Hello lovelies! This is going to be an Elsanna fic, so if you don't like that kinda stuck then you just might wanna skip this one. Everything belongs to Disney, I own nothing, and I have no money so don't sue me kay?
The frosty breeze nipped at Anna's already red face as the ship approached the harbor of Arendelle. The buildings looked much the same other than light powdery snow of early winter that covered the streets and rooftops. She could just barely make out the tiny dots of people bustling around the noonday streets. A smile enveloped her face. It's good to be home. The same streets her parents would take her shopping at, the stores she would peer into longingly, and in the distance she could see the familiar majesty of the castle. Her smile widened, how she had missed that castle!
"What's up Anna Banana?" Her reminiscing was cut off by Christoff's question. She turned and smiled at her rather large friend.
"Oh uh, nothing, just spaced out I guess." She chuckled and turned back to the shoreline.
"Yeah, you do that a lot." Christoff joked while nudging her shoulder.
"I do not!" Anna cried indignantly, punching him soundly on the arm.
"Says the girl who almost fell overboard the other day because she was thinking about what we were having for supper that night." Christoff grumbled as he rubbed his arm. "Remind me why I taught you to punch like that?"
"Firstly, there is nothing wrong with liking food. I'm a growing girl, so that's pretty normal. And you taught me so I could, and I quote, 'protect myself from the nasty baddies'." Anna explained haughtily, folding her arms.
"Well maybe I did too good a job then, eh?" Christoff grinned and ruffled Anna's hair.
"Christoff! Don't touch my hair! Stop it you big oaf!" Anna shouted while trying to escape his reach.
By this time Christoff was laughing aloud. "Wow Anna, I don't think I've ever seen you so uptight!" Anna harrumphed and started to walk away from him. Well, I have plenty of reason to be! She made it a few steps before she heard his teasing voice once more. "Does it have to do with a certain someone you could be seeing today?"
Her cheeks flamed. "Christoff you better shut your mouth!"
"Why? Are you nervous about seeing your crush again?" He sing-songed loudly, catching the attention of a few crewmembers passing by.
"That's it! You are so dead!" She whipped around and charged him fully intending to forcibly shut his mouth. He was still laughing as she came at him swinging her arms with as much gusto as she could muster. He held her off easily with his much longer arms and let her assault the air. "When I get my hands on you…" She growled as she continued to fight against his hold.
"You'll what small-fry?" He chuckled at her irritation. "You might pack a punch but I think that's about all you got. If this is what you're like under pressure maybe I should rethink our friendship."
She groaned and finally ceased her punching. "I can't help it Christoff! It's been like seven years! What if she doesn't remember me?"
"Christoff pursed his lips and thought for a moment. "Well, if you're still crushing on her this hard after that long what makes you think that she isn't too?"
Anna looked at him incredulously. "Because well, she's ya know, her. Which makes her a big deal ya know? And I'm just well, me. Not so big a deal. What if I was just some deluded little girl and she was just being nice to me? Plus there's the aspect of her family and what they even feel about the whole-"
"Anna you're ranting." Christoff looked at her seriously. "So what? I'd bet her situation didn't make for too many childhood buds going around. And I'm sure she'll remember you. As for the rest of it you'll just have to see how it goes." He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and gave her a comforting squeeze.
"When did you get so smart?" She asked as she started fixing her ruffled braids.
"Hello, raised by love experts?" He quipped. "And she must be something to make you turn down a hunk a man like me!"
Anna laughed. "Wow, conceded much? And I'm pretty sure we both decided we're better friends than anything else."
Christoff took his arm from around her and stuck out his pinky. "Heck yeah! The Three Iceketeers forever."
She clasped her pinky around his. "All for one and one for all!" She cheered. "Hey speaking of that, how's Sven doing down in the bay? Not getting sea sick is he?"
"He's alright. Got plenty of carrots so he's in heaven." They both laughed until Anna turned back to the slowly approaching docks.
"I wonder what she'll think." She said softly. "I'm mean, it's been a really long time since I've been in Arendelle."
"Well, I reckon she'll be surprised." Christoff offered. "I mean, you didn't tell her you were coming back to apprentice in the royal court so there's that."
Anna wrung her hands nervously. "Well, I definitely need the element of surprise on my side for this one. I don't know what I'd do if she was expecting me. Faint or die probably."
Christoff patted her on the back. "You've definitely got it then. And for the record Anna Banana, dying and fainting are a little far fetched. I think you'll do great as long as you don't spill anything all over yourself."
"Thanks Reindeer King, you really know how to cheer a girl up." Anna put her head in her hands. "Now you've jinxed me, it's inevitable. I think I'd rather die than spill everything all over myself in her presence."
"Hey I haven't called myself that in years, thank you very much. And I'm just being honest. For a noble woman you're pretty clumsy."
"Hey, I've been getting better and being noble has nothing to do with coordination, sadly." Anna bit her lip nervously as she looked towards Arendelle. They were nearly to the docks. "Maybe I should go get changed before we land. See ya, Reindeer King!"
"Better watch yourself, you're getting really close to another hair mishap! What a way to make an impression!" He called out as she walked to her room. She smiled at his threat. Usually this would cause her to lock her door and keep careful watch for a sneak attack but she knew he wouldn't follow through this time. Today was far too important and he knew that. I mean how couldn't he after all the times I have gushed to him about how perfect this girl is?
She gazed at the small paintings she kept on her mirror. Anna took one of her and her parents and carefully tucked it into her journal. The next was a picture of a much younger Anna next to her favorite playmate. The girl's platinum blond hair and sparkling blue eyes were ingrained in her memory but this painting of the two small girls sitting next to each other just didn't do it justice. She looked elegant and regal smiling demurely while Anna cringed at the absolutely cheesy grin she was sporting. Of course the other girl looked lovely but it didn't look very real. The genuine smile that would light up the older girl's whole face when she saw Anna was definitely her favorite. She could feel the butterflies assaulting her insides at the memory. The one in the painting simply didn't do that smile justice. "Hopefully, I get to see that smile today." Anna whispered to herself. She tucked the picture in the dairy next to the one of her family. Today was going to be a good day.
Today was going to be a terrible day. Anna's hands were shaking and her head was reeling. It felt like her insides were trying to try themselves into one of those complex pastries she used to eat. Breathe, in and out. Come on Anna, in and out. No fainting today. The ride from the docks to the castle went by much too fast and far too slow at the same time. "I must be going crazy." She said as the castle crept closer and closer her heart trying to leap out of her chest. In the midst of her palpitations she noticed something was different. "That's weird, the gates are closed. They never used to be closed." She mused as the entrance came into view.
"Yeah, even I remember that." Kristoff looked at the castle skeptically. "It is strange for sure." He was walking by the side of Anna's carriage, Sven faithfully following behind. They reached the large wooden gate and Anna looked towards her friend pleadingly.
"Are you sure you can't come?" She wished he could come with her. She needed some support today. The memories were starting to get a little overwhelming already not to mention that she's be meeting with the royal family as well as seeing her again. Plus, it was going to be hard not seeing your best friend everyday.
"Sorry, not a noble. I can't just waltz into the castle anytime I feel like it." He gave her a sad smile. "But if you ever need me I'm just at the cabin next to Wandering Oaken's Trading Post in the woods. Come visit me anytime, heck you could send for me and then me and Sven would come barreling straight to the castle." He reached out and took her hand, giving it a peck. "Good luck Lady Anna Banana." He winked at her when the gates opened and Anna slowly rode inside. Childhood memories assaulted her as soon as she saw the familiar courtyard. Her father's shouting at her to not run down the halls. Her mother's voice rang in her head assuring her they'd be back before she knew it.
"This is going to be harder than I thought."
So what do you guys think? Continue? Kill it off? Let me know :)