DeFrosted

Chapter 54

(Elsa)

"I object." My sisters words seemed to bounce off every wall and vibrated throughout the entire house of god.

My first thought was to laugh, my face even began to curve into a smile as I felt a hearty chuckle ready to spill from my lips. Oh Anna, my sister the mighty jester. After we had rekindled our relationship she had always done everything in her power to make me laugh loudly, and as often as possible.
But one quick glance at my sister and the urge to giggle quickly subsided.

I felt my stomach turn a near perfect tumble. The look she wore was not a joking one.

Her eyes met mine first, shooting me the most apologetic look I had ever seen. Like what she was planning to say would shake me to my very core.
My sister swiveled perfectly towards her betrothed, an undeniable guilt in her usually sparkling green eyes as she looked up to the man she was supposed to marry.

"Kristoff...." She begins. "I'm really sorry but..." she pauses to take a deep breath. "I can't marry you." She exhales. "Why?" His face registeres a look of confusion. She picks his hand back up and places it between her two much smaller ones. "Kristoff, I love you, a part of me will always love you." The words tumble from her lips as the entire chapel watches in awe. "But I am not the same person I was before the war. This clash has changed me in ways I can't even begin to explain, it has changed both of us..." Each word gaining more reassurance then the last.

"I've done things I am not proud of for the sake of Arendale. I've had to kill..." Her voice hit a note of guilt. "I have blood on my hands.... but." She waves her hand towards the citizens sitting in the pews. "For them... for my people, I'd do it again." Anna announces firmly.

"But I know you Kristoff, I can see the damage the bloodshed has done to you. Taking part went against everything that makes you you. It has taken something from you that it will take you years to get back, and I never want to put you through that again, but... if we marry I can't guarantee that it won't happen again." She says sadly. "Maybe not now, maybe not 10-15 or even 20 years from now, maybe not ever, but the strong possibility exists that one day Arendale will have to do battle again. Maybe not for ourselves, but maybe aiding to our allies, this was something my father had to do twice..." My sister glances sadly to the small portrait of the Fallen king that rested surrounded by candles in the corner.

"I cant marry you. I'm not the same person I was, I am almost a stranger to you. It is not fair of me to ask of you such things...." she trails off and cast her eyes down to the floor. "Especially if I can never give you my whole heart."

The ice merchant cocks his head. "Wait a minute..." he says softly. "I know that look, there is someone else, isn't there?"

"Yes." Anna answers. "I was getting to that." I turn to Jack briefly to share a look of dumbfounded, I couldn't believe it. My beloved's hand squeezes mine tightly. Kristoff's face dawns with a sudden realization. "It's him isn't it?..." He states with an almost certainty of whom.

"Prince Hans." She nods, the crowd gasps simultaneously, I along with them. "I cant marry you because am in love with Prince Hans." She smiles slightly, admitting it out loud for the first time and appearing to enjoy the way it sounded.

The room went quiet as everyone waited for the grooms reaction. His face expressionless as he took it all in. To the shock of everyone, a small chuckle escapes him, my sisters eyes go wide as that chuckle morphs into full fledged and hearty laughter.

He pulls her into a hug, and was it my mistake or did he just exhale a huge sigh of relief. "Oh Anna..." he rests his chin on her head. "Thank you, thank you so much for telling me this, I too have something I wish to confess."

Anna pulls back, raising an eyebrow at this most unexpected reaction. "Honestly, I'm relived you stopped the wedding." He admits with a guilty expression "I was doing all I could not to stop it myself." The tall blonde confesses.

"What?" Anna's mouth gapes. "Anna, I do love you. There is almost nothing I wouldn't do for you. All that stuff you said, You are right, it would eat me alive, but I'd do it for you. In fact, here I am, doing it for you...." He takes her hands in his. "But the truth is, during my time away, I met someone...." His eyes scan the crowd and lock onto a tall, tanned woman. Delilah.

Jack and I share another look of suprise. Suddenly all the little pieces started to make sense. He was whom she had come here for.

The silence is broken by the loud ringing of the dock bell in the distance. The notice that gave a ship the all clear to shove off. "Hans!" Anna gasps. Kristoff smiles, bringing her hand to his lips he plants a small kiss on them. "Go to him." He gives his blessing. Anna pulls Kristof into a quick hug. "Thank you." She whispers. Turning to me with wide green eyes she speaks. "I'm sorry Elsa." Then she gathers her skirts, and begins to jog down the isle. "I'm really sorry everyone!"