Author's Note: Be patient with the rehashing of canon in this chapter! The next chapters will be more different. I just wanted to set up the character's motivations.

Kristoff Bjorgman leaned against his wagon, surveying his wares for the day.

His anticipation for this particular event was very different from the emotion that coursed through the rest of Arendelle. After all, the monarch who sat on the throne didn't much affect him.

The crowds of people gathered together on a hot day could affect his ice business, though, if he could sell enough.

He wasn't charismatic or an excellent salesman. His one advantage over some of the other ice harvesters was that he hadn't caused any trouble in town that would get him sent away from the main square.

Then there was the advantage of many citizens in formal wear crowding and chatting and dancing into the night.

They were warm. They would want something cold. He had something cold. That was enough.

There was, however, one more matter to interest him about this day.

Kristoff knew nothing about royal customs or dances or the dignitaries who spilled out of ships from foreign lands…

But he did know one thing about the royal family that the rest of Arendelle-and all of its neighboring kingdoms-were dying to find out.

He had no desire to talk to any of them.

The secret was safe with him.

…..

"Princess Anna! It's time to get ready!"

"Ready for what?"

"Your sister's coronation."

"My sister's...corneration…" she gasped, suddenly fully awake. "IT'S CORONATION DAY!"

With a few servants and a lot of pulling and prodding, Anna finally looked in the mirror to see a girl who looked fully the part of a princess. Even the white streak in her hair looked somehow charming when swept up into a bun.

She did look like a princess.

Maybe even one that a prince might want to meet.

…..

Elsa felt barely there as servants rushed in and out, making sure that everything was in place for her coronation.

It would all be ready-they had made sure of that.

Everything except her.

….

Hans Westergaard stood at the bow of the ship, staring toward the new land he approached.

A land that, one day, could end up being his home.

That is, if he could pull it off.

When the small town and elaborate castle finally came into view, his breath caught in his throat.

It was beautiful.

Compared to home, anywhere would look beautiful.

And anyone.

His introduction to the Princess of Arendelle went about as poorly as it could have. He had been riding along the docks when suddenly his horse had collided with something-someone.

Yet she couldn't stay mad at him.

And he couldn't fret too much about his mistake when he thought about the way her deep blue eyes had met his, both of them lost in thought.

She wasn't the crown princess; this wasn't the plan.

It was still a plan, though.

Even with the hours he had spent studying Crown Princess Elsa, he couldn't keep his eyes on the new queen during the coronation.

Anna caught his eye and waved.

….

For a split second, Elsa thought she might get away with it.

Then, the bishop cleared his throat.

"Your Majesty? The gloves?"

She held her breath for the entire excruciating moment. Just as frost began to creep up the staff and the orb...just when she thought it might all come crashing down…

"QUEEN ELSA OF ARENDELLE!"

She practically threw down the objects, jammed her hands into her gloves, and then faced her people, took a breath, and gave a genuine smile.

She had done it. She had done it!

"Please join us in the ballroom for a celebration."

Her smile faltered.

One event down, the rest of her life to go.

The ballroom was warm when she was finally announced and entered. This didn't bother Elsa. If she got slightly worked up, they might interpret it as a pleasant breeze.

What did bother her was the amount of prodding it took to get Anna to come and stand next to her. Anna-her sister-was so used to the distance between them that the proximity was jarring for her.

The realization pushed her worries about magic from her mind. She had to do something…

"Hi," she ventured.

"Hi-hi me? Oh! Hi."

"You look beautiful."

"You look beautifuller! I mean...not fuller, but more-more beautiful."

Elsa couldn't help but giggle. Some things about her sister hadn't changed.

"Thank you….So. This is a party."

"It's warmer than I expected."

Elsa agreed. "And what is that amazing smell?"

"Chocolate!" They realized in unison, with a giggle.

Some things about their relationship were still the same.

And then the Duke of Weselton had to interrupt, and Elsa had to sacrifice Anna to the dance floor to keep her secret intact.

Poor Anna-she would have to apologize later. At least they got to share a laugh about his ridiculous toupee.

It didn't take long after her return for things to go downhill.

"I wish it could be like this all the time."

"Me too," Elsa said, and she meant it. Parties may not be her favorite place, but to see her sister happy...it would be worth it.

Still-she couldn't get Anna's hopes up too high.

"But it can't," she concluded solemnly.

"Why not?"

"It just can't!"

She knew as soon as she said it that it was too harsh. But they couldn't have this conversation.

Not here.

Maybe not ever.

For the rest of the night, she tried her best to focus on talking to ambassadors from all around and Arendellian dignitaries, but she kept an eye out for Anna at all times. It was a while before she saw her sister again.

…..

"I know this castle well from years of wandering it on my own...I always dreamed that I would get to show someone around someday," Anna beamed at Hans as she spun around the art gallery.

"I know what you mean. I used to spend hours alone on the beach."

"That must have been nice."

"Honestly? I got kind of sick of it. I know that sounds ungrateful, but…"

"No, I totally understand! I feel the same way around here. I mean, what kid gets to grow up in a castle and complains about it? But I would rather live in a tiny cabin with someone to actually talk to."

"Someone who understands you, who takes you as you are…"

"Exactly!"

"All my life, I was surrounded by older brothers, but none of them gave me the time of day, or took me seriously. My parents didn't have the time to spare."

"Oh, I completely understand. I feel bad saying it, because they died when I was 15 and I'd give anything to have them back, but I always felt like Elsa was the focus for my parents. I know she's the heir and everything, but...they never even told me why I was isolated! I'm just the spare! What do I need to worry about out in the world?"

"Hey, I get it. I'm not even the spare. They've already got eleven there without me."

The night continued like this, interwoven stories of woe in between beautiful sights and goofy activities.

All the while, there was the looming thought that it would have to end-and soon.

Unless he did something crazy.

So he did.

….

"Elsa! I mean-Queen!"

"We would like to ask for your blessing-for our marriage!"

Anna expected Elsa's face to light up like the fairytale she was living tonight.

Instead, Elsa just looked confused.

….

"Marriage? I'm sorry, I'm confused…"

Elsa knew they were both sheltered, knew that Anna could be impulsive, but she couldn't honestly think that a day was long enough to get to know a future spouse…?

The colors of the ballroom swirled together in her vision as Anna rambled on about his brothers moving in.

"Wait...slow down...no one's brothers are living here. No one is getting married."

"What?"

She knew that Anna would be crushed.

But sometimes love meant hurting someone's feelings to keep them safe.

She knew that better than anyone-and maybe it was time that Anna knew it, too.

She knew there would be consequences, knew she would have to keep her powers under control...

Still. Part of her felt that it was now or never.

"Can I talk to you, please? Alone?"

"Whatever you have to say, you can say to both of us."

She couldn't believe how much it stung. Anna felt closer to this stranger than to her.

Could she really blame her? She was practically a stranger to her sister after all these years.

It never used to be that way…

She steeled herself.

"You can't marry a man you just met."

"You can if it's true love!"

"Anna, what do you know about love?"

"More than you! All you know is how to shut people out!"

The dagger flew straight to her heart. With what her sister knew-and didn't know-it was a fair observation.

But knowing the truth...it was simply unbearable.

They couldn't do this. Not here. Not now.

"You asked for my blessing, but my answer is no. Now, if you'll excuse me…"

"Your Majesty, if I may…"

"You may not, and I think you should go. The party is over; close the gates."

She gathered her thoughts, blocked everything out...it happened too quickly for her to react.

Suddenly her hand was bare.

"Give me my glove!"

"I can't live like this!"

The fear, the sadness, the hurt, surged inside of her and threatened to explode.

"Then leave."

She couldn't be free. She couldn't fix it. But at least Anna could have a life without her.

She turned away.

Anna continued.

"What did I ever do to you?"

The pain was unbearable. She had to make it stop. She had to get out…

"I said ENOUGH!"

As she gestured with the wrong hand, the ungloved hand, ice shot out, throwing spikes that grew menacingly at her sister and the crowd.

No one was hit. No one was hurt.

But everyone froze, their eyes flickering between the queen and the ice.

"Sorcery...I knew there was something dubious going on here."

….

They had gone to great lengths to conceal her magic from the day she was born.

It was simple enough, at first. When she was tiny, it wasn't as strong; and after all, people understood that young children needed their privacy.

Words could not describe the joy she felt when Anna was old enough to look at her magic with awe, to see it as a beauty and not just a burden.

"Do you want to build a snowman?"

"Let's go sledding!"

"Build a snow pile! Catch me!"

"No, Anna, slow down! You're too high!"

In her hurry to catch her sister, she slipped and fell-but still saw the blast of magic hit her sister square in the eye, still saw the girl crumple and fall to the ground.

"ANNA!"

She ran over and held her sister as the younger girl grew cold, as a single white streak spread through her hair.

…..

She felt for the doorknob behind her, eyes locked on her sister's shocked expression, and then found it and ran.

She didn't know where she was going, but snowflakes and ice followed her wherever she went. She held her hands up in surrender, and a blast of ice covered the floor in front of the duke.

She kept running.

Once she got to the fjord, she heard Anna yelling after her.

Maybe it wasn't too late to keep her safe, to keep the kingdom safe.

The fjord turned to ice under her feet.

She planted a foot firmly on the now-solid water.

She kept running.

…..

"Snow?"

"What in the world?"

"Ice magic? The queen?"

"No wonder they were all so secretive!"

Anna gripped her arms to keep warm as she walked aimlessly through the crowd, her sister having run off across the fjord. There was a hollow crack as the entire body of water froze to ice.

Hans put a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you hurt?"

"No."

"Did you know?"

"No…"

The isolation made sense now.

The fact that they never told her-that part hurt.

She knew one thing for sure: she needed to go after Elsa.

Someone brought her a cloak and a horse. Before she knew it, she had left Hans in charge and taken off into the night.

The search did not start off well, to say the least. She lost her cloak, then her horse, then fell into a puddle of water.

Almost too cold to move, she finally found a small cabin labeled "Wandering Oaken's Trading Post (and Sauna)".

Unsurprisingly, the winter section was almost sold out.

As she grabbed the last winter dress and boots, a gigantic man covered in snow entered the store, saying something about the storm coming from the North Mountain.

"Did it seem...magical to you?"

"Yes! Now back up while I deal with this crook here!"

He was removed from the store after an argument about pay.

But he seemed knowledgeable, unafraid of magic, and had wanted to purchase climbing supplies...plus, he had a sled, and maybe an animal (judging by the carrots).

If she played her cards right, this just might work.

She found him in the barn.

"Take me up the North Mountain."

It took some convincing, but he came around.

"We leave at dawn. And you forgot the carrots for Sven."

She tossed them too enthusiastically, and they hit him in the head.

"Sorry! I mean...we leave now. Right now."

He stared at her, unfazed.

….

Kristoff had gone back up the mountain during the ceremony to retrieve more ice. He knew that the party would go well into the wee hours of the morning, and there was the chance of a few sales after the ball. Plus, some of the wealthier citizens had ice boxes, and might have smuggled out some royal confections that they would want to keep cold.

Then it started snowing.

Of course, it wasn't unheard of this high up in the mountains-but as he traveled downward, it didn't let up.

It was when he reached a cliff and looked down to Arendelle that he knew they had a serious problem.

The entire town was coated in ice and snow-in July.

He had only seen ice in the summer once before.

…...

"Ice? Come on, Sven!"

Kristoff took his reindeer and followed the trail of frost without stopping to think it through. He was eight years old, alone in the woods, and it felt magical somehow.

He came across a clearing of rocks, and a group of people in weird, fancy clothes.

Suddenly, the rocks moved, and whispers broke out. "It's the king!"

He had read stories about this at the orphanage.

"Trolls?"

Suddenly, he had a smooth, rocky arm pulling his face down toward her.

"Shh! I'm trying to listen!"

And listen they did. He heard about the ice magic of the older princess, a girl with white blond hair and big, scared eyes.

He heard about how the younger one got hit, and how the only way to save her was to wipe her memories.

The only evidence left of her sister's magic was a single white streak in her hair.

…

Now, the very same princess, with the very same white streak, was standing here and demanding that they depart on a death mission.

He gave her a lopsided frown.

"Look. I know who you are."

Her face betrayed every emotion that passed through as she was first startled, then worried, then angrily determined.

"Just because I'm a princess doesn't mean I can't handle life outside of the castle!" she asserted, hands on her hips.

"That's not what I'm saying. I know as a princess that you're used to having people listen to you, so maybe this is treason or something, but I can't take you outside right now. It's too dangerous for anyone out there. You'll have to sleep eventually, and judging by your fancy dress when you got in here, it seems like you rushed right out after the coronation. We might as well rest now and travel when it's light. And when the wolves aren't out."

"Wolves?" She raised a questioning eyebrow, but seemed to deflate and accept the explanation.

"Fine. We'll stay here tonight. But we leave at dawn!"

"Exactly what I said the first time."

She slumped down onto a bale of hay, looking much more like a girl than like a princess.

Kristoff looked down at his lute, hand raised, but then sighed and put it aside.

"Are you warm enough? I have an extra coat in my sled."

"I'm fine," she said curtly.

"Or you could sleep next to Sven. He doesn't smell the best, but he will keep you warm."

She didn't respond for a moment; Kristoff continued to watch the fire.

"You're wrong, by the way," she said suddenly and quietly.

"About what?"

"I am the princess, but I'm not used to having people listen to me. I mean, my own sister won't even-"

She met his eye, and must have taken his stoic expression for disinterest.

"Never mind. I'll let you sleep."

Kristoff sighed again. This was not how he had pictured spending his evening.

"I haven't always had people around, either. But...I'm sorry about your sister."

"Thanks, I guess. At least now I have Hans. My fiance," she specified, the sudden sparkle in her eye giving away her feelings for him. "I've never had someone understand me that well, you know? We have such a good connection. In all of our conversations, I feel like he's felt the same things that I've felt and wants the same things that I want."

"That's nice."

"Yeah. I just wish Elsa could see what I see in him! This whole thing was kind of my fault...when I told her we were getting married, she freaked out and froze everything."

"Why?"

"Ok, you're not going to believe this, but Elsa has magical ice powers."

"No, I know that part. Why did she freak out about your fiance? Does she not like him? Is she jealous? What's the story there?"

"Ha! No, Elsa didn't really show an interest in wanting anyone near her. No, it's just because we haven't known each other that long. But when you know, you know!"

"How long has it been?"

"Well, I met him the morning of the coronation."

Now Kristoff sat bolt upright.

"You mean to tell me that you got engaged to someone you just met that day?"

"Well yeah, but like I said, it's true love!"

"How is that true love? It's been a day! You probably don't even know anything about him! What's his last name?"

"Of the Southern Isles…"

"Favorite food?"

"Sandwiches."

"Best friend's name?"

"...John, probably?"

"Foot size?"

"Why would that matter?"

"Knowing the person you're going to marry matters!"

"I do know him! I've never known anyone better than I know him!"

"All right, but that's worse. You do understand why that's worse, right? If you have no experience with people, how are you supposed to know if this one is really being genuine?"

"I know love when I see it, ok!"

"How? From books?"

"I like books! Do they even have books where you grew up? And besides, you said you don't know anyone either! You just have your reindeer! So why am I supposed to believe that you're some kind of 'love expert'?"

Kristoff lay back, rolling his eyes. "I'm not. But I do have friends who are."

"Friends who are love experts?" she snorted. "I'd like to meet them."

"Probably not, because they'd tell you not to rush into marrying someone you just met that day."

"I ONLY HAD A DAY!" she thundered, and he stared back, eyes wide, startled by this girl who seemed about half his size.

She breathed heavily, freckled face now beet red, eyes narrowed as she glared at him. She took a deep breath and deflated again.

"Growing up in a castle isn't all it's cracked up to be. Especially when the castle is locked from the outside...or might as well be. Elsa's coronation was my one chance. I met Hans, and I didn't want to lose him...What else were we supposed to do?"

Now, Kristoff had no answer. The silence hung in the air, only the crackling of the fire and the occasional gust of wind to break it up. Finally, Sven gave him a prodding look, and he sighed before speaking again.

"Look. I'm sorry I pried. You're right. Your situation...I wouldn't wish it on anyone. Just...be careful, ok? And get some sleep."

She didn't respond, but he figured his attempt at mending the situation was good enough. After all, he was going to help her on an extremely ill-advised trip-slash-rescue-attempt.

But she had bought him climbing equipment.

And he had to admit: finding out more about the mysterious ice queen of Arendelle might be reason enough. After all, that was sort of why he had wanted the rope and axe in the first place.

Anna shivered. Sven, unprompted, got up and went to lie down with her on her hay bale.

Which was fine. He was warm enough, and might not get much sleep anyway.

Instead, his thoughts drifted back to the Valley of the Living Rock, the home of the trolls. The place where he had grown up after that night, when one of the trolls, Bulda, had decided to take him in.

….

The king and his family were supposed to come back. Grand Pabbie made that much clear. And they did-at first.

They never brought Anna.

The next time, it was the king and Elsa.

The king saw Kristoff.

"Who is this boy?" He asked Grand Pabbie.

"An orphan that we have taken in. Do not worry-his heart is pure, and he keeps our secrets safe."

The king still looked hesitant.

"Kristoff, why don't you and Sven go play in the snow?"

It was winter this time, and Kristoff was happy to obey.

He was making a snow version of Sven when the real Sven suddenly trampled through, jumping maniacally.

"SVEN!"

His anger was interrupted by a giggle.

He looked up to see the princess, Elsa, her eyes as blue as ice, covering her mouth with a thin silk glove and wearing an oddly fancy coat.

"Sorry," she said. "What were you trying to make?"

"A snow reindeer. Like Sven," he said matter of factly, going back to work.

"Like this?" she asked timidly.

He looked at her outstretched hand. She had taken off her glove, and in her palm was a perfectly-sculpted miniature reindeer.

"Whoa! You do have ice magic! It's so cool!"

For a moment, she smiled, but then her face fell.

"I wish I didn't, though. It's dangerous."

"Elsa! Come on, we're leaving!" the king shouted impatiently.

The girl straightened up, the icy reindeer falling into the snow, and ran off, tugging on her glove.

He picked up the reindeer. The ice was so smooth, so clear…

He kept it until the spring, when it finally melted.