Slow and Steady

Summary: Cedric has to attend a seminar for sorcerers and is nervous beyond belief, so unbeknownst to him, Sofia tags along to see if she can help him out.

Disclaimer: Nope…still don't own the show. :D

A/N: I just can't tell you all how excited I am to write this story… It hasn't actually been on my mind that long, but once the ideas came to me, I couldn't stop them. So here you have it…a "Cedric-goes-on-a-business-trip-and-Sofia-tags-along" story line. Hehe.

Chapter 1: Stowaway

"Wormy!" Cedric called anxiously as he sorted through various items on his bed. His traveling trunk was fully packed save for his necessary wand case and spell book, but he still felt as though something might be missing. He sighed when Wormwood flew into his bedroom and settled on his bed. "Double check me. Is there anything I didn't remember to pack?"

Wormwood blinked before glancing over the loaded trunk. "Well, you forgot to add the tower door," he drawled sarcastically with a smirk. "Other than that, I believe you're good." He glanced toward Cedric and nodded.

"And you're sure you don't want to go with me?" He frowned when the raven shook his head vehemently. "Well, why not? What is so important that you have to stay here?"

Wormwood rolled his eyes. Cedric was only going to be gone for two days, yet he acted as though they were being separated for months. He propped himself onto his master's shoulder and offered him a gentle nudge, hoping to calm him down. It was interesting to see him so nervous about the Sorcerer's Seminar, because he could have sworn just last week that he was very excited to attend. If nothing else, it got him away from the castle and annoying staff members for a few days. One could only venture a guess as to what had happened to change his reaction so drastically.

"Thanks, Wormy…" He sighed and gathered his spell book, placing it inside along with the case for his Family Wand, and he then shut the trunk, fastening it together. He pulled the wand from his robe and used magic to lift the heavy trunk as he began walking out to his workshop, the hefty item following him.

"Mr. Cedric!" Sofia called from the other side of the door. "Are you still here?"

"Sofia!" Cedric yelped when the trunk ran smack into him, knocking him over. He groaned in pain as the ornate box lowered next to him.

The princess opened the door upon hearing his surprised cry. She gasped as she knelt next to him. "Are you all right?"

"Never better," he mumbled sarcastically as he looked up at the girl. "What are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to be at school."

She smiled softly. "It's Saturday, Mr. Cedric…"

"Oh… I knew that." He pulled himself to his feet and sat down on the trunk to regain his composure. "And what grand adventures do you have planned while I'm gone?"

The princess sighed and shrugged before sitting next to him. "Nothing, really… It's going to be kind of lonely here without you, Mr. Cedric."

He chuckled. "Oh, nonsense. You'll have Wormy." He gestured toward the perch where the raven huffed and looked away. "All right, maybe not… But I'll be back Monday evening."

Sofia looked up at him. "Why do you have to go to the Sorcerer's Seminar anyway? What is it exactly?"

"It's something that comes around every few years or so… And it's required for all Royal Sorcerers to attend."

She smiled. "So Mr. Greylock will be there then?"

"Unfortunately…" He rolled his eyes. "Granted, he probably wouldn't miss an opportunity to show off his skills and harp on me yet again. It's the very basis of our nonexistent friendship, you know."

Sofia giggled. "I remember. I've seen it firsthand."

"Hmm, of course. Anyway, we're supposed to be in attendance for new spells, wand enhancements, and…" He shuddered. "The magic deflector test."

"Magic deflector?" She tilted her head in curiosity. "What is that?"

"The overseers will literally hurl magic at us, and we have a split second to recall the correct spell to diminish whatever magic they've aimed at us. If we fail, it hurts…quite a lot."

"So have you been hit before?"

"Only once," he admitted with a grimace. "When I went to my first seminar after becoming Enchancia's Royal Sorcerer… It was pretty terrible. I was bedridden for a week, and my father had to take over for me. Of course, it wasn't like he was actually doing anything else during his retirement, but that did sort of grate on his nerves a bit. He assumed if I couldn't handle that, then I couldn't handle this job." He shrugged.

Sofia nodded before smiling. "Well, I think you're doing a great job."

"Thank you, Sofia," he acknowledged with a smile. He stood and used the wand to lift the trunk up once Sofia had slid to the floor. "Well, I'm off…" He sighed nervously, running a hand through his hair.

The young girl hugged her friend from the side, offering him an encouraging smile. "You'll do great, Mr. Cedric, just like you always do."

Cedric lowered his hand to wrap his arm around Sofia in a hug. "I appreciate your confidence, my dear, and wish I had half as much as you did in me."

Sofia bit her lip as he retracted his arm and led the floating trunk downstairs. She then rushed after him, holding onto the railing as they descended. "What if I went with you?" she suggested.

"And tear you away from your studies? Your father would be horribly upset with me." He shook his head. "Besides, I'll be all right… I may come back a little more bruised than originally intended, but that's all to be expected at this seminar…"

"But—" She blinked as they reached the last step and Cedric placed a finger over her lips.

"No, Princess Sofia," he stated simply, using her title to show how serious he was. "Besides, only sorcerers and sorceresses are allowed, and outsiders are immediately returned to their origins. So it would be a waste of time really."

Sofia sighed and folded her arms as he walked on. "Oh, fine. Just…be careful, please?"

He turned to her and flashed a grin. "Aren't I always?" He yelped as the trunk hit him again, but he managed to steady himself properly this time.

"Uh-huh…" The princess shook her head as Cedric walked into the throne room to most likely explain his travels to her parents. She considered his earlier words and smiled secretively. "Only sorcerers and sorceresses, hmm?" She grinned and took off toward the direction of her bedroom.

About an hour later, Cedric was situated in a flying coach with his trunk magically shrunk to a small briefcase, which he held at his side. He sighed and relaxed into his seat as the driver continued on, the wind maintaining their smooth travel. In fact, this was much easier than the haphazard flying he'd last experienced, when Sofia had been the driver. Granted, she was only nine years old, but still…

He sat up when he heard what sounded like a sneeze. He frowned, realizing it hadn't come from the driver. He looked all around his section of the coach before looking behind him and gaping at what he saw. "Sofia?!"

"Shh!" She held a hand up to his mouth as she clambered from the back of the coach to the seat next to him. "Don't let the driver know I'm here."

"He very well should know you're here. And if your father finds out that you've stowed away—oh, dear…"

She smiled. "I told Dad and Mom that I was going to visit a friend for the rest of the weekend, and I would be back Monday night…after school ended."

Cedric shot her a look. "So you've used this situation to twist your words into meaning something entirely different?" He then couldn't help the proud grin that broke onto his face. "I'm impressed, Princess."

Sofia giggled as she stretched, working the stiffness out of her back from being cooped up for too long.

"But if your parents ever find out the truth, I could be in huge trouble, you know."

She shook her head. "I'll take the blame. None of this is your fault." She smiled. "Besides, with me on this trip, I can make sure you don't get hurt."

His face softened at her words. She really cared a great deal about him and his wellbeing, didn't she? "Is that why you're dressed in your apprentice outfit?" he asked with a chuckle, eyeing the sparkling purple robe and hat atop her head.

"Of course! But since you told me only sorcerers and sorceresses are allowed at the seminar, I guess I'll have to have a disguise." She smiled. "What do you think of the name 'Sofia the Sorceress?'"

He raised an eyebrow at her. "You're not going to the seminar."

"But I'm already on the trip!" she argued with a grin.

"True, but you did so without my permission…or anyone else's for that matter. As punishment, you're confined to the inn room for the entire trip."

She gasped at his words. "Mr. Cedric! That's not fair. That's what I get for caring about you?"

Cedric rolled his eyes. "You could care about me while still being in Enchancia, Sofia. And what of school on Monday? How are you going to explain your absence?"

"Amber and James are covering for me," she admitted with a small laugh.

He stared at her in disbelief. "You've just got this whole ordeal thought out, haven't you?"

Sofia smiled. "Mr. Cedric, I tagged along to make sure you'd be okay and to keep you calm. Don't think I didn't see you getting very nervous before you saw my parents."

"And just what makes you think I will be better with you here anyway?"

The girl shrugged. "Because I'm your apprentice, and it's my job to help you out."

He sighed, realizing she wasn't going to give up. "Very well… But listen here. Since Greylock indeed will be at this meeting, and he will recognize you, it is very important that you stay in the inn room. And I'm not joking, Sofia." He eyed her carefully. "Do you understand?"

She sighed, relenting. "I understand."

They rode in relative silence until the coachman descended and eventually stopped at the inn Cedric had mentioned. After receiving his orders, the coachman flew off toward Enchancia again.

"Wow," Sofia breathed as she looked up at the inn. It was grand and had small waterfalls flowing on either side of the structure with spring blooms outlining the entry. "When you said 'inn,' I thought it was going to be a small log cabin type of place… This is really nice and big."

Cedric smirked and rolled his eyes. "Or it could be that you're just very short," he teased lightly, earning a pointed look from the princess. "Just joking, Sofia. Calm down."

She giggled and twirled around, inhaling. "It smells wonderful here too! It's nice to get away from the castle for a while…" She started to skip ahead before Cedric grabbed her shoulder, holding her in place.

"Hold it," he said firmly, turning her around. "Now, we've discussed your part in all of this. Where is your trunk?"

Sofia smiled. "I didn't bring one." She gestured to the backpack that was on her back. "Everything I need is in here."

"How did you manage to fit all of your dresses in there?" he asked in surprise.

The girl grinned. "You're not the only one who knows magic, Mr. Cedric." She giggled and took off ahead of him again. "Come on!"

He stared after the energetic princess before shaking his head. What had he gotten himself into?

After the two friends had checked in, they made their way to Room 33. They entered and were pleasantly surprised at the accommodations. There were two double sized beds—much smaller than would suit royalty, but Sofia didn't seem at all concerned with that. She was more enthralled with the giant portrait of Merlin hanging on the wall directly between the two beds. Even more fascinating? The picture seemed to be moving. She looked toward Cedric for an explanation.

"It's enchanted," he told her, sensing her confusion. "Someone has placed a spell on it to give the illusion of Merlin moving."

"Wow," she said in awe as she looked at the portrait again. "That's really neat…" She smiled and took her hat off her head, shaking out her hair and letting the waves rest against her shoulders once more as she fixed her tiara. "So while you're attending the seminar, what am I supposed to do?"

Cedric pondered this question. True, she was still a young girl who could get easily distracted… He produced his wand and tapped the briefcase, changing it to his trunk again as it settled before the bed he'd chosen. He opened the lid and pulled out his extra case of wands, handing her the training wand she often used.

Sofia smiled excitedly. "You brought my wand?" she asked in surprise. "Admit it, Mr. Cedric. You actually would have missed me if I hadn't come."

He smiled and shook his head. "I always carry your wand with me. That way you stay out of trouble." He chuckled as she pouted, clearly not wanting that to be the actual answer. "And yes, I would have missed you."

"I knew it," she concluded as she clutched the wand tighter. "So I'm guessing you want me to practice my spells from the past week and stay here out of trouble?"

"See, I told you that you were rather smart." He smiled as she giggled before he shut the trunk yet again. "All right, the seminar meet and greet will only last about an hour. I'll be back with something for us to eat. How does that sound?"

She nodded. "Okay, Mr. Cedric." She grinned while waving the wand around. "Tell Mr. Greylock I said hi."

He made a noise of exasperation before replying, "Of course… Now be on guard, stay here, and whatever you do, do not open the door. Understand?"

She saluted playfully. "Aye-aye, Cap'n Cedric!"

The sorcerer gave her a sarcastic look. "Just for that, no dessert." He grinned as she gasped in shock. "Well…no seconds on dessert anyway."

Sofia laughed and shrugged. "I guess I'll learn my lesson eventually."

"I doubt it." He sighed as she hugged him happily before she went back to her wand and spell practice. "I'll return soon." He left the room, locking it behind him, and headed toward the first seminar.

To be continued…

A/N: Okay, so that I won't end up in a "Ninety-Five Percent" predicament with 33 pages for one chapter, I've decided to make this a two or three chapter story. I think I can get everything done with two chapters, but we'll see. Hope you like it so far, and thanks for reading and all the reviews for the other stories as well. :) Chapter 2 will be out later today most likely.

And CedricAmber: I'm SO glad to see you back! :D I missed you! I'm glad you enjoyed the three most recent stories, and indeed I had you in mind when I wrote "Most Unlikely." And thanks for the thoughtful message in "Trouble." It meant a lot to me. ;) I can't wait to see your story! Does this mean that at some point in the near future, you'll get your own account? Hint-hint-nudge-nudge-wink-wink? :D lol That would be awesome! And I'm with you. I've got "Substitute Cedric" on my alerts for my phone (lol) and Nettle I think IS confirmed to come back in the future. I believe it's in season 3 and called "The Secret Library" or something. (And for my absolute excitement, Merida is slated to show up in October! She's my second favorite Disney Princess, with Pocahontas being first. STILL waiting on her. :p)