Tales from the Castle - a Sofia the First fanfic
Chapter 15: Holiday Cheer
Note: this chapter takes place when Sofia and her friends are children, and is set the Wassailia after "Winter's Gift". This chapter includes Dorrie from my story "Dorrie".
Three friends
Three friends walked through the forest - Sofia, Dorrie, and Lucinda. It was lightly snowing out. As they walked through the forest, the three friends had a nice time talking to each other, and enjoying the snow covered forest.
In a little while, the three arrived at their destination - the palace of Glacia, the mountain witch. The three stepped inside.
"Ah! Princess Sofia!" Glacia said with happiness. "It's nice to see you again. What may I do for you and your two friends?"
"Oh, we're not here to ask for anything" Sofia smiled.
"You're ... not?" Glacia asked, puzzled.
"We're here to wish you holiday greetings, and to give you a gift" Sofia announced. "But first, let me introduce you to my two friends".
Dorrie and Lucinda stepped forward
"This is Dorrie Cooper, a young witch who works at the castle" Sofia introduced Dorrie to Glacia.
"It's an honor to meet you, ma'am" Dorrie smiled as she curtsied.
"And this is Lucinda Magwin, a young witch who lives in the village" Sofia introduced Lucinda to Glacia.
"A pleasure to meet you, ma'am" Lucinda smiled as she curtsied.
"What two charming little witchlets" Glacia smiled. "It's a pleasure to meet the two of you".
"So, who wants to do the honors?" Sofia asked Dorrie and Lucinda.
"May I?" Lucinda asked, hopeful.
Sofia and Dorrie smiled as they nodded their heads in approval.
A special gift
Lucinda waved her wand, and in front of Glacia appeared a large platform with a life size toy ballerina mounted on it. Dorrie walked over and turned a large key which was on the side of the platform. The life size toy ballerina slowly started to rotate, then started singing.
"What do you see? You people gazing at me. You see a doll on a music box that's wound by a key. How can you tell, I'm under a spell, I'm waiting for love's first kiss".
"You cannot see, how much I long to be free. Turning around on this music box that's wound by a key. Yearning. Yearning. While ... I'm ... turning around and around".
The life size toy ballerina then came to a stop as Glacia stood up from her throne and happily clapped.
"This has to be the most wonderful gift anybody has even given me" Glacia said with tears of happiness in her eyes. "Are the three of you sure there's nothing you want in return?".
"Only to know that we've made you happy" Dorrie smiled.
"And the three of you have" Glacia smiled back. "This is the first time that anybody has given me a gift without expecting something in return. You've restored my faith in people".
Sofia, Dorrie, and Lucinda smiled at Glacia's joy.
"We have something else for you" Sofia announced to Glacia.
"What could you possibly have that could top this?" Glacia inquired while smiling.
"In two days time, it will be Wassailia Eve" Sofia started. "This year at the castle, we're starting something new - a Wassailia Eve party for everybody living around the castle. There will be food, drink, and entertainment ... and we'd love to have you attend".
"I wouldn't want to impose ..." Glacia said.
"The invitation is from my father, King Roland" Sofia explained. "He, my mother, my brother, my sister, and I very much want you as a special guest".
"Then I would be delighted to attend" Glacia accepted.
"We'll send a sleigh for you at that time" Sofia smiled.
Wassailia Eve
It was now the afternoon of Wassailia Eve. At Enchancia Castle, people who lived around the castle started to enter the castle in anticipation of the Wassailia Eve party.
In the great hall, Ruby and Jade looked in awe at the magnificent Wassailia tree.
"Wow!" Jade exclaimed. "Would you look at that tree!".
"It's beautiful" Ruby remarked, impressed.
"It is, isn't it?" a girl's voice came from behind them. Ruby and Jade turned around to see Dorrie, dressed in her maid uniform.
"Dorrie!" Ruby and Jade said in glee as they hugged Dorrie.
"Let me take you around the great hall" Dorrie offered. "There's a lot of nice things to see".
"Thank you, Dorrie" Jade said, gratefully. "Ruby and I would love that".
In the courtyard of the castle, a sleigh carrying Glacia pulled up.
"I present Glacia, the mountain witch" Baileywick announced as Glacia stepped off of the sleigh.
"You honor us with your presence, Glacia" King Roland greeted.
"Thank you for accepting our invitation" Queen Miranda smiled.
"Thank you for inviting me, your majesties" Glacia smiled back.
Roland, Miranda, and Glacia then walked into the castle with Baileywick following behind. As the four walked into the great hall, those gathered in the great hall saw Glacia enter, and started clapping.
"Thank you all so very much" Glacia said to the crowd, impressed and moved.
A surprise performance
In a little while, Baileywick stepped before those gathered in the great hall.
"Ladies and gentlemen" Baileywick started, "allow me to present to you ... Winter, the fawn. She will entertain us with music from her panpipe".
Winter stepped forward as her family looked on in pride. In a few moments, Winter started playing a lively tune. Everybody in the great hall enjoyed Winter's lively tune very much, and it brought a festive atmosphere to the hall. When Winter was finished, she happily bowed to the crowd.
"More" the crowd requested.
"Please, little one" Glacia requested as she walked up, "give us more of your wonderful music. It is one of the best Wassailia gifts we could possibly receive".
"Then, it will be my pleasure to continue" Winter smiled, pleased that everybody enjoyed her music.
As Winter played another lively tune, Miranda turned to Roland.
"Rollie?" Miranda started, "is there any way we could bring in Winter every so often to perform at events at the castle?".
"She is quite the gifted musician" Roland smiled. "I'll see what I can do".
More guests arrive
A while later, Sofia walked into the great hall with ... Gnarly, Teeni, and the rest of the trolls.
"Thank you for coming to our Wassailia Eve party" Roland greeted as he walked up.
"Thank you for inviting us, King Roland" Gnarly smiled.
"My friends" Roland addressed the crowd, "I would like to invite our good friends the castle trolls to give us a performance".
Everybody clapped in approval.
Gnarly and the other trolls walked in front of the crowd, and started playing lively music using their clubs. Everybody enjoyed the music very much.
"They are really good!" Lucinda said, impressed, as she walked up to Sofia.
"When they are done, I'll introduce you to them" Sofia smiled.
"Oh, Sofia!" Lucinda beamed. "I'd love that!".
After Gnarly and the trolls finished, Sofia took Lucinda over to them.
"Gnarly" Sofia began, "this is my friend, Lucinda. Lucinda, this is my friend, Gnarly".
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lucinda" Gnarly smiled.
"The pleasure is mine" Lucinda smiled back.
As Lucinda was getting to know Gnarly and the other trolls, Teeni crawled over to the Wassailia tree.
"Pretty tree" Teeni remarked.
"Would you like to see it better?" Dorrie asked as she walked up.
"Yes, please" Teeni smiled.
Dorrie lifted Teeni onto Dorrie's shoulders.
"Thank you, Dorrie" Teeni said, pleased.
"Your welcome, Teeni" Dorrie smiled as she and Teeni admired the tree. From a distance, Violet watched the touching scene, and smiled.
Wassailia Eve dinner
It was now early evening, and everybody was gathered in the castle ballroom. The royal family, along with Glacia, were seated at a long table which looked out onto the ballroom. Everybody else was seated at long tables set up in the ballroom.
"Dear friends and neighbors" Roland started as he got up, "I want to welcome you to our Wassailia Eve dinner. Please enjoy yourselves".
The servants then served everybody a fine meal which included a variety of meats to choose from, as well as rolls, dessert, and a variety of beverages. Everybody had a wonderful time enjoying a fine meal, and talking to each other.
At the table where the royal family was seated, Glacia turned to Roland.
"With your permission, I would like to give something special to everybody here" Glacia announced.
"Of course" Roland smiled as he got up. "If I may have everyone's attention, Glacia has something to give to all of us".
"Thank you, King Roland" Glacia smiled as she got up. "In the spirit of the holiday, I would like to give everybody present a small gift". Glacia then waved her hands across the ballroom, and a sparkling clear crystal appeared in front of every person present. "Please hang these crystals in your homes as a reminder of the wonder and beauty of Wassailia. May each and every one of you have a happy holiday".
Everybody clapped in appreciation of Glacia's gift. Glacia then sat back down, as everybody resumed the meal.
Sofia was sitting next to Glacia, and noticed that Glacia was very happy.
"How are you feeling?" Sofia asked Glacia.
"I feel young" Glacia answered with a smile. "I feel young and alive and happy. It is a very wonderful feeling that I will strive to nurture always".
Sofia smiled at Glacia's happiness. It was a perfect way to end a wonderful Wassailia Eve - a Wassailia Eve that everybody would remember for years to come.
Author's notes
Dorrie is from my stories "Dorrie", and Chapter 5 of "Sisters".
For those who would be interested, I wrote this chapter of "Tales from the Castle" shortly after writing Chapter 6 of "Dorrie". For this chapter of "Tales from the Castle", more than a year would have passed since Chapter 6 of "Dorrie", and Dorrie by this time would have a much better grasp of her witch powers.
Panpipe: a wind instrument consisting of several parallel pipes bound together. This is what Winter was playing in "Winter's Gift".
The song that the life size toy ballerina sings is "Doll On A Music Box" from the movie "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" (I've liked that song for a long time now, and I thought I would use it here). The idea for a life size toy ballerina on a music box also came from "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang". The life size toy ballerina on a music box seen in this chapter would have been made by Gwen the royal inventor.