"James, are you anywhere close by?" Princess Sofia called in. She peeked her head around the doors, to no avail. It was time for Princess Sofia to look elsewhere. Besides, the room was so dimly lit that no one could have been in it, James or anyone else.
"I have a good mind to tell James off" Princess Sofia said before she let her fist hit the inside of the palm of her other hand. She was angry at James; it wasn't the first time, although depending on the severity of her mood it could have been the last. Princess Sofia was justly angry.
It was James' turn to do the dishes in the kitchen, but he shirked his duties. James looked at Baileywick rather queerly that morning, Princess Sofia remembered; perhaps he was trying to imply that he wouldn't be caught, even though he didn't do the work his father Roland had allocated for him to be doing. There was something very odd about James face when he looked at Baileywick. In fact, it was all that Princess Sofia could currently think about. It was a face that said, You ll never think of reprimanding me.
Princess Sofia, as the adopted member of the family, was always being reprimanded. Sometimes she felt like the most loved Cinderella of all time, but still Cinderella with a wicked state of mind oppressing her in her daily life.
No, Princess Sofia wasn't satisfied. It was time to find James and make him do the dishes, because this afternoon their father Roland had said that if James couldn't be found, then Princess Sofia would be the daughter to do them.
Princess Sofia walked down the corridor and found no signs of James. There was Cee dric, moving about and looking suspicious, with Wormy the raven following close behind on the first gust of wind from a window into the room; there was Baileywick, shuffling back and forth from the dining rooms to the main hall with silverware and other cooking implements in his arms; there was the red fairy that taught at her school, who had formerly asked permission to be let inside the castle so that she could verify that Princess Sofia had all the books she needed over the weekend (it had seemed that she left a book behind, but it must have been another student).
Then Princess Sofia had an idea.
Princess Sofia opened up the inner doors of her own room.
Clover! Princess Sofia shouted. Do you know where James is? It was possible for Princess Sofia to speak to Clover, her pet bunny rabbit because of the Amulet Of Avalor which allowed her to speak to any animal whatsoever. She had a hunch that, if Clover had seen James, he would be able to tell her about it. Clover was completely like a spy, in that Princess Sofia s parents Roland and Miranda, and even her brother James, never knew that he was able to talk to Princess Sofia as long as she had her amulet. Trusting in his spy-like abilities, Princess Sofia just had to see him.
James? Clover asked. He hopped over toward Princess Sofia. He had been sleeping on the corner table near the window, so he wasn t about to be of much use to Princess Sofia. Nah, I haven t seen him. Clover gesticulated heartily. Last I knew, he was eating breakfast (this made Princess Sofia gag, because she was so mad that James was last seen eating the breakfast which was just before the time that he was supposed to be cleaning the dishes). It must be, what, brunch now?
Noon Princess Sofia answered tartly.
Then it s even later than I thought Clover said. He hopped up into Princess Sofia s arms. Why don t you scratch behind my ears, and I ll help you look for him?
Okay, Clover Princess Sofia acquiesced. She pet her bunny. Then Princess Sofia ordered Clover to look for James. Together, we ll be that much more likely to find him Princess Sofia said as an after thought.
To find James Clover said before he hopped away.