"Anna?", Kristoff tried once more.
Anna looked away from Kristoff to glance over at Kirsten. She was glad that Kirsten wasn't trying to steal Kristoff away from her. If she did, it would be too much for Anna to handle. If she did that, then Anna would have lost the two most important people in her life from a pair of royal Danish sisters. For a fleeting moment, Anna felt blessed that she had Kirsten as a friend. But she couldn't say the same for Karen…or Elsa. Bringing herself back to the present, she looked back up at Kristoff.
"I-I…"
Kristoff stroked Anna's left cheek with a careful hand and brushed away some stray tears from her fair skin.
"It's okay, Anna. Just take things slow. We'll figure out this problem once we know what it is."
Anna feabily nodded at Kristoff.
"Could we sit down somewhere?"
"Of course."
Kristoff gently led Anna back to the marble bench he and Kirsten were previously sitting on. Kirsten followed close behind to keep an eye on Anna but also giving the couple some space. When they reached the bench, Kristoff helped Anna settle down first before he and Kirsten joined her on either side of the bench sandwiching her in the middle.
Anna took in a deep breath and looked at her surroundings. When she looked up, she saw a tree above their heads. The tree looked familiar and so did the bench. She turned to Kristoff.
"Kristoff, does this bench seem familiar to you?"
Kristoff looked at the bench, at the tree above them, and the scenery. He thought for a moment and realized that it probably the same bench he and Anna were on the last time they saw each other. Realizing what bench he was sitting on, he smiled.
"Yeah, Anna, I recognize this bench. It's the bench we sat on the last time we were here."
Kirsten leaned toward Kristoff trying to hear him speak better.
"Oh, that's so romantic, Kristoff. This bench must be yours and Anna's bench."
Kirsten turned toward Anna. "Isn't that wonderful….Anna?"
When Kirsten took the time to look at Anna's face, her smile dropped from her face. Anna abruptly stood up from the bench seething in front of Kristoff and Kirsten.
"I hate this bench!"
Fearing that Anna thought she and Kristoff had shared an intimate moment with each other that was beyond friendship, Kirsten tried her best to calm Anna.
"Anna, don't say that. Nothing happened between Kristoff and me."
"I'm SO relieved to hear that, Kirsten! But I still hate this bench."
Kristoff stood up quickly from where he was sitting.
"Anna, what's gotten over you? Did we do something wrong? Why do you suddenly hate this bench? Why this bench in particular?"
Anna couldn't decide whether to tell Kristoff and Kirsten the truth about her odd behavior or if she avoid them and go back and tell Elsa off. Her head was a swirling storm of anguish and hatred; she could hardly keep calm without raising suspicion in her friends.
"Anna."
"I just do, okay?! I hate this bench. I'd rather sit somewhere else. Could we please somewhere else to go and talk?"
"No. I want to know why you're acting so strange. One moment, you're crying your eyes out and the next moment you're professing your intense hatred for a bench."
"I don't like the bench because I have negative feelings for it."
"What are you saying, Anna? Are you afraid you're falling in love with inanimate objects now?"
Kristoff tried to pull a little chuckle hoping Anna would loosen up from the joke. But all he got was a scowl and crossed arms.
"That's not funny, Kristoff."
Kristoff stumbled a bit. He had never seen such intense hatred in Anna's eyes before. If looks could kill, everybody would be dead except for Anna. Kristoff gulped.
"Okay. I'm sorry, Anna. Why do you have negative feelings for the bench? What does it mean to you?"
"It represents all that used to be good in my life before everything fell apart and it reminds me of her!"
"Her?"
Both Kristoff and Kirsten had a confused look on their faces. Kirsten slowly rose from her seat on the bench and took a step forward to Anna.
"Anna, what do you mean by 'her'?"
"I'm talking about Elsa! She and I used to sit at this bench before Kristoff and I sat here. After all we've been through; I can't believe what she did to me!"
Kirsten raised her eyebrows higher.
"What did she do? From what I recall, Elsa invited you to have tea with her and Karen. What could she have possibly done to make you so angry with her? She's your sister, right? Don't you love her?"
"Why would you say that?"
"What do you mean?"
"Why would you act like everything is hunky-dory with your little sister, Karen? Do you know what she wishes to happen? She wished you were more like Elsa or better yet she wishes Elsa was her older sister!"
Kirsten stepped back in confusion and hurt. She didn't know what Anna was talking about. All she knew is that she wanted to step away from a seething Anna. Kristoff tried to dispel some of the tension by placing a firm hand on Anna's shoulder.
"Anna, what are you talking about? Why are you acting like this? The Anna I know isn't so mean and spiteful."
Anna glared at Kristoff such hard that Kristoff regretted what he said to her.
"I mean….That's not what I meant to say."
"Well, what did you mean to say? Because it sounds like you think I'm just a bitter person down to my core."
"Anna….Please. I didn't mean it like that. It's just I'm worried about you and you won't tell me and Kirsten what's really bothering you."
"I already told you what's bothering me. I hate this bench, I hate this castle and I especially hate Elsa!"
Just then they heard a clatter of pebbles tumbling against the cobblestone path. Abruptly, the three young adults turned their heads toward the source of the sound. All three of them had wide eyes in shock. Before them was Elsa herself trembling and holding back tears. When she saw her sister, Anna didn't know what to feel. Part of her was glad Elsa heard her, but another part of her didn't want Elsa to actually hear such hateful words directed at her. It was in Anna's frustration that she wanted her sister to know how she felt, but after taking in the sight of her sister, fear crept into her heart, fear of making the biggest mistake she could ever make and lose her sister forever. Elsa cleared her throat and pretended not be affected by the harsh words that rang in ears like swords and knives jammed into her back. But she couldn't cover up the slight cracking of her voice as she spoke.
"King Frederick and Queen Isabella have joined Karen and me in the tea parlor. They have requested for all three of your presence. I hope you will come to the tea parlor soon."
Kristoff awkwardly rubbed his neck. "Um, Elsa, are you okay? I mean, will you wait for us to be ready to join you?"
Elsa stiffened up at Kristoff's words. She dared not to look over at her sister who apparently hates her. Instead she tried to focus her vision on either Kristoff or Kirsten. Her eyes ultimately fell on Kristoff finding comfort in his presence.
"I actually have to drop by my room for a little bit. I promise I'll be with all of you as soon as I can."
"But Elsa-!"
Elsa quickly turned on heels and briskly walked back to the castle ignoring Kristoff's pleas to stay and talk with Anna. Once she rounded a corner and was confident no one would be able to see her, Elsa fled the scene. She couldn't stand being near Anna any longer especially knowing she was unloved by her. Tears quickly poured down her face as she made her escape back inside the castle.
Anna was frozen in place. The moment they couldn't see Elsa anymore, Kristoff and Kirsten turned toward Anna slightly berating her but also bestowing pity onto her. She wished they would actually say something instead of speaking through their gazes. She couldn't handle the silence, but she also didn't make an effort to speak up herself to cut through the deafening silence.
The heart had begun to beat again. Under the floor boards. Trapped. The beating rung in Anna's mind and ears. She could hear it beating. Beating. Crying for help. Why did Poe's story have to haunt her now at such a painful moment in her life? Why her? Why did it come back? The heart pulsing, bleeding, pumping. Pulsing under the floor board, aching for rescue. Bump-bump, bump-bump, bump-bump. It was calling out to Anna. It was calling for her.
Anna could recognize that the image of the pulsing heart stuck underneath the floor boards was what she realized her mistake when she saw Elsa and heard her voice. She wasn't def. She could hear the slight crack in her sister's voice. It ached to be heard loud and clear just as the heart under the floorboards wished to be freed from its prison. She couldn't take it anymore. She had to do something to get rid of the image.
Anna balled up her hands into fists and shut her eyes tight feeling a new wave of tears roll down her cheeks. Her breathing was shallow and heavy and her head was down casted with her neck craned on its right side. Anna just stared at the ground.
Kristoff was the first to approach Anna and put a caring hand on her shoulder. He didn't like how had Anna been acting previously, but he loved her too much to let her suffer so much by herself. He wanted to help her.
"Anna?"
Anna wiped a tear away with the back of her hand refusing to look up at Kristoff.
"Please leave me alone, Kristoff."
"Anna….."
"Please, Kristoff. Please, leave me alone."
Kristoff did not want to further upset Anna so he took his hand off her shoulder and stayed silent. Anna dropped her shoulders and craned her neck so she was staring at her feet.
"I'm such a horrible person. I don't deserve love from anybody. I especially don't deserve having Elsa in my life. How could I have been so stupid and petty?"
Kirsten carefully watched Anna. With each passing word that Anna uttered, Kirsten's dislike for her friend shriveled up and sympathy grew in her heart beginning to understand Anna's behavior. She took a step forward before listening more to Anna's speech.
"I can't believe how stupid and blinded I was. I should have realized my feelings sooner and should told Elsa or at least you guys, but no! I just had to deal with my emotions by myself because I didn't want to accept them and worry you guys. I thought I could handle by myself and be over with it. I thought it was a passing thing and I would be fine, but it just kept building up."
Suddenly, Anna felt a tender hand on her back. She didn't bother looking at the person who was touching her back but she had to guess it was Kirsten since the hand felt small and smooth.
"Anna…..I think I finally understand your feelings. Don't blame yourself for how you feel."
Anna sniffled, lifted her head and looked at Kirsten.
"You know what I'm feeling?"
Kirsten nodded her head. "Yes. You're jealous."
Kristoff's eyes widened at the blatant statement Kirsten uttered.
"Jealous? Anna's jealous? Of what?"
Kirsten looked back at Kristoff.
"I'm not sure. All I know is that she's jealous."
Kirsten turned her attention back to Anna's back and rubbed it. "Right, Anna?"
"Yes."
"What are you jealous about?"
Anna stepped away from Kirsten's hand and turned around to face her. She cleared her face of dried tears.
"Before I explain anything about my jealousy, I just want to apologize of how I acted. I'm sorry about what I insinuated about your relationship with Karen. I was just angry that you probably have a better relationship with your sister than I do with Elsa."
Kirsten stepped forward to bring Anna in a warm embrace and rubbed her back. Anna was in complete shock back wrapped her arms around Kirsten anyways. After some time, Kirsten slightly pulled away from Anna, but only enough to look at Anna in the face.
"You don't need to apologize. You're probably right."
"About what? What do you mean, Kirsten?"
"Karen and I have been drifting apart for some time now, but I never really thought about it until now when you told me that there's a possibility that she's favoring Elsa and wished I was more like her. I'm sure it's just a phase though."
Anna bit her lip. She couldn't possibly tell Kirsten what she thought of Karen's true motives. Since Anna was being silent for much longer than anybody expected her to be, Kirsten's eyes widened at the realization of why Anna was jealous. She felt a slight ping of pain in her heart.
"Karen was trying to replace me? Is that why you're jealous, Anna? Because you thought my sister was going to replace you as Elsa's younger sister?"
Anna blushed. "Yes….I mean, technically, Karen wants to replace us both so she can be Elsa's younger sister and vice versa. I don't know…It was stupid of me to even consider that. Maybe I missed something that they said."
"Wait, what? What they said? Anna, how do you know anything of what they said?"
"Look, Kirsten, please don't be mad, but when I parted ways with you and Kristoff, I went to my room to let out my frustration and then I got to thinking about telling Elsa the truth. So, I decided to try and catch up with Elsa and Karen and join them in the tea parlor, but just as I was about to enter the room, I heard them start a new conservation. I didn't want to interrupt them but I was curious of what they had to say…so I kind of eavesdropped on them. I didn't mean though. One thing led to another and well I felt betrayed by Elsa and ran away back here in the garden to you and Kristoff. The whole way here I was crying my heart out how I felt so unloved and disvalued by my own sister. Elsa was all the family I had left and I thought I lost her to your sister, Karen. But I guess I was wrong. I think I lost her and it's all my fault. Ugh! It's the coronation ball all over again except there's no Prince Hans and Elsa hasn't fled to the North Mountain, thankfully."
"I'm not mad, Anna. I think what you told me makes sense."
"What do you mean? When's the last time you and Karen bonded?"
"A month ago."
"How come?"
"Karen was busy practicing using her powers and I was busy learning how to be queen when the time came. What about you?"
"What?"
"When was the last time you and Elsa spent time together?"
"Just before your family came to visit."
"Well, it seems to me that you haven't lost your sister completely. There's still hope to fix things if you hurry."
"You're right, Kirsten. I have to go apologize to Elsa and tell her the truth. I have to go fix things between us before it's too late. Thank you so much and I'm truly sorry about how I treated you earlier. Will you forgive me?"
"Of course I do, Anna. Now go after Elsa and explain to her what's been bothering you."
"Thank you."
Anna leaped at Kirsten and gave her a tight hug. Then she walked over to Kristoff and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
"I'm sorry, Kristoff for worrying you and for my behavior earlier. I hope I can make it to you later."
Kristoff just smiled at Anna. "Don't worry, Anna. Just go after Elsa. We'll talk later, I promise."
"Thanks, Kristoff. I love you. I don't know what I did to deserve you and Kirsten. You two are so good to me."
Kirsten and Kristoff beamed at Anna simultaneously.
"Go after your sister, Anna. We'll see you two in the tea parlor."
"Thanks, Kirsten. And I promise that I'll help you reconnect with Karen before your family leaves, but for now I have to fix things with Elsa."
"Of course, Anna. I understand."
Anna smiled at Kirsten and gave her one last hug before she sprinted off in the direction Elsa went off yelling in the distance 'wish me luck.' Kristoff and Kirsten just smiled at the blank air before that had previously occupied by the feisty and spirited Princess Anna. They looked at each other in understand.
"Well, you certainly have your hands full with her, Kristoff, being her boyfriend and all."
"I could say the same for you as her friend."
"I beg the differ. I won't see her very often once my family and I return to Denmark, but you'll see her more often since Arendelle is your home and you will occasionally have to stop by the castle since you're the Official Arendelle Ice Master and Deliverer, so of course you'll have business here."
"I was hoping you wouldn't say that."
"But it's true."
Kristoff stared at Kirsten as a comfortable silence washed over them.
"So, do you want to leave the garden now?"
"I think it would be best to leave. We wouldn't want to keep my family waiting."
"BY the way, how are your parents? I only ask so I don't make a total fool out of myself in front of them."
"I'll put it this way, Kristoff: If you can socialize with me and Karen, then you should be fine talking to my parents. Don't worry, they won't bite. Just remember to refer to us with our titles in their presence. After all, there are protocols to follow even if we don't agree with them."
"Oh, don't worry, Kirsten. I understand. Elsa gave me a similar talk when I was with her and Anna and we were surrounded by staff members. I'm pretty sure that the royal servants feel the same way about us, but it's more for the benefit of the villagers and other kingdoms to appeal to appearance."
"You know your stuff, don't you Kristoff?"
"Well, it helps being in a romantic relationship with the Princess of Arendelle and being friends with the Queen."
Kirsten could see the playful glint in Kristoff's eyes and playfully slapped him in the arm.
"Don't get a big head, Kristoff!"
Kristoff feigned offense. "Hey!"
Kirsten started to giggle. "Hay are for horses."
"Oh no! Not that joke! I've heard Elsa use it on Anna a few times before."
Kirsten's giggled settled down upon hearing an interesting tid-bit about the queen.
"Really? Elsa uses that joke with Anna?"
"Yeah."
"Hmm. That's interesting."
"What is?"
"The more I think about it, the more I believe Elsa is more like me. Actually, if I really consider things between Elsa and myself, I could start to see why Karen might favor Elsa and why Anna would feel like Karen's trying to take her place as Elsa's younger."
"What do you mean, Kirsten?"
"I mean, I can see that Karen might be under the illusion that Elsa is a better version of me and so she desires that sort of thing in an older sister."
"What illusion? As far I know about Elsa, she's wonderful. It's like she's perfect."
"I would have to agree. She seems to hold an air of perfection, but also maintaining a sincere and human quality in everything she does which, by the way, is flawless. I have wondered myself how Elsa does it. But that's not my point, Kristoff."
"What is it?"
"My point is that even though Elsa as person and as a ruler is an exceptional human being even without her magic powers, but only she can be the perfect sister for Anna and vice versa because they are sister. They were born into the same family which means they were meant to be sisters. They are perfect sisters for each other because they belong to each other as sisters. No one could ever take the place of the other no matter how hard they tried. You can never replace a true family member. And it goes the same for me and Karen and, well, all siblings. That is what my point is, Kristoff."
"Should we try and catch up with Anna and tell her?"
"No. We should have faith in her and let her fix things with Elsa."
"Are you sure, Kirsten?"
"Kristoff, it's a sister thing."
Kristoff allowed Kirsten's words to sink in him before he understood what she meant and softly smiled at her.
"Okay…..So, want to go to the tea parlor now?"
"That sounds great. I feel a little parched from all this talking and I could really use a cup of tea. Don't you, Kristoff?"
"Yeah. I wouldn't mind having some tea. Luckily, I won't have to worry about the procedure since Anna has given me tips and advice when having tea."
"Was she a good teacher?"
"Well, yeah, but I'm pretty sure Elsa would have made a better teacher. She's really good at explaining well…everything. Plus, she's not as spirited or 'temperamental' as Anna is. She's just a really calm and patient person. She's got to be having an energetic sister like Anna."
"But don't you know the basics?"
"Yes."
"Then, I would guess that Anna was a good teacher."
Kristoff blushed at Kirsten's comment remembering when Anna taught him some etiquette lesson when having tea and remembering how she would let him know he was doing things right with the occasional peck on the lips or cheek and follow up with a small praise.
"Yeah…. I guess she was a good teacher."
"Well then, if you know the basics of tea etiquette we can go and join my family for tea."
"Okay."
With Kristoff's affirmation, he and Kirsten linked their arms once more and left the garden.
To Be Continued…