Sofia the First: The Rise of Rulers

Chapter One: Sofia

Chapter One

Sofia

This corset is way too tight, I think as I walk down the stairs into my graduation ball. I try to adjust it subtly, messing with the lace, when I trip on my own dress and brace myself to faceplant. I throw my hand at the railing to steady myself, but before I can reach it, two strong arms wrap around my waist. I know who it is without even looking up. I could recognize him by just the rich scent of his hair.

"Hi Hugo," I say, cheeks flushing. I have to lift my chin just to meet his eyes.

"Hey, Princess." He replies with a smirk.

The two of us walk the rest of the way into the ball together. The ballroom is huge with floor-to-ceiling windows and huge white pillars. There are assortments of flowers throughout tied with a pretty ribbon. It's gorgeous.

Hugo and I continue walking, my arm interlocked with his. Not as a couple though, never as a couple. Not that I haven't thought of us becoming a couple. I think about that often. I've loved Hugo since I was eight years old. It's as painful as it is pathetic since he's never seen me as more than a friend or worse, a sister. I was too lost in my thoughts to realize we had already walked up to where our group of friends had formed a circle.

"You look gorgeous. Especially your hair! Who did it? She must be extraordinary!" That would be Amber, and of course, she was also the one who tied my hair into a curly knot at the nape of my neck. Me and Amber have always gotten ready for balls together. She does my hair, and I help her decide whether to wear white or blue heels. Hugo snaps me out of my thoughts.

"I think you owe me a dance, considering I did just save your pretty little face from a nasty fall," Hugo whispers. His breath warm against my ear. My heart flutters. Vivian widens her eyes at me from across the circle. She is the only friend I have confided in about my feelings for Hugo.

"Ok, then. Let's go."

Hugo lets out a chuckle. I take the hand Hugo offers me, and we make our way to the dance floor. Zandar follows with his arm around Hildegard. The two of them have also been friends since they were little. The only difference between them and us is that Hildegard's love for Zandar is reciprocated. They've been dating for years now.

As the music begins Hugo places his hands on my waist, and I wrap my hands around his neck. We've danced plenty of times throughout the years, so I'm familiar with the way his body moves and the rhythm in which he twirls me. We don't talk as we dance but just look at each other. I have every inch of his face memorized; from his sharp jaw to the hint of green in his hazel eyes. However, tonight I'm especially fond of watching as his dark hair tumbles onto his forehead. What I would give to run my fingers through it.

"What are you thinking about?" He asks me.

I laugh, caught off guard. I'm saved from answering because the song ends, and we return to our friends. The girls and boys have separated, and I make my way towards where Clio, Amber, and Vivian have formed a circle by the cakes.

"I cannot believe this is it guys. We graduated!" Clio says before biting the petite four she's holding.

"Finally! I'm ready to get married, and have little babies!" Amber adds.

"Amber! You can't already want a baby! You're only 18!" I exclaim. The thought of babies is still years ahead of me.

"What are we talking about ladies?" Desmond asks, walking up next to Amber.

"Just how Amber is ready for babies," Clio says, laughing. Amber glares at her before turning to a startled-looking Desmond.

Their chattering continues, but I'm distracted by Hugo who is walking to the corner of the ballroom where someone is sitting alone. I follow him. It's Axel, Hugo's older brother, I notice as Hugo begins picking his drunk ass up from the floor.

"Axel, it's not even ten yet man." Hugo sighs, putting an arm under Axel's.

"The drink helps," he says back, words slurred.

"Helps with what?" Hugo has Axel standing now.

"That." Axel nods toward the left of the large ballroom to where Astrid is talking to a nervous looking Christian. As if on queue Christian drops down on one knee before Astrid, pulling a velvety blue box from his pocket. He opens it; inside is the most beautiful ring I've ever seen, a gold band with a large almond-shaped diamond on top. Astrid jumps before throwing her arms around Christian.

I had known Astrid, Hildegard's older sister, and Christian, Clio's older brother, had been courting; but I hadn't realized how serious it had gotten. I hurry over to congratulate them. A crowd soon forms, all of them eager to wish them both congratulations. Clio and Hildegard hug their siblings and then each other, excited at the prospects of becoming siblings themselves, I assume.

***

The party begins to grow late into the night, and the guests begin to retire. When Vivian wraps her arms around me to say goodbye I hug her extra tight. This is one of the last times I will see her before she leaves to study under King Magnus. Vivian is the only child of Marcus and Cecily of Zumeria so she is spending a year studying to become the next Queen.

"I'll write to you," She says, turning on her heel and walking away.

"You better!" I scream after her.

When there is no one left but me, Amber, and James, we make our way up to our rooms.

"Goodnight guys!" I yell at them both.

"Night girls," James says before turning the corner to go to his room.

"Goodnight Sofia. I love you!" Amber tells me.

It took me a while to go to sleep that night. I was up thinking about how that was our last day of high school, and that from that point on everything was going to be different.