Madeline said, "This was so much fun, trick-or-treating tonight!"
Ruby said, "It sure was!"
James said, "Too bad Sofia didn't come with us…"
Jade tilted her head. "Yeah, why didn't she, anyway? She would never miss an opportunity to trick or treat!"
James shrugged. "I'm not sure. I think she and Amber were doing something together."
Jade frowned at the thought of Sofia ditching them, but then something caught her eye. "Whoa, Madeline!"
Madeline said, "What, Jade? This candy is yummy. Do you eat the chocolate first?"
Jade said, "Madeline, don't eat anymore candy. Let's see your Halloween bag."
Madeline said, "No, no, no! Come on, we are almost back to Ruby's house."
James laughed at his little sister. "Mads, let's see if you can keep your fingers out of your candy until we get there, okay?"
Ruby nodded, saying, "My mom is going to want to check your candy, anyway. She says you never know what kind of tricks would get put in there."
"But who would dare play a trick on a prince and princess?" Jade pointed out.
"She's got a point," James conceded. "It seems a lot of people would be too scared of royalty to do that."
"But better safe than sorry, right?" Ruby asked.
Madeline called out, "Ruby, Jade, James! Come on, keep up!"
"Man, how did Madeline get ahead of us so quickly?" James asked.
Jade said, "Ruby, you don't think Madeline is starting to get a little sugar high, do you?"
Ruby replied, "Yep, I think she's getting there."
"A what?" James asked incredulously.
"A sugar high," Ruby repeated. "You know, when you get so hyped up on sugar, you have extra energy?"
"That would explain Baileywick's limit on my desserts..." the prince mused.
"Hey, slowpokes! Last one to the door is a fake diamond necklace!"
Jade cried, "Madeline, wait up! Please!"
Ruby said, "Madeline is running fast!"
James asked, "How long will it take for Madeline to calm down, again?"
Jade answered, "With Madeline, it can take up to an hour and a half."
James groaned. "Something tell me I'm in for a long night with Madeline…"
When they finally reached the Ruby's house, the door opened wide, and Helen smiled down at them. "There you are," she said. "I hope you all had fun tonight."
Ruby replied, "Sure did, Mom."
Jade said, "I just wish Sofia had come."
Suddenly, Madeline popped out of nowhere, speaking very quickly. "Ms. Hanshaw, where is Mr Hanshaw at, why can't I see him, can I set you up on a date?"
Helen was surprised, and could only gasp, "Madeline, please settle down now."
James said, "Whoa, I can barely understand her!"
Helen frowned a bit, and asked "Where is Madeline's candy bag? I need to check it."
Ruby looked around. "Ohh," she winced. "I think that empty bag on the ground is hers, Mom..."
James' eyes bugged out. "She ate every single one? So fast? Oh, no... Mom and Dad are going to kill me! No... Baileywick is gonna kill me!"
Helen shook her head. "This little princess definitely should've waited. She's lucky she didn't get any nasty tricks in her bag."
"What, a bouncing-off-the-walls-Maddie isn't a nasty trick?" James asked incredulously.
Jade turned to Ms. Hanshaw. "What can we do to get her to calm down?"
"Nothing," replied the woman. "You just gotta let this high ride out."
"You mean I've got to take a carriage ride with a vibrating princess?" James groaned. "Anybody got any rope?"
"Rope?" Ruby asked.
"Yeah. To tie her down. I think otherwise, she'd jump out of the coach!"
Jade shook her head with a smile. "James, all you really have to worry about is how to keep her quiet and out of any more sugar."
The redhead giggled, grabbing at a Halloween decoration. "Ooh! Pretty spider!"
James said, "Maddie, give me the spider. Now!"
Madeline pouted. "No! I want it, 'cause it's pretty!"
"Maddie, it doesn't belong to you. Put it down, right now."
"No, I like it, and it's mine, now," the princess whined.
Ms. Helen intervened. "Madeline, you can hold onto the spider," she gently said.
Madeline cheered. "Yay, I have a spider of my own!"
"Mrs. Hanshaw, why would you give Madeline a spider decoration?" James asked.
Helen answered, "Because, James, it's the only way to keep Madeline quiet for the ride home. Unless you'd rather Madeline keep moving?"
James hurriedly said, "No, no, the spider will do. I'll bring it back tomorrow, I promise." With a sigh, he glanced toward his little sister. "Well, I suppose we'd better get back, before she decides to take everything in Dunwitty."
Jade and Ruby shared a glance. "Good luck," they said together.
"Oh, Madeline!" James sang. "Betcha I can get to the carriage faster than you!" And he immediately began to sprint towards their coach.
"Oh, no, you don't!" Madeline cried, running ahead of him.
At the royal coach, Roy, their driver, inquired, "Your highness, how did Princess Madeline get so hyper? And where is her candy bag?"
James grinned sheepishly, saying, "Sorry, Roy, Maddie couldn't wait to eat her candy."
"Roy, can you go way, way, way up, up, up, please, please, please?" Madeline asked, bouncing up and down.
Roy shook his head hurriedly. "Not tonight, Princess Madeline. It is past your bedtime."
Madeline huffed. "No way, I'm not sleepy. But James is," she added with a giggle.
James groaned. "Madeline, please sit still!"
"Princess, please!" Roy said, a tinge of begging in his voice. "If you do not sit still, we cannot fly home safely. Your father will not be pleased if you're late for bed."
James had an idea. "Hey, Maddie, I'll bet you twenty pieces of candy that I can be the best statue until we get home. Deal?"
"You mean all I have to do is act like a statue and you'll give me more candy?" Madeline asked. "Ha! You're going down, brother!"
James smiled triumphantly, and sat down cross-legged while pretending to shoot a cannon. "Okay, Roy, you can head for home!"
Madeline settled down on her stomach, frozen in the action of reading an imaginary book. Roy glanced behind him, and flicked the reins. As grateful as he was that the princess was finally still, he didn't know how long it would last, so he urged the flying horses faster.
It wasn't long before Madeline was bored with the game.
"Oh, wow! I've never noticed that the clouds looked so fluffy! Hey, James, do you think clouds taste like cotton candy? I've thought that before, but I've never actually said it, because it seemed silly, but when I think about it now, it totally makes sense! They look like cotton candy, so they probably do, right? Right? Oh, what am I saying? Of course I'm right! And if I'm wrong, I bet Cedric could make them taste like cotton candy! Ooh! I know! When we get to the castle, I'm totally asking him! He's probably still up, right? He doesn't seem like the kind of guy to get a whole lot of sleep. I'd bet he stays up all night, like a bat! You know, a lot of people think bats are creepy, but I think they're kinda cool! What do you think, James?"
James said, "I think you made me miss the cannon, Madeline. And no, you aren't going to wake Cedric. It's way past your bedtime."
"Pfft!" the princess scoffed. "Like I'm going to go to sleep! I've got way too much energy! And too many things to play with! OH! Sofia and Amber have GOT to have a pillow fight with me! I shall destroy Amber! Muahaha!"
"We've arrived, highnesses," Roy called back, relief flooding his tone.
"Excellent! The pillow massacre shall commence!" Madeline gleefully cried, jumping out of the carriage and sprinting up the steps.
James called after her, "Madeline! Come back here! Please! Sorry, Roy!" he yelled back, running after his sister. "Thanks for the ride home!"
"Amber! Sofia! Where are you?!" Madeline yelled throughout the palace.
Amber and Sofia walked toward them in the hallway.
"Maddie, you shouldn't yell in the castle," Amber chided. "How was your night?"
Madeline said, with a mischievous smile, "Time for a pillow fight!"
"Um, Maddie, it's bedtime, now," Sofia reminded her.
"Wrong!" Madeline buzzed. "It's time for fighting with pillows! I'll get the most before any of you!" And she ran off, slamming open doors in her search for the fluffy ammo.
James ran up to the two princesses, panting heavily. "Hey, guys," he gasped. "Did Maddie run this way?"
"Yes, she did," Amber said. "James, what happened to her? Why is she so energetic? Even for Madeline, this is excessive!"
"She ate all her candy in one go," James explained.
"Oh, no!" Sofia cried. "She's on a sugar high? When did this happen?"
James shook his head. "I'm not sure, 'cause it feels like it's been hours!"
Madeline came hurrying back, strangely not bearing any pillows. "Before we start the pillow fight, I need to asked Mr. Cedric something. Be right back!"
"Maddie, come back here!" Sofia cried. "Oh, James, why didn't you take Maddie's candy bag away?"
James, still gasping for breath, shrugged. "Can you go, Sofia? I'm so tired from running after her."
"I'll stay here and keep him company," Amber said.
"Of course." Sofia gathered up her skirts, and ran as fast as she was able towards Cedric's tower.
Up at the sorcerer's tower, Madeline barged into the room. "Hi Wormwood!" she greeted the grumpy raven, before yelling, "Wake up, Mr. Cedric!"
Cedric appeared through his bedroom doors, looking very disgruntled. "Princess Madeline, why aren't you in bed?"
Madeline said, bouncing up and down, "Not sleepy! Mr. Cedric, can you make the clouds taste like cotton candy, please, please, please?"
Cedric raised an eyebrow at the jumping princess. "You woke up the greatest sorcerer in the land, because you suddenly gained a sweet tooth?"
Madeline giggled. "Of course not, silly! I've had this sweet tooth for a while! Think about it! Clouds look like cotton candy, why not make them taste like it? Can you do it?"
"Of course, I can," the sorcerer replied. "But I won't. It's a waste of my talents, and I think you've had enough sugar."
Madeline gasped in feigned shock. "Enough sugar? NEVER!"
Sofia ran through the open tower door. "Found you," she sighed in relief. "Maddie, come on, it's time for bed now."
Madeline pouted. "No, no bed. Not sleepy, I want more candy!" She spun around, twirling like a ballerina, when the dozing raven caught her eye. "Wormwood, wake up!" she yelled.
The ball of feathers squawked unceremoniously, and shook his wings. Maddie giggled at the silly bird. "Ooh! Come on, Sofia, I just got a great idea!" She grabbed at her older sister's hand. "Let's go play with Mommy's lipstick!"
"Whoa!" Sofia cried as Madeline pulled her out of the sorcerer's room. "Maddie, wait! Mom and Dad are asleep! Maddie!"
But the little princess didn't hear her sister, she was too excited!
Fortunately, they ran into Amber and James at the bottom of Cedric's tower.
"Oof!" James grunted. "Madeline, that's enough running around!"
"I can't stop running!" Maddie cried happily, still jumping in place. "I want to try on Mom's lipstick! I'm gonna be pretty, just like her!"
"No, Madeline," Sofia firmly said. "You're not allowed to play with that!"
"Hey! Try to catch me!" the youngest royal yelled. She released Sofia's hand, and started bolting down the hall.
"Not again," Amber groaned, gathering her skirts to chase after her.
Suddenly, Maddie slowed, eventually standing still in the hallway. "Whoa..." she muttered, swaying slightly. "I feel... funny..."
"Oh no," James whispered. He sprinted towards his sister, and caught her just in time as she fell back. "Mads! Are you okay?"
But she couldn't answer. She was sound asleep.
"Oh, great," Amber sighed. "She's finally crashed. Now maybe we all can get some sleep."
"But how do we get her to bed?" Sofia asked.
"Easy," replied James. "We ask Baileywick."
"Did you call me, Prince James?" the steward asked, popping out of nowhere.
James said, "Yes, Baileywick. Can you carry Madeline to bed?"
Baileywick answered, "Of course." He picked up the youngest princess. As they all walked to her room, he asked, "Where is Princess Madeline's candy bag, Prince James?"
James grinned sheepishly. "She, um... she ate it all."
Baileywick raised an eyebrow, then glanced at the princess in his arms. "Sugar rush?"
"Sugar rush," the three royals echoed.
The steward sighed. "I suppose I should make an appointment with the Royal Dentist, then. Good night, your highnesses."
"Good night, Baileywick."
"Well," James began, "I hope next year's not as crazy."
Sofia giggled. "Knowing Maddie, that's probably not going to happen!"
James groaned. "Next year, you and Amber can go with Madeline. I am done."
My first collab fic! Thanks to Sofia2017 planning for asking me, working with me, and the huge amount of patience they had as I made them wait!
