The world was a blur of colors outside the frosted window. The setting sun, an oblong orange oval, made the surrounding mass of indistinct shapes glow. Yet it wasn't enough to push the darkness back. The grandfather clock by her mantel read that it was a quarter to six. It just as easily could have three hours more than that.
Reaching her gloved hands up to her neck, she adjusted her scarf. Thanks to Tia Pepa's icy moods, which often came as quickly as they blew over, she was no stranger to snow. Yet back then, she had only been acquaintances with the cold. Now, it was as steady of a companion as her shadow.
She turned, moving back towards the fireplace. No matter how many logs she stuck inside, a chill still hung heavy over her room. She stepped forward, holding her hands out.
Of all the places to move, she'd had to choose somewhere cold!
She shook the thought away. Mirabel could still remember that day at the port. It had been bustling with people - sharp mouthed sailors and chattering children, tired-eyed travelers and smooth talking merchants. All those eyes and yet not a soul had seen her.
She'd stood off to the side, her eyes on the rows of ships. Her coat had been slung over one shoulder. In her hands were a suitcase and a printed green ticket. A single bag of coins had weighed down her pocket, pulling the skirt of her dress down another few inches.
Kumandra, Corona, Maldonia - while every name had caught her eye, picking Arrendelle was an easy choice. It was so far away that she might as well have moved to another world.
She'd been sweating the day her ship finally docked. The sun had hung high overhead, its warm rays embracing everything it touched. The kingdom's gates had been flung open wide. Carts full of people flowed in and out in a steady stream.
Those warm days were nothing but a memory now.
Mirabel turned, pacing across the small room that doubled as her home and workshop. Dressmaker's dummies and a table set to one side was covered in piles of fabric. The floorboards creaked beneath her boots. They were old. Maybe, she reminded herself, that was why they didn't playfully rise as she woke. Why bother exerting the energy? As for her alarm clock, it was just lazy.
A bed covered in thick quilts, a faded reddish brown nightstand and a matching colored dresser, and a small writing desk that was just a bit too low to the ground, took up most of the opposite half of her room. More might someday join it, at least once she'd finally saved up enough for a sewing machine.
It wasn't much, but it was home - a fact Mirabel would remind herself of until the words were etched into her brain.
The world outside her window had darkened further. Grabbing a box of matches, she headed towards a row of candles sitting atop her fireplace mantel.
The knock came when she had just lit the first match. She froze, staring blankly into the flickering flame. It came again, faster and with less space between the knocks.
"Give me a minute!" Mirabel hurriedly lit the three candles closest to her before blowing the flame out. She pushed some stray curls away from her forehead and hurriedly rubbed wrinkles from her skirt. "Coming!"
Now who could this be, at this hour no less? She'd just turned in rent yesterday - a whole week early, at that. Or maybe this was one of her neighbors, though their faces tended to run together in her mind.
The girl standing behind the door was neither. That was all Mirabel knew about her. She blinked, taking her in. She wore a lavender dress and eggplant covered coat with a matching colored fur lined cape. Her hair was pulled back into two braids.
"Hello!" She waved a gloved hand.
"Hello," Mirabel echoed, smiling just a bit too wide. The edges of her lips hurt. "What brings you here this evening?"
A customer, she realized. Though her shop had closed almost an hour prior, extra money was nothing to raise her nose at.
"Here at Madrigal Designs," she continued, her voice rising, "we have all your tailoring and clothing design needs covered." She curtsied. "My name is Mirabel Madrigal. How might I help you?"
"I'm here to pick up an order." The girl gave a small bow. "Princess Anna of Arrendelle, at your service."
Mirabel's heart skipped a beat. "Your majesty," she replied. She brought a hand to her breast and got down on one knee, bowing. "I had no idea you were coming. I would have prepared a pot of tea if I'd known."
The princess was certainly worth braving the communal kitchen for!
She shook her head. "Oh, it's no trouble. I've always preferred hot chocolate, anyway." Anna reached a hand out. After a moment, Mirabel took it and rose.
Mirabel's cheeks warmed. The princess was at her door! Never in a million years would she have entertained the idea.
"Please, come inside and make yourself at home." Mirabel pulled the door open further. She hurried to her writing desk, pulling the chair out.
"Nice place you got here," Anna said. She stood near one corner, where brightly colored drawings of butterflies decorated the walls. "Did you make these?"
Mirabel nodded. Sometimes she'd sketch from the moment she quit work for the day until she was ready to collapse into bed.
"They're beautiful," Anna said, her gloved hand hovering close to them but not quite touching the papers.
"Th-thank you," Mirabel replied. Her tongue and throat felt dry as a dirt road at high noon. "Your order is ready." A servant had dropped it off a month prior. "I would have delivered it to the castle. I hate to think you made the trouble of dropping by. My apologies for the inconvenience."
"What's there to be sorry for? If anything, I'm the one who should be apologizing. I should have stopped by a lot sooner!"
"But your order wasn't due until tomorrow!"
Anna shook her head. "That's not what I meant," she responded. She stepped forward and held a hand out. "As princess, it's my duty to know and welcome everyone in the kingdom. I would have been here earlier if things hadn't kept getting away."
Mirabel slowly raised her hand, returning the shake. Her mouth was so dry that she couldn't even be sure if she would be able to force something past her lips.
"Welcome to Arrendelle!" Anna beamed. "You don't know how pleased we are to have you here!"
"Your kingdom was," Mirabel slowly replied, locking gazes with her, "most gracious to host me."
When she'd first packed, Mirabel had been certain she'd only go a few towns over. It was only when she'd actually hit the road that she'd seen how far her feet could carry her. And, in a way, this was better for everyone. The further away she was, the less trouble she could cause. As wild as her family's casita always was, there was probably a certain calmness to it now that she couldn't cause trouble or get in anyone's way. There was one less person for Isabela and Abuela to butt heads with, one less daughter for her mother to fret over. Maybe even the house itself was happier.
"Wow," Anna said, breaking through her thoughts. She walked towards the closest dress, this one largely finished save for some embroidery work she still needed to finish. "This is incredible."
"Thank you," Mirabel replied. She pushed her glasses up her nose.
Anna continued looking over the various pieces. Her eyes were wide. "Everything is amazing."
"You're most generous, your majesty."
No, this was certainly not how she'd ever dreamed of her evening going! It was a miracle that she hadn't collapsed into a heap on the floor considering her knees felt like jelly.
"You have quite the gift!"
Mirabel froze. Her heart stopped. It took ages for it to start back up again.
"You're the first person to ever tell me that."
Anna's eyes widened. "Really? But you're so talented!" She gestured towards the nearest dress. "I don't know what those other people don't see in you."
And just like that, Mirabel wasn't cold any longer. A fire might as well have been burning beneath her skin considering how hot she was.
"I'll get your order packed up for you!" Mirabel spoke so quickly that each word ran into the next. She hurriedly grabbed and opened a white box. "You'll look absolutely lovely in this, your highness."
She giggled. "Thank you, but this is actually for my sister." She lowered her voice. "Just don't spread that around, okay? This is supposed to be a surprise."
"My lips are sealed."
Mirabel hurriedly packed the dress away. Her room had never felt smaller. The princess's eyes were practically burning a hole through her back.
"Well, I'm sure your sister will love this." Mirabel held the box out. "Thank you so much for your patronage. If you need any help in the future, my doors are always open to you."
"Thank you! Elsa is going to have a birthday she'll never forget." Anna reached a hand into her pocket and pulled out a cloth bag that was tied shut. It jingled as she held it forward.
She shook her head. "Thank you, but your representative already paid me!"
"I know," Anna replied. "Just think of this as another thank you." She grabbed the box from Mirabel with one hand and handed her the bag with the other.
"Th-thank you!" Mirabel bowed once more, though she remained standing. "You are most generous."
"Oh, it's no trouble." Anna held the box against her chest. "I do have one last request, though."
"I'll do anything you need of me!"
"Then drop by the castle next week. Everyone in the kingdom gets a tour. You've certainly been waiting long enough for yours."
"Of course!" It wasn't as if she could say no. Her words echoed in Mirabel's head.
"Great!" Anna winked. "We'll have lots of snacks, so it'll definitely be worth your while. I hope you like chocolate!"
It was only when the princess reached for the doorknob that Mirabel spoke again. "May I please ask you something?"
"Of course!" Anna grinned.
"Is it true," Mirabel said, her eyes to the floor, "does your sister really have a gift?"
"If you mean the ability to make snow whenever she wants, then yes." She cocked her head to the side. "Pretty unbelievable, huh?"
She gave a weak chuckle. "Certainly... And you?"
Anna raised an eyebrow. "And I what?"
"Your gift..." Right then, the floor could have gone out from under her and she would have thanked it. "What is it?"
"If you mean special magical abilities," Anna said, not meeting her gaze, "I don't have any."
"I'm so sorry! I never meant-"
"It's no trouble. I get why you'd ask." Her smile returned. "Thank you again, Mirabel. I'm excited for you to drop by. Remember, our doors are always open to you as well." She turned her head, looking around the room. "And you're welcome to bring anyone you'd like with you. I'd love to meet your family."
Maribel nodded. "Certainly! I'll see if my uncle can come."
Mirabel stared down at her hands. No matter what she ate, the scars from where she had poked herself with a needle - something that occurred far more than she would have preferred - remained. With Anna gone, her room felt emptier than ever. She absently poked a fork at her half-touched dinner.
Her last words echoed in her head. It had been easier to say that than the far more likely truth - that it'd only be herself visiting. Still, there was always a chance that she might not show up alone. It was anyone's guess where Tio Bruno had gone when he'd left home, but Arrendelle was as likely a place as any. In the sea of strangers that she passed every morning on the streets, there was always the chance that she might run into someone familiar.
Was it unlikely? Probably. But as the earlier evening had so politely reminded her, anything was possible.