"Wait, so what's the good news?" Anna asked curiously.
The three of them were now outside the ice palace lounging in the snow. Kristoff was leisurely building a really deformed looking snowman, while Anna and Elsa were lying side by side in a soft snow drift and staring up at the sky.
Kristoff glanced at the two girls and smiled. They really are cute together. "Our friends from the other kingdoms are coming to visit soon." He explained.
Anna sat up quickly. "Really? Oh, I can't wait to see them!" she practically radiated happiness, "And they can meet Elsa too!"
A heavy silence followed where neither blonde said anything. Kristoff quickly went back to his snowman. Elsa closed her eyes and sighed.
Now Anna knew that something was up. Kristoff and Elsa were keeping something from her, something big. Something that would explain why Elsa always looks so sad whenever I ask her a question.
Before Anna could open her mouth to question them however, she found herself being smacked in the face with a clump of snow. She sputtered and wiped at her face in what was probably a really unladylike way.
Kristoff cackled as he bent down to make another. "You better prepare yourself, your highness!" he called gleefully, scooping up armfuls of snow, "I'm getting ready to bring the pain, snowball sty-oomph!" he was bowled over by and enormous mountain of snow. Only the tips of his pointy shoes were visible in the icy pile.
Anna looked up to see Elsa, hands aglow, smiling down at her. The redhead beamed. "My hero!" she fake-swooned, placing a hand over her heart in exaggeration.
Elsa smiled, her cheeks slightly pink. "I was simply defending your honor, my lady." She replied gallantly. Anna giggled and blushed.
"Hey!" Kristoff called out, having escaped his snowy entrapment, "I'm not defeated yet! Take this!" he lobbed two snowballs at them, which Elsa easily deflected with a swipe of her hand.
Elsa smirked and offered Anna her hand. "Shall we join the fray, my lady?"
Anna smirked back, taking Elsa's hand. "Victory shall be ours."
Kristoff's defeat was swift and cold, to say the least. It would take him weeks to be rid of the chill he acquired from his loss that day.
"I probably better head back now," Kristoff stated, gesturing up at the dimming sky for emphasis, "I don't want anyone to get suspicious."
Anna nodded. "Thank you Kristoff. I don't know what I'd do without you."
The tall man just laughed it off. "You'd probably smell a lot less like a reindeer."
The redhead glared at him and pouted. "I do not smell like a reindeer! That's your thing."
He chuckled, "Yeah, I know. It comes with having Sven as a best guy friend."
The both smiled at each other for a moment before Elsa approached them, holding something in her hands. It looked like some sort of vambrace.
"This is for you," Elsa handed it to Kristoff, "It is worn on the wrist."
The man looked the thing over with interest and confusion. It was dark blue and cool to the touch. It was definitely made of some sort of metal, yet it wasn't heavy at all.
He looked up at Elsa. "Thanks for the, uh, present."
She smiled and embraced him. "It is I who should be thanking you Kristoff, for taking care of Anna," she murmured quietly by his ear so Anna could not hear them, "When do you think the search for her will begin?"
Kristoff pulled her closer to him so he could reply. "Tomorrow for sure. I assume you have some sort of plan? Taking an entire kingdom head on just doesn't seem like your style."
Elsa smiled, though he couldn't see. "You think you know me, do you?" she commented wryly, "I'm just going to buy us some time. I need you to search Arendelle's archives for anything that might help us break Anna's curse. I'll conduct my own search here as well."
"How are you going to stall an entire kingdom?" Kristoff quietly wondered aloud.
"I think I feel a terrible, impassable blizzard coming on, if you get my meaning," Elsa replied, "Probably right on the North mountain pathway." She tapped the vambrace in his hands with a slender finger, "But if you find anything in your search, wear this. It will grant you safe passage through the blizzard."
Kristoff pulled back and nodded. "I understand."
Elsa pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek. "Thank you, Kristoff, for always being so selfless and doing the right thing. Anna and I thank you."
Kristoff blushed darkly and mumbled something inaudible in response.
Anna had been watching the entire exchange, her chest bubbling with the unfamiliar stirrings of jealousy. Kristoff was embracing Elsa, he was holding her! Anna felt herself seething with envy as they whispered things in each other's ears. What are they saying? She thought in irritation. Why are they so close? Kristoff, I swear if your hand goes any lower on her back, I am going to cut it off!
When Elsa kissed his cheek, Anna felt angry fire coursing through her veins. She wanted to punch that blush right off his face!
"Anna? Are you alright?" apparently Elsa had noticed her discomfort.
The redhead quickly turned away and began stomping back to the ice castle. "Just fine!" she replied through gritted teeth, "I'm going to take a nap, so don't let me stop you two!" The last part was said so bitterly that Anna later felt bad about it.
Kristoff went back to the palace, making his way to the castle library. Luckily for him, it was dinnertime, so the place was empty. He could conduct his research in peace.
There were stacks upon stacks of potentially helpful books that he needed to sift through, and he was determined not to let Anna and Elsa down.
Several hours drifted by as he poured over page after page of text. Still nothing…
"'Curses: A Guide to Ridding Yourself from Torment'?" a voice read over his shoulder, "You couldn't get any more obvious than that."
Kristoff whipped around, his jaw clenched. "Hans!" he hissed angrily.
The evil man smirked. "That is Prince Hans to you, peasant," he corrected, "Show some respect to your superiors."
Kristoff huffed. "What do you want?"
Hans sighed, smoothing a hand over his hair. "Not one to stand on ceremony are you, Christo?"
The blonde man bristled. "It's Kristoff!"
Hans waved a hand. "Whatever, Kreeston. I know what you're up to."
Kristoff tried to keep his face neutral. "Oh, really? And what would that be, your highness?" he ground out that last bit.
Hans smirked wickedly. "I know you and that abomination have teamed up to try and save the princess. I also know that the princess is holed up in that monstrosity of an igloo as we speak."
Kristoff stood up, ready to silence Hans, when the prince spoke again. "Sit down, you stupid oaf! I haven't told anyone…yet."
The blonde's fists clenched at his sides, but he did not move. "Why?" Kristoff questioned, "What's your angle?"
Hans chuckled darkly. "I am simply biding my time, waiting for the right moment to swoop in and save the day." He pulled out his mirror and a smiled at his reflection, "Yes, I think I will wait until the King and Queen are more desperate…"
Kristoff snatched the mirror and threw it down on the table. He glared the pompous prince right in the eyes. "Listen, you bastard. Whatever you're planning, I'm going to stop you." He growled, "I would rather die than let you hurt either of them."
Hans quickly drew his sword and pressed it to the blonde's throat. "You listen to me, boy." The prince threatened lowly, "I can easily grant your wish to die, and if you disrespect me again, I won't hesitate to do so. Understand?"
Kristoff glared at him, shoving the sword away and storming from the room.
Hans sheathed his sword and sighed. He picked up his mirror and fixed his slightly mussed hair. "It's a shame, really," he told his reflection, "I was going to make him shine my shoes when I became king, but now it looks like he must be eliminated."
Anna paced her bedroom, shoes clicking away against the icy floors. Her mind was racing inside her head.
Why had she gotten so angry? No, she wasn't stupid. Anna knew why. But Elsa wasn't hers, nor did they have any sort of special relationship to base a claim on.
Anna flopped down onto her bed, burying her face in a pillow. She couldn't believe that she felt so strongly about someone she just met a couple days ago. Her heart ached within her chest whenever Elsa was near. My head tells me she's a stranger, but my heart tells me that I've known her all my life. She squeezed her eyes shut. But I guess the most important question is: How does she feel about me?
Tada! An update just for you! I hope you all liked it. On a side note, Jealous Anna is great. That is all.