The Princess Magic is Gone

It happened so quickly that I almost didn't realize what was going on.  The brunette twin said, "Mom, Julianna said that Pocahontas is a real person and she died a long time ago."  Since Juliana was at our house about a week ago, she must have been thinking about this for a while before she decided to ask.
We talked how how Pocahontas was a real person before she became a Disney princess.  They were interested in whether or not the Disney story was close to the real story.
Then it happened.
The brunette twin said, "So, are the other princess real stories too?  Or are they made up?"
I answered, "The other princesses are real people, but their stories are not true in the same way that Poccahontis' story is true." 
They both got it without another question.  The blond twin said, "Well, we cannot tell the little kids that the princesses aren't real.  It will make them cry."  The brunette twin agreed.  They both declared that they outgrew princesses anyway so it doesn't matter to them.
Just like that, princesses aren't real.  They moved themselves to the side of the older kids who keep secrets to prevent the little kids from being sad.
I was both proud and sad.  My babies are growing up to be lovely, thoughtful girls.  They didn't get upset that princesses aren't real.  They just worried about the little girls who might still believe in princesses. 
Still, I'm a little sad that princesses are out of the picture.  The world is so simple when fairy dust can sure most problems and princesses live happily ever after.  What comes next won't be nearly as sweet and simple for any of us.