Sofia was playing in the trees on a warm sunny day in Enchancia. Her family was out on a picnic, and she had gone off to do her own thing as usual. "Ready or not," she called as she finished counting; she was playing hide and seek with her animal friends. "Here I come!"
"Sofia!" Queen Miranda, her mother, called out. "Sofia, it's time to go."
"Coming!" Sofia replied, beginning to walk toward her family. Suddenly, a soft moaning sound came from the left. Thinking she should go check it out, she followed it a few trees over to see an elderly woman on her side. "Are you okay?" She asked, rushing over.
"No," the woman moaned. "I tripped over a root, and I think I sprained my leg."
"Oh dear," Sofia said, looking the direction of her family. "I should get my mom over here."
"No, no!" The woman exclaimed. When Sofia looked at her curiously, her voice softened a bit. "I mean, that won't be necessary. My cottage is just beyond those bushes there. I have everything I need there to tend to the stubborn leg."
"Sofia!" Miranda called again.
"Let me just go tell my mom," Sofia said, turning in the direction of her mother's voice. "She doesn't like me going anywhere with strangers."
"But-but," the woman called out again. "It'll just take a moment. Please? You wouldn't want me to be in more pain than I have to?"
Sofia looked at the direction of her family, and then back at the old woman. "Well… I guess I could… as long as it's not too far."
"Wonderful," the woman said as Sofia helped her up. There was an evil gleam in her eye that went unnoticed by the Princess. Sofia helped her up and the old woman moaned again. She staggered, putting some of her weight on Sofia, past the bushes, and five minutes later, they saw the cottage.
"You're right," Sofia acknowledged, trying to keep the woman's weight. "It wasn't that far."
"See?" The woman replied, continuing to stagger. "Now, if you can just get me in the door, you can run back to your family."
"Sofia!" Her mother called again. This time, there was a note in her voice that told Sofia her mother was getting worried.
Sofia nodded and helped the woman up the steps. However, when she opened the door, she didn't see anything inside; then she felt the woman push her inside. "Hey!" Sofia cried. The walls transformed into bars and she was on a carriage as two horses appeared. She gasped as the woman turned into Ms. Nettle.
"Miss me dear?" The evil fairy asked.
"Let me out!" Sofia demanded.
"I don't think so," Nettle replied with an evil smirk as she sat on the coach man's seat. "Not unless you give me that Amulet of yours." Sofia held on tightly to her necklace. "No? Then I guess you're coming with me."
Ms. Nettle flicked the reins and the coach took off. Sofia slid to the back and held the bars as she watched her family go farther away. Giving Ms. Nettle a glare, she held onto the bars. "Help! Help me!"
DS
Miranda tightened the girth on her horse and looked into the trees, expecting to see Sofia coming out. "Has anyone seen Sofia?" She asked, turning to her family who had finished packing and putting their things in the coach. The children had arrived by coach with Baileywick; Miranda and King Roland had arrived on horseback.
"Not for the past hour," Amber said, fanning herself. "She's probably just helping a bird or something."
Miranda frowned and looked back into the trees. Instinct told her something wasn't right. "Rollie," she said, mounting her horse. "I'll be right back. I'm going to fetch Sofia."
"Miranda," Roland said gently, putting his hand over hers. "I'm sure she's fine."
Miranda knew he was trying to calm her down, but she also knew he was getting just as worried as she was. She took her hand out from under his and cupped his cheek. Kicking her horse into a canter, she took off in the direction she'd heard Sofia's voice. "Sofia!" She called.
Her horse spooked as a coach came out of nowhere. "Easy, easy," she soothed the mare, glaring at the coach. That is, until she recognized the small figure in a cage in the back. "Sofia?!" She cried, kicking her horse into a gallop. "Sofia!"
"Mom!" Sofia gasped, looking at her helplessly. "Mom, help!"
Miranda urged her horse faster, gaining on the coach. It wasn't long before she was close enough to see the lock on the cage. It was too high for her to reach, though, but she knew how to unlatch the cage from the coach.
The driver looked back and smirked, urging her horses faster, putting a small amount of distance between them and the mother. "Uh-uh," she called back as she raised her wand and waved it.
A barrier of thorns appeared a foot ahead. There was no time for the Queen to react. Her horse crashed into the barrier with a loud squeal, and Miranda was thrown. She landed with a cry of pain; laying sprawled there for a moment, as she watched the coach begin to take off. She tried to move, but was in too much pain right then.
"Miranda!" Someone called behind her. The Queen ignored the voice, though, reaching out with her good arm. "Miranda," the voice said, kneeling down next to her. It was Roland. He looked in the direction she was reaching, and gasped as he saw Sofia start to fade in the distance.
"Mom!" Sofia sobbed. "Dad! Help! Help me! Help me, please!"
Tears were rolling down Miranda's face as she heard her daughter's desperate pleas. Roland gently wrapped his arm around his Queen. She gasped as he tried to move The arm she fell on as he picked her up bridal style."What hurts?" Roland asked, slowly moving her left arm into a position where he could carry her.
"Everything," she whimpered, closing her eyes and using his shoulder as a resting spot for her head. She wasn't referring to the pain from the fall either, but to the pain in her heart.
A painful whinny caught her attention. Her horse was calling out for help as it struggled to find a good position to attempt to stand. Miranda saw scratches and saw her hooves tangled up. Roland noticed where she was looking, and made her look away. "Don't look, darling," he whispered, gently putting her on his horse.
He mounted after her, holding her firmly against him as he urged his horse to a walk. In his embrace, Miranda broke down, burying her head into his shoulder. Roland kissed her head, whispering to her soothingly.
When they reached the spot they had their picnic, the guards were there and the twins were gone. Placing a hand over Miranda's ear, he turned to his captain. "Find the Queen's horse, and send for Cedric. The mare's badly injured… find out if he can heal her… if not, end her pain permanently."
"Yes, Your Majesty," the Captain replied, bowing.
Roland looked down at his Queen and began whispering to her soothingly. His horse continued walking to the castle, and he began to wish he brought a Pegasus. It was about a couple of hours before they reached the castle. Dismounting, he carried her inside. "Your Majesties!" Baileywick gasped as he ran towards them. "What happened?!"
"Never mind that, Baileywick," Roland said, looking down at Miranda. "Send for the physician, and tell him I'll meet him at my chamber."
"Daddy!" Amber cried as the King started down the opposite hallway. "We were worried sick! Where's Sofia?"
"Not now Amber," Roland said as James appeared beside his sister. "I have to get your mother to bed. We will discuss things after she's settled."
"What happened to her?!" Amber screeched when she realized her father was carrying her stepmother.
"Later, Amber," Roland said more firmly and he continued to his bed chambers. Once there, he saw Violet and Susan finishing their chores. Both maids gasp when they saw their Queen.
"Queen Miranda?!" Susan exclaimed.
"What happened?" Violet gasped.
"I'll explain later," Roland said, looking down at his wife. "I need pillows for Queen Miranda."
"Right away," Violet said, rushing out of the room to get the pillows. Susan turned down the bed so that Roland could put his love down gently and make her more comfortable. Violet returned with three pillows for the Queen to rest against. "Anything else, sire?" Violet asked.
"Yes," Roland said, taking one of his wife's hands. "I need to speak to the twins right away- also, if the physician is here, please send him in."
Violet nodded and went to find the twins. Roland turned back to Miranda, who had fallen asleep on the journey home. "We'll get her back, I promise," he swore, kissing her hand.
A/N: I wasn't sure which villain to use exactly, so I chose the ones who could change their form. It was a toss up between Ms. Nettle and Mammanu (excuse the poor spelling) and since I couldn't think of a reason for the latter to go after Sofia, I chose Ms. Nettle. Naturally, I think we can figure out the lesson here. Plus, it's another Miranda centered story!