I know this is a bit short, but I wanted to get another chapter out before the prompt contest.
Maggie knew that Maya was a confident, funny, smart, and dependable person. But right now, she looked like she needed a nap and a day off. Which was why, while Maya was busy talking with one of the set designers, Maggie gathered her castmates in a huddle.
"Listen, guys. I think we all noticed the problem."
Regina, one of the chorus girls, cut in. "That Maya looks like she hasn't slept in a week?"
"Yeah, that. I think this is a real problem, guys. We need to either convince her to go home and take a nap, or force feed her sedative. And I'd prefer not to do the latter. Especially since we'd get in so much trouble."
"Hey," Sienna, another chorus girl added. " No one is going to 'convince' Maya to go home while she's directing a show. But, you're the princess, so she technically has to listen to you, anyway, right? She can't say no."
"Well… I'd rather not abuse my power in that particular way, but that might be the only option." Maggie bit her lip. She loved Maya. She didn't want to do that to her. It wasn't fun, and it wasn't exactly very nice, either. But Maya needed it, now more than anything. Maya was walking back from talking to the set designers, a no-nonsense look plastered across her face.
"Are you ready, everyone?" Maya squinted at the looks of guilt lingering on her young Cast's face, and crossed her arms. "Okay, what are you guys up to, huh? Because I'm on a tight schedule here, you know."
Maggie closed her eyes, then opened them again. She took a deep breath, and with all the authority she could muster, stood to her full height, and looked Maya in the eye. "Maya, with all my power as princess of Natalia, I'm ordering you to go home."
The look of shock that crossed Maya's face was enough to increase the guilty looks by a tenfold. "What?"
"We love you, Maya, but when was the last time you slept? Send Flora in, please. Just go home, take a nap, get a good night's sleep, and relax. It'll be nicer for all of us that way."
Maya passed a hand over her eyes, and sent Maggie a weary smile. "Alright, Little Boss. I'll go home. Sometimes I think you guys are way beyond your years, you know that?" She smiled at the remorseful faces looking back at her, and slung a duffle bag over her shoulder. "We'll cut Rehearsal short today, alright? None tomorrow, either." She gave the kids one last smile, and disappeared into the rain. Her charges breathed sighs of relief, and followed suit, trickling out of the auditorium in groups. Maggie found her school bag and umbrella, and began the dreary walk back to the palace.
"You're home early," Maggie smiled at Mother, who was sitting at the kitchen table signing documents with Heyna's assistance, and hung her umbrella on the rack before shaking her head vigorously, spraying water in all directions.
"Yep," Maggie snagged an apple from the bowl on the counter. "Maya let Rehearsal out early today."
"She did what?" Mother raised an eyebrow.
"Before I tell you what it is I did," Maggie took a breath before continuing. "Maya looked like she hadn't slept in over fourty–eight hours, and she was scaring us all."
Heather stayed silent, knowing better than to inquire.
"I made her go home." Maggie couldn't keep the tears out of her eyes. "Mom, did I make a big mistake? Am I a bad person?"
Mother smiled, a twinkle in her eye, and patted the seat next to her at the table. "You're not a bad person, Maggie." She wrapped an arm around her youngest daughter's shoulders, and kissed the top of her head, causing Maggie to squirm. "You did what you thought was right. I know Maya. She overdoes things, and sometimes she needs to be reminded that she's not a machine. That's all you were doing."
"Oh." Maggie felt an immense weight slide free from her shoulders, as easily as though she were dispatching one of her cousins from a Piggyback ride.
"Now go change your clothes," Mother's voice turned brisk, though the twinkle hadn't left. "You're all wet."