Chapter 8.5

Courtship

Summary: The prince and the princess strolled around the castle's gardens and had fun.

Is it strange to dance a romantic waltz with a prince in the ballroom like fairytales? When Anna was on the platform, she thought Elsa would open up and tell her what truly happened when they were children left unexplained by her parents, but she had just shut her out again.

'What's wrong with her?' The question might seem simple, but Anna thought about it for many years while knowing that nobody could provide the answer.

Except for Elsa, although talking to her would further complicate the matter more than it already is.

She could not tolerate Elsa's isolation anymore.

But anyway, she was thankful Hans showed up and invited her to dance with him to cheer her up, or else she will end up in tears in one of the small retiring rooms opening off the ballroom.

She was strolling with Hans through the scenic rose garden outside the castle. A cluster of blue butterflies flutters towards some hanging wisteria on her right. They look beautiful.

When the castle's walls bore her during her childhood, Anna would often enter the rose garden in the morning — it was her first time coming to this garden at night-time — even though few people come here other than the gardeners tend floras. She loved to talk with animals in the garden, such as the white-throated dipper — her favorite bird, bunnies, and squirrels. She did not care if they could not understand her; she preferred imagining them do.

Anna gasps at the shove her company gives her. Then, with a smirk, she turns to Hans, who smiles apologetically, before she shoves him back. She giggles as she watches Hans yells and wobble, about to fall, but he did manage to maintain his balance.

He looked at her with raised eyebrows as he approached her and said:

"You're pretty strong for a skinny princess."

"Skinny?!" She let out a dramatic gasp as she slaps his arm and folds her arms with a pout.

Sure, he meant mischief, but, in all honestly, she took offense at his words.

The prince with sideburns rubbed his arm where she hits him and let out a heartfelt chuckle. Anna chuckles along with him. Because why not? She hasn't had someone to laugh with since forever.

Hans shook his head as he said: "My apologies. I'm simply fooling around, your high-"

"Anna. Just Anna." She cut him out, "I prefer being seen as who I am, not just some title." She sighs and slumps her shoulders. "You don't have to be formal all the time."

"I understand, Anna." Oh god, the way he pronounced these two syllables of her name was so mesmerizing. She likes it.

"What's this?" She notices his index finger pointing at her hair, and touches a specific area that made him enquire.

Oh, he questioned that white streak, Anna thought. The only aspect of herself she dislikes; the other is her freckles. Anna thought whenever someone met her might ask her about it, since it looks paler than Elsa's blonde hair.

At least to her.

"I was born with it." Anna follows his hand as if by instinct. Then, with a forced laugh, she adds, "Although I dreamed once I was kissed by a troll." She tucks a streak behind her ear and avoids his soft green eyes. She felt embarrassed saying this, as the trolls are mere folklore, and Hans seems to believe.

Still, how did she dream of one?

"I like it." Hans breaks through her thoughts before he reaches out and entwines her fingers with his own. Anna stares at him for a moment. She feels her face flush as she prays the darkness to mask her red cheeks. She had never blushed like that!

Finally, she bumps into the perfect gentleman who understands and appreciates her for who she is. He even liked that pale strand of hers no one noticed, as if it was an extraordinary trait that makes her special!

Wait, she really is special, and his presence was enough to prove it.

Something got her attention as Anna turned to see a private balcony overlooking the fjord and the kingdom, with greenish vines and wisteria falling under its rails. Then out of nowhere, a thought entered her mind as she grins at Hans and asks:

"Have you ever tasted the krumkake?"

Since he will stay here until the party ends, she could familiarize him with anything about Arendelle, making him feel at home. Maybe when he would go back to his kingdom, they could communicate via letters.

And the first thing Anna wants to do is teach him how to eat the krumkake, her favorite sweet, and the second would be chocolate fondue.

And she knows the perfect place.

"The krumkake?"

Earlier on, Anna considered climbing the wisteria up to the balcony as a shortcut, which surprised Hans for the second time, yet she realized she could not climb the wisteria, plus her lack of climbing skills. So instead, they ran back into the castle, together, up the upstairs while avoiding the ballroom, though it was not because she did not want people to see them.

On the contrary, she imagined the people's reaction to the young couple, except someone who would probably be displeased with them being together.

The thought of Elsa seeing them sends her shivers, literally, yet she does not know why.

Hans had asked her target spot while trying to keep up with her, and she simply smiled, filling the formerly dulled castle with her laugher. She felt giddy, exuberant, so free it is like time has reversed, and she is a child again running and laughing with her friends while young Elsa stayed away with herself as her company, shy and alone.

They were sitting on the rails of the secluded balcony with a small distance between them. It is a perfect place. Wisteria and floras decorated their time, and Hans apparently loved it.

Anna had hoped that Hans would love the krumkake once she had given him some from the kitchen. She had made them weeks before the party's arrival, eager that baking would become a hobby, and the cook had praised her once he tasted it.

"Yeah, the whole thing! You got it."

She chuckles as the krumkake crumbles in Hans' face, and he laughs too.

"Mmm, tastes good!" This brought a smile to Anna's face. Hans smiles as he pulls a napkin from a pocket in his coat and dabs his smeared lips.

"Thanks! I'm glad you like it." Anna said with a laugh as she got a glimpse of Hans' etiquette side.

"You made them?" Hans said with a raised eyebrow. She nodded while adjusting her posture on the railing.

"You're a wonderful baker." Her pounding heart skips a beat as heat fills her face, and she averts her gaze from Hans, hoping he will not notice her flushed cheeks.

'Oh my god, I think I have been blushing too much!'

"Thank you." She said while fiddling with her whitish dress, but her voice was so low she was uncertain if Hans had heard her.

"Baking is my hobby, or at least I think it is." Anna giggles and shrugs her shoulders. "And you?"

"Well, I have more than one hobby," Hans said, leaning closer to her. She never thought a person could have multiple hobbies. It sounds fun!

"But to be specific, I love playing the violin, especially in the sea or sitting on the window in my room during sunset…." His hands move in rhythm with his speech.

She visualizes Hans dressed in more casual attire, seated on the dock and watches the sun dims its shine as it deep dives the calm waves while he plays his wooden violin with a bow and smiles at the mewing seagulls above the sky.

Maybe add in herself as his company…

"It gives me peace." Anna blinked once his voice snapped her out of her daydreaming. But something about it, along with his slumped shoulders and drooping eyelids, made her eyebrows furrow. So, she leans forward.

"Since it drives me away from my brothers-"

"Wait!" Anna raised her eyebrow, not catching what he said. Then, to some extent, hesitated, she asked:

"You have brothers?" Hans let out a small chuckle, which surprised her, considering whether there was humor behind it or if he laughed at her question.

"Yes, Twelve older brothers, and I am the youngest, just like you." At this, Anna's jaw drops. Wow, he has such a huge family! He probably has a nice upbringing, much nicer than hers.

"Whoa… Well, tell me about them!" She said, moving a little closer to Hans, who shook his head with a warm chuckle.

"The oldest is the crown prince of the kingdom. He will be king in the next three years."

What a coincidence, Anna thought. Elsa will also become the queen in the next three years…

"And…" He sighed, and Anna didn't like this. "Frankly, my brothers aren't as pleasant as you may think. I mean, three of them pretended I was invisible, literary, for two years."

She took back her words about his family. Perhaps he hates to bring up his brothers at all.

"That's… horrible." Indeed, it is a horrifying experience, and she knows how it feels to be ignored by the family. She can relate with her own.

"It's what brothers do." Regardless of how sad it was, Hans merely smiled, as if being neglected for two years or a decade is a regular thing.

"And sisters." She said, feeling bitterness towards Elsa as she shrugged. "Elsa and I were really close. But one day, she shuts me out, and I never know why."

"I would never shut you out," Hans says and holds her hand. Anna could do nothing but smile.

While the prince and the princess keep talking about whatever they want on the balcony, a guard was staring at them while hiding behind the shadows in the rose garden. After a moment, he sighed before he turned to the castle's entrance and left.

Note: Hi guys! Long time no see! Sorry for the long delay because many things have happened in my life, like being busy with school, mainly the final exams. And unfortunately, I've lost the motivation to continue writing this fanfic due to school, my secret project (an original fiction), and attempting to improve my art. Check my Instagram Acc: M_IhsanArt.

There was a part where Hans almost cleaned his lips with his sleeve, but Anna disapproved and instead cleaned them with a napkin. It was to show Hans being a dork or bad-mannered, but I couldn't imagine him doing this since he had to be perfect for Anna. And as I tried to write Anna's teenage infatuation with him, I had to revise this part.

Once I write and publish chapter 10, I will edit the first 4 chapters. Or maybe republish the fanfic with a new prologue.

This chapter was supposed to be at least +3000 words, though I think it's fine for now. Anyway, I hope you like it!