Tales from the Castle - a Sofia the First fanfic
Chapter 25: The Winter Carnival
Note: this is a chapter for Carla Sandria. Carla wanted to know about the first time that Royal Prep and Hexley Hall came together for a holiday celebration (which I had alluded to in "Dorrie", but never got around to writing about). This chapter covers that first holiday celebration, which takes place around the same time as Chapter 36 of "Dorrie".
Introduction
It was December in Enchancia. At both Royal Prep and nearby Hexley Hall, preparations were underway to celebrate the upcoming holiday season. During the past few months, because of the relationship between Dorrie and Frederick, and the relationship between Candice and Everett, both schools had become close, with students from both schools often eating lunch together in the park which connected both schools.
Since both schools had become close, it was decided that both schools should have a shared holiday celebration. After some thought, it was decided that a winter carnival would fit the bill nicely. The winter carnival would feature amusement park-type rides, games of chance, and holiday entertainment.
The carnival
The day for the winter carnival arrived, and Miss Flora and Mr. Truesdale stood before those who were attending.
"Headmaster Truesdale and I would like to welcome you all to our joint winter carnival" Miss Flora began. "It's wonderful to have both schools together during this season of celebration".
"Miss Flora and I would like to wish you holiday greetings for Christmas, Desert Yule, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Navidad, Saturnalia, Wassalia, Yalda, and Yule" Mr. Truesdale announced.
"Let the festivities commence!" Miss Flora joyfully added.
With that, the winter carnival started. As the students made their way around the winter carnival, Sofia walked up to Ruby and Jade.
"Having a good time, guys?" Sofia cheerfully asked.
"The best!" Jade joyfully answered.
"This is great!" Ruby happily added.
"There's something I've always wanted to do" Sofia announced to her two friends. "Follow me".
In a few minutes, Sofia, Ruby, and Jade found themselves at a doorway which led inside Royal Prep.
"Allow me to give you a personally guided tour of Royal Prep" Sofia smiled at Ruby and Jade.
"You mean ... we get to see inside Royal Prep?" Jade asked in awe.
"We get our own tour?" Ruby asked, also in awe.
"Oh, yes!" Sofia happily answered. "If you'll follow me, we'll get our tour started".
"Yes, yes, yes!" Ruby and Jade exclaimed in glee as Sofia led them inside.
As Sofia showed Ruby and Jade around the inside of Royal Prep, Miss Fauna at one point watched from a distance, and smiled.
"That was nice of Princess Sofia to give her friends a tour of the school" Miss Fauna happily thought to herself. "She's one of Royal Prep's brightest points of light".
A holiday performance
About an hour later, it was time for a performance on a stage set up in the middle of the carnival. Dorrie, Candice, Frederick, Everett, Sofia, James, Vivian, and Khalid then started singing.
(Dorrie) "High on a hill was a lonely goatherd. Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo. Loud was the voice of the lonely goatherd. Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo. Folks in a town that was quite remote heard lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo. Lusty and clear from the goatherd's throat heard lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo".
(All) "O ho lay dee odl lee, o, o ho lay dee odl ay. O ho lay dee odl lee o, lay dee odl lee o lay".
(Band music playing).
(Frederick) "A prince on the bridge of a castle moat heard lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo".
(Everett) "Men on a road with a load to tote heard lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo".
(James) "Men in the midst of a table d'hote heard lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo".
(Khalid) "Men drinking beer with the foam afloat heard lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo".
(Band music playing).
(Candice) "One little girl in a pale pink coat heard lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo".
(Sofia) "She yodeled back to the lonely goatherd lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo".
(Vivian) "Soon her Mama with a gleaming gloat heard lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo. What a duet for a girl and goatherd. Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo".
(Band music playing).
(All) "Ummm (ummm). Odl lay ee (odl lay ee). Odl lay hee hee (odl lay hee hee). Odl lay ee. Oh, ho ho ho, lay ee oh ee lay oh. Oh, oh, lay ee oh ee lay. Oh, ho ho ho, ay ee oh ee lay oh. Lay ee oh ee lay oh lay".
(Band music playing).
(Dorrie) "One little girl in a pale pink coat heard lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hoo hoo".
(Candice) "She yodeled back to the lonely goatherd lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo".
(Sofia) "Soon her Mama with a gleaming gloat heard lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hmm hmm".
(Vivian) "What a duet for a girl and goatherd. Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo".
(All) "Happy are they lay dee olay dee lee o. O lay dee oh lay dee oh lay oh. Soon the duet will become a trio. Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo".
(Dorrie) "Odl lay ee, odl lay ee". (All) "Odl lay ee". (Dorrie) "Odl lay hee hee". (All) "Odl lay hee hee". (Dorrie) "Odl lay ee". (All) "Odl lay ee". (Dorrie) "Odl lay odl lay". (All) "Odl lay odl lay". (Dorrie) "Odl lay odl lee". (All) "Odl lay odl lay". (Dorrie) "Odl lay ode lee". (All) "Odl lay odl lay". (Dorrie) "Odl lay odl lay odl lay". (All) "HOO".
Everybody clapped and cheered at the performance as those on stage happily bowed.
Evening at the carnival
After having a supper supplied by both schools, those attending the carnival started enjoying the evening portion of the carnival. As part of the amusement park-type rides, there was a small ferris wheel. Dorrie and Frederick, and Candice and Everett, decided to take a ride on the ferris wheel. As the two couples rode on the ferris wheel, each couple held hands as they looked upon the lights of the carnival. It was truly a magical evening.
Soon, it was time for the carnival to come to an end. As everybody was heading home, Sofia, James, Amber, Dorrie, and Candice climbed aboard the Enchancian royal flying carriage. In a few moments, the carriage took flight on it's way to Enchancia Castle.
"That was a fun day!" Sofia happily declared.
"It sure was, Sof" James agreed.
As Sofia, James, and Amber happily talked among themselves, Dorrie and Candice stared into space, fondly remembering their day with Frederick and Everett.
"It looks like two people had more than a good time today" Amber smiled at Dorrie and Candice.
"What?" Dorrie asked, as she and Candice snapped out of their trance.
"Well, I think it's wonderful that Dorrie has Frederick, and Candice has Everett" Sofia happily pointed out.
"Indeed" Amber happily agreed. "I haven't seen two couples more suited to each other ... with the exception of Mother and Father, of course".
Dorrie and Candice smiled at Amber's complement.
As the flying carriage continued it's flight to Enchancia Castle, the five children aboard happily talked among themselves about their experiences at the carnival. It had been a wonderful day that would be remembered always.
Author's notes
Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa are traditional holiday celebrations in various parts of the world.
Desert Yule is a Tangu holiday SailorWednesdayMercury and I came up with for SailorWednesdayMercury's story "Sofia The Second Season 1 Episode 7: Holiday In Tangu".
Dorrie, Candice, and Everett are from my stories "Dorrie", "Dorrie: Book Two", and "Enchancia Castle".
Mr. Truesdale (Headmaster Truesdale) is from my story "Dorrie".
Navidad is from the "Elena of Avalor" episode "Navidad".
Readers of my story "Dorrie" will remember that King Roland decreed that all students in Enchancia be taught basic magic. As a result, Ruby and Jade excelled in their magical education to a point where they were offered a place as students at Hexley Hall.
Saturnalia is a holiday celebration that was celebrated by ancient Romans.
Table d'hote: in restaurant terminology a table d'hote menu is a menu where multi-course meals with limited choices are charged at a fixed total price.
The song sung in this chapter is "The Lonely Goatherd" from "The Sound of Music".
Wassalia is, of course, the holiday celebrated in Enchancia.
Yalda is a Zoroastrian holiday celebration.
Yule is a holiday celebration also celebrated by pagans, witches, and warlocks.