It was a busy time at castle Enchancia. Miranda had gone off to a royal meeting for a few days, and Sofia's boyfriend Charlie had just arrived to visit Sofia.

"So how have things been with you, Charlie?" Sofia asked.
"Pretty good." Charlie answered. "I've been making lots of new friends, thanks to you."
"You're welcome." Sofia smiled.
"And what about you, Sof?" Charlie asked.
"I'm okay." Sofia nodded. "I kinda miss my mom, though. Usually, we're only apart when I'm sleeping over at my friends, or at my dads."
"But... your dad is in the castle, remember?" Charlie pointed out.
"Oh, sorry." Sofia chuckled. "I was talking about my real father Alex. You haven't met him yet, have you?"

"You have two dads?" Charlie asked.
"Yes." Sofia smiled. "Do you want to meet my birth dad?"
"I guess so." Charlie shrugged.
"Just let me tell my step-dad where we're going." Sofia declared, moving to find Roland.
"Dad, I'm taking Charlie to meet my step-dad." Sofia told him. "Is that okay?"
"As long as you're both back by dinner." Roland nodded.
"Thanks!" Sofia smiled.
As Sofia and Charlie took a carriage to Alex's village, Charlie was suddenly struck by worry.
"What if your real dad doesn't like me?" He asked Sofia.
"I'm sure he will." Sofia smiled.
Before long, they landed.
"Here we are." Ray, the carriage driver smiled.
"Thank you, Ray." Sofia beamed.
The two young royals made their way to Alex's store.
"Hi, dad." Sofia waved.
"Hello, Sofia." Alex smiled. "And who is this?"
"Dad, this is prince Charlie." Sofia introduced. "He's my... boyfriend."
"I see." Alex glared at Charlie. "Don't you think you're a little young for that?"
"Dad..." Sofia groaned.
"Sorry." Alex shrugged. "Nice to meet you, prince Charlie."
"Nice to meet you, sir." Charlie hesitantly shook his hand.
"Sofia didn't tell me much about you." Alex noted.
"She didn't really tell me much about you either, sir." Charlie admitted.
"How about that?" Alex frowned.

"Sorry I didn't tell you, dad." Sofia apologised. "Truth is, we mostly write to each other."
"Well, what say we get to know each other over lunch?" Alex suggested.
"Okay." Charlie nodded.
"Sure, dad." Sofia smiled.
"Why don't you show Charlie around while I lock up?" Alex asked.
"Okay." Sofia nodded. "Come on, Charlie."
The two went into the hallway.
"Sorry about that." Sofia apologised. "My birth dad can be a little hard to relate to sometimes, but he really is great, once you get to know him."
"Wow, you are lucky, Sofia." Charlie smiled. "You have two dads."
"Thanks." Sofia beamed.
Meanwhile, back at the castle, Amber was thinking about how Sofia had a steady boyfriend, but she didn't.
"If Sofia can get a boyfriend, then so can I." She declared. "But who? Not Hugo. And Zandar's too close to James... Perhaps prince Desmond. He's shy, but he seems sweet..."
Back at Alex's house, everyone was drinking lemonade.
"So, where are you from, Charlie?" Alex asked.
"Nyria, sir." Charlie answered.
"Can't say I've heard much about it." Alex shrugged.
"It's really beautiful, dad." Sofia smiled. "You'd like it."
"If you say so, dear." Alex nodded. "And what's your family like, Charlie?"
"My dad's a little strict, but he's really nice, too." Charlie declared.
"I see." Alex smiled. "You seem like a nice enough kid, Charlie."
"Thanks you, sir." Charlie beamed.
"Just be sure to treat Sofia right." Alex warned. "Or else we're going to have a problem, understand?"
"Y-yes, sir." Charlie quivered.
"Dad!" Sofia protested.
"Just kidding!" Alex chuckled. "I know you'll treat her right, Charlie."
"Thank you, sir." Charlie smiled.

"Will you knock it off with the sir?" Alex chuckled. "Call me Alex."
"Okay." Charlie nodded.
"How's your mother, Sofia?" Alex asked.
"She's away at a royal meeting right now." Sofia declared. "But she should be back soon."
Back at the castle, Amber was putting her plan into action.
"Daddy, is it okay if I go and visit prince Desmond?" She asked Roland.
"I suppose so." Roland nodded. "Just be back by dinner."
"I will, dad." Amber nodded.
As Amber took a carriage to Desmond's castle, Sofia was showing Charlie around Alex's village.
"This is a nice place." Charlie noted.
"It sure is." Sofia smiled. "It's so nice and peaceful. Castle life can be a little busy, don't you think?"
"You got that right." Charlie nodded. "This is... quiet."

"Wanna go to the park and lie on the grass?" Sofia asked.
"Sure!" Charlie nodded.
As they went to the park, Amber was on her way to Desmond's castle. To Amber's delight, Desmond was outside, tending to plants in the castle garden.
"Hello, prince Desmond." She greeted him.
"Hello, princess Amber." Desmond nodded. "What, er, what brings you here?"
"Oh, just a little thing." Amber said airily. "A small question: Have you ever had a girlfriend before?"
"Um, no." Desmond said nervously.
"Then you're in luck." Amber smirked. "Henceforth, I shall take on the position of girlfriend #1."
"Y-you will?" Desmond stuttered.
"Congratulations." Amber said smugly.
"B-but, I..." Desmond mumbled.
"What's the matter?" Amber said, putting on a fake frown. "You don't think I deserve to be your girlfriend? Am I not pretty enough?"
"No, it's not that..." Desmond replied.
"Then it's settled." Amber dropped the act and started smiling again. "Now, for our first date, I suggest something simple, like a picnic. How does that sound?"
"Okay, I guess?" Desmond shrugged.
"Excellent." Amber nodded. "Come by the castle tomorrow, at noon. Until then, au revoir."
Amber strutted triumphantly back to the carriage.
"What just happened?" Desmond asked himself, totally confused.

That night, the royal family (Minus Miranda, plus Charlie) were having dinner.
"So Charlie, how did Alex treat you?" Roland asked.
"Okay, I guess." Charlie shrugged. "He was a little rough with me at first, but I think I won him over."
"Great." Roland nodded.
"By the way, father, I'm having prince Desmond around for lunch tomorrow." Amber announced.
"Des?" James asked. "Wait, is this like... a date?"
"I suppose it is." Amber smirked.
"Congratulations, Amber." Sofia smiled. "Desmond's really nice."
"I know." Amber chuckled.
"Well, I hope you two have fun." Roland noted.
"Thanks, daddy." Amber smiled.
"Come on, Charlie." Sofia said, once they'd eaten their food. "I want to show you my favourite place in the castle."
"Right behind you, Sof." Charlie got out of his chair.
James turned to Amber.
"Seriously?" He frowned. "You and Des?"
"And what's wrong with that?" Amber asked.
"Nothing." James shrugged. "He doesn't seem like your type."
"Well he is, okay?" Amber glared.
"Whatever." James snorted.

Sofia led Charlie outside, into the garden.
"So where is this favourite place of yours?" Charlie asked.
"You'll see." Sofia said cryptically.
Sofia led Charlie to a bush with a yellow ribbon on it.
"Here it is." She noted. "I tied the ribbon here, so I wouldn't forget the way in."
"The way in where?" Charlie asked.
Sofia removed the ribbon, revealing a gate just behind the bush. She opened the gate, revealing the beautiful garden she had used as the setting for the Royal Prep tea party.
"My secret garden." She declared.
"Wow." Charlie gasped. "You're amazing, Sofia."
"Thanks, Charlie." Sofia blushed.
The two sat on the grass and enjoyed their surroundings until the sun began to set, whereupon they returned to the castle.
The next day, Desmond arrived at the castle. Sofia and Charlie crossed paths with him as he entered.
"Hi, Desmond." Sofia waved.
"Hi." Desmond said nervously.
"This is prince Charlie." Sofia introduced them. "He's my boyfriend."
"Pleased to meet you." Charlie shook Desmond's hand.
"You too." Desmond nodded.
At that point, Amber came down the stairs.
"Ah, there you are, Desmond." She smiled. "Ready to go?"
"I guess." Desmond shrugged.
Sofia looked on as Amber led Desmond outside.
"Something doesn't feel right here." She noted.
"I know." Charlie nodded. "Maybe we should take a closer look."
"You read my mind." Sofia declared.
And with that, they followed Amber and Desmond outside.

Sofia and Charlie followed Amber and Desmond to the gardens, where they had their picnic spread out.
"Thanks for asking me out, Amber." Desmond said nervously.
"You should be thanking me." Amber smirked. "I am quite a catch, you know. A lot of princes would do anything to be with me."
"Really?" Desmond asked.
"Yes, and you're the lucky winner." Amber chuckled. "Wait'll Hildegarde and Cleo see us together. They'll be so jealous!"
"They will?" Desmond gulped.
"And so will all the other princes." Amber said smugly. "Especially that rotten prince Hugo. He'll be out of his mind with jealousy!"
Sofia and Charlie looked at each other. They didn't like the sound of what Amber was saying one bit.
"So, I suppose, since we're boyfriend and girlfriend, we should... hold hands?" Desmond offered.
"Oh, great idea!" Amber smiled. "That'll really sell it!"
"Sell it?" Desmond repeated.
"Looks like I made the right choice with you, Desmond." Amber declared. "Having a boyfriend worthy of me really feels good."

Sofia decided to come out of hiding.
"Amber, can I talk to you for a minute?" She asked.
"Fine." Amber groaned. "But only for a minute."
Sofia led Amber around a corner.
"What's going on, Amber?" Sofia asked.
"What do you mean?" Amber replied.
"I heard you talking about how you're going to show off Desmond at school." Sofia glared. "You're acting like he's some kind of trophy, or a prize."
"Well, I don't see how that's any of your business." Amber huffed. "Desmond's my boyfriend, not yours. More to the point, you don't see me meddling in yours and Charlie's relationship, do you?"
"But why are you interested in Desmond, all of a sudden?" Sofia asked. "You barely even noticed before!"
"Well, I..." Amber stuttered.
"Amber..." Sofia glared.
"Okay, I admit it." Amber groaned. "I was jealous of you and Charlie, so I decided to get a boyfriend of my own. To be honest, I didn't even ask Desmond. I just told him he was going to be my boyfriend, and he was so intimidated, he couldn't say 'no'."
"Oh, Amber..." Sofia sighed. "You know what you have to do now, don't you?"
"Yes." Amber groaned. "I'll tell Desmond what's really going on."
"That's it, Amber." Sofia smiled. "Just be honest with him."

Amber went back to Desmond.
"Desmond?" She asked. "I'm sorry."
"About what?" Desmond asked.
"For forcing you into this." Amber explained. "I didn't ask you to go out with me, I forced you. And that was wrong. Can you forgive me?"
"Sure." Desmond nodded. "In fact, it was kind of nice, having you for a girlfriend."

"Oh, really?" Amber asked, surprised.
"Yeah." Desmond nodded. "You're pretty, and nice... most of the time."
"Well, thank you..." Amber blushed.
"Maybe we could go on a real date sometime." Desmond offered. "I mean, if it's okay with you."
"It definitely would be." Amber smiled.
"Hey, maybe we could double-date sometime?" Sofia suggested.
"We'll see." Amber smiled.

That night, Miranda finally returned.

"It's good to have you back, mom." Sofia smiled.

"It's good to be back, Sofia." Miranda smiled back. "So, did anything interesting happen while I was away?"

"Oh, you have no idea... " Amber chuckled.

The End.