Elsa and Anna watched as Hans rode out with the group of royal huntsmen and solders that served as both his aids and keepers. Kristoff rode with them as well, serving as a guide to the northern woods of the kingdom. He turned and gave a little wave to Anna, who smiled and raised her own hand in response.

"I like this less and less with each passing moment," said Anna as she watched the group disappear beyond the city gates and begin the long trek into the mountains.

"Anna, who else could we trust to keep a good eye on Hans and not be convinced to let him run rampant? Besides, Kristoff's a big boy, he can handle it," said Elsa. She was loathe to admit that she too felt a twinge of regret for having sent Kristoff out with Hans, though she couldn't pinpoint why.

"I guess," said Anna as she cast one last look back out at Kristoff.

"Anna, if you're really that concerned," said Elsa and with a gesture she began to conjure up a snowman.

When she began it had every indication of becoming just another variant of Marshmallow: large, hulking and inclined to brutality to accomplish her goals. As she created it, though, new ideas sprang into mind. She pulled the snowman from two legs down onto four and gave it muzzle. After a bit more sculpting she added in a pair of ears and a tail to round it off. When she was finished with it, she took a step back and released the magic she'd been using. It flowed into the snowbeast and it took on a fierce awareness of the world around it.

"Go and protect Kristoff, but keep hidden until and unless you're needed," Elsa said to it. With a wave of her hand it bounded out through the open window and raced out into the wilderness to track Hans, Kristoff and the rest of their group.

"Feel better now?" Elsa asked as she watched Anna track the snowbeast.

Anna smiled at her. "Yeah, I do. Thanks. I'd like to see Hans try something with a great big snow monster tracking his every move," said Anna.

Elsa laughed. "Well, it's not really tracking Hans. Just Kristoff," she said.

Anna shrugged. "I know, but it's nice to think about."

They stood at the window a few minutes more, looking out over Arendelle and contemplating horrible things that might happen to Hans, although Elsa would never have admitted to it. His betrayal of both their trusts was an unforgivable offense in the eyes of both Anna and Elsa, who each viewed his attempt on the other's life as the worst thing he could have done.

"Do you want to have some hot cocoa?" asked Elsa as she brought herself out of her memory. Elsa had a passion for chocolate, but she adored hot cocoa above all else. When she was younger it was one of the few treats she was able to share with her father without any risk of hurting him. Since he'd passed, whenever she drank it it would sink deep into her soul and fill her up with happiness and warmth.

Anna's eyes lit up at the mention of hot cocoa. "What? Yes, of course! I didn't think you had any hot cocoa left," Anna said, bouncing on her heels as she spoke.

"Anna, you know me better than that. From now until forever, there will be hot cocoa here in the palace. As a matter of fact, I have something I want to show you, come on!" said Elsa, grabbing Anna by the hand and pulling her out of the room.

Anna laughed and ran to keep up with her older sister who was now leading her on a merry run down through the palace until they wound up out at a table in the garden. Sitting on a little cart next to the table was a golden machine, covered with gilded pipes that wound around a pair of massive copper canisters. They would steam every so often, making a little whistle each time it did so. There were a few little levers on the side with delicate calligraphy marking what each one did. At the very bottom of it was a little spigot with a pair of cups on each side of it.

"What is this?" asked Anna, eyes wide with delight as she prowled around the little device.

"This is a hot cocoa machine," said Elsa as she walked up to it and laid her hand on the little control panel, taking care to not turn it on by accident. Although she'd spent three days learning how to work the device, she wasn't yet confident enough in her ability to work it that she would do it blind.

Anna bit her lower lip and reached to touch it but pulled her hand back at the last second. She reached out for it a few more times before she asked "How does it go?"

"I'll show you," said Elsa and with that she began to open up the little device and turn the various little buttons and knobs on the control panel.

She made sure to place one of the little china cups underneath the spigot before pressing the button that would activate the whole thing.

Elsa took a large chunk of chocolate and placed it into a central kettle. She pressed a button and the little device began to steam and slice the chocolate into pieces. Once the chocolate began to melt, the slicer began to act as a stirring rod to ensure that the chocolate didn't burn to the kettle and another kettle began to heat up to prepare the cream.

While this was happening, several little levers began to shake and mix up a combination of spices that would add to the taste of the chocolate. The little levers shook the various spices up before sprinkling them into a little mix pot, which shut when the determined amount of spices had been added. It began to shake the spices around while the cream pot whistled and was stirred into the chocolate kettle.

The spices were then added in portions. A few spices were stirred directly into the chocolate and cream mix and allowed to heat before the mix of spices as mixed in. The little device dinged and all of the chocolate drained into the china cup, stirring around the chocolate as it did so before dinging again.

Elsa gestured to the cup and when Anna picked it up she found a snowflake pattern on the surface of the chocolate, although it sloshed away once she took a sip.

Anna smiled. "This is wonderful! You'll have to tell me how to work the device! What's it called, anyway?" she asked.

Elsa frowned. "I don't remember. Cappa frappe something, I think. I don't remember. It was made in Switzerland, though, so I'm sure it's something very technical." Elsa pressed another button and the machine began the process again.

"Well, I for one am a fan," said Anna as she supped her hot cocoa.

"Of course you are," said Elsa with a smile.