Frozen Hearts

By- An Unknown Foreign Beauty

Chapter 13- Let it go

Elsa sobbed and sobbed until she had no more tear to shed. Finally, tired and weary, she fell asleep in the car.

When she woke up, she found herself in an unfamiliar bed. She sat up in her bed, and looked out of the window. It was almost dark out, and the road below was blanketed with thick white snow. Only a few people were out there wrapped in fluffy coats. She gazed at the unfamiliar sight, and looked around herself. She was not in her room in the Kingsley mansion. This place was a lot smaller than her own. Still it was so tidy and well decorated with simple furniture that she instantly began to feel at home. She slid down from the bed, and looked around herself. The wall was decorated with photographs of various shapes and sizes- from landscapes to artistic nudes. Each and every photograph held such an artistic touch that made Elsa admire the taste of the photographer.

"This is my place." Elsa was startled with a voice speaking from her behind; she turned to find Hans standing in the doorway.

"Are you in Navy?" she asked, pointing at a photo of Hans in the uniform of USA Navy.

"Oh yes, I was." Hans gazed at the photo and smiled fondly, "It was taken two years ago when I became an Admiral. But that year I had a terrible accident on the way to Iraq. I was in hospital for eight months. Then I retired and took photography as my second occupation."

"Admiral Hans Westergard." Elsa smiled, looking at the handsome man in the photo, "That suited you." Then she turned her gaze to the photos on the wall, "But you have quite a talent in photography too."

"Thank you." Hans smiled, accepting the complement, "But it is nothing beside your talent with ice. Anna admired all the beautiful ice sculptures you've designed in the North Mountain. "

Elsa blushed, and looked away. This was crazy. She had fallen asleep in the car, crying for Anna again. Her guilt kept eating her up—she was even surprised Hans wasn't getting bored or sick of her. In fact, this whole time he'd barely left her side… He comforted her, held her when she felt most vulnerable, and whispered sweet things when she blamed herself for Anna's death. Hans could have leave her alone to grieve, but instead he stayed with her, brought her to his own home. Was it just in his nature to be this nice to everyone?

"I must have fallen asleep in the car…" Elsa said starring off at the distance where their car was parked in the sidewalk. "I'm so sorry…People are talking about us…" Her eyes went back to Hans, who was watching her intently, "I'm obviously becoming a burden to you…"

"Of course not." Hans countered, walking a bit close to her, "I'm not going to leave you, whatever people say about us."

Elsa raised her eyes to look at him, she was wondering if Hans was really interested in her. She couldn't deny her own feeling though. His presence always made her uncomfortable, and nothing was so fluid between them, especially after when he found about her secret crush on him…

"But…" She whispered.

"Don't worry; you don't drool in your sleep." Hans smiled as their eyes met, his voice was light and soothing. "You have not changed a bit." His joke made her smile, she began to relax immediately. It was true Hans never made a move on her. He was always there when she was grieving for Anna, always with her when she was in her dark mood. And she was really grateful for that.

"Be my guest for the night." He said leaning so close that Elsa could feel his warm breath brushing her skin, leaving goose bumps wherever it touched.

She couldn't deny the invitation.

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Hans walked to the kitchen as he left Elsa to change into something comfortable. There wasn't much in the fridge, but he was able to make something with whatever he had in his reserve. While he was serving the foods in the table, Elsa emerged from his bedroom, clad in his shirt. It was too big for her, reaching barely to her thighs, and her legs were completely bare underneath it. Her legs were snowy white against the contrast of the navy blue color of the shirt. Hans threw a surprising gaze at her which made her blush.

"Umm…Actually I can't find where you keep your pants…" She mumbled, blushing harder, noticing that Hans' gaze stopped on her bare legs.

"No, it is alright." Hans smiled, realizing that he was looking at Elsa's bare legs. He turned his gaze away from her, and shook his head, "Dinner is served." Elsa gave him an admiring look and walked near the dining table. "You can cook!" She exclaimed, looking at the foods served on the plate.

"Not much." Hans denied politely, pulling out a chair for her, and help her to sit. He took his seat in a chair opposite to her, and two of them sat facing each other. Elsa took her portion of food, and nibbled it. Hans looked for her reaction worriedly.

"How is it?" He asked.

"You're a really good cook." She gave him an admiring gaze that made Hans smile. She looked extremely beautiful in wet hair sticking to her face, wearing his clothes. A pang of lust stabbed his heart. But her question startled him. "Oh, no. I'm not." He tried to shake away the thoughts. Not too early. Not too early. He chanted to himself.

"It was Anna who taught me how to cook." He lied.

"Oh!" Elsa eyes turned teary with the mention of Anna's name. She wiped her eyes in her sleeve and looked back at him, "You two were very close then. Were you that close with Sofia?"

Hans choked on his beer, but quickly regained his posture. Sofia was surely a sore topic for him. But watching Elsa's keen eyes observing him carefully, he decided to play along. "Actually Sofia never loved me. She was after our family fortune. When she learned I just inherit a little part of it, she eloped with my brother Henry." He smiled uneasily, wondering why she was asking such questions now.

"Oh!" Elsa's blue eyes softened, she dropped her fork and patted his hand gently. "I am sorry."

Part of Hans really liked Elsa sometimes. Not only she was more beautiful than Anna, but also she was more inquiring and intelligent than her. Hans knew it was harder to convince her than Anna. Anna never questioned about his past, but Elsa was damn curious about them. He knew he had to lie a lot to keep their relationship growing. But for a strange reason he was really enjoying this.

It wasn't that Hans was always mean and sneaky like this. He was like all other boys of his age. But when his father divorced his mother for another woman, and cruelly sent her back to Denmark, he began to lose his faith in a silly notion called love. After Mr. Westergard's death his twelve older brothers cut them off from the little money his father sent for them every month. His mother was so hurt by this that she became a drug addict. Hans went through many bitter experiences for his mother's drug addiction. One of her drug partners turned out to be a pedophile, and he tried to abuse him sexually. Frightened, sixteen years old Hans ran away from home and spent rest of his night in the streets.

He didn't lose hope, he kept struggling. And then Sofia moved in to Denmark to attend university. They met, and old fire resumed. She apologized for their previous break up, and they started dating again. Hans proposed her. On the engagement party, Hans invited Henry, with whom he was always in touch since the divorce of their parents. He congratulated him on his new life, and became good friends with Sofia. Three of them often had parties, and Henry often accompanied Sofia to shopping and movies. Hans never suspected anything. He was happy to resume his relationship with his brother.

On the day of their wedding, he received a text from Sofia telling him that she was pregnant with Henry's child, and they were getting married soon. She never loved him. She called him a loser. It made him crave attention more. Not just from her, not just from his brothers, but from everyone. He needed to prove them all wrong, that he was worth something.

That's why money was so important to him. He knew money could change the world. And the easiest way to become a billionaire overnight was to marry an heiress. And Anna Kingsley, the future heiress of the Kingsley Empire was the perfect goal. He traced her, took advantage of their old relationship, gained her trust, and proposed her.

And then Elsa appeared into the picture, turning all of his calculations upside down…

Even he argued with Sofia about this matter the night before her disappearance. But things didn't go well for her….

Sitting so close to her was making his old infatuations return. But he carefully pushed them aside, and looked straight into her eyes. "But I did love Anna."

Her lips trembled with the cry she was trying to resist. Hans expected her to tear up like morning, but she held her composure. She put down the fork, and crossed her arms over her chest, "Then why are you caring for me so much? You shouldn't you know. It is only spreading rumors. "

Hans swallowed thickly. He knew it was useless to argue. Elsa had a great deal of pride and ego, and argument would force her to gain her confidence no matter how shattered she was. So he decided to play along, with a few modifications to his original plan. He moved closer, and held her arm, "Don't believe them." He said.

"But we shouldn't be together." She persisted, like a disobedient child defying her parent. She wrapped her arms around herself, and rubbed them as if her arms were cold. "They keep blaming me for Anna's death." She whispered as tears began gathering at the corner of her eyes, "Oh, Hans, they are blaming me." Her voice trailed, and her whole body shook with an irresistible cry, "Did I kill her?"

And finally Hans saw her losing her confidence. He scooted closer, and ran a hand through her hair, letting out a slow breath, like he was contemplating telling her some huge secret. Or perhaps he really was debating the question. "You didn't." He whispered to the crying girl, "Her fate killed her. Stop blaming yourself, Elsa."

Elsa never felt so safe, and comfortable in anyone's arms. She wanted to stay like this, wrapped in Hans' arms for the rest of the life. His warmth felt so soothing and comforting. Elsa managed to lift her chin from Hans's chest, but her eyes were still wounded and glazed with sorrow. "You know people call me a bad omen. My presence ruins people's life. I ruined Anna's. I can't ruin your life too."

"I don't care. I don't believe in those superstitions." He lied, spraying his fingers on her cheeks. There was so much heat in his touch that startled Elsa. She jumped nervously when his hand suddenly lifted and cupped her cheek, forcing her to give up her former hesitation about him.

"Look at me," he said in a low; velvety, unfamiliar voice that sent tingles of apprehensive excitement darting up her spine.

Elsa dragged her eyes to his fair face. Although no one had ever attempted to seduce or kiss her before, she took one look at the slumberous expression in his heavy-lidded eyes and knew something was in the wind. Instantly wary, she demanded without preamble: "What are you thinking?"

His fingers splayed sensuously across her cheek, and he smiled—a slow, lazy smile that made her heart leap into her throat. "I'm thinking about kissing you."

"Why?" Elsa let out a nervous sigh; her eyes were darting everywhere but him.

"Because I remember our first kiss in the airport. I had a crush on you." Hans said softly, lowering his head to kiss her lips suddenly. His mouth slanted over hers with fierce tenderness, while his hand curved around her nape, his fingers stroking her sensitive skin, and as his other arm encircled her waist, moving her tightly to him. Elsa's eyes widened at the suddenness, but before she knew what was happening, she was lost in a sea of pure sensation as his lips tasted and courted hers. She slid her hands up his chest and wrapped her arms around his neck, clinging to him for support, innocently and unconsciously molding her body to his length. The moment she did, the seducer became the seduced: Desire exploded in Hans' body, and he deepened the kiss, his mouth moving with hungry, persuasive insistence on hers, while Elsa clung tighter to him. His hand shifted from her back to her midriff, sliding upward toward her breasts. His firm desire was pressing against her thigh. Whether from fear or desire, Elsa pulled away suddenly; dousing his desire and dragging him reluctantly back to reality. He opened his eyes to see her reaction, but Elsa looked confused.

"What are you thinking?" He whispered, his voice sounded hoarse with intensity. "Is it Anna?"

She shook her head weakly, unsure of the unusual mixture of emotions engulfing her mind. How many times she imagined those lips covering hers. And now when it was finally happening, why was she feeling so confused? She felt a sense of betrayal inside her, as she looked at his lips, slightly parted with the invitation. Anna's presence was mixed with Hans' presence; she couldn't overcome the sense of guilt. "I feel like betraying her…" She whispered, tears gathering at the corner of her eyes, "How can I…"

But she was cut off by Hans' fingers on her lips. "Sushh…" He said, cutting her off, using his best persuading tone, "All my life I searched for happiness…Anna made me happy." Elsa gave him a questioning look, but Hans continued, "And now it is you who can make me happy, Elsa…Anna will be sad if you keep on grieving like this. Do you want to make her soul unhappy?"

The words he spoke, combined with the touch of his fingertips against her cheek, and the deep, compelling timbre of his voice, had the seductive impact that Elsa felt as if she were beginning to melt and float inside. She couldn't pull her gaze from his hypnotic brown eyes; she didn't want to try. Elsa never felt so happy before, never felt so much cared before. Without realizing what she was doing, she raised her shaking fingertips to his hard jaw, touching his cheek as he was touching hers. "If I can make you happy," she whispered achingly, "then so be it."

Hans knew she was convinced. He knew the perfect gestures and tones to convince her. Taking her to his bed was not initially the part of his plan, but tonight lust ruled above everything. A smile of satisfaction crossed Hans' lips as he watched Elsa surrendering to his will. He kissed her forehead, and picked her up in bridal style.

"Are you ready, Elsa?" He whispered in her ears while carrying her to his bedroom.

Elsa hesitated, her magnificent eyes searching deeply into his, and Hans had the uncanny feeling she was looking into the depths of his black soul. What she saw, however, made her say softly, "Yes."

Her words struck some strange chord of intense feeling deep within Hans. With a silent groan he bent his head, his mouth opening on hers with sudden, urgent hunger. This time she answered his passion with her own, her lips parting beneath his without urging, welcoming his tongue into her mouth and then giving him hers, her hands clasping him to her.

Without taking his mouth from hers, Hans laid her in the bed, slowly undoing her shirt, stroking his hand down her arm to her rib cage, then upward, cupping her breasts, caressing her nipples with his thumb. She kissed his temple, his eyes, and his cheek, then she began undoing his clothes too. He nuzzled her neck, chuckling with throaty delight and desire as he touched his tongue to her sensitive ear and felt her press her body closer to his. His tongue plunged into it and she moaned with sweet desire, her nails biting into his arms.

"Do you like it, Elsa?" He whispered, looking in her ice blue eyes. Elsa looked back. Emotions of the fourteen years old Elsa consumed her once again.

Let it go...let it go...Can't hold back anymore.

"Let the storm rage on." She smiled.

The past flew away along with all the hesitation as she let go the last piece of her clothing. He trailed kisses along her flat stomach, his hands gliding ceaselessly up and down her sides and breasts and hips, and then he finally lifted his head.

Dazed with pleasure and wonder, Elsa gazed into his emerald eyes, sensing instinctively the care he was taking with her, unaware of the practiced expertise he was using to make her body feel as if it were on fire beneath his hands and mouth. All she knew was that she was bursting with pleasure, and that she wanted—needed—to make herself forget all the pains of the past. She opened her doors for him when Hans slowly lowered his sensual lips to hers and whispered, "Kiss me, darling," it was all the invitation Elsa needed.

The perfect girl was gone.

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Kristoff was in the middle of a date when the doorbell rang.

"Who is it?" His date threw an irritated glance to the door.

Kristoff annoyed too. Grandma was away from home for a while, and there was hardly anyone who would visit him in this ungodly hour of night. So he decided to ignore the bell and tried to smile, "Don't worry. Someone has probably ringed the wrong doorbell."

"Maybe." His date shrugged, and snuggled close to him, running her long fingers along his jaw, "Then where were we?"

They were about to kiss when the doorbell rang again, breaking the magic. "Damn it." Kristoff was terribly annoyed. He pushed away his date from him, and got up from the sofa. He opened the door, and walked downstairs, only to find a small familiar figure standing near the gate. Snow settled on her red hair, giving them a whitish hue here and there. She was arguing with the cab driver. Hearing his footsteps she turned, and Kristoff recognized her immediately- Anna.

Her blue eyes lit up when she saw Kristoff. She brushed away the snowflakes from her hair, and rushed near him. Before Kristoff could even react Anna grasped his wrist, and began dragging him towards the cab. "I knew it is the right address." She declared to the cabbie proudly, "He can't lie to me. This is my fiancé."

"Then your fiancé can pay the fare for you." The cabbie gave her a wry smile, turning his gaze toward Kristoff.

Anna's face fell immediately with the mention of the fare.

"I'm telling him that I've no money." She tilted her head to look at Kristoff, and gave him a pleading look with her puppy eyes, "Do you know where I can find some?"

Kristoff let out an irritated sigh, wondering how Anna found his address and then his remembered that he had left his address at the hospital reception. What a mistake he had made! But there was no time for regret. He gave her an assuring smile, and told the cabbie, "Alright I'll pay for her." He slipped his hand in his pocket and tossed some money to him.

When the cab was gone, Kristoff turned to face the girl with an intention to drive her away from his boundary. Before he could even open his mouth, he found himself trapped in her arms. "Thank you. I was so worried that I couldn't find your address." Anna whispered, wrapping her small arms around him and letting a sigh to escape from her mouth. The contact bought a shudder into his being. Her perfect skin brought warmth to his coldness. He cursed her silently for causing him so much torture and ecstasy at the same time after just a few minutes of encounter.

"It's okay." Kristoff whispered, hesitantly putting an arm around her. She shuddered in his touch. He might have kissed her forehead, if not he was interrupted by a voice from behind.

"Congratulations."

"Kristina!" Startled, Kristoff turned to find his date standing right behind them, watching them with a hurt look in her eyes.

"It seemed you've acquired a fiancée." Her lips turned up in a wry smile as she glanced in Anna's direction. Anna cringed under her glare. Aware of the mixture of shock and dismay that flickered across Anna's normally gentle features, and the erroneous conclusions the other woman had drawn from his gesture, Kristoff decided to tackle his problem head-on. "I can explain,' " he began.

"Who is she?" Anna whispered as Kristoff looked at Anna's face who seemed too much shocked with everything, looking paler than usual. She was probably just released from the hospital, she looked tired and sick. She was in no shape to face the truth.

"Just a friend." he lied. Anna was convinced. He let go Anna's hand and walked near Kristina who was waiting for his explanation. After a distinct pause, during which he struggled to think of some appropriate response to that question, he said, "She is my guest. May be we can discuss it later."

Kristina looked insulted. Her big green eyes were full of tears. "You could tell me earlier, Kristoff." Her voice sounded so hurt.

"Listen..." Kristoff tried to take her hand but Kristina pulled it away, "It is alright." Her voice sounded hoarse, "Congratulations, Kristoff." And then she pushed him aside, put on her coat, walked towards the gate. Kristoff tried to follow her, but she ran, disappearing into the snow covered landscape.

"I'm sorry." Anna walked behind Kristoff, and touched his shoulder. He looked exhausted and angry. She held his hand, and whispered softly, "I'm sorry that your friend misunderstood you for me."

"That is very clever for you." Kristoff pushed her away, and began to walk. Anna was hurt with his coldness, but she understood the reason behind that. He was angry. Oh, boy she had possibly hurt him very badly. She might have broken an old friendship. Possibly Kristoff was having a very good time with his friend. But she might have ruined it. Oh, God what she had done?

A sudden feeling of guilt began to engulf her, as she watched him walking away. She needed to apologize to him properly. She hurt him once, although she couldn't remember how she did that. But she didn't want to hurt him again. So, she followed him.

"I'm sorry." She yelled.

"Go home, Anna." Kristoff said without looking back.

"I can't. I don't even know where my home is."

Kristoff was both annoyed and angry beyond words. Couldn't she just stop stalking him? She had ruined his date. But Anna's situation was worse than his. She had no memory, no home, not a single person who could help her now. She was more helpless than him. So, he stopped, and turned to find her standing in the middle of the snow covered road. She was shivering slightly.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Kristoff asked, walking close to her.

"It's cold," Anna said, covering her bare neck. And for the first time Kristoff noticed what she was wearing. She was clad in a very thin hospital gown, too loose and long for her small frame, and rest of her body was bare. Acquired from an old hospital garments store, he guessed. She didn't even have any money to buy some decent clothes to cover herself.

"Oh," he said and quickly took off his hoodie. He pulled it over her one arm, and pulled it over her other. Then, he pulled the headpiece over her bare head.

"Why you are doing this?" Anna gave him a puzzled look, "You are supposed to be angry with me."

Kristoff balked at the statement but decided that he was going to roll with the punches. "I'm still angry. And you being frozen to death is not decreasing my anger any bit," he cleared his throat, desperately wanting to keep his reluctant host role. "Now follow me."

His sense of humor really amused her, and she decided to follow him to his flat in the second floor. When she entered, a dog, name Sven greeted her.

"Hey," Anna knelt down beside him and scratched his ear. Sven growled happily while Kristoff found some old clothes from his grandmother's closet. Kristoff showed her the bathroom, and handed the clothes to her. "They belong to my grandma." He said, "They may make you to look like an old lady, but don't worry, I'll find some decent clothes for you later. Now change quickly before I finish eating all the foods myself."

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