A/N: Just a cute little one-shot thing, answering the question I had of "Why was the director of the royal orchestra also the queen's adviser?" Swan Princess was one of my favorite movies as a kid. I still love them today! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Hats off to Brian Nisson and Richard Rich!
"Derek is just such a pest when I'm trying to do something! Have you ever had that? Doing something and then someone just can't take the hint and go away!" Queen Uberta flopped into one of the ballroom chairs with a great sigh. Lord Rogers was having a hard time keeping in his own, pinching the bridge of his nose and speaking through his teeth, "Oh yes I know what that's like." He motioned vaguely to the musicians and instruments waiting for his attention. Uberta wasn't listening, continuing her tirade about seven year-old Derek, her son. With a small sigh he waved the musicians in dismissal.
"Your highness if I may interject, perhaps you'd be better suited speaking to your advisor? I am, after all, only the head musician." Uberta waved his words away, "I have no real advisor. It's technically Chamberlain but his advice is absolutely worthless." Rogers inwardly agreed, "Perhaps you should hire an advisor." Uberta thought a moment, "I should. But later. Anyway how am I supposed to get Derek to listen to me? It would be so much easier with a man he could look up to. Ever since his father-" She broke off. She hardly talked about the king, not since his death a week after Derek's birth. It hurt her, anyone could tell, but she was the only one who ever broke the "don't talk about the king" rule. Rogers softened, "Your highness perhaps you should find an advisor to both help you AND educate young Derek." Uberta beamed, "A wonderful idea Rogers! Now I was thinking-" Rogers sighed: he'd never get the musicians to practice.
Something about him must have screamed "great listener" because here he was, once again interrupted, but this time by the young prince and he was reviewing sheet music rather than conducting practice. Derek was pouting and had done a lot of huffing and sighing since coming in ten minutes ago. Rogers marked a note on the sheet, "Whatever is the matter Prince Derek?" The seven year-old unfolded his arms and swung his legs, "Mother says I'm a nuisance. She says to find something to do but Bromley is sick so he can't play." Rogers didn't sympathize there: Bromley was Derek's best friend but the other boy was a pain in the neck, more so than Derek was, when he was. "And how were you being a nuisance?" Derek picked at the fabric of his trousers, "Well I was playing with my sword and I accidentally knocked into a vase. I didn't break it! But mother said to go away." Rogers sighed, "Well I'm not saying that what you did was right, but you didn't break the vase and that's good. Did you apologize?" Derek nodded and then sniffed, "I'm so bored."
Rogers went back to correcting the sheet music, "Well if it was summer than Odette would be here and you wouldn't be." Derek scowled, "I don't like Odette. Girls are icky." Rogers looked up with an amused smile, "And why's that?" Derek folded his arms and spoke matter-o-factly, "Because girls have cooties and they're really annoying." Rogers felt his mouth twitch with suppressing a laugh, "Really. Well not all girls are annoying." Derek looked confused, "Like who?" Rogers leaned back in his chair, "Well your mother isn't, is she?" Derek shook his head, "Mother's just really anxious sometimes. Like when I'm mean to Odette."
Well that was new. Sure the kids didn't get along but he didn't think either would openly be mean to the other. Maybe unfair but mean? And Derek admitted it? "How so?" Derek averted his eyes, "Last summer I pushed her. I said I was sorry but I don't think she believed me." It was probably best to scold the boy but that wasn't really his call. Besides he was sorry and he knew his actions were wrong. But... "Well Derek you know what you did was wrong and you won't do it again. I may not be able to punish you but your mother could. But since you said you were sorry, and meant it, we'll keep this our little secret." The boy nodded and then cocked his head, "What're you doing?" Rogers glanced at the sheet music, "I'm correcting the notes in these songs for the next performance." Derek picked one up, "How do you know what each one means?" Rogers smiled at the boy's interest, "Well..."
Derek liked to know things, so knowing what each note meant was something he enjoyed learning, and did so with enthusiasm. Uberta's shrill voice echoed down the hall, calling for the boy, and Derek hopped up to meet her. Rogers cleared his throat, "Derek?" The boy turned, "Yeah?" He wasn't sure what to expect as an answer... "Why is it you come to me and not someone else?" Derek shrugged, "Cause mother sometimes says I'd behave better if I had someone to look up to so I figured I'd pick you because your mother's best friend." Uberta called again and Derek waved, disappearing out the door. Well. That hadn't been the answer he expected, but it was quite possibly one of the nicest things anyone had ever said to him.
When Uberta came to him again, he was alone in the ballroom with no musicians to dismiss. He listened to her complain about Derek and how she wished she could find an advisor, and only when she'd finished did he speak. "Your highness I was thinking. Perhaps I could be Derek's teacher." Uberta jumped up and clapped her hands, "Oh I was hoping you'd ask! And you can be my advisor too! I can't imagine anyone else than my closest friend and confident to be my advisor and educator to my son! Oh thank you Rogers!" She flung her arms around him and then practically skipped out the door, "It'll be so nice to have Derek out of my hair. And he'll finally have a father figure!" Rogers smiled softly, "Father figure."