Chapter Eight

From the corner of the room, Hans heard snickers. He glanced over to see two of his brothers laughing at him. He was furious at this. He was only trying to be nice to Anna, and his brothers didn't have to mock him for it, but of course Hans looked up to his brothers, and his opinions meant something. He had to prove his brothers wrong.
"Wanna go get chocolate?" Hans abruptly asking, stopping in his tracks. Anna wasn't expecting it, and because she was standing on his feet to dance, she was almost throne to the ground.
"Yeah! I love chocolate!" Hans grabbed Anna's hand and lead her over to the table.
No matter what Hans did to escape his brothers, though, one would also be in his vicinity, and he would hear their harsh chuckles.
Hans had already dragged Anna off to the table where he had put his apple juice, but his brothers walked into the room and started laughing. After that he and Anna went outside, but some of his much older brothers had snuck out of the party to have a cigarette, so he quickly grabbed Anna's hand and made them duck for cover.
"Do you have any place you want to go, princess?"
"The green house! My mommy grows roses there. Let's go!" Anna excitedly grabbed Hans's hand and dragged him into the greenhouse. There was no way any of Hans's brothers could find him here. Hans shook the snow off of his boots, and when he looked up, he saw Anna staring at him with a face of admiration.
"What's this?" Hans walked over to her and pointed to a white streak in her hair.
Anna quickly touched that strand of hair. "Mommy and daddy said I was born with it. But I dreamed a troll kissed me!"
"I like it," Hans smiled. Anna was a small child, what else was he to do? Crush her now? No, of course not. That would be cruel, and she was such a sweet girl.
"C'mon, Hans!" Anna giggle, grabbing his hand and leading him back into the house. As they ran through the rooms and darted in between adults, Anna and Hans grabbed as many sweets they could feasibly carry.
"Where are we going, princess?"
"To the balcony! It's my favorite place." So up the stairs they went, running down the hallways and laughing to themselves. Finally they arrived at a white door at the very end of the hallway, and Anna, standing on her tippy toes to reach the handle, pushed open the door into the periwinkle playroom, and then ran over to the glass French doors.
As the French doors were opened, a gust of icy wind swirled around the room. Anna took a step outside. "Well are ya gonna come look at the stars with me, Prince Hans?"
"Anything the princess asks of me," he replied.