A Magical Evening (Chapter 8)
I want to thank MissBloodRaven for suggesting an idea that served as the inspiration for this chapter.
Sofia, Lucinda, Hildegard, Cleo, and Amber were finishing getting together with each other when Violet burst into Sofia's bedroom.
"I am deeply sorry for this intrusion, milady" Violet apologized to Sofia. "Princess Hildegard's parents and Princess Cleo's parents have just arrived. They are very angry that Princess Hildegard and Princess Cleo are meeting with you. They are on their way up here as we speak".
"Everybody" Sofia announced. "No matter what I say, no matter what I do, play along with me".
"What are you planning, Sofia?" Hildegard asked, nervous.
"Saving yours and Cleo's reputations" Sofia replied.
Violet stood by the door. "Their coming down the hall, milady" Violet reported to Sofia.
"How dare the two of you come here and demand that I change who I am?!" Sofia yelled at the top of her lungs at Hildegard and Cleo. It was loud enough that those in the hallway heard it.
Sofia motioned Hildegard and Cleo to play along just as Hildegard's parents and Cleo's parents burst into Sofia's bedroom.
"How dare you go against the natural order of things?!" Hildegard yelled at Sofia.
"A proper princess isn't a lesbian" Cleo added.
"What is going on here?!" Hildegard's father demanded to know.
"Hildegard and Cleo came here trying to get me to end my relationship with Lucinda!" Sofia snapped. "I thought they were my friends. I guess I was wrong!".
"Then you and Hildegard were not here to show support for Princess Sofia?" Cleo's mother asked Cleo.
"Of course not, Mother" Cleo answered. "The relationship between Sofia and Lucinda defies the norm for royal society. Hildegard and I cannot condone such a relationship".
"It's nice to see that there are at least two proper princesses in this room" Hildegard's father commented to Hildegard and Cleo.
"It's time for you and Cleo to leave this place" Hildegard's mother said to Hildegard. "Afterall, the last thing you want is to be in the presence of two perverts such as Sofia and Lucinda".
"Did I invite any of you here?!" Sofia snapped. "Now take your daughters and get the hell out of this castle!".
"Gladly!" Hildegard's father snapped back.
As Hildegard and her parents and Cleo and her parents left Sofia's bedroom, Cleo's father turned toward Amber. "You'll understand, Princess Amber, that we no longer want you hanging around Cleo and Hildegard. We only want our daughters hanging around respectable families".
"You've got a hell of a nerve, coming in here and damning my family!" Amber glared at Cleo's father.
"It looks like Sofia's village girl background has rubbed off on you, Princess Amber" Hildegard's mother said in disgust. "You use to be a proper princess. Now your just as common as your sister".
"Say what you like about the village" Amber pointed out. "But, you tend to find a better class of people down there".
Hildegard and her parents and Cleo and her parents then left Sofia's bedroom, went down to the castle courtyard, and departed on their flying carriages.
In Sofia's room, Sofia turned to Violet.
"Thank you, Violet, for warning us in time" Sofia said gratefully.
"It was my pleasure, milady" Violet smiled. "I want you to know that you and Miss Lucinda have my full support".
Sofia smiled at Violet's loyalty.
"Is there anything else I can do for you, milady?" Violet asked Sofia.
"No" Sofia answered.
"Then I'll attend to my other duties" Violet said as she left Sofia's bedroom.
Sofia turned to Amber. "I'm so sorry, Amber" Sofia sadly said. "I've cost you two of your friends".
"You protected them" Amber said to Sofia. "For that I am very grateful. Thanks to your performance just now, Hildegard's parents and Cleo's parents will never suspect the two of them are lovers. As for loosing them as friends, as long as their safe, that's a price I can live with".
As Amber left Sofia's bedroom, Sofia turned toward Lucinda.
"I hope Hildegard and Cleo understand that I did what I did to protect them" Sofia said.
"I'm sure they do" Lucinda answered.
In the flying carriage that Hildegard and Cleo had used to travel to Enchancia Castle, Hildegard and Cleo were alone as the carriage flew through the air. Hildegard's parents and Cleo's parents were aboard two other flying carriages that were flying nearby.
"Sofia's quick thinking saved both of us" Cleo whispered to Hildegard. "Now that our parents think that we're against Sofia and Lucinda, they will never suspect us of being a couple".
"For that I am most grateful" Hildegard whispered back. "Some day, somehow, I will find a way of rewarding Sofia for protecting us. I swear it".
That night, at Enchancia Castle, Sofia was in her bedroom thinking about what had happened that day. Sofia was glad that she had been able to save Hildegard and Cleo's reputations. Sofia, however, was also sad for the two of them. It must be very hard for Hildegard and Cleo to be closet lesbians, and having to deal with parents who were so clearly anti-gay. It made Sofia very grateful that she had a family who not only loved her, but who supported who she was.
As Sofia stood in her bedroom, she heard a knock at her door.
"Come in" Sofia invited.
The door opened, and in walked Violet.
"Is there anything I can do for you before you retire for the night?" Violet asked.
"I'm fine, thank you" Sofia smiled.
"Then I'll wish you a good night, milady" Violet smiled back. "By the way, Miss Lucinda is waiting in the hall. May I show her in?".
"Yes, please" Sofia beamed.
Violet showed Lucinda in.
"Good night, you two" Violet smiled. "If I might be allowed to say so, I think it's nice that the two of you can now be open about your relationship. I wish the two of you every happiness".
"Thank you, Violet" Sofia smiled.
"You are most welcome, miladies" Violet said to Sofia and Lucinda as she left Sofia's bedroom.
"She really likes you" Lucinda said of Violet.
"We've been good friends for years" Sofia observed. "I'm glad I haven't lost her over this".
Lucinda looked around Sofia's bedroom, then turned back to Sofia. "Well, Sofia, who would have thought we could spend a night together without having to hide?".
"Tell me about it" Sofia smiled.
Sofia and Lucinda got ready for bed, then climbed into Sofia's bed. As the two of them laid there, they soon fell asleep, happy in the knowledge that they could be together ... and not have to worry about hiding anymore.
Outside Enchancia Castle, Cedric stood on the Horrid Hills looking at the castle in the distance. With Nettle's help, he had managed to restore his ears to normal. As Cedric stood there, a thought went through his head.
"Soon" Cedric thought as he looked at the castle. "Soon, I shall return to Enchancia Castle. And when that day comes, all of you will be sorry".