Chapter 3: Wassailia
After baking and selling enough bread for a day, Birk Balthazar decided it was time to buy a Wassailia gift for Princess Sofia. As he walked around, he noticed everyone around him was wearing way more winter gear than him. 'Being from Friezenburg has advantages.' He thought. As he approached a shop, he saw Sofia coming from the other direction. "Hi, Sofia."
"Hi, Papa." She happily replied. "How're you?"
"I'm fine, Sofia." He answered. "And you?"
"Me too, Papa." Sofia replied.
"So, what brings you so far from the castle?" He curiously asked.
"I'm buying Wassailia gifts, Papa." She explained.
"Me too, Sofia." He said. "Where are you going?"
"I'm going there, Papa." She answered while pointing at the shop Birk was approaching. He couldn't help but notice how she didn't seem to need more winter gear than he did. He's impressed she took that after him in spite of not being raised in Friezenberg.
"In that case, I'm going somewhere else so I won't spoil your surprise, Sofia." Birk commented. "Goodbye and Happy Wassailia."
"Happy Wassailia, Papa." She replied and the two went their respective ways. Sofia was secretly feeling bad about herself. It's her first Wassailia with her birth father back in her life she didn't even think about getting him a present until she chanced upon him. After buying everything she intended to, she returned to the castle.
"Sofia, what's wrong?" Queen Miranda asked upon noticing a hint of sadness on Sofia's face.
"I met Papa." She answered.
"What did he do?" King Roland the Second asked out of worry. The more he'd like to have a good reason to hate his wife's former husband and exclude him from their lives, he placed Sofia's well-being above that.
"It's not what he did, Dad." Sofia said and then explained what worried her. "I tried to think of something to give him but…"
"It turns out you still don't know him well enough to know what he'd like." Miranda suggested.
"That's right, Mom." Sofia was relieved her mother figured it out. "Do you have any ideas?"
"Give him a tie, Sofia." Miranda advised her daughter. "It's a good gift and I'm sure he'll appreciate it."
"Okay, Mom." Sofia was glad for the advice.
As Wassailia night approached, the Royal Family and Birk Balthazar were at the castle enjoying the party. "Happy Wassailia, Sofia." Birk said while handing her a small package. Sofia opened it and found a bracelet. "Oh, thank you, Papa!"
"You're welcome, Sofia."
"Here's my Wassailia gift for you, Papa." Sofia gave him a tie and he liked it. "Thank you, Sofia." He said and then put on the tie.
After dinner, Baileywick brings desserts including four breads baked by Birk. "Cool!" Sofia adored the amulet-shaped bread while Princess Amber went for the tiara-shaped one and Prince James went for the cannon-shaped one. "Boom goes the cannon!" James shouted while pointing his bread to Amber."
"James, don't play with your food." Miranda mock-scolded her stepson.
"Sorry, Mom." James replied and then turned his attention to his twin. "Amber, will you eat your bread or wear it?"
"Very funny, James." She sarcastically replied and then ate her bread. "What about the fruitcake?"
"It's a basic holiday food and it befits my job since it's a cake or bread depending on where you come from, Princess Amber." Birk explained.
"Cake or bread?" James asked in confusion.
"Fruitcakes are from a land where they're known by a name that translates as 'Tony's bread' after their inventor, James." Miranda explained.
After that lesson, they ate their desserts.
End chapter. Happy Wassailia or whatever holiday you celebrate instead of it.