Chapter 2: Moving to the Castle

Sofia and Lydia were at their soon to be former home packing their stuff and waiting for the carriage that'll take them to their new home. The last item was a construction paper heart with them and their mother drawn on it. "Isn't it wonderful, Lydia?" Sofia asked. "We'll no longer have to spend months apart!"

"We're becoming Princesses and this is what you're all about?" Lydia asked in mild surprise.

"Well, the idea of becoming a Princess did excite me at first but then the King said we'd need to learn proper Princess behavior." Sofia uneasily said. "Now I'm no longer sure if we can do that. Being Princesses, I mean."

"Me neither, Sofia." Lydia replied. "But at least, if we blunder, we'll blunder together."

Sofia laughed and then an owl hooted. "Eezeyal found it funny as well and he says you don't need to worry."

"Do you understand what your owl says?" Sofia asked in amazement.

"Thanks to the Earrings of Thornberry, I can understand animals." Lydia explained.

Before Sofia had a chance to comment on that, they heard the carriage coming. Their mother was there. Once Sofia and Lydia got in the carriage, the contrast between Queen Miranda's dress and Sofia's and Lydia's commoner outfits was obvious but nobody commented on that. Several villagers showed up to say goodbye to the three of them. Among them were Sofia's best friends Ruby and Jade. Sofia said she'd never forget them. Unbeknownst to them, a bunny, two birds and a squirrel snuck inside the carriage.

Meanwhile, at the castle, everyone was getting ready to welcome Queen Miranda and her daughters. "Amber, you should smile." Her twin brother James said. "I don't see why you're frowning."

"You're right, James." Amber sarcastically replied. "We're getting a stepmother and two stepsisters. What could go wrong?"

"Amber, don't you know asking that question is practically asking for something to go wrong?" James scolded her.

"Well, in theory, it's a given something will go wrong since Dad wants Cedric to perform magic during our stepfamily's arrival but I see no way I can blame them for that." Amber commented and James laughed at that. A maid then approached them. "Prince James, Princess Amber, His Majesty the King requires your presences at the throne room immediately." She said. James and Amber then walked there to meet their Dad. James would rather run but their Dad doesn't allow that. "Prince James and Princess Amber are here, Your Majesty." The maid said.

"Thank you, Violet." The King replied. "That's all." Violet then left to do other chores. "Baileywick, is everybody ready to welcome my new wife and my two new daughters?"

"Yes, Your Majesty." The castle steward answered.

"Good." The King replied. "I hope nothing goes wrong when they arrive."

"I dare say Your Majesty is hoping too much considering Royal Sorcerer Cedric is participating in the welcoming committee." Baileywick commented.

"I know. I know." The King sadly said and the addressed James and Amber. "Now let's go to the front door to wait for them."

As Sofia, Lydia and their mother entered the castle walls, Sofia was intrigued. "Mom, will our bedroom be bigger than what we had back in the village?" She asked.

"You and Lydia will have your own rooms now." Miranda explained and Sofia was amazed.

Meanwhile, King Roland was at the front door instructing James and Amber. "Remember, I want you to be nice to your new sisters." Externally, both James and Amber agreed. However, Amber was lying. "Oh-oh, it seems you'll no longer be the fairest of them all, Amber." James joked to her once he saw their new sisters. Two pairs of birds showed up with new dresses for Sofia and Lydia and the two of them suddenly saw themselves wearing those dresses.

Sofia was the first of the former Balthazars to speak to her stepfamily. "Princess Amber, I was so happy when I knew we'd become sisters!" Sofia happily exclaimed.

"Stepsisters." Amber corrected.

Then it was Lydia who approached her stepsiblings. "Princess Amber. Prince James. It's an honor to meet the both of you and I expect we can get along."

"Me too." James excitedly replied. "But save the formalities for other occasions. For now you can call us by our names without using our titles. You and Sofia are my new sisters now."

"Stepsisters." Amber corrected again.

"It's you who sees them like that. Not me." James replied.

Roland and Miranda then approached (and curtsied) each other. Cedric the Sorcerer attempted to make it rain flowers but his first attempted resulted in a regular rain (or "showers" as the King called it). Queen Miranda then approached her stepchildren, offered each one a patch of the royal emblem and expressed her desire of being a loving kind of stepmother while acknowledging there weren't many tales featuring those. Afterwards, the newly blended family entered the castle. Sofia started curtsying to everyone until Amber told her she's not supposed to do that to people who weren't royalty. "I'm sorry." Sofia said.

"Just follow my lead." Amber said and Sofia placed herself in front of Amber, prompting the born Princess to explain the meaning of 'follow my lead'. King Roland led them to the throne room where two new thrones were being added to the four already there: one for Princess Lydia and one for Princess Sofia. "I thought only the King and the Queen had thrones." Lydia commented.

"We're expected to join Mom and Dad so we can see first-hand how to deal with our subjects and other visitors with the needs we'll be expected to solve." James explained.

Baileywick then approached and informed them dinner was ready. "Thanks, Baileywick." King Roland replied and then the whole Royal Family followed him. Sofia would have stayed behind if not for Lydia gently leading her.

"Who's that wizard who made it rain when we arrived?" Sofia asked out of curiosity.

"That's Cedric the Royal Sorcerer." Lydia answered much to the surprise of her stepfamily.

"Do you know him?" King Roland asked out of surprise.

"Not personally." Lydia explained. "But Sorcery School uses him as an example of the fact pedigree isn't everything and several students use him as an excuse to believe you care more about background than abilities."

James laughed until he started losing the food inside his mouth. "James." His Dad scolded him.

"Sorry, Dad." James replied.

"I bet your classmates were surprised when you told them your mother was marrying the King." Amber commented with a sneer.

Lydia wouldn't let Amber get under her skin. "In fact, some of them gave the impression they wouldn't believe had the Headmaster not confirmed it."

Eezeyal made some noises, getting Baileywick's attention. "Shoo. Shoo."

"Baileywick, what do you think you're doing?" Lydia asked.

"I'm sorry, Princess Lydia, but animals are not permitted in the dining room." Baileywick sternly replied. "Your owl will have to either go to your room or the castle zoo."

"Then take him to my room." Lydia asked.

"As you wish, Princess." Baileywick replied and started leaving until King Roland gave an order. "Once you've done, have someone bring us the desserts."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Baileywick replied and then left.

"Lydia, Sofia, as per tradition, every member of the Royal Family gets a royal ball to be introduced to the kingdom." King Roland told his stepdaughters. "For your mother, it was the celebration of our marriage. Amber and James had theirs back when they were newborns. Your will be this Saturday and the both of you will be expected to dance with me."

"D-d-d-dance?" Sofia was scared. "Your Majesty…"

"You and Lydia can call me 'Roland', or 'Hey, you with the crown' or 'Dad'." Roland replied.

"Um, Roland, I can't dance." Sofia said, unknowingly sparing Lydia the trouble of admitting the same.

"Don't worry, Sofia." King Roland replied. "Royal Prep offers dance lessons. One lesson with Professor Popov is all you'll need for the ball. Then you'll be free to learn the rest at your own pace."

After dinner and dessert, Baileywick led Sofia and Lydia to their rooms. Sofia was first. "This must be some mistake." She said. "This room is too big." But Baileywick said it was a "standard" size for a Princess' bedroom and then started describing each and every aspect of it. With the new bedroom, Sofia also gained several dresses and some tiaras. Baileywick then pulled a rope to show Sofia how to call for a maid. "Princess Lydia, now it's time to show your bedchambers."

"May I go with you?" Sofia asked.

"Sure." Lydia replied before Baileywick had time to object. Lydia's room was next to Sofia's and looked exactly the same. Lydia was happy to see Eezeyal again. "I could bring a cauldron here to make potions." She commented.

"Princess, I'm sure another part of the castle can be used for this so your bedchambers will only be used as bedchambers." Baileywick replied. After that, he led Sofia back to her room. Not feeling ready to be a Princess (and singing a song about not being ready), Sofia picked up the few stuff she took from her old life as a commoner and tried to leave. She first went to her sister's room. "Sofia?" Lydia asked in surprise.

"Can we leave?"

"Leave for where?"

"Back to the village." Sofia answered. "I can't fit into this world."

"What're you talking about, Sofia?"

"All these rules. And having to dance. What if I embarrass myself in front of all those nobles?"

"If they can't accept you as you are, it's their loss. Not yours."

Violet the maid suddenly entered the room. "Princess Lydia, your presence is being required at your parents' room." She then noticed Sofia's presence and quickly overcame her surprise. "Princess Sofia, your presence is being required as well."

Sofia and Lydia thanked Violet and followed her to said room. There, King Roland told them he had some welcoming gifts for them. Lydia received a golden necklace with an encrusted ruby and Sofia received a pendant with a purple stone. "The Amulet of Avalor!" Lydia exclaimed.

"What?" Everyone looked at her. Even Amber who, unbeknownst to her family, was eavesdropping on them.

"I've seen a picture of it during my studies at Sorcery School." Lydia explained. "It's traditionally worn by Princesses. According to rumor, it sometimes summons Princesses from the past to help the one currently wearing the amulet. There's a rhyme about it. With each deed performed/ for better or worse/ a power is granted/ a blessing or curse."

"A curse?" Sofia asked in fear.

"Don't worry, Sofia." Lydia reassured her. "I can't picture you doing anything that warrants a curse and, even if you do, all blessings and curses only work for as long as the Princess who receives them is wearing the amulet. Either way, the curse can be broken by making it up for the deed that triggered it in the first place."

Amber was livid. Curse or no curse, that amulet should have been hers. She quickly left before they noticed her. Eezeyal made a noise. "Amber overheard this conversation."

"What?" Roland was surprised. "Well, it shall be discussed tomorrow. For now, you and Sofia need to sleep. You have school tomorrow."

Chapter end.