Kristoff knew. Even without anyone saying a word, he knew.
Anna was in the garden, listening to him talk about his day. He went, and got ice, and then he came home.
They'd had this conversation before, a thousand times, and back then, it was a thousand times better. Whether she was happy, or bored, or even angry at him, she felt something- for him. But now... now Anna knew what he was.
And she hated him for it.
She never said a word, but Kristoff knew how she felt. The princess was many things, but she was a horrible actress. Oh, she said everything that she used to say, and do the things that they used to do... but that undeniable spark between them was gone.
And it was all his fault.
...HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANZZZ...
Oh, he was going to pay for this; dead or not, he had to pay somehow. He had stolen Anna's heart away. Like a demon, he was still possessing her, keeping her from loving him like she had. If it wasn't for Hans' clumsy attempt to take over the country, no one would know, or care, about the Westerguards. But now the family name was said with a curse, along with words like "betray" and "murder". He hated it. This whole situation was none of his fault.
Sure, he'd given the Southern Isles knowledge about Arrendelle, and met with Hans before the coronation, telling him of Anna's loneliness- and yes, he'd helped Baragor when his older brother approached him for help, but was any of that worthy of this torture?
"I love you," He said it again. Kristoff had said it more today (or so it seemed) than he had in months. It was like digging a hole, waiting for someone else to fill it back up.
Anna was quiet for a moment, staring into his eyes, searching... searching...
"You too."
The hole got bigger. And bigger.
What a cruel girl. His hunger knew no bounds. They kept talking. He couldn't help it.
No matter how many times he said he loved her, she never really said it to him. There was always some way around it. She was telling him how much she hated him. And that, regardless of what she was being forced to parade herself off as, she did not have to love him back. Ever.
Kristoff frowned, "What did Baragor want?"
If nothing else, family drama would satiate his need for revenge. Without Hans around, someone had to pay for this travesty.
Anna looked down, "...nothing."
Kristoff sighed, eyes clenching, "Anna... I need to know."
That was the one thing he didn't know, really. She turned from him, but he grabbed her by the arm and turned her back around. In the past, she would just shove him, and tell him she was her own woman. It was like a game. But this time, she just stared.
It was like looking into the eyes of a stranger.
"Please," He said sincerely. For a second, her eyes flooded with emotion. That old part of her trusted him, wanted him to know what was going on.
"...he told me his plans."
Kristoff blinked. He could not help but want to know the next step of Arrendelle's future. On the other hand, he didn't care about that, not more than Anna. He took a breath, trying to refocus on the situation at hand.
"...Ah," It was all he could manage. How do you say "sorry" for destroying a girl's country?
"Maybe it won't be so bad," He said. The prince knew the plan, he knew Anna would never forgive him, and he knew, deep down inside, that Hans was going to figure in as a problem.
The only thing he didn't know was how he could live without her love.