"You need help?" he asked turning to me again.
"I don't think I have much of a chance of success without some help, you know?"
"I'm going to need some more information if you want me to help you."
"Hm… Deal. Take me to a more private place and I'll tell you… everything.

'Almost…'

I couldn't believe that I was asking a complete stranger to take me to a private place, but I didn't know how much time I had and I didn't believe that there were many more people in the kingdom who could see my clothes and not realize who I was. On the other hand, I had jumped on him and he hadn't been unfriendly with me. He seemed like a kind man.

"Okay, but if what you're doing isn't right with me, I'll take you with the guard."
"Ugh…"

I had to take the risk. On my own, I wouldn't get very far.

"I'll take the chance," I replied grinning at the hope of a new life.
"Okay, let's go to the stable where Sven is waiting. There we will talk."
"There will be nobody?"
"Not a very busy place."
"Perfect. Uhm… Do I follow you?"

This Kristoff guy laughed. A frank and clear but soft and melodious laugh that vibrated within me taking my breath away. That man's voice was, without a doubt, the most beautiful thing I had ever heard. Not even my beloved piano could compete against that voice. Then I felt his hand take mine in a firm and delicate grip and he began to pull me.

"Yeah, it will probably be easier this way."

He didn't say a word, he just gently slid his finger over mine letting me feel the roughness of his skin. He didn't seem to be lying about his work. Without a doubt, they were the hands of someone who had carved out his future. His heat was penetrating my skin, just as it had done as soon as I fell on him, and an absurd thought crossed my mind. That hand that held me… that warmth, that honest voice, I could follow them to the end of the world. Although, perhaps better after a good bath.

We hadn't walked much more than a couple of minutes when the air became a little more humid and hot and a wooden gate clattered behind me.

"Hey, buddy!" I heard him say then. "Take it easy, keep resting for a bit more. It will still take a while to get out."
"Is he your reindeer?"

I heard the animal move and my guts tightened a bit. I had never been near an animal with antlers. His footsteps slowly brought him closer to me until I felt a gigantic wet nose brush against my hand.

"Hi! You're Sven?"

The animal bellowed softly and I decided to carefully stroke his head. His fur was thick and strong, but no less soft for that, and the smell was almost as terrible as that of his human friend, but the energy that the animal gave off was impressively pleasant.

"You know what? I like you," I said smiling at that huge animal from the depths of my being while he gently pushed me with his head.
"It seems to be reciprocal," Kristoff said then with a tone between sweet and amused. "Hey, buddy, I need to talk to her for a moment. Don't look at me like that! You'll have time for that later."
"Later? So, you're not planning to take me with the guard?"
"I couldn't assure you, but I suppose you have a good reason for what you are doing when you have risked accepting that condition."
"That was because I trust you."
"You shouldn't."
"Why? Are you some sort of kidnapper or something?"
"I could be."
"No, you couldn't."
"What makes you think that way?"
"I don't know. I can feel the honesty in the way you talk. It's nothing that I can explain."
"Doesn't sound much reliable."
"It is reliable enough for me."

I listened as the man paced the stable until I heard him place something right behind me.

"You want to sit?"
"Oh, that would be fine, thank you."

I turned and felt around to locate the small stool he had prepared for me and sat on it. I could feel then how he also took a seat somewhere close in front of me.

"I'm listening."

His voice, almost like a whisper, somehow encouraged me to share my years of oppression with someone. It was the moment of the truth.

"I'm running away from home."
"Home?"
"The castle. I am princess Anna."

A dense silence took hold of the place until a huge gulp of air filled his lungs.

"Okay, let's take you home."
"What?! No!"
"You are the princess?! How do you intend to escape?! They will put heaven and earth all upside down to find you!"
"I know! But… I need it."
"What are you running from?"
"From… loneliness."

Another silence. I could hear his slightly ragged breathing and how he swallowed hard.

"Look…" I said then trying to make him understand. "Do you remember thirteen years ago they closed the castle gates?
"Uh-huh…"

"Well, it was by an… accident. I wasn't born blind, you know? From that day on, access to the castle was practically canceled, and I was separated from my sister and looked after by the castle staff and by my parents as if I were made of glass. When my parents were absent, it was only the castle staff. They read me, dress me, they almost even feed me! But they don't give me real company. They don't know my wishes or my aspirations, they don't know what amuses me or what displeases me. And, of course, I don't know about them either. Loneliness is driving me crazy, I can't take it anymore. And I'm sick of not being able to feel more than the cold walls of the castle. I want to see the world! Well… you know what I mean. I want to live! I know that what I ask of you is a lot, but…"
"I don't get it. Why did they separate you from your sister?"
"Uh… I guess they didn't want her to hurt me. She herself doesn't dare to approach me."
"But, from what you say, you've been like this for a long time. Then, why now?"
"Oh, no, this is not something new. I've tried it tons of times, but they never took their eyes off me. It wasn't until everyone had gone nuts with the coronation preparations that I finally had some room to consider trying again."
"And what will you do when they find it out?"
"Hopefully, by then I'll be far enough from here that they won't find me. With the hustle and bustle of these days, it's easy to have at least a couple of days before they realize I'm gone. You can't even imagine how things are in there right now."
"From the amount of ice they have asked me, I get an idea."
"So? Will you help me?"
"Anna…"

'Wow… It is the first time in three years that someone calls me by my name and the first time in all my life that whoever does it is not part of the family.'

"Hey, look. I don't expect you to take care of me or anything like that, just get me out of town."
"Oh, yeah? And what do you plan to do next? Run through the forest alone until the wolves eat you or you fall down a cliff?"

I could feel the sarcasm in his voice.

"I'll manage. I'm not giving up! I'm not going back in there! Maybe the wolves welcome me as one of their own… I have an exquisite sense of smell and hearing…"

He burst out laughing again and walked over to me. Then, I heard his knees dig into the ground before me.

"Hey, feisty-pants…"
"Yes?"
"They're gonna catch us."
"Don't worry, they won't condemn you. I'll tell them that I misled you by saying that I ordered you to take me on a diplomatic trip."
"I'm a dead man, aren't I?"
"Are you agreeing to take me?"
"Have you been without leaving there since you lost your sight?"
"Just as I said."
"No one should have to go through that. I don't know how long this madness is going to last, but in the meantime, I'm going to give the world back to you."

A nice chill ran down my spine as his words brushed my skin.

"You want to?"
"Kristoff, I still don't know how, but I'll make it up to you."

He stood up and gently took my hand again.

"Have you ever been in a wagon?"
"Are you're kidding? They would never let me."
"Then, you're gonna like this."