Of Frozen Bitterness

Three; What Now

The night was young as Elsa stirred in her sleep. Well, not really in her sleep, because she really couldn't put herself to close her eyes. It just didn't do anyone justice if she fell asleep, knowing that she's caused an eternal winter to go ablaze in Arendelle. If only she knew how to stop the winter, she would. She didn't know that her emotional fear would eat up the best of her and her kingdom. Only Pabbie knows everything. But if she were to consult Pabbie of getting rid of the winter, Pabbie would tell her that only she can do it. All of this mayhem wouldn't have started if she could have just concealed it.

With a frustrated sigh, she sat upright on her bed and ran a hand through her hair. Getting over things was going to be a lot harder than she could imagine. Sleep won't do anything any more justice. Elsa got out of her bed in her light blue pajamas. Even if she is Queen, she would rather have her regular sleeping clothes than one of those royal robes you need to get in for "luck" as her mother had taught her. She then slipped on her cotton-like slippers before exiting her room. When she was a little girl, she'd go to the library in the middle of the night whenever she couldn't sleep. Oftentimes, she'd just find herself waking up in the library due to her wandering cravings to read books. But right now, she just felt that the library would occupy her thoughts.

As she enters the dimly lit library, she catches a blonde man going through the shelves noisily. When he had dropped three books altogether on the carpeted floor, Elsa smiled sadly. She closed the door behind her, causing the blonde man to look up in surprise.

"Queen Elsa," Kristoff bowed clumsily. Even though it's been a month since every mayhem happened, Kristoff tended to wear the same outfit he did the moment Elsa met him. Sure, he'd let the maids wash his clothes; but he rarely shows up with the clothes Elsa had ordered the maids to let him wear and would often stick to his original clothes right after they were done being laundered. But right now, he was wearing the midnight blue pajamas the maids had set for him and a white shirt to go with it. Needless to say, he looks like he was just preparing for bed. "Um, good... evening?"

"Even I myself can't tell what time of the night or day it is." Elsa laughed generously as she took a seat on one of the empty wooden table and chair sets. "You can't sleep?"

"Home sick is what I'd like to call it." Kristoff said as he began to pick up the books that fell. "And what stirs her royal slumber?"

"Guilt." Elsa admitted as she played with her fingers. "And what Pabbie wanted me to do to that can thaw Anna before the month ends."

"Pabbie?" Kristoff asked, confused. He stood up and started piling up the books to where they came from. "But Pabbie said she'll be forever frozen."

"She will if I don't do what he wants me to do." Elsa bit her lip. "Frankly, I hadn't expected that I'd have to, well, get involved with the other person that might have killed Anna."

Kristoff looked at her, almost infuriated. "Hans?"

Elsa explained everything Pabbie had told her. From the moment Pabbie came to Anna's funeral up to the time she almost froze all of Arendelle due to her reaction upon knowing that she has to get involved with Hans. Kristoff wasn't as happy when he heard about such news. She couldn't blame him, though. The Prince was an insufferable waste of time and a heartless human being. To think, she'd have to make him fall in love with her and her with him in less than three weeks.

"Pabbie would never pick when it comes to true love." Kristoff crossed his arms on his chest, his expression grimacing. "True love is true love - so why would he choose Hans for you? I mean, come on, there's plenty of Princes or Kings or whatever type you want out there. But Hans? That's like you helping Hans cheat on Anna."