Disclaimer: If I owned Frozen, Hans would have had fire powers.

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"Your mother is going to skin me alive if she finds out that I brought you out here."

Elsa merely smiled up at her nanny, Gerda, fluttering eyelashes hiding the mischief that sparkled in her ice blue eyes.

"But she won't find out, will she?"

It had taken a lot of convincing to get to where she was standing right now.

After a stern scolding from her mother, and a shared cup of cocoa with her papa, Elsa hadn't really been allowed to leave the confines of her room for the better part of two weeks. It had been another month before she was once again allowed to explore the vast interior of her home, and the rest of Autumn before her nanny even considered letting her out.

Elsa, however, was always known for getting her way - and that's why she stood at the entrance of the local park, eyes taking in everything and anything she could one thing Elsa didn't expect to see was her.

Anna Almstedt. Her very first friend.

The fiery-haired girl was crouched behind a crooked mound of snow, blindly throwing snowballs over at an older looking brunette, laughing away delightedly. Elsa took in her flushed cheeks and reddened nose and the sparkle in teal eyes.

Elsa decided that she liked the way Anna looked, sitting there just like that.

"Rapunzel! Anna! What on earth are you doing out here?" Elsa was surprised when her nanny's voice cut through her thoughts. Anna and - what was her name? - Rapunzel's heads snapped up at the sound, their battle immediately halted by the stern tone Gerda had adopted. Elsa almost giggled. That was the 'Oh, your father will hear about this!' voice, except Elsa wasn't on the receiving end this time. The two shuffled closer, sheepish smiles on their faces. Elsa regarded them both, and wondered if she should say hello.

Luckily, Anna beat her to it.

"You!" Sort of. Elsa jumped as Anna pointed a finger at her, going cross-eyed for the moment she focused on said finger.

"Me?" Elsa echoed, startled and a little wary. Anna was much louder without the sounds of the carnival around them.

"You're the girl from the carnival! Elsa, right?" Elsa found herself nodding as Anna stepped closer, right into her personal bubble. The snow started falling a little harder. "I - I have—"

"You're frightening her," Gerda interrupted, and Elsa huffed internally. What did Anna have? And why did she seem so determined to tell her?

"Sorry," She heard Anna squeak, and Elsa found herself smiling, somewhat hidden by her nanny. "Can - Can I play with Elsa, please? I promise I won't scare her!"

Elsa looked up at Gerda with pleading eyes of her own, a very bored Rapunzel trying to sneak away to join Eugene and the others on the hill to use his sled.

"Okay, but only where I can see you."

Apparently, that was all Anna needed, because Elsa found herself dragged along by Anna, her boots sinking into the snow with every step forward. Elsa found comfort in the chill.

"Aren't you cold?" Anna had asked her, and Elsa's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Why on earth would she be cold? Taking in Anna's attire, however, Elsa began to understand what she meant.

"O-Oh.." Elsa glanced down at her light jacket and blue dress, feeling very silly beside Anna, who was clad, from head to toe, in Winter gear. "The cold doesn't really bother me.."

Elsa blushed as Anna gaped.

"That's so cool," Anna whispered in awe, and Elsa grinned shyly. Maybe, Elsa thought, hand squeezing Anna's. Maybe I can show her.

They soon stopped under a large, bare-branched tree, Elsa's bare hand snug in Anna's mitten-clad one. Gerda sat on a bench not too far away, bundled up and keeping a close eye on the pair of 8-year-olds.

"Do you wanna' build a snowman?" Elsa heard as she followed the path of several snowflakes to the ground. She turned her head and found Anna looking at her again. Elsa's cheeks warmed.

"I'd love to," Elsa replied enthusiastically, before bowing her head dejectedly. "But I don't know how."

"What?" Anna had gasped dramatically, and Elsa couldn't help but laugh. "Don't laugh at me, this is serious business! I'm going to teach you now, right now." Anna added a stomp in - for effect, Elsa was sure.

They spent the better part of an hour just learning how to make a snowman, and another fifteen minutes to actually create said snowman, Anna making funny faces for Elsa to model their creation from. Elsa tried not to mess up as she simultaneously tried to muffle her giggles.

"Almost done!" Anna had declared, reaching into her sparkling pink back pack and pulling out a carrot. "Punz and I were supposed to use it for our snowman, but she ditched me for Eugene. Blech."

Another giggle muffled. She didn't know who this 'Eugene' person was, but she did enjoy the variety of emotions that flickered across Anna's face. She was delighted when Anna joined in with her laughter.

"Watch me, okay?" Anna had told her as seriously as she could after their giggling fit. Elsa nodded firmly. Anna grinned.. before promptly shoving the carrot halfway through the snowman's face. Elsa winced visibly, but managed to push the carrot through from the other side, stopping when Anna declared him to be perfect. Elsa stood beside Anna and regarded their snowy companion.

His smile was crooked, was the first thing Elsa noticed, the pebbles they'd found curving awkwardly at one side. The stones for his eyes were of different sizes, his head taller than his upper body and his arms - branches they'd found under the snow - jutted out at peculiar angles.

Elsa loved it.

Herself and Anna agreed that his name would be 'Olaf', and that he, like them, liked warm hugs.

They sat on one of the larger roots of the tree, looking at their lopsided snowman contently.

"I almost forgot," Anna started beside her after a few minutes, and Elsa, after jumping, wondered how many more times it would happen. She watched as Anna dug through her bag, muttering to herself, before finally presenting a wrinkled piece of cloth to her, a happy grin on her freckled face. It was her handkerchief.

"I knew you had it!" Elsa exclaimed, brightening herself. She was worried that she'd dropped it and Anna hadn't seen it. It was her favorite one, after all, personally embroidered by her late grandma.

"Well, you can have it back now," Anna stated, nodding so quickly Elsa was worried her head might fall off. Elsa shook her own head.

"No, no, I want you to keep it! It - It's.. Friends give each other gifts, right? A-And you're my friend, right?" Elsa gazed at Anna, unsure, clutching at her blue dress. Anna's grin only widened.

"Right! But now I'll have to find a present for you!" Anna looked so genuinely troubled that Elsa couldn't help but laugh and nudge her gently.

"I think Olaf is more than enough."

"Elsa!" She heard Gerda calling behind her. Elsa glanced over her shoulder and puffed her cheeks out in protest before directing her gaze back to an equally disappointed Anna.

"Can - Can we play again tomorrow?" Elsa asked bashfully. Anna brightened immediately.

"Of course. Promise!"

Elsa found herself in Anna's arms once more, but it wasn't long until Gerda came to fetch her personally. The stinker. Elsa held onto her nanny's hand, smiling shyly as she waved back at Anna. She was delighted to see Anna's exuberant wave back, before being ushered into the waiting car just at the entrance of the park. Elsa was disappointed to find that Anna couldn't see her through tinted windows.

She sighed and sat back, crossing her arms. It was okay. She would see Anna tomorrow. Anna promised.

Elsa, as she watched her parents bicker later that evening, held onto that promise with everything she had.