Divide and Conquer

Summary: When King Eirik, a relative of Lorelei's, is held captive on a dangerous landmass known as Darktide Isle, Sofia and Cedric investigate the mayhem in the ruler's kingdom of Venburg while James and Amber decide to rescue their estranged cousin. The stakes are even higher when the group realizes that Isolde, former Conjuror's Board sentry and currently the king's private magister regent, has also been captured and is trapped with the king. It's a race against the clock as the worst storm in history is set to obliterate Darktide Isle, and the true evil source in Venburg slowly begins to emerge.

Disclaimer: I do not own Sofia the First. The original characters (such as Isolde, King Eirik, Jas Butterford, Isolde [from the sequel to Burning Ember called The Limboris Trail], etc.) and locations (such as Venburg, Lorelei's homeland) seen in this story do belong to me, with the exception of Nana and Tanya, who belong to Presame (formerly known as MarionetteJ2X).

A/N: I apologize for the long wait for this story! I've been exceptionally busy with work, life, and the holidays. I did graduate in December, and I'm officially a doctor with a degree and everything! Haha. (To clarify, I'm a Doctor of Education. I don't write prescriptions or philosophize over things—well, not as often as actual PhD people do, lol.) This story is a shift from the Burning Ember series to a more expanded look at the family of Amber and James. We know so little of their family history when it comes to Lorelei, so I wanted to dig into that background and do something I used to do more often: world building. As usual with my more recent stories, I will refrain from putting too many author notes. This story will feature a new villain with a bit of a twist, so we'll see how things go. I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 1: Sweet Sorrow

Song: "She's Guiding You with Love"

32 years ago…

Venburg was a kingdom filled with thriving businesses, economic stability, and much love for their leaders: the Royal Family of Venburg. King Kresten and Queen Roselyn, the parents of Lorelei of Enchancia, had ruled with a steady and fair hand for years. Many people adored the couple and their willingness to listen to their people and make changes that accommodated the kingdom. They were progressive in trade and traditional by nature, which ended up being a healthy blend and balance for the land.

While the kingdom itself was bustling and cheerful, though, the king and queen were a different story. In fact, only days before, they'd received word that their daughter had sadly passed away in childbirth. Devastated, they had held each other closely when their advisors had spoken to them, softly assuring them that they would handle everything in the kingdom if they wanted to make the long trip to Enchancia to visit their son-in-law Roland and the newborn twins, James and Amber. Additionally, a wake would be held for Lorelei, but it wouldn't happen until her parents arrived, if they felt up to the travel.

"I don't think 'bittersweet' quite covers it," a maid whispered to another as she watched the king and queen direct their luggage to a flying coach while both, dressed in black, held each other's hand as they prepared to leave. "Imagine… Your only daughter, who endured years of heartbreak trying to conceive finally does so—with twins, no less… Only to slip away not long after. I feel bad for our king and queen, Luella. It's really tragic."

Luella nodded solemnly, her gaze shifting toward the grand staircase as she straightened her apron. "I know, Eliza," the blonde responded to her friend, "but we must remain strong for them. They should be allowed to grieve, and we should step up for them while they process this grief and take time to heal." She hoisted a tied bag of what appeared to be laundry over her shoulder, nodding toward the stairs. "Come on. We've got some towels to fold." They returned to their duties in silence, the weight of the kingdom's grief heavy in the air.

King Kresten and Queen Roselyn made it to Enchancia with no problems, and after an emotional reunion with Roland and a few other castle dwellers (including Baileywick), they met their grandchildren for the first time. The twins slept peacefully, unaware of the absence of their mother, while poignant affection was bestowed upon them. They also attended Lorelei's funeral, which was as elegant and beautiful as their daughter had been. It was when her body was permanently laid to rest that Roselyn had to hold a distraught Roland, who had finally broken down in despair. No one dared utter a word or interrupt them, because he deserved that moment of grief, and frankly, so did Queen Roselyn.

The first trip to Enchancia after Lorelei's passing was difficult but necessary. The next three were even more painful for the couple—seeing their growing grandchildren without their beloved mother. The twins were only a few months old when the couple made a difficult decision that they shared with Roland the evening before they returned to their homeland.

"I'm so sorry, Roland, but we must pause our visits for a while," King Kresten informed his son-in-law. "It's painful for Roselyn and me, as I'm sure you can understand." He gestured toward the quiet, empty grand hall, which normally would have been filled with decorations, music, and laughter, courtesy of Lorelei. "It's hard to come here and not see her, son… And we're getting older and need to be careful which journeys we make, because it's challenging both physically and mentally. The journey from Venburg here is not easy and considerably long, especially if the weather isn't in our favor."

"I understand," Roland murmured, folding one of the tiny blankets that belonged to James and clutching it in his hands. "Perhaps maybe wait a few years before returning? Maybe three? That way, they'll be older, and you can have some more time to heal." He smiled gently at his mother-in-law, taking her hand in an affectionate and respectful manner. "We all can."

"Do you have people to help with the children?" Roselyn asked gently, squeezing his hand. "Those you trust?"

"Oh, yes. Baileywick, of course. My sister and mother visit often and have been a great help. And the workers and courtiers here have been wonderful. They help when and where needed. That's the one benefit of being in charge of a kingdom like Enchancia: I never have to do anything on my own…" He sighed, frowning heavily. ""I just wish…Lorelei was still with me. Even surrounded by all these people, the emptiness feels unbearable. We were excited to be parents to these little babies who will never know their mother now, and…" He released the queen's hand, brushing a tear away. Beyond the windows of the castle, the sun dipped lower on the horizon, casting a golden glow over the kingdom—a momentary beauty that felt at odds with the ache in his chest. The faint hum of palace activity reminded him that life was moving forward, even if he felt stuck in time. His voice shaky, he admitted, "I don't…know how to be a father… My introduction was…losing the love of my life while gaining the two people we desperately wanted to have for so long… What if I mess up?"

King Kresten couldn't help chuckling. "You will. Trust me." Kresten leaned forward, his voice calm but firm, as if trying to anchor Roland amidst the storm of his emotions. The older man's presence was steady, like the roots of an ancient tree—unwavering in the face of even the harshest winds. "All fathers stumble, myself included. So did my father. So did his. But Roland, one thing I've admired about you for a long time is your resilience. If something knocks you down, you get back up again. You're considerate with your subjects. You care about people. You're already a good father, whether you think so or not."

Roland smiled softly, nodding appreciatively as the other king patted him on his shoulder. "Thank you, Kresten." In many ways, his father-in-law was more of a "fatherly" figure to him than his own had been. He didn't have the same amount of catty competitiveness or harsh punishments that Roland I was well known for sometimes. If nothing else, he'd promised himself he'd put his family above politics, heroism, or anything else his own father had often valued. Family first—that was his motto since marrying Lorelei, and it would continue to be so.

Queen Roselyn stepped up toward the younger king and embraced him kindly, patting his back gently as she told him, "We love you, Roland. We know how much you loved and still love Lorelei, and how much you love those babies. Even if we're far away, we'll still be there for you if you call on us. I promise you."

"Thank you, Roselyn. Sincerely." He chuckled as she stepped back, his eyes watery with emotion. He sighed lightly when the older woman dried his tears, much like his own mother had done over the many years. "I know you have to leave soon, but please visit the twins before you do."

"Oh, of course," Kresten chuckled. "Even if they don't understand us now, I remember how important being around Lori as a baby was. When she was six, she told me she remembered hearing my voice all her life—even when she was a newborn. Don't know how she figured that, but I took it to heart."

The grandparents walked hand in hand to the royal nursery, pleased to once again encounter a beautifully decorated room. Lorelei's touch, no doubt—especially with the sun and the moon, gold and chartreuse, day and night… She had a tendency to appreciate the duality of nature and life, so it made sense it showed up in her twins' room. Roselyn released her husband's hand and scooped James into her arms while Kresten lifted Amber. They both rocked the twins gently, whispering sweet little nothings to the little ones.

"Your Mommy is watching you," Roselyn sang to the babies, while her husband watched her in admiration. She always wrote lullabies for babies, especially those in their families. This one meant even more. "From high above the trees… Our Lorelei was filled with life, now she's part of the breeze." She choked back a sob after uttering those words, but James just stared at her with adoring affection (as much as a tiny baby could), and she managed to smile at him again. "If you turn your eyes up to the skies, and you see a pure white dove, that's your Mommy watching you. She's guiding you with love."

After spending a few more minutes with their grandchildren, the royal couple kissed the now sleeping babies on their foreheads as they lay in their cradles, and they found Roland once again, bidding him and his kingdom farewell.

"Safe travels to you both," Roland told them, hugging each one again. "See you on the twins' third birthday?"

"Wouldn't miss it, son," King Kresten promised, smiling.

To be continued…

Next Chapter: Bittersweet Vessel