Chocolate

As soon as Anna was away from Elsa she meant to go in search of that chocolate they smelled. She could feel Elsa's eyes on her from across the room where the queen stalling in mingling and instead took to her seat of honor above the party where no one dared approach her.

Anna huffed and kept walking, let Elsa watch her walk away, she'd storm out (gracefully) and let Elsa come talk to her. The plan was working, until she smacked right into a waltzing couple and found herself knocked into a pair of strong arms.

"Glad I caught you," rang that familiar baritone. His voice was as gorgeous as his face.

Hans helped her to her feet and she quickly locked her arms in his and led him away from the ballroom hoping Elsa missed that part.

"Whoa! Why are you in such a hurry?" he laughed.

"I smelled chocolate before and we need to locate it."

He laughed and allowed her to lead the way.

Ultimately they found a beautiful fondue fountain of chocolate streaming over. Anna wasted no time in diving in, dipping every assortment of fruit and pastry they had available for the fountain. She vaguely thought about telling Elsa where the chocolate was but she refused to go back in the room. Instead she and Hans scooped up some chocolate in goblets, grabbed as much fruit as they could carry and snuck out to the balcony.

There was something exciting about hiding from a party with someone another person, especially the other person was a handsome prince when you were a more than eligible 18-year-old princess.

"You've got some chocolate," Hans said dabbing his finger on his own cheek to indicate.

Anna tried to find the spot but only succeeded in smearing it further, and with a laugh Hans reached out with his napkin and wiped the stray chocolate away and Anna swore she felt her heart flutter and her face grow red.

She giggled a thank you as they continued to eat out of the balcony, the shadows of the partygoers danced across the curtains but they were well hidden from the party of dignitaries and from the queen.

"I can't remember the last time I had chocolate," Anna said.

"Really?"

Hans popped another grape in his mouth and Anna absently played with the solidifying chocolate with the wooden stick meant for spearing the fruit.

"Mama and Papa only let us have deserts if it was a special occasion. And after they died Elsa never ordered deserts from the kitchens when she'd have dinner prepared for us. Even at Christmas," Anna said.

"Your sister seems…"

"Cold, emotionless, devoid of fun?"

"I was going to say like a quiet person."

Anna shrugged and tugged the spear from the gooey chocolate. She began making chocolate shapes on the stone ledge.

"She doesn't talk to anyone, especially me. We were best friends once then one day…all I knew was her closed door the rest of my life. No words, and definitely no chocolate," she said.

They eventually moved from the topic of Elsa and Hans' older brothers. They ran around the kingdom, they danced whether there was music or not. They found more chocolate. They laughed and as the sun was going down Anna wanted nothing to do with going back to that party where she was sure her sister had long earlier that day noticed her absence.

Anna wondered if she found the chocolate they'd giggled about together, the first time she'd seen her sister smile in years. And certainly the first time Elsa smiled at her since they were children.

"Well it's official, Arendelle has the best food I've had," Hans said.

"Better than the Southern Isles?" Anna said.

"By far, the chocolate is amazing," he said.

They laughed some more and Anna felt butterflies when she allowed his arm to slide over her shoulders. Stars began to dot the sky and a cool summer breeze blew around them. She allowed herself to sink into his side and rest comfortably. In fact she was more comfortable than she'd been before. Something about their bodies leaning together, him wiping chocolate from her face, the giggles, and the dancing all felt fitting.

Maybe it was the starry night, maybe it was the party, maybe it was the chocolate. But when Hans asked her to marry him, the only word that came to her mind was yes.