Happy Endings

Disclaimer: I do not own Frozen or its characters/setting, as those are all the property of Disney.

Author's Note: Happy Thanksgiving everybody! Okay to elaborate as to why I'm even posting this in the first place, I wanted to give my loyal fans and readers something to show my appreciation for your following me and for supporting my story Judge Bjorgman. However, I've run into a bit of a snag with Chapter Nine and well…let's just say the original plan to have more chapters uploaded before this coming Wednesday is probably going bust. Therefore, I decided to write this little one-shot that's been on my mind for a little bit and perhaps I'll be able to update my primary story before Wednesday. I hope you all enjoy this and please check out Judge Bjorgman if and or when you get the chance!

In A Nutshell: I'm still working on Judge Bjorgman, but here's a present from me to you.

One week passed since that horrific incident. To say that the entire ordeal had been a monumental misunderstanding would have been a colossal understatement and all involved suffered a consequence in their own unique manner. In the months prior to the 'incident', several fundamental shifts in behavior and visible changes in relationships had noticeably taken place due to the actions of the ever jovial, Princess Anna.

Several weeks following the disastrous celebration of Queen Elsa's coronation, the exuberant red-head came to the realization that her relationship with one Kristoff Bjorgman wasn't suitable for romance and as such had suggested they remain strictly friends. Naturally, Arendelle's newly appointed Royal Ice Master and Deliverer felt heartbroken but in an attempt to save face, bravely accepted this unfortunate reality with a thin smile and a false happiness. One would naturally expect this series of events to work its way out for the best and eventually become easier for the young ice harvester to handle, unfortunately anything involving the feisty red-head could never end on such a succinctly simple note. A mere four days passed since this gut-wrenching revelation came forth before Anna's affections fell upon a visiting prince from a far away land, one Prince Edward of Andalasia.

Kristoff received constant invitations expressing urgent desire for his presence before the royal family, namely Princess Anna as her innocent mind failed to observe the pain her actions inflicted upon the tall blonde as their outings effectively related the somber ice master and deliverer to the unenviable roll of a third wheel. Fate, it would seem, was not without a sense of irony as more and more Kristoff loathed spending time with the two love-struck royals, the more often a certain Snow Queen would suddenly appear and assign the strong blonde harvester to perform an elaborate task which more often than not required his talent, expertise, and unbroken attention. Ultimately, Kristoff learned that Elsa had grown somewhat lonely as most of what little free-time she'd afforded herself had been spent wandering the halls of the ornate palace and creating intricate ice sculptures in hopes of filling the void left by her parents and now her sister.

At first, their interactions had been strictly business; as time passed their relationship evolved and grew into a close friendship between two soft-spoken people with a passion for ice. Kristoff no longer loathed his summons to the castle, in fact, the young man rather enjoyed if not looked forward to visiting the Ice Queen whenever she'd been available to spend time with him. Being the reigning monarch of an entire kingdom, Elsa wasn't as 'available' as Anna had been; Kristoff paid no mind to this as he'd always admired the queen's dedication to her work and her people. Elsa on the other hand found comfort in the fact she'd found a friend who'd unequivocally understood and respected her duties as well as her ice-powers instead of whining and fearing them respectively. Closer and closer she'd grown to the young ice harvester, and each day they met she felt certain warmth growing deep within her very heart and soul. Warmth similar to that which she felt when she'd thawed her younger sister, but this feeling proved to be so much more than a mere familial love. This realization both frightened the young queen and elated her to unending heights.

All good things must come to an end, and this uneasy peace, which settled upon the sisters and ice master of Arendelle, would shatter with the actions of one obtuse foreign dignitary.

~Flashback~

"Your Majesty! Please! I beg you reconsider my proposal! Think of your people, your kingdom, think about the benefits of such a union between our two nations!" Prince Phoebus of France pleaded with the displeased Snow Queen as she brusquely snatched her small hand from the kneeling buffoon's grasp. All of which happening to the amusement of Anna and Edward as they stood patiently by the far wall, being caught in the room in the midst of their departure to once again tour the finest dining establishments Arendelle had to offer.

"I've made my decision and I ask that you give it the same respect as you would an order from your own queen!" The snow queen proclaimed with ire as she slipper her hands into the silky gloves only worn in times of extreme duress, much to the concern of her younger sister.

"But..But…Your Majesty, given enough time I'm sure that we would-"

"Despite what you believe, I'm not about to offer myself up as a bartering chip for my kingdom or people! Furthermore, I hold not an ounce of affection for you and do not see that changing within this century! If you're quite finished with your request, then please accept my respectful decline and my sincerest apologies for the extensive journey you embarked in vain. I bid you good day and safe journey, Prince Phoebus." The snow queen turned her back upon the frazzled French prince and attempted to return to a seated position upon her throne; she hadn't expected for the young man to act as he did in the several moments following her final words.

In an instant, the French prince arose to his full height and seized the snow queen's hand, twisting the startled young ruler and pulling her into a very unwarranted and unpleasant kiss. An audible gasp echoed about the throne room as a stunned silence enveloped its occupants, as none had expected to witness such a brazen display of arrogance and desperation. Several moments passed by as Elsa's eyes widened with shock and narrowed with anger before she hastily broke the kiss and delivered a powerful ice-powered push upon the foreign dignitary's chest plate sending him flying back against the hard walls of the castle.

Turning back to the other royal's present in the room, the snow queen's eyes fell upon a very confused Prince Edward and a dread-filled Anna signaling in the direction of the main entrance to which Elsa noticed the retreating form of one Kristoff Bjorgman. Instantaneously the platinum blonde royal deduced the origin of the sharp inhalation of air as coming from the same man who'd been hastily returning back the way in which he'd come onto the scene. By the time Elsa made it to the main gates, Kristoff had been well on his way across the drawbridge and back through town.

~End Flashback~

One week since that unfortunate day, and the young ice harvester hadn't answered a single royal summons to the castle by request of Queen Elsa. To her credit, Anna tried her very best to cheer her worried sister up and offered a thin explanation that Kristoff probably had to make quite a few deliveries that day was afraid he would be late. Normally, this would've been a plausible explanation as Kristoff took great pride in punctuality and never having missed a single ice delivery. Yet somehow Elsa knew this was different, somehow she knew it was much more than a simple matter of meeting the obligations of a royally assigned position, somehow Elsa knew that what Kristoff witness had hurt him far more than any of them could possibly fathom.

Breaking the young snow queen out of her morose thoughts, the royal guards announced the arrival and entrance of the royal servant Kai whom she'd sent out several days ago returned with urgent news regarding the ice harvester's absence. The flame of hope lightly rekindled at the sight of the aging man she'd known since birth, yet the anxious visage upon his rotund face proved of little reassurance in assuaging the queen's deepest worries.

"Kai, was your assignment successful?" The older servant took a moment to catch a breath to which the queen nodded in allowance of this momentary pause before he rose to his full height and gave a bellowing cough to realign his train of thought.

"Yes, your majesty. I made contact with the trolls as you requested, and they report of no contact with Master Bjorgman a period of time coinciding with this last known appearance her at the palace."

Elsa sat crestfallen at this grim revelation, but decidedly held out in hope for the follow-up report she'd requested to bring much happier news to relieve her of the worries, which plagued the deepest recesses of her mind and filled the very depths of her soul with anguish.

"A-And what of the commoners?"

Kai hesitated for a moment, and sighed heavily as he gripped his winter top hat fervently.

"W-Well, your majesty, it would appear that Master Bjorgman conducted several unexpected deliveries of copious amounts of ice to each of the business he'd contracted his services throughout the year. Beyond that, the only individual who's remotely seen our official Ice Master and Deliverer was one Oaken, who claims that the young man had purchased a number of supplies without so much as uttering a word before leaving just a few days ago. Beyond that, the man's practically absent from society."

Anna aimed a worried glance in the direction of her grief-stricken sister, and moved to comfort the snow queen when she'd stopped dead in her tracks upon witnessing the reigning monarch rise to her feet. Elsa instantly ordered a young guard by the name of Andrej to ready her horse for immediate departure despite the objection of her eldest servant and confidant. Anna motioned to approach her older sister, but at seeing the tears welling within her ice-blue eyes she merely offered her wishes for a safe journey and to return safely after finding the missing ice harvester. Nodding respectfully, the ice princess darted for the exit and mounted her horse with little time to lose, making directly for the main gate. Her destination, the residence of Kristoff Bjorgman.

A powerful blizzard befell the small kingdom of Arendelle, and though she'd been quite positive, Elsa began to doubt as to whether or not her powers were responsible for such blistering winds and horrific weather conditions. The snow queen's affinity for ice allotted an extensive acclimation to the frigid temperatures, a potential benefit of her ice powers no less. Unfortunately, the extensive snowfall limited the platinum blonde queen's visible range considerably and prolonged a forty-five minute journey to last roughly two hours before she could barely make out the small wooden fence bordering what little property the ice harvester owned, but based on the path she'd taken there could be no doubt this was the residence of the man she so desperately tried to find.

Spying a smallish stable, Elsa dismounted her trusted steed and made for the entryway to hitch the white horse and protect her animal from the harsh environment outside. Curiously, Elsa noticed a sleeping Sven in the midst of fresh hay and surrounded by buckets of carrots. Kristoff spoiled his reindeer rotten from what she'd come to understand, but this was a level completely beyond anything the pair had ever discussed. Securing her horse within the opposite stable, the snow queen made back for the exit and once more flung herself into the catastrophic blizzard currently enveloping the kingdom. Shakily, the queen trudged through the snow and braved the scathing winds and razor-sharp ice which flew all about her to stand before the entrance to the 'cozy' home of her favored ice harvester.

*knock *knock "Kristoff...Kristoff…It's Elsa I…" Elsa's words faded with the harrowing winds of the powerful winter storm, as the door she'd rapped upon slowly opened under the light force of her small hand. Quickly, the lithe snow queen flung herself into the residence and slammed the door behind her with a loud thud. Breathing heavily she began to notice the overwhelming darkness swallowing the entire cabin and her included as she secured the door. Timidly, the young princess found a lantern on the ground several feet to her right and proceeded to ignite the fuel within to cast light upon the shadows of darkness.

"K-Kristoff? Helloooo! Is anyone…here…" Elsa slowly made her way about the tiny cabin, to think such a large and mighty man as Kristoff could maneuver in such a seemingly confining space confounded the snow princess to no end. Traversing the entire cabin, including the bedroom much to her embarrassment in regards to the impropriety of such an act, Elsa could find not a shred of evidence that the ice harvester remained within or around the cabin at all. Swinging the old lantern about, the young queen noticed a folded piece of parchment with the word Elsa inscribed in large letters directly center. Softly taking a seat, the young woman cautiously opened the parchment as if afraid it would suddenly burst into flame or release some unspeakable horror about the world upon its opening. Taking a calming breath, the platinum blonde woman unfolded the letter and began to read its contents.

Elsa,

I knew it would be you who came to my cabin to look for me.

You're probably hurt because I've come by the castle since that day and I apologize for that. I never intended to cause you any pain at all, ever! Then again, I never thought I'd ever have to write this letter, but here we are.

I couldn't find a (scribble) verbal way of explaining why I'm doing what I'm about to do, until now that is and that's why I couldn't see you.

An ice harvester needs to be completely in union with the ice itself, a solid stance on the slippery fields. I don't think I have that anymore, nothing makes much sense anymore.

It's all so…confusing. The loss, the indifference, the heartbreak.

When I lost Anna, it ripped a gaping hole in my heart that I though would heal with time and making new friends, being friends with you while getting right back to work in ice.

I thought I could work through the pain and eventually overcome it.

The first week we began to spend time together, you and I, that's when I remembered it. The first time I met you, the REAL first time.

Fifteen years ago, I followed a trail of amazing ice after harvesting with the other big ice harvesters. I never really had any parents, all I had was Sven, so we usually followed them. But that night, I saw you work magic and wonder with something I always loved and that's when I happened to meet my adoptive family.

Ice has always been my life, it's always brought me joy and comfort. When I'm out there, I always know who I am and what I can do for the world.

I don't know any of that any more, not my role, not my purpose, not even who I am.

In my line of work, the only friends you have are your steeds and your fellow harvesters who make sure you don't fall to an icey-demise. Slowly, I thought perhaps in branching out I could make more friends and trust more people beyond the simple 'you scratch my back I scratch yours', but now I can only feel hurt and betrayal whenever I so much as look at anyone, and I lose all of my joy and love. As bad as losing my faith in people goes, I know I'd always have Sven and he'd be all I ever need. But losing faith in happiness and (tear stain) happy endings, is something I cannot handle, something far worse.

I've only trusted a handful of people in my lifetime, and now most if not all of them have broken my trust and cut deep into my core. I've only been in love twice, and both times I've had my heart ripped out…the second time far worse than the first. I feel dead inside, and for all the joy and solace that ice harvesting brings…I can't seem to fix that unyielding pain within my heart and the fissure of my soul. Whenever I felt hurt or lonely, I could turn to the ice, throw myself into the harvest, but now all I see when I look at ice I (tear stain) I see pain, and feel overwhelming hurt.

The feelings of love and warmth seem to be just beyond my reach anymore, I can no longer feel whole or content with where my life has taken me. Like I always said the trolls told me, all you need is a little bit of love to get by, but what happens when that love fades into the night and never returns? Ice is my life, but how can it be if I can no longer feel that love and connection? How can I continue my duties as the Royal Ice Master and Delieverer if I have no passion, no warmth, no drive for ice and only suffering and misery in its wake? Further and further down the fjord I'd fall into a pit of unending depression, and I can't put that on Anna and (several tear marks stain the paper) I can't do that to the woman I love…you…I love you Elsa. I can't put my sorrow and anguish upon the monarchy of Arendelle, it would put me in the same level of Han's selfish ambitions.

When I saw that prince kissing you in the throne room, that, that was the carrot that broke the reindeers back. I said at the beginning of this letter, that I knew it would be you who would come to my cabin in search of me and I'm so sorry that my explanation couldn't be better, Elsa. I'm sorry I couldn't tell you how I truly felt when I saw you in your ice castle, when we met every day for the past few months, and I'm sorry I couldn't tell you I love you before now. I hope you and the prince live a happy life together, and I hope you know that I'll always love you. Please take care of Sven, he deserves someone better and I feel that between you and Anna he'll have a wonderful home and owner. I know this probably doesn't make much sense and for that I am also sorry, but I've said before that nothing makes sense to me anymore.

I'm sorry

I think…I think I'm going to go looking for that lost love again, that love of ice which kept me safe as a child. That warmth that inspired a belief which led me from my painful break with Anna straight to you, the belief that made everything feel just right for the first time in well forever, the belief in happy endings.

With Love Always,

-Kristoff B.

Elsa brought a hand to her quivering jaw as a cascade of tears spilled upon her porcelain cheeks. A wail of anguish escaped her throat as the young snow queen began to dry heave and sob virtually uncontrollably by the time she reached the letters end. Truly, the snow queen had never known her ice master had endured such pain, she'd never known he'd loved her from such a young age, she'd never known how hurt he'd been when Anna broke their courtship and engaged in another. She desperately wanted to scream out into the night her love for the man and her desire for his return, but she knew it would've been in vain. Her words, forever lost to the howling wind picking up in ferocity with every wracking sob the queen exclaimed as she attempted to stand but ultimately collapsed onto his worn couch, clutching her knees tight to her chest and releasing years of torment and pain which had finally come to a head.

"I…I love you too Kristoff…don't leave me…please…don't leave…" The snow queen choked between sobs as she clamped her eyes shut and wept profoundly at the loss, perhaps indefinitely, of the single man who could truly appreciate her for her talents as well as her personality. The one man in her life who showed no fear for her gifts, but wonder and adoration. The one man who would've climbed every mountain and braved every blizzard for her and her sister, just to see them safe and sound. The one man she could truly say loved her and that she truly loved back. She'd dreamed a perfect dream, and now that dream was gone from her. Elsa remained in the fetal position, bawling her eyes out as the storm beyond the sturdy walls of the modest cabin held steadfast before the might of the voracious blizzard. Praying, no, pleading desperately for the man of her dreams, the man who thawed her heart to return to her, begging for her Kristoff to come back.

Eventually, the hysterical ice queen wept every tear she had to shed and merely hiccupped and breathed heavily into the howl of the wind and silence of the room. Comforted yet frightened by the sheer darkness and inescapable emptiness of a once cozy and delightful domicile. Reaching out the young woman found a large coat that Kristoff obviously left in his hurry to vacate the area, and slowly the blonde wrapped her self deep within the heavy material. Inhaling deeply, Elsa took in every ounce of Kristoff's scent from the garment and pictured a happier ending in her mind's eye. An ending without politics or worries, an ending where they could marry and live their lives secluded from civilization and spend their days with each other and on the ice. Just the two of them, and Sven of course with the occasional familial visit. Nevertheless, it would've been just the two of them, her and her ice master, her lover, her soul mate.

"Kristoff…I-I'm sorry…I-I love you…"

"Elsa? Is that You? How did you get here?" came a startled reply from the doorway as the snow queen's head shot up from the couch to see if this were fantasy, if her ears had been playing tricks, or if perhaps she'd heard correctly. What she saw before her eyes, left the platinum blonde in a state of shock and awe.

"Kristoff?" She inquired weakly.

"Yeah, this is my house. I was out to get some last-minute things for…well, just some last-minute things befoWoah" The ice harvester had been unable to finish his sentence as the thin figure of his love slammed directly into his chest and enveloped his broad form in an impossibly tight embrace. Before he could express his concern or question her actions, Kristoff's mind blanked at the sensation of the softest pair of lips colliding with his own and engaging in an impassioned kiss. Eyes wide with fear and confusion, the ice harvester hadn't been able to coherently think of a response and thus decided to enjoy this for what it was and passionately returned the kiss for what seemed to last an eternity.

Alas, no good deed goes unpunished for as soon as the kiss was broken, the young blonde felt a powerful feminine palm collide with his right cheek resulting in a resounding 'thwack!' that echoed about the cabin and his head turned with the intensity of the blow. Rubbing his stricken skin gingerly, the tall ice harvester turned to face the Queen who leveled he most irate yet frightened gaze he'd ever experienced, and he'd stood up to some of Anna's most intense glares. Elsa beat him to the punch before he could speak.

"DON'T…DON'T YOU DARE…DO THAT TO ME AGAIN! YOU UNDERSTAND ME! DAMN IT KRISTOFF! DON'T…don't leave me! I love you." The Queen began her tirade strong but ended with a sob and buried her head into the broad-shouldered harvester's chest.

"I-I-I love you too. But, But, the prince…"

"You imbecile! He practically assaulted me and I nearly froze him on the spot!"

Kristoff stood dumbfounded.

"I uh, I take you read the letter then huh?"

"Yes."

"You know what this means right?"

Elsa shook her head in the negative, and gave Kristoff a wide-eyed stare of curiosity and wonder mixed with a hint of fear and hope.

"…a happy ending." Kristoff replied softly and brought the young queen into a heartfelt kiss as he held her nimble body to his own and wrapped her in a tight embrace as if afraid she were a mere mirage and should he let go that she'd disappear forever. Elsa likewise wrapped her lithe arms around the ice harvesters large frame with strength beyond expected of that of a woman of Elsa's size and stance. Slowly, Kristoff lifted the grief-stricken ice queen off her feet and onto the couch to lie upon his broad chest. She attempted to protest as she stated it would be wise for both of them to return to the castle to explain what's transpired. Kristoff hushed the snow queen with a gentle kiss upon her soft lips.

"We'll worry about all of that tomorrow…for now, it's just you and me…and I want to enjoy this for however long we can." Elsa smiled warmly at this and nuzzled her head into the crook of the ice harvester's neck and sighed with love and contentment. Someone up there heard her prayer, and delivered that which she'd searched for her entire life. A happy ending with one who completely loved her in every way.

End

One-Shot Note: I originally planned to leave off with the end of the letter, but I thought, "No, that's far too depressing!" so I decided to give my favorite ship a happy ending, and I hope you all approve. There's some inspiration of that letter from TV's Criminal Minds as it draws from the letter SSA Jason Gideon wrote to SSA Spencer Reid before his departure from the series. In any case, I wanted to give credit on that where credit was due. I hope you all enjoy this and as I said above, please check out Judge Bjorgman and let me know what you think of it there. As always, I thank you all for your time and your dedication in reference to those who follow my stories and my efforts in writing…as for everybody else, I'm still just as thankful for your time and devotion as well.

-TheLifeLongEditor