Someday My Prince Will Come (Chapter 4)
A continued De-anon.
As a child, Alfred asked Arthur to let him into a fairy tale book, but the adventure never happened. 400 years later, Alfred accidentally gets sucked into the tale and Arthur has to go after him.
This Chapter: Star wishing, Alfred singing Disney songs to himself.
When You Wish Upon a Star
“Alfie, are you alright?” Rose squealed when he staggered into the room. The girls crowded him the moment he appeared and they rushed him over to his bed.
“What happened?” Bluebell asked.
“You look sick,” Daisy said quietly.
“I ate the food…” Alfred mumbled stupidly.
“That was silly, of you,” Violet told him gently, coming towards him with a plate of food. There were a few slivers of meat on it and nothing else. “This is the food he meant for you to eat. Are you still hungry?”
Alfred had already reached for it and was on his second slice. “It’s cold,” he said in disappointment.
“Just pretend it’s your favorite!” Bluebell told him.
“A dream in your heart is the greatest food of all,” Rose added.
“It’s gone whatever it tasted like,” Alfred said lying back on the bed. “Now what do we do?”
“Well, it’s almost bed time,” Violet said.
“But it’s so early,” the nation protested. “It’s just gotten dark out.”
“We have to get up early to clean the castle,” Bluebell said, “We have to do it while the Wizard is out in the woods performing his evil deeds.”
“Oh,” Alfred said. He had been privately coming to the conclusion that without TV and the Internet, going to bed early might not be so hard anyway.
“Turn around, Alfie. We’ve got to change into our bed clothes,” Rose said shaking a finger at him. He nodded before covering his eyes with his hand and rolling over to face the mattress. He stayed there until Rose called out: “Okay, Alfie!”
Daisy was standing right near him when he stood up, “Here’s your gown,” she said gently.
“Uh, thanks,” he responded. It had been forever since he’d last worn a nightgown. When had they gone out of fashion? Before the First World War certainly, either way it seemed damn girly now. Violet was hurrying all the girls to look away as he stood up, and he was able to change without prying eyes. Just as the gown fell around his ankles he heard a shriek.
“The wishing star! I see it!” All the girls rushed towards the room’s large window. They knelt down together and clasped their hands together.
Daisy turned around and patted the ground next to her while looking at Alfred. Slowly he joined them.
“Have you ever wished on a wishing star before?” Bluebell asked him. He nodded.
“We always go in age order, do you think you’re older than Violet?” Rose questioned.
“Yeah,” Alfred laughed, “I’m pretty sure.”
“Okay, I’m gonna go,” Rose said. She leaned her forehead against her hands and her little blond curls fell against her cheeks. “Wishing star, could you please send my Prince Garnet to save me? If you do I just know we’ll live happily ever after for ever and ever.”
She nodded when she had finished and turned to Daisy. The brunet blushed before closing her eyes and speaking. “Star of dreams if it isn’t much trouble, please let me see my dear prince Topaz. Please.”
Bluebell was next, “Oh wishing star, I hate being here so much. I want to be free again to run and laugh and play. If you could give Prince Turquoise the bravery to come save me, it would be great. Thanks.”
Violet smiled as each girl said her dream. When it was her turn she squeezed her eyes shut. “Oh wishing star, I’ve spoken to you every night for two years now. You know my dearest dreams and desire. Please send me my true love to carry me away from this wretched place. I know he’s out there waiting for our hearts to be joined at last.”
She turned to Alfred when she had finished and smiled encouragingly. Feeling slightly silly Alfred turned his eyes up towards the shiny star that blinked down at them from the heavens. He didn’t know what he wanted.
“Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish might, have the wish I make tonight…” he went silent.
“I like that beginning, but now you have to say something,” Rose insisted.
“I don’t know what I wish for. You guys all had nice stuff, but I don’t have anyone to wish about.”
“I’m sure you do,” Daisy said quietly. “I’m sure there’s someone whose heart has touched your own. Your true love must be out there somewhere.”
“Close your eyes, Alfred,” Violet told him, “And empty your mind’s eye.”
He did as she said.
“Now think of the most at peace you’ve ever been.”
The life of a nation was a long difficult one. There was never really any peace for his kind, and Alfred had to cast his memory very far back. He saw himself as a very small child curled up against Arthur’s chest and listening to his heartbeat.
“Did you do that?” Bluebell asked, “Now think about the most fun you’ve ever had with another person.”
Alfred skimmed through times he had played games with Kiku or Mathew, but somehow landed on a time that he and Arthur had gone to a Beatle’s concert. As much fun as though show had been, he’d loved nothing more than the walk back to Arthur’s home. The two of them had been singing loudly together, laughing, and dancing in the streets. Arthur had smiled like there had never been any problems between them, and that night it really felt as if there hadn’t been.
“Now, what was the saddest you’ve ever felt for another person?” Daisy asked him mournfully.
Almost immediately Alfred remembered the first glimpse he’d gotten of Arthur after the Blitz. He had been bruised and bloody, scarred, and so thin that he looked like you could knock him over with a feather. The exhaustion in his eyes seemed to stem all the way back through his centuries of existence. When he’d noticed Alfred looking at him, his eyes had grown defiant and strong again. Sadness and guilt had shot through Alfred in that moment, and he had felt like a failure.
“Now your happiest moment ever,” Rose chimed in, her voice uncharacteristically soft.
It was after the war. The Nazis had been defeated, and although Alfred knew he still had to head to the pacific front, he had been enjoying the celebration just the same. He had locked eyes with Arthur who had smiled and come running at him. They had embraced, Alfred pulling the older nation’s thin form against him. It had been short, but it felt wonderfully like forever. Alfred had loved that moment. Arthur was so warm and so happy, and Alfred had helped make his sadness disappear. When Arthur had pulled away the two of them laughed awkwardly. Alfred remembered feeling a little empty before the celebration had pulled him back out of his own thoughts.
“Look,” Rose giggled, “he’s blushing.”
“You got someone, right?” Bluebell asked. “It was the same one every time?”
Alfred nodded, feeling somewhat stunned and out of it.
“Then you do have your true love!” Violet said with a gentle laugh.
“What? What? No… I…No. Him? Arthur? But he’s… no… I mean… come on. Arthur?”
“How can you deny the love that sits even now inside your heart?” Daisy asked gently. Alfred’s cheeks burned and he looked down at his hands.
In love? It was impossible. He would have noticed. You didn’t spend all your time teasing, playing, talking with, and fighting alongside a guy and not notice you were in love. Just because he would have picked Arthur over any one else to spend time with, even when Kiku was more fun and Mathew was easier to get along with. Just because he liked the feeling of warmth when Arthur accidentally touched him. Just because Arthur was the center of all his most evocative memories…
“Oh crap…” Alfred whispered.
“Make your wish!” Rose urged.
Alfred turned his eyes back to the sky and nervously began again. “Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish might, have the wish I make tonight, please let Arthur find me. I… I know he’s the only one who can help me now… and… well… I really want to see him more than anyone. I know you can do it.”
He glanced at the girls for approval and they all began to coo over him, telling him that he had done it perfectly and telling him they were sure his prince would come, even if it was a bit unusual.
Shortly after they were all in bed, Alfred found himself staring at the high stone ceiling. He couldn’t get thoughts of Arthur out of his head, and he was still awake even long after the sound of the girls’ sleeping breath filled the room.
He climbed out of bed and padded in his bare feet towards the window. The same bright star was still out there. He stared at it intently and wondered if it could really make his dreams come true. As if to answer his own question, Alfred began to sing quietly to himself.
“When you wish upon a star, makes no difference who you are, anything your heart desires will come to you. If your heart is you dream no request is too extreme…”
He paused in his singing and got down on his knees, clasping his hands together and looking up at the star. He opened his mouth to begin before feeling doubtful again and stopping. “No request is too extreme,” he reminded himself.
“Please, if you could, it’s more important to me than anything, please let Arthur love me back. Now that I know what it is I’ve been feeling for all these years I- I don’t think I could handle it if he didn’t love me back.”
oOoOo
Author’s notes: I think this might actually be my favorite chapter in the whole story. The song that Alfred is singing (and which the chapter is named after) is "When you Wish Upon a Star" from Pinocchio. There is, however, a lot of star wishing throughout the Disney Canon. (Although I'm starting to think that wishing on stars is for babies and crazy people.)
As a child, Alfred asked Arthur to let him into a fairy tale book, but the adventure never happened. 400 years later, Alfred accidentally gets sucked into the tale and Arthur has to go after him.
This Chapter: Star wishing, Alfred singing Disney songs to himself.
When You Wish Upon a Star
“Alfie, are you alright?” Rose squealed when he staggered into the room. The girls crowded him the moment he appeared and they rushed him over to his bed.
“What happened?” Bluebell asked.
“You look sick,” Daisy said quietly.
“I ate the food…” Alfred mumbled stupidly.
“That was silly, of you,” Violet told him gently, coming towards him with a plate of food. There were a few slivers of meat on it and nothing else. “This is the food he meant for you to eat. Are you still hungry?”
Alfred had already reached for it and was on his second slice. “It’s cold,” he said in disappointment.
“Just pretend it’s your favorite!” Bluebell told him.
“A dream in your heart is the greatest food of all,” Rose added.
“It’s gone whatever it tasted like,” Alfred said lying back on the bed. “Now what do we do?”
“Well, it’s almost bed time,” Violet said.
“But it’s so early,” the nation protested. “It’s just gotten dark out.”
“We have to get up early to clean the castle,” Bluebell said, “We have to do it while the Wizard is out in the woods performing his evil deeds.”
“Oh,” Alfred said. He had been privately coming to the conclusion that without TV and the Internet, going to bed early might not be so hard anyway.
“Turn around, Alfie. We’ve got to change into our bed clothes,” Rose said shaking a finger at him. He nodded before covering his eyes with his hand and rolling over to face the mattress. He stayed there until Rose called out: “Okay, Alfie!”
Daisy was standing right near him when he stood up, “Here’s your gown,” she said gently.
“Uh, thanks,” he responded. It had been forever since he’d last worn a nightgown. When had they gone out of fashion? Before the First World War certainly, either way it seemed damn girly now. Violet was hurrying all the girls to look away as he stood up, and he was able to change without prying eyes. Just as the gown fell around his ankles he heard a shriek.
“The wishing star! I see it!” All the girls rushed towards the room’s large window. They knelt down together and clasped their hands together.
Daisy turned around and patted the ground next to her while looking at Alfred. Slowly he joined them.
“Have you ever wished on a wishing star before?” Bluebell asked him. He nodded.
“We always go in age order, do you think you’re older than Violet?” Rose questioned.
“Yeah,” Alfred laughed, “I’m pretty sure.”
“Okay, I’m gonna go,” Rose said. She leaned her forehead against her hands and her little blond curls fell against her cheeks. “Wishing star, could you please send my Prince Garnet to save me? If you do I just know we’ll live happily ever after for ever and ever.”
She nodded when she had finished and turned to Daisy. The brunet blushed before closing her eyes and speaking. “Star of dreams if it isn’t much trouble, please let me see my dear prince Topaz. Please.”
Bluebell was next, “Oh wishing star, I hate being here so much. I want to be free again to run and laugh and play. If you could give Prince Turquoise the bravery to come save me, it would be great. Thanks.”
Violet smiled as each girl said her dream. When it was her turn she squeezed her eyes shut. “Oh wishing star, I’ve spoken to you every night for two years now. You know my dearest dreams and desire. Please send me my true love to carry me away from this wretched place. I know he’s out there waiting for our hearts to be joined at last.”
She turned to Alfred when she had finished and smiled encouragingly. Feeling slightly silly Alfred turned his eyes up towards the shiny star that blinked down at them from the heavens. He didn’t know what he wanted.
“Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish might, have the wish I make tonight…” he went silent.
“I like that beginning, but now you have to say something,” Rose insisted.
“I don’t know what I wish for. You guys all had nice stuff, but I don’t have anyone to wish about.”
“I’m sure you do,” Daisy said quietly. “I’m sure there’s someone whose heart has touched your own. Your true love must be out there somewhere.”
“Close your eyes, Alfred,” Violet told him, “And empty your mind’s eye.”
He did as she said.
“Now think of the most at peace you’ve ever been.”
The life of a nation was a long difficult one. There was never really any peace for his kind, and Alfred had to cast his memory very far back. He saw himself as a very small child curled up against Arthur’s chest and listening to his heartbeat.
“Did you do that?” Bluebell asked, “Now think about the most fun you’ve ever had with another person.”
Alfred skimmed through times he had played games with Kiku or Mathew, but somehow landed on a time that he and Arthur had gone to a Beatle’s concert. As much fun as though show had been, he’d loved nothing more than the walk back to Arthur’s home. The two of them had been singing loudly together, laughing, and dancing in the streets. Arthur had smiled like there had never been any problems between them, and that night it really felt as if there hadn’t been.
“Now, what was the saddest you’ve ever felt for another person?” Daisy asked him mournfully.
Almost immediately Alfred remembered the first glimpse he’d gotten of Arthur after the Blitz. He had been bruised and bloody, scarred, and so thin that he looked like you could knock him over with a feather. The exhaustion in his eyes seemed to stem all the way back through his centuries of existence. When he’d noticed Alfred looking at him, his eyes had grown defiant and strong again. Sadness and guilt had shot through Alfred in that moment, and he had felt like a failure.
“Now your happiest moment ever,” Rose chimed in, her voice uncharacteristically soft.
It was after the war. The Nazis had been defeated, and although Alfred knew he still had to head to the pacific front, he had been enjoying the celebration just the same. He had locked eyes with Arthur who had smiled and come running at him. They had embraced, Alfred pulling the older nation’s thin form against him. It had been short, but it felt wonderfully like forever. Alfred had loved that moment. Arthur was so warm and so happy, and Alfred had helped make his sadness disappear. When Arthur had pulled away the two of them laughed awkwardly. Alfred remembered feeling a little empty before the celebration had pulled him back out of his own thoughts.
“Look,” Rose giggled, “he’s blushing.”
“You got someone, right?” Bluebell asked. “It was the same one every time?”
Alfred nodded, feeling somewhat stunned and out of it.
“Then you do have your true love!” Violet said with a gentle laugh.
“What? What? No… I…No. Him? Arthur? But he’s… no… I mean… come on. Arthur?”
“How can you deny the love that sits even now inside your heart?” Daisy asked gently. Alfred’s cheeks burned and he looked down at his hands.
In love? It was impossible. He would have noticed. You didn’t spend all your time teasing, playing, talking with, and fighting alongside a guy and not notice you were in love. Just because he would have picked Arthur over any one else to spend time with, even when Kiku was more fun and Mathew was easier to get along with. Just because he liked the feeling of warmth when Arthur accidentally touched him. Just because Arthur was the center of all his most evocative memories…
“Oh crap…” Alfred whispered.
“Make your wish!” Rose urged.
Alfred turned his eyes back to the sky and nervously began again. “Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish might, have the wish I make tonight, please let Arthur find me. I… I know he’s the only one who can help me now… and… well… I really want to see him more than anyone. I know you can do it.”
He glanced at the girls for approval and they all began to coo over him, telling him that he had done it perfectly and telling him they were sure his prince would come, even if it was a bit unusual.
Shortly after they were all in bed, Alfred found himself staring at the high stone ceiling. He couldn’t get thoughts of Arthur out of his head, and he was still awake even long after the sound of the girls’ sleeping breath filled the room.
He climbed out of bed and padded in his bare feet towards the window. The same bright star was still out there. He stared at it intently and wondered if it could really make his dreams come true. As if to answer his own question, Alfred began to sing quietly to himself.
“When you wish upon a star, makes no difference who you are, anything your heart desires will come to you. If your heart is you dream no request is too extreme…”
He paused in his singing and got down on his knees, clasping his hands together and looking up at the star. He opened his mouth to begin before feeling doubtful again and stopping. “No request is too extreme,” he reminded himself.
“Please, if you could, it’s more important to me than anything, please let Arthur love me back. Now that I know what it is I’ve been feeling for all these years I- I don’t think I could handle it if he didn’t love me back.”
oOoOo
Author’s notes: I think this might actually be my favorite chapter in the whole story. The song that Alfred is singing (and which the chapter is named after) is "When you Wish Upon a Star" from Pinocchio. There is, however, a lot of star wishing throughout the Disney Canon. (Although I'm starting to think that wishing on stars is for babies and crazy people.)