Archive of Our Own

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 almost 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 accusatory 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–” 

“-- Midred ?” 

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 the few 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… maybe 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 of Aren–” 

“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 brought her here? 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. Try 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 spoon 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 morsel. 

“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 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 intensely 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 world 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. 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.” 

The corner of her mouth twisted upwards. “If I don’t let them bother me, then they won’t, and neither will anyone else. I’m going to choose to have a fun time with the man I love instead of sulking and wasting the evening wishing it were over. And really, why should I even focus on anything they say or do while I’m by your side? All of my attention will be on you,” she said with an adoring smile, “ This is a family event, after all, and you’re the only family that I need. So let’s make this a night we’ll never forget.”