Anna Doll
Anna was a doll. She was made of cloth and stuffing and for all that she had recently gotten a mind, she hadn’t had much chance to do anything with it but think. Still, she knew she loved warm hugs and loved people. From little Elsa to the tall King that took his time to treat her as a valued guest at his daughter’s tea parties. Wow, memories. She had those apparently.
She tried to move and found she could, but it was strange. She felt… taller? Wider? Like somebody had put more stuffing in while stretching out her felt. Which was weird. Also, it was really dark in the box and cramped and she really didn’t like it. Not after thirteen years of it.
So she did something she had always wanted to do, well at least she would have wanted if she could have wanted anything, she opened the box and stepped out of it. The outside of the box wasn’t much better. It was dusty for one. Another she couldn’t see much beyond what sunlight came in through the window. But it wasn’t as dark and cramped as her box, that was for sure!
Now what? She hadn’t ever done anything by herself before. It had always been the adventures and whims of Elsa… Well why not find Elsa and ask her? It worked out well in the past and surely it would be just as well in the future to continue on that way.
If she ignored that Elsa was the one who had originally put her in the box. But surely she had a good reason? She remembered something about a sibling! Why, she didn’t mind being put away if it meant that Elsa had a friend.
Anna dusted herself off, taking care to get all of the little specks off. She would prefer to avoid a washing, it was bound to be twice as horrible with as much extra felt she had now. Still risks had to be taken and there was an awful lot of dust in the unfamiliar room.
It took her an hour or two to find her way out of the attic, but after another dusting she was ready to search out her person.
Anna decided very quickly that she liked moving, running best of all. The sheer exhilaration of moving under her own power was heady. The feel of her stuffing, which had changed quite dramatically it seemed, made it that much more interesting. It was only compounded by the ability of choice; to be able to turn down this hall or that one, even to just stop and gawk at a painting. It was nice and her most favorite of things now that she was real.
Sort of, she wasn’t certain if she was just an extraordinary doll now or a real person. It seemed a bit presumptuous of herself to assume so. But if she was, choice was her favorite part of being a person.
“Oh miss! Careful they are going to be waxing the floors!” Anna stopped, looking and recognizing the woman. Gerda! She quickly took a look at herself, but no she was both clean and whole; there was no need for stitching or washing. Which meant she could focus on her warning. But could she talk? She hadn’t tried yet, but it was another thing that she had been looking forward to! She had all sorts of questions and thoughts filling her new thinking head that she wanted to voice. So she took a breath, and spoke.
“Sorry! I didn’t notice.” And she should have, not having the excuse of button eyes to be so unperceptive. Anna looked and saw that there was waxing being done. Some of the younger maids were carefully working at the floor with wax and rags, looking relieved that she had been stopped.
“All’s well that ends well.” Gerda dusted her hands off as she tilted her head. The woman looked familiar and Gerda tried placing the name as she asked another question. “The ball isn’t for hours yet.”
“It isn’t? Is Elsa going to be at the ball?”
“Queen Elsa? Why yes, of course.”
“Do you mind if I wait here with you? I don’t want to get in the way, and I think I’m the type that would get into a mess, besides I have so many questions!”
Gerda looked at the maids, the eldest shrugging. So long as she did avoid getting in the way it wasn’t like they could just command her to leave them alone. Her clothes pegged her as a noble’s get, even if her attitude was off by leagues. Better safe than sorry.
“You may, would you like a chair?”
“You may have it Gerda, I’m fine with the banister.” Anna jumped up, placing her rear on the banister and balancing. It felt weird, being able to balance but since it meant she didn’t go toppling off like she had the last time she had been on it she didn’t mind it one bit.
Gerda and the maids found Anna to be a polite, if odd, conversationalist. She had so many questions like she had said. There was no subject she wasn’t interested in hearing and for all that she talked and rambled she still listened, going so far as to manage to get even the shyest of the maids to speak. She was no trouble, staying on the banister and making the work seem to go that much faster.
The bell tolled the hour, letting the lot of them know that two hours had past and the work was done
“Do you know where the ballroom is miss?”
“I do remember!” Anna smiled, as if she wouldn’t remember the ballroom! They had gotten in trouble for sudsing up the tiles and skating everywhere. Such fun! Maybe they could do it again but this time avoid the trouble and subsequent grounding.
“Then be on your way unless you want to be late.”
“See you later, Gerda!” Anna waved vigorously before rushing down the hall. Careful to avoid the maid's work.
“Hopefully you as well, Miss Anna.”