Newly dubbed protector Sofia was troubled. She had no apparent reason to be trouble, Vor was vanquished, she had completed her training to become a protector, and she was now surrounded by her friends and family at a graduation party. It was a fairytale ending to what had become her fairytale life, but something was still weighing deeply on her heart. It all had to do with the story based on her life that she had discovered in the secret library. Most of it was about things she already knew about, like her peasant origins, her life as a princess, and her love for her family, but there was one secret the book had revealed...what had happened to dad's first wife and her brother and sister's original mother.

Her dad had first eluded to the past during her "fur raising" adventure with a wishing well, but had never spoken of it since, at least not to her knowledge. What made her so special that she had the right to know before her siblings? After all, the original queen was their mother. Even if it wasn't the happiest story, it was their story. She had gotten to learn what had happened to her original father. It hadn't been easy receiving the official telegram after she had waited by the window for weeks awaited her father's return, but she had gotten answers. Her mother had communicated everything to her. They planned a memorial, and her and her mother had started working more hours on their shoes, considering they would be living on only that income from then on out.

She was the main character of this particular story, but she was a firm believer that everyone is a main character of their own stories and James and Amber were no different! After all, she wasn't the only one who had grown a lot in the past several years. James and Amber had grown too, James had gone from a mischievous prankster to a fearless prince and knight who would gladly fight to the ends of the earth for his kingdom. Amber had gone from a pampered and spoiled princess who was afraid of just about everything, to the brilliant astronomer and selfless future queen of Enchancia. More than that she had gone from Sofia's first antagonist to her most loyal confidant who would stand by and for her sister no matter what.

Sofia may have been the one to defeat Vor, but James and Amber had gone above and beyond to be heroes too, and while their future paths were brighter than imaginable, it just didn't seem fair that they didn't fully understand where they had come from and their own past.

O'Ryan noticed the girl sitting off to the side alone in her thoughts and decided to go over to comfort her.

"What's troubling you, Sofia?"

"I thought the library and the knowledge within it was supposed to empower me and make me feel good, but it doesn't…it makes me feel like an elitist whose better than everyone else,"

"Knowledge can sometimes feel burdensome, but it's not meant to be carried alone, it's at its most impactful and empowering when it is shared."

Sofia sighed, she knew O'Ryan was right, but she also knew it wasn't her responsibility to tell her siblings what she had learned.

There was only one person who could do that.

"Dad…we need to talk," Sofia said as she approached her father listening to Cedric tell a joke.

"Can it wait, Sofia? We are kind of in the middle of a party," her dad said.

"No, it can't wait,"

The seriousness in his daughter's voice caused the king to relent and go with his daughter to the sitting room.

"I know about the first wish, dad," Sofia said as soon as her father sat down…getting straight to the point.

The king's face lost all color and for a brief moment he played dumb.

"W-What wish, Sofia?"

"The wish granted by the wishing well that talks back," Sofia said bluntly.

"How…How did you find out?" the king asked…his tone growing dark and grave.

"It doesn't matter now, what matters is that I'm not the one who needs to know it."

Roland glanced at his birth son and daughter, enjoying the party none the wiser…Amber showing off her graduation tiara and James showing off moves with a wooden sword.

"As soon as the party ends…" Roland promised, eager to stall and figure out how in the world to have this difficult conversation.

Sofia was about to say that something like this couldn't wait, but she tried to think of her brother and sister. She knew the news would likely distress them and it wasn't fair to ruin their party either, so she relented.

For the next few hours, she tried her best to enjoy the party, dancing with Amber, fencing with James, and playing a round of pin the jewels on the crown, but she couldn't completely shake her sadness.

James and Amber noticed too, but they figured she was just tired and anxious about the future now that she was a full fledge protector. After all, Vor may be gone, but danger would always impact the realm. That and the stress of change, going to a different school, getting older, preparing for the next chapter in life, no one could blame her for feeling bittersweet about it all.

They had no idea that their sister's blues had nothing to do with herself and everything to do with them.

After the last guest left Roland approached James and Amber and said firmly but lovingly, "I need to speak to you both…in private," he gave Baileywick a glance that the steward was clearly previously prepared for, but still shocked that the time had finally come. He figured the best way to handle it was continue leading the other servants in the cleaning effort.

James and Amber gave each other a confused glance, their father hardly ever sounded this serious or asked to speak to them without their other sibling with them, but they did the only thing they could do and followed obediently.

Miranda and Sofia watched…Sofia with a sad expression and Miranda with a confused one.

"Do you have any idea what this is about, Sofia?" Miranda asked.

"It's about James and Amber's mom," Sofia said plainly.

"Ummm that's me and I don't know anything about this,"

Sofia flinched, how could she have ignored that her mom was James and Amber's real mom just like her dad was her real dad?

"I'm sorry…of course you are…it's just…it's about the queen that was queen before you,"

"Oh," Miranda said realizing.

"What's going on, daddy?" Amber managed to ask as soon as the door to the sitting room closed behind her.

"I-I need to tell you children a story, it's a story that I should have told you both a long time ago and I'm sorry I haven't, but you are ready now,"

"What kind of story, dad?" James asked.

"It's the story of a king, and a queen, and a wish, and it's all true," Roland started.

"Once upon a time, in a magical kingdom, there lived a noble king and queen. They ruled their kingdom side by side with wisdom and grace and the kingdom was prosperous, but something was desperately missing from their lives…children who would become their heirs and their future," he laid a hand on both of their shoulders. James and Amber looked at each other, realizing a certain familiarity of this story.

"The king especially adored children and longed for them more than any treasure or riches and so he sought out a wishing well and made a simple wish…one that he was certain would be all he ever wanted in life. His wish to have children was granted and he was blessed with a beautiful son and daughter, and all the kingdom rejoiced for their arrival."

At this point Roland's eyes began to fill with tears, but he soldiered onward.

"Amidst all the rejoicing a dark cloud of sadness crept up upon the kingdom…for the Queen's body simply couldn't handle the stress of birth and she-and she was lost."

The royal twins eyes suddenly widened in horror as realization came to them.

"Mom…Mom died…delivering us?" James said slowly.

Roland couldn't look his children in the eyes but managed a small nod.

"P-Please understand, children, it couldn't be helped…sometimes these things just happen and it-and it's no ones fault. It just…happens,"

"HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT!?" Amber shrieked, causing both James and Roland to jump.

"MOM WAS HEALTHY AND FINE BEFORE DELIVERING US! AND THEN SHE WAS DEAD! IF SHE HADN'T HAD US SHE WOULD STILL BE ALIVE! IF IT WEREN'T FOR US THE KINGDOM WOULD STILL HAVE HER!"

"Amber…darling…I promise you that even had your mother known what her ultimate fate was, that she would still choose to have you both…a thousand times over! She was just as excited as I was to welcome children into the world! She knew the risks."

"AND YOU DIDN'T!?"

"I was so blinded by my desire to have children that I never even considered…I don't regret it, Amber, I don't regret it for a moment! I've been so blessed to have you both! To eventually find Miranda and Sofia! I'm the most blessed man in this kingdom and all the kingdoms combined, and-and I'm certain wherever your mother is, that she would be happy,"

"SHE WOULD BE HAPPIER IF SHE WERE STILL HERE WITH US! I-I HATE THAT WISHING WELL AND I HATE YOU!" Amber cried as she ran out of the room, past Miranda and Sofia, who had been listening in and preparing to comfort the twins. She kept running until the door to her bedroom slammed behind her.

Roland was on his knees, frozen with shock for a long moment, until James spoke.

"Amber shouldn't be blaming herself…she was born seven minutes sooner…mom was alive when Amber was born…that means, I'm the twin who killed her,"

"James…no-" Roland started but James had already headed out of the room.

The poor king could only watch helplessly.

Roland knew that Sofia was right in that James and Amber would have to find out eventually, but he was still sore that his children had gone from carefree and happy to furious at him in less than an hour.

"I just don't know how to make this better for them," he said as he sat with Miranda and Sofia at the table drinking some warm coco.

"Well, they still shouldn't have to go through this alone," Miranda said, "I'm going to go talk to Amber,"

"Should I go with you?" Sofia offered.

"Why don't you stay here and keep dad company," Miranda said. Sofia simply obeyed, she knew that her dad was feeling sad right now and it really wasn't her intention to have hurt him. She just knew it was a truth that had to come out.

"I can speak to James, your majesty," Baileywick offered, the offer shocked Sofia and Roland…it was no secret that Baileywick's relationship with James could sometimes be a strained one, particularly when Baileywick was caught in the crossfires of one of James's pranks.

Still though, Roland was convinced his children would rather talk to anyone other than him.

"Amber…Amber honey, can I come in?" Miranda called as she knocked on her daughter's door.

"Uh-Huh," Amber whimpered through her tears, voice watery and full of pain.

"Oh honey," Miranda said as she opened her arms to Amber and allowed the normally proper princess to sob into her gown…tears and even a bit of snot getting on her clothes.

"…it really wasn't your fault, you know that don't you?"

"Enchancia would have been better off if I hadn't been born! I don't give anything good to this kingdom…at least not compared to James and Sofia…my birth wasn't worth my mother's death,"

"That is not true!" Miranda said firmly, wiping her tears with her fingers and forcing her daughter to look up at her.

"You give so much to the kingdom and everyone in it! You found a star that no astronomer had ever discovered before! You speak ten languages and know the royal greetings for dignitaries all over! You've been a wonderful royal mentor and friend and sister to Sofia, and tonight…you willingly rode into a battle that you knew you might not survive. WILLINGLY giving your life for your kingdom. You went back BEFORE even your father and I. You disobeyed our orders to do what you knew was right…watching you and Sofia go ahead of us…Amber I was so terrified I would lose you,"

"You were worried about ME!?" Amber asked shocked, she knew Miranda would be worried about Sofia…but it was harder to accept she had spared any thought towards her.

"Of course I was! You're my daughter too! As scared as I was, I was also so proud…because I knew that your dad and I helped raise such strong young girls who are willing to face danger for the bigger picture. You protected each other, and you protected Enchancia. That's a decision people three times your age struggle to make and you made it without a second thought. Sofia may have ultimately defeated Vor, but you were every bit the hero Sofia was tonight. Enchancia is so fortunate to have you as future queen, and I know you'll do the job better than anyone else I know. The kingdom will know that your mother was right to bring you into the world, because you will change it for the better,"

It didn't miraculously make everything better, but it provided Amber peace.

"Thank you, mom,"

"James? Are you in there?"

It was a stupid question all things considered, Baileywick could hear the sound of destruction and James crying from all the way down the hall…but he felt the need to ask regardless.

"I'M NOT TALKING TO DAD AND YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!" James screamed.

"I know, I'm not trying to…I just want to talk to you,"

"I KNOW DESTROYING MY PROPERTY ISN'T GOOD MANNERS BUT I CAN'T HELP IT!"

Baileywick finally opened the door, "well, at least you know it's bad manners…that's half the battle," her teased as he sat on his bed and motioned for James to do the same.

The prince reluctantly complied.

"I know your father already told you this but…what happened…it wasn't your fault,"

"SHE DIED AFTER GIVING BIRTH TO ME! OF COURSE IT'S MY FAULT!"

"It's not like she died as soon as you popped out James…"

"Huh?"

"She was tired and weak but she got to hold both of you in her arms…she was every bit as happy as your father was,"

"She was?"

Baileywick nodded, "she also named you…James was her father's name and she wanted you to have it,"

"She was so excited to watch you both grow and learn and become great leaders and rulers…it wasn't until hours later that she came down with a fever and…ultimately succumbed," the steward said sadly.

"She had no regrets though, she was thrilled to have brought you into this world and she and your father aren't the only ones…I'm thankful she did too,"

"Really? Even after all those pranks I pulled? Putting pudding into your shoes? Leaving that frog in your coat pocket?"

Baileywick gave a small chuckle, "there have definitely been times I've been more thankful than others, but overall, you are a fine young man and will one day make a courageous knight who will defend Enchancia and beyond. Your mother would be proud of you just like your father is and I am and Miranda and Sofia and many others are,"

James took a deep breath and managed a small smile, "Thank you, Baileywick,"

Both the royal twins knew tomorrow they would have to face their father, their past, and their futures, but for tonight they took peace in being with those who loved them and reminded them that they were worth being here.

"