Disclaimer: I don't own Sofia the First or any character from the franchise.

Birk and Sofia

Chapter 1: The Village Fair

Once again, Princess Sofia and her stepsiblings went to the Village Fair. This time, Sofia's mother Queen Miranda was with them. "Don't get this the wrong way, Amber." Prince James asked his twin sister. "Why did it mean so much for you if Mom came along or not?"

"James, whenever I thought about what Sofia said about being too busy with work to attend the fair, I felt like she should know what she'd been missing." Princess Amber explained.

"Fortunately, days like these have fewer requests for the King to analyze or I'd show you that poverty isn't the only thing that can make people too busy to attend the Village Fair." Queen Miranda replied with a clear intention.

"I'm sorry about what I said, Mother." A red-faced Amber said.

"Wait a minute, Mom." James asked. "If work was what used to keep you too busy for the fair back when you were a villager, what's Birk Balthazar doing here?"

"Papa!" Sofia exclaimed upon seeing her birth father.

"Hi, Sofia." Birk said. "Enjoying the fair?"

"Yes, Papa."

"To answer your question, James, I didn't work with edible products back then. If I did, I might have expected to make more businesses here than at my shop during the fair." Miranda explained.

"What about you, Papa?" Sofia eagerly asked. "Enjoying the fair as well?"

"I'm selling more than I expect to during a normal day at the bakery, Sofia." Birk explained.

"I meant enjoying as someone here for the fun of it, Papa." Sofia explained.

"Well, since it's too late to return to the bakery and bring more bread to sell before the fair is over for the day, I'll enjoy the rest of it after selling all the bread I've brought to sell today." Birk replied and Sofia then sadly stared at a basket with some loaves. "Oh, these are for my personal consumption, Sofia." He clarified and then picked up another leaf. "This is my last loaf of bread for sale for today. Afterwards, I'll be free to enjoy the fair."

"I'll buy it!" James declared.

"Here it is, Prince James." Birk sold him the bread.

"You're only doing this to give Birk time to spend with Sofia, James." Amber accused her brother.

James took a bite of the bread before answering. "That too but you should try Birk's bread. It's delicious."

"Uh, another time." She refused.

Meanwhile, Sofia was showing Birk her favorite spots in the fair when they heard a master-of-ceremonies announcing a pet contest like the one she entered Clover last time. "Sounds interesting, Sofia." Birk commented. "What do you think?"

"Clover and I already won last time, Papa." She answered. "I don't think the audience would like a repeat performance."

Birk was secretly sad he didn't even know his daughter had a pet. "What kind of pet is Clover?"

"He's a bunny and he's not exactly a pet, Papa." Sofia explained. "He's my friend."

"What about your stepsiblings?" Birk asked. "Which animals did they enter back then?"

"James entered Freedo the baboon and Amber entered Praline the peacock, Papa." Sofia answered.

'It figures.' Birk thought upon hearing a Princess entered a peacock. "Really?" He asked. "I can imagine a baboon losing the contest but not a peacock."

"Hey!" James protested.

"Face it, James." Amber replied. "That stupid baboon was the second worst choice you ever made for this contest."

"Second worst?" Birk asked in confusion.

"The year before, James brought his dog Rex and it caused such a big disaster Rollie wouldn't object to Rex being banned from the fair." Miranda explained.

"How did you know that, Mom?" James asked. "You and Sof not only still weren't in the Royal Family back then but didn't even attend that year's fair."

"James, I'm certain everyone who lived in the village back then would have known regardless of having attended that fair or not." Amber replied.

"You're right, Amber." Miranda softly replied.

"Honestly, Sofia, I don't think it'll be a problem to repeat a performance since it's only once per year." Birk suggested.

"He's right, Sof." James agreed.

"What about you, Prince James?" Birk asked. "What will you bring this time? A weasel?"

"No way!" James replied. "Baboons are better than weasels. Freedo and I had a lot of fun last time and we'll have it again!"

"Amber, will you bring Praline again?" James asked his twin.

"No way, James." She answered. "Since it's obvious from last time's results that this audience prefers bunnies over peacocks, I'm bringing Ginger. If even an ugly bunny like Clover can win, Ginger will be even better."

After that conversation, Miranda and the royal kids went back to the castle to pick up pets for the contest. "Back so soon?" King Roland the Second asked in surprise.

"We're just here to collect pets for the contest, Dad." Amber explained.

"Did Birk ask you to send me his regards?" Roland asked.

"How did you know Papa was there, Dad?" Sofia asked in surprise. James and Amber were just as shocked.

"As the King, I had a copy of the list of all businesses operating at the fair and his bakery was at the list, Sofia." The King explained. "I thought about telling you sooner but I thought you'd like the surprise."

"Oh, thank you, Dad." Sofia happily replied and hugged him.

"You're welcome, Sofia."

End chapter. Since this is supposed to be a series of one-shots, updates are not to be expected on a regular basis.