But the happy moment didn't last for long when someone stood on Sofia's gown deliberately, tearing the skirt, causing Sofia' to fall onto Hugo. Luckily Hugo caught her. Sofia then felt Hugo tense slightly when he looked at the person responsible for ruining her dress. She looked to see someone she had never seen or met before.
"Sofia are you okay?" Amber asks.
"I'm okay. Though my dress says otherwise," Sofia says lightly, trying to seem like everything was okay.
Amber then looked at the boy that stood on Sofia's dress, her face fuming. The boy just looked amused at Amber's anger.
"How dare you do this to my sister," Amber says, not happy. "That was clearly deliberate."
"She isn't even your sister. She is just a poor village girl that is just trying to fit in and make it seem that she fits in," he says. He turns to Sofia, who was devastated by what was said. "You will never be a proper queen. You will always be a village girl who doesn't know a thing about being a royal and you are engaged to the biggest egotistic cruel prince in the tri-kingdom area."
With that, he walks off, a smug look on his face. Tears stung Sofia's eyes, but she wouldn't let them fall. Not in front of these people. Roland notified the guards telling their guests that the ball was over. Whispers about Sofia and Hugo flooded the royals as they left. Sofia ran to her room, no longer able to stay strong.
"Sofia wait!" Hugo yells, unable to grab her hand, when she ran off.
"That guy is a total jerk," James says. "Who even is he?"
"Do you remember that guy I told you about that said all those things about me that every royal believed," Hugo says. Everyone nods. "That was him."
"I don't like him," Amber says bluntly.
"What he said to Sofia really hit her hard," Miranda says. She then turns to Hugo. "How are you holding up with everything?"
"I'm okay your majesty. I'm honestly used to the whispers when I walk into the room." Hugo shrugs. "Though I don't think it will help in terms of ruling your kingdom. No one really trusts me."
"But we do," Roland says. "And you have allies that will already protect the kingdom."
"Thanks. I'm going to check on Sofia." Hugo says, walking to Sofia's room.
When he reaches the door of her room, he could hear her heartbroken sobs. He gently knocks on the door before opening it and walking in, and the sight he saw broke his heart. Sofia was still in her gown, her head in her pillows crying. He back heavily going up and down.
"Oh Sof," Hugo says, in a soft soothing voice.
Sofia takes her head out of her pillow to see Hugo walking up to her bed, sitting by where she was laying. She sits up slowly and moves into his outstretched arms, crying into his chest. He wraps his arms around her, running his hand through her now undone hair.
"Maybe he's right. Maybe I am just pretending to be a part of this world." Sofia sobs.
Hugo stops his soothing actions and took Sofia by the shoulders moving her face from his chest.
"Sofia, don't you ever think that. Ever. You belong here as much as I do, or sister or any member of your family. You are a strong princess and are going to be an even stronger queen. You are by no means pretending at all." Hugo says, seriousness in his tone.
"You born royal Hugo. I came from the village. Do I really belong?" Sofia says, looking at Hugo.
"Yes, you do. And you will show everyone that you do. I mean you did so many incredible things at Royal Prep, proved so many royals wrong, myself included." Hugo takes Sofia's cheek into his hand. "I never want to hear you say that you don't belong because you do. You belong in this castle with your family and one day with me."
The slightest smile formed on Sofia's face. Sofia hugs Hugo, quietly saying Thank you into his shoulder.