6 The Shy Princess
Royal Prep was having art class where they were instructed to paint a portrait of Minimus, who was held in place by Sir Gilliam
Flora-Okay class, it's time to finish up your paintings.
Flora declared. "We've been so lucky to have such a majestic model pose for us today."
"Looking good, Minimus." Sofia whispered.
"Maybe just lift your head up a little bit higher." Madeline suggested.
"Oh, I don't know why anyone would wanna paint me." Minimus bemoaned. "I'm not very tall, my mane needs a trim, I've been hitting the oatbag kinda hard lately too."
Sofia and Madeline giggled.
"Oh, Minimus." Madeline smiled.
"What's so funny?" Amber asked.
"Oh, nothing." Sofia smiled.
"Lovely work, children." Flora said, appraising the paintings. "Just lovely."
"I think that will do, Sir Gilliam." Fauna told the stablekeeper. "Thank you, Minimus. Good boy."
As Sir Gilliam led Minimus out of the room, the little horse turned to Sofia and Madeline.
"So, how'd I do?" He asked.
"You were great, Minimus." Sofia smiled, as she and Madeline showed their paintings to him.
"Oh, I must be having a good mane day." Minimus smirked.
"Now, let's move on to our next art project." Flora announced. "Building your very own dream castle." Flora conjured up a model castle and floated it over the students' head, to a chorus of "Aaah"s. "Think about what you would want in your castle..."
"It could be anything, and everything." Merryweather interrupted, changing the castle from red to blue. "Let your imaginations run free!"
"Then you'll build a model of your dream castle, and-" Flora started.
"And bring it into class." Merryweather interrupted.
"For show and tell." Flora finished. "Because this is such a..."
"Big project." Merryweather butted in.
"We're going to pair you up." Fauna leapt in. "Because working with others makes everything more fun." Fauna unfurled a roll of paper. "Now, our partners will be, um... Oh, dear, where did I put my glasses..." Flora pointed to the glasses, mounted on Fauna's hat. "Oh, thank you, Flora." Putting on the glasses, she started reading. Alright, Hildegarde and Amber..."
"Perfect." Amber and Hildegarde said together."
"...James and Zander..." Fauna continued.
James and Zander bumped fists.
"Cleo and Hugo..."
Cleo sighed, gazing dreamily at Hugo.
"June and Rupert..." Fauna scrutinised the paper. "And finally, since there are only three students left, they'll have to be a trio: Sofia, Madeline and Vivian."
"Princess Vivian?" Sofia said, confused.
"Who's that?" Madeline shrugged.
"Uh-oh." Amber sniggered. "She's in the back."
"Probably hiding behind her easel." Hildegard tittered.
"Vivian?" Sofia called.
A dark-haired girl at the back of the class popped out from behind her easel.
"Hi." Madeline waved.
Vivian dipped back behind her easel.
"Oh." Sofia gasped.
While the rest of the class left, Sofia and Madeline walked over to Vivian.
"Vivian?" Sofia asked. "Hi. I don't we've really met before. I'm Sofia."
"And I'm her sister, Madeline." Madeline added. "Hi!"
"Hi, Sofia." Vivian said bashfully. "Hi, Madeline."
"So... do you want to come over to our castle to work on the project?" Sofia asked.
"Um, well..." Vivian mumbled. "No, I don't think so."
"We could go to your castle instead." Madeline suggested.
"Well, I guess we have to work on the project somewhere." Vivian declared, as she slowly left the room.
"Great." Sofia smiled. "How about this afternoon?"
"Today?" Vivian stopped. "Okay, sure... I gotta go. Bye."
Vivian quickly left the room.
"See ya later...?" Madeline waved reduntantly.
As Vivian walked out of school, Madeline and Sofia tried to follow, but were stopped by Amber and her friends.
"Sorry that you two get stuck with Vivian, girls." Amber consoled them. "She's strange.
"It's true." Hildegarde added. "I head that her family are nomes, and she lives in a cave filled with glow-in-the-dark bats."
"I head that she has a pet dragon." Amber whispered.
"ReallY?" Madeline asked. "How do you know that's true"
"Well, we don't know for sure." Amber shrugged.
"Because Vivian never talks to anyone." Cleo added.
"And noone has never be to her castle." Amber finished. "Good luck , you two."
And with that, Amber and her friends left.
Sofia and Madeline looked a little worry about going to Vivian's as they walk to the royal carriage. Both girls didn't say a word until they got home.
Back at the Castle, they peeked in James' bedroom, where James and Zandar were working on their project.
"Hey, are you guys working on your Dream castle?" Sofia asked.
"Yep." Zander nodded.
"We're not sure what we're going to make yet." James said. "But whatever it is, is going to be really, really big."
"And when we're done we're going to knock it all down!" Xandar cheered.
"Can we help?" Madeline asked.
Miranda opened Jame's door.
"Madeline, Sofia, there you two are." She said. "I've been looking everywhere for you two. The carriage is ready to take you to Vivian'"
"We know, but..." Madeline mumbled.
"I think James and Zander need our help." Sofia said quickly.
"Right, guys?" Madeline asked.
"Nah, we're good." The boys said.
"Alright, then." Sofia sighed. "Guess we're ready to go to Vivian's."
As Madeline shut James' bedroom door, Miranda said "So girls, is there a reason you two don't want to go to Vivan's?"
"How did you know, Mom?" Sofia asked, puzzled.
"Because moms know everything." Miranda smiled.
"Well, everyone at school is saying that Vivan is Strange." Madeline told her.
"Why do they say that?" Miranda asked.
"We don't know." Sofia shrugged. "No-one really knows her."
As they got to Sofia and Madeline's bedroom, Miranda said "Well, have you two tried talking to her?"
"We did, but she barely said a word." Madeline remembered.
"Well, you're not going to know what Vivan is like until you get to know her better." Miranda noted.
"Maybe you're right Mom." Sofia nodded.
"I'm glad we agree." Miranda smiled. "Now go on and get your things, girls. You don't want to be late."
"Okay, mom." Madeline grinned.
Inside the bedroom, Sofia and Madeline's animal friends watched as they packed.
"What do you even bring to a castle that's full of bats and gnomes?" Sofia wondered aloud.
"An escape plan?" Robin offered.
"What you need is some backup, princesses." Clover declared. "I'll go with you."
Robin, Mia and Whatnaught burst out laughing.
"Do you know how little you are?" Robin sniggered.
"And how soft and fluffy you are?" Mia added.
"Hey, there's a lot of toughness crammed into this soft, fluffy package, missy!" Clover said, flexing to prove his point.
"Thanks, Clover." Madeline lifted Clover onto the window seat. "We really would feel better if your 'toughness' came with us."
"Madeline scratched Clover behind the ears.
"Yeah, huh-huh..." Clover sighed, dropping to his stomach.
"Just don't let the bats and gnomes scratch Clover behind the ears!" Robin teased.
The girls and Clover took the carriage to Vivian's castle. It didn't seem too bad from the outside.
"Well, here we go..." Sofia whispered.
"Don't worry, princesses." Clover told them. "I've got you back."
The three passed through the gate, and a colorful patch of flowers.
"Wow." Madeline gasped. "This is definitely not a cave."
The front door opened.
"Here come the gnomes!" Clover shrieked, hiding in Sofia's bag. "Aaah!"
A woman came down the steps.
"Welcome Sofia, Madeline." She said cordially. "I'm Cecily, Vivian's mother."
"Hi." The girls said together.
"We're so delighted you're here." Cecily said.
"You're not a gnome." Sofia mumbled.
"What was that, dear?" Cecily asked.
"She said 'you have a lovely home'." Madeline leapt in.
"Oh, thank you." Cecily smiled. She looked back at the open door, which Vivian was hiding behind. "Vivian, why don't you show Sofia and Madeline your room?"
"Okay, mom." Vivian agreed. "Follow me, girls."
The girls walked through the halls of the castle, Sofia carrying Clover in her bag.
"What are those?" Clover pointed out some gargoyles.
"I think they're just statues." Sofia noted. "I hope."
"Clover, you can relax now." Madeline suggested. "No cave, no bats, no gnomes... I don't think any of those stories are true."
"Okay." Clover sighed with relief, popping his head out of the bag.
"What's that?" Vivian asked, spotting Clover for the first time.
"Oh, it's just our pet rabbit." Sofia declared.
"I hope it's okay that we brought him." Madeline said.
"Sure." Vivian smiled. "I have a pet too."
"What kind of pet?" Sofia asked warily.
"A dragon." Vivian declared.
"A dragon?!" Sofia, Madeline and Clover said together.
Vivian opened a dooor, and a small teal dragon came racining out.
"WOO-HOO!" The dragon squealed, running in circles around the visitors before leaping into Madeline's arms.
"She's adorable!" Madeline cooed.
"Thanks." Vivian smiled.
"We're sorry if we were acting a little nervous before." Sofia apologised. "We were, well..."
"Afraid to come over here?" Vivian suggested.
"No." Madeline shook her head. "Not at all... maybe a little."
"The girls at school told us some stories..." Sofia started.
"About the gnomes, and the bats, and the caves, and the strange noise?" Vivian offered.
"Just the gnomes and the bats." Madeline shrugged. "How did you know?"
"I've heard pretty much all the stories." Vivian admitted. "They don't even realise I'm standing right next to them when they're talking about me."
"If you know they're making up stories, why don't you tell them the truth?" Sofia asked.
"Well, I um..." Vivian stuttered. "See, I have a hard time talking to other people. I guess I'm a little..."
"Shy?" Madeline finished.
"Yeah." Vivian nodded.
"That's okay" Sofia smiled.
"We understand." Madeline grinned. "So, shall we get to work on our dream castle?"
"Yes, great idea." Vivian smiled. "We can work in my room. Come on in."
Sofia kneeled down to talk to Clover.
"Clover, why don't you and Crackle get to know one another, while we work on our dream castle?" She suggested. Clover merely blinked in return "Great. See ya soon."
As the girls left the hall, Clover hopped out of the bag. Crackle came behind him, sniffing the rabbit.
"HI!" She said loudly.
"Aah!" Clover jumped. "H-hey."
"I'm Crackle, and I'm really excited to meet you!" Crackle said excitedly, breathing out a gout of flame.
"Whoa, sparky!" Clover gasped, having just managed to duck in time. "What's with the flame-throwing?"
"Oh, sorry." Crackle apologised. "I breathe fire when I get excited."
"Yeah, well don't." Clover suggested. "Ow! Let's just calm down. Take a deep breath"
Crackle breathed out more fire.
"Yow!" Clover yelled.
"Sorry!" Crackle gasped. "It's just, there's nothing more exciting then meeting someon new. Don't get me wrong. I love Vivian, but I also love-love-love making new friends!" She breathed more fire, then hugged Clover. "Let's do everything together! Let's run through the grass, and have a picnic, and chase our own tails!"
"Wait, did you say 'picnic'?" Clover asked. "As in 'with food'?"
"Uh-huh." Crackle nodded.
"I'm in." Clover smiled.
"WOO-HOO!" Crackle leapt for joy. "Now I'm even more excited!"
"Uh-oh." Clover groaned.
Crackle let out more bursts of flame.
"Sorry, sorry!" She apologized.
"Hey, you gotten watch where you do that!" Clover
Hey, you gotten watch where you do that!" Clover protested. "You could hurt someone. And by 'someone', I mean 'me'!"
"Oh no, I'd nerve hurt you, Clover." Crackle enveloped him in a hug. "Because you're my new best friend!"
Clover laughed nervously.
Meanwhile, Sofia and Madeline started talkIng to Vivian about the project.
"Let's see." Sofia mused. "If I could choose anythin the world to put in our castle, I'd pick a sorceror's workshop for sure."
"And a butterfly garden." Madeline added.
"And a huge stable for flying horses." Sofia continued. "How about you? What would you put in our castle?"
"Oh, well, um..." Vivian muttered. "Well, maybe..."
"Hey, what if you show us your favorite places in your castle?" Madeline suggested. "We can start there."
Nodding, Vivian led them to a room full of musical instruments.
"This is my music room." She declared.
"Wow..." Sofia and Madeline gasped.
"It's my favorite spot in the castle." Vivian revealed. "Well, really, it's my favorite spot in the world."
Sofia pressed a piano key.
"Can you play all of these?" She asked.
"Uh-huh." Vivian nodded. "Well, not all at the same time. Mandolin is my favorite."
"We love the mandolin." Madeline smiled.
"You do?" Vivian asked.
"Will you play something for us?" Sofia requested.
"Now?" Vivian gasped.
"We'll sing, if you play." Madeline offered. "We can sing about all the things we'd want in our dream castle."
"Well, I guess I could..." Vivian decided. She took her mandolin from it's stand and started playing.
Sofia: To build the castle of our dreams, may be simpler than it seems.
If you feel a little shy, here's something we can try.
We'll just sing a little song, to get us going strong.
You can strum, we can hum, till you wanna sing along.
Madeline: It's on the tip of your tongue, just wainting to be sung.
So follow us, take our lead, a brand new friend, may be, all you need.
Madeline: In our castle, I would float, with the dolphins in the moat.
Sofia: I'd paint all the towers blue, but the next part's up to you.
Vivian: Let's have slides instead of stairs, giant trees with koala bears
every seat would play a beat, cause we'll have musical chairs.
It's on the tip of my tongue, just waiting to be sung.
I'll follow you, take your lead.
Sofia/Madeline/Vivian: A brand new friend may be, all I need, all you need.
Madeline: We'll just sing a little song, to get us going strong.
Vivian: I can strum
Sofia: I can hum, hmmmmm.
Sofia/Madeline/Vivian: and then we'll sing along.
I'm so glad we found a way, to make this the perfect day.
Vivian: I'll follow you,
Sofia/Madeline: We'll take your lead.
Sofia/Madeline/Vivian: A brand new friend maybe, all we need, all we need.
Their dream castle was finished.
"Vivian, you're really fun to work with." Sofia smiled.
"Oh, thanks." Vivian said bashfully. "I've never overheard anyone say that before."
"That's because they don't know you." Madeline pointed out. "You should try talking at school more."
"I don't know." Vivian mumbled. "I just get so nervous, I freeze up, And sometimes, I run away. Well, I always run away."
"We noticed that." Sofia admitted.
"Sofia, Madeline!" Clover called, as he raced past the open door. "Come on, we gotta go, we gotta go, let's go, let's go, we gotta go, we gotta go!"
"Wait for me-ee!" Crackle chanted, hopping after Clover.
"Looks like we'd better get going." Madeline noted.
"We're really glad we came over today." Sofia smiled. "We're really glad we're partners."
"Me, too." Vivian smiled back.
Outside, Sofia and Madeline prepared to board the royal carriage.
"See you tomorrow." Madeline waved to Vivian.
"Ready, Clover ?" Sofia asked the rabbit, who was struggling to escape another of Crackle's hugs.
"I had the greatest day ever!" Crackle squealed. "Come back, tomorrow!"
"Yes, yeah" Clover managed to break free. "I'll have my Princesses call your princess."
As Clover hopped into the royal carriage, Crackle yelled "Best friends forever!"
"Yeah, okay, bye." Clover said unenthusiastically.
As the carriage took off into the sky, Vivian waved, and Crackle wagged her tail.
"Wow, it seems like Crackle really likes you." Sofia noted.
"Yeah, but it's not really going to work out." Clover declared.
"Why not?" Madeline asked.
"Well, she's a nice dragon, and all, but we're just too different."
"Because you're a rabbit, and she's a dragon?" Sofia asked.
"No, because she breathes fire, and I don't like being on fire!" Clover said testily.
The next day, at lunchtime, Vivian was sat next to Sofia and Madeline.
"What if, instead of a drawbridge, we have giant seahorses that carry you across the moat?" She suggested. "No, mermaids. No, hippoes. No, mermaid hippoes!"
"Let's have all of them!" Madeline smiled.
The three girls giggled, just as Amber and her friends entered the room.
"Oh, no." Vivian hid her face behind a napkin." They're coming... over here."
"It's okay." Sofia encouraged her. "This is your chance to show them what you're really like."
"You mean... t-talk to them?" Vivian stuttered.
"Just be yourself, and everything will be fine." Sofia assured her.
"Really?" Vivian asked.
"You can do it!" Madeline encouraged.
Amber and her friends came closer.
"I can't do it." Vivian trembled. "Yes, I can. No, I can't!"
Vivian left her seat and ran out of the room.
"Vivian, wait!" Sofia called. "Oh, no..."
"Why did Vivian run off?" Amber asked.
"She's just shy." Madeline admitted. "But trust me, you'd like her once you got to know her."
"If you say so, Sofia." Amber fanned herself. "Shall we eat lunch, ladies?"
"If your shy friend doesn't come back, feel free to join us, you two." Hildegarde told Sofia and Madeline.
After school, Sofia and Madeline returned to their room, where they found Clover trying to open a walnut.
"Clover?" Madeline asked.
"Over here." Clover mumbled, in the middle of trying to bite open the walnut.
"We're worried about Vivian." Madeline declared. "She ran away from us at lunch, and we couldn't find her all."
"Oh, no, I see where this is headed" Clover groaned. "Noooo."
"Yep." Sofia smiled. "We're going over to Vivian's to see if she's okay. And we think you should go with us."
"Nuh-uh." Clover declared. "No."
"Come on." Madeline pleaded. "I bet Crackle will be really happy to see you again."
"When she's happy, she breathes fire!" Clover protested.
"Clover, you're her friend." Sofia declared.
"She. Breathes. Fire!" Clover stated.
"You're. !" Sofia counted.
"Fire!" Clover repeated.
"Friend!" Sofia shot back.
"Alright." Clover sighed.
"Yay!" Sofia and Madeline said together.
Cecily greeted Sofia and Madeline on their arrival.
"It's so nice to see you two again." She smiled.
"Hi." Sofia greeted her. "Is Vivian home?"
"CLOVER!" Crackle boomed, tackling the rabbit. They rolled down the stairs, Crackle landing on Clover's back. "You came back! You're the only one that ever come back!"
"I can see why." Clover groaned.
"Come in, girls." Cecily offered. "Come in."
Clover tried to follow, but Crackle grabbed him.
"Sofia!" Clover yelled. "Madeline!"
"Oh, no." Crackle smirked. "You're coming with me."
"Aah!" Clover screamed as Crackle walked off with him.
Back inside the Castle, Cecily was leading Sofia and Madeline to Vivian.
"You know girls, it's never been easy for Viviane to make friends." She revealed. "So I know she's very happy to have made such good ones, even if she's too shy to tell you."
Crackle pushed open the kitchen door, then pulled Clover in.
"Surprise!" She announced.
Clover saw lots of food.
"Whoa, what's all this?" He asked.
"It's our picnic." Crackle beamed. "I've been planning it since the minute you left."
"Hmmm, not bad." Clover said, examining a row of vegetables on a skewer.
"Here, allow me." Crackle took the skewer, and used her fire breath to roast the vegetables.
"Whoa, what are you doing?" Clover gasped, hiding behind a table leg.
"It's better this way." Crackle smiled, offering the skewer. "Taste."
"Ooookay." Clover warily took the skewer, and took a tiny bite out of the food. "Hmm, mmm. Nice smoky flavor... I like it!"
"You do?!" Crackle gasped. "You really do?! That makes me so happy, I could just-"
"Hey, Crackle, over here!" Clover held up two more skewers. Crackle roasted them from across the room. "Crackle, I'm starting to think this friendship could work out."
"WOO-HOO!" Crackle cheered. She dived at Clover, knocking them both into some crates. "Sorry." She whispered.
Cecily knocked on Vivian's door.
"Vivian, dear, you have visitors." She announced.
Sofia and Madeline entered the room. Vivian was sitting on her bed.
"Hi." Madeline waved. "What happened to you today?"
"I wanted to talk to the other girls." Vivian admitted. "And I thought I could do it, but I just ran away, like always."
"Well, you'll have another chance tomorrow." Sofia pointed out. "At our dream castle show and tell. Then everyone will get to know you."
"Oh." Vivian chuckled nervously. "I thought that, well, I was hoping... that you two were going to do the talking?"
"We all are." Madeline declared. "It's part of the assignment."
"How about I do the 'show' part, and you do the 'tell'?" Vivian offered.
"Vivian, you're going to have to start talking to people sooner or later." Sofia told her.
"I choose later." Vivian said quickly.
"We'll be right next to you." Madeline assured her. "And we can take turns speaking.
"You make it sound so easy." Vivian sighed. "But I know I'm going to get nervous in front of all those people. I want to, but I can't!"
Vivian pushed the model castle toward Sofia and Madeline.
"Please?" Sofia pleaded, pushing the castle back.
Vivian pushed the castle back.
"I'm sorry." She apologised.
Dismayed, Sofia and Madeline decided to leave. Along the way, they found Clover in the kitchen.
"Clover, ir's time to go." Madeline declared.
"Yo, wait, wait-wait-wait-wait!" Clover smiled. "Look at what Crackle can do!"
Spearing a marshmallow on a stick, Clover held it up for crackle to roast.
"Ta-daa!" Clover declared. "Smore?"
"Thank you." Sofia took the roasted marshmallow.
"We got toasted carrots, and roasted almonds, too!" Clover pointed. "I am so glad you made me come back here, Princesses. 'Cause, Firebreathing? Not so bad after all!" Clover attached an ear of corn to the stick. Crackle roasted it, turning the kernels into popcorn. "Turns out, it might just be the greatest talent in the world!"
"Clover, that's it!" Madeline realised. "Vvian's greatest talent!"
"What?" Clover asked through a mouthful of popcorn.
"We'll explain later. "Sofia replied, having reached the same conclusion. "We have to talk to Vivian. Keep eating!"
"I'm on it!" Clover declared, taking a bite of a roasted carrot. "Oh, so tough..."
Sofia and Madeline raced back into Vivian's room.
"Vivian, we have an idea." Madeline declared.
"We'll sing about our dream castle, instead of talking about it." Sofia added.
"What?" Vivian gaped.
"We know you're scared to talk in front of all those people, so play for them instead." Madeline suggested. "You can play the mandolin, and we'll all sing."
"Oh, I don't know." Vivian said, unsure.
"When we first came over here, you were shy." Sofia declared. "Until you played your mandolin. Then you weren't nervous anymore."
"True, but..." Vivian mumbled.
"We'll do it together." Madeline assured her. "Two good friends may be all you need."
"Okay, I'll do it." Vivian decided. "I mean, I'll try to do it."
The next day at Royal prep, Amber and Hildegarde were showing our their dream castle (Or castles).
"And that's the castle just for our gowns." Amber declared.
"And this one is for shoes." Hildegarde proclaimed.
The class applauded.
"Thank you." Amber smiled.
"Thank you so much." Hildegarde curtsied.
"What a lovely presentation." Fauna smiled. Clearing her throat, she looked at her list. "Now it's James and Xandar's turn to show us the castle of their dreams."
James and Xandar walked to the front of the room, their castle covered by a sheet.
"Ready?" Xandar asked James.
"Behold!" James cried, as he and Xandar removed the sheet, revealing a large toy cannon topped with a small castle. "No-one will even try to attack this castle!"
"Because of the cannon!" Xandar proclaimed.
"Boom!" James smiled. "That's it."
The boys in the class cheered.
"Thank you, James and Xandar." Flora smiled. "It's a very nice cannon. Uh, I mean, castle. Alright, it's time to hear from Sofia, Madeline and Vivian."
"Are you ready?" Sofia asked Vivian."
"Yes." Vivian nodded. "...No."
"We can do this." Madeline assured her.
Walking to the front of the room, Sofia set their castle on the table.
"You're gonna be great." Sofia whispered.
"I hope you're right." Vivian quivered. "Because there are a lot of people watching."
"Hey, pretend it's just the three of us in your music room." Madeline suggested.
Vivian took a deep breath.
"Okay, here goes." She started strumming at her mandolin.
Sofia: In our castle, we would float, with the dolphins in the moat.
Madeline: We'd paint all the towers blue, now I hand it off to you.
Vivian: We'd have slides instead of stairs, giant trees with koala bears
every seat would play a beat, cause we'll have musical chairs.
As Vivian kept playing, she won over everyone in the classroom, even Amber and her friends. As she finished, she, Sofia and Madeline took a bow,.
"And that's our dream castle." Sofia declared.
The whole class applauded.
"Marvelous." Amber praised them, as she and her friends walked over.
"You are such a good musician!" Cleo told Vivian. "You should join the school band."
"Even though you only had one castle, it was still wonderful!" Hildegarde smiled.
"Oh Vivian, I don't know why you've been hiding at the back of the class." Amber mused. "We must get to know one another. Let's schedule a playdate, right away."
"We should have made the cannon bigger." James told Xandar.
"You okay?" Sofia asked Vivian.
"I am." Vivian smiled. "I really am. Thanks, girls."
"Sure." Madeline grinned, as the three girls held hands, accompanied by more applause from their classmates.