A/N: I own nothing.
A/N: My dear Jack x Anna fans, for Christmas, I have written a short story of the couple (because you are so lovely) and you can find two chapters already published, if you seek it. The story is titled "Madeleines". Happy Christmas!
Part eleven
Jack grabbed Anna by her elbow, shocking the servant boy and princess Merida both. "Also, you little rascal," he grinned. "You owe me. I still have a scar from that time." The strawberry blonde's eyes widened. She had hoped he had forgotten.
"Uhh," she stumbled, unsure what to say. "Sorry?"
Merida felt childhood sting in her stomach. Partly, it had been her fault, after all that Anna was now in a man's captive hold. So, even though she considered Jack to be a really lovely and handsome match for her cousin, she felt a duty to her sister from a different mother. She did what she first came up with: kicked Jack in the knee caps. Jack was forced to let go of Anna, who immediately fled after Merida. The two girls only stopped in the throne hall, out of breath. As soon as they had gathered themselves, they burst out laughing nervously.
"Shouldn't have done that," Merida chuckled. "I should not have done that." Anna giggled in response, clutching her stomach.
"But it was so funny, the look on his face!"
"Bet my mother would say 'this is improoper,'" the redhead imitated the woman. "She'd kill me if she knew."
"She won't find out," Anna grinned. "What happens in Arendelle, stays in Arendelle."
"I wish!" Merida laughed loudly and unladylike, suddenly remembering all those times they had caused a ruckus and somehow, almost the entire world had soon heard about it. She threw her head back and laughed, cheeks tinted pink. "You know, that was so much fun."
"I know!" Anna squealed in glee. "Life has been so boring without you!" She hugged Merida tightly, feeling happiness in her bubble.
"Yeah, and that will land you two probably in some kind of trouble," came a snort from a side door. Anna looked up and saw Hiccup standing there, a wide smirk on his lips. "Yo, Merida." The redhead muttered a hello back. Anna rolled her eyes.
"Hiccup, stop acting like you're cooler than you are," she showed him her tongue, making the boy laugh. Merida looked at the two and smiled. She was happy.
Unknown to the cheerful trio, there was an avid discussion going on in a room just above theirs. The young queen of Arendelle and the guardian of fun were sitting against one another in the enormous room once used to discuss battle tactics. Elsa's hands were crossed over her chest and she looked terribly unhappy.
"I can't, I won't grant you that wish, Frost," she said icily. "My sister will make that decision on her own and if you really want her hand in marriage, you have to earn it."
"It's not like I want it," the boy shrugged. "It just would be useful. To you and guardians alike. Unless you want her to marry Bunnymund, that is."
"Anna will choose for herself," Elsa seethed through her teeth. "What part of it don't you understand? It's her right."
"Her right as what? Certainly not as the member of royal family of Arendelle," Jack said snidely, earning a glare from the icy queen.
"Her right as my sister," she said, words full of sweet poison. "Get out of here, Jack," she sighed finally. "I'll talk to Anna and we'll hear what she has to say about this."
"Why don't you just call her up here now?" Jack inquired. "I'm sure someone could fetch her for you." He took a seat and put his legs on the table. Elsa glared at him sternly, until he finally obeyed.
"We don't have much time, queen of Arendelle. Pitch is moving again," he said quietly. "The lights are going out. As soon as the relations between your kingdom and the guardians have been established, we will be able to make our move."
"You will live forever, Jack," Elsa said. "Anna won't. You will remain the same and she will age. I don't intend to see her suffer. But if you so wish, she'll be here in a minute." With a flick of her hand, she created a snow bird and asked it to bring Anna. The tiny creature flew off immediately.
"Impressive," Jack grinned. "No need for human communications anymore?"
"You know everyone is busy with the celebrations."
The two stayed in silence until a few minutes later, the door opened and the girl in question stumbled in. She fell to the floor, having tripped over her own dress. Jack gave a laugh, but Anna, who was up in seconds, shot him a glare which shut him up.
"Anna, dear," Elsa said, carefully approaching the topic. "This is Jack Frost, one of the guardians protecting the Earth. He has come to me with a problem he believes you could solve. I want to say that I love you, no matter what you choose to do, so please, please hear us out first." She looked to Jack for help, who rolled his eyes. Anna squinted her eyes at him: it seemed like a fishy business; obviously he was out for revenge.
"Marry me," he blurted out without a second thought.
"No," she declined the offer as quickly. "Were you hit with a rock or something?"
"Amor himself made it sure to shoot me with his arrows," he said with a grin. "Oh, wait, that was you. Take responsibility for claiming my heart!"
Anna's cheeks flared red in embarrassment and anger. "Never in a million years," she yelled, storming out of the room, slamming the door shut behind her as she went. Jack smiled, staring after her.
"You know, she really is something," he muttered. Elsa smirked, even though the words weren't intended for her ears.
"So you're up to a challenge, I see," she murmured, as he grabbed his staff and followed Anna moments later. "Or you've sincerely lost it. I mean, really, who were you trying to fool?"
She shifted some of the papers on the table until they revealed an official contract, signed by Santa and the company, to agree on Elsa's support on their fight for hope. There was not a single word about marriage in it.
