Elsa and I now sat in our thrones side by side. There were now roughly five minutes before our guests could enter the gates and Kristoff still hadn't shown up. I frantically darted my eyes around the room worried he might be late. Elsa patted my hand and gave me a kind and stern look that said 'calm down. Everything is going to be okay.' And at that moment Kristoff burst through the door, wearing a nice tux with the tie untied dangling loosely from around his neck. It was definitely giving off that rugged Mountain Man look. He stumbled quickly across the floor towards his throne that sat directly beside mine.
"Kristoff! Where were you!" I exclaimed as I reached up to tie his tie properly while he continued to take a seat in his throne, red faced and out of breath.
"I was out in the stables with Sven and lost track of time!" He managed to get out through heavy breaths. "I'm sorry Anna I promise if I had known what time it was I would have been here right on time." I looked at him and smiled.
"You know, you are adorable when you're nervous," I finished tying his tie. He looked shocked at this comment and his face turned an even richer shade of red.
"Nervous? What makes you think I'm nervous?" I looked into his eyes giving him the most meaningful gaze I could muster.
"Kristoff, I know you well enough to know when you're nervous." I paused. "And your hands are shaking." He quickly looked down at his hands and noticed that they were, in-fact, a bit shaky
"Psh...that's just, uhm, adrenaline from running all the way here from the stables." I turned and faced the door into the ballroom
"Uh huh. Sure." and before he could defend himself, Kai swung open the throne room doors and the people of Arendelle filled in and looked up at the three of us in awe. After everyone had finally entered the throne room Elsa stood and began to welcome the citizens.
"Welcome, guests to the One Month Anniversary Ball of My sister Anna," She gestured towards me and I stood as the crowd applauded. "And her husband Kristoff." She made the same gesture towards him and he followed my footsteps and we held hands as the crowd completed their uproarious amount of applause. Then Kristoff and I sat and Elsa went on to give a speech about our marriage and her thoughts.
"When Anna and Kristoff first started seeing each other I saw something in Kristoff that I hadn't seen in Anna's previous suitors. I saw a kind and patient man that was very worthy of my sister. I knew that this relationship would last." Elsa looked over at us. "But it was still very...difficult for me to agree to their marriage at first because though I did, and still do, approve of their relationship I didn't want to have to give over the only family I had left to some man that I really didn't know very well at the time. I wanted her to stay my little sister. Just mine." She paused briefly then continued." But after thinking about it for a while….I realized that adding Kristoff to the picture could really only make things better for us. And I'm hoping that soon enough they will be making our family grow a little bit bigger." The crowd laughed and Elsa jokingly winked at us. We all laughed for a little longer. Then Elsa turned her whole body so she was facing us completely. "Seriously though, get a move on it guys it's getting kind of boring around here." Then we all erupted into laughter again accept for Kristoff whose face had turned a deep cherry red by this point. I leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. And the crowd awed at us. Elsa laughed and went on to wrap up her speech and dismiss everyone to the ballroom. After everyone had been removed from the Throne Room, and Elsa had finished speaking with a few of the guards. Elsa approached Kristoff and I, suddenly not looking like the amused woman she was only moments ago. She stood in front of us for a minute not speaking, she lifted her hand to her mouth briefly then looked up at us. First, making eye contact with me, then Kristoff.
"Queen Elsa?" said Kristoff, "Is something wrong?"She looked down at her feet.
"Well...uh my guards have just informed me that…um…." she paused only for a short moment before spitting out the rest of her sentence. "Prince Hans will be attending the ball." My jaw dropped.
"W-well can't you, like, stop him or banish him or something?" An immediate look of guilt washed over her face.
"It's true that I do have that power. But, The Southern Isles is a strong trade partner with good product and quite a bit of it. Hans threatened to convince his father to drop us as a trade partner if he isn't permitted to attend the ball." She dropped her eyes to the floor. "Though I don't trust him, I can't risk the state of the citizens of Arendelle." She looked at us again. "Please forgive me." Kristoff reached out and rested his hand gently on her shoulder with his other arm around Anna's waist.
"Elsa, don't feel guilty. You are doing what should be done for the good of the citizens of Arendelle." I nodded in agreement. "Just assign a few of your guards to watch Princess Anna's back. Everything will run smoothly so long as he stays away from Anna for as long as possible." Elsa nodded hesitantly and we then exited to the main ballroom area where the large crowd was celebrating with out us. There was dancing and singing on the dance floor and off to the sides were mostly older couples socializing while enjoying glasses of wine.
Right as Elsa entered she turned and spoke with a few of the guards that were positioned over to the side. Then they both casually strode to opposite sides of the ballroom and positioned themselves where at least one of them could have a good visual of me at all times. As I saw this happening my hand found Kristoff's and I found myself more nervous than I had anticipated myself to be. Then as if Kristoff sensed my nerves he leaned down and whispered in my ear. "Dance with me?" I smiled and nodded. Then he led me to the center of the dance floor and took my waist. A new song had just started and the crowd began to dance in unison. Most of the people who weren't on the dance floor had their eyes locked on Kristoff and I as we swung and hopped and glided. And that somehow soothed me. It made me feel protected. Like Hans couldn't touch me even if he tried. And then almost as if on cue, the ballroom doors burst open, revealing Hans.
