It was late at night when James raised his head. It took him a moment to wonder why he wasn't in his bed. He looked around for a moment, wondering how he got here, but then he remembered coming home from Avalor, falling asleep on the way, and being tucked in on the couch in the sitting room. He vaguely remembered being carried inside and placed here for the night. So, mystery solved, he smiled at the little jaquin tucked in next to him and fell asleep again. A few hours later, he felt someone shaking him awake.

Madeline said, "James wake up! It's morning now!"

"Have a good night?" Sabrina asked.

"Okay," James smiled a little. "When did we get back?"

"Late last night," Madeline said as she sat next to him. "Miss Bianca and Miss Florence carried us up to bed, and Roland put you on the couch. Everyone else is upstairs."

"Okay," James nodded as he sat up and collected Zebra. "I might take Zebra here up to meet his new friends."

"Can we come too?" Madeline asked.

"Sure," James agreed as he led the way to his room.

On the way, Sabrina said, "Madeline, where are our Jaquins?"

"Howie and Butterfly are probably in your room meeting your own dolls," James shrugged. "But now..." he paused at the trunk at the foot of his bed, and lifted out some stuffed animals. "Let's let Prince Blizzard, Little Rex, Sir Blaze-a-Lot and Cammo Kitty meet their new brother-slash-writing assistant."

Madeline giggled and picked Zebra up. "Hi! I'm Zebra!" she made him say.

"Hi, Zebra!" Sabrina made each of James' stuffed animals say.

"Okay, now while they're getting to know each other, let's see what everyone else is up to," James smiled, leading them out again.

Madeline frowned. "But James, Howie and Butterfly weren't in our room when we work up this morning, they weren't beside us we look under our beds, and we didn't see them when we came to find you."

"That's because they were still in Bobby Lee's bag with everyone else's kitties," Nell smiled as she gave Howie to Sabrina and Butterfly to Madeline. "You were sound asleep when we brought you up to bed, so we decided to let our kitties have one last sleepover together before we took them to our rooms. Now why don't you let them meet their new siblings, and we'll all get some breakfast?"

"Okay," Sabrina smiled. "And maybe we can have a kitty sing-along later."

"Kitties do like sing-alongs," Madeline smiled.

Nell smiled. "They sure do, girls; see you at breakfast."

"And don't forget, we need to get together with Sofia and Amber to talk about the Valentine's Day party at your school," James added as they went on their way.

"It's going to be so much fun! We'll wear the new dresses we made in Isabel's Presto Changer!" Sabrina smiled, twirling around as if she was already wearing one of the dresses Isabel had made for her.

"And Ms. Canfield-Brodie will tell us more about it today!" Madeline agreed. "James, you might want to come too, since she said she's bringing in a karaoke machine for entertainment!"

James smiled excitedly. "Sure, I will come. What time is Miss Canfield-Brodie talking to your class about the party?"

"She'll tell us about it tomorrow after lunch," Sabrina remembered. "But my friend Elizabeth said that some of the parents are going to make treats for the party."

"Yeah!" Madeline smiled. "Miss Bianca says she's going to make a few desserts for the party, and Nell said she's bringing pulled pork and hamburger buns."

"What day is it?" James asked.

Sabrina said, "Valentine's day, of course!"

"A karaoke party on Valentine's Day?" James grinned, "Join me now in saying, brilliant!"

"Yes, but you will let everyone have a turn singing!" Bobby Lee said as he came in and heard the conversation. He put James in a headlock and mussed his hair as he added, "As much as we like hearing you sing, everyone deserves a chance at the karaoke machine!"

Madeline and Sabrina giggled as Bobby Lee proceeded to "convince" James to let other people sing.

"All right! I promise!" James begged as he tried to squirm out of his grip. "I won't hog the karaoke machine!"

Madeline said, "I can't wait for the party!"

"It's going to be fun," Sabrina smiled as Bobby Lee let James go. "But I wish Howitzer could be there. I know we're going to be pen pals, but I think he'd like the party too. He and his mommy could even bring those pastries we liked."

"Maybe they'll come someday, Sabrina, but for now, let's think about right now," Bobby Lee grinned. "You and Madeline can tell your friends all about Avalor…" he paused when he saw James leave. "And we'll invite them to the party Queen Elena's going to have here for James' book when it comes out. You said they like reading his stories in that magazine, as well as some of the boys who tease you."

Sabrina smiled, and Bobby Lee made a mental note to write to Queen Elena to ask if Howitzer and his mother Miss Lily were coming.

Madeline said, "Nell, our friends Elizabeth and Lilac asked me and Sabrina to go to their sleepover sometime. They told us recently, but they reminded us of it again."

"As long as it's on a weekend," Nell nodded. "But this is the first time I'm hearing about it, so when I take you to school, we'll get all the details."

"Okay," Madeline agreed.

"We just found out about it ourselves, but okay," Sabrina agreed.

Amber said, "Sabrina, Madeline, about this Valentine party, of course you two need the best cards!"

"You'll help us, Amber?" Madeline asked.

"Yes, and leave those to me!" Amber grinned. "I can make an entire supply of valentines for your class, and your teacher in no time, and they'll be fabulous!"

"Are you sure you can make valentines for both Madeline and Sabrina to give out to everyone in their class?" Nell asked.

"Nell, if I can re-create Madeline's first birthday card while she's in time-out and you two are having a heart-to-heart, then I'm pretty sure I can make two sets of valentines for her and Sabrina to hand out!" Amber smirked.

"Okay, if you're sure," Nell chuckled.

Amber smiled confidently. "Nell the two sets of cards well be ready in no time, you will see!"

"Okay, as Florence puts it, Amber, I'll let you drive the boat with the Valentine's day cards, but try not to make them too extravagant," Nell smirked. "I know you won't need it, but I'll still say it. If you need any help, let me know."

"If you need us, we'll help too!" Madeline spoke up as Sabrina nodded at her side, "The cards are for our class anyway."

"Okay," Amber smiled.

"And Amber, keep in mind that it's a simple Valentine's Day party for my sisters' class," Nell added, "Emphasis on SIMPLE!"

"Okay, I won't go overboard on the cards," Amber smiled.

Sofia said, "Is there anything I could do to help you with?"

Sabrina paused. "We need a Valentine story for our class."

"I could write something," Sofia offered. "I know I'm not the writer James is, but I have helped him sometimes, and he even put me in some of his stories."

"We've read those!" Madeline smiled. "I really liked the one about the dog. James said that was the first one he put you in. I even took that one with me for silent reading time. My friend John saw me reading it, and I let him borrow it during recess."

"That's right," Sabrina smiled. "John and my friend Lilac both read Adventure Stories Weekly, and they always save the magazines that have James' stories!"

With the ideas in their heads, Madeline said, "See you later, Sofia!"

Sofia said, "Bye, girls."

When Madeline and Sabrina got to school, everyone was talking about the party. They knew it wasn't for a little while yet, but as they knew, good things came to those who waited.

"Lilac! Elizabeth!" Madeline called when she saw her and Sabrina's friends.

"Should we tell them?" Sabrina whispered. "I know we told Nell we wouldn't tell James about the party for his book, but she knows our friends can keep a secret."

"Sure we can," Madeline smiled. "They like James' stories too, and I'm going to tell John about it. I know he won't say anything about it."

Sabrina said, "I'll tell Elizabeth about James' party, Maddie."

Madeline smiled. "Thanks Sabrina."

As they joined their friends, John, a boy Madeline liked, noticed her excited look and said, "Hey, Madeline, you seem happy about something. What's up?"

"John, you won't believe it," Madeline said as they went to their table, "You like James' stories, right?"

"Yeah!" John grinned. "I remember this one story in Adventure Stories Weekly that he wrote about this princess's missing doll. She hired Andrew Harmon to find it, since its magic could be really bad in the wrong hands."

"Well, how would you like to read it again?" Madeline asked.

"Yeah!" John grinned.

When Sabrina and their friends Lilac and Elizabeth had joined them, Madeline told them about Queen Elena putting all of James' stories into a collection and publishing it.

"I can't wait to read it!" Lilac smiled. "Prince James' stories are so cool!"

"But you can't tell him," Sabrina added.

"We won't!" their friends promised.

Madeline smiled. "Great! Thanks, guys."

Soon, their teacher, Miss Canfield-Brodie, said, "Okay, class, take your seats please."

The class listened excitedly as Miss Canfield-Brodie told them about the party. She told them that since the party included not just their grade, but everyone in the school, it was going to be held in the gym. "I need some volunteers to help decorate. Is anyone interested?"

"I'll do it!" Sabrina called.

"Me too!" Elizabeth volunteered.

"Me too!" Madeline called out.

John said, "I will too!"

"Me too, please!" Lilac said.

Miss Canfield-Brodie said at their enthusiasm. "Great! Thanks, everyone!"

"We know someone who can supply some great songs too," Sabrina added.

"If you're talking about Prince James, that's a wonderful idea," Miss Canfield-Brodie smiled. "I've heard him sing, and he has incredible talent! It will be fun having him here, not only running the karaoke machine, but hearing him sing too."

"And he knows not to hog the karaoke machine," Madeline smiled.

"He can sing as much as he wants, and so can anyone who's interested," Miss Canfield-Brodie smiled.

John said, "Miss Canfield-Brodie, can we buy cards or should we make a card?"

Miss Canfield said, "This year, everyone has to make their own cards. Okay?"

"That sounds like fun," Lilac smiled. "I love working with glitter!"

"You and Amber would get along really well," Sabrina giggled. "She's helping us with ours, and if I know Amber, she's going to go overboard with the glitter!"

"At least you'll all have time to make cards," Miss Canfield-Brodie assured them, "The party's not until the end of the week."

Madeline frowned. "The end of the week? Oh boy, Sabrina, that doesn't give us or Amber much time."

Sabrina smiled. "Maddie, we have until Friday. How hard can it be?"

At the same time, another student, Amy, said, "Can we were pretty dresses that day?"

"Of course! I can't wait to see them," Miss Canfield-Brodie smiled.

"And maybe we should help Amber with Valentines," Sabrina whispered to Madeline, who nodded in agreement.

"We should also make one for the teachers," Madeline whispered back. "And maybe get the class a gift that everyone can use."

"Yeah!" Sabrina whispered. "We could use some new games in the game cubby, or get some new books or magazines."

Madeline grinned. "I have a better idea. Instead of games or books, what about a little Hamster?"

Sabrina giggled. "Maddie, that is the best idea you've had yet!"

"A class pet?" John whispered, hearing their conversation, "That does sound like a cool idea, but I don't think the teacher would go for it. But you do have a good idea about a gift for the class."

"Do you want to come over and talk about ideas after school?" Madeline asked.

John smiled. "Okay."

Sabrina said, "John, believe me, the teacher well go for it! I mean, we are the only class without a pet, really. Why can't we get a pet?"

"Because my brother's class bird got loose last year when someone left a window open," John explained. "After she flew away, the teachers agreed that no more animals would be allowed in school."

"We need to think about the gifts we give the class," Elizabeth added. "Will they be useful for everyone, or will they cause trouble?"

Sabrina nodded in agreement. Elizabeth's words made sense. She didn't want to cause trouble with a class pet.

Madeline said, "Elizabeth, want to come over after school? We can think of something to give the whole class."

"That sounds like a good idea," Elizabeth smiled. "We can write down ideas and share them after school."

A few hours later, Madeline, Sabrina, and their friends were in Madeline and Sabrina's room, and were talking about the different ideas they had come up with.

Sabrina said, "Elizabeth, let's hear your ideas first!"

"I think we should get some new games for the game shelf," Elizabeth suggested. "Some of them have lost pieces, and we can't play them like we used to."

"Or we could get some new books for the class library," Madeline suggested. She made sure to keep her voice down, just in case James was around as she added, "Since Queen Elena's going to bring a whole box of James' book with her, we can take one and give it to the class!"

"New books sound like a great idea," John agreed. "We should look through our books and see if we have any we can donate too."

Sabrina said, "Madeline is right; we've read our old books; why would we read them again in school?"

"Well, we've never read your old books, so they'll be new to us," Elizabeth reasoned.

"Good point," Sabrina admitted.

Lilac suggested, "Or how about both: new games for the shelf, along with new books for the class library."

John said, "That may just work! Madeline and Sabrina are in charge of the books, and Lilac, Elizabeth and I can get the games for the shelf."

Elizabeth said, "Good idea, but what can we do with the old games?"

"Let's look through the games we have at home," John suggested. "I've some at home that I don't play anymore. My mom said something about taking them to our cabin so we have something to play with there, but I'll ask her if I can take them to school instead."

"I'll look through my old games too," Elizabeth agreed.

"Okay, now that we've got a plan for a class gift, let's start working on our valentines for the party," Sabrina agreed.

Madeline said, "Sabrina, our friends are still herel We can't let them peek at their cards!"

Sabrina frowned. "Oh, right. Sorry Maddie."

"Don't worry," Madeline smiled. "Miss Bianca always says good things come to those who wait. And these cards, and James' book, will definitely be worth waiting for!"

"You're right," Sabrina smiled as they started working.

Amber smiled when she came in and saw Madeline and Sabrina with their friends. "There you two are! What's going on?"

"Amber! We're ready to help with the valentine cards!" Sabrina smiled. "We were just talking about the class gift. We're going to donate some of our old books and games to the classroom."

"That sounds like a good idea," Amber smiled. "I'll get together with James and Sofia, and maybe we can find some books and games that we don't use anymore and give those to you too. I also wanted to tell you and Madeline: I finished your valentines for your party, and although I promised not to make them too fancy, they still look really nice."

"You made those all by yourself?" Elizabeth gasped, "They're beautiful!"

Sabrina said, "Thanks Amber, and we'll sign them later on tonight. Right now, you should take the cards with you and put them in the box Nell put out for us. And Elizabeth, just forgot what you saw! We want yours to be a surprise for you."

"Just get it out of your mind," Madeline smiled.

A few days later, the Valentine's Day party was underway. The kids loved the cards they got, especially the ones Amber helped make, and the class gift of games and books were well received by everyone. The day after Amber had helped Sabrina and Madeline make their cards, she, James, and Sofia had hunted through their closets and found some games and books they no longer used.

Sabrina and Madeline were also getting several compliments on their Avaloran dresses. Since Lilac had a birthday coming up, they offered to have a dress made for her.

At the same time, Nell was grinning as she watched the clock. In a few minutes, there would be a special guest, and she'd have a special surprise for someone in the room. She watched as James sang a song with Madeline and Sabrina, and smiled to herself. James didn't suspect a thing.

Sofia said, "Thank you, James, Sabrina, and Madeline. Now James please close your eyes. Sabrina and Madeline, if you would, please open the door…"

Madeline and Sabrina opened the door, and in walked Queen Elena, followed by her grandparents and Isabel. They waved at the class and whispered greetings. Queen Elena stopped in front of James and tapped his shoulder.

James opened his eyes and smiled when he saw Queen Elena. "Hello, everyone," she greeted the class, "I've come here today because there is a very special person I've been asked to honor. Prince James," she added, turning to James, "Everyone in Avalor loves reading the stories you sent to me, and I told you that they'd be published in a book. Today, I present to you, the first box of your story collection!"

James grinned as everyone applauded. "Thank you! This is even more brilliant than the karaoke machine!"

"And that must be pretty brilliant," Madeline giggled as she took the book James held out. "Miss Canfield-Brodie, we'd also like to donate this book to the class library."

"I'll accept it on one condition," Miss Canfield-Brodie smiled. "Would the author sign it?"

"Okay!" James grinned as he signed the book.

Sabrina said, "Isabel, can Madeline and I talk to you in the hallway please?"

Isabel said, "Sure girls, what's up?"

Madeline said, "Isabel, can you make another dress for our friend Lilac? Her birthday is coming up and we promised her a dress as a present."

Isabel said, "Girls, I will make one for Lilac if you like, alright?"

"That would be so great, Isabel, thank you! We'll ask her what her favorite color is, and you can make her dress that way," Sabrina smiled. "You can send it to us when it's ready, and we'll give it to her for her birthday."

"Sounds like a plan to me," Isabel smiled.

Madeline said, "We can ask her on Saturday when we play together."

Sabrina said, "Good thinking, Maddie."

The End