A Sofia Christmas Carol - a Sofia the First fanfic
A Sofia Christmas Carol
Note: this is a story set in the future during Sofia and Lucinda's teenage years, and takes place the Christmas after "The Rescue".
An angel arrives
It was Christmas Eve. At Enchancia Castle, an eighteen-year-old Sofia, an eighteen-year-old Lucinda, and a nineteen-year-old Amber were in Sofia's room. The three were having fun wrapping various Christmas presents.
"I always enjoy Christmas" Sofia smiled.
"It's always a wonderful time of year, full of excitement" Lucinda grinned.
Amber smiled at Sofia and Lucinda, then walked over and hugged the two of them.
"Amber?" Sofia asked.
"What was that for?" Lucinda then asked.
"Because I have two wonderful sisters" Amber smiled. "I love both of you very much".
"We love you too, Amber" Sofia smiled back.
"Your a fine sister, Amber, and we love you so much" Lucinda smiled.
"What a beautiful sight" a woman's voice said from behind them.
Sofia, Lucinda, and Amber turned around to see a woman standing near the door.
"Don't be afraid" the woman smiled as a light glow surrounded her body. "My name is Tess, and I'm ..."
"...an angel" Lucinda finished.
"That's right, Lucinda" Tess smiled.
"How do you know she's an angel?" Sofia asked Lucinda.
"I've met one before, when I was a child" Lucinda answered.
"What may we do for you?" Amber asked Tess.
"It's more what you can do for us" Tess started. "There is somebody out there who needs to see the error of her ways". Tess then held out her hand. "Take my hand, please" she instructed Sofia, Lucinda, and Amber. The three sisters grasped the hand of Tess, and within a few moments, all of them were transported inside a bedroom of an unfamiliar castle.
"This is Lavoria Castle" Tess started. "Nobody here will be able to see or hear us, but we will be able to see and hear everybody in the castle".
At that point, two fourteen-year-old girls entered the bedroom. One of the girls was Princess Courtney of Lavoria. The other girl was Princess Dawn of Lavoria. Dawn was new to royalty, having been a commoner who became a Princess when her mother, Queen Jenna, married Courtney's father, the King of Lavoria.
"What makes you think you'll ever be royalty?" Courtney asked Dawn in a mocking tone.
"Why are you so mean to me?!" Dawn snapped at Courtney.
"Because it's all you deserve!" Courtney sharply said. "I didn't ask you to live here!"
"Just to let you know" Dawn started, "I didn't ask to live here either!"
"What is going on here?!" a male voice rang out. It was King Lars, the King of Lavoria, and Courtney's father.
"Nothing, father" Courtney answered in an innocent tone of voice.
"Don't tell me nothing!" Lars snapped. "You've been mean to Dawn ever since she came here! It will stop!".
Courtney stormed out of the room in a huff.
Lars turned to Dawn. "I am so sorry for how Courtney has treated you".
"I shall have to try harder" Dawn sadly said. "Maybe then, Courtney will accept me".
Sofia, Lucinda, Amber, and Tess watched as Lars tried to comfort Dawn.
"Courtney's quite the little charmer!" Amber said in disgust.
"She is at that" Tess remarked.
"And I'm ashamed to say when I was younger I was almost as bad as Courtney" Amber sadly started. "When I think how badly I treated Sofia when she first came to Enchancia Castle, it just makes me sick!"
Tess gently put her hand on Amber's shoulder. "But your a different person now, Amber. Your now very kind and caring, and you did that on your own. God is proud of the fine young woman you've become".
"As am I" Sofia smiled.
"And I" Lucinda smiled.
"Is there anything we can do to help Dawn?" Amber asked Tess.
"Yes, there is" Tess answered. "It's what we call a special intervention. It's time to bring Courtney to her senses, and the three of you can help".
A rude awakening
It was now late Christmas Eve in Lavoria Castle. In Courtney's bedroom, Courtney was asleep. Suddenly, a bright light lit up the room, so bright that it woke Courtney up.
"Ah!" a female voice said. "Your awake!". The bright light then went away.
"Who's there?!" Courtney demanded.
Tess walked forward. "My name is Tess, and I'm an angel. I'm here because you haven't been very kind to your new sister, young lady!".
"Who do you think I am?" Courtney asked. "Some idiot?"
"Well, if the shoe fits" Tess observed as a light glow surrounded her body. "The fact of the matter is that I'm indeed an angel, and the people upstairs are very unhappy with you. I'm here to give you a second chance, although Lord only knows why".
"Go away!" Courtney demanded.
"Oh! I don't think you understand" Tess said. "You don't have a choice in the matter. You will be visited by three Princesses tonight who will help show you the error of your ways."
"Error of my ways?!" Courtney snapped.
"Yes, the error of your ways" Tess started. "The first Princess will be the Princess of Christmas Past, and will arrive tonight at Midnight. The second Princess, the Princess of Christmas Present, will arrive at one this morning. The third Princess, the Princess of Christmas Future, will arrive at two this morning. You would do well to pay attention to what they have to show you".
"And if I don't?!" Courtney demanded.
"Then it will be your loss, young lady" Tess said as she suddenly disappeared.
The Princess of Christmas Past
Courtney was asleep in her bed when the clock in her bedroom struck Midnight. Suddenly, a bright light lit up the room. As Courtney awoke, the bright light disappeared.
"Who's there?" Courtney asked.
Sofia walked up to Courtney's bedside.
"I take it your the Princess of Christmas Past?" Courtney asked.
"Yes" Sofia answered. "I'm Princess Sofia of Enchancia".
"I suppose I've better get this over with" Courtney started, "so I can get back to bed".
"Your being offered a second chance" Sofia started. "If I were you, I wouldn't just fluff it off".
"Very well" Courtney said. "But your not going to convince me that Dawn will ever be royalty. She's just a commoner who acts in a common way".
"Is that so?" Sofia asked, amused. "How about I show you an example of royalty acting in an common way? Take my hand".
Courtney took Sofia's hand. In a few moments, the two disappeared from Courtney's bedroom and reappeared outside of a castle in another kingdom.
"How did you do that?" Courtney asked Sofia.
"I, and my two sisters, have been given temporary angelic powers for the night" Sofia replied. "We'll be able to see and hear everything around us. But those around us won't be able to see or hear us".
"Well, get on with it then" Courtney said, impatient.
"As you wish" Sofia said. "This is Corinthia Castle".
At Corinthia Castle, it was a bright late spring morning. An eight-year-old Princess Cleo emerged from the castle, followed by her mother, Queen Katherine. Cleo was wearing a Buttercup scout uniform, and Queen Katherine was wearing a Buttercup troop leader uniform.
"What is going on?" Courtney asked, taken off guard at the sight.
"Surprised that pure born royalty are Buttercups?" Sofia asked, once again amused.
Queen Katherine put her arm around Cleo's shoulder. "This is going to be a fun day" Katherine smiled.
"I so love being a Buttercup, Mom" Cleo smiled. "And I love these nature walks".
At that point, Katherine's Buttercup troop arrived - girls from the local village.
"Good morning, girls" Katherine greeted the girls with a smile.
"Good morning, Queen Katherine" the girls smiled back.
"Let's say we start our nature hike through the Arella Forest" Katherine smiled.
The Buttercup scouts, including Cleo, formed a line and then started marching behind Queen Katherine. As they marched, they started singing the Buttercup song.
"Buttercups Buttercups make some room! Buttercups Buttercups watch us bloom!" the Buttercup scouts started. "Look at me I'm a Buttercup! I may be young but I'm growin' up! Make some room and watch us bloom! Look at me hike through the trees! I learn to do new things with ease! Here I go so watch me grow! ..."
Throughout the nature hike, the Buttercup scouts had fun doing various projects and earning badges in the process. Cleo was just one of the girls and enjoyed every moment of it. Katherine, every time a Buttercup scout would earn a badge, would hug the scout in question with a motherly pride.
"See" Sofia said to Courtney, "you can be royal without being stuffy".
"Okay, I get the point" Courtney admitted grudgingly.
"Take my hand" Sofia said. "I have one other thing to show you before we part company".
Sofia and Courtney soon appeared in a school yard. A small group of girls were surrounding a twelve-year-old girl. The twelve-year-old girl was Dawn.
"You little freak!" one of the girls shouted at Dawn.
"Who would want you around?" another girl shouted at Dawn.
"Loser!" still another girl shouted at Dawn.
Dawn managed to run away while the small group of girls laughed.
"Dawn never said a word about being bullied!" Courtney exclaimed. "I can't be held responsible for something I didn't know!"
"Did you ever try to find out about her past?" Sofia asked. "The answer to that is, sadly, no".
Sofia took Courtney's hand again. Before Courtney knew it, she was back in her bedroom. Sofia was nowhere to be seen.
The Princess of Christmas Present
Courtney was in her bed when the clock in her bedroom struck one in the morning. Suddenly, a bright light lit up the room. As Courtney rose from her bed, the bright light disappeared.
"Is anybody there?" Courtney asked.
"Oh, yes" Lucinda said as she walked up to Courtney's bedside.
"I take it your the Princess of Christmas Present?" Courtney asked.
"That would be correct" Lucinda answered. "I'm Princess Lucinda of Enchancia. Take my hand".
Courtney got up from her bed and took Lucinda's hand. The two disappeared from Courtney's bedroom, and quickly reappeared in the dining room of Lavoria Castle. In the dining room, it was Christmas morning, where King Lars, Dawn, Queen Jenna, and a future Courtney were having a Christmas breakfast. As they were having their Christmas breakfast, they were exchanging gifts.
The future Courtney handed Dawn a wrapped present, trying to fake being nice. Dawn unwrapped the package, and discovered a gold goblet.
"Thank you, Courtney" Dawn smiled as she handed the future Courtney a wrapped package.
The future Courtney opened the package to find a variety of colorful hair ribbons.
"Why, thank you" Courtney said in a stuffy way. "How quaint".
Dawn could see that the future Courtney wasn't exactly thrilled with the gift, but kept quiet, not wanting to spoil Christmas for everybody else. Inside, however, Dawn's heart was broken.
"Your future self could have been more gracious" Lucinda pointed out to Courtney. "It's the thought that counts, after all".
"Hair ribbons?" Courtney commented to Lucinda. "How common!"
"Sorry we commoners are so common" Lucinda said in disgust. "We tend to think of practical things over everything else".
Lucinda then took Courtney's hand, and the two suddenly appeared in Dawn's bedroom a few hours later. In a few moments, Dawn entered the room and closed the door behind her. After laying down her Christmas presents, Dawn picked up the gold goblet she had received from the future Courtney.
"Courtney will never accept me" Dawn sadly said to herself. As the moments passed, Dawn's sadness turned to anger. Dawn then threw the gold goblet on the floor.
"What is she doing?!" Courtney exclaimed. "That's a pure gold goblet!".
"Dawn has been kicked a lot" Lucinda sadly said. "What happened in the dining room was one kick too many".
Dawn looked at the gold cup on the floor. "I don't need you, Courtney! I've been alone before. I can be alone again. It's not like I haven't had plenty of practice!" Dawn then walked over to her bed. "You can shove it, Courtney!" Dawn sobbed as she threw herself on the bed.
Courtney stared at the scene in shock, then started to walk over to Dawn's bed, but then stopped and turned back to Lucinda.
"Get me out of here" Courtney said.
"Whatever" Lucinda sighed.
Lucinda took Courtney's hand. Before Courtney knew it, she was one again back in her bedroom, and Lucinda was nowhere to be seen.
The Princess of Christmas Future
Courtney was once again in her bed when the clock in her bedroom struck two in the morning. As when Sofia and Lucinda arrived, a bright light once again lit up the room. As Courtney rose from her bed, the bright light disappeared, and Amber walked over to Courtney's bed.
"I suppose your the Princess of Christmas Future?" Courtney asked Amber.
"Yes, I am" Amber replied. "I'm Princess Amber of Enchancia. Now get out of bed, and take my hand. We have some things to see".
"Why were you sent to me?" Courtney asked. "I would have thought you above everybody else would realize what it means to be royal".
"How well you don't know me" Amber commented. "I use to be a lot like you in my younger days - so stuck up. Then, one day, I took a long look in the mirror, and I didn't like what was staring back at me. So, I changed, for the better. I can only hope you'll change too, before it's too late".
With that, Amber took Courtney's hand, and the two soon appeared in a cemetery a few years in the future. Standing at a grave marker was King Lars, and Queen Jenna.
"I can't believe it was a year ago that Dawn died" Jenna sadly remarked.
"What?!" Courtney exclaimed.
"Dawn died from a virus" Amber started. "At least, that was the medical finding".
"Explain yourself!" Courtney demanded.
"The virus is what killed her, but she never fought it. She just let herself die" Amber sadly said. "It's said she died of a broken heart".
"I tried my best to make Dawn feel welcomed. I should have done more" Lars sadly commented as he burst into tears.
"It wasn't your fault, Lars" Jenna gently said. "You were a good father to Dawn".
"Not good enough" Lars said. "I should have kept Courtney under tighter control. And now Dawn is dead".
"This isn't real!" Courtney snapped.
"Their grief is real" Amber sadly commented.
"I couldn't have foreseen this happening!" Courtney exclaimed.
"Everything in life is cause and effect" Amber started. "And you were certainly no stranger to the cause".
Amber and Courtney looked at Jenna and Lars, sobbing as they walked away from Dawn's grave.
"What have I done?" Courtney asked herself in shock.
Amber looked at Courtney, surprised at Courtney's change of heart.
"Can this be changed?" Courtney asked, hopefully.
"That's not for me to say" Amber answered. "Take my hand. We have another place to visit".
Courtney took Amber's hand, and soon the two found themselves in another cemetery many years in the future.
"Do you see anything out of place?" Amber asked Courtney.
Courtney looked around, then answered. "That grave marker" Courtney started. "It looks new, but the grave is not tended to."
"Nobody visits that grave" Amber remarked.
"Nobody?" Courtney asked.
"Nobody" Amber answered. "Not ever".
"To lay in a grave, unloved and unremembered. It's as if the life had not been lived" Courtney remarked.
"That is the only true death" Amber said.
"Who is the unfortunate person?" Courtney asked.
"Why not see for yourself?" Amber suggested.
Courtney went over to the grave marker, and brushed back the leaves and twigs that had covered it.
"Oh, no!" Courtney exclaimed.
The grave marker read Princess Courtney of Lavoria.
Courtney slowly dropped down to the ground in grief. "Please tell me this can change?" Courtney pleaded, with tears in her eyes. "I don't want to lay in a grave, unloved and unremembered, forever. Please tell me this can change?"
"That's not for me to say" Amber answered.
"I'm willing to make a change" Courtney sobbed. "Tell me this can change".
"It's time to go" Amber said. "You have seen the future".
"I'm willing to make a change" Courtney sobbed.
Christmas morning
Courtney woke up in her bedroom at Lavoria Castle. She noticed that the time was seven in the morning. "What day is this?" Courtney asked herself. Courtney then walked over to the door of her bedroom, and opened it. Looking out into the hallway, Courtney saw one of the castle maids starting her duties for the day.
"May I help you, Princess Courtney?" the maid asked.
"I realize this is going to sound strange" Courtney started, "but what day is this?"
"It's Christmas day, Princess" the maid answered.
"Wonderful!" Courtney said with glee. "The Princesses did it in one night!"
"Are you alright, Princess?" the maid asked.
"Never better" Courtney smiled. "Happy Christmas".
"Happy Christmas to you as well, Princess" the maid smiled.
Courtney went back into her bedroom, then took out a sheet of paper, a pen, and ink. Before long, she started writing. When she finished, she looked at what she had written. "Perfect" Courtney smiled.
An hour later, in the Lavoria Castle dining room, it was time for the Christmas breakfast. King Lars, Dawn, and Queen Jenna were seated at the table.
"I wonder where Courtney is?" Lars asked.
At that moment, Courtney walked in.
"I'm sorry I'm late" Courtney said. "I had a last minute Christmas gift to take care of".
"Well then, have a seat" Lars said.
"There's something I need to do first, Father" Courtney said as she walked over to Dawn.
Dawn tensed up, not knowing what to expect from Courtney.
"Don't be afraid, Dawn" Courtney smiled. "I've come to my senses. I'm so sorry I've treated you the way I have. I'm not asking for your forgiveness, because I don't deserve it. But I can start making things better". Courtney then handed Dawn an envelope. "This is a special Christmas gift for you, Dawn. Consider this a down payment for the future".
Dawn opened the envelope. It contained the following, written in Courtney's hand:
My dearest Dawn
Consider this a contract. I promise you from this point forward, I will try to be the best sister I can possibly be to you. I promise to stand with you through good times and bad. I promise to look after you, and protect you from anybody who would do you any harm. And I promise you that I will love you as a sister should.
I have come to my senses, and things will change for the better from this point forward. There will be no more anger on my part, just love, the way it should be.
Your sister, Courtney.
Dawn got up from her chair with tears of happiness in her eyes. Dawn and Courtney then hugged for the longest time as King Lars and Queen Jenna smiled at the miracle unfolding before them.
"I have another gift for you" Courtney smiled at Dawn.
Dawn unwrapped the gift, and found a gold goblet. "Thank you, Courtney" Dawn smiled. "I'll treasure it always. And I have something for you, too". Dawn then handed Courtney a small wrapped package.
Courtney opened the wrapped package, and discovered a variety of colorful hair ribbons. "Thank you, Dawn" Courtney smiled. "I love these".
In one corner of the room, unseen to everybody in the room, was Tess, Sofia, Lucinda, and Amber.
"You did good, my three precious Princesses" Tess smiled at Sofia, Lucinda, and Amber. "You can be very proud of yourselves".
"It was a pleasure to help" Sofia smiled.
"It's wonderful to see them happy" Lucinda smiled.
"Bless them" Amber smiled.
"Well, time to send the three of you back to Enchancia Castle" Tess smiled.
"Happy Christmas, Tess" Sofia smiled.
"Have a good Christmas, Tess" Lucinda smiled.
"Merry Christmas, Tess" Amber smiled.
"Have yourselves a wonderful Christmas" Tess smiled back.
Sofia, Lucinda, and Amber then disappeared, having been sent back to Enchancia Castle. Tess remained for a few moments, then disappeared herself.
As the years passed, Courtney was true to her word, and became a fine sister to Dawn. The two lived a long and happy life.
Background notes
Tess the angel is from "Touched By An Angel".
To find out more about Lucinda's encounter with an angel when she was a child, please see my story "An Act of Kindness".