Chapter 8

Hi to all my readers, I am back with another chapter. I am sorry that it has taken so long for this update to take place, but my laptop died a couple of weeks back and I've only just figured out how to upload chapters from my phone. If there are spelling errors ect I apologise, it's very hard to write all this out on a phone.

I hope to update again soon, but we will have to see if I can find an easier way to type out the story and upload.

In response to a review I was left (sorry I have forgotten your name) my answer is this. The movie IS taking place, but to Josie, not Sofia (for reasons that will be clearer later on) so no, James has only done the swing trick to Josie, and not to Sofia. I hope this explains it.

The song 'A Little Bit Of Food' is not owned by me, all rights and credits go to those who wrote this and made the show

Alright, enough of my raving on, enjoy the update and be sure to drop me a review if you liked it!


Clover and What-Not were sitting on the end of Josie's bed the next morning when Mia and Robin flew in through the window. Sofia had stayed the night over at her friends castle and the servants had been told to let Josie sleep in, so the animals had had a rather easy morning, but they could see that it was getting late.

"Well should we wake her up?" Robin asked as she landed next to Clover, then looked at the girl with her head cocked to one side. The girl was still sleeping soundly, or so it seemed.

"Are you kidding?" Colver asked the bird, wondering why on earth she had even suggested that. "The girl screamed like a banshee yesterday, and I have sensitive ears."

"I'm not going to scream." Josie said groggily as she yawned, then rubbed her eyes.

"That's a relief."

"Sorry about yesterday, I wasn't wearing my amulet." She apologized to the rabbit. "But I making sure to wear it every night now."

"You can understand us?" Mia asked as she almost fell off her perch in surprise, wondering if she was going crazy. "You can hear us?"

"Well, you can talk, can't you?"

"Ah, can we stop talking is a better question." Robin added as she got over her scare. "So, what are we dealing with here, some type of magic spell or something?"

"Its my amulet." She chuckled, pulling it out of her nightgown to show the two birds, and the squirrel that were with the rabbit. "It lets me talk to animals. I thought Clover would have told you guys I could hear you."

"Well." Mia looked over at Clover. "He didn't."

"Sorry Mia." Clover giggled. "It was more fun to see the reaction you guys just gave then to outright tell you."

"Gee, Thanks Clover." Robin rolled her eyes. "You could have saved us the fright we just received."

"Oh, I agree with Clover." Josie looked at the bunny fondly as he jumped onto her lap. "What's the squirrel's name?"

"What-Not." Mia replied as she rubbed her beak on her wing. "He doesn't talk though."

"That's okay." She patted the squirrel when he ran over to her. "He doesn't have to. So, what are you all doing here anyway?"

"Well, there's a few things that I've been meaning to talk to you about."

"Clover, not now." Robin fluttered down next to him. "She needs to get dress for school."

"Its okay Clover." She picked the rabbit up. "Tell me."

"Woah, woah, woah! You've ever heard of personal space? Put me down!"

"Oh, sorry." The rabbit was returned to his place on the bed as she got out from under the covers and went to the closet to grab her dress. "Yout just so cute and cuddly that I couldn't help it."

"Yeh, well please help it." He wiggled his whiskers and smoothed down the fur the girl had ruffled. "Okay, now why do you think us woodland creatures have been helping you princesses for all these years?"

"I don't know." Josie replied as she pulled her dress out of the closet, the two birds grabbing the sheet off the bed and holding it up for her so that she could change behind it. "Tell me."

"Cause, we gotta eat." He hopped down onto the footrest beside the bed. "And you've got the food."

"Doesnt Sofia feed you guys?"

"When she's here, but when she's not, we don't get fed" He jumped back onto the bed on top of her school books that were resting at the end, What-Not joining him with a few little chitters and chatters.

We've helped princesses for many eons Clover began to sing, What-Not beside him nodding his agreement. But you treat us all like fury peons.

We make your bed. Both he and What-Not rolled the quilt back where it belonged on the bed, then he kicked her books onto the table that was sitting beside them, the squirrel placing the doll from in between the cushions back onto the desk. Clean up your messes.

Wake you up and put on all your dresses. Robin and Mia sang together as they helped Josie do up her buttons on the back of her blouse

And what's our reward? Clover placed a paw on What-Not as the two of them sat on the books on the table, then spun him around as they began to dance. What thanks do we get?

Not a crumb, not a morsel. He looked at the empty plate that had been hidden under the pillow, grabbing it in his paws. No brie, no baguette.

Did you really think? What-Not jumped down off the bed and grabbed Josie her shoes, then helped Clover put the the rest of the toys back into the chest at the end of the bed. After all these years, when we did your chores, we were volunteers?

A little bit of food is all that we seek. Josie put her shoes on, then began to fill her school bag with her books as the animals continued to sing.

A little bit to eat, fill our tummies. Clover jumped onto the books she was trying to place in her bag. Or our beaks. Mia and Robin sang in unison as they landed on her shoulder.

A little bit too munch, like breakfast, diner, Mia handed it to Clover. Lunch.

A seed or bean or just some rice. Clover, What-Not, Mia and Robin followed Josie out of her room as she headed for the castle door to catch the coach to school. A little bit of food would sure be nice.

It really isn't much. Clover and What-Not ran a couple rings around Josie, then jumped up onto the table they were going past, dusting it down with a cloth that had been left on it. Not to much for us to ask.

After helping you daily with each little task. Grabbing the broom against the wall, they began to sweep the hallway floor as they headed for the stairs. Just a bite or two, such a modest feed.

Even little songbirds, Mia and Robin took the song over as Josie started down the stairs, both of them going on either side of her and lifting her skirt just a little bit so that she didn't trip, While Clover and What-Not took the faster way down by jumping on the hand-rail. Shouldn't sing for free.

Well if food is what you want. Josie joined in on their song as they came to the bottom of the first set of stairs, catching Clover as he jumped off the handrail.

Just a little bit. They pointed out, the two birds hovering just in front of her.

You've come to the right castle. She tipped him gently on the nose, then placed him back onto the ground with a smile. Follow me! Lifting her dress so that she didn't trip, she began to dance along with the animals as she headed towards the kitchen, careful to dodge the couple of servants that were dusting down the coats of armor against the hallway wall.

A little bit too munch, Clover sang as they went down another set of stairs, Josie riding on the railing with them this time. And there's nothing quite like brunch. She jumped off the handrail and trotted over to the kitchen, opening the door for the animals to follow her in . So deliver just a sliver or a slice.

Of whatever tasty treat the royal people eat. Grabbing an empty basket that was on the bench, she began to fill it with some food for the rabbit, squirrel and birds, the woodland creatures helping by throwing in what they wanted off the tables. We'd be glad to make some room.

For a lentil or legume. A bowl of nuts for the birds and What-Not, some salad for Clover and a couple of cookies for herself.

If you want some first-class service, there's a price. Clover and What-Not jumped off the table they had been on, taking the tablecloth with them as they hurried outside after a little bit of food would sure be nice.

Oh a little bit of food. They spread the cloth on the ground, and Josie sat down, beginning to dish up the food that she had grabbed from the kitchen.

A little bit of food. She handed Clover and What-Not a plate each filled with salads

Just a little bit of food. Mia and Robin sang as they were given a bowl filled to the brim with nuts.

Clover wolfed down an entire lettuce leaf in one bite, then raised his paw in a high-five to Josie. Nice!

Josie high-fived Clover with a chuckle, then sighed contentedly. Somehow the animals song had put her into a really good mood, even though she didn't know how they had done it. "That was great guys."

"Mmmhmm." Clover agreed, digging into his salad with gusto. "Glad you liked it."

"I loved it." She corrected him, then grabbed herself a couple of cookies she had gotten out of the kitchen and began to nibble on them, then heard the flying horses at the coach neigh and it brought her back to reality. "Time for school."

"Mhm." The rabbit mumbled, swallowing part of a tomato he had just been eating, the juice running down his fur. "Don't worry about the other kids Josie, you've got to keep your eye on the ball." he picked up an orange and kicked it to her, the girl catching it and placing it in her bag. "And I'm talking about your royal ball honey."

"Your right Clover." She agreed as the bunny jumped onto the basket in front of her, a resolve coming inside her to to do her best no matter what. "I'm going to learn how to be the best princess ever. That will show them." She picked up her bag and turned to go to the waiting coach. "Even if I'm not royal."

"You go princess!" Clover called after her, then settled back down with What-Not and the birds to eat as the girl hopped into the carriage.

Josie chuckled her books down beside her as she sat down in the carriage, opposite Amber and James. As she got ready for the driver to take off, she could see the resentment in Amber's look and all her feelings of happiness and resolve faded away, as well as the smile that had been on her face. "What are you looking at?"

"Not much, apparently." Amber replied, her nose in the air as the driver started the horses forward. "You don't belong here, you'll never belong here. You'll never be anything more then a peasant girl from the village."

"Amber!" James elbowed her roughly, then turned to Josie. "Sorry Josie."

"Never mind." Josie replied, a hint of bitterness in her voice as she glared at Amber. "I know when I'm not wanted."

"No, you don't." The blond haired princess began to fan herself as the coach gained altitude. "But your learning."

It took every fibre of her being not to knock Amber flat that very instant, but Josie decided she wouldn't give Amber the satisfaction of knowing that she had made her mad. Instead, she turned and placed her arms on the side of the carriage and rested her head on them for the entire, silent trip. When they finally landed, Josie was extremely relieved to see Sofia at the school's gate waiting for them and waved to her as the carriage came to a stop. She waited for Amber and James to get out first, then grabbed her books and followed them, but slowly. Standing back, she let them greet their sister, then after they had run inside the building walked up to Sofia. "So, how was your sleepover?"

"Awesome!" Sofia squeaked, then grabbed Josie's hand and led her up the path. "I'm sorry that I was away though. I should have come back to keep an eye on you."

Josie chuckled at that, the younger girl talking like she needed to be watched over. "It's fine Sofia, honest. I woudln't have been much company anyway yesterday after what happened."

"Yeeeeh." She relied, rather strained. She still wasn't impressed with the way her siblings had treated her. "So, how was Amber and James last night?"

"I don't know, I went straight to bed, and we didn't say a word the entire trip here." She left out mentioning that Amber had had another dig at her. "But enough about that. Those woodland creatures of yours certainly have some, shall we say, flair?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, they can sing, especially when its about food."

Sofia began to laugh. "Oh, so you got the rundown from them about them helping us princesses in exchange for food?"

"Yes." Josie replied, a little surprised that Sofia had guessed it. "How did you-"

"They sang the same song to me when I arrived at the castle." Sofia explained as she cut her off, then the bell began to ring to announce that it was time for the first class. "Come on, we better not be late."


Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday passed in a sort of blur for Josie. Her school lessons were filled with curtsy practice (which she desperately needed more practice on) the proper way to greet other royalty (she was sure she would never ever get the hang of that) and on how to pour tea (seriously? Lessons on how to pour tea? She thought that would be easy, as she was used to the giant kettles she had to use when she served her father coffee, but the tiny little tea pots that she had to use were so fragile that the first time she had tried to use one, she broke it just by picking it up!) and that was of course much amusement to the other kids.

Sofia tried her best to make Josie feel comfortable at school, helping her whenever she could when she was in the same class as her, and by introducing her to some of the other kids which helped some in Josie starting to settle in to the school routine. She still sat by herself at lunch though, because Sofia had some type of special dance class that took place during that period, and of course Amber never invited her over to her table.

Amber. Just the name made Josie want to cringe. The girl had been shunning her and picking on her all week. She had been telling stories to all the other girls about her (even if they weren't even a quarter true, like the one that had been spread that Josie's grandmother was a garden gnome. She wasn't even sure what on earth that was, but the other kids seemed to believe it) and had been avoiding her when Sofia wasn't around. It didn't matter to her much though what they thought about her, or so she had hoped. She had found though that it hurt very much what the other kids were spreading around about her, and she had seen the little groups of kids whispering that would stop talking when she walked by. They all would stop their work and stare at her whenever she was called on in class, even though she didn't know why. Where they just taking pleasure in her fumbling efforts to try and get it right? She was sure of that, or why else would they do it.

James hadn't spoken to her much either since he had pulled the little prank on her with the swing and she was glad for that. The way she felt at the moment, she was happy not to even speak to him. On closer observation, she had found that when the dagger had dug into her leg when she had landed in the fountain, a huge ugly black bruise had appeared which kept her awake at night because of the pain. She didn't tell Miranda about it though, because then she would have had to explain how she had gotten it and it was the least thing she had wanted to do. She didn't need Amber and James thinking she was a tattle-tale, and plan some other thing to make her life more miserable. She could put up with it, and play along for a little while, but she knew that they would eventually do something that would finally make her snap. She didn't want to retaliate, as she knew what would happen when she did, but she knew that it was inevitable and she wanted to try and avoid that at all costs.

Family dinners weren't even in the equation now, as she would go straight to her room as soon as she arrived back home from school just so that she could avoid being in the same room as Amber and James. She could tell that Roland and Miranda were catching on fast to the fact that there was something happening, but she still didn't want them to know what was going on. She was afraid that it would get worse. Now, if it was a couple of village kids, and she was still a "commoner" she wouldn't have a problem at all punching their lights out and sending them off to the doctor with broken noses and black eyes, but she was a princess now, and expected to act like one. Princesses don't go around hitting people that bullied them, did they? Well, if it was going to continue, she knew she might be the one to change that.

The only good thing in her days now was the woodland creatures that would come and visit her. Even Ashima hadn't been around to see her since Monday, but Mia, Robin, Clover, What-Not, they all kept her entertained in the long afternoons while Sofia was busy with extra lessons and such until they would do their homework together, and then finally retire for the night. No on knew though, not even the animals, that when the castle was dark and quiet, Josie would cry herself to sleep because she was so unhappy. Being here, even with all the nice things was almost as bad as being in her old home with the amount of teasing and ridiculing she was getting from Amber. It was almost starting to get to the point where she would lay on her bed at night planning her escape, but she knew if she ran away, then Amber would win and get exactly what she wanted. Her to leave. She was sure that she wouldn't let that happen, but she also wondered just how much more she would take…


Another day of school finally came to a close on Thursday, and Josie was the first out of the coach when it landed, wanting to get as far away from Amber as she could. The girl had left a thumbtack on her chair in the classroom, and when Josie had sat on it, of course the only reasonable thing had happened next. She had screamed and jumped up like a scalded dog, which in turn had knocked over her table, spilt ink from the inkwell all over the floor and her books and had made her the laughing stock of the entire school. Again! The fairies had tried to find out who had done it, but no one owned up to the fact that they were trying to make her life miserable, but Josie could tell from the smug look on Amber's face that it was her.

Holding her books tightly, which the fairies had kindly cleaned for her, she ran up the stairs and through the castle doors before Sofia even had a chance to stop her. She was planning on going straight up to her room, but as she entered, she found the castle in a beehive of activity. Servants were running too and fro, carrying all sorts of things to their places in preparation for the ball tomorrow. Her ball. She wasn't even sure now that she even wanted to be here, let alone get presented at a ball, but she guessed as she looked around that it was too late for her to back out now. She would just have to grin and bear it. As she watched, she could hear the castle steward calling out his orders, and giggled a little as she heard him scolding a servant for getting the wrong type of cutlery. They were certainly going to A LOT of trouble for a ball for a person who wasn't even really royalty.

Miranda saw Josie standing at the door, looking like a little lost puppy as she walked down the stairs, then made her way around the busy servants to her. She had hoped that things would have improved by now for her at school, but the letter she had received that afternoon and now the look on Josie's face told her otherwise. She wasn't about to let the girl know that she knew about the trouble at school, especially when they didnt know who was causing it, but maybe the girl knew. It was best to just play along and pretend everything was fine, maybe she would tell her what was going on in time."Josie, how was school?"

Josie jumped when she heard her name and turned around, relieved to see that it was only the queen, her new mother standing behind her. She sighed as the woman lent down to her level, then placed her bag and books on the floor. "I knew that this new life was going to be hard, but it's turning out to be harder then I ever imagined. I can't do anything right. I fall over when I curtsy, I break teapots when I try to pour tea and I can't even manage to remember how to address the emperor of Wei Ling."

"It just takes time Josie, you don't learn everything you need to know overnight."

"It appears that way." She sighed again as Miranda brushed her fringe away from her face. "At this rate, I'll be ready to be a princess in about, twenty decades or so."

Miranda just smiled at her, knowing that what the girl really needed was a break from trying to fit in and time to just be herself. Josie was clearly already down in the dumps, but she knew what would cheer her up. "I think I know just what you need."

"Oh, a carriage out of this place, and far far away?" Josie asked hopefully, a hint of enthusiasm coming into her eyes.

"No."

"Didn't think so."

"Come on, I'll show you." She picked Josie's books and bag up off the floor and handed them to one of the servants scurrying around the room, then led Josie out of the castle into one of the many gardens. "Close your eyes now."

"Why do I need to close my eyes for?"

"You'll see."

"Ooooookay." Josie closed her eyes, a spark of curiosity about what was so secret that she had to have her eyes closed for.

"Keep them closed." Miranda instructed, then motioned with her hand for Ashima to come out of her hiding place, and over to them. "Alright, you can open them now."

"Ashima!" The girl squeaked with excitement as she saw the white Pegicorn standing in front of her. "Where have you been?"

"Oh, just flying around, eating, flying around some more." The mare replied as she nudged the girl with her nose. "You know, the usual."

"I've missed you, you know that?" She asked the mare as she gave her a hug, then stroked her neck lovingly. "How on earth did Miranda manage to wrangle you into coming around in broad daylight?"

"It was her idea." Miranda interrupted before the Pegicorn had a chance to respond. "She flew in about an hour ago, and she's been waiting here for you to get back from school. We both guessed that you needed something familiar."

"Do I ever." She ran her fingers through the mare's long mane to get out some tangles that had managed to form because she hadn't been brushed for a while. "I swear I've curtsied so much that my legs are going to stay permanently bent."

"I know what can fix that." Ashima chuckled as she flapped her wings. "Jump on."

Josie needed no further prompting, and quickly vaulted onto the mare. "I'll be back in plenty of time for dinner."

"That's okay Josie, take all the time you need." Miranda reassured her as the mare readied for takeoff. "Have fun!"

"Oh we will. Ready Ashima?"

"Ready."

"Let's go then!" Digging her heels in, Josie held onto the mares mane as sthe Pegicorn dug her hooves into the ground and leapt off up into the sky. "Yah-hoo!"

"Someone seems happy to be up in the air again." Ashima chuckled as they circled the castle a couple of times, then headed off towards the beach for a dip together in the waves. "So, how's school been going?"

"Next question?"

"That's good huh?"

"Yeh." She replied, then a thought fluttered into her mind. "Hey, Miranda didn't put you up to this little interrogation, did she?"

"I'd be lying if I said that she didn't have a part in it." The mare dipped down under a cloud, watching the ground and surrounding sky for anything that could mean danger to her or to Josie, but was happy to find that they were alone in their flight. "Josie, Miranda is concerned about your behaviour lately."

"Behaviour? What behaviour?"She scoffed, pretending not to know what the mare was talking about. "What on earth is she going on about?"

"Josie." Ashima looked back at her, reading the girls face. "Your going straight to your room when you get home from school, you aren't eating, and you won't even so much as talk to Amber or James. What's going on?"

"Nothing is going on Ashima." Josie replied angrily. "And I suggest that if you don't want me to shapeshift into a bird and hightail it out of here, you'll stop."

"We both know you can only shapeshift in dire emergencies, so you can't anyway."

"I can make it an emergency." She pretended to lose her grip of the mare's mane. "It will work then."

Ashima snorted as she rolled her eyes. Sometimes she just didn't understand humans. "Alright, alright, I'll stop." She looked down as she could hear the waves of the ocean crashing on the beach below them with her superior hearing and started the descent down to the land. "We're here anyway."

"That was quick."

"Yeh, been working on my flying times lately." She tucked her wings as she came in for a landing, then stopped on the white sand and pawed the ground. "And a perfect landing too."

"Thanks Ashima." Josie dismounted and kicked off her shoes, enjoying the feel of the sand between her toes and the smell of the ocean. There was nothing more that she enjoyed then a trip to the beach. "Race you to the water!"

"Your on." The mare chuckled, trotting to keep up with Josie. She could have easily beaten her to the water, and both of them knew it, but it was still full to muck around anyway. "You beat me."

"That's cause you let me." She playfully boxed the mare on the nose, the stood on the oceans edge, the water just coming up to her feet as the waves crashed as dissipated. "Are you going in?"

"Only this far." Ashima walked in until the water was up to her knees, then she began to paw it with her hoof, making it splash onto the girl. "We have to go back soon, and I don't think you'd want to ride a wet Pegicorn in a dress like that."

"I guess not." Glancing down at her gown, she saw a shell roll up onto the beach and stop at her feet. Picking it up, she was glad to see that it was an entire conch shell, but the animal inside long gone. "I might not be able to go swimming, but I can still collect seashells."

"Here's another one for you." She stuck her head down into the water and pulled up another conch, this one a purple one. "And its entire too."

"Sofia would probably like that one."

"Do you want some more?"

"No, these two will be enough I think. Anyway, that's all I can carry because I don't have a bag with me." Josie walked into the ocean a little further, the water now coming up to her ankles. "If I had know that we were coming here, I would have brought one."

"Well, I couldn't tell you, because it would have spoiled the surprise." Ashima kicked the water a couple more times, then walked back to Josie. As she did so however, a strange scent began to waft in on the wind to her nostrils and she stopped for a moment to figure out what it was.

The girl was too busy looking at her shells to notice that the mare was staring intently at the tree line, till the mare snorted loudly. Startled, she jumped around, wondering what had caught her attention. "What's wrong Ashima?"

"I don't know." She curled her lip up to get a better smell of the scent, but still couldn't make it out. "It almost smells like human, but it couldn't be. I've never seen any at all here. Its to secluded and far away for anyone to bother coming here, that's why it still looks so beautiful."

"Well, whatever it is, I don't like it." Shivers were running up and down her spine as she quickly gathered her shoes off the beach. "Come on, lets head back to the castle."

"Agreed." She took one last glance towards where the scent was coming from, then trotted forward to Josie. Stopping to sniff again as the girl jumped on and got ready, Ashima snorted and pawed the sand. Whatever it was hiding in the bushes up on the sandbank was watching them, she was certain of it and she didn't like it. "Ready to go?"

"Ready."

Taking a couple of big strides, she flapped her wings down and lifted off, careful not to fly towards where the smell had been coming from. It wasn't the fact that she was worried that it was a threat to her, for she could handle almost anything, rather she was worried about Josie's safety. Josie's well-being came before hers, as it was her duty to protect her, but that still went both ways. "Well, sorry to cut that trip short Josie. I don't know what that was, but I don't think either of us wanted to find out what it was."

"No, your right there." She glanced back at the beach as they flew away, but there didn't seem to be anything but of the ordinary down there. It was definitely strange, that was for sure. As they made their was back to the castle, she watched the ground sweep by underneath them, absorbed in her own thoughts. "Ashia, do we have to go back?"

Ashima had already seen that one coming. "I think you know the answer to that one."

Josie sighed as she held onto the shells with one hand, the other intertwined in the mares mane. "I guess my fate is sealed."

"Mmmhmm. Anyway, I thought you liked life in the big castle." The Pegicorn decided another approach was necessary. "Getting waited on hand and foot, three big meals a day that you don't need to prepare, Miranda and Roland who absolutely dote on you and three siblings that love you and think the world of you."

"Hmph."

"Did I say something wrong?"

"Yeh, the "siblings" and "love" part."

"Oh?" She pretended she didn't know about the tension between Amber and Josie. "What's the problem there?"

"One word. Amber."

"Hmm? Go on."

"I don't want to talk about it." Josie looked down around the mares whiters at the ground below, glad to see that the castle was already back in view. She had to get away from the nosy Pegicorn before she said too much. "So just leave it, alright? I thought I already told you that."

"I must have a very bad memory." Ashima chuckled as she landed in the castle garden, putting her wings down so that Josie could hop off onto the ground. "Sorry Josie. I'm just worried about you, that's all."

"I know you are." The girl patted the mares neck, then sat down on the grass under the shade of an apple tree. "But you don't need to be worried, I'm fine. I can handle it. Surely after all I've been through already I can handle a little bullying from Amber."

"As long as your sure." Folding her wings, she knelt down beside Josie, resting her head in the girls lap. She decided not to press Josie any further about the issue, worried that if she did the girl would snap. She knew that Josie could get quite a bad temper if the mood took her, and didnt want to be on the reciving end of her fury today. "I think Miranda said that the servants were going to bring us out an afternoon snack when we got back." She glanced around the garden, eyeing a couple of apples that were on the trees hungrily. "I wonder where they are, I'm starving."

"Oh Ashima, your as bad as Clover." Josie chuckled, rubbing the mares ears as the Pegicorn closed her eyes, enjoying the affection. "You two think about nothing more then your stomachs."

"Food is the butter on the bread of life." The mare sniffed the air, then raised her head as she smelt some cookies on the wind. "I think our first class service just arrived with the food."

"I think so too." She looked down the path and saw a couple of servants walking towards them, one holding a tray and the other a basket. "Thank you."

"Your welcome, ma lady." The servants bowed after they had placed the items they had been carrying down on the grass in front of her. "Enjoy."

"Hmmm, don't worry, I will." Ashima licked her lips as she looked at the cookies, then rolled over onto her stomach planning on eating them, but Josie quickly whisked them away. "Hey."

"That's my snack, thank you very much." Josie giggled as she placed the plate out of her reach, then grabbed out the picnic blanket that was folded up inside the basket out and placed it down on the ground. "And it looks like you get carrots missie."

"Can we swap?"

"Nope. Sorry, not doing." Peeking inside the basket, she grabbed out the mares snack, then looked back down at the tray that she had placed on the blanket with its teapot and cup. "Well, here is another perfect time to try and pour tea and not break the pot or cup this time." Carefully she picked the teapot up, then began to try and pour herself a cup of tea.

"Here, let me help you with that." James kindly suggested as he sat down on the blanket next to her, taking the teapot from her shaking fingers.

Josie raised her eyebrows as he poured the tea into her cup, then glanced up at him. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm sorry." He sincerely apologized, still regretting that he had let Amber talk him into pranking her. "I've been a royal dunce, but I want to make it up to you."

"How?" She questioned cautiously, not sure if she should trust him after what he had done to her at the school on Monday.

'Well, ah." He paused for a moment, his nerve suddenly lost as the girl stared at him with cold eyes. "Ah, by teaching you all the royal stuff you need to know for the ball. We can start with how to pour the perfect cup of tea."

"I don't know."

"Josie, trust me. I really am sorry for pulling that prank on you the other day. I know it was stupid, and I really want to make it up to you. Will you let me help you?"

"Well" She contemplated his request for a moment, weighing up her options. He did seem to be genuine in his apology, and she did need to be prepared for her ball that was to take place tomorrow night. A small smile creeping onto her lips, she nodded. "Alright."

"Great."

"Okay then, if your going to be getting lessons in how to act like royalty, I'll be on my way now." Ashima remarked as she stood up, then stretched her wings. "I'll see you around Josie."

"Don't go yet Ashima." Josie protested as the mare prepared to take off. "You can stay, I don't think it will take long."

"It's fine Josie, I have things I need to do anyway." She snached a cookie off the plate before Josie could stop her, then pushed off the ground with her hooves, her wings beating the air to get liftoff. "Bye."

"Bye." She waved to the Pegicorn, then sighed as she looked back down at the ground. "I guess we had better get started then James, this could take awhile."


Amber was walking through the garden a little while later that afternoon when she heard the sound of a couple kids laughing and playing around. A small frown crept across her forehead as she recognized Sofia and James's voices, then Josie's. Whatever they were doing, it sounded like they were having a jolly good time, and she decided it warranted further investigation. Closing her parasol so that they didn't see it over the hedge, she crept along the path to where the noise was coming from then stayed hidden behind it when it opened into the little garden the path led too.

"That's the best curtsy I've seen all year." James complemented as Josie bowed to him and Sofia. "Your all set for the ball now, my work here is done."

So that's what they were up to. Helping a commoner to become one of them. She huffly turned to go when she heard Josie's voice pipe up again, and turned back around to hear what she was going to say.

"There is one more thing."

"What?" Sofia asked, wondering what it might be.

"I can't dance."

"Is that all? No problem." James reassured her as he handed her back her fan. "We have dance class with Professor Popoff tomorrow."

"But the ball is tomorrow night." Josie protested, feeling like it was a lost cause. "I'd never be ready in time."

"One class with Popoff and you'll be dancing circles around all of us. Trust me." He bowed at her as he went to leave. "Okay?"

"Okay." Josie curtsied back, unaware that Amber was spying on them from the hedge. "Thank you so much James. You've helped more then you know."

"Glad that I was able to."

"Hmpf." Amber growled from her hiding place as the three kids headed back towards the castle. So, Josie thought she was ready for the ball, did she? Well, it was up to her to make sure that the girl never even got to it By the time she was finished, she would make sure that the girl was too embarrassed to ever show her face around the school or castle again. A smug smirk came over her face as she began to conjure up a plan for her next move….