a/n: I hate writing author notes, this is actually my first one. I do realize that the princesses in this story would not be alive at the same time, much less able to travel to meet each other. But if they were, this would be their story.
"Where are you off to, Rapunzel?" Eugene noticed his wife with shoes on – a rare occasion indeed – and headed for the door.
Rapunzel turned and smiled at her husband, love clearly shining from her eyes. "Princess Support Group!" and with no words of explanation, she headed out the door and away from the castle.
Eugene was puzzled. Princess Support Group? Was it really that difficult being a princess? And who in the world did she have this group with? How many princesses did she know? Questions swirled around his brain like a hurricane. He determined to follow her, see what kind of people she was consorting with, but just then the King called him to counsel about what was to be done about the upcoming conference regarding the fate of a certain captain of the guards.
Rapunzel quickened her step and headed for the center of town. The library would be their meeting spot today. She expected Belle to already be there, probably had been there for a few hours. After all, if you tell Belle you'll be in a library, she's likely never to leave. She wondered if Tiana would be late again. Tiana's excuse was always that she was busy baking something amazing for the group to share. And since her food was truly incredible, no one really minded the tardiness. Cinderella would be right on time, the bell of the ball as always – and probably not dressed in princess attire. Cindy often talked of how she preferred to wear "normal" clothes.
Rapunzel stopped to chat with a couple of young girls. She always enjoyed speaking with the children in the village and they adored her as well. When the girl's mother called for them to go, Rapunzel continued walking and thinking of the other princesses. Would Jasmine show up today? When she did show up it was in a whirlwind of colors and delights and sounds riding in on her magic carpet. Never a dull moment when Jas was around. What about Pocahontas? She hoped they had shown her by now how welcome she was. She didn't think of herself as a real princess, after all, but the rest of them did. They loved hearing of her adventures all over the Americas. How fascinating to have a life of constant travel!
Aurora and Snow were entering the village together, chatting about tiaras and banquets and etiquette. They caught up with Rapunzel right outside the library.
"Oh Rapunzel, you're looking so beautiful today. New dress?" Snow reached out to touch the delicate blue fabric.
"Yes, another new dress." Rapunzel sighed "My mother insists on having new clothes made for me constantly. I try to remind her that I'm used to just having just the one dress, but she won't hear of it. If I were to wear the same dress twice in a month, you'd think I have grown horns overnight for the way I'm treated." A silvery laugh fills the foyer as Cindy joins the three going into the library.
They all four give small princess hugs – the delicate kind that's meant to not wrinkle any clothing, although Cindy's clothes looked wrinkled enough already, though none of them would ever mention it.
The four joined Belle in their small room the library had lent to use for their meetings. Belle's nose was so buried in a book she didn't even notice their entry. Rapunzel walked over to where Belle was sitting on the floor and joined her. Rather than pick up her own book, she just looked over Belle's shoulder and began to read.
"Girls, we should get this meeting started, don't you think?" Aurora's loving, but bossy voice broke through to the readers and Belle glanced up, genuinely surprised to see anyone in the room with her.
"Oh hi girls. So sorry, I'm just enthralled by this story. It's one of my favorites! I read this book three times as a girl, but it must have been lost in our move because I can't seem to find it in my library."
"With a library like yours, it's surprising that you can find anything, that place is huge!" Rapunzel teased with a hint of jealousy. Belle's library was her dream – maybe someday Eugene would bless her with such a room.
The girls all found seats surrounding the fireplace. The heat from the flames felt good after walking in the crisp fall air. The soft, plush chairs cushioned their bodies as the five of them sighed in relief.
"Okay, who's going to start today?" Aurora asked.
"Should we wait on Tiana and Mulan?" Snow inquired, looking towards the door. "I know Pocahontas is out of the country again."
"I imagine Tiana will be late as usual, but come bearing treats to make it worth our wait." Belle grinned, knowingly.
"Oh and I forgot to mention that Mulan won't be able to make it today." Cindy informed the girls and settled in to share, "but I have some news I'd like to share. Although I really should wait for Tiana…" She paused for half a second before forging forward "I'm pregnant, girls!"
The four squealed in delight and gathered closer to her, throwing out questions faster than Cindy could answer. "When is the baby due?"
"How long have you known?"
"Do you want a boy or a girl?"
"What do you want to name the baby?"
"Is your father-in-law thrilled?"
"It's about time!"
Cindy basked in the attention, a smile spread across her face. "Girls, girls, one at a time. Um, I'm not sure exactly but we think sometime in the late spring. And I've only known for about a week. But I'm sure of it!" She sighed and leaned back. "I'm happy no matter what I have, but you know my husband, he's hoping for a boy. We haven't really talked about names much yet and of course my father-in-law is thrilled. He's been asking his son about a baby since we were married three years ago."
Belle had the courage to ask the obvious. "So your dilemma now is feeling like if you don't have a boy, the baby won't be as loved."
"Exactly!" Cindy was thrilled that someone understood. "How did things go over when you had your baby girl, Belle? Was Adam disappointed?"
Belle smiled at the memory, "Disappointed? No. I think she has him wrapped around her little finger tighter than the curls on her head. He adores his daughter and would do anything for her. And it will be the same for you and Prince Charming. No matter what you have, you'll both just love the baby for who they are."
Tiana comes in at that moment, carrying a huge pot of jambalaya. "What's this I hear about a baby? Who's having a baby?" She turned to the girls and then without needing to be told, she ran and hugged Cindy. "Oh Cindy, you have that glow!" She squealed, so excited for her friend's condition.
"Thanks, Tiana. And that smells divine! When do we eat?" Cindy lifted the lid and inhaled the aroma. "Mmmm, my favorite!"
"We can eat now, Cindy. I know how it is when you're pregnant, hungry all the time!" Snow pulled out the bowls and spoons from the basket Tiana had set down. "When I was carrying my girls, I was either eating, about to eat or had just finished eating. And sometimes all three!"
The ladies laughed and dug in to the hot meal, perfect for the October weather. "So, enough about me. What's going on up there at the castle, Rapunzel? You've been married for 6 months now. Things getting easier as a princess?"
"Oh goodness. Easier? Well, it's all easier than being locked in a tower" she joked "but there are still challenges. I just feel like I don't fit in here sometimes. Things are so different at the castle than they were in the tower. Just the other day, I pulled out my paints and began to paint the walls of my room when a servant came in and about had a heart attack. Evidently these walls are 'historical' and I'm not to damage them with my drawings." Rapunzel tried to smile around the memory. "but it's okay. Eugene showed me a room that no one uses and now I paint in there on something called canvases. It's much more fun to paint on walls, but for now this will do." Rapunzel turned to Aurora "What about you? You've been awfully quiet. How are things at your palace?"
"The dads are fighting again." She sighed. "They both think that we should live at their palace. We go back and forth as much as we can, but really, it's not easy. And now they both want their Fall Festivals on the same day and we just can't be at both and it's so much work planning just one Fall Festival" she turned to the girls who all nodded their agreement "let alone two!"
Tiana piped up "This is my first event to have to plan. Up until now others having taken care of that planning stuff and I just provide the food, but now they've decided I have to plan the Fall Festival" she paused for dramatics "And I'm not even allowed to cook for it!" Tiana's disgust at being kicked out of the kitchen was evident.
"Oh I know what you mean. When I went back to living in a castle after being in the cottage, they kept taking the broom away from me. What was I supposed to do if not clean?" Snow declared. They each commiserated about their situations for the next couple of hours.
"Okay ladies, it's time to figure out when and where our next meeting will be. I think it's supposed to be at Jasmine's castle next month, but since she didn't make it this time, I'm not sure if she'll want to host. How about we plan on having it at my place and then if Jasmine is up to hosting, I'll let you know." Belle brought out her pocket calendar, intent on choosing a date.
Rapunzel looked over the days and was hopeful that Princess Support Group would be at Belle's castle next. After all, she wanted another look at that library – and she was hopeful that by next month she'd have her own special news to share.