"Princess Anna was in the ballroom just a moment ago—"

"I'm sorry, she was here, but then she went to check on the queen in her study—"

"…they just left not a minute before you arrived, I believe there was something about a dress fitting—"

"Have you checked the kitchens? I saw her going that way—"

"No, I haven't seen her, but when you find her would you please remind her highness that she needs to consult with the florist at her earliest convenience?"

Kristoff had been trying to find Anna all day, but the castle had become a chaotic zoo and his princess proved to be highly elusive prey. The chase had led him to every floor of every wing, and Anna was always one step ahead, and always in demand. The preparations for the grand ball celebrating the anniversary of the Thaw had consumed her every moment for the last two weeks, and yes, it was an important occasion, he understood that, but also he hadn't seen her in days. If he could just have five minutes to see her…He didn't find her until she ran into him.

"Kristoff! I'm so sorry—oh no, the cards have gone everywhere—"

He knelt to help her gather up the stiff white rectangles that had spilled across the carpet, but his eyes were on Anna. She was smiling, but there was a crease between her eyebrows, and she kept gnawing at her lip. And she was too pale. There were dark smudges under her eyes, standing out against her white cheeks like bruises.

"Anna, are you okay?"

"Of course! I'm sorry, I should have been paying more attention, I just need to get these cards to Kai so that I can go check on Elsa's dress—"

"No, I mean—are you okay? Do you feel okay?"

"Of course!" She flashed him a bright smile, but he was watching her hands tremble as she fumbled with the cards.

"When did you last sleep?" he asked, taking the cards from her.

"Last night, of course, I—well, I did go to bed really late, because I had to finish figuring out the menu, and then Gerda woke me up in a panic because someone spilled red wine in the dining room—no one will admit to it, but the stain would not come out, and anyway we had to go hunt in the attics for a different rug that was big enough, and let me tell you, the attic before dawn is a creepy place—"

"Before dawn? She got you up before dawn?"

"Yeah, it was an emergency! Oh, and speaking of emergencies, Kai needs these cards! I have to—"

"I'll go with you." She smiled up at him as he put a supporting hand under her arm.

Once Kai had the important cards, there was another emergency about flowers, and another about shoes, and after watching Anna rush from one end of the castle to the other Kristoff didn't understand how she could still be on her feet.

"Anna," he said finally, pulling her to a halt as she rushed across the courtyard to check on the emergency about flags. "Anna, aren't you tired?"

"What? Oh, no! No, I've had…" she paused, staring at her fingers with a frown of concentration. "I've had six cups of tea, and Gerda let me put in as much sugar as I wanted."

Ah. No wonder she was practically vibrating, then, despite her exhausted eyes.

"I think you need to take a break, Anna."

"Kristoff, I can't! This is important! I have to—"

"Anna, just—come here for a second." He tugged her into the nearest doorway, which was fortunately the stable, and empty at this time of day except for the horses and a snoring Sven.

"Kristoff, I have to go—"

He kissed her. He'd found that it was the single best way to get her complete attention. The entire world was one huge, fascinating distraction for Anna, but she never failed to give herself utterly to a kiss. Her hands came up to press against his chest and her body swayed into his. He barely got his arm around her waist before her knees went limp, making her sag against him. Hell, he could feel how tired she was, even as she kissed him back. The moment her body started to relax it also wanted to fall asleep. He pulled away and Anna blinked.

"I miss you," he said softly, fingertips stroking her cheek gently.

"I miss you too." She laid her head on his chest with a sigh. "I'm sorry, I know I haven't been making time for you, I just…I want everything to be perfect. After tomorrow—"

"It's okay, Anna, I understand. I don't mind about that. I'm just…worried about you. You're going to wear yourself out."

Anna straightened hastily from her slump against him. "I'm not! I'm just fine!"

"Anna, you're exhausted. You're working too hard."

"I'm not working any harder than Elsa," she said.

"She's probably exhausted, too. Anna, please, just go to your room and rest for a little while. Please?"

"I can't, they're working on Elsa's dress in my room, because there was an accident in the seamstress' workshop, and really I should go check on—"

"Elsa's room, then."

"Oh, I do need to go to Elsa's room, I promised to find her the right shoes for—"

He sighed. "What about that big chair in the library? Just for half an hour, Anna—"

"The library! I forgot! I have to help with the calligraphy on the—"

"Anna."

His exasperated tone made her blink, and then she laid a hand on his arm. "I'm fine, really. Kristoff, don't worry so much about me." Her eyes widened. "Oh, the cake, I forgot I need to go see about the cake—" She was about to turn and run toward the kitchens when he caught her around the waist.

"Anna, will you promise not to kick me?"

"What? Why would I—"

"Just promise."

"Okay, I promise, wha—Kristoff!"

He picked her up without ceremony and draped her over his shoulder, catching her flailing ankles in one hand. "You promised," he reminded her.

"Kristoff, put me down! I have to—What are you doing?"

What he was doing was pulling a bundle out of the supplies he stored next to Sven's stall and tossing it up into the hayloft. The reindeer cracked open a sleepy eye and lifted his head to see what the commotion was. Seeing that it involved the princess being carried up the ladder on Kristoff's shoulder, Sven hastily closed his eyes again and settled back down. This definitely looked like one of those times when the humans required some privacy.

"Kristoff! You have to put me down!"

He did. Anna stared at him, wide-eyed, her eyes only getting wider as he bent to undo the bundle. "Kristoff, what…what are you doing?"

"You need to rest," he said firmly. He unrolled a large bearskin and spread it over the loose pile of hay that filled half of the loft, knowing from experience that the prickly stalks wouldn't poke through the hide. "Here, just—just sit down for a minute, okay?"

"Kristoff, I can't, I have too much to do!"

He got in between her and the ladder. "Just for a minute," he said. "Please?" The bundle caught his eye again and he grinned. "If you sit down, I'll play something for you."

Anna followed his eyes to the lute, poking out of the roll of blankets. He hardly ever played it in front of her, even though she brought it up constantly. It was just too embarrassing. But if it would get her to rest…

"Fine," she said. "Fine, I'll sit down. But just for a minute." She dropped down onto the fur, her back stiff and upright. Kristoff settled into the hay near her with the lute in his hands. He plucked at it awkwardly for a moment before his fingers settled into the quiet, rolling melody of a lullaby. Anna snorted, but her head titled and her eyes closed as she listened. Her chin began to drop and she jerked it up again, moving restlessly.

"I bet," Kristoff said quietly, before she could announce that it was time for her to go, "I bet that you can't stay awake for a count of fifty."

"What?"

He kept playing. "I bet that if you lie back, you won't be able to count up to fifty."

"Kristoff, don't be ridiculous, of course I can count up to fifty. And I'm not tired, I told you. I have to—"

"Prove it," he said.

"Kristoff—"

"I bet you a kiss," he offered. He saw her roll her eyes. "If you just try it, I'll promise you a dance," he suggested. It was a desperate move, but this was a desperate time. He hated to dance, but those dark marks under Anna's eyes twisted his heart every time he glanced at her.

Anna eyed him, apparently not so tired that she'd lost her wits. "Two dances."

He winced. "Fine. Two dances, just for trying to prove that you're not tired."

She flopped back on the fur, the hay rustling beneath her. "One," she said firmly. "Two. Three. Four. Five…si…."

Kristoff kept playing quietly until he heard a snore, and then another. Then he got up, very softly, and went to look at her. Anna lay on her back, one arm draped over her stomach, the other flung out over her head, the chorus of snores issuing from her parted lips a steady rhythm.

"Hello? Princess Anna?"

Kristoff slid down the ladder and glared at the unfortunate footman, practically pushing him back out the stable door. "What do you want?"

"Um…ah…someone said that Princess Anna came this way, and there's an emergency with the—"

"I really doubt that there's an actual emergency."

"Ah, well, see, the flowers have arrived, only they've sent the wrong roses?"

"What's wrong with them? Roses are roses."

"Uh, well, but they were supposed to be pink, to match the icing on the cake, but they're...um…yellow."

"And this is an emergency."

"Well, yes."

"Amazing."

"So…is the princess…?"

"Go back and tell them to use the yellow roses," Kristoff snarled.

"But the cake—"

"Has it been iced already?"

"No, but—"

"Then make it a yellow cake. And don't come here and bother me again, understand?"

"Ah…yes. Yes, sir. Master Bjorgman, sir. A yellow cake. Yes."

Kristoff pulled up a stool by the door. After a little thought, he got out his carving knife and a block of wood. When the next 'emergency' arrived, it only took a moment for the unfortunate servant to retreat. It was a trick that he'd learned in the mountains—he may not know how to dance, or address all the different ranks, or anything else about dealing with people the royal way, but he did know that no one really wants to argue with a man holding a knife.

He settled himself comfortably, prepared to protect his sleeping princess against all comers.

EPILOGUE:

"Kristoff?"

He stood up hastily. "Yes?"

"Is Anna here?"

"Ah…" He couldn't very well lie to the queen about her own sister. "Ah, yes."

Elsa eyed him. Kristoff studied her in turn. He had been right—she looked even more exhausted than Anna. "Where is she, exactly?"

He gestured to the ladder, and after she'd climbed it he followed her up. She was standing very quietly, watching Anna sleep.

"How long has she been here?" she whispered.

"About an hour. I just…she looked so tired. And then I couldn't bear to wake her." He shrugged awkwardly. "She kept insisting she wasn't tired, but then she couldn't lie down and stay awake for a count of fifty." Kristoff glanced sideways at the queen. "I bet," he said slowly, "I bet that you couldn't do it either."

"What? Kristoff, of course I could. I'm not at all tired. Anna's been doing all of the work."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Prove it."

"Fine, I—wait, what?"

Kristoff pulled out another blanket and draped it over the hay. "Here. Prove it."

"Kristoff, I really don't have time for games—"

"I bet that you can't last as long as Anna did."

The queen made it up to twenty-three, but not more. Kristoff left her curled up beside her sister, her softer breathing drowned out by the snores, and went back to his post at the door with even more determination. Now he had two sleepers to protect.