Day 11

扫一扫收听英文朗读

Taking the delicate dessert in her hand, Anna looked at it. “I suppose you're right. That is what we're supposed to do. I just haven't had much opportunity.”

Hans smiled. “Well, maybe tonight should be all about new opportunities,” he said softly. “And speaking of new opportunities, I've heard the Arendelle gardens are truly spectacular. Would you be so kind as to give me a tour?”

Together, they made their way down into the gardens. He couldn't help noticing the way the moonlight made her hair glimmer. “What's this?” he asked, noticing a streak of white hair that had been tucked away. In the moonlight, it was bright white and hard to miss.

Self-consciously, Anna raised a hand to her head and gently touched the white strands. “I was born with it,” she explained. “Although I dreamed I was kissed by a troll.”

“I like it,” Hans said, pleased to see Anna blush at the comment.

Anna, who had been readying another krumkake, paused and looked up. “Okay, wait, wait,” she said, clearly eager to learn more about Hans. “So you have how many brothers?”

“Twelve older brothers,” Hans replied. “Three of them pretended I was invisible ...” Anna laughed. But then Hans went on. “Literally. For two years.”

Anna's face fell. “That's horrible,” she said.

“It's what brothers do,” Hans said, shrugging.

“And sisters,” Anna added, her face pained.

Hans was surprised at the look on Anna's face. She and Elsa had seemed so happy together.

“Elsa and I were really close when we were little,” Anna explained. “But then, one day, she just shut me out. I never knew why.”

Looking down, Hans saw Anna's lower lip quiver.

He reached out and took her hand in his. “I would never shut you out.”

Is this what love is supposed to feel like?Anna asked herself as she stared into Hans's eyes. This wonderful? This new? Her stomach gurgled nervously. This nerve-racking?

Looking down, she saw that Hans's hand was still placed atop hers. She was surprised by the contrast. Hers was pale, the skin smooth and the fingers thin. His was large, and she imagined that under his glove the skin was slightly more sun-kissed. And yet they seemed to fit together so perfectly ...

“Can I just say something crazy?” she said, looking back up and into Hans's eyes.

Without hesitation, he answered, “I love crazy.”

Anna smiled and opened her mouth, about to tell him that bumping into him was one of the best things that had ever happened to her. But she stopped herself, suddenly nervous and unsure. What if she said that and he didn't feel the same way? So instead, she said the first thing that popped into her mind. “Do you wanna go sock sliding?”

“Um, yes?” Hans said.

“It's really fun. You'll see.” She turned and walked back into the ballroom, gesturing for him to follow her into a smaller parlor next door. Making sure they were alone, she leaned down and kicked off her shoes. She slid one foot forward, then the other. Soon she was gliding across the parlor floor like an ice-skater on ice. Anna kept her head down, worried that when she looked up, she would find Hans staring at her like she had three heads—or worse, she wouldn't find him at all because he would have run away. But when she finally got the courage to raise her eyes, her heart nearly burst out of her chest. Hans wasn't giving her a funny look. He had taken off his own shoes and was moving along the floor beside her!

“This is pretty fun,” he said. “I mean, not exactly what I do back home, but I can see how you'd rather do this than dance with Duke Weaselly.”

This time Anna didn't just giggle. She threw back her head and laughed. Urging her feet forward, she came to a sliding stop mere inches from Hans. “Like I said, not much opportunity to dance with other people. I often had the whole parlor to myself to slide ...” She gestured around the room. Unfortunately, in her excitement, she swung her arm a bit too hard and the momentum sent her flying straight into his chest. She had only a moment to register the thud of his heart against hers and then they were lying on the floor in a heap.

For a moment, they just lay there, the moonlight shining down on them through the balcony door. It was as though they were the only two people who existed in the world. Anna could have sworn she heard music in her head and felt her heart bursting.

Reluctantly, she stood up, breaking the spell. “We should probably get back to the ball,” she said softly. “My sister is probably wondering where I am.”

She quickly brushed herself off. The last thing in the world she wanted to do was go back into the ball. Watching as he got up, she suddenly knew she couldn't let that happen. “Or we could wait a little bit longer. Maybe we could go ...”

“To the lighthouse,” Hans suggested, finishing her sentence.

Her mouth dropped open. “I was just about to say that. How did you ...?”

“Know?” he asked, once again saying exactly what she was going to. He smiled. “I saw it when we sailed in, and I thought it was beautiful. Would you show me?”

A grin spread over Anna's face. “I would love to,” she said happily. Hans grabbed her hand. “Well, what are we waiting for, then?” he asked. “Let's go exploring!”