A surprise awoke the Estrella tribe the next morning. Along with the sunrise appeared a small boat, carved from wood and painted white. In the boats, looking like they were just riding the boat for a pleasure cruise themselves, were the members of the Rosado Tribe. Pocahontas was nowhere to be seen, which meant she had been sent home. Or if she wasn't sent home, to whatever place Prospero kept sending the people to come towards. Vanellope had been the first to notice, gasping as she dropped the coconuts she had been gathering and rushed to tell the others. The boat wasn't just passing by. It was making a bee line straight for the beach. The other princesses rushed to the beach at hearing the younger princess' cries as she pointed.

But the dugout wasn't alone. The ocean parted as everyone stepped out of the dugouts. Strolling casually onto the sand, ignoring a few shocked faces, stood Prospero. He held out twelve small velvet boxes, which he held out to the ragged, unkempt, smaller women and girls.

"Your Highnesses. I come here with a formal apology. I had not realized the boatd you were on belonged to royalty. Nonetheless, I find myself standing before twelve members of royalty. As such, I come forth with a peace offering."

Kida stared at the wizard skeptically before asking, "So you have come up with a way to get us off this island and send us home?"

Prospero sighed. "My dear, the magic of this island can only keep the barrier protecting it up for a short amount of time. So I'm afraid I cannot make that happen."

"So, why'd you bring us to the Estrella Beach?" Elena asked.

Prospero gestured again to the boxes. "I see forcing you to fend for your survival against the elements in unwise." He gestured to the swirling clouds overhead. The spiral was gray and white, seeming to go one forever. Even with the rising sun, everything looked bleak and gray. "As such, I will eliminate this idea of fending for your survival. I will replace these ragged shelters with something much more…suited for your likings."

Prospero clapped his hands over a staff he held carved from driftwood. The crystals inside glowed pale blue and bright green as it hit the beach. Flowers started blossoming on the empty sand. Stones and wood started stacking and reshaping into small pieces of architecture. The wind picked up several rose petals and crumbled up shells from the beach and swirling around the stacking material. As they subsided, the shelter made from sticks and leaves was gone. Replacing it was a shimmering white manor, complete with doors made from fragments of wood. The doors opened, revealing a quaint hall with six bedrooms, a small sitting area complete with fire, and, much to everyone's delight, a freshwater pool designated for bathing. Something else was spread out before them in the man hub of the house and they gasped. A pale blue tablecloth unfurled, revealing one the finest feasts to be crafted by magic. There were ripe fruits, roasted meats, and even steaming vegetables and piping hot desserts.

Prospero stepped before them, giving them each the box. He prompted them to be opened at the same time. Sitting in the box was a pair of earrings carved from huge diamonds. The gems were surrounded by teardrop shaped pearls, which imitated rose petals against the large jewel.

"Estrella and Rosado tribes are no more. You all are the Princesses of Diamante Tribe. This also means the tribal immunity in my tests is no more."

The princesses looked at one another. So they were still being tested. They were given luxury and food, but as always, it came with a price. Prospero never handed things for free He had forced them to work hard. Some tasks had been easy, but now they stood half-starved and tantalized by the smell. Some were trying to decide if the meal and new home was real or just a dream. The wizard looked at them eye to eye, his smile nothing short of genuine.

"I will let you adjust and rest. You have spent twenty days fighting yourselves. Tomorrow, I will set up a test for you. But for today, eat, enjoy one another's company. Be merry." With a strike, Prospero disappeared in the flurry of rose and pearl dust, leaving the princesses alone. They looked once more at the meal. A choir of growling stomaches was enough to prompt them inside, where the doors shut behind them and crystals glowed a warm, friendly yellow, inviting them closer to the table to eat.

For a while, they ate in silence. Prospero had been kind enough to supply silverware and china so they didn't have to eat off of the table. Being accustomed to eating with their hands, they struggled slightly to eat like diginified women. Some were reaching over one another to grab a nearby pastry or fruit. Water was splashed.

"Anna, stop eating all the chocolate!" Moana complained.

The ginger girl stopped chewing mid truffle. "Sorry, I can't help myself! I haven't had chocolate in days!"

Mulan set down her fork, "You know some people prefer to have dessert after their meal."

"But who knows how long this meal will be here," Belle pointed out. "It could be here one day then gone the next."

"Yeah, and then Prospero makes us throws balls into a net or dig up rose roots," Elena chimed in.

Meg swallowed her bite of roasted meat. "It is a little weird he's choosing now to be nice to us."

Sofia played with skirt. "I don't know, he was always nice before. He was giving the people who left the island early a way home."

"I have a question," Vanellope held up a hand. "Did any of you notice any ships from those other kingdoms?"

Elsa looked over at the feisty young girl. "Come to think of it, there haven't been any ships along the coastline. Not even one ones bearing the crests of the kingdoms that they were sent from."

"Not even our own kingdoms," Jasmine agreed. "It's been over twenty days. Ships should have come."

"Well, some boats are slower," Kida pointed out. "The resources of one might not be available to sail across the sea fast enough.

"True, but there are alliances," Cinderella pointed out.

Elsa nodded in conjecture. Alliances. This was something they needed to do. They were the 'Diamante' Tribe, according to Prospero. He may have been providing them with food and a more practical shelter now, but he was plotting something. Her hand iced her glass, and she had to set it down. The last time she showed her powers, two princesses were chilled. She didn't need to reinvoke the wrath of Jasmine again. As she hand lowered, she felt something smooth against her chair, bunched in string. Disceretly, she froze the ropes and began picking at it. Something fell into her hands and she slipped in to a crevice of her chair.

"I want you to be honest," Belle was saying, "did you vote out any princesses out of spite?"

"Oh, Merida was a surefire vote off," Mulan answered. "She was great in challenges, but she made camp unbearable."

"Aurora and Snow White we sent home because of how sick they were," Sofia admitted, looking down in shame.

"What about you,?" Cinderella redirected the question. "Tiana seemed like a strong asset in the same way Merida was. Why send her home?"

Meg answered, "Because she had a prince and a business back home. Two for the price of one, so to speak. We sent people home based on strategy…"

And so they talked about strategy and kingdoms and the like. Both boats had been coming from a conference unifying the kingdoms after all. Things like trade water for Moana's voyaging people to the crystals of Atlantis being a power source in Kida's kingdom were addressed. Despite being hungry and soaked through and covered in sand, they were talking like princesses over tea.

They even discussed sleeping arrangements; Anna and Elsa roomed together, being sisters and all. Jasmine insisted Sofia stay with her. Vanellope was inspired by Meg's sassy attitude and thus prompted to stay with her. Moana and Kida, having bonded over strong connections to the sea, agreed to share a room. Belle opened her door to Cinderella. Mulan was reluctant, but she chose to let Elena stay with her.

As they all settled into their sandy beds, dread filled the air, complete with a howling wind outside. Prospero would be testing them tomorrow. Soft beds made from grass and sand were one thing, physically challenging themselves would be another.

Dinner had changed to breakfast. A simple breakfast of some kind of rice porridge and tea, but it was still filling. Everyone ate in silence, awaiting some signal to follow Prospero's signature path to the challenge location. As they emptied the pot, the wind of the signature rose petals blew in.

A grove of naked trees served as the layout for the challenge. Twelve platforms of differing colors stood around the grayed section of land. Prospero was waiting for them. Next to him sat a purple cushion. On it was a tiara. Yet instead of gold or silver, it was crafted entirely of mother of pearl. A carving of a rose sat in the center. He nodded to the princesses as they filed in, all of them wearing the diamond earrings. It was a begrudging peace agreement.

"I'm glad you like the earrings," he said.

"Well," Vanellope kicked the ground shyly, "they don't really go well with my complexion." A few princesses laughed at her quip. Even Prospero's eyes twinkled in amusement.

"Tribe immunity for these tests is no more." Prospero brought their attention back. "Today, you will be playing for this; the Crown of Pearls and Roses. Pass the test, and you will wear it. With it, the island will protect you. Your enemies will not harm you."

"In other words," Mulan folded her arms, "if we win it, we can't go home."

A cloud passed over Prospero's face. At the same time, thunder rolled in the distance. "I see you're…concerned for going home."

Belle raised a hand. "Yes. And with all due respect, Prospero, we have not seen or heard any signs of the princesses we asked to leave the island getting home safely. How can we insure you aren't lying to us?"

The enchanter hesitated. The princesses were looking at him with concern and mistrust. There was a secret being unearthed in his wavering posture and they could sense it. He raised a hand. Something like remorse came upon his features, and he made a motion of beckoning. One of the dead trees sprung to life, and the buds stayed curled tight.

"Much like these flowers, I can't force speed. I couldn't make boats come to this island faster as I had hoped. Your other companions are safe in my manor, which is tucked on the other side of the island. They have been cared for and are safe there."

Moana glared at the wizard, "And you're telling us this now?"

Prospero hung his head. "I wanted to tell you sooner, but all of you were so distressed. Your ships having been sunk. You were all unsure who to trust, who to not trust. Now that you have been taken care of, you all seemed to be in the right mindset. But now that you are all one tribe, I suppose keeping you apart would be unwise.

"Here is my compromise," Prospero said. "Starting now, the person asked to leave the manor will not be sent to the hidden harbor to wait with unease. Instead, that person will go to my manor where they will be safe. I can only provide you with gifts for so long, the magic of the island is weak for how old it is. At veery tribal, they will come with me and watch. A sort of jury, if you will."

Cinderella raised her eyebrows. "Why just everyone here? Why not the others?"

"Well, Aurora and Snow White were pretty sick," Elena murmured.

Prospero summoned his staff. "It is decided then. A winner will be crowned and unable to come to my manor. Those who fail the tests will vote to send someone to my care. Are you prepared for today's test?"

The test seemed simple. Each person, sitting in a spot they chose based from the flowers Prospero made bloom, held two metal hands that they used to keep tension on a steel bar. If the tension was released, the steel bar would drop, breaking a glass motif of their kingdom, and they would be out of the challenge.

Elsa stared down at the Arendelle crocus at her feet. She tried to think of things that kept her hands steady. Her sister. Her people. Her prince. The metal went from tarnished brown to white. She took a breath. Conceal it, don't feel it. Conceal it don't feel it. Conceal…As the ice continued to crawl, the tension was lost immediately. Elsa could only gasp as the metal bar slid out of the rings and onto the glass, shattering it. Not too far behind her, Megara blinked once and the thunderbolt insignia of Olympus was broken into pieces.

Not too far behind her, irony caught up to Cinderella. Here she was, staring at her own glass slipper put into glass. Yet one second of thinking about something else had made her lose her grip. The metal rod impaled the slipper.

The remaining princesses increased the tension. The challenge required absolute focus. It was something most of them were trained to do. Some had blocked out the noise of the other losing contestants. It was something, unfortunately, Anna didn't have. The second Arendelle crocus was cracked. The rose insignia at Belle's feet was shattered a few seconds later. Mulan, who was readjusting her grip, miscalculated a move. The dragon of her kingdom was split perfectly in half. Elena tried to catch her slipping bar, yet the crest of Avalor was splintered.

As she sat down, she saw only five contenders remaining. Jasmine, Sofia, Vanellope, Moana, and Kida still held tension, not even moving a hair. Moana had closed her eyes and was squeezing the rod tightly. Despite that, Moana began to struggle to keep the tension as she felt the rod slip. The spiraling shape of her people was dashed the minute she lost her focus.

As Jasmine saw her rod slide as she adjusted, she knew she was done for. The magic lamp symbol was broken. This left the two youngest players versus the oldest players. They stood steady for a good moment until Vanellope felt her rod slide. It broke into the Sugar Rush insignia, leaving Kida and Sofia left. The younger princess raised her arms, but in so doing, the tension was released and her insignia was broken.

Kida sighed in relief, letting her rod down. The other princesses clapped. Kida had won the Crown of Pearls and Roses. She would not be going to the manor, but perhaps she didn't need to. She could survive for a few days. She had survived 8,000 years after her kingdom had been devastated by a tidal wave. The crown felt strange on her head; she had seen the princesses with their tiaras and wondered how it could be kept in place for so long. As she saw the younger women who she beat, the Queen of Atlantis felt something she hadn't felt in a long time, and it was something she could talk about back at camp.

"Congratulations, Kida." Belle said as she pushed out the raft to help Kida and Moana catch fish. It was better to have some food on supply, she had argued, then to sit and let magic make food for them.

"I…I have to admit, I did not expect it so suddenly," Kida admitted, shyly looking down into the waves.

Moana coasted the raft to a stop above the deeper water. The manor was still in sight, and if the storm got worse, they could turn back around. She handed a net to the two women, who dipped it into the ocean before tying it off and waiting.

"So, Kida," Moana asked, "have you thought about who you want Prospero to look after?"

"I have," Kida answered. "I was contemplating either Sofia or Vanellope. They are young and the elements could very well get them hurt or sick. We saw how poorly Aurora looked from a rainstorm. I refuse to let a child suffer. Prospero may…"

"I don't trust Prospero." Belle said bluntly.

Kida sighed. "The conversation before our test told me so. Yet, Belle, I must ask you; if you were to assist an old woman or a child in need, which would you assist first? The person who has seen so much of life, or someone just beginning."

Belle sighed. "That's a good question."

Moana sat back. "It's not a bad idea to send one of the little girls home. I would send Sofia first. She's not like Vanellope, who does a lot of muscling through challenges."

"True, but to call her useless would be unfair," Kida said. "We were all on the same tribe before the splitting."

"I can talk to Anna and Elsa to see if they'll join our cause," Belle murmured. "The tricky part is working around Jasmine. She's…"

"…overprotective." Kida finished for her. "Jasmine should not know we are gunning for Sofia."

"What if we split the votes?" Moana asked. "Some of us vote for Sofia, some of us vote for Vanellope. Either way, a younger child gets someplace safer than a wild beach."

The nets tugged. Fish had been caught. From how heavy the net was when all three of them tugged it on the planks, their arms still sore from the test, it would be a good amount. They could ask Elsa to preserve some fish in ice and they could thaw it if need be. They paddled back to the shore, successful, and Belle wasted no time in laying out her plan to as many people as she could. Kida and Moana had followed suit. No matter what side, the princesses all seemed to come to some form of agreement.

This agreement came to a head when they walked into the cavern to have tribal with Prospero. When he asked how everyone was getting along, the anonymous answer was surprisingly well. Moana was applauded for her fishing, which made her blush. When asked who was being sent home, Cinderella had simply brought up the idea of capability against the elements. Jasmine described the experience until the manor as being one that showed the true colors of each princess, which was something Kida agreed to.

"In the end, Prospero," she murmured, "we will choose what is right for those who need the most protection."

The vote was settled. While Kida had her effigy, she refused to abuse its power. Not with the Crown on her head. Prospero read the votes. It was a tie, six votes Vanellope, six votes Sofia. He threw the votes into the fire, prompting a recount. The younger princesses sat next to one another, hands cradled like they were protecting one another from a bad storm. Prospero reemerged with the recounted votes. The final results were six votes Sofia, four votes Vanellope.

"Sofia," Prospero opened his arms to her. "You will come with me and be the first member of our jury. As for the rest of you, you may return to camp. Good evening."

The torches of the princesses returning to the manor became small baubles. Sofia was waiting patiently in the cavern of the old man to return. He took her hand with a smile. The all too familiar breeze of pearls and roses swept up around them. As they held hands, Sofia noticed the light in Prospero's eyes had grown brighter. The petals were swirling tighter now until they dissolved away, revealing a bedchamber not unlike her own at home.

"Prospero?" Sofia asked nervously.

"You have nothing to fear," the old man reassured her. He handed her a chalice filled with a sweetened nectar. "You'll sleep well after you try this."

The younger princess just tasted it until she felt sleep take her over. Prospero had carefully picked up the child and lay her in bed. She slept, her chest rising and falling. He looked at her. She was so young and fragile. Just like…just like her.

Prospero ran a hand through his hair. He had the final few in his grasp, and when he saw the test and tribals, he knew they were the right choices. He took the chalice that had spilled and waved his hand. The spilled nectar bubbled until it rose. In its golden color, it began to take shape. The watery texture dissolved into solid mass. A solid mass that was an exact replica of Sofia.

SPOTS IN THE IMMUNITY CHALLENGE: Elena, Moana, Belle, Vanellope, Jasmine, Elsa, Kida, Sofia, Anna, Megara, Mulan, Cinderella

VOTES:

Anna, Belle, Kida, Meg, Moana, and Vanellope voted for Sofia on Round 1. On the revote, Anna, Belle, Kida, Meg, Moana, and Mulan voted for Sofia.

Cinderella, Elena, Elsa, Jasmine, Mulan and Sofia voted for Vanellope on Round 1. On the revote, Cinderella, Elena, Elsa, and Jasmine voted for Vanellope.