Twenty: What if Sofia had to quit the protectors

Episode: Weeks after the Princess and the Protector.

Sofia had been coming home as of late knackered, lacking her usual energy. Having been her age before, I assumed that she was starting to show signs of growing up.

Though I was wrong. As Rollie was with Amber and James one afternoon, I waited for Sofia's return and gasped at what I saw.

A gash on my daughter's face just below her right eye and by the dry blood that adorned it, it was recent.

"Hi Mom," Sofia smiled. She noticed my face and patted my hand. "I'll clean it up."

"How did you get it?" I questioned. She looked hesitant to tell me. "Sofia?"

My daughter sighed, glancing at the bracelet she was wearing more often these days. We don't know how she got it but it just appeared one day and that was that.

Then she looked at me. Sofia really wanted to lie by the look on her face and the flowing of tears in her eyes as she sat down beside but as her mother, lies were something I couldn't tolerate one bit.

And she knew it to by the look on her face.

"I was on a protector mission this morning and got into a scrape with a woman who doesn't like me," Sofia confessed with a sigh.

"And just how long have you been on these missions?" I asked.

"A few weeks."

"Without telling me or your father?"

"I only wanted to protect you!" Sofia protested. "I thought I could handle it but I guess I can't."

"You certainly can't," I scoffed, taking her hand. "What if something happened to you? How would we find you?"

"Amber would tell you."

"So you've been having her lie for you this whole time? You're in deep trouble young lady."

"I know," Sofia sighed. "Mom, I'm sincerely sorry."

"I know you are," I said, wiping away a tear that was trailing down her face. "But coming home like this proves that you're too young to be a protector. Tomorrow I want you to contact whoever made you one in the first place and say that you quit."

"But am I still in trouble?"

I walked her into my and Roland's room, grabbing some wipes, bandages, and spray to clean off her face before wiping off the dry blood.

"Yes you are."

"I'm grounded aren't I?" Sofia asked, flinching at the spray's touch.

"You are indeed," I smiled warmly, kissing her cheek. "I was thinking a few weeks after you told me about being a protector but how about two weeks instead?"

Sofia nodded softly in defeat. I hated the thought of punishing her but it had to be done.

For as a mother, the safety of my children came first.