When Sofia woke up that morning she was filled with an optimism she didn't know she possessed. She was sick of staying in her room, she wanted to feel fresh air. She also knew that for an hour and a half she would be on her own since Hugo was talking to his therapist so Sofia pulled herself out of bed and slowly got changed, it was a challenge but she managed it. She then grabbed her amulet which lay on her bedside table and placed it around her neck. Sofia knew that moving about would be hard after so much time in bed. Her joints felt stiff and she tried to remember how to walk, so she placed all her energy into moving forward, using her walking stick to help.

She hobbled out of her room, smiling at the maid as she walked by. The maid seemed surprised and ran off, Sofia assumed she was going to get the king or queen. She knew she didn't have long before her parents came to her aid, so she carried on towards the exit. When she got there however she found Bailywick talking to a guard, they stopped talking to stare at her.

"Princess Sofia, what on earth are you doing out of bed?" Bailywick asked. Sofia looked down, guiltily

"Outside" she said. Bailywick stared at her in concern and sighed

"Sofia… you should be resting" he tried saying. It did nothing to appease the fourteen-year-old, however.

"Outside!" she yelled. Bailywick flinched and began walking towards the princess, she staggered backwards

"No touching!" she whispered and Bailywick froze. Before Sofia disappeared she loved hugs, and anything touch feely but now the princess seemed terrified. Bailywick wanted to help her, how though?. He was told by the queen that the princess had been hurt by men before, how could he help her when she was scared of males?. Then suddenly Bailywick had an idea.

"Princess… would it be okay if a girl accompanied you, a girl of your choice?" he offered. Sofia seemed to think through her options before finally nodding.

"Amber" she said. The castle steward nodded and sent the guard to find Amber.

When Amber appeared, she looked at the pair, confused. Bailywick quickly explained the situation and Amber face palmed.

"Sofia, you are more than welcome to roam about the castle, but you can't go alone. You are still healing, what if you fall?" Amber explained. Sofia had the decency to look slightly sheepish, Amber then told Bailywick to grab a wheelchair.

"If you want to go outside you must use the chair, I'm not having you fall" Sofia looked affronted.

"Not a prisoner!" she murmured. Amber laughed at her sisters' childish attitude.

"No but we lost you once Sof… let us look after you okay?" she said gently. Sofia looked down and agreed for Amber to help. When Bailywick came back with a wheelchair Amber asked him to inform her family of the situation. Amber then took Sofia out of the castle into the gardens.

They spent an hour or so merely wandering around the gardens until they settled in a meadow of flowers. Amber handed Sofia a drink of water that Sofia didn't even realise they had. They sat in silence for a few moments as Sofia drank.

"It's okay to hate us you know" Amber said suddenly. Sofia stared at her sister, perplexed. Sofia shook her head slightly and motioned for Amber to carry on. The sixteen-year-old frowned and tried to gather her thoughts.

"We… we couldn't find you. I know you thought we would save you because that's what I would think." Amber admitted, Sofia seemed to stare at her sister as if she could see her very soul.

As Hugo fell back into their cage Sofia pulled him into her arms. She rocked him back and forth, trying to calm his cries. He was bleeding from his ear, his lip was split, and his eye was swollen. Sofia hated it; he would rile up their captors so that she wouldn't be hurt. She wished she could take away his pain

"It's okay Hugo… they'll find us"

But they never did.

Amber waved a hand in front of Sofia's face to get her attention, Sofia snapped back to reality.

"You okay?" she asked, Sofia nodded.

"No hate you" Sofia said faintly. Amber blinked

"I would, we tried looking everywhere for you and couldn't find you!" Amber suddenly yelled. Sofia immediately went into flight mode, she tried curling in on herself, but it was hard in her wheelchair.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry" Sofia muttered apologies in a strained voice. Ambers heart shattered, did Sofia think she was going to hurt her?. Gently Amber pulled Sofia's hands away from her face.

"Sofia, I'm not mad at you. I'm not going to hurt you, I'm just angry that I can't help you" the blonde princess then took a step back from her sister to give her some room. Slowly Sofia unfurled and calmed down.

"Not your fault" Amber sighed, her shoulders dropping in defeat.

"I know but I wished I had made you stay to plan your party, maybe then you would have been safe" Sofia bit her lip.

"Not your fault" she repeated more fiercely. Amber wiped away tears that were threatening to fall at her siters insistence.

"Thank you, I love you" she declared. Sofia's broke out into a smile. She held her arms out and Amber blinked in shock before she slowly leaned into Sofia's hug. The teenagers cried silently as they were wrapped in each other embrace.

"Sisters?" Amber murmured into Sofia's shoulder.

"Forever."

Later that night Sofia was sat at the dining table with Hugo and her family. They had been home nearly three months. It was high time they started trying to find some form of normality. It was a quiet affair, with only the king, queen and Amber. James was following a lead and Sofia didn't have the heart to tell him what had happened to her.

So, Sofia sat next to Hugo staring at her dinner, beans on toast. It was the first time she was trying Solid food. Hugo had been on solids for a while and had been trying to encourage Sofia to eat more. The princess refused to eat the recommended amount so Hugo had turned it into a game, for every meal Sofia eat Hugo would do something for her. Sometimes it was stupid things like letting Sofia win at chess or more sentimental things such as holding her forever or giving her a kiss. Doing that in front of her parent would be dreadfully inappropriate, however. So, Sofia just stared at her food, her family didn't comment on her not eating. It was the first time she would be eating in front of her family; she had only eaten in front of Hugo since she had been home. Hugo however wasn't quiet, he had finished his dinner and turned to the princess.

"You eat" he said. Sofia shook her head and Hugo grumbled.

"You be hungry Sofia" he told her. Sofia looked to her family who were watching her. Hugo suddenly then had an idea

"You eat I give you kiss!" he offered. Sofia's face turned red and she squawked his name. Her family watched the two in amusement. Sofia scoffed

"You're annoying" she said, rolling her eyes. Hugo laughed

"You wuv me" he said, arrogantly. Sofia shook her head.

"Nope"
"Yeah"
"No
"Yes now eat!" Hugo then grabbed Sofia's spoon. He scooped some beans onto it and held it in front of her mouth, Sofia gulped. She was suddenly taken back there

"You get food if you behave!"

Hugo seemed to realise what was happening before Sofia did, he grabbed her shoulders and turned her to him.

"We safe" he said firmly. Sofia nodded and began drifting back to earth.

"I get a kiss if I eat?" she asked again. Hugo nodded and Sofia then slowly began eating her dinner. She couldn't quite finish the whole portion but that was good enough for Hugo. He leant across and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Sofia blushed and the pair began laughing, this in turned made the royals laugh. For once since she had been home Sofia felt somewhat safe, if only she knew just how fleeting that would be.