17I've discovered a sudden love for kindergarten AUs. X3
Madeline held tightly to her mother's hand, clutching at the skirt of her own long dress with the other. She didn't want to stay here all day! She didn't want to be here at all! Turning her head, she looked up at her mother, trying to convey all her worry and fear.
"Don't worry, Madeline," said her mother, kneeling on the floor in front of her and softly brushing her bangs out of her eyes. "You'll be just fine; you're a big girl now, right?" She smiled. "Your brother was here last year. Remember? You'll be just fine." Leaning in, she gently kissed Madeline on the nose, and the little girl let out a quiet giggle, nodding. That's right. Alfie had been in kindergarten last year, and he said it was lots of fun. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad here. No; of course it wouldn't! She was a big girl now. She would be just fine!
Her mother grinned, smoothing her hair back once more before standing and leading Madeline over to a corner of the room, where toys and books were stacked. There were already three other kids playing there, and Madeline instinctively shrank against her mother before she realized that she was no longer there. She looked around in a panic, and finally caught sight of her on the other side of the room, speaking with another, older woman. She was just about to run over to her when she felt someone tugging on the skirt of her dress.
Madeline jumped and looked down to see one of the other kids, a boy with long blond hair (weren't boys supposed to have their hair cut short?) holding a fistful of her dress in his hand. "Hi!" he said with a wide grin. "I'm Francis! You're pretty."
She blushed and looked away, clutching at her skirt with both hands now. "U-um…thank you." She spoke quietly, fidgeting. She'd never spoken to a boy before—unless you counted Alfie or Daddy. What were you supposed to say to them? "Um. You're pretty…too."
The little boy laughed, tugging on her skirt again. "I am! I'm very pretty! Why are you wearing this long dress? It's weird." He lifted the fabric up a bit, peeking under it curiously, and Madeline shrieked, wrenching her skirt out of his hands.
"Franny!" Another voice called from behind her. A smaller boy, his head only reaching Madeline's own shoulders, came up and stood beside her, glaring at Francis. "You're a meanie-butt! You're not allowed to do stuff like that! You gotta 'pologize!" His voice sounded a little strange, and he pronounced some of the words wrong. Madeline thought it was kind of funny, and she giggled quietly, smiling at the boy and marveling at his white hair (aren't grandmas and grandpas the only ones who have white hair?).
"What? I wasn't doing anything wrong!" Francis protested, dropping her skirt with a guilty look. "Anyway, she's the one with the weird dress!" He pointed accusingly at her, and Madeline bit her lip, holding her skirt out to the sides and looking down at it. Her dress wasn't weird, was it? She has helped her mother pick it out last night….
"Her dress isn't weird, dummkopf! It's a princess dress! Don'tcha know a princess when you see one?" The boy turned to Madeline with a smile and held his hand out to her. "Greetings, your Highness! My name s Gilbert Beilschmidt!"
Letting her skirt fall, she returned his smile and put her hand in his. "I'm Madeline," she whispered. "Madeline Jones."
Gilbert brought her hand to his lips and planted a big, wet kiss on the back of her hand. "Princess Madeline Jones! It's an honor to meet you, your Highness!"
Madeline giggled again, as beside them, Francis rolled his eyes and murmured something under his breath, standing and walking over to one of the toy bins. Releasing her hand, Gilbert's smile widened into a grin, and Madeline discreetly wiped the sloppy kiss on the skirt of her dress. Yes. She would be just fine in kindergarten, she decided.
Every day, Gilbert would come and find "Princess Madeline," asking her how affairs were going in her kingdom, or whether she would be getting her crown back soon (it had been stolen by pirates last year). Madeline would smile and laugh, answering his questions in her best princess voice. She and Gilbert became best friends, and she even grew to like Francis, despite their initial encounter.
The long dresses with full skirts and Peter Pan collars soon became Madeline's uniform. The other kids in class soon grew used to it, and didn't say anything about it anymore (Gilbert had made certain they wouldn't). She had always like the feel of the longer dresses, and now, she really felt like a princess in them, thanks to her friend. Her mother had been right; kindergarten was tons of fun!
It wasn't until about halfway through the year that Gilbert finally got up the courage to ask her the question that had been nagging him since almost the first day. He started out as always ("And how are things in your fair kingdom today, your Highness?") and then, instead of continuing as usual, he fidgeted, looking down at his new light-up sneakers, and asked, "How is your Prince Charming? Is he nice?"
Madeline blinked. Prince Charming…? She didn't know a real Prince Charming. She shook her head and quietly replied, "I haven't met him."
Gilbert looked up at her, studying her expression. No Prince Charming…? He grinned and nodded, immediately returning to his usual outgoing self and taking her hand, tugging her toward the play area.
The last week of school came all too quickly for the princess and her friend. Soon it would be summer, and they wouldn't be able to see each other to play for a really long time! She would be so lonely without him, and he without her. His princess.
On the second to last day of school, the last full day they would be able to spend together, Gilbert made sure he wore an extra-special outfit. He walked into the classroom with his heart pounding, glaring at any kid who dared laugh at him. He wouldn't let them bother him. He was wearing this for HER.
And there she was, walking in with her fists balled up, clutching the skirt of her long dress as always. This time, the dress was a pretty pale purple color—it almost matched her eyes, little Gilbert noticed. She looked around the room once before she saw him, and she froze. What was her friend doing…?
Swallowing around a nervous lump in his throat, Gilbert put on his most charming expression, striding gallantly forward, his cape fluttering slightly behind him. Dropping to his knee in front of her, he took her hand, as he had that first day, and kissed it once more. "Princess Madeline," he said with a grin, "I have a secret for you! I'm Prince Gilbert of Prussia, and I want to be your Prince Charming. Will you marry me?"
Madeline blushed brightly, unsure of what to say. Gilbert was…her Prince Charming? After a pause, she gave him a grin as wide as his own and nodded once, leaning down to give him a chaste peck on the lips.
The next day was perhaps the saddest day in little Madeline's life. She wrapped her arms tightly around Gilbert, refusing to let him go even when her mother shouted at her. She didn't want to go; she couldn't leave her best friend, her Prince Charming!
Gilbert hugged her back, biting his lip. He didn't want to go, either. But…it had to be done. Pulling back to look at her, he gave her a shaky smile. "Don't worry, Princess Madeline," he said. "We'll see each other again soon. The prince and the princess always find each other, in the end, right?"
She tightened her lips in a line and nodded once. That's right. The prince and the princess always found each other. They always got married and lived happily ever after. She beamed at him now, kissing him on the cheek one last time before running over to her mother and clutching at her skirt, grinning at him from cross the room. They wouldn't be apart for long. And when they found each other again, they would be together forever.
She was his princess, and he was her prince.
This was really fun to write! XD I've never really written children before, so I'm not sure how well I got into their minds.
The story was actually inspired by the cover image, which was drawn by the amazing heypray on Tumblr (and yes, I am aware that that's Fem!Prussia in the picture, but hey)!
I may continue this story at some point; I have a half-formed plot skulking around in my mind, thanks to my BFF, but I'm not sure I'll be able to write it as well as I'd like to. unu So this will remain as "complete" for the time being, and I may or may not continue.
Thank you for reading; please leave a review! I'd appreciate it!