Jump Into the Fog

A Truly Sordid End

Jump Into the Fog

Chapter 23

 

“I’m only here because I feel today deserves a truly sordid end.”

 ~

            “You can marry him, if you’d like. I give you my blessing.”

            Anna kept facing the window, her arms crossed over her chest. Outside was another beautiful summer day; not a cloud could be seen and the sun promised nothing but warmth. Below in the courtyard, Olaf—equipped with his own personal snow flurry wherever he went so he wouldn’t melt—fed Sven another carrot, jumping in joy as he was still getting used to summer and already he had deemed it his very favorite season. Somewhere beyond the palace walls in town, Kristoff was selling ice to those who needed it for the hot days ahead.

            To show her gratitude, Elsa had given Kristoff a new cart, a new sled, a stable space for Sven, his own quarters in the palace, and now, permission for him to marry the Princess of Arendelle. A fair exchange, Anna supposed, though Elsa just seemed too eager to give her and Kristoff whatever they wanted or needed, perhaps to compensate for the last year.

            And Anna was in no way ungrateful—she spent her hours around the palace, fencing daily with the Captain of the Guard to keep her muscle tone up. Her arm had healed by this point, and now she had picked up that second sword again, perfecting her skills in dual wielding. She greeted her people once more, wearing a blinding smile. All she insisted on was that, for the most part, she kept her hair down, and the people cooed over such a color, such a thickness to it, and they were enraptured with how it whirled so pin straight when she turned. If anyone found it common, Anna didn’t care.

            She hated that she didn’t care as much as she used to. When Elsa had thawed the winter she’d caused in the few days after Anna returned, Anna stayed silent, though she was glad it was all finally over. Her smiles were forced—save when she was around Kristoff or Olaf or Sven.

            The kingdom was more than ecstatic for the change in weather, and when they finally realized Elsa had learned to control her powers, they finally began to embrace her as Queen. And when they had learned of Hans’ cruelty toward the two sisters, they barely turned against him, only being wary of his actions rather than resenting him for them.

            After all, they’d been against Elsa for quite some time. It made Anna sick to her stomach, to see that the people of Arendelle thought Hans a benevolent King. It made her feel worse whenever she heard Elsa utter a word of praise toward him.

            Her infatuation with such a monster would be something Anna would never ever understand.

            Her makeshift tomb and grave marker had been destroyed, and though Anna had wanted to do it by her own hand—and she’d been crying in hysterics when she finally saw it—Elsa had insisted they get rid of it in a more civil manner.

            Anna held a bit of resentment toward Elsa for that, much as she loved her sister.

            “Thank you,” she replied politely, turning finally to face Elsa. “But I don’t want to get married just yet. Kristoff and I are in love. For now, that’s all I want.”

            She couldn’t handle all the pomp and circumstance of such an arrangement now. When she had been a stupid, naïve child, Anna had envisioned her wedding as white and celebrated, her groom the princely picture of perfection and the people cheering and smiling about her. Everything would be grand and extravagant. With eight thousand plates served and the Grand Ballroom they never used in full swing, full of happiness and love and life.