~k2: Well, hello there Smurf fans~! I would like to start by warning you know that the smurfs themselves won't be appearing anytime soon. As much as I love them, especially dear, dear, Handy and the positivley adorable Nat, this story is background material for Gerard.

Mk: She has a tendency to try and explain things that were left unsaid.

~k2: Quiet you!

Mk: (raises her hands in slight defense) Just saying.

~k2: I appologize now if the story isn't well written. I haven't exactly been in a writing state of mind. Yet at the same time I just can't stop thinking about this story so...here it is. Enjoy!

Disclamer: Trust me, if I had owned the Smurfs it would be a lot more character driven. Peyo created the original, but Hanna Barbera kidified it.

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Smurfs: The Rise of Imperia

ch.1: The accident

Dear Lady Imperia.

I am afraid I have grievous news concerning your dear sister and her husband, the King. An accident has befallen their royal coach as they made their way back to the castle, an accident in which I am afraid they did not survive. However, the young prince, I am happy to announce, survived and is mending as we speak. He would benefit greatly from the presence of loved ones and we request that you come to the castle post haste.

With regards, Mrs. Sourberry.

"Argh!" Lady Imperia crushed the letter in her hands, a wave of anger coursing through her. "The little brat survived! I can't assume my rightful place as queen with him still alive!"

"Me Lady" Thorick rumbled in his deep voice, "I offer me most humblest of apologies. I had thought the boy died in the crash."

"There is no room for 'thought', Thorick, you should have made sure! I knew it should have been a bandit attack!"

"Everyone knows there haven't been bandits in this Kingdom for tens of years, Me Lady, it would've been too suspicious."

"Yes, yes." Imperia replied, impatiently waving her hand, "I know, I know." She rubbed her sharp chin in thought for a moment, then smiled. "Perhaps it isn't all for naught. Gerard is still very young, much too young to rule a kingdom by himself. If I can just slide into his good graces, perhaps I can turn this to my advantage after all." She snapped her fingers sharply and spun on her heel towards her chambers. "Come Thorick! We must make haste! We have to make preparations for a long journey, and make it before my dear brother Leopold decides upon the same course of action!"

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Lord Leopold tapped his chin thoughtfully, his mind running a series of possibilities through his head. Orson, Leopold's aging attendant, stood nearby with a parchment in his hands and waiting for any orders. Finally, Leopold smiled wickedly and turned to Orson.

"This is the best news since the twins disappeared ten years ago! We can turn this to our favor, Orson! The prince is young, his emotional state most likely fragile. I can use this to ease my way into his good graces and take advantage of him. I will be the adviser he so greatly needs! HAhah! Come Orson! We leave immediately! And hope that Imperia has not already made her own move!"

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Mrs. Sourberry watched with a melting heart as the young prince stared dejectedly at his soup. The look on his face was simply miserable, but the bandage around his head, the healing abrasions on his face, and the broken arm in the sling made him look simply pathetic. Her old heart went out to him wholeheartedly. There was nothing she wouldn't do to see him smile just once. Or eat, for that matter. Prince Gerard had been found among the wreckage of a carriage accident along the pass heading to a neighboring kigdom, three days off from the castle. He'd been the only survivor, if only thanks to the passing of a trader on his way to the kingdom. Gerard had been unconscious the whole time and only just woken this morning. The whole castle was thrilled with his awakening, but upon hearing of his parents he closed himself up. It was her job to try to get him to eat.

"Your Highness, please," she made her words as gentle as possible. "You must eat something. You have to build your strength up in order to heal." Gerard gave no response. He simply stared at the soup. Mrs. Sourberry twisted her apron in her hands worriedly. Her duty as a maidservant warred with her maternal instincts. But the look on Gerard's face, never changing, finally made up her mind for her. At this point, it didn't matter that he was a prince. It didn't matter that it wasn't a proper thing to do. It was something he needed, so Mrs. Sourberry knelt next the Princes bed and gently turned his face to hers. His eyes were red and puffy from unshed tears and she could tell he was still trying to hold them back. Her heart melted completely at this and her own eyes began to water.

"It's okay to cry, Prince Gerard." she smiled at him "Everyone needs to cry once in a while. Holding it in like this is just going to sap away your strength; strength you need to heal."

Gerards lips quivered. He sniffed. His eyes started to water. Mrs. Sourberry's soft, comforting smile never faltered. Finally, a sob escaped the quivering boy and he flung his arm around the elderly maidservant. The woman was surprised at first, but flattered nonetheless and at this point she really didn't care about protocol. It what she had intended anyway. So she wrapped her arms tightly around the boy, giving him as much comfort as she could manage. She made sweet noises for him, petted his head and rocked. They stayed that way for what seemed like hours, but may have been only minutes for all she knew, until Gerard's sobbing eased and faded into hiccups. Even then, Gerard didn't release his hold on the woman; clinging to her like a lifeline. He rubbed his face against her bosom, slight whimpers mixing in with his hiccups. When the whimpers finally ceased all together and Gerard raised his head to gaze into her face, Mrs. Sourberry continued to smile and used her apron to dab at his face.

"Do you feel better now that you've cried?" She asked softly. Gerard lowered his eyes for a moment. When he looked at her again there was a bit of determined light in there that wasn't there before.

"I-I have to be strong." His words were hoarse from the sobs, and rather quiet, but he said them carefully and clearly. "Father-father always said the needs of the people come first."

The old woman stared at the boy in undiluted shock. "You're only 7, you shouldn't be thinking like this!"

"S-seven and a half." Gerard corrected, "My birthday is in two months.

"Well, technically that makes you 7 and three quarters, but never mind that. Are you sure? All I wanted was for you to eat."

"Father and M-mother..." he bit back a sob and rubbed furiously at his eyes. He looked at her again with determination "I'm all there is." Tears welled up again and his face crumbled. "I-I d-don't know w-what to dooo!"

Mrs. Sourberry took him in her arms again. "It's alright your Highness. Its alright! I've sent letters out. Your aunt and uncle should be arriving, I'm sure they can help. It's alright. You'll have all the support you could ask for with them, I'm sure of it."

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~k2: The show never said what happened to Gerards parents, but it's obvious he's an orphan. As for the twins I mentioned above, I decided to make Imperia the oldest of five children. Gerards mother being the third child. The twins may be mentioned more and I do intend to have flashbacks from both Leopold and Imperia back when they were kids, but the twins themselves won't show up. That is for an entirley different story.

Mk: Course, you'll be lucky if you ever get to see it.

~k2: Hey! No help from the peanut gallery there!

Mk: (snorts) You're track record explains itself. When was the last time you worked on DDNA?

~k2: (blushes) I'll get to it! I just...kinda...lost interest...Oh, come on! It's a very long, involved story with so much techno bable and mystic mumbo jumbo that I just got overwhelmed with it! Cut me some slack, ok?
Mk: Hey, you're the authoress, not me.

~k2: (sulks in a corner)