Cedric sat at his desk in the silence of his study as he looked over a series of knives, studying the edges to make sure that they were perfect. Sighing he put the blades down and stood so he could pull the custom wand case Princess Sofia had given him from the top shelf. Setting it down lightly he opened the lid and pulled his family wand from its satin lining. A soft click caught his attention and Cedric looked to his pet raven who was watching him intently with narrowed eyes.

"What?" He grumbled and Wormwood puffed up as he made the strange clicking sound once more. Gritting his teeth he pointed the wand at said raven, startling the creature, and sneered. "Oh I get it… You think I'm going to bumble this up like all my other plans… Well I won't… You'll see."

With that he snatched up the wand case and shoved it roughly back onto its shelf before stomping his way out. Wormwood puffed up and looked to the abused wooden box that now sported a broken hinge.

At dinner the royal family smiled at him as he preformed.
The performance was going smoothly and not once had Cedric become nervous, this made Sofia obviously proud though she was confused as to why he didn't look at her once.

Cedric preformed simple little tricks like summoning flowers, making things float around, and even going as far as switching everyone's cloths. King Roland thought it was amusing to be dressed in his wife's frilly pink gown for the few moments it took Cedric to change his own hair color a few times, switch their cloths back, vanish the left over dinner and replaced it with desert.

Cedric backed off and watched as the cake was served to each of the royals. His eyes never once wondered from Roland as he watched the King laugh and chat with his wife and his children, forgetting that Cedric was even in the room.
As the minutes ticked by Cedric rolled his wand through his long fingers and began to tap his foot rapidly in anticipation. He tore his eyes away from Roland, afraid that he would act to quickly if he stared any longer. He instead settled for staring at his wand as he continued to roll it.

"Daddy I'm bored again…" Amber sighed as she poked at her slice of cake. King Roland frowned as he looked at his daughter. She was right the conversation had lulled and the others seemed a little bored despite their slight content smiles. Roland looked to Cedric and cleared his throat which caught everyone's attention.

"Cedric!" He called clearly. He watched as his Royal Sorcerer stepped forward and bowed to them. Unknown to him, or anyone for that matter, a wicked smile spread across Cedric's face as he stared at his feet.

"Is there anything else that you have prepared for this evening's entertainment?" The King asked while lightly placing his silverware down.

"Why yes my Lord. I have a special trick that I have been preparing just for this evening as a… Final act. I believe you will find it to be quite thrilling." He said as he stood and then raised his arms in the air, twirling the tip of his wand around with an exaggerated flourish. In doing this a single, glinting, knife appeared in the air, hovering there before it began to twirl gracefully through the air. Then one by one more appeared, just as menacing as the next. Sitting there in the air, nothing holding them but Cedric's magic.

Then they began to move, spin, and twirl in time to his wand movements. King Roland, his wife Miranda, and the twins James and Amber all gasped at the sight. The blades reflecting the light and bouncing it between them, causing the polished surface to flash white for seconds at a time. Almost all the members of the Royal family clapped and watched in amazement.

All but one.

Princess Sofia leaned back in her chair as one of the blades 'danced' passed a little too close for her liking. She felt that something was wrong and she couldn't quiet put her finger on it. Looking to her stepfather she cleared her throat to get his attention.

"Uh… Dad… Don't you think this is a little dangerous?" She asked and Roland smiled at her.

"Don't you worry Sofia, I am sure it's perfectly safe. Cedric wouldn't do this if he thought he couldn't handle it." He looked away from her to focus back on the spectacle.

Sofia didn't look away from her father, not when she saw the smile on his face fall nor when his eyes widened as he went to shove his chair back away from the table. She saw as the blades shot through the air and embedded themselves into her father's body and as blood seeped into his blue jacket. Sofia didn't move until she heard her mother and siblings screams of horror, along with the servants as they ran in with Baileywick in the lead. She pushed herself from her chair and tripped over the leg as she went to run from the hall.
Queen Miranda was on her feet and by her husbands side, pressing her hands to his face and begging him to keep his eyes open. Amber's panicked wails bounced off the walls and James stood from his seat, whirling around, pointing at Cedric as he screamed to the guards who had stormed into the dining hall.

"Arrest him! NOW!"

Without a seconded thought they advanced on the sorcerer who stood in the same spot he had been since the beginning of his 'final act'… Beside Sofia's chair.

He was still as he stared at Roland's bleeding, dead body. He couldn't fathom what he was feeling; it almost felt like every nerve in his body had become numb at the sight of what he had just done. Yet he felt like he had been hit in the head or punched in the stomach as well. What brought him out of his trance was a bump to his leg and his eyes cast downward at the little Princess rushing to return to her feet with tears running down her face. Cedric became all too aware of Miranda's and Princess Amber's wails assaulting his eardrums, and the guards closing in on him with swords drawn.

Raising his wand quickly Cedric sliced it through the air violently and sending all the armored men flying away into the wall were they remained pinned. Laughing at the armored men as they thrashed and struggled to break free of the charm holding them, Cedric turned towards Sofia only to find that she, the twins, and Miranda were being taken from the dining hall by Baileywick and the servants who hadn't fled. Angrily jabbing his wand in their direction, they screamed as Sofia was suddenly yanked back by her amulet, only to have the clasp break and drop her to the floor. Looking up she watched Cedric's fingers close around the glittering jewel as he smiled at her.

"Th… That's mine! Mr. Cedric give it-" She shouted but snapped her mouth closed as he began to laugh even harder. His laugh was loud, dark and twisted, sending shivers down Sofia's spine as she quickly stood to her feet. The Amulet glowed darkly from between Cedric's fingers and for a moment his eyes flashed the same color distorted color.

"Yours?… My dear little 'PRINCESS', no… No it was yours." He aimed his wand at her and her eyes widened in fear.

"Now it's mine."