Love can see the good

10. Beginnings

Kristoff woke in the early morning hours, which was totally normal to him. He would go and check on Sven and tend to his buddy and the stable.

He had hardly moved since falling asleep. Not so Anna. She had tossed herself unto her back. One arm sprawled across his face, the other laid covering her eyes.

He carefully put her arm to the side and sat up. There it was again, this agony, watching her next to him. She was beautiful, so innocent in her ways, so attractive to him. She trusted him. Otherwise, she would not have come up to his room, for sure. Unless she had...

A snoring gurgle next to him pulled him out of his thoughts. Kristoff sighed, shook his head, and rose from the bed. He went to the door and peered out. As he had thought. The hallway was still quiet and no one to see.

He then went to the adjoining room, getting a quick wash. He took out comfy clothing and boots for the day. His sash. Ready.

Anna was still asleep. Good. He went over to her bedside and carefully picked her up. He would bring her downstairs to her new room. He first thought about leaving her here peacefully asleep. But most likely she would wake late. By then the castle was alive with busy servants and maids. It would be practically impossible for Anna to get to her room without being noticed by someone. In her nightdress and at that hour, and then emerging from his room... There was no need to expose her to such gossip's nurture.

Reaching her royal bedchamber, Kristoff pushed the doorhandle with his elbow and gave the door a tiny kick. Inside he would push the door with his foot to close it as quiet as possible. He laid Anna back in her bed, tugging the blankets around her.

When he left, she was still asleep.

Kristoff stepped out into the hallway and turned to go, just to nearly bumping into Gerda. She stood a few feet away for her start of the daily duty. The older woman pressed her lips, thinking hard of how to greet the young man, standing before her, eyes widened.

Of course, he had not expected someone standing there. Gerda had been up earlier than usual.

Kristoff cleared his throat and pointed to the door behind him with his thumb.

"Good morning, Gerda. I... ehem... just brought her back. You know." How ridiculous he must sound, like he had been borrowing the princess out... He grimaced and didn't really know what to do.

Gerda suppressed a laugh. She had witnessed a similar scene like that already before. Long before. About twentyfive years ago. Just that the young man back then didn't get caught in the act. She was positive that Kristoff had taken care of Anna in the most respectable way.

So, she chuckled in a friendly manner.

"Good morning, to you, too, my Lord. Yes, of course, you did. Thank you. I will soon go and assist to her majesty. I wish you a good day." Then she would go on, and just up at his side, she would put a gentle hand unto his arm. Just soft and reassuring. Like a mother would do, understanding and knowing.

Kristoff didn't think about Gerda's reaction. She was nice as she had always been with him.

He went into the kitchen to get him and Ryder some breakfast. When he got to the ground floor, some of the servants were already busy with their daily work. So he had done well and had brought Anna back to her refuge just in time.

Entering the kitchen brought a familiar welldoing to his nose and hungry belly. Freshly baked bread, just taken out of the oven. Milk warmed up. Some ingredients for the day were already piled on the working tables for later preparations.