Prologue: A Prince Gone AWOL

William Roberts, king of Gardania has run into a problem that he isn't sure he can fix. His eighteen year old son, Crown Prince George Roberts, has run away from home…or in this case the palace. The king ran his fingers through his graying black hair, his green eyes staring at the large family portrait he kept in his office. When his son expressed interest in becoming a film director over becoming king, William had brushed it to the side; sure that it was only a passing phase. Three years later found the young prince missing, his clothes and personal items gone from his room….and a note on his bed announcing that he was running away to America to fulfill his dreams.

To say that Anna Roberts, his wife, was devastated about her only child running away would be an understatement. Scowling, he walked over and grabbed the office phone. Punching in a number, he held the phone to his ear as he waited for someone to pick up the other line.

"Yes Sir?"

"I want you to get your best men to track down my son…and I want him home now." William wasn't taking any chances. He didn't even dare to think about what would happen if one of the many people who want to see him off of the throne for their own gain found out that his only heir has gone missing.

"Right away your highness." The voice on the other end responded quickly, picking up the urgency that the king was feeling.

"Good." William hung up the phone, sitting it back down in its spot on the antique oak desk.

Turning to face the portrait again, he knitted his fingers together. Now he just had to wait….

~Thirteen Years Later, in a small town in Wisconsin, a State in America~

A lady with silver hair and blue eyes chuckled to herself as her new puppy, Tiffany, chased her six year old granddaughter, Stacie Roberts, around the living room. Stacie had her mother's blonde hair and bright green eyes that were full of life and adventure. Skipper Roberts, her eight year old granddaughter was busy playing some kind of video game, a grin on her face. While her sister was blonde, she was a dark brunette with blue eyes that were full of focus.

"Grandma? Can you read this to me?" Barbie Roberts, the eldest of the grandchildren at a mere ten years, appeared next to her, holding up a book to her. Hope shined brightly in her blue eyes as she looked up at the elderly lady.

"Of course dear…here have a seat." Grandma patted the seat next to her. Barbie scrambled up on it, before snuggling close to her. She carefully opened the book, a smile crossing her face as she realized which story Barbie had picked out. "Once upon a time, long long ago…"

…..

Barbie giggled as she listened to her younger sisters argue over who gets which bed that night. Sleeping over at Grandma's was the best! She got her own room and her parents didn't mind it if she broke curfew cause it was a small town and everyone knew everyone and the neighbors typically brought her back over to the house when it got super late. Turning, she tiptoed down the stairs to see if she couldn't get a glimpse of her parents. Crouching near the bottom of the stairs, she peered over into the living room to see her grandmother and parents talking in low voices together. Her father looked the same as always, glasses, brown hair and tired blue eyes. Her mother had frazzled blonde hair in a bun and grayish-blue eyes that looked at her husband with a tender love. Lately, she had been a lot fatter than normal. She wasn't allowed to say anything about it though.

"I still worry you know. I mean… look at the age gap between this two. You'll be having teenagers running around and being drama queens and going on dates same time this one is scared of boys and thinks they all have cooties." Grandma lowered herself easily into one of her chairs.

Barbie blinked, confused about what she meant by that. Boys did have cooties. Well, expect for Ken. But he didn't count. So, what was she talking about then?

Barbie's father shifted in his seat, draping an arm around his wife's shoulders. "I know that. But there is nothing to be done about it. The new baby will be here in a few days anyways. We'll handle everything as best as we can once he or she gets here."

"You mean you don't even know what the gender is?"

"Mom…we wanted to be surprised. We already have picked out a few names that we like for the baby. If it's a boy, Todd. If it's a girl, Chelsea."

"Hmm, I rather like the sound of that. Chelsea Roberts."

Barbie turned and raced back up the stairs. Sprinting to her sisters' shared bedroom, she barged in excitedly. "Mom and Dad are getting a new baby!"

Skipper, who appeared to have claimed the bed on the right wall, titled her head to the side. "What makes you say that, Barbie?"

"I heard them talking to Grandma! The Storks are bringing a new baby to Mom and Dad and they didn't specify what gender they want so they'll just get whatever the storks bring them!" Barbie jumped on the bed on the left side of the room, forcing Stacie to scoot over.

Stacie frowned as she wrinkled her nose in thought. "But babies make a lot of stinky messes and cry a lot. I should know, my teacher has one and she is always busy trying to keep him quiet….and smelling good."

Barbie frowned as she thought about that, before speaking up. "Well, obviously that is just a boy baby. I bet a girl baby won't be nearly as gross."

"Kids?! Time for bed! Turn the lights off please!" Their father suddenly called up the stairs to the three young girls.

"Ok Dad!" Barbie leapt off her sister's bed, flicking the lights off as she raced back to her room.

Leaping into her own bed, she pulled her covers up over her small body, a smile lazily dancing across her face. "A new little sister…."

A/N: Hello! Um, yeah. This is just a story idea that won't leave me alone. Tell me if it's any good. And please give me good reviews! It's annoying when I get mediocre reviews. I like reviews that tell me what you like about the story, grammar mistakes you may notice that I missed. (i.e. Hospital in place of hospitable.) So yeah. Keep that in mind. (I am looking for one fellow author, as in not a guest, that also is not any of my sisters that might like this story.)

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SkyTalon