Sophia's Story

A Disney crossover by talking2myself

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any recognizable Disney characters. All original characters are my own creations.

CHAPTER 6. Pixie in a Jar

Sophia nearly collided into another shopper as she scurried across the cobblestones in the marketplace. She uttered a distracted apology before continuing on her way. She could hear the man mutter something about "crazy woman" as he shook his head and kept walking. Sophia didn't care. She simply returned her gaze skywards, searching the nearby treetops for squirrels, or more to the point, Pip.

The doomed wedding had been nearly a week ago and since then it felt like everyone who knew and loved Sophia were vanishing into the ether. Like Sophia, Edward refused to admit that Giselle had gotten cold feet and simply ran away. He immediately began to launch search party after search party despite Narissa's insistence that it was pointless. Still convinced that he and Giselle were destined to be together, Edward also insisted that Sophia stay in the palace. Sophia had nowhere to go so she had no choice but to accept his hospitality and wait for Edward to return with her sister. She didn't get the impression that Narissa liked this arrangement, but at least the queen had not thrown her out.

And then one day Edward did not return from one of his searching expeditions. After several days without word, more search parties were dispatched. After several days of searching, no one had reported any sign of Edward or Giselle and slowly they began to call off the search. Sophia couldn't help but feel that Narissa had called off the searches a bit prematurely, but she wasn't about to criticize her sovereign ruler especially when she was surviving on her charity. Besides, Sophia was conducting her own search at the time, looking for the squirrel Pip. He had also vanished around the same time as Giselle. Now, every time Sophia stepped outside she found herself scanning the treetops hoping to catch a glimpse of him.

"And now the princess Cinderella is throwing a ball…"

Sophia froze in her tracks as a thread of conversation wafted out of the air. "Cinderella?" She turned searching for the source of the conversation. A group of two middle-aged women were chatting as they examined the produce in a fruit stand.

"Well, she's certainly come full circle hasn't she?" the other woman replied.

Fascinated, Sophia made her way over to the woman quickly. "Excuse me," she interrupted. "I'm sorry, did you say Cinderella?"

"Oh yes," the first woman said cheerily. "She's planning a royal ball to celebrate her anniversary. Appropriate enough since she met the prince at a ball."

"But.. she's real?" Sophia asked. "Cinderella? It's not just a fairy tale?"

The two women exchanged confused glances. "Of course not, dear," one of them cried. "Good heavens! Have you been living under a rock for the past ten years?"

"In a tree in the middle of the forest actually," Sophia corrected. The two women's eyes widened. "So… if Cinderella is a real person," Sophia continued. "Her fairy godmother is real too."

"Of course," the second woman said as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. Sophia nodded and retreated from the conversation as the women continued to chat. Sophia slowly made her way through the market lost in her own thoughts. Fairy godmothers were real. For some reason, in a world where troll attacks were a daily occurrence, Sophia had never put much stock in the idea that fairy godmothers were true. She always assumed that if there were fairy godmothers out in the world either she or Giselle would have acquired one by now to help them with their struggles.

Sophia made her way up the steps and inside the palace again. Nathaniel stood at the door and offered her a curt nod as she stepped through the door. Sophia nodded back. If there was one person who disliked her presence more than Narissa it was Nathaniel and she could swear that she could catch him shooting dirty looks at her.

"Miss Sophia," he said. "The Queen would like a word with you."

Sophia frowned. This was the moment she had been dreading. "What?" she asked.

"She is waiting for you in the throne room," Nathaniel said. "It would be unwise to keep her waiting." Sophia nodded miserably and slowly made her way down the hallway. Sophia pushed open the door and peered inside. Narissa was sitting expectantly on a massive wrought iron throne.

"You wanted to see me, your highness?" Sophia asked.

"Yes my dear," she said coldly. "Come in."

Sophia anxiously stepped inside, closing the door behind her. She slowly crossed the throne room, her footsteps echoing eerily throughout the otherwise silent room. She stopped when she stood several feet before the throne.

"My dear," she said. "You never struck me as a woman who refuses to acknowledge facts simply because they are unpleasant." Sophia stared back, unsure of what to say. "These are the facts," Narissa said. "Your sister has vanished. So has my stepson. Unfortunately, we have not seen any sign of either of them since they left. I think perhaps it is time for us to face facts. They are not going to return."

Sophia shook her head. "Your highness, it hasn't been that long…"

"Silence," Narissa snapped. Sophia shrank back. "I'm afraid you and I are not destined to become family. We have both suffered great losses over the past several days, but we must find a way to move on." She narrowed her eyes, "And that means leaving the palace to make your own way in the world."

Sophia's eyes widened, "But… but… but where will I go?"

"You are a resourceful young woman," she said. "I'm sure you will find a way." Narissa rose to her feet. "Nathaniel will help you gather your things."

"But your majesty…"

Without another word, Narissa swept out of the room, and Sophia was immediately hustled out of the room and led to her room. Nathaniel was humming merrily to himself as he folded her gowns and placed them in a suitcase. Sophia slumped onto her bed and clutched her hair. Her last harbor had been swept away and she had no idea what she should do next. Where was her fairy godmother? Where was a magic wand that she could wave and fix everything around her.

No. Sophia rose to her feet determinedly. She didn't magic. She would save herself. Narissa had said at one point that she liked Sophia. Perhaps she could reason with the queen? Into the was mentally preparing a speech for the queen as she made her way back to the throne room, but when she pushed open the door she realized that the throne room was empty. "Your majesty?" Sophia peered around the throne room. There was no sign of the queen. Sophia was confused. She had just been here. Sophia circled the throne, searching the area. Sophia examined the empty room, there were no other doors apart from the door she had just emerged from. Sophia studied the throne, but didn't find anything out of the ordinary. That was when she noticed something odd. The throne room was covered with glossy black tiles, but near the throne, there was one green tile. Sophia peered at the tile before pressing it with her toe. Sophia felt the tile click beneath her slipper. Suddenly, there was the sound of stone grinding against stone. Sophia leapt backwards. A stone slab directly in front of the throne rolled back revealing a hidden staircase the led down into the throne. Sophia's eyes widened and she peered into the darkness. She slowly stepped onto the step, making her way down into the dark chamber. As she inched down, further and further, Sophia could hear voices. It was the queen.

"Well, well, my ornery little friend. Are you ready to talk?"

"Let me out of this blasted jar!" she could hear someone snarl.

"All in good time," Narissa continued. "First, I need you tell me where I can find the fair folk."

Sophia stepped into a dark circular chamber. It reminded her vaguely of a cellar except for a strange dark pedestal in the center. There was a round crystal globe perched on top of it. The room was lined with shelves filled with strange specimens in jars and odd artifacts. Narissa stood with her back to Sophia and seemed to be addressing someone that she couldn't see. Sophia leaped behind a large gargoyle statue and prayed that Narissa didn't hear her. Fortunately, Narissa did not turn around. Sophia peered out from behind the gargoyle's wing. She could barely make out a faint glow. For a moment, Sophia thought that Narissa was addressing a fairy fly in a jar, but upon closer inspection Sophia realized that it was actually a small winged man. He was about the size of a butterfly with a yellow cap and clothing and a bristly gray beard and eyebrows. He glowed yellow and was flitting around the jar, pushing against the cork stopper.

"Not a chance, lady," the man snapped. "If you think King Eidileg is going to help you just to get me back you're crazy."

"I think he will be quite eager to get his right-hand man back," Narissa said.

"PAH!" the little figure snapped. "Shows what you know."

Narissa scowled at him. "Sounds like you need more time to think it over." The little man turned and blew a raspberry at her. "Impudent little…" she snapped. She drew a deep breath and seemed to master herself before giving him a smirk. "Either you will tell me where I can find the fair folk or you can die in that jar." She turned to leave but halted after a few steps. "Oh and don't bother trying to disappear. That jar is spell-proof." She slowly made her way up the steps without another word. Sophia shrank back into the shadows but Narissa didn't seem to notice her. Sophia waited a few moments before returning her attention to the strange little creature in the jar. He was angrily whizzing around the jar muttering to himself. "Thinks she can push ole Doli around? Well, I'll show her!" Doli flung himself against the cork stopper again with a frustrated grunt.

Sophia carefully made her way out of her hiding place and cautiously approached the jar. "Excuse me."

The creature froze and glared at her. "Who are you?" he demanded.

"My name is Sophia," she said. She stared at him, "Are you a fairy?"

"Fairy?!" he snapped indignantly. "I am Doli of the Fair Folk. I am a pixie."

"Oh," Sophia said with a frown, "So… you don't know any fairies?"

"Hmmph," Doli said indignantly. "Well, I didn't say that." He looked up at her. "Why are you so interested in fairies?"

"I'm in a bit of predicament too," Sophia admitted. "I need help from someone who can use magic. Could you help me?"

"Me?" Doli thought to himself. "What do you need?"

"I need help finding my sister," Sophia said. "Can you find her?"

Doli frowned. "Sorry girlie. That's a bit beyond my paygrade." Sophia's shoulders slumped. "But…" Doli said thoughtfully. "King Eidileg might…"

Sophia perked up "Can you take me to him?"

Doli scoffed. Girlie, in case you haven't noticed, I can't take you anywhere." He flung himself at the cork again. "I can't take myself anywhere."

"But if you weren't in there, you could?" Sophia asked.

Doli eyed her shrewdly. "Maybe…"

Sophia glared at him. "Okay, Mr. Doli, how about this. I'll help you get out of here, if you take me to your King Eidileg."

Doli brightened up. "Deal! Now get me out of here!"

"Oh no no no," Sophia said. "I'm not letting you out of there until we get to King Eidileg. I heard what Narissa said about disappearing." Doli snapped his fingers. Sophia stood up on her toes and lifted the jar down from the shelf. "How did you get captured to begin with?" she asked.

"Her stupid henchman came up behind me and caught me in this blasted jar," Doli scowled.

At that moment, a shaft of light suddenly filled the dark chamber. Sophia flung up a hand to shade her eyes and stared up at Nathaniel who stared down at her with equal astonishment. "Well, speak of the devil," Doli remarked drily.

"What are you doing here?!" Nathaniel cried in alarm before turning over his shoulder. "Your highness! Your highness! I found her! Oof…"

Tucking Doli's jar under one arm, Sophia sprang forwards rammed into Nathaniel, knocking him flat before she sprang up the steps two at a time.

"Yeah!" Doli cried happily. "Hit him again girlie!"

"Hush!" Sophia snapped. "We need to get out of here." She raced up the steps and through the throne room. She could hear Nathaniel's winded bellowing behind her. "Guards! Guards get her! Don't let her escape!"