Sofia is always willing to help others when they need it. But sometimes it takes a while for them to accept her offer. When James comes home after something upsetting, he just wants to be alone before he can think about it again. Thankfully, Amber knows just the thing to help cheer him up, Sofia gets to learn about a favorite song of theirs, and James gets some brilliant news. Thanks to Sofia2017 planning for helping with the story. Follow That Bird is not mine.

As they got out of the carriage from another day at Royal Prep, Amber noticed right away that something was wrong. James was holding one of his story folders, but he looked sad. "Are you okay, James?"

James just shook his head and continued on his way. He just wanted to get to his room and forget about what had happened after his class.

Sofia watched as James walked by her, and she noticed that he looked upset about something. "James, is everything all right?"

"If it's all the same to you, Sof, I don't want to talk about it," James muttered as he struggled to keep from breaking down in front of his sisters.

Sofia frowned as James walked away. She hated seeing her brother looking so upset, and she wanted to help him. She started to follow him, but Amber shook her head. "Leave him alone, Sofia. If I know James, and I do, he wants to be by himself when he's this upset."

Sofia frowned. "But Amber, we have to help him!"

"Sofia, if James wants our help, he'll ask for it," Amber said firmly. "He'll tell us what's bothering him when he's ready. And…I hate to say it, but you have a habit of pestering people until they agree to your demands."

"I just want to know what's wrong," Sofia pleaded, giving Amber her 'Sofia stare.' "Please, Amber, can't we go talk to him right now?"

"Sofia, I invented that look when I was two," Amber smirked, recognizing the 'I'm the cutest person in the world' look she used to give Roland when she was younger and in trouble. "That doesn't work on me!"

"It was worth a shot," Sofia giggled a little, but then she sobered. "Still, there must be something we can do for him."

As they made their way into the castle, Miranda greeted them with a hug. "Girls, how was school?"

"It was okay, but James looks really upset about something," Sofia started. "I want to help him, but Amber won't let me."

Miranda nodded. She had seen James going to his room, and he had been holding one of his story folders. She wondered if James had gotten a bad grade for it, but then, she thought, that was impossible; James always excelled in his writing classes (fifty-six consecutive gold stars, but who's counting!). And of course, this didn't seem like the time Roland had told her about, when an older princess had ripped up his story in front of him, since the folder was still intact. "Why don't I come with you?" she suggested. "We can try to talk to him again, since he's had some time to calm down a little, but if he doesn't want to talk, we shouldn't bother him. He'll tell us when he's ready."

Feeling Amber's 'older sister stare' on her, Sofia sighed, "Okay, Mom…"

Miranda, Sofia, and Amber stopped outside James' door. "James?" Miranda called softly after knocking, "Can we come in?"

"Okay," they heard the soft reply.

They entered the room to see James curled up on his bed, holding his plush tiger Prince Blizzard, his plush dog Little Rex leaning against him, and his plush dragon Sir Blaze-a-Lot resting against his head.

"What happened?" Miranda asked, sitting next to him and putting his head in her lap.

"Alright…I'll tell you…" James murmured as Amber put Sir Blaze-a-Lot in his hands. He hugged the little dragon as he began his story. "The fairies made an announcement during class today," he began, "There's going to be a Writing Festival at Royal Prep next week, and all kinds of people, including professional authors and other writers, like writers of Enchancia Today, are going to be there. But it's by invitation only..."

"Didn't you get one?" Amber asked, looking stunned. "James, you've been writing since you were born!"

"I did get one," James admitted, smiling a little as he recalled the joke Roland often told about James writing as soon as he was born, but then his smile faded. "But remember what happened after my first Creative Writing class when that princess ripped up my story?" When they nodded, James continued, "She took my invitation, ripped it up, and threw the pieces away. I tried to get help, but she shoved me into the closet and held the door shut until she heard the fairies leave the room. I managed to get out and find them, but she ran off before the fairies could catch her."

"Didn't anyone see her do that?" Miranda asked.

"The fairies left before she made her move," James sighed, "She left the room when she heard them coming back. I thought I'd try to find the pieces and ask them to fix it, but she took the bag with her."

When they heard the reason for James being upset, Sofia said, "Amber, it looks like we have a princess to find during school tomorrow!"

"And it looks like Roland and I have a princess's parents to talk to right now," Miranda added, "But first thing's first. I'm going to talk to the headmistresses and see if I can't get your invitation back! James, you deserve to attend this festival, and you're going to it even if Roland and I have to take you there ourselves and demand that the people in charge let you in!"

When Miranda left the room, Sofia couldn't help but smile. "Don't worry, James, there's no doubt in my mind that Mom's going to get your invitation back! When she gets that 'mama bear' look in her eyes, she always gets what she wants!"

However, instead of looking relieved, James looked embarrassed. "That's what I'm worried about. I mean, you're all welcome to try, but I don't want anyone to fight my battles for me…"

"We just want to help you," Sofia tried to reason with him, "You don't have to be embarrassed about asking for help."

"And if this princess thinks she can mess with you, she's sadly mistaken!" Amber agreed. "Mom says there's strength in numbers, and with all of us by your side, we can accomplish anything!"

James gave her a small smile. "Thanks, guys…"

"Now, if you'll give me a minute, I'll go get my doll Maryanne, and my plush kitty friend Lady Lavender, and we can have a kitty sing-along," Sofia smiled. "After all, music does always make you feel better!"

"Don't start without me, Duchess Kitty, and Princess Sparkle Bear!" Amber agreed.

James smiled, all traces of embarrassment gone. He knew that Sofia, Miranda, and Amber just wanted to help him, but he had been too upset at first to really listen to what they were planning. He sat up with his plush friends around him. "You know, that does sound like a great idea."

Soon, Sofia and Amber returned with their plush friends. "Now we need a good song that you like!" Sofia smiled.

"I've got just the one," Amber said as she went over to James' box of tapes and CDs. She rummaged around for a moment, then held up a tape. "Perfect! This always made James feel better when he was sad when he and I were little!"

"You mean..." James started, beginning to smile.

"That's right! The Easy Day song!" Amber smiled.

As she started the music, Amber took James' hand in hers as she sang, The sun is in the sky and
Clouds are rollin' by and
Today is gonna be one wonderful day

James smiled as he took the next part, Hand in hand together
We'll be friends forever
Sharing all the good times
Happy and free
It's gonna be some

As he hugged Prince Blizzard and Amber hugged Princess Sparkle Bear, they sang together, Easy goin'
We'll laugh our cares away
On this easy goin'
Easy goin' day

"This has got to be one of the cutest songs I've ever heard!" Sofia smiled, "But why is it called the Easy Day song?"

"That's what James and I called this when our birth mother sang it," Amber smiled. "This song even helped Daddy feel better once when he was feeling overwhelmed after a long day."

James nodded as he remembered that, then he took Sofia's hand and swung it back and forth as he sang, We're never in a hurry
Got no time to worry
We'll take it nice and easy
Singin' a song

"I would have loved to see that!" Sofia smiled.

Amber nodded as she joined in, There's never any trouble
We're floatin' like a bubble
La la la la la la
Lighter than air
Why should we care?

As she sang, Amber smiled as she remembered herself and James try to sing with Melinda to cheer Roland up, and all she and James could really sing was 'Easy day! La-la-la!'

James nodded in agreement as he sang with her, We're easy goin'
We'll laugh our cares away
On this easy goin'
Easy goin' day

"Yes, Amber, and now I can sing full songs like the Easy Day song!" James smiled.

He and Amber finished the song together, Easy goin'
We'll laugh our cares away
On this easy goin'
Easy goin' day

"It's official; that's one of the cutest songs I've ever heard!" Miranda smiled as she came in with Roland behind her.

"Thanks, Mom!" Amber, James, and Sofia chorused.

"That's always been one of Amber and James' favorite songs," Roland smiled. "Along with their 'twin song', they always sang this to each other when one of them was upset about something when they were younger."

"That's so sweet! But we have a surprise for you, James," Miranda continued. "Not only did the headmistresses tell us that they found your invitation, and they used their magic to repair it after you left, but they're inviting you to attend a writing seminar hosted by the author of your favorite detective series."

"I get to meet the author of the Eddington Smith mysteries?" James gasped.

"That's wonderful!" Amber smiled. "Maybe you can bring some of your stories with you, and perhaps he'll put Andrew Harmon and Julie Melody in one of his stories!"

James grinned for the first time since he left the school. "That's a brilliant idea, Amber!" However, his grin faded when he thought back to what had happened earlier. "But what about that princess; the one who ripped up my invitation and stuffed me in the closet?"

"Your father and I talked to the headmistresses about her," Miranda started, "Not only is she going to be suspended for a week, but she's also going to be in detention for the rest of the year, and she's going to have to take some remedial classes on royal manners."

"I guess that's better than nothing," Amber sighed. "If it was up to me, I'd shoot her out of one of James' cannons for doing something like this to him!"

"Now, Amber, we don't want to ruin a perfectly good cannon!" James smirked.

"Oh, James," Sofia giggled, then she turned to Roland and Miranda, who were waiting for the banter to cease. "But it looks like there's more to what Mom and Dad are saying."

"That's right, Sofia, we've all been invited as James' special guests," Roland continued, holding out some more tickets. "I heard the fairies saying something about those who got invitations to the writing festival get a family pack of tickets so they can attend as well."

"That's brilliant!" James cheered. "I'll have to get all my best stories organized, then ask Cedric to put them together in a book so I can take it with me!"

"I'm sure he'd love to do that," Miranda smiled. "I've heard that Cedric likes your stories as much as everyone else in the castle!"

"Well, James did use Wormwood in his stories sometimes, and Cedric actually did enjoy reading about his adventures," Roland agreed.

"I think he even made copies of those stories, and put them in his bookshelf!" Amber added.

"I'll have to look the next time I'm up with him," Sofia agreed.