James was just finishing up cleaning Buddy's mud trail when he saw Roland coming up to him. "Dad, I can explain..." he started.
"No need," Roland chuckled, mussing his hair, "I've seen you do that following Rex's adventures before, and so it's only natural that Buddy would do the same thing."
"He's just sad that Sof can't play with him," James explained, "Amber and I found him in her room, and she's keeping him company. We're going to make him a doll that looks like her so next time she has to have a long lesson with Cedric, Buddy can still have something that reminds him of her."
"Isn't that sweet of you?" Roland smiled, imagining the scene in his head.
"You're imagining Buddy carrying the Sofia doll in his mouth, aren't you?" James guessed with a chuckle.
"Oh, yes," Roland smiled, "And do you remember working on that little monkey doll after you had your tonsils removed? You showed Rex what you were doing, and he thought it was something for him to play with! He grabbed that too! Everyone thought it was so funny watching you chase Rex and whisper for him to come back. But fortunately, no real harm had been done."
Meanwhile, Amber came up with her own idea to keep Buddy occupied, even though she'd normally never do anything like it. She led him to her room. "Come on, Buddy. I've got a new lesson for you," she spread out a little blanket on the floor and got out her tea set. "Would you like to have a tea party with me, Buddy?"
Buddy barked happily. "I've never played tea party! What do we do?" He had just finished the question when he remembered that Amber couldn't speak puppy like Sofia could, but he also knew that she and James could usually guess at what he was saying.
"The next time Sofia takes you to school, you can surprise everyone with your good manners," Amber smiled.
Buddy gave her a noise of confusion, sniffing the tea set. It wasn't a threat, so he could trust it for the time being.
"Oh you want water?" Amber asked, stroking his fur.
Buddy barked happily, curling up next to the tea set.
Amber smiled as she gave him a bowl of water. She passed him a puppy biscuit and nodded when he gave her a little yip. "Good job, Buddy!" she smiled, pretending that he'd said 'thank you'.
"I'll show Sofia how good my manners are, Amber, you'll see!" Buddy smiled, carefully lapping up some water.
"Miranda, look at this," Roland whispered as he watched her.
"Isn't that adorable?" Miranda smiled.
"Amber used to do the same thing with Rex when she was younger," Roland smiled. "Although Buddy is much calmer than Rex was."
"That's because we trained him well," Amber smiled, scratching Buddy behind the ears.
Buddy yelped happily, sniffling Miranda's hand as she and Roland came into Amber's room before whining at the smell.
"You miss Sofia, don't you?" Miranda cooed softly, taking Buddy in her arms.
"Everything's going to be all right, Buddy," Roland assured him, scratching his ears. "I remember when Rex was your age. He hated being separated from James too."
"What happened?" Miranda asked.
"Rex would be sad that James was at school," Roland remembered. "He'd sniff around the castle, going into some of the rooms looking for something that smelled like James, or he'd curl up at my feet as I was working in my study." He smiled as he remembered sometimes finding Rex under his desk, and scratched his ears as he continued, "But I hear that James is going to make you a doll that looks like Sofia so you'll have something that reminds you of her."
Buddy licked his hand. He knew the doll wouldn't be exactly the same as having Sofia with him, but he understood that the family was trying to help him.
"We'll let you finish your tea party," Miranda smiled, putting Buddy down.
"But no more tracking mud into the castle!" Roland gently scolded as Buddy noticed the open door.
"I think James got it all," Amber smiled as they left. "He's always pretty fast when cleaning up after Rex, but at least Buddy didn't track a whole lot of mud in the castle."
"It took a little while, but all the mud's cleaned up," James added. "Now Buddy, how would you like to see the doll I'm making? It looks just like Sofia!"
Buddy gave a happy little yip, did his bowing trick for Amber, and followed James out of the room.
Amber shook her head playfully, smiling to herself as she started to put away her tea set.
Buddy cuddled with Sir Blaze-a-Lot as he watched James get out the doll he was making. He couldn't stop staring at the doll, barking happily as Buddy soon found himself tugging on the doll's leg.
"Hold on, Buddy, you'll get to chew her in a little bit," James smirked as he gently wrestled her away, "Just do what I saw you doing with Amber and try to show a little patience."
Buddy whined a little, licking Sir Blaze-a-Lot's head, wondering, "Patient? How can I be patient when I miss Sofia?"
"I know what you're thinking, Buddy, but I promise everything's going to be fine," James smiled as he finished the doll. "Now all I have to do is borrow one of Amber's old doll dresses, and your Sofia doll will be all ready for you! And don't worry; Amber has so many doll dresses, but it shouldn't take her long to find one for your new friend."
Buddy whined again, finding himself chewing on Sir Blaze-a-Lot's head.
He couldn't help it. Sofia was gone, his best friend was asleep, and James wanted him to be patient.
James came back a minute later with a small purple dress in his hand. "Buddy, what do you think of...Buddy! No!"
Buddy looked up when he heard James' cry of dismay. "Uh oh..." he whimpered, seeing one of Sir Blaze-a-Lot's wings in his teeth, and the little dragon on the floor.
"It's okay, Buddy; Violet and I can fix him," James said as he picked the dragon and his wing up. "Rex did this when he was young too."
Hearing James' shout, Roland, Miranda, and Amber ran up. "James, what-" Roland started, then he knew what had happened. "Let me guess, Buddy vanquished his first dragon?" He put an arm around James. "Don't worry, James, I know you and Violet can fix him."
"Buddy, Sir Blaze-a-Lot is a friend, not food!" Amber scolded.
Buddy whined sadly as he lowered his head close to his paws.
He didn't mean to hurt James' dragon. He missed Sofia badly, letting out a small howl.
"It's okay, Buddy, like we said, Rex did the same thing with my toys, and he used to get into Amber's doll clothes all the time," James smiled as he scratched Buddy's head and remembered Rex with a doll dress on his nose.
"I'm sorry, James," Buddy whimpered, though he knew James couldn't understand him like Sofia could.
"Anyway, Buddy, I found this doll dress Amber doesn't use anymore, so I thought I'd put it on your doll," James continued, slipping the dress over the doll's head. "What do you think? Does this look more like Sofia?"
Buddy barked happily, seeing the tiny version of his best friend in James' hand. He licked the doll and jumped on James' lap, knocking him onto the bed as he started licking him.
"He forgives you," Amber smirked, stroking Buddy behind the ears. "Do you promise no more mischief?"
"I thought I was supposed to do that," Buddy barked happily, though he knew that she couldn't understand him, licking her hand.
"I'll take that as a yes," Amber smiled. She mussed James' hair as he tried to sit up and Buddy licked him again.
"You want your doll Buddy?" James asked with a laugh, holding it up in the air.
Buddy yelped happily, trying to claim the toy as his own.
"Okay! Here you go, Buddy!" James grinned, putting the Sofia doll next to him.
Buddy barked happily. "Thank you!" He knew James couldn't understand him, but James could tell he was happy with his new friend. He sniffed Sir Blaze-a-Lot and licked him. "But what about your dragon?"
"I'm glad you like your new friend, Buddy, but don't worry about Sir Blaze-a-Lot," James assured him, "When Sofia's done with her lesson, I'll take him to Violet and we'll fix him. But for now, we'll put him and his wing on my pillow and let him rest."
Buddy didn't understand that. Whenever Sofia got hurt, she usually had a bandage on her arm or leg, never requiring a bed.
But he wasn't confused for long, putting the head of the doll version of his best friend in his mouth.
"Buddy, I looked at the clock before I heard James," Amber said as she scratched his ears, "Sofia will be done with her lesson in about half an hour. If you want, we could have another tea party. We'll also invite your new friend to join us."
"That's a brilliant idea, Amber," James agreed. "But why don't I take Buddy outside and let him do his business first?"
"Good idea," Amber agreed.
After Buddy had done his business outside and gotten comments from the maids about his new friend, he carefully carried her in his mouth to Amber's room.
The doll couldn't respond but if she had anything to say, it would be "thank you" for being made and for cheering Buddy up.
James and Buddy met Amber in her room a few minutes later. "Room for two more at your tea party, Amber?" James smiled.
"Of course," Amber smiled, "Buddy was with me earlier and I taught him a few manners."
"Really?" James smirked. "This I want to see!"
"We'll show him, won't we, Buddy?" Amber grinned, scratching Buddy behind the ears.
Buddy yipped excitedly, eager to show James what Amber had taught him.
"Alright then show me," James smirked, taking the Sofia doll out of Buddy's mouth.
Buddy yipped, noticing his water bowl and another puppy biscuit as he gently lapped the water.
"Well didn't Sofia say that he needed social graces?" Amber asked with a smile.
"Yes, but when he starts asking you to pass the cookies, I'll know you've trained him really well," James smirked.
As if that was his cue, Buddy wagged his tail at Amber while looking at a plate of puppy biscuits and cookies, and gave a soft bark.
Amber smiled. "Good boy! Here you go, Buddy!" she said as she passed him a puppy biscuit.
James smirked as he scratched Buddy's ears. "Okay, smart guy, now let's see you pour a cup of tea and make tea party conversations!"
Buddy whined in confusion, not understanding what James talking about before taking the Sofia doll in his mouth.
"Oh, you want her to join you?" James smirked, stroking his fur. "Can't you wait for the real Sof?"
Buddy growled playfully, putting down the Sofia doll as he spotted one of Amber's on the floor.
"Didn't Sof put her away last night after she played with her?" James asked, watching Buddy nibble at the doll.
"Actually, James, I got her out again so I could teach Buddy how to make polite conversations," Amber explained, "I know he can't talk, but I know that's part of what happens at tea parties."
"Okay," James agreed. "And at least Buddy's getting better when it comes to tea lessons."
"Yeah," Amber nodded. "Remember when Sofia tried to pour the tea when she first brought Buddy to school?"
"Oh yeah," James smirked. "Buddy did pretty well until Sofia got up for her turn. I know he was trying to help her when she started pouring the tea, but when he barked, she was startled, and the tea spilled on the floor. But at least Buddy was there to clean it up, and Sofia got to try again!"
They couldn't help but laugh as Buddy sniffed the doll and barked at it, trying to make conversation with it.
It soon turned into frustration for the puppy who began to show his mischief side by picking up the doll and shaking her.
"Buddy, put her down," Amber said gently but firmly. "That's not how you treat guests at a tea party."
Dropping the doll, Buddy backed into James. "It's okay, Buddy, but Amber's right. You did really well until just now," he assured him, scratching his ears.
"The next time Sofia has a long lesson with Cedric, I'll give you some more lessons on manners," Amber agreed. "I'll even get some of my older dolls out so you can chew them."