Arthur's Note: Hey there! This was originally very heavily based on one of my favorite child hood movies, but I got sick of trying to follow its storyline and started to change everything, so now it's something different. There still some parallels to it (so it should be pretty easy to guess which movie it's based on) but it was changed so much it could no longer be called something that follows the original story. I hope now it can be a story that is able to stand on its own.

This is my first fan-fic, so hope you all enjoy~

Back in the days where the Monarch and nobles ruled -in the final days that is, but that's part of the story, duh- there was unrest among the common people. In these trouble times the King decided to hold a big party! –or ball whatever- That really didn't make the poor people any happier, it sorta got them more angry, –I don't see why, I mean, everyone loves parties!- so those guys decided they would, like , rebel and stuff.

So while the King invited all the nobles and stuff to the big party, the people decided that they had had enough of them being poor and those other guys being like, rich or something.-I don't really remember all of the reasoning behind all this, but that like, isn't the focus of the story anyways- so when all of the rich people were gathered in one place they raided the Palace and like did stuff. –Overthrew people whatever, you guys should already know all this!- But the King had seen the people coming (like I think most people would notice a mob outside their house) and he realized there was no hope for him blah blah blah and decided he would like, save his kids and stuff. –Now we reach the main point of the story!-

So yeah, he had these two kids. One girl and one boy. So the King instructed the older brother to look after his younger sister –Who was only five! Isn't that, like, totally sad!- and sent them off in this carriage before the peasants reached the palace. So the kids weren't there for, like, the stuff that went down.

Anyways! We don't really know exactly what happened after that, but like this empty carriage was found a couple days after wards. It looked like the escaping royalties ended up running into some of the peasants after all. There was this skirmish or something, with a couple of dead guys at the site even! The older brother had fought with them in an attempt to protect his sister–Its not like a five year old could be the one who fought them, obviously- and some people even say that his body was one of those recovered at the site! –It doesn't really help that hardly any one agrees on what the royals look like any more, with the majority of the paintings of them being burned down (along with most of the palace).-

But I like happy endings so I say he also escaped! Whatever. But one thing everyone agrees on was that the five year old princess was no where to be found. She ran off and was, like, never seen again!

To this day she lives! One of the last of the royal line, living her life normally among us! Isn't that, like, exciting!

She is the Runaway Princess!

Sparse and spread out clapping could be heard from the small crowd that had gathered around the bard as he finished his tale. "Thanks everyone! And I know that, like, other people tell different versions of this story, but mine is totally how it really happened! I swear!" The man and the rest of the bystanders then went their separate among the busy streets of the city.

Gilbert, meanwhile, was getting irritated.

People were pushing him, trying to force their way through the moving crowd. Now that the bard had finished his tale, most of those who had previously gathered to hear the story began to resume their shopping in the already crowded marketplace. He though, stayed still, causing a bit of traffic as people passed by him on their way to stalls. The pushing crowd was enough to get him agitated, but the story had also reminded him of why he was here in the first place, and while renewing his excitement, it also increased his impatience for his friend to arrive.

Where was Francis?

He was supposed to have caught a train and arrive in the city by late afternoon so that he could meet him in the marketplace before night fell. Though Gilbert's train had arrived earlier then expected he still had been waiting way longer then he should have.

It was getting late, it would be nighttime soon. The sun was already setting, casting an orange haze across the sky. Maybe he missed his train? Gilbert really hoped that wasn't the case. If he didn't find Francis soon he would have to leave him behind to fend for himself.

In a growing sense of panic he made another scan across the crowd. Things seemed to be dying down now that it was getting darker, though there were still many people out shopping yet.

At first it seemed like Francis still hadn't arrived, but then through the crowd he saw that familiar blond head of hair. He headed toward the stall where his friend currently was. It was a small shack, tucked in between the other multiple shops.

He could see his friend talking to a dark man who had to be the owner of the shop. He shoved his way through the crowd, wondering what the other man could have found that was so important that he had to buy now. Reaching the shack he could finally see the object in Francis' hands.

He was haggling over a coat of all things.

"What are you doing?! We don't have time for that." Gilbert made a move to grab his friend and leave, but Francis intercepted him. "This man says that this coat used to belong to her. It could be helpful to our cause, no?" Gilbert paused, listening to Francis, then grabbed and looked over to the article of clothing he was referring to. It seemed like a regular long brown coat. But on the inside …was that real fur?

It seemed unlikely to find such a rare treasure in a local shop, as most of the clothes from the royal family had been scattered and bought up long ago. Not to mention that the coat looked fit for someone quite, well, older then the person Francis insinuated it belonging to. -Though it could belong to the mother of said person- if it was really belonged to any of the Royal Family it could still be useful… but it was just more likely that it was a common fake.

"You have quite an excellent eye!" The merchant began to readdress Francis, taking him aside as Gilbert began to more thoroughly inspect the coat. "I swear to you my good man, it is the real thing! I got that from the Palace itself not long after the Fall. I just recently rediscovered it in my attic the other day."

"Tis a beautiful piece of clothing" Francis had always been particularly good at haggling. "140 rubees."* The merchant was aghast. "Merely 140?! I just told you this came from the palace itself!" "Oui, but many make such a claim my friend. But how can I be sure you are not… 'pulling the wool over our eyes' as they say… or perhaps it will be better if we take our business elsewhere."

The merchant was unsure what to do with his authenticity in question. His eyes went in a panic, eventually resting on a stall a ways back. Francis followed the path of the mans eyes and smiled. He had him right where he wanted him. "I've heard good things about Herc's Bargains." The merchant reluctantly decided to give in, not willing to let his rival take yet another one of his costumers. Just as he was about to verbally agree to the meager price, he was interrupted by a nearby voice.

"Hey Francis! I found the royal seal on this thing!" Gilbert was proud that he had been able to spot something his old-friend had missed. Obviously because I'm awesome.

Francis, on the other hand, couldn't help but groan and put his head in his hands. I was THIS close…! He looked up to find the dark merchant smiling. Now that his claim was proven, he confidently held out his hand. "190 rubees."

Francis let out another groan, knowing he had lost. He handed the man the money and headed back onto the main street. Gilbert followed, clutching their newly-owned coat.

Catching up to Francis, Gilbert excitingly said. "This will do great! Pretty good win, huh?" Could have cost me less Francis thought, but he digressed. "So who are we meeting here again? And are you sure he won't mind us intruding in his house?"

"Nah, my brother is used to me randomly crashing at his place. All we gotta do is convince him to help us, and we'll be set for life!" They continued onward to their destination. "Do we really need him? I'm not exactly keen on splitting the money up even further." Gilbert could understand Francis' hesitance, usually it's the more money the better, right? But they needed West to pull this off. "Trust me, he used to work at the Archives. We need him for this!"

They continued walking at that, heading into the residential area of the large city. After getting lost a couple times –Gilbert really should write down his brother's address sometime- they eventually found the house they were looking for. It was one of the more smaller houses in the area, with a plain and orderly look about it.

First they tried knocking on the door, but there was no answer. Getting tired of waiting Gilbert collected the spare key out from under the welcoming mat –West wasn't that creative- and let themselves in. Once inside Francis was slightly surprised to find just how bare it was. The walls were empty of any paintings or such that one would expect to find at a home. Gilbert was unaffected by this -as he said earlier, it wasn't his first time at his brother's house- and made himself completely at home on a large green couch (so far the only piece of furniture Francis could see).

"HEY WEST, ITS ME. YOU THERE?" Gilbert waited for a response, and not face with any, jumped off the couch."HELLO?"

Still no answer.

"Maybe he hasn't arrived home yet?" Francis offered. Gilbert shook his head. "He should of gotten off of work hours ago, and I highly doubt he decided to suddenly get a social life. He's probably just sleeping or something." Gilbert then began to search the rest of the house for his brother. There were only about five rooms total in the house, so this did not take long. But after looking everywhere he could possible think of, Gilbert could no longer deny it.

No one was home.

Author's Note:

*- just a type of money I made up...hehe

Sorry its cut so short! It was originally much longer, so I cut it short, as having the first chapter being mega long might scare away some future readers ^_^"

Most of the second chapter is already written, and should be up in the next few days.

Okay! GAME TIME: Can you name 3 of the Hetalia characters that weren't named but appeared in this chapter? Two of them are probably really easy _"