... And it was the best decision I ever made...

My name... Is Queen Sofia of Enchancia. My husband is King Cedric. Let me explain. Let me take you way back to the beginning. Back when I was just a young princess, and Cedric was just a bumbling sorcerer to my father...

As I recall, I was probably sixteen years old then. So young. So naïve. It was Amber and James' eighteenth birthday party. Everyone in the castle was excited. The cooks, the maids, the butlers, mom, dad, everyone. Even Baileywick had a bounce in his step. I didn't notice it then, but everyone was more happy than the other birthdays. Perhaps I did notice... But just passed it off as excitement for their eighteenth birthday. Finally an adult you know? Very exciting to me. I foolishly couldn't wait for my eighteenth birthday. If only I knew then what I would know later that day, that thought would have never happened.

Oh! Back to what I was saying. With being excited, everyone was also very busy. Cooking the massive cakes Amber wanted, cleaning the grounds so James could play some game with a ball where they kick it back and forth... Nobody had time for me. So I went to the one person I always went to... Mr. Cedric. My favorite person in the whole castle (Next to mother an father, but that changes soon). Mr. Cedric was sitting at his desk lazily making confetti fall from the sky and disappearing before it touched the floor. Quite amazing magic to me, but his magic is not the point of this story. I came in happily ad cheerful as always, but was not met with his usual response. He didn't even move. This worried me.

I walked up and inquired as to his mood. He looked me in the eyes and just sighed. Truth be told, even then my heart skipped a beat looking into his brown eyes. I pushed him again, to know. Finally he got angry and told me... Welled yelled the answer to me. He said that, in just two years I will be just like Amber. An asset to be married off to gain our father more land for his kingdom. Of coarse, at the time, I refused to believe that. There's no way our loving father would use us as assets for his own use. That's just insane to think... But Mr. Cedric has never lied to me (since I turned 13 anyway) about something like this. My mind was at a loss. I didn't know what to believe.

So I ran.

I ran all the way back to my room, tears threatening to fall with each step. Looking back, I should've just believed him, HE wouldn't have steered me wrong. HE had my best interests in mind. HE loved me.

But, I didn't believe him. I dried my tears, put on a strong smile, got dressed in my special gown for the occasion, did some light make, and made my hair all pretty in an elegant up do, and headed out to the ball room a little later than I thought. Leaving five minutes after it started. Now I'm glad I did. Then I was shocked and upset. Oh how childish I was. I was walking at a brisk pace down the halls, royalty does not run, might ruin our hair or makeup you see. Well as I was walking... Briskly... I heard fathers voice. I stopped and went to see if he'd like to accompany me to Amber and James' party, and get me outta trouble.

I neared the door and heard a new voice, so I stopped and listened. I was nosey, like you aren't? Anyway, father then responded, saying that if Amber was to be wed, then their kingdoms would combine, if no one else offered there son for her to wed tonight, then he'd have no choice but to agree, land is land after all. He ended with a chuckle. A. Chuckle! He laughed! He WAS using us to get his kingdom more land! Mr. Cedric was right! Deep down I guess I knew, I just didn't want to believe it. As I recall this memory... I still don't think I believed it, even out of the horses mouth, so to speak.

I stepped back slowly before I got struck by a thought. I need to tell Amber! So I ran, forget briskly walking, this was serious, to see Amber, and let her know father was just using us as pawns in a game.

She knew. She. Knew. And didn't care. That's how their parents met, that's how all royal couples meet. I asked if she would love her husband. She laughed at me. In my face. Love? No, this was a duty to her. I t was her JOB to marry into another family to gain land. I couldn't believe my ears. Did father expect me to go through with this? To marry some prince to gain land? No! I won't! I want to marry cause I love the man, not because it works into someone else's plan. I remember this part as if it was yesterday, it was where I made the best decision ever. I fell to the ground, scuffing my gown but I didn't care. How could I get out of this? Who could help me? With tears streaming down my cheeks and landing in my lap, I was struck with one name. The name I always go to when I have a problem. The name I now trust over all others.

Mr. Cedric.