Kristoff
The day of the Southern Isle's visit had arrived, and Prince Kristoff had not slept well in weeks. Every night when he went to bed, the absence on the other side of his bed was as glaring as though someone were shining a light on his eyes, and in the morning, the lack of a good morning kiss and a smile from his wife was an agony approaching torture. Every part of his being ached for Anna's presence, but he had not been alone with her since the trip to the North Mountain, and he could count on one hand the number of times she had spoken to him since then.
"Kristoff, you look terrible." Kristoff glanced at Alan, who was sitting across from him at breakfast in the dining hall, the sun just beginning to stream through the large windows on either side of the large room.
"You're not wrong." Indeed, Kristoff had been trying to hide his exhaustion for the arrival of the Southern Isles, but had failed spectacularly. Kristoff was a large, broad-shouldered man, with dark eyebrows resting above his tired brown eyes, and his shaggy blonde hair was wild and unkempt. He was dressed simply, just a green tunic over cream colored breeches. His friend was nearly a mirror image, the only real differences being Alan had brown hair and green eyes, but otherwise, the two friends were peas in a pod. "This thing with Anna is killing me, Alan." His friend looked at him sympathetically.
"I know."
"I don't understand it."
"I know."
"I mean, doesn't she know I only did it to protect her? It's not like I enjoyed it." Alan sighed.
"Look, Kristoff. She's scared, bud. Look at it from her point of view. She's never seen anything like that before. And the fact that it was you that did it. She's just freaked out. You just have to give her space."
Kristoff laughed humorlessly. "I have been, and it's nearly killed me. I can't take it anymore."
"Yes you can," Alan urged. "You can do it. She still loves you, Kristoff. She just… needs time." Alan glanced down at Kristoff's nearly untouched plate. "Eat, Kristoff. Can't have you wasting away."
"Why not?" Kristoff smirked wryly.
"Har har. Seriously, Kristoff, you've barely touched your food. Eat."
"Alright, mother." Kristoff dejectedly stabbed at his sausage, then sighed and dropped his fork. "I can't, Alan."
"It's alright, bud," said Alan. "Want to get some air?" Kristoff nodded, and the two stood up and trudged out of the dining hall. "Where do you want to go, Kristoff? Down to the water?" Kristoff grunted his approval, and they turned down the small passageway that led to the back of the castle, walking in silence.
When they arrived at the water, Kristoff paused, contemplating. "It was right here," he said.
"What? What was?", Alan asked.
"Elsa ran across the fjord, right here, five years ago. Right here. She set off the Great Freeze running across the water. If she hadn't… I would never have met Anna." Alan groaned.
"Come on, Kristoff, we have got to clear your head. This is not what I had in mind when I suggested getting air."
"It's all that I have in my head. I miss her so much…"
This was too much for Alan, who rounded on Kristoff. "That's it. I've had it with your moping. We are cheering you up. You, me, the practice field. Right now. Best of 'however-many-we-can-go-until-I-knock-Anna-out-of-your-head'. Let's go."
Kristoff looked up at his friend and grinned. "You're on. Might take a while, but it's worth a shot. Thanks, Alan."
"No problem. Now let's go!"