Anna had been counting down the days they would finally meet, only becoming more impatient and restless as the day neared. Sleep was out of the question, and every thought of Elsa crossing through her mind had left her going through the nights with a smile on her face. Though she couldn't see Elsa, she always kept that letter close to her as it was the only thing that Elsa had touched.

And then that day finally came, following whispers of the royal family seen at Mass, but instead of feeling the excitement coursing through her veins, she felt rather anxious. Anything could go wrong… but as long as she could just sneak a little peek at Elsa, all would be perfectly fine.

"How do I look?" she asked Kristoff. They were still getting ready to go out in their disguise in Oaken's place.

The blond rolled his eyes. "For the last time, you look beautiful."

"Sorry, sorry, I'm just… nervous."

"It's perfectly normal to be nervous," Kristoff reassured her as he put on his blacksmithing headgear as part of his disguise. "You're going near the castle, after all. And the king is in the castle, so if he happens by—"

"Shush!" Anna stamped her foot as she jabbed a finger at his chest. "Don't say such things, or it'll come true!"

"What are the odds it would—"

"Shush!"

Kristoff's jaw snapped shut just as Oaken peeked his head through the front door, smiling at them. "We go now, ja? Kai is waiting outside."

Without saying anything, Anna eagerly made her way out the door. Knowing that Elsa was going to be out there, she couldn't wait for Kristoff to join her, going to the fjord by herself. In her hand was the letter, as if bringing it would bring her luck in turn, and bring her closer to Elsa.

"Anna, wait for me!"

She glared at Kristoff. "I told you not to call me that! That's how we got caught for the first time!"

He merely rolled his eyes at her as he shut the door behind him. A polite cough claimed Anna's attention, and she turned her head to see a portly man standing beside Oaken, well-dressed in his steward attire. His balding head shone slightly beneath the sun, but Anna fought the urge to remark on it and instead gave the most ladylike curtsy she knew.

"Master Kai. A pleasure to meet you."

Kai smiled; his eyes were warm and friendly—so unlike King Agdar's. "Miss 'Kristen'," he said with a slight bow at his waist. "A pleasure to meet you in the flesh, as well. I've heard pleasant tales of you from our… common friend." Raising back to his full height, he offered her his elbow. "Now, shall we away? Timing is of the essence, my lady."

"I'm hardly a Lady," Anna muttered as she took his elbow, and Kai chuckled as they headed for the docks where their boat awaited.

"That may be true socially, but so long as the guards don't recognize you, it hardly matters," he jested in return, voice low so as not to be overheard. "Besides, from what Her Highness has confided with Gerda and I, those cumbersome dresses of the court would test your patience."

Anna merely smiled at that. "Elsa must've been very distressed after what happened, wasn't she?"

"Oh, yes. She barely came out of her room before you sent that letter. I was afraid of what would happen to her if she continued in such a manner." Kai shook his head, smiling sadly as he continued, "Verily, it is a most trying time. But King Agdar is still my liege and old friend—there is only so much I can do under his watch."

"No, I understand," she replied gently. "Sorry if it seemed like I was… I'm sorry."

"Nothing to be sorry for."

Presently, they arrived on the familiar docks. She arranged her face into a meek, "feminine" look—or what she supposed to be one, as it wasn't something she was terribly familiar with. As it happened, none of the usual deckhands or other fishermen recognised her; then again, they likely had little time to do much besides idly muse about the form that might lay under her dress before turning back to their daily duties.

"Master Kai! We're ready to set sail 'round the fjord, as you requested," a bearded, barrel-chested man announced with a kind smile. "My first mate Halvard says the waters should offer us smooth sailin' at this hour. Can't upset a girl's stomach, after all."

Anna had long since gotten her 'sea legs', so to speak, but she bit back the urge to correct the captain. She merely smiled gratefully at him and accepted the hand offered to her in helping her onboard.

Within half an hour, they were bobbing on the waters, far and away from the shore. Despite knowing it wouldn't happen immediately, Anna still found herself straining to catch a faint glimpse of golden hair, a regal nose—any tiny sliver of the lover she had come to miss so desperately.

"Patience, Miss Kristen," Kai quietly urged from beside her, hands folded behind his back. "Restless behavior draws the eye."

Anna sighed. "I can't help it! I just… really want to see her." She strained her body near the railing, squinting her eyes to see if any blonde princesses had appeared in the two seconds since her last search.

"And you will, Miss Kristen… If you don't fall towards the sea, that is." Kai reached one hand out to steady her. "Now, we're almost in sight of the room. The king should be in his study at this time, but we must be vigilant if he suddenly decides to visit his daughter during her lessons."

"That's… good." Steadying herself back on the boat, she turned to Kai. "Are you sure she's going to notice me? I mean, I… I don't really look like… you know, the Al she remembers."

"While I cannot guarantee she will see you, you will definitely be able to see her," the man said. "Whether or not Princess Elsa recognizes you is up to her, but given that she is the one who arranged this brief glimpse, well…" He smiled kindly, clasping her shoulder. "I'm certain she will be expecting you."

"I know." Relief came coursing through Anna, and once again, she couldn't help but look over the ship. After all, the castle was coming closer, leaving Anna anticipating and guessing which window she'd have to look through.

Perhaps Elsa would be too focused to notice Anna was going to be there.

No, no...if she's been worried about me just as much as I've been worried about her, she'll be distracted, more than anything. Anna smiled to herself at the thought. Hopefully, her tutors won't notice, but—

A tap on her shoulder nudged her out of her thoughts, and Anna turned her head to see Kai gesturing for her to take a few steps from the railing as they sailed their way to the back of the castle. The man pointed at a set of large windows in what looked like somewhere in the middle floor of the castle, and…

"Elsa…" Anna breathed, eyes growing wide.

Princess Elsa of Arendelle sat near the windows, posture impeccably straight as she took notes at a small table; her tutor pacing back and forth with a book in hand and reciting something none of them could hear from that distance. Anna's heart—which had begun to beat rapidly like a galloping horse—sank a little at the dull sheen of her beloved's formerly well-kept hair. It was still perfectly tied in a bun, yes, but Kai's remark on the princess' lack of self-care rang very true. Her skin had paled further, and her dress seemed to hang on her thinning form instead of fitting perfectly.

For Elsa had always been perfect, even when she had attempted to insult Anna in return ages ago.

But now, upon seeing the effects of the king imprisoning her love in her own home, Anna wanted no more than to call to her princess. To have Elsa break the glass barrier between them and take that leap of faith to land in her arms. King Agdar would never catch them—they would sail away, sail away to another land where they could be together. Where Anna could rise in the morning and turn her head to see Elsa slumbering beside her—the early sun bathing her beautiful blonde hair in a warm glow, still in disarray from a night of passion.

"Don't," Kai murmured as if he were privy to the thoughts spinning about in her head, and only then did Anna notice he was gripping her arm, keeping her from moving closer to the castle. "Don't you see the guards on the walls? They are armed, and at this distance, we cannot outrun their arrows. The winds aren't strong enough for that today."

"But she's right there," Anna whined, torn between looking at him and looking at Elsa. "Kai, can't we—"

Whatever words she had planned died on her tongue before they could be uttered.

Because Elsa had turned her head towards the fjord, blue eyes both bored and tired roving over the Arendellian landscape...to alight on the small boat amongst several others sailing on the waters.

"Elsa…!"

Kai's grip was almost painful on her arm, but Anna didn't care. Tears brimmed her eyes, threatening to roll down her cheeks at the sight of Elsa's eyes widening in recognition.

"Elsa, it's me!" She tried tugging away from Kai's grip, grasping at the railing of the ship.

"Kristen, please! You have to be discreet!"

But Anna barely heard him, wiping away the tears that gathered at the corners of her eyes. All she wanted to see was Elsa… to hear her voice, and to make sure she was alright. She let out a sob, hissing for him to let go as Kai continued to pull her away, but knowing she had no chance of fighting against him. She stopped resisting, merely staring up in hope that Elsa would at least take another glance their way.

She didn't know what was happening, for Elsa had turned to speak with her tutor, laughing at whatever they were talking about. But that didn't matter once Elsa stood up from her seat and turned to the window, just as her tutor disappeared from the window's view.

Elsa…

And there they were, gazing at one another across this watery distance. Anna could see her lips moving as if to call her name. Immediately after, Elsa hastily crossed the few steps needed to open the window. "Anna…?"

God, her voice! Anna immediately felt herself tear up at the sound drifting to her ears, so faint and soft. Of course, Elsa didn't have much strength from this far away—it was a miracle she could hear her beloved's voice, faint as it was, on the breeze.

When Anna felt Kai's grip release itself, she immediately tried to reach for Elsa's hand, but that was impossible unless she could somehow fly. "E-Elsa… Oh God, a-are you alright?!"

"If you keep raising your voice like that, the guards on the wall will definitely take interest," Kai warned her in hushed tones. "The princess knows this. Why do you think she only arranged for you to see each other?"

"But seeing isn't enough!" Anna whirled on him, exasperated. "She's right there; can't I talk to her?"

"And reveal your location to the king?" the man sternly replied with a question of his own. "I have told you before that our conditions right now will not allow us to outrun the guards' arrows. They would not dare to shoot at the princess, but I assure you, from this distance, they will be able to target you—and the rest of the crew aboard this ship—with ease."

The crew.

Anna had been so caught up in the mingling euphoria and pain of seeing Elsa again that she had forgotten they weren't alone on this ship. Turning her gaze away from Kai, she looked around to see that the ship's crew was indeed watching them. Some were blatantly amused, and others had a note of worry on their expressions...but most were stone-faced—merely watching and waiting to see the events unfold.

They were supposed to keep their relationship a secret from others...and now Anna had revealed that secret to a crew of strangers who controlled the ship beneath her feet. If the captain willed it, she could be tied up and thrown overboard to drown for her 'sins'.

And all because she couldn't control herself and follow the original plan.

When she turned back to face the castle, biting her lips to keep herself from calling out again, all she could see was Elsa's smile—the gratitude that was clear even from such a long distance. It was tinged with sadness, of course, but it was a sadness they could both accept if it meant seeing each other, even briefly.

"I… I'll go to you," Anna whispered under her breath, shocking both herself and Kai both with volume and steely resolve. "Some hour I haven't chosen, I'll come for you, and… and we'll be together."

She could see Elsa place a hand against her heart, her mouth moving, forming those words Anna had gone long enough without hearing.

"I love you too," Anna breathed in reply, and her vision blurred anew. Wiping at her eyes and suppressing her sniffles, she managed a parting wave as their ship began to move out of the room's view. Elsa lifted her other hand in a wave of her own, her smile more sad than grateful at this point. Of course, it would be—they would part for now, yes, but who knew how long that parting would last?

And there is still that matter with the Southern Isles, Anna thought grimly as the ship sailed away from behind the castle; the room—and Elsa—disappearing from sight.

But for now, she had another matter to attend to: namely, that of the crew on this ship and how they felt about her "deviance".

"Miss...Kristen, was it?" came the captain's voice, and Anna turned around to see him standing beside Kai, arms folded over his barrel chest. His kind smile from when she had boarded was nowhere to be seen—instead, his lips were pursed into a neutral line, gaze unreadable.

"Yes?" Anna hardened her jaw, staring back at him right in the eye, as if daring him to try and overwhelm her. Whatever her fate, she would fight if there was even a sliver of hope for rescuing Elsa.

Her hands had scarcely curled into fists when the captain inclined his head towards the back of the ship. "Come with me."

Anna narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "As if I'd—" A hand on her arm halted her words, and she turned her head to see that it was Kai's.

"There is no need to worry, Miss Kristen. No need at all," the man said softly. "Captain Ingvar only wants to speak with you."

"But he…" But he knows now.

Leaning in closer, Kai whispered, "He...understands your predicament more than you may think. And please, heed my words this time? Because I assure you, he means you no harm."

Although his words didn't sound very convincing, instead only making Anna's suspicion grow, she reluctantly agreed. She didn't relax, feeling her muscles tense as she reluctantly followed the captain to his quarters down in the hold.

"What do you want?" she asked once the door had shut behind them. He didn't answer that question just yet, staring out into the open water through the small windows in the room.

"You'll have to be quiet if you don't want any harm following the princess and yourself."

"Is that a threat?" Anna hissed, already backing towards the door, but the captain merely shook his head.

"I'm merely echoing Master Kai's words from before. It was not wise what you did, and you're very lucky none of the king's guards paid close enough attention," Ingvar said with a sigh. "But… I do understand the bond you share. God's sarding teeth, if Halvard and I had to go through what you and the princess must right now… Well, I probably would've done the same thing."

Wait, what?

Taking a step forward instead of back, Anna's eyes widened. "Don't tell me… You're...also like me?"

Ingvar chuckled. "A girl? No. But someone who wants nothing more than to love and be loved? Yes." Anna didn't know whether to sympathize with him, or to just keep her silence. When he continued, it was clear she would choose the latter. "But trust me when I tell you, being this reckless for the princess will do nothing but harm. I was once a selfish boy, too, but I learned from my mistakes. You'll need to have some faith in the princess, and lay low. Understand?"

His eyes were filled with determination. Anna knew he meant no harm, trying to lead her to the rightful path, but… this was different. This was Elsa. A princess who was being held prisoner because she loved a woman so dearly. She didn't care what society thought about her; Anna knew she'd sacrifice anything to keep themselves from pulling apart.

"I understand where you're coming from… and I thank you. But this is Elsa we're talking about. My princess."

The captain shrugged his broad shoulders. "So? Our words still ring true, and with more weight, even. Because she is the princess, you need to take more care." He sighed again, shaking his head. "But I can see that you are a bull-headed one, as stubborn as they come. And that stubbornness will only endanger the princess, do you understand?" He turned around to face her, frowning sternly. "I've tried to tell you that I am like you, and I understand how strongly you feel. My crew does not mind who I am or whom I love. But if I were a different captain, and if my crew held the same ideals as the king, you'd be at the bottom of the fjord by now."

Anna's hands curled into fists, and she looked away.

"Are you truly that foolish enough to endanger your princess for a brief thrill?" Ingvar pressed. "You would dare sacrifice what little freedom the princess may have now, all for your own selfish desires?"

Her nails dug into her palms. "And how would you know what she—"

"Kai informed me of your circumstances. I would never have consented to allow my ship to sail like this unless I knew the reason," the captain answered, and Anna could almost feel his frown deepening. "And of course I wanted to help after I heard your plight. But what I saw out there blatantly disregarded the princess's intentions and endangered those on board this ship. You were reckless, and had King Agdar walked into that room when you shouted, we would all be dead."

Anna said nothing; merely kept her eyes averted as her fists trembled. Captain Ingvar was right. Elsa would only be even more miserable if Anna wound up dead… and if she dragged innocent lives with her. She would sacrifice anything to see her princess again, but not if it meant bringing even more trouble to Elsa.

"Please don't think I'm trying to hurt you in any way," Ingvar said, walking over to her. She nearly flinched in surprise when she felt his hands come to rest on her shoulders, and raising her head, Anna could see the worry flitting through his dark eyes. "I'm only trying to help you. Everyone deserves happiness, and not even the church can always be right. It's an unfortunate truth that the one we have here believes our love to be a sin, but how we deal with the matter is what separates us from the beasts who go about shouting of judgment, snapping with their fangs at easy prey."

"I…" Her mouth felt dry, her eyes wet, and she forced herself to unclench her hands. "I… I think I understand."

"Do you really?" The captain chuckled, releasing her and heading for the door. "You will find an ally in me, 'Miss Kristen'. If you need help with any plans, or simply want a kindred soul to talk to, don't hesitate to reach me."

"I-I'll keep that in mind, thank you," Anna said as Ingvar left the door wide open, returning to his crew outside and leaving her alone with her thoughts for a moment. Biting at her lip, Anna turned her head to one of the cabin's windows, staring wistfully at the castle they were slowly leaving behind.

Don't be reckless… Right. How is a foolish fisherman like me supposed to do that?

"Sooooo… How fared your journey 'round the fjord?" Kristoff asked once their ship anchored at the docks, voice light, and Anna knew it was only to mask his worry.

"I...saw her. Well I mean, that's obvious I saw her, because she was the one that arranged this whole sort-of-meeting in the first place—" Anna paused to take a deep breath, trying to keep herself from nervously rambling as she was prone to doing. "She saw me too, and she's… According to Kai, she hasn't taken care of herself much these days. She looked haggard, I suppose. Well, as haggard as she can be since she's Elsa." Biting her lip, Anna began to wring her hands. "But I...may have shouted at her and nearly caught the guards' attention..."

"So the king knows you're here?!"

"I said nearly! Nearly, Kristoff!" Anna hurriedly clarified before her friend could start to panic. "Thankfully none of them noticed, but still, I was...reckless. Stupid."

"I was afraid you would," Kristoff sighed, rubbing at the back of his neck. "You always were fond of acting on your emotions first and thinking about it later."

Heat gathered at the tips of her ears, but Anna said nothing. There was no use denying that, anyway.

Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Oaken shake Kai's hand before the portly manservant went on his way—no doubt to return to the castle and his duties there. The merchant walked back to them with a concerned frown on his face, and the heat in Anna's ears spread to her cheeks.

"Kai told me what happ—"

"I know, I know!" Anna groaned, running a hand down her face. "I promise I won't do it again—I'll be more discreet next time."

"And speaking of next time, do we have a plan or not?" Kristoff asked as they began their walk back to Oaken's shop. Even though they could go back to their own homes with the freedom their disguises afforded, the merchant's shop had become their preferred meeting place. And if Anna wanted to be truly honest with herself, her home held too many memories of Elsa and the few intimacies they shared within its four walls. If she could postpone any need to return, she would do so gladly.

"No...we don't," Anna said as they neared the shop. "We'll have to wait for Elsa to send a message. Or ask her if she has a plan since she's the one locked away in that castle and probably knows the best way to escape."

"Does she...have to escape, though?" Kristoff asked, and when Anna sent a disbelieving stare his way, he hastily added, "It's just another option to consider! If we can get through to the king and convince him—"

"Kristoff, you saw how he reacted! He's promised to kill me if he ever sees my face again!" Anna whispered, remembering at the last moment to keep herself from shouting for others to hear. "What makes you think we'll be able to reason with him before the Southern Isles or Prince Hans or...or whoever it is that shows up six days—"

"Four days."

"—four days from now?!" Anna tried not to throw her hands in the air in exasperation as she completed, "We don't have that kind of time!"

Whatever Kristoff wanted to reply with was interrupted by Oaken ushering them both through the front door of the shop. "Inside is safer for this talk, ja?"

As soon as the door shut behind them, Anna began restlessly pacing back and forth. "Let's see… Captain Ingvar said he'd help if we need it, so...if there's a day where the winds are stronger, or a day where the guards won't be patrolling the back of the castle, it would be a perfect place for Elsa to escape from."

"Would she be able to make a jump like that?" Kristoff asked, seating himself on one of the wooden benches around the shop. "Since the castle is built on higher ground, and all."

It was certainly a romantic thought, having Elsa jump into her arms from the window. But if Anna truly wanted to assure her lover's safety, the ship would have to sail closer to the castle than it did today. She wrinkled her nose as she remembered the scattered rocky outcroppings—as a fisherwoman herself, she knew enough about sailing to know that there would be a possibility of those rocks damaging the hull.

Or maybe…

Anna gasped. "Oh, maybe she should grab a rope and we can get her from the ground… but we'd have to be quick about it." But she knew that wouldn't work at all. And based on how Kristoff rolled his eyes, it'd only confirmed her suspicion. She sighed to herself. "I just… really want her back, you know?"

"And you will," Oaken piped up, causing Anna to jump a little. She had briefly forgotten he was still there. "But now we know she's safe and sound in the castle."

"Y-Yes, I suppose you're right," Anna said with a sigh. From what she had seen, Elsa didn't have any visible bruises or marks to suggest she had been beaten.

But how long will she be safe for?

"Now, come on, it's getting kind of late. Do you want to go for a drink? I think we both need one."

She was thankful Kristoff was being considerate at this time. Tomorrow, she wouldn't know what would be ahead of her or Elsa. All the stress and tension had tired her. A drink could be a small solution for her problems now.

With a small smile, she nodded. "You're paying this time."

Anna… She's alive and well.

Closing the window with trembling hands and tears gathering in her eyes, the force of Elsa's smile sent an ache to her cheeks.

She's. Alive.

Elsa still couldn't believe who she was seeing behind her eyes. God, she missed her this much, and now she was too shocked to even cry out of joy. Even if she had only been able to see her for a split second, she'd gladly put a smile on her face for the whole day.

She covered her mouth as she let out a small sob of joy.

"Princess, let's get back to your lesson."

Her tutor's voice tugged her out of her thoughts, and composing herself, Elsa turned around to face him as he closed the door. He was a somewhat short, thin man with a thick, quivering white mustache. His steps were almost like a chicken strutting about, though probably a chicken with the face of a monkey with how he grinned at her. "The holy scriptures won't read themselves, after all!"

Elsa fought back an irritable "If I must" and settled for smiling tightly. "Of course, Weselton."

Weselton. Her father's primary religious advisor. Elsa didn't exactly like him as her tutor… no, she despised her father for having someone like him in the castle. But for the sake of Anna, she would have to bear with it. Sighing, she began to read the passages aloud, not caring how the small man was circling around her like a hawk.

"Read it, and memorize it all!" he said from across her. No doubt, Elsa could definitely memorize the whole thing… as they had read it more times than she could count. Trying not to sigh too heavily lest the man make her copy the chapters by hand again, Elsa continued her recitation. Her stomach felt as if someone had dropped a stone inside, weighing her down with each word that passed through her lips.

Words that spoke of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Words that damned the love she and Anna had.

Words that urged her to renounce her sins and commit herself to the path of God.

Elsa felt sick, bile rising up to her throat as she reached the end of her reading. But the memory of Anna from before, standing on that ship with worry and love—so much love—gave her strength to carry on until her dreadful lesson was over.

"I'll be sure to tell your father of your progress," Weselton mused as he gathered his lesson materials, preparing to leave. "He seemed most intent that you know your faith as thoroughly as possible. Any reason for that?"

So her father didn't tell him. Elsa didn't know whether to thank her father for this small respite, or remain angry that she had to endure this because of him. Smiling tightly once more and hoping Weselton wouldn't come to any conclusions of his own, Elsa replied, "Perhaps he was gripped by a sudden fervor from the Lord? I won't claim to know the color of his thoughts, so I'm afraid I can't answer that."

"Well, I can see you're doing quite well. But do not slack off, Princess, you have a lot more to learn."

It wasn't as if she hadn't learned all of this before. She wanted to roll her eyes. "Of course."

Nodding to himself and seemingly satisfied he had done his Christian duty for the day, Weselton left the room, allowing Elsa much-needed privacy to collect her thoughts and savor the memory of Anna again. Alone, Elsa's smile returned, and she blushed at the image of Anna wearing a dress. She had asked once why she always wore trousers and not dresses, but Anna had merely stammered some response about dresses being unflattering on her.

Oh, Anna, if only you could realize how beautiful you looked, Elsa thought with a shake of her head and a small giggle. Anna's dress had been a simple thing, but it had suited her wonderfully. And her hair…

Elsa had scarcely covered her face with her hands in a futile attempt to keep the heat on her cheeks from glowing when she heard a knock on the door.

Her father's knock.

Taking a brief, deep breath to dispel her flustered reaction to her own mind's imaginings, she cleared her throat to ensure her voice came out steady and strong. "Yes?"

The door opened to admit her father, his face both stern and anxious as was common these days. His eyes raked over his daughter, as if he was imagining what "the deviant" had done to her before; it was likely true because he cringed a moment later. He coughed into his fist when she merely stared at him, unsmiling. "How did your lessons go?"

"Quite well, as far as lessons can go, Father." Her voice did not warm, her posture did not grow less rigid. She merely gazed across at him with flat eyes, waiting for him to get to the point.

"But are they helping?"

"Helping with what?" she needled, trying her best to keep spite from her voice. "I am learning the texts as you have asked of me."

He hardened his jaw as he stepped further into the room. "Learning them and practicing them are two very different things, Elsa. And you will need to practice them for your future husband."

Her jaw set. She said nothing. Her disagreement may not have come across, but she could not bring herself to agree in any forthright manner. Not when it would be disingenuous.

"I will be writing to King Ivan of the Southern Isles in four days' time, as you know. If you cannot turn away from this path of sin you insist upon, I will have no choice but to accept his proposal and pray that this will cure you of your sickness." He turned to leave.

"You will do no such thing."

Instantly, the man's stature grew more taut, his hand inches from the door. After a few slow, careful breaths, he managed to say in a steady tone, "Excuse me, young lady?"

"You will not accept that proposal," Elsa said firmly, fighting to keep the fury boiling beneath her skin in check. She stayed put as her father stalked up to her in silence, knowing fair well that she'd angered him. Oh, and she did want to anger him… but this… this wasn't the right time to do so.

"You will accept this proposal, whether you like it or not. It is for your own sake." He paused. "And for that… deviant if you want her alive."

He threatened Anna's life. Elsa couldn't believe her ears, and before she could even retort anything back, her father had turned his back on her and walked off.

Anna was drinking singlemindedly. She held onto the picture of Elsa through the window, trying to focus on all of the happy memories instead of the impending deadline of the Southern Isles and their current situation. Every time she remembered the look of fury in the King's eyes she took another drink.

Seeing Kristoff with his eyebrows raised, she knew she'd drank a bit too much. It was getting dark soon, anyway. But the thought of Elsa today was still clear in her mind… and so was the deadline. She took another drink.

"I'm not carrying you home, you know," Kristoff exclaimed.

Anna rolled her eyes. "Can't I celebrate peacefully?"

"You actually look like you're drinking down your own pain, Anna."

"So what?" Anna felt she deserved a little break from the recent struggles, and if she couldn't keep the focus on happiness, then she would fight away the bad. Nodding to herself, she downed the rest of the tankard.

Kristoff grabbed the tankard from her when she tried to call for another. "That is enough."

"I've had a long week!" Anna cried, trying to retrieve her drink. "You can't just stop me there!" But Kristoff held firm, keeping his arm fully extended and thus her ability to drink out of her reach. "Fine," she grumbled.

Kristoff narrowed his eyes; nothing good ever happened when Anna gave in so easily. "Alright, good." He kept his arm up, but not as high.

Anna promptly kicked him in the shin. "I just wanted to celebrate!" She pouted, only prompting Kristoff to roll his eyes.

"You can do that at home. Where I don't have to see your face." Heaving a sigh, he continued, "And I know how you are when you're celebrating—this isn't celebrating. If it's about the Southern Isles or whatever, we just need to wait for Elsa to reach us. She knows more about what's happening than you do, and I'm sure she's well aware of the deadli—"

She kicked him again, cutting off his words. "You're talking too much," she grumbled as he hissed in pain, rubbing at his—probably—bruised shin. Anna proceeded to take advantage of his distraction to grab the tankard back, triumphantly getting it refilled.

"If I wasn't such a good friend…" Kristoff let his empty threat fade out. Anna watched as he accepted his defeat by drinking more, himself. "... you probably wouldn't be able to see Elsa," he finished instead.

Anna sighed. Of course, she was glad to have him as a friend, someone who could help out with her problems no matter how big or small. "I don't think I've ever thanked you before."

"There's no need to thank me," he chuckled, shaking his head as he set his tankard down. "You're in a difficult situation right now, and I can't just leave you to that by yourself. I just wish..."

"Wish what?" she prompted as she set the tankard down again.

"That you could handle this without drowning your sorrows," he finally grumbled. When she pouted again, he reached out with his index finger and flicked her bottom lip so that it bounced up and down, earning a dearth of sputtering noises from the surprised redhead. Grinning, he said, "Come on, let's get you back home to sleep it off."

Sighing, she finally gave up. "Tomorrow, I wanna see Elsa, too…" she grumbled. Seeing Kristoff giving her a softer look, she knew he was sympathizing with her. "Can we?"

"Sure, sure," he muttered as they struggled out the door. And Anna smiled. Part of her knew he was merely humouring her, but all the same, it was a nice pretense.

Thank you for contributing: iamrotting, The Wandering Quill, metaphoricalbutton, Jessica X, nopantsparade/Issandri, CanITellUSmThin, Christian nickles 3, Peanut-Butter-Bandit/idunscrewedup