Chapter Text
Business was booming for Miranda’s shoe shop ever since the King had become a regular customer. It definitely helped that Miranda owned what was pretty much the only shoe shop in Dunwiddie and that the seasons were changing, but Sofia liked to think the King was the only reason for the sudden increase in sales.
Sofia was polishing more shoes than ever these past few weeks and it was exactly what she was doing as she watched her mom walk through the door. The young girl was on her sixth pair of her after school polish session when her mother walked in sporting a wide grin.
Sofia’s mother, Miranda, had been spending more and more time at the castle for each delivery she made. Sometimes Sofia went with her, it was always the highlight of her week. The King was always so nice to her, and her mom was always just a little happier around him, like a fresh breeze in the summer heat. Sofia thinks that they may even like each other. Of course no one has proven her suspicions but she loves to imagine her mom having a fairy tale happy ending.
“Sofia, could you help me get the kitchen prepped to make some stew? It’s almost dinner time!” Miranda instructed her daughter as she set her bag down by the door.
Sofia finished up the shoe she had been working on and then quickly went off to wash her hands. While Miranda cut up some vegetables, Sofia filled the pot up with water and let it boil. They got to work, as Miranda put vegetables in the pot, Sofia stirred while standing on her stool until Miranda was ready to take over.
“Sweetheart, could you set the table?” Miranda asked her daughter and continued, “I have some important news to tell you while we eat.”
Sofia hurried to get the table ready for the stew her mother was beginning to pour into bowls for them to eat. She wondered what news her mom had to tell her was.
When Sofia finished setting the table she sat down but couldn’t quite manage to sit still, too excited for what her mother had to share. When Miranda sat down across from her, the girl was practically bouncing out of her seat.
“How was your day at school?” her mother asked, smiling at her daughter’s antics.
“Good but you have to tell me your news mom, you just have to!” Sofia said, unable to keep waiting for any longer.
“Well Sofia, you know how I’ve been seeing the King more often now?” she asked.
“Mhm?”
“Well, as you’ve probably noticed I’ve been spending more and more time at the castle these past few months. It started when we first went to deliver his shoes but then he needed another pair, which I took when you were at Ruby’s house if you remember. Then he ordered some more for the prince and princess and each time I was there he would treat me to something nice like jiggly wiggly pudding. And we liked spending all that time together, so after he was done buying all the shoes he needed, he invited me to join him in the castle.”
“Really?” Sofia asked excitedly, her mother had just admitted to having an invitation to the castle! By the King himself! And it wasn’t even business related!
“Yes, he took me on a picnic date in the gardens. And we’ve actually done this a few times now-”
“You went on dates with the King of Enchancia?!” Sofia asked excitedly. How had her mother been able to keep such a big secret from her? That was surely impossible.
“Yes and we’ve been really enjoying them. So much so that he asked me a big question today and I wanted to share that answer with you,” Miranda said, nervous but excited for Sofia’s reaction.
“What is it?” Sofia asked in anticipation as her mother got up from her seat to crouch next to her, pulling her hands into her own.
“He asked me to marry him!” Miranda exclaimed. Although Sofia had thought that the two had feelings for each other, she never would have considered that the King would marry her mom!
It’s been just the two of them for a few years now, leaning on each other while grieving the loss of her father. This would be a big change from what she was used to. And going from a villager to a royal? How was she ever going to make that work?
“Oh Mom, that’s amazing,” Sofia said. She was happy for her mother but her worries had already started clouding her brain.
“Oh, I’m so glad you think so!” her mother exclaimed while pulling her into a hug. “I wanted to make sure you were okay with it first so I told him I’d love to but I needed to check with you before giving a final answer. It will be a big change but I know it’ll work out.”
Sofia hoped she was right.
–
Sofia laid in bed next to the window staring up at the night sky. She couldn’t sleep, worries clouding her mind. She turned towards her mother, who was sleeping on the other side of the room, a ghost of a smile on her face.
Sofia was happy for her mother. She put on a brave face for Sofia everyday after her father died but she still heard her mom crying at night sometimes when she thought her daughter was asleep.
So Sofia was ecstatic that her mom had someone to love again, someone to be her rock when things got tough. But Sofia was also scared that it meant they were forgetting her dad.
Birk Balthazar, the sailor. The one who taught her how to feel the ocean breeze and let it guide her to wherever she wanted to go. The one who took her on adventures and as many sailing trips as she wanted. The one who would jump off the boat for a late night swim and pull her into the water to float with him and stare at the night sky. Birk Balthazar, her dad, whom she missed dearly even with his memory fading away.
She was young when it happened. Five years old when he was lost at sea leaving her and her mother behind. It had just been the two of them ever since.
It was a horribly difficult time, Sofia found herself crying anytime even the slightest thing reminded her of the person she missed most. But her friends were there through it all.
Even though they didn’t fully understand what Sofia was going through, they tried their best to cheer her up every chance they got. Sofia loved them dearly, like sisters, but moving away to the palace? How often would they get to see each other? What if they stopped being friends? What was Sofia supposed to do then? New family, new life, a fading father and no friends?
Sofia didn’t think she could take all this change even if it did make her mother happy.