Once Upon A December ❉ Newsies//ON HOLD

Chapter 3

"If you can learn to do it, I can learn to do it. . ."

•

Katherine sat at a small table they'd set up in the middle of the theatre.

"Are you ready?" Jack asked, turning from a chalkboard he had been writing on.

"Ready as I'll ever be."

"You were born in a palace by the sea."

"I find that hard to believe."

"Jus' trust me." Jack said, rolling his eyes.

"You rode horseback when yous was only three."

Katherine laughed, "Horseback? Me?"

"Indeed." Davey said.

"Now." Jack pointed to a sketch of a family tree, "Your father was Joseph Pulitzer, your mother was Katherine Pulitzer though everyone called her Kate. Your siblings were Lucille, Constance, Ralph, Joseph Jr, Edith, and Herbert."

"That's a lot of kids." Katherine mumbled.

"You were a perfect family."

"Now your grandmother is Elize Pulitzer, your grandfather was Fülöp Pulitzer and as you know, your grandmother lives in Paris right now." Davey said, "The palace you lived in was destroyed sadly in all of the problems. The man who killed your family is Snyder-"

"We don't even know if they're my family." Katherine protested.

"Would yous at least follow along?" Jack asked, annoyed.

Katherine shrugged and rest her chin in her hands.

"Ah, no elbows on the table." Jack quickly said, pushing her arms back off.

"You're impossible." Katherine muttered.

"Listen Katherine, if yous want to go to Paris you need to look and act the part.  That means being the princess."

"Fine, what else do I need to learn?" Katherine asked.

"Your family is Hungarian.  You need to learn the language."

"I need to what?"

"Learn how t'a speak it." Jack continued, "As well as being a King, yo' father owned a newspaper company called The World.  Yous used to write stories and were fairly good; but you was young so they obviously didn't publish them."

"You were quite the troublemaker when you were young." Davey said, "You and your sisters used to play pranks on the servants."

"Now sit up straight." Jack said pushing her back up.

"Pinky out." Davey said handing her a teacup.

"Good.  That's good." Jack said.

He pulled her up and Davey handed him a book.  Jack placed it on top of Katherine's head, "Shoulders back an' stand up tall.  Now walk slowly, try t'a look like you're floating."

"I'm feeling silly." Katherine said walking across the floor slowly, "Am I even doing this right? Am I floating?"

"Like a boat." Davey said.

"Yeah I hope." Katherine muttered.

"Now give a bow."

"And what happens now?" Katherine asked.

"Your hand receives a kiss." Jack said gently taking her hand and pressing it to his lips.