Elsewhere, Kristoff was looking at portraits in the castle's gallery with Kirsten. The duo had previously been accompanied by Karen and the King and Queen of Denmark. King Frederick and Queen Isabella had decided to adjourn to the garden to stretch out their limbs and Karen had decided to claim a guest room since it was decided that royal Danish family would stay the night. Karen had requested that she spend time she was left alone for some time to her but also made an arrangement to spend time with Kirsten before dinner when everyone would come back together. These series of events led up to where Kirsten and Kristoff were-alone together in the portrait room. They were currently admiring a significant figure.

Kirsten lightly bounced on her heels as her eyes drank in the painted lady before her.

"She sure is something isn't she?"

Kristoff turned to Kirsten in confusion. "Huh?"

"Joan."

Kristoff blushed. "Oh, yeah." He turned his attention back to the painting. "She is. I just thought you were talking about Anna."

"She's quite something, too. She certainly doesn't hold back when she can't keep biting her tongue for long. That's what I admire about her. She's so passionate."

A pause. A peculiar pause. The Kirsten turned to face Kristoff and he looked back at her.

"I kind envy you, Kristoff."

"How so, Kirsten?"

"It must be nice to see Anna as much as you do. I wouldn't have minded being close friends with her."

"You can write each other letters", Kristoff offered.

"I know. But that's not what I mean. I wish I would be able to be physically close to her and have the opportunity to see her more than maybe a few months at a time…that is to say, my family remains in good standing with Elsa and Anna."

"I don't think that should be a problem. I'm sure that Elsa will find a way to patch up things between the four of you girls."

"All four of us? I would expect Elsa would try to make Anna and Karen make up and shake hands before we departed."

"Knowing Elsa, I'm sure she'll want to be extra careful."

"I guess so. I suppose Karen and I have to work out a few problems ourselves, but it's nothing like what's between Karen and Anna."

"You're probably right, Kirsten. "

Another pause. The two friends looked back at the painting. Kirsten's soft voice reached Kristoff's ears first.

"What do you think of Joan?"

"I think she's pretty cool."

"I think she looks very strong and self-empowered."

"Yeah. Maybe that's why this is one of Anna's favorite paintings."

"This is one of her favorites?"

"Yes. I'm pretty sure. When she told me about her favorite paintings in this room, I could barely pay attention because her mouth was moving a mile a minute."

Kirsten giggled. "For whatever reason was she so hyper?"

"I think that day Anna had just come to me after spending time with Elsa. I do recall some vague details of what she and Elsa had done that day. All I know is that Anna was ecstatic. She's usually a bubbly person but on that particular day she was extra happy. I had assumed was because of the time she spent with Elsa. I don't know what they did, but I do know that it was rare opportunity for them since they spent more than a few hours in one sitting together that day."

"When did this happen?"

"I believe it was two weeks ago. Why do you ask, Kirsten?"

"I was just curious. Do you recall any other paintings that are some of Anna's favorites?"

"Um, I think she likes the romantic ones."

"Which ones?"

"The swing picture, the picnic one, the man kissing the woman's hand and a man and woman dancing."

Kirsten briefly turned her head to spot all the paintings Kristoff had vaguely and casually described. Luckily for her, they were easy to spot by his scarce descriptions. She turned her head back to Joan.

"I see. They are all very nice."

"Yeah."

"It's obvious that Anna is a romantic, but something tells me that she will always put family before romance."

"I know. I understood that one day when I wanted to have Anna stay with me a little longer and she had to tell me that she had to go to Elsa. I mean, it was understandable, but the next day when I tried to take the two out to walk into town, Anna took Elsa in a store excited to look at the merchandise and food. I mean, she did that with me too, but she did it more frequently with Elsa."

"Kristoff, I thought we had this discussion already. Besides, you really want to yank on your wrist so much into a store?"

"Well, no. I'm actually glad Anna didn't drag me into too many stores, but the point is that she didn't hesitate to drag poor Elsa inside some shop. She stopped slightly when she approached me before dragging me inside somewhere."

"Maybe she only does that because she knows she has a different relationship with you. Remember Kristoff, having a familial relationship is different than a romantic one. Yes, there are similarities in each relationship like considering other's feelings and asking for permission for certain things, but if Anna wants to have a beloved one by her side as she happily takes in all that the town to offer, she's more likely to drag Elsa in without restraint because they're sister. If she pauses to take you in somewhere it's probably she's considering if you would want to come in with her. That's all."

"That make sense. But what do you mean by 'because they're sisters'?"

"I'm just saying that even if Elsa protested but Anna ignored her, there would be no actual consequence later on when Elsa told her about going in the shop with Anna because by the end of the experience Elsa would convince herself and Anna that she was glad Anna decided to bring her along."

"Um…Could you explain a little more?"

"Anna and Elsa are sisters, correct?"

"Yes."

"Well, sisters tend to have a special understanding of each other that they share that no one else in their lives can have. They aren't just family members or siblings. They are so much more. They are best friends and sisters which, in weaponry terms, they are like a double-edged blade. One edge is their relationship as sisters. On the other edge, they are best friends. It's a complicated relationship, but it's utterly special in a most unique way and very fulfilling."

"So, they have a unique understanding between each other?"

"Yes. That's why Anna doesn't need to communicate through body language or orally to let Elsa know that she will drag her off somewhere. All Elsa needs to know is look in Anna's eyes and smile to know she won't be able to escape her sister's ecstatic behavior. She knows she will be a victim of her sister's excitement and she doesn't try to struggle out of Anna's grip because she knows deep inside that the effort will be absolutely useless."

"So, are you saying sisters just know things ahead of time without speaking to each other and all they have to do is look at the other?"

"Yes. And not just for sisters, but for siblings in general. I'm sorry to say this, Kristoff, but I wish you had a sibling yourself. If you have had a brother or sister, then it would have been easier for me to explain things to you. But even if you have trouble understand just know Anna will always love you. But can I ask you a question?"

"Of course. What is it?"

"Why do you doubt that Anna will give all the love for you? Why do you have doubt about your love for each other?"

"I don't know. Maybe it's because how I was raised."

"Who raised you? What did they teach you?"

"Okay. Before I explain, will you promise not judge me?"

"I never have judged you at this point, Kristoff, and I don't eve plan to. What is it?"

"Okay. I was raised by trolls. And it's not how they raised me. It's more for the fact that I wasn't raised by humans."

"Trolls? How did that happen?"

"Well, at a young age I was orphaned because both of my parents died. My mother had died after childbirth and my father had to work very hard to keep me alive and he barely could take care of himself and grew sick and eventually died."

"That's terrible. What happened then?"

"Well, my father died when I was seven years old. Since he was an ice harvester, one of his very good friends took me in and took care of me. One night when I was eight I was helping the ice harvesters get ice and on while Sven, my reindeer, and I where following the ice harvesters with our little cube of ice on the sleigh, we had noticed two horses race past us and a trail of ice followed one of them. Well, as curious as any eight year old would be, I had Sven ditch the sleigh and had us follow the horses which led us to the Valley of the Living Rock. While we were eavesdropping on the conversation between the king and the head troll, a female troll popped up and decided to adopt us."

"Kristoff, I may this might sound so obvious, but do you realize you saw Elsa and Anna before you would officially meet them? Because it sounds like you once knew what they looked as children and then forgot about them."

"Yeah. I do realize that now. I mean, I realized it a while back when I told Anna the story. It's kind of funny though. Through that story I had figured out that Elsa was my age."

"So, does that mean you remember what happened next?"

"Not exactly. I was only eight after all. All I knew was that I saw the royal family talking to Grand Pabbie and that I saw a redheaded little girl cradled in her mother's arms asleep and a scared girl my age in a blue dress. It wasn't until much later that I would realize that the saw Anna at her most calm state and Elsa at her most vulnerable state. Elsa looked so scared and in pain like she had something terrible and was deeply sorry for it."

"Did you ever find out why that might have been?"

"Yeah…..It was when everything changed for Elsa and Anna. It was that night when Elsa had accidentally struck Anna in the head with her powers. The thought of hurting her sister again terrified her. Luckily, Grand Pabbie was able to cure Anna….Heh. Anna was so mad when she found out about that night. She hardly wanted to speak to me because she knew I was raised by trolls. Luckily, Elsa got Anna to calm down and make up with me. Anna didn't feel like being near me when Elsa suggested we patch things up, but Elsa was able to persuade her."

"It sounds like you just need to stop doubting yourself and Anna and just let Elsa and Anna bond. They do have a lot to catch up. Elsa deserves the attention she gets from Anna and don't worry about Anna ignoring you, Kristoff. She won't ignore you. You just need to give her time especially after today. Maybe someday she'll find a better balance between finding time for you and Elsa."

"Okay. You know, Kirsten. I'm glad we're friends."

"I'm glad we're friends, too."

Kristoff smiled at Kirsten and smiled back at him. Then she went up on the tip of her toes and kissed him on the cheek. Bringing herself down, she looked up at his flushed and surprised face.

"You're a sweet guy, Kristoff, and Anna's lucky to have you in her life so don't forget that."

Kristoff's face went back to normal.

"Thank you, Kirsten. I won't."

"Kristoff, may I ask you one last question before we move along?"

"What is it?"

"Do you think Elsa has found Anna yet? And if she has, what do you suppose they would be doing?"

"I hope Elsa has at least will find Anna and talk thing out with her. I hope they make up and everything will be fine when we have dinner."

"I hope so too."

An awkward silence fell upon the two friends. Kirsten cleared her throat offering Kristoff a friendly smile.

"Shall we go check out some other paintings? I think Joan is getting tired of us."

Kristoff chuckled a little in agreement.

"Sure. Lead the way."

The two friends went off to another painting that was across the way from Joan of Arch.

To Be Continued…