Hello everyone, welcome to my very first Frozen fanfiction I wrote for this platform. This story was originally written for Helsa Week 2020, but to hell with that, I can barely contain my excitement! I apologise if this story would come across as cheesy or something. I am a sucker for romance, especially fluff. Something to Look Forward To is a part of a story of thirteen chapters actually. If you are interested, I will post the other chapters sooner than the original release date. Then again, I might be already doing that, really. This story was inspired by a song in Irish language titled An Oiche (The Night) by Anuna. This story is slightly inspired by one of my favourite series, Downton Abbey. I had so much fun writing this one-shot as well as planning the whole book. You can also find me on the other writing platform with the same username.

The first fallen snow marked the beginning of the new season, as the whole estate celebrated in joy. The usually closed gates were now wide open, and the once deserted ballroom was now appearing lively. Cars were parked in the wide lawn behind the grand mansion that once belonged to the late Marquess and Marchioness of Dunnington. The House of Aren, that's what the villagers called the mansion. The building had been there as long as people could remember, being passed from generation to generation by the noble Kensington family.

As the night proceed further, and the moon glowed brighter, the joy of the party never ceased to amuse the guests. During the time of war, people would seek for any kind of entertainment, the member of nobility included. The ballroom was filled with music, and people were dancing. Unmarried ladies were huddling in the corner, trying to catch the attention of some eligible bachelors who were invited to the party. Among them was Lady Elsa Kensington, the host, and the one whose birthday was celebrated that night. Unlike the other ladies around her, she didn't look charmed. Once in a while, she exchanged polite smiles with the older guests, ones she didn't even know. And the reason why they were there was either they were the parents of those eligible bachelors, or they knew the late Marquess of Dunnington.

'Lord Albert has been stealing glances on our direction, Gemma. I think he has eyes for you.' Lady Marie-Emmanuel Windsor said from beside her, but she knew she wasn't talking to her, since the girl was nudging The Honourable Gemma Laing.

'What if he has eyes on you instead, Marie?'

Elsa had enough of those conversations about which certain eligible bachelors had eyes on who. So she put down her glass of champagne on the tray carried by one of the footmen, and excused herself. As she made her way towards the exit, her blue eyes darted around the room to look for a familiar figure. Her gaze finally landed on a certain strawberry blonde haired lady who was dancing gracefully with the Duke of Cumberland. Even Anna seems to enjoy this party more than myself. With a sigh, she slipped out to the dark hall.

Lady Anna Kensington was her dear sister. She was three years younger than Elsa, but she seemed to live her life more to the fullest than Elsa. But for the little sister it cost her a broken heart. Elsa didn't really know the whole story, but from one of her letters, Anna once mentioned how she was seduced and was left with a broken heart. The older sister couldn't relate, though. All her life, she had never left her home, and she certainly had never tasted the freedom Anna had. Unlike Anna, who was sent to a boarding school in Birmingham, Elsa learned everything from a private tutor her parents assigned her with. She thought it was silent form of punishment for accidentally making her sister slipped down the stairs and suffered from memory loss. Ever since that day, the oldest sibling distanced herself, until it was time for Anna to leave for boarding school. Now that Anna had finished school and was back a week prior, the sisters were still as distanced as the day Anna forgot who she was. And it saddened Elsa, who longs for a sisterly love.

Entering the garden, she was welcomed by the serenity. It had always been the quietest part of the mansion, and Elsa enjoyed it. Bushes of winter roses were blooming, covered by thin layer of snow. She smiled, before taking a seat on the long bench by the tinted glass window that separated the garden with the library. The moon was glowing, and she tried to savour the serenity as much as she could. The faint noises from the ballroom and the sound of the water from the fountain that stood proudly in the middle of the garden was long on the background. Cold wind grazed her bare arms once in a while, and she rubbed a gloved hand over her left upper arm. Winter is coming, she thought.

A sudden noise of snapping twig woke her from her thoughts. Her blue eyes widened as she looked around, trying to catch a glimpse of the intruder.

'Who's there?' She asked calmly. While inside, she wasn't.

A figure came behind the pavilion. From the silhouette, she recognised him as a man. As he walked closer towards the nearest garden lamp, Elsa could make out auburn hair, the sideburns, he was dressed just like everybody else and he was really tall. But one thing about the young man was his emerald eyes gazing into her blue ones, while he stood before the bench she sat on with both hand clasped on his back.

'I apologise for disturbing your thoughts, Milady.' He spoke with the smooth deep voice she ever heard. Then again, Elsa had never met that many men her age.

'It's alright, Mister?'

A realisation hit him, and he slightly bowed. 'Hans Westergard, Milady.'

'Oh,' Elsa was taken aback. She began to stand up. 'You're Lord Westergard, Marquess of Bartestree's son.'

He smiled. 'Just Lord Hans, or Hans, please. Lord Westergard is my oldest brother.'

Elsa blushed, her fingers unconsciously tucked a platinum blonde curl behind her ear. 'I beg your pardon, Milord.' Still masking her embarrassment, she motioned towards the bench. 'Please, you may take a seat and enjoy the garden. I shall leave.'

'Lady Elsa.' He called after her when she turned to leave. 'This is your garden in your estate. Please, it is I who should leave.'

An idea popped in her head, as she turned to face him. 'Very well then, Lord Hans, I am inviting you to join me in this garden.' Elsa walked closer to the bench and took a seat. 'I suppose it's not fair to keep this beautiful garden to myself and not sharing it with anyone. Does it suit you well?'

'It suits me just fine, Milady.' Hans nodded with a polite smile, flattered to be graced by such company. He sat on the space beside her, keeping an appropriate distance.

For a moment, none of them were exchanging words. They sat in silence, but once in a while, Hans stole a glance at the noble woman with whom he shared the company. Nobody really knew about the mysterious Lady Elsa Kensington, other than her beauty and grace. She was indeed beautiful, just like they said. She fitted the image of a child of winter, with her pale skin, dark mauve lips, and long platinum blonde hair that looked so shiny under the moonlight. His fingers were itching to feel how soft her hair must be. Suddenly, Hans was drawn to her. And he was curious.

'Not a fan of parties?' He asked directly.

'I suppose.' Elsa replied, eyes still gazing the fountain. 'Are you?'

Hans huffed, causing Elsa to look at him with a raised eyebrow. 'Sorry, I just feel like I don't really belong in there with everyone else.'

'Not even with your brothers?' She inquired.

Elsa noticed the scowl on his face and she wondered if his brothers was a sore topic for him. She wondered if they similar story regarding their siblings. Elsa and Anna didn't really grow up together and things were rather awkward between them. She couldn't imagine living with twelve older brothers in a house. It must have been so loud.

'Let's say that my brothers and I are not getting along that well. So I decided to leave once I got the chance, and then you came.' He said.

Realisation hit Elsa, as she couldn't recall seeing him engaging in a conversation with the other guests. 'You've been here the whole night?' He only shrugged. 'But why did you came if you didn't really want to?'

'The honour of the family. My parents thought that it would look bad for the family if one of their eligible sons didn't show up. The thing is, they didn't even bother to come and look for me once I leaved the room.'

It sounded like a sad story from where she was sitting, and those words reminded her of the reason why she hosted a birthday ball at the first place, which was to find her a suitable husband. As a daughter, she couldn't inherit the estate and her family fortune, but she was saved by her father's will at least for now. Upon the late Marquess of Dunnington's will was stated that the first one to be named heir to the estate would be whoever Lady Elsa decided to marry when she turned twenty two, the second heir would be his distant cousin, the Duke of Wellington, and the last heir would be another distant cousin resided in the south, the Earl of Melksham. And Miss Yelena, her late mother's companion suggested that she should host a ball and invite many eligible bachelors in the country. The decision was supported by Mister Matthias, the agent of the estate, also her late father's most trusted man.

The four unmarried sons of Marquess and Marchioness of Bartestree were also handed the invitations. She didn't think the whole family would come, but since they had a vacation house in York, the Westergards decided to come in pack. And it was obvious that one of them disliked the idea. Deep down, she began to feel sympathy for the man.

'I understand, the feeling of not fitting anywhere, I mean.' She muttered.

Hans turned to look at her. 'You, Lady Elsa Kensington? I mean, people must like you and would be delighted to be in your company.'

Elsa flashed him a shy smile. 'I don't really talk to people. I'm more of a loner really. This garden is actually my other safe place after my bedroom. Nobody really come here, and it has been so quiet after my Mama passed away.' She then turned to the tinted glass window behind her and sighed. 'Mama was the one who insisted to renovate the window. She liked crocuses you see, they symbolise happiness.'

Her blue eyes were focused on the golden crocuses with the green stems and leaves in the centre of what seemed to be a golden crown around them. Letting out a sigh, she tried to remember her mother, the late Marchioness of Dunnington who died of broken heart earlier that year. She then glanced back at Hans and found him staring at the window. Elsa was surprised on how open she was to the stranger. But perhaps it was because he offered her a listening ear, and didn't even judge her.

'But surely you don't really spend a lot of time on your own, do you?' Hans asked carefully. 'Forgive me, Milady, because it's rather hard to picture you on your own.'

She only smiled. 'Oh, I have my sister, Lady Anna. But we didn't really grow up together. It was only last week that she's really back from her boarding school. Yet things have been so awkward ever since.'

He had the look of sadness, or perhaps guilt, on his face, and Elsa couldn't help but think how uncomfortable he might be, not getting along with his twelve brothers. Perhaps his brothers have been so hard on him. Or perhaps he simply didn't fit in.

'What about you, Lord Hans?'

'Please, just Hans.' He replied.

'Alright, Hans, if you don't mind me asking, what has made you so distant from your brothers?' Her blue eyes gleamed with curiosity.

He debated for a while, before answering, 'Well, let's say I was neglected, ignored by all of them, or if I wasn't ignored, they taunted me. I was the number thirteen, after all, unlucky some may say. My mother almost died giving birth to me, and I guess she partly blamed me for that. As I grew up, I was desperate for attention, and I did things—horrible things to get them to notice me. They did, in the end, and I was sent to the Royal Navy.'

'So, you're a naval officer.' Elsa concluded, but that was it. She found the story rather upsetting, and wished to shift the subject of their conversation.

'That's your only conclusion?' He raised an eyebrow. 'So, you're only interested in my occupation, Lady Elsa?'

She flashed him a knowing smile. 'Probably. I'm trying to ease the tension here, Hans.' Then she exhaled. 'I didn't know they really did that.'

'Not many people know, Lady Elsa.' He replied.

Older siblings distancing themselves from the youngest one, some were even taunting him. The story sounded familiar in her ear, and she began to feel the familiar guilt. It reminded her of Anna, how she was probably desperate for attention, and how it was possible for her to do anything—or bad things. But Anna was a sweet child, and her only flaw was the innocence that had driven her straight to whoever he was who deceived her years ago.

'I don't mean to pry, Hans. But what horrible things did you do exactly?'

'Horrible things I regret.' He shook his head, tried to dismiss the thoughts. 'Perhaps it could be a story to tell for another time, if there is another time.'

'There will be another time, Hans. I'll make sure of that.' Elsa smiled. 'My Papa was a naval officer too, you know. He was the Admiral of the Fleet.'

'Lord Agnarr Kensington.'

Her eyes widened. 'Do you know my Papa?'

'We served together in the Battle of Heligoland Bight. He was a good man, so selfless, and was always looking out for everyone. He saved me from almost drowning. I don't think he remembered me, though.' A sad smile played on his face. 'I will never forget what he had done.'

'I'm glad that I finally get to meet one of the people who knows him.' Her heart swelled inside her ribcage, as she reminisced the last time she met her father before he leaved for another battlefield which turned out to be his doom. She closed her eyes, the memory was still as fresh as yesterday.

'I am sorry, Milady.' He murmured, white puff was visible with his breath.

Elsa faced him. 'Thank you, Hans.' She then added, 'I am sorry about you and your brothers. I wish someday they wouldn't be so cruel to you.'

He only shrugged. 'Well, one can only wish.'

The cold winter air began to nip on her bare arms, and she shivered slightly. The gesture didn't go unnoticed by her companion. He smiled warmly, before offering his hand. 'Since it's getting colder, I guess we have had enough of outdoor entertainment.' 'I'm not really bothered by the cold.' She clasped her gloved hand in his. 'But I suppose you're right.'

He escorted her back to the long corridor that led them to the ballroom. Elsa felt the strange tug of curiosity in her guts, like she wanted to learn more about him. Maybe they could be friends, or something more if God permit. But he is a naval officer, he lives a dangerous life at sea and fights in battlefields. She thought quietly. What if he ends up like Papa?

'So, here is where we part.' He told her, reluctant to let go of her hand.

'You're not coming?' She asked, trying to mask her disappointment.

Hans only smiled, as if wanting to remind her of the conversation they just shared. Unconsciously, his hand went to tuck a strand of hair that went loose from the bun behind her ear. He went to take her right hand and planted a kiss on the back of her hand, eyes never leaving hers.

'Good evening, Milady.'

With that, he turned to walk away. But before he could go farther, Elsa called after him.

'Lord Hans.' She said, causing the auburn haired man to stop and turned to her. 'You may write to me if you wish.'

His lips curled, and he gave her a brief nod, before walking towards the front building. Following him with her eyes until he disappeared from her sight, Elsa could feel a blush rising on her cheeks. Despite the cold air that was nipping on her face, she felt warmth. After gathering herself together, Elsa decided to enter the ballroom.

Perhaps establishing a friendship with Lord Hans Westergard is not a bad idea. It was almost as if she let him to get to know her, but she couldn't help the disappointment of not knowing anything about him. Maybe, she wanted to get to know him too, she didn't know. But she knew, it was something to look forward to.