Summary in a nutshell: Elena and her daughters
Elena looked at the dress with a critical eye before nodding approvingly at it. Simple, yet elegant, and you could still run in the dress. The annual children's day celebration was tonight and she wanted to show off her new everyday dress since turning thirteen this past Saturday.
"Perfect," said Elena facing her daughter. "I love your new dress." She fanned out the bright purple dress showing off the skirt. The bodice of her dress the same pattern of the pink part of the dress she wore as a teenager. Then repeated on the stripes near the bottom of the skirt. Iliana twisted to look at herself in the mirror as she adjusted the skirt and snipped a loose thread. Her dress looked perfect as Elena added her hair comb. Gabe's aunt made her it special when she was a baby to wear as she got older. Elena and her daughters had a set that was divided between them. The gold comb with a jaquin silhouette with ruby spots sat at the base of her high ponytail. The amber talisman on her neck sparkled.
"Thanks, abuela helped me design it," she said proudly gathering her books and school bag.
Elena smiled at this, happy to hear that she was spending some time with Blanca. While her mother in law was a baker at heart, she did like spending time with the seamstresses. She picked up the book handing it to her as she looked at the title. "Didn't you have a different book yesterday?" asked Elena amused as she saw different titles on her arm. Flushing, Iliana looked down at her flats. Elena looked pointedly at her, "You know it's lights out and books away at eleven. Next time I'll take the book away."
"Mom it was just one more chapter,'' protested the younger girl disappointed to hear the threat.
Elena raised her eyebrows as she heard this and crossed her arms. "I thought you said you had five chapters left last night." Iliana cleared her throat nervously as she looked anywhere but at her mother, her head bowed. Sighing Elena shook her head a bit amused but she needed sleep. "Tonight instead of 11, you have to turn your book into me at 10."
She jerked her head up horrified to hear that. "But mami!"
"No buts you need your sleep," said Elena shaking her head. "Go eat breakfast while I get your sister." Iliana went down the steps muttering something about her book and not fair. Elena rolled her eyes before turning to go to Mirabelle's room right next door. Maybe she gave her children a little too much freedom. When she was that age, mami and papi wouldn't let her stay up past nine thirty. She knocked on her daughter's open door. Then let herself in when she didn't say anything.
The twin stood looking in the mirror at herself. Mirabelle, or rather Mira to her friends, held out her arm picking at the muscle. Then her face close to the mirror to get a good look at herself. She turned her head looking at herself in the mirror with a curious expression on her face. Not only that but she was still in her pale blue nightgown. Elena stepped behind her to see herself in the mirror herself. Mirabelle looked up at her mother before turning around. "Why aren't you dressed for school?"
She groaned putting a hand on her stomach. "Mami I don't feel good," she said looking at herself in the mirror. Concerned, Elena put her hand on her forehead frowning. She didn't feel warm but maybe it was some kind of bug. "It's my stomach and and my head." Mirabelle look up at her with tired eyes and she looked kind of faint.
"Go lay down," she said helping her daughter back into the bed. "You weren't sick last night and I'm going to get doctor Rivas." Her brown eyes wide as Elena went to go look for the doctor. Got to find doctor Rivas she thought going to near the wing where the staff stayed. Mirabelle was sick so she had to keep her other children away from her right now. Hernan, Lorenzo, Orlando, and Susana were sure to be down at breakfast by now. Okay at least no one could catch anything.
Elena walked by the dining room seeing everyone eating breakfast already.
"Hi mom," said the voice of her eldest son, "Where's Mira?"
Elena smiled down at her son glad to see that he was concerned about his sister. "She's sick, now go eat breakfast I've got to find doctor Rivas," said Elena as she messed with his hair pushing him inside. She watched him making that he got to breakfast okay.
Lorenzo looked at her eyes wide as he turned from the door. He looked like he wanted to say something to her gulping a bit. Noticing this, Elena looked at him curiously. "Lorenzo did you notice that she was sick the other day?"
He looked down at the floor for a moment wondering what he should say. "Well, no." He bit his lip as if contemplating something.
Elena started to get suspicious pulled him away from the dining room door. Then got down on his level looking him straight in the eye. "Lorenzo if something is wrong with your sister you can tell me. I need to make sure that she is okay. You know it's never good to lie or keep secrets, especially if it's hurting someone." Lorenzo shifted uncomfortably on his feet as his eyes stayed glued on the ground. "Lorenzo, you know as the next king of Avalor you're going to have to make some difficult decisions. You need to be able to confront problems." Elena hated to pull that line but she hated that something was wrong with her daughter.
"PrincessCarlotta," he said looking up at her with his head down. Elena raised her eyebrow at him to speak up. He raised his head looking at her. "Princess Carlotta is what happened to her. I saw her doing it. She was making fun of Mira. She called her fat and said something mean about her dress and her hair."
A chill ran through her as she looked at her son unsure how to take that news. A bit stunned Elena sat on her propped up heels. "Mira told me and Iliana not to tell you, because she wanted to handle it herself." She felt as if someone stole her voice and knocked her off of her feet. Elena didn't know what to say to that. Her daughter couldn't tell her that she was being bullied. Least of all by a neighboring princess.
"Lorenzo, thank you for being honest with me," said Elena hugging the twelve-year-old. He hugged back as Elena squeezed him. All of a sudden she wished that her children were young again and she could protect them. Where they would all be here and never grow up. Behind her she heard heavy footsteps of either her abuela, cousin, or husband.
Lorenzo's breath hitched against her mom as he let go. "Mom I can't breathe," he said as she released him. She turned and looked at the person coming seeing it was Gabe. Good, she needed to talk to him anyway.
"Elena are you okay?" asked Gabe as he saw his son being squeezed by her. Elena took a breath and gave Lorenzo her best 'we better talk look.'
"Honey why don't you tell your dad what you told me?" she asked as he groaned at the question.
Lorenzo looked at both of his parents unsure what to say himself. His stomach grew in knots at the idea of what his father would say to this. Then what Mira was going to do to him. "Mira, Iliana, and I were playing with a couple of kids at the last royal visit. One of them, Princess Carlotta, started to make fun of Mira. She called her ugly and said some not so nice things about her dress and hair. Mira told Iliana and me to keep quiet about it." He looked at his dad for moment hanging his head a little. He should have tried to defend his sister but nobody really said anything.
Gabe looked at his son before shaking his head, clearing his thoughts. "Lorenzo, thank you for telling your mom and I about this," said Gabe as he looked at Elena. "Just go eat some breakfast okay?" He nodded before making a break into the kitchen.
Still on sitting on her feet Elena looked at the place where he was standing. Gabe stared at a potted plant for a moment. Then they looked at one another before leaving the area to make sure none of the other kids heard. How could their daughter not tell them about this? Even if she was handling it, she should have said something. Something twisted in Elena's stomach as she thought about Princess Carlotta. The young princess wasn't too hard to forget about. It was hard to forget the girls grandfather, King Hector.
Both of them looked at one another before disappearing into a nearby bedroom.
"She didn't say anything about it," said Elena as she propped herself up on the bed. "Mirabelle, she just told me that she was sick this morning. Nothing about Carlotta. We've got to talk to King Jasper and Carlotta. I'm not going to let a little girl taunt and tease my daughter." She looked at Gabe who sat right next to her.
Gabe nodded his head the thought still processing about what happened. He thought he was going to have to chase boys away. Not about some other princess tell her she's ugly. He felt his hands grip the bedspread unsure where to begin. "Tonight's the children's day banquet. She's going to be there with other kids. We have to do something. What do we do though? We have meetings all day."
"When Hector, Jasper, and Carlotta get here, we'll have to talk to them."
Princess Mirabelle Lucia Sofia Nunez Castillo had a plan, she thought looking at herself in the mirror. A devious plan that she needed people out of her way. First thing she had to do was making sure nobody was around. So she faked being sick to get out of school. Most of her siblings were in said school with Susana being taken care of by the nanny. Esteban told her yesterday that her parents would be in meetings all day. Her great grandparents were busy with something, she just had to avoid them.
She adjusted her dress as she put the tiara on her head. Mirabelle liked to remind people that she was the princess and it wasn't a simple dress up game. Then came her jaquin bracelet that her dad's aunt made her. Her aqua colored skirt had the same pattern as her aunt Isabel's childhood dress as did the off the shoulder sleeves, the bodice simple. No one could have even pulled find that dress either. There she looked good as she went down to the kitchens. Thankfully, Luisa wasn't in there quiet yet as she grabbed her bucket she had hidden late last night. The milk wasn't quite so sour yet to attract attention.
Her grip firmly on the handle and the lid locked into place, she headed back toward her room. Thank goodness she didn't share a room with her twin. Still holding the milk, she opened it to sit out in the hot sun. That milk was going to be sour soon enough. Aunt Naomi told her that this would make a good revenge plot. She heard the door open of her bedroom as she got under the covers and pretended to be asleep. The sound of her father sighing before leaving the room. Crap, her parents were going to check up on her? No matter, she thought, as she as just about done anyway. A pair of scissors taped up underneath the punch bowl table. Then the milk on top of the door when it came down to it.
The party came pretty quick, for a children's day banquet that is. Due to pretending to be sick, she missed the games day and festival that happened earlier. Which was basically what it sounded like. She missed her chance to play Olaball and a few other games. Skylar and his friends were giving out a few jaquin rides to the older kids that won that game. The booths were selling food and crafts to the adults and free to the kids. Now the banquet was about to begin with even more free food.
Elena adjusted her midnight blue ballgown as she looked at King Jasper and the former King Hector. They had to be invited. Oh dear, why did they have to look so much alike? She took a breath as Gabe squeezed her hand. They had to talk about Carlotta and Mirabelle. "King Jasper," she said nodding at the young king. Hector glaring at her with a scowl on his face. "Hector."
Hector bowed as did Jasper as Elena hoped this would go over well. "Queen Elena," said Jasper as he kissed her hand.
Taking her hand away, still smiling, she cleared her throat. "Hector, may we speak to King Jasper?" She nodded toward Gabe as Hector rolled his eyes at the both of them.
"Whatever you want to talk about, you can discuss it in front of me," he said gruffly taking a step up to stand next to his son. Elena sucked in a breath as she squeezed Gabe's hand back.
"Alright, Jasper," Gabe started to say before he was interrupted.
"That's King Jasper to you," said the red haired man back to him.
A smirk on his face as Elena only stared at him for a moment. This was just his way to make fun of Gabe. Just because she turned down Jasper's younger brother did not mean that they had to target her husband. Elena resisted the urge to roll her eyes and shake her head. He wasn't going to make this simple for her was he? She cleared her throat smiling at him gently. "King Jasper, we should talk about Princess Carlotta."
"What about Carlotta?" asked Hector butting into the conversation as she glared at him. Taking no notice, he barreled on. "My granddaughter is an angel. Much more poised and graceful than any of your daughters." Hector nodded in the direction of Susana as Elena looked behind her. Her youngest with a couple of girls trying and failing to balance a plate on her head. Iliana trying to keep her balance after being spun around. Mira had gone off somewhere with her friends.
Gabe counted back from five as he looked at Jasper, ignoring Hector. "Princess Carlotta was caught making fun of my daughter, Mirabelle. Elena and I decided that we should talk to you about your daughter. Maybe you could talk to her about being nice to her." He looked at Jasper a Hector just decided to but in again.
"Well maybe your Mirabelle did something to my Carlotta."
Elena turned to look at him. "She wouldn't do anything to her. From the story we heard she was doing this unprovoked. We just hope that you could talk to her. At least sort this out Jasper." He contemplated as he looked at the both of them.
He looked like he wanted to say something before Hector butted in again. "I don't see why we have to do this now. Obviously the king and queen have a hard time containing a child. Honestly Elena you should have married my son. Prince Enrico was a much better match than that," he said as Gabe coughed holding back a nasty comment. He took a breath before he straightened himself off.
Across the room both Mira and Iliana stood there with a group of friends. Princess Carlotta strutted over to their small group of friends. To rest against the punch bowel table. Around them a few girls looked in awe of the new princess that joined them. Within their small group, besides Mira and Iliana there was only one princess, Princess Amara from a nearby kingdom. Mira's friends Solana Delgado and Mariposa Soto looked at her not looking too impressed. Iliana's friends Claudia Salazar and Alejandra Pena only mildly impressed as the other girls ogled at her.
"Princess Carlotta," muttered Mira as she looked at the new girl. Solana and Mariposa crossed their arms as they looked anywhere but at her.
"Nice to see you," said Iliana evenly, almost sweet as Alejandra smiled at her before Claudia nudged her.
Carlotta smiled as she waved at the girls. She tossed her long dark hair back behind her shoulder. "Hello girls, did you see Queen Elena? She is so pretty. I love her dress don't you think," gushed Carlotta. All of the other girls nodded along as they tried to get close to the new girl. She then turned to look at Mira and Iliana. "Too bad her daughters aren't as fortunate." Both of them looked at one another as Mira's hands balled into a fist. Iliana only looked down at her herself confused on what that meant. She liked her dress, it was dark purple with small tiny flowers all over the skirt. Or maybe she meant her body. She was thin with an average bust size and a curve to her hips. Then she looked at Carlotta to notice that she didn't have any of the same, eh em, attributes.
"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Alejandra and Solana as the group disbanded around them. Even Claudia and Mariposa ran off to find a parent to tell about the impending fight.
"They're not exactly the most attractive," said Carlotta. Mira to stepped away as she snuck around to hid under the table. She pulled the tape back to get the fabric scissors that she had swiped. Thank goodness as Lorenzo had joined the group as she saw his shoes.
"Their dad is a guard, he's not a prince. What did he do before some miracle worker decided that they should be together? Assistant pig keeper? It's a shame too, King Gabriel's handsome despite being worthless. Iliana why don't you tell me what's it like to have a dad that's nothing but arm candy for the queen?"
At this Iliana looked like she was caught for reading late at night. She opened her mouth before closing it and Lorenzo stood stonily. Alejandra and Solana disappeared to get an adult too. After a moment, she found her voice as she thought of something to say. "That's not my dad at all. He's a good person that's mature, and responsible, and and loyal. He's handsome but that doesn't matter," she stuttered. A swell of anger ran through her as she tried very hard not to want to push her into the punch bowl.
Lorenzo stepped forward ready to defend his sister and his dad. Then he noticed something moving from underneath the table. He stood there with a confused look on his face as he watched Carlotta only laugh at Iliana's attempt to defend their father. She rolled her eyes before walking away shaking her head. Both Iliana and Lorenzo put a hand on their mouth as she walked away from the table. The back of her bright yellow dress was cut from the bottom to her waist. Then they heard laughs around them as everyone started to point and stared at the dress that was cut off.
Carlotta screamed a little as she put her hands on her butt. "My dress!" she screamed as she started to panic and scream as she kept turning around to get a look at it. A few of the kids pointed as Carlotta's tan underwear. Despite laughing Iliana started to feel a little bad that her dress was ruined, clearly someone underneath the table cut the entire back panel out. Even her petticoats were cut.
"Princess Carlotta, please, I can get you a new dress," said Iliana offering one of her old ones.
"No you get away from me," she said clearly angry about what just happened. This was her favorite dress!
"Please everyone would stop laughing," said Iliana ignoring Carlotta's attempt to get away from her. Her cheeks still red, she accepted the young princesses help, begrudgingly. "Here we can go right up to my room, just through those doors." Carlotta's cheeks burned as she accepted stomping in front of the girl. From under the table Mira smiled as her sister was unknowingly leading her to another prank.
Iliana smiled shyly at her as she as she awkwardly patted her shoulder, as if it would help. She opened the door for her as Carlotta stepped through. That was when the bucket of the spoiled milk fell off of the top of the door. Carlotta screamed as the warm sticky substance ran down her face and in her hair. She started to cry as Iliana tried to calm her down. All of the adults came running over as did Elena with Gabe right behind her, after being informed by numerous girls. Iliana started to panic as she kept playing with her ponytail.
"Iliana what happened?" asked Elena going over to her daughter. Gabe rushed over to the screaming girl.
"Someone rigged up spoiled milk to fall on the next person that comes into the room. And the back half of her dress was cut off," said Gabe as King Jasper ran over to his daughter, pushing Gabe away from her. People were staring as Carlotta started to cry even louder if it was possible. Susana covered her ears along with her friend, Shoshana de Alma.
Gabe turned and looked at everyone as Elena stood next to him, still holding onto her fidgeting daughter. "Who did this?" demanded Elena as Gabe put on his best intimidating look. Nobody said anything as they started whispering and turned to look at every other person in the room. "No one will be pun-"
"I did," said a voice from behind them. The voice small and powerful as Elena froze up at the familiar voice. Both her and Gabe tensed as they turned around.
"Mateo put on your magic show," said Gabe as Mateo got the kids attention and a couple of the adults as well. A few people whispered as they turned their attention to the show that was going on. Magic jaquins, she thought as Elena stared at her daughter. What kind of behavior was this? Gabe and Elena turned to look at Mirabelle. She looked proud of what she had done to Princess Carlotta.
Carlotta's family and Elena's had gone around and gathered in the small sitting room just off of the ballroom. Nobody was around thankfully as they had peace and quiet.
The elder twin started to protest as soon as she was sitting down. "She was making fun of me and Iliana. Then she went around and started to make of you two," said Mira as she looked at her parents. "I just wanted to get back at her."
Elena and Gabe shared a look. Not surprised to hear that Carlotta was picking on them. Judging from what Hector and Jasper say about him behind their backs.
The elder man looked at his granddaughter. "You're making fun of the princesses of Avalor?" Good job Carlotta!" exclaimed Hector as Elena only stared at him. He was encouraging his granddaughter to pick on her daughter?! At this Mira only buried her face into Gabe's jacket, all of a sudden shy. How dare he even say that?
Gabe put his arm around her before putting on a neutral face to the elder former king. "I beg your pardon?" he said stunned looking surprised at this. Someone was actively encouraging a child to pick on his daughter. Not only that but it was another adult.
"Of course, she needs to hear that not everyone is going to like her and how spoilt they really are," chortled Hector as Mira refused to look at him. Elena felt her blood start to boil as she saw King Jasper just standing there. He did nothing to help and she could tell that she was shaking.
Gabe kept his voice even as he turned to look at him. "I'm sorry Hector, but I believe that I wanted to talk to king Jasper." At this the older man rolled his eyes as Jasper only looked slightly apologetic. Carlotta standing there angry with tear stains on her face. Her dress ruined and the memory of everyone laughing at her still in her mind.
"And what exactly is your methods, weren't you just a guard?"
"I understand and respect your opinion," he said steadily as Elena and Mira just looked at him surprised. Elena as about to say something before he continued. "Listen you can make fun of me all you want." Elena knelt down and pulled Mira off of Gabe to hug her close. "For not being royal or whatever reason, but do not make fun of my children or my wife." Elena made sure no one was listening or overhearing this as the party was dwindling down.
Hector rolled his eyes as Jasper looked at Elena. "I'll talk to her tonight," he said, "our boat is here."
With a nod all three of them left with Carlotta still crying about her favorite dress. She didn't even get a new one to cover up until she got to the boat. Upset that the problem wasn't solved Elena tried to follow with Gabe holding her back. "We have to talk to Mirabelle," he said as they turned to look at the smaller girl.
Elena hugged her as there was nothing she could do. She couldn't even get an apology out of Carlotta even if she tried. Her grandfather and father were hard on both of them. Keeping calm, Elena pulled her daughter on her lap. Like she was still a toddler and wanted someone to kiss her booboos. Or to read her a story. "Listen, revenge is never a way to get back at a bully. You've got to stay calm and poised. The best you can do is ignore that person," she said stroking her hair and lifting her chin.
Despite being a teenager now, she nodded and hung her head down. "Like daddy was doing?" she asked timidly. The twisted feeling in her stomach was hard to do something like that with Carlotta.
Elena smiled as Gabe got on his needs to meet her eye level. "You know that's not the right thing to do. If anything just picture something else in your mind." Mira nodded along as she thought of herself on Mari's dad's boat with dolphins and marposa's around them.
"Your grounded for doing that," said Elena as she hugged her still not wanting to let go. "Your room for two weeks every day after school. Just go get ready for bed."
She got out of her lap with a dejected look on her face. In her mind she just pictured that sweet moment of Carlotta without half of her dress and the sour milk poured on her head. She smiled at her parents as she watched her parents hug behind her. If there was one thing Princess Mirabelle Lucia Sofia Nunez Castillo knew what she had, it was a wonderful family.