Frozen 3

Chapter 13

Anna

Snow. More and more snow. Since I woke up, big flakes kept falling, crushing softly on the cobblestones of the palace yard. I watched this soothing spectacle from the window of the Grand Salon. Elsa was to come the next day. I hadn't seen her for almost a month. I missed her so much. I hadn't spent so much time apart from my sister in several years. It seemed more difficult than in the past, perhaps because the demands of my life as a queen made me feel the need to spend some time with my loved ones. But our respective obligations had separated us from each other, depriving us more and more of these moments of reunion. The first weeks had been the easiest. We met regularly. Elsa had not hesitated to leave the enchanted forest to return to Arendelle from time to time. But, as the months went by, our situations had become more and more complex for both of us. I had had less and less free time, and was soon overwhelmed by all the administrative, social and political tasks. Many of Elsa's former ministers had resigned, either because they couldn't bear the idea of such a brutal transition of power, or because they felt it was necessary to step aside and let me make my own choices about who would accompany me during my reign. This period had seemed terribly long and trying and had forced me to distance myself from those I loved. My sister had promised to assist me when the foreign ambassadors came to Arendelle. Her help and advice could only be of use to me. I didn't know how to do it. I had never done this before. I didn't want to mess it up.I heard the door open and close behind me. My gaze did not wander from the window, far too absorbed in the silent ballet of the snow, forming little swirls of flakes in the wind.

"How do you do, Your Majesty?"

I turned, recognizing Kristoff's mocking tone. I smiled at him.

"Better now that you're here," I said cheerfully, playing along with him. 

"Shall we be polite, Your Highness, or is that not necessary?"

"Well... I think we're close enough to be on first-name terms."

We looked at each other for a few seconds before bursting into laughter. Kristoff went and sat down on the big sofa in front of the fireplace and asked me to join him. I sat down next to him and snuggled into his shoulder.

"I didn't think you could afford such a gap, even in the middle of the day!" he teased me. 

"I am the queen! I do what I want! Or almost... "

We were silent for a moment, enjoying this moment of shared happiness. The young man passed gently a hand in my hair, taking all the same care not to undo my bun. I leaned a little more my head against him. His smell that I liked so much reassured me and soothed me, making me forget the outside world and its problems. When I was in his arms, I didn't think about anything, only about the present moment, and left aside my queen status for a few minutes of happiness. I closed my eyes, letting Kristoff's caresses in my hair carry me away. I wanted time to stop, leaving us alone for eternity. His chest rose with every breath he took. His slow, steady rhythm rocked me.

"Anna, have you ever thought about our wedding? I mean about the date, the planning, all that..."

I raised my head and looked at him.

"I think about it every night or so! But I've never really planned anything concrete...