Once Upon a Time in Enchancia
Welcome to Chapter 22 of "Once Upon a Time in Enchancia". Be aware this is an updated version of my story "Being Summoned", now adapted for events within "Once Upon a Time in Enchancia". Songs in this chapter: a rewritten version of "Bring My Best Friend Back" from the "Sofia the First" episode "Finding Clover", and "Ding Dong! The Witch is Dead!" from "The Wizard of Oz".
Chapter 22: Saving the Day
September 1, 1868
In late-June, Neila and her followers had attacked and damaged Royal Prep. It was an attempt on Neila's part to save face after her less than successful raid on Cinnibar. Unfortunately for Neila, her plans regarding Royal Prep were thwarted, and Neila and what was left of her followers were forced to flee and go into hiding.
After Royal Prep had been attacked and damaged, it was necessary to rebuild the school. While the school was being rebuilt, King Roland had graciously offered Enchancia Castle as a temporary Royal Prep. There were a variety of rooms in the castle that were unused, and these would serve nicely as classrooms.
It was now a Tuesday, and the first day of classes of the new school year. In a large room in Enchancia Castle, all the female students who attended Royal Prep had been called together for an assembly.
"Due to the sad events at the end of the previous school year, some changes have had to be made," Miss Flora started. "While male students have always received defensive training such as the proper use of a sword, it was thought that female students did not need such training. However, it has been decided that all female students will now receive such training as well."
Some female students seemed very interested in such training, while others seemed to dislike the idea.
"Please understand that this is for your benefit," Miss Flora continued. "We want all of our students to be able to defend themselves should the need arise."
"To that end," Miss Fauna started, "we have searched for an instructor who would be able to teach our female students everything they would need to know about defending themselves. And we are very proud to introduce your defense instructor ... Li Mulan."
A round of applause broke out when Mulan entered the room. Mulan's reputation was very well known, and it was an honor to have an instructor of such merit.
"Thank you," Mulan started. "Thank you all. You may address me as Miss Mulan. During our time together, I will teach you a variety of defensive skills, including how to use a sword and a bow. I will also teach you how to use martial arts. We'll take it slow at first so you may get the basics. Then we'll move on to more advanced skills. I look forward to meeting each and every one of you."
A fifteen-year-old Sofia and a fifteen-year-old Lucinda were standing near the back of the room.
"I'm looking forward to learning this," Sofia said to Lucinda.
"As am I," Lucinda acknowledged.
A teenage Princess Cleo was standing next to Sofia and Lucinda. "I understand why we need to do this," Cleo started. "I just hope I'm up to the task."
"We'll all learn together," Sofia reassured Cleo.
At that point, the assembly ended.
"See you in history class later this morning Sofia, Lucinda?" Cleo asked.
"Yes," Sofia answered.
"See you there," Lucinda smiled.
Cleo then left to go to a writing class.
As the remaining female students were leaving the room, Mulan walked up to Sofia and Lucinda.
"Princesses Lucinda and Sofia?" Mulan asked.
"Yes, Miss Mulan?" Sofia inquired.
"I'm new here," Mulan started. "I was wondering if at some point I might get a tour of the castle so I could know my way around?"
"We would be honored to give you a tour, Miss Mulan," Lucinda replied.
"I don't want to keep the two of you from anything," Mulan stated.
"Lucinda and I have a free period," Sofia assured Mulan. "Would you like to start now?"
"That would be nice," Mulan happily agreed. "Thank you."
"This way, Miss Mulan," Lucinda directed as the three walked out of the room.
"It's nice seeing you again, Sofia," Mulan smiled. "We haven't been physically together since that business with the Jade Jaguar."
"Jade Jaguar?" Lucinda asked, not understanding the term.
"It happened when James, Amber, Jun, Jin, and I were kids," Sofia explained.
As Mulan, Sofia, and Lucinda walked down a hallway, Mulan explained to Lucinda what had happened. It was a pleasant way to begin the day.
Meanwhile, at Hexley Hall
It was the first day of school at Hexley Hall as well. In the great hall, the Hexley Hall students were gathered. As new students awaited their turn to be sorted, Lita Mizuki was in line waiting for her turn. She was wearing her old uniform from Wandlight Academy (a white sailor schoolgirl top, and a long beige skirt) because she was a bit tall for the Hexley Hall school uniform for girls. Headmistress Lovegood had given Lita permission to wear her Wandlight Academy uniform at Hexley Hall which delighted Lita to no end since she really liked the style of the Wandlight Academy uniform.
As Lita waited, she couldn't help but be a bit sad. She missed her friend, Taiki Hamasaki, who was attending Wandlight Academy. Lita started playing a song in her head.
(Lita) "I don't know what I'm doing here. I wish that I could just disappear. But then how long would I have to roam, till I found my way back home. Why did I go? How could I go? I didn't know I'd miss him so. I'm not even in the mood to whack. No fight will bring my best friend back."
(Taiki) "When you have made a friend so true. She cheers you up when you feel blue. You never think you'd see the day. She picks up and goes away. Why did she go? How could she go? Doesn't she know I need her so. I'll search in every cart and shack. Until I bring my best friend back."
Lita was jolted back to reality when her name was called.
"Lita Mizuki," Headmistress Lovegood called as she motioned Lita to approach. Lovegood then put the Hexley Hall sorting hat on Lita's head.
"Ah!" the sorting hat exclaimed, scanning Lita's mind. "A former student of the Wandlight Academy. I sense hard work, justice, and loyalty in this one. I know exactly where to put her. Kennicot House!"
A Kennicot patch magically appeared on the sleeve of Lita's sailor schoolgirl top as the students at the Kennicot House table clapped and cheered. The sorting hat was taken off of Lita's head, and Lita walked over to the Kennicot table.
"Welcome to Kennicot," fifteen-year-old Valentina Androcasia warmly greeted Lita.
"You're gonna love it here," fifteen-year-old Lily MacRaven happily said to Lita.
The other Kennicot students greeted Lita with warm handshakes. Lita then sat down, feeling a bit better now that people were making her feel very welcomed. It was a warm feeling that Lita would remember always.
A visit from a friend
It was now afternoon in Enchancia Castle, and Royal Prep classes had ended for the day. In Lucinda's bedroom in the castle, Lucinda sighed as she sat on her window seat as she felt a presence in the room.
"Penny for your thoughts?" she heard as she saw Scarlett leaning by her door with a smile.
"I don't know," Lucinda sighed. "Sometimes I wonder if I'm cut out for all this princess stuff. Or even the Protector stuff."
"You still have doubts?" Scarlett asked.
"It's just that when you see someone like Sofia who believes so strongly in what she's doing that nothing can stop her," Lucinda said. "I don't know if I have that in me."
Scarlett chuckled at that as she smiled at Lucinda. "You crack me up."
"What did I say?" Lucinda asked, not getting the joke.
"You remind me so much of myself when I was your age, Lucinda," Scarlett observed. "When I was first training to be a Protector, I had so much raw emotion and energy. But it took me a while to get the confidence to believe in myself, what I was truly capable of."
Lucinda chuckled at that as Scarlett walked by her. "I've got confidence."
"Confidence and cockiness are two entirely different things," Scarlett pointed out. "There's a whole world of power that you haven't tapped into yet. There is so much that the Amulet of Tlara can do. And I detect powerful magic in you that I've only seen in a few other witches before. You just got to believe you deserve it. And once you do, you'll be blown away by what you can do."
As Lucinda pondered what Scarlett had just said, Lucinda looked to see that Scarlett had disappeared.
"I'd love to know how Scarlett manages to leave a room without nobody seeing her leave," Lucinda said to herself with a smile.
Traveling to the past
Later that afternoon, in Sofia and Lucinda's workshop, the two were sitting down at a table having some tea. Suddenly, both of their amulets started to glow very brightly.
"What is this?" Sofia asked as she stood up.
"Their glowing so bright!" Lucinda remarked as she too stood up.
"Oh, my! We're needed!" Sofia observed.
"As in, a princess needs us?" Lucinda asked.
"It would appear so," Sofia answered.
Suddenly, Sofia and Lucinda disappeared from their workshop. Before they knew it, they were on a country road. And their brooms, which had been in their rooms in Enchancia Castle, had come along with them. Suddenly, both of their minds were filled with information about why they were on that road.
"So that's how it works!" Lucinda observed. "When a princess or princesses show up to help, they already know what is going on."
"Nice!" Sofia remarked. "And we're not helping a princess - we're helping a queen. We've better get over there!"
Sofia and Lucinda mounted their brooms and raced over to a carriage that was a short distance down the road.
Two rough-looking men had stopped the carriage. One of the men was holding the coachman at bay with a sword. The other man was approaching the rear of the carriage where a pregnant woman was sitting.
"Do us both a favor and step down from the carriage, Queen Maria!" the man demanded as he produced his sword.
"What do you want?" Maria asked.
"Just get down off that carriage!" the man ordered.
"Never!" Maria responded.
At that point, Sofia flew up and produced her wand. "If I were you, I'd be leaving!" Sofia sternly suggested to the man.
"There are two of us and one of you!" the man remarked.
"Actually," Lucinda said as she flew up, "there are two of us, too!" as she too produced her wand.
The one man who had been holding the coachman at bay stepped off the carriage and walked up to the other man. Then, the two men started to charge at Sofia and Lucinda. Sofia and Lucinda fired their wands and hit the two men with blasts from their wands. The men were knocked out cold.
"Are you all right, my Queen?" Sofia asked.
"Yes," Maria answered. "Thanks to the two of you."
"I am Princess Sofia, and this is Princess Lucinda," Sofia started. "Your amulet summoned us."
Maria looked down at her amulet - the Amulet of Avalor. This was Queen Maria, mother of Sofia and Lucinda's father, King Roland. Their amulets had transported Sofia and Lucinda back in time. And the unborn child that Maria was carrying was Sofia and Lucinda's father.
"It's very nice to meet you," Maria said. "Please, come aboard my carriage, princesses".
Sofia and Lucinda landed their brooms, dismounted the brooms, then climbed aboard Maria's carriage. As Sofia and Lucinda sat down, Maria instructed the coachman to continue the journey that Maria had been on. Maria looked at Sofia and Lucinda, then noticed that Sofia was also wearing the Amulet of Avalor.
"My amulet!" Maria observed. "Oh! So you're wearing it as well." Maria stopped for a moment, then continued. "You're from the future!".
"Yes," Sofia acknowledged, not sure if it was the right thing to say.
Maria then looked at Lucinda. "And is that the ... Amulet of Tlara?" Maria asked Lucinda.
"Why, yes," Lucinda answered. "It is."
"So, in your time it's been finally found," Maria commented. "It's very nice to know that at some point both amulets will be in service."
From a large bag in the carriage, there was some movement.
"Come on out, Timothy," Maria said. "These are friends."
From the bag appeared a large gray rabbit. Sofia and Lucinda smiled, remembering their young friend at Enchancia Castle who was also named Timothy.
"Hello, Timothy," Sofia greeted. "I'm Sofia, and this is Lucinda."
"Nice to meet you," Timothy replied.
"Nice to meet you, as well," Sofia responded.
"You can talk to animals, too," Maria observed.
"Yes," Sofia answered. "Lucinda can too."
Before long, the carriage reached Enchancia Castle. Upon reaching the castle, the coachman notified the guards about what had happened on the road. Soon, a man in a crown walked out of the castle and came up to the carriage.
"Maria, are you all right?" the man asked.
"Yes, I'm fine, Roland, my love," Maria answered. The man was King Roland the First, father to Sofia and Lucinda's father. "And these are Princesses Lucinda and Sofia. My amulet summoned them."
"I am forever in your debt, princesses," King Roland the First said gratefully to Sofia and Lucinda.
"My King," Sofia answered.
"My King," Lucinda answered.
"This calls for a celebration," King Roland the First announced. "Could you stay for a while?" he asked Sofia and Lucinda. Since Sofia and Lucinda had not been transported back home, it was obvious that their job was not over yet.
"We would be honored," Sofia accepted.
"Then it's settled," King Roland the First smiled.
Action at the castle
It was now evening, and a celebration dinner had been quickly arranged by King Roland the First.
"To our two heroines - Princesses Lucinda and Sofia," King Roland the First said.
"To our heroines," everybody at the table said as they raised their glasses.
The celebration dinner then began.
"I understand you're from the future," King Roland the First said to Sofia and Lucinda. "So what is a future Enchancia like?"
"Understand that we cannot give you specifics," Sofia started. "It could alter future events that need to take place if we told you too much. I can say, however, that Enchancia in mine and Lucinda's time is a prosperous place where all kingdoms get along with each other in peace."
King Roland the First smiled. "That's very good to hear."
"Our young daughter, Tilly, would enjoy meeting you," Maria said to Sofia and Lucinda. "She likes hearing about new places. Unfortunately, she's laid up with a cold right now, and is sleeping in her room here in the castle."
"I would have liked to have met her," Sofia wished. "Someday, I'm sure we'll meet face to face."
The celebration dinner then continued.
"We would be honored if the two of you could spend the night," King Roland the First said to Sofia and Lucinda.
"Why, thank you," Lucinda answered.
"That would be nice," Sofia added.
"Good," King Roland the First said, pleased. "We'll have two rooms prepared for you at once."
As the dinner ended, Sofia and Lucinda were shown to their rooms. When Sofia entered her room, she smiled. It was her room at home.
"This must not be Aunt Tilly's room, yet," Sofia thought to herself as she looked at the window seat in the room. "She's going to enjoy sitting here and reading books."
Meanwhile, King Roland the First and Queen Maria were in their bedroom.
"I have to go down to my study for a little while, Maria," Roland announced. "I have some papers that need to be signed."
"Understood, my love," Maria responded.
Roland then walked over and kissed Maria. "Get some sleep. I'll see you in a little while."
A short time later, in Lucinda's room, Lucinda woke up as her amulet started glowing and making a humming sound. It was a warning!
As Lucinda walked out into the hallway, she was met by Sofia who had received the same warning.
"The royal bedchamber," Lucinda said.
"Let's go!" Sofia responded.
Sofia and Lucinda silently entered the royal bedchamber where Queen Maria was asleep. Upon entering the room, Sofia and Lucinda noticed a cloaked figure slowly moving toward Maria. At that point, Lucinda cleared her voice as a warning as she pulled out her wand.
The cloaked figure stopped.
"Slowly turn," Sofia ordered the figure as Sofia brought out her wand.
The cloaked figure slowly turned around to reveal that the figure was a woman - Neila the evil witch! The same Neila that had attacked Royal Prep, and before that, Cinnibar.
"You meddlesome two again?!" Neila snapped at Sofia and Lucinda as Neila slowly moved forward.
"Not one more step!" Lucinda ordered.
Neila raised her wand. Sofia and Lucinda fired at her with their wands. Neila managed to duck the shots and ran out into the hall with Sofia and Lucinda in hot pursuit.
Queen Maria had been awakened by the activity and followed the three down the hall. Before long, Neila, Sofia, and Lucinda found themselves in a large open area inside the castle. Sofia and Lucinda started to bear down on Neila as Neila raised her wand.
"Do you two honestly expect to stop me?" Neila mocked.
"Yes," both Sofia and Lucinda replied.
"Nice pair, the two of you!" Neila continued to mock. "You're not even true princesses! Sofia the stepchild, and Lucinda the adopted witch! What a joke!"
At that point, Sofia and Lucinda raised their wands and both fired a continuous beam of magical energy at Neila, while Neila used her energy to defend herself.
"I don't know ... how long ... I can keep this going," Sofia said to Lucinda.
"We have ... to .. give it ... everything we have," Lucinda said. "We can't ... let this thing win!"
Sofia and Lucinda continued to fire. Suddenly, a third beam of magical energy hit Neila. The third beam was from Goodwin the Great.
"Keep firing ... ladies!" Goodwin directed. "We can do this!"
With three beams now hitting her, Neila was losing the ability to defend herself. In a few moments, Neila disappeared in a large puff of gray smoke.
Sofia and Lucinda fell back against the wall, exhausted by the magical battle, as Queen Maria raced up to them.
"Are you all right, princesses?" Maria asked Sofia and Lucinda.
"I'll be ... after a bit of a rest," Sofia replied.
"I'll be okay after a while," Lucinda responded.
"We did it, ladies!" Goodwin said as he walked up.
"Thank you," both Sofia and Lucinda gratefully said to Goodwin.
Maria then took Sofia and Lucinda over to a nearby couch where she gently sat them down. Maria then sat down between them and put her arms around Sofia and Lucinda.
"As far as I'm concerned, the two of you are true princesses," Maria started. "You're new royalty. I like new royalty. I'm new royalty."
"My Queen?" Sofia asked in response to Maria's comment.
"Yes," Maria answered. "I'm new royalty, too. I became Queen after I married Roland. Before that, I was a harness and saddle maker. My father had no sons, so he taught me his trade."
Sofia smiled.
"Whatever it is, you can tell me," Maria said to Sofia. "I'll keep it in strict confidence."
"You and my mother are a lot alike," Sofia started. "You and she both married into royalty. And, like you, she had a trade too, as a skilled shoemaker, before she married into royalty."
"A fine profession," Maria commented before turning to Lucinda. "And you are a witch?"
"By birth," Lucinda answered. "My birth mother was a witch, and my birth father was a warlock. Sofia and I met when we were children, and we became fast friends. When my birth parents died of an illness, Sofia's family ... the royal family ... adopted me."
"And you've been sisters ever since," Maria smiled.
At that point, King Roland the First ran up. "What's going on? Is everything all right?"
"Everything is fine, Roland," Maria answered. "It was an evil witch come to do us harm, but our two princesses, along with Goodwin, managed to drive her off."
At that point, both Sofia's and Lucinda's amulets dimly glowed for a second, then stopped.
"We've just received new information," Sofia reported.
"The evil witch won't be bothering you again," Lucinda added. "She will be severely dealt with where we come from."
Then, Sofia and Lucinda's amulets started glowing brightly.
"It's our time to leave," Sofia announced.
"Will we ever see you again?" King Roland the First asked.
"... perhaps," Sofia answered.
Sofia then turned to Queen Maria. "Take good care of your baby," Sofia requested. "Your baby is destined for great things."
With that, Sofia and Lucinda disappeared.
Back in Sofia's and Lucinda's time, Neila appeared in a forest, yelling at the top of her lungs.
"Sofia! Lucinda! I'll get you two for this!" Neila yelled. "You'll pay dearly for this, you two pieces of slark!"
Suddenly, Neila heard a rifle cock behind her.
"Considering Sofia and Lucinda are friends of mine, I'll have something to say about that!" a woman's voice came from behind Neila.
Neila turned around to see none other than Gretel, who was well known for hunting down evil witches along with her brother, Hansel. Suddenly, Neila looked around and wondered where Hansel was. Before Neila could respond, Hansel managed to sneak up behind Neila and knock her out by hitting Neila with the butt of his rifle.
Neila, now lying on the ground, slowly regained consciousness. When she opened her eyes, Neila noticed that Hansel and Gretel were standing over her. Gretel pointed her rifle at Neila.
"I hate to break it to ya, Neila!" Gretel started. "But it's not gonna be an open casket!"
Returning home
Sofia and Lucinda suddenly reappeared in their workshop. Their brooms were lying on a table in the workshop.
"How long have we been gone?" Sofia asked Lucinda
Lucinda then went over to the table where they had been drinking tea, and carefully felt the teapot.
"It's still hot!" Lucinda replied. "We must have returned shortly after we left."
"Hello, girls," A man's voice said from behind them. "You're back, I see."
Sofia and Lucinda turned around to see their father, King Roland.
"Dad!" both of them shouted as they raced over and hugged him.
"I'm happy to see both of you, too," Roland laughed as he hugged his two daughters.
"You said you're back," Lucinda said to Roland. "You knew we were gone?"
"Funny thing is," Roland started as he held up a thin book, "about a half-hour ago this book appeared out of nowhere when I was in my study. Naturally, I started reading through the book and discovered it was about ... the two of you."
Both Sofia and Lucinda looked a bit puzzled.
"According to the book," Roland continued, "Goodwin the Great put a spell on it that would cause the book to appear to me only when the time was right. The book, written by my mother, Queen Maria, goes on to detail how the two of you were summoned to her by her amulet and how you saved her from not only two highwaymen, but from the evil witch Neila as well before I was born."
"How could she have known to have it sent to Dad?" Sofia asked Lucinda. "We were very careful about not revealing a whole lot about the future."
"She must have somehow figured it out ... somehow," Lucinda replied.
"Well," Queen Miranda said as she walked into the workshop, "as I keep telling you two, and Amber, and James ... a mother knows everything."
Sofia and Lucinda smiled. How could you argue with that kind of logic?
"Oh," King Roland started. "There's also a sealed note addressed to the two of you."
Roland then handed the note to Sofia and Lucinda. Sofia and Lucinda opened the envelope, then read the note.
To my two favorite princesses, Lucinda and Sofia:
I wanted to take this opportunity to thank the two of you for looking after me. I could not have asked for better help from the amulet - it sent me the two of you, for which I am thankful always.
I also want to tell you that I am writing this shortly after the birth of my baby - a wonderful, healthy baby boy (but you knew that, didn't you?). We named him Roland (but you knew that too, didn't you?). And I'm happy to know he is destined for great things. I am also happy to know he has (or will have) the two of you as daughters.
You are probably wondering how I connected the two of you and my newborn son? Well, the only answer I can give you is ... a mother knows these things.
Enchancia is truly blessed having the two of you.
Sincerely yours,
Queen Maria of Enchancia
P.S.: please say hello to my son for me.
Sofia and Lucinda smiled as they read the note. Roland and Miranda, who had also read the note while Sofia and Lucinda were reading it, smiled as well.
Sofia clutched her amulet and motioned for Lucinda to clutch her amulet as well so they could talk to each other using just their minds.
"Lucinda?" Sofia communicated to Lucinda. "I just had an idea."
"Give the note to Dad?" Lucinda communicated back to Sofia.
"I see we had the same idea," Sofia communicated back.
"Let's do it," Lucinda communicated.
Sofia and Lucinda then took their hands off their amulets and turned to Roland.
"Lucinda and I would like you to have this, Dad," Sofia said as she handed the note to Roland.
"I'm touched, girls," Roland said as a tear formed in the corner of one of his eyes. "This is something I will treasure always. Thank you, so very much."
Miranda smiled seeing the exchange between Sofia, Lucinda, and Roland.
"Well, it's almost time for supper," Miranda announced.
"Quite right," Roland commented. "And we have a special guest dining with us - Miss Mulan."
Sofia and Lucinda smiled at each other as they, Roland and Miranda walked to the dining room. It had been a good day, and it was going to be a good night as well.
September 2, 1868
It was a Wednesday afternoon. At Enchancia Castle, it was time for afternoon duties for Dorrie and Candice. As they were sweeping the front steps of the castle, Dorrie and Candice looked up to see Grand Queen Maria's carriage approaching.
"Attention!" Dorrie announced to other servants nearby. "The Grand Queen is arriving!"
Everybody stood at attention as Grand Queen Maria arrived, and stepped off of her carriage.
"Welcome back to Enchancia Castle, Grand Queen Maria," Dorrie welcomed as she curtsied.
"We are at your disposal, Grand Queen," Candice added as she, too, curtsied.
"Lady Dorrie, Lady Candice," Maria smiled. "A pleasure to see you again, as always."
At that moment, a man and a woman approached, accompanied by a male guard. Maria, Dorrie, and Candice recognized the man and woman as Hansel and Gretel, who were well known as evil witch hunters.
"Grand Queen Maria, Lady Dorrie, Lady Candice," Hansel started as he bowed and Gretel curtsied, "we bring news. The evil witch Neila is dead."
Cheers erupted from servants and guards standing nearby, as Dorrie and Candice high fived each other. Dorrie and Candice then started happily dancing as they sang.
(Dorrie and Candice) "Ding Dong! The Witch is dead. Which old Witch? The Wicked Witch! Ding Dong! The Wicked Witch is dead. Wake up, sleepyhead, rub your eyes, get out of bed. Wake up, the Wicked Witch is dead!"
"Oh, shoot!" Candice suddenly remarked.
"What is it, Candice?" Dorrie asked, concerned.
"Neila was bad enough when she was alive," Candice pointed out. "Now she's a martyr."
"Something tells me our lives just became more complicated," Dorrie lamented.
"I'm sure Enchancian Intelligence will keep tabs on the situation," Maria reassured Dorrie. "After all, if you and your sister are any example, Enchancian Intelligence has fine people working for it."
Dorrie and Candice smiled at Maria's praise.
"I'll be heading into the castle," Maria announced.
"We'll accompany you," Dorrie offered on behalf of herself and Candice.
"That's not necessary," Maria smiled. "I know my way around the castle like the back of my hand."
"As you wish, Grand Queen," Candice acknowledged.
"And we should be finding King Roland," Hansel said on behalf of himself and Gretel. "We need to officially notify him of Neila's death."
Maria walked into the castle, and before long, was directed to where Queen Miranda was. Maria walked through an open door, and found herself in a workshop where Miranda was lovingly working on a pair of yellow shoes.
"My dear Miranda," Maria smiled as she entered. "I see you've established a shoe shop here in the castle. I've always said it's a fine thing to keep one's skills active."
"Maria," Miranda smiled back as the two hugged. "It's good to see you. Amber needs a new pair of shoes, and I thought I'd surprise her."
"A good mother you are," Maria approved. "Your children are blessed having you."
"And I'm blessed having them," Miranda happily acknowledged.
"I wish I could still make harnesses and saddles," Maria wished. "But, old age has caught up with my hands. However, I do volunteer at the Enchancian Harness and Saddle Academy, where I can pass on my experience to others."
"The students there are lucky to have you, Maria," Miranda smiled. "To pass on one's skills is a fine thing."
Maria smiled at Miranda's compliment.
Reliving the past
After visiting with Miranda, Maria found her way to Sofia and Lucinda's workshop. Maria then knocked on the door.
"Come in," Sofia invited.
Maria opened the door and walked in.
"Grandmother," Sofia smiled.
"It's good to see you again," Lucinda happily said.
"And it's good to see the two of you again," Maria smiled, "after the two of you paid me a visit all those years ago."
"That just happened yesterday," Sofia acknowledged, taken off guard.
"How did you know we had returned?" Lucinda asked, curious.
"The book I had Goodwin send your father had an alert charm connected to it," Maria explained. "The alert charm set off a piece of jewelry I own. That's how I knew the time had come to talk about your trip to the past. I wanted to personally thank the two of you for your help back then."
"It was our pleasure," Sofia smiled as she hugged Maria.
"We're glad we helped to put things right," Lucinda happily said as she held Maria's hand.
"I have two fine granddaughters," Maria said in joy to Sofia and Lucinda.
"And we have a fine grandmother," Lucinda said with pride.
"We were just about to have some tea," Sofia said to Maria. "We'd love to have you join us."
"That sounds absolutely delightful," Maria accepted.
Sofia conjured up some tea, and the three sat down at a table.
"I suppose I should ask," Maria started, "if anybody has told you about the library located near the castle?"
"You know about the Secret Library?" Sofia asked, taken off guard.
"Oh, yes," Maria acknowledged with a smile. "Where do you think your Aunt Tilly discovered it from?"
"So, it's a gift, passed down from one generation to another?" Lucinda asked.
"I guess you could say that," Maria said, liking the sound of it. "Are there still stories to be solved?"
"Plenty, grandmother," Sofia answered. "We've just begun to scratch the surface."
"That's good," Maria acknowledged, pleased.
As the three enjoyed their tea, they exchanged stories about the adventures the Secret Library had sent them on. It was a very enjoyable way to spend an afternoon.
A rude awakening
As Sofia, Lucinda, and Maria were talking, there was something brewing at Scarlett's palace in Cinnibar.
Neila's eyes fluttered open and she saw that she was in a dark chamber as Scarlett stood by her and pushed a sandwich to her.
"Where am I?" Neila asked as Scarlett shook her head. "Scarlett? I thought Hansel and Gretel shot me and killed me?"
"No," Scarlett answered. "They shot you, drugged you, and sent you to me for your imprisonment."
"What?!" Neila asked, shocked.
"Rubber bullet," Scarlett announced. "Made to incapacitate the victim without killing them. See, I wouldn't let anyone just kill you. Your punishment must be more severe than just ending it like that."
"Torture," Neila realized, her eyes going wide.
"Yes," Scarlett confirmed. "But not of your body. Of your soul. You are going to know the pain and punishment that you have caused all your victims over the years, Neila. I am going to break you like a twig ... like your ancestors broke me. Don't count on anyone coming to rescue you either, they all think you're dead. Then, when it's done and I feel like you've had enough ... then you have my permission to die."
September 3, 1868
It was a Thursday morning at Hexley Hall. As Lita was walking down a hallway to one of her classes, she heard a man's voice call out to her.
"Lita Mizuki?" the man's voice asked. "Is it you, Lita Mizuki?"
Lita turned around to see Professor Yuki Moto standing there, a professor who had taught at Wandlight Academy a few years earlier.
"Professor Moto?" Lita asked in happiness.
"Yes, Miss Mizuki," Yuki smiled. "I'm teaching at Hexley Hall, now."
"It's good to see you, Professor," Lita said in joy as she and Yuki hugged in friendship. "Since you're here at Hexley Hall, I don't feel so alone, now."
"Settling into a new place can be difficult," Yuki observed. "But, Hexley Hall is a fine place, and I'm sure you'll be settling in before you know it."
Everybody walking by smiled at the touching scene.
"So, what class are you heading to?" Yuki asked Lita.
"Herbology class," Lita answered.
"Ah!" Yuki smiled. "You'll be having Amy O'Toole as a teacher."
"I hear she's a good teacher," Lita remarked.
"One of our best and brightest," Yuki praised. "She's teaching my wife's classes while my wife is on maternity leave."
"You're married?" Lita asked Yuki, surprised.
"To a good woman," Yuki answered. "Her name is Silvia Sage."
"Any woman married to you can consider herself blessed," Lita smiled.
"Why, thank you," Yuki said, touched.
As Yuki and Lita walked toward Lita's Herbology class, Lita saw a portrait of a man hanging on the wall.
"Who is that man, Professor Moto?" Lita asked Yuki.
"One of the sadder parts of Hexley Hall history," Yuki quietly remarked. "That is my wife's brother, Snively Sage. He became evil, and even joined the Order of the Wand. He's safely behind bars in Cinnibar."
"Did Snively Sage have a twin brother?" Lita wanted to know.
"No," Yuki answered. "Why do you ask?"
"Snively Sage looks exactly like a professor teaching at Wandlight Academy," Lita informed Yuki. "The professor, Weldon Prescott, started teaching at Wandlight Academy earlier this year. Not a friendly man. He always has a chip on his shoulder."
"Interesting," Yuki thought to himself about Weldon. "Sounds like a mirror image of Snively."
"Professor Moto?" Lita asked.
"Oh, sorry, Miss Mizuki," Yuki apologized. "I was lost in thought for a moment. Well, here is your class."
"It was nice seeing you again, Professor Moto," Lita smiled.
"And it was nice seeing you again, Miss Mizuki," Yuki smiled back. "We'll be seeing each other more often, now that we're both at Hexley Hall."
As Lita walked into the classroom, Yuki started walking toward Headmistress Lovegood's office. When Yuki reached Lovegood's office, he knocked on the door.
"Come in," Lovegood invited.
Yuki walked in and explained to Lovegood what Lita had just told him.
"Somebody who looks like Snively Sage? That's too fantastic to be a mere coincidence," Lovegood remarked as she grabbed her broom.
"Where are you going?" Yuki asked Lovegood.
"To Enchancia Castle," Lovegood answered. "Lady Dorrie and Lady Candice go to Royal Prep on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and since Royal Prep is temporarily housed in Enchancia Castle, I'll go there to talk to them about the situation."
"I see," Yuki observed. "A wise move, considering Lady Dorrie and Lady Candice are connected to Enchancian Intelligence. They could find out things that we couldn't find out on our own."
"Exactly what I was thinking," Lovegood agreed. "Yuki, you're in charge while I'm off at Enchancia Castle."
"I'll hold down the fort," Yuki reassured Lovegood. "Good luck."
(To be continued in Chapter 23).
Behind the scenes
In this edition of "Behind the scenes", since this chapter featured two sets of sisters (Sofia and Lucinda, and Dorrie and Candice), I thought it would be nice to have some quotes about sisterhood. I hope you enjoy these quotes.
"There can be no situation in life in which the conversation of my dear sister will not administer some comfort to me" -Mary Montagu.
"To have a loving relationship with a sister is not simply to have a buddy or a confident - it is to have a soulmate for life" -Victoria Secunda.
"A sister can be seen as someone who is both ourselves and very much not ourselves - a special kind of double" -Toni Morrison.
"Help one another, is part of the religion of sisterhood" -Louisa May Alcott.
"Sisters function as safety nets in a chaotic world simply by being there for each other" -Carol Saline.
"A sister is a gift to the heart, a friend to the spirit, a golden thread to the meaning of life" -Isadora James.
"Our roots say we're sisters, our hearts say we're friends" -Author unknown.
"The mildest, drowsiest sister has been known to turn tiger if her sibling is in trouble" -Clara Ortega.
"In the cookies of life, sisters are the chocolate chips" -Author unknown.
"We may look old and wise to the outside world. But to each other, we are still in junior school" -Charlotte Gray.
"Sisters are different flowers from the same garden" -Author unknown.
"Sisters don't need words. They have perfected a language of snarls and smiles and frowns and winks … sniffs and snorts and gasps and sighs …" -Pam Brown.
"We know one another's faults, virtues, catastrophes, mortifications, triumphs, rivalries, desires, and how long we can each hang by our hands to a bar. We have been banded together under pack codes and tribal laws" -Rose Macaulay.
"A sister smiles when one tells one's stories - for she knows where the decoration has been added" -Chris Montaigne
"For there is no friend like a sister in calm or stormy weather; To cheer one on the tedious way, to fetch one if one goes astray, to lift one if one totters down, to strengthen whilst one stands" -Christina Rossetti.
Author's notes
As readers of my story "Dorrie: Book Two" will remember, Headmistress Lovegood made Yuki Moto Deputy Headmaster of Hexley Hall in Chapter 44 of that story. Therefore, when Lovegood goes off to Enchancia Castle, it is only natural that she would leave Yuki in charge during her absence.
As readers of "Once Upon a Time in Enchancia" will remember, as of Chapter 21, Lily now has the last name of MacRaven.
Hansel and Gretel are from "Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters".
Having a professor teaching at Wandlight Academy who looks like Snively Sage is based on an idea suggested by MisuteriTenshi / SailorWednesdayMercury.
Having Lita and Yuki know each other was the idea of MisuteriTenshi / SailorWednesdayMercury.
Having Lita being sorted into Kennicot House was the idea of MisuteriTenshi / SailorWednesdayMercury.
Having Lita sing "Bring My Best Friend Back" was the idea of MisuteriTenshi / SailorWednesdayMercury (who also supplied the rewritten lyrics).
Having Lita wear her Wandlight Academy uniform while at Hexley Hall was the idea of MisuteriTenshi / SailorWednesdayMercury (who also designed Lita's Wandlight Academy uniform).
Having Lucinda and Scarlett talking to each other in Lucinda's room was the idea of Ben10Man (who also supplied the bulk of the dialog for that scene).
Having Scarlett imprison Neila was the idea of Ben10Man (who also provided the dialog for that scene).
"It's nice seeing you again, Sofia," Mulan smiled. "We haven't been physically together since that business with the Jade Jaguar" - I chose the words physically together very carefully. Sofia and Mulan were physically together in the "Sofia the First" episode "Princesses to the Rescue". Mulan would also appear in spirit along with the other Disney Princesses near the end of the "Sofia the First" series finale, "Forever Royal".
Lita Mizuki, Silvia Sage-Moto, Snively Sage, Taiki Hamasaki, Timothy O'Toole, and Yuki Moto are characters created by MisuteriTenshi / SailorWednesdayMercury and are used in this story with the permission of MisuteriTenshi / SailorWednesdayMercury.
Martyr: one who is put to death for following one's principles. In Neila's case, appearing to be put to death because of her devotion to evil. Once one becomes a martyr, those who have the same principles usually use the person's death as a means to further the person's principles.
Miss (Gayle) Lovegood (A.K.A. Headmistress Lovegood) is originally from my stories "Dorrie" and "Dorrie: Book Two", and is an ancestor of Luna Lovegood from "Harry Potter".
More about Neila and her followers attacking Royal Prep can be found in my story "Incident at Royal Prep".
Mulan is from "Mulan" and "Mulan 2". Since Mulan married General Li Shang in "Mulan 2", she now has the surname Li (which is why she is now known as Li Mulan).
Slark: a curse word I created for use in my "Sofia the First" stories - a way of swearing without actually swearing as it were.
"Slowly turn," Sofia ordered the figure as Sofia brought out her wand - "Slowly turn" is inspired by the scene in "The Patriot" where Benjamin Martin mistakes his son, Gabriel, as a nighttime intruder.
The Hexley Hall sorting hat is based on the Hogwarts sorting hat seen in "Harry Potter".
The Jade Jaguar is from the "Sofia the First" episode "Princesses to the Rescue".
The Kingdom of Cinnibar is a kingdom created by Ben10Man and is used in my stories with permission from Ben10Man.
The Scarlett Warrior (A.K.A. Scarlett) (A.K.A. Queen Scarlett) (A.K.A. Queen Scarlett Katherine Felchenerow) is a character created by Ben10Man and is used in my stories with permission from Ben10Man.
Wandlight Academy is from SailorWednesdayMercury's story "From Villager To Princess Book 2", and is used here with the permission of MisuteriTenshi / SailorWednesdayMercury.
Disclaimer
"Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters" and everything associated with it © MTV Films, Gary Sanchez Productions, Studio Babelsberg, Flynn Picture Company, Paramount Pictures, and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
"Harry Potter" and everything associated with it © J. K. Rowling, Bloomsbury Publishing, Arthur A. Levine Books, Little Brown, Heyday Films, 1492 Pictures, Patalex IV Productions, and Warner Brothers Pictures.
Lita Mizuki, Silvia Sage-Moto, Snively Sage, Taiki Hamasaki, Timothy O'Toole, Yuki Moto, and the other original ideas from MisuteriTenshi / SailorWednesdayMercury are the property of MisuteriTenshi / SailorWednesdayMercury and are used in this story with the permission of MisuteriTenshi / SailorWednesdayMercury.
"Mulan" and everything associated with it © Walt Disney Pictures, Walt Disney Feature Animation, and Buena Vista Pictures.
"Mulan 2" and everything associated with it © Walt Disney Pictures, DisneyToon Studios, and Walt Disney Home Entertainment.
"Sofia the First" and everything associated with it © Craig Gerber, Jamie Mitchell, Disney Television Animation, Toiion Animation Studios, Team TO, and Disney-ABC Domestic Television.
"The Patriot" and everything associated with it © Columbia Pictures, Mutual Film Company, and Centropolis Entertainment.
The Scarlett Warrior and the other original ideas from Ben10Man are the property of Ben10Man and are used in my stories with the permission of Ben10Man.
"The Wizard of Oz" (1939 movie) and everything associated with it © Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and Loew's, Inc.
I only own Candice Cosmarune-Cooper, Dorrie Cosmarune-Cooper, Enchancian Intelligence, Headmistress Lovegood, Kennicot House, Neila, The Amulet of Tlara, Timothy the rabbit, Valentina Androcasia, and the Enchancian Harness and Saddle Academy.