Wow sorry for not updating sooner. I have been having a really tough time lately. OK enough of that, here is the next chapter. Like I promised in the last Chapter, this one is a lot darker. I do have an ending in mind, so don't worry, this one will be finished. It will probably be about 2-3 more chapters. Well enjoy :)

Sofia awoke with the sunlight on her face. It had been three days since Mr. Cedrick had put up the dreamcatcher, and in that time Sofia hadn't had the dream once. The voice hadn't bothered her either. Things were finally looking up. She had started to think that past couple months had been a crazy dream, but there were moments when she swore she could almost hear the voice. Like a whisper on the wind. Very faint, and she couldn't make out what it said, but it was still there. She knew she wasn't cured. So she was just trying to take it day by day, always worried that it would come crashing back around her head.

Shaking herself off from her dark thoughts she got up and started to get ready for the day. She put on her dress and washed her face. Going over to the mirror she did her hair. She didn't even think to reach for her tiara, and it was accumulating dust now. She didn't even think to look at it.

Getting up Sofia headed to the window to open it. A little fresh air might make this room lighter she hoped. She really wanted to just catch that sunlight and bottle it, so the shadows could never get to her again. She would wear it on her neck in a bottle and whenever things got to dark she could open it and cheer herself up. Chuckling to herself she wondered if such a thing was possible. Maybe she should ask Mr. Cedrick.

The door to her room opened and Sofia turned to see Baileywick in the doorway. He was smiling at her and he looked happy this morning. Maybe he had gotten in a new floor polisher or something.

'She looks amazing' Baileywick thought to himself. 'I can't believe the change in her.' He couldn't take the silly grin off his face no matter how hard he tried

"Princess breakfast is served." He said still beaming at her and bowing.

"Thanks Baileywick!" Sofia replied jumping down from her window nook. She turned around to shut the window then decided she would rather have it open. It was such a pretty day.

Walking up to Baileywick she put her hand in his and let him escort her down to breakfast. She shut the door behind her without looking back.

As soon as the door was shut a figure in a dark hooded robe came sliding into the room through the open window. Looking around the dark figure saw no one, and proceeded to Sofia's bed. Still hanging on the wall was the dream catcher. The figure could feel the dreamcatcher pushing, trying to keep them from the little princess. Moving slowly now with effort, the figure reached into a pocket and pulled out scissors. Going up to the dreamcatcher the figure began slowly, methodically, cutting through the stands. The figure only cut a little, so that you couldn't tell the dreamcatcher had been compromised, but enough so that it was now powerless. Smiling, the figure went back to the window and let itself out smiling. 'good luck Princess.'

Sofia was reaching for a scone when a wave of dread hit her. 'Oh no' she thought in her head. She dropped the scone with a bang and everyone looked up at her from the table. 'No, no, no, no….' she looked at her family and mustered up a half smile.

"Sorry. It must have slipped..." she looked at the royal family. They didn't seem to be mad at her or hear her for that matter, but she couldn't tell.

Oh Sofia. They aren't mad because you mean nothing to them. You are just sitting with them because your mom is King Roland's wife. Soon you will be with the servants in the servants' quarters so they don't have to look at you.'

Sofia mustered up her strength and excused herself saying she wasn't feeling well. Without saying anything to the royal family she ran up to her room where she started to shake violently. 'how? How are you back? I thought I got rid of you. I thought WE got rid of you. Why are you here? What have I done to deserve this? Why? Why? Why?'

Down at the breakfast table Amber watched her sister run out of the room like demons were chasing her. She looked around horrified, but no one noticed. How can no one be noticing?! She was losing her sister and no one seemed to care! She looked at her father first and was disappointed. He was reading the paper without a care in the world. Then she looked at her mother. Her mother was talking to one of the servants about something, but it wasn't important. She didn't even bother to look at James. He was a boy and boys never noticed anything.

Amber was getting madder and madder. 'why does no one care?' her thoughts were anguished. 'who is going to help me get my sister back.' Amber was just about to lose it she could feel the tears start rising when she looked up. Baileywick had the same look on his face that must have been on hers. 'someone does care' Amber latched on to this thought and began furiously thinking of a way to save her sister. She excused herself and ran up to Baileywick.

"I have a plan." She whispered.

Up in her room Sofia cried until she had nothing left.

'Sofia. I never left you. I just wanted you to see how little they care for you.'

'No they love me.'

'Really? Then why did no one come running up after you? I don't see anyone in this room do you? You weren't exactly subtle in your exit. Why is no one here to check on you?'

'Shut up shut up shut up.' Sofia cried desperately. She looked at the dreamcatcher. It looked fine, there was nothing out of the ordinary about it. She gave up her last bit of hope. It didn't work… Maybe she should go up to Mr. Cedrick and tell him.

'you want to bother him again? Are you sure about that? He already gave up some of his time making that ridiculous thing that didn't even work. He doesn't love you either you know.'

Sofia laid her head down and wept.

Amber pulled Baileywick in a room and shut the door behind her.

"I can't sit back anymore Baileywick." Amber said determined. "I cannot watch the sister I love waste away any longer. I won't! She was doing so well over the last 3 days. She was talking more and her eyes lit up. I thought finally I have my sister back. She still doesn't wear her tiara, but at least she was talking. Then I saw the shadow fall back on her this morning. I knew before she left the table the happiness had left her again. I knew it Baileywick. And no one seems to care!" After her passionate speech Amber fell into Baileywicks arms and wept. She hadn't cried this much since she lost her mother.

Baileywick said nothing and scooped Amber into his arms and rocked her while she cried. Exactly as he had done when her mother had died. He waited for her to cry herself out.

Hiccupping Amber pulled back and looked into someone she thought of as a second father.

"OK princess, what did you have in mind?"

Amber squared her shoulders and said "I want to throw her a party."

Later in the day Sofia still hadn't come out of her room. And Amber and Baileywick were hard at work planning a party for that evening. Usually that is way too little time for a party, but Amber could be amazing when she wanted something. She started with her parents telling them that Sofia was feeling a little down and that she wanted to throw her a party. They were easy. Then she contacted all the kids at school and invited them to a surprise party for Sofia. She didn't give them an option to not be there, just told them the time they were expected.

Baileywick was hard at work in the kitchen getting all the staff to prepare a big cake and all the food that would be needed for the party. 'I hope this works' Secretly he didn't think it would, but then his brilliant plan had backfired so he was willing to try anything. He didn't want to lose the Sofia he was just getting back. So a surprise party it was. usually it would be hard to keep this a secret, but Sofia hadn't left her room all day and he didn't think she would. If she did, they would just have to keep her occupied till it was time.

He even invited Cedrick to the party to do some magical things to the ceiling. Ever since the day with the dreamcatcher he and Cedrick and been getting along better. They both realized how much Sofia meant to them, and it had kind of formed a bridge over their past squabbles.

Up in her room Sofia went to the window and shut it. The sun was still shining, but she couldn't feel it's warmth. She was cold all over. She pulled the heavy blinds and put her room into darkness.

'Still no one is up here to check on you. What a shame.'

"They are just busy that's all."

'you still think they care about you? Oh Sofia I thought you were smarter than this.'

"I will prove it to you. I know they care about me… At least I think Amber does…." Sofia trailed off unsure.

Squaring her shoulders, she went down to find her sister.

She didn't have to look long; Amber was hurrying down the hallway with her shirt fluttering behind her.

"Amber."

"Can't talk now Sofia. I have a million things to do. Why don't you go outside and play until dinner time?" Amber said in a rush.

'see?'

"Oh ok… no problem…" Sofia started walking down the hallway in the opposite direction as the princess Amber.

Amber watched her sister go. 'hang on just a bit Sofia. I am going to show you how much you mean to me.' With a smile she resumed her run. She was going to go talk and get Sofia's favorite dancers to come to the party. That would show her how much she was loved.

Sofia walked until she found Baileywick.

"Hey Baileywick. Do you have a second?" Sofia asked trying hard not to cry.

Baileywick started. Turning around he saw Sofia. 'oh no. if she sees this the surprise will be ruined.' "I am sorry your highness, but I am busy right now. If you come back later, say after dinner, I would be more than happy to entertain you." He said shoving her out of the room he was in. He knew he had to get her away from the Party planning.

"Oh ok. That's fine... See you later Baileywick." Sofia kept her voice light as she walked away.

Maybe she should try Mr. Cedrick next.

'why bother? He doesn't care either. But you go ahead and try.' The voice said Gleefully.

Sofia dejectedly went in search of Mr. Cedrick.

She found him outside with the flowers. He seemed to be concentrating very hard on something. Silently she walked up behind him and waited.

He felt her the second she came up. He turned to her and looked into her face. Yep the sad Sofia was back. It hurt his heart to see her like this. This was almost worse than the first time he had seen her. Why had his dreamcatcher stopped working? He was going to have to check on it. He looked into her face and decided she needed this party. He thought it was a silly idea, but maybe it would be enough to pull her out of the hole she found herself in. He was going to make his party enchantments so much better to cheer her up.

"What can I do for you Sofia?"

"Well I was wondering if you were busy…. But I guess you are..." She said with a sigh.

"I am Princess, but if you come back after dinner, you and I can have a long talk."

"OK." Without another word Sofia left and made her way up to her room.

'Do you believe me now? They don't care about you. They don't love you. Even the ones who profess to love and care about you couldn't be bothered with you today. Why are you still here Sofia?'

Sofia sat on her bed and got very still.

"What do you mean?"

'Well maybe since you are a burden to them, you should remove yourself. I mean you don't WANT to be a nuisance do you?' the voice was kind, almost loving.

"Nooooo…." Sofia said softly.

'Well then I suggest you leave. You have skills that can help you out there in the real world, and then you won't have to constantly be reminded how little they care about you. They would probably even be relieved if you left. You would be doing everyone a favor. Leave everything behind. Your shoes, dresses, jewels, Everything.'

"But…"

'You want them to be happy don't you?'

Sofia steeled herself up. "Yes. I want them to be happy. I love them, even if they don't love me." Before she could lose her nerve she grabbed a piece of paper to write a note to the royal family.

Dear Royal Family, Baileywick, and Mr. Cedrick,

I am sorry to have been such a burden on you over the years. I am leaving so you can live your lives in peace without the pain of having me around. I am so sorry that I have been such a hardship for you. I just want you to know that I love you all, and you will always be in my thoughts.

Your Loving Subject,

Sofia

Sofia dried her eyes and put the note on her bed. She felt nothing, she was hollow. She looked around for her furry companions but they were nowhere to be found. She wouldn't be able to say goodbye. Maybe it was for the best. If she saw them she might not be able to go through with this. She went to her closet and in the back was her clothes from before she was a princess. 'Fake princess' she thought. She took off her dress and put her other clothes on. They needed to be altered, but they fit ok. She grabbed a cloak and put it on. It was now or never.

Sofia walked towards the door and looked out. No one was there. Not that she expected them to be.

Just as she was getting ready to leave, the voice which had been silent spoke up

'aren't you forgetting something?'

What could she possibly have forgotten?

'Your amulet. You should leave that here. That amulet is for princesses, and you are no princess'

Sofia reached up to the necklace. When she touched it she felt a surge or strength. "no. I will not take this off. I promised the king I wouldn't and I don't break promises."

'what about his promise to you? To love you like his own. Take off the amulet Sofia. Leave it here.'

"No. He can break his promise, but I won't break mine. He may not love me, but I love him. I will not take it off." Sofia said determinedly.

She hurried out to the stables to her friend Minnamus

Something was nagging in the back of Cedrick's mind. He couldn't concentrate on the rose bed he was trying to get to sing. Why had his Dreamcatcher suddenly stopped working? It was a great bit of magic, and he knew it should have lasted a long time. So why did it suddenly stop working? He wondered.

Deciding he wasn't going to get any work done till he checked it out, he opened the door to his lair and hurried to Sofia's room. When he got there, he knocked on the door. Receiving no answer, he opened it and went inside.

His eyes were immediately drawn to the dreamcatcher. Someone had tampered with it. It was easy to overlook, but he could see where the lines had been cut and put back so it looked undamaged. Someone was after Sofia. Why else would someone cut his lines of protection? He had thought it had just been bad dreams, but it wasn't. Someone was doing something to her on purpose. Shocked he sat on her bed. He noticed a piece of paper. Reaching over he grabbed it and read it.

His heart turned to stone as he read Sofia's familiar scrawl. No. she couldn't leave. He ran to the window hoping it wasn't too late and he saw a tiny figure in too small clothes run in to the stables. He had no time to tell anyone, so he grabbed a pen and wrote in tiny words under hers

I will bring her back- C

Sofia explained to Minnamus what she meant to do.

"What?! No Princess I won't do this."

A sense of urgency had overtaken her and she desperately cried into his mane. "Please Minnamus. I thought you were my friend. I can't live here anymore. They don't want me. They don't want me…..." She cried passionately into his shoulder.

Minnamus wasn't the brightest horse in the stable, but he did love Sofia. Her sobs hurt him.

"OK princess I will take you wherever you want to go."

Relieved Sofia pulled her face up and looked into his eyes. "Thank you minnamus. I just need you to take me to a forest far away from here and drop me off. You can come back after."

Minnamus stomped his feet. "NU UH PRINCESS! If you leave then I am leaving with you."

Sofia looked at him shaking her head. "No Minnamus, it's safer for you here."

"It's safer for you here too Princess. If you go, I go with you or no deal."

Sofia was just about to retort when she heard a familiar voice.

"If he goes, we are going with you."

Sofia turned and saw her furry friends in a row behind her. Her heart both soared and sank at the sight of them. She knew she had to leave now, but she didn't want to take them. Not that she didn't want them, but she didn't want to ruin anyone else's life like she ruined the royal family's.

"Please. You don't understand. You have to stay here. It's safer for you, and all your friends are here. I couldn't bear to make your lives miserable. I don't know if I will be able to feed you."

Clovers face hardened "If you go, we will be miserable anyway. We care about you. We love you more than food. WE ARE GOING"

Sofia knew she was beat. She also knew she had to leave now. "Fine. But let's hurry."

Sofia jumped on Minnamus and pulled her friends into her lap. She really did feel better that they were going to stay with her.

Minnamus took off toward the sky and Sofia didn't look back. If she had she would have seen a very disheveled sorcerer running toward the stable.

Baileywick went to get the princess for dinner. He had a huge smile on his face 'oh boy she is going to love this.' Knocking on the door he awaited Sofia's usual Come in. When he didn't get it a small panic started forming in his heart. He brushed it off. Maybe she had fallen asleep.

He knocked again, Harder this time, and again received no answer. He opened the door and didn't see anything out of the ordinary. He walked over to her bed and saw the note. Fear clutched at him as he went over to the bed to read it.

His heart shuddered violently as he read Sofia's words. He didn't know how long he had been up here in Sofia's reading and re-reading her last words, but it must have been awhile, because Amber walked in looking angry.

"Baileywick what's wrong? Where is Sofia?"

Baileywick looked at her and tried to compose himself, but he couldn't

"She's gone."

Above the castle a figure watched and plotted.