skatingarendelle

[skatingarendelle]

Olaf's Frozen Adventure

[skatingarendelle]

It still all seemed so silly and ridiculous, anyone ever thinking that her sister was capable of purposefully hurting others. Even if an accident were to occur, Anna felt confident that the eldest Arendelle girl could handle it and herself just fine. There was no reason to run and hide - doing so was only giving those hunters the satisfaction that they want, making them think they won this round of whatever battle or game was being played. But even with that belief, she knew she couldn’t argue with Hans’s logic. Or at least, not the majority of it - one word does stick out to her though and has her quick to shake her head in disagreement. “Elsa’s not a fugitive! She hasn’t done anything wrong! And I’m not going to just kick my sister out of her home just because she’s a bit different than us. That’s a horrible thing for you to ask me to do,” she argues, feeling deflated and for the first time seeing that maybe she and her husband weren’t as completely on the same page. While she wants to agree with him, to trust him like he’s asking, the thought of rejecting Elsa from her life was just too hard to even imagine. “I won’t go after her - but if she comes back, we’re welcoming her with open arms. And we’ll do whatever it takes to help her and keep her safe.” That was the best she could offer, a compromise that she hoped he would be willing to accept.

"I'm not saying it's not wrong," Hans claimed defensively, holding up his hands in feigned innocence. Of course, the further away his sister-in-law was from them, the better, but he wasn't quite ready to show that level of vulgarity to his wife just yet. Someday, she'd learn his true feelings about Elsa, and Anna herself, but that could wait: the act of being the perfect husband could keep going for a while longer. "But, Anna, you were just shot. The last thing I want is for any more danger to come your way. I know you don't think Elsa is dangerous, and I know she wouldn't hurt you on purpose, but neither you nor I know what would happen if she lost control of her powers, by accident. And, we don't know what other people would do if they found out we were hiding a fugitive." Legally, he wasn't even sure if that was the correct term for her situation, but it was certainly the kind of buzz word he needed to get Anna to understand the gravity of the situation at hand. "I know, it's awful. But, I think this is for the best, for now. I really do. Please, trust me," he begged sincerely, holding out his hand in metaphor for his wife taking his side.

[skatingarendelle]

As her husband took a seat in the chair next to her spot on the couch, Anna couldn’t help the spark of hope that ran through her that maybe he had indeed heard from her sister. That maybe Elsa wasn’t as far gone as she had implied she would be - that she was actually just upstairs, waiting for her to be home so they could spend time together. The big secret was out in the open now, so everything should be fine now. Or at least, she hoped that her sister’s magic was the reason she’d always shut everyone out and there wasn’t anything else being kept from her. Shouldn’t this be a good thing? Now Elsa didn’t have to hide her true self anymore from her or from Hans - they could all be together, the family that the redhead has always dreamed of having. But then a small frown grows on Hans’s face and when he shakes his head, she already knows none of that was going to be the case. “That’s… that’s a bit intense, don’t you think? Surely no one cares that much that she can shoot a bit of ice out of her hands…” Even as she said, Anna knew it was naive of her to think that way. Especially after the attack that had just happened - the fact that she was currently practically bedridden from a bullet in the leg should have been enough to make it obvious just how serious this situation was. But she couldn’t help but hope that maybe they were all just overreacting - that the hunters will forget all about their hatred for magical beings and her sister could come back home safe in no time. “It’s not the right thing. None of this is right. She should be here, with us, in her home. She shouldn’t have to hide or run away just because she’s a little bit different.”

"Of course," was the easy answer he could give, if not just to her thanks, but to all of this. He was supposed to be the perfect picture of worried and doting, and he would be just that, for now. He hadn't decided just how long Anna would have with that particular version of himself, but he surely couldn't stand to act like this forever. Hans took a seat in the chair beside her, a smile coming to his lips as he had realized he'd rendered both of the Arendelle sisters completely powerless: with how little anyone knew about Elsa's current whereabouts, he could essentially fabricate this story however he chose. With a sad shake of his head, Hans hoped he could be as convincingly sad in his words as he looked. "Anna, I don't know when she'll be back, or if it's even safe for her to contact us," he pointed out. All of this had to seem like it was under the guise of both of the sisters' safety, even if Hans would love if Elsa had just gotten herself killed out in the wild without him having to do it himself. "If she calls us, there'll be a trail of where the call is coming from. And, if anyone sees her come near here, we'll all be at risk." He didn't want to bring up the threat of the hunters just yet, but it was essentially the threat he hoped that would remain ever-present over the eldest sister's head. "So, no, I haven't heard from her. I'm sorry, but I think she's doing the right thing, laying low for now, for all of our sakes."

[skatingarendelle]

With the hospital visit officially over, the first thing Anna had done was try to contact her cousin. Reaching out to Rapunzel had seemed like too big of a risk when she had been bedridden, surrounded by so many officials - medical and political. Too many questions would have been asked if she had miraculously healed right under their noses, not to even think about all of the cameras that hung in every corner. It had just been too dangerous. But now, as she was being brought home, the situation was far easier to control. The only person that would be around was Hans, and she knew that she could trust him with absolutely anything, if Rapunzel was also okay with that. And if not, well, for the sake of her ice skating career… Anna would be willing to lie to him. Just this one time. At least until everything blew over or the blonde felt comfortable enough telling him about her magic herself.

Despite how happy she should be to finally be back home, and she was, truly, her mind felt a million miles away as every hour passed by with her cousin still not returning her call. It wasn’t until she was fully in place on the couch with her husband going over how he planned the next few weeks to go as she healed that Anna forced herself to come back to the present and stop worrying about the other girl. “Thank you, Hans. For all of this. It’s… it’s truly more than I could have ever asked for,” she says with a smile, despite the fact that it was the bare minimum really that someone would expect from their partner when injured like this. “Have you heard from Elsa yet? I - I know she had said coming back to the hospital was too dangerous but surely she’s reached out now that I’ve left, right?” It was a foolish question to ask, Anna already knowing the answer in her heart. Elsa had said she was going away for a while, with no explanation of where or for how long - and despite her protest against it, the redhead knew there was likely nothing that would have stopped the eldest Arendelle from being long gone from this island by now.

who: hans & @skatingarendelle where: the arendelles' house

Having the house essentially to himself had been, in a word, incredible. Anna had been in the hospital, and Elsa had been keeping to herself, off who the fuck knew or cared where. It was as though he finally had a moment to bask in just what he'd been able to pull off over the past year: the house that would soon be his, owned by the woman whose job he would soon have. If it were up to him, Anna could stay in the hospital until the end of time--he was pretty sure the Arendelles had enough money to afford it. But, all good things had to come to an end, and it was finally the day for him to take his wife home and play doting husband until she was fully back on her feet.

Though it had been his idea, it certainly hadn't been him who had hung the banner in the kitchen and filled the vase of flowers on the table. With Anna's hand in his, he guided her toward the sofa, where he assumed she would be stationary until she was taken to bed for the night. "Alright, I have all your meds in the bathroom, and I had the guest room down here made up for you so you don't have to go up and down stairs. Someone's going to be here next week to help you while I have to work, but for today, I'm your personal butler, chef, all of the above," he told her with a small smile, though his insides were yelling in pre-emptive annoyance at having to wait on his wife. "Welcome home."

[skatingarendelle]

As he teasingly agrees it was the rocks that had informed him of her injury, Anna can’t help the release of another giggle and she takes firm hold of his hand as well once he reaches for hers first. “I’m okay,” she promises, though she doesn’t feel completely confident in that statement. She was alive and wasn’t at risk of that changing any time soon, which she knew to be extremely grateful for, but the discomfort in her leg was a constant reminder that she was far from being completely alright. If it was as bad as she’d overheard some of the nurses mumbling about it, what would happen to her career? How was she going to skate if her leg didn’t heal completely and perfectly? Would this be the end of what she loved most in the world? But before she has a chance to even think about voicing any of those questions and doubts, Kristoff was jumping up and heading out with the promise of hot chocolate. Which was probably a good thing, considering how hard Anna was trying to keep up the appearance of being okay. The few minutes he was gone were good for her, a chance for her to let out a few tears, talk herself down from getting any more upset, and put her expected smile back in place. “Ohh, Kristoff, you’re the best,” she gushes as she reaches out with wiggling fingers to make the universal sign of grabby hands. “Chocolate is exactly what I need right now.”

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Once the initial worry had worn off knowing at least now that she was alright and still the ray of sunshine he'd come to know, he could breathe freely again. While he didn't like seeing her stuck in a hospital bed Kristoff was glad to see she hadn't lost her carefree attitude even during a time like this. The blonde boy responded with a small smile at first and came to her bedside so that she didn't need to move any more than necessary. "Of course I came, what're you talking about? Think you can have all the fun without me? They tell me everything, you know." He joked, hoping his concern for her hadn't come through. Kristoff knew she had a husband who would be returning any moment now and didn't want to overstep, still reaching to take a gentle grip on her hand. "I am just glad you're okay," the man spoke genuinely, his smile softening once he caught her gaze. "You got it, one hot cocoa coming right up! Extra marshmallows like usual?" Kristoff was to his feet before he'd even gotten the sentence out, ready to get her whatever she needed from him at a moment's notice. "Now don't go running off on me, I'll be right back," he teased knowing she wouldn't be running for a little while and hoping to make her smile. It was a quick trip down the hall to grab a styrofoam cup of hot water and two packets of the extra marshmallow hot chocolate as promised. "Only the finest in all of the hospital," Kristoff informed her when he re-entered her room with the goods.

[skatingarendelle]

It was disorientating, being stirred from her slumber. Simultaneous it felt like she had been sleeping for a hundred years, while also like she had just dozed off moments ago. She wasn’t supposed to be awake, that much Anna could immediately tell from the heaviness of her eyelids and the way the bright hospital light practically pierced her eyes when she did try to open them. It took a few rounds of blinking and a bit of grumblings before she finally managed to gain enough consciousness to figure out what was going on. Elsa. She was here and the mere sight of her sister was enough to encourage the redhead to push through the fog and focus on her surroundings.

Not freaking out, as was requested, wasn’t really all that hard - what did she have to freak out about anyway? This was Elsa, her sister, Anna knew she would never do anything to hurt her. But then the older girl continues on. Apologizing first which was a bit ridiculous, really, but before she could speak up and say that, the blonde is talking about going away - that this was just a pitstop on her way out of town. The machine beside her bed began beeping at a higher rate as Anna’s heart started racing ever so slightly at the thought of losing her sister. “Elsa,” she starts, the singular word a struggle to get out. A few coughs followed it and the beeping continued, her head shaking as she reached out with her free hand to try to grab her sisters. “You – can’t go.” It wasn’t the most articulate she’s ever been, and certainly wasn’t nearly as long winded as her usual spiels and speeches tended to be, but given the hoarseness and pain in her throat, it was the best she could do at the moment. Pointing at the water bottle on the side table with a little straw in it, Anna wordlessly asked her sister to give it to her, so that they could have an actual conversation about this.

-timeskip, in the hospital-

The disguise wasn't the greatest but Elsa figured a coat, a scarf over her head and sunglasses would be enough for no one to catch onto who she was. The wool coat, for most, would've been saved for the winter time but for Elsa it was practically like wearing a light shawl, especially now in times of deep stress where her body temperature would drop beyond what was considered normal. She didn't mean to catch her sister in the midst of her sleep but considering Hans wasn't around, this was as good of a time as any to be able to see her sister finally. She lightly shook the redhead's shoulder, not wanting to scare her awake but considering the last time her sister had seen her, maybe that was inevitable as that was the last manner she'd wanted Anna to see her. "Anna?" she softly called out, attempting to make this visit as easy as it could be.

Catching her sister's eyes widening at the surprise of seeing her, Elsa quickly slipped in a request. "Please don't freak out, please," her voice remained in a hushed tone as her gloved hand reached to take the sunglasses off of her face. Though considering how much agony she'd kept herself under since the festival attacks maybe it was best to keep them on to cover her weary eyes. "I'm not sure what I should say. I guess I want to start off with an apology for not visiting sooner. I should've been here with you the whole time, I would've been here the whole time but I-" It was shameful to say why she couldn't be seen after what she did, she didn't have the heart to say it out loud so she didn't say it at all. "It's just better for everyone if I go away for a bit. But I needed to see you, I wanted to see how you were doing." There was so much to discuss but first and foremost, her sister's health was at the forefront of her mind.

[skatingarendelle]

With her husband out in the waiting room, taking some kind of important phone call, and her sister nowhere to be seen after the display of magic she’d put on when Anna had been shot - that left the redhead alone, laying in a hospital bed with pain meds coursing through her body and leaving her somewhat loopy in a way she’d never felt before. There was still a dull thumping in her leg but it was easy to ignore as she stared at the ceiling and mentally practiced one of her newer routines - the reality that she wouldn’t be on the ice any time soon thanks to her wound not yet having fully sunk in. It’s only when the door opens and a familiar face enters the room that Anna’s attention is pulled away from the roof and a bright smile grows on her face, one that shows the obvious drugged state she was in. “Kristoff!” she exclaims in greeting, trying to sit up a bit more but stopping once she flinches at the sharp stab in her leg at the movement. “You came! How did you know I was here? Did the rocks tell you?” It’s a ridiculous thought, one that has her giggling as soon as she asks it. Though she stops when she realizes he’s offered to find her hot cocoa and in that moment absolutely nothing sounded better. “Yes! Yes, I want hot cocoa! Oh, Kristoff, you always know how to take such good care of me.” It doesn’t cross her mind that her own husband hadn’t thought to find one of her favorite comfort drinks for her, yet it was one of the first things her best friend had offered when he just entered the room.

- timeskip -

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Kristoff was glad he played it safe and hadn't gone to the festival, feeling a bit off that morning when he woke up. Of course that was coupled with the guilt that he hadn't been there to protect Anna now that he'd gotten word that she was hurt. The boy didn't waste a second before jumping into his beat-up Chevy and flooring it out of the forest. He was thankful that Elsa had texted him, fearing now that her sister was married, he wouldn't be included in these important conversations anymore. It wasn't until recently that he'd started to realize what had been there all along that had become the thing farthest from reach. "I came as soon as I heard," the blonde boy rambled as he rushed into her room to see her. "Are you okay? What did the doctors say? They've seen you, right? I'll go grab them myself if they haven't. Do you need anything? A Coke from the soda machine? I could see if they have hot cocoa." Kristoff breathed heavily; the only way to get out all of his concerns was through an array of questions.

[skatingarendelle]

The advice the other woman offered was sweet and made sense on paper, but the thought of simply going and talking to Elsa was something she knew to be much harder in real life than it ever sounded. “It’s… a bit complicated,” she confesses, frowning down at the table at the thought of what another attempt at talking to her sister might be like. While family affairs should be kept within the family, and Anna knew that, she couldn’t help but feel the need to unburden herself right now. To finally actually tell someone, other than just Hans, about the conflict that had arisen between the Arendelle sisters. “She hates my husband. She refused to give me her blessing for the marriage and then didn’t even bother to show up for the wedding. We had a huge fight about that and… we haven’t spoken since. I don’t know if she even wants to hear from me anymore… Or if she ever did in the first place…” It was a piece of self-doubt that had been haunting the redhead since the day she had stormed into Elsa’s office and everything imploded between them.

Perhaps she should be more weary of Mary and her readings, considering there seemed to be little that actually proved her to be credible at what she does - but Anna was always one to easily believe anything that was placed in front of her. And this palm reading was no different. So when the woman tugged on her hand to pull it closer, she simply leaned in and stared with widened eyes in anticipation for what might come. “What is it?” she asks, unable to help herself or keep her mouth shut, though the answer was given quickly. “Emotional confusion? In me? But I – I don’t feel confused…” At least, she didn’t think she did. Though perhaps that was the least of her worries, if these downward branches were about to be as problematic as Mary was making them seem. “Not a good sign? What do you mean? What do they say?”

"This is just me talking, but if you worry for your sister you should talk to her. Do it for those of us who can't." All of Mary's guidance depending on Winnie, possibly a bit too much but she wouldn't have felt so lost in her first couple of years if she was around her sister. Sure, she has Sarah now but that was kind of like asking the blind to lead the blind. "If you say so," her sing song-y sarcasm said everything for her, that she didn't believe in soulmates. And that she was doubting a man's devotion to be so strong that he wouldn't care about appearances. If there was anything she'd learned from her sisters, mainly Sarah, it was that appearances did a lot of heavy lifting, that and a nice bewitching spell could do the trick to have a man never leave your side.

It was good to know her studies paid off, even if it were by some naive girl following along and hearing what she wanted to hear, it still showed Mary she was doing something right. At the request to see anything else, her eyes and finger followed along the heart line and stopping when she saw something that caught her attention. "Hmm," grabbing the girl's hand and pulling it closer to her she wanted to be sure she was seeing things correctly. It gave her an extra second to scan her mind for anything she could remember from her books to inform her of what she'd detected. "Do you see these hatches here? They signify complications; Emotional confusion, if you will. And then these downward branches, well... Those aren't really a good sign."

[skatingarendelle]

The question wasn’t one she had been expecting, though it was one she could easily answer. “My sister more than my husband. I worry about Elsa a lot, actually,” she admitted, her wide smile faltering and slowly turning into more of a soft frown as Mary continued on with the reading. She hadn’t ever really thought much of her appearance, certainly never bothered to worry about frown lines or wrinkles, but even as the older woman suggested it Anna couldn’t quite take it seriously. “Oh Hans would love me no matter what. We’re soulmates.” Or at least that was what she believed to be true. In actuality they were nothing even close and he would likely very much be bothered by any early onset wrinkles she may develop.

At the compliment of her heart line, the redhead’s smile returned. “I hope I am at least,” she agrees, not wanting to brag about what she considers to be her best qualities in herself. But it was true. Anna was very compassionate and loving with everyone in her life. But especially when it came to her sister and new husband. “It’s so fascinating that you can tell all of this just from my hand. Do you see anything else?”

Mary had gotten a sense how to navigate work by now. There were different kinds of clients that would come in, some were skeptics, determined to find faults in her readings and others were more inclined to believe. She had gotten the feeling the customer she was dealing with was of the latter category so this meant she didn't have to try so hard. She probably could've said anything and would've been fine with taking the naive girl's money. But, perhaps it was the fact that she shared the same hair color as the sister Mary missed that left her inclined to do an actual reading.

"Hm, I see your stress line is deep. I take it you worry for them, your husband and your sister?" Mary knew too well what it meant to worry for one's sister, she didn't know what it was like to have a husband but she figured a husband would care in the similar manner her sister would care for her. "You shouldn't fret so much, child. You'll create too many frown lines on your face and I'm sure your husband wouldn't appreciate you having wrinkles at so young an age." After her piece of wisdom was shared, she returned to inspecting her customer's hand. "It does makes sense that you would care deeply, your heart line shows that you are compassionate and very affectionate." Her predictions took a pause, looking for a reaction to see if she was correct so far.

[skatingarendelle]

closed starter for @sandersonmary location: mary's home/work office

To anyone who knows her, it wouldn’t be a shock at all to see Anna Arendelle sitting in a supposed fortune teller’s chair - in fact, the only thing truly surprising about it was that it had taken her this long to have her first reading. Mostly in part to the fact that she had spent so much of her life in seclusion and had never really bothered to adventure into any business other than what was necessary. But today, there had simply been something about the shop door that called to her and upon entering she’d been ushered into a seat and asked to hold out her hand, which she was eager to agree to, truly enchanted by the woman and her magical space. It was just another sign of her naivety that she didn’t have even a single doubt about the entire process of having her fortune decided by some stranger.

As the woman turned her hand to begin inspecting her palm, the redhead watched and attempted to wait for whatever Mary might have to say. But patience has never been one of her strengths and after just a moment, Anna couldn’t help but open her mouth. “What do you see? Does it say anything about my husband? Or my sister?” she asked, the questions shooting out one right after the other. Honestly, while there were plenty of aspects of her future that she’d like to know more about - her relationships with Hans and Elsa, and their relationship with each other, were really what mattered the most.

[skatingarendelle]

If it weren’t for the complete and utter blind trust that she had in her husband, maybe Anna would have been able to see how easily she was being manipulated - but as it was, everything that Hans was saying made completely sense in her head. She wasn’t a business woman, she’d never had any interest in getting involved in her family’s company, but that was exactly the type of thing he was good at. And it was true that Elsa had been handling everything on her own for so long, it wasn’t fair. And it was clearly cutting into the eldest Arendelle’s ability to live her life to its fullest potential, something she had never noticed before until Hans pointed it out now.

“Maybe I should be there when you talk to her,” she’s quick to suggest, on board with the general idea but not this exact execution of it. Convincing Elsa to agree to any of it was likely going to be tricky, and Anna knew it would be best if it came from her rather than just Hans by himself. “Or I could talk to her about it before you do - just to, you know, see what she thinks. I don’t want it to seem like we’re coming in and trying to steal the company from her or anything. Which is what she’s probably going to assume at first, but I’m sure I can get her to see we’re just trying to help take some of the load off of her plate, that’s all.” Or at least, that was all Anna intended to do and she felt wrongly confident that he would do the same. The question of what her sister’s opinion was on her husband had the redhead frowning as well, knowing the answer wasn’t something he was going to want to hear. But she wasn’t about to lie to him either. “She… disapproves still. But that’s just because she doesn’t understand. She doesn’t let anyone in, not even me, so she doesn’t get how easy it can be to find the right person. How you can meet someone and just know, right from the start, that they’re meant for you. Just give her time, she’ll come around. I know she will.” The words were said with far more confidence than what she actually felt regarding the whole situation.

Though her expression was one of confusion at the idea initially, Hans was confident he could business jargon his way into getting her to agree with him, worst case scenario. After some thought, though, it seemed the redhead agreed with his idea, now that he was part of the family, after all. He would be doing everyone a favor, from his view: Anna could continue her ice skating, and Elsa could finally subject herself to the patriarchal constitution of marriage. Except, to Anna, it was for love, and that was the key to keeping his wife under his guise: framing.

"Really?" he blurted, in genuine shock that it hadn't taken more convincing to get her to agree. Anna was weirdly protective over her sister, even with him. "Of course we can. We can come up with a plan, and I'll talk to Elsa about it. I think she and I should get some more time, just the two of us, especially if we're going to be working together." He paused, his smile at the thought of getting his way turning to a frown. "Does she still ... not like me? Has she said anything about it?"

[skatingarendelle]

It wasn’t surprising that Kristoff was a bit shocked at the news, given that Anna hadn’t told anyone else up until this very moment, but he recovers in a way that satisfies the redhead. No lecture about how this should have been a sign that Hans wasn’t the one for her, no long winded speech about why she deserved better than a marriage that starts off with another woman involved so tightly in their lives - which is exactly what she had half expected to hear. But it seemed like he was trying to genuinely be supportive of her life and all of her decisions - and that was all she really ever wanted, from both him and his sister. “It’s amazing,” she answers instantly, smiling wide at just the thought of the fact that she was indeed a whole-ass married woman. “Or well, it’s actually kind of exactly the same really. Except now Hans is with me a lot more often, obviously.” Except when he wasn’t, like right now, but Anna wasn’t going to think about that. She had given him the okay to go, understood that he needed to be with his newborn daughter, it would be wrong to back out on that acceptance now. “I hope so. It’s kind of crazy, thinking about it all. Like just a few months ago I was so alone and now… now I have this whole family. And you’re still here. It’s like, how did I get so lucky?”

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Kristoff nearly choked when she so casually dropped the news that her new husband was the father of a newborn. His eyes were wide while he mentally instructed himself to look more normal. A smile was trying to find his lips again but it only curved into a more awkward expression. "Oh, oh, right..." His voice trailed off and Kristoff mentally scolded himself for not being able to hide his surprise. Acting had never been his strong suit, especially with all the bombs Anna had been dropping lately. He knew Elsa would be even more shocked when she heard the latest update. All they wanted was the best for her but he couldn't understand how this guy was it. "Well, uh, that's exciting." Kristoff's awkward smile was still plastered on. He'd been trying his best but the redhead was full of surprises lately. "How's that been? You know, married life. It's still so crazy to think that you're like whole-ass married right now," he continued to make sure she was happy. While Kristoff didn't understand it, he would support her wholeheartedly if this was the life she wanted. "You'll make a great stepmom, I know that for sure." The blonde boy finally found his natural smile again. That was something he could be certain of, Anna would be an amazing mother if she so chose to become one.

[skatingarendelle]

A small giggle escapes her at the thought of Branch being the one to drag him out of his solitude. It made sense that Kristoff would be willing to help his friend, but Anna simply couldn’t understand why the other man needed to be here in the first place considering Poppy was at home with little Ivy. “I did know that, in fact. Because she’s my step-daughter. That’s why Hans left the wedding, Poppy went into labor and he’s visiting them right now actually, as well,” she explains, realizing that she hadn’t had the chance to tell either Kristoff or Elsa any of this information yet. It was something that should probably upset her more than it did, but the redhead had made peace with it already. In truth, she was actually quite excited about it. While she didn’t really know what it was that a step-mother was supposed to do, she had decided either way that she was going to be the best on this island had ever seen. “He was here earlier, though. But Ivy’s only a few days old and Poppy was all alone, so he left early to help her out some. Which means I’m all yours for the rest of the night!” Of course there was a chance that Kristoff wouldn’t want to spend the rest of the evening with her, but Anna couldn’t think on that until the moment came where he left her too.

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He was curious about where her husband was but not enough to ask. Kristoff didn't feel like being social anymore than he had been that night. That didn't count with Anna, he was able to be around her no matter how low his energy level. Tonight was no different, happy to have caught her alone than on the arm of Hans. He still didn't see what she did in him but tried to appease her with a smile whenever she brought him up. It was a relief that she hadn't so far, knowing he might not have the right words for a response. Instead, he tripped over his own tongue in an attempt to compliment her while also not crossing a line. Kristoff still hadn't figured out entirely what he felt about Anna, only knowing that he enjoyed being around her more than most people. "Ah, thanks," he said, looking down when he suddenly felt a blush coming on. It wasn't often that he got out like this, already feeling a bit stuffy in his suit. "I'm surprised I'm here but I couldn't say no to Branch. Did you know that Poppy is having a baby? I couldn't send him here all on his own." Kristoff imaged his friend would do something similar to him if he was alone which was to stay near corners and avoid social interactions. The boy fought back a smile when he felt her head on his shoulder but it crept on anyway. "You're not here alone, are you?" Even if he hadn't wanted to hear about her husband, he wanted to make sure she at least had company and a ride home.

[skatingarendelle]

The frown that had grown on Anna’s face at the mention of her sister only deepened as he now suggested somehow taking some of the load off of her shoulders - not because she was opposed to the idea, but simply because the redhead didn’t quite understand what he meant. “You mean… working at the company?” she asks, trying to get some clarification as she thought over this new possibility. It made sense, she had to admit. Hans knew business far better than she did, and they were married partners now… so it wouldn’t be too big of a deal for him to potentially take some of her places as a shareholder and part of the enterprise.

Shifting again on the couch, she let out a small hum of understanding. “That does make sense,” she admits with a nod. “Technically I’m probably supposed to have more of a say and role in the company than I currently do - just because well, Elsa’s always handled it. And business isn’t really my strong suit, you know. But it is yours…” She trailed off at the end, continuing to think it over. Her sister wasn’t going to like it, she’d probably fight back against the mere idea of letting anyone else help her - but it would for the best. And it would be a chance for Elsa to really get to know Hans, which was really the true selling point for the redhead. “Okay, yeah. We could do that. I don’t know how exactly or what you want to be a part of, but we can figure that out together, right?”

The small nod of acceptance was all Hans needed to know that the more difficult part of this conversation had been taken care of, that Anna believed his words, and now, his hands could be clean of the secret he'd been keeping from her for the past few months. It had admittedly been a weight that was becoming increasingly harder to bear, mostly out of the fear that she was going to tell him to fuck off. But, as he'd suspected, the loneliness the redhead was experiencing (as was her sister, apparently) was the perfect catalyst for a lifetime of easy forgiveness. As long as the Arendelle sisters were firmly on either side of him, Hans would be golden.

His smile nearly grew wider as Anna fed him the exact words he wanted to hear, but he held back, instead biting his lip and clicking his tongue in feigned sympathy. "And that's great for her, of course she should want success for herself. Now that we're married, though, I just wonder ... maybe I could take some of the load off her shoulders, so she could have more time for herself, you know? She deserves happiness and success in all aspects of her life, just like we have," Hans suggested, satisfied with the way he'd presented the seeds that would, if all went accordingly, grow into his master plan to take over for Elsa entirely.

[skatingarendelle]

For a moment she keeps her eyes glued to her hands, now being held by Hans’s as she listened to him promise that he still wanted her - that they were going to be a family, and then have children of their own one day. Having all of that, a family of her own, one that truly loved and cared for her - that was all Anna has ever wanted. All of her life, the biggest dream she’s ever had was to have someone like Hans in her life. And though it had felt for the longest time like it wouldn’t ever come true, here she was, sitting with her husband and talking about their future together, what their family was going to look like. How could she not believe him? Looking back up at him, she allows herself a small smile as she nods her head in acceptance.

Though the thoughts on her own happiness and future fade as he switches the topic to be about her sister. “Elsa?” she questions, the small twisting into a frown at the realization that she doesn’t know the answer. The two sisters hardly ever spoke to each other, and when they did rarely was it about their dreams or the futures they envisioned for themselves. “I… I don’t know. I want think she does, eventually… But you’re - you’re right. All she ever focuses on is her work.” Which logically, Anna knew there wasn’t anything wrong with being career oriented and caring about a job - but it seemed like her sister didn’t have anything outside that at all. The only thing the eldest Arendelle ever cared about was the company, not a single thing else, and that wasn’t exactly healthy behavior either.

"Oh, Anna, no," he blurted, his immediate reaction one of reassurance as he took her hands to show just how sincere he was. Hans shook his head, perhaps overdoing the whole denial bit, but he was pretty sure that there was never a such thing as too much for her. "No, I don't. We're going to have a real family someday, even if it looks a little different because of this now. That's what you deserve, Anna." He wanted to put the words in her mouth, to make her believe that this was what she wanted, too, even before she had a chance to decide for herself. Hans was supposed to be the person who knew her best, after all--he was her husband. "Just think of it as practice for when we have children, right? You're going to be an incredible step-mother."

With the band-aid ripped off, Hans wanted to use the redhead at her most vulnerable to plant the seeds of what he really wanted to talk about. The only way he was going to infiltrate all of this was if he had the Arendelle sisters separated; together, the numbers were stacked against him. "You know, all of these incredible things happening had me thinking ... does Elsa ever want to get married, or have a family? She just works so hard, I mean, if I were her, I wouldn't have had the time to find you," he told her, bringing one of her hands to his lips to press a quick kiss.

[skatingarendelle]

Despite not even knowing the couple that the entire party was centered around, Anna had been excited for the event tonight - if only because it was the first time she was officially stepping out as Hans’s wife. Throughout the whole night everyone was congratulating the two as they made their way around the party and it was almost as exciting as the wedding itself had been - maybe even more so, considering she wasn’t weighed down tonight by the knowledge that her sister no longer cared enough to even show up for her. Though, apparently the eldest Arendelle did hold the Northwests or Finnegans in higher regard than she did her own sister, since she actually thought this event worthy of her presence, unlike Anna’s own wedding. It was enough to almost ruin the entire night, but she refused to let her sister make the worst of yet another night. So out of pure stubbornness she stayed - even when Hans said he needed to leave, to go check on Poppy and their newborn daughter, she stayed. Though that decision felt like something stronger than just her stubborn nature, a feeling compelling her to remain where she was rather than follow her husband out the door. It was that same feeling that had her feet moving outside, guided by something she couldn’t even begin to explain other than an overwhelming sensation that she needed to be there right now. And once she found her best friend standing in the night air, everything suddenly seemed perfect. A giggle escapes her lips at his fumbling, but Anna decides not to call him out on it, instead simply going to stand by his side. It only takes a moment before she’s leaning into him, pressing her arm against his as her head drops down to his shoulder. It’s an act of affection that they’ve never shared before but still feels completely natural, at least to the redhead. “Thank you. You look quite handsome yourself. I’m surprised you’re here, actually. Who managed to drag you out of the forest this time?”

- timeskip -

⋄ ⋄ 🧊 ⋄ ⋄

He knew that sooner or later he'd have to meet her fiance but it didn't make the news less surprising. In all honesty, he still hadn't entirely processed that his best friend was going to be getting married soon. Besides, he wasn't even doing anything tonight until Branch had informed him of the party he'd been invited to. Poppy wasn't able to make it and it turned out his main squeeze Kristoff was free. It gave him an excuse to pull his suit out of his closet though it smelt a little more like mothballs than he anticipated. He figured it would air out fast anyway, never having been one to stay inside for very long. It was happen chance that Anna and Hans were also in attendance. Kristoff hadn't known what to say, escorting himself outside to get some air instead. There was some relief knowing that Elsa felt the same way and that he wasn't alone in his surprise. Anna was full of those so maybe he should've seen it coming. Now all he could do was his best to support her, even though it made his stomach turn just thinking about it. Kristoff was only taken from his thoughts by the sound of footsteps behind him and her presence brought a smile to his otherwise dull demeanor. "Hey, enjoying your night so far? You look beautiful by the way," he said motioning to her dress as she walked towards him. "Not that you don't always! You - you know what I mean." The blonde boy fumbled a little, searching for conversation that wasn't the elephant in the room.

[skatingarendelle]

It was rare for Anna to not do as she was told, especially when the suggestion was being made by her older sister. The one person she looked up to the most in the world. But sitting down wasn’t something she could do right now, nor did she have any intentions of actually discussing why Elsa disapproved of the wedding. There was nothing the older girl could say that would make any of this alright. She had known that her sister did not approve of the marriage and she had started to come to terms with that fact, figuring that it would simply take some time for Elsa to come around. But never would she have thought that her disapproval would turn into a full out refusal to even attend the wedding as she was threatening to do now.

“You love me?” she echoes the words her sister just said, for what felt like the first time in her life. How was this fair? How was it right? For Elsa to cut her out for so many years, to remain so distant and cold towards her, just to suddenly turn around and claim to love her now, as a way of trying to get her to change her mind. “Since when have you ever loved me, Elsa? Since when have you cared about anyone ever? I love you. I’ve always loved you and I have tried so hard to get you to see that. To see me. And you’ve never so much as even looked my way. You’ve never cared about anything - let alone me. And it’s not fair for you to claim to love me now. Not when you’re just saying it to try to get me to change my mind.”

Taking a step away from her sister’s desk, Anna’s head shook as she tried her hardest to keep it together. But it was all feeling to be too much. The stinging threat of tears was poking at her eyes and she knew if this continued she was going to break down. She wanted nothing more than to just leave and put all of this behind her, to force herself not to care what Elsa did, to find happiness in what she had and to finally stop expecting or wanting more from her sister. But Anna had never been good at giving up or backing down from what she knew to be right. “No, you don’t love me. But you know who does? Hans. He loves me and I love him. And I want to spend the rest of my life with him - I’m going to spend the rest of my life with him. This wedding is happening. You have had plenty of time to get to know him, but you never did. That is your fault, not mine. I am not asking for your blessing, not anymore, but I am asking for you to be there. As my sister. Because I love you, Elsa. All I’m asking is that you show up.”

Since childhood, Elsa felt protective over her sister and wanted nothing more than for Anna to live a life in peace; something that the elder sister couldn’t do. Her decisions, while unconventional, were what Elsa felt was done for the best in the name of keeping her sister safe. She’d kept this in mind the entire time she’d written an ultimatum in a letter that if her sister’s wedding were to take place tomorrow, Elsa would not be in attendance. Harsh decisions had to be made as quickly as the wedding date came to be. If there were any manner of reaching her sister before now, she would’ve done it with time and patience but those were two attributes the engagement was missing.

“Anna,” her stern voice called out as she stood from her desk, surprised by the slamming of the door. The older sister had expected a reaction of sorts, maybe not as severe as this one was quickly turning out to be but if it meant waking Anna up from the false dream of this wedding then so be it. The letter served its first purpose in getting the two sisters to take this as seriously as it should’ve been rather than the hobbled-together plans for a quick engagement Hans had rustled up. “I’ve made it very clear why I can’t approve of this wedding in the letter. But if you want to talk about it more in detail then, please take a seat.”

Elsa couldn’t quite manage eye contact with her sister, she had a tough time with that in general but she felt that at this moment, if she did then she would cave immediately into the wishes of her sister, that was something she couldn’t allow. “I love you very much, Anna, but this is…” With her eyes closed, she’d rubbed the temples of her forehead, finding a quick soothing for her nerves. “I feel very strongly that if you marry this hastily, you’d be making a big mistake. And I want what’s best for you but I have yet to know this man you plan to share the rest of your life with. If you had given me time to get to know him, I would’ve happily given my blessing but you’ve left me with no other choice.”