Hello there everyone! Dropping in with an update. 8D
I am so happy that so many have reviewed, and there is so much interest in the story. It means a lot to me to know you guys are enjoying it so much.
I'm going to work on in this chapter not switching my tenses so much…I have a bad habit of doing that and not realizing it till I go back through and read. XD
And also…to those who reviewed giving me suggestions on what should happen. I've been sworn to secrecy on the note you guys mentioned. But keep reading…you never know what my little mind has planned. *Winks*
Disclaimer:
*Pokes her Lawyers*
Nope….they still say that I don't own the Princess and the Frog, sadly. So no suing please. XD
I do own my OC's that will be appearing , so please no touchie unless you ask. Kay?
The music like rhythm of early morning in New Orleans beats strongly through out the streets. Now that the sun had rose it was clear to see that most of the shops where covered in festive decorations.
Green and red decorates most of the buildings, some of the shops even had Christmas trees in the windows. Though the atmosphere was defiantly one that could only be found in New Orleans. Jazz music flows through the streets as musicians play, and walk their ways through the streets. People rush about doing their daily duties, enjoying the music and beat of the city.
Though in one pent house apartment, above a certain restaurant the feeling was very different.
Tiana tilts her head a little as she studies her reflection in the full length mirror. Currently she was wearing a very stylish light green dress that falls just a little past her knees. A soft white button down sweater covers her shoulders and goes down a little below her bust. Black high heals completes her out fit, she has her dark haired pulled back into a tight bun on the top of her head, with a few ringlets framing her face.
She sighs a little as she turns to the side and gently smoothes the front of the dress down around her stomach. Wondering a little ideally if it was her imagination or if she really did look like she'd put on a bit of weight. She shrugs a little, if she had it was due to the stress of the approaching holiday and running the restaurant and not watching what she ate.
She turns to look at the clock setting on the table next to the bed and rolls her eyes a little. It was already almost ten fifteen and she and Naveen had to be at the harbor at eleven to meet his brother, not to mention she was sure the dock would be over flowing. What with the arrival of another royal it would be a mad house.
She glances at the door of the bathroom and slowly shakes her head a bit. Of all the men in the world to fall in love with she had to find the one who was the biggest bathroom hog.
(Thank goodness I was up at six and got ready. We'd never get anywhere on time if I wasn't an early raiser.) She thinks with a sigh as she makes her way over to the door and knocks.
"Naveen you ready yet? We're gonna be late if you don't hurry up," She says a bit of aggravation clearly in her voice.
"Aye, but if I hurry than I will not look as perfect as I do," Came the reply from behind the closed door. To this Tiana rolls her eyes a little, and tries to keep from giggling.
"Yes well, you don't wanna over do it. I mean how can you improve perfection?" She asks deciding it best to play to his ego rather than waste anymore time. She smiles and silently thanks the heavens when her ploy works.
The door to the bathroom slowly opens as Naveen finally makes his appearance. He gives Tiana a charming smile. Much like her his outfit was very formal looking, a white suite with black pants, and a red sash across the front with several medals decorating the front.
"I look good, yes?" He asks admiring himself in the mirror. Tiana rolls her eyes a little, sure he'd already done that enough times already.
"Yes, Prince Charming. You've spent enough time staring at yourself, I'm getting jealous." She says as she reaches over and grabs his arm and starts to lead him out the door. Naveen grins and pulls out of her grasp and starts to walk besides her.
"Well…I could always do with a change of scenery," He says looking her up and down and grinning as he opens the door that leads to the restaurant for her. Tiana tries to hide the smile that was pulling at her lips as she walked past him.
"This scenery is goin' to leave you behind if you don't hurry it up," She calls over her shoulder as she descends the stairs. Naveen chuckles a little as he quickens his pace to follow her.
Delicate ears perk forward as a small black cat weaves it's way through the cluttered alley way. It pauses as it looks about, surveying the small open courtyard it had entered. Bear walls surround it, save for a warn door on one wall, a faded sign above it.
The cat pauses sniffing the air before leaping upon the stump of an old tree that was in the middle of the court yard. It takes one last look around before beginning to wash one of it's fore paws.
A sudden creaking noise makes it stop and look up, golden eyes flashing. It watches slowly as the old door slowly creaks open. It tilts it's head a little, it's interest perked by both the sound and the odd noise coming from the dark resources of the room beyond the door.
It lightly jumps from it's perch and slinks towards the door, giving it a light sniff before slowly making it's way into the inky blackness of the shop. Despite the dark shapes soon become clear, all sorts of odd things line the walls.
Bottles, skulls, and even a few Voodoo Dolls can be seen setting on shelves and tables around the room. The darkness seems to distort and make the room even creepier, if that was possible.
The cat makes it's way further into the Voodoo parlor. The odd shapes around it only mildly perking it's interest. Mind sat more on a meal than what it's scenery was.
It pauses when it comes to the back of the store, a table and a few chairs set on a raised stage. The cat tilts it's head a little, an odd breeze seems to be blowing from behind the table. Following it's senses the cat makes it's way on to the stage, giving the table and chairs a good sniff as it walks about.
The cat is so engrossed in investigating the table and chairs it doesn't notice the sudden appearance of several pairs of small glowing eyes around the walls of the shop. The eyes all suddenly disappear when the cat looks up.
It lets out a soft yawn before leaping up on the table, and once again beginning to wash one of its paws. As it does the eyes suddenly appear again, this time however they are joined by a much larger pair of eyes that are dead center behind the cat.
All the eyes seem to look at each other and narrow in glee. The largest slowly lets out a rumble as something like a mouth appears and green fog begins to pour out. The cat suddenly pauses in it's washing, and slowly turns around.
The cat's hair instantly stands up, and it's eyes grow huge as it finds a giant horned mask with glowing eyes and a wide vicious looking smile on it's face behind it. Letting out a screech the cat tears off through the parlor, several crashes can be heard as it knocks various things off their shelves.
The large mask slowly begins to laugh eerily at the plight of the cat. As it does purple light floods the parlor, revealing the rest of the eyes to be a series of smaller masks that also begin to laugh along with the other mask.
Soon the masks all stop their laughing, the largest blinks it's eyes before looking around at the other masks. Facilier's "Friends" as he'd called them all seemed to grow silent, waiting on something.
The lead "Friend" seems to understand the silence and nods it's head slowly opening it's mouth. More green fog pours out, accompanied by several multicolored Voodoo dolls that dance and beat on drums.
The other masks all grin and begin to hum, soon the Voodoo parlor is filled with an odd song. The green fog suddenly changes color, going from green to purple as a bright light suddenly appears.
The long, lean shadow of a man is suddenly cast around the room. The music suddenly stops as a figure emerges from the mouth.
Facilier grins a bit as he walks into his parlor, vivid purple eyes glowing as he looks around and inspects the months worth of dust that has collected.
His friends watch him keenly, the shadow man finally stops and turns to face them. The grin that was plastered to his face never leaving.
"My dear friends, I thank you for allowin' me to return," He says bowing a little to them and tipping his hat. Though his shadow remains standing, it's arms crossed. His friends only glare a little, the big one clearly unhappy with everything.
Facilier seems to pick up on the unhappiness, he stand back up and nods his head a little to the mask.
"I understand your frustrations, and it won't happen again. I'll make sure of that," He says a sneer running across his face at the thought of his earlier disgrace at the hands of Naveen and Tiana. His anger only intensifying at the thought that they had bested him and where now roaming about as humans again.
"I'll make dead sure it doesn't," He growls as the grip on his cane tightens. His friends all look at each other, slow smiles starting to grow across their faces. Confidence in their pawn seemingly renewed.
At the harbor a modest crowd has gathered for the arrival of another prince. It wasn't as bad as Tiana had imagined it, but it was still a pretty chaotic scene. Several people had gathered with signs, and a few from the local paper.
Currently several where taking pictures of her and Naveen. She smiles softly as one takes a picture of them standing arm in arm.
"I'm not sure if I'll ever get used to all this," She musses as the last photographer moves on his way.
"Eh, you will eventually," Naveen says with a chuckle as he relaxes a bit and gives Tiana's hand a gentle squeeze. She smiles softly and nods her head.
"I hope so," She says scanning the crowd a little, making sure there weren't anymore photographers in sight.
"So you excited about showing Darshan the sights?" She asks still looking out at the crowd. Her brow furrows a bit when she doesn't get an answer. She glances up at Naveen and follows his gaze.
A nearby street band had assembled, obviously to welcome the arriving prince. The music blared across the harbor, which of course Naveen had picked up on.
His eyes where locked on the band, and his free hand was snapping to the beat. If there had been a ukulele handy he'd would have probably been over playing and dancing along with them.
Tiana shakes her head a bit and bites her lip to keep from smiling a little.
(Typical Naveen,) She thinks to herself with an eye roll the sudden sound of a boat whistle blowing causing her to look up and break the musical spell that was on her husband.
She looks up and smiles softly at the huge grin that had appeared on Naveen's face at the sight of the huge white ship that was pulling into the harbor. The look of excitement that was bouncing around his brown eyes was unmistakable.
Seeing Naveen so happy, and excited made her heart soar, she loved seeing her husband's smile. And at that moment it could have lit up a whole content it was so bright.
The ship slowly pulls into harbor slowly docking. The draw bridge slowly lowers, hitting the dock with a loud thud. A trumpet suddenly blares as a young boy appears at the top of the stairs.
His large brown eyes seem to roam across the gathered crowed before he begins to descend the stairs. His outfit is similar to Naveen's, save for his top is blue and the sash red.
Tiana smiles softly at the sight of the young prince. She opens her mouth to ask Naveen a question but she is quickly cut off.
"Petit Frere!" Naveen suddenly shouts dropping Tiana's hand and waving exuberantly at the young prince. Tiana sighs and claps a hand to her forehead.
Darshan's eyes instantly snap towards his brother, a huge grin spreading across his face as he spots him and Tiana.
"Naveen!" He yells happily as he quickly scales the last few stairs and runs as fast as his little legs would carry him.
Naveen laughs happily as he bends down to his brothers height and opens his arms, falling backwards when his brother all but tackles him.
"Achidanza! You've gotten so big since the last time I saw you Darshan," Naveen laughs from where he's laying on his back with Darshan setting on his chest.
Darshan laughs a bit and smiles brightly as he looks down at his brother and nods his head, brown eyes bouncing happily as he hugs Naveen again.
Tiana by this point is smiling from ear to ear at the small family reunion taking place in front of her. In some ways she wished she and Naveen lived closer to Maldoina, even though he'd never admit it to her she was sure he missed his family. And seeing this display clearly proved it.
Someone clearing their throat from behind her made Tiana jump a little. She turns around to see a tall, wispy, looking gray haired man standing behind her. His brown eyes narrowed a bit as he looked at her.
"I do not meant to interrupt this touching scene, your highnesses," The man says in a dry voice as he looks down at Darshan and Naveen.
Both blinked, looked at each other, cringed and then up at the man.
"Hello there Wilson, I didn't know Mother and Father sent you," Naveen says coughing a little, his decorum suddenly resurfacing as he and Darshan quickly got to their feet and dusted off their uniforms.
"Yes, your parents sent me to make sure the young Prince stays out of trouble," The man named Wilson said. Clearly not amused at either of the Princes' behaviors.
Tiana crossed her arms and glared a little at the man, she probably would have said something about her and Naveen not needing a baby sitter if Naveen hadn't said anything.
"Aye, sounds like Mother and Father. Always looking ahead and sending the best, no?" He asks giving Wilson a smile that was clearly meant to flatter and nothing else.
"I suppose," Wilson said with an eye roll, it was clear he was impressed at all with the idea of baby sitting anyone.
It was then that Tiana broke in, deciding to break the tension.
"Darshan, sweetheart. Where are your bags?" She asks quietly looking at the younger prince and smiling. He returned her smile and was about to reply when Wilson cut him off.
"Did your Highness even greet his Sister in Law? How un gentleman like," Wilson scolded giving the Prince a harsh look. It was clear from the look Naveen gave the other man that he didn't approve of him speaking to his brother in that tone.
Darshan blushed a bit and quickly clapped his hands in front of him and bowed low.
"Please forgive me Tiana, it is a pleasure to see you again. I am pleased to see you are doing well, and I thank you for allowing me to come and stay with you and Naveen," He says quietly.
Tiana smiles softly at the little boy, it surprised her a little to see how formal he was at his age. She quickly gave a little curtsey and motions for Darshan to raise his head.
"Don't worry about it, sweetheart. Thank you, and it's no problem what so ever. You are family and can come visit anytime you'd like," She says giving Wilson a defiant glare, since he obviously didn't like her relaxed speech around the prince.
"Enough with the formalities, you are here to visit, no? So let us drop all this and have some fun," Naveen says giving his brother a smile, and winking at Tiana. Wilson rolls his eyes a little at Naveen's attitude and quickly dismisses himself to go retrieve Darshan's bags.
Once he is out of sight Naveen lets out a sigh of relief as he looks at Darshan, and then at Tiana.
"There is the true definition of "Stick in the Mud", no?" Naveen asks with a grin motioning to where Wilson had gone, which makes Darshan giggle a bit. Despite herself Tiana had to nod her head and let out a little bit of a laugh.
"I don't think I could have put it better myself." She says giving Naveen a smile.
Alrighty…that's a wrap for this chapter. 8D
Lol… I hope you guys enjoy. I had a lot of fun typing this one…I'm having a lot of fun fleshing out Darshan, and getting ideas for him in the story. 83
The story will continue to get more interesting in the next few chapters, so stay tuned. 8D
Thank you again for all your wonderful reviews. Keep em coming, and no flames please.
~ Until Next time, Happy Trails.
DragonGirl4