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sugarrushproductions · 26 days

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Elena And Sofia: Royal Trouble

Chapter 1: New Rule

"Blaze!"

"Ximocu!" The yellow blast hit Mateo's red shield directly after it was fully up. Now, as the stream was continuous, it became a matter of wills and endurance. Elena and Mateo shared a determined smirk, though the latter was a tad cockier than the former. He could do this for as long as it-

She stopped blasting his shield and used her vanish. He let his shield drop only after racking his brain for a spell to reveal her whereabouts. Then he heard footsteps behind him and had a better idea. Twisting his tamborita, he turned around and hit it. “Cachoa!” A large wind had Elena falling into the fountain. With a snicker as she stood, he ended the spell and got ready to cast another.

“Glow!” she said, blinding him. “Envision six Elena’s!” When he could finally see again, there were seven Elena’s standing in the fountain. Each was dripping water just as the real Elena would be. Only one was currently making ripples in the fountain however.

“Solaza!” He directed at the real Elena. She had no choice but to deflect it right back at him and lose her concentration. Unfortunately Mateo had to roll away from his own blast, hitting the rose bushes. “Ow! Thorns!”

“It’s about to get worse- Bloom!” The roses started growing all around him, becoming a very thorny trap.

“Llévaluq!” Mateo floated up before he was completely covered, sending a smirk down at Elena. She had jumped out of the water with a splash and tried to use vanish to figure out what to use next. He looked around for any sign of her but didn’t dare lower himself down. In the air he had the advantage of seeing everything. Flying around had gotten easier over the past year, like he had always been doing it. And after one circle of the garden, he found the trail of water she left. “Conglari!”

Elena yelped as she dodged the freezing blast, not realizing that he hadn’t been aiming for her. The water she had been dripping froze beneath her feet and she slipped. The same bushes she had made grow to trap Mateo now trapped her. She was visible now, and was struggling against the vines while her wizard landed in front of her. He twisted his tamborita back in place, twirling it and putting it in his back satchel while Zuzo appeared next to her.

“Well your majesty, it looks like you lost this round,” her chanuel said, flipping upside down with a smile. She glared at him.

“I can still fight!” Elena said, trying to use her foot to grab her fallen scepter. Mateo was quicker, flipping it up to his grasp. Her head rolled back as she groaned, as much as she’d do to admit defeat.

“Desparci,” Mateo said, aiming at the brush. Her arms were finally free though her but now fell on cold ice. “Don’t worry,” He tossed her scepter to her and she caught it easily, the stone at the top glowing. “I’ll brighten your day.” She giggled as Zuzo rolled his eyes and put a paw over his head. He then disappeared and reappeared next to the wizard with a disapproving shake of his head.

“You’ve been waiting all day to say that, haven’t you?” The spirit guide deadpanned. Mateo chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of his neck.

“Maybe.. Oh, let me help,” he said, grabbing Elena’s hands to help her up and keep her from slipping. Unfortunately, he started slipping as well and pulled her back down with him. He hit his head on the ground while Elena fell on his chest- he hoped that she couldn’t hear how fast his heart was beating. “Are- are you ok?”

She laughed, pushing herself up with a hand on her head. “I’m ok.” Mateo followed, trying to not think about the fact that she was sitting on his lap. Or that Zuzo had just reappeared in his eye line, waggling his eyebrows and giving a knowing smirk. Mateo wished he could give the spirit fox a glare back without alerting Elena of his mood. At least he didn't have a light up outfit like she did.

“Queen Elena- whoa!” Armando slid past them, the ice making him slide right through Zuzo. The spirit fox just appeared next to Elena.

“Armando! Are you ok?” Elena had gotten up to help the chief of the castle up, forgetting about ice that had been the reason for the predicament. She fell flat on her face, making everyone wince.

"Uh, Mateo," Zuzo said.

"On it," the wizard agreed, drawing his tamborita and aimed it at the ground. "Desparci." With ice gone, all three got to their feet again. "Sorry, Armando."

"It's alright, Mateo," The chief of the castle sighed, brushing himself off. "I forgot about your weekly magic spar." He jumped when Zuzo suddenly appeared in front of him.

"Ooo, whatcha got there?" Zuzo asked, pointing at the scroll in his hand.

"That's why I hurried out here." He bowed and held out the scroll. "You have a letter, your Majesty. There was an order to get it to you as soon as possible."

"Thank you," Elena said as she took it, examining the seal as Mateo looked over her shoulder. It had a peabunny hidden in mulberry bushes, the sun halfway peering from the top of the circle. "Hmm. I've never seen that crest before."

"Me either," Mateo nodded. "And I thought peabunnies were only found in Vallestrella? How would they know what they look like?"

"I don't know." She slid her thumb under the seal, popping it and unraveling the letter. A map fell out of the letter, Mateo deftly catching it. With a small glance to him and Zuzo, the latter shrugging before appearing over her other shoulder, she began to read. "To Queen Elena of Avalor,

“I write to invite you to visit my kingdom of Fantasia. I am new to this role, but I hope to make many friends and allies. I believe that an alliance between our kingdoms would be beneficial.

“Fantasia is a land of peace and prosperity. We have a well-developed economy and we are becoming a center of learning. I believe that I could learn much from you.

“I would be honored to host you and your most trusted advisors and friends in Fantasia. I have enclosed a map to my kingdom and a list of all the other rulers I am inviting. I hope that you will consider my invitation and that we can meet in person soon.

“Safe travels, Queen Verano…”

"Who's Queen Verano?" Armando asked.

"Apparently a new Queen.” Elena looked it over one more time before rolling it up. “Armando, can you tell my family to meet in the grand council chamber?”

“Oh, sure thing, your majesty.” He ran off as she turned to Mateo.

“I know it’s their day off, but can you find Gabe and Naomi? I’ll need their advice too.”

“I’m sure you’ll find a way to map it up to them,” Mateo said as he handed the map to her, laughing. She joined him, laughing harder at Zuzo’s insistence that it wasn’t even a good joke. When they finally calmed down, Elena ran off to get things ready. Mateo really couldn’t help but watch her go. No matter what she wore, whether her sparkly mood dress or what she called her adventure gear (which was her current outfit), she looked amazing. He didn’t mind the feeling of heat rising to his face considering everyone else was gone.

He was reminded of the spirit guide’s presence when he appeared in front of his face.

“Zuzo!” He complained, jumping back a step. He just got crossed paws in response.

“You need to tell her,” Zuzo said.

“Tell who what?”

Zuzo dragged a paw over his face. “Not this again.” He then flew around to grasp the wizard’s shoulders, pushing him forward. “Mateo, you know what I’m talking about,” He disappeared and reappeared in front of him again, poking him in the nose. “And who I am talking about.” Mateo batted a hand through the paw, shooing him away.

“It’s just not the right time, Zuzo.”

“If you keep waiting, it’ll never be the right time. You just gotta go for it!"

The wizard crossed his arms. “Since when did you become my spirit guide?”

“I’m not.” Zuzo disappeared then appeared on the other side of him. “You should really start summoning Cacahuate more.”

“Oh, he’s here?” Mateo rubbed the back of his neck as the fox nodded. Of course he was, he was his spirit guide. And the sloth was probably feeling very left out considering how much direct advice Zuzo was giving him. “Right. I’ll summon him next time.”

“Good. Now, you better go do what she asked you to before you get an orange dress instead of red."

Mateo nodded and pointed his tamborita at his chest. "Congrix!" With a flash of orange, he was gone.

. . .

Naomi walked through the Mercado with a smile, feeling the coins in her pocket. If she went to Doña Paloma's it'd be gone in an instant and she'd have something cheap that would have her coming back the next day. While the business woman had gotten better in the past few years, she still prioritized profits over everything else. Another hour of going through the shops and she had to stop her pursuit.

She had been walking for hours, and her feet were starting to hurt. It was getting late anyway. Gabe's parents had invited her over for lunch and she couldn't miss that. Roberto's tamales would never beat Luisa's, though his empanadas were giving her a run for her money.

“Hey guys Naomi said over the bell as she entered. Immediately Gabe's mom ran out of the kitchen to greet her.

"Ay, there's my future daughter-in-law," she pushed, giving the blonde a nearly bone crushing hug. Naomi rolled her eyes playfully and returned her hug just as fiercely.

"Blanca, Gabe and I have only been dating for two years." She put a hand on her shoulder, pulling away enough to give her a mock annoyed look. Blanca just laughed and patted her hand.

"That's nothing," Blanca said. "My parents knew I was going to marry Roberto the moment they saw us together." The man in question chuckled in the kitchen, muttering something. "I tell you, it won’t be long now mija."

“Ok, you gonna keep talking or are you gonna get cooking?” Roberto asked, effectively cutting off the conversation. The girls entered the kitchen, Blanca kissing her husband on the cheek to relax him. Naomi made a mental note of that as she grabbed an apron.

“What’s next to make?” she asked.

“Cookies,” Roberto sighed as he stirred the filling for something. “I’ve got this, Naomi. You go ahead and rest. It’s your day off.”

Naomi waved a hand in dismissal and grabbed a bowl, spoon, and all the ingredients to make the batter. “It’s fine. I like cooking, especially with my family. Like making mazelberry cookies on Christmas Eve with my dad.”

“I know what you mean. Gabriel and I used to make pan dulce every Nochebuena.”

“Though most of the ingredients ended up on the floor,” Blanca laughed. Roberto shared it gratefully.

“And us.”

“Speaking of Gabe, where is he?” Naomi asked, making sure to measure the flour correctly. If she hadn’t been engrossed in that, she would’ve seen the nervous glances shared between the couple.

“He’s uh, taking a siesta,” Roberto finally said. Naomi used the spoon handle to level out the flour. A loud yelp made them all jump, the flour shooting into her face. “Mateo, are you ok?”

“Sorry, Senor Nunez,” The royal wizard said, stumbling into the front counter. “Doing that teleportation spell on myself is always a bit disorienting." Mateo shook his head and managed to get his footing again. Then he locked eyes with Naomi, getting a slight glare in return.

"Don't even say it," she said. Mateo raised his hands in defense, though she very clearly saw the smirk fighting to form. She groaned quietly and took the rag Blanca had offered her. "What are you doing here? It's my-"

"Day off, I know. But Elena got a letter from a newly established kingdom," Naomi's eyes lit up, "And she wanted you and Gabe to help her decide what to do."

"Eh, eh- you had me at 'new kingdom'. Let me go wake up Gabe."

"No!" Roberto and Blanca yelled together. Naomi gave them a curious tilt of her head.

"Why not?"

Roberto looked down, stirring the filling and grateful that his wife blocked the way to the bedrooms and took over. “Gabriel is a grumpy sleeper, mija. I will wake him.”

“Besides,” Mateo interjected. “I can only teleport one person at a time. I’ll get you to the castle while she gets him.”

“Oookk….” Naomi said with narrowed eyes. She finished cleaning her face and took off her apron. “But just so you know, you guys are acting- ”

“Congrix!” Mateo banged his tamborita, casting the spell on her. He’d get an earful later, but there were some things that she couldn’t know right now. Roberto and Blanca sighed as Mateo put a hand on his hip. “Ok, where is Gabe really at?”

“He should be at the Turner’s right now,” Roberto smiled. “With luck, he’ll get the answer he wants.”

“Gabe doesn’t need luck. But I better hurry if we wanna keep our stories straight.”

“Thank you, Mateo.”

“Of course. We wouldn’t want the surprise ruined, now would we?”

Roberto chuckled and handed the wizard an empanada. “No we wouldn’t.” He nodded and took a bite of the food, sighing in content before turning his tamborita at himself and casting the spell.

. . .

Elena had been surprised when Naomi was the first to appear in the grand council chamber, but when she shouted “That doesn’t help your case!” to the ceiling it was clear why. Thankfully she deflected by showing Naomi the letter. Her chancellor was still looking it over and examining the royal seal when the rest of her family entered, apart from Esteban. Gabe and Mateo had startled her abuelo separately. He retaliated by hitting Mateo’s shins with his cane, making the wizard run behind Elena’s chair.

Gabe laughed which he soon regretted as her abuelo started doing the same thing to him.

Mateo leaned down to whisper in Elena’s ear. “Is it just me, or has your abuelo gotten a bit crankier since he got that cane?”

“Oh yeah,” she nodded.

“I heard that,” he grumbled. Luisa just patted his chest and led him to the nearest chair. Gabe was smart enough to hide his snicker as he took his spot beside Naomi and Elena, the former’s eyes following him even as he pecked her cheek. She relaxed slightly, but only for a moment.

“How was your nap?” she asked cooly.

“My- my nap?” Gabe stammered, avoiding her gaze. “It was, uh, good.” Naomi just narrowed her eyes. Elena shared a look with Mateo before calling the meeting to order. She went over the basics, reading the letter again so that everyone was on the same page. Isabel was the first to speak up and ask for the letter.

“Everything seems to be fine,” she said. “Though, the name Fantasia sounds familiar.”

Gabe raised an eyebrow. “It does?”

“You know,” Mateo interrupted. “Now that you mentioned it, I think some of my abuelos books mentioned it.”

“Do they say it’s a kingdom?” Francisco asked.

“I can’t remember, but I can go check.”

“I’ll help,” Isabel offered. Elena gave them both a nod and they ran out. Once

outside the chamber, the younger princess gave him a smirk. Now almost 16, Isabel nearly matched his height, and her dark hair was pulled back into a high ponytail braid.

"So," she said, "What do you think about Fantasia? You think it’s really as good as Queen Verano said it was?"

"Hard to say. It could be a trap like when Ash-" Mateo stopped when her face fell, backtracking. “Other rulers should be coming, so I doubt that it is.”

“A new kingdom to explore does sound pretty fun."

“Well right now, we need to explore what the books have.”

“You’re right.” Isabel punched him in the shoulder before running ahead and yelling, “Race you to the library!” Mateo called out in protest, saying he didn’t have his running shoes. She just laughed, banking right and apologizing to Esteban for pushing him. Mateo tried to avoid him completely, but simply couldn’t after slipping on the rug. He really should have given Esteban more than an apologetic glance, but after he had caused Elena so much pain and strife it was still hard to forget what happened. And how much danger she was put in because of him.

Back in the council room, no one could agree on anything. Both her abuelos were adverse to her going and especially going without them. Naomi's suspicion mixed with theirs kept Elena grounded. She wanted to go of course- the invitation seemed innocent enough and reminded her of the letters she sent to Satu and Paraiso when she was a new ruler. She said as much and got more support from Gabe and Naomi, but not enough to make a firm decision. It was all swirling around in her head the longer the conversation went on. Fantasia was new and her curiosity melded with the want to support the new queen. After all, she knew what it was like, and she wanted to be supportive. But she also had her doubts. What if the new queen was a tyrant like Shuriki? What if she was trying to trick Elena into a trap, like when Ash lured her to Cariza? When she almost lost her magic and her friends…

Elena had been through a lot in her life, and she didn’t want to put her family or herself in a dangerous situation if it was avoidable.

It was only the combination of thinking of her mother’s song and Mateo’s smile that kept her dress from turning purple. She wished Isa had gone alone and he was still by her side. What would Mateo say right now? Honestly not much, other than a passing comment here and there. She still yearned for his comforting smile and the steady presence of his hand on her shoulder, which would have calmed her spiraling thoughts.

Elena took a deep breath and tried to focus on the conversation at hand. Her abuelos were arguing about whether or not she should go to Fantasia at all. Her abuelo was still adamant that she should not go, while her abuela was growing more open to the idea.

As Elena tried to focus on the conversation at hand, her abuelos continued to debate whether or not she should go to Fantasia at all. Her abuelo remained adamant in his disapproval, while her abuela seemed to be softening her stance. Gabe gradually started to align with Francisco's position, while Naomi was now supporting Luisa. Though the latter team up was mostly due to the assumption that she’d go with or without their permission.

And they were right. At the end of the day, the decision was hers to make.

Elena found her thoughts wandering to Mateo again as a sharp knocking at the door startled Elena. Blushing slightly, she cleared her throat and called out, "Come in." Esteban, with a timid demeanor, poked his head through the door, inquiring if he was late. Elena had previously asked him to gather her family, but she had neglected to specify that she didn't want him present.

Esteban timidly poked his head in. “Am I late? Armando told me that you wanted everyone to meet in the council room.” Right. Elena had just told Armando to get her family, not mentioning that she didn't particularly want Esteban there.

Despite forgiving Esteban, Elena and her family found it difficult to fully trust him after his past actions. Looking back on their history before his betrayal, they discovered even more reasons to be cautious. Elena had placed him under castle arrest for two years and avoided seeking his direct advice on matters of the kingdom. While they still spent time together and had fun, Elena couldn't bring herself to trust him with most governmental responsibilities.

She had kept him on castle arrest for two years and had avoided asking for his advice directly, despite their past closeness and the fun they still had together. Elena simply couldn't trust him with most matters related to the kingdom.

Still, the hopefulness in his eyes had her waving him in. Gabe visibly tensed at Esteban's presence, but stood at attention instead of expressing his surprise. With a sigh, Elena began explaining the situation to Esteban, who listened intently despite the lingering distrust in the room.

“You see why we're having trouble,” Naomi offered as Esteban stroked his beard.

“This is true,” he said. “But you have to admit, this new kingdom could be a great opportunity for a trade agreement.”

“Also, sailing to a brand new kingdom does seem pretty fun.” Gabe cleared his throat, earning a glare from the blonde. “What?”

“It still could be a trap,” Gabe said.

Elena groaned, dragging a hand over her face. Everyone had valid points, and it made her long for the presence of her royal wizard. The faint purple magic that had started to make the paintings shake subsided after a few deep breaths from Elena.

She had wanted to go the minute she read the letter, wanting to show support for Queen Verano. For the moment, her family and friends were being as helpful as they could, but Elena was really starting to regret asking. Now she was torn between the potential benefits of establishing a trade agreement with Fantasia and the lingering doubts about its queen’s true intentions.

Suddenly, in a bright burst of pink mist, a young girl appeared right next to Esteban. She was clad in a light lavender dress with pink accents, and Elena recognized her immediately.

"Sofia?" Elena exclaimed, surprised but happy to see her friend from Enchancia. "What are you doing here? And how did you get here?"

Sofia hesitated for a moment before holding up her amulet. "Ever since I saved you from the amulet, I've been in control of most of its magic. One of its new abilities is to transport me to assist other princesses in need, rather than the other way around."

Elena, Naomi, Gabe, and Francisco gasped in awe at Sofia's revelation, while Esteban and Francisco regarded it with confusion, which Sofia anticipated.

Esteban was the first to voice anything. "But Elena is a Queen, not a Princess."

"That is true," Sofia replied thoughtfully before gaining a determined look. "But I'm here, so I'm supposed to help with your problem." She blinked and glanced at everyone around the room before turning back to Elena. "Uh, what is your problem?"

Elena smiled despite her confusion. "Deciding on whether or not to travel to a new kingdom—Fantasia," she answered. To her visible surprise, Sofia's eyes lit up with excitement.

"That's great!" Sofia exclaimed.

Naomi raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yeah. Not only am I studying at Everealm Academy, but my parents have already decided to accept the invitation."

"They have?"

Sofia nodded. "Mhm. Mister Cedric will be going, and Amber is taking the lead instead of Dad." Esteban appeared ready to interject, but Elena firmly guided Sofia away, sending a warning glare in his direction. Esteban backed down, retreating to Francisco's side with a nod. Elena smiled when she realized Sofia hadn't noticed the exchange. “Crysta called and said that even Orion and Vega are going.”

“She must really want allies if she’s asking for The Mystic Isles Chief protectors.”

“I know. Queen Verano must want a lot of friends.”

“Want?” Esteban scoffed, ignoring the glares from everyone. “No no- It’s more likely she needs them. It's an essential aspect of ruling a kingdom.”

“Just like having friends is the most important part of life,” Sofia countered effortlessly. “And being a person. Everyone wants companionship, even royals.” Elena smirked and placed a hand on her hip, while Naomi crossed her arms with the same amused expression. Esteban blanched and quickly conceded her point.

“Well, I think Sofia has made quite the compelling point,” Elena said, placing a hand on Sofia's shoulder. "What do you say we get ready for a boat ride?" When she was met with nods of agreement and an excited Naomi rushing out to prepare her parents' ship, Sofia sighed and gave Elena a quick hug.

"Now that that's settled, I guess I'm heading home." She stepped away, waving briefly to everyone. "See you all in Fantasia!"

"Bye, Sofia!" They all waved back, Esteban not quite as enthusiastically, and watched as she closed her eyes and waited. And waited. And waited…

"Um, Sofia?" Elena asked, tilting her head.

"Yeah?"

"You're still here," Francisco told her. The princess opened her eyes and sighed dejectedly.

"I should have known. It's never that simple." Luisa approached her and gently guided her out of the council room, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

"Don't fret, dear," Luisa reassured her. "We can meet your family there. And in the meantime, we can make tamales for dinner."

“I’d like that, Miss Luisa.”

. . .

Mateo had been all too thrilled to learn about the amulet’s new powers, questioning Sofia almost non stop. His excitement was palpable, but it made it hard for her to focus on trying to figure out the problem she was supposed to help with. The kingdom was doing fine, no big problems to solve. Elena’s relationships with her family and friends were fine, so nothing to fix there.

Shortly after dinner, Luisa had to shoo Mateo away for Sofia to go to sleep and give her some privacy. She led the younger princess to one of the spare rooms in the castle. The room was adorned with beautiful tapestries with the Avalor crest and had a large window overlooking the forest and the adjoining waterfall not too far off, providing a peaceful and serene atmosphere.

Luisa handed Sofia a lovely silk nightgown, soft and luxurious to the touch. "Thank you, Miss Luisa," Sofia started to curtsy, but the older woman waved her hands dismissively.

"Please, there’s no reason to curtsy, Sofia," she said with a small smile. "It’s a pleasure to have you here."

The girl looked down as she folded the gown over her arm, a hint of apology in her voice. "I’m sorry this visit was sprung so suddenly on you." Then, she muttered slightly bitterly, "It’s not like I can control everything the amulet does."

Luisa regarded Sofia carefully, studying her as the girl held the amulet. Though the lights were dim and her makeup done carefully, there were small stress lines around her forehead and dark bags under her eyes. Luisa’s heart went out to the young princess, who had been through so much in such a short time.

Gently, Luisa tilted Sofia’s chin up, meeting her gaze with a warm and understanding smile. "You rest, Sofia. I’ll let everyone know to let you sleep in as long as possible. Ah!" Luisa held up a finger to stop Sofia’s protests. "This is not up for discussion. A young girl like you needs her rest."

Sofia hesitated, but Luisa’s firm yet gentle tone convinced her. "But it’s not fair to everyone else," she protested weakly.

"But it is fair to you. Get some rest, Sofia." With those words, Luisa left the room, leaving Sofia alone with her thoughts. The girl sighed, feeling weary and overwhelmed and wanting to go home to her own bed. But until she fixed the problem, she was stuck here.

Sofia undressed and put on the silk nightgown, feeling the soft fabric against her skin. As she slipped beneath the covers, the plush pillows and thick comforter enveloped her like a warm embrace. The soft mattress welcomed her weary body, inviting her to surrender to the gentle touch of slumber. Gradually, her eyelids grew heavy, and her consciousness began to drift away into the tranquil realm of dreams.

Suddenly, the silence was shattered by the persistent buzzing and glowing of her enchantlet, startling Sofia awake. Disoriented, she sat up and groggily rubbed her eyes, then flicked the device to activate the call. To her relief, it wasn’t a protector but rather the familiar face of her royal sorcerer appeared on the screen. The protectors had been hesitant to grant him access to her enchantlet without one of his own, but at the insistence of her parents and Cedric, they had found a way to make it possible.

"Princess, where have you been? Your family and I have been worried sick," Cedric scolded her gently, his concern evident in his tone despite the mildness of his words.

"I'm okay, Mr. Cedric," Sofia yawned, her voice still thick with sleep. "I'm in Avalor. My amulet brought me to Elena." Even in her drowsy state, Sofia couldn't help but smile at the inquisitive expression on Cedric's face.

"Really? I thought it only took you to help princesses," Cedric replied, his tone a mixture of surprise and curiosity.

Sofia shrugged, a gesture that was both dismissive and weary. "I don't know. But it hasn't taken me back yet, so I haven't helped her yet."

"Did you figure out the problem?" Cedric asked, his voice laced with concern.

Sofia sighed deeply. "I thought I did, but it's never that easy." She started to tell him about how she was going to head to Fantasia tomorrow, but her words were interrupted by another yawn that she couldn't suppress. Luisa had been right—she desperately needed some rest.

Cedric noticed her fatigue immediately, and his voice softened to a gentle whisper. "You get some sleep, Sofia. I'll let your parents know that you are safe and sound. Goodnight, Princess."

Sofia wanted to object, but the gravitational pull of the bed was becoming irresistible. "Okay. Goodnight, Mr. Cedric," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

As the connection between them was severed, Sofia allowed her body to sink back into the soft comfort of the bed, her head cradled by the feather pillow. Almost instantaneously, she was enveloped in the embrace of sleep once more.

. . .

"According to the map, we should be arriving within the hour," Naomi’s mom announced to the crew below.

Sofia beamed up at Naomi's mother with infectious enthusiasm. With a gentle smile, Naomi assisted Sofia in tightening the mainsail, their movements harmonizing in a fluid ballet of teamwork. As Sofia pulled the ropes with newfound strength, she couldn't resist a playful salute.

"Ay ay, Captain Turner!" she exclaimed, her voice echoing the call of a seasoned sailor. The unexpected salute almost caused her to lose her grip, but with a quick reflex and Naomi's steady support, she regained control, letting out a nervous giggle that betrayed her excitement.

"You sure are strong, kid,” Naomi couldn't help but comment. “But are you sure you don't want to go below with Elena and Mateo? We can handle this."

"I'm sure.” Sofia's resolute gaze met Naomi's, and with a mischievous glint in her eyes, she lowered her voice and leaned in closer. “Besides," she whispered conspiratorially, "I think they wanted some time alone."

A knowing chuckle erupted between the two girls as they completed tying off the rope, sharing a moment of camaraderie and understanding. Their shared laughter carried across the deck, a melody woven into the symphony of the sea.

“What are you two giggling about?” Gabe asked as he approached.

Naomi smirked. “Just the two people below deck with the most obvious crush on each other.”

“Oh, that reminds me- They just finished tamales with Isa and told me to get you two.”

Sofia chuckled, glancing at Naomi. “I guess I am taking a break after all.”

“What about you, Naomi?”

“You two go ahead- I gotta talk to my mom about something first,” Naomi said, making her way to the helm. Gabe only got a moment to warn her to hurry because the jaquins were down there before Sofia dragged him away. Once the younger princess was well out of her view, Naomi let her upbeat demeanor give way to her suspicion.

She’d noticed it days ago when they passed by Norberg. The way the map was taking them was familiar. From her few months of traveling on her own, she’d come by this way at least twice. She recognized the islands, the stars during the night, and any sailor worth their weight remembered where the calmest waters were.

She just had to be sure.

“What’s the matter, Nomes?” Her mom asked the moment she saw her.

“Something doesn’t feel right,” Naomi answered swiftly. “Do you mind if I take a look at the map again?” Her mom nodded and handed her the map.

Naomi stretched it out on a nearby barrel, tracing the way they’d come carefully. Everything they’d passed was the same as her previous trip, from Norberg to Satu to the small archipelago just outside of-

“Hectoria…” she muttered.

“What was that, Nomes?”

“We aren’t going to a new kingdom, Mom- We’re heading to Hectoria.”

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#mateo de alva #elena x mateo #mateo x elena #elena castillo flores #elena of avalor #sofia and cedric #sofia x hugo #sofia the fandom #gabe nunez #gabe x naomi #naomi turner #cedric the sorcerer #cedric the great

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queenofglassbeliever · 2 years

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The Four Amigos in Once Upon A Time

Adria Arjona as Elena Castillo Flores. Age range (16-28). Crown princess and later queen of Avalor, Elena was trapped in a magical amulet for 41 years before she was freed by her distant relative, Ella. With Ella's help, along with help from Ella's friends Henry and Regina, Elena took her kingdom back from the evil sorceress Shuriki.

Rafael Silva as Gabriel Núñez. Age range (18-30) General Gabe Núñez, formerly captain of the guard, is one of Elena's best friends. Brave and loyal, he would lay down his life to protect those he loves and Avalor.

Chloë Grace Moretz as Naomi Turner. Age range (15-27). The Royal Chancellor of Avalor, Naomi was formerly a member of the Grand Council. She was born in the Magical Forest, but was raised in Avalor since she was two. Having grown up in Avalor Harbor, she was chosen by Elena to serve on the council because of her pragmatism and perseverance.

Jorge Lendeborg Jr. as Mateo de Alva. Age range (16-28). Mateo is the Royal Wizard of Avalor. The grandson of the former Royal Wizard, Alacazar, Mateo was born with magic. However, he was forced to hide it because of Queen Shuriki's ban on magic. But that didn't stop him from practicing in secret.

Elena's family/The Royal Family

Lillianna Valenzuela and Rachel Zegler as Isabel Castillo Flores. Age range (10-22). Valenzuela as Isabel ages 10-14. Zegler as Isabel ages 15-22. Princess Isabel is Elena's little sister. With a mind for science and engineering, she becomes Avalor's Royal Inventor. She, along with her maternal grandparents, was imprisoned in an enchanted painting where none of them aged for 41 years.

Tony Plana as Francisco Flores and Alma Martinez as Luisa Flores. Age range (old enough). Francisco and Luisa are the maternal grandparents of Elena. Francisco is a member of a very old noble Avaloran family. He had a sister, Josefina Flores (oc) who married a baron from the Magical Forest. Their great granddaughter is Ella. Luisa is from another Avaloran noble family, but the family fell on hard times. Luisa's grandparents opened up a chocolate shop, La Vida Dulce, which was closed down during Shuriki's rule. At some point Luisa reopens the shop. Francisco and Luisa were both members of the Grand Council.

David DeSantos as Esteban Flores. Age range (50s-60s, but appears 30s-40s because he exfoliates). Esteban is the maternal first cousin of Elena and Isabel. His mother, Margarita, was the sister of their mother, Lucia. When Esteban was little, his parents died in a blizzard at sea. He was raised by his grandparents. As a teenager, he felt unseen and desired power. He agreed to help Shuriki invade Avalor in exchange for political power under her reign. He made Shuriki promise that his family would be unharmed. Shuriki had no intention of keeping the promise and assassinated his aunt and uncle, Queen Lucia and King Raul. Esteban was the only member to age during Shuriki's 41 years of rule. Around 3 years after Shuriki's defeat, Esteban's involvement in her take over was revealed and he was banished from Avalor. His family did eventually forgive him and he was welcomed back home.

#elena of avalor #eoa #eoa x ouat crossover #elena castillo flores #gabe nunez #naomi turner #mateo de alva #isabel castillo flores #francisco flores #luisa flores #esteban flores #ouat #ella mills #henry mills #regina mills #once upon a time #ouat s7

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sauk · 3 years

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Sketches of Elena of Avalor

I have two favorite ships ELETEO AND GABAOMI, and obviously felt the need to draw them, didn't find so many fan art and was encouraged.

Sorry if my English is not correct, I'm learning.

I recently saw the anime KNY, ended up imagining Elena as Tanjiro and Isabel as Nesuko, because we know that the relationship of the brothers who handle these is similar :D.

Espero que les haya gustado mucho :3

#Eleteo #Matena #Disney #Illustration #Fanart #gabaomi #elena of avalor #mateo de alva #gabriel nunez #naomi turner #Elena x Mateo #Gabe x Naomi #Madly in love with these two ships #fan art #sauk art

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glorytoukraine2022 · 3 years

Note

1, 10, 12 for salty ask for elena of avalor?

1. I mentioned a few of these yesterday, but one OTP I really don’t get is Carzel. Marzel and Carla never interactacted in the Series. They are never shown to have any kind of connection. So I don’t understand any sort of dynamic these characters might have, nor do I understand why people believe they would fall in love and have a future together. Why would they fall in love with somebody they’ve never met? Who they barely even know. I simply don’t see it.

I also mentioned Eleteo. I can see the viewpoint people are coming from when they see Mateo and Elena interact, but I don’t see that “spark” there. Their friendship is wonderful, but that’s all I see them as: very good friends. I don’t see them as compatible as a couple. It just doesn’t seem to fit. I don’t see them ever seeking anything more out of each other than friendship. Mateo is cute and dorky, but I don’t see Elena that way.

Esteban/Elena. No. Just no. I love that Elena forgave Esteban in the end and that they were able to repair their relationship. And yes, Esteban knows everything there is to know about Royals and Royal affairs, and thus would problem know everything there is to know about being a King, so I can understand the appeal. But they are cousins. Their mothers were sisters. So Elena and Esteban having any sort of relationship would be considered incest. Not to mention Esteban is biologically much older than Elen. So no, I will never understand why people ship this.

Esteban x Naomi. know a lot of people ship this because of their dynamic in “My Fair Naomi”, but Esteban was just being Naomi’s mentor. They were in no way romantically attracted to each other. Even more importantl, Esteban is a grown adult, and in “My Fair Naomi”, Naomi was 15 going on 16. They have an age gap, that no amount of aging up can close.

Another one is Gababel. This couple too has a huge age gap. I know people like to age up Isabel for this ship, and the age gap will be less significant as they grow older, but I still just can’t see it. Gabe meets Isabel when she is only 10-11 years old. It just doesn’t make sense.

I would also like to add Esteban x ShurikI. Just because he made a deal with her as a teenager and served her as Chancellor for 41 years does NOT mean that Esteban and Shuriki are in love with each other. Shuriki murdered Esteban’s Aunt and Uncle! In the deal they made, Esteban made her promise that nobody would get hurt, yet who in his family got hurt? Let’s see…..EVERYONE! Why on earth would Esteban feel any connection to this woman? Also, Shuriki is much, much older than she looks. The only read why she has a youthful appearance is because of her magic.

Shuriki x Victor. Many of the reasons why I do not support this pairing is similar to my reasons for not shipping Victor and Esteban. Making a deal with an evil sorceress does not mean you are in love with them. If there was any attraction to Shuriki, than it was just a teenage crush. Shuriki manipulated Victor just as much as she did Esteban.

She banished Victor and his family from Avalor! Why would he fall in love with her? Also no, Victor working for Shuriki in season 2 doesn’t mean he was attracted to her either. He was working for her in exchange for power. Nothing more. As I said with Esteban, Shuriki has a younger appearance due to her magic. She is also probably much older than Victor.

One last ship I will mention is Gabeomi. Like with Eleteo, I just didn’t see the spark…at least, not until the finale. Now that Gabe and Naomi are confirmed to end up together in the finale, I am putting myself 100 percent behind the ship and supporting it. As long as Gabe and Naomi are happy together, that’s all that matters to me. I just need some really good Gabeomi shippers to sell it to me, because I haven’t been convinced yet.

10. I don’t know if I have a most disliked arc. Everybody in the show had great arcs and great character development. Even side characters. I was a little uncertain about Naomi becoming Chancellor of Avalor, since having such a high, hoity-toity position never struck me as in line with Naomi’s character. However, I’m sure she’ll do great. If Elena believes she’s the right choice, and as long as Naomi wants the job and is up for it, than I’m supportive of Naomi becoming Avalor’s Chancellor.

12. As I said above, I think all of the arcs were good and fantastically developed, so I can’t really think of an unpopular one. I dont know if they were unpopular or not, but two arcs that I enjoyed were Dona Paloma and Julio, her “assistant party planner” and Carla and Mateo as well. I know those were two side relationships and not plot important, but I enjoyed them nonetheless. It also helps build up to their foreshadowed romantic relationships at the end of the series.

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ameliathefatcat · 3 years

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EoA/StF favorite/Headcanon ships

Here are my favorite ships from Elena of Avalor and Sofia the First

Elena of Avalor

Eleteo (Elena x Mateo)

I know this really popular but I love how cute these two are. Both are dorky and just fit together so well. In my Headcanon Mateo proposed to Elena at her coronation and they got married second week of December that year. But a month before their wedding they discover that Elena is two months pregnant, after hearing this news Mateo faints. In the future I think they will have two-four children most likely three. Since Elena is very young when she is having her first child (21ish) I think her youngest child will have a significant with her other children.

Gabaomi (Gabe x Naomi)

I mainly ship them because I wanted all of the friends to get together. Also the only other ships for Gabe and Naomi are inappropriate. In my Headcanon they are currently engaged to each other. I can imagine that they won’t really want kids and they take proctions but Naomi get pregnant by surprise a year or two into their marriage. I might make their family tragic with their first child dying in infancy which hit both of them very hard and bringing them closer together. I can also imagine a couple years after losing their first child Naomi is pregnant again (maybe around the same time as Elena with her and Mateo’s second child)this time with twins. Her and Gabe become over protective parents but learn some stuff from Elena and Mateo

Sofia the First

Roland x Miranda (these two don’t have a ship name)

They work hard to raise their children together. About a year into their marriage Miranda asks if Roland wants anymore kids. This makes Roland cry and he tells her and doesn’t want to lose her like he lost Lorelei (his first wife). Miranda understands this and both beside that three kids are enough. I can imagine them growing old together and being loving grandparents to their future grandchildren. Roland most likely be terrified when his daughter Sofia and daughter-law-in Isabel are pregnant. Sofia’s kid(s) call him Grandpa (or some other grandfather name) and James’ kid(s) call Miranda grandma (or some other grandmother name)

Hugfia (Hugo x Sofia)

Idk why I ship them maybe it is because they are a popular and appropriate in the fandom. I’m currently writing the story where Hugo asked Sofia out. In the (way) future they will have kid(s) one or two. I think Sofia will be pregnant the same time as her sister-in-law Isabel and both will have kids of the same gender. Hugo and Sofia will probably live in Hugo’s kingdom and do a lot of ice dancing together

Cross Series

Jasabel (James x Isabel)

After Eleteo this is my favorite ship and starting shipping them after I was them dancing in Conation day. They are so cute together. In my Headcanon they are dating write to each other daily. When James visit Avalor or Isa visit Enchancia or they meet up some where else you can’t get these two off of each. They hug, and kiss each a lot. I can imagine when they are in their late teens when Isa is studying at the Science academy her and James having a pregnancy scare (it turned to be either food poisoning or a stomach bug and stress). James propose to Isa when she graduates from the science academy and they spend a year in foreign kingdom Isa for school and James of knight training. They will have three kids a singleton and later a set of identical twins. They will live in Enchancia but travel with their children on royal duties and seeing friends they made over the years

#eleteo #sofia the first #elena of avalor #gabaomi #gabe nunez #naomi turner #queen elena #mateo de alva #queen miranda #king roland #prince james #princess isabel #princess sofia #prince hugo #hugfia #Jasabel #ships #headcanon #queen Miranda x king Roland

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gijinkagal · 5 years

Photo

You cannot watch this episode without seeing that it was SUPER shippy, like look at all these scenes and tell me they don’t look like they’re crushing on each other.

#1. Jealousy

#2. Tender looks

#3. Tucking her hair behind her ear all nervously/shyly

#4. Romantic lighting/setting

#5. Her scooting closer to him while her parents are right there being all lovey-dovey

She wasn’t upset that Elena couldn’t spend the day with her and her family, she was upset at Gabe not being there. Gabaomi shippers have been blessed <3

#elena of avalor #elena of avalor spoilers #norberg peace prize #spoilers #gabaomi #gabe nunez #naomi turner #gabe x naomi

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ograndebatata · 6 years

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Preferences on EoA ships

I confess it feels a bit weird to post about this.

Just like I never shared headcanons to a ‘wider audience’ I never shared my thoughts on any ships to the same degree, except maybe through reviews of fanfics (I currently can’t remember if I did or not).

But I felt I needed to post about a happier subject, given the gloom in my previous headcanons, and while the focus on romance isn’t a heavy theme in Elena of Avalor, the series did inspire ships, and I like romance.

So, here are my thoughts on which characters I ship with which, ordered by the intensity with which I ship them.

I should note here that I’m not including ships which already exist in the series’ canon, such as Francisco/Luisa, Migs/Dulce or Daniel/Scarlett. This concerns only ships that aren’t 'framed as such’ so to speak in the series proper.

///

OTP Tier:

Eleteo (Elena/Mateo) - I saw their chemistry from very early on, but it seemed that the more I got involved in the fandom, the more I also got invested in the ship.

I have nothing against Gabelena or Matenaomi, nor against Gabeteo and Elenaomi (I hope I’m getting the ships’ names right). I just grew to really love Eleteo. They’re adorable together, they really complement each other, and they’re a great example of a couple who’s stronger together. And that’s all I have to say about it.

Somewhat-invested-in tier:

Garla (Gabe/Carla) - I’m not sure why, but out of all the ships I saw for Gabe, this one is the one that seems the more interesting, perhaps because it is the one that I found has the most potential. In spite of some of her deeds, Carla does come across like a redeemable person, and if she reformed herself, I could see her and Gabe getting together.

Not-really-invested-in-it-but-it-looks-like-it-could-be-cute tier:

Naomi ships -

I promise I didn’t put Naomi here out of any dislike for her. I do like Naomi a lot - among other things, she’s a resourceful, brave and clever girl and a loyal friend. There’s no way I could not love her. But I already ship Gabe/Carla enough to prefer it to Gabenaomi, and out of any other characters in the series, the only other man I saw her having anything that could be called chemistry with was Mateo, and the most I feel that could lead to is an unrequited crush from her.

That said, I’ve seen her shipped with Prince Alonso, and I do see the potential. So I guess I’d call that the Naomi-related ship I ship the most.

Isabel ships -

For safety’s sake, I’ll note that any ships involving her take place in the future, once she is a late teenager at least.

I don’t really see her paired with any characters from the series, but if we include characters from Sofia the First, I could see Isabel/James in the future, perhaps when Isabel is studying abroad and James is on some sort of knightly mission. I figure it would be an ‘opposites attract’ sort of couple - Isabel’s dedication to her studies would contrast with James’ more detached attitude to schoolwork. But at the same time, they’re both brave, so they would have that in common.

On a more ‘birds of a feather’ variety, I could see Isabel/Desmond. They’re both dedicated to schoolwork, and look like they could bond over it. They would have a different sort of contrast also, with Isabel being the more adventurous one and Desmond being more of a ‘cowardly lion’ sort - a scaredy cat who can also be brave when the chips are down.

I really don’t have a favored choice here.

Quique/Cristina -

Again for safety’s sake, like the above Isabel ships, this would take place in the future.

I’m honestly not sure where this ship came from. It looks like it just crept up on me and then pounced harder (and more effectively) than Nala on Pumbaa.

But I grew to like the idea.

We see them getting along well when they appear together (Quique is even pushing Cristina’s wheelchair), and they seem like they both mesh well while being sufficiently different. We know Cristina is rather academically inclined (she calculated how many hits it would take to break the piñata) and while Quique is not, he’s definitely clever in his own way (he did instantly ask the question that got the whole class interested in Isa’s monfuego). And while he started off on the mean side, he showed to not be all that bad deep down (for instance, he instinctively jumped to catch the guinea pigs when the malfunctioning ExerGroomer threw them into the air). And Cristina herself is a sweetheart as well.

That’s really all I have to say about it.

Professor Mendoza/Fernando -

For those who don’t know, Fernando is Cristina’s father.

And like the above, I’m not all that sure where this ship came from, though for this one there’s more of a reason.

It started out when I was wondering just why Cristina is wheelchair-bound, as I don’t feel such a thing would make sense in a universe where magic is widespread and can do a lot of things, which look like they would include restoring or granting leg mobility.

I’ll probably give more details later, but the explanation I found is that Cristina could walk when she was younger but had the use of her legs taken from her by dark magic (I’ll give you three guesses on who was responsible). I imagine Fernando would spend as long as he could trying to figure out a way to undo that, and eventually I had the idea that over the course of his attempts he met Professor Mendoza, someone likely to have an answer for his problem due to her knowledge on Maruvian culture, which probably included Maruvian magic.

As it happened, she didn’t have an answer, but I started thinking that maybe they spent enough time together to possibly grow closer and eventually get together.

Whether they’d eventually find a way to heal Cristina or not... I don’t know.

///

So... those would be my personal preferences on ships in Elena of Avalor.

I hope I’m not being gawked at like a weirdo after coming up with the above. And I hope even more that I’m not committing fandom suicide by shipping some of these...

Anyway, look forward to your comments on any of them!

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worldstraveller · 7 years

Link

To look into it, you need have pixiv account - fanarts of elena of avalor, it’s more into solo characters and small bit of eleteo, it’s chibis and from the same artist previously...

#elena of avalor #elena castillo flores #mateo de alva #gabe #gabe nunez #gabriel nunez #naomi turner #eleteo #matena #elenaxmateo #mateoxelena #elena of avalor mateo #elena of avalor elena #elena x mateo #mateo x elena #isabel castillo flores

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supermarinettedupinchengwor-blog · 7 years

Conversation

Naomi: Look! A Shooting Star! Let's Wish!!

Elena: I Wish I Can Finally Rule The Kingdom..

Gabe: I Wish Fuego Can Talk..

Mateo: I Wish Elena Likes Me..

Elena: * Looks At Him *

Mateo: What?

#elena of avalor #mateo x elena #matena #mateo de alma #elena castillo flores #gabe nunez #naomi turner

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acacia-may · 3 months

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Lights Will Guide You Home (EOA Gabaomi Love Confession)

A trip to Norberg causes Gabe to contemplate his feelings for a certain "someone special." After Naomi returns from her voyage and becomes chancellor, however, Gabe knows he can hide his feelings no longer, so he takes her to a very special place to finally tell her how much she means to him.

Pairing: Gabriel "Gabe" Núñez/Naomi Turner [Eleteo is briefly mentioned/implied in one line]

Genre: Love Confession, Mutual Pining, First Kiss, Post-Series, Friends to Lovers.

Rated: G

Word Count: 2537

No Warnings Only True Love Here

A/N: Apologies in advance for any inaccuracies. I never thought I'd write Elena of Avalor fanfiction and definitely never thought I'd write Gabe x Naomi fanfiction, but here we are. Also, fair warning, I don't usually write romance, and I don't think I've ever written something this swoony in my entire life. I'm honestly shocked I even had this story in me. But I just found out about and watched "Norberg Peace Prize" yesterday and Gabaomi (basically?) canon?! What a time to be alive! 💖

Link to Story on AO3. Full Text Below the Cut. Thank you for reading! 🌟

Gabe absentmindedly kicked his feet as they dangled over the edge of the dock. It was strange being back here again, especially now that he was sitting here alone.

With a heavy sigh, he gazed out at the dark and hazy horizon line of the sea wondering where Naomi was now, whether she was gazing out at the same ocean, looking up at the same stars in the sky. Gabe supposed he couldn’t see many stars now himself since the sky here was illuminated by the Norberg Lights. He would always be awestruck by how beautiful they were—colorful, majestic, and perfect, but it had been strange. The first time he had ever had the privilege to see them, he knew he had been sitting under the most beautiful sky in the world, but somehow he had found something even more beautiful. He had just never had the chance to tell her.

He had certainly thought about it—had even been seriously considering confessing, but despite all the confidence and bravado with which he usually carried himself, he found it difficult to pluck up the nerve to tell her how he felt, to take the risk of ruining their friendship if she didn’t feel the same way.

It was probably for the best that he hadn’t said anything. After all, she had left shortly after that—before they had even had the chance to talk about anything. He took it as a sign that it just wasn’t meant to be, and he was happy for her. Of course he was. How could he be anything else when he knew how much she had always longed for adventure, to explore the world, and to sail the seventeen seas as the captain of her own ship? It was her dream, and she was getting to follow it, just like he had followed his own dreams to be part of the royal guard and eventually its captain. He wanted that for her—for her to be happy, to get to live her dream, even if there wasn’t a place for him in it.

He supposed the irony of it all was that just as he was realizing Naomi’s dreams didn’t leave a space for him, he was coming to terms with the fact that all of his dreams had her in them. Someday even if he did become the general of the royal guard, he knew it would somehow feel incomplete without her by his side. But he couldn’t compete with her dreams—couldn’t compete with her adventurous spirit, her love for the ocean, and he didn’t want to.

Still…he couldn’t help but hope that the next time he came to this dock, he wouldn’t be alone, the next time he gazed up at the Norberg lights, they wouldn’t be the most beautiful thing there with him. He could only hope that someday she’d want to find her way home—to find her way back to him. If she ever did, he promised himself he would finally tell her the truth.

*-*-*

“Norberg?” Naomi’s freckled nose wrinkled as she tilted her head at him. “Why’d you drag me all the way to Norberg?”

Gabe shrugged, but his mouth curved into a lopsided grin as he dryly bantered, “You didn’t seem too upset by the idea of an outing when it got you out of all that paperwork, chancellor.”

Her new title had been taking a little getting used to, but he’d be lying if he said he didn’t enjoy teasing her with it every now and again. He could only assume Naomi’s newfound interest in calling him “general” stemmed from the same place.

“You told me you had something important to tell me, but you couldn’t tell me at the palace. I was intrigued”—she quirked an eyebrow at him—“but I wasn’t expecting a sea voyage. Don’t you think they’ll all be missing us back at the castle and wondering where we went?”

“I already cleared the trip with Elena…er…” He cleared his throat then corrected, “Her Majesty.”

Naomi clicked her tongue. “Still struggling with all the new titles, general?” she teased, and a feeling of pride and accomplishment fluttered in Gabe’s chest hearing her call him that. He had worked so hard to get to where he was now, to become the general of the Avaloran Royal Guard. General Gabriel Núñez certainly had a nice ring to it no matter who said it, but he could admit that hearing it from Naomi made him straighten his shoulders and puff out his chest with pride—perhaps even made him feel a little ostentatious. “You seem to have no trouble calling me ‘chancellor.’”

“And you loved getting to take your boat out. Admit it.”

She met his eyes—snapping blue like the ocean she loved so much, as her lips twitched in the corners. “So this is all for my benefit, is it?”

“Maybe.” He smiled facetiously which only made her frown at him.

“Where are you taking me? You realize it’s already dusk—it’ll be dark soon.”

As Naomi rolled her eyes, Gabe’s mouth twitched into a lopsided grin. That’s exactly what he had been hoping for. He wondered how long it would take her to catch on…if she hadn’t already.

By the time he led her out to the dock where they had seen the Norberg Lights together, it was already dark and, it seemed, there was no reason to evade her questions any longer.

Naomi’s brow furrowed, and she tilted her head at him curiously. “Well, this is a blast from the past…”

“Not too far in the past,” Gabe quipped, but he knew what she meant. After everything that had happened, it felt like a lifetime ago—no matter how much time had actually passed. With a sigh, he took a seat beside her on the edge of the dock just like he had when he had first surprised her here. At least…it had been a surprise for her. It hadn’t been for him. He knew there was nowhere else in the world he would have rather been and no one else in the world he would have rather shared that moment with. The fact that she had been so surprised to see him made him realize he must’ve done a much better job at hiding how he had been feeling from her and, he supposed, in a way, from himself.

As Gabe looked into her eyes now, however, he swallowed hard. He knew he couldn’t hide it anymore—had promised himself that he wouldn’t.

“I came here while you were gone, you know?” he admitted, turning away from her—watching the reflection of the lights in the water. “To see the lights—think about…things.” He paused, swallowed again. “We never really got to talk about it.”

“Is there something to talk about?” Her tone of voice was pragmatic, unreadable. Gabe assumed her expression was probably the same, but he couldn’t look at her. He stifled a light, somewhat self-deprecating chuckle. It was silly to think that the great general of Avalor could be tempted to lose his nerve so easily, but he had just gotten her back—even if it was just as a friend, and he didn’t want to lose her again.

Still, he gathered his resolve and continued, “I wanted to talk to you, but when you left without really any warning or even saying goodbye, I…I took it as a sign that maybe it was just better left unsaid.”

“I’m sorry.”

Gabe’s brow furrowed, and his shoulders stiffened. He hadn’t been expecting that. The question slipped out without him thinking much about it. “Why?”

“I disappeared. It was whirlwind thing and kind of impulsive, but I still should’ve said goodbye. I guess I…I just didn’t want you to try to talk me out of it—to have my last memories of you be of us actually fighting, instead of, you know, pretending to”—she chuckled lightly to herself—“I like our banter, but I don’t want to actually fight with you. I like to think you’re on my side.”

“I am.” He pressed his hand to her shoulder, but she turned away from him. Something panged in Gabe’s chest as her words began to sink in. “You really think I wouldn’t have wanted you to go?” he asked, but Naomi only pursed her lips together and shrugged. “It was your dream. I would never try to hold you back from that.”

“I guess I just thought that…if we talked, I—I might not ever leave.” She paused, staring down at her hands—not at him, never at him. “And there were so many things that I wanted to do. So many promises I made to myself. I had to go.”

Gabe nodded solemnly. “I know.” He swallowed hard. “And I’m glad you did. For as long as I’ve known you, you’ve always wanted to go on adventures, explore the world, and sail the seventeen seas. You don’t have to apologize for following your dreams. I didn’t apologize for following mine. And you definitely don’t have to ask for my blessing. I’m just—” He paused, trying to think of the right word. He knew what she was to him, but he wasn’t sure what he was to her yet. Ultimately he decided on “your friend. You don’t need my permission to follow your dream.”

A slight smile curved in the corners of his mouth as he looked at up at her—found her still staring at her hands. He took a deep breath. “But I will need your permission to follow mine.”

“You want to go to war, general?” she quipped, though he could’ve sworn there was the slightest waver in her voice. “I’m not sure I can sign off on that.”

“It’s not a military dream,” he admitted. “I know my whole life all I ever wanted was to be in the royal guard. And then when I succeeded, when I was a lieutenant, then a captain, and now a general—it’s a great honor and means the world to me. But…when I became general and I finally had everything I ever wanted, I—” He stopped, swallowed hard. “It felt…”

“Empty,” Naomi finished for him quietly. “Like there was something missing.”

Gabe nodded, but his heart pounded—racing and flipping. He tried to calm himself—remind himself that he didn’t know for sure that she was talking about him.

“I kind of felt the same way while I was away,” Naomi admitted. “I mean, being out on the open sea was everything I ever dreamed of, and I was so happy, but…it still felt…kind of hollow, incomplete.” She sighed heavily before lifting her head to the sky—staring up at the lights with wide, blinking eyes. “It’s like the Norberg Lights—they’re so beautiful, and getting to sit here and see them is amazing…but the tradition says you’re supposed to share them with someone special and I know it’s because that somehow makes them even more beautiful, makes them—”

“Perfect.” Gabe met her eyes as she finally looked up at him. He could only imagine she felt the same sense of déjà vu at his choice of words, at the way he was looking at her now, and at the way she was looking at him. This time, however, he reached out to tuck that stray piece of her hair behind her ear. He could feel her tremble at the brush of his fingers against her cheek, and she looked away from him as her face flushed.

Though his own heart pounded, he confessed, “What’s missing…isn’t being a war hero.”

“Well, what do you want?” her voice bantered but wavered, and she wouldn’t meet his eyes again. “To take over a kingdom? Be a prince consort? I won’t advise Elena to marry you, if that’s what you’re asking.” She chuckled lightly. “There’s no way you can beat Mateo—he’s bound to be our prince consort eventually, so you’ll have to move if you want to rule somewhere. But if you want to be the husband of royalty, I’m sure Princess Chloe will have you.”

Gabe laughed, trying and failing to stifle it before the hard, serious lines of his face softened and a tender smile tugged at his mouth. “I’d like to be a husband someday, but only if someone special will have me.” He stroked her cheek with his hand until she finally looked at him. “And she isn’t royalty, so I don’t think I’ll be a prince consort.”

He paused—trying his best not to chuckle as he watched Naomi’s mouth twitch in the corners. But he inhaled sharply as she stared up at him with earnest, affectionate eyes, “Will she have you?”

“I’m not sure. I think her heart might be somewhere else, and I’m not sure I can compete.”

His mouth curved into a teasing grin, and Naomi bantered back, “Really? The great general is backing down from a challenge?”

“The ocean is a pretty powerful adversary,” he quipped, and Naomi chuckled but there was something so kind and so tender in her eyes that it made his stomach swoop and his heart ache.

“And you’re sure her heart’s with the ocean?”

“I’d like to think part of it’s with me—or at least that it’ll find it’s way back to me in the end.” He met her eyes. “That she’ll find her way home.”

“Maybe she already has…”

Gabe pressed his hand to her cheek, and as Naomi’s arms snaked around him, pulling him towards her, he could feel her fingers tangled in his hair at the base of his neck, could feel her warm breath on his skin as she inched closer and closer, before she stopped just a breath away from him as she asked, “You said there was something you wanted to tell me?”

“You don’t know what it is?” he dryly bantered with as much of a chuckle as he could manage, struggling as he was even to breathe.

“I’d still like to hear you say it,” she whispered, the side of her nose brushing up against his. Gabe sighed. His chest ached, but he pulled away from her—far enough to look into her eyes as he ran his hand through her short blonde hair before he said the words he had mulled over in his head over and over, the words he so desperately wanted to say.

“I want you to follow your dreams whether that’s to go exploring, sail the world, and have amazing adventures or to be the best chancellor in Avaloran history. No matter where those dreams take you, I will always be here, will always be on your side, your greatest defender waiting for you to come home, because my dreams are empty without you in them—without getting to share them with you.” He pushed a strand of blonde hair out of her face—hoping the affection in his eyes said more than even his words. “Naomi, I love y—”

He didn’t get to finish that sentence. Naomi threw her arms around his neck and kissed him before he even had the chance.

#elena of avalor #eoa #gabaomi #naomi turner #gabe nunez #gabriel nunez #gabe nunez x naomi turner #gabe x naomi #they're in love your honor #this is the swooniest thing i've ever written #i didn't know i had this story in me #if i hadn't written it myself i wouldn't believe it #thank you for reading #happy valentine's day

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