Anna stands in the small trading post watching Oaken with all of his immense height, squeeze back behind his counter to sit down lowly, following his ejection of the burly mass of a man covered in frost and ice back out into the storm. The real howler in July storm.
Elsa's storm.
Only one crazy enough to be out in this storm is you, dear. You and this fellow.
There was something about him (that fellow - the other crazy person out in the storm) that Anna can't shake, almost magnetized towards and she can't pin down why.
She also can't pin down why her soul mark seemed to radiate a heat that washed over her with arousal when he fleetingly caught her eye. It was all something she's never felt before - like an irrational desire to peel away all the frozen layers of the guy, despite his curt tone and attempt to intimidate. In the moment the enormity of her feelings were so overwhelming that she couldn't bear to look him. She was suddenly so insecure and absolute unsure of what to say.
When Anna finally did properly meet his gaze, the mass of man had his brown eyes narrowed like he'd been too annoyed to give her proper consideration but the rest of his features had softened. Like she was...something important? No, that wasn't right. Although Anna had no words for what his expression was, it made her feel safe. Made her feel brave.
Anna hasn't the faintest clue what to do with any of that as she reaches down to brush fingers across her ankle. Her soulmate's words, Hans' words she reminds herself, because he has a name now, are warm.
You okay?
Anna straightens up again wondering who that ice harvester guy is. The gruff man is obviously a Sami given the style of his clothing and the fact he works so far north. That and his rather barbaric demeanor.
It takes longer than Anna is proud of to realize Oaken has said something to her.
"Oh!" Anna blinks, "I'm sorry, what?"
"I said I'm sorry about this violence. I will add a quart of lutefisk, so we'll have good feelings." Oaken says sweet as pie, and places a jar on the counter, "Just the outfit and boots, yah?"
Anna bites at her lip. Among her current liabilities are lack of knowledge of the mountain passes, a mode of transportation, and proper provisions. Luckily her one asset is the the kingdom's coffers. Well, that and the firm understanding that the trick to successful negotiations is knowing exactly how bad the other party wants something, and how much you are willing to give.
Anna looks between the Sami's supplies and the door. He has a sled, loaded with worthless ice blocks, and business is bad. He must know these passes like the back of his hand. And most importantly, he knows the storm is magically coming from the North Mountain.
Where there is a magical winter storm, there is an Elsa.
"I'll take his stuff, too." Anna says.
OooOooooOooO
There is a swarm of butterflies exponentially multiplying in Anna's chest as she stands just out of sight of the ice harvester, who thankfully hadn't gone far. She had found him in a nearby stable. He is singing a most ridiculous duet with himself as he plays a lute, and Anna is mesmerized. His voice is warm like caramel, and Anna can't even focus on the funny words he's singing because she's blushing like a rabbit-hearted fool in anticipation to just get to talk with him.
She hears the man call good night in song, ending his duet (solo) and Anna is suddenly blushing for an entirely different reason, 'cause oh my - what if he's not properly dressed?
She's got to talk to him now, before he becomes inappropriate. Anna takes a breath, steadies herself and steps into the stable, saying the first thing that pops in her head. "Nice duet."
The man sits up with a start, head whipping over to catch sight of Anna. "Oh," he deflates a little, a warmth infusing his words, "It's just you."
Just you? Anna wonders.
Then, like he just remembered his gruff persona, "What do you want?"
And oh, suddenly Anna wants so many things, things she shouldn't want as they are not appropriate with a stranger. She doesn't quite know how to handle the rush of feelings...after all, she's engaged to her soulmate!
Anna shakes that all off and sticks with her immediate want, "I want you to take me up the North Mountain."
"I don't take people places," he sighs, laying back into the hay and dropping his cap over his eyes. Disappointed?
"Let me rephrase that..." 'cause Anna will not be dismissed by this man. She throws a sack of supplies, supplies she knows he desperately needs, at him.
It knocks a surprised breath from him. He sits up, darting a suspicious glance at her as he examines the contents of the sack.
"Take me up the North Mountain." Anna says gently, realizing her mistake in approach. He evidently doesn't take orders. "Please."
He still doesn't look convinced.
Rational explanation, then. One she shouldn't have to spell out entirely and, "Look, I know how to stop this winter."
The man considers her, and Anna's soul mark tingles again. Before she can think on that any he's dropping back into the hay. "We leave at dawn." He sighs in resignation, resuming his attempt to sleep, "And you forgot the carrots for Sven."
Anna toys with the idea of curling up next to this man she's so intrigued by to sleep until morning, something totally inappropriate and something she wants without understanding why, before remembering Hans.
NO. She has to get to Elsa now, and get back home to Hans.
Anna remembers she still holds some cards and can avoid delay. She had figured she could hold back the carrots to dangle in front of the man like, well, a carrot. Use only if absolutely necessary.
It's absolutely necessary.
Anna pitches the bag of carrots at him with frustration, managing to (accidentally) hit him in the face.
"Oops! Sorry. Sorry. I'm sorry. I didn't - " Anna catches herself, because no. She's still the one with the power here, the control. She's hiring him. She'll not apologize.
"We leave now." Anna says firmly. "Right now."
Anna turns on her heel and marches outside to wait anxiously, because the stupid swarm of butterflies have not settled in the least.
OooOooooOooO
Thank you. Um, how's your head?
For as long as Kristoff can remember, those words have been beautifully scripted, small and stark and indelible along the nape of his neck, arching down toward his shoulder. He's given those funny little words no more thought than a freckle for all the significance they hold for him. Maybe because his mark is out of sight, or maybe because it has been him and Sven for just as long and that's enough. All he needs. He doesn't need a soulmate.
He's got friends.
(Bulda says that's a problem. That he's peculiar for dismissing a soul mark. Humans lucky enough to have a magical gift bestowed upon them in the hopes they may find joy should not ignore it. She also says he is peculiar for "that thing with the reindeer that's outside a few of nature's laws." He doesn't care for what she's implying despite her cheeky grin and playful giggle because, not just NO. Hell no.)
As Kristoff came of age, Bulda would gush on about how his soul mark contained the words of his true love, and should be cherished and guarded. Kept private to prevent from being tricked by a charlatan claiming to be his match, since the words would be spoken by his true love at any time, not simply as they first meet as some presume.
Bulda liked to say, people will trick you. Curse you. Beat you. Every one of them's bad - except you. And, well, her. His soulmate.
Grand Pabbie told Kristoff not to be so worried about it, his soul mark that is. The wise old troll said people would know their soulmate by the way the mark reacted when the other came into into their life. It wasn't so much by hearing the words spoken. That's the trick. The curse. Soul marks being nothing but a prank on humans by some evil troll, something for them to fall victim to and covet with their innate greed and lust.
Kristoff is presently giving those words significant thought, and truthfully for the first time in forever. Mostly because they are hot, blissfully hot, and sparking some sort of insane arousal for the chatterbox of a princess sitting beside him on the bench of his sleigh. And it's terrifying how real it all feels.
Grand Pabbie was right. Kristoff knows, inexplicably: Princess Anna is his soulmate.
If he's being honest with himself, he feels terrible about it. Princess Anna deserves better than him. Better than to be cursed and destined for a lowly ice harvester, orphaned and raised by trolls. No title, no fortune, and no future. She deserves a knight in shining armor.
Kristoff doesn't get much time to worry about how to tell her his epiphany because as they speed up the mountain pass in the darkness, she blurts out that she evidently went off and got herself engaged to a perfect stranger.
"Wait." Kristoff says confused. Surely he misheard. All he asked for was what made the queen go all ice-crazy. "You got engaged to someone you just met?"
That's...incredibly offensive.
Throwing away your soulmate, throwing away him, for a perfect stranger?
Kristoff huffs angrily, waiting for Anna try to explain that one.
Anna hardly pauses, "Yeah. Anyway, I got mad and so she got mad and then she tried to walk away, and I grabbed her glove..."
"Hang on." Kristoff bristles, "You mean to tell me you got engaged to someone you just met?!"
"Yes. Pay attention." Anna reprimands like its nothing, "But the thing is she wore the gloves all the time, so I just thought," Anna gestures animatedly, "maybe she has a thing about dirt."
Following an insane series of responses by Anna to what should demonstrate basic knowledge of her soulmate, that clearly she didn't bother to determine (didn't her parents ever teach her about strangers?!), Kristoff shrugs dismissively, "Doesn't sound like true love."
Anna scoffs, offended, "Are you some sort of love expert?"
"No," Kristoff concedes, but what does that have to do with the price of beans? "But I have friends who are."
Anna says haughtily, "You have friends. Who are love experts... I'm not buying it."
Kristoff glances at Sven who has slowed with ears alert, and realization hits him that there must be something tracking the sleigh.
"Stop talking." Kristoff says with urgency.
Something fierce and protective overtakes him, and he has to keep Anna safe. Even if she chose someone over him, he won't hold it against her. There are wolves, an entire pack, and good grief Anna needs to quit arguing and just listen and much to his horror his sleigh ends up a fireball at the bottom of a ravine and him dangling off the side of a cliff.
It is with resignation he stumps into the snow, tired and frustrated and hurt as Anna fumbles through apologies for everything (except for getting engaged to someone who is not her soulmate, but Kristoff is going to keep that information to himself to avoid any further heartache).
Kristoff frowns at Sven, "Of course I don't want to help her anymore. In fact, this whole thing has ruined me for helping anyone ever again."