Hildegard's Apology Part Four

Princess Hildegard honestly couldn't recall the events of that morning. In fact everything up until the current point felt like a massive blur. All she knew was that she was now at Royal Prep.

Looking up towards the gloomy sky, Hildegard wondered how her teachers and fellow classmates would treat her today. She sighed heavily.

'Maybe if I hadn't acted like a total fool yesterday, things wouldn't be so bad' the Princess thought to herself. Images of Miss Elodie and the other Princess glaring at her flashed through her mind. She could also imagine Sofia's face; she wasn't glaring, she just looked upset. So, so upset.

"How could you tell me that my Daddy isn't my Daddy" asked Sofia's voice in Hildegard's head.

"I don't know, Sofia," Hildegard mumbled in shame, "I just don't know."

Thunder clasped in the distance.

Hildegard then decided it was time to enter the school. As she walked inside she noticed that the halls seemed dimmer than usual. 'What's wrong with the lighting' she thought as she shivered.

Hildegard came across other princesses and princes as she walked through the halls. Some glowered at her while others whispered with one another before pointing at her. Then there were those who just laughed at her.

"Look" laughed one of the princesses, "it's the Princess who fell in a creek!"

"Well, well, well" laughed a prince from another part of the hall, "if it isn't Hildebrat of Spoiledburg!"

All of the other kids burst into laughter as Hildegard ran towards Miss Elodie's classroom. Once she arrived she stopped at the door and listened to what was going on inside. The others were having a muffled conversation.

Hildegard then opened the door as Miss Elodie and her other student's all turned to glare at her.

The Freezenburg Princess felt her stomach tie into knots as she broke into a heavy sweat. It was just as she imagined!

"G-good morning, Miss Elodie" Hildegard stuttered out. Her teacher didn't respond but rather kept glaring.

Gulping, Hildegard walked over towards her seat, next to her "friend" Princess Amber's.

Hildegard then noticed something peculiar. The seat on the opposite side of Amber was empty. It then hit her.

"Amber" asked Hildegard, "where's your sister?"

"Sister?" went Amber, "what sister?"

"Your sister" corrected Hildegard, "you know, Sofia!"

"You are aware that Sofia was never my real sister, right" asked Amber.

"What" exclaimed Hildegard, "how could you say that?!"

"How could I say that?" went Amber, "you said that, remember?"

Hildegard's eyes became moist.

"Roland isn't Sofa's real dad" stated Amber, "therefor, Sofa isn't mine or James' real sister! Nor is Miranda my real mom!"

Hildegard felt the tears coming. "No," she said, "that's not true! Your wrong! I was wrong, okay! Sofa IS your sister!"

"Nope," said Amber, "she and Miranda were kicked out of our Palace this morning. And as such she is no longer a Princess, not that she ever was."

"Therefor" cut in Miss Elodie, "she's no longer qualified to attend Royal Prep."

Hildegard's face became wet with tears. "No, this can't be happining!"

"And I've got more news for you, Hildegard" continued the teacher, "you are officially expelled from Royal Prep!"

"What?" exclaimed Hildegard.

"You have proven to me yesterday that you are not worthy to be a student!" shouted Miss Elodie.

Hildegard stood up crying and grabbing the sides of her head.

"No, no" sobbed Hildegard, "this can't be real! THIS CAN'T BE REAL!"

"Get out of my classroom!" demanded Miss Elodie, "and NEVER come back!"

Hildegard bolted from the classroom and out into the halls. As she ran, all of the other kids pointed at her and shouted, mockingly, "Hildebrat! Hildebrat! Hildebrat!"

Hildegard bawled as she busted out of Royal Prep's front doors. She then ran into the forest near the school.

"This can't be happening!" sobbed Hildegard, "this can't be real! It all has to be some sick joke!"

As Hildegard, continued to sob, she could make out another girl's crying in the distance.

"Hello" went Hildegard before sniffling. She followed the sound until she came across a familiar young girl sobbing in the brush. It was Sofia!

"Sofia?" mumbled Hildegard, "Sofia, I'm so sorry."

Sofia didn't acknowledge the other Princess, she just kept crying.

"Sofia" spoke Hildegard, "I was wrong. Roland, is your real father."

Sofia just kept sobbing before walking away. Hildegard followed.

"Sofia" said Hildegard, "Sofia, please don't go. I'm sorry for what I said. I was wrong and I should have never said that to you."

Sofia just cried even louder. Keeping her face in her hands she started running.

Sofia, please!" pleaded Hildegard as tears streamed down her cheeks. "I was wrong, I was always wrong! Roland is your real father! He'll always be your real father! Please, Sofia, don't be upset! I'm sorry! I'm Sorry!"

"Hildegard!" shouted a voice from the distance.

Sofia then disappeared before Hildegard's eye's.

"Sofia!" sobbed Hildegard, "SOFIA!"

"Hildegard!" shouted that distant voice again. It was getting closer.

The Freezenburg Princess then noticed dozens of birds all flying and surrounding her. Upon closer inspection she realized that they weren't birds at all but rather Pelecants! All of them were giving her predatory glares with piercing red eyes.

"Hildegard!" shouted that distant voice again. "HILDEGARD!"

Wailing, Hildegard screamed, "I'M SORRY, SOFIA! I'M SO, SO SORRY!"

The forest suddenly grew darker and darker but the minute.

"HILDEGARD!" screamed that disembodied voice.

"HILLLLLDEEEEEEEEGAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRD!"

"I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY!" Hildegard continued to scream. "I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY!"

The Forrest was now pitch black.

Hildegard screamed with all the power of her lungs, "I'M SOOOOOOOOOOOORY!"

"HILDEGARD!" screamed the voice, now materializing into a face. Astrid's face.

Hildegard screamed as she shot up in her bed, flailing her arms around hysterically. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

"Hildegard!" shouted a girl's voice, "Hildegard, it's me!"

Hildegard, then realized that Astrid was sitting in her bed, trying to calm her down.

"It's okay, it's okay" comforted Astrid, "it was only a nightmare."

Hildegard then came to her senses. "Oh, Astrid" she said before sobbing. She hugged her older sister tightly.

"It's alright" whispered Astrid, "your safe now."

"Oh, Astrid" went Hildegard, "I'm so sorry I yelled at you."

"Is everything alright" asked King Henrik as he entered the room along with his wife. Both were wearing their pajamas.

"We heard screaming" said Queen Ingrid.

"Hildegard had a nightmare" replied Astrid.

"Mommy, Daddy" went Hildegard as she ran out of bed and embraced her parents.

"There, there" said Henrik.

"We're hear" added Ingrid.

"Mommy" spoke Hildegard, "I'm sorry I was so bad. I don't want you to hate me or Daddy."

"Hate you" asked Ingrid, "why would you... Oh, Hildegard."

Ingrid hugged her daughter tightly. She then said, "Hildy, I'll always love you no matter what." She, glanced toward her husband, "You and your father."

"But I was so..." Hildegard choked out, "and you..."

"Oh, Hildy, is this about what happened this afternoon" asked Ingrid. Hildegard nodded gently.

The Queen bent down and cupped her daughter's face. "Hildegard" she said, "Mommy's very sorry she spanked you today, alright. You still have to keep your grounding but I promise, I will never hit you again, okay."

Hildegard just buried her face in her mom's chest. She then turned to her father.

"Daddy, I'm sorry I was so mean to you and everyone during the Dads and Daughters trip" said Hildegard.

"I know" said Henrik, "honestly, it was largely my fault. I shouldn't have let it get as bad as got in the first place."

"I promise I'll listen when you t-tell me no for now on" Hildegard told her dad. She then looked to her feet. "Mommy, Daddy, I was horrible to Sofia."

"Sofia" asked Ingrid, "Isn't that King Roland's stepdaughter?"

"I was so awful, Mommy" went Hildegard, "I told her that Roland wasn't her real father."

"Oh, Hildy" went Ingrid.

"Why, did you tell her that" asked Astrid.

"I don't know" replied Hildegard, "I didn't mean to hurt her feelings, it just kinda slipped out. But instead of apologizing, I..." Her lip quivered. "I told her to forget I said anything!"

Hildegard buried her face in her hands and cried. "I'm a horrible Princess!"

"Hildy, don't say that" said Ingrid.

Hildegard said "but I'm so spoiled and cruel and..."

"Hildy" said Astrid, "you've proven to us that you have a big heart."

"But..."

"Hildy" spoke up Henrik, "the fact that you feel so bad shows us that you have a very good conscious."

"And having a good conscious is a very important part of being Royal" added Ingrid. "Yes, you've made mistakes but, it's never too late make things right."

"And a good Princess always tries her best to make things right" added Astrid stroking her sister's back. "You've certainly showed us tonight that you're willing to change for the better."

Hildegard started to calm down as she realized her family was right. But she knew she still had to make things right with Miss Elodie, her class, and most importantly of all, Sofia.

"I need to apologize to everyone else" said Hildegard, "especially Sofia. At school tomorrow..."

"But school's out tomorrow" said Ingrid, "tomorrow's Saturday."

"Ohhhhh" whined Hildegard, "I need to apologize."

"I'll tell you what" said Henrik, "tomorrow morning, after breakfast, we'll visit Enchancia. School may be out for a couple of days but you'll still be able to apologize to Sofia and her family."

"Really" asked Hildegard, "you'd do that for me?"

"Of coarse," said Henrik.

Hildegard smiled weakly before frowning again. "What if Sofia won't forgive me? I was so mean to her."

"Hildy" said Ingrid, "you can't be sure of that. And even if she doesn't you still need to apologize."

"And sometimes doing what's right means doing what's right" added Astrid, "even if others don't always appreciate it."

"Besides" added Henrik, "Sofia is a very sweet girl. I'm sure that if you show her you're truly sorry..."

"And willing to make things right" added Ingrid again, "and that you've changed for the better..."

"Then we have no doubt that Sofia will forgive you" concluded Astrid.

The Freezenburgish Royals then all embraced Hildegard.

"Thank you" said Hildegard as she hugged her family back, "I love you."

"We love you to" said Ingrid before kissing Hildegard on the cheek.

"Now get some rest" went the King, "we'll be ready in the morning.

Hildegard hugged each of her family members individually before they left the room and she went back in her bed. Feeling relieved she looked out at the icy moonlit landscape outside of her window.

'I really hope Sofia will forgive me' Hildegard thought to herself before falling back to sleep, this time without any nightmares.

End of Part Four