Elsa tucked her feet under her as she got ready to be cozy and warm in the wintry night, chilling at home with her sister. They spent most of the day together, but Elsa often retreated to her own room in the evening after a long day. She was often joined by Anna to watch random stuff on Netflix, but Elsa really enjoyed these moments alone. Her favorite mug with a snowman on it was in her hand, full of sweet warm tea, her laptop was open and her favorite videos were ready to be watched.
As she was scrolling through her recommended videos, she came across a peculiar one. It read: "SOULMATE/TWİN FLAME PİCK A CARD READİNG-How, When, Where Will You Meet?" Elsa actually laughed. She never really believed in this sort of things, she supposed they were alright for a pastime. Anna, though? She watched them whenever she had a crush, and if she didn't have one, she watched to know when she would meet a new one. She was likely responsible for this recommendation on Elsa's account, as well. Elsa shook her head, and was about to pass it by when Anna barged in.
"Elsa! You didn't start New Amsterdam without me, did you?"
Elsa chuckled. "No, I was looking for videos to watch. Come over." she said.
Anna shuffled next to Elsa. When she noticed the tarot card video, she grinned mischievously.
"Ooh, click on it! Let's find you a cutie!"
"Anna!" Elsa protested. "Do you really take these fortune telling stuff this seriously? You build a relationship through effort and compromise, not find yourself a perfect package bestowed unto you by the stars above."
Anna rolled her eyes.
"It's a bit of fun, c'mon! Besides, there is such a thing called alignment. We are capable of putting whatever energy we want into the universe." Elsa sighed. Like many times before, she yielded to Anna's desires. "Well then, what is there to lose after all? Twenty minutes from my life." They giggled, then Elsa clicked on the video.
"Hello, my beautiful viewers, welcome to another pick a card reading!" a soothing voice came from the background. Elsa saw three piles with shiny crystals on it.
"Let your spirits guide you. Pick the pile you are most drawn to." The voice instructed. Feeling a little silly, Elsa stared at the piles. She suddenly felt a very strong pull towards the pile in the middle, a clear, whitish stone on top of it.
"This is moonstone for Pile Number 2" the voice explained. Elsa skipped to its' timestamp.
Anna laughed. "That was fast. I pause the video and try to feel a pull for minutes most of the time." She turned and gave Elsa and arch look. "Does my level headed sister hear the calling of angels from the heaven?"
Elsa shrugged. "Don't be silly, I just picked the first one I saw." she said matter-of-factly.
"Hello, my lovely viewers choosing Pile 2, when I open your deck the first thing that pops out is the Lovers, lucky there!"
Elsa rolled her eyes. "Seriously? Of course she would pile these decks to appeal to viewers!"
Anna shushed.
"The next cards that want to come out are the Queen of Wands, this may be you. You have intense Fire energy, lots of pride and confidence. There is also Five of Pentacles here, meaning you may have experienced fear and isolation, Pile 2. Now about your soulmate, we get both Ten of Swords and the King of Swords. Interesting, they are pretty intelligent, valiant and have considerable problem solving skills. But I'm sensing a past betrayal, they may have hurt people and now suffering the consequences of it. I'm getting Fire from them, too, maybe a Leo. Now onto when and how you two will meet, I'm pulling out some charms." A dainty, elegant hand pulled out a small anchor and a moon necklace. "Looks like they are looking for a place to settle down, someone to show them the right path they should take in life. That is up to them, of course. But you, Number 2, will be the light to illuminate their path when they get lost. All right, beautiful viewers, that is all for your pile."
Elsa paused the video. For a long time, she looked at the moonstone crystal on the screen, right above the pretty cards laid out on the table. It seemed to call for her still. Unnerved, she suddenly closed the screen of her laptop.
"Hey!" said Anna. "Won't we watch a series?"
"Oh." Elsa muttered. She clicked on New Amsterdam and they began watching. During the episode, however, Elsa's mind kept coming to that little anchor in the video and wondered who could find a safe shore with her.
The next day, she was supposed to meet with an acquaintance over at a local café to talk about starting an architecture project. As she was getting ready, her eyes fell on a moonstone necklace that she bought on a beach vacation long ago, then forgot about. After a moment of deliberation she put it on, a little ashamed with herself.
She met Olaf at a downtown café called Notus, a rather cute and and cozy place with great chocolate flavored latte. When she spotted him he rose from his seat, a characteristically huge smile on his face. They shared a warm, enthusiastic handshake.
"What's up, Elsa?" Olaf asked, all animation and friendliness. Elsa laughed, her old college friend had a way of lifting one's spirits.
"All good. Nothing much, looking for a project to handle. What about you?"
He shrugged. "Taking it easy. I was recently at the beach, just came back looking for some work."
"I can tell, you're pretty nicely tanned." Elsa said, gesturing at his face. Olaf laughed in turn.
"I know right? Thanks. You look rather nice yourself." he said. Elsa smiled.
"Shall we begin?" she asked. With that, they began to discuss their plans for renovating a house at an old suburban area, expected to gain value because of a new subway route passing near it. About an hour in, the door of the café opened to admit a new person. Elsa was pretty intently studying the house plan, but the stranger somehow immediately drew her attention. He was tall, long limbed and had rather striking auburn hair. His face looked rather-pensive? Bored? Elsa could not quite make out his expression. When he turned his face to lock his eyes with her, Elsa wondered two things. How could someone have such captivating, emerald green eyes and why did she feel the same pull she felt towards the anchor?
He looked at her for a moment like he was studying her, then walked towards the counter, talking with the barista in a low voice. Elsa blinked, then tried to turn her attention back to the project. She realized a little too late that she was staring at the same line, not hearing a word Olaf said.
"Hellooo?" he called at last, waving his hand in front of Elsa's face. "Earth to Elsa? Are you on the moon or something?"
"Huh?" Elsa said absentmindedly. "Oh, Olaf, I'm so sorry. I'm probably a bit tired."
Olaf cocked his head to the side, grinning widely. "Aaand?" he asked.
"What?" Elsa asked, bewildered.
"What were you looking at?"
Elsa blushed. "Nothing." she said, hoping to sound nonchalant.
He smiled. "Looks like 'nothing' is at the table to our right, drinking his coffee." He said, wriggling his eyebrows. Elsa laughed, pushing his arm playfully.
"Don't be silly, I just looked to see who came. This is a pretty quiet spot, someone coming in must have distracted me."
"Sure, Elsa. Why don't you strike up a conversation with him if you are interested? Life isn't all about work." Elsa made a vague gesture, then shrugged. Olaf smiled a bit ruefully.
"Look, I don't want to pressure you or anything, but I think you need to open yourself up a bit more. Give yourself a chance. Be vulnerable for once." he said.
Elsa thought for a bit. She then took a breath, then smiled at him.
"Yes, maybe. I can give it a shot. Why not?" she said.
Olaf smiled too. "Well then. We can meet and continue working some other day. We made good progress so far. Bye, Elsa." He rose and kissed Elsa's cheeks. Elsa waved at him.
"Thank you. It was great seeing you." she said.
Now Elsa was alone with the guy. They came eye to eye once again. She meant to rise and offer to sit down with him, but she couldn't find strength in her legs just yet. Then, the thing she least expected happened. He rose and came to her.
"Excuse me, miss. Are you expecting someone? I would greatly wish to make your acquaintance." he said in the politest manner possible. She cocked her head to the side slightly. She thought there was something about him that sounded a bit fake, or guarded. It made her want to understand why.
"Not really. You can join me if you want." she said.
He pulled a chair and sat down, looking at Elsa with the same studying expression the whole time.
"What is with your stare?" Elsa said, not really deliberating her words.
"I can ask you the same thing." he retorted. Elsa smiled.
"You know, I like it better when you drop the honeyed act." she said.
The man raised his eyebrow. "That is the first time a woman reacted to attention and nice words this way." he said.
Elsa smiled with a hint of archness. "You do that a lot?"
"Obviously."
Elsa laughed, shaking her head from side to side. "You know, I didn't ask your name."
"No, you didn't." he retorted.
Elsa sighed, rolling her eyes upward slightly. "What is your name, your Highness?"
"Ooh, chilly." he said. "Hans. Hans Westergaard."
"What are you, James Bond?"
"No. You do look like a Bond girl, though. What do they call you?"
"Thanks, Casanova." Elsa did not know what possessed her to talk to him in this manner. She was usually very polite with strangers, calculated and poised. "Since I am not a Bond character, I can say my name straight away. Elsa Airendelle."
"Pleasure, I guess." he said flatly.
"You guess?"
"I don't mean to say it doesn't feel good. I meant to say it feels more rounded than that. More complicated than just good. It's… satisfying."
Elsa was taken aback, her mouth hanging open a little. She shook her head, snapping out of it.
"Thank you. And I mean that one hundred percent."
Hans laughed widely for the first time. Elsa couldn't help but like the sound a lot.
"I wouldn't every guess someone so fiery would emerge under an ice queen." he said.
"Oh. Is that what you thought when you first saw me? I can't say I'm flattered." Elsa said.
Hans shrugged. "I am sorry, I really shouldn't have said this one." he said.
"I guess not. It may be true, though. You want to know what I thought of you?" she asked.
He shook his head. "Yeah, it is not easy to guess your thoughts, so it would be better to actually hear it." he said.
"Well, I thought you look like someone…guarded. A little lost, even."
He seemed a bit surprised, then nodded a little. "Alright, it's not completely untrue."
Elsa giggled. "You'll think I'm deluded, but I drew this conjecture from a little video that I watched." she said.
"What video?"
"Nothing important. A tarot card reading."
Hans laughed once again, this time incredulously. "Really? What about it can make you know anything about me?"
"Well," Elsa began, blushing, "it was about…my soulmate."
"Soulmate? Am I really that?" he asked, not as sarcastically as Elsa would expect.
Elsa shrugged. "Pretty silly, right?" she asked.
"Not really." he said. "If you don't mind me asking, do you have anything with moonstone?" he asked.
Elsa was more than taken aback, she was flabbergasted. She nodded, an expectant expression on her face. She showed her necklace.
He looked at it for a long time. Such a long time, that Elsa was compelled to ask: "Hey, is it really my necklace you are looking at?"
Hans laughed. "Sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you." He said.
Elsa hesitated, but finally steeled herself. "Do you now have, by any chance, something with an anchor? Or anything about the sea?" he nodded, then showed his own necklace, a small anchor on a silver chain.
They sat together for a long while, not talking. Els finally asked:
"Do you want to take a walk?" Hans nodded in assertion, then they left to take a walk by the bridge overlooking the sea.
"So," she began, "is there a reason why you are so guarded and masked?" her question sounded a bit vague, but he seemed to know what she meant.
"I don't have the best track record in relationships." Hans said. "I am not going to lie to you.I lied to girls about loving them, because I wanted relationships to progress quickly and often got lost in the whirlwind myself. Then I realized my own words were lies." he said.
Elsa was a bit displeased to hear this, but felt like saying her piece anyway. "You don't need to worry about that with me. I don't like rushing anything." she said. "I never thought I would even give relationships a chance anytime soon. And I like to think that I can tell when you are lying." she said with a mischievous smile.
He grinned widely. "Don't I know that?" he said. They walked on without saying anything for a while, then he continued:
"I don't want to give any false promises. But I think we can start off by seeing each other around." he said at last. Elsa nodded. She offered her hand for a most formal handshake. He obliged.
"Bye, Elsa. It was nice meeting you. And I mean that one hundred percent." Elsa smiled, without being able to add quite as much sarcasm as she wanted to.
"Goodbye, Hans." When they shook hands, she tried to ignore the thrill when their hands met briefly. Their fingers tangled for a moment longer than necessary. They did not look at each other as they went their separate ways.
They heard the sound of the waves for a long time as they walked home, bright with moon phosphorescence.