Theblindwriter95 asked about this song from the Beauty and the Beast musical, so enjoy your request! I thought it would be nice if, as an alternate scene to their story Save What Has Been Lost, Sofia manages to find someone to help her so she's not away for two weeks with Boswell. Thanks to theblindwriter95 for helping with the story. In spite of everything that she's going through with Boswell, Sofia finds a way to help herself and Clover, gets reunited with her family, and makes a new friend in the process. The characters Polly, Dorothy, Amanda, and Matthew are characters of theblindwriter95 and are used with permission. Beauty and the Beast the Musical is not mine.
Sofia awoke to sunlight beaming from the window of her tormentor's wagon as she sat upright in her corner, recalling the previous night's events.
Through her semiconsciousness, she heard King Garrick's voice turn bitter towards the magician who had the audacity to lie about her presence in front of the king's face.
She could've been home by now if it wasn't for him.
Hearing Boswell's footsteps, Sofia clenched her fists and stood up, shielding a slumbering Clover.
"I'd rather let myself be humiliated by participating in an act than let you use Clover again, Mr. Boswell!" She spat, surprising herself with how venomous she sounded.
"That's a great idea, Princess," Boswell smirked, watching as she shrank towards her corner completely petrified.
"I-It is?" 'Sugar-Honey-Ice-Tea, what have I done?!' Sofia thought, mentally repeating a phrase she heard James use once when Amber convinced him to join a tea party she was having with Hildegarde and Cleo.
"It is," Boswell smiled. "I'll put you in a disguise so no one will recognize you."
Sofia frowned as she picked up Clover and felt him nuzzling against her. "A disguise?"
"We can't have anyone recognizing you, now, can we?" Boswell smirked.
'Okay, that might work...for me,' Sofia thought. 'If I can stay near the back, I can try to slip away and find help.' "No we can't, Mr. Boswell," Sofia agreed, giving the magician a genuine smile for the first time since her captivity six days earlier. "I wouldn't want you to get caught because of me."
She felt sick to her stomach uttering that last sentence, but it made Boswell happy as Clover growled at him while Sofia heard "If you harm MY princess at any point before or after her act, I will claw you!"
"Don't worry, Clover," Sofia whispered when Boswell was finally out of earshot, "When I'm in the spot he puts me in, I'll try to get someone to help me. I'll also start whispering that I've been kidnapped. That way people can hear me and try to get help for us."
"We can try, Sof," Clover agreed. "Where did this idea come from?"
"I read one of James' stories and saw the characters do something like that," Sofia admitted. "But later I saw the story in his try again later box. Maybe he couldn't find any more ideas for it, but I thought it was good."
Clover nodded despite his doubts about her plan working, knowing how easily Boswell lied to people who attempted to assist her in her plight.
Disguised in an old ragged dress and forced to wear a cloak to hide her hair, Sofia gritted her teeth as she heard the somewhat ironic backstory Boswell had for her character Sonya.
Her pained look turned hopeful when she heard a soft whisper of "Oh, the poor dear."
Sofia didn't care who said it, but she wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible. She tapped the speaker on the arm, giving the woman a desperate look, and whispered, "Ma'am, can I talk to you please?"
"Of course, Sonya," the woman smiled. She drew her away from the crowd, as if she was helping to lead her away to do her business, and when the two of them were out of earshot, she asked, "Now, what can I do for you?"
"My name is not Sonya," Sofia started, "I'm Princess Sofia of Enchancia, and the magician up there, Mr. Boswell, kidnapped me and is holding my bunny Clover to make me do what he wants. I need help. Please!"
The woman arched an eyebrow in surprise. "How do I know you're the real Princess Sofia and not some girl pretending to be her?"
Sofia undid her cloak and smiled as she held out her amulet. "Is this enough proof for you, ma'am? My father, King Roland the Second, gave it to me my first night in the castle as a welcome to the family gift."
"I remember that day very well," the woman smiled. "I'll do everything I can to help you."
"Thank you so much, ma'am!" Sofia whispered.
"You're welcome, dear. If you don't mind me asking, how long have you been with Mr. Boswell?"
"Six days," Sofia revealed, "Usually I'm not allowed outside the wagon because I'll lose privileges like eating or bathing if he catches me."
"Privileges?" The woman asked.
"He uses them to control my behavior and If I disobey him, Mr. Boswell calls me a bad girl before taking them away as punishment," Sofia croaked.
The woman frowned. "Don't worry, dear, you'll come with me right now and we'll get you the help you need."
"Thank you, Miss..." Sofia paused.
"Duncan," the woman smiled. "Polly Duncan."
"Thank you, Miss Duncan!" Sofia smiled. Hopefully, with her new friend's help, she'd be able to get someone to rescue her and Clover, and Boswell would be caught soon.
Miss Duncan noticed her hopeful expression dimming as she squeezed her hand.
Despite not knowing the magician personally, she could see the fear in Sofia's eyes as Boswell approached them.
"Get any closer to the princess and I'll alert the guards!" Miss Duncan hissed.
As if that was their cue, two people in guard uniforms came over to them. "What seems to be the problem, ma'am?" one of them asked.
"Mister Boswell kidnapped me and my bunny!" Sofia shouted. "This nice lady is trying to help me!"
"Help you?" Boswell chuckled. "Why would she help you after how much of a bad girl you've been, Princess?"
"Princess Sofia a bad girl? I think not!" Miss Duncan scoffed. "She's scared of you! You punish this poor little girl for the simplest of things just so you can control her!"
"He whipped me last night as punishment for trying to get help," Sofia muttered softly as tears filled her eyes. "He'll probably do it again if you have me go back."
"Go back where, ma'am?" One of the guards asked.
"Back with him," Sofia started. "He always takes me to different places so people who use magic like Mister Cee-drick, my dad's royal sorcerer, can't find us and help me."
Miss Duncan frowned, retaining her composure so she wouldn't frighten the trembling little girl. "Anything else we should know about this monster, dear?"
"He keeps me locked up in a corner of the wagon for hours while he does his acts and only feeds me carrots or scraps once a day. Sometimes he wakes me up super early if he needs Clover for an act so I'm always tired or hungry," Sofia finished.
"You're coming with us," one of the guards ordered Boswell.
"And you and your rabbit are coming with me," Polly murmured to Sofia. "We'll get you cleaned up, feed you both a proper meal, and get you back home where you belong."
"Can we go back to the wagon so I can get my riding clothes? Please?" Sofia requested.
The guards nodded, their hearts breaking at the timid demeanor she was showing and watched as she flinched, feeling the magician grab the defenseless princess by the arm.
"You planned this all along didn't you, Princess?" Boswell spat. His grip on her arm tightened as he ignored the tears running down Sofia's cheeks. "ANSWER ME!"
"Yes I did!" Sofia sobbed. "I-I've been a bad girl and b-bad g-girls get punished!"
"You are anything but a bad girl!" Polly broke in. She got between Boswell and Sofia, drawing her close to her. "You are the bravest child I've ever met! You came right to me, in front of this horrible excuse for a human being and asked for my help!"
"And we most certainly will help you, Princess," one of the guards agreed.
The trembling princess nodded softly as she looked around, starting to panic when she didn't see Clover with Boswell.
"Where is he? Where's Clover?" Sofia asked. "What did you do to him, Mr. Boswell?!"
"Mr. Cuddles wasn't yours to begin with, Princess," Boswell snarled. "But don't worry, I hadn't harmed him. He's backstage, locked up."
Sofia froze at his words. "Locked up? Why?"
"Lately, I noticed that he has a habit of escaping while I'm not looking and you're to blame."
"I'm to blame?! Maybe the reason he keeps escaping is because Clover doesn't want to be with a monster like you, Mr. Boswell!" Sofia yelled. "He's my friend and I want him to come home with me, not stay with you performing in long acts as your magic bunny all day long!"
"That's enough," one of the guards broke in, "Sir, may we see the rabbit in question, please?"
Boswell glared at them, but he brought Clover, in his cage, out to the guards. "This is my magic bunny! His name is Mister Cuddles!"
"No it isn't!" Sofia shouted. "His name is CLOVER, and he's lived with me in my castle ever since the first day I became a princess!"
Even though the guards, Boswell, and Polly couldn't understand him, they did see Clover reach his little arms out toward Sofia, as if telling them that's who he belonged with.
"I think we all know who this rabbit belongs with," one of the guards smiled.
"Clover! I was so worried!" Sofia cried as he jumped into her arms once the cage was unlocked. "Are you okay? Did Mr. Boswell hurt you?"
Clover shook his head as he looked around in confusion, seeing Polly and the guards. "What's going on?"
"We're going home!" Sofia cheered.
Clover gasped. "Are you serious?"
Sofia nodded, biting her lip as Boswell reluctantly lead them to the wagon. While Polly and the guards believed her, she worried that they would fall for the magician's lies and leave her like Hugo and King Garrick had done the previous night as the traumatized princess started to cry at the thought.
Sofia made quick work of collecting her things and going back out to where Polly and the guards were waiting for her.
"Is that everything, Princess?" Polly asked.
"Yes, ma'am," Sofia smiled. "I don't have that much with me."
"And that's all right," Polly smiled. "I'll take you and Clover home with me, feed you both a good meal, and while you're sleeping in a nice warm bed, I'll get in contact with the royal family, and they can come get you."
"Thank you!" Sofia smiled. "I don't think I can handle being around a man all by myself after everything I went through."
Polly nodded in understanding, taking her by the hand as Sofia took one last look at the wagon.
Boswell had her believe it to be home when it was nothing more than a place of horrors in her eyes.
"You never have to worry about this monster again, Princess," Polly smiled as she led Sofia and Clover away. "He's going to be locked up, and you'll be back with your family before you know it!"
Sofia smiled. "Thank you, Miss Duncan!"
Polly smiled back. "You're welcome, dear."
The rest of the day felt like a blur to Sofia. For the first time in days since her captivity, she could do whatever she wanted without it feeling like a privilege she had to earn.
It felt like a dream. A wonderful dream come true.
Despite the warm bed Polly had offered her, Sofia couldn't sleep. She tossed and turned, trying to escape the nightmare she was having.
"Clover!" Sofia wailed before looking down and panicked, realizing she had an accident. "Oh no. I've been a bad girl. Miss Duncan's going to punish me for being a bad girl."
"Princess, what happened?" Polly asked, having heard the noise and coming down to investigate. She saw Sofia crying, and as she figured out what had happened. "Oh, sweetheart, it's all right."
"But I'm a bad girl, and you're going to punish me," Sofia sniffled.
"No, sweetheart, I'm not going to do that," Polly murmured. "You just come with me, and I'll help you get cleaned up. And while I wash your outfit, you can borrow a nightgown. Everything's going to be all right. You're not in any kind of trouble, and I'm going to help you."
"Really?" Sofia hiccupped.
Polly nodded, taking the sniffling princess in her arms as she carried her towards the bathroom.
Having witnessed her in a state of turmoil all afternoon, she recalled how relaxed Sofia had been during her first bath in days earlier that evening despite bawling throughout it as the poor girl thought her bath was a privilege she needed to earn.
"Everything's going to be all right, sweetheart," Polly murmured as she helped Sofia clean up. "King Roland and Queen Miranda will be here before you know it, and that horrible man will be locked up where he can never get his hands on you or your little bunny friend again."
Sofia smiled a little, and she still couldn't believe her good luck. She hadn't expected to find help so soon, but here she was, in another new location, but this time she was with someone who was going to help her. With someone who cared for her.
"Miss Duncan, are my lanterns safe?" Sofia asked as she stared at the water glumly. "They remind me of my family and got me through bad times in the wagon."
"Yes they're safe," Polly assured her, knowing how much the lanterns and the letters that came with them meant to the young princess. "I put them where only you can reach them."
"Thank you, and I'm sorry about earlier. I thought you were going to be like Mr. Boswell and punish me for having an accident."
"It's okay, sweetheart. I understand. Did he punish you often?"
"Yes," Sofia sniffled. "I tried to get help a few times from some of my friends at Royal Prep, but Mr. Boswell managed to lie his way out of trouble, then he took it out on me."
"Well, as soon as you feel up to it, you can make a list of everything that man did to you," Polly said as she gave her a cup of tea. "We can take this to the authorities, and let them do what they will with him."
"Okay, and Mr. Boswell is locked up, right?" Sofia asked. "He won't come and get me again?"
"That's right," Polly smiled. "The last I heard; he was being locked up in the village prison."
Sofia frowned, taking a sip of her tea. "I'd rather have him be in the castle dungeon instead."
"How come, Princess?" Polly wondered.
"So my brother and sister can have a word with him, but I'm scared they'll see it as me being a baby."
"After everything you went through with that horrible man, I doubt they'll see you that way because when I heard you crying earlier, the first thing I wanted to do was to see if you were all right, not think of you as being a baby for having an accident."
Sofia smiled a little. She was happy that she had found someone to help her, and she didn't think she was a baby. "Thank you, Miss Polly!"
"You're very welcome, sweetheart," Polly smiled. "Now, do you think you can go back to sleep?"
"I think so," Sofia said as Polly helped her back to the spare bedroom she'd been sleeping in.
Polly made quick work of changing the sheets, and as she worked, she started singing to herself.
Yes, you made the choice
For your friend, you did stay
But you don't deserve to lose your freedom in this way
Boswell's a monster!
If he thinks that what he's done is right
Well then, he's a fool
Think again
Sofia smiled. It had been a while since she heard someone sing. She also heard Polly change the words so it fit what she was going through, but she knew it wasn't to make fun of her.
Remembering this as something she and Miranda had sung once during their second night in the castle, Sofia sang softly, Is this home?
Is this where I should learn to be happy?
Never dreamed
That a home could be dark and cold
I was told
Every day in my childhood
Even when we grow old
"Home will be where the heart is"
Never were words so true
My heart's far, far away
"You okay, kid?" Clover asked, hopping into her lap when Polly left them to sleep again. "I heard you crying out for me."
"I'm okay, Clover. Miss Polly took care of me," Sofia smiled. "But I'm nervous about going home. What if everyone starts treating me differently because of what Mr. Boswell did to me?"
"If they do, then that's on them," Clover shrugged. "We wouldn't be here tonight if you hadn't gotten the courage to get help."
"That's true, but I feel bad about what happened to you earlier today," Sofia sighed.
"Don't be, Sof. If it makes you feel any better, I bit that horrible excuse for a human being as a way of vengeance for the both of us," Clover smirked.
"You bit Mr. Boswell?" Sofia giggled. "When did you do that?"
"I think it was when he was yelling at you for talking to Hugo and his dad," Clover admitted.
Sofia smiled and nodded as she remembered Boswell's yell of pain in the middle of a rant. He had looked around for what caused it, but he hadn't found anything. He had thought she had done it, but Sofia had her hands in front of her. Unfortunately, it had cost her a meal, but thankfully, she had stolen out while he was asleep and managed to find something that wasn't carrots or scraps.
She thought she had heard a familiar yell of pain after Clover was released from his cage before shaking her head, holding back a yawn.
"How's your bunny doing, sweetheart?" Polly asked. "I just thought I'd ask because I see him awake."
"Clover's happy he's with me instead of Mr. Boswell tonight," Sofia smiled. "Miss Polly, is it just me, or did you also hear Mr. Boswell yell out in pain after Clover was released from his cage earlier today?"
Polly nodded. "Indeed I did along, with some profanity. Why do you ask?"
"Because he often used profanity whenever he got mad at me, so I wasn't surprised to hear it again."
"He swore at you?" Polly frowned.
"Yes ma'am," Sofia replied. "I learned damn and hell from him, but his favorite word to call me was little bitch."
Clover nuzzled against her as she burst into tears. As much as it felt good to talk about them, her memories of Boswell and her time in his wagon were still hurting her as Sofia felt Polly stroke her hair with one hand and squeeze her hand with the other.
"You didn't deserve to be called that vulgar name, Princess," Polly murmured as she wiped away her tears.
Sofia shook her head. "I trespassed on his property and talked back to Mr. Boswell when he wouldn't give me Clover back. I was a bad girl and bad girls get punished." She sniffed, blinking back her remaining tears. "I deserved every word he ever spat at my face because I was stupid enough to get myself kidnapped by him all because I couldn't control my anger."
"You only did those things to try and get away from that horrible excuse for a human being," Polly comforted her. "You did nothing at all to deserve what that monster did to you."
"Really?" Sofia sniffed.
"Really. Now come on let's get you back to bed."
"I don't know if I can."
"Why not, sweetheart?" Polly asked.
"I have really bad nightmares at night if I'm by myself," Sofia admitted. "And every time I tried to go back to sleep afterwards, Mr. Boswell would wake me up."
"I think I may have something that can help you," Polly smiled. "I used to sing this song to my children when they were sad, and I think it will work for you too."
"My brother always says that music makes everything better," Sofia smiled a little.
"He's not wrong, my dear," Polly chuckled as she took her in her arms. "Now, what do you say we finish that song I started?"
"Okay," Sofia smiled.
Polly smiled as she sang to her, Home is too
Is this home?
Is this what I must learn to believe in?
Try to find something good
In this tragic place
Just in case
I should stay here forever
Held in this empty space
Oh, but that won't be easy
I know the reason why
My heart's far, far away
Home's a lie
As she tucked her in, Polly sang, What I'd give
To return
To the life that I knew lately
But I know
That I can't
Solve my problems going back
Sofia smiled as she sang, Is this home?
Am I here for a day or forever?
Shut away
From the world until who knows when
Oh, but then
As my life has been altered once
It can change again
Build higher walls around me
Change every lock and key
Nothing lasts
Nothing holds all of me
As Polly tucked her in again, they finished the song together, My heart's far, far away
Home and free
As she listened to Polly's smoothing voice, Sofia relaxed in her arms despite wanting to flinch at her touch.
Except the older woman's touch was gentle, not rough like Boswell's had been.
"Miss Polly, thank you for rescuing me," Sofia blushed. She giggled, feeling Clover paw at the hem of her nightgown. "Clover thanks you too, because without you, Mr. Boswell would've separated us again."
"You're both very welcome," Polly smiled. "Now, both of you get a good night's sleep, and in the morning, we'll contact your family, and get you back home."
Sofia nodded, falling asleep the moment her head hit the pillow.
In the morning, she jumped as she heard the door to her room opening before sighing softly as Clover nuzzled against her.
"Rise and shine, Princess!" Polly greeted as she placed a dress on her bed. "I do apologize if your attire for today won't be anything you're normally used to, but I did my best to find something in your size."
"That's okay. I'll take anything else over my riding clothes any day!" Sofia grinned. As she got out of bed, she hesitated as she saw the dress before her. "Can you please help me get dressed, Miss Polly? I think I forgot how to after being in the same clothes for so long."
"Of course," Polly smiled. "And you can keep this dress. This used to belong to my own daughter when she was your age. I'm sure she'd want you to use it."
Sofia smiled as she looked over the blue and white checked dress. It reminded her of the dresses she used to wear in the village. "Thank you, Miss Polly! And thank your daughter too!"
"Oh, she's grown up now," Polly smiled. "She's got her own family a few towns over, but this dress was one of her favorites when she was little."
"Does she know about what happened to me?" Sofia frowned.
"I wouldn't be surprised if she did know about your situation, considering how much everyone was looking for you, my dear," Polly muttered. She had Sofia lift her arms as she stripped the nightgown off her. "After I help you get dressed and you have a nice breakfast, we'll contact your parents."
"No scraps, right?" Sofia gasped.
Polly smiled. "You asked that last night, Princess."
"I'm sorry. This is a lot for me to get readjusted to," Sofia admitted.
"No need to apologize, sweetheart. You take all the time you need to readjust after everything you went through with that horrible man," Polly smiled.
After she was dressed and had breakfast, Sofia stared at the window hesitantly as she wrote down what she could recall of what Boswell had done to her during her time in captivity.
She wondered if Roland and Miranda would show her love and affection the moment they'd arrive to pick her up. If Amber and James accompanied them, she wondered if her sister would be shocked by her disheveled appearance.
Looking disheveled is not a princess thing, Sofia recalled Amber saying once prior her abduction as tears filled her eyes.
"Everything's going to be all right, Princess," Polly smiled. "You're going to be just fine now. You've got your rabbit friend with you, and you're going to see your family again today."
"But I look so messy and disheveled," Sofia murmured, "My family won't like that..."
"I'm sure they'll be more than understanding about that," Polly assured her. "You went through so much, but you came out on top. And if you get a little disheveled, then you can call it part of your victory."
Sofia smiled a little. "My victory? I like the sound of that!"
"I'm happy you do; besides, didn't you enjoy getting a bath yesterday?" Polly chuckled.
"I did," Sofia smiled. "Despite how upset I was, getting to wash off all that dirt and grass made me so excited!"
"To where you almost fell asleep in the tub in the process!" Polly laughed.
A knock on the door had Sofia look up, flinching a little at the sound as she watched Polly open the door and heard Clover growling from underneath the table.
"It's okay, Clover. Maybe it's a guard or someone who can help me contact Mom and Dad," Sofia assured him, taking the rabbit in her arms.
"Kid, I don't care who it is out there! I don't trust them!" Clover hissed.
"Well, let's just stay back here for now, and if it's a bad person, we can hide. But let's listen and hear if it's a good person," Sofia suggested.
"Okay, kid, I'll trust your judgment, but if it's someone who's going to hurt us, I'm biting them!" Clover grumbled.
"Good morning, ma'am," Sofia heard someone say as she hid behind the table. "Are you Polly Duncan?"
"Yes I am," Polly responded. "May I ask who you are, and why am I associated with this matter at hand?"
"Certainly, ma'am. I'm one of Enchancia's royal guards and have been assigned by King Roland himself to escort you and the princess to the castle," The person explained. "He and Queen Miranda would've come themselves, but Princess Amber has recently recovered from a cold, and they thought it'd be best if Princess Sofia wasn't exposed to anything that would make her sick after everything she's been through."
"Excuse me for asking this, but how did you find us?" Sofia asked, her voice trembling as she hesitantly approached the two adults with Clover at her side.
"It's thanks to Cedric, Princess," the guard smiled. "He cast a seeking spell, and we were able to follow the trail of sparkles it created, and it led us right to this cottage."
"He used magic?" Sofia whimpered as Clover growled softly.
"I can understand how you feel about magic right now, Princess Sofia, but rest assured that Cedric is a good sorcerer who uses his magic to help people; he's not a washed-up has-been like Boswell who can't do magic to save his life," the guard assured her.
Sofia giggled a little, but she stayed close to Polly while keeping Clover in her arms.
"It's going to be all right, Princess, and remember, I'm going with you too," Polly promised.
Sofia nodded, gazing softly at the guard. "I'll have to tell Mr. Cee-drick thank you when I see him again."
"You should have seen him, Princess Sofia! When the seeking spell started working, he was so excited, your father could hear him screeching from the banquet hall!" The guard grinned. "Rest assured, the thought of you finally being found had excited everybody in the castle, not just Cedric."
"Everyone cares about me?" Sofia smiled.
"Of course we do, my dear," Polly smiled. "The moment I saw you on that stage, forced to perform against your will, my motherly instincts kicked in. I saw a little girl who wanted her freedom, and I'm glad I followed my gut instead of ignoring it when I first laid my eyes on you while those around me ignored your silent plea for assistance."
"So am I. Thank you for helping us, Miss Polly," Sofia smiled.
"You're very welcome," Polly smiled. "Now, let's get you back home to your family."
"Wait...my lanterns," Sofia paused. "Where are they?"
"Don't worry, Sof. I saw them this morning. They're on a shelf across from the bed you slept in last night," Clover smiled.
Sofia beamed, sprinting towards her room and gathered the lanterns in her arms.
"Let us help you with those, Princess," Polly offered.
"Okay but don't let anything happen to them," Sofia whimpered.
"Of course not," Polly smiled. "We'll put them all in the coach, then I'll be coming with you to the castle to reunite you and your rabbit friend with your family."
"Thank you, Miss Polly," Sofia smiled as they took them out.
"You're very welcome, Princess," Polly smiled as she helped her board the coach, then climbed in beside her.
Sofia had fallen asleep on Polly's lap minutes into the ride as Clover stayed by her side, growling softly at the guard as a warning to not disturb his princess.
Afternoon sun beamed across Sofia's face as she awoke groggily hours later, stretching her arms.
"Miss Polly, where are we?" Sofia yawned.
"We just came up to the castle gates, Princess," Polly smiled. "You're back home, you and your rabbit friend."
"We're home?" Sofia repeated. She looked around, and she smiled widely. "Clover! We're home!"
"That's great, kid!" Clover grinned. "I can't wait to spend time with you and far, far away from Boswell!"
Sofia giggled, taking him in her arms. As Polly helped her out of the coach and up the castle steps, she clutched her hand tightly.
"Are you ready to reunite with your family, Princess Sofia?" The guard asked.
"Ready as I'll ever be," Sofia murmured, hiding behind Polly in fear of who stood behind the castle doors.
"Everything's going to be all right, Princess," Polly assured her, "your family just wants to help you. They know what happened, and you know that they did everything in their power to help you."
"They're not mad at me? They don't think I'm a bad girl?" Sofia asked.
"Of course not. They're not mad and they don't think you're a bad girl," The guard assured her. "Your father always stayed up late looking for you to the point of exhaustion until last night where he finally got a decent night's rest, and you want to know what he said the moment we found you?"
"What? What did he say?"
"He said "I'm gonna hug Sofia then I'm gonna cover her with kisses and never let her out of my sight again' before wiping away tears of joy from his eyes."
Sofia smiled as she approached the castle doors and knocked on them before standing back, waiting for a response.
Baileywick was the one to greet them. "Princess Sofia! Welcome home! Your parents are in the throne room right now. Would you like to see them?"
"Yes!" Sofia cheered, but she still held Polly's hand. "Stay with me?"
"Of course I will," Polly assured her. "Now, let's get you back with your parents!"
As they walked into the throne room, Sofia heard Amber sniffling from her bedroom. She wanted to go see her before Baileywick gently urged her to move along.
Approaching the throne room, Sofia flinched as she heard Roland yelling. Realizing that it was Boswell he was yelling about, she giggled a little.
"Find that horrible excuse for a human being and bring him here! I want him to pay for what he's done to my daughter!" Roland hissed.
"Pardon me for interrupting, Your Majesties, but Princess Sofia is here, and she wants to see you," the guard murmured.
"Go ahead, sweetheart," Polly encouraged.
Sofia slowly approached her parents, brushing her disheveled hair away from her face and curtsied nervously.
"My, my, aren't we formal," Roland smirked as he knelt down to Sofia's level.
"Oh, Rollie," Miranda smirked, but at the same time she knelt down to Sofia's level and held her arms out. "Sofia!" she smiled. "You're home! And you're safe! But you don't have to curtsy to us."
"I don't?" Sofia repeated.
"You've never done that before, and you don't have to start now," Roland smiled.
With tears of relief in her eyes, Sofia buried her face in Miranda's chest, feeling her stroke her hair as Roland stood up and shook Polly's hand.
"Thank you, ma'am, for rescuing our daughter," he smiled.
"It was no trouble at all, Your Majesty. I was happy to do it," Polly smiled. "Princess Sofia was a pleasure to have despite the unfortunate circumstances."
"And she's lucky to have found someone to help her so quickly," Miranda added. "How did you find her, anyway?"
Polly looked toward Sofia, as if asking permission to tell them about how they met. She smiled when Sofia nodded, then they told Roland and Miranda all about how Boswell tried to put Sofia in a disguise, then how Sofia had discreetly moved toward Polly and asked for her help in front of the crowd.
"Well done, Sofia," Roland smiled. "And I take it Boswell's in the village dungeon?"
"Yes, your majesty," Polly agreed. "Although you'll probably want him in the dungeon here in the castle so he can have his trial?"
"Yes we do. Rollie and I discussed it last night after we got word that Sofia was found," Miranda smiled.
"Is Amber okay? I heard her sniffling from her room," Sofia frowned.
"She's recovering from a cold, but she'll be so happy to see you," Roland assured her, taking Sofia in his arms and covering her in kisses.
"I'll look in on her in a little bit," Sofia smiled. "I want to see her and James again, but Amber should rest."
"That's a good idea," Miranda smiled. "You can talk to Amber at her door, and when she's feeling better, you can spend time with her."
"Can I see James at least?" Sofia asked.
"Of course," Baileywick smiled. "I'll go get him."
Seeing the steward leave to get her brother, Sofia placed a hand on Miranda's cheek.
"Princess Sofia missed all of you and was afraid to leave her lanterns behind before we left this afternoon," Polly smiled.
"I was also scared I'd be seen as a baby for wanting Mr. Boswell in the dungeon," Sofia added. She hung her head, biting her lip. "If I have an accident after I go to bed tonight then I'm sorry for being a bad girl."
"Sofia, you are not a bad girl," Miranda murmured. She kept her voice low as she continued, "And don't worry; I'll take you to the bathroom before you go to bed tonight, just to be on the safe side. But," she continued. "if you do have an accident, you can be sure that I'll be there to help you."
"Thank you," Sofia smiled as James and Baileywick came up to them.
"Sof! You're home!" James cheered, running up to her.
"James, easy now. Your sister's been through a lot," Roland scolded gently as he saw Sofia wince at the noise.
Sofia reached out for her brother before wincing at his touch. She wasn't used to benign touches on her skin, starting to sob softly.
"Sof, I'm sorry if I scared you," James apologized as he backed away. "But you don't have to be scared of me. You know I'm not going to hurt you."
"Promise?" Sofia asked.
"I promise," James smiled. "Why don't I help you to your room, and when you get in bed, I'll get some of my stories for you? I didn't write about what happened to you and Clover, and I won't, but you can read the ones with Amber's and my stuffed animals and her dolls."
"I'd like that," Sofia smiled a little.
"Wait a minute, James. Before you go, your mother and I would like to introduce you to someone," Roland smiled.
"James, this is Polly Duncan. She rescued your sister yesterday," Miranda introduced.
James bowed, blinking back tears. "Thank you, ma'am, for saving my sister from that horrible monster. I was so scared of never seeing her again."
"You're welcome, Prince James," Polly smiled.
"It's okay, James," Miranda murmured, pulling him into a hug. "Sofia's safe now, thanks to her new friend. And Miss Duncan, we'll introduce you to Amber a bit later. We'd let you look in on her now, but she's recovering from a cold, and she's sleeping."
"She'll get to meet her no matter what," Roland smiled, squeezing James' shoulder as he continued. "Miss Duncan, tomorrow, we're going to have a special dinner for you, as well as those who helped us try to find Sofia."
"That's wonderful! I'd be honored to attend," Polly smiled.
"No carrots?" Sofia asked.
"No carrots," Roland promised, Miranda nodding at his side.
Sighing in relief, Sofia giggled as she heard Clover sniffing the air.
"Yes, Clover, you can join in the celebration too," Polly smirked, scratching him behind the ears.
"He deserves it after being there for Sof when we were unable to," James agreed.
"Clover bit Mr. Boswell before we left with Miss Polly yesterday!" Sofia giggled. "He also bit him while I was being yelled at for talking to Hugo." She frowned, hugging herself. "I'm sorry I caused all this. Please don't be mad."
"Why would we be mad?" Roland smiled. "Clover clearly wanted to protect you, and he was doing it the only way he knew how. And you did nothing wrong. You wanted him back after he was kidnapped by that wretched excuse for a human being, you told him you'd get me to help you. Boswell was the one that did all of this to you. You're not to blame, and neither is Clover."
"That's right," Miranda agreed. "The only one we're blaming for all of this is Boswell, and you can rest assured that he'll be sent here to the castle dungeon, put on trial, and severely punished for everything he put you through!"
Sofia smiled. "I can't wait to see that happen!"
"Neither can we," Roland smirked.
"Can I see him when he's officially in the castle dungeons?" James asked. "I'd like to give him a piece of my mind for what he's done to Sof!"
"Of course you can, James, but why don't we focus on celebrating your sister's return first before we all give Boswell a piece of our minds?" Roland chuckled.
"Miss Polly, I know you have to go home soon but I don't want you to leave!" Sofia whimpered. "You were the first person to be nice to me in days and I'm scared that people will be mean to me and take advantage of me when they learn about what happened to me."
"Don't worry, sweetheart," Polly smiled, "I'm just going to go home so you can spend some time with your family, but I'll be back tomorrow for the special dinner. I might even bring my daughter and her family so they can meet you too."
"Okay," Sofia nodded.
When Polly had left, Sofia sprinted towards Amber's room, being careful not to wake her as she stepped inside.
"Oh! Sofia, you scared me!" Amber gasped.
"I'm sorry, Amber. Did I wake you?" Sofia asked.
"Oh no. I'm feeling much better, so I decided to get up and stretch my legs. What are you doing here?"
"I came home today. I've missed you so much that I wanted to visit you."
"I almost didn't recognize you. You look so skinny and disheveled. What did Boswell do to you?" Amber frowned.
"You might want to sit down," Sofia muttered.
Amber sat down, with Roland, James, and Miranda on either side of them, and Sofia told her about what she had been through.
When she concluded, hot tears were spilling down her face as Miranda took her in her arms, rubbing her back in an attempt to console her.
"I'm gonna kill him!" Roland growled. "I'm gonna kill him if the other prisoners in the castle dungeon don't get to him first!"
"Let Cedric get to him first, Dad," James smirked.
"Sofia, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have asked you that question," Amber frowned. "I'm a terrible sister for having you relieve those memories of that horrible magician. Are you hurt?"
"Only on my back from where I was whipped the night before last," Sofia sniffed. "The twenty lashes Mr. Boswell gave me for talking to Hugo don't hurt as much anymore."
"We'll help take care of those, Sofia," Miranda assured her. "Cedric has some healing spells he can use, if you want him to. I know how you are about people who use magic right now, but..."
"Mom, it's okay," Sofia smiled a little. "I know Mister Cee-drick's a good sorcerer, and he used his magic to help me."
"That's right," Roland smiled. "And Amber, you didn't do anything wrong. You were curious about what happened, so of course you want to ask about it."
"Amber, if you're up to it, I think Sof and Clover might be in need of a sibling sleepover," James suggested. "We can find ways to help them calm down, and we'll be with them in case they have nightmares."
"I think that's a wonderful idea," Miranda agreed. "Only, if I may make a small suggestion: we make it a family camp-out. That way, Sofia and Clover have everyone in the family there to help them if they need it."
"Can we do it after the celebration dinner tomorrow?" Amber asked.
The family looked at Sofia, who nodded happily at the suggestion. She needed their company more than anything now that she was home safe and sound.
The following afternoon, Sofia sat alone in the banquet hall, staring at the utensils in front of her. As much as the celebration was exciting to her, it made her feel nervous.
Everyone would stare at her and demand her attention as they questioned her mental and emotional state since her return home while she'd humiliate herself in an attempt to act like her old self again.
She jumped, dropping the utensils in her hands as she heard Amber's footsteps.
"Sofia, what are you doing here all by yourself?" Amber asked, grabbing herself a chair as she sat next to her sister.
"I'm used to it," Sofia replied. "Amber, can you have Dad cancel tonight's celebration? Please?"
Amber looked up in surprise. "Sofia, everyone's so excited to see you again. Why do you want to cancel it?"
"Because I don't want people to see me like this," Sofia admitted. "I keep struggling to remember everything and I'm scared I'll act like..."
"Clover or that dove because of them being your only company in the wagon?" Amber sympathized.
On Sofia's nod, Amber continued, "Sofia, it's going to be all right. The people we invited to this celebration understand what you went through, and they'll help you if you get scared. And of course, you know Mother, Daddy, James, and I will help you too. You'll also have your new friend Miss Duncan with you. And of course, it's perfectly understandable that you'd act like your animal friends. You know they have ways that they defend themselves if they feel threatened, so of course you'd try to do the same thing if you felt the same way they did. But you're going to be surrounded by people who love you and want to help you."
"Okay," Sofia murmured, staring at the utensils uneasily. "Amber, if I mess anything up tonight, people won't laugh at me, will they?"
"Of course not," Amber smiled. "You'll have nothing to worry about."
"Promise?"
"I promise," Amber assured her.
When it came time for everyone to arrive, Sofia stood to the side with Clover in her arms. While her family greeted their welcomed guests with waves of joy, she stayed quiet until she heard Polly's voice and smiled.
"Miss Polly! You're here!" Sofia cheered.
"And I brought my daughter and her family along," Polly smiled. "Princess, this is my daughter Holly, her husband Matthew, and my granddaughters Dorothy and Amanda."
"You look sad," Amanda frowned. "Granny says this is a party, and parties are fun!"
"I've just been through a lot," Sofia admitted, "but your granny really helped me when I needed it."
"She told us everything about that," Holly agreed. "You asked for help in front of that evil man, and she took you and your rabbit friend to her house. She contacted the king and queen while you were sleeping, so they knew where to find you, and she even gave you a dress I used to wear after she got you cleaned up. And you can keep it too," she added, seeing her about to speak, "I don't use it anymore, and it's too small for my girls, so it's yours now. And she told me that she sang the same song she used to sing to me when I was little."
"My mom used to sing it to me too, and I sang it with her," Sofia smiled.
"Granny says you're very brave," Dorothy added. "Mommy and Daddy say that too."
"We hope you have a wonderful time tonight, Princess Sofia," Matthew smiled.
"Thank you," Sofia smiled a little. "The same to you."
When they left, she put Clover on the ground and giggled as she saw him race towards the buffet table.
"Sofia! There you are!" Amber smiled. "I was looking everywhere for you!"
"Sorry. All these people being here is a little overwhelming to me," Sofia admitted.
"Overwhelming to you? Shame. I thought you'd be used to crowds by now," Hildegard smirked.
"Hildegard, don't start," James frowned. "You're only here because your sister insisted that you come."
"Oh come on, James. What's a little harmless interaction between us and the reason we're all here? So, Sofia, tell me, what was it like to be a bad girl and being so stupid to get yourself kidnapped?"
Without warning, Sofia growled at Hildegard and jumped on top of her, sinking her teeth into her skin.
Hearing Hildegard's scream of pain, King Henrik and Astrid ran over. When James filled them in on what had happened, they apologized to Sofia, and carried Hildegard out. Sofia couldn't be sure, but she thought she heard them talking about Hildegard losing privileges and that she was the bad girl instead of Sofia.
James nodded beside her, keeping her calm by humming a soft song.
"That's right, Sofia, focus on us and remember that you're not the bad girl, Hildegard is," Amber whispered as she saw Sofia relax a little.
"I'm sorry. Hildegard's words made me so angry that I lost control and bit her," Sofia whimpered as she saw Roland and Miranda approach them. "King Henrik probably won't want to do anything with us after the actions I displayed here tonight."
"While you biting his daughter was a shock for everyone to witness, Sofia, King Henrik understands why you reacted the way you did," Miranda assured her.
"He was asking us about you before he heard her scream," Roland added. He took Sofia in his arms, wiping away her tears. "I think dinner will cheer you up, where your mother and I will have a special announcement afterwards before we have some jiggly wiggly pudding for dessert."
"So I'm not in trouble for biting Hildegard?" Sofia sniffed.
"Of course not," Roland murmured, "James and Amber told their friends to help you, and Hildegard chose to act like that. You're not responsible for her actions."
Sofia smiled as she was pulled into a group hug. She looked up when she felt another pair of arms around her. "Miss Polly! I'm sorry I bit Hildegard in front of you."
"You have nothing to be sorry for, sweetheart. In my honest opinion, she deserved it," Polly smiled.
"Big time," Matthew agreed. "Amanda said she could see tears in your eyes the moment that princess mocked you for your situation."
"Enough sad feelings. What about dinner?" James smirked.
Sofia giggled, racing him towards the buffet table. With no carrots as promised, she devoured her meal within minutes before hearing Roland tap his glass.
"Sorry about that, Sofia," He apologized, seeking her and Clover wince at the noise.
"That's okay, Dad. I want to hear your and Mom's announcement," Sofia smiled. "Clover does too."
"Maybe it's about more food," Clover smirked.
"Always thinking with your stomach," Sofia giggled as Roland stood up.
"Welcome friends, old and new to the celebration of Sofia's return," Roland started. "When she first disappeared, we received help from every kingdom imaginable. To be frank, it left Miranda and I a little shocked to see how much people cared about our daughter while she was abducted when dolls, letters, and stuffed animals kept showing up at the castle."
"Rollie, I think we should wrap things up," Miranda smiled as she pointed to Sofia who was rubbing her eyes. "Sofia's starting to look a little tired."
"Of course," Roland smiled. "If it hadn't been for Miss Polly Duncan helping Sofia, she wouldn't be with us today. According to her, Sofia came right up to her and asked for her help, even when she was forced to participate in that wretched magician's show. We can't thank her enough for helping our daughter, and she will have our eternal gratitude."
Polly smiled. "It was my honor to help her, your majesty. And I thank you for those kind words. But now, maybe I should go, and you can let Princess Sofia rest."
Miranda shook her head, putting Sofia in Polly's arms. "Nonsense. You have the honor of putting our daughter to bed after everything you've done for us."
"I couldn't," Polly shook her head, "You just got her back, and it'd be rude of me to take that away from you."
"Oh, please take her to bed, Granny! Please!" Amanda begged.
"We'll be gentle with Princess Sofia! Like Mommy and Daddy asked us too!" Dorothy added.
"I know you will, girls," Polly smiled. "Now, let's get the princess to bed."
Dorothy and Amanda smiled as a guard escorted them and Polly to Sofia's room. "When she's feeling better, can we play with her?" Dorothy asked.
"We'll have to ask King Roland and Queen Miranda, but I don't see why not," Polly smiled as she laid Sofia on her bed. She found one of her dolls and tucked it in with her. "There you go, sweetheart, a friend to help keep you safe in your dreams."
"Good night, Princess Sofia," Dorothy smiled as Polly tucked her in.
"Good night!" Amanda echoed as they left.
Sofia stirred as she felt something soft and fluffy crawl through her blankets before giggling, seeing Clover hop towards the end of her bed and fall asleep.
Clutching the doll in her arms, Sofia drifted off to sleep minutes later to the sounds of the outside world.
Her slumber wasn't disturbed as she dreamed of her and Clover together again with her friends and family.
When she didn't hear or see Boswell when Baileywick had woken her up the following morning, she smiled for the first time in days.
She had herself and her new friend Polly to thank for if it wasn't for either of them, she wouldn't be where she was now.
Home. Home safe and sound.