At Royal Prep, a lesson on etiquette was well underway. Most of the students listened intently. However, Madeline was not one of them. She was thinking about Prince Desmond, and had completely lost track of her school work. Amber noticed her drawing hearts on her notebook.
At lunch, Madeline accidentally bumped into Vivian.
"Sorry." She apologised.
"Madeline, what's been up with you lately?" Vivian asked.
"What do you mean?" Madeline said innocently.
"I'm talking about all the time you've been spending with prince Desmond lately." Vivian smirked. "You seem to have lunch together nearly every day."
"I'm just helping him with his math, that's all." Madeline claimed.
"You're not fooling anyone, Maddie." Sofia sidled up behind her. "Especially your sister."
"It's the truth." Madeline said, spotting Desmond. "Now if you don't mind, I'll see you two later."
As Madeline walked away, Sofia and Vivian smirked at each other.
"Helping Desmond with his math." Vivian chuckled. "Please."
"She'll tell us when she's ready." Sofia declared.
"Sorry, Desmond." Madeline apologised as she joined him at his table. "I had to tell them I was helping you with your math work."
"Thanks, Madeline." Desmond smiled. "I told James and Hugo I was helping you with your history work. I think they bought it."
"Great." Madeline smiled.
"Follow me." Desmond got up. "I have a surprise for you."
"For me, Desmond?" Madeline followed.
Desmond led Madeline outside, to a table that had lunch for two set up.
"Nice surprise." Madeline chuckled.
"I knew you'd like it." Desmond pulled out a chair for her.
"This is nice, isn't it?" Madeline asked. "Just the two of us, alone..."
"Yeah, it is..." Desmond sighed.
Meanwhile, Roland and Miranda were in the headmistresses' office, joined by Miss Clavel.
"King Roland, queen Miranda, thank you for coming here today." Flora declared.
"Is there something wrong?" Roland asked.
"I'm afraid Madeline's school work is slipping." Fauna declared. "And we don't know why."
"But if she doesn't shape up, we'll have to put her in summer school." Merryweather added.
"We understand." Miranda nodded. "We'll do what we can to make sure Madeline gets back on track."
"Perhaps I can give Madeline private tutoring lessons." Miss Clavel mused. "We go back a ways, so I'm sure I can reach her."
"That's a definite possibility." Flora added. "But for now, let the parents tell Madeline the news, and give her chance to catch up on her own.
"Very well, then." Roland nodded. "Thank you for bringing this to our attention."
"You're welcome, your majesty." Fauna nodded.
As Madeline and Desmond returned to the school, Madeline caught a glimpse of her parents as they left.
"I wonder what they were doing here..." She thought aloud.
"I hope it's nothing bad." Desmond fretted.
"It's probably nothing." Madeline shrugged.
"I guess you're right." Desmond nodded.
After school, the royal children returned home.
"I'm going to check on Clover." Sofia announced.
"I'll go with you." Madeline smiled.
Just as the girls were about to head up the stairs, Miranda stopped them.
"Madeline, your father and I would like to talk to you please." She said.
"Sure, mom." Madeline nodded, following her mother to the throne room. "Hi, dad. What do you want to talk about?"
"Well Madeline, your father and I were called to the school today." Miranda revealed. "To talk about you, as a matter of fact."
"Am I in trouble?" Madeline asked.
"A little." Roland nodded. "What has been going on lately, Madeline? Why have your grades been dropping lately?"
"Well..." Madeline blushed. "I've sorta had prince Desmond on my mind ever since the ball. I guess I've been distracted from my schoolwork because of it."
"Well, it isn't wrong to have a crush." Miranda declared. "But you can't let your schoolwork suffer because of it."
"I know." Madeline bowed her head. "I'll do better."
"Let's hope so." Roland said grimly. "If you don't, Miss Clavel will have to tutor you after school, which will mean no more flying derby, or trips to the village."
"Oh." Madeline gulped. "Okay. I'll try my best."
"That's all we ask, sweetheart." Miranda kissed Madeline on the forehead.
Madeline went upstairs to her and Sofia's bedroom.
"Hey, Sofia." Madeline sighed.
"What's wrong, Madeline?" Sofia asked.
"Okay Sof, you and Vivian were right about me." Madeline confessed. "I do have a crush on prince Desmond. In fact, we've been eating lunch together everyday, just the two of us."
"I knew it." Sofia smirked.
"But the problem is my schoolwork's started slipping because of it." Madeline admitted. "If I don't get my grades up, I'll have to have after-school tutoring with Miss Clavel, which means no flying derby, or visits to Dunwitty."
"That's not going to happen, Maddie." Sofia declared. "Not with me helping you. If we work together, we can get your grades up in time for the next big test."
"Thanks, Sofia." Madeline smiled.
"No problem." Sofia nodded. "I'll go ask James and Amber if they want to form a study group. Between the three of us, we should be able to catch you up on anything you've missed."
Amber and James agreed to the study group, and the four spent most evenings revising. Amber helped Madeline with etiquette, James helped her with History, and Sofia helped with spellwork. Over the next week, Madeline caught up on most of what she missed.
Then came the big end-of-month test on etiquette. Madeline struggled on some of the questions, worried that she answered wrong. In the afternoon, the marked tests were handed out.
"Well?" Sofia whispered.
"I... passed!" Madeline beamed, holding up her test paper, the pass mark clear to see.
"Not bad." Amber admitted. "But if you had gotten a couple more questions wrong, you would have failed."
"Amber's right." Sofia agreed. "We need to keep studying."
"Okay." Madeline nodded.
Madeline later met with Desmond at their lunch spot.
"What's wrong, Madeline?" Desmond asked. "You look worried."
"It's like this, Desmond." Madeline sighed. "Our time together has been great, but my grades are starting to slip. If I don't pass all the upcoming tests, I'll have to be tutored after school."
"Oh, I see." Desmond nodded. "Maybe I can help."
"Well, my brothers and sister have put together a study group for me." Madeline mused. "You could join, if you like."
"I would." Desmond smiled. "I really would like to help you."
"Great." Madeline nodded. "You can come over to our castle after school."
"Gladly." Desmond agreed. "But for now, let's have our lunch."
"Of course." Madeline chuckled.
Back home, Madeline walked over to her siblings.
"Sofia, Amber, James, guess what?" She asked.
"Is this about Desmond, Maddie?" Sofia sighed.
"Yes." Madeline nodded. "He wants to join our study group."
"Sounds okay to me." Amber shrugged.
"Me too." James nodded.
"The more help you have, the better your chances of passing the next test." Sofia smiled.
Later, at dinner, Madeline asked her parents.
"Is it okay if prince Desmond comes and helps me study?" She asked.
"I don't know, Maddie." Roland frowned. "Isn't Desmond the whole reason your grades have been slipping?"
"Please?" Madeline asked. "I could really use the help."
"I suppose it would work." Roland sighed. "As long as you stay focused on the task at hand."
"We will, dad." Madeline nodded. "Thanks!"
After dinner, Desmond arrived at the castle.
"Prince Desmond, how nice to see you here." Roland greeted him.
"Hello, king Roland." Desmond smiled. "Queen Miranda."
"Good afternoon, Desmond." Miranda nodded.
"I understand you're here to help Madeline study?" Roland asked.
"Yes, sir." Desmond nodded.
"Well, I hope that's all you'll be doing." Roland glared.
"Y-yes, sir." Desmond trembled.
"The kids are in the drawing room." Miranda smiled. "Rollie, why don't we take a little walk?"
"Okay, Miranda." Roland nodded.
"I swear, you're as bad as James." Miranda whispered to her husband as they walked away.
Desmond walked over to the drawing room.
"Hello, everyone." He smiled. "What are you working on now?"
"Etiquette." Madeline answered. "It's really hard."
"It doesn't have to be." Desmond declared. "We just have to find the right way to practice."
"What do you have in mind?" Sofia asked.
"Let's have a tea party." Desmond smiled.
"A tea party?" James frowned.
"Yes." Desmond nodded. "That way, we can practice etiquette for real, instead of just reading about it in a book. It might be easier to remember that way."
"I suppose it's worth a shot." Amber shrugged.
The kids went to the dining room, and set up their tea party.
"Remember to hold out you pinkie when you're drinking tea." Desmond told Madeline. "And take small sips."
"Okay." Madeline nodded.
"And sit up straight." Amber joined in. "No slouching."
"And remember to use your napkin." Sofia added.
"And don't eat so many of the finger foods." James stepped in. "I had to learn that one the hard way."
"Thanks, guys." Madeline smiled. "I think you were right, Desmond. Actually doing it helps me remember better then just reading it."
"I thought it might." Desmond smiled.
Madeline and Desmond gazed at each other for a moment.
"Ahem." Amber cleared her throat. "Can we focus, please?"
"Oh, right." Madeline said sheepishly.
"Sorry." Desmond apologised.
"No problem." James smiled. "Now, let's do a little spell work."
Meanwhile, while out on their walk, Roland was talking to Miranda about Desmond.
"Let's just be thankful Madeline only has a crush." Roland declared. "I shudder to think what would happen if she and Desmond were teenagers."
"Oh, Rollie." Miranda sighed. "You're being overprotective again."
"I'm sorry, Miranda, but I can't help." Roland stated.
"But Desmond seems like a perfectly nice boy." Miranda pointed out. "Give him a chance."
"I'll try." Roland groaned.
"Thank you, Rollie." Miranda smiled.
After some more studying, it was time for Desmond to head for home.
"See you tomorrow, guys." He smiled.
Soon after, Roland and Miranda came in from their walk.
"So, how did it go?" Roland asked.
"Pretty good." James declared.
"No distractions?" Roland frowned.
"None at all." Amber fibbed.
"Excellent." Roland smiled. "I trust you'll be passing this Friday's test, Madeline?"
"I'll give it my best shot, dad." Madeline declared.
"That's the spirit!" Miranda chuckled.
Over the next week, the group continued studying. Little by little, Madeline's grades got better and better. Soon, the fairies called in Roland and Miranda for another meeting.
"Well, we're pleased to report that Madeline's grades have returned to suitable levels." Flora smiled.
"There will be no need to send her to summer school." Fauna declared.
"Or assign her a tutor." Merryweather finished.
"Oh, thank goodness." Roland smiled.
"You should be proud." Flora stated. "Not every student could perform a turn-around like that."
"We are." Miranda nodded. "But she didn't do it alone. She had help from her brother and sisters."
"Then you should be proud of all of them." Fauna smiled.
"We are." Roland chuckled.
Nobody was happy about the results then Madeline. The next time she saw Desmond, she gave him a big hug.
"Thanks, Des." She gushed.
"No problem." Desmond smiled. "I'd do anything for you, Maddie."
"How about lunch?" Madeline asked.
"With pleasure." Desmond chuckled.
And so they shared another lunch together, Madeline having learned not to let her crush distract her from her school work.
The End.