Author Note: The Nutcracker Prince is one of my favorite Christmas films. I love the beautiful story between Clara and Hans. But this time, they are 16 and 18 to avoid awkwardness.
Disclaimer: I do not own The Nutcracker Prince, just the story. The story of the book, The Commoner and the King is a story in a story that I made up all by myself. You're see what I mean when reading this.
Another day in winter at the Stahlbaum House. All cozy during another sown storm. Fritz is downstairs in the basement to find something fun while stuck inside. He looks in the dusty boxes and in them for something. But something needs to be more interesting. Before taking a step up the stairs, he hears a colossal thud. He winces and turns around to find the sound in the dark area. He walks around to hit his foot on a tangible item. He bounces up and down, groaning in pain. He regains his balance and looks down at the massive object. He squints down and bends down to see closer. It is a book. The title is The Commoner and the King.
He reaches out and grabs the book. It's heavy and hard to lift, and Fritz needs help to balance his and the book's weight. How heavy is this thing, Fritz thinks to himself. He walks up the stairs, up it to the main floor. He walks limply into the living room, and the book is in his arms. In the living room are Uncle Drosselmeyer, his parents, Ingrid and Carl Stahlbaum, his older sister, Louise, her fiancé, Eric, Hans, Pavlova the cat, Trudy the maid, her husband Pantaloon and his other sister, Clara.
"Help... Please!" He begs before falling and dropping the book.
It slides on the floor and taps Louise's foot. Clara and Hans come to aid Fritz. "Fritz...what happens? What did you do down there?" Clara asks her little brother.
Louise bends down to look and grabs the book off the floor.
"I was trying to find something to do downstairs and found this on the floor. It's an ancient and big book." Fritz growls and points at the book; now Louise is holding it and smiling.
Her smile and eyes grow softer as the seconds pass. "Clara, I think Fritz found your favorite book." She says sweetly.
Eric looks at his fiancé's lap. Clara now focuses on the book in her sister's arms. She walks up and comes to Louise's side.
"Clara, remember when I used to read this book to you when you were little? The Commoner and the King," She says very softly.
Clara squints to look closer and the book. "I... Yes. Yes, I do!" She smiles at her sister.
"I remember reading you this over and over when you were about four until you were seven, and you could read it by yourself. You loved this book. Whenever I asked what book you wanted me to read, you would always choose this book. You would say, 'Please read, please read.' It was so cute but annoying." Louise says, going off on a tangent.
Ingrid and Trudy laugh at Louise's tangent. Clara blinks and turns to her maid, mother, and godfather in confusion. "What's so funny?" She asks.
"Clara, that was one of your favorite books when you were growing up." Trudy chuckles.
"You were almost obsessed with that book until you were 10. We both remember you want us to read a certain list of books in your nursery, and The Commoner and the King were on Louise's list." Ingrid chuckles.
Clara turns to her sister. "I guess I just liked your voice with the words Louise." She says.
"Yeah, yeah. But if I could capture the expression on your face when I read this book to you ten years ago, I would be gushing over your cuteness. You were so adorable." Louise chuckles and smiles at her little sister.
Hans looks around the room in confusion. What is the book about? I never heard of it." He asks.
Ingrid and Drosselmeyer look at him. "What are you talking about? You were told this story when you were seven years old and before we came to the royal court. You were in the same room as Clara when you heard this book." Drosselmeyer tell Hans. Hans stares at him with a more confused face, and Clara becomes the same.
Ingrid chuckles. "Drosselmeyer, the children don't remember, and that was about 11 years ago." She says.
Hans and Clara turn to each with the same confused look, but both become softer as seconds pass. Clara turns to Louise, Louise gives her the book, and she sits in the middle of the room. Still looking at Hans and her godfather. "This is something that I want to know more about." She says, very awkward.
Ingrid and Drosselmeyer chuckle again. "Later now, kids. But long story short, you two were friends since Hans was seven and you were five, Clara." Drosselmeyer says.
Hans crawls near her, and they both shrug. Clara focuses her attention on the book in her lap. "The Commoner and the King " is the story of a young commoner woman rescued by a kind, gentle, respectful king from a violent and cruel lord. Within two years of living in the king's castle, romance, tragedy, and obstacles. The two married, the commoner became a queen, and have two children. It's an amazing story." Clara explains the summary of the book. "But I don't know what I liked about the story or how it got down in the basement?" She asks herself, studying the book.
"Well... Why don't you see for yourself." Drosselmeyer says. "Read it."
"What?!" Clara asks, blushing.
"Yeah, that's a great idea. Why don't you read for us, Sugarplum." Carl says, smiling at his daughter.
"Yeah, come on, Clara. Read!" Some people cheer.
Clara looks at Hans with a worried look. He smiles sweetly at her. "Please." He pleads to her.
Clara takes a deep breath. "Alright." She says, opening the book. She reads the first few pages and sees the child's handwriting of her. This book belongs to Clara Stahlbaum and some other cute messages of a little girl. She turns the page again to get to chapter one. She clears her throat. "Chapter one: Village life as a Dancer." She says before looking up to see her smiling friend and family.
She takes another deep breath and looks back down at the page.
Clara starts reading:
Chapter 1: Pavlova wakes up to the sun shining through the curtains and hitting her face. She stares and stretches to open her eyes to the ceiling of her room. She was trying to get up to ready for the day. She calls her maid, Mary, to help get ready. Pavlova takes off her light blue nightgown to put on her white lace, linen chemise, and white stockings. Mary laces up Pavlova's leather walking boots on her feet and helps with the corset. Five minutes after the first stitch, Pavlova puts on her white petticoat. Mary fixes the buttons before placing Pavlova's dark blue gown over her head. She fixes the buttons behind and hands Pavlova her fashionable, pink, cotton Redingote.
"When is the performance, Miss?" Mary asks.
"Two days at 7:00. I will be playing the role of the leading lady." Pavlova says proudly.
Pavlova is a dancer. Since she was three, Pavlova danced in classes and programs. At 19, Pavlova is the best dancer in her childhood village, very successful, and living independently. She is also a tough woman. Since she was eight, she's been groomed by war, sickness, and heartbreak. Losing her brother at the age of 14 from going into battle, her sister at the age of 16 from measles, and her parent at the age of 18 from tuberculosis. Since the age of seven, she learns how to use a bow, arrow, and sword from her uncle. She knows how to fight and protect herself. She knows how to ride horses and even owns one herself. Nymeria, a beautiful chestnut with brown hair, was a final gift from her mother before she died.
She's also a writer and writes in her room almost every night after a long day at the ballet studio. She's been given a massive fortune by her parents when they died, which gave her a stepping stone to where she is now. She isn't married at wants to be married when she says so.
After a fixed breakfast from Mary, she walks out the door with her ballet bag to the studio. She passes by houses, children playing on the streets, and adults talking and laughing. The bright morning shines, peeping out from the hills of the mountains of the east, and I stretch my arms high to reach a ray of sunlight. The yellow and orange glow comes within a minute and tickles her fingertips as she walks across the road. She says her "hellos" and "good mornings" to the neighbors she passes by, Ms. Miller, Mr. and Ms. Jones, Mr. Smith, and Ms. Doffin.
She walks by the bakery, bookstore, school building, and barbershop. After a quarter of a mile from her house to work, she gets to the steps of the studio, opens the door, and walks in.
"Good morning Miss Pavlova!" Sir Thomas cheers, the main choreography at the ballet studio.
Clara read on about what Pavlova did at the studio, rehearsing for her performance. A lord arrives in town about the same time as Pavlova's production, watching one of the performances. He grows infatuated with Pavlova's beauty and asks for her on a date, but she says no.
Continues to read:
The lord is Herr John Schulz, in his mid-30s. He has a good appearance, fair skin, blue eyes, and blonde hair, but I don't find him attractive. He smells like a drunk, and I see an icy stare in his eyes. After introducing himself to me after the show, he yelled at his servant that he was a lazy snob and a bum. If my father were here, he would not find him a suitable man for his daughter. And I'm a dancer, and I can't give up my life's work for a man.
"But you would look beautiful in the arms of a man. A wealthy man who could grant you everything." John argues with a calm tone.
Personally, I would rather marry one of the men from my village since I can already apply for my own lifestyle. "I don't need to be vying over men's fortune or status. As you can see, Herr, I have made one for myself." I hit back at him with a smile, trying to hide my distance.
John looks defeated by my comment and sighs. "Think about it, and I'll ask again." He replies confidently, making me roll my eyes as he walks away from me. His arrogance has no end. I walk home after talking to more people and changing my outfit, thinking about the chilling stare and smirk, falling asleep with the fear of his proposal, trembling.
End of reading:
"What happens next? What will happen with Pavlova and John?" Fritz jumps to his sister as she closes the book.
Clara turns to the clock and sees it's 8:30 PM; she looks out the window door, knowing the storm was died down to sprinklers of snowfall. "No, Fritz, it's late, and most of us need to go home and get to bed. But I'll read more later." She closes the book and gets up with the book in her hands.
"Awww, man." Fritz groans.
Some groan, too, but everyone around agrees. "Come on, everyone," Ingrid says, standing up.
Everyone leaves to their proper homes and/or beds. Trudy leaves with Pantaloon to go home; Eric kisses Louise goodnight, and Uncle Drosselmeyer walks to the door, waiting for his nephew, who stands next to his best friend.
"Such a shame to leave when you have caught my attention," Hans says sweetly, smirking at Clara, who rolls her eyes.
Clara and Hans have both had a crush on one another for years. They flirt, work, stand by and play with one another, always together when they can. Hans wants to take it a step further and plans to ask Clara's father to court her, but tonight, they will be apart for the time being.
"I'm glad you liked me reading, but you better skedaddle home," Clara replies sarcastically but gives Hans a peck on the cheek, making him blush.
"Goodnight, princess; see you tomorrow." He replies and bows to her, calling Clara by her nickname.
She giggles and rolls her eyes. "You too, Nutcracker, goodnight," and Hans walks away to the door and his uncle, giving one last glance to his friend before walking out the door.
The Stahlbaum family gets ready for bed, washing their hands and faces, saying their goodnights to each other, getting on their pajamas, and getting under the covers, shutting their eyes, except for Clara.
She sits on her window bench with the moonlight shining down on her, the book opens in her lap, and Pavlova by her side. She stares at her book and glances up at the stars. "Oh, Pavlova, wouldn't it be cool to live in a storybook." She says to herself, knowing that cats can't talk. Pavlova meows and rubs against Clara's skin. "Oh well, you can always be in your dreams." She sighs, places the book down, and picks up Pavlova, walking to her bed. She gets under the blankets and sets Pavlova down next to her. "Goodnight, Pavlova." Clara says, sleepy, shifting to get comfortable in the bed, placing her head on the pillow and fluttering her eyes, drifting off to sleep.
Author Note's: Clara never realizes that what she said will actually happen. Please review, I'll try to uploadsoon.