Summary: Hans runs into Elsa instead of Anna, but the encounter is a lot colder and icier than he expected. Or will it warm up? I also bumped down Hans's age by two years. (He's currently 19 and Elsa is 21 in this chapter)

She was a tall woman, not much more than an inch or two shorter than him. Her hair was a frosty blonde, long and pinned up in a bun. She wore a floor length turquoise dress decorated with pink, purple, and gold rosmaling and magenta cape buttoned at her chin. A pair of long turquoise gloves covered her hands. The tinkling tiara nestled in her hair did little to make her look less fearful. But even with her fancy clothing and hair done up instead of a loose braid, Hans could have recognized her anywhere.

They stared shocked at each other, both recognizing the person in front of them. Elsa paled, her already pale skin only a shade away from white. "I must go." She turned around and stepped away, tugging her long magenta cape closer to her and bowing her crowned head.

"Wait!" Hans called. "It's all right! I'm not mad. I'd like to talk."

"Please-" she began to quickly walk out of the hall, ignoring any royals who tried to approach her. At that second, Hans realized that he needed to pretend her had never seen her before. He figured she wasn't supposed to be seen outside her quarters on the day of special events or something.

Princesses had weird rules!

"I've never seen you before!" He shouted over the crowd in one last attempt. "Can we please just exchange pleasantries?"

Elsa stopped, halfway out the doorway. A look of relief crossed her face. He doesn't recognize me! She thought. Taking a breath, she squared her shoulders and turned around, nodding to all the other dignitaries and walking back to Hans, breathing out graceful apologies.

"Sorry I just needed a bit of air." She whispered to an especially concerned royal with brunette hair and a lavender dress reached forward to stroke her shoulder, which Elsa flinched away from.

She carefully made her way back to him and smiled with a small bow. "I apologize, Prince Hans." She said softly, her face serious and drawn. "I am not very assured with crowds yet."

Hans smiled breezily, with a careless shrug. "No worries, no worries." He glanced around himself for a distraction. Spying the refreshments table laden with food, he asked, "Would you like some refreshments?"

Elsa nodded with a faint smile, glad to distract herself. "How about chocolate and krumkake?"

"That sounds amazing." Hans said grandly. He held out his hand for the older girl to take, but the blonde shook her head and pulled away. "I'm all right." She said hastily.

Hans found this very peculiar. Elsa seemed to hate physical contact in all forms. He trotted along, weaving through the dancers as they approached the table and enjoyed all the refreshments the castle had to offer: special cakes and pastries, sandwiches, fruit, fondue, krumkake, bowls of punch and drinks, and last but not least, a large plate full of chocolates. Hans couldn't help but laugh as Elsa's eyes lit up and she leaned forward and took a piece: a dark square of sweetness drizzled with raspberry glaze and crushed almonds. Hans snatched a lemon filled one dusted with powdered sugar for himself.

"Taste good?" Hans asked, watching Elsa savor the treat.

"It's quite scrumptious. I enjoy chocolate, like my sister Anna." Elsa replied, reaching for a plate.

"Anna!" Hans raised his eyebrows. "Where is she on this fine evening?"

Elsa tensed, then looked around her with worried eyes. "She's a-around." Something in her voice told her it was not to be discussed.

Hans was starting to feel slightly agitated. Could this Elsa talk about anything comfortably without flinching, snapping, or shutting down? He filled his plate with a roasted chicken sandwich, a lemon tart, and a few chocolate dipped strawberries as Elsa daintily nibbled on a second piece of chocolate, this one a marbled mound of white, milk, and strawberry chocolate swirled together. Her plate, however was full of krumkake, a dessert Hans had heard about but had never tried. Seeing Hans watch her eat it, she took another cone from the serving platter and placed it on Hans' plate. "Try one!"

Hans laughed and took a bite of the strange dessert. The cone was crunchy and sweet, and the fruity and nutty filling was a smooth finish. The rest suddenly crumbled in his hand and he yelped in surprise.

Elsa giggled behind her gloved hand and motioned him to follow her. Grabbing his plate, he followed her out of the ballroom and out into the palace gardens. He noticed the moonlight turned Elsa's hair a glowing silvery blonde and her eyes a brilliant shining blue.

Once glancing around to see that no one was looking, Elsa picked up a second krumkake. A mischievous smile spread on her face and she shoved the entire cone into her mouth in one bite and chewed, crumbs falling out of her lips. Hans couldn't help gasping as did so.

"That's how you properly eat a krumkake!" She said with satisfaction when she swallowed. "I do that all the time when no one's looking."

Hans was too busy laughing to respond. The proper Queen of Arendelle, high and mighty, had just shoved food down her throat like a small child who had just stolen candy. He picked up another cone and quickly popped it in his mouth.

"So, do you like being the youngest?" Elsa asked.

Hans huffed. "Not at all! My brothers all hate me, and a few even pretended I was invisible for a few years. They think nineteen is too young to do anything! All I get to do is sit at my parents' feet and play the "youngest spare brother".

"That's horrible!" Elsa was shocked. How could someone hate a polite and humorous, and such a handsome man as Hans?

"Do you get along with Anna?" Hans asked in return.

Elsa closed her eyes. "As much as I can." She turned away from him to examine a flower. Hans thought she was going to change the subject, but instead she went on. "These were one of Anna's favorite flowers." She pointed to the lilies. "We used to pick them all the time when were children. Before the accident-" she stopped suddenly, and Hans decided not to ask.

Soon the krumkake was all gone, but Hans and Elsa were in no mood for more. Instead, they strolled around the gardens, talking. About their families, their lives, their hobbies. Elsa talked more than she had ever talked to anyone in years. She felt like she could trust Hans and tell him everything, and he felt the same with her. Hans told her stories of his childhood that made her double over in laughter, and other stories that made her sorry he had to deal with. In turn, Elsa told him about her studies, her goals as a queen, and her relationship with Anna. It was one of the best nights of Elsa's life. Not only had her coronation been successful and smooth, but she had made a new friend. They returned to the ballroom for Elsa to meet other dignitaries, and Hans made everything go smoothly and easily. At the end of the night, Hans promised to keep in touch with Elsa and visit sometime, and she agreed.

As Hans headed to the Arendelle Inn for his nightly lodging later, he saw Princess Anna sitting alone on a balcony chair, staring out into the night with a forlorn look on her face.

Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. It might have been a much different ending for Anna, however! Please review, I love the response I've been getting so far. Special shoutouts to Desteny Star and all you guests for the response. I had one guest that hated the interaction between Anna and Hans. Can you please explain? Thank you guys soooo much!

-Ari