Anna's heart had just returned to beating normally when Hans was put in chains. Silently she was praying for the safety of everyone around her. Once he was out of sight, she let out a sigh of relief.
Small, soft hands gipped her tightly.
"Princess Anna?"
The princess looked down, and her heart broke; she was too small. A girl like Sophia should have been blossoming by this age. Even Anna's less-than-ideal childhood was heaven compared to what this small child had been through.
"Hello, what's your name?"
The child smiled as brightly as possible, carrying with it all the hopes and dreams small children keep in their faces, "My name's Sophia, and it's greeeeat to meet you!"
Anna chuckled. The little girl fawned, explaining that she was a huge fan, and had wanted to meet her heroes for a long time now. Kristoff's hand clutched painfully on the princess' shoulder when he saw the bruises up her arms and on the back of her neck. This poor angel had been abused worse than Shadow.
"My name is Anna, and it's great to meet you," Anna smiled, but it was shallow, "Can I ask you a question?"
Sophia bounced happily, unable to contain her enthusiasm.
"What happened to your arm?"
Suddenly, the young girl stopped bouncing and got real, real quiet. She hugged herself, trying to cover the bruises, hung her head and backed away slowly. She looked so scared.
"Wait!" Anna reached out, "Can't we be friends?"
"Friends?" The girl said, "I don't... really have any... 'cept maybe Shadow, but he's gone..."
"Well, now you have one."
"Two," Interrupted Kristoff.
Sophia smiled shyly, "Really?"
Anna knotted her eyebrows together, "We have a very strict policy about honesty here, Sophia. If was say we're your friends, we mean it!"
"Yaaaay! I have friends, and this time, they're not furry!"
"Hey!" Boomed Kristoff loud enough to knock Sophia comically off her feet, "What's wrong with a little fur!?"
Anna rolled her eyes, but still helped the little girl back up. She was so... spirited!
"I wish Shadow were here," Sophia looked around, "Hey! Aren't you the guy who bought him?"
Anna, Elsa and Sophia all turned on Kristoff.
He said, "Uuuuuuh... Anna was the one who was watching him!" He pointed an accusatory finger at her.
Sophia's doe eyes turned on full-blast.
"Don't look at me; Kristoff gave him to Elsa!"
All eyes turned to the queen who took this moment to hiss 'traitors' angrily under her breath while composing herself.
"Prince... Shadow... was a great dog. And my best friend. I miss him very much."
"I miss him too."
"So do you have a mom or dad?" Asked Kristoff. Sophia started closing herself off again. She was terrified of going back to the shack.
Elsa looked around, "There's... room here. If you'd like to stay."
"Really?"
"We're all honest here, Sophia."
The young girl bit her lip nervously, "I want to stay!"
The three cheered, crowding around her. Each one felt a strong protectiveness overcome them. Anna saw an abused girl who was with Hans. Elsa saw another little sister. We can assume that Kristoff thought she resembled a young hoofed mammal, and that counts for something.
Sophia got a hug from Kristoff and Anna together, but she went quiet around Elsa.
"I want you to have this." She said, pulling a small silver ring from her sock, "It was my mother's."
Elsa froze. Nobody had ever trusted her this much, "Sophia... that's too much, I can't."
Sophia shook her head sadly, like the queen didn't understand, "My mom promised that someday he would come for me. Well, he did. I want you to know someday someone will come for you, too."
Elsa smiled and took the ring, "I don't need anybody but those around me right now."
...
Hans was already on the ship, away from the love-fest, but he could feel, in his heart, that Sophia would be okay.