Chapter Sixteen
Maxwell hated being grounded as he threw a dart at an extra copy of Sofia's school portrait he had copied on his own and placed on his bedroom door.
"Bullseye!" Maxwell cheered as the dart flew to Sofia's eye.
He wasn't a fan of princesses in general but Sofia really bugged him. He still didn't know why but she did.
Maybe it had been the way her curls had flown in the breeze or maybe it was the way her apology had sounded like a mockery of their defeat.
Maxwell growled at the thought of the sickly sweet apology, wishing he had broken her vocal cords with that necklace of hers.
At least he had broken her self esteem with clipping off her curls. That had been satisfactorily for him.
But her older brother had to write it down and now his parents had forbidden him from going anywhere.
Maxwell knew his older sister Susanna had sighed and shaken her head upon hearing the news.
She was twelve, two years order than him, yet she still loved him. Just not for his recent behavior.
"Maxie," Susanna cooed as he let her inside upon hearing her knock. "When are you going to give up your hatred for all princesses phase?"
"It would've ended already but no! The commoner had to start it up again!" Maxwell grumbled.
"Princess Sofia? What you've done has spread through the whole Ever Realm Maxie. I can't even go to ERA anymore without the princesses and princes with little brothers and sisters giving me side glares."
"By that you mean Prince Axel or Princess Astrid?"
"Oh how I wish it was just them," Susanna teased before turning serious again. "Maxwell, Princess Sofia's younger than you. Did you think you accomplished anything by having you and your friends attack her—"
"Felix isn't my friend anymore," Maxwell interrupted. "After what I did to So-So... Ugh! The commoner princess he stopped being my friend."
"At least it was reasonable," Susanna muttered, musing his hair. "Maxie, can't you just say you're sorry?"
Maxwell sighed, fiddling with his fingers. "Even if I did, she'll never forgive me."
"She'd turn me down even if I would ask on your behalf. Princess Sofia's like a rabbit."
"A rabbit?"
"Sweet, naive... But you hurt the rabbit," Susanna explained. Seeing Maxwell's confusion, she smiled. "I mean Princess Sofia."
"I made her fragile?" Maxwell asked. When Susanna nodded, he sighed. "We were six against one."
"And yet you still attacked her anyway. Over a flying derby race at that. I would've loved doing that when I was Princess Sofia's age!"
"You would've?"
Seeing her nod, Maxwell felt a little guilty. There wasn't even a Flying Derby team when his sister had been in school and when he had gotten in, Maxwell hadn't seen her so thrilled.
And the one time she couldn't show up because Susanna had been sick, he screwed up.
"Maybe I did get out of control that day," Maxwell admitted. "But the commoner princess' still a loser and she's the reason why Mom and Dad grounded me for a year!"
"I think that's fair!" Susanna chuckled. "You treat others the way you want to be treated Maxie, not the other way around."
"It's just harder with commoners They're poor and other stuff. How do we fit in with them? And not with village balls or those toy drives every Wassailia."
"You love those toy drives. Last year, you donated nearly your entire toy chest."
"I'm not that heartless by keeping my old toys to myself," Maxwell smiled. "I heard rumors about the commoner princess being one and I..." He turned away from Susanna in guilt. "I said some nasty things to her the day you were sick."
"Any vulgar language used?" Susanna asked.
"No. Mom says cussing's for sailors and drunks. Would you hate me if I did tell you what I said?"
"Depends on how emotionally hurt you made her feel."
"Does a lot count?"
Susanna sighed, glaring at him. "Prince Maxwell of Redwell, what did you say to her?"
"You might want to sit down," Maxwell muttered. "And don't bother closing the door; Mom and Dad know everything I said that day."
Susanna sat on the bed with him, and Maxwell told her everything he had said. By the time he was finished, he had to look away, since his sister was crying into her hands. "I can't believe you!" she sniffled. "Mom and Dad taught you so much better than that!" She looked up and shouted, "I should have Dad have you horsewhipped for that kind of talk! But fortunately for you, that punishment's no longer legal!"
"I know. But Mom and Dad told me after they took me home after I cut the commoner princess' hair that I'm being pulled out of Southwind Prep and being transferred to that reform school."
"Technically, Prescott Remedial Prep isn't a reform school. It helps royals who don't behave around other people, and teaches them lessons about how to act around people who come from different backgrounds, or those who had some kind of trauma, or if they have a disability, that sort of thing. Remember, I went there for a field trip and I saw how nice everyone is."
"But by the time I'm done there, all my friends will have graduated from Southwind, and I won't see them anymore!" Maxwell protested.
"Good!" Susanna frowned. "They were always a bad influence on you, Maxwell! If they're gone, you can learn how to behave again!"
"Don't you think I'm trying?!"
Susanna jumped at his outburst before hearing him start to cry. The last time she heard him cry when he was seven. Being the sister she was, her anger vanished, taking him in her arms.
"Maxie, why didn't you say anything?" Susanna asked.
"I'm always in your shadow," Maxwell sniffed. "Flying Derby was my only chance to get out of there but I ruined it."
"You're in my shadow?"
"You're the best dancer in school, you're smart and popular, you write stories almost as well as Prince James..."
"Oh, yes," Susanna smiled. "I've read his Andrew Harmon stories, and they're really great! But I hear he's been writing stories for Prince Felix's sister that involve their stuffed animals. You even told me that Felix told you that he was telling Princess Sofia a story after her attack to help keep her calm."
"It was okay," Maxwell tried to shrug, but Susanna knew when her brother liked any story he heard.
"Don't give me that 'it was okay', Maxie," she smirked. "Mom and Dad told me that you were half listening to their original lecture, and were more focused on Prince James' story. I know you were also still mad about losing and didn't hear them properly either."
"You know none of us like being yelled at by Mom and Dad," Maxwell grumbled.
"I'll agree with you there but you could've killed Princess Sofia with your actions."
"If I had, not saying that I would have, would his majesty go to war with our kingdom over it? I'm lucky enough that Queen Miranda hasn't done anything to our family because of what I did to her daughter."
"Well, I heard that Felix had similar concerns about that," Susanna admitted. "King William and Queen Charlotte told him that a kingdom wouldn't go to war with another one just because of what one group of boys did."
"That's good...I guess," Maxwell said slowly.
Susanna noticed that he looked conflicted with himself as she got up and closed the door to his room.
Maxwell was really a good kid. He just went down a wrong path and she knew it.
...
Sofia's hair was now to the tip of her shoulders. On day eight when it been to her neck, King Magnus, who had been visiting that day, had thought she was a boy.
Sofia, Amber, and James did have a laugh at his confusion upon his departure with James joking that if it wasn't for her eyelashes and dresses, she could easily pass for a prince.
"Note to self: get James when my hair's grown all the way back," Sofia muttered, but she couldn't help but smile.
Even James had to smile at that. He wanted to see Sofia happy again, and if that meant that he had to be on the receiving end of her, and possibly Amber's, fingers, then it was worth it.
For now he and Amber were happy to stroke her hair once again if Sofia ever got upset.
A panic attack the previous night had her end up in James' room but he didn't mind. Sofia had gotten better emotionally but the panic attacks and nightmares were still an emotional scar.
"Do you know when the panic attacks will stop?" she asked James the next day.
"They'll stop on their own, I guess," James admitted. "I know I used to have panic attacks myself when I was running myself ragged all over the castle working as I tried to avoid music."
"I remember I found you the one time. You tried to handle your emotional breakdown by yourself, but you don't know that I was sleeping in your room in that chair that night. But when the panic attacks did stop, you tried to get used to the idea of singing in public again."
"And every year, on the anniversary of the day the nightmares stopped, I'd thank you for helping me get rid of them."
"Except mine are stronger than yours," Sofia frowned.
"You'll get over them one day," James promised. He mused her hair lovingly. "Come on. Amber has a surprise for you."
"What surprise?"
"While you were recovering, she made plans with Ruby, Jade, Hildegard, Clio, and Vivian. That's all I can tell you. The rest is hers."
"Like the hair ribbons from this morning?" Sofia wondered, gesturing a hand to the purple ribbon in her hair.
"You'll just have to come with me and see for yourself," James smirked.
"James!" Sofia gave a mock protest, but she went with James out to the gazebo where their friends were waiting for them.
She looked puzzled, noticing Ruby and Jade with their luggage at their side before they were dropped as the two friends ran over to her.
"When Amber told us you were all better, we just had to see for ourselves!" Ruby squealed.
"What have you done with your hair?" Jade gasped. "Is that a hair ribbon?"
"It looks nice. Not sophisticated but nice," Hildegard smiled.
"Hildy," Amber frowned.
"Amber," James beckoned her over, "Do you think we should tell Ruby, Jade, Hildegard, and Clio about what Maxwell did and why Sof's hair is shorter than normal?"
"Clio and Hildy might know, but I don't know if Ruby and Jade know."
"I didn't have the heart to tell them," Miranda confessed, overhearing the twins' conversation. "While Ruby and Jade know of the attack..."
""You didn't want them, especially Jade, to be upset over Maxwell?" Amber frowned.
"That's right. They thought Sofia had been through enough already."
"I remember they sent cards and care packages every day," Amber murmured, remembering how every day while Sofia had been unable to speak, or trying to practice physical therapy, Ruby and Jade would send little packages of small figurines and small dolls, all of which James and Amber had made into shadowboxes for her. They also made collages of the cards that everyone, not just Ruby and Jade, had sent while she was recovering.
"And it looks like we don't have to tell them," James whispered, motioning toward Sofia, Ruby, and Jade. They watched as Jade started crying and Sofia and Ruby hugged her. "Sof just did, and Jade's not taking the news well."
"Well, Sofia didn't take what happened well either."
"True. Let's just be thankful Jade isn't furious."
"The twins and Miranda watched as Sofia started to console Jade.
"Jade, it's okay," Sofia shushed.
"I should have been there! I could have helped you! I could have chased those boys away!" Jade cried as Ruby and Sofia hugged her.
"Where have I heard this before...twice?" Sofia smiled over at Amber and James. "Jade, there was nothing you could have done. Everything happened so fast that nobody really had time to do much of anything."
"I know, but I still should have been there to help you!"
"Amber, why don't you tell Sofía the surprise you planned?" Miranda asked.
"Okay. Sofia, while you were recovering, I made plans with our closest friends to have a girls night with you when you were better," Amber smiled.
"The less girls invited, the better," James added. Seeing Amber glare at him, he chuckled. "For mine and Cedric's sakes."
"Okay, James, if that's the way you feel about it, you can't lead us in karaoke, and Cedric can't put on a magic show!"
"Oh, Amber," Sofia giggled. "James, you and Mr. Cedric are welcome to join us, but only if you want. It wouldn't be a party without James' wonderful music and Mr. Cedric's ah-mazing magic!"
"I'll think about it," James smiled, stroking her hair. "But Cedric might have to decline considering your healing potions."
"I know. But he'd do anything for me."
"You give him the sad eyes one time and Cedric immediately does what you want Sof."
"Mr. Cedric's one of my best friends, and I appreciate everything he's done for me since this happened," Sofia smiled.
"Even the healing potions?" James smirked. "I've sometimes seen him try to get you to take them, and you won't do it until he gets you a glass of water and makes his sparkles."
"Oh, this coming from the one who always had to have music on when I wanted him to take his medicine when he was sick?" Cedric smirked.
"You made the sparkles for me too, Cedric."
"And me," Amber smiled, "Those sparkles always worked wonders for us!"
"Well I'm glad they have," the sorcerer smiled. He turned to Amber. "Just try to keep the endless giggling below workshop level. Understand?"
"We'll try Cedric. There's just so much catching up to do."
"Now that I understand. But if Sofia needs a healing potion, come to me."
Amber nodded, smiling as Jade and Ruby took Sofia by her hands.
"Hey! I can walk!" Sofia giggled.
"Better safe than sorry, Sofia," Ruby grinned.
"Nice alliteration, Ruby! I see you've paid attention to James' word games and puzzles!"
"I like a good word game myself. But you know Jade and I are trying to help you!"
"I know," Sofia smiled.
"Amber told us about your physical therapy," Jade added. "With us helping you, you'll get practice before your next session."
Sofia blushed and before she could ask about their luggage, she saw Miranda carrying the small suitcases in her arms.
While she was relieved, she was also embarrassed. Jade and Ruby would notice how slow she was with walking.
"Sofia, we want to help you too," Ruby said as she noticed Sofia's expression. "You're one of our best friends, and Jade and I would do anything for you."
"That's right," Jade agreed. "You've got Amber and James helping you with physical therapy, and now you've got me and Ruby helping you too!"
"Thanks," Sofia smiled a little.
Clio nor Vivian had said a word since she first saw them but she could tell they were smiling.
...
"And then James had this 'brilliant' idea to paint everything in ice. I know my kingdom's freezing but it wasn't as bad as James' ice kingdom."
Sofia let out a giggle at Hildegard's story. While she was recovering, she had missed out on an enchanted painting assignment based on their Arendelle unit which she would've enjoyed.
She and the rest of the girls were in her room, catching up on events from the past couple of weeks.
"During another of our craft classes, we even made you a plush snowman, just like the ones Queen Elsa made when she had that cold," Clio giggled as she handed over a handmade doll.
"He's so cute!" Sofia smiled.
"Of course, we all made one too!" Amber grinned. She looked over at Ruby and Jade. "And we'll have to make one for you two!"
"That would be so cute!" Ruby smiled.
"Yeah!" Jade smiled.
"A lot of the girls were thinking of you these past couple of weeks Sofia," Hildegard smiled. "We've all missed you."
""What about the boys?" Sofia wondered.
"Oh they have too," Vivian assured. "But especially..."
"Hugo!" Amber, Hildegard, and Clio giggled.
Sofia blushed, turning a bright crimson. She knew Hugo liked her but actually missing her?
That was new.
"So, speaking of Hugo, how is he?" Sofia asked.
"Well, we had to keep him from going after the training dummies in fencing class again when he learned what Maxwell did to you," James started. "He told me that he wants to help you too, and if he's here and you need to go somewhere, you'll have another bodyguard."
"You sure it's another bodyguard?" Amber teased.
"Yeah. It's obvious he likes Sofia," Hildegard added. "And I mean like likes her."
"Hugo's like the Kristoff to Sofia's Princess Anna," Clio smiled playfully.
Sofia felt her face turn to a bright crimson. "I am not like Princess Anna."
"Ladies, let it go." James waved them away from Sofia to give her some space. "Hugo wants to help Sof, just like we do."
"You just couldn't help yourself with that, could you?" Amber giggled.
"It was hard not to. Just please try to keep the giggling low tonight. In case you and Sof forgot, you got a brother who lives in this castle too."
"We won't James," Sofia promised as she got up and stretched.
"Speaking of your brother, let me know if you need me for anything, Sof," James continued as he helped steady her.
"Now that I'll do," Sofia smiled.
"I'll come get you if Sofia needs anything," Amber agreed.
"Even with the nightmares Sofia has?" Jade asked.
"Yes Jade," Hildegard assured. She smiled, joining the Enchancia siblings. "Amber and Sofia have been very close lately."
"They're the Elsa and Anna of Enchancia," Vivian smiled.
Amber and Sofia shared a small blush on each other's cheeks. Being compared to the sisters of Arendelle was unexpected.
"You know we love you, Sof, and we'll do everything we can to help you," James said as he watched Amber hold Sofia steady as they made their way to the dining hall for a snack.
"I know," Sofia smiled, "I appreciate everything you're doing for me."
"And it's not because you're the baby of the family," Amber smiled, causing James to chuckle.
As she, James, and the rest of the girls walked into the dining hall, Sofia felt her mouth water as she spotted a pile of fly cakes.
"Good idea, let's start this with a little treat," Ruby smiled as she helped herself to one.
"Fly cakes make everything better!" Sofia giggled, looking over at James.
"Yes they do," James smirked as he grabbed one of his own.
"James!" Amber pouted playfully.
"What? They're fly cakes! It flew into my hand!"
"Sure they did," Hildegard smiled, grabbing one for herself and a napkin.
"We heard these are your favorite treats Sofia," Clio smiled.
Sofia blushed, realizing she had some frosting on her upper lip, smiling warmly. "The fly cakes? Oh they're just something Mr. Cedric gives me to keep my energy up."
"Then explain the frosting on your lip and crumbs on your dress!" Amber giggled.
"Well, when Sof gets into her snacks, she really gets into her snacks!" James grinned.
"Ladies, our first game of our girls' night: get James!" Amber smirked.
"Get James?" Clio echoed.
"Like this," Sofia smirked, motioning for her and Hildegard to run after James along with her and Amber.
"And on that cheerful note, I'm out of here!" James said as he started running up the stairs.
The girls giggled, watching him run off as Ruby and Jade pulled Sofia to the side.
"While we were talking earlier, Jade and I noticed the stuffed bunny on your bed. Where'd you get him?" Ruby asked.
"He's so cute!" Jade added.
"Trèfle? Prince Felix gave him to me," Sofia smiled. She noticed Hildegard and Clio talking to Amber as she leaned closer. "Trèfle helps me with nightmares and some emotional scars due to what happened. Princesses our age aren't known to still sleep with a stuffed animal."
"Who says so?" Jade asked, "I've seen Amber's stuffed animals, and you say James uses his stuffed animals to help him come up with his story ideas."
"That's right," Amber agreed as she, Clio, and Hildegard came over and heard them. "Even Clio and Hildy have their own plush friends, which they confide their secrets to."
"If we want to have a plush friend with us, that's our business," Clio agreed, thinking of her favorite doll, which was on her bed at home.
"That's right," Hildegard agreed, "When I need a shoulder to cry on and Clio's not around, my plush bear helps cheer me up. Lulu even curls up on her and uses her as a bed!"
Sofia giggled as she imagined that scenario. "That'd be funny to see Hildy."
"Even if Astrid says for me to stop talking to my plush bear, that doesn't matter to me."
"Hildy's right," Amber smiled, turning Sofia to face her. "Even if no one understands how much Trèfle means to you, that shouldn't matter. Did anyone say anything about him?"
"A few older girls from Majestic Hall did," Clio confessed. "I walked in there just the other day on accident and while they were sympathetic to what happened, one of the girls started laughing upon learning about Trèfle."
"Don't pay any attention to her," Amber advised. "I know who you're talking about, and she has a teddy bear herself."
"That's right," Hildegard agreed. "She tries to keep the bear hidden, but we've all seen it."
"With all this talk of teddy bears and plush friends, next time we have a sleepover or girls' night, we should do what we did for that one Mother's Day and have a 'Teddy Bear Tea Party!'" Clio added.
"I remember the last one we had," Sofia smiled. "Amber and I had our plush kitties, and James let Mom borrow his plush tiger!"
"It was so cute!" Amber squealed.
"What do you want to do now?" Ruby asked.
"Well we planned all this for Sofia so why doesn't she decide what to do next," Vivian suggested.
"Well, how about we have a story-telling game?" Sofia suggested.
"Like what we did in the Buttercups when we were little!" Ruby smiled.
"I've done this before with them," Amber explained to Hildegard, Clio, and Vivian. "Each of us tells part of a story for three minutes, then someone else takes over."
"I like that idea!" Vivian smiled.
"That sounds like fun," Clio agreed.
"We'll have to write it down as we go," Hildegard added, "And who knows? Maybe we can send it to the magazine that James sends his stories to."
"Why not?" Sofia smiled.
"That's a great idea!" Jade laughed.
"But for Sofia's sake, we're changing a few things," Amber explained. "Nothing scary, no violence, and no mention of the flying derby."
Sofia frowned, fiddling with her amulet. She didn't mean to ruin anyone's fun with being reminded of her trauma.
"We know this has been hard for her, but I don't think we should sugar-coat it," Vivian murmured, seeing Sofia's expression. "My mom says that hiding or dulling the pain will only make it worse if you have to face it again."
Sofia smiled a little at Vivian's words. They made sense, and she was always trying to get through what had happened one day at a time. "Thanks, Vivian," she said at last, "Amber, I know you want to help me, but I don't want you to take the flying derby out. I'm okay around Minimus, Echo, and Electra. I like some horses, and I know not all boys are bad."
"All right," Amber agreed, taking her in a hug. "But you know I only want what's best for you."
"Amber, you do that all the time these days. I'm thankful for that but I just want to start the story."
"Okay. You have three minutes. Begin."
Sofia smiled as she started telling the story of her first time meeting Minimus. She told them how he seemed so nervous about participating in the flying derby tryouts, but they worked together every day, and by the day of the tryout race, all their hard work paid off, and she and James made the team.
"And let's make up some adventures for you two to go on as well," Amber suggested when her time was up. "I've got it...you and Minimus could go with James' and my plush friends on an adventure!"
"I remember those stories James made up about your plush friends," Hildegard smiled. "He even made one up for me on my birthday one year, where Lulu and my bear found a treasure for me!"
"I like the one he wrote for me after the attack," Sofia added. ""It was so cute and funny."
"He told us it was to make you feel better," Ruby smiled.
"I love reading James' stories," Clio grinned. "I've got a subscription to Adventure Stories Weekly, just so I can read them! Don't get me wrong, some of the other stories are good too, but James' are my favorites!"
"I think we all feel that way, Clio," Vivian grinned.
"We should give James a list of your plush friends too, so the next time he writes a story for me, or Felix's sister Felicity, the characters have some new friends to meet," Sofia suggested.
"I'm sure she'd love that," Hildegard smiled. "Amber told me that James would tell her stories while she was here with you, and Amber would write them down for her."
"Felicity's the sweetest little baby in the kingdom," Amber grinned. "She loves anything shiny."
"Like your tiara?" Jade teased.
"I can't say no to her but Felicity really loves Sofia's amulet."
"I know from the times I have to wash it," Sofia smiled. She fiddled with the amulet. "Since we got distracted and didn't finish our story, Amber why don't you go next and pick an activity?"
"Well, we've been working on new dances in Professor Popov's class," Amber suggested. "We'll teach them to you, Sofia, then you can use them in your physical therapy!"
"I do like dancing!" Ruby grinned.
"Me too!" Jade smiled.
"That sounds like fun, but I will take it easy," Sofia agreed.
Amber nodded in agreement as she helped Sofia to the ballroom with the rest of the girls following her.
Sofia giggled as she danced with Amber being her lead. She knew to take it easy as she pushed some hair away from her face.
Her smile widened, noticing their friends enjoying themselves. Especially Ruby and Jade who were lead by Hildegard and Clio.
"You're doing great, Sofia!" Ruby smiled.
"You certainly are," Hildegard smiled.
"Thanks," Sofia smiled. "But I'm only following Amber's movements."
"Still at least you're trying," Vivian smiled. "That's all that matters."
"I'm just sorry I'm a little slower than normal."
"Don't be. We all know you're healing."
"Vivian's right," Clio agreed. "And we don't care how slow you are Sofia."
"You just take it at your own pace," Amber agreed. "We know it's going to take time to recover, but we don't want you to overdo it."
"If you feel like you want to stop, then we'll stop and do something else," Ruby added.
Sofia nodded, following Amber's lead until it was time for the next activity.
...
After activity after activity, the girls were settled in Sofia's bedroom getting ready for bed.
Amber helped Sofia get dressed, steadying her so she wouldn't fall. Sofia almost felt mortified with their friends seeing her having to be assisted with getting dressed until remembering that they were supportive of her recovery.
Yet it was the nightmares that had her the most worried.
"Sofia, you don't have to worry about anything," Amber murmured. "If you have a nightmare, we're all here to help you get through it."
"But what if I..." Sofia started. She didn't want to ask about what would happen if she had an accident in front of everyone, but Amber understood.
"Don't worry about that, Sofia. Even though James and I never told any of our friends about that, they'd have probably figured it out. And you don't have to be embarrassed. They'd be happy to help you too, if it happened here."
"Are you sure?"
"Of course they would," Amber smiled.
"I just don't want any of them to think I'm a baby," Sofia frowned.
"We wouldn't think that," Vivian muttered, not meaning to overhear. "We'll know it's only part of your recovery and like Amber said, we'd be happy to help."
"Even Hildy," Clio added.
"Of course I would," Hildegard smiled. "Sofia, you don't have to be embarrassed about that. If it happens, it happens, and we won't think any less of you."
"You mean that?" Sofia asked.
"Of course we mean it," Jade smiled, "But if it makes you feel better, you can go to the bathroom before you go to bed, and that might lessen the chance of that happening."
"Mom suggested that too, a few times. It did help a little, but sometimes it still happened."
"You can't help that," Ruby assured. "Sometimes it just happens."
Sofia nodded in understanding but still felt a little ashamed. As Amber helped her into bed and tucked in Trèfle with her, Sofia immediately went to sleep as the day's activities had her exhausted.
Seven hours into her and the girls' slumber, Sofia had awoke in tears as Jade awoke groggily to the noise and got out of her sleeping bag, walking over to her friend.
"You had a nightmare?" Jade yawned.
Sofia nodded before looking away from Jade in shame. Jade would wake up Amber or one of the other girls and they would be upset with her for waking them up.
Despite the shame she was currently feeling, Sofia was a little relieved that Jade hadn't pulled off the covers and found out she had an accident.
However, Jade wasn't fooled when she saw the look on Sofia's face. "Come on," she murmured. "I'll help you get cleaned up, and we'll get some clean sheets. Then if you want, you can tell me what happened."
"I'm sorry, Jade," Sofia whispered.
"Sofia, you have nothing to be sorry about. It's no problem for me to help you. You're always going to be one of my best friends, no matter what. And if you have an accident, I'll help clean it up. It's no big deal."
"Sofia?" Amber's voice cut into her thoughts.
"Amber, I thought you slept through everything," Jade frowned.
"I do. But not when it comes to Sofia these days," Amber yawned. She noticed Sofia's face and gently took her hand. "Come on Sofia, I'll get the tub ready. Jade, can you get her a new nightgown?"
As she saw Jade nodding, Sofia sniffed as Amber lead her to the bathroom and had her undress.
"What happened this time?" Amber asked gently. "Was it the stables again? Or was it Maxwell?"
"Both," Sofia sniffled. "Maxwell beat me up in the stables again, then he cut my hair off."
"Sofia, you never have to worry about Maxwell again. Your hair's growing back, and in a few days, it's going to be back to its original length. But if you need a new hat to cover it, I can talk to Clio about making one."
"I don't think it'll come to that, Amber, but I appreciate the thought."
"I'm your big sister, it's what I do," Amber smiled, helping Sofia into the tub. She put water in her little sister's hair, hearing her sniff. "Sofia, about what happened tonight, it's okay."
"How?" Sofia grumbled. "I embarrassed myself again." She sighed, looking at the water. "Maybe Maxwell was right with his words from a week ago. Maybe I am a commoner princess that's nothing but a burden."
"Sofia, that's not true and you know it! Maxwell is just jealous of what a wonderful person you are! He only acts this way because he knows it bothers you!"
"I tried to be nice to him and his friends."
"And he decided to attack you because he's a sore loser," Amber reminded her with a frown. "Him calling you a commoner princess is just him getting to you."
"You weren't around to hear him call me stupid or chubby or a klutz because I can't walk normally anymore or a baby because I sleep with Trèfle," Sofia confessed. "You and James weren't around to hear Maxwell say those words."
"And you believed what he said?" Amber's frown deepened. "Sofia, I can't believe you'd think that way! You never let anything get to you! When someone says something like that, you walk away from them, or you find someone to help you right away! You don't stay and let them walk all over you like that!"
"I tried! I tried to get away!" Sofia protested. "Maxwell wouldn't let me! Besides, you and James wouldn't understand anyway."
"Even if we did, we would still want to help you. Just as we have throughout all this. I know you're hurting right now but you should never let some boy get to you. You didn't with Hugo."
At that moment, Sofia felt a lump she unknowingly had in her throat burst, sending her to start uncontrollably sob.
"Sofia, it's all right," Amber murmured, motioning for Ruby to find Miranda, since she thought their mother could help her too. "We're all here for you. Everything's going to be all right. I'm just sorry I shouted at you before."
"Sofia? Is everything all right?" Miranda asked. She took Sofia from Amber's arms and hugged her. "Oh, sweetheart..."
"Sorry, Mom, we know it's early."
"I've been up."
"I'm sorry Mom," Sofia sniffed as water dripped on the floor.
"Don't be sorry sweetheart," Miranda shushed, wrapping her up in a towel. She noticed Jade coming in with a nightgown and glanced at Sofia who looked away. "Guess that explains the tub."
"I tried to get her cleaned up but Sofia brought up Maxwell and..." Amber trailed off, brushing some hair from her face.
"I understand. None of us can help bringing up Maxwell and what he did. Sometimes it just slips out."
"The only Maxwell I like is Sir Maxwell," Sofia sniffled, thinking of one of the knights.
"And that's all right," Miranda smiled. "Now, why don't I help you get dressed and we'll get you back in bed?"
Sofia nodded before she yawned as Amber couldn't help but giggle at the tired expression on her face.
As Miranda got Sofia dressed, Amber looked down at her feet. She couldn't believe she had yelled at Sofia like that. While it was true her little sister should've stuck up for herself, Amber knew that was difficult.
Maxwell was bigger than them both and his cruelty towards Sofia was something that Amber still didn't understand.
"Will Sofia be all right?" Jade asked.
"It's going to take time, Jade," Amber sighed. "We can only take it one day at a time."
"But why her?" Hildegard wondered, stretching her arms as she saw Amber and Jade. "None of us would've done what Maxwell did."
"No," Vivian agreed, holding back a yawn. "But I think we should give Sofia some privacy."
"Or stay with her in case of another nightmare," Ruby suggested.
"There is strength in numbers," Clio agreed. "And right now Sofia needs all the friends she can get."
"I couldn't have said it better myself, Clio," Hildegard smiled.
As Sofia slept and Miranda had left the room, the girls kept themselves occupied but would stop what they were doing if Sofia whimpered in her sleep.
When Sofia was fully awake after three hours, Amber helped her up to her feet.
"I'm sorry the end of girls night didn't go like you planned Amber," Sofia apologized.
"Sofia, it's okay," Amber assured, pulling her into a hug. "We all had fun making sure you were safe."
"Are you still mad at me? For not sticking up for myself?"
"Of course I'm not mad. The only one I'm mad at is Maxwell, for everything he put you through. But to tell you the truth, I'm also mad at those other princes, since we haven't heard anything from them in terms of apology letters."
"You're not mad at Felix anymore?" Sofia asked.
"No, since we learned that he's sorry for what he's done," Amber smiled. "We've spent time with him, we've gotten to know him..."
"I slapped him in front of you and shouted at him, even though he deserved it..." Sofia half joked.
"Well, yes, but you were only venting your frustrations," Amber agreed. "But he didn't hold you to that, and neither did his parents. And you don't have to worry, he's fine now."
The sisters hugged before they looked around and noticed that only James was in the room.
"Good morning you two," He smiled. "Everyone else is at breakfast and though I hate to intrude on your sisterly embrace, they're wondering where you are."
Sofia blushed at the realization. "I had no idea everyone left."
"Neither did I," Amber confessed. She turned to Sofia with a smirk. "I guess we should've kept our conversation short and sweet."
"Don't worry," James smiled. "If Sof needed a minute before she came down, that's fine. I know I've helped her after nightmares myself, and you've had to come get us."
"That's true," Sofia murmured. "But how did you know? I didn't tell anyone about my nightmares."
"Sof, as I said, I've been by your side since the day this happened. I've tried to help you feel better when you're scared, I've let you stay in my room if you need to..."
"And I appreciate that. You let me have your bed, and you sleep on the floor, but you don't have to do that, since you have a windowseat too!"
"But I use my windowseat as a second writing area," James smirked.
"That is true," Amber smiled. She gave Sofia a gentle squeeze. "No one's going to care if we're still in our nightgowns. That's why it's called a sleepover."
Sofia giggled, letting go of her grasp. "With that settled, you two better catch me first!"
To the twins' surprise, she started sprinting out of her room with messy bed hair and all. Sofia's laughter echoed through the halls as they tried to catch up.
"Well, I guess she's feeling better!" James grinned.
"I guess so!" Amber smiled.