After the first night of Royal Prep's annual singing contest, the royal family of Orillia was on their way back to the castle. It had been a night of entertainment, and even mystery, because one of the performers had been in a disguise.

"Sandra, you and Prince Hugo were wonderful!" Queen Patricia smiled.

"Thanks, Mom. We're going to do that other song tomorrow," her daughter Princess Sandra grinned back. "But whoever that Secret Singer guy was, he was incredible!"

"Yes he was," King Robert smiled, but he frowned a second later at the stone-faced prince sitting next to her. "It's just too bad that your brother and Princess Deidre had to attack and unmask him, but he ran off before we could get a good look at his face."

When they were back in the castle, Robert said, "Sandra, Zoe, why don't you two go get ready for bed while your mother and I have a talk with Ezekiel?"

'Well, Zeke, it's been nice knowing you!' Sandra thought with a smirk, however, she motioned for her eight-year-old sister to follow her as she said, "Okay, Dad. Come on, Zoe." However, when they left the throne room, Sandra whispered, "Come on, Zoe, let's eavesdrop!" She knelt down in front of the keyhole and pulled her sister close. "Be really quiet and we'll hear everything," she told her.

"Eavesdropping again, Princess Sandra?" they heard a voice behind them.

Sandra looked up. There, with a knowing look on his face, was Nigel, the castle steward. "I'm not dropping any eaves, I'm taking Zoe to her room!" she smiled innocently. "And what's the matter; I can't give my favorite sister a hug?"

"And now you're teaching your sister your bad habits?" Nigel tried to look disapproving, but he knew that Sandra was always helping around the castle, and she tried to give Zoe pointers on what was expected of her, so he couldn't stay too mad.

"Nigel, as much as I want to hear you talk about setting a good example for Zoe, which I try to do anyway, I want to know what's going on," Sandra said as she listened at the keyhole.

"Zeke's not going to be a prince for six months?" Zoe whispered to Sandra as they slipped away when they heard footsteps approach the door two minutes later.

"His title was suspended for that long, and it starts after his suspension from school and week-long detention are completed," Sandra whispered back when they arrived at Zoe's room.

"But can Daddy really do that?" Zoe asked as Sandra helped her get ready for bed.

"I think so," Sandra murmured as they heard someone enter the room. They looked up, and saw her cat Ambre.

"What do you think Daddy can do?" Ambre asked as he curled up on Zoe's bed. Both girls had necklaces and pendants that let them talk to and understand animals.

"You're not going to believe this, bud," Sandra said as she and Zoe filled him in on what had happened. Sandra started stroking his back as she continued, "Anyway, like I was about to say, Mom and Dad always taught me and Zeke that a king or queen shouldn't make threats unless they're willing and able to fulfill them. And since Dad's the king of Orillia, he can suspend anyone's Orillian nobility as a punishment for crimes against other nobles, and the same goes for members of the royal family."

"And the mystery person was a prince too," Ambre agreed.

A few days later, Deidre was in the hallway at Royal Prep, giving Sofia a hard time yet again about being a commoner, when they were interrupted by a cry of "Little help here, please!" Her boyfriend's sister was coming toward them, loaded with books, and trying to balance her fencing foil at the same time, but everything fell out of her hands.

"Sandra!" Sofia went to help her pick up the books and fencing foil.

"Thanks, Sofia. I was just coming from the children's wing to get Zoe's homework after fencing practice let out," Sandra smiled as Sofia helped her pick everything up.

"Any time. I saw you at your match against the squire from Westlocke, and you were great!" Sofia said as she handed her the fencing foil.

"If you can be the first girl on the flying derby team, I can be the first girl in a fencing club," Sandra grinned as she gave Sofia a salute with her blade.

"I wish I was as good as you," Sofia admitted.

"I wouldn't say I'm that good, but why don't we get together after your flying derby practice? The knights and I can give you some pointers," Sandra suggested.

"Sandy, how can you talk to that filthy commoner like that?" Deidre asked.

"First, only my friends call me that," Sandra started, nodding toward Sofia. She tuned back to Deidre as she continued, "And you aren't one of them."

She smiled as Sofia whispered, "Thanks! And it's Sof to you, Sandy."

Sandra nodded as she continued, "Second, just because Sofia comes from different origins than you, you think this gives you the right to look down on her? Third, Sofia joined Weapons Proficiency a few weeks ago, and it's no problem for me to help her."

"Who needs help from filthy commoners anyway?" Deidre snapped.

"One of these days, Deidre, you're going to need non-royal help," Sandra said in disgust as she went to put her fencing foil away.

"That will never happen," Deidre scoffed as she walked away.

However, that night when Deidre and her family were in their royal carriage, having finished some business in town, Sandra's prediction came to pass. The royal family was involved in a carriage accident, and Deidre was taken to the town hospital in serious condition.

Author's Notes

This is like a deleted scene from chapter six of The Secret Love Song

Nigel, the castle steward of Orillia, is not to be confused with Baileywick's brother

Princess Deidre belongs to Niagara14301

Sandra's joke about eavesdropping was taken from the first Lord of the Rings movie

The conversation about Ezekiel getting his title suspended was based on chapter 4 of Luiz4200's Once Upon Two Princesses