Hey all! I want to take the moment to thank EVERYONE who has been supportive of this fanfic! I never imagined how popular this story would get in less than a month!
I also want to wish everyone Happy Holidays, may they be merry and bright!
This is chapter 12, now it may seem as a bit of a downer on such a cheerful day of the year, but it's not a terrible chapter. Later on, you'll see more of Elsa's side of the story, consider it a holiday gift! :D
Enjoy!
"So you never told me about the band." Anna asks as she and Kristoff walk through the marketplace.
"What band?" He asks as he waves at one of the young girls playing nearby. Now that he and Anna were a couple, the whole kingdom basically caught on that their young princess was in a relationship...with him.
"For the ring." She pats her dress pocket that held the ring.
"Oh, yeah, that's right I didn't tell you." He scratches the back if his head uncomfortably.
"Did you get it from the trolls too?" She smiles and continues walking. The local farmer offers her an apple.
"Thank you." She takes it with bright smile. Kristoff sighs from beside her.
"No, I didn't. I got it from your sister." He sighs.
"Elsa? What would Elsa be doing with a wedding band?" She takes a bite out of the apple.
"It was your mom's wedding band, the one she left behind. Elsa wanted you to have it." He replies. Anna stops short and nearly drops the apple.
"My moms wedding..." She trails off and scrambles to pull the ring out of her pocket.
"Anna..." He steps in front of her and takes the apple so she has use of both hands. She pulls out the ring and closely examines the band. It was silver, and on the inside there was an engraving, it read *****love******.
"Mom..." She lowers the ring and stares off into space. She never knew what happened to the band. She herself knew that her mother only wore the engagement ring, but had no idea where she put the band. The fact that she was holding it right in her hand proved that it had never went missing, but that Elsa had it the whole time.
"Where did you get this?" Anna immediately asks when Kristoff pulls her back to the present.
"Elsa brought me to the royal vault in the room of paintings. The ring was in a secret compartment underneath the new crowns." He places a hand on her cheek.
"I had no idea we still had this. Why did she give it to you?" She holds up the ring again and stares at him. She shudders at the thought of her mother leaving behind her ring and never coming back. She remembered holding her for the last time before she left, and it would be the last time she ever held her mom or dad. This was the last thing her mother left behind, at least the last thing that was important to her, and now it was hers? She turns away and shakes her head, cutting off Kristoff's response.
"This belongs in the royal vault." She whispers.
"What?" He asks and she shakes her head.
"This belongs to my mother. It'll always belong to my mother!" She holds up the ring to his face.
"But Anna-!" He reaches for her but she pulls away.
"It wasn't Elsa's to give!" She backs up and squeezes her eyes shut causing her tears to fall down her cheeks. He watches her with eyes if disappointment and sorrow still extending an arm in her direction.
"And you shouldn't have taken it." She opens her eyes and glares at Kristoff.
"This will always belong to my mom. This is the last thing we have of our mom. This doesn't belong to me or Elsa, and it deserves to stay that way!" She says through gritted teeth.
"Anna, where's all this coming from?" He tries reaching for her again, but she just continues backing up. He had no idea how to handle a tantrum, he was probably more terrified than her.
"Don't! I can't breathe!" She turns around and clutches the ring to her chest. She was brought back to all those times her mom hugged her and held her close when she had gotten upset as a child. That's what Anna needed right about now.
"Kristoff Bjorgman?!" A palace guard approaches them. Kristoff whirls around at the mention of his voice.
"Yes?" He asks. The guard salutes him.
"Her highness the Queen wishes to see you in the throne room now." He says in a super firm and husky voice.
"Alright. I'll go see her now." Kristoff takes one last, long look at Anna's back before turning around.
"Princess? Are you all right?" The guard asks her.
"Fine, everything is fine." She sighs deeply and wipes her eyes with her sleeve. Turning around, she slips the ring back into her pocket and follows Kristoff towards the palace gates.
"You wanted to see me your highness?" Kristoff enters the throne room and approaches Elsa, Anna scurries in shortly after him.
"Yes, it's a matter of utter importance." She makes her way towards him.
"Is it about the ice harvesting?" He stops when they are standing in front if one another.
"Yes. All of the harvesters have disappeared. Something is happening up there, and I need to ask a favor if you." She says. Anna goes stiff at the thought of what Elsa will ask. Her eyes are a little puffy and her nose had started running from the cold. Elsa glanced at her and had to take a double take of her bright red and puffy condition.
"Yes?" Kristoff asks.
"As the royal ice deliverer, and someone who knows that mountain like the back if his hand, I ask of you to travel up there and figure out what is going on." Anna gasps when she hears the request and stares up at her fiancé.
"Yes your majesty." He turns and quickly glances at Anna before returning his gaze to Elsa.
"I will leave as soon as possible." He bows.
"Thank you, you may go." Elsa dismisses him and bows in return.
"But-!" Anna watches as Kristoff backs up and leaves the throne room. She stares desperately between the door and her sister. Elsa just frowns at her in apology before she runs turns around and chases her fiancé out of the room.
"I'm sorry Anna..." Elsa whispers when her sister is out of sight. It's for the better of her kingdom. There are just some things that have to be done to salvage the needs of the many. As much as Elsa regretted asking her sister's boyfriend to leave the kingdom at a time like this, she had no choice. She was a Queen now, and these were the decisions she would have to make.
Look forward to more fanfic later on today!
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Thanks!