When Ricky had fallen asleep at last, Nell noticed that Elena and Gabby were starting to yawn as well. They tried to hide it, but Nell knew what was going on. "You want to lie down for a little while?" she suggested.
"Okay," Elena murmured, Gabby nodding at her side.
"I don't think you got much of a nap either," Bobby Lee grinned. "You spent so long working on Mommy's spa that you didn't get any rest! What do you say we fix that right now?"
Elena and Gabby smiled, and as Elena took Kitty, Gabby picked up the white and purple jaquin Elena had picked out for her as a surprise while they were out. "I have a Kitty too! Thank you, Elena!" she smiled.
"I see that, and it was nice of Elena to get her for you," Nell said as she kissed her, "You'll have to find a name for her, but remember, Gab-Gab, Zoomer and Kitty have been taken."
"I think of a name after nap nap," Gabby said, having her kitty nuzzle Nell's cheek.
"Take as long as you need. Daddy and I don't have names for ours either," Nell grinned, tucking her in. "If you girls need anything we'll be across the hall."
"You take nap nap?" Elena asked with a yawn.
"No honey. Mommy's got a book she really wants to read and I well I'm planning her a surprise just for us and your aunties," Bobby Lee smirked, musing her hair. "But it's time for you two to have sweet dreams like you know Ricky's doing."
"Okay," Gabby smiled as she drifted off to sleep.
"Okay," Elena fell asleep a minute later.
As Elena cuddled Kitty, she dreamed that Kitty was real, and that they were flying together. It wasn't just them she was seeing; she saw everyone on the jaquins they'd bought. Nell was holding Ricky on her blue jaquin with silver wings, and he was giggling away.
Elena smiled, but as she flew, she saw a flash of green out of the corner of her eye. At first, she thought it was Amber's new Avalor dress, but she knew that it was green and gold. This one was different.
It was a yucky green dress, having Elena stop Kitty for a second.
She remembered her namesake talking about a lady with that dress in her letter to her. A mean lady who took everything away with a wand.
Elena rubbed her eyes, hoping the lady wasn't there but she saw her with the meanest smile she had ever seen.
The lady said a word that Elena didn't know. It wasn't a bad word, since she was holding a wand, which looked a lot like Mister Magic Man's wand. She was hit by a bright light, and she and Kitty disappeared.
She didn't know what happened after that, because she woke up with a scream. She felt someone's arms around her, but that only made her cry harder.
"Elena? Your mommy and daddy heard you screaming from across the hall and got me. Are you alright?" Queen Elena asked, patting Elena's back.
Elena shook her head, burying it in Queen Elena's chest.
"Do you wanna talk about it? That's what Isa and I do," Queen Elena suggested as Elena looked up at her.
"There was a mean lady in a green dress," Elena sniffled. "She cast a spell, and everyone went bye-bye!"
"Shuriki..." Queen Elena murmured. "Come here, sweetheart..." She took Elena on her lap and started rocking her. "It's all right. It was just a dream, and dreams can't hurt you."
"Elena!" Nell gasped from the doorway.
"Which one?" Queen Elena grinned as she looked up.
"The one who has a toy Jaquin named Kitty, and who goes by the nickname Love Bug," Nell smirked. She took Elena in her arms. "It's all right, Love Bug. We're here."
"Mean lady here?" Elena sniffed, burying her face in Nell's chest.
"Mean lady?" Nell asked in confusion.
"What mean lady?!" Bobby Lee growled, starting to become a little angry.
"Shuriki," Queen Elena sighed, starting to shiver a little. "Your little girl dreamt that she came after her."
"I guess it's my fault for that, Queen Elena," Bobby Lee admitted. "I was reading the girls stories about Avalor when we were coming here, and the story of Shuriki was one of them."
"Don't worry about it, Robert," Queen Elena smiled. "Shuriki's gone, and most importantly, I'm safe now, and the kingdom is free. We'll never have to worry about her again."
"Elena? It's Auntie Madeline. You okay?" Madeline asked, taking Elena in her arms.
"Okay now," Elena sniffed before looking at Kitty. "You take."
"But I got my own kitty!" Madeline gasped, a bit shocked at Elena giving her Kitty. "Why don't you want her?"
"I ride Kitty and mean lady cast a spell," Elena sniffled.
"She had a dream that Shuriki attacked and made her disappear," Queen Elena explained.
"It was just a dream, Elena," Madeline murmured. "We're all safe."
"Okay. I nap nap," Elena muttered, going back to sleep.
"Good girl," Madeline smiled, kissing her cheek.
Seeing her niece cuddling with Kitty had Madeline softly as Bobby Lee tapped her shoulder.
"Get Sabrina and I'll explain everything," Bobby Lee whispered, musing her hair.
When Sabrina was there with her own Jaquin, a little orange and pink one she named Howie, in honor of her crush Howitzer, she was sitting next to Madeline on the bed, and she saw that her sister was cuddling her little gold and yellow jaquin she had named Butterfly. They listened as Bobby Lee explained about the dream Elena had, and how frightened she had been.
"I'm glad that didn't happen with us," Sabrina whispered, moving closer to Nell.
"It was just a dream, baby girl," Nell murmured. "But you're right. That was pretty scary."
"So, is Elena scared of kitties now?" Madeline asked with a frown.
"We won't know for sure until late," Nell assured her with a smile.
"But she tried to give me Kitty!" Madeline protested as she cuddled Butterfly close. "She looked scared!"
"Just give her time," Nell murmured. "She knows the difference between what's real and what's not real. But I think she thought that something would happen to Kitty; that's why she gave her to you, she knows you'll help take care of her."
"But will she be okay for tonight?" Sabrina asked. "We all want her there when James plays his game with Mister Esteban."
"She'll be fine," Bobby Lee smiled. "Look, she's hugging Kitty right now."
Madeline and Sabrina followed his gaze and saw that he was right. Elena was hugging Kitty, and she mumbled, "Safe now, Kitty."
The twins smiled at the scene in front of them, picturing Elena having a much better dream.
Like they often did after a nightmare. Yet as they looked back, they could see Bobby Lee putting his hands in his pockets like he was lost in thought.
"Is something wrong?" Nell asked, seeing Queen Elena stroking Elena's hair and hearing her start singing My Time.
"I think this is my fault," Bobby Lee mused, "I shouldn't have read Elena the story of Shuriki. She caused so much trouble for Avalor, she almost killed Queen Elena..."
"She was defeated," Nell continued, "Don't blame yourself. Believe me, Elena will be fine. And don't forget, Madeline, Sabrina, and I have first-hand experience with dealing with nightmares!"
Bobby Lee nodded, pulling her, Madeline, and Sabrina into a group hug. "You're right. But this was just a one-time thing. Your nightmares sometimes still go on. But at least all of you can count on me, my mother, Bianca, Roland, Miranda, Amber, James, Sofia...well, everyone, to be there for you whenever you need us."
"Thank you," Nell said, fittingly playing with his hair.
"Nell Ricky's up from his nap. Can I get him?" Madeline asked with a smile.
"Sure, Maddie. I think Elena would like a few friendly faces around her when she wakes up," Nell smiled.
Madeline brought Ricky and Zoomer in the room a few minutes later. "You want to help us make Elena feel better, Ricky?"
Ricky squealed, waving Zoomer in the air as his big sister started to wake up.
"Zoom-Zoom-Zoom! Zoomer goes zoom-zoom!" Madeline sang, making Butterfly nuzzle Ricky and Zoomer.
Ricky giggled madly as Elena and Gabby woke up.
"Ricky okay!" Elena giggled, flapping her hands excitedly.
"Bad dream?" Bobby Lee asked Gabby, seeing her rub her eyes.
"No, but I heard Elena cry. She okay?" Gabby asked.
"She'll be fine," Bobby Lee smiled, "She had a bad dream, but Queen Elena helped her with one of her favorite non-kitty songs, and we talked a little."
"We see James play his game now?" Elena asked.
"That's not until tonight, sweetheart," Nell smiled, "But there's no reason why we can't go see him practicing or challenge him to a game of your own."
Ricky cooed, chewing on Zoomer as Bobby Lee tapped Nell on the shoulder.
"Actually, Helen, you, me, and your sisters have some plans of our own tonight," Bobby Lee whispered with a smile.
"If we do, I don't remember," Nell smirked playfully, kissing his cheek.
"You'll remember soon enough," Bobby Lee whispered.
Nell smiled as she and Bobby Lee stopped outside James' door. They saw him sprawled on his bed, just like when he was at home and working nonstop on papers. However, instead of being surrounded by stacks of papers, he had some of his new puzzle books.
"He's been working a long time," Madeline murmured, seeing James look up and rub his eyes, then go back to his puzzle.
"Elena, what are you doing?" Nell asked, seeing Elena go in and pick up James' black and white jaquin, which was on the floor.
"Picking up James' Kitty so she cheers for him," Elena smiled. She tucked the jaquin at his side and patted his shoulder.
"Elena, what is it?" James asked, rubbing his eyes again.
"Your kitty cheer you on!" Elena giggled, flapping her hands. "Kitties like doing that."
"And playing with yarn, covering you in fur," Nell joked, mussing Elena's hair.
"Rubbing against Daddy whenever he sees her," Bobby Lee added with a smile.
As they spoke, they were all nuzzling their jaquins against James. He was trying to ignore it and focus on a particularly difficult puzzle, but it didn't help that Bobby Lee was starting to tickle his side.
"Get James?" Gabby giggled, hearing James laugh and seeing him swat Bobby Lee's hand away.
"I think we all know the answer to that, Gab-Gab," Bobby Lee smirked. "James...break time!"
"Kitties too!" Elena giggled, flapping her hands.
"Yes, Elena, kitties too!" Madeline laughed, having Butterfly join Kitty.
"Mom! Dad!" James yelled out the door as everyone pinned him down.
As he continued to tickle James' ribs, Bobby Lee teased him, "Roland and Miranda are busy; they don't have time for your foolishness!"
"It's nice that you're dedicated to your writing, and practicing for this game, but remember that, James, it's just for fun!" Nell added, mussing his hair.
As he passed by James' door, Esteban couldn't help but look inside. He smiled as he remembered his own family doing that with Isabel as she practiced word games. She acted just like the young prince was doing, minus the toy jaquins, of course.
"Is this my competition?" Estéban mused as Elena ran off to him.
"Hi, can sue her!" Elena giggled, jumping up and down. "Help with James?"
"I think you and your family has everything under control, Miss Elena," Esteban smirked. "I decided to take a take a break and walk around the palace before I completed another puzzle."
"We can't wait to see you and James go head to head, sir," Bobby Lee smiled.
"And I am eager to see Prince James in action," Esteban smiled as Roland, Miranda, and Queen Elena came up to see what was going on.
"Is somebody having fun?" Queen Elena smirked, taking Elena in her arms.
"I am," Madeline admitted with a smile.
"Me too!" Sabrina giggled, hugging Howie close.
"It's been a while since we tickled James," Madeline joked.
"You say that like it's a bad thing, or a weird tradition!" James laughed under them.
"You love it!" Sabrina giggled, mussing his hair. "Though I wish Howitzer was here."
"I'm sure you'll see him again," Roland smiled. "He seemed like a nice boy, but you have plenty of time before you meet that special someone."
"Still, he'd be honored that you named your jaquin after him," Miranda agreed, stroking Howie with one hand, and mussing James' hair with the other.
"Maybe we can invite him over?" Sabrina asked, brightening a little as she tugged on Nell's dress. "Please?!"
"Sabrina, this little crush of yours will fade eventually," Bobby Lee smirked, kissing her cheek.
"Yours didn't," Roland reminded him with a smile. "I remember when you asked me about love advice."
"Will it really fade, Nell?" Sabrina asked. "He's a really nice boy."
"You only knew him for a few minutes, but he was nice," Bobby Lee smiled as he let James up at last.
"And if you don't get to see him again, Howitzer could be your pen pal," Nell agreed, getting James a glass of water, and letting him lean against Bobby Lee as he regained his composure. "I remember when Bobby Lee and I did a pen pal project in school."
"We were about your age," Bobby Lee added, mussing James' hair. "I actually forgot who I wrote to, but he was from a few kingdoms over."
"I didn't," Nell smirked, kissing a cooing Ricky on the cheek. "She even sent me something long before the girls were born."
"Kitties?" Elena guessed with a giggle.
"No, Elena. But wasn't it something that played music?" Madeline recalled, rubbing her arms.
"Yes! It was that music box I have on my dresser at home," Nell smiled, and squeezing her hands. "She knows how much I love music boxes, and she sent me one after we were rescued."
"I remember that music box," Bobby Lee smiled, "I used to wind it up, and I'd put it on your stomach, so Elena and Gabby could hear the song. Later, after they were born, we'd hum the song the music box played to help them go to sleep."
"Did it break because of excessive use?" Roland asked.
"No. As soon as I saw it again, I asked Cedric to put a spell on it, so it would be like new and never wear out," Bobby Lee smiled.
"Game now?" Elena asked, tugging on Nell's dress.
"Patience, Elena," James smirked as both Elenas looked at him. "I mean the one that likes kitties and doesn't like baths."
"Ricky likes them," Elena grumbled before frowning as she saw Madeline's skin turn red.
"Nell..." Madeline murmured uneasily.
"Let's go, Maddie, I'll help take care of it," Nell murmured back. "You've been so good about not scratching, but old habits are hard to break."
"Habits?" Elena asked.
"Something you do all the time without thinking," Nell explained, "Like how I used to have a habit of twisting my hair when I was younger."
Elena frowned, seeing Nell and Madeline leave the room. Whatever made her aunt itch had her wish she would stop.
"Don't worry; Madeline will be back," Sabrina assured, mussing her hair. "Come on. Let's take our kitties and have a kitty party."
"How long? Bath?" Elena asked, making a face. "I don't like bath."
"It won't be too long," Sabrina smiled. "They'll be back in a few minutes. And maybe we can help James practice some more."
"No thanks," James smirked. "I think I've had enough 'help' for a while!"
"Please, James?" Gabby smiled, giving him (ironically, James thought with a smile) puppy-dog eyes.
"Well, okay," James grinned, mussing her hair. "Why don't you set up a puzzle for me?"
"Yay!" Gabby cheered, clapping her hands.
"Kitty party, Auntie Sabrina!" Elena yelled, dragging her aunt by the hand. "Gabby can play with James, and Daddy can play with Ricky."
Ricky cooed, spotting her hair before he started pulling in it impatiently. He didn't want to stay with James until the game actually happened.
"Mommy!" Gabby called as Ricky tugged on her hair.
"We're back, Gab-Gab," Nell smiled as she and Madeline came back. "Ricky, come here, buddy."
"Is Auntie Madeline okay?" Elena asked.
"She'll be fine, Love Bug," Nell assured her. "But as for you Ricky why are you being bad?"
Ricky cooed, clapping his hands as an answer before nibbling on Zoomer's wings.
Later on, and with Ricky just finished with his dinner, Elena grumbled as bath time was announced for the three of them. She didn't get dirty even once! It wasn't fair!
"We know what you're thinking, Love Bug, 'bath bad,'" Nell said as she ushered her and Gabby into the bathroom. "But you didn't have a bath yesterday, so we want to make it up today."
"But we miss James play game!" Elena protested.
"Don't worry, Love Bug, you'll be done with your bath long before James and Chancellor Esteban play their game," Bobby Lee assured her, taking up his post by the door so she wouldn't run off.
Elena smiled softly at the words but she still didn't like baths as she heard Ricky giggling happily at the squeezing bath toy from earlier in the day.
She just couldn't get it. Even Sabrina liked baths, but the door was always closed. And that was the only time she allowed the door to be closed.
When it was her turn, she tried not to put up too much of a fuss, since she wanted to see James play with Chancellor Esteban. Before she knew it, Nell and Bobby Lee were helping her into a clean dress and drying her hair.
"It's a miracle! She didn't run off!" Bobby Lee whispered.
"Probably because she doesn't know her way around the palace, but I think you were guarding the door," Nell whispered back.
"Game now?" Elena asked.
"After we eat dinner, then they'll play the game," Nell smiled.
"But Ricky ate already!" Gabby giggled, clapping her hands.
"And had a mess of mashed peas over his face to prove it!" Bobby Lee laughed, tossing Ricky in the air.
"And luckily not his head," Nell smirked, recalling how Elena used to do it.
"But he still might be a little hungry," Bobby Lee added. "We can give him a little cracker or something to gnaw on while you show him how you eat like big girls."
Elena and Gabby smiled. They loved showing Ricky, Nell, and Bobby Lee how big girls acted. They especially wanted to be able to watch James play his game with Mister Esteban.
And they especially wanted Ricky to see them as big girls, because like Madeline and Sabrina once explained to them, they were his role models.
Elena was still confused to this day about what those words really meant, but as long as Ricky giggled and clapped his hands, she was happy.
Even though Gabby was a picky eater, even she wanted to set a good example for Ricky. She also wanted to see James play his game. She ate everything without complaint, since Nell, Florence, and Bianca had made some of these recipes back home, thanks to Luisa giving them her recipes.
"Good girl, Gabby!" Nell whispered.
"I set good example for Ricky?" Gabby whispered.
"Yes," Nell smiled. "I'm proud of you, and Elena! You're both my big girls! And as a reward, you can come to the sitting room and watch the game!"
"Yay!" The girls giggled, happily jumping up and down.
Ricky began to fuss as Bobby Lee stroked his hair, knowing that the little guy was starting to get sleepy...until he checked his forehead. Ricky felt warm. Bobby Lee glanced at Nell, who took a fussy Ricky in her arms.
"You want to take a nap, Ricky?" Nell asked. "Or are you getting too hot?"
"Nell, is Ricky okay?" Sabrina asked.
"He feels a little warm," Nell murmured. "I'll try to get some of these layers off him and see if that helps." She took off Ricky's shirt and asked, "That feel better, buddy?"
"Ricky can't be sick! He has to watch James play!" Elena cried.
"I know, Love Bug, but I think we should just let him rest, and if he feels up to it, we can take him to watch James," Bobby Lee suggested. "If he does, that's great, but if he doesn't, we'll let him rest, and we'll tell him about it later."
"But Ricky never sick," Elena grumbled with crossed arms.
"But winter is a time for getting sick!" James joked before musing Ricky's hair. "Sorry, little guy. I know it's not fun."
"Babies do get really fussy when sick," Madeline recalled, frowning slightly. "I remember when Elena and Gabby got sick for the first time. Their crying hurt my ears!"
"If he's sick, he's sick," Queen Elena agreed, "It's all right if he rests instead."
"Amber and I can watch him," Sofia spoke up; she and Amber had been going through her goodie bag from the spa the whole time, and they came out to see what everyone was doing, "We've seen James play word games a hundred times, and he's beaten us at all of them. It won't hurt us to miss one competition."
"Are you sure, Sof? You've never seen me go against an adult," James asked.
"Don't give us that 'you've never gone against an adult', James! Everyone's seen you mop the floor with me and your mother on game night!" Roland chuckled, putting James in a headlock and mussing his hair.
"Just say the word, Roland, and we'll get him again!" Bobby Lee grinned.
"I'll keep that in mind, Robert, but for now you and Helen take care of Ricky," Roland grinned back.
"Come on sweetie. You're burning up," Nell softly cooed, checking Ricky's forehead. "But don't worry Mommy and Daddy got you."
"No Ricky leave! NO MOMMY LEAVE!" Elena screamed, throwing herself to the floor.
"Elena Lydia O'Malley! They have to leave! Ricky is sick, so it's not about you!" Sabrina scolded, and much to the horror of Madeline, started swatting her niece's bottom with a quick hand.
Elena, having only experienced time-out, started to cry at the swats and the more painful they were to her.
"Sabrina?" Madeline gasped.
When she heard Madeline's voice, Sabrina seemed to snap out of it, and she shook her head. "Nell, Bobby Lee, I'm sorry; I shouldn't have done that," she apologized as she started to tear up.
"You don't have to apologize for something I was going to do myself," Nell assured her, then she turned to Elena with a frown. "Elena, go with Auntie Sabrina; you're in timeout. But you will be allowed to watch James. However, you're going to bed when the game's over."
"I'll help guard her," Bobby Lee murmured, and as they left, he whispered to Nell, "I'll help calm Sabrina down too."
When they were gone, Madeline buried her face in Nell's side. "I'm sorry," she whimpered. "I know I've sometimes been mean to Elena, and I know I have problems with my anger, but I try to be nice! I didn't mean to do all that stuff I did before!"
"Shh...come here," Nell murmured, pulling Madeline to her other side. "It's all right, little butterfly. Why don't you help me put Ricky to bed, and I'll help you?"
"Okay. But you're not going to have Sabrina in trouble, are you?" Madeline sniffed, rubbing her nose.
"Of course not. While they're still young enough to not have a grounding as their punishment, both Elena and Gabby are old enough to get a few swats on the bottom if they need it," Nell assured, stroking her hair. "That must've been scary to you and Gabby when Sabrina did it."
"It reminded me of Beth and Robby when they hit me and Sabrina when we tried to help you," Madeline admitted.
"Baby, listen to me. We never have to worry about them again," Nell murmured, "They're dead and gone, and out of our lives forever."
At the same time, Bobby Lee was with Sabrina. He had put Elena in her timeout corner, told her that Kitty was not accessible until bedtime, and said to toughen up; Sabrina hadn't really hurt her that badly.
He and Sabrina were outside the door where they could hear Elena crying softly. Bobby Lee turned to Sabrina. "Are you okay?" he asked.
"I was acting like Beth and Robby when they hit me and Madeline when we tried to help Nell!" Sabrina buried her face in his chest.
"Sabrina, I know that was scary for you, but you did the right thing," Bobby Lee murmured. "Elena and Gabby can't be grounded, but they can get a few little swats when they need it."
"Is Queen Elena mad?" Sabrina frowned, looking at her hands.
"I believe she understands," Bobby Lee assured, stroking her hair. "Elena was getting a little out of hand."
"Don't worry, sweetheart," they heard Queen Elena's voice next to them. "You did the right thing."
"I'm sorry I did that in front of you," Sabrina apologized.
"You don't have to apologize for anything," Queen Elena smiled, pulling her into a hug.
"Can we still watch the game?" Sabrina sniffed, rubbing her nose.
"Yes. But I think Robert has a little surprise for you and your sisters," Queen Elena smirked, mussing her hair.
"What's that?" Sabrina asked in confusion as Nell came into the room, holding Madeline's hand.
"I bought some extra things when we were at that jewelry vendor," Bobby Lee smiled. "Lucky for me, I found these before Amber bought the place out!" Everyone laughed for a moment, then Bobby Lee handed Madeline and Sabrina each a gold heart-shaped pin.
"Thank you!" Madeline smiled, Sabrina echoing her.
"You three girls have always held special places in my heart," Bobby Lee smiled.
"You're so poetic," Nell chuckled, but then she gasped when Bobby Lee put a star-shaped necklace around her neck. "Robert..."
"I wished on every star I could see that I'd find you," Bobby Lee continued. "This one led me to you and your sisters."
"Robert, you're going to give everyone cavities with all that sugary talk! Let's go watch James and Esteban!" Nell smiled, kissing Bobby Lee on the cheek.
"First, let's get Elena out of timeout so she can watch too," Bobby Lee grinned.
