DISCLAIMER: I do not own Sofia the First nor do I claim to. I just like the show and wanted to write a little something for it. [Not part of the Rune Mage AU]
_[ STORY ]_
This story is dedicated to all my readers thank you all so much!
Boredom that was Calista's companion for the morning, pure boredom, the young girl had tried occupying herself by spending time with her uncle, but he was busy with King Roland.
Calista had snuck a book from her mother, one Cordelia was adding to Cedric's library. The girl had skimmed a quarter of the pages when she came upon a duplication spell, "Du-al-it-y, " Calista chunked out the word.
As the girl read on she found 'Duality' was a kind of duplication spell, before she could finish though Cordelia came it, "Calista!" she said her voice low, "what have I told you about taking things and that book is too advanced for you to be reading," she added taking the book from her daughter.
Calista jumped from the bed and stood before her mother, eyes cast to the floor, "I'm sorry mummy, I was only looking for something to do," she told her mother.
"Calista dear, I'm not mad, upset yes, but not mad I know how it was to be your age and have nothing to do, how about this, I know your Uncle needs some ingredients from the garden if I give you a list do you think, you can gather everything?"
The girl was practically jumping, "oh yes mummy, please," she beamed.
Cordelia chuckled at her child, "alright, alright Calista settle down," she said producing her wand she summed a quill and parchment, she wrote down a lengthy list of herbs and flowers, "there you are sweetheart, be safe and have fun."
Cordelia handed over the list, Calista snatched it from her hand bolted from the room, "to have that much energy again," Cordelia laughed heading back to her room to collect some other books before returning to the workshop.
Calista spent the remaining morning in happiness picking flowers and herbs, talking with the palace gardener and other staffers; one young man plucked an apple for the girl from the tree he was pruning.
Calista thanked him and took her prize to one of the marble benches, she tucked her basket under the seat, and a thought struck her, "I bet mummy and Uncle Cedy would like an apple, " she said putting the fruit on the bench.
She withdrew her wand and took a step back; she decided to try the 'Duality' spell she read about, a white ribbon of magic flowed from her wand and struck the apple it rocked for a moment before settling back in place, no second apple appeared.
"Okay I must have done it wrong," Calista said aloud she lined up for another go.
"Calista, lunchtime," Cedric called coming down the path.
The young Sorceress cast the spell again it hit its mark, but it bounced back, Calista didn't see this as she had moved to look behind her, she did, however, feel a rush of wind as it arced above her head.
"Calista did you hear me it's…" Cedric went to called again, when the wayward spell hit him square in the face, he was thrown off balance and landed hard in the compacted dirt of the walkway.
"Uncle Cedy, are you okay?" Calista asked as she ran over to him.
"I'm fine, I came to get you for lunch, ow, did you see what hit me," he said sitting up and rubbing the lump on his forehead.
"Nope."
"Well nevermind that, let's get you inside before...before…'ACHOO'...my goodness excuse me," Cedric said after the sneeze, "your mothers waiting."
Cedric picked himself up and sneezed again as they walked inside, lunch passed quickly for the three having, had decided to eat in the workshop, "Calista did you get the ingredients I asked you too?" Cordelia asked as she gathered the plates, Wormwood flew in the open window after having his lunch.
"Oh no I left them outside, I'll be right back," the girl said stuffing the last bit of her fly cake into her mouth as she ran down the stairs.
"That girl I swear," Cordelia laughed.
The raven watched the child leave, he moved to Cedric's desk, he wanted his neck feathers scratched, and the Sorcerer was happy to oblige as he worked.
A sneeze drew Cordelia's attention to her brother, "Cedy are you okay? You sneezed all through lunch?"
"I'm fine," he said turning from his desk to face her, Wormwood was not pleased to have his scratch interrupted.
"Oh my, where did you get that bruise?" Cordelia asked.
"Something flew into me when I went to get Calista, knocked me over and left this nasty bump. I'm surprised it bruise so fast."
"Well it looks bad," Cordelia's said summoning a medical kit, "I'm going to put an ointment on, it will help bring the swelling down."
As she applied the foul-smelling balm to the bruise, she noticed heat radiating from his skin, "Cedy are you feeling alright? Aside from the sneezing that is."
"A headache, but that's about it," he said, "why do you ask?"
Cordelia put her full hand on his forehead, "you have a slight fever, have you been getting enough sleep?"
"Yes," he said after a moment, Cordelia gave him a look and Wormwood scoffed at him, "alright it's been a few days since I got more than a couple of hours of rest, happy now."
"Cedric you know better," Cordelia scolded, "go and take a nap right now," she ordered.
"I'm not a child Cordy," Cedric said turning back to his work, Wormwood laughed moving to his perch.
"Well your acting like one," she retorted, brandishing her wand against his skull.
"Ow, Cordy that was uncalled for," Cedric practically shouted, his eyes fell suddenly, and he sank to his desk lightly snoring.
"I'll have to remember that one," the raven hummed, watching Cordelia.
"Thank you knock out spell," Cordelia said, she summoned a blanket wrapping it around her brother before she shut the window shutters and left, 'I'll wake him up in an hour,' she told herself.
Not long after the old oak door was closed the workshop started to shake beakers fell, books bounced from their homes and Wormwood was thrown off his perch stuck under a book. As quickly as it began the shaking stopped, Wormwood from his position was treated to a sudden and blinding flash of silver light.
Cedric stumbled back from his desk dazed as the light died, he looked around the dimly lit room, "what in the world!?" he questioned as he passed through a light beam, Wormwood froze, 'white hair? When did that happen?' he thought to himself.
A quite snore drew Cedric's attention to the sleeping form of well himself, the ghost of a smile graced his features, "free, I'm free of that nagging voice of the goodie good," he said, walking to his other self he pulled the family wand free of the other's sleave, they stirred making Cedric freeze.
Stepping away he held the wand in both hands, he smirked, "now to take this kingdom for myself, and they will be no one not even myself to stop me," he said casting a spell that sealed the workshop before vanishing in a puff of purple smoke.
"What in the world just happened?" Wormwood asked aloud to the blackness.
_[ TO BE CONTINUED ]_
Note: Thank you to a post from KatzeLicht on Tumbler for the inspiration for this story.