Chapter 11

Sofia really wasn't paying much attention as to where she was going. She knew the Black Forest was dangerous, but she didn't realize she was heading straight for it. She traveled for about half a mile into the Black Forest, when she decided to rest at the base of a willow tree. As she looked down the path, she could see the castle in the distance. She lowered her head, and began to weep.

Suddenly, Sofia found herself unable to move! Her entire body was trapped in some sort of vine!

"What's going on?" she asked in alarm!

Then she heard a laugh she knew only too well. As she looked to her left, she saw Miss Nettle!

"Well, well! I have a guest! Keep a tight grip on her, Rosie!"

"I will, boss!"

"Miss Nettle! What do you want?" asked Sofia.

"Why your precious amulet of course, darling! Out here it will be relatively easy to take!"

"I won't let you have it!"

"And how are you going to stop me? You really ought to congratulate me on my plan. It worked to perfection!"

"What plan?" asked Sofia quizzically.

"Why my plan to isolate you from your loved ones so I could grab that amulet!

"You probably noticed, darling, that you were doing very poorly on your class work and in your extra curricular activities. That was all part of my brilliant plan!" and with that some flowers started to applaud.

Miss Nettle continued, "Thank you, Thank you! You are too kind!"

"How were you able to carry out your plan?" asked Sofia.

"Easy, darling! I was all of the insects that bothered you over this past month. I carried some of my crazy crystals with me, and the crystals did the rest!" Again the flowers applauded.

"Thank you, keep it up! With each passing failure, your confidence took a hit. I figured that it would take about a month to convince you that you didn't belong as a royal, and would run away!

" The final straw was when I as a butterfly saw your design for your brother and sister's gifts, I simply conjured up some paper ones, and planted the seed that the gifts were essentially worthless! Obviously your brother and sister took the bait hook, line, and sinker, and let you know about it!" Now the trees joined the flowers in applause.

"Thank you, Thank you. So now, all I need to do is take that amulet, and my plan will have worked flawlessly!" And Miss Nettle started to move closer to Sofia.

"I wouldn't be so sure, Miss Nettle!" cried out a voice from the rear.

"Who said that?" Miss Nettle demanded.

"I did!" and Aunt Tilly stepped into the open. "Don't you DARE lay a hand on that child!"

"Oh? Let's see how you handle one of my isolation bubbles!"

"AUNT TILLY! LOOK OUT!" cried Sofia.

But it was too late! Aunt Tilly was encased in a bubble.

"Now that I've taken care of you, I will take my amulet! You're no match for the number one fairy in these parts."

But as Miss Nettle moved forward, a metal wall sprang up between her and Sofia.

"WHAT?" Miss Nettle screamed.

Aunt Tilly was out of the bubble and had cast a spell to erect the metal wall.

"Leave the child alone, Miss Nettle and leave. You may be a fairy, but I was the number one sorcerer at Royal Prep in my day, and I have the competition ribbons to prove it!"

Miss Nettle, seething with rage faced Aunt Tilly.

"So you want a sorcerer's showdown do you? Well, your on! I didn't go through all of this trouble for nothing!" And Miss Nettle ordered a tree to grab Aunt Tilly.

But Tilly was quick with her own wand. First she stopped the tree, then she cast a spell forcing Rosie to let Sofia go. "Run, dear!"

"NO! I won't allow it!" cried Miss Nettle as she readied to cast another spell. She only made one mistake - she left her wand exposed for more than a few seconds. Aunt Tilly aimed her wand at Nettle's and yanked Nettle's wand from her hand, straight to Aunt Tilly's.

"There! Now you have no power here, Miss Nettle! Take your accursed Rosie with you and leave, or I'll break your wand!"

"Now, ...now you wouldn't do that, would you?!" pleaded Miss Nettle.

"I most certainly would, and you would be totally helpless! So take off and don't return to Enchancia ever again!"

With that, Miss Nettle took flight and took Rosie with her.

Sofia ran up to her Aunt and gave her a big hug. "Aunt Tilly, you were great!"

"Thank you, dear." Aunt Tilly then got down to Sofia's level and said quietly, as she put away Miss Nettle's and her own wand. "Are you ready to go home now, dear?"

Sofia hesitated. "I'm...I'm so ashamed, Aunt Tilly. What will I say? How can I face Dad, Mom, the twins and everyone else?"

"Sofia! You don't have to say anything. Your actions will do your talking for you!"

Just then they could hear King Roland. "Sofia! Sofia, where are you? Please let us know where you are?"

He was joined by Queen Miranda. "Sofia, please come back to me!"

As Sofia walked with her Aunt Tilly toward the King and Queen, tears started to roll down her cheeks..

Aunt Tilly called out, "I've found her! She is safe and unharmed!"

"Tilly, is that you?" asked the King anxiously.

"Yes, Rollie! We are both coming to meet you!"