip.
"Hey," Kristoff whispered cheekily, "since we're both up..."
"Kristoff!"
"What?" he laughed. "C'mon, it'll help us fall back to sleep."
Anna huffed, but couldn't help grinning a little. It certainly wasn't a horrible idea, but...
"I look awful."
"Shush. You're always beautiful."
"There's probably crusty stuff in my eyes."
"I don't care."
"My breath's horrible."
"Again, I don't care, but if it makes you feel better, I won't kiss your mouth."
As promised, he didn't kiss her mouth, but instead began sweetly caressing her neck. She let out an exhilarated sigh; he knew the neck was her weakness. Damn him.
"I love you," he muttered between kisses.
"Mm," she hummed, "I love you, too."
Both of them giggled as they disappeared under the blankets. They'd make their own sort of lullaby.
Author's Note: No idea where this came from, but sometimes random plot bunnies are the most fun. I probably don't have to tell you where Anna previously heard the tune of the lullaby, but it's sung to the beat of "Reindeers Are Better Than People." In my head-canon, his mother's lullaby has stuck with him for so long that he uses the tune to sing about random things that pop into his head. :D
Two things reference in this story, Petra's birth and Kristoff's backstory, are things I've previously written about. The former can be found in In a Heartbeat and the latter in An April Thaw. Yes, I'm self-plugging, and no, I'm not ashamed. :D
Thanks for reading!