Meet the Big Five

Elsa

"Elsa!' I heard Anna call, and I turned around, breaking my conversation with the two Lords. I saw make her way towards us, dragging some dude with her. I recognized him as Prince Whats-his-name of God-knows-where. "I mean, Queen." she added humbly, and curtsied.

"It's me again," she said, excited. 'Um, may I present to you Prince Hans of the Southern Isles!"

"Your Majesty," Hans bowed.

"We would like-" said Anna and Hans at the same time. They looked at each other and grinned. "-your blessing." Anna giggled. "For our marriage!" they finished.

I blinked. I was confused. Was Anna okay? Did the Prince slip something in her drink when she wasn't looking?

"Marriage?" I whispered.

"Yes!" squealed Anna. Yes, there was definitely something funny going on with her.

"I'm sorry, I'm confused." I said, suspicious of the Prince. Was it just me, or was he gloating there as Anna held on to him?

Anna launched into a ramble. "Well, we haven't worked out all the details ourselves. We'll need a few days to plan the ceremony. Of course we'll have the soup, roast, ice cream and then-" she stopped, and addressed Hans. "Wait, would we live here?"

"Here?" I said, my confidence dissolving by the minute.

"Absolutely!" Hans held her hands.

I had to put a stop to this. "Anna-"

"Oh, we can invite all twelve of your brothers to stay with us!" said Anna, as I tried my best to interrupt and stop her. "Of course, we have the room-"

"Wait. Slow down." I said firmly. When she stopped talking, I went on, "No one's brothers are staying here, no one is getting married."

"Wait, what?" said Anna, like she couldn't believe what I was saying.

Could she not see how ridiculous this was? Who marries someone they barely know? I couldn't risk Anna doing something she'd regret later. She was all I had now. After Mama and Papa...disappeared, It was just her and me. I love Anna a lot, but I didn't know how to show it, without her discovering that I was cursed. No. I had to show her that she was making a very bad decision.

"May I talk to you, please?" I looked at Anna, desperate. "Alone?"

"No." said Anna, still holding Hans' hand. She looked hurt. "Whatever you have to say, you- you can say it to both of us."

I sighed. Now I had to do it the hard way. "Fine. You can't marry a man you just met."

"You can if it's true love!" she argued.

"Anna, what do you know about true love?" I asked, trying my best to be gentle. It wasn't working.

"More than you!" said Anna defiantly. "All you know is how to shut people out!"

I have to admit, that really stung. I knew that I was shutting Anna out, and I also knew that she hated it. But I was too scared to get close to her again, to hurt her again. I couldn't tell her all this, of course. Being Anna, she would smile and hug me and tell me it's okay, but the look in her eyes would say MONSTER.

Even though my heart was breaking inside, I still stood my ground. "You asked for my blessing, but my answer is no. Now, excuse me."

It felt like the temperature dropped, like, 10 degrees. And I knew it was me. I had to get out of there quick before I hurt somebody again.

Hans tried to stop me. "Your Majesty, if I may ease your-"

"No, you may not." I cut him off. I knew I sounded rude, But at that moment all I knew is that I had to get away. "And I think you should go."