Author's note: Just a Kristanna/Kristelsa piece I wrote out of boredom. Actually, I wanted to publish something dark but... yeah, it didn't work out. I'm still hoping that I'll finish it somehow since it went through so many drafts and I spent hours on it. Hmm... But anyway, yeah, here's a one-shot for you. Enjoy!
Oh, and Happy Halloween.
~~~
It wasn't much of a surprise when he saw her gazing down at her old home, her hands crossed against her chest, her long, crystalline cape following her every movement. And he can't help but stare at every single detail of her face, at her divine beauty - from her blue eyes, as blue and pellucid as the firmament, to her small nose, rosy lips, and pale complexion. He never saw her coming, never would've guessed he'd meet someone of such grace and poise, of elegance and power, yet there she was, then, standing in front of him, her back turned. He caressed his nape as he looked away; he was hoping to find something worthy for her to think about other than the things that were on her mind - which, he presumed, weren't good at all. But he was speechless when she faced him, the same gloomy expression she had been wearing since who knows when.
"It's cold out tonight," she murmured, her voice low.
It was too calm coming from her who despised it more than anything in the world, but he was glad, at least, that she wasn't as quiet as when they fled Arendelle, when they decided to stay in the North Mountain to escape the kingdom's new ruler - namely, Hans. So he answered. "Indeed, it is. But not as cold as before, I believe."
Then he stood from the chair and went closer, his eyes on her all the while.
"Somehow," she replied, still watching the snow from the window, and there was a short silence between them after.
... Did she love you?
His eyes widened at what he heard.
"What?" he queried, looking at her.
She sighed in defeat. "Did she?"
"No." he answered solemnly. "She cared about me, yes, but she didn't love me. She was Hans', he was all she could talk about - how much of a prince he is, how gorgeous he is, how they met at your coronation - and she was a broken record about him. So believe me when I say that she didn't love me."
Confused, she turned to him. "But you - you had a chance to win her over. Why didn't you?"
"I did, but I also had a choice and it was either I break her heart... or I break mine. I chose the latter," He admitted, his cheeks pinking in embarrassment. "because princesses are made for princes, and I'm not a prince, unfortunately."
There was that uncomfortable silence again but this time, he was the one who broke it by asking her the usual come back - what about you?
She bit her lip. "I don't really know anything about love. I haven't felt much of it yet, I guess." She shrugged, her icy fingers tracing the windowpane.
"There must be someone." he teased, and there was a sweet smile etched on his face as he propped his chin on his palms like a kid. "You know my story, why not tell me yours?"
She supressed a giggle from the way he looked, but then she felt the heat rose to her face. Her heartbeat raced, her face was a scarlet red. "I suppose there is someone."
"Oh, do tell." He insisted. "I'd love to hear more about you."
"He's very... charming, better than anyone I've met. I don't know much of his past, to be honest, but he's the best man I could ever ask for." Her once cheerful expression turned dark in a blink of an eye as she rubbed her arm. "Only, I know he doesn't feel the same way - about me."
"That's ridiculous. Doesn't he know that you're a queen and that he should be grateful he even has the privilege to know you?" he joked, his face then closer than it was a second ago.
"He knows, but I want him to see me, not my title. It's just not fair. And also because I'm up against the most amazing girl I know. The winner was predetermined and I'm the loser." She muttered in disappointment.
He grimaced then laughed loudly, making her raise a brow in utter bafflement. "My advice is that you stop wasting your time on him. I bet he's more trouble than he's worth. And you're not a martyr, Elsa."
She pursed her lips and thought. She doesn't know - or rather, she never did.
"Kristoff," she said seriously, and he stopped. "Girls are complicated, Anna and I are. We fall for men who are as sweet as candy, as caring as our parents, but that's because at times, they're the only light that we could find in the midst of darkness - Hans was that to her back then. And for a girl who thought she could never be loved, he seemed like the only... way. It took her some time then, it'll take me some time as well so, please,"
She rose from her seat near the window, her eyes even duller than before but not her, she was still as graceful. He eyed her every move, from how she walked near the door, and how she stopped in her way, suddenly, to face him, the fire from the hearth lighting up her pale face.
"And for the record, you're better than a thousand princes. You can love much more than all of them combined, and you're much more precious than they are. Anna was lucky to have you, and the fact that you're with her till now," She concluded, sighing. "makes me jealous."
Those were her last words, and he was beyond baffled when she left. On the other hand, though, she was wondering when his eyes will work.
