Disclaimer: The Princess and The Frog belongs to the Disney Corporation. This is a fanwork.
once*
a princess and the frog fanfiction
By
.pawn
(What is that one thing that you've always wanted, but couldn't have? Money? Power? Love? What if you could change things? Your looks? Your personality? Your life?
All you need to do is make one wish.
One wish.
And everything
everything
will change.)
Prologue: the exodus.
Two children were asleep on a train heading out of Biloxi, Mississippi to New Orleans, Louisiana. The eldest was a girl who looked to be about or twelve or thirteen and was on the cusp of adolescence and adulthood. The youngest was a small boy, about six or seven years old, a child, but was old enough to reason and comprehend simpler situations. The girl wore a robin's egg blue cloche hat with a gold band that ended in a bow. Her hair was black and thick and was styled into a curled bob that framed her face.
If she opened her eyes, one could tell that she was blind in her left one, it was an eerie, milky-grey color while the other was a simple brown. She never covered her eye, which was the source of jokes from other girls and some boys. They both had epicanthic folds* and her mother would always compare hers to Anna May Wong's*. Her nose would flare if she smiled and the mole that rested near by made it all the more noticeable. Her lips were full with a permanent pout that would use to trick her father into giving into her demands. She wore a thick, denim coat over her dark orange knee length dress and blue and green striped stockings that led to a pair of brown Mary Janes. On her lap was a copy of The Blue Fairy Book and a locket that she refused to open, not even to herself.
The boy wore a newsboy cap and his hair was cut short while it still retained its wavy texture. His nose flared in the same way as his sister's and his lips were equally full. His eyes were both dark brown and large. His mother often scolded him on giving her, 'them big ol' puppy dog eyes' when he did something bad. He wore a brown corduroy jacket with black buttons. He wore grey wool gloves and his scarf matched his shorts, which were a plain black. His boots were off and they rested beside a cage that held a small, ball of brown and white fluff that appeared to be a dog*.
They were both African-American.
Their parents died in a car crash during the summer while they stayed with a family friend to attend school. The Uncles and Aunts in Louisiana sent for the children during Thanksgiving and they were now on their way to live with them. These children (and their little dog) were, at first, reluctant to leaving and were literally dragged; kicking, screaming, and biting and after a few hours on a train by themselves, they still are.
The boy opens his eyes, sleepily, but he is soon enamored by the stars, particularly, one star. He shakes his sister awake, "Lee! Lee*!" he calls. She answers him in a groggy, "What is it now, Bernard?" her tone was annoyed and she really wanted to go back to sleep, "Look! In the sky! A wishing star!" the girl scoffs, "You still believe all that mess, don't you? It's just a ball of gas, one million miles away. It can't do nothing."
Regardless, the boy ignores his sister's minor attempt at swaying him to her side and he instead makes a small request to the flickering light. "What'd you wish for?"
"It's a secret. If I tell you, it won't come true." His sister gave him a wry smile, "Sure, whatever Bennie, now, go back to sleep. We have a big day ahead of us, and I am not going to spend it caring your big butt around." she yawned, turned away, and went to sleep. But, not before she made a silent wish to herself.
"Please, please, please…"
A few miles off, a young woman looks off into the moonlight, waiting, wondering. Her husband placed a hand onto her shoulder and asked, "There's no need to worry, she'll be here soon. It'll take her a few days for her to come back from California." Tiana smiled, she rested her cheek onto his shoulder and sighed, "I know," she replies, "But you know I'm going to worry about her, anyway. You know I didn't get to have any siblings of my own. Charlotte's like a sister to me."
Naveen squeezed her shoulder, gently, "Com'on, the boys went back to sleep, we should follow their example."
A/N: *An epicanthic fold is a feature that is often associated with people of Asian descent, which is why the girl is compared to Anna May Wong (Chinese American silent film actress).
* Lee is a derivative form of her actual name.
* I stole the title from the movie, Once. Forgive me, Glen Hansard.
* The dog is a Russell Terrier.