Even When You Fall
Summary: Cedric accidentally casts a dizzy spell on himself, causing him to suffer random bouts of dizziness throughout their visit to another kingdom.
Disclaimer: I don't own Sofia the First. I only own the Kingdom of Terrafirma and the Royal Family of Terrafirma.
A/N: *Heads up: this story is somewhat long… lol* Poor Cedric has been going through a lot recently in my stories. …So it's not entirely surprising then that nothing has changed in this story, right? ;) Don't worry. I've got some 'redemption' stories for him in the near future. Also, just a bit of trivia: the kingdom name actually means "solid ground." Just a little Julius Caesar/Shakespearian reference. Haha. Enjoy!
PS: Thank you so much to MarionetteJ2X for the beautiful sketch she did based my story "What We Do Best." You're awesome, girl!
*Story*
"Why exactly are we going on this voyage again?" Wormwood griped to Cedric as he was packing a suitcase.
"Because King Roland asked us to," Cedric responded simply as he shoved the last bit of clothing into the suitcase before buckling it shut. "Well, technically, he asked me to come. But you and I both know that we're sort of a package deal, so…it's to be expected that you'll be there."
"And why is the Royal Family so set on going to this other kingdom anyway?" The raven swooped onto his master's shoulder and tucked his wings back.
"Trade agreement. Enough said."
"Indeed…" Green eyes rolled as they made their way into the workshop again. "And is anyone else going on this trip?"
"Baileywick, naturally. A few of the workers… And the Royal Family and us." He shrugged. "And I need to develop something for Baileywick since he gets seasick on the water, so, let me get to that before I'm interrupted."
"Mr. Cedric!"
"Too late," Wormwood snarked as Sofia gently pushed the door open. "I thought we discussed this knocking issue, Princess." He flew upward before landing on his perch.
She giggled. "Sorry, Wormwood. The door was actually open…" She glanced toward Cedric. "Are you packed?"
"Mostly. I still have to gather my magic supplies. What time does your father plan to leave tomorrow anyway?"
"I think he said sunrise."
Wormwood cackled. "Good luck with that! You're fortunate if he's up even an hour after sunrise." He sulked when Cedric tossed a cotton ball at him, catching him off guard. "So mature."
"Look who's talking," Cedric remarked before rolling his eyes. "No worries, Sofia. I'll be ready. Meanwhile, I'm about to start making a remedy to help with Baileywick's seasickness if you'd like to help me."
She grinned. "Sure! Well, I can for a little bit, and then I'm supposed to go help Amber." She sighed and gestured in a tone mimicking the blonde girl's. "I just can't decide whether to take the chartreuse dress or the puce dress. Decisions, decisions…" She laughed.
Wormwood scoffed. "Chartreuse, naturally. Puce is more your mother's style, Princess." He paused as the friends glanced at him in surprise before laughing. "…Not a word! I simply know my unique colors…"
Sofia smiled in amusement. "I think that's neat, Wormwood. And I agree with you; I told her the same thing. Now whether she actually listens to me is another story completely…"
After the remedy had been concocted, Sofia left to aid her sister with her dilemma, as it were. With the mixture bottled, Cedric decided it would be best to deliver it promptly lest anything happen to it before the journey. He left Wormwood in the tower as he set off to find the steward.
"Now are you sure you can handle things while I'm gone?" Baileywick asked Violet as he watched several other workers go about their nightly routine. He had confidence that they'd do fine, but it was a micromanaging issue he'd yet to overcome. Call it his organized nature; he simply couldn't have things being out of place in the castle. It would ultimately descend into chaos, with no doubt.
"Yes, Mr. Baileywick," Violet giggled, used to his habits by now. "Now don't you worry about a thing. I've got Suzette and Marcy to help with the cleaning, and Chef Andre will see to it that we've got all we need to eat. The other workers are prepared to aid in anything that needs done. We'll keep this castle spick and span; not to worry."
"Thank you, Violet," the steward sighed with a smile. "I can always count on you."
She laughed and tapped him lightly with her feather duster. "Funny. They usually say the same about you." With that coy remark, she turned and left.
Baileywick turned and had to stop rather quickly to avoid running into Cedric. "Cedric? What are you doing down here?"
Cedric smirked. "Well, I do leave my tower every now and then… And besides, I had something for you." He handed he bottle to the other worker. "I figured it would come in handy with our upcoming voyage. It's an anti-seasickness potion. No harmful side effects, though I'm afraid for some reason it does smell a bit like bananas." He shrugged. "Not sure why, and I can't really change it."
The steward chuckled and accepted the potion. "Thanks. It will certainly make the trip a lot more pleasant."
"And do you know much about this kingdom we're supposed to be visiting?" He turned and began walking with the older man back down the hallway.
"Only that they've been sort of picky about those with whom they trade in the past. It's best that we're all on our best behavior." He gave the sorcerer a meaningful stare through his spectacles.
Cedric threw his hands up and made a face. "I promise you won't have any trouble out of me. I've learned my lesson." He muttered under his breath, "Can't say the same for Wormy, but still…"
Baileywick chuckled. "Yes, I suppose so… Well, good night, Cedric, and thank you again." With that, he left to tend to some last-minute necessities before retiring for the evening.
Cedric returned to his workshop to finalize a few things himself.
The next morning, bright and early, all five members of the royal family, Cedric, Wormwood, Baileywick, and a few guards and servants boarded the familiar ship The Floating Palace in order to leave for Terrafirma, known as the Kingdom of Good Earth.
"Back into the great unknown," Amber joked to Sofia as they stood near the front of the ship, which was preparing to cast off.
"Yeah," she laughed. "Maybe we'll see Princess Elena on the trip!"
"I doubt it," Roland chuckled, "since Avalor is in the opposite direction. It will actually take us less time to get to Terrafirma." He looked toward the captain. "Ready when you are, Captain Vasquez."
The man nodded and called for cast off, propelling the ship into the sea once again.
Everyone managed to get their items settled in their temporary cabins before returning to the deck to enjoy the view. Even Baileywick seemed fine this time around, thanks to the potion Cedric had made for him. He stood dutifully by Roland's and Miranda's sides in case he was needed.
"This is boring," Wormwood grumbled to Cedric as they stood on the port side, gazing out over the sun kissed waters. "I can fly faster than this dumb boat."
"It's a ship, Wormy, and stop complaining. At least you'll get a change of scenery." He sighed as Wormwood took off, saying he was returning to their cabin for now. He glanced down as he felt a tug on his sleeve and smiled. "Sofia."
"Mr. Cedric," she returned cheerfully. "Do you know anything about Terrafirma?"
"Not much; only what Baileywick explained last night. He said they're rather selective with their choice of trading partners."
She smiled sweetly. "So you'll be good, right?"
Cedric gasped in fake surprise. "Sofia, honestly. What is it with everyone suddenly? First Baileywick, and now you? I'm going to be fine. It's Wormwood you should probably talk with."
She grinned. "You're probably right. Where is he anyway?"
"Pouting in my cabin. He would have rather stayed home and had free run of the place, but I insisted he come along. If he'd stayed, he likely would have caused trouble for those poor workers."
Sofia smiled and nodded. "You're right. He really needs to get out more."
"Sofia, come look!" James called from the starboard side. "Dolphins!"
Cedric smiled toward Sofia as she waved and left. He glanced to his other side as he heard someone clearing his throat.
"Gooseberry cider, sir?" the man asked as he held out a tray with glasses.
The sorcerer blinked and nodded before taking a glass. He didn't remember the last time he'd had any of the rather expensive drink. Suffice it to say that it had been a good number of years. He took a sip and sighed, relaxing. Truthfully, a journey away from the daily grind was pretty much just what he needed.
"Oh, look at the baby dolphin!" Amber cooed as she leaned over the railing. She beamed back at her siblings. "This is amazing."
"That's not a dolphin, Amber," James remarked with a calm laugh. "It's a shark.'
"Eek! WHAT?!" She jumped back away from the water.
Sofia couldn't help laughing. "James, stop lying. Amber, he's just kidding. It really is a dolphin."
The blonde girl sighed in relief before glaring at her twin, who was now doubled over in laughter. "Not funny, James!"
"I beg to differ," he snickered.
The rest of the ride was relatively uneventful. The children played a few games before they all ate a meal provided by the ship staff before retiring for the evening.
The next morning, Roland made sure everyone rose early due to the ship nearing their destination of Terrafirma. Since they had planned only to spend a part of the day in the kingdom, they chose to leave their luggage on the ship.
"King Roland," a man who appeared to be the captain of the guard greeted as he bowed, followed by a few of his men behind him. "Pleased to make your acquaintance. My name is Captain Weisz. King Josef has sent me on his behalf to welcome you to Terrafirma and guide you and your party to the palace. Please, come with us." He turned back to his men and gave a command.
"Ooh, is that our carriage?" Amber asked excitedly as a large horse-drawn carriage stopped before them.
"I think the better question is, will we all fit?" Baileywick wondered as he held a hand to his chin.
"Of course we will," Miranda soothed as she smiled. "Let's let the kids get in first. Then we'll follow them."
At the queen's request, James and Sofia sat on one side of the carriage while Amber grabbed the window seat on the other. Miranda and Roland sat next to Amber. Cedric slid in beside Sofia, and thankfully there was just enough room for the steward. Baileywick slipped in next to Cedric just as the door closed behind them.
Wormwood, who found being on Cedric's shoulder in these closed quarters rather awkward, settled for sitting on the sorcerer's lap instead. The space was far more cramped than he was used to or would like, but as he'd recently found out, it did little good to complain. Nothing came of it anyway.
"This carriage sure is roomy," Miranda commented happily. "King Josef must have known we had a bigger group with us."
Roland chuckled. "Maybe. Now, everyone relax and be yourselves when we get to the palace. However, keep in mind that this trade agreement is extremely important, so let me do the talking. In fact, it wouldn't hurt if you were to find something to occupy your time."
"In other words, leave you alone," James translated with a grin. "We got it, Dad. We'll babysit Cedric and Baileywick."
"Shouldn't that be the other way around, Prince James?" the steward laughed.
"Just be respectful of their kingdom," Miranda advised. "They don't have too many visitors, and they're not like Enchancia. It's more traditional and reserved. You understand, right?"
"So no pranks," Amber stated firmly as she looked toward James.
"We'll be okay, Mom," Sofia assured her. "Dad will be able to get his trade agreement, and we'll have some new friends! It's going to be great."
"What would you like me to do, Your Majesty?" Cedric asked Roland.
"Go with the kids and Baileywick. Keep an eye on them."
He blinked. "Was there any reason in particular you brought me along, King Roland?"
The fair-haired man nodded. "Actually, yes. But I'll explain that later. Just go along with Sofia and the others for the time being."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Everyone soon departed from the carriage after it stopped and went their separate ways.
Miranda smirked as her husband approached her. "Why didn't you tell Cedric what he wanted to know now?"
He chuckled as he wrapped an arm around her waist. "Build a little suspense…? I don't know."
"Cute, Rollie." She giggled as they walked together toward the palace.
While the kids, Baileywick, and Cedric were led toward the village of Balaiden to sightsee what the kingdom had to offer, Roland and Miranda met with the king and queen to discuss potential trading possibilities. King Josef was a tall man with brown hair and seafoam blue eyes. He wore a maroon outfit and navy blue cloak cascading to the floor behind him. He seemed rather reserved. Beside him was a woman in a floor-length pale purple gown. Her dark hair was tied in an immaculately high bun, little gems nestled throughout. Her brown eyes observed the newcomers with regard.
"King Josef and Queen Marisol of Terrafirma," introduced one of the men from their royal court, "may I introduce you to King Roland and Queen Miranda of Enchancia?"
"Ah, Enchancia," King Josef responded with a fond smile. His ocean blue eyes shimmered in interest. "My father made many trips through there in his youth, or so he used to say." He gestured toward a table situated on the balcony extending behind the throne room. "Please, come and join us so we can discuss trade. I know we have a reputation for being quite finicky when it comes to partners—"
"—And it's true for several reasons," Queen Marisol cut in, her dark eyes observing both Enchancian royals carefully. "Can't be too cautious these days, you understand?"
Miranda laughed uncertainly as she took hold of Roland's hand. "I'm sure…" She sighed. This was going to be an interesting and probably very long meeting.
"Balaiden reminds me a lot of Dunwiddie," Sofia remarked as they walked through the small village. "There don't seem to be as many kids though."
"They're probably inside," Amber told her as she fanned herself. "It's kind of hot out here. Maybe we should head back to the palace. I think I saw a gazebo we can sit in until Mom and Dad are finished with their meeting."
"For once, I'm with her," Wormwood agreed softly to Cedric. "It's hotter than a greenhouse out here."
"Aw, but we just got here." Sofia sighed before hearing a door open behind them.
The group turned and saw a girl who didn't appear much older than the twins covered in flour from practically head to foot. She had messy brown hair tied into a braid, and her simple beige dress and apron seemed to have been the victims of a spill or two. She smiled brightly at the five newcomers. "Good afternoon!" she said cheerfully. "I saw you all wandering around, looking rather lost. Judging by your state of dress, I'm guessing you're not from around here?"
Sofia giggled. "No. We're from Enchancia. I'm Princess Sofia. These are my brother and sister: James and Amber. And these two are Baileywick, our royal steward, and Cedric, our royal sorcerer. Our mom and dad are here to talk to your king and queen about a trade agreement, so we were told to just explore Terrafirma…"
"Let's just go around telling strangers who everyone is," Wormwood mumbled grumpily to Cedric. "And I noticed she left my name out." He stopped griping once Cedric gave him a look.
The girl's eyes twinkled a bit at Sofia's explanation. "I see. Well, if you'd like, you're welcome to come inside. I've got a few pies I'm baking, which I'd be glad to share with you all."
"Oh, no, we wouldn't want to be a bother," Baileywick argued gently.
"Sure, we would," James countered with a grin. "What kind of pie?"
"Boysenberry and chocolate," she said proudly, "two of the most beloved flavors in the kingdom."
"Mm, that does sound tasty," Amber admitted with a dreamy sigh. "And we haven't eaten yet."
"Yes, let's not turn down an offer for free food, Baileywick," Cedric joked.
The steward sighed and nodded. "Very well. Thank you for your offer, Miss…?"
"Oh, I'm sorry! I'm Soleil. My brother Phoenix will be back any minute with some fresh produce. Please, have a seat." She smiled kindly as she led them inside and the five Enchancian inhabitants sat around a table directly outside of the kitchen in the tiny house.
"And where exactly are your parents?" Baileywick wondered as the girl moved about, cutting pieces of each pie and placing them on several plates. "You don't look much older than maybe thirteen…"
"I'm fifteen, actually." She laughed. "So is my brother. We're twins."
Amber gasped. "So are we!" She gestured toward James. "Oh, does it get annoying when people ask how you're twins when you don't look exactly alike?"
"Absolutely," the brunette laughed. "Although I admit we don't get it that much. Most people around here know us pretty well." She sighed as she started serving the pie. "And to answer your question, our parents are…quite busy right now. They work really hard up at the palace and have told us we needed to 'learn how to serve others properly,' so we've been working out of this house for the last year, learning how to help and serve others. I make sweets and pass them out to the villagers, and Phoenix helps with all of the physical stuff. It keeps us grounded, I suppose." She used her apron to wipe some of the flour from her face and arms before shaking the remainder from her hair.
"So your parents work in the palace?" Sofia clarified as she picked up her fork. "Do they work for the king and queen?"
Soleil smiled. "Something like that." She looked up as another brunette walked into the house. "Hi, Phoenix!"
Phoenix, a boy a bit taller than his sister with the same hair color but sparkling blue eyes, blinked as he saw quite a few newcomers in their house. "Um…hello there." He seemed a bit more at ease after the same introductions from earlier went around. "Oh, I see. So your parents have come to establish a trade agreement with the king and queen." He chuckled. "Good luck."
"Phoenix," Soleil muttered in a warning tone as she set a piece of chocolate pie before him. "Don't start."
"You know how they are, sis." He shrugged. "Set in their ways, traditional to a fault… Thus is the life of Terrafirmans…" He smiled carelessly as he dug in to the pie.
"I hope this trip hasn't been for nothing," Amber lamented with a pout. "I really hope Daddy can persuade them somehow to become our trade partners so we can at least say the trip meant something."
"Cheer up, Princess Amber," Soleil soothed. "We could make your visit more interesting, if you'd like. There's a festival going on in the heart of the village now if you'd like to go."
"Oh, yes!" the blonde girl exclaimed in excitement. "I adore festivals. And I absolutely love this boysenberry pie. Baileywick, remind me to ask Chef Andre to make some when we get back to Enchancia."
"I'll see what I can do, Princess Amber," he chuckled as he ate his own pie slice.
"Did I hear them say you're a sorcerer?" Phoenix asked Cedric, who nodded. "Neat. The royal sorcerer of Terrafirma doesn't usually travel much."
"You mean 'sorceress,'" Soleil corrected.
"You have a royal sorceress who works at the palace?" Sofia asked in interest.
"Yes. Her name is Zalinda." Soleil giggled. "She's been the sorceress here for a long time, if you catch my drift."
Cedric frowned and tapped his fork on his plate. "Zalinda… I don't recall meeting anyone by that name at the conventions I travelled to."
"Oh, Zalinda doesn't travel," Phoenix explained. "She's a bit reclusive. Doesn't really leave her workshop much. She also can't see too well, so there's that…" He snickered.
"Aside from the seeing thing, that sounds a lot like you, Cedric," Baileywick laughed.
"Oh, hush. At least I travel."
"Well, she's like 200 years old, so…" Phoenix chuckled as his sister nudged him playfully. "I'm only kidding. And Zalinda is actually a pretty cool person."
"So what sorts of spells do you like to do?" Soleil wondered as she looked toward Cedric again.
"Oh…wow. Um, let's see… Well, there are quite a lot, actually." He chuckled. "There's this one." He withdrew his wand and aimed it at the fork next to him. "Bounciglius." The fork bounced across the table before landing in the wash bin.
"Hey, that's actually kind of useful!" Phoenix laughed.
"Oh, what was that one you taught me the other day?" Sofia asked. "The Caligo Spell? The one that makes things dark?"
"Ah, yes."
"You study magic?" Phoenix asked in interest as he glanced toward Sofia. "Huh. I asked my father if I could learn, and he insisted I stay away from it."
"Aw. Magic is so much fun," Sofia gushed. "Mr. Cedric makes it very interesting. Sorry your dad doesn't think the same way."
"Yeah, me too," Phoenix laughed with his arms folded.
Cedric tapped his wand on the table, trying to remember the exact words, and made a noise of recognition. "Oh, I remember now. Bring forth the mist and darkness abound. A hazy mind and distorted sound. Make the sights blur and flee. Bring forth Caligo upon me!"
"Wait, Mr. Cedric!" Sofia gasped as she realized his mistake. "It's 'for me,' not 'upon!'"
Instead of the room being engulfed by darkness and mist like the spell was supposed to do (and had done before, since he'd used it in a recent play the children had put on at Royal Prep), Cedric instantly recognized the harrowing symptoms of none other than dizziness.
"Ugh," he murmured as he dropped his wand on the table. He held his hands to his head. "What did I do?"
"I think you accidentally cursed yourself," Sofia told him gently as she placed a comforting hand on his arm, realizing he must have been in pain as he flinched. "Do you know how to undo this?"
"Not if I messed up the spell…"
Amber looked toward the other set of twins. "Do you think that Zalinda lady would have something to help him?"
Phoenix and Soleil exchanged looks.
"Well…it's possible," Soleil admitted. "You need to get to her workshop under the palace though." She smiled. "And we happen to know a secret entrance. Are you in?"
"Oh, this doesn't sound very lawful," Baileywick sighed.
"We're in!" James grinned excitedly.
Meanwhile, back on the palace balcony, Miranda gently nudged Roland when he appeared nearly ready to nod off during a regulated tea time. She rolled her eyes and removed the tea from his hands, placing it onto the table before them.
"Are we boring you with our details, King Roland?" Queen Marisol asked seriously as she gave the fair-haired king a rather intimidating stare.
"Um, not at all, Queen Marisol… I, uh, apologize. Our voyage involved something of a rough travel, with the bumpy seas."
King Josef chuckled. "Understandable. As soothing as it is to hear the waves at night, the constant up and down is nothing short of annoying when one is trying to sleep."
Roland laughed. "Agreed. So anyway, you were saying?"
"Well, our primary exports are chocolate, berries, silk, and fine gemstones…"
"Are you sure you know where we're going?" Baileywick asked uncertainly as he and the other four followed the twins.
"Of course," Phoenix responded easily. "We used to play around here all the time when we were kids. We know all the secret ins and outs of this palace." To demonstrate, he felt around the bottom of the stone before the wall and gently tapped, creating an opening. "See?"
Said opening happened to be an entire door that opened downward, producing a staircase that led under the palace.
"Oh, this doesn't look sketchy at all," Wormwood told Cedric, who was hardly paying attention to him at the moment.
The tunnel underground was well-lit with several torches along the walls, which helped illuminate their pathway. Phoenix made sure to shut the door behind them. As the two sets of twins and Baileywick walked forward, Sofia carefully helped Cedric take one step at a time.
"Are you still feeling dizzy?" she asked in concern.
"Eh, you could say that," he answered through gritted teeth. He inhaled sharply and held onto the stone wall as he willed away another wave of dizziness. "Ohh, that wasn't pleasant." After a few moments of collecting himself, he was able to walk again.
"We're not that far from her workshop," Soleil assured them all as they continued walking. "You'll know we've arrived when you smell the aroma of freshly cut roses. She always has them scattered about near her shop. She says it's for good luck or something."
"Sunflowers would have been better, as they're often seen as symbols of luck, but I couldn't care less right now," Cedric mumbled in pain. He couldn't help smiling lightly as even Wormwood gently nudged him with his head, as if trying to offer some silent comfort. "Thanks, Wormy."
As the group grew closer, they heard the sound of a woman's voice singing what could only be described as the most awkward-sounding opera ever. James made a confused face while Cedric attempted to plug his ears, as it appeared the sound was not mixing well with his dizziness.
Phoenix approached a large wooden door and knocked loudly, garnering a much-appreciated silence. He grinned. "Think we got her attention." He stepped back.
"Hello?" an older woman's voice asked as the door opened. She wasn't too terribly tall. Her off-white hair was half in a bun and half left streaming down her back. She wore a maroon and gold dress with a red sash tied around her waist. Her gray eyes, while obviously weary from the weak light of the underground workshop, still held a certain warmth that the visitors found endearing. "Oh, my. Lots of people."
Soleil giggled as she gestured toward the group. "Zalinda, these are our guests from Enchancia. Princess Amber, Prince James, Princess Sofia, Baileywick the steward, and Cedric the sorcerer…who accidentally cast a spell on himself that appears to make him rather dizzy. Can you help him?"
"Oh, certainly. Come inside, everyone." She quickly ushered them inside and began digging through her cupboards to find just what she needed. "Which spell was it, young man?"
Cedric began to speak but found himself collapsed against the door rather quickly, his head knocking the side of a cabinet.
"Mr. Cedric!" Sofia knelt down to help him.
Zalinda raised an eyebrow at the sight. "So… Caligo I'm guessing. Usually it's used to cause darkness—not dizziness. You've really done a number on yourself." She grinned. "Not to worry though. I've got just the thing." She gathered a mortar and pestle before tossing a few herbs and spices into it. She mixed them together and dropped some cinnamon, honey, and a few other unidentifiable liquids in, creating a rather sticky paste. Once she deemed it complete, she used her red wand to form a capsule around the paste, encasing it all together. She walked over and knelt beside the other sorcerer, holding the capsule up for him. "Take this. It will help."
Cedric was too dizzy to argue or question her, so he did as he was told. Within moments, his dizziness vanished. "Oh, that's so much better…thank you, Madam Zalinda."
She chuckled. "Just 'Zalinda' is fine, Cedric. Now, there are a few matters I need to tend to. For starters…" She stood up and glanced toward the Terrafirman twins. "Prince Phoenix, Princess Soleil, what are you doing in your commoner clothing? I thought you two had your royal party this evening."
"Prince/Princess?" A mixture of confused and questioning responses echoed around the workshop.
"You two are the prince and princess of Terrafirma?" Amber asked in surprise. "Why didn't you tell us?"
Soleil laughed. "We like to keep a low profile when strangers visit…"
"We know our parents' reputation for being sort of traditional and difficult and don't like people assuming we're that way too," Phoenix echoed. "And we really do actually do the work you saw us doing. It's part of our charity toward the village. A sort of training in a way."
"That's inspiring," Baileywick gushed happily. "I think another certain set of twins could learn a lot from you two." He smiled as the blondes made sounds of annoyance.
"We do help people, Baileywick!" Amber argued. "Just yesterday, I bought a whole new wardrobe for a little girl who spilled paint on her dress."
"Plus she's a Buttercup," Sofia added helpfully. "And James visits the less fortunate with Zandar and Desmond on occasion. They're improving a lot."
"Anyway, we probably actually should be going," Soleil told them. "Zalinda is right. Our party is in a few hours, and Mother will be very upset if she sees us looking like this."
The twins bid their visitors farewell and left.
"We should get going too," Baileywick advised. "I don't imagine King Roland and Queen Miranda are that far from finishing their meeting. Zalinda, it was nice meeting you." He smiled and bowed politely before ushering James and Amber out the door and back into the tunnel.
Sofia beamed toward the sorceress. "Thank you for helping Mr. Cedric. I don't know what I'd do without him."
Cedric smiled fondly down at the girl before looking toward the old woman. "It's much appreciated." He stroked Wormwood's feathers as he let out an agreeing caw.
Zalinda smiled knowingly. "It's nice to see a princess who's befriended someone outside of her royal status. I've seen it with Soleil and Phoenix, and I'm glad to see it with you, little one. It's obvious you have a good heart. Take care to make sure you always stay that way."
She giggled. "I will." She gently tugged at Cedric's sleeve. "Ready?"
"Yes. Goodbye, Zalinda. Thanks again."
As the workshop cleared, Zalinda hummed in thought as she glanced toward a canvas in the corner of her room. She walked over to it and held up her wand, using it to etch out something on the blank background. "Interesting." With a renewed sense of muse, she gleefully began waving her wand over the canvas to illustrate her inspiration.
Eventually, the group met up with the king and queen again. The trade deal was all set and would go into effect immediately, which meant their kingdoms would be seeing more of each other in the future.
"Oh, Cedric, you asked earlier why I brought you along?" Roland reminded the sorcerer as they walked back to the ship.
"Yes, King Roland…" At this point, Cedric wasn't sure if he could take any more dizzying news, so to speak. He sincerely hoped whatever the man had to tell him wouldn't make him any worse off than he had been earlier.
"It was my way of saying thank you."
Cedric raised his eyebrows at this explanation. "I'm sorry?"
"Thank you…for setting me straight. For befriending and teaching our daughter. For always doing everything we request, no matter how ridiculous it sounds. You never really take time for yourself, unless it's to visit your parents, so I figured getting you away from the day-to-day chore of being a royal sorcerer and letting you come with us on this journey, even with the kids and Baileywick, it could be at least a bit relaxing. And if not, I apologize. I'm really trying to make things better between us."
The sorcerer was in shock. Had he heard this man correctly? "I…thank you, King Roland. I truly appreciate it…"
"In fact, I'm planning to give both you and Baileywick some time off in the near future." He chuckled as they stared at him in surprise. "What would you do with it? Travel together?"
"No, thanks," Baileywick said quickly with a shake of his head. "No offense, Cedric, but too much time spent together would lead to nothing but trouble."
"Agreed," Cedric chuckled. "That's very kind of you, Your Majesty. I wasn't expecting that at all."
Roland laughed. "I'm full of surprises, I guess."
Wormwood smirked as he nudged Cedric. "That's one way of putting it." He yelped as Cedric swatted at him. "Rude."
"Mr. Cedric, are you feeling better?" Sofia asked as they'd boarded the ship and were on their way back to Enchancia.
"Much. Remind me to not mince words next time, so to speak."
She giggled and nodded. "Right. You want to play a game with us? Go Fish, maybe?"
Wormwood flapped his wings excitedly. "You, me, and the steward against the royal pains—I mean children!" He flew up and into Cedric's line of vision. "Come on, Cedric, please! I need some entertainment! I'm bored out of my mind here!"
Cedric sighed in exasperation. "All right, Wormy. If it'll stop you from being so dramatic." He smiled toward Sofia. "We're in."
"Yay!" …That cheer was not from Sofia. Perhaps 'cabin fever' was actually manifesting itself in Wormwood after all.
A few weeks later, after everything was settled down and everyone was back in their own routine, Cedric received a special delivery from some unknown source. He was surprised at the size of it as the two workers who'd delivered it were panting form the sheer exertion of carting it up the spiral stairs.
"Oh, um… I've got it," he told them as he used his wand to relieve the workers of their burden and settle it against the wall. "Thank you."
One man looked toward the other. "Wish we would have thought of that earlier," he laughed. "He could have just floated the whole thing up here." With that, they left.
Cedric rolled his eyes and shut the door before turning around and staring at the large object. It seemed rectangular and somewhat heavy. Of course, being in a wooden crate, he was basing his assessment only off of what he was able to see. He used a basic spell to break the boards away and reveal a white sheet covering a tall object.
He grabbed the sheet and slowly removed it. His breath caught. "Oh, wow…"
The canvas before him was the one that Zalinda had begun working on a few weeks prior. Magically etched into the fabric was a likeness of both him and Sofia. It appeared that Sofia was reaching down from the top of the painting toward him, her hands clasping his and holding on tightly, as though she were attempting to save him from falling from a precipice or something. The details were impeccable. She'd even recreated the girl's amulet, which appeared to be shining. The colors were vibrant. The entire painting even had a magical shimmer to it that he'd never seen with other portraits. And at the top was the title, which caught his eye: "Even When You Fall."
Cedric smiled at this. Zalinda was far more insightful than he'd given her credit for. And she'd seemed to capture the very essence of his and Sofia's friendship: because even if or when he fell (whether figuratively or literally), she was always there to help him or catch him. From the beginning when they'd each helped each other out with class assignments and performing magic for Magnus, to the road in between, and to recent times when she'd quite literally saved his life after he'd betrayed her trust… Even when he fell…she was always there to save him.
"Maybe now it's time I do the same." He used his wand to levitate the painting, hanging it in an obscure section of his workshop where only he could see it for now. It was his and Zalinda's secret. Whenever he needed inspiration or motivation to carry on, he would come to this incredible portrait.
And, should she need it, he would be there for Sofia and extend her a helping hand for once. After all, friendship worked both ways, and he felt that he was finally ready to fully reciprocate it.
The end