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It was what she wanted, Anna reminds herself. It always had been- freedom from the perpetual solitude, the loneliness that her crown forced upon her head, of course, the chance to finally have a family. To plan a wedding, nonetheless. The bloom of warmth in her chest at the thought of bouquets and rings almost manages to soothe the constant ache of cold rooted in her heart. The empty space where her sister should stand beside her at the altar, though, chills it again, and she sighs.
The future king blinks, turning his head with a look of curiosity pointed at her. His hand takes her chin, tugging her to face him, and his voice and his skin are soft enough to make her question how she doubts him.
"Is something wrong?" Hans asks, and Anna sighs once more, turning fully to him. She takes his hand in both of hers, as if she could absorb all of his warmth if she simply squeezed tightly enough.
"No, it's just- my sister. I still wish she could be part of our plans, you know? Figure something out!" she answers, and Hans' brows furrow, his mouth twisting for a moment before he rubs his thumb over the back of her hand.
"And risk the royal wedding being frozen over in a moment of weakness?" he mutters, watching her face fall as it does every time the subject of the Queen comes up between them. He inhales through his teeth. "Anna...you know we can't. Look what she did to you. We don't even know why your curse hasn't fully recovered, and imagine if she was to do that to our guests. " His free hand brushes over the bleached streak in her hair, running the strands between his fingers.
She doesn't want to imagine it, she thinks. Hans' kiss had slowed the creep of the ice through her body, but it hadn't gone away entirely. She'd gone to ask the trolls again, some weeks ago, and they'd given her looks as if gazing after a casket. It was almost jarring, in comparison to their chipper attitudes when she'd met them before. After all, if the love between them wasn't enough to cure her, what hope could she pretend to have for hundreds of guests that might not be as lucky?
Elsa wouldn't. She wouldn't, not on purpose...but...she hadn't done this to Anna on purpose, either. Hans has been kinder to her than anyone since her parents had left that night, had held the doors open for her to survive, and he's looking out for her kingdom. She's being selfish, isn't she? Wanting to risk everything just so she can have her perfect day and her sister in it.
"...Okay." Anna pulls the hand she's holding to her sternum, looking up at him. Hans runs his hand down from her hair to cup her cheek, brushing away tears she hadn't even noticed had begun welling up in her eyes. She bites her lip gently. "I'm cold."
Her fiancé gives a soft chuckle, understanding their little code. He takes her in his arms and presses a kiss to her lips, so warm that when she closes her eyes she can almost believe her heart truly has melted.