Author's Note: Hey all! Thanks so much for reading my story, you have no idea how long I've wanted to do this! Anyways, I can't wait to write more of this story. I totally love all things Disney, but I've really been enjoying Frozen. I have a soft spot for Hans, no idea why. So I can tell you he won't be evil in this version. Anyways, enjoy the story! Please review, favorite, follow, etc. (Oh! Btw I based Anna's mother off Queen Miranda from Sofia the first)
As Anna reached home, she heard a large crash coming from the shop. "Daddy?!" She raced to the door fearing the worst and opened it to find her father sittings in a pile of cooking implements looking sheepishly up at her from underneath a mixing bowl on his head.
She raised an eyebrow and leaned against the door crossing her arms. "Daddy what on Earth were you doing this time?" Her father was a bit of a klutz sometimes and had been since she was little. Completely different from her mother's graceful steps and smooth voice that always calmed her down. Her smiled dropped at the thought of her mother. She has passed away two years ago from consumption and it wasn't something Anna wished to remember.
"I was just trying to grab another round cake pan for the layered cake we must make for the queen's meeting with the court tomorrow. I thought I had enough but I didn't!"
Anna just shook her head and laughed at his explanation. Looking after her father though left her without much time for herself, not that she minded. Thinking always made her sad what with having to worry about the cost of goods, the rent, taxes, and most recently, the attentions of Kristoff the ice harvester. It wasn't that she had anything against Kristoff, he was a nice young man, strong, attractive, and hilarious at times. It was just that Anna wasn't prepared to leave her father's bakery yet. She didn't want to marry and begin raising children of her own.
Anna walked over to her father and helped him put away the bowls and pans. She wondered if she should tell him about Prince Hans, he'd probably be wondering what to do if the prince actually showed up, but she had her doubts that Hans would.
Instead, she asked about the cake's flavor, and what the queen had commissioned. Her father replied, "She said a three layer cake of simple vanilla with blueberries between each layer, so we'll have to make sure to cook the blueberries on top of each layer but the top so it will turn out like the filling of a crumble. Then, we'll frost it over with a simple white frosting and just for a bit of creativity, I'm going to ombré the sides with blue to make the shadows stick out!"
She could tell her father was excited, after all the queen did ask for cakes commissioned by him at many formal gatherings. Her father had never actually met with the new queen or the regent, but a royal messenger always arrived a few weeks before an event with specific flavors and a description of the event, and money to cover supplies and labor. The queen and the regent before her were very impressed with her father and said so in the letters, trusting his artistic sense to create a wonderful presentation of the desired cake.
"So, I met someone important today," Anna said as she cleaned the counter of the shop. "Who might that be?" Came the reply from a cabinet behind her."Well... he was a visitor from the Southern Isles... and he sort of hit me with his horse." She flinched as a thump from the cabinet told her that her father had hit his head. He came into view rubbing his head, "What do you mean ran into you? Who would do something like that?"
Turning to her father she explained calmly, "Daddy, I'm fine really. He apologized and we talked. His name is Hans." She bit her lip and mumbled, "Prince Hans o-of the Southern Isles actually."
Her father blinked in shock. "A prince!? Did you insult him? Was he angry with you?" Anna shook her head. "He was actually quite kind to me, he apologized and asked me if he could make it up to me."
Her father sighed with relief and shook his head before turning to go in to the kitchen. "Well, nice apologizing prince or no Anna, I have a cake to make. After that we can go and enjoy the celebration." The bell on the shop door rang and Anna turned to welcome their next customer.
"Good afternoon what can I do for-" Anna stopped mid-sentence shocked.
It was Hans, smiling at her kindly, she had to remind herself to breathe. He standing in front of her in far more regal clothes than he'd been wearing before. In the gold trimmed white suit with a crimson ribbon across his chest, he certainly looked like a prince.
"Your Highness!" she moved from behind the counter to curtsy. The smile on his face drooped and he took on the look of a little kicked puppy. "You can just call me Hans, Anna. I get tired of decorum and formal nonsense." She couldn't help but giggle at him from behind her hand. He looked up at her questioningly. "Did I say something amusing?"
"No, You- Hans... it was just that you looked positively adorable pouting like that." The prince smiled at this and Anna couldn't help but smile too.
"Anyways, Anna I came to apologize again for this morning and to make it up to you I was wondering if you would like to attend the coronation ball with me as my guest? I don't really know anyone in the kingdom and surely one night in the castle with me will make up for the trouble I caused you."
She blinked. A prince asking her, a commoner to a royal ball!? It was unheard of, and besides her flour covered, egg stained work dress surely wasn't appropriate.
"B-b-but I couldn't possibly... I-I have nothing to wear!"
His smile grew. "That's why I took the liberty of buying you a pre-made gown. "He handed her a large brown paper wrapped package. Clutching it to her chest, Anna carefully set it down on the counter and unwrapped it, gasping at the beautiful green gown below.
"Your Highness, this is too much! You really shouldn't have gone to all this trouble to-" Hans held up his hand to stop her. "I won't hear it. You deserve this gown, and I would be very pleased if you accompanied me... Please."
Anna sighed, seeing no way to say no, and secretly admitting to herself that she wouldn't refuse him anyways, she nodded her assent.
