An Autumn Sky Too Soon Gone By

by Ronniewriting

I wrote this on a whim from an angst suggestion on discord so here it is.. I might write a revise chapter where it ends a bit nicer and isn't as sad but for now, have a load of heartbreaking angst.

3. Chapter 3

The reflection that looked back at him couldn't have been him. He looked dreadful. Nothing could remove the bags under his eyes, the tear stains pitting his skin, the shadow of his beard. He tucked Anna's would-be engagement ring under his shirt and fussed with his hair again. No one knew he was going to propose to Anna, other than Sven. He couldn't help but think what could've happened if he had proposed to Anna before she was taken from him. It might've all happened differently, maybe she'd be here, maybe they'd be married already.

He had no doubt that if she were there he wouldn't waste time, he'd love her to the extent of his ability.

Sven met him at the door, speechless and solemn. He was done up in black ribbon and dried wheat. He offered kristoff a pink rose and matching dried wheat boutonnière. His heart took another sting as he realised it's what he would've worn to their wedding. Kristoff mustered the effort to force a half-smile for the sake of his best friend. Sven could only understand so much of what he was feeling.

After affixing the boutonnière to his lapel and a brief moment of crying into the fur of his reindeer, Kristoff set off down the long corridors of the castle. And although Sven was tailing Kristoff, he had never felt less in control.

Hope dies and I follow you around

He met up with Elsa in the main hall, Anna's service was being held in the courtyard while her "burial" was going to be next to her parents. Elsa was draped in black, a very strange colour to see on her… She looked like Anna. Her hair adorned in traditional ribbon, the cape around her shoulders thick and heavy. She wore no ice.

They stood beside each other in mutual understanding, in shared pain. No words needed to be exchanged between them, 100 words were said in just one look and a deep breath.

The doors opened and light flooded in. It couldn't banish all the shadows.
Sven and Olaf waited for the two to cross the threshold but they were frozen in place; as if they both thought that by not descending the steps none of this was real. A dream. A nightmare.