♛♛ ＰＲＩＮＣＥＳＳ ＭＡＤＥＬＩＮＥ ＨＡＲＴＥ {{ no posting }}

[mango sherbet]

[mango sherbet]

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♛♛ "if you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there." ♛♛
~lewis carroll

ＷＨＯ ＡＲＥ ＹＯＵ, ＡＮＹＷＡＹ? ♛♛
xxApologies. I'm mango sherbet, and I believe you might have possibly heard of me? Seeing as I'm your online sister and all? Anyways, I'm here to try out for the lovely Kiamara #250. So who I am is really besides the point. Read on.

ＨＥＲ ＮＡＭＥ? ♛♛
xxPrincess Madeline Harte. (Pronounced mah-dih-lihn hart) I originally chose this name for its sound, deciding that I could still use it despite its not fitting the meaning advantage. It was only later, when I became curious to discover its actual meaning, did I decide to google it. Through wikipedia I discovered the name Madeline has derivatives that mean both "elevated, great, or magnificent" and "little girl." I thought that this only added to the name's appeal, suiting this adorable young princess perfectly. (As a side note, Harte is not her last name, more of a second/middle name.)
Madeline has been called by the title "Princess" for so long it's practically part of her identity. Her name is one of the few things she can pronounce correctly and completely. She introduces herself as Princess Madeline Harte, but prefers to be called Maddie, since it's shorter to sign and far easier to lipread.

ＨＥＲ ＡＧＥ? ♛♛
xxSix years old. Despite being quite young to have experienced so much, Maddie still acts her age. In fact, her intelligence level is rather low for her age... but we'll get to that later.

[mango sherbet]

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♛♛ "it is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves." ♛♛
~ william shakespeare

ＨＭＭ, ＳＯ ＷＨＹ ＤＯ ＹＯＵ ＷＡＮＴ ＨＥＲ? ♛♛
xxPrepare to witness my rant. Well, you know the story of this. A silly little Mango was drifting around the kiamara chat, and lo and behold, a Blue mentions something about "Embargo's little sister."
Actually, here's the real thing. Since I thought I ought to remind you of my first reaction. x'P


[18:11:26] mango sherbet : eue smexy embargo bro
[18:12:09] BlueAura~ : eeee i cant wait to design his little sister eue
[18:12:30] Karmaloco : oh my : o
[18:12:35] mango sherbet : OMIGOD


Yup, first reaction: caps lock. That's Mango for you. Before you even showed her preview, I was absolutely entranced. And it only got worse from there. When you first showed the preview on the fanclub, I'd seen it on the chat, and, well, that was not a good idea if you didn't want your sister to wet her pants. Ah, you have no idea how many pages of my sketchbooks are clogged with heartsick doodles of this little girl. I mean, obviously none of them are valid now, but... my goodness. So many plans, so many drawings, that have all been leading up to this measly moment when you read this form and think, "What's wrong with mango?" (Don't deny it, that's what you're going to think. Again.)
I suppose I haven't even answered my own question. Well, here's a bit of mango philosophy to dwell on. I only enter for characters that I see, well... character.. in. A flat, two-dimensional sort of character is no fun to read about, nor to roleplay or stalk. Many, many adoptables fly by without me seeing an ounce of prospective character in them- but here's something especially amazing, to my mind at least, about this one. It's that I didn't even have to see her to know that she had character. The instant I heard about her, I began planning. Maybe subconsciously at first, but more and more as the weeks dragged by, until I landed here, writing these words while looking at a screen and wondering what exactly you'll think of when you read them. Point being, I'm not trying to make out that my form is somehow special- I mean, plenty of other people see the spark of character that I do- only that this precious little girl does, in fact, mean a great deal to me. An enormous deal. And I am very, very happy I have been granted a chance to win her.

ＡＮＤ ＷＨＡＴ ＤＯ ＹＯＵ ＰＬＡＮ ＴＯ ＤＯ ＷＩＴＨ ＨＥＲ? ♛♛
xxI think my main answer to this is relatively obvious- what I do most with the kiamaras I currently own is roleplay them. So you could expect to see Maddie on the chat daily, as well as on various 1x1 roleplays. And, of course, I would doodle her. All the time. Above all, I just want to be able to love and cherish her, to feel proud to own a character so amazing and beautiful and unique. There really is no character quite like her, and even if I don't win, I don't think i'll be able to use this personality for anyone else. It fits her perfectly in my mind, and I truly love that. I'd be honored to call Madeline mine, I really, honestly, truly would.

[mango sherbet]

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♛♛ "the true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination." ♛♛
~ albert einstein

ＷＥＬＬ, ＧＯ ＡＨＥＡＤ ＡＮＤ ＩＮＴＲＯＤＵＣＥ ＵＳ. ♛♛
( this is an interview with you, me, and Maddie. I portrayed myself as I would act in real life... x'P )
Hey, Madeline... you there?
Y-yes...
Speak up, will ya? I can barely hear you.
W-what? I c-can't hear you, i'm-
Oh, for heaven's sake, I lose patience with you every time I talk to you... but you're so cute （*´▽｀*）
I- I c-can't-
(slowly) Please. Speak. Up.
O-oh, i'm s-sorry qnq
Don't worry about it. So, could you please introduce yourself to Blue here?
I-I don't h-have to go t-to the restroom... t-thank you f-for a-asking.
I SAID BLUE NOT POO ＼(゜ロ゜＼) Oh my gog this is annoying. What. Is. Your. Name.
O-o-oh! S-sorry... (・・;)
You don't have to keep apologizing, just answer... T-T
I-I am P-Princess M-M-Madeline Harte.
Very nice. Maddie, this is my sister Blue, okay? I'm just gonna ask you a few questions so she can get to know you better. Oh crap, did you catch all that? Maddie?
O-okay...
Um... can you just, like, tell us a little bit about yourself?
I-I'm... I-I dunno...
(=_=) How about... (searches mind) what do you want to do when you grow up?
I-I dunno... I j-just want to b-be h-happy...
Good enough. So... (looks through disorganized stack of papers) What's your biggest dream?
U-um.. I-I d-don't really k-know a-about the fu-future... I-I ju-just want t-to f-find my bro-brothers...
(pats) Shh. So, anyway... (looks through papers again) How about your fears? Everyone's afraid of something, right?
Uh, um... （゜◇゜）T-they a-are?
Yes, but... oh whatever. (shoves papers aside) (accidentally elbows blue) Whoops. So, what about these brothers? Who are they?
E-Emburgo and K-Keefu.
Wait, aren't their names pronounced Embargo and Kifo? (raises eyebrow)
H-huh? I-I di-didn't h-hear you...
Oh, forget it. What about... (picks up papers and shuffles them professionally) Um.. so, what makes you happy?
(flinches) I-I-I'm so-sorry! P-please do-don't s-sl-slap m-me! ;_;
ono Maddie, I wasn't going to slap you... (pats gingerly) I said happy, okay? What. Makes. You. Happy?
(still sniffling) I-I-I d-don't kn-know. qnq
(sighs) Well, I don't seem to be getting anywhere with this. Good night, everyone! Thanks for coming, Blue! (stands up) (papers fall out of lap) Crap... (picks them up and exits, waving)



ＷＨＡＴ'Ｓ ＷＩＴＨ ＡＬＬ ＴＨＡＴ ＣＯＮＦＵＳＩＯＮ ＡＮＤ ＳＴＵＴＴＥＲＩＮＧ? ♛♛
xxThere is a very specific answer to that, and it is perhaps the piece of Madeline's personality that is most obvious to anyone who meets her. The fact is that Madeline is deaf. Now, I have both your and Apple's permission for this, so I don't think it'll be a problem. And no, I don't want to have Maddie be deaf just so she can be special. That's actually quite a ridiculous thought- apart from being one of the 6 (so far) special-number kias already, she is incredibly unique to me without having a disability. If I was to win Madeline, she'd be the second deaf kia- an enormous honor and great joy for me to own. Now, apart from enhancing her already exceptional position in the kiamara world, I truly believe that being deaf adds a special something to Maddie. Her personality would not be as deep, as vulnerable, without this trait. It turns her from a two-demensional creature to a living, breathing character with flaws and strengths. Not that she wouldn't be without her disability- but it turns her from a bit of a cliche to something much more unique and distinctive.
Onward to the technicalities of Maddie's disability. She cannot hear a thing, and it's always been that way for her. This makes things harder for the poor girl, of course, but she has learned well. She can use sign language to communicate with others who know it- in other words, her parents and Ellie. Maddie's lipreading has also greatly improved since she left home and she has only a small bit of trouble having spoken conversations, as shown above.
Due to Madeline's deafness, she also tends to stutter. This is because since she can't hear herself and is always second-guessing what she says. Therefore, she stumbles over her words, hoping to get their pronunciation correct. Misunderstandings are quite common when having conversations as well, since Maddie's lipreading is not perfect and she often messes up in the interpretation. Lastly, she has much trouble with mispronunciation, mostly names. She mispronounces her brothers' names, as demonstrated in our little interview. It's both endearing and frustrating at the same time. Most give up trying to get her to say things right, as it seems to be simply impossible.


ＩＴ'Ｓ ＡＬＬ ＩＮ ＴＨＥ ＤＥＴＡＩＬＳ, ＹＯＵ ＫＮＯＷ. ♛♛
xxPrincess Madeline Harte is:
♛ sweet ♛ innocent ♛ shy ♛ simple ♛ apologetic ♛ obedient ♛ dependent ♛

sweet ♛♛
You can't find a more selfless and caring kiamara than Maddie. She literally has no sense of self, always wanting to give to others. Selfishness is not remotely possible for her- even in the most desperate of times, she puts everyone else before herself. Despite the numerous reasons for Madeline to be upset with her life, she isn't- in fact, she is a great deal happier than most. Blinded to the harsh reality of the world, despite her having seen rather a lot of it for one so young, she goes about life with an optimistic view of everything. Maddie instinctively offers all she has to others- this is, perhaps, why everyone takes care of her in turn. They recognize it as a two-way gesture. Maddie's generosity is no act of honor and maturity, however, simply one of pure innocence.

innocent ♛♛
Innocent is probably the best word to describe Madeline as a whole. She is completely pure and young, with no thought of "right" and "wrong," no concept of "good" and "evil." Thought her parents have warned her countless times about "bad guys," she doesn't understand the idea of them. Having an open mind about everything like she does can be a good or bad thing, but generally it works to her advantage, despite the general mindset of knowledge being everything. Maddie is so childish that she believes the world is friendly and helpful and welcoming- even to people like her with disabilities, who will never quite fit in with anyone but others like them. This makes her a bit withdrawn, despite her overall obliviousness to the world around her.

shy ♛♛
Madeline is shy, not out of awkwardness, but out of her inability to fit in. Despite her adorable, dependent ways, there will always be a difference between her and hearing kiamaras, and no amount of translation and welcoming can change that. Lipreading is incredibly hard, in fact, so difficult that a proper conversation would have to be written or acted out like a charade. Usually Maddie prefers to lurk behind one of her guardians when in a large group. She dislikes conversing with those she doesn't know, simply because she doesn't feel safe. Though implicitly trusting, Maddie is still picky on who she spends time with.

simple ♛♛
Believe it or not, Maddie longs for a simple life- a normal family, happy, simple lifestyle. She doesn't like being a princess, because it makes her feel even more isolated from everyone else than she already is. Not to say that she is a particularly thoughtful or idealistic individual- in fact, she is slow to learn and slow to comprehend. It takes her much longer to understand something than an ordinary girl her age. Partially this is just her deafness and the numerous ways it affects her life, but it's also just because... Maddie is a bit slow. It doesn't exactly create the most convenient combination, but she doesn't mind. Her inability to grasp onto a point quickly, however, does often lead to misunderstanding, which Madeline is extremely apologetic about.

apologetic ♛♛
Maddie feels the need to apologize for everything she does even remotely wrong. Since she can't hear the tone of others' words, expressions are extremely important to her interaction with other kiamaras. Even the mildest of annoyed, unhappy, or angry expressions sets Madeline off into a bout of "i'm sorry!" -ing and such. The feeling that she's complied to apologize comes from her parents, who raised her to be as polite and kind as possible. So whenever she feels she's done anything wrong, even if the other party's negative emotions have nothing to do with her, she feels the need to express her regret. Since she often misunderstands conversations through various mishaps, this affects her communication greatly as well.

obedient ♛♛
In a strange ironic twist, Madeline, despite her being a "princess," doesn't enjoy ordering others around, nor was she taught to do so. She was always told to do whatever she was told to, and her rather weak mind complied. This lead to her believing others implicitly and following the orders of whatever anyone told her to do. This wouldn't extend to somethingcompletely impractical- for example, jumping off a cliff or something similar- but the majority of the things Maddie is told to do she'll do without thinking twice. Additionally, she doesn't understand society's concepts of embarrassment, shame, making her oblivious to others poking fun at her.

dependent ♛♛
Maddie has relied on others her entire life. She's been handed from guardian to guardian, whether voluntarily or not, and (fortunately for her) has never had to fend for herself. Being such a little girl, in body and especially in spirit, others tend to have an instinctive urge to protect her, and this is what she's relied on to survive. Without it, she'd be even more of a lost little girl than she is. Her desire to remain protected is so strong that she physically tends to cling to whoever's nearest, and stay at their heel like a pet dog. Madeline is completely dependent- left alone, she would probably die from lack of experience and knowledge. Her life has been everyone chipping in to raise her, in hopes that one day she'll be able to stand on her own.



ＩＳ ＴＨＥＲＥ ＡＮＹＴＨＩＮＧ ＥＬＳＥ Ｉ ＮＥＥＤ ＴＯ ＫＮＯＷ? ♛♛
xxActually, yes. See, there's one more thing that makes Maddie a girl like no other. It wouldn't be correct to call it a condition, or disorder- simply an odd affliction. Madeline sleeps much more than the average kiamara, possibly due to her weak physique. While sleeping, she often has strange dreams- something not exactly rare, though hers tend to link directly to her current frame of mind. She sleepwalks about half the time she sleeps- this causes a problem, as she is not conscious of her body moving and therefore can wander off while asleep. Her parents took precautions for this, but were only partially successful. Maddie doesn't have a name for this, but is aware of the trouble it causes. She's a bit too simpleminded to figure out how she might formulate a method of ending these sleepwalking episodes, though. Fearful of accidentally wandering off, she tends to feel more comfortable surrounded by a lot of other kiamaras when sleeping.



ＡＮＹ ＲＥＡＳＯＮＳ ＦＯＲ ＴＨＥ ＡＣＣＥＳＳＯＲＩＥＳ ＳＨＥ ＷＥＡＲＳ? ♛♛
xxAll of Madeline's accessories were given to her by her parents, when she was very young. Each served a purpose in one way or another.





The bow and bell around Maddie's neck are a method of keeping her "safe" while asleep. The idea was that if she moved during sleep, the bell would ring, alerting her parents that they needed to wake their daughter up. Numerous booby traps and such were also laid out for this purpose.





Madeline's crown is an obvious reference to her being a "princess." Her parents really, truly wanted her to stay with them- to the point that they would treat her like royalty to prevent her from leaving. Maddie didn't really understand this, treating it more as a dress-up game than morals to live by, but was content to obey.





Lastly, her tail bow is an accessory made with leftover cloth from the bow around her neck. She likes both the way it looks and the way it feels- the beads that swing beneath her tail actually help her sense her surroundings better. By knocking them into nearby objects, she can get a feel for the space. This is helpful for her because although she is deaf and not blind, sight is the sense she relies most on, and having one thing less to have to constantly keep an eye on is a relief.

[mango sherbet]

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♛♛ "sometimes people are beautiful. not in looks. not in what they say. just in what they are." ♛♛
~ markus zusak

ＷＨＡＴ ＡＢＯＵＴ ＰＨＹＳＩＣＡＬＬＹ? ♛♛
xxIn stature, Madeline is unusually small, even for a child. She is extremely thin, despite her parents' over-the-top generosity. Compared to the average kiamara her age, she'd probably come to their shoulder in height. Her build is small and delicate, not good for anything remotely physical.
Close up, she's an adorable young girl, usually with a shy smile on her face. You can tell that once grown, she'll be a beautiful young lady. Her slim build only adds to her adorable charm.
Madeline tends to talk in a strained and stuttering manner. She has a slight english accent, and her voice is rather high pitched, making it even harder to understand her. Because Maddie is not able to hear herself, she tends to trip over her words and often repeats herself.
The way Madeline moves is tentative yet graceful. She takes small, quiet steps, prone to turning her head every so often to examine the world around her. She walks rather slowly, unless she's told to keep up or reprimanded for being slow. Her walk has a bit of a flair- she lifts her paws a bit higher than normal and flicks her tail rather a lot.
Unfortunately, Maddie isn't very immune to illness, and it isn't uncommon to see her sniffling or coughing. When she does, she apologizes, of course.
A few behavioral quirks of hers: playing absentmindedly with her bell when she feels anxious or pressured, twitching her tail far more than is necessary, blinking very rapidly when flustered, coughing breathily when trying to decipher what someone is saying, saying "uh" or "um" whenever she isn't sure what to say, and pawing at the ground nervously when in a conversation.
Like many other deaf people, Madeline tends to be much more personal and comfortable with close contact. She wants to be able to attract others' attention, because it's hard to know if she's speaking loud enough. The easiest way to gain attention is by touching, so when in a conversation, she always is more physical than other kiamaras. This goes for just being in their company as well- Maddie is a clingy sort of person, and tends to like to be touching or holding on to something at all times.


ＡＮＤ... ＥＭＯＴＩＯＮＡＬＬＹ? ♛♛
xxMadeline actually tends to deal with emotional circumstances differently than others.
For example, in a situation when someone is crying or upset, instead of being comforting and helpful, Maddie will most likely break into tears alongside them (if they're someone very close to her), or just innocently poke at them and look on with confusion. She doesn't understand how to comfort people, so she does the best she can.
In a large group, she is extremely withdrawn. Though she doesn't like one-on-one conversations much, this princess positively dreads group conversations. She can't keep up, and is therefore limited to either saying probably incorrect things like an idiot or being completely silent. Normally she chooses to be silent.
In a normal conversation, Madeline tends to be excessively nervous, often fidgeting. She apologizes whenever she misinterprets, which is often. Conversations are generally difficult for her unless communicating with sign language.
When with other kids, Madeline tends to hang back or watch. She likes spending time with others her age far more than with adults, even though interactions are usually kept to Madeline's watching and giggling amusedly while everyone else plays or chats.
With other kiamaras who know sign language, Maddie is much more comfortable, happy to talk, even. Her signing vocabulary, like her general one, is rather limited, but she still signs much better than she speaks.

ＷＨＥＮ'Ｓ ＨＥＲ ＢＩＲＴＨＤＡＹ? ♛♛
xxMadeline's birthday is March sixth, making her a Pisces. Pisces are known for several attributes.
(In my own words, information taken from several different places)
Pisces tend to be exceptionally adaptable people- through good times and bad, they adjust to their circumstances. Similarly, they tend to be likable and kind, empathetic enough to understand those around them, yet rarely take action to shape the events of their lives.
They have open minds and incredible imaginations, excelling at art and other deep-thinking hobbies. They are loyal and generous, willingly seeing the best in others and rarely judging them.
But Pisces can also be gullible, unrealistic, and impractical. They want to believe what others tell them, and trust a bit too fast, too soon. Though they are receptive and imaginative, they can also be overly optimistic and unwilling to believe the undeniable truth.

ＴＨＥＭＥ ＳＯＮＧ? ♛♛
xxonce upon a december
Dancing bears,
Painted wings,
Things I almost remember.
And a song someone sings,
Once upon a December.

Someone holds me safe and warm.
Horses prance through a silver storm.
Figures dancing gracefully,
Across my memory...

Someone holds me safe and warm,
Horses prance through a silver storm,
Figures dancing gracefully,
Across my memory...

Far away, long ago,
Glowing dim as an ember,
Things my heart
Used to know,
Things it yearns to remember...

And a song
Someone sings...

Once upon a December...

I think this suits Madeline quite well. It has a dreamy, princess-like, almost whimsical tone to it. The lyrics focus on nostalgia, a childlike vulnerability and desire to be protected.

[mango sherbet]

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♛♛ "youth is happy because it has the capacity to see beauty. anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old." ♛♛
~franz kafka

ＬＩＫＥＳ? ♛♛
xxButterflies- there's something just so entrancing about butterflies to Maddie. She loves the way they move, their patterns, everything about them.
Plushies- what little girl doesn't want a whole bunch of stuffed animals to snuggle?
Pink- her favorite color.
Sign language- so much easier for her to use than normal conversation.
Cuddles- doesn't really matter who with, as long as she feels safe with them.
Outdoors- Madeline loves the atmosphere of being in nature.
Dress-up/make-believe- there's something realy fun about pretending to be someone you aren't.
Sunshine- enough said.
Sleep- except when she sleepwalks and such. That isn't a whole lot of fun.
Family- always wil be the most important thing to her.
Being included- it doesn't happen very often. Not that she really minds.

ＤＩＳＬＩＫＥＳ? ♛♛
xxBeing lonely- possibly her greatest fear.
Confinement- though she normally doesn't move much, being kept in one place is exceptionally unpleasant.
Big scary things- well, why would she?
Talking- either being forced to talk to others or being talked to, it isn't fun.
Darkness- she needs a night light.

ＨＯＢＢＩＥＳ? ♛♛
xxButterfly catching and observing- it'll always be the most fun and relaxing thing for Madeline.
Made up games/make-believe games- when she lived near piper and her other friends her age, this was one of her favorite things to do. She was never the take charge type, but might shyly bring this up during the debate of what to do.
Art- when Ellie draws or designs, Maddie watches her intently, and sometimes tries to replicate her work. On a good day, they look like shapeless blobs of color.
Sleeping- this can hardly be considered a hobby, but Madeline does do it quite a lot.

ＦＥＡＲＳ? ♛♛
xxThe dark- scary monsters might be lurking out there. Who knows.
Water- not a huge problem, but she can't really swim. She was never around enough water to develop a genuine phobia of it, though.
Getting lost/being alone- partially why Madeline's so clingy. She just really doesn't want to end up all by herself. Not only is she incapable of caring for herself, but this has happened to her far too much. Sort of.
Annoying people- she feels the need to apologize whenever someone displays even the slightest of negative emotions.

[mango sherbet]

_____________________♛♛♛_____________________

♛♛ "you must remember, family is often born of blood, but it doesn't depend on blood. nor is it exclusive of friendship. family members can be your best friends, you know. and best friends, whether or not they are related to you, can be your family." ♛♛
~trenton lee stewart

ＷＨＡＴ ＡＢＯＵＴ ＨＥＲ ＦＲＩＥＮＤＳ ＡＮＤ ＦＡＭＩＬＹ? ♛♛
xx
Kaori "the tutor"
A false communication existed between Madeline and her hired tutor. Kaori had been told over and over to be nice to the younger girl, not to lose patience, always pretend they were best friends, etc. Maddie easily was fooled into thinking Kaori was a nice kiamara, and that they were best buddies. When Kaori quit in her fit of rage, the princess was truly heartbroken, not understanding how or why the tutor could have gotten so fed up so easily. The truth was that Kaori was sick and tired of humoring the little girl, and decided she couldn't handle it anymore.

Parents "the mother," "the father"
Madeline loves her parents very, very much. Words cannot describe the gratitude a young deaf girl has for the parents who have nurtured and cherished her all her life. They treated her like a princess, though, and this Maddie doesn't understand. For her, being a princess is a game, a dress-up in which she is granted the privilege of pretending to be a girl from a fairy tale. Her parents, however, take the concept of Madeline's royalty very seriously, regarding it as more of a law to live by than entertainment. They think that, since Madeline is so distanced from the world, the best possible way to prepare her for it is to cloak her in love and riches, in the hope that this metaphorical barrier will never wear completely through. They want to protect her, but don't understand that despite Madeline's being young, being protected is not the best thing for her. Locked away, they increased the shock of her learning about the real world instead of lessening it. Despite their having good intentions, in the end it was best for Maddie to leave them.

Piper "the child"
Maddie will always think of Piper as her best friend. Though the two have numerous communication problems, and Piper does have various other friends, they have a special connection. Piper is very bold, even bossy, while Madeline is much more quiet ad withdrawn. She admires Piper for being so unafraid, while she, in contrast, seems to be scared of everything. The two mystify each other, having come from such different lifestyles and sporting such different personalities. Maddie didn't mind hanging around Piper's friends, despite the isolation of being in a group, and found their play all rather amusing. She prefers to watch as opposed to participate, but wouldn't protest to a day with the gang.

Embargo "the prince"
Maddie doesn't just look up to her brother Embargo, she positively idolizes him. In her mind, Embargo can do no wrong. Many of his behaviors and overall attitude have rubbed off on Maddie, and the two sport an almost identical childish, charming demeanor. While Madeline adores the eldest brother, Embargo is most certainly her favorite of the two. She depends on him in every way, and yet, when it comes down to it,
Embargo relies just as much on his sister as she does on him. How does this work? Maddie gives Embargo a sense of maturity, despite his innocent attitude. She's really more like his child than his sister, and not just because of the age difference- Madeline is completely vulnerable, while Embargo is an adult, no matter how he acts.

Kifo "the rogue"
Madeline does not know Kifo at all well enough to form a fully valid opinion. She does, however, hold a naive love of him just because she has met him. There isn't a very strong sibling bond between these two, but Maddie dotes on Kifo, despite his unsure feelings toward his younger sister. He assumes, correctly, that Maddie is far closer to Embargo than she'll ever be to him, simply because of their relatively untarnished childhood memories, innocent manner, and "royalty" ethic. This does distance him a bit from Madeline, though she is reluctant to let him slip away, and still anticipates the day she'll meet him again.

Ellie "the artist"
Madeline positively adores Ellie, possibly more than anyone else. The older kiamara has shown nothing but kindness and understanding toward the princess, and was all too happy to adopt her into her life. Additionally, the artist knows sign language, something Maddie only shared with her parents. And, unlike her parents, Ellie doesn't constantly press the little girl to learn more signs, content to teach her slowly by explaining unfamiliar signs. Often the two stray from formal sign language and use home signs, a rougher, more charade like form of communication. Madeline would be happy to live with Ellie forever, as long as she could eventually meet all her past friends and family again too.


ＩＳ ＴＨＥＲＥ Ａ ＳＰＥＣＩＡＬ ＳＯＭＥＯＮＥ? ♛♛
Madeline doesn't understand love, plain and simple. She loves her family and she loves her friends, but the concept of romance is foreign. Therefore, she has no sexual orientation or love interest. It is unlikely she'll ever understand romantic attraction, though she doesn't disapprove of or scorn anyone else's affection. She regards it as a sort of mystifying, awe-inspiring emotion, which only few can analyze.

[mango sherbet]

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♛♛ "when I used to read fairy-tales, I fancied that kind of thing never happened, and now here I am in the middle of one!" ♛♛
~lewis carroll

Once upon a time, there lived a girl who called herself Princess Madeline Harte. She didn't exactly enjoy herself. Because of her parents' past two failures at raising children, she was always smothered in love and protection, out of fear that she might leave. Apart from this, she was also deaf, and that didn't lend any happiness to her life. She had no interaction with anyone apart from her parents and "tutor." Despite all this, she didn't really mind her life. It wasn't very fun, but it wasn't very bad either. When a girl gets all the attention and love she needs, there isn't much she can complain about. And yet this had to come to an end, for the sake of the girl as much as anyone else. And it started on her birthday.

A knock on the door. Madeline doesn't hear it, of course. The visitor lets herself in, wincing at her mistake.
She takes a deep breath, gathering her thoughts. She has to be extra polite today. The girl's parents tell her that the "princess" has been lonely and a bit distraught. Today, her birthday, has to be special.
The tutor drops to a crouch beside the motionless girl. "Hello!" She says, a little too brightly. "How are you today, Maddie?" She talked a bit too quickly there, and messed up on the girl's "title" too. She sucks in another breath and tries again. "Hi, Princess Maddie. How are you today?" Each word is slow and clear. Perfect.
Unfortunately, the girl isn't even looking her way. So much for the lipreading. Impatient now, the tutor prods her. "Prin-cess. I'm here." Once again she thinks how odd it is to speak to someone who can't hear you. But then again, that is sort of the point. Madeline needed to learn how to be social in the world of speaking people, and so the tutor had been hired to help her practice lipreading.
Well, at least I get paid, she thinks.
Maddie looks up with a start, her bright blue eyes a little dull. "H-hi, Mi-Miss Kaoori." She mispronounces the tutor's name, as usual. Poor little girl. Kaori, the tutor, plasters her best cheesy smile back on her face. "Happy birthday, Princess! I brought you something." She pulls out a package from behind her back. She didn't actually buy it, of course. The girl's parents gave it to her. Kaori would never spend actual money on this kid, sad as her situation was. The tutor was not the sympathetic type.
Madeline reaches for the package. Her face lights up with a genuine smile as she discovers yet another plushie lying beneath the wrapping. The kid really can't get enough of these things. Even with a huge trunk full of them, plushies lay haphazardly around the room. Kaori can't understand why the princess would want so many.
"I-it's lo-lo-lovely. T-thank you, M-Miss Ka-Kaoori." She sets the plushie aside, smiling, and readjusts her crown. Kaori scowls. She can't stand the stupid thing. It's bad enough the kid is spoiled rotten without her having to act like royalty as well. Madeline notices her frown. "M-Miss K-Kaoori, are-are you o-okay?"
Kaori remembers that she's supposed to be nice today. "Of course, Princess. I'm absolutely fine." She attempts to smile again, but fails.
"Anyway!" The tutor claps loudly, making herself flinch. "Shall we... play a game?"
"O-only if you wa-want to, o-of course, M-Miss Kaoori," the perfect child answers in her disgustingly dignified way. Why does the kid have to be so polite, anyway? It's almost frightening.
"Of course I want to. I love games." What a lie. The tutor is sick of games. Remember the money, she thinks. "What do you want to play?"
She already knows the answer. It's always the same thing.
"C-Castle!"

And I suppose i'll have to be the servant again while you're the princess, Kaori thinks. She can't prevent herself from glowering at this injustice. This time, she gets so riled up she takes a chance.
"What about something new? We've played Castle a hundred times."
"I-I do-don't need t-to go to the-the b-b-bathroom, M-Miss Kaoori. B-but th-thank you."
The tutor really is frustrated now. "NEW," she shouts. "NEW, PRINCESS, NEW! A. New. Game."
Madeline shrinks back, and for a second the tutor feels a flash of remorse shoot through her heart. Immediately the princess starts apologizing. "I-I-I'm s-so sorry, M-Miss Ka-Kaoori! I-I re-really a-am!"
Kaori opens her mouth to respond when the door flies open and the girl's father marches in. "Please, Miss Kaori, what is all this noise? Our daughter is delicate. She needs rest and relaxation, not activity and stress!"
The tutor narrows her eyes and bites her lip. She can't very well tell the truth, seeing as she's supposed to obey the princess' every order. Finally, she turns and storms to the door, calling over her shoulder, "I quit. This is the stupidest job i've ever heard of. Find somebody else to be your puppet, because done with this." The door slams shut.
She doesn't even think to say goodbye to Princess Madeline Harte.

Madeline doesn't understand. That is the problem, her mother thinks as she kisses her daughter good night. She doesn't understand anything. As soon as the thought that Maddie might be too sheltered crosses the mother's mind, she pushes it away. How ridiculous. What is one to do with a poor, innocent deaf girl other than shelter her?
The answers to that question are limitless, but the mother, being a thoughtless sort of person, pushes them aside. She does not wish to speculate. She has more important duties to attend to.
The father is writing a notice, a very important notice. He is certain that its bold letters and blunt language get his point across well. The princess is in need of a new tutor, and a new tutor she will have, no beating around the bush to be done. At the same time, the father is extremely nervous- nervous that his daughter might fall to pieces at the loss of her beloved friend, that she might consider seeking a different life. Unlike the mother, the father likes to explore all the outcomes. This way he can look out for the dangerous ones.
The father doesn't know the princess very well. If he did, he wouldn't even bother to ponder the possibility of Madeline running away. The mother is right about one thing- the girl needs to be sheltered. Or at least everyone believes she does.
The mother approaches the father quietly, not wanting to disturb his important work. So quietly, in fact, that he jumps when he sees her.
"Good god, I didn't see you there."
The mother doesn't like beating around the bush any more than the father does. "I'm worried about Princess Maddie."
"Princess? Princess?!" The father scoffs, completely missing the point. "How ridiculous that we have to call our own daughter-"
The mother frowns. "It's only what's best for her, you know." She plows on without waiting for a reply. "She doesn't seem to understand Kaori is gone for good. She keeps asking when she'll be back."
The father sighs. "Can't we just tell her everything straight-out? All this deception seems unnecessary."
"I told her the truth, I did, but..." The mother closes her eyes, searching for the words to properly convey her feelings. She finds none.
The father is never at a loss for words. "Well, I guess i'll 'ave to go tell her myself, then." He half rises.
The mother quickly pushes him back to a seated position. "The fact is, our daughter will never be normal. We just have to make the best of it." Her eyes cloud with tears.
"And your idea to call her "princess," to spoil her rotten, is making the best of it?!" Jumping to his feet, the father's tone hardens and he grows louder. He silently is thankful his daughter cannot hear him. He only wishes his mate couldn't either.
For a moment, the father can see the mother's indecision, her indignation at this ridicule of her idea battling her fear of arguing with him. She shrinks back, gulping. "B-but think about it. This is the only way. If we keep her happy, she'll stay with us. Not like- not like the last two." She takes a shuddering breath and looks away, overcome with emotion.
The father is not so overcome. "I don't want to drive her away, but do we really need to tiptoe around her like this? We don't have unlimited money, you know, and she's not real royalty..." He sighs, knowing the mother has a point. They both do.
They miss their sons, too. One child, a pure mistake, remains in their possession, but two are lost somewhere in the large, lonely, and extremely /un/sheltered world.

The hour is late. Shadows shift across the hall. The three inhabitants of this household are asleep.
Nimble paws sidestep the age-old booby traps laid across the princess' room. They have been there so long that even while asleep the girl knows how to avoid them. This is merely instinctive, nothing more.
The soft chime of a bell echoes, but the girl isn't moving quickly enough to make a louder noise.
The door creaks open.
Cold air rushes against the fragile figure of the princess, so cold that she shakes violently, almost falling backwards. The bell rings more harshly now, as if it too wants to keep her imprisoned.
Slowly, the lone girl takes a step into the outside world for only the fourth time. Icy air swirls around her. The bell's brash screams are muffled.
Her parents hear, but by the time they investigate the barely open door and chilly gusts of wind blowing into their hall, neither hide nor hair of their daughter can be seen.
Her steps are silent. There is no destination, no order to her journey, she merely stumbles blindly onward. Upon reaching a sheltered grove, her legs finally give way and she collapses on the ground.

It's like something out of a nightmare for them, the mother and the father. They have held onto this child with all their might. She was never meant to exist, but now that she does, they refuse to let her go. Investigations are made, the heartbroken parents weep, but it is no use. The princess is gone.

"Buttfly?"
An odd word to encounter upon awaking, yet that is exactly what the princess does encounter. Opening her eyes, she discovers a curious pair of rhubarb ones meet them.
The child grins cheekily. "Buttfly!" She repeats, backing away slightly as the princess rolls to her paws. Swiping at the air, she attempts to capture one of the butterflies that are swarming around the newcomer. Joyfully, she traps one in her paws and viciously rips its wings off.
The princess' wide-eyed stare is even more amazed than the child's. She has no clue what this is. Looking away from the child for an instant, though, she is enthralled by the sight of the butterflies, breaking into a slightly anxious smile. The child is pleased- she seems to have interested the newcomer in buttflies, a remarkable achievement. She offers this strange girl the remaining butterfly wing. The princess does not appear to be interested in the consumption of butterflies, however. She appears to be a bit shocked and confused, actually.
The child frowns and holds out the wing more insistently. Meeting the stranger's eyes, the child can somehow sense that words are not necessary in this interaction. In fact, they would probably hinder it.
So the two merely stare at each other, the child growing ever more frustrated, the princess trying to understand the strange customs of those who are not royalty. She tentatively takes the butterfly wing. Instead of eating it, though, she merely inspects it, holding it up to the light and squinting to make out the full detail of the pattern and density.
"No, no, no!" The child says in a bossy manner, breaking out of their strange trance. She shoves the princess' paw toward her nose, causing the younger girl to squeak in dismay, dropping the wing.
The child sticks out her chin, thinking about what decision to make. Meeting the frightened princess' eyes, she drops her paw and grins again. "Mommy!" She says, gesturing with her tail behind her. The princess surveys her surroundings for the first time. She's in a small grove, framed by trees. Sunlight gently filters through the canopy of branches above.
Though the word flies out of the child's mouth too quickly for the princess to register, she seems to understand the gist of it, slowly rising to her unsteady paws. She blinks rapidly, stumbling forward to stand beside the child.
Unlike the other girl, the stranger has limitless energy, and bounds forward, leading the way out of the grove.
It's midday, and the sudden blaze of the sun in the princess' eyes make her squint. The child is oblivious, heading for another patch of trees next to a lake. They skirt the water, the princess eyeing it with a curious and slightly nervous expression.
The shade of the trees bring relief to the delicate girl's sore paws. She continues to ogle the environment with a slightly dazed look. The child lets out a squeal of delight and runs to her mother. "Piper!" The guardian scolds the child. She hugs the pup close before releasing her. "I already told you not to run off, okay?"
It's only then that she sees the unexpected visitor, eyes widening in surprise. "Well, hey there!" She says, smiling. "Who're your parents?"
The princess treats her with a blank stare. The guardian talks far too quickly for her to even process the words.
Quickly she stutters out a standard answer: "C-c-can't hear."
The guardian misinterprets this, speaking up louder. "I'm Viri and this, as i'm sure you know, is my Piper. Who're your parents, dear?"
The visitor quickly shakes her head, anxiously pawing at the bell that hangs from her neck. "D-deaf," she says.
"Oh." A look of understanding flashes through the guardian's eyes. She glances at Piper, than back to the princess. "Where did you find her?" She asks her daughter, silently resolving to reprimand this girl's parents. They shouldn't have left a little deaf girl all alone.
Piper waves a paw to the grove the princess had been sleeping in.
"I wonder if she can read," the guardian muses. She grabs one of her mate's branches, ready for carving, and scrawls a hasty message: WHERE ARE YOUR PARENTS?
The guardian pushes it toward the princess hopefully, watching the girl's face for a reaction while Piper impatiently paws at her.
The princess surveys the barely legible words. It's obvious she recognizes some of it, but in the end she scrunches up her face in confusion and shakes her head.
Sighing, the guardian turns to her daughter, who's impatiently poking her. "What is it, sweetie?"
Piper gives her a gap-toothed smile. "Stide," she says, looking over at the other child who has seemingly appeared out of nowhere.
"Well, take her along too, and for heaven's sake get her back to her parents." The guardian nudges the child. Piper bounds over to her new friend, and the princess hastily rises once more. She exchanges nothing more than a shy glance with Strider, falling in behind the other two. They chatter, occasionally leaping on each other, while the princess watches. She seems utterly mystified by their easy friendship, never having had an honest friend herself.
Strider and Piper lead the way around the lake, tumbling and laughing, while the princess silently pads along behind. She can't keep from smiling, despite the panic building up deep inside her.
Reaching Strider's family, the child and her companion run on ahead, while the princess hesitates. Slowly, she looks over her shoulder, and once again feels almost dizzy. Her new friend and the boy don't seem all that bad, but the princess knows not where she is, nor who exactly they are.
The child runs back and tugs at the strange girl, wanting to introduce her to her companion's father. The older kiamara grins as Strider climbs on his back.
Determined to introduce herself properly this time, the princess straightens up. "P-Princess Madeline Ha-Harte," she says, a bit too loudly.
The child looks sideways at her new friend. "Pinceh?" She asks curiously.
The princess tilts her head slightly, watching Embargo. He looks back at her. "Don't you have any family?"
Maddie shakes her head to indicate that she doesn't hear, but the prince misinterprets. "No family?" This time, his words are slow and plain enough for the princess to understand, and she hastens to explain.
"L-lost. Mu-Mummy, D-D-Daddy. Bro-Brothers."
Embargo looks relatively interested. "Who are your brothers?"
The princess shakes her head. "D-d-don't kn-know."
"Huh." It's only then that he notices her crown, a pretty silver thing with rubies. He absentmindedly straightens his own gold one. "What about your crown?" He asks, pointing at it for emphasis.
"M-Mummy g-g-gave me i-it."
"Why?" He's interested now, very interested. She seems to understand him.
The little girl straightens up, her eyes bright. "I-i'm pr-princess."
"And i'm a prince!" Embargo laughs slightly. This doesn't exactly answer his question, though. Still intrigued, he inquires further. "Who are your mum and dad?"
He has to repeat the question several times, very slowly, for her to pick it up, but she eventually understands, and rattles off their almost-perfectly pronounced names.
The prince's reaction is shocked and amazed all at once. Immediately, the princess cringes, flinching away as if he slapped her. "I-i-i'm so-sorry!" She squeaks out. Embargo bounds over to the younger girl and sweeps her up in a hug.
"You're my sister!" He shouts happily, not even caring that she can't understand him. "This means- this- I always wanted a sister!" His eyes are brimming with happy tears as he sets her down again, beaming.
It takes a few minutes for Madeline to calm down enough to attempt to lipread what he tells her. They have the same parents- her mystery brothers and Embargo and Kifo, runaways. There's a significant gap in their ages, yes, but it all makes sense.
Madeline is so overjoyed that she refuses to release Embargo. The princess clings to the prince for so long that even after the child has returned to her guardian, even after the child's companion has grown impatient to head to his mother, the princess doesn't want to let go of her newfound brother. She's afraid he'll leave her if she looks away for one second.
So she goes home with him.
And the next day, and the next.
Until Strider is just like another brother to her, Ambrosia and Embargo another mother and father. The only member of her family she is yet to meet is Kifo, and meet him she does.

The rogue is visiting his brother. The two used to talk more, but now the prince has a mate and a son, and there's something slightly more awkward about their relationship. Kifo is still a loner, still bitter about who he has come to be.
The shrieks of children ring through the air. More? he wonders. Two younger kiamaras tumble around outside, while another watches on. He gives them a grudging smile and continues on to the den, then does a double take. The watching girl has a crown, and something about the way she holds herself is oddly familiar. Shaking his head, the rogue turns away once again. Of course she's vaguely familiar, she's Embargo's daughter.
"Hi!" The rogue is treated to a hug by his younger brother. "I missed you," the prince says, whimpering.
"I see you've been busy," the rogue says, slyly flicking his tail to indicate the playing kiamaras outside the den.
"Only Strider is mine," Embargo replies, blushing slightly. "The other two are his friend Piper and- and our sister, Maddie."
"Our- what?" Kifo's eyes widen in surprise.
Embargo explains.
So that's why the little girl looks familiar- she resembles their mother. Kifo and Embargo both took after their father in terms of looks, but watching Maddie's shy grin, he was struck by the similarity, and wondered how he could have possibly ignored it before.
"Well, that certainly isn't news you hear every day." The rogue raises an eyebrow, glancing back over his shoulder at the little girl. "Any idea how she got here?"
The prince shakes his head. "Well, you wanna meet her? She's been wanting to talk to you ever since we found out."
Kifo gives a nonchalant nod, honestly not sure how to act towards her, but Embargo is already bending down next to her, poking her shoulder.
It's a second before she realizes who the stranger is, but then she gives a shriek of excitement and flings herself at him. He is taken aback, but returns the hug, unable to keep himself from smiling.

The days fly by fast as lightning. Madeline is more like a second kid to Embargo than a sister, but he still loves spending time with her, and is happy to see that she gets along with Strider, Piper, and the rest of their crowd. Autumn fades into winter, in which temperatures lower. This year seems to be a windy one, with windstorms increasing as the weather gets colder and colder.
Madeline proves to be a chore to look after. She sleeps far more than Strider, and while this would ordinarily be a relief, the princess has a sleepwalking problem. Ambrosia and Embargo keep their ears strained at all times for the sound of a ringing bell, but sometimes it's hard.
The coldest day of the year yet dawns with another windstorm. Icy breezes announce that the princess has lived with her brother almost one year now.
Dragging his son back inside, the prince looks around, panicking as he fails to spot his sister. A gust of wind blows him back into his den.
"Where's Maddie?!" He shouts to Strider. His words are lost in the deafening roar of the wind.
He succumbs to the pressure and ceases his desperate struggle back to the entrance.
They'll just have to hope for the best.

Half walking, half blown by the wind, the princess staggers across a desolate landscape. An oddly serene expression is on her face. She isn't aware of the storm pushing her farther and farther from the safe haven she has come to call home. Somehow, she manages to hold on to her crown- the weight isn't much against the wind, but the angle is convenient. She is so deeply asleep that she doesn't even react to the inconsistency of the ground below her- dirt, dead grass, a thick layer of pine needles, and at one point, ice. Eventually her legs just give way, and she's swept along. A day passes, and another night, before she finally wakes.

The princess' eyes snap open. Her first reaction is immediate discomfort. She flops on her side, hacking as she struggles to empty her lungs of the dust and grime that has inexplicably worked its way into them. She struggles to push herself to her paws, still coughing.
A sudden touch to her shoulder makes her gasp slightly, turning her head to see who it is. Her eyes are watering so much that she has to blink several times before she can see the other kiamara properly.
A gentle smile lights up the pretty purple kiamara's face. The paw that rests on the princess' shoulder is gentle yet protective. Instantly, the younger girl's eyes widen with amazement.
The artist flicks her ears, equally amazed by the girl. She pulls her paw away, bending down slightly. "Are you alright?" She says softly.
"D-deaf," the princess stammers right away, confirming what the artist already suspected. She immediately raises her paws and signs. Where. You. Come?
The girl's eyes light up with delight and she immediately signs back. Sleep. Storm.
This intrigues the artist. Sleep. Walk? She asks.
The princess merely nods.
Hesitating, the artist throws out one last sign. Family?
Two. Brother. Mom. Dad.
Where?
A confused shrug in reply.
The artist sighs. I. Help. You. Come.
She helps the princess to her paws, still wondering exactly who this girl is.
Reaching up to touch her hair, the girl frowns and turns, apparently searching for something. Her smile as she pounces on a shiny object is dazzling. Straightening up with a crown on her head, she totters back to the artist, who gently pushes her ahead.
Guiding the girl to her cozy den, the artist quickly makes room for her. Read? She signs as the thought occurs to her.
The princess makes a so-so gesture in reply.
The artist scratches out her name in the dirt. ELLIE GOULDING. She signs it, too, in the alphabet, though if the girl can't read she doubts she'd be able to read the sign language alphabet.
"Pri-Princess M-Madeline H-H-Harte," the girl stutters in reply. Bending down over the scrawled words, she screws up her face in concentration. "Ee-ly Guldi?"
The artist stifles a giggle. Reaching out, she tilts the girl's head so she can see her. "Ellie Goulding," she says slowly and clearly.
The princess shakes her head, unwilling to attempt the pronunciation again.
Sleep, the artist signs. She nods toward her own nest. The poor girl certainly needs it, she thinks to herself. Poor thing.
The princess doesn't seem to have any qualms with this. Stumbling to the nest, she falls face-first, and is asleep in a matter of seconds.
Ellie smiles and sings quietly, though she knows the girl can't hear her.

Madeline loves her life with Ellie. She loves everything about it- the effortlessness there is in their communication, the way Ellie always cares about what she says- everything. It's like having her mother back, only better.
But Ellie can't substitute for an entire host of family and friends that Maddie has gathered. Though the situation is temporary, the princess yearns for her true family. Which, frankly, she would be all too happy to bring Ellie into.
But maybe that's a story for another day.

[mango sherbet]

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♛♛ "if the dream is a translation of waking life, waking life is also a translation of the dream." ♛♛
~rene margritte

ＷＨＡＴ ＡＢＯＵＴ ＴＨＯＳＥ ＰＯＲＴＲＡＩＴＳ? ♛♛
xx{{ in no particular order }}
simple headshot by happy-stabby

"what do you want to play?" by me

together at last by me

butterfly friends by happy-stabby

fireflies by me

a princess' walk by me

new friends by aesaira

after a long day by me

through the storm by wind song

fireflies at night by miscellaneous

once upon a time by me

dreamland by me

dusty dawn by me

hope by me

madeline plushie by me
accessories front accessories side