A/N: Wow, thank you so much for the reviews and favorites/follows! I really appreciate it, and I'm glad you're enjoying my story's humble beginnings :)
One little note before our next chapter – When writing the summary, I didn't want to give away spoilers for some of the twists my story will take, so be warned that the "adventure" part of the story won't be coming until the 5th chapter or so… There are a few things that have to happen to set all of that up! This will probably be 15-20 chapters long when all is said and done (give or take a couple… Beyond chapter 7 or so, it's not as concretely mapped out, so things may require more or less chapters to cover, depending on how things go!).
Enjoy this next chapter! Things are pretty serious in this one, so once again, it was tricky to write some of the character reactions. But your compliments about my characterization gives me hope, so thanks! :D (Also, don't expect the next chapter quite as quickly as you got this one :P But I'm gonna try to do one every couple of days, at least).
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"I'll be back soon, okay?" Kristoff patted Sven's nose lovingly as he spoke, closing the half-door of the stable behind him. It was another beautiful day in Arendelle, and Kristoff felt slightly guilty about leaving his best friend behind once again. But he was feeling conflicted, terrified, and nervous, and he wanted to be alone, at least for a little while. Time to get this over with…
The reindeer cocked his head to the side, and Kristoff knew exactly what he was thinking. "Is everything okay?"
Kristoff shook his head, his voice returning to normal. "Don't worry about me, buddy. Just nervous, I guess. I'll be fine."
He lifted a hand in farewell, then took off down the hill toward the main village and the castle beyond. The young man kept his head hung low as he walked, a thousand thoughts seeming to spiral around in his head at once. What if she hates me? What will she say? Is this all a mistake? Am I doing the right thing? The imaginary answers seemed to change every second, until his mind felt as though it had entered an all-out war with himself. This argument continued back and forth in Kristoff's head until he rather abruptly found himself standing at the castle gates. He nodded to one of the guards in greeting, distracted, but trying his best to be friendly.
"Good day, Mr. Bjorgman." The guard returned his nod of greeting. "I'm afraid the princess is out at the moment."
Of course she is. Kristoff had been expecting this. The primroses in the valley had finally begun to bloom, much to Olaf's delight, and he had whisked Anna away with him to do some overdue flower-picking. This did not concern him, however, as she was not that one he wished to see.
He smiled politely. "I understand, thank you. But I've actually come to speak with the queen."
"Ah, yes. Well I believe her highness is out reading in the back gardens." The guard gestured with a gloved hand to the expanse of green grass and tall trees on the west side of the castle.
"Thanks." Kristoff gave a small wave, then headed off in the direction the man had indicated.
He crossed through the cobblestoned courtyard and underneath the exquisitely carved stone archway to the path that led to the castle's extensive gardens. It was not long before he found Elsa sitting on a small wooden bench in the shade of an enormous tree, a thick leather-bound book in her hands. A few feet away, a trio of gardeners were trimming the branches of an over-grown berry bush. The ground was littered with the deep green cuttings and the air was tinged with the earthy scent of the freshly-cut foliage. It was quite pleasant, and Kristoff took a moment to enjoy a breath of this refreshing air before finally clearing his throat softly, letting himself be known.
"Kristoff." Elsa smiled brightly, setting the book on the bench beside her and rising from her seat. "This is a pleasant surprise." She said warmly.
"Queen Elsa." Kristoff gave a tiny bow of greeting, returning her smile.
The woman raised an eyebrow, puzzled by the formality. Kristoff never referred to her by her title unless they were in the presence of other nobility. "What can I do for you?" She asked.
"I was hoping to speak with you." He explained. "Alone." His eyes darted for a moment toward the gardeners, still hard at work trying to tame the overgrown branches.
Elsa tried to mask her surprise with a smile, and beckoned him with a small pale hand. "Of course, follow me."
She led him into the castle through a set of large double-doors to a small sitting room he had never been in before. Inside were a few bookshelves, a fireplace, a large bay window overlooking the gardens, and four plush, beautifully upholstered chairs. Elsa sat gracefully in one of them, and gestured for Kristoff to do the same. He plopped down rather unceremoniously into the chair across from hers, twiddling his thumbs as he did so.
"So…" Kristoff scratched the back of his neck nervously as he spoke. "Have you heard from the Duke and Duchess yet? Did they accept the offer?"
"Nothing yet." Elsa shrugged, unconcerned. "Nothing was confirmed when they left Arendelle. That was three days ago, so I expect they've made it home by now. I'm sure we'll receive a courier any day now with an official response."
"Right." The young man across from her replied quite unenthusiastically.
The queen shook her head, letting out a small sigh. "Something tells me you aren't here to discuss business."
"You got me." Kristoff smiled slightly, but it quickly faded. "I'm, uh, actually here…" He paused, taking a deep breath. Here goes… "To talk to you about me and Anna."
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"See you later, Anna!" Olaf called happily, waving one of his tiny stick arms at his friend as she approached the castle gates. The other arm was clutched to his chest, cradling an enormous bouquet of delicate flowers. "Thanks for coming with me. I'm gonna go bring some to Kristoff and Sven."
Anna smiled warmly, amazed at how much joy their morning of flower-picking had brought the little snowman. "That sounds like a wonderful idea. They'll love them."
"I hope so… as long as Sven doesn't try to eat them again." Olaf grumbled, partly to himself. He gave a second wave before turning on his heel and heading off down the main road, humming to himself as he went.
The young woman giggled as she watched him go, shaking her head in amusement. Then with a cheery smile to the gate guard, she picked up her own small basket of flowers and headed across the courtyard to find her sister. Anna knew Elsa's routine perfectly by now – on days like today, when there were no scheduled meetings and she did not hold court, Elsa liked to spend her afternoons reading on one of the garden benches. When Anna arrived at her sister's usual spot, however, the queen was nowhere to be found. Hmm…
"Are you looking for your sister, Princess Anna?" One of the gardeners asked, noticing the perplexed look on the girl's face. He set down his watering can and gestured toward the castle. "She and Mr. Bjorgman are in the west drawing room, I believe. They went inside just before you arrived."
"Kristoff's here?" Anna smiled happily. That was certainly a nice surprise. I wonder what he's doing here. "Thank you, Thorry." She gave a small, grateful bow to the servant before rushing off into the castle, eager to find what Elsa and Kristoff were up to.
She found the door to the west drawing room slightly ajar, and she could hear her sister's voice carry into the hallway.
"Something tells me you aren't here to discuss business."
"You got me." Kristoff's voice now joined Elsa's.
Anna reached the doorway, and lifted her hand to knock.
"I'm, uh, actually here… to talk to you about me and Anna."
Anna's hand froze. Huh? She lowered it to her side and crept closer, gently placing the flower basket at her feet. It felt as though her heart had stopped beating. This can't be good…
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Elsa did not speak for a few moments. "You and Anna?" She said finally, her eyes widening slightly. This was certainly not what she had been expecting. "Kristoff, I'm not sure…"
"Please, just… hear me out, okay?"
The queen nodded, still taken aback. "Well… go ahead, I suppose."
Kristoff stared at the ground as he spoke. "I just… I keep feeling like I can't do this anymore. She and I… we're just too different. Look at Anna – she's beautiful, charming, a little clumsy, maybe, but graceful and poised when she wants to be. And I'm well…" He glanced down at his muddy boots and wrinkled trousers, shaking his head. "I'm the ice guy. The ice guy who was raised by trolls and whose best friend is a reindeer." A small, cheerless laugh punctuated the thought. "It's almost funny, isn't it? To think that the two of us could be together…
"You and Anna have lived your whole lives in this palace," He absent-mindedly stroked the plush leather arm of the chair as he spoke. "It's beautiful. Perfect. But I don't belong here. Just look at what happened with the Duke and Duchess – it was so humiliating. And we both know that wasn't the first time something like that's happened. They knew I didn't belong – everyone does." Kristoff's cheeks began to redden, and his speech came faster and faster as he continued. "I feel so awkward and embarrassed all the time, and I think Anna does too. I know she'd never say it, but I see the way she looks at me sometimes, when I say something stupid, or start talking about Sven, or eat with the wrong fork, or…" He paused, shaking his head.
Elsa just stared, listening politely as he spoke. She wanted to interject, but something told her he wasn't quite done yet. And she was right.
"You two have been so good to me, but I know I just don't fit in in this life. It never made any sense for Anna and I to be together, and it's getting harder and harder every day. I feel like it would be so much easier if we just…" The thought hung in the air for a moment, unfinished. Kristoff took a deep breath. "Anna deserves someone who belongs in her world, who can give her more than I ever could. I just wonder if it's really worth it for either of us to keep going on this way."
He finally lifted his head and met the queen's gaze. Neither said a word.
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"…I wonder if it's really worth it for either of us to keep going on this way." Kristoff's voice was so soft, Anna almost had to strain to hear it.
Then there was nothing but silence.
Anna backed away from the door, a hot stinging sensation in the corner of her eyes. Before, it had felt as though her heart stopped beating. Now, it felt as though it had dropped out of her chest entirely. No, no, no, no… This can't be happening. How could he feel that way? Why hadn't he told her any of this before? And now he's just… giving up?
She'd always assumed that she and Kristoff would be together forever. Anna loved him, after all. And didn't he love her too? Her hand lingered, reaching for the doorknob, ready to burst through the door and… Do what? Try to convince him that it didn't matter? That he had no choice but to stay in this life he hated, just for her? She could never be so selfish. Her hand fell limply to her side.
If this is what he really wants, then… She felt her entire body begin to shake. Overcome, Anna hurried off to her room, finally allowing her tears to fall. The basket of flowers remained lying in the hall, forgotten.
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Elsa didn't know what to say. Why was he telling her this? She waited a few more moments before finally clearing her throat. "Kristoff, I… I feel like maybe this is a conversation you should be having with Anna…"
"Please," Kristoff said seriously. "Let me explain. Like I said, it's really hard, sometimes even miserable, being forced into this kind of life. And I do wonder if it's all worth it… and I want you to know that it is." His voice grew louder, more confident, as he spoke. "It's worth every minute. Maybe I don't fit in. Maybe I'll always be awful at social situations. Maybe I can't give your sister everything she deserves. But the one thing I know is that I love her more than I think anyone else ever could, and I will do whatever it takes to prove that to her. I want to belong here. I want to be what's best for her. I don't want to feel awkward or ashamed anymore, and I don't want her to either… But I don't think that can happen if things stay the way they are.
"So, Queen Elsa, I'm here to tell you that I'm willing to change." His voice was almost pleading as he spoke. "I'll start wearing nicer clothes, I'll take etiquette lessons, I'll give up my ice business, I'll…" He hesitated for a moment. "I'll stop talking to Sven so much. Maybe altogether. Distance myself from my family, if I have to. I don't think I could ever leave them behind completely, but I know they'll understand. I just… need to be more normal." Kristoff suddenly found that he was on his feet. When had he gotten out of his seat?
"I know I'm all wrong for her, but there's something about Anna and I that feels so right. I can think of a dozen reasons for you to refuse what I'm about to ask you – I probably just listed most of them – but please, I'm here to beg for your faith that I can change… and for your permission to marry your sister."
Elsa stared up at Kristoff, wide-eyed, trying to take it all in. That was certainly not where she had expected that conversation to go. Finally, after quite some time, she found her voice.
"I see." She said carefully. "Isn't it customary to wait until after you've made your proposal to ask for a blessing?"
"It is." Kristoff agreed. "But I'll be honest – working up the courage to come speak to you was hard enough. I have no idea what Anna will say. She may laugh in my face or refuse me on the spot. But if by some miracle she did accept, and then you denied us your blessing… I don't think I'd be able to handle that." He shrugged, laughing nervously and dropping back into his seat. "Guess I didn't wanna get my hopes up."
The queen smiled gently. "Well, Kristoff, I'll ask you this – Why should you have to change who you are for anyone, let alone my sister? Who would you be trying to impress? Me? The townspeople? Visiting strangers you may only meet once in your lifetime?" Elsa shook her head. "I learned for myself a long time ago that you should never try to change who you are. For anyone. It's served me well so far, and I'm sure it will do the same for you. You're worrying far too much about what others think of you.
"And as for Anna… She loves you because of who you are. She'd never want you to change. I can't speak for her, and I don't know what she'll say. But you have my full support – and my blessing."
Kristoff let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. "Really? Wow… that was so much easier than I thought it'd be." He said with a relieved chuckle. He had been waiting for this moment for months, and the incident with the visitors from Raledith made it clear that he was truly ready – Ready to put it all on the line and prove to Anna that he was in this for the long haul. Perhaps it hadn't happened in the way he'd always planned, but hearing those words of approval from Elsa were almost as good as a "yes" from Anna… almost.
Elsa stood, her smile widening. Kristoff did the same. "I don't care where you come from, or if you know the difference between your salad and soup spoon." She laughed softly. "I know you love my sister, and the two of you are very happy together. That's good enough for me."
"Thank you, thank you!" Kristoff bent down and pulled the beautiful blonde woman into a tight hug. "Oh, sorry…" He pulled away abruptly, realizing he'd nearly lifted her off her feet with the embrace.
Elsa stepped back, smoothing her skirt gently and shaking her head in amusement. "My pleasure." She said simply, heading for the door. "If you want to wait in the garden, I'll be sure to let Anna know you're waiting for her as soon as she arrives. She should be here any minute."
Kristoff followed his friend into the hall, his heart bursting with excitement. Everything was going perfectly, and though the uncertainty of his impending proposal loomed heavily before him, for the moment, he felt nothing but relief and joy. Everything's going to be fine. He could feel it.
Neither of them noticed that the door had been left ajar, or the tiny basket of now-wilting flowers that lay, forgotten, on the floor.
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A/N: Gasp! Oh no! What's going to happen? Stay tuned… :P
-Ahem- Okay, I've just gotta say that I feel wayyyyy less confident about that chapter than I did about the first one. I feel like most of my strength as a writer is in descriptions and thoughts/actions. Dialogue, not so much. And that chapter was like 90% conversation. So yeah… Please be gentle in the reviews, and thank you gain for reading! Please stick with me, guys. We are gonna get to the main plot soon! Like I said, 2 or 3 more chapters (that feels like a lot, doesn't it?) and we will be there, and you'll finally "get" where I'm going with all this.