A Royal Misadventure

Summary: They're not sure why, but Baileywick and Cedric have agreed to chaperone Sofia and a group of her friends to the museum.

A/N: Giggles, you've done it again! :) This is pure caffeine-induced silliness mixed in with a mishap or two. Enjoy!

"Why are we doing this?" Cedric asked in dismay as he and Baileywick followed behind Sofia, Vivian, Jade, and Ruby, all of whom were excitedly chatting about the paintings and sculptures.

"Because we were conned into it," Baileywick replied half seriously and half sarcastically. He eyed the other temporary chaperone pointedly. "Plus, you can never say no to Sofia."

"Excuse me, but I can, too." Cedric sighed. "She just makes it hard, doing that guilt trip thing of hers. 'Oh, okay, Mr. Cedric… I'm sure someone will take us…but I'd rather it be you.' Oh, that girl sure knows how to mess with the heartstrings…" He cleared his throat as he saw Baileywick smirk at him. "Not mine, of course."

"Of course not. You'd have to have a heart first."

Cedric glowered at the steward and aimed his wand at him. "Keep talking, Baileywick."

"Mr. Cedric!" Sofia called as she turned around to both of the guys. She smiled as Cedric innocently hid his wand behind his back. "Baileywick! Come on! You're missing all the fun!" She smiled excitedly as she spun around.

Baileywick eyed a rather expensive-looking vase displayed in the middle of the room. "I'm not sure 'fun' is the right word, Princess Sofia…and whose idea was it to store valuable items in such iffy places?"

"Perhaps you should quit your job as castle steward and become a museum curator," Cedric suggested with a grin. "Then you could fuss over a new project."

The older man looked back at the sorcerer pointedly. "You just want me out of the castle, don't you?"

Cedric gasped in feigned shock. "I would never suggest such a thing! Besides, I'd actually miss you."

Baileywick blinked in surprise. "You would?"

"Of course! Whom else could I torture with turning the pictures askew after you've fixed them so diligently?" He grinned.

"That was you?! I knew it!" He folded his arms as he paused. "I swore I was going out of my mind. Violet even called in the royal nurse to check on me."

Cedric just laughed. "Oh, how I wish I could have seen that…" He stopped walking as he nearly ran into Sofia, who'd run back to grasp his hand. "Sofia, what are you doing?"

"Come here! I want to show you something." She pulled him in the opposite direction. "I'll be right back, everyone!" she announced to her friends.

Baileywick hummed in dismay as he glanced at his pocket watch and sighed. "We'll never make it back to the castle in time for Amber's tea party at this rate…"

Sofia stopped again, still holding her friend's hand, as she gestured up toward a rather large painting of Merlin. "I thought you'd like to see this."

"Wow," Cedric muttered as he looked up at the famed wizard. "He is rather awe-inspiring by himself, but this portrait is amazing also. You know he aided in King Arthur's rule, don't you?"

She nodded. "I remember that from our history lessons. I wish I could have met Mr. Merlin, though. He seems like he would have been a really interesting person."

"Indeed he was. He wasn't necessarily known for being all that patient though."

She grinned up at her mentor. "Now who does that sound like?"

"I know," Cedric replied. "Baileywick can be so very impatient sometimes…" He smirked at the girl when she had a curious look on her face. He then chuckled when she started laughing. "I wasn't about to let you get me with that one."

"Okay," she relented with a bright smile. "But let's face it, Mr. Cedric… Sometimes you do have a tendency to be a little impatient."

"Name one."

Sofia raised her eyebrows. "Earlier days of training me, dealing with Amber, dealing with James, during dinner parties—"

"Okay, okay, I said one!" He shook his head as she broke into giggles at his reaction. "Fine, but you must admit I am getting better."

"You're right." She smiled happily. "The old you wouldn't have let me hold your hand this long." She swung their hands as if proving a point, making him smile lightly. "Come on! I have a painting I need to show Baileywick too." She pulled him along playfully.

"And what kind of painting could possibly fascinate Baileywick? One of a feather duster?"

She snickered. "Be nice, Mr. Cedric…"

"Oh, no, I know! A pocket watch portrait, with just the right touch of lighting." He grinned as she rolled her eyes playfully at him. "Was I close?'

"Not even a little bit," she responded with a small laugh. She released his hand and instead ran over to Baileywick, who seemed a bit preoccupied. "Baileywick?"

"Not now, Sofia," he insisted as he continued eyeing his pocket watch, apparently struggling to calculate their needed time of arrival back at the castle.

"But it will only take a minute," she insisted with a gentle smile.

"Not now, Sofia!" He paused when he realized how harsh his words may have sounded and looked down to verify this with the princess. "Sofia, I…"

She tried to put on an understanding smile but instead turned and ran in the other direction.

"Sofia!" Cedric called after her before glancing at the steward. "What did you say to her?"

"I—I was just…" He sighed. "I got a little snappy with her, I suppose… I was just trying to adjust our schedule so we'd make it back to the castle in time, and she distracted me."

"Could you perhaps forget about the schedule for once and realize that there are more important things going on around you? Honestly, Baileywick… And now we need to go find her."

Baileywick shook his head and told him, "No, Cedric… You stay with the other girls. I—I'll go find her." He took off to find the princess as Cedric shook his head and walked back toward the other girls to keep an eye on them.

Sofia dropped beside a potted plant and felt a few tears fall down her cheeks. Of all the people to yell at her, she'd never expected it from Baileywick. Even Cedric wouldn't have upset her as much, because it had been a part of his nature at one point… But Baileywick was supposed to be the calm one. She sniffed and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand before seeing a handkerchief being offered to her. She glanced up to see an apologetic-looking Baileywick.

"I am so sorry, Princess Sofia," he lamented as she looked down after taking the offered kerchief. "I didn't mean to make you upset."

"It's all right, Baileywick," she said softly. "I sometimes don't know how to take a hint."

"It wasn't your fault. I'm just…easily fluster, I guess. My mother always did tell me it was my worst habit." He smiled slightly as she giggled softly at his mentioning. "Am I forgiven?"

The auburn-haired girl dabbed at her eyes and stood, about to hug him before pausing, remembering how he felt about that type of contact.

Sensing her hesitancy, Baileywick actually reached forward and guided the young girl into a hug for once. He patted her back gently as she hugged him tighter. "Please forgive me, Sofia…and it won't happen again."

Sofia smiled and released the steward from the hug before looking up at him. "It's okay, Baileywick. There's nothing to forgive. I'm sorry too."

"What was it you wanted to show me?"

Sofia paused before looking up at the painting in the wall behind them. "This. He reminds me of you."

Baileywick blinked before looking at the description and reading it. "'Timothy Gunnison was born in the Eastern Isles and served for many years as an advisor to many young students. His famous quote of Maketh It Be still rings true today.' How clever!" He smiled.

Sofia smiled and giggled lightly. "I'm glad you liked it." She looked around. "Where's Mr. Cedric?"

"I left him with the girls."

She gasped with wide eyes. "You left Mr. Cedric with Ruby, Vivian, and Jade? By himself? Poor Mr. Cedric—we'd better make sure he's all right!"

Baileywick chuckled in agreement as she grasped his arm and pulled him back toward the area where they were originally. Pausing with Sofia as they observed the scene before them, he couldn't help but laugh.

"You just look so pretty now," Jade complimented as she finished putting several mini hair bows in Cedric's hair. "Doesn't he, Ruby?"

"Never looked better!" the other girl agreed with a smile.

Cedric looked annoyed as the trio of girls giggled. "Unhand me, you silly girls!"

Vivian grinned as she looked back toward Sofia and Baileywick. "I promise this wasn't my idea," she told the other girl quickly. "But…it is kind of funny."

Sofia gaped at her friends. "Ruby, Jade…why?"

Jade just shrugged as Ruby giggled. "We got bored."

"Poor Mr. Cedric." Sofia pulled the hair bows from his hair and smoothed it down with a satisfied smile. "There, much better."

He sighed in relief. "Thank you, Sofia…"

Vivian laughed. "And you wonder why he likes her the most," she said to the other two girls, who burst into giggles again.

Finally, after having finished their tour, the group ventured back to the castle for Amber's tea party. The trio of Sofia's friends headed into the garden as she stayed behind to bid goodbye to her other friends for the time being.

"I'll see you in an hour?" Cedric verified as he looked toward Sofia.

"Yes!" she agreed with a nod. "I had a question about page 58."

"I thought you might." He grinned as he waved his wand around. "We'll be working on that when you return. Enjoy your tea party." He turned and left.

Baileywick sighed and placed his pocket watch inside his coat. "Well, Princess, I hope you enjoy the rest of your day. Again, I'm sorry for snapping earlier."

"Baileywick," she said gently, smiling at him, "forget about it. I already have." She offered him another gentle hug, which he reciprocated, before giggling and holding onto his hands. "Friends won't always agree or get along, but it's how they respond that makes the difference. You proved that today." She grinned. "Now, I'd better hurry before they eat all the cakes. I'll see you later, Baileywick. Thanks for going with us today!" She waved as she rushed off to the garden.

He waved in disbelief before turning and walking back toward the castle, a smile on his face.

The end

(A/N: Yeah…I actually hadn't planned Baileywick's outburst. It just sort of happened. My fingers did it! Lol. But I can see him finally snapping after a while. We all do it, I guess. And yes, another "shameless" addition of "Timothy Gunnison" AKA Tim Gunn! I love that guy… Anyway, that's it for this story. I'm about half-way done with chapter five for Timey Wimey. I'm pondering how to approach certain events, so it may be Monday or Tuesday before that comes out. Meanwhile, I hope this makes you smile! Oh, and good news—in the words of the Cheetah Girls, "only five more days till Christmas!" ;) ~AquaTurquoise)