Sofia the First: Three Tigers and a Prince

Just a Prince

Meanwhile, at Hugo's palace, he was in the library when he saw that a nearby bookcase was covered with dust—and the books themselves were dusty, too.

"Dusty," Hugo cringed. Then he let out a sneeze. "I think it's time to get this clean before it turns into a giant dust bunny."

Hugo put on a mask and goggles to avoid sneezing and getting itchy eyes. He also put on gloves to keep his hands clean, and he got a spray bottle of water and a roll of paper towels. Hugo was just about to get cleaning when a handmaiden came in and asked, "What are you doing?"

"Hi, Claudette," Hugo waved. "This bookcase is really dusty, and I thought it would be a good idea to clean it up before it got worse."

"Yes, that is a good idea, but you shouldn't be doing this," Claudette told him.

"Why not?" Hugo asked.

"You're just a prince, and princes don't clean," Claudette replied.

Hugo thought that was just a ridiculous answer. "I don't mind cleaning," he retorted.

"It doesn't matter," Claudette scolded him. "You're a prince—you should be posing for a portrait or saving your princess, not cleaning. Be off with you now—leave this to me."

Hugo was insulted that Claudette saw him that way, and he walked off in a huff. Since Claudette wouldn't let him clean, he decided to go and see his flying horse Electra. He remembered freeing Sofia from her magical amulet, and her father rewarded his daughter's best friend with an enchanted medallion that allowed him to talk to animals.

Hugo went into the stables to see Electra, who looked very itchy. "Hey, Electra," he waved. "You don't look so good."

"I feel worse than I look," Electra groaned. "I'm really itchy."

Hugo looked in Electra's mane and saw that there were fleas. "No wonder you're so itchy—you have fleas," he cringed.

Having heard the young prince, some stablemasters came in, panicking.

"Oh, hi, Richard, Tim," Hugo waved.

"Your horse has fleas, Prince Hugo?" Richard asked.

"Richard, the stable may be infested," Tim surmised. "We must clean the horses and the stable."

"Agreed, Tim," Richard concurred.

"Okay, I can brush the fleas out of Electra's mane," Hugo volunteered.

"No, you can't," Richard stopped him. "Princes shouldn't be cleaning their pets."

"Electra isn't just a pet—she's my friend," Hugo protested.

"Nevertheless, you should only be saving your princes, like all the other princes in the fairytales you read," Tim told him.

"Sofia is strong enough to get herself out of trouble, and I only save her if she really needs it," Hugo glared.

But Richard and Tim wouldn't listen to Hugo or take him seriously.

"Aw, you're so cute—you know that?" Richard chortled. "Well, be off with you now with your princely things."

Hugo frowned and stormed off to his and his older brother Axel's bedroom. He was packing his bag for the trip, and he was muttering to himself everything Claudette, Richard, and Tim told him.

"You're a prince, and princes don't do thing s for themselves! They only save princesses!"

Hugo was disgusted that the castle staff see him that way. "I am NOT a fairytale prince!" he muttered. "I am a Protector of the Ever Realm, and I freed Sofia from her amulet because she couldn't get herself out."

Hugo continued to mutter to himself as he started to itch. He was so busy muttering to himself that he didn't notice Axel come in.

"Those conclusion-jumping, judgmental, knuckleheaded grownups have messed with the wrong prince!" Hugo continued. "They don't know who they're talking to."

Those words concerned Axel—he hoped nothing happened to his little brother. "Baby bro, are you okay?" he asked.

Hugo jumped at the sound of his brother's voice. "Oh, hey, Big Bro," he waved. "No, I'm not okay—I am sick of being judged by my title as a prince."

"Aw, my poor baby brother," Axel sighed. Then he noticed that Hugo was itching. "Is something else wrong?"

"Well, I AM a little itchy," Hugo admitted.

"But you were fine when we got home," Axel said. "When did you start feeling itchy?"

"Just now," Hugo replied. "I was in the stable when I noticed that Electra had fleas."

Hearing this made Axel realize, "It sounds like you have Electra's fleas. I'd better tell Dad."

Axel was just about to leave when his and Hugo's father, King Garrick, came in. "Tell me what, Axel?" he asked.

"Oh, hi, Dad," Axel waved. "I was just about to tell you what was going on with Hugo."

"I was in the stable when I saw that Electra had fleas in her mane, and I think I have them, too," Hugo said, scratching himself.

"I see," Garrick nodded. "I'll tell your mother that dinner can wait. Axel, can you get your brother read for a bath?"

"Can do," Axel smiled.