Frozen Hearts

By- An Unknown Foreign Beauty

Chapter 26- Finding true love

Anna was super excited about the day, but she was worried at the same time. It was a daylong trip, so Anna packed only a few necessary things. Though Kristoff assured that the living arrangement would be nice, but she didn't trust his definition of nice exactly, so she decided to take as few things as possible. But it wasn't Kristoff she was worried about right now, it was Elsa. She was in foul mood since the doctors declared her unfit for travel and her mood certainly didn't improve when she saw Rapunzel's car pulling in front of the hospital gate.

"You called her?" Elsa asked pointedly.

"Please, don't be mad." Anna pleaded. "I can't leave you alone while I'm gone."

Elsa eyed her sister curiously. Anna was so desperate to save Arendelle. She got a photography contract somewhere called the Valley of Living Rocks, and she had to go for a day or two. She introduced her with a young man called Kristoff who offered her the job. The boy looked nice, genuine and eager to help, still Elsa was doubtful about his intention. The way he was looking at Anna while they talked, Elsa guessed he had certain feelings for her. She knew Anna shared the same, still she was afraid. After through everything they went, she really didn't want anyone hurting her sister again. Anna's strawberry-blonde hair was piled on the top of her head in a messy bun, and deep, dark circles underlined her big blue eyes. She looked so grown up for a moment that Elsa had to remind herself that she was nearly nineteen now. She wasn't just her kid sister anymore. It was her fault that they were standing here, and now she was unable to do anything to reverse the condition. Whenever she looked at Anna that feeling made her to feel more and more guilty.

"Gerda can look after me. There is no point to burden our cousin in this condition." Elsa tried to sound stern, "Besides I can work too."

"You are sick." Anna countered.

"I'm not invalid."

"You are unfit for travel. You need rest." Anna kept her voice as firm as possible. She hated bossing Elsa around, but it was needed for her own good. She couldn't risk losing her sister again. It was one of her weapons to keep her sister grounded.

"I've rested enough." Elsa growled angrily. "Oh, Anna, it is my fault. Please let me help."

The argument would continue if not Anna's phone buzzed. It was Rapunzel, informing that they had already finished the formalities with the reception. Elsa winced at the thought of leaving Anna so quickly but she ignored the feeling, and turned her concentration towards Anna, her voice was calm, "Look, Anna…"

Anna ignored her, and clasped her hands around Elsa's wrist and literally dragged her along with her. Together they walked towards the hospital lobby where the Fitzherbert couple greeted them cheerfully. "Please Punzie," Anna practically handed Elsa to Rapunzel, "Please take her away. I can't deal with her anymore."

Rapunzel's face fell immediately. She walked near the sisters, throwing a concerned glance towards Elsa, "What's wrong?"

Elsa ignored her, and fixed her eyes on Anna, "Look Anna, I can't let you carry this burden alone…"

"Please don't talk like that..." Anna pleaded. She didn't know how to stop her sister from blaming herself and thus risking her recovery.

"But…"

"Please, let me do this." Anna clasped her hands beneath her chin cutting her off in the middle, and her round blue eyes were glazed with threatening tears. In an instant she looked like a child again. It was her last weapon to win over Elsa's stubbornness. She knew how much Elsa hated her tears.

Elsa tried to keep her expression hard, but it was almost impossible to ignore those pleading blue eyes. Rapunzel walked near her cousin, and placed her hand upon hers. "Elsa." She whispered gently, "I think Anna is right. She is a big girl. Let her share some of your responsibilities. Besides, Eugene will watch over her. You don't need to worry about her safety."

"So you are the co-conspirator." Elsa threw a burning glare at Eugene, and the man raised his hands in surrender. "Sorry, Elsa. I can't help it."

Elsa seemed convinced at with the fact that Eugene was watching over her sister. "Fine," she groaned, surrendering to her sister finally. "But you can't stop me worrying for you."

Anna sighed, but didn't argue. "I know I can't stop you, Elsa," she said instead and threw her arms around Elsa to hug her tightly. Elsa remained stiff in her embrace. When they finally pulled apart, Anna handed Elsa's luggage to Rapunzel, and whispered, "Just take care of my sister." She crushed Rapunzel in a hug too, "Please, take care of her."

"I will, Anna." Rapunzel hugged her back. When they pulled apart, she walked near Elsa, and placed on arm around her shoulders. "Elsa…our car is waiting for you outside." She said gently, "Eugene will drive Anna to the valley."

"Oh, yes, of course." Elsa agreed finally. Once Anna helped Elsa into Rapunzel's expensive little black car, their eyes met for a moment. Anna tried to smile but Elsa pulled her in a hug. Anna was shocked for a moment with Elsa's sudden open display of emotion for her, but she found herself hugging her back. She felt her tears falling on her sleeve, soaking them.

Anna felt her own tears falling too. She knew what she was doing could be a dangerous waste of time. Maybe stopping Elsa from seeking foreign help was another wrong decision. But she wouldn't lay that burden of guilt on her sister. Not anymore. "Don't worry, Kristoff is a good man. It is Eugene I'm worried about." She joked, trying to lighten the situation.

"Don't worry, I'll not eat your sister." Eugene joked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"If anything happens to my sister, I swear I'll kill you Eugene." Elsa laughed. Eugene rolled his eyes. "Be safe." Elsa whispered finally, pulling apart, and kissed Anna's forehead gently. "Right?"

"I will." Anna murmured. Rapunzel started the engine. The sisters bade a final goodbye. And with teary eyes, Anna watched the car wheeling away.

"She will kill me for helping you doing this." Eugene shook his head watching Elsa's car fading away. Anna grinned wiping away her tears.

"Ok." Eugene arched his eyebrows, waved his hand towards his car parked at a distance, "Now, will you grace me riding my car, so that I can drive you to your secret lover?" He made a mock bow.

"You are impossible." Laughing, Anna slapped Eugene's shoulder, and followed him to his car.

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As soon as she got into the car with Eugene, her phone buzzed to indicate a text message. Anna wiped away her tears, and gazed down at her phone. There was a message from Kristoff, saying that he had already reached their destination. She quickly texted him back that she was on her way. The reply came almost immediately, saying that he was waiting for her. She opened the inbox and scrolled though the messages he sent all the time.

A fond smile laced Anna's lips. Always so concerned. She really liked this side of him. She didn't know how long she was smiling like a fool, until Eugene's voice startled her.

"Who is that?" Anna had no idea that Eugene was observing her all the time. She felt a blush creeping to her face, but she answered anyway, "Um…it is just my employer." She said, again trying to keep her tone casual.

"Oh!" Eugene arched his eyebrow, and shook his head, "Then your employer must be so handsome that you have to keep his photo as your mobile wallpaper."

"Something like that," she played coy, blushing hard. "It is a part of the terms."

"Good." Eugene smirked suggestively, when another text appeared on her screen. He tried to peek when she closed the tab quickly. "He is very concerned about you. And you are blushing at the mention of his name. That is a good sign."

"Eugene!" Anna warned, her face was burning. "Please concentrate on driving the car."

"I can't." Eugene winked.

"Will you stop?" Anna smacked Eugene's head hard with the magazine she was reading. Eugene grinned in reply, and Anna understood he couldn't be stopped easily. So she decided to ignore him, looked out of the window at the snow covered landscape of the valley, trying to plan the theme of her exhibition. But it wasn't at all successful. So she closed her eyes, and trying to block the thoughts away from her mind, but it wasn't successful either. All she could see his face, the desperation in his eyes when he searched for her in the blizzard. He didn't even love her then; he had no reason to risk his life for her. He didn't have to offer her this job after what she did to him. Then why he always came back to him whenever she was in trouble? And why her heartbeat accelerated when she heard his name? Even the times she hated him, her thoughts were occupied by him.

She just hoped it wasn't his trick to make her fall for him again.

Anna had probably fallen asleep, because when she woke up it was already noon. She jolted back to the reality with Eugene's voice calling her, "Wake up, princess. I guess your employer is waiting for you in person."

Anna narrowed her eyes and followed Eugene to find a blond man walking towards them. She was so happy to see him that she miscalculated the timing, and yanked the door open. Eugene was yet to press the brake, and the car stopped with a violent jerk, throwing its rider in the air. "Look out." Eugene cried in alarm, Kristoff jumped to catch Anna, but she landed knocking the other man to the ground. Anna landed on top of him, her forehead at his chin, his left hand on her upper arm.

"Anna." She heard Kristoff's too familiar voice near her ear, "Are you alright?"

"I'm dead." Anna whimpered, still shaking, with eyes squeezed shut, clutching Kristoff's collar for dear life. "And you are dead too."

"Oh, Anna, none of us are dead." Kristoff said softly, touching her face gently, "We just landed on the snow." Still unsure, Anna cracked her eyes open to find Kristoff's face an inch away from her. His arms were still around her waist to prevent her from falling, and his icy breath was trickling the skin of her cheek.

"Gosh! Anna, what are you thinking?" He scolded her mildly. His looked so concerned and relived. Bracing her palms beside his shoulders, she levered her chest off of his and stared at him in irate disbelief. His right hand lifted, and his knuckles stroked softly up her bare arm in a patient caress while his gaze held hers. "You need to be more careful."

Anna wanted to push him away, but her limbs felt so weak. She was afraid that she would end up kissing him. So, she was very grateful when Eugene finally cleared his throat. "Umm…Anna, I guess it isn't so much civilized way to meet one's employer." He rolled his eyes and dropped Anna's luggage on the snow covered ground.

"I thought a huge meteor crushed in my backyard." It was Grandma Bulda who stood at Eugene's elbow. She probably ran from home hearing the crush.

Anna pushed Kristoff off her, and again with Kristoff's help she quickly got up from the ground, brushing off the snow and dirt from her pants. "Umm…Eugene." She quickly let go Kristoff's hand, and walked near her cousin's husband, "Let me introduce Kristoff, and…"

"This old lady told me about you." Eugene grinned mischievously, looking at the embarrassed couple, "While two of you….having some romantic moments." He gazed back at Mrs. Troll, who nodded in agreement, "Don't you think so?"

Kristoff blushed, but Anna held her head in the air defiantly, "We are not a couple."

"Don't trust her dear." She piped in.

Eugene arched an eyebrow, "Of course, I don't Mrs. Troll. My cousin is a terrible liar." He offered his hand to Kristoff for a handshake, "By the way I'm Eugene Fitzherbert."

Kristoff blushed, but shook his hand anyway. "Nice to meet you too, Mr. Fitzherbert." He quickly picked up one of Anna's luggage and threw an annoyed glare at his grandmother, "Why don't you bring Mr. Fitzherbert for a drink with us?"

"Of course, dear." Mrs. Troll smiled, agreeing with her grandson, "Come in."

"Sorry, Mrs. Troll. Not today. I'm terribly sorry for that." Eugene denied her politely, which saddened the old woman, but she patted his arm anyway. Then she waved him goodbye, and followed her grandson inside.

Anna had already gained her composure; as Kristoff was gone out of her sight, she gazed up at Eugene, crossing her arms over her chest, "So, where are you going? Aren't you supposed to watch over me?"

Eugene watched Kristoff and Mrs. Troll disappearing inside their house, threw a mischievous glance in her direction, "I only tried to convince Elsa. Rapunzel will be mad if I don't return home tonight. Besides, you two need some privacy too." He winked.

Anna felt heat radiating from her cheek even in the abnormally cold weather like this, "Eugene, we are not really that what you are thinking. And you told Elsa that you'll watch over me. "

"Really?" Eugene eyed Anna mischievously, placing his one hand over Anna's already hot cheek, "Then why this blush, my princess?" Anna looked at him and studied her friend's suddenly wise face before she dropped her chin to her chest.

"No," she said with an uneasy chuckle. "I'm not in love with anyone," she said as convincingly as she could, which unfortunately wasn't very.

"Right," Eugene nodded, more as a comfort than an agreement. "But if you want to hide your feeling, you need to hide this blush, Anna." He grinned before getting inside the car, and starting the engine, "Or people will be misled."

Snow began to fall all around her, as she watched his car wheeling away. She didn't even know what he meant by his words.

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Kristoff was waiting for her at the entrance, and as she joined him, he led her inside. Behind the iron gate, there was a lawn, now covered with snow. She noticed a small signboard at the entrance reading "The Bjorgman". Across the lawn, perched on the edge of a wooded hilltop that faced out across a shallow valley there was a cozy house of stone and rough-cut cedar surrounded on three sides by a huge cantilevered deck that hung suspended in midair over the edge of the hill. Inside, it was rustic, with a huge fireplace at one end and a sliding door at the other that opened onto the deck. It was too open for live in the cold weather like this. So it actually consisted of three rooms- one overstuffed kitchen, and two bedrooms.

"How beautiful!" Anna exclaimed as she noticed a picture of a twelve year old Kristoff cuddling a small puppy. "Is that Sven?" She asked.

"Yes." Kristoff said fondly, patting the dog at his feet. "I found him in a dustbin." Sven barked in agreement. Anna moved around the house marveling about each and every detail of Kristoff's world. She noted a small treasure chest in a corner, stuffed with pirate hats, and small wooden sledges. There were books piled in another corner. Everything seemed being kept with a great care. Only one thing bothered her that there was no picture of Kristoff before he was twelve or of his parents. Anna began to wonder what happened to his immediate family, but soon a bell rung in the kitchen. Mrs. Troll appeared carrying a tray full of cupcakes.

"Supper will be at six," she said, already retreating back into the kitchen. "It is nothing fancy. This poor old woman can't move much with her broken hip."

"May I help you, Grandma?" Anna quickly came to the old woman's aid.

"No. Not now."

Anna turned around and through the doorway saw Kristoff putting her luggage at the foot of a small bed. He turned and caught her watching him, and a bolt of electricity seemed to shoot from his body straight into hers. He finished unpacking Anna's luggage, walked near her, and put his arm around her shoulders in a casually but possessive gesture. "I think we must go to our workplace now." He gazed at the fading daylight outside, "Or the photos will be hazy."

"But…" Anna tried to protest. She was more than exhausted from the journey. All she fancied a cool evening right now. "Can't we do it a bit later?"

"No." Kristoff persisted like a stubborn child. "The exhibition will be tomorrow. We don't have much time to lose."

That was new. Yesterday she was under impression that the exhibition would be held in the next week, but now it was tomorrow. Anna eyed Kristoff suspiciously, but he had already packed her camera, and was ready to go. She gazed back at Mrs. Troll questioningly, but the old woman only shook her head.

"You better go with him," she said with a twinkle in her eyes. And of course Anna had no other way but to follow her order.

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Anna climbed the bike behind Kristoff, and wrapped her arms around his middle. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end at the proximity of him. She hadn't imagined that his nearness would bring back old memories…or that she would feel the contours of his chiseled body against her own. She tensed as his one hand touched hers, and could feel his warmth burning her skin. She drew some ragged breath to steady herself; as he started the engine, she tried to concentrate on the landscape.

The Valley of Living Rocks was nothing like she imagined. It was small village, surrounded by hills, and their snow covered tops made an excellent contrast against the greenery of the village. After driving a few kilometers, Kristoff finally stopped the bike at the foot of a small hill. She looked about her, and breathed in the splendor of the valley and hills, decked out in bright hawthorn, cherry, and bluebells, then she turned to look at her companion.

"This is our shooting spot." Kristoff was smiling.

Cold air blew to her face, Anna inhaled in sheer bliss. She was always an admirer of natural beauty, and this place was beyond her imagination. She looked at Kristoff, and smiled back, "It is wonderful. I like it."

"Thank you." She could see his grin widening, and his intense brown eyes were gazing into hers. A blush crept up to her cheeks. And then she noticed that she was standing too close to him, too close to feel his warm breath tickling her skin. Anna quickly jumped back, as her sense of duty brought her back to the reality. "Umm..." She replied quickly, "I think we need to start working."

Her words probably disappointed Kristoff, because he tore his gaze unwillingly from her face, and began unpacking the camera equipment, "Yeah, we need to work."

Anna felt really bad for hurting him like that, but she tried to keep her expression somber. "Yes." She exhaled, unpacking her camera.

She quickly snapped a few shots of the mountains, and the valley below. The setting sun spread his rays over the white snow, painting them with bright pink. Sunlight reflected on his bright hair, giving them a silver hue. The hair of her skin stood at end, as their fingers touched when Kristoff moved closer to help her taking some shots. They talked very little, only related to photography, and exhibitions. Anna had no idea that he had such a great taste for art. She was surprised to discover this side of him. From his words she learned that he loved this valley very much. She couldn't but stop admiring the newly discovered side of his. She tried to keep her distance from him, but every time their eyes met Anna felt the heat radiating from her cheeks. She drunk his every word, she couldn't stop looking at him. She blushed when they stood closer, every time his fingers brushed hers. An unknown feeling wanted to engulf her reasons, she tried to fight against it. She tried, but failed. Again and again.

"You seem know this place very well." Finally Anna spoke as they began packing their things. Daylight was completely gone, so there was no scope for getting great shots.

"Yup, Grandma used to bring me here when I was a child." Kristoff replied casually, closing the zipper of his bag, "I grew up here."

His eyes shined at the mention of Grandma Bulda. Anna knew Kristoff loved his grandmother very much. The sun had painted the sky with deep blue, and purple right now. Anna looked into the brown of his eyes, and saw the reflection of the sky there. She placed her camera on the ground, and walked beside him. Placing her hand on his shoulder, she said gently, "You can always come here."

"Yeah, I know. " He whispered. Then he gently brushed off Anna's hand from his shoulder, and gazed up at the sky. "I like being here." Then he turned his eyes from the sky and gazed back at Anna, "Do you like it here too?"

His eyes were intense, his right hand lifted, and his knuckles stroked softly up her bare arm in a patient caress while his gaze held hers. The message in those compelling brown eyes was as clear as if he were whispering it: Make up your mind.

Anna gazed at the sensual mouth only inches from hers. Inviting mouth. Tender smile. Make up your mind.

Without volition, her lips moved closer to his, and her heart began to race with excitement. Decide.

Her eyes drifted closed, and her breath came out in a sigh. Before she could even understand, he kissed her. She tried to pull away, but to her surprise she found herself kissing him back, while his hands slid up her arms and tightened. He laid his palm against her cheek, slowing running it back, curving it around her nape, urging her closer. She wanted to free herself, but her arms went weak, and her breasts flattened against his hard chest as his mouth opened on hers in a deep, hungry kiss. His fingers shoved into her hair, holding her mouth imprisoned, while his arm slanted over her hips and he pulled her closer.

His tongue tasted and urged and slowly drove into her mouth while his thighs pressed into her. Rigid thighs. Demanding.

Her hands pressed him closer; her body strained nearer. He tore his mouth from hers long enough to unbutton her shirt. "I love you, Anna." He whispered achingly, kissing her breasts, "More than I can explain."

Anna's back arched in overwhelming pleasure, she wanted to drown into it, but then her reasons kicked in. To his surprise, she pulled her shirt closed and started pull away. She bent her head to avoid his gaze and self-consciously started to button her shirt over her small breasts.

A hoarse word stilled her fingers. "Don't!" There was a wild desperation in his eyes, as he continued, "I can give up everything for you. I promise I'll not act like a fool again. I'll be good. Please, Anna, consider it."

Her gaze snapped to his, her hands holding the edges of her shirt closed. Anna wanted to cry. But, she couldn't do it. Not anymore. She brushed his hand away from her shirt, and stepped back. "Kristoff." She was struggling hard to keep her voice firm, "We are here for a contract. I think we better stick to it."

The light in his eyes was gone. A cloud of disappointment veiled his face. Anna knew she hurt him, she hated hurting him, but she had no other way. Her heart was frozen. Nothing could thaw a frozen heart.

"Yeah, we must." Kristoff agreed, picking up his backpack, and turning to leave.

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