Hansanna for the holidays

“I could use a little more slack, Hans!” Anna said and glanced down to her fiancé. She was standing near the top of a tall, rickety ladder attempting to hang garland around the castle’s entrance. This was a moment she had been looking forward to ever since the autumn season started to come to a close. Christmas was always a favorite time of year for her, even with the gates closed and Elsa hiding away in her room. Her parents always did their best to keep her in the highest of spirits, and that included decorating the main living spaces of the castle. And while she wasn’t in Arendelle anymore, there was no reason why that kind of tradition couldn’t transfer over to her new adoptive family!

Weeks ago, she could remember standing awkwardly outside King Alexander’s study with her fist just inches from the wooden door, afraid to knock. It wasn’t that she was terrified of Hans’ father. In fact, she rather liked the man. Hans and a few of his brothers found the Westergaard patriarch rather intimidating, but the monarch was always extremely kind and generous with her. She was the daughter he never had, therefore he, too, had a hand in making sure Anna was comfortable in her new home. However, unlike Hans’ extensive efforts of happy-homemaking, King Alexander was never present much during regular day-to-day routines. He was always holed away in his study along with Frederick, the heir to the throne, as they handled matters of state.

Asking him to participate in a family activity was actually easier than she thought, though it didn’t give her the result she wanted. At least she was rejected nicely, though the king did promise to try to pop in in-between his engagements to see how the activity progressed.

Hans was eager to give a helping hand, as always, and he even managed to rope twins Viktor and Georg, the second and third eldest brothers, into helping them search through storage closets and attic spaces in search of old family decorations left abandoned over the years. And now, thanks to their labors, the entire great hall was covered in makeshift tables with crates all over the floor. And in the center of the grand room, situated right in the middle of twin curved staircases was a grand Christmas tree just brought in and secured from the outside. There was plenty to decorate, and even better, there were plenty of potential bodies to help decorate, too!

That is… if they were actually doing anything in the first place. As she reached down to get better grips on the rest of the garland, she happened to look over her shoulder at the scene behind them. Viktor and Georg were sitting on the floor by one of the large storage boxes attempting to sort through ornaments for the tree, but it seemed they were the only ones participating.

“Hey, c’mon guys! Don’t let me be the one doing all the work! This is supposed to be good ol’ fashioned family fun!”

“...for whom?” Lars asked as he slouched sideways across an armchair across the hall. He looked both extremely bored and completely uninterested in anything going on around him. “This certainly isn’t my idea of fun.”

“That’s not surprising.” Viktor spoke up, “considering you’re never in the mood to do anything.”

“It’s amazing that he even knows how to have fun in the first place.” Georg added. Both brothers nodded in agreement.

“Well, it’s not our idea of fun, either.” Derrick muttered with his arms crossed as he and Dirk leaned against one of the marble columns flanking the hall. “And we know what real fun actually is.”

“For god's sake,” Johan sighed excessively loudly, “there’s more to life than screwing every skirt in the village,” he said and knelt down next to where Viktor and Georg were on the floor. He didn’t appear that interested in helping either, but at least the various tree decorations captured a shred of his attention.

“Why aren’t there any snacks?” Tomas whined and collapsed into a chair of his own. “I'm hungry!”

Hans shook his head and as Anna bent down for more garland, he looked up to her with an apologetic look. “I tried to warn you that this was going to happen…”

“I know…” Anna said dejectedly, “I guess I just had hope that Christmastime would make your brothers a lot less… like themselves.” Once she had the garland secured, she climbed down the ladder and brushed her palms into her skirts. “ How does it look?”

Hans took a few steps back to admire her handiwork. “It looks–”

“--Crooked.” Dirk snickered.

“What??” Anna’s eyes widened as she looked back up to the wall. “Hey, no it’s not! Stop pulling my leg.”

“Now that that’s over, can we all go?” Tomas asked and checked the time on his pocket watch.

“What do you mean, ‘now that it’s over’?” Johan asked and pointed to the massive tree. “We still have to get through that monstrosity!”

“Oh geezus!”

Frederick shook his head as he casually turned the page of the book he was reading. “Y’know, if you all stopped complaining and helped Anna, this whole activity would go a lot faster.”

“Well you’re one to talk, Freddy.” Lars swung his legs over in front and sat up in his chair. “You’re not helping, either!”

“I don’t need to.” The heir to the throne replied with a slight holier-than-thou tone of voice. “I’m only here to supervise.”

“What?!” Dirk pushed off the column and stomped over to the eldest prince. “What makes you so special?!”

“Just because you’re Father’s favorite doesn’t mean you don’t have to get your hands dirty.” Derrick snapped.

Anna sighed and glanced at Hans as the princes continued to banter back and forth. This afternoon was not going to end well if they all kept arguing. She really wanted this to be something fun for everyone. Instead, it seemed to get them all at each other’s throats. Her eyes scanned around the great hall and landed on the makeshift craft station she put together, untouched. Instead of arguing and complaining, they could have been doing something far more constructive. She didn’t go through all of the efforts of finding materials and setting up this workspace just to let it all go to waste. What would King Alexander say when he arrived back from his engagements and found there to be little to no progress made? He would be expecting this hall to be decorated. She couldn’t bear to let him down in such a way.

“Gentlemen, please! Don’t fight!” She stood in the center of the hall and waited until every single man present turned to her. She didn’t care if they eyed her with curiosity or contentment. They were going to have a family activity even if she had to break some noses to make it happen. “Christmas time is supposed to be about traditions and being appreciative of everything that we have. It’s about helping those in need. It’s about loving each other and acting out from the kindness of our hearts!”

“…in what world is Christmas like that?” Lars whispered to Tomas and Dirk. They all shrugged their shoulders.

Frederick nodded thoughtfully, stood up and turned towards his brothers. “That’s how Christmas would have been all of these years if Mother were still with us.” He said and narrowed his eyes at Tomas. “Don’t give me that skeptical look. Many of you were still too young to know her and the way things used to be, but I remember everything. It was no secret, especially now, that Mother was the life of this castle. Father may have run the kingdom, but she was responsible for this family and its prosperity. There’s a reason why all of this decor and merriment became lost in storage over the years after she passed–”

“--Yeah, thanks for that, Hans.” Derrick snapped and sent a nasty glare to the youngest prince.

Anna winced at the comment and wrapped her hands around her fiancés arm. She could just feel the tension radiating off of him. This was always a sore topic for him. The last thing she wanted was more fighting.

“No.” Frederick shook his head and rubbed his forehead briefly. “We’re not playing that game anymore. Blaming each other for things out of our control is what started this whole mess. It’s what caused Father to retreat to his duties and leave us to our own devices. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I for one would like to see light and life return to this castle; to hear genuine laughter again, not jeers at someone else’s expense. And most importantly of all, I would like to see Father find enjoyment in the holidays after over two decades of loneliness and misery. At the very least, let’s be a family for his sake. I think after all of this time, we owe him that much.” He cleared his throat and made his voice seem as authoritative as possible, “that being said, all of us are going to put aside our scruples and follow through with whatever Princess Anna has in store for us. Because if any of you refuse to cooperate, you’ll find yourself landed in stable duty for the next six months shoveling horse muck with your bare hands.”

Anna had to resist snickering at the bewildered, wide-eyed looks of sheer panic and horror across the majority of the prince’s faces. Honestly, she didn’t peg Prince Frederick to be an ally in this, especially for him sticking up for Hans! But if this rare dose of unity was a result of Christmas magic, she was not going to complain.

“Right!” She clasped her hands together and gestured towards the tables set up. “Now that that’s settled, let’s get to work! We only have so much time before the King returns and I want him to be pleasantly surprised! So… there’s paints, fabric scraps, cardstock, scissors and paste. Everything we need for a make-your-own-decoration fest!”

“Wait, stop right there.” Derrick looked warily to the tables. “You’re going to have us craft? What is this, a toddler’s nursery game?!”

“Wha–no!” Anna shot back defensively, “This is a chance to add some personal family flair to the tree instead of everything being shiny chains and glass ornaments!”

Hans took a step forward and purposefully positioned himself between Anna and Derrick, just in case his brother decided to throw more of a fit. “What’s the matter? Afraid of using your imagination?”

“...if he even has one.” Johan mumbled under his breath.

“Calm down, Derrick.” Dirk said, resting a hand on his twin’s shoulder. “The sooner we get through this, the sooner we can get laid…”

After a few more choice mumblings from the youngest in the group, the princes dispersed towards the tables. Viktor and Georg eagerly grabbed some carved wooden spheres and the colored paints and moved off to one side. Johan stalled before some fabric pieces and yarn. Tomas, Lars, Dirk and Derrick just stood there staring at the entire table with blank looks on their faces.

Anna took this opportunity to turn to Frederick, who had retreated back to his chair and book. “Wait… aren’t you going to join in? This is supposed to be for everyone.” She said with her hands on her hips.

“It is.” He smiled lopsidedly. “I’m going to get way more enjoyment out of watching them all squirm about. Crafts are… not my forte. But when Viktor and Georg decide they’re done painting, I might just do one bauble. Don’t worry. I promise I will still help. But for now, I’ll just—”

“—supervise.” She finished for him. “Well… I guess that’s acceptable.” Anna sighed. “And I suppose I should be thankful that you stood up for me in the first place. I don’t think I would have managed to really get them going without your help.”

“That’s because they’re afraid of me. It’s nice to flex that power once in a while,”

“Well, I thank you all the same.” She smiled back, then reached for Hans’ hand and dragged him back over to the crates worth of decorations scattered all over the floor.

“Well…” Hans murmured to her, “this is going off better than I thought. “I wasn’t expecting Frederick to put the fear of god into them, but I won’t complain! For once I’m not the one being threatened.”

Anna beamed at him and leaned over to kiss his cheek. “Maybe this is a sign that things will be better from here on out.”

He shrugged. “Or at least for Christmas.”

“Baby steps, Hans. Baby steps.”

~****~

After an hour went by, Anna stepped over to the hall’s entrance doors to survey everyone’s handiwork. The spheres that Viktor and Georg painted were now dry and the twins were busy hanging them around the lower parts of the tree. Johan had used most of the red fabric scraps to make bows. He and Lars glued bits of holly to them, and Frederick was currently using the tall ladder to hang them along the many columns flanking the chamber. Tomas was sitting on the floor surrounded by so many paper scraps, she had no idea what he was up to. But it seemed his imaginative streak finally kicked in because whatever he was doing, he was intensely focused on it.

As for Dirk and Derrick… they were huddled in the corner of the room working on something. It was a secret. The unknown, along with the sly looks on their faces did not sit well with her. But— it was Christmas, and she was going to give them the benefit of the doubt.

She and Hans had made the rest of the room as festive as possible. There was more garland hiding in another box, so they wrapped it around the stairway banisters and spread some colorful tinsel on the console table at the top of the stairs. Before too long, the only full box left was one reserved for the Christmas Tree. And in a stroke of perfect timing, some of the groundskeepers even brought in large wreaths from outside that they hung on the grand entrance doors.

“Great job everyone!” She exclaimed loudly and clasped her hands together against her chest. “Everything looks so beautiful! Your father is going to love this!”

A subtle cough caught her attention, and her gaze moved to the left. Hans was leaning casually against the wall with a ‘come hither’ look on his face. Ooh, he was up to something, that much was certain. Her curiosity was immediately piqued, and when she was about halfway to him, he turned his head and called out into the room.

“Hey, Frederick! Anna and I are going to step out for a bit and get some snacks—“

“Oooh you had better bring some back for the rest of us!” Tomas interrupted from the floor. “I’m hungry enough to eat Lars!”

A sigh came from Frederick. “Very well. I’ll just—“

“—Supervise.” Hans finished for him this time. “We know.” Eagerly, he took hold of Anna’s hand and led her out through a side hallway towards the kitchens.

“Hans!” She giggled as she tugged along. “The kitchen isn’t this way! What’s this about?”

When they rounded the corner, Hans immediately pulled her against the wall and reached into his waistcoat pocket. Out came a small sprig of mistletoe and he grinned like a fool as he purposefully held it over their heads. A quiet gasp escaped her as soon as her eyes landed on it and her hands came sliding up his chest to loop around his neck to pull him down to her.

The kiss was slow and sweet. A far cry from the more passionate moments when they would duck inside a small sitting room and practically fall into each other’s laps. No, Hans was being a pure gentleman here— as gentlemanly as sneaking an unchaperoned kiss in a darkened corner of a hallway could be, anyway. She loved these chaste kisses just as much as the fiery ones, if only they could last long enough. The smooch was over before it could really get a chance to develop into anything more, and Hans broke away to lean his forehead against hers.

“That was nice…” she murmured to him softly and massaged her fingers gently through the bottom of his hair.

He smiled adoringly at her, “I wanted to thank you for everything you’ve done organizing this today…” he explained, “What Frederick said about my mother was true… there really hasn’t been much life in this place. That is… until you came here. A-and I don’t just mean that because I love you and we’re getting married. Regardless if my brothers would admit it or not, you really have made a difference.”

Anna could feel her cheeks reddening. “But all I wanted to do was decorate for the holidays—“

“You’re forcing us to be a family. Tomas and Lars hardly remember my mother. And Dirk and Derrick were barely over a year old when she died. None of us really know what a real inclusive familial environment is like, and that’s why they act out the way they do. I’m not saying our issues will dissolve after today or even tomorrow… but by you coaxing us into working together, maybe there’s a chance for this family after all.” His empty hand came up to stroke her cheeks, “so thank you… for saving not just me, but maybe my brothers, too.”

She smiled shyly and leaned her head into his hand, “well… most of them. I think Dirk and Derrick are a bit beyond hope.”

He chuckled. “You’re probably right.”

“You didn’t have to pull me away just to say that, though. I’m sure some of your brothers could benefit from hearing that, too.”

“Maybe…” Hans said thoughtfully, “except I also wanted to kiss you. And I certainly wasn’t going to do that right in front of Dirk and Derrick.”

Her eyes flitted upwards to the mistletoe that he still held awkwardly over their heads. “I suppose you were hiding that from them, too?”

“Mmhm…” he nodded. “It’s too much work to chase after eight men fighting over this thing. No one kisses my bride-to-be but me!”

Anna batted her eyelashes sweetly. “Well… I’m still standing under it… and I think a proper thank you for my hard work warrants another kiss, don’t you think? Or better yet… several?” She asked with a slight giggle in her voice. “How long do you think we can get away with hiding here before Tomas becomes cannibalistic?”

Hans couldn’t resist rolling his eyes. “Probably not long.”

“Then we better make every moment count.” She whispered and pulled his head back down for a deeper, more passionate kiss.

~****~

Anna couldn’t hide the blush on her cheeks as both she and Hans carried snack trays back to the great hall. The naughty mistletoe was stashed back into his pocket, but that didn’t stop Hans from stealing an extra smooch just outside the kitchen. Hopefully Tomas and the others wouldn’t question why it took so long for them to find something to eat. If word got around that the majority of the time gone was from them devouring each other’s mouths in the corridors, they would never hear the end of it. And Hans worked too hard to keep their courtship as virtuous as possible.

Virtuous with make-out sessions. After all, balance was important!

“Do you think they finished decorating by now?”

“I don’t know…” Hans said thoughtfully. “If everything is done, more of a reason for us to be alone again.” He sighed softly, “but at the same time, I did enjoy decorating, so I hope they still left some of the tree for us.”

“Me too… for both of those!” Anna nodded. “It would be so wonderful if this turned into a new family tradition! And just think! There’s–” her voice was cut off as soon as they rounded the corner onto the connecting hallway to the Great Hall.

“Don’t you dare put that piece of shit on the tree!”

“We made this! It deserves its proper place along with everyone else’s projects!”

Anna exchanged a worried glance with Hans. “Um… what’s going on?”

“There’s only one way to find out.” Hans led the way back to the large chamber, but he and Anna both slowed their pace once Frederick’s voice could suddenly be heard shouting nearly every expletive under the sun while a mixture of the other brothers’ voices all talking over one another. Then there was the sound of something breaking.

“I left you alone for five minutes. FIVE. MINUTES! Must you two always be so god-damn offensive?!”

Anna and Hans stopped dead in their tracks once they actually reached the hall and the sight before them made their jaws drop. Derrick had taken the ladder and stood all the way at the top, but his back was to Anna so she couldn’t see what he was doing. Dirk had pulled the craft table over to the other side of the tree and was standing on it to reach the top where Derrick was. It looked like they were decorating the top. Tomas was still sitting on the floor in the same place, only now it was clear what he was working on. There were paper snowflakes all around, and he was using string to create a banner for them to hang. Anna wondered how he could even focus on that while there was so much going on around him. Lars, thankfully still alive, was doubled over on his knees. Was he laughing or crying? It was hard to tell.

Viktor and Georg huddled together further back in the room, shaking their heads and using their hands to hide their view of the tree. Frederick had joined them after running out of things to say since it was clear whatever Dirk and Derrick did, they weren’t listening to him to begin with.

“Um…” Anna began, not entirely sure what to say. “We’re back?”

At the sound of her voice, Tomas perked up and instantly dropped everything in his hands. “Oh thank the merciful heavens!” He got to his feet so fast and ran over to the tray Anna was holding. He snatched a sandwich off the pile and shoved a good quarter of it into his mouth. “Ish abou’ ‘ime! What ‘ook…” he swallowed hard and licked his lips before taking another bite, “...what took so long??”

“Never mind that.” Hans said warily as he stepped further into the room. His tray was set down on the nearest console table. “What happened to Johan?”

“Oh.” Tomas shrugged and reached for another sandwich. “He left.” He pointed to a spot on the floor where the broken shards of a glass ornament lay. “Derrick stole the ladder and pissed him off.”

Finally feeling brave enough, Anna set the tray down next to the other one and stepped more into the center of the room. The first thing her eyes landed on were the ornaments decorating the tree. It looked like the brothers finished going through everything! That was wonderful! Different colored glass baubles were scattered about, mixed in with tinsels and ribbon garland draped all the way around!

“Aw, guys! The tree looks great!” She exclaimed with a proud smile on her face. “You should be so…uh…” her enthusiasm instantly waned as she managed to get a look at the top of the tree and what Dirk and Derrick were doing. From the initial look of things, they were trying to precariously settle a topper in place. Only that was no star. And it wasn’t even an angel or a snowman, or anything really resembling winter or Christmas. It was oblong and overall fleshy colored, with the bottom end more divided and rounded on both sides as if they glued two spheres together and used tubed cardstock for the longer portion. For whatever reason, though, there were bits of tinsel glued to the very bottom and the narrower top, the stem, had the tip painted in white. Those were decorative choices that left her rather confused.

“Um… what is that?” Anna couldn’t resist asking with her head tilted slightly to one side. Briefly, her eyes found Hans as he slowly approached. His jaw was dropped, though instead of her curious look, his was more of horror. She couldn’t quite understand why. “Did you guys really make a… squash and put it on the tree?”

“A SQUASH!!!” If Lars wasn’t laughing before, he certainly was now. His outburst made Anna turn towards him and she saw him clutching his side as he now fell over onto the floor from his fits with his legs kicking out in the air. Even Tomas nearly choked on his sandwich as he cracked up laughing, too.

Dirk and Derrick looked at each other with unamused faces and muttered a disdainful “virgins” in unison under their breath.

Anna felt her cheeks redden in embarrassment. What was so funny?

“Um… Sunshine…” Hans wasn’t quite sure how to word this. “That’s not a–”

“What is this?” A curious voice boomed behind them all. Everyone’s attention was suddenly on King Alexander and Prince Astor as they strolled in from outside and naturally, they froze upon sight before them. Tomas dropped his half-eaten sandwich to the floor. Lars had managed to stop laughing at his father’s presence, but he was so out of breath that he couldn’t even get off the floor. Frederick, Viktor and Georg looked too embarrassed to even be associated with their brothers. Everyone had grown so quiet that a loose pine needle from the tree could be heard fluttering to the floor.

“Oh dear God…” Astor’s jaw dropped. He too shared Hans’ horrified expression.

But King Alexander? He stared at his twin sons balanced precariously on ladders and tables clutching the most ridiculous and inappropriate tree decoration that he had ever seen. And for the first time in years, he too let out a hearty laugh of his own that lasted so long, it made a few of the princes chuckle awkwardly. After all, if the King wasn’t offended by the sight of the tree, why should they be? “Well done, my children. Well done.” He walked further in and approached Anna. He clasped his hands over her own. “Especially you, my dear. None of this would have been possible without your determination, and it has paid off. It certainly feels like Christmas after so long.”

Anna smiled wide. “Thank you, Your Majesty! But in the end, we all pitched in to make this happen. Even Frederick! He was really the one to rally everyone together. We wanted to do this for you.”

King Alexander smiled warmly at her and bent down to give her a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you,” he said softly and straightened up to address the room. “Thank you, all of you. We are truly lucky to have Anna here who cares so much for this family. It warms my heart to think that perhaps things can return to the way they used to be so long ago. Queen Miriam would be proud to see a sight like this.”

Anna’s cheeks turned pink as she clutched her hands to her chest. “I wish she could be here with us. I wish I could have known her.”

“Then tonight, you shall!” Alexander bellowed, “after dinner, we shall regale you with Christmas tales from years gone by. Stories perhaps… that should have been shared a long time ago.” He nodded slowly, then gestured for Astor to follow him. “But for now, the Ambassador and I still have work to complete. “The rest of you may carry on! We have plenty more decorations stored in the North tower! I think the South Parlor could use some attention.” He said with a subtle wink to her.

“Hint taken.” Anna smiled.

Soon the small family were back in their home and had set up the tree. Hans was on his knees fastening the tree on the ground to avoid it from falling with the dog Donny sitting behind him watching him.

Anna came downstairs slow with a box in her arms watching the little girl descent in front of her carrying a smaller box filled with various shaped decors.

“Are you sure you can handle it?” Questioned Anna watching the daughter continue without any comment, then she looked through the arc into the living room to see the husky attentive watching the man.

Hanna reached the end of the stairs, then ran into the living room and tripped, falling down on the box, shrieking. Donny jumped aside after seeing the girl fall, then nudged his moisty nose on the girl to sniff her making the girl giggle at sensing the dog’s nose on her face. Donny wagged his tail hastily, giving the girl kisses making her giggle, and glimpsed at the dog, which had stopped and looked at her while keeping his tail in movement.

Hans stepped up from the tree, then saw the daughter lie with her belly on the box and approached the toddler to pick her up, so she would stand on her feet.

“Did you bring that all on your own?” Asked Hans making the girl beam excitedly, then got caressed on her face gently by the father. “Great job!” Complimented the auburn-haired man, then picked out of the box a six-edged star made of straw and handed it out to the daughter. Hanna took it, then walked to the tree to look at the tree branches, then hang the star up on the edge and looked at it, seeing it was fastened. Hanna looked at Donny, which had seen her doing that, then picked up with his mouth a medium-sized, white-colored bell and got up on his hind legs trying to place it above a branch at the first try, but he ended up missing the branch after the attempt saw the bell land on the ground.

Hans chuckled at seeing the family dog had tried to hang up a decor, then he got down and held out a branch and looked back at the husky.

“Now give it another try,” Offered Hans watching Donny pick up the bell by the end to hold it towards Hans, which took it to adjust on the branch he had pulled out. “Can you take it by the thread?” Asked Hans watching the dog shove his head into the box to take out a knitted angel puppet by the legs, making Hans shake his head and point at the small thread on the angel. “This is the thread,” Hans mentioned watching the dog lick his lips at listening to the owner. Hans opened the thread, then reached it to his mouth watching him take it and Hans reached another branch down, so Donny could hang the angel on it. It was hanging on the edge almost falling down, but Hans shove it a little into the tree to avoid it to happen, afterward passed his hand over Donny’s head.

“I’ve brought the glass ornaments Elsa gave us last year. They have looked so pretty on the tree,” Commented Anna making her husband nod.

“They’re handmade, right?” Hans asked earning a nod from the woman.

“Yes. I think the way she made them is similar to glassmaking, besides she doesn’t need heat to make them,” Pointed out the strawberry-blonde picking an oval-shaped ornament to hang it at the middle of the tree.

“A gingy!” Commented Hanna taking out from the box a gingerbread man made of clay. “Pappa, it’s Gingy!” Commented the girl holding up the flat clay figure at the father.

“Oh there he is, where shall we hang him this time?” Questioned Hans putting up near the top of the tree a red-colored sled.

“On top!” Answered the girl, which was picked up by Hans and parked above his shoulders, then he approached the tree with the girl, which looked for the adequate place for her figure. Hanna placed the gingerbread man on the branch, followed by Hans reaching his left hand up to help Hanna hang it up and watched her take her hand away to see the results and clapped. “Very well, my princess!”

“What was up?” Questioned Anna glimpsing at the two, then recognized the gingerbread man, which was painted by Hanna a year ago. “Good choice,” Complimented Anna making the daughter smile, then got put down by the father, afterward she took out from the box a small snowman made of clay and showed it to the mother.

“Owaf!” Commented the girl making Anna nod.

“That’s right, Olaf,” Commented Anna taking a round ornament from the box while looking at the daughter. “Shall we put him on top?” Questioned Anna, then Hanna walked towards the mother’s arms, which picked up the daughter and held her in the arms. “Mamma, there” Spoke the girl, then Anna moved the girl closer to the tree to have her adjust the snowman on the tree, as well Anna used her other arm to hang up her ornament on another part of the tree raising up her right leg.

“I’m taking some of the ornaments into the other box and finish the other side,” Mentioned Hans grabbing a few balls to put it in his box, then shove it aside so he could continue on the other side.

Anna placed the daughter back on the ground, then grabbed two ornaments from the box and handed one out to the daughter, which took it and gazed through the glass to see Donny’s face, which was distorted in the image, afterward he panted making the face look chubbier making Hanna laugh.

“What’s so funny?” Asked Anna bowing beside the girl to see Donny, then used her own ornament to see a different image and chuckled. “Aww it makes you look cuter, Donny,” Mentioned Anna enchanted, then Donny sniffed the ornament balls inside the box, then grabbed one with his teeth and broke them, causing him to jump back, then began to twirl his tongue to get rid of the small, broken ice pieces on the tongue. “Oh Donny, you better pick up the others. They’re less fragile,” Suggested Anna Westergaard glimpsing at her husband, which had looked away from the tree to see Donny, then chuckled as well.

The family was done with decorating and Anna stood in front of the fireplace adjusting a long garland, she had put over the wooden board. Anna passed her finger through the garland, which was mainly made of dried orange slices and a few twigs, then approached her nose at it to feel the scent of them in her nose.

“Mmh there’s nothing more tasteful, than dried fruits,” Commented Anna followed by a bark, she heard from the spitz-type-of dog that lied in front of the couch of the living room looking at the woman. Anna took another look at the fireplace with pride, then crossed her arms satisfied with the result. "You're right Donny, it looks fantastic," Spoke the adult hearing another short bark from the Siberian Husky.

From the kitchen came out Hans carrying two plates, one filled with butter cookies and the other one he carried three cups filled with hot chocolate, decorated with whipped cream and chocolate crisps above it. Beside him walked carefully Hanna taking a soup plate filled with natural milk following the father into the living room, where Anna stood along with Donny.

“Hot chocolate for us all,” Offered the Danish man handing the cookies out to his life partner, then observed Hanna carefully place in front of Donny the milk, afterward she approached the husky to give him a hug. “Donny gets it without chocolate,” Mentioned Hans watching Hanna move back to the father, which waited for her, then he pointed out making Hanna notice her mother had just sat down in front of the fireplace and the daughter got down beside the woman, which smiled placing her hand around Hanna’s back, then pecked her on the forehead. Hans sat beside his daughter, then held out the plate for the two women to take their cups and Anna chuckled to see the cup she just picked.

“You really know how much I love this cup saying Warrior Princess?” Commented Anna making Hans nod.

“Yeah, yet the first time you bought it you didn’t find it so special,” Commented Hans making Anna nod, then watched Hanna grab a cookie to eat, then Anna took along with Hans one as well and dunk it into their drink.

“Another day is over again so fast. That’s really crazy,” Stated Anna making Hans nod. “It feels like it was yesterday, that we had decorated along with Elsa as Hanna still was 2,”

“I believe you,” Commented Hans, then rolled his eyes down as he heard the little girl slurp from the chocolate drink, which made him smile charmed about the sight he got from his daughter. Anna chuckled from seeing the cuteness of the noise she had made, after that, took a sip from her chocolate as well getting her cupid’s bow wet.

“Our girl is a real blessing,” Mentioned Anna leaning her head on Hans’ shoulder. “I couldn’t imagine my life now without her in it. My adoration for her is.....it's inexpressible. It’s something I have never felt in my life before like you only know how this feeling, when you’re on that phase of your life,”

“She’s a real treasure,” Added Hans seeing Hanna yawn, afterward Anna pulled the girl up on her lap and embraced the girl tightly making her smile, then lean her face against her breast.

“You’re tired I know, darling,” Whispered Anna caressing her daughter on the head. Hanna glimpsed up with her light-blue eyes at her mother, which gave her a reassuring smile, as she patted the daughter and she closed them again while being fondled by the mother. “My little darling, if you just had your father’s eyes you would be so beauteous,”

Hans chuckled, then wrapped his left arm around Anna leaning his face against Anna making her giggle from sensing the hair of his sideburns.

“She’s already got my hair and in the Westergaard clan this is one of our best features,” Commented Hans placing his right arm behind Hanna’s back to caress her as well.

“I know and you know I like that,” Whispered Anna, then felt Hans lean his forehead on hers sitting there together reunited with their little bundle of joy enjoying the warmth coming from the fireplace.

She looked beautiful. There was no denying that as Anna stared at herself in the floor length mirror. It was a frilly off-shoulder gown in a rich eggplant-purple shade with decorative white lace flounced at her elbow sleeves and the bodice. The skirt was full with light pleats, enough for the fabric to swish around her legs if she spun around, and the back length was slightly longer than the front to form a small train behind her. Complimenting her formal wear was a black ribbon choker with a pearl pendant hanging from the center that matched a set of drop earrings dangling from her lobes. And her hair, styled in her favorite braided updo, was held together by a jeweled comb with white ribbons hanging off the back. This was the most she’s ever dressed up before and tonight’s engagement certainly warranted it. This was the Westergaard banquet, the largest family event of the year.

Unfortunately, all she wanted to do was take all of the finery off, put on her nightdress, and bury herself in bed until every single one of Hans’ relatives went home.

Her whole body jerked to one side suddenly as Miss Lilith’s reflection suddenly showed peeking out from behind the princess. “Almost there, your highness! These lacings are rather stiff.”

“Are you sure this was really necessary?” Anna asked with a sigh as she felt everything tighten securely around her torso. “I have plenty of other dresses that I could have worn tonight.” With a slight groan, she added, “there’s also plenty of other things I could be doing tonight, too.”

“Oh but there’s nothing more important than family gala’s, Milady.”

“…they’re not my family….” She muttered under her breath. It almost pained her to think that way. For months, all she could dream about was marrying her beloved prince and having a proper family again— parents, siblings… and eventually with Hans, a small family of their very own. And when she first found out that every Westergaard under the sun would be descending upon the castle for the holiday season, she grew excited. Distant relatives would always have interesting stories and histories to share, plus it would give her a chance to learn more about the large Westergaard family tree and just how far its branches extended out. Who knew… perhaps she would discover a distant Arendellian in her midst!

Her boundless excitement soon disintegrated once the relatives started arriving. The men— Dukes, Counts, and Lords that reside throughout the smaller islands and territories of the Isles were alright, at least at first... As a princess in her own right, they were of course polite to her and showed proper deference during introductions. But the ladies that came with them were vile. She lost count how many scrutinizing glances and side-eyes she endured in one afternoon alone. They all seemed the same, putting on the show of being oh so prim and proper with their ramrod-straight perfect posture, fancy clothes, hairstyles and jewels, and movements so graceful that it seemed like they glided in mid air as they walked about the castle. But deep down they were nothing but gossiping shrews. And Anna was certain that while not in their company, they were spreading their nasty opinions of her to their husbands.

To think that she thought most of Hans’ brothers were awful enough. Those men, she learned to live with, and learned how to handle properly— and as some of them found out the hard way, learned how not to handle her— and had the black eyes or broken noses to show for it.

But these women… having to endure outing after outing with them became agonizing. Not once did she have anyone else nearby to offer her support. Engagements were always separated. When the men went on hunting or shooting excursions, Anna was left all alone with the wives for luncheons, tea parties, music sessions among other feminine activities, all of which were so drawn out she never thought they would end. Conversation topics were always on subjects that she knew absolutely nothing about, so she had little recourse but to sit there awkwardly while the other ladies gossiped to each other. Anna wondered if they did it all on purpose, as an unsaid way of expressing how she was the odd one out and didn’t belong among the family.

“But they will be soon enough,” Miss Lilith said sternly and guided Anna back over to the vanity and pulled out yet another box of jewelry to sort through. “And it’s important to make the right impressions.”

“I’ve already made the wrong one.” She sighed and hid her face in her hands. “And I didn’t even do anything to warrant it.”

“I’m sure it’s not as bad as it seems—“

“Trust me, it is.” Anna’s muffled voice answered. There was a swift knock at her bedroom door, and before she could even think to get up, Miss Lilith had practically dropped the jewelry box on the vanity table and rushed to the door.

“Who is it?” The woman pressed.

“Hans?”

Hearing his voice suddenly perked Anna up. She lifted her head from her hands and turned towards the door. “O-oh! Let him—“

“Your Highness!” Miss Lilith exclaimed, effectively cutting Anna off. “You’ll have to wait. Her Highness is indecent.”

Anna glanced down at her attire. Her gown was laced, her hair was done… What else was there to do? Put on some shoes? She at least had silk stockings on, and it wasn’t as if Hans had never seen her feet before, anyway. “It’s okay, Lilith. He can come in.”

“But Milady—“

“I said let him in!” Anna said louder, trying hard not to snap at the woman. Just because she was in a foul mood didn’t mean she should be rude to her personal staff. “There’s no harm in it.”

“This is highly improper, Your Highness…” Miss Lilith sighed loudly yet did as she was told. Once the door was open, she curtsied to Hans as he stepped into the room and eyed him warily as he crossed over to where Anna sat.

Anna turned slightly in her seat in his direction and tried her best to smile up at him. He looked so sharp dressed in his crème colored ensemble, bold red sash across his chest and polished black knee-high boots. Gosh, he was like a walking dream. She wished she felt as wonderful as he looked. “Hi you.” She said softly as her eyes followed his form when he moved to kneel before her. “You’re looking rather handsome.”

Hans took her closest hand in his and laid a kiss against her knuckles. “And you’re looking rather beautiful.” He complimented her with a soft smile of his own. “Of course, you’re always the most beautiful to me.”

Anna blushed at the compliment and as soon as she opened her mouth to say something in return, she could hear Lilith clearing her throat behind them. A glance over her shoulder and she could see the woman’s gaze down on the way Hans still clutched her hand close to his face. This would not do. It was bad enough she had to deal with distant relatives and their disgusting behavior. She didn’t want to have to worry about Lilith’s overbearing, prudish stare souring a quiet moment with her fiancé. This might be the only pleasant part of the whole evening.

“Miss Lilith, can you leave us, please?” She asked, trying to keep her voice as even as possible.

“B-b-but Milady—“

“I need a moment with him alone.” Anna interrupted her, “and there’s nothing else I require from you right now. I’m as properly dressed as I’m going to ever be for this stupid banquet. So, thank you as always for your assistance, but I think I can handle myself from here.” The lady's maid did not look at all pleased, but eventually she nodded and after one more curtsy, she turned and left the room, closing the door behind her. “She means well…” Anna sighed as she turned back to Hans, “but sometimes she really gets on my nerves.” Her eyes traveled to their joined hands and how his fingers were massaging into her skin. It was a subtle and kind gesture, though the white gloves he wore made the contact seem rougher than usual. It suddenly reminded her that she too had a set of white satin gloves laying on the other side of the vanity to wear.

During her long period of silence, Hans tilted his head slightly to one side. “We should probably head downstairs before we’re considered late and all of the good seats are gone.” He suggested, “something tells me that father won’t have too many qualms about starting without us. Especially since everyone knows Uncle Hershel will complain incessantly if we serve a few minutes past the hour.” When she failed to respond to him, he furrowed his brow and reached out with his other hand to cup her cheek. “Darling, what is it? What’s wrong?”

Anna wiggled her hand out of his grasp and reached over for her gloves. There was a desperate need to have something to fiddle with. “Do… do we really have to do this?” She asked meekly.

“Well, we didn’t get all dressed up for nothing…” he said softly in an effort to lighten the mood. “If it makes you feel better, I’ve loathed this event for the last fifteen-or-so-years. It’s really not so bad, though. They tend to ignore me most of the time.”

“You say that…” Anna said softly, her gaze down at her lap, “because you’ve known these people all your life. They’ve barely been here a week, and I already feel like throwing up at the prospect of spending any more than five minutes in the same room with them.”

“What have they done?” It was an honest, curious question, but there were accusation hints in his tone.

Anna scoffed and stood up from her stool and began pacing about the room before him. “You mean what haven’t they done?? For starters…” She proceeded to tell him each and every instance that his relatives made her feel so inferior and uncomfortable at no fault of her own, and as the list went on, she could feel her hands forming into fists and shaking at her sides. “...and those were just the ones from earlier this week. It doesn’t count your creepy cousin Bartholomew who is far worse than your brother Dirk on a bad day– and I never thought I could ever say that about anyone! It’s like every time we are in the same room he stares at me with this nasty look in his eyes… like he’s a dog and I’m some juicy steak and all he wants to do is devour every last part of me. It’s disgusting!”

“Anna, I–” Hans began to say but was immediately cut off by her.

“--And then, just this afternoon, your dear ol’ Aunt Mildew–”

“--Mildred?”

Anna stared at him for a few solid seconds before throwing her hands into the air, “w-whatever! She had the nerve to insinuate that my parents were horrible for letting me believe in true love and fairy tales, and for not raising me to be a proper lady. God, Hans, she made me sound like some social pariah, and that’s why Elsa was so flippant on making me leave!” She was fuming, and finally she stomped over and sank down on the edge of her bed. “And as if that couldn’t get any worse, she just stood there in the middle of the drawing room with that stuffy Countess Maria-from god-knows-where, and proceeded to tell everyone how hideous my white streak is to look at– all while I’m sitting right there!”

Hans stared at her, wide-eyed and horrified. He was so stunned, he didn’t know quite what to say. When the entire family were together for dinner gatherings or combined activities, everyone seemed rather civil– for the most part. Though, now that he thought about it, Cousin Bartholomew was acting rather odd the night before. Was he so desensitized to his relations that he missed nearly all of the warning signs? The thought made him feel absolutely sick. What kind of fiancé was he?

“Anna…” he said softly and rose to his feet to join her on the bed. “If they were abusing you this much, why didn’t you say something to me sooner?”

“B-because they’re your family!” She cried, “I know you warned me about them ahead of time, but I always had this idea built into my head that families were loving and supportive. That they would at least be kind to those about to join in by marriage, and… and…” she tossed her gloves carelessly onto the floor and turned to bury her face into his chest, “But I didn’t think I was going to be proven wrong by nearly everyone! A-And when we were all together and I saw you tolerating them seemingly well, I was too afraid to say something and risk becoming the one person with the problem! B-because no one likes a trouble maker! They already made me feel like an odd woman out just because I’m so different from them when all I wanted was to fit in and have them like me.” She sniffled loudly repeating some of her shortcomings, “But I’m a lost cause! I can’t speak French, I’m not graceful, my artistic skills are none, and I certainly can’t play a concerto by myself on the grand piano– I barely remember my scales—.”

“I can assure you that half of those women can’t do some of those things, either,” he tried to soothe her by running a hand up and down her back, “In fact, Cousin Marlena can’t even read the notes on the sheet music, let alone play anything properly. Still,” he sighed, “that doesn’t excuse what was said.”

“... I even tried to restyle my hair to hide my streak…” Anna admitted shamefully as she clenched tightly to his tailcoat lapels, “to appear more normal…so that I wouldn’t get picked on tonight. Except that everything that I tried looked horrible and I realized that even if I did cover it up, they would just whisper behind my back how I hid it in the first place.”

“Oh, Anna…” He sighed and pulled her tighter into his arms. “Please don’t ever feel that you need to hide away a part of yourself. Your streak is beautiful and unique.”

“They said it reminded them of a skunk…”

“To hell with what they say.” He replied. “We are all born different, so there’s no use trying to compare ourselves to others, or worse, try to change ourselves to please people we don’t even like.”

“But—“

“No buts,” he shushed her and grew quieter as he continued to console her, “Other people walk through life where you prefer to skip, and maybe some watch their step in places where you might stumble or trip. You can be a bit feisty, with plenty of things to say. But… that also makes you you, and that’s how I hope you’ll stay.”

“H-Hans… I—“

“There are so many people in this world that lie and cheat, that take pleasure in putting others down. But you’re different. Your heart is honest and true and real. Your soul has a light that surpasses the sun itself. And above all, you have such a strong sense of love that it could hold up the entire world if given the chance. Despite what they say or do, I hope you can still look in the mirror and see yourself, love yourself as I do you. You are beautiful, wondrous, and special, with the heart of a passionate fighter, through and through. That’s who I fell in love with.”

Anna pulled back slightly to wipe some tears away and gaze up at him. He looked down at her with eyes full of longing and concern. He was right, of course. Hans was always right. She had never felt so insecure about herself before his distant relatives came. They made her this way. They were the ones with the problems, not her. And what would be the point of trying to change? They would only be around for a short while, and then they’d go back to their homes, not to be seen again until the next Christmas season. And who would she possibly change into? One of them?? What a nauseating prospect!

“You always know what to say to make me feel better…” She said, barely above a whisper. “I really needed that.”

He lowered his head to plant a small kiss into her hair. “I’m sorry I haven’t been as attentive as I should have been. I could have saved you from so much anxiety.” He offered a small apologetic smile. “As it stands, I already want to punch Cousin Bartholomew in the face. That would make me feel better.”

“Can I be there to see it happen?”

“Absolutely.”

The mental image of Hans’ cousin getting his nose broken did put a small smile on her face, but it didn’t last long. She still felt stuck in the same predicament as before. The banquet tonight would still be an awkward mess even if she did try to ignore every little thing that Aunt Mildew and the others said or did. With a sigh, she detached from him and bent down to retrieve her gloves. She tugged them on as slow as possible, taking extra care to tug them up her forearms until they were smoothly in place.

“Well…I suppose we should get this ordeal over with.” She uttered more to herself and after she stood up, she ran her hands down her skirts to get some small wrinkles out of the fabric. “The sooner we go downstairs, the sooner the night will end.”

Hans stood up and walked to the door. He paused once his hand was resting on the doorknob. When he turned back to glance at her, she was lifting her skirts to slip her feet into her heeled shoes. “...I… I have a better idea.”

That immediately got her attention. Her gaze immediately shot up to him, her eyes widening in curiosity. “Wait, what?”

“I don’t particularly feel like going to the banquet, either. So… we won’t.”

She blinked once, twice, three times. “But… we’re supposed to attend. It’s a mandatory family event. T-that’s what Frederick said.”

His head tilted slightly to the side, “but you’re the only family that matters to me. If my relatives have really terrorized you to the point of tears, then I will gladly risk the consequences of skipping this dinner for the sake of your happiness.”

Her cheeks pinked, “but… won’t I get in trouble, too?”

He shook his head. “No. This was all my idea. And besides, we both know that my father likes you far more than he does me….” Once she was close enough, he reached out to caress her cheek. “It’ll be fine. Trust me.”

She smiled weakly. “I do. So… if we aren’t attending the banquet… where are we going?”

~**~**~**~

“Maybe I should have brought a warmer cloak…” Anna shivered a bit and held onto Sitron’s mane. “But this was the only one that looked decent with this dress.”

Hans shifted the reins to the other hand and looked up at her. “We’re almost there, but you can have my coat if you’d like.”

She didn’t want to put him out, especially if there wasn’t much longer to go. “I think I’ll be alright for now. But I’ll take you up on it on our way back home. It’ll be a lot colder then.”

He briefly smiled at her and pulled Sitron over to a hitching post just outside of a large stand alone establishment. Sitron shook his mane out a bit as Hans securely tied the reins down.

Anna glanced up to the sign hanging over the door and raised a curious brow. “Teek’s Tavern? This is our stop?”

“Sure is!” Hans said and reached up to help her down off the saddle. She slid effortlessly into his arms and landed lightly on her feet. “Teek’s has some of the best food throughout the city.” When he removed his arms from around her waist, he reached up and awkwardly scratched his cheek. “I’m a frequent customer– or I used to be. I can’t quite remember the last time I ate here.” He offered his hand to her, “but you won’t be disappointed. I promise.”

Anna took his hand but hesitated before stepping up to the front door. “Don’t you think we’re a little overdressed?” She asked and gestured to her gown, “I mean… we’re wearing enough finery for like two royal balls… it’s a bit much just to eat in a public house.”

Her concerns didn’t seem to faze Hans one bit. Instead of her concern, his face showed nothing but glee. “Think of it as a special occasion night for the both of us… a delightful table for two!” Before she could come up with anything else to say, he gently tugged her through the front door of the establishment.

Teek’s Tavern was certainly a charming place. The interior was much larger than the outside made it seem. A long bar took up one side of the dining area, but there were plenty of tables set up across from it, and quite a few patrons scattered about. Some were eating, others drinking, and a few tables near the back wall had checkered boards set up. One particular corner had two elder gentlemen engaged in what seemed like an intense game of chess. The dining room was also decorated for the holiday season. Hanging off some of the windows were small wreaths and bits of holly and there was a larger garland draped over the large fireplace mantle. Just enough to be festive without being too busy.

Anna barely took three steps into the dining room when her nose was treated to the delightful smells of bread, meat and potatoes. Thank goodness they were going to be eating soon. She wasn’t quite hungry before they arrived, but now she was certain she would start salivating any minute. If the smells were any indication of the quality of their meal, then this would definitely be a real treat indeed.

“Well, well! If it isn’t our resident royal!” The man behind the bar exclaimed as he dried a mug with a towel, “And what’s this? Number Thirteen with a smile on his face and a pretty lady in tow? Oooh, this is certainly a night of firsts!”

“Good evening, Franz!” Hans beamed, “I don’t suppose that my usual table is still available?”

“Your Highness!” Franz pretended to scoff, “Do you honestly think I’d let anyone else sit there?” he chuckled and motioned with his thumb towards a small room off to the side of the bar. “Go ahead and make yourselves comfortable. I’ll be right there.”

As Hans led her through the dining room, she noticed that none of the other patrons really spared either of them a glance, even with the barkeeper’s outburst. Perhaps they were used to him coming and going from this place. It also meant that they didn’t really look upon her either. She was fine with that. All of her fanciful attire was making her feel a bit self conscious.

Their table was tucked away in a small little alcove near the fireplace and far away from the other patrons. Hans, being the gentleman that he was, helped her out of her cloak and hung it and his coat on the nearest wall peg he could find, then pulled out her chair for her to sit. The chairs were basic and wooden, but were sturdy enough not to creak as she got settled on the seat. The table itself was completely bare. No glasses, no place settings.

“Ooh, it’s warm here.” Anna smiled and glanced at the roaring fire. “This will do nicely.”

“What can I say? I know how to pick a good hideaway spot.” He grinned at her, then glanced up over her shoulder as Franz came over to them with his arms full. A place setting was made for each of them, and once the man’s hands were free, Hans stood back up to greet the man properly.

“It’s good to see you, Hans.” Franz grinned as the two men shook hands. “And look at you! You actually look like a prince for once! Who would have thought that you of all people cleaned up so nice.” He nudged Hans in the ribs and turned to smile at Anna. “And who is your lovely friend? I’d like to be introduced.”

With a lopsided grin, Hans readjusted his waistcoat and gestured to Anna. “Anna? This is Franz Teek. He runs the tavern. Franz, this is Princess Anna–”

“Oooh, a princess?” Franz interrupted Hans and made a show of putting on a sweeping bow for her. “May I be the first to welcome you to the Southern Isles and Teek’s Tavern.” After his over-the-top flourish, he took one of her gloved hands and laid a feather light kiss against the back.

Anna’s cheeks immediately pinkened at the display and folded her hands nicely in her lap. “Thank you. It’s very nice to meet you.”

“What brings you to the Southern Isles, hmm??”

“Hans and I are getting married–”

“What??” Franz rounded on the prince with wide eyes. “Well may I offer my sincerest congratulations!! So, an engagement celebration, eh?? That certainly explains the fancy dress!”

Hans tried to wave to his friend, “Well, we weren’t exactly–”

Franz, in his hyper focused excitement turned towards Anna, completely ignoring whatever it was that Hans was about to say, “You’ll have to stop by on your own, Milady. I could tell you plenty of fun stories about your dear ol’ betrothed here.”

“Oh, I’ve probably heard them all from his brothers,” Anna giggled quietly. She enjoyed watching this playful banter between Hans and his friend.

“Already?” He turned to Hans, “how long has this girl been here?”

“Almost six months—“

“Six months?!” Franz’s jaw dropped, “all this time and you never thought to introduce her to me? With all due respect, your highness, what the hell is wrong with you?”

Now it was Hans’ turn to turn sheepishly red, “Well, I—“

“Yeah, Hans! This place is charming!” Anna spoke up with a teasing smile.

Hans’ eyes darted between Anna and Franz with his mouth left agape. “You both aren’t supposed to gang up on me like this. That’s just not fair.” Defeated, he sank back into his chair. “I’m sorry!”

Anna reached across the table to grasp his hand. “It’s okay. I’m just teasing. We’re here now, and that’s what matters. I’m sure when things calm down at the castle we can come back and catch up with your friend.”

“Hey Franz!” A voice called out from the other side of the dining room. “Where’d you run off to? We could use a top-off over here!”

“Oh phooey,” Franz sighed, “duty calls.”

Hans nodded and looked up to Franz, “In that case, maybe we can place an order?”

“An order? O-oh! Right.” Franz chuckled, “because you didn’t come all this way just to socialize.” He cleared his throat and pulled a piece of paper and a pencil from his pocket. “What hearty home-cooked meal shall the finely-dressed royals be feasting on tonight?”

“Whatever your nightly special is, Franz.” Hans answered for them both and smiled warmly to Anna.

“Two lamb stews it is.” Franz scribbled on his paper. “I’ll get that right in for ya.”

Once Franz had walked off, Anna squeezed Hans’ hand. “He seems nice.” She said, “I didn’t realize you both were so close. You never really mentioned him before.”

“I know, and I should have. I really did come here a lot over the last couple of years. Franz’ mother used to be one of my nannies when I was a child. Sometimes she would sneak me out of the castle and Franz and I would play together. He’s only about a year or two older than I am,” Hans explained fondly, “As I grew older and a bit more independent, I would often seek refuge here with Franz and his mother. They’d help me talk through my troubles and in return I often taste-tested some new recipes for the tavern.” His smile wavered slightly, “His mother passed about a year ago, but Franz and I are still friends, as you’ve seen. A-and most of the patrons here are regulars, just like me. I don’t usually come in dressed for a ball like tonight, so it never bothered me that no one would bow or show deference. It was nice to just be Hans, a normal person like everyone else. It’s not a relationship that I have with a lot of people.”

“I like it…” Anna smiled and squeezed his hand again. “And that’s a wonderful story. The way we always stayed so shut-in in the castle, I was starting to think that you really didn’t have any friends— people friends I mean. I know you and Sitron have a very special relationship,” she said with a twinkle in her eye.

He chuckled, “nothing and no one comes between a man and his steed, my dearest. Not even a beautiful princess from a distant kingdom.”

“Hey, Sitron knocked into me first. Just sayin’.” Anna teased and suddenly retracted her hand once a kitchen boy came out and placed a full sized bowl in front of each of them, along with a pitcher of cider and a basket of sliced bread in the center of the table.

“Mmm…” Anna made a point to take in a deep breath. “This smells wonderful.” She placed her napkin in her lap and picked up her fork. “Is this something that you’ve tried before?”

“I have, and it’s delicious.” He said and gestured for her to take a bite. “But don’t take it from me. Taste it.”

Anna brought a forkful to her lips and eagerly took a bite. Almost immediately, she closed her eyes and let out a quiet little moan. Never had she had meat so flavorful and tender that it practically melted in her mouth. She only opened her eyes when she heard Hans chuckling from across the table. “W-what?” She asked after she swallowed her bite.

“Judging from those delightful little noises, I think you liked it.”

“This is amazing.” She exclaimed and took a slice of bread to dab in the sauce. “I’d say it's definitely worth the wait in bringing me here.” Her mouth twisted upwards into a sly little grin, “and definitely worth ditching your family for.”

“Absolutely.” He matched her grin before taking a few bites of his own. “There’s just something so charming about eating in a place like this.” He replied after dabbing his mouth with his napkin. “Everything that I’ve had here feels… I dunno… more real than what the chefs and cooks in the castle come up with. Don’t get me wrong, Anna, what they serve us is good. But sometimes I don’t want all the frills and decorations and extra presentation put into my dinner. Dishes like these just feel comforting. I only have to have one plate to feel satisfied instead of so many smaller courses that I lost track of what I’ve already eaten.”

Anna nodded thoughtfully. “I can understand that. And the things your kitchen staff serve are a lot more elaborate than what I’ve been used to eating back home in Arendelle, too. I don’t know if it’s a cultural thing or just because back home, it was just me and my parents, or just me and Elsa. There wasn’t much point to all of this fancy stuff when there was no one to entertain for.”

“I think I may have ruined you.” Hans said.

Anna paused with a forkful just before her mouth. “What do you mean?”

“After tonight, you’ll never want to eat meals in the castle ever again.”

She giggled. “If you’re proposing that you treat me here every night from now on, I will not complain.” She suddenly gasped, “Franz will love it! And he can regale me with all of those embarrassing stories that I apparently need to hear.”

They both shared a laugh before returning to their dinner. There was nothing but silence between them as they took their time polishing off their bowls. Anna even went in for a third helping of bread to sop up the remainder of sauce left behind. And in perfectly planned timing, Franz was back to take away their dirty dishes as soon as they both deemed themselves properly finished. She wondered if he had been subtly watching them the entire time.

“So…?” Franz leaned into the side of Hans’ chair and nudged the prince. “Did I just earn myself a new VIP customer?”

“I think so.” Hans smirked. “In fact, she may not want to leave.”

Anna’s cheeks pinkened. “Dinner was wonderful. My compliments to your cook! Whose recipe was this?”

Franz smiled proudly. “It’s my Nan’s. She and Grandpa built this place from the ground up. This was their home, and they prided themselves on inviting anyone and everyone in for good food and better company. It’s my job to honor their legacy and keep their dream alive. I’d like to think I’m doing them proud. I mean… if I’ve caught the attention of members of the Crown, I must be doin’ somethin’ right!” He tilted his head to the side as he eyed up Anna, “so, Princess… Did you leave any room for dessert?”

Now Franz was speaking her language! No dinner was truly complete without a sweet little treat to finish things off. “I’m always up for something decadent!” She giggled. “What’s on the menu?”

“Oh, a little of this and that.” He nodded his head back and forth. “You seem like a chocolate kind o’ girl. I think I’ve got just the thing for you.” He winked at her and strode off into the kitchen. His whistling could be heard from their table, and not two minutes later, he returned with a plate containing a single slice of chocolate cake. The dish was set in the center of the table and he placed two spoons down along the plate’s rim. “It’s to share, but really it’s for you, Beautiful.” Franz gave Hans a pointed look. “Don’t eat it all.”

Hans rolled his eyes.

Anna could feel her mouth watering all over again. Hans was right. She was ruined for dining back at the castle. If this place served such delicious food and magnificent chocolate dessert all the time, she would never eat anywhere else!

“Well, bon Appetit!” Franz said jovially. “I’ll catch you both on your way out.”

Once they were alone, Anna eagerly picked up her fork and scooped a piece off her end of the slice. She didn’t even wait for Hans to get some before she slipped it into her mouth.

“Mmm…” She chewed it slowly, needing to savor every last part of her piece.

“I think you found bliss.” Hans said casually as he took a small part of the slice’s tip onto his spoon.

“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…” She giggled and reached in for another spoonful. “Chocolate is happiness.”

He smiled at her, and after two bites of his own, he set the spoon back down on the plate and folded his hands in his lap. “Then you’ll be happy to hear that the rest is yours.”

“Wait what?” She eyed the amount left. It was a good-sized slice to start with, and the spoonful's that Hans took were less than half the size of her own. “Are you sure? I’ll share! Honest! You can have more!”

“Oh no.” He shook his head. “Rich chocolate like this isn’t my forte. What I had was enough for me.”

The delightful squeal that escaped Anna’s lips made him chuckle as she tugged the plate closer to her. Pacing herself was a bit of a struggle. Normally when there was a box of chocolates in front of her, she would inhale them in minutes. But this cake was dense and rich. She kept telling herself to take her time. Every couple of bites, she would glance up at Hans. He watched her eat with such a content look on his face. She may be in a state of bliss with her dessert, but it seemed like he was in his own state just being here with her and seeing how happy she was. As she took in another spoonful, she chewed thoughtfully, thinking back to some of what was said earlier.

“You’re the only family that matters.”

His words really touched her. It was clear from her first day in the Southern Isles that Hans was hyper-focused on getting her settled into her new home and making her as happy as possible. She didn’t even need words to express how difficult it was to leave behind the only home she’s ever known. He always knew. And it wasn’t until now that she really started to understand the implications of what he meant. Soon, they would be married. His brothers wouldn’t mean anything. His relatives would be long forgotten. She and Hans would find their own space to live and grow, and even create a family unit of their own to nurture and love. They were each other’s happiness. That’s all that really mattered in the world.

Anna subtly licked off some chocolate stuck to her lips and set her spoon down on the plate. She really shouldn’t have eaten so much of the cake, but it was rich and irresistible and she couldn’t stop herself. The dessert was too tasty to let go to waste. “I think…” she paused, letting her thoughts settle before she continued, “maybe we should head back home.”

“So soon?”

She nodded and reached across the table to cradle his cheek. “Thank you for bringing me here, Hans. This really did cheer me up. A-and it was such fun meeting Franz and sharing this wonderful dinner together. But right now, all I can think of doing is celebrating.”

“Oh?” His brows raised curiously, “What did you have in mind?”

She smiled. “Well, we’re already dressed for it. Let's go to the party after all. We missed the formal dinner, but there’ll still be time left for dancing. And I could really go for a nice romantic waltz right now and spend the rest of the night in your arms.”

“How could I refuse such an offer?” Hans turned her hand around to lay a kiss into her palm. “But I thought being near my relatives made you uncomfortable.”

“It does… they do.” She admitted, then gave a slight shrug of her shoulders. “But we don’t have to stay inside. We can sneak out onto the ballroom terrace where we can be alone and still enjoy the party atmosphere… dancing, stargazing… anything to make the evening our own.” She paused briefly, “and as for cousin Bartholomew or Aunt Mildew–”

“--Mildred.”

Anna sat at a padded window seat overlooking the eastern courtyard. The last several days brought a harsh blizzard to the Southern Isles and now there was a deep blanket of snow covering the grounds. The sight made her smile. It felt like a little piece of Arendelle, of home, was here with her now.

No… not home. The Southern Isles is my home now… she had to remind herself. It’s been five months since I moved here and in some ways, I’m still trying to adjust. Everything is so different.

The last week had been exceptionally difficult for her. The beginning of December reminded her of her old home traditions lost to time. Back when she was a little girl, the family would all gather outside the castle and ring an extremely old and large bell, the Yule Bell, to signal the official start to the holiday season for the kingdom. But that hadn’t happened since the gates closed. She couldn’t help but wonder if Elsa, in her solitude, would have reopened the gates just long enough for the people to see her ring that bell this year. Assuming she even closed them at all.

There were other small traditions that were now lost this year, too. With her now living with the Westergaards, there would be no chance for her to slip a homemade card and present under Elsa’s bedroom door come Christmas Eve. She debated whether or not she should mail her sister a present. Would Elsa even accept such a gift after the way they parted? They hadn’t even written to each other. Who knew how Elsa felt about her now.

“Ah, Anna! There you are!”

Hans’ merry voice from a little further down the corridor snapped her from her thoughts, and she turned around to smile at him. He must have just come back in from outside for he still donned his thick lined winter overcoat. He was the true light in her life, her savior in more ways than one. Every time she felt sad, whether it was stress from abandoning her sister or just having a rough time adjusting to the Westergaard castle, he was always there for a comforting hand, a shoulder to cry on, and so much more. She didn’t have much here in the Southern Isles, but she had him, and that was enough to keep her happy. How lucky she was to have such a charming, compassionate and handsome prince as her true love.

Anna batted her eyelashes at him sweetly. “Were you looking for me?”

“Of course I was,” he smiled and leaned down to take one of her hands. He planted a small kiss on her palm before sitting down on the window seat next to her. “What are you up to?”

She shrugged lightly and glanced back out the window. “Nothing really. Just admiring the snow…. It’s been a long time since I’ve enjoyed winter weather.”

The smile on his face widened, “then I have the perfect little surprise for you.”

“Oh?” She tilted her head curiously. His smile was contagious. She found the corners of her own mouth twisting upwards at the prospect. “I do enjoy surprises-- especially if they’re yours.”

“In that case…” he stood up and grasped her hands, gently pulling her to her feet. “We should get going.”

“Where to?” She asked as he led her back through the corridors. They made a quick stop at her bedchamber so she could retrieve her warm winter cloak, mittens and boots. “Are we going for a ride??”

“No, not today.” He replied, “Kjekk and Sitron probably won’t appreciate the snow like you and I--”

“Oh! Are we going to build snowmen??” She interrupted giddily.

Hans laughed and held open the door for the southern entrance. “Better!”

“Better than snowmen??” She stopped asking questions and followed him through the narrow-cleared pathway through the grounds. She had never really ventured out this way before. Usually in her trips outside, she stayed more towards the eastern and western wings. That’s where the luscious gardens were located. Of course, being winter, there was little greenery to enjoy right now.

“Careful! It’s a bit slippery out here.” Hans gripped onto her hand tighter. Eventually, they reached the end of the cleared pathway and had to start wading through the snow until they reached their official destination. “Here we are!” He said with a grin as he gestured to the landscape before them.

Anna peered around them and gasped. There was a large frozen pond just ahead, mostly surrounded by some of the most beautiful spruce trees she had ever seen. Even better, when the sun peeked through breaks in the clouds and shined brightly on the ice, the aura gave off such a magnificent glow. As her eyes scanned over the area, she noticed a large rucksack sitting in the snow just before the ice. “What’s this?”

He grinned at her as he tugged the bag open and pulled out a feminine pair of ice skates. They were white with gold rosemaling accents along the toes and going up the front center of the skates.

“Oh Hans… these are beautiful!” she exclaimed and took one of the shoes to examine it more closely. From her vantage point, she could also see another pair still in the rucksack. Those were black with a similar gold decoration across the top. “Y-You want us to ice skate??”

“I thought it would be something fun for us. Plus… we have the entire area to ourselves. I doubt my brothers would think to come out here.”

“Thank goodness for that.” She smiled. “They have been exceptionally irritating the last few days.” Her cheeks reddened as Hans knelt in the snow before her and lifted one of her feet up to wiggle off her snow boot. She had to bend forward and lean her hands on his shoulders to keep herself upright as he laced her foot into her ice skate, then did the same for the other foot. His gloved hands had brushed along the fabric of her stockings as he worked and it brought delightful little tingles down her spine. In a way, she was almost saddened when she was officially in her skates. She would have to wait for him to switch her footwear back just to feel him touch her legs again.

He had an easier time lacing himself into his own boots, and once ready, he brushed the snow off the bottom of his coat and led her to the ice. They didn’t make it too far, though. Right before they would have stepped onto the frozen surface, Anna grinded to a halt and slipped her hand from his.

“H-Hans, wait…” She said nervously and bit her lip. “I… I don’t know how to skate.”

Hans’ eyes widened a bit as he tried his hardest not to let complete shock show across his features. “Really?? But it gets so cold in Arendelle—“

She felt rather sheepish. “Yeah… but Mama and Papa were rather… overprotective. With the gates being closed and all… I never really had the chance to go out to the mountain lakes and learn.”

“Then this is the perfect opportunity!” Hans beamed and offered his hand once more. “It’s just the two of us, so no one will be around to judge you as you try.”

Anna eyed the ice warily. “It’s not dangerous… is it?”

Hans shook his head. “Only if you fall. But that won’t happen. I’m here to hold you steady.”

That brought a small smile to her lips. “You always do.” She hesitated for a moment before taking his hand and making the smallest of baby steps onto the ice. Almost immediately, she could feel her legs start to wobble. Before her body could really start to sway in one direction, Hans’ strong arm wrapped around her waist and held her close to his side.

“Remember how we spent most of your sister’s coronation sock sliding around your castle? It’s kind of like that. But with a blade under your boot.” He chuckled awkwardly and repositioned her back to the edge of the snow. “Here, you can watch me, then we’ll try together.”

“O-Okay…” she tucked her mitten-clad hands up under her cloak and watched Hans glide easily across the pond. His movements were so smooth and effortless. She just knew that as soon as she tried the same thing she’d end up in a crumpled heap on the ground. Still, despite her terrible clumsiness, she was determined to try. Hans went through a lot of trouble to get them matching skates and to arrange a private little excursion out here. And how wonderful it would be to be able to glide around the pond, hand in hand, and let loose and have fun!

“What do you think?” Hans asked as he came to a stop in front of her. “Ready to stretch your legs?”

“Only if you promise to catch me.”

Hans chuckled again, “I promise on my honor as both a gentleman and a fiancé, I will not let you fall.”

Anna nodded and took his awaiting arm and moved slowly back onto the ice. “O-okay, what first?”

“Just do what I do.”

Her heart thumped hard in her chest as she slowly lifted her left leg as Hans raised his, and together they pushed off deeper into the pond. Her grip on his arm tightened the further out they went until they started to lose speed. “Now what?”

“We do it again. Use the other foot. Remember, it’s like sliding across the floor.”

Anna glanced down at her feet and carefully kicked off again at the same time that Hans did. The motion was simple and went smoothly enough. She let out a sigh of relief and glanced up to Hans. He was smiling down at her excitedly. It made her smile too. Maybe she could do this after all!

“Can we go faster?” She asked and gave his arm a playful squeeze.

“We can go as fast as you’d like.”

She let out a pitched giggle and started to pick up her pace. After a few more strides, she closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. The wind hitting her face was cold, but it didn’t bother her one bit. Inside, she felt nothing but the warmth of Hans’ body beside hers and the comfort of his arms around her waist. With a heart so full, she could think of little else that would make her any more content.

“Anna…” Hans murmured to her after a few more minutes of faster pacing, “we should probably slow down some. There’s a curve coming up.”

She heard his voice, but the words didn’t register. She was still basking in how happy she was for getting some quality alone time with Hans and for him teaching her something new. Any and every time the two of them tried to do something on their own, there was always someone–usually at least one of his brothers on hand to ruin it somehow… or worse, Miss Lilith, a local woman brought to the castle to help care for her, would insist on becoming an acting chaperone and would barely let the pair brush shoulders as they walked together. But not here. It was just the two of them, and they could be as silly and carefree as they wanted.

When she finally did open her eyes and look out where she was going, it suddenly dawned on her that he tried to tell her something. “O-oh! Right.” She giggled sheepishly and tried not to let her cheeks flush any pinker than they already were. At least the cold helped hide her embarrassment as she stopped fueling their speed. “So what do we do? How do we stop?”

“Turn your feet like so…” he tried to demonstrate for her so she could follow suit, “...that’s it. Then you put just a little bit of–” his gaze snapped up from their feet in just the nick of time. They were still going too fast to be able to stop in time, so he did the only thing he could think of at the last minute. “Hold on!” He said and held onto her fast as they hit the edge of the ice and went tumbling into the snow.

Anna barely registered what happened. One minute she was watching his feet and trying to mimic a new stance, the next he had completely snatched her up around the waist as they went off the ice. She was the first one to fly into the air, and the next thing she knew she was twisted around in time to crash into Hans’ chest as he landed on his back in the snow.

Once the shock wore off, she flattened her palms against his chest and pushed up on him. His arms were still holding her tight so she couldn’t move very far, but it was enough to get a good look at his face. He had an equally dazed expression on his face as the impact wore off. Their eyes soon met, their gazes both asking the unspoken ‘are you alright??’ to each other. And they burst into fits of laughter.

“Um… oops?” She giggled sheepishly. “Perhaps for my first time, that was a liiiiiiiitle too fast.”

“Perhaps…”

“...I just couldn’t help myself!” She exclaimed excitedly and tried to brush some snow out of his hair; an act that would be a bit futile since his head was still laying in the powder. “That was probably the most fun I’ve had in weeks! I mean, just the thrill of…” the words just tumbled out of her mouth all at once, everything ranging from her surprised levels of balance to how easy it seemed to glide about to how she felt being guided by his arms. Her babbles then transitioned to him and his skills, and were the only silenced when he pushed up off the snow and claimed her lips with his own.

Anna squeaked at the sudden contact. Being outside, his lips were cold and slightly chapped, but so were hers, and together they became warm as they moved against each other. It started very chaste, slow and gentle, until his hands slid up her back to push her further down on top of him, effectively closing the small gap she made earlier. She responded in kind, shifting her hands to cup at his cheeks and pushing his head back into the snow. Her heart thumped harder in her chest as the kiss deepened, his mouth exploring hers. She savored the taste of him, never having been kissed like this before. It was always light kisses on her hands or sometimes a peck on the cheek. But this was something else entirely! Tingles were shooting down her spine from the levels of desire and affection he was bestowing on her. Today was certainly one for new experiences and she was all for it! What else would he show her? How much further would this surprise intimacy take them?

Unfortunately, she didn’t have long to wonder. He seemed to be running out of steam. She moaned in protest as his movements slowed down, and his lips tugged gently on hers as he eventually broke away from her. “W-wow…” Anna was left breathless. “That was… woah.”

Her flabbergasted reaction made him chuckle. “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that.” He murmured softly and gazed up at her adoringly as a gloved finger stroked her cheek.

Anna was certain her face was redder than her hair. “Well… why’d you wait so long?” She asked.

He shrugged lightly. “Because I was afraid you’d think me the same as my brothers… savage and uncivilized—”

“--YOU?? Never!”

“--I also didn’t want them watching. Intimacy is a private business, after all.”

Anna tilted her head with a curious expression forming across her face. “Is that the real reason why you dragged me out here? For a kiss?”

“Oh yes.” he teased, “the skating was all a ruse.”

She bit her lip and glanced back behind her to where their legs were somewhat tangled together. His black skates stood out boldly against the white snow. “Well, ruse or no ruse, I enjoyed the lesson! Really!! In fact, I loved it just as much as that kiss!”

“Oh?” He asked, propping himself up on his elbows. “So you’d like me to continue teaching you?”

Anna nodded enthusiastically. “Yes please.” She gently bit down on the corner of her lip. “A-and more kisses, too.” She said shyly. “I wouldn’t mind all of our lessons ending like this.”

His mouth twisted into a sly grin. “Well, I’d like to hope that they wouldn’t.” When her face became a bit crestfallen, he immediately clarified, “sometimes, it’ll be you with your back in the snow and me pinning you there.”

“Well! That’s not very gentlemanly!”

“Neither was that kiss,” He tilted his head to one side, “and yet you thoroughly enjoyed it.”

“I really did.” There was no shame in admitting it, especially since she knew he did too. She could tell he wanted to get back on his feet, so she slid off of him and kneeled in the snow. “You left me craving more…”

“Can’t get enough of me, hmm?”

She giggled in response. “Nope. I tasted bliss.”

“If you thought that was blissful, just wait until we’re properly married...” He teased as he got up and started brushing off the packed clumps of snow from his coat. “But for now, I’m rather eager to get back to our skating lesson before we lose the daylight.”

She smiled and nodded, and once he offered an outstretched hand to help her up, she immediately latched onto it. What she didn’t expect was for him to hoist her up all on his own. She squealed in delight as she collided with his chest. Almost immediately, her hands slid up his coat to loop around his neck while his arm snaked around her waist to hold her there. When she managed to get a look at his face, her cheeks flushed all over again. There was a lovestruck gleam in his eyes just like before and it made her heart race. Was he going to kiss her again after all? Oh, she hoped so. This was a new playful side of Hans that she never got a chance to see around others, and she knew once they were back in the castle that he would have to go back to courting her properly and behaving himself. While she adored her fiancé for being a proper gentleman, this mildly naughty behavior brought a new thrilling element to their relationship.

Her fingertips buried themselves in his hair and she batted her eyelashes at him sweetly to entice him into another kiss. It took a few seconds, but then the corner of his mouth twisted upwards as he lowered his head down to hers. She immediately grew giddy with anticipation and as his lips grew closer to hers, she closed her eyes and—

“Princess Anna???” Miss Lilith’s distant voice called out suddenly. “Are you out here?”

The magical moment now ruined, Anna’s eyes snapped open and she pulled her head back, turning towards the direction of the castle. Hans, too, was equally put off, letting out a frustrated groan at the untimely interruption.

“Milady!! It’s time to dress for the concert!”

“Oh. Right…” Hans cleared his throat and touched his head against hers. “I forgot all about that.”

“Me too…” Anna admitted sheepishly. The performance in the capital’s grand concert hall was something she truly was looking forward to, even if she had to spend the evening with most of Hans' brothers. “Do you think she would bother to come out all this way looking for me?”

“Unfortunately, the fact that we can hear her means she’s probably following our footprints through the path. If she really is coming, she’ll be upon us in a few minutes.” Reluctantly, Hans pulled his arm away from her and took her hand to lead her back to where their discarded winter boots lay. “There’s always tomorrow…”

She clung to his shoulders once more as he knelt down and undid the laces on her skate. “Really?” Her eyes lit up in excitement at the prospect. “M-maybe we could come out here early!” She gasped, “we can pack a picnic basket with sandwiches and snacks, and skate around…and play in the snow," she couldn’t resist adding with a slight giggle in her voice.

“--and when we have enough out here, we can go back inside…” he finished for her, “... and get warmed up with some steaming mugs of cocoa in the library. There’s that tucked away corner with the sofa and blankets–”

“Oh Hans… that sounds wonderful.”