the torture of small talk | hans & anna & vanessa.
Things were finally looking up. Hans had spent the best part of a year on the mainland of Disney, attending parties and galas, meeting with the other royals, playing the charming diplomat, and it had gotten him absolutely nowhere. It was beyond infuriating. Everyone seemed determined to live in a bubble as far as he could see, and just about anyone and everyone he thought might be able to help him inch his way closer to a throne was already engaged, or in the middle of engagement talks. He had to admit, he’d taken a little bit of pleasure in it when the girl from the Highlands had destroyed her marriage on television, bursting that bubble, but besides that one humorous moment, it seemed as though all his work had been for nothing, and he would have to return to the Southern Isles empty handed.
And then, he met Anna. Beautiful, naïve, stupid little Anna, who was so lonely he’d had her in the palm of his hand after barely a week of knowing her. Well, truth be told, he still didn’t know her very well. They met sporadically, had planned a date that had never materialized, occasionally sent each other a text to make plans that would inevitably fall through, and yet every time he saw her, her eyes seemed to light up and she’d fall over herself to speak to him. She was so desperate, it was laughable. He could hardly believe his luck.
He’d made a visit to Arendelle today with a diamond ring burning a hole in his pocket, and had been told that Anna had gone into town, which he had to admit surprised him a little. Every time they spoke, she reminded him of just how lonely she was, cooped up in the castle all the time. He didn’t pay much mind to it, though, figuring she had probably gone out to enjoy the heatwave they were experiencing. Instead, he’d set off for town himself, and though it took the best part of an hour to locate her, it was hard to miss that tell-tale white strip of hair. Sliding his hand into his pocket to assure himself the ring was still there, he made his way over with a confident smile on his face and found it quickly slipping when he noticed Anna had company. Very, very bad company.
“Anna!” It was a struggle to keep his voice light and happy as he locked eyes with Vanessa, skin prickling with apprehension. There was no way this was a coincidence. “I didn’t realize you were friends with Vanessa! How long have you two known each other?”