Minimus is Missing
At the royal riding course, Sofia and Madeline were riding Minimus (Madeline sitting in the front of the saddle), James was riding his flying horse, Echo, and Amber was riding her new steed, Saffron.
"See?" Amber smiled smugly at James. "Riding a flying horse isn't so hard."
"Um, Amber?" Sofia asked. "We haven't started flying yet."
"Do we have to do that part?" Amber cringed.
"Don't you wanna learn how to fly it?" Madeline asked. "It's easy!"
"Just sit up straight, flick the reins..." Sofia smiled, as Madeline did just that.
"And yell 'hyah'!" James added.
"Okay, Saffron... hyah?" Amber flicked her reins.
Saffron took off into the air, Amber screaming. As she turned upward, Amber fell off, landing on the rubbery crash pads littered across the field.
"And boom goes Amber!" James remarked.
"Good try, Amber." Madeline declared, as she and Sofia rushed over.
"Yeah, you stayed on longer than we did on our first try!" Sofia smiled.
"No, she didn't." James smirked.
"Ready to try again?" Madeline asked.
"Not if it involves falling again." Amber pouted.
Violet the maid walked over and rang a her bell.
"Lunch is served in the dining hall." She called.
"Lunch, already?" Amber put on a fake gasp. "Oh, what a shame. Guess we'll have to finish my riding lesson later!"
Amber rushed off the field.
"Thanks." James told a stableboy, who reined in Echo. "Are you coming, guys?"
"We'll be right there." Sofia smiled, as she and Madeline walked over to Minimus.
"It was nice of you to come over and help with Amber's lesson, Minimus." Madeline grinned.
"Anything for you, girls." Minimus tried to scratch his ear with a wing.
"Need a scratch?" Sofia offered.
"Or two?" Madeline joined Sofia in scratching Minimus' ears.
"Aw yeah, thank you!" Minimus sighed. "I have terrible wing/ear coordination. You're the best, girls!"
"See you in a bit!" Sofia waved, as she and Madeline turned and left.
"Well hey there, short, light and purple!" Saffron got beside Minimus. "Whatcha doing for lunch?"
"I don't know." Minimus frowned. "Eating, probably..."
"Well, whattaya say we grab some oats, and get acquainted?" Saffron offered.
"Are you sure you're talking to me?" Minimus frowned.
"You're funny!" Saffron giggled. "I'm Saffron. What's your name?"
"Oh, Minimus!" Minimus said quickly. "My name's Minimus. So, what brings a horse like you to a stable like this?"
Meanwhile, the kids were enjoying their lunch.
"Maybe I don't need to ride my new horse." Amber suggested. "I could just braid her tail and feed her apples."
"Once you get the hang of it, Amber, you'll love riding." Madeline assured her.
"Maddie's right." Sofia nodded. "When you and your horse are soaring through the skies together, you form a special bond."
"Yeah." James nodded. "Sometimes, Echo knows which way I want to go before I do."
"So, what do you say, Amber?" Madeline asked. "Ready to go back out there?"
"Alright, I'll give it one more try." Amber sighed.
After finishing their dinner, they rushed over to the royal stables.
"Minimus!" Sofia called.
"Saffron!" Amber called.
"Echo?" James called.
"Minimus?" Madeline asked, getting no response. The stable was empty. "Minimus? ...Minimus?"
"Hey, Echo's not in his stall!" James realised.
"Neither is Saffron!" Amber added.
"The horses, they've gone missing!" One of the stableboys yelled as they ran past. "They're all gone!"
"Gone?" Sofia gasped, as they followed. "What do you mean 'gone'?"
They reached the stableboy, who was talking to a coachman.
"They broke free of the carriage!" The coachman declared.
"The others are gone, too!" The stableboy yelled.
"What's going on?" Madeline asked.
"All the flying horses have taken off, Princess!" The coachman exclaimed.
"What?" Sofia gasped.
"Why?" Amber asked.
"Well, I don't know." The coachman shrugged. "One second, I heard strange music playing in the distance, then the next second... bam! They all flew off!"
"We should tell Constable Myles." Madeline declared.
A short while later, the royals, coachman and stableboy were all in Myles' office.
"So, only the flying horses are gone?" Myles asked.
"Yes, Constable." The stableboy nodded.
"Did you see which way they went?" Myles inquired.
"They were heading south-east, fast as their wings could take them!" The stableboy declared.
"It's not like Minimus to fly off like that, Constable." Sofia announced.
"We're so worried." Madeline sighed.
"Don't you worry, Princesses." Myles said soothingly, donning his helmet. "I'll lead the search party myself. And we won't rest until we've found every last horse."
Later, the kids watched as Myles and his guard marched out of the castle on horseback.
"I wish we could go look for the horses too." Sofia sighed.
"So do I." Madeline agreed.
"But where would we go?" Amber asked.
"We could start with Sir Gilliam." Sofia declared.
"Good call, Sof." Madeline smiled. "He knows everything about flying horses. Maybe he knows where they went."
"Yeah, but we can't get to royal prep with flying horses." James pointed out.
"True." Sofia admitted, as she and Madeline sighed.
"Girls, what you need is a distraction." Amber comforted them. "Something to take your mind off all this. Let's go to the jewel room!"
Amber pulled Sofia and Madeline away, but Sofia stopped her.
"Amber, that's a great idea!" Madeline smiled.
"Of course." Amber nodded. "Jewellery makes everything better!"
"No, no, not the jewellery!" Madeline shook her head. "The griffons who guard the jewellery room! They can fly us to Royal Prep!"
"Terrific idea, Maddie." Sofia beamed.
"Brilliant!" James agreed.
"W-wait!" Amber gulped. "Are you suggesting we ride... griffons?"
"Yep." Madeline nodded.
"Stay here." Sofia declared. "Maddie and I will get them."
Sofia and Madeline rushed back into the castle.
In the jewel room, Jasper, the baby griffon that once stole Madeline's amulet, now much bigger, greeted them.
"Princess Sofia, Princess Madeline!" He flew off his perch and around the room. "Hi! Hi! It's so good to see you again!"
Jasper flew down and hugged them both.
"Wow." Madeline gaped. "Jasper, you've gotten so big."
"Griffons grow fast!" Jasper declared, flying around the room again. "Look how big I am!"
"Jasper, slow down, honey!" Jasper's mother, Opal, urged.
"So what are you doing here?" Jasper landed by the girls.
"We need your help." Sofia declared. "And your mom and dad too."
"Cool!" Jasper cheered. "Let's go, go, go!"
Jasper made to fly out of the room, but his father, Onyx, pulled him back in.
"Hold up, Jasper." Onyx frowned. "They haven't even told us what they need yet."
"He's always in such a hurry." Opal told the girls.
"How can we help, Princesses?" Onyx asked.
"Come with us." Madeline asked.
Outside, the griffons stood ready for flight.
"Alright you guys, on to Royal Prep." Sofia declared.
"Great." James smiled. "I'll ride the big one."
"Amber, you can ride Opal, and we'll ride Jasper." Madeline stated.
"Madeline, we don't have to do this!" Amber protested. "The knights are already looking for the horses."
"Minimus isn't just our horse." Sofia said.
"Yeah, he's our friend." Madeline agreed. "We'll do whatever it takes to find him."
"Aren't you worried about Saffron?" Sofia asked.
"Of course I am." Amber nodded. "I really want her to get home safely. But I don't know how to fly a griffon!"
"I'm sure it's a lot like riding a flying horse." Madeline shrugged.
"I don't know how to ride a flying horse, either!" Amber pouted.
"It's not hard." Madeline said as she and Sofia got on Jasper. "Just hop on, and hang on to the scruff. Like this."
"Okay, I'll go." Amber sighed. "But just to Royal Prep." She walked over to Opal. "Oh, I don't know about this..."
Amber got on Opal's back.
"Nice griffon, good griffon..." She said nervously. "Now, how do we take off again?"
"Alright, let's go, go, go!" Jasper yelled, as they took off.
Amber screamed as Opal ascended.
"Come on, Amber!" Sofia smiled, as Jasper flew by his mother.
"Now you're getting it!" Madeline added. "Let's go!"
"Go, go, go!" Jasper startled his mother, causing Amber to fall.
"Ahhh!" Amber yelled. Opal swooped down and caught her. "Oh, thanks. Maybe I can fly this thing..." Opal sped up. "No I can't!"
"Okay." Sofia declared. "Follow us!"
The group flew all the way to Royal Prep, Amber keeping her eyes closed most of the time.
"We're there!" Madeline announced.
"Oh, finally, we can land!" Amber cringed.
"Actually, landing's harder than it looks." James told her. "See ya down there!"
The griffons began to descend.
"Oh no!" Amber yelped.
Jasper and Onyx landed smoothly.
"Oh, how do you steer this thing?" Amber pulled on Opal's scruff, causing her to pull up. Amber fell off, and landed on the crash pads.
As they dismounted, they spotted Sir Gilliam.
"Sir Gilliam!" Sofia and Madeline rushed over.
"Princess Sofia? Princess Madeline?" Sir Gilliam frowned. "What are you doing here?"
"Our horses went missing!" Sofia declared.
"So did ours!" Sir Gilliam replied.
"What?" Madeline gasped.
"Every horse in the stable is gone." Sir Gilliam declared.
The royals looked inside. The stable was indeed empty.
"Where could they all be?" Sofia asked.
Strange music started playing in the distance.
"Listen." James frowned. "Do you hear music?"
"I do." Amber nodded. "But where is it coming from?"
"I don't know." Madeline declared.
"Maybe it's the same music the coachman heard before our horses took off." Sofia suggested.
"I think you're right." James pointed upwards. "Look!"
A herd of flying horses were passing overhead.
"Woah!" Madeline gasped. "They're all flying in the same direction."
"Yeah, like they're following the music." James nodded.
"And I bet wherever they're going, that's where our horses went too!" Sofia smiled.
"Yeah, that's it." Madeline nodded. "Let's follow them!"
"Good idea!" James smiled, as they rushed back outside.
"No, it's not!" Amber stopped them. "I am not getting back on that thing!"
"The only way to learn how to fly is to get back on the horse." Sofia declared. "...Or griffon."
"Or, you could just not learn how to fly." Amber suggested.
"Amber, we don't have to time to argue about this." James brought the griffons over. "We're gonna lose the horses!"
"He's right." Madeline nodded. "We've got to hurry, Amber. Please?"
"Oh, fine." Amber groaned, climbing back on Opal.
"Alright let's go." Sofia smiled, as she joined Madeline on Jasper.
"Hyah!" Madeline yelled.
"Go, go, go!" Jasper cheered, as he and Onyx took off once more.
"Please don't let me fall off again." Amber begged Opal.
Opal took off after the others.
"Ohhh!" Amber squealed. "I should not have got back on this griffon!"
As they reached the horses, they heard them chanting.
"Wendell is wonderful." They said in unison. "Wendell is wonderful."
"Excuse us!" Sofia called. "Where are you all going?"
The horses just kept chanting.
"Huh? Who's Wendell?" Madeline asked. "What?"
Amber yelped from behind them, Opal struggling to stay balanced.
"Amber!" Sofia gasped.
"She won't fly straight!" Amber cried.
"Yeah, because you're covering her eyes!" James pointed out.
"Amber, move your hands!" Madeline instructed.
"Oh, okay, sorry, sorry!" Amber took her hands off Opal's eyes. "I'll... grab the wings!"
Amber grabbed Opal's wings, and they instantly dropped downwards.
"Not her wings!" Sofia yelled. "Grab her scruff!"
"Right, right, the scruff!" Amber yelped. "I forgot!"
Amber grabbed Opal's scruff, and their flight evened out.
"Good job, Amber." Madeline smiled.
"The horses just flew into the clouds!" James pointed out.
"We can still catch them!" Sofia declared.
"Come on!" Madeline urged. "Let's go!"
They all flew onwards, Amber gasping as Opal sped up.
"Can you see the horses?" Sofia asked James.
"I can't see anything!" James declared.
"Where'd they go?" Madeline frowned.
"I don't know!" James sighed.
"Where are the horses?" Amber asked, as she caught up to them.
"We lost 'em." James frowned. "Thanks to you."
"Don't blame me!" Amber pouted. "I didn't even want to come, remember?"
"Well maybe you shouldn't have, Amber." James retorted.
"James, stop it." Sofia scolded him.
"Amber, you can go back if you want." Madeline said fairly.
"We should all go back!" Amber insisted.
"We can't." Sofia retorted.
"Sofia's right." Madeline nodded. "We have to keep looking."
"Haven't you looked enough?" Amber asked.
"No." Sofia declared. "We love Minimus, and we're not going to stop until he's alright."
"Couldn't have put it better myself." Madeline agreed.
"He really means that much to you?" Amber asked.
"He really does." Sofia nodded.
"Okay." Amber sighed. "But where would we even look now?"
"Uh... I don't know." Madeline frowned. "I guess we could wait until we hear that music again."
"Hey, look!" James pointed below. "There are flying horses down there!"
"Alright Opal, looks like I need to learn how to fly." Amber declared.
"And this time, we can't lose 'em." James stated.
"Okay, Opal... hyah!" Amber yelled, and they descended.
"Jasper, we need to talk to those horses." Sofia declared.
"Can you go any faster?" Madeline asked.
"I thought you'd never ask!" Jasper smiled.
Jasper put on some speed, and they caught up to the flock.
"Where are you going?" Sofia asked.
"Wendell is wonderful..." The horses chanted.
"Who's Wendell?" Madeline asked.
The horses just kept chanting.
"Why do they keep saying the same thing over and over?" Jasper wondered.
"I don't know." Sofia declared.
"It's like they're all under some kind of spell." Madeline frowned.
"What kind of spell?" Jasper asked.
As they flew on, the strange music was heard again.
"The music!" Sofia gasped. "It must be putting them in a trance and leading them somewhere!"
"That does make sense." Madeline agreed. "But where?"
As the horses flew onwards, James and Amber caught up.
"Looks like they're headed to Tangu." James noted.
The horses flew across Tangu, the royals following.
"What's that?" James pointed to a green, grassy place.
"Oh no!" Amber gasped. "Is that what I think it is?"
"The Hanging Gardens." Sofia nodded.
"That's where the horses are going." Madeline realised.
The royals moved in closer.
"Look!" James pointed. "I think there's someone on top of it!"
As the horses circled the Gardens, a young boy on a flying carpet, wearing wizard robes and hat, was playing a lute (the source of the music).
"Is that Wendell?" Sofia asked, as they landed nearby.
"He looks like a wizard." Amber declared.
"And he's playing a lute!" Madeline pointed out. "He must have lured the horses here!"
"But why?" Amber asked.
"No idea." Sofia frowned.
"We should get a closer look." Madeline declared.
"You got it!" Jasper took off.
"Whoa!" Sofia yelped.
"Jasper, wait!" Madeline urged.
Jasper flew inside, and hit some bamboo, sending them crashing to the ground.
"I didn't mean this close." Madeline frowned.
"Sorry." Jasper sighed. "I was just trying to help."
"It's okay." Sofia smiled. "But shh! We don't want Wendell to hear us."
James and Amber were waiting outside.
"We can't leave them in there alone." James said.
"James, I've been in there before." Amber told him. "Once you're inside, the only way out is through the top. And that wizard is sitting up there!"
"Okay, then you wait out here." James frowned. "I'm going in, Hyah!"
Onyx flew him inside. However, he too hit some bamboo, and James fell to the ground.
"James!" Madeline gasped.
"You two okay?" James asked, as Onyx joined them.
"Uh-huh." Sofia nodded.
Madeline heard the lute music again. She pushed back some vines to look.
"Through here." She told the others.
"Right behind you." Sofia nodded. "Come on, James."
As they went deeper inside the Hanging Gardens, they heard the horses chanting "Wendell is wonderful" again. They came to a clearing, and saw the horses flying into a huge cage made of bamboo. As the final ones flew in, Wendell flew down, and laughed evilly.
"Ha-ha-ha-ha!" He sniggered. "Best birthday present ever!"
Wendell strummed his lute again as he closed the top of the cage.
"We have to find our horses." Madeline told James. "You go that way, and Sofia and I will go this way."
They split up, the griffons following.
"Ooh, it's really getting crowded in here!" One horse declared.
"Hey, watch where you're swishing that tail!" Another yelled.
"Eww, someone has horsebreath!" A third gagged.
"Yeah, pretty much all of us, I think." Minimus' voice said.
"Minimus?" Sofia whispered.
"Minimus!" Madeline hissed.
They finally spotted Minimus, and he spotted them.
"Sofia? Madeline?" He squeezed his way over to them. "'Scuse me, sorry, sorry about that, pardon the tail... girls!"
"Minimus!" Sofia and Madeline said together, as they hugged him.
"We're so happy you're okay!" Sofia beamed.
"What happened?" Madeline asked. "How did you all get here?"
"We have no idea." Minimus frowned. "I was hoping you would know."
"Well, as far as we can tell, that's Wendell." Sofia pointed upwards. "He's a wizard, and he has some kind of magical lute that lured you all here."
"I think I was better off not knowing." Minimus bowed his head.
"Don't worry." Madeline assured him. "We're going to get you all out of here, right now."
"Sof! Maddie!" James joined them. "You found them!" He hugged Echo. "Echo!"
"James, come on!" Sofia urged. "We've got to open that gate!"
Meanwhile, Amber and Opal were still hovering outside.
"Oh, I can't see anything!" Amber frowned. "What if that wizard got Sofia, Madeline and James?"
Opal squawked.
"Maybe I should go up and take a peak." Amber mused. "Hyah!"
Opal flew up to the top of the Gardens.
Inside, Wendell was counting the horses. Once he turned away, Sofia, Madeline and James flew up on the griffons, who managed to pull the gate open.
"Everyone out!" Madeline called. "Go, go, go, go!"
The horses flew out of the cage, the griffons following. However, Wendell flew in their way.
"Going somewhere?" He smirked.
Wendell strummed his lute. The horses flew back into the trance, chanting "Wendell is wonderful" as they returned to the cage.
"Oh no!" Sofia gasped. "His flute is putting them back in a trance!"
"Well, well, well." Wendell glared. "What do we have here?" Wendell flew down to the royals. "A couple of little thieves who thought they could steal my horses?"
"Those are our horses!" Madeline scowled.
"They're my horses now!" Wendell sneered. He started to play his flute.
Hey, Hey today's my birthday
But I'm going out of my head
Cause all I wanted was one flying horsey
But I got this crummy lute instead
So I went and cast a little spell
Got every flying horse in the land
And let me tell ya, I'm just getting started
There's so much more I'm gonna demand
Wendell knocked the royals off the griffons, and they landed on some of the horses.
You're gonna do it Wendell's way
I call the shots and everyone better obey
What I want is what I will get
That's a promise and also a threat
Whoa!
Yeah!
The horses flew into the cage again. The royals jumped off and landed on the outside.
Your crazy horses are my little pets now
So you better stay out of my way
Cause all I gotta do is strum my little lute
And they'll do whatever I say
Jump!
Spin!
Now do-si-do!
Oh yeah!
Cause that's Wendell's way
You're gonna do it my way
Or you're gonna pay
That's Wendell's way
Amber and Opal flew in to see what was happening.
"Oh, they are in trouble!" Amber gasped. "We have to do something!"
A fig suddenly fell on Amber's head. She looked up, and saw more hanging above her. She caught another as it fell, and got an idea.
"Hmmm..." She smiled.
"So there's no way these horses are going anywhere." Wendell told the royals. "And neither are you." He looked at Onyx and Jasper. "Ooh, griffons! Bonus present!"
Wendell waved his wand, trapping Onyx and jasper in a vine cocoon.
"What do we do now?" James asked.
"I don't know!" Madeline frowned.
"Me neither!" Sofia agreed.
Suddenly, figs started raining down on Wendell.
"hey!" Wendell yelled.
Amber and Opal dived down, Amber throwing more figs.
"Take that! And that! And that!" Amber yelled, as they chased Wendell across the Gardens.
"Stop it!" Wendell shouted. "I hate figs!" Amber scored a direct hit. "Ow! Quit it already!"
"I've got a lot more where that came from!" Amber threatened.
"Amber, don't let him play his lute!" Madeline called.
"I'm on it!" Amber said, keeping up the chase.
"Minimus, lead the horses out." Sofia whispered.
"James, we have to free Jasper and Onyx." Madeline added.
As the horses flew out, the kids struggled with the vines.
"These vines are too thick!" James groaned.
"Let us give it a try!" Minimus offered.
"James, move over!" Sofia urged.
The horses chewed through the vines, freeing Jasper and Onyx.
"Nice Chewin'!" Saffron complimented Minimus.
"Thank you." Minimus spat out a mouthful of vine. "I knew having a big mouth would come in handy someday."
"I'm running out of fruit!" Amber called.
"I've got an idea." James picked up a length of vine.
Amber threw her last fruit, but Wendell batted it away with his lute. Suddenly, James and Onyx dropped a vine net on Wendell.
"That'll hold ya!" James smiled, high-fiving Amber.
Wendell used his wand to make the vines disappear.
"There!" He smirked. "Now, to get my horses back!"
Wendell played his lute, drawing the horses back.
"We have to stop him once and for all!" Madeline declared. "Jasper, it's time to go, go, go!"
"Yeah!" Jasper flew up through the descending horses.
"Hey, kid!" Sofia yelled.
As they flew past Wendell, Madeline grabbed the lute.
"Hey, my lute!" Wendell growled.
"Not anymore!" Madeline smiled, as Jasper broke it in half.
"No!" Wendell roared.
The royals flew down to the cage.
"Let's get these horses out of here." Sofia declared.
"No!" Wendell pointed his wand at them. "I will not let you ruin my birthday!"
"Wendell Herman Fidget III!" A voice yelled.
"Mother?" Wendell gulped, as a woman in white robes flew down on her own carpet. His mother pulled away his wand with her own.
"I have been looking for you everywhere, young man!" Wendell's mother declared. she turned to the royals. "Is my son bothering you?"
"Uh, yes!" Madeline nodded.
"I was just getting myself a few present!" Wendell protested.
Wendell's mother flew down to the cage, and looked at the contents.
"Did you steal all these horses, Wendell?" She asked.
"It's my birthday!" Wendell pouted. "And all you got me was that rubbish lute!"
"Wendell, you get what you get, and you don't get upset." Wendell's mother scolded him. "And you certainly don't go and steal the entire world population of flying horses! Now, please apologise to these fine young people."
"I'm sorry." Wendell muttered.
"Like you mean it." His mother demanded.
"I'm really sorry!" Wendell yelled.
"And so am I." Wendell's mother told the royals. "I can assure you, there will be serious consequences for my son's behaviour." She turned to Wendell. "You are grounded, young man!" She used her wand to roll up Wendell's carpet, and to catch him when he fell.
"Not again!" Wendell groaned, as he landed on his mother's carpet.
"There'll be no desert for a week, no crystal ball gazing for two weeks, and you'll be spending the rest of the day cleaning out the cauldron." Wendell's mother declared.
"Not the cauldrons!" Wendell whined as they flew away.
"Wendell..." Wendel''s mother growled.
"Yes, mother." Wendell sighed.
"Well, that was... convenient." Madeline remarked.
"Let's go home." Sofia smiled.
"I'll round up the horses!" James declared.
"I can do it." Amber offered, as she mounted Saffron. "Hyah! She called to the other horses. "Onward! Upward! Be free!"
The horses all flew out of the cage, and through the top of the Hanging Gardens. The royals followed on their own horses, the griffons beside them.
"That was so much fun!" Jasper cheered, flying in circles. "Let's do it again, again, again, again, again, again!"
"We're never getting him back into the jewel room, are we?" Opal chuckled.
"Nope." Onyx smiled.
"Thanks for coming after me, girls." Minimus declared.
"Anything for you, Minimus." Madeline scratched his ear.
"Amber, looks like you're almost ready for a derby race." Sofia smiled.
"I am a fast learner, aren't I?" Amber bragged.
"You know, you really saved us back there." Madeline declared.
"Yeah." James agreed. "I didn't know you had it in you."
"It's like Sofia said, James." Amber smiled. "When you love someone, you do whatever it takes to make sure they're okay. Even if it's your own brother."
"Ha-ha-ha." James said sarcastically.
Everyone laughed.
"Oh, Amber!" Sofia chuckled.
"You're so funny!" Madeline tittered.
They all flew home to Enchancia.