Writing for Disney challenge- Songs - I Just Can't Wait To Be King - Write a Royalty!AU
Writing for Character appreciation - Victoire - (plot point) first love
Writing for Insane house challenge - Character - Jacob
A Royal Romance
"Another new day means another day to bake," Jacob said in an excited tone as he unlocked the door to his bakery. Jacob Kowalski is the resident baker of the Ilvermorny Kingdom. He was an Ilvermornian (that's what the local calls it anyway). He wore his usual white shirt, labelled "Kowalski's Baked Goods". The bakery was his grandmother's, but sadly, she passed away last year. He heard the ring of a bell when he opened the door, turning on the lights to brighten the dark looking bakery.
"Good Morning Mr. Kowalski! You're up early!" Mrs. Kingsley greeted the baker as she walked in with her children. The Kingsleys were regulars at the bakery. They have been visiting since the bakery opened.
"I woke up early. I figured that I should open the bakery a little earlier today," Jacob said with a chuckle as he started putting the newly baked buns on the shelves in preparation for the day.
"The usuals, Mrs. Kingsley?" Jacob said with a smile. She nodded eagerly as Jacob prepared their order for them.
"Have you heard about Princess Queenie, Mr. Kowalski? The whole town has heard of it. She has finally returned home from her studies abroad!" she said as she accepted the package.
"No, I haven't, but I'm glad that the princess is finally back!" Jacob said with a grin, waving the family goodbye as the Kingsleys walked out of the bakery. As he started dusting the pictures that were hanging on the wall of his bakery, a picture of a little Queenie jolted his memory.
A 7 year old Princess Queenie was crying near the riverbank. The river was shallow but the water flowed at a steady pace. The sound of water crashing onto the rocks could be heard miles away.
"Are you alright?" Little Jacob Kowalski asked the princess, smiling comfortingly at her. He was about the same age as Queenie, but he wore a rather worn out t-shirt.
"My doll... it... it floated away!" Queenie said, cried even harder when Jacob patted her head gently.
"Please, don't cry. Here, you can have my lollipop. So, please, stop crying, alright?" Jacob asked her with a smile. Eventually, Queenie stopped crying and accepted the lollipop he held out for her.
"It's for me? But, don't you want to eat it?" Queenie asked. Jacob shook his head and smiled sheepishly.
"My grandma always told me that if I see a girl crying, I should do everything I can to make her happy. So I'm giving you my lollipop. Are you happy?" Jacob asked shyly. Queenie nodded at him with happiness in her eyes.
"Thank you!" Queenie said, as she hugged the boy. Soon, a voice could be heard from afar.
"Queenie? Did you make a friend? He's..." The woman, who turned out to be her mother, looked at Jacob. She slowly dragged her daughter away from the riverbanks.
Jacob waved at the girl with a sad face. He didn't get her name that time and wondered what her name was. The brown-haired girl with stunning blue eyes.
His thought was interrupted when he heard the sound of the bell echoing throughout the bakery.
"Welcome..." Jacob said, his jaw almost dropping when he saw who it was. Princess Queenie of Ilvermorny. His first love. The girl with brown hair and stunning blue eyes was standing right in front of him.
"Princess Queenie? H-How may I serve you?" Jacob said politely, but he could see that her attention was on something else. Outside, he could see guards yelling Queenie's name frantically. Now, Jacob knew what was going on.
"Um, Princess, you can hide in the kitchen if you want to avoid those guards?" Jacob suggested. Queenie nodded and rushed towards the back of the bakery. As she walked past him, Jacob caught her scent and blushed. Queenie smelled like roses. Jacob liked roses. She thanked him before went into the kitchen to hide from the guards.
A few minutes later, the guards that were looking for her walked into the bakery.
"You! Baker! Have you seen Princess Queenie anywhere? Tell us if you do know where she is!" the guards said rudely. Jacob ignored the rude tone and responded politely.
"I haven't see her anywhere here, sir. I would have told you if I saw her," Jacob said calmly. Surprisingly, the guards bought it and slowly walked out of the bakery.
"You can come out now, Princess. The guards have left the bakery," Jacob said in relief. Queenie peeked out slowly and walked out of her hiding place.
"Thank you! I have been avoiding them since this morning. They are an annoying bunch," Queenie said with a giggle, looking around the bakery in wonder.
"May I ask why are they chasing you, Princess Queenie?" Jacob asked. Queenie smiled and nodded.
"Please, we don't need to be formal. Just call me Queenie. They were chasing me because I refused to meet the man that my parents arranged to be my husband..." Queenie said solemnly. In that moment, Jacob felt his heart fall at the news of Queenie's upcoming marriage.
"Call me Jacob then, Queenie. Why are they rushing to get you married?" Jacob asked as he went to stand next to her. They leaned on the shelves together, which was a feet higher than them.
"Teenie was supposed to claim the throne this year..." Queenie started to explain, a smile gracing her pretty face.
"You mean, Princess Porpentina? Didn't she recently marry a prince named Newt Scamander of Patagonia?" Jacob asked in a curious tone. Queenie slowly nodded, sighing softly.
"Teenie refused the throne, you see.. Teenie didn't want to become the Queen of Ilvermorny. Of course, mother wasn't too fond of this outcome... but it can't be helped... and so I was the next heir to the throne... I'm just afraid to take the throne... It's too big of a responsibility... I'm afraid that I will fail the kingdom and everyone I care about..." Queenie said softly as she looked down and covered her face with her hands, trying not to cry.
"I don't think you will fail at all, Queenie. Everyone fears making mistakes, but if we don't face our fears head on... I'm sure we won't be able to face those fears ever again... At least, that's what Grandma told me..." Jacob told her. Just like that, Queenie had a deja-vu feeling, like she remembered something from a long time ago. She looked into his eyes, as if she was trying to say something, but she was speechless. Before they knew it, they were holding hands until they broke apart, interrupted by the sound of an unfamiliar man.
"Queenie! Darling! I finally found you!" the man said as he walked in. Both Queenie and Jacob moved away from each other, blushing shyly. The man had short blond hair, green eyes and a solid built body. Anyone could see he was athletically endowed.
"James? What are you doing here?" Queenie said, staring at him with a soft smile that Jacob surreptitiously noticed.
"Everyone in the palace was looking for you! Thank goodness, I found you here. What are you doing in this bakery?" James said as he looked past her, noticing Jacob lurking around awkwardly.
"I was going to buy some bread. I was hungry, that's all," Queenie said with a shrug, looking away from James.
"The baker can send the bread back to the palace. Can't you, baker?" James asked, lifting a brow at him challengingly. Jacob quickly nodded at that to placate him.
"Certainly, sir. I will deliver the baked goods to the castle this afternoon myself!" Jacob said, smiling politely as both James and Queenie walked out of the bakery. Queenie hesitated and ran back, leaving James outside the bakery to look at him with a weird expression on his face.
"Um, Jacob, you never told me your fears..." Queenie said as she caught her breath.
"I'll tell you some other time!"
That was all Jacob could say. He could see that Queenie wanted to keep asking, but James's interruption, telling her to go back to the palace, stopped her.
"See you later, Jacob!" Queenie said with a soft smile. Then, she sighed and walked back to the prince. Jacob looked on forlornly.