Disclaimer: Um, I don't own Princess Tutu. Drosselmeyer does, so I stole his favorite quill and some of his parchment to write this story.

-X-

The Poor Peasant Girl

No Holly for Miss Quinn

"Ahiru! Ahiru!"

"Ahiru! Wake UP!"

The addressed woke up with a start from her bed and fell in a heap on the floor, eliciting a yelp of pain from her, the sheets wrapped about her small frame from head to toe like a cocoon. The girl sat up from the worn, wooden floor, and as the sheet covering her head slipped off, the girl's face was revealed. Her face was round and adorned with a pair of cornflower-blue eyes, a button nose and a small thin mouth, with a light spray of freckles dotting the area running along the bridge of her nose. Thick tresses of bright red, long hair fell in soft waves to the floor, one tall lock standing upright near the top of her forehead. From outside her front door, voices belonging to another pair were being heard.

"Oh, I heard that!" a high-pitched feminine one exclaimed. "Ahiru's fallen of her bed again, it seems!"

"Is that really something for you to be happy about?" inquired another more-level voice, this one also of a female's.

"Ugh…what time is it…?" the girl muttered, rubbing her head, oblivious to the conversation outside her front door.

Long lashes blinked the sleep out of her eyes as she looked to the wooden clock sitting on her bedside table.

4:30 a.m.

She blinked. "Huh? That's weird. It's still too early."

"Ahiruuuu!" called the first voice, this time followed by a rapping on the door.

The girl Ahiru perked up. "Eh? Lillie?"

"Ahiru, are you awake yet?" asked the second.

"Pique? Ah…! Yes, I'm awake!" the redhead announced to them.

"Well then hurry up! We're going to be late!"

She started, baffled.

Huh? Late? At this time? That can't be!

Suddenly, she swung her head to the window. Rising to her bare feet, she drew the curtains aside, and blanched.

Through her window, she had a full view of the cobbled street outside her house. A carriage passed by, and the street was filled with people, men and women, a tiny jeweler's store standing on the opposite side. To the east of her house was the town square. And the sunlight filtered her window in radiant beams.

Ahiru made a panicked sound in her throat. "What the…!"

Dashing to the clock, she grasped it in her hands and put the dial to her ear. It wasn't ticking. It had stopped working.

"Oh NO! I'm going to be late!" she squawked, turning on her heel as she made to get dressed, only to trip on the hem of her nightgown and fall over with a crash once again.

"Oh my!" exclaimed the girl Lillie in pure ecstasy. "What a wonderful sound to listen to in the morning!"

The one named Pique gave the girl a sidelong glance of aggravation before calling to their friend once more. "Ahiru, Lillie and I'll go on ahead so hurry up already! Mister Frederick will be furious again if you show up tardy!"

"O-o-okay!" the girl stuttered as she struggled to her feet and changed into her work clothes.

Pique's right, she thought to herself, I can't keep being late like this, or Mister Frederick's gonna fire me!

Hastily but carefully, Ahiru laid her nightgown neatly on her bed and got dressed quickly. She put on a gray, white-collared cotton dress that reached to her ankles and fumbled with the buttons, tying a clean, white apron around her waist to complete her frock. Sitting at her small wooden dresser, she took up a brush and ran it through her long, red hair, before fixing it into one braid that nearly touched the ground. Rising to her feet, Ahiru looked herself over in the mirror before nodding in satisfaction with herself.

"Alright!"

The redhead ran out onto the busy street, making sure to lock the door behind her first, and was immediately greeted by the hustle and bustle of the townspeople as they went about their business. Struggling against the wave of people jostling her, Ahiru made her way through the crowd, apologizing every so often whenever she bumped into someone.

"Wh-what time is it?" she asked no one as she pelted across the street. Ahiru passed a shop window, then screeching to a halt, backtracked to it while jogging in place. The shop was selling clocks, several on display in the window.

And the time on every face read 6:45.

"Aaaaaahhhh!" Ahiru wailed as she went on her way. "I gotta hurry up!"

She swerved into a narrow alley between two buildings, attempting to make a shortcut and save whatever time she had left. But when she reached the other side, another crowd of people met her and she nearly collided with them. Only this time, there was a procession. And she soon realized why.

"Make way for the prince! Make way for His Royal Majesty!"

A pageboy walked down the street while leading a line of people, and right behind him, riding his white horse...

Ahiru gasped in surprise. "It's the prince! He came back!"

With soft, beautiful, golden eyes, Prince Mythos' gaze swept over the people welcoming him in his return to Golden Crown. He smiled gently and warmly at each and every one of them, his snowy-white hair billowing softly in the morning breeze. He waved to the children as they broke away from their parents and padded alongside his horse.

Her worries forgotten from the moment she'd set her eyes on the handsome prince, Ahiru squeezed her way through the crowd of people as she tried to make her way to the front, ending up crawling on hands and knees to get there. Getting to her feet while dusting off her frock, the red-haired girl watched Mythos in such awe, a small blush tinting her cheeks.

"It's so good to have the prince home once again." said an elderly woman to her husband from behind the girl. "There is no light without him to watch over us."

"Prince Mythos…" said Ahiru dreamily, blue eyes never leaving his approaching form.

Not far off behind him, trailing in the prince's stead on horseback, was his knight, ever-watchful and ever-vigilant. His greenish-black hair pulled back loosely, he guarded Mythos with his life and sword as if it was all he was meant to do for all time. He was watching the crowd as well, but only from the corner of his eye. His forest-green irises stayed fixed to the front, completely ignoring the people as if they weren't even there.

The prince is so wonderful… Ahiru continued to gush. So kind and brave, so fearless in battle. So caring, so generous.

Ahiru had long been smitten with the prince Mythos for almost all of her life. Her heart entirely devoted to him, she often dreamed and fantasized a time when she was a princess, and she became his. And they'd live happily ever after with each other, as so it went in her head.

Prince Mythos was coming closer to Ahiru, and she sighed dreamily to herself again.

Maybe someday, I'll—

However, before she could finish her train of thought, a five-year old boy was struggling to get through the crowd from behind Ahiru, and after freeing himself from in-between two people, he lost his balance and collided with the girl, causing her to stumble forward.

"Aawawawaaa!" she cried out, arms flapping wildly over her head as she hovered over the ground, defying gravity like a bird in the air. This went on for only five seconds, before she fell forward onto the street on her face. "Gck!"

Before she knew what was happening, there was a whinny and the pulling of reins, as the prince struggled with his horse to prevent it from treading on Ahiru. The beast reared on its hind legs, pawing the air with its hooves, alarmed at its rider's suddenly rough handling, and at the same time, protesting against it. The crowd gasped and retreated further onto the sidewalk, parents grabbing their children and leading them away to safety, afraid of having them being trod on by the perturbed horse. Still sprawled on the ground, Ahiru looked up to it with a horrified expression, blue eyes wide, thinking for sure that this was the end, and she buried her head in her arms, too afraid to move and unable to watch. At last however, Prince Mythos managed to pull the horse away and let it drop back down a foot far from the fallen girl. Dismounting, he rushed over, coming to kneel at her side. Lifting her head, Ahiru found herself face-to-face with the prince, and blinking twice before realizing so, flushed a dark red.

"I'm so sorry." the prince was apologizing as he helped her to her feet. "Are you alright?"

The prince's worried eyes scanned her intently for any sign of injury, causing her to redden more and stutter.

"Uh-uh-uh…" was all Ahiru was able to say. Even in her mind, she could think of nothing. She wanted to protest against the prince's apology, tell him that it should be her that should be apologizing, that she was sorry for causing him trouble, and in the recesses of her wondering mind, maybe even confess her private feelings for him. But for the time being, she could feel that his hand on her shoulder was warm. Ahiru was relishing that sensation, that simple gesture telling her so much more than it really should.

"My horse can become very temperamental. You must forgive him." the prince explained gently.

"Y-y-y-yes."

Prince Mythos smiled at Ahiru, and if it was possible, her temperature shot up.

H-he's smiling at me! she thought wildly to herself. I…I don't believe it! The prince is smiling at me

For some reason, she thought that there was an exchange of unspoken words between her and the prince as they simply stood there, words that were supposed to remain unspoken between them and hidden from everyone else. Or perhaps, it was because his hand was still on her shoulder that she'd had such a thought. An illicit one. One that she shouldn't be having. As a commoner.

"Your Highness."

The silence was broken by the knight's soft yet almost imperious tone, as he scrutinized the two of them from on top of his own horse, taking no notice of the peasant girl Ahiru, who looked up at him with mild curiosity. People rarely hear the knight speak in public, or see him speak to anyone else other than the prince. So it was a surprise to most whenever he opened his mouth to talk. It wasn't a wonder why many say he was a very closed-off young man.

The prince nodded solemnly at his knight before turning back to her. "I'm sorry, but I must be on my way. Do take care, miss."

Prince Mythos bowed to Ahiru, who blushed again and stammered, "Y-y-yes."

She tried to return the curtsey, but nearly fell over again at the attempt. Straightening up, she put a hand behind her head and laughed nervously, excusing her clumsiness.

The prince offered a heartwarming smile once more before mounting his now-mollified horse and waving to the people, continuing on his way towards the castle.

Ahiru watched him go, almost longingly. If only they had had a moment longer. But then again, he couldn't waste his time on a simple girl like her when he had other important matters to attend to.

A shadow passed over her form, and she looked up to see the knight and his horse following slowly after the prince. His eyes weren't on her, but she could see a scowl forming on his face, his lip tight with irritation.

"Pest…" he muttered under his breath.

Ahiru started. It was low but clear to her ears. He'd called her a pest.

How dare he insult me like that?

Planting her feet firmly on the ground, Ahiru, imitating the knight's expression, scowled after his retreating back, shoulders hunched and hands balled into fists.

He's so rude! she thought angrily. I can't believe the prince is being guarded by someone like him

But before she could think of anything else spiteful, the clock tower in the north began to ring, and it caught her attention.

"Eh?"

Then, it came back to her. Her accident with the prince had driven it completely out of her mind. And she burst into a panicking fit.

"Quaaaahhh! I'll be laaaaaaaaaate!"

-X-

A/N: Long enough? Please R & R. It really makes me happy and feeling motivated to hear the readers' opinions. So now, Fakir and Mythos enter the chapter. Fan girls of either of the two bishies or both, feel free to scream. I, for one, scream for Fakir. ;)