Chapter 2

In the dining room

Sofia and Lucinda were sitting at the table in the dining room, trying to figure out what forks they should use, when Roland looked at them.

"Sofia, Lucinda" Roland said.

Sofia and Lucinda got nervous and dropped their forks.

"Yes, your majesty" Sofia said.

"Sir" Lucinda responded.

"Call me Roland" Roland started. "Or, you! with the crown!. Or ... Dad".

Sofia and Lucinda smiled.

"It's a tradition to provide an official welcome to every new member of the royal family" Roland started. "For your mother, it was the wedding. But for the two of you we will be throwing a royal ball in your honor at week's end".

"Brilliant!" James said with a smile as he had some food in his mouth.

"James, manners" Baileywick admonished.

"Sorry" James responded.

"A ball, just for us?" Sofia asked.

"Father, why didn't I get a ball?" Amber asked.

"You did" Roland answered, "when you and James were born".

"You don't remember?" James teased Amber.

"Sofia, Lucinda - it will be your royal debut" Roland smiled. "The three of us will dance the first waltz".

"We have to dance?!" Sofia and Lucinda exclaimed, unsure of themselves.

"What better way to announce to the Tri-Kingdom area that our two new princesses have arrived" Roland smiled.

"Father?" Madeline asked. "Why didn't I get a royal ball?"

Roland looked at Madeline for a moment. It was a question he wasn't looking forward to answering. He knew that if he told Madeline that her birth mother had not wanted another child beyond Amber and James, it would break Madeline's heart. It was then that Roland decided to make up something in order to spare Madeline's feelings.

"Well, Madeline" Roland started. "A lot was going on in the kingdom at the time you were born, and it was decided that we'd throw your ball when you got older".

Upon hearing this, Sofia and Lucinda started whispering to each other. In a few moments, they turned to Roland.

"Your majesty" Sofia started. "If you don't mind, Lucinda and I would like our ball to be Madeline's ball as well".

"Oh, my girls" Miranda smiled. "That's so sweet".

"That sounds like a wonderful idea" Roland smiled. "Consider it done".

Madeline smiled at Roland, Sofia, and Lucinda.

"I look forward to dancing the first waltz with the three of you" Roland smiled.

Sofia and Lucinda looked a bit nervous - neither of them knew how to dance.

New bedrooms

Baileywick led Sofia and Lucinda to their bedrooms in the castle.

"Which one of you would like to go first?" Baileywick asked.

"Let's see Sofia's bedroom" Lucinda piped up.

Baileywick led the two girls into a good sized room.

"This is my room?" Sofia asked in amazement.

"No, sweetie" Baileywick said as he opened another door. "This is your room".

"Wow!" Sofia exclaimed. "It's so huge!".

"Seems like your standard princess suite to me" Baileywick started. "You've got your canopy bed, window seat, playing area, reading nook, and your walk-in closet where you'll find all your gowns and royal accessories".

"Wow!" Sofia again exclaimed.

Baileywick then walked over to a door near the canopy bed, and opened it.

"Since the two of you are sisters, it was decided to give the two of you adjoining rooms" Baileywick said. "This is your room, Princess Lucinda".

Lucinda walked through the door as Sofia and Baileywick followed. It was just like Sofia's room, except where Sofia's room had pink panels, Lucinda's room had lavender panels.

"Again, this is your standard princess suite" Baileywick started. "You have your canopy bed, window seat, playing area, reading nook, and your walk-in closet where you'll find all your gowns and royal accessories. And that door leads to the hallway".

"Oh, my!" Lucinda exclaimed in awe.

Lucinda, Sofia, and Baileywick then walked back into Sofia's room.

"Each of your rooms has a bell" Baileywick showed the two. "If either of you need anything, at any time, just ring your bell". Baileywick then pulled on a cord which rang Sofia's bell.

In a few moments, Violet the maid raced into the room. "Yes, miladies?" Violet asked. "You rang?"

"Do either of you need anything?" Baileywick asked Sofia and Lucinda.

"We don't know" Sofia shrugged.

"Do we?" Lucinda asked.

"Well, when you know what you need, you know what to do" Baileywick said. He and Violet then started walking from Sofia's room, heading toward the hall. "Good night, princesses" Baileywick said as he and Violet bowed. Baileywick then closed the door to Sofia's bedroom.

"Good night" Sofia and Lucinda said. The two then looked around Sofia's room.

"This is a lot to take in" Sofia said.

"Tell me about it" Lucinda replied.

The two then started singing.

(Sofia) "Everything seems crazy big, and we're feeling unsteady".

(Lucinda) "Mom says we'll be just fine, but we don't think we're ready".

(Sofia) "New school, new friends, new family. And a ball where they expect to us to dance".

(Lucinda) "We're just two little girls from a small, small town. In this world, we don't stand a chance".

(Both) "We're not ready to be princesses. We don't have what it takes. We're too short for gowns, we look bad in crowns, and we're gonna make so many mistakes. We're too average to be princesses. We respectfully refuse. We don't know the rules, we don't want the jewels, and these feet were made for more comfortable shoes".

(Sofia) "Shelves bursting with trinkets that we're afraid to touch. Fancy toys and ginormous pillows, It's all so much, too much" .

(Both) "Too much!".

Both then start walking down a hall.

(Both) "We're not ready to be princesses. One look, and that seems clear. Cancel our debut, keep your royal crew. and if we ever find mom's room, we're outta here!".

(Sofia) "Sofia ... not a noble name".

(Lucinda) "Lucinda ... not a royal name".

(Both) "We're not ready, to be princesses".

From behind Sofia and Lucinda, a door opened. Standing in the door was Miranda.

"Sofia? Lucinda?" Miranda asked.

"Mom!" Sofia and Lucinda exclaimed as they ran toward Miranda. Miranda then hugged the two.

Being comforted

Miranda led the two into the room, and the three of them sat down on a couch.

"What's wrong, my precious ones?" Miranda asked.

"Things are going too fast for us, Mom" Sofia said.

"And we don't know how to dance" Lucinda added.

"What if we mess up on the dance floor, and everybody laughs?" Sofia asked, concerned

"Nobody laughs at princesses" Miranda reassured her two daughters. "Just try your best, you two. And if it isn't good enough for all of those stuffy dukes and duchesses, then that's their problem. Mmm-hmm?".

Roland then walked up to Sofia and Lucinda. "Sofia, Lucinda" Roland started. "I have something for each of you - a welcome to the family gift". Roland then brought out two beautiful amulets: one purple, and one dark blue. Sofia and Lucinda gasped.

Roland put the purple one around Sofia's neck, and the dark blue one around Lucinda's neck.

"Their beautiful" Sofia smiled.

"Thank you" Lucinda smiled.

"These are two very special amulets" Roland said. "You must promise to never take them off. That way, you won't loose them".

"We promise" Sofia and Lucinda said.

"Now, you two had better run off to bed" Roland smiled. "You have princess school tomorrow".

"Princess school?" Sofia asked.

"Royal Prep" Roland answered, "where all the princes and princesses from every kingdom go to learn our royal ways, including everything you need to know for the royal ball, which I'm very much looking forward to".

Roland stopped for a moment, then continued. "The two of you will also be taking special classes to help you improve your magical skills".

Sofia and Lucinda looked at Miranda.

"It's okay, you two" Miranda reassured them. "Rollie knows everything. He knows your a witch, Lucinda. And he also knows that we discovered you have magical abilities as well, Sofia".

"I'm very proud to have the two of you as daughters" Roland smiled at Sofia and Lucinda. "And I look forward to seeing the two of you reach your magical potential".

"Thank you" Sofia and Lucinda smiled.

"You two had better get to bed now" Miranda smiled. "Good night".

"Good night" Sofia and Lucinda smiled back.

Once Sofia and Lucinda left the room, Roland turned to Miranda.

"It's going to be alright, Miranda" Roland started. "As I told you earlier, the amulets I just gave them are magical, and will protect them from harm - especially if Neila shows up one day".

"That's good to know, Rollie" Miranda said, relieved. "And thank you for telling me about Madeline. How can a mother just pack up and leave her little girl? I would never leave my children, even if another child came into the picture".

"That's a question I've asked myself a lot" Roland replied. "To be fair, Janice did get into a terrible depression after Madeline's birth, and the depression overwhelmed her. It came to a point where it was the children or her sanity. That doesn't make it fair by any means, but Janice and I getting a divorce and going our separate ways, with me having custody of the children, seemed to be the only way to go".

"I'm sorry, Rollie" Miranda said in a comforting manner. "It must have been very hard on you and the children".

"Amber and James were old enough to understand what was going on, and they were devastated" Roland said. "As for Madeline, she had just been born, and Janice left before Madeline was able to know Janice".

"So, Madeline has never really had a mother figure in her life?" Miranda asked.

"No" Roland sadly answered.

"Well, that changes now" Miranda said, determined. "If Madeline will have me, I'll be a mother to her".

Going to bed

As Sofia and Lucinda approached their bedrooms, eight-year-old Madeline was waiting for them.

"You two settling in okay?" Madeline asked with a smile.

"Yes, thank you" Lucinda smiled.

"Ooh! The two of you have amulets" Madeline observed. "I have one too. Your gonna love them". Madeline stopped at that point. Madeline knew that their three amulets were magical, but she wanted to give Sofia and Lucinda the pleasure of discovering that on their own.

"I'm glad the two of you are part of the family" Madeline started up. "It will be nice having two girls my age here. Amber and James are okay, but their teenagers - it's not like I can play with them".

"Well, consider yourself to have two play mates now" Sofia smiled.

Madeline, Sofia, and Lucinda then hugged.

"James and Amber's rooms are down the hall" Madeline said. "And if you need anything, my room is right across the hall".

"Thank you, Princess Madeline" Lucinda smiled.

"We're family" Madeline started with a smile. "It's just Madeline to the two of you".

"Thank you, Madeline" Sofia smiled.

"See you at Royal Prep tomorrow" Madeline smiled at Sofia and Lucinda. "Our carriage leaves for school after breakfast".

The three then went into their bedrooms for the night. In Sofia's bedroom, the door leading to Lucinda's bedroom opened.

"Lucinda?" Sofia asked.

"I was wondering?" Lucinda started. "Could I ... spend the night with you?"

"Of course" Sofia smiled. "It's a huge bed, and their's plenty of room for the two of us".

"Thank you, Sofia" Lucinda smiled gratefully.

"Anytime" Sofia smiled.