7DISCLAIMER: I do not own Sofia the First nor do I claim to. I just like the show and wanted to write a little something for it. However, I do own the OC Zwick as well as the concept of the Rune Mage I'll be using for this story.
_[ STORY ]_
Baileywick arrived at the ballroom to find it in the most pristine condition he'd seen in years, "my word you've all done a wonderful job," he said to his fellow servants, as they were finishing fixing the grand tree. There was a collective gasp as all eyes turned to the voice, Baileywick found himself surrounded and bombarded.
"Baileywick, Sir."
"Master Steward."
"Sir, your alright!?"
"We were so worried."
"We have everything covered here, Sir."
"You should be resting."
There was a chorus of agreement to that last statement, "everyone, please, settle down," Baileywick said within moments the ballroom was silent, "I came here to see how everything is going, but you all have exceeded my expectations," he praised, "I also am looking for Violet."
"Oh I know where she is Sir, she is getting lunch ready for their Majesties," someone said from the back of the group.
"Thank you, Simon," Baileywick said, he started to turn to leave when another voice called out.
"Sir, should you be walking around right now, I doubt the doctor would allow you back to work so soon," they said.
"I appreciate the concern, Mark, but as you all can see I am alright, and the injury I do have will heal very quickly," Baileywick said, "I will though be relying on all of you to keep things in order, the doctor had ordered me a weeks rest."
"You can rely on us, Sir."
"Ya, we got this, go and rest."
Baileywick couldn't help but smile, "you know I'll still be fretting over things, that's the way I am, regardless thank you for the reassurance," he told them leaving the ballroom.
On his way to the kitchen, Baileywick ran into James who was eating cookies from a small bag of cookies Chef Andre had given both him and his sisters as an early Wassailia snack.
"Prince James, you should not be spoiling your dinner or lunch in this case," Baileywick said making the young prince jump.
"Wow, Baileywick you spooked me," James said he saw the sling, "your arm, what happened?"
"Prince James I am fine it is nothing to worry about, but I can't say the same for your teeth, Andre knows better than to give you so much sugar," Baileywick reprimanded.
"Come on Baileywick it's Wassailia, I'll make up for it by eating all my veggies for a whole month," James said.
Baileywick raised an eyebrow at the boy, "my young Prince I need to find Violet, please try not to eat all those cookies before lunch," he said.
"I'll try not too," James said tucking the bag into a breast pocket, "bye Baileywick," he said with a wave.
Violet was putting on the finishing touches of the royal lunch when Baileywick walked in, much like the ballroom, the kitchen staff reacted.
"Oh, Baileywick Sir, it's so good to see your alright," Violet said offering the man a cup of coffee, which he declined.
"Yes, well I came seeking you out because the good doctor has me on strict rest for at least a week and I would like for you to take over for me in the meantime," he told her.
The poor woman was taken aback, "me you want me to cover for you!?" she asked wondering if she heard right.
"Violet I can not think of a more qualified individual, I would want to look out for the staff of the castle," he said, "I know you can handle it, I have seen it on more than one occasion you stepping up beyond your normal duties to help out."
Violet couldn't handle the words of a man she had worked for and admired for years; she fainted outright, Andre had been close by and managed to catch her, before her head connected with the ground, "not the reaction I was expecting," Baileywick said.
Roland sat in his office the curtains draw to keep out as much of the blinding sunlight as possible. He still had a blistering head ace that flared when he entered the brightly lit room that coupled with his inability to concentrate on any of his paperwork jogged an old memory from his youth.
"This is like that time when I was James age and had climbed a tree on a dare from Tilly...what was it the doctor then had called it...oh right a concussion," Roland said aloud, "geez what a pain it took a good two weeks to get rid of that headache and start to feel like my self again. I better get some pain meds for this if I'm going to make it through the festivities tonight," he added before leaving and heading for the medical ward.
Come nightfall the royal family was gathered in a drawing room fully decorated in Wassailia tradition, Roland walked in with Miranda who much like Zwick had reprimanded the King for not saying he was injured any sooner.
Amber and Sofia like James had met Baileywick, Amber being the one to figure out that he had been hurt saving their father, Roland apologized to them all for not saying anything, he didn't want them to worry. The Steward was practically dragged to the room and forced to sit still and enjoy the evening with the family he had adopted well Violet, and a few other floated around passing out snacks and drinks, each with a smile as they were able to do something for the one who did so much for them.
The children were finally able to give Baileywick his gift, "don't worry this time there is no one to interpret," James joked as Sofia brought the small box over.
Sofia undid the bow, so all he had to do was slip the lid off, and when he did, he was met with a gorgeous bronze and mother of pearl pocketwatch. The front was a pond landscape with the sky being a piece of glass that he could see part of the clock face below, and the back was imbued with the royal crest.
"Oh my...this is beautiful, but it's too much I could never accept something like this," he said his eyes watering a little by the thoughtfulness.
"Baileywick," Amber called, "you have done so much for us, more then we can ever repay, and we don't show it enough, but this is a small thing we can do to show you how much we care about you." She told him, no one need to add more the eldest sibling had said everything the others felt as well.
"Look on the inside panel," Sofia said.
He opened the watch, it popped with a quiet click of the pin and there in printed letters was, 'Thank you for all you do and deal with on a daily basis. Keep it up, with much love Amber, James, Sofia.'
Tears flowed freely from the older man's eyes as he read and reread the words, how he ended up working for such kind people he could never understand.
"Happy Wassailia, Baileywick," Roland said.
Zwick meanwhile was finishing his cleaning and sanitation of the medical ward when something caught his eye, a silver mass was laying on the floor, "what the...where did you come from," he said aloud moving closer, it morphed and released a gas that Zwick inhaled deeply and he started to cough as his eyes began to water. The melted arrowhead made its way below a bedframe, once his sight was clear, Zwick looked around the room, "what was I doing...cleaning that's it."
He left the area he had been approaching, and the blob slipped into the small tunnel network, Sofia used to sneak around in, it kept further and further until it found the Dongen. After finding the cell holding the would-be assassin, it approached and climbed up the wall behind the man, "dear fool I gave you a job and you botched it, but unlike the other, I still need you in place for my plan. So get comfortable," it said before turning into dust.
A wicked grin spread across his face, "this is turning out to be an interesting job."
_[ ~FIN~ ]_
Note: I am SO sorry this is late, but pleas I hope yo all enjoyed it.
