Sofia the First: Stepmomster

Lost Jewelry and Rebellions

When Amber woke up, it was hardly morning. The shafts of light in her room were a golden hue instead of a faint white one.

The princess hopped out of bed. She changed into her usual chartreuse gown and tamed her chaotic tangled hair with a comb.

Before hurrying off to breakfast, the princess took a quick look in the mirror.

She found Sofia and James chewing their golden berry pancakes in the dining room. Miranda sat at the head of the table where Roland usually sat.

"Come sit with us, Amber," said Miranda somewhat coldly.

Amber plopped herself down on the seat across from Miranda, which was also the farthest from her and ate a slice of her pancake, refusing to meet her eye.

"So, Amber, why are you late for breakfast? Is something keeping you up?" Miranda asked sardonically.

Amber swallowed nervously. Did Miranda find out about the resurrection potion? Did Baileywick or Cedric tell her off?

Amber's eyes met James's briefly but she felt Miranda's eyes boring into hers. She returned the stare defiantly, but it was broken when Sofia suddenly blurted, "Um..." All heads turned her direction. "Can I talk to Amber? Privately."

Amber's legs stiffened and she dragged her feet slowly.

Miranda shot her a venomous glare.

Sofia grabbed her hand and pulled her through the dim corridor and into her room.

They both took a seat on Sofia's canopy bed.

"Amber, did you perhaps, oh I don't know, do something with my amulet?"

Amber's face went pale.

"No. Why do you ask? Do you suspect me of anything?"

"No, it's just we had a sleepover in my room and--"

"So you are suspecting me!"

Sofia sighed deeply. She was going to have to tell Amber. There's no use in hiding this secret for so long. Besides, that was the only way Amber could help find her amulet.

"Okay, can I trust you with a secret?"

Amber listened intently. "Go on..."

"My amulet is enchanted. It allows me to talk to animals, transform into a mermaid, and summon princesses. Sometimes, it rewards me whenever I do a good deed, but sometimes it curses me when I do something bad. And, see, this morning, I tried talking to some of my animal friends with this amulet, but I couldn't understand them. I thought I might have been cursed but there was nothing I did wrong that I can remember."

Amber's mouth gaped.

"Yes, that's why I talk to animals and--"

"And that's how we met Jasmine and Mulan." Amber knew there was something unusual about the amulet, especially the strange glint. No wonder a resurrection potion required such a magical object, or at least Amber thought so.

"Right, but you can't tell anyone about this."

"But surely Daddy knows?"

"No, not even he knows. You can't tell anyone-- not him, not Mom, not James, not Baileywick. This is our little secret. Promise never to tell?"

"I... promise."

Amber was overwhelmed with shock by the secrets Sofia kept from her-- from everyone, but Sofia's willingness to trust her with such a secret flooded Amber's chest with a strange warm feeling. Then, came guilt. Sofia was willing to entrust her with something so important and yet, Amber traded her most important possession away for her own selfish reasons.