Nothing's in my way

Chapter 1

"... cause for the first time in for-uoooooooooh! Ouch! Hey!"

"Are you serious? Didn't you have another place to fall than my just finished preparing wagon?"

That stranger who stood before me with his shoulders slumped forward, looking at me with a certain desperation, spoke to me with a mixture of anger, frustration and resignation. I had probably just spoiled the fruit of hard work.

"Oh, I'm so so..." I was on my way to a sincere apology when it dawned on me. "Hey! Wait! What with the manners?! Are you not thinking of helping me?"

"I bet you can get out of there by yourself," he replied amused. "Well, maybe not with that skirt... hang on."

I frowned at the boy who offered me his hand with a kind and mocking smile. It would have been perfect if he hadn't treated me so rudely just before. He hadn't even asked me if I got hurt!

"It will not be necessary. I can manage by myself," I replied with a haughty tone even though I didn't see myself very capable of disengaging myself from all that stuff. Indeed, the gown did not help.

"Oh, yeah? Okay, then try not to take too long, I have to re-arrange all this before I go to work."

"Work? Aren't you planning to go to greet the queen?"

"We're at the height of summer, people need ice. I can't take a day off right in the best season."

"You sell ice?"

"Uh-huh. And I need my wagon for that. Do you plan to spend much more time lying there?"

I had no choice but to accept defeat.

"You know perfectly well that I can't even move. Come and help me!"

The boy laughed contentedly and extended his hand again. Although he had not been very charming, I did not miss his warm gaze or the care and firmness with which he pulled me and he took me by the waist to pull me out of that tangle with surprising ease.

"Thank you," I muttered reluctantly when I finally found myself standing on solid ground.

"Maybe next time you can watch your step. That would save you this kind of trouble."

It was possible, just a little bit, that he was right.

"Yeah, sorry, okay? I was very excited because the gates are finally open and maybe I've lost control a little bit."

"Are you so excited? I deduce then that these fineries are to meet the queen," he commented casually as he began to rearrange the back of his wagon.

"Oh no, nothing like that. If I'm excited, it's because I can finally get out of the castle."

"What do you mean?"

"I guess I haven't introduced myself, isn't it?"

The boy looked up without really understanding the situation.

"Princess Anna, of the Arendelle."

"What? Are you serious?"

'And now everything's gonna change.' That was what I thought as I waited for his bow and perhaps some shame for the trusts and the tone with which he had treated his princess. But none of that came. Instead, he held out his hand again with complete confidence.

"Kristoff Bjorgman."

I couldn't get out of my astonishment. No one outside the family had ever treated me like this. Probably within the family either. However, I was not displeased with the closeness that this Kristoff displayed. It was always warmer a good handshake than an uptight bow.