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[greenjacketwhitehatdocmui]

Frozen:  In the Details

Summary:  Sometimes, the simplest of tasks can have a deeper meaning.  Agnarr muses on what washing the car has meant to him in the past, and possibly the future.  This was written for the “Summer Lovin’” issue of @frozines on Tumblr. Modern AU, Agduna and Kristanna.

This story can be found on @frozines and at Fanfiction.net and Archive of Our Own.

Enjoy!

--Pearson “Doc” Mui

Frozen:  In the Details by Pearson “Doc” Mui

           Agnarr awoke early on a Saturday. With some grumbling, Iduna released him from their bed as he prepared for the day. She understood that this task had to be done early in the morning, but she didn’t have to like it. If things worked out, however, it would have been worth waking up early for.

           After a quick breakfast and some cleanup, Agnarr trotted to the garage. The spring in his step ran counter to the occasional crackling sound in his knees. Even the projected thirty percent chance of rain did nothing to dampen his spirits.

Eyeing one corner of the garage, he chose his tools for the day’s task. Buckets, wash mitts and car soap were laid out on the garage floor. After a moment, he opened up some folding chairs and a small table.

           Opening the garage door, he smiled at the sight of his girls coming home, if only for today. They were adults now; Elsa was working on her PhD while Anna was a year into graduate school. The nest was never empty for too long, thankfully. They made time to visit, even if it was just for small talk.

           Elsa eyed him ruefully before accepting a quick hug. She had a pretty good idea of what he had planned for their incoming guest. Anna, on the other hand, was pouting.

           “Dad, are you really going to put Kristoff through this?” Clearly, his youngest wasn’t pleased at the prospect.

           Agnarr raised an eyebrow. “The way you’re talking, you’d think that I was going to torture him. It’s just a car wash between men.” He sighed. “You used to love helping me wash the car.”

           “I remember that you loved using the hose,” Elsa reminded Anna. There wasn’t any real bite to her words, though. “We used to help while wearing swimsuits.”

           Anna’s pout faded as she sighed, briefly lost in nostalgia.  “Those were good times, weren’t they?”

           Iduna folded her arms and sighed. Both of her girls were wearing swimsuits underneath their shirts and shorts. Anna eagerly fingered the trigger to the hose while Elsa made sure the supplies were in order.

           Elsa was having a good day. It hadn’t taken too much cajoling to get her outside. Anna’s puppy-dog eyes were a formidable weapon, especially at the tender age of eight.

           Most men would have insisted on doing “man stuff” by themselves. Agnarr wanted to have as many family activities as possible. Everyone had a job: Agnarr would wash the car, Anna would rinse it off and Elsa would take care of the windows. Iduna was there for spot-checking and refreshments.

           “Is everyone ready?” he asked enthusiastically.

           “Ready!” Anna piped up.

           “I’m ready, Papa,” Elsa said more demurely.

           He nodded.  “Well, let’s get this car clean, shall we?”

           Iduna marveled at their coordination. Everyone worked their roles admirably. Of course, a family wash like this was more for fun than work. There wouldn’t be any intensely-detailed work like Agnarr had done before—

           She suppressed a shudder. Agnarr’s father had been a cold taskmaster. He was more of a sire than an actual, warm father figure. While she took no pleasure in anyone’s passing, she had admit that the town had been the better for it.

           The calm lasted almost the entire time the car was being washed. Then Anna got a little overzealous with the hose and sprayed into the air.

           “Look, Elsa! Look Papa! I’m making rainbows—oops.” Anna laughed nervously as she realized that both Elsa and Agnarr were soaked.

           Iduna sighed, safe in the garage. She knew that it was going to end up like this.

           With calm, deliberate steps, she retreated further into the garage and grabbed a third, covered bucket from its hiding place. She and Agnarr had prepared this little surprise last night. With some effort, she hoisted the bucket to the driveway and uncovered it.

           Iduna reached into the bucket and grabbed a water balloon. She gestured for everyone to do the same.

           “On three,” she said firmly. “One, two—“

           “THREE!” Anna squealed.

           The battle was joined. When it was over, they were collapsed on the lawn, soaked through and basking in the summer sun.  It had been a good day.

           “Morning, girls,” Iduna greeted them. “Have you had breakfast yet? I could fix something up.”

           “We’re fine, Mom,” Elsa reassured her. “We ate before we came here.”

           Anna blinked and winced as she ran back to her car, an unassuming Honda Civic.  Rummaging around, she extracted a bag and jogged back.

           “We stopped by Hudson’s Hearth,” Anna said. “Destin and Halima say `hello.’” She opened it up and the three women sniffed deeply at the smell that wafted out.

           “Hmm…chocolate,” they chorused. For a moment, they were lost in the smell of the pastries.

           Agnarr tried not to chuckle. The apples didn’t fall far from the tree.

           He turned away from them and tried not to look too anxious or expectant. In the brief encounters he’d had before, Kristoff had seemed like a nice enough young man. It was clear that he cared greatly for Anna.

           Unfortunately, Anna hadn’t been so lucky the first time. At first glance, Hans had seemed like a good person, too. But the devil was always in the details—or, in this case, the detailing.

           Hans had pulled into their driveway in a Ferrari. To Agnarr, this was the first clue that the young man might have been trying too hard.

           “Good morning, Mr. Arendelle!” Hans greeted him enthusiastically. “So, who’s going to get the royal car wash treatment?”

           “We’ll be taking care of Anna’s car,” Agnarr said. “I already waxed our cars last week. I figured that Anna’s car could use a cleanup.”

           Hans’s smile froze. There was a dark shadow of disappointment in his eyes.

           “Oh,” Hans said simply. Then he rallied. “Oh, of course,” he agreed. “Nothing but the best for Anna.”

           “I’m glad that you agree,” Agnarr said. “I have all the supplies in the garage. Was there anything you needed?”

           “Thank you sir, but I brought my own things,” Hans said smoothly. He almost strutted to the Ferrari and pulled out some high-end detailing supplies from the little trunk. They were all brand new and still in the package.

           “Do you use all this on your own car?” Agnarr asked.

           Hans paused. Then he smiled in an ingratiating manner. “I don’t compromise on quality, Mr. Arendelle. As I said before, I want only the best for Anna.”

           As the time passed, Agnarr noticed several things he wasn’t sure that he liked. Hans insisted on doing it all himself, even though Agnarr had offered to help. Whenever Anna caught his eye, Hans flexed and winked.

           It was clear to Agnarr that Hans had never washed a car in his life. He was washing randomly instead of methodically, “politely” refusing any suggestions. He was sloppy applying the wax, squirting a long line on the car and working from there. Furthermore, when Hans thought that neither Agnarr nor Anna was looking, he scowled.

           Agnarr did not have a good feeling about Hans. He tried to voice his objections to Anna, but she was entirely captivated by how charming, selfless and helpful he was. Hans was, in her eyes, flawless. It was not a good sign.

           “I’m not sure it’ll work out,” he admitted to Iduna later on. It pained him to see Anna clinging to Hans’s every word. It was obvious that Anna was utterly besotted with Hans.

           “I didn’t know that a car wash was a personality test,” she joked. Her smile faded as she noted his grim expression. “You’re serious?”

           He sighed heavily. “He doesn’t take any suggestions or criticism. He shows off when he knows that people are looking. When he thinks nobody’s looking, it’s obvious that he’s not really enjoying himself.” He paused. “And honestly, even Anna could see that he did a terrible job of it.”

           “Elsa doesn’t like him, either,” she said. “Something about how he seems insincere to everyone except the person he’s focusing on.”

           “Dad had that kind of charm,” Agnarr admitted. “He was better at it, though. Hardly anyone saw his dark side.”

           She flinched. “We should warn her.”

           “I’m not sure she’d listen. She has an incredibly forgiving heart and Hans will take full advantage of it. You saw how besotted she was with him. I could practically see the hearts floating from her.”

           “So we do nothing?” Those words left a bad taste in her mouth.

           “No.” He shook his head. “We hope for the best and prepare for the worst. If he tries to isolate her, we find ways to keep in contact. Elsa’s ready to intervene if she has to.”

           She nodded. “And what if he goes too far?”

           His expression darkened. “Then I will make certain that he never huts anyone again.”

          “Just you?” she asked. “You never let me have any fun.”

          “Fine, I can go after you,” he sighed. “Not that there would be much left.”

           Anna’s enthusiastic greeting to Kristoff’s truck broke Agnarr out of his reverie.  He chuckled as Kristoff parked his truck on the side of the road. It was a small gesture of consideration, one of many that he’d observed. Kristoff wasn’t rich and he hadn’t been able to afford the best education, but he was kind and sincere.

           “Woof!”

           Oh, and Kristoff had a big, friendly dog. The girls had taken to him almost immediately, with Anna babbling baby-talk as Elsa looked embarrassed. Iduna was not immune to Sven’s “puppy in a big body” charm. As for Agnarr, he was fond of the big dog as well—though he tried to be restrained about it.

           “Mr. Arendelle,” Kristoff greeted Agnarr politely—and a bit nervously. “Um, I hope you don’t mind that I brought Sven. The big lug didn’t want to stay home.”

           “That’s fine,” Agnarr said reasonably. “As long as he behaves himself, I don’t have any problem.”

           “He’s a total sweetie, Dad,” Anna said from behind. “Want me to keep an eye on him?” She asked Kristoff.

           “That’d be great, thanks,” he said.  “If he gets fidgety, you know what to do.”

Opening the door, he grabbed Sven’s leash. The big dog jumped out and waited for Anna to accept the lead. After the obligatory scratch behind the ears and baby talk, she and Sven headed to the shelter of the garage.

           “So, um, I brought some stuff with me,” Kristoff admitted. He rubbed the back of his neck, a nervous gesture. “Of course, if there’s something you want to use, I’m okay with that.”

           Agnarr scrutinized the equipment in the back of the truck. The microfiber towels had been neatly folded in their own, zip-locked bag. Two buckets with grates inside met with his approval. He did arch an eyebrow at the orbital polisher and pads, something that his late father would have taken issue with. There were spray bottles of wheel cleaner, “ceramic wax,” something for the upholstery and something called “instant detailer.” Everything was in good condition, but it was obvious that the equipment had seen some use.

           “Do you think I brought too much?” Kristoff asked nervously. “Maybe I overdid it.”

           “I think this will be just fine,” Agnarr said. He turned towards Anna. “What are you in the mood for today?” he asked.

           “Well, I really don’t need anything fancy,” she replied. “Why? What did you have in mind?”

           “I could probably get rid of some of those swirl marks,” Kristoff suggested. “If you want, I mean.  Think of it as kind of exfoliating your car.”

           She lifted an eyebrow at the metaphor. “Well…maybe just the hood and the trunk,” she allowed. She quirked the corner of her mouth in amusement. “You just want to use your little toy, don’t you?”

           “Well, I saved up for it,” he admitted. “So, smooth out the hood and trunk, got it.”

           Agnarr tried not to chuckle. “You have a polisher, don’t you?”

           “It’s nothing fancy,” Kristoff said. “I saved up for it, so I figured I might as well get some mileage out of it.”

           “He waxes his truck every few weeks,” Anna said. “You know, I kind of feel bad that you’re doing all this for my car. Maybe I could take care of the upholstery or something?”

           The two men shared a look. Anna was dressed practically for the warm weather. There was nothing objectionable about her jean shorts and t-shirt. However, crawling around to wipe down the seats would have been awkward, to say the least.

           “How about I walk you through getting your trunk polished?” Kristoff suggested. “It’s not that hard.”

           “You’re letting me touch your baby?” Anna asked dubiously.

           “My polisher is not my baby,” Kristoff protested. Then there was a warmth in his smile that made her flush. “I trust you.”

           “So…you’d let me wax your truck?” she teased.

           “Why don’t we start with your car first?” Agnarr gently interrupted. “We don’t want to wait too long, after all.”

           Elsa quietly smiled as the men worked on the car. They had been surprisingly efficient and coordinated well together. There were moments when one man had to offer feedback to the other, but neither of them took any offense. It was an unusual kind of camaraderie.

           Kristoff was a vast improvement over Hans. What he lacked in funds, he more than made up for in heart. He may have been a little rough around the edges, but there was no doubt that Anna was the most important person in his life.

           She heard one breathy sigh, then another. She noted the very contented looks on the faces to either side of her. Then she noted that even in the relatively cool summer weather, Kristoff and her father had worked up quite the sweat, their shirts clinging to them.

           With a quiet, resigned sigh, she went into the house. Her sister and mother were oblivious to her absence.

           A few moments later, she returned with a tray of drinks and two towels. She set the tray on a nearby work bench and took two tall glasses of lemonade with her.

           Anna still had a dazed, dopey expression on her face. Iduna wasn’t much better.

           Elsa took Anna’s free hand, the one that wasn’t holding Sven’s leash, and gently placed the glass in her palm. With a start, she blinked as if she were coming out of a spell.

           Elsa did the same for their mother. Iduna’s reaction was much the same as Anna’s.

           Elsa couldn’t resist a little smirk. “I thought you two might want something to drink,” she said. “You both looked…thirsty.”

           Iduna and Anna rolled their eyes at the double-entendre. Behind the cool exterior that Elsa projected, she could be quite the joker—even if her humor tended to be on the dry side.

           “Very funny,” Anna returned. “We’re just appreciating their hard work.”

           “We certainly are,” Iduna agreed. “Both of them are very diligent.”

           “Well, maybe we could reward their diligence with a towel and a sports drink?” Elsa suggested, gesturing to the tray. “I think they could use it.”

           Agnarr wiped the sweat off of his forehead. While he still enjoyed washing cars, he was reminded that he wasn’t a young man anymore. Even though he and Kristoff were cutting the workload in half, he was still going to be sore tomorrow morning.

           Still, it was gratifying to see how seriously Kristoff took things. He was methodical and, more importantly, he seemed to be genuinely enjoying himself. He concentrated on the job at hand and accepted feedback.

           “You’ve had some experience,” he observed. “With washing cars, I mean.”

           Kristoff gave a one-shoulder shrug. “I worked part-time at the car wash one summer,” he replied. “I guess it kind of stuck.” He wiped at his brow. “I wouldn’t want to do it for a living, though.”

           “I had to…earn things by washing cars,” Agnarr said. “My father was a big believer in hard work.”

           Kristoff said nothing. He could tell by the older man’s tone that there were mixed emotions.

           Agnarr wiped the sweat off his brow, if only to not drip on his father’s Cadillac. The “beast,” as he jokingly called it, was an ostentatious symbol of his father’s wealth and practicality. It was practical in that any repairs or maintenance could be easily obtained within the town.

           As he wiped off a clear path in the baked-on wax, he saw his tired, sweaty reflection in the black depths of the “beast.” He had just spent the last four hours under the hot July sun. Every detail had been supervised by his father, who was resting in the shade with a beer. Every once in a while, his father would shout words of—

           “Come on, boy!” Runeard exclaimed. “Put your back into it! In my day, we had to deal with Blue Coral. You’ve got it easy with that wax!”

           Agnarr said nothing. His father often deducted from the anticipated payment if he talked back. It was one of the little ways that the family company kept people in line.

           It took another half hour to clear off the last of the wax. His arms trembling, he stood up straight and awaited judgment—and hopefully, payment.

           Runeard took one last draw of his beer and got up. He circled around the Cadillac and murmured in—well, it wasn’t quite approval. It was more like he acknowledged that the job had been done.

           Agnarr tried to keep calm. He didn’t dare show how eager he was to get paid. He couldn’t ever let his feelings show, not in front of his father.

           Runeard wiped his index finger down the hood and felt for any errant wax. There was one last murmur as he nodded.

           “It’ll do,” Runeard declared. With exaggerated magnanimity, he took out a twenty and handed it to Agnarr. Then the scowl returned as his nostrils flared. “Get cleaned up before you go, boy. And you’d better stay away from those filthy people.”

           Agnarr nodded once. The less his father knew about his outings with Iduna, the better.

           With one last scowl, Runeard shooed him away from the car. It was the same dismissive gesture he might have used for a servant. It certainly reinforced Agnarr’s place in the world—at least in Runeard’s mind.

           Agnarr trudged back into the house. He didn’t have to play up his muscle aches. He did have to remind himself not to smile in front of his father.

           Those long, hot hours had been worth it. The aches had been worth it.  Above all,   Iduna was worth it.

           Agnarr forced himself to take long, slow sips of the sports drink as he toweled off the sweat. The exterior had been cleaned and dried, including the wheels. All that was left was the interior and waxing the car.

           “You’re in good shape for your age, but don’t overdo it,” Iduna warned him gently. “There’s no one to show off to.”

           “I’m not showing off,” he replied. “I’m just…enjoying the moment.”

           “What moment?” she asked.

           He turned his gaze to where Kristoff was showing Anna the bottle of detailer spray and some sort of yellow clay. He sprayed the hood and wiped the clay across the surface. Then he took a microfiber towel and wiped off any residue.

           “See these little dots and specks?” Kristoff pointed to the clay bar. “These are contaminants that stick on your paint. We want to get rid of those before we polish out the swirls. After that, we put on the wax and we’re all set.” He paused. “Here, feel where I just cleaned it up.”

           Anna tentatively brushed a finger across the surface. Blue eyes widened in amazement.

           “Whoa, that’s…really smooth,” she said. “So, you do this every time you wax your truck?”

           He shook his head. “No, this is only once or twice a year. This used to be a big secret for the car shops until a few years ago.”

           Iduna turned back to Agnarr and nodded in understanding. There wasn’t a hint of arrogance or condescension in Kristoff’s voice. He merely wanted to inform Anna about something he liked.

           As the morning went on, Agnarr noted how patient Kristoff was with Anna. He was a good teacher, putting his polisher in Anna’s hands. It was obvious that Kristoff trusted her implicitly—and she felt the same about him.

           By the time they were done, Anna’s Honda had never looked better. Anna and Kristoff took a moment to bask in their shared accomplishment. The car gleamed in the light, despite the clouds coming in.

           “Good job, feisty pants,” Kristoff complimented her. “She looks great.”

           “Oh, I didn’t do all that much,” she demurred. “You and Dad did all the hard work.”

           “Oh, it’s not as hard as the old days,” Agnarr chimed in. “Believe me, I would have been a lot less sore if we had that ceramic wax back then. It’s a lot easier to take off than baked-on Turtle Wax.”

           Any further comment was forestalled when Sven sniffed the air. The big dog made a dissatisfied, grumbling sound. Moments later, the sky darkened with an ominous rumble.

           “Oh, no…” Agnarr groaned. “There wasn’t supposed to be any rain today!”

           “That figures,” Kristoff sighed heavily. He eyed the back of his truck.

           Elsa checked her phone. “Looks like there’ll be heavy showers for an hour or two.”

           “But we just finished it!” Anna groaned.

           Kristoff perked up a little. “Well, I’ve got a tarp in the back of my truck. I could cover up your car until the rain stops.”

           Anna blinked. “You’re prepared.”

           He shrugged. “Sometimes life is like that. You get little bumps in the road and do the best you can. Experience is the toughest teacher. C’mon, let’s get this done.”

           Moments later, Anna’s car was safely covered just before the deluge hit. Everyone watched the rain from inside the garage. Kristoff and Agnarr were toweling off their hair. They were both soaked form the rain.

           “Sorry it didn’t work out, sir,” Kristoff said.

           “Oh, I wouldn’t say that,” Agnarr replied. “I’d say that this was a very productive day.”

           Kristoff looked at him quizzically. “How so?”

           Behind him, Anna looked puzzled while Elsa looked satisfied. Clearly, something was going on.

           “Do you have anywhere you need to go?” Agnarr asked casually.

           “Not until the rain stops,” Kristoff replied. “Why do you ask?”

           “Well, until then, I suppose that you and Sven are our guests. Do you have any requests for lunch?”

           Kristoff held up his hands. “Sir, I really don’t want to impose. I’m sure you were looking forward to time with your family.”

           “I am,” Agnarr acknowledged with a nod. “Of course, this can include prospective members of my family.”

           “But Sven—“

           “He’s covered,” Elsa said. She reached in her purse and held up a can of dog food.

           Kristoff blinked as Sven leaned against Elsa. “Did you know about this?” he asked Anna.

           She shook her head. “Nope. It’s news to me.”

           “Relax,” Agnarr said calmly. “I’m not bringing out the shotgun for you two. I’m just asking if you’d like to stay for lunch.”

           “I—sure, if it’s no trouble,” he agreed.

           “No trouble at all,” Iduna reassured him. “There’s plenty in the Instant Pot to go around.” She opened the door to the house and the smell of hearty stew wafted outside.

           “Useful, isn’t it?” Elsa remarked. She paused and dug out something else from her purse. She handed a large, folded square of cloth to Kristoff. “You’ll need this.”

           He grimaced at the t-shirt he’d been handed. It wasn’t his, but it was definitely his size. The words “love expert” were boldly emblazoned on the front, complete with hearts.

           “Elsa!” Anna exclaimed.

           “Yes?” Elsa could not have pretended to be more innocent if she’d batted her eyes.

           “You are a stinker. No, you are a scheming, plotting stinker. This was a conspiracy!” Anna declared.

           Elsa and Agnarr had matching smirks. That was unsettling to both Anna and Kristoff.

           “Well, I didn’t plan on the rain,” Agnarr admitted. “You are welcome in my house.” He paused. “While you are in my house, I do expect you two to…mind your manners.”

           Agnarr turned to go inside. He only briefly paused when he passed Elsa.

           “They’re blushing, aren’t they?” he murmured.

           “Oh, yes,” Elsa agreed.

           “Good.”

           Elsa lingered for a moment, a smug little smirk on her face. Then she tapped her thigh and Sven followed her inside.

           “Your Dad really doesn’t have a shotgun, does he?”

           “I…don’t think so. I think he likes you.”

           “That’s…good,” Kristoff got out awkwardly. “I mean, it’s better than the alternative.”

           Wordlessly, Anna reached out. He gently took her hand as her eyes shone.

           “Come on, Mr. Love Expert,” she said. “Let’s have a family lunch.”

           Kristoff’s expression softened. “Sounds good to me.”

The End

[fruandfro]

The Perfect Gift

Rating: G

Pairing: Anna and Kristoff

Summary: Anna’s birthday is coming up soon. However, Kristoff is called away for an ice harvesting emergency. To make things worst, he has not gotten Anna’s birthday gift yet. Can Kristoff find Anna’s gift in time?

Hello everyone! This was my submission to Frozines. There is great content in there, so be sure to check it out at @frozines! 

The Perfect Gift

           It was a beautiful June morning in Arendelle. The sky was blue with a few stray white clouds moving across. The sun was beating down on the town square as Arendelle citizens went about their day. At the center of the square stood a tall statue commemorating late royals, King Agnarr and Queen Iduna. On the stoop of the statue sat a young man with broad shoulders and shaggy blond hair with a pensive look on his face. Next to him was his reindeer, looking very worried for his owner. Kristoff had received word from the ice harvesters that one of the ice storage houses had sustained damages and posed a risk to their harvest. If nothing was to be done, they risked losing three months worth of harvest.

Being Arendelle’s Official Ice Master and Deliverer, Kristoff would have to travel to the storage house, assess the damage, and oversee the repairs. It would take about half a day to travel to that specific storage house and repairs may take more than two weeks depending on the damage. This would not have been a problem had it not been for the fact that Anna’s birthday was in two days.

Since this was Anna’s first birthday as Queen, everyone was planning a huge birthday party. Even Elsa and some of the Northuldra were in Arendelle to help out. Anna had, at first, pushed back against a big celebration, but relented after seeing how much everyone wanted to make her happy.

           Kristoff let out a heavy sigh as he thought about what to say to Anna.

“Should I say ‘Hey Anna, I’m really sorry but there seems to be a problem at one of the storage houses and I would be gone for two weeks’? Nah, that sounds too casual. Or maybe I should say ‘Anna, I know you want me to be with you on your birthday, but it seems I cannot make it.’ No, that just sounds plain mean.”

Sven gave Kristoff a look that said, “Just tell her everything. She would understand. And besides, Elsa has people to help her now, so don’t worry.”

“You’re right. At least she has people to help her carry the presents….”

Kristoff groaned even more when he realized that he had not gotten Anna a birthday present.

“Sven, I completely forgot to get Anna’s birthday present! With all the planning and now this, I don’t think I have enough time to get her one!”

Sven snorted and shot him an exasperated look.

“I know, I know! I should have done it earlier, but what do I get for a queen?”

           Just then, the woman in question came bounding towards them. Anna was wearing her casual queen outfit that she wore when she went into town. It was similar to her formal queen outfit, the one that always makes Kristoff’s heart soar as it reminds him how far Anna had come in her life. It also made Kristoff’s heart ache even more when he thought about breaking the bad news to her.

Anna opened her arms wide, and Kristoff responded by opening his arms up and bracing for her impact. He caught Anna in his arms and hugged her tightly, savoring the feel of her body and her scent. He could never get enough of Anna.

“Hey you,” said Anna.

“Hey,” he replied, but it wasn’t as cheerful.

Anna picked up on his change in tone and looked up at him.

“Hey, is everything okay?”

He took a deep breath to prepare himself.

“Anna, I just got a report that one of the ice storage houses has been damaged. I need to go this afternoon to assess the damage.”

“But you’ll be back tonight right?”

“Yes, but it’ll only be to gather supplies for the repairs. We have to move quickly or else we’ll lose the harvest.”

“How long would the repairs take?”

“From the report, it seems it will be a two week job.”

“Two weeks…..?”

Kristoff did not miss the disappointed tone in Anna’s voice.

“I’m sorry. I know you were looking forward to having everyone there at your party-”

“No, it’s okay Kristoff. The kingdom comes first and we need to make sure the citizens are fine.”

Kristoff sighed heavily and grabbed Anna’s hands in his.

“I really love you, Anna. I wish I could be there for your big day.”

He brought her hands to his lips and left a lingering kiss on them.

“I know you do, but it cannot be helped. Don’t worry, I will be okay. I have everyone here to celebrate. You just worry about saving that harvest and getting back to me safely. That’s all I wish for.”

Kristoff sighed and gave a small “okay”. Then, he gave a quick peck to Anna’s lips and quickly went to gather his things for the travel.

******

By late afternoon, Kristoff and Sven had arrived at the storage house.  The ice harvesters Kristoff oversaw were already there. Kristoff approached a man around the same height and build as him, wearing the standard ice harvester’s uniform. The only difference was that this man had darker hair and eyes, and looked  to be in his mid forties.

Henrich Sorenson had worked the ice fields for over 20 years and was one of the most experienced and well respected ice harvesters out there. Kristoff still remembered the time when he carved a huge ice sphere and accidently pushed it down a hill. Henrich still told the younger ice harvesters about how in doing so Kristoff had almost destroyed a village with the ice sphere. It had been his idea of putting their sleds in front to stop it that saved the village from destruction. Kristoff wished Henrich would quit telling that story, but let it go after a few younger ice harvesters started asking him to teach them how to carve ice spheres.

“Hey Henrich! I’m here. What is the status?”

“It does not look good. Come take a look for yourself.”

As Kristoff approached, he could see that the front left part of the roof had collapsed in. It had missed the harvest thankfully, but now the hole was letting the summer heat into the building. To make things worse, the whole roof would have to be replaced to make sure another collapse would not happen. The blizzards that hit the kingdom in the past winter and the unseasonably long rainy season that had caused the wood to rot. It hadn’t had time to dry completely and caved in.

“We’ll need to replace the whole roof. Henrich, how many men do you have?”

“Well, I have ten guys available now. I could round up another five men, but they live farther out and would need to travel for about a day to reach here.”

“Okay. Have one of your men go round the rest of your men up. First, let’s cover up the hole to prevent more heat from getting in. Then, we’ll move the harvest to another ice storage house. The nearest one is ten minutes away. We will need to move them fast. How many wagons do we have?”

“All of us have our wagons here.”

“Perfect. Let’s get one of the wagons filled, and have one person transport it to the other ice house. We’ll continue this process with each wagon until all the ice is moved. Henrich, you and I stay behind to load the ice. Everybody ready!?”

“Ready!!!”

“Then let’s start!”

They first covered up the hole using a large tarp, and started to load the first wagon afterwards. It took them a little over an hour to completely move the whole harvest over, but luckily, most of the harvest made it over perfectly intact. They spent the rest of the remaining afternoon making estimates for the repairs. Kristoff did not return home until late evening when most of the castle had already turned in for the night. He hoped Anna had gone to bed after a long day of her duties, but was surprised to see her sitting on a barrel in the stables. She was wearing her green nightgown and wrapped in a thick blanket to keep warm. Kristoff’s heart warmed at the scene before him.

“Hey, welcome home!”

“You didn’t have to wait up.”

“I know, but I wanted to. How does it look up there?”

“Not good. The whole roof would need to be replaced and that would take about two weeks. We were able to save the harvest though.”

“That’s good to hear. Would you be able to push back the repairs?”

“Unfortunately, no. That ice house is the main storage house that we use to deliver ice to Arendelle. Where we are currently storing them is further from Arendelle and can risk the ice melting before it gets to town. Replacing the roof sooner will help our profits in the long run.”

“I see. What do you need to pack? I can get the stable hands to help you get ready for tomorrow.”

“I would like that. Actually, can you help me get some lumber ready?”

“Consider it done! Just let me know how much you need.”

Kristoff gathered Anna in his arms and gave her a huge hug. He still couldn’t believe how lucky he was to have Anna in his life. It reminded him that he had still not gotten Anna a birthday present yet, and there was no time left.  

Oh well, if he could not get anything for her, at least he can still give his love to her.

“Thank you. I love you.”

“I love you, too. Now let’s go upstairs and get some rest. You have busy days ahead of you.”

******

Early the next morning, Kristoff set off with Sven to the ice house. He was halfway to his destination when something caught his eye. Something was shining in the distance. He pulled Sven to a stop and got out the wagon. Kristoff carefully approached the shiny object. However, what he found was not an object, it was the sun’s reflection off a pool of water. Kristoff took in the scenery and smiled.

“This will be the perfect gift for Anna. I’m sure she would love it.”

Kristoff marked the path by cutting marks into nearby trees and left for the ice house.

When he arrived, about fifteen ice harvesters had gathered and were preparing to start the repairs. He was surprised to see the amount of supplies already delivered there. He chuckled, realizing that Anna really held up her promise. For the rest of the day, they worked to remove the rest of the roof and measure the lumber.

The next day, everyone got up bright and early to continue with their work. It was  Anna’s birthday and Kristoff knew everyone could see the disappointment on his face. Henrich suggested that Kristoff take the day off and go celebrate his fiancé’s birthday with her, but  Kristoff refused, saying that the job was more important and that he could celebrate with her later.

Just when Kristoff finished speaking with Henrich, he noticed a figure dressed in white approaching the site. As the figure got closer, he realized it was Elsa and he wondered what she was doing there since she should be with Anna.

“Hello Kristoff.”

“Hi Elsa! What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be with Anna?”

“I came to gather all of you for a special meeting with Queen Anna.”

“Special meeting? What does she want to discuss?”

“Come with me.”

Everyone followed Elsa as she led them through the woods. Kristoff was wondering what Anna wanted to talk about. Did she want to discuss the repairs?

When they came to a clearing, Kristoff could not believe his eyes. It seemed that all of Arendelle and Northuldra were there and that they had set up a birthday celebration in the woods! Rows of tables were set up with white table clothes, napkins, plates, and forks. On some of the tables were refreshments, various deserts, jams, and fruits from Arendelle and Enchanted Forest. The center table had a gigantic three-tier chocolate cake decorated with sunflowers and crocuses, similar to the one he saved two years ago. Music and laughter filled the area as the citizens mingled with each other. When the group approached, they were pulled into the festivities.  Kristoff searched for Anna, but didn’t have to look too long as she came running towards him.

“Hey Kristoff! Glad you can make it?”

“Anna, what…What is this?”

“I decided to have my birthday here where every citizen can attend. After all, it doesn't feel right that some of my citizens can’t enjoy my big day.”

“You are the best person I have ever known. Thank you.”

Soon it was time to cut the cake. Everyone sang Happy Birthday to Anna and wished her a long and prosperous reign. Soon, everyone was mingling with each other and enjoying the food there. With everyone busy, Kristoff decided it was the right time to give Anna his gift. After letting Elsa know, he took Anna’s hand and started leading her towards the area.

As they approached their destination, Kristoff told Anna to cover her eyes and not to peek Anna was excited about what Kristoff was planning to show her. She let Kristoff lead her forward, and then heard him say “Now!”

When Anna uncovered her eyes, she gasped when she saw the scenery in front of her.  There was a small pool with a small waterfall and a tall willow tree next to the pool. Anna realized that this was the place she and Kristoff had passed through when they were searching for Elsa after she froze Arendelle. It was also the place where they met Olaf. After the Great Thaw, they had tried to find the place again but couldn’t remember the path to get there.

“Happy birthday Anna. This is my gift to you.”

“Kristoff…” Anna whispered.

She was so moved, she could hardly say anything back. She felt tears fall down her cheeks. Her silence started to make Kristoff nervous.

“Anna, do you like it?”

“Like it? I love it! Thank you Kristoff!”

She jumped into Kristoff’s arms and together they spun the way she liked . As Kristoff put her down, Anna tiptoed up and met his lips in a soft kiss. They held each other and savored the kiss for a few minutes before separating.

“So Anna, what do you want to do here? We have about fifteen minutes before we need to head back.”

“How about we just sit under the tree and listen to the sounds of nature.”

“That sounds great.”

“Also, let’s come back here when you are done with the repairs. I want to make this place our spot.”

Kristoff gave her a wide smile. “You got it.”

They situated themselves under the willow tree and let out contented sighs. Together they enjoyed the sound of the water falling into the pool and the summer breeze whistling through the tree branches.

This place was definitely the perfect gift.

[feistypaants-archived]

Since the zine is out, I can post this!! 🥰

Did this little Star Wars Day piece for @frozines Kristanna Calendar! Please make sure you check out everything in the zine!!! Everyone put so much work in and it looks amazing!!!

This was super fun and I haven’t been able to draw a single good thing since LMAO

[frozines]

Winter Wonderland Frozine Sign Ups

Sign ups for our fourth zine volume “Winter Wonderland” are now open!

Schedule

Sign Ups: November 13th-23rd

Halfway Check-In: December 6th

Deadline: December 20th

Release Date: December 24th

Sign Ups Are Required

You can sign up by completing the google form linked here:  [SIGN UPS]

We are requiring sign ups for this zine as we’ve found this works best and also allows us to better prepare for the zine’s launch being in the midst of the Holiday season (being shortly after the end of Hanukkah and just a day before Christmas). If you do not know if you will be able to complete your piece in the timeline provided, please still sign up and request a half-way check in. You can drop out at any time.

More information is available under the cut, and in our information sheet [HERE]

What Kind of Submissions are Allowed?

Ships

All general (non-ship) content is allowed. Ships must be canon or near canon. This is due to feedback from previous zine contributors and from the readers of the zine. A short list of canon/ near canon allowed ships is below. Contact us on the blog @frozines​ on tumblr or our email [email protected] with any questions.

Kristanna

Elsamaren

Agduna

(Please contact us about other ships)

Submission Types

All forms of content are welcome to be submitted. Some examples include:

Art (digital, traditional, manips, photos, crafts, moodboards, etc.), Fic, Rec lists & playlists, Links to digital content such as fanvids & podfic, Poems, Etc.

Submission Content

Previously published & new content are both allowed.

NSFW work is allowed, but will be placed in its own section of the zine and will be labeled as such. 

Racist, sexist, other discriminatory, and intentionally inflammatory (anti) content is not allowed. This zine is for everyone, and included work should reflect this. 

Theme

Our theme for this zine is “Winter Wonderland”. This can be interpreted however you’d like but some suggestions include:

General winter pieces

Hanukkah

Christmas

Yule

Winter Solstice

New Year’s 

Mystery Moodboards Are Back!

When you sign up, you will be asked if you would like a “mystery moodboard” to be created for your piece. If you say yes, this moodboard will include images that relate to your piece and a short tagline as well as your username. The point of this moodboard is to encourage people to get excited about the zine and your piece in it. After the zine launches, the post will be updated to include the title and a link to your piece.

Deadline & Extensions

By the deadline, December 20th, you must have submitted your piece by midnight EST. You may request an extension of 24 hours, but you must request this before midnight EST on December 20th such that we can post the completed zine by December 24th.

[frozines]

Calling All Beta Readers!

Do you have some time this week to read some of our submissions? If so, please send us a message so we can help match you with a writer who is in need of assistance.