The Scarlet Dreamer Chapter Six

The Scarlet Dreamer
Chapter Six: The Frogs' Advice


(I do not, nor will I EVER, own The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, Peter Pan, or The Princess and the Frog. They all belong to Disney.)





"So far, I can't think of any at the top of my head." Jane answered with a shrug.


"Me, either." Kiara added.


That was when an idea formed in Melody's head.


"You said that kissing a princess can break the spell, right?" she asked.


"That is right," answered Naveen, "save for one eensy-weensy, but ever so crucial detail. We know of no princesses in these parts."


"Kiara's a princess." Melody pointed out.


"Heh?!" Kiara questioned. "I'm not kissing any frogs!"


"No offense," said Naveen, "but I was hoping for someone a bit...you know...older?"


"Oh." Melody spoke up.


"It was a good suggestion, though." Tiana told her.


"Thank you, Miss Tiana." Melody replied.


Very softly, Tiana asked, "May I ask what you girls are doing all the way out here by yourselves?"


"Melody was sad, because of what she learned about her mother." Kiara answered. "Jane and I came by to check on her."


"What's wrong with your mother?" Tiana asked, adding hastily, "If it's an appropriate question?"


"...At the moment, she is feeling ill." Melody answered, hesitantly. "I also learned about her true occupation from one of my aunts."


"Occupation?" inquired Naveen. "That's an odd word for a girl of your age to have in your vocabulary."


"What can I say?" Melody asked. "My mother, aunts, and uncles are excellent teachers."


"You must have quite the family tree." Naveen remarked.


"Actually, they're not really related to me, to be honest, I don't know that much about the rest of my family." Melody explained. "My aunts and uncles have been like family to my mother and myself."


"Hold on, there, honey," Tiana chimed in. "To avoid the confusion, why don't you just start from the very beginning?"


   That is exactly what Melody did. She explained everything, how her mother was taken from her family and forced into working for Scar, how she met her aunts and uncles and eventually Eric.


"Eric," Naveen cut in just then. "That name rings a bell. He was a prince, too, wasn't he?"


"No, but he and his family were very wealthy." Melody corrected.


"Hmm," Naveen murmured as he scratched the top of his green head with his index finger. "That's funny, I could've sworn there was a Prince Eric at one time or another. Perhaps I ought to have paid better attention in history."


"If he wasn't royalty, he must have been the next best thing to it." Tiana noted.


"You could say that." Melody spoke up.


"What happened to him, honey?" Tiana asked very softly.


"...He died." Melody answered.


"How?" asked Naveen, and this time he sounded genuinely interested and genuinely sympathetic.


"Everyone says that he was killed by some wild animal..." Melody answered. "But, mother thinks otherwise...she won't tell me why, though."


"Oh," whispered Tiana. "Well, then, I won't press for any more details. But I am truly sorry to hear that, baby cakes."


"Me too," added Naveen, and meant it. "No little girl should have to go through something like that."


"Thank you." Melody spoke, quietly.


"You're upset with your mother, aren't you?" Naveen asked.


Melody sighed before answering, "Yes."


"Can't say I blame you for feeling that way," said Tiana. "I'd never tell you what to do, honey, but you may want to consider at least hearing her out. Everyone has a story to tell, even the very worst of people in the world."


"She's right," Naveen agreed. "I'm sure your mother must have a good reason for keeping secrets from you."


"Maybe she was only trying to protect you from the truth," Tiana added. "I know there were plenty of things my daddy didn't tell me, even when he smiled and acted like everything was just fine."


"Really?" Melody asked.


   Tiana nodded solemnly, saying, "Mmm-hmmm. Looking back, I realize how blissfully unaware I was of everything. All I could truly see was Daddy and his love...and his cooking lessons."


"What did your daddy cook?" Kiara asked, curiously.


"Oh, just about any dish you can think of." Tiana answered. "But gumbo was his favorite."


"Gumbo?" the princess inquired.


   Now Jane intervened, "It's a Southern dish, a kind of thick stew made with meat or shellfish, vegetables, and spices. I had it once; it's really nice."


"When prepared just right," explained Tiana with a smile, "I can tell you, darling, it's the Bee's Knees!"


"Mm!" Kiara hummed, licking her lips. "I'd love to try it, sometime!"


"Maybe, if you helped us revert to our human forms, I could whip you up a batch as a reward."


"Okay!" Kiara nodded.


"I'm in!" exclaimed Jane.


"I'll help," Melody spoke up. "not because of the gumbo, but because I want to help you two out."


"Thank you, kindly." replied Naveen.


"Sugar?" inquired Tiana to Melody at length.


"Yes?" Melody asked.


"Before we do anything else, you might want to consider talking to your mother."


"...I...I don't know what to say to her." Melody whispered.


"You could at least hear what she has to say," spoke Naveen, softly. "You could do that much, couldn't you?"


"...All right." the girl answered.


"Do you want us to come with you?" Jane asked gently. "You know, for moral support?"


Melody smiled sadly at her friend and shook her head.


"Thanks, Jane, but I think this is something I have to do on my own."


"I understand." Jane replied. "Just remember that we're all here for you, okay?"


Kiara nodded vigorously.


"Thank you." Melody told her friends.