Amber wandered the halls of the castle. It was around two in the morning and she hadn't slept, she had just been tossing and turning in her bed so she gave up on sleep and decided to go down to the kitchen for some warm milk and maybe a cookie, if James hadn't eaten all already. She knew there was a reason to her sleeplessness but she didn't know if she had the strength to address it.

Finally she was down on the first floor where the kitchen was so her legs led her there and she took out milk and filled a glass and as that heated over the fire she looked around for some cookies. When she found the box they usually was in she crossed her finger in her head and opened it and she was happily surprised. There was cookies in there, so she took out some and put the box back. Then she got her glass of milk and sat down by one of the tables in the kitchen. She ate mouse bites of the cookies to make them last longer and took the tiniest sips of milk. She didn't want to go back up to her bedroom because she wouldn't be able to fall asleep no matter how much she tried.

Amber turned her gaze to the nearest window and just looked right into the darkness. What did she feel? Emptiness? Hopelessness? Probably both and a major dose of grief and heartache. Today was her real mothers birthday, something that she would never get to organize and celebrate with her. Amber just knew she would have loved to organize her mothers party. She sighed and took the last cookie, she had eaten as slowly as she could but unfortunately the cookies didn't last forever. When suddenly she heard footstep nearing so she gulped down the last of the milk and put the cookie in her mouth. But she was to curious of who it was to really leave so she hid behind one of the counters. She knew she wouldn't be seen from here, it had been one of her best hiding spots during games of hide and seek with her brother and mother. She saw a silhouette in the doorway now and guess how surprised she got when she saw Cedric step into the light.

"Why are the lights on?" He muttered."Hello? Is anyone here?"

Amber bit her lip, she had to get passed Cedric to get out of the kitchen so she could as well just step forward. So that's exactly what she did and she startled the sorcerer to the point that she thought he would jump out of his robes.

"Princess Amber!" Cedric gasped and put a hand over his racing heart. "What are you doing down here?"

"I couldn't sleep." She answered honestly.

Cedric nodded and poured himself a glass of milk.

"Well, me either Princess."

Amber tilted her head a bit, Cedric seemed relaxed, oddly enough. He was always gittery and all over the place when one of the royals were near him, well except Sofia. But now he was just sitting there on one of the chair opposite her and drank his glass of milk.

"I miss her too." He said after a while.

Amber, who had been looking down at her hands now looked up at the sorcerer with a surprise.

"What do you mean?" She asked, even though she was pretty sure she knew what he meant.

Cedric smiled sadly and looked at the princess.

"The former Queen." He answered, he was about to say "your mother" but he realized that didn't sound good.

Amber just looked at him, flabbergasted.

"You… You… "She just didn't know what to say.

"The Queen and I were friends, she always believed in me despite everything the king said, she always had my back and I guess she became my best friend here really." Cedric told the stunned princess.

Then he took a silent breath and reached out and took hold of one of Ambers hands. The princess flinched but didn't draw her hand back.

"Your mother was the most amazing Queen Enchancia ever had, she was kind, she was gentle, she was smart, she was resorseful, she was caring and she helped everybody the best she could. Your father was tremendously proud to have her for his queen and wife and who can blame him? She was extraordinary."

Amber suddenly felt the tears that was streaming down her face. She smiled and patted them away with a napkin. Cedric chuckled and she raised an eyebrow at him.

"Sorry Princess, it's just that you are so much like her, not only do you look a lot like her, you also act a lot like her, you may be a little more bitchy at times but as you grow older I see you, not nesseserly become your mother, but resemble her in your actions. I suppose your heart closed when she died and that it have been closed until now because something happened when Sofia and Miranda moved in.

"I showed that I really am a bitch?" Amber guessed.

Cedric laughed out loud and shook his head.

"Well, maybe a bit but it also showed your true feelings about your mothers passing, there were so many times that I saw you glance at Sofia and Miranda and I could see how hurt you were because you would never experience that with your mother again. That doesn't mean it justifies what you did to Sofia but it can help shine some light on it, you were hurt and the best way you thought it would be was to take it out on the person who has what you want."

Amber just stared at him. He had never spoken to her this long och with this much feeling. But she felt grateful that he did, that he somehow had felt that he could say this to her.

"Thank you Cedric," She said sincerely. "I really mean it!"

"Thank you for listening Princess." He said." Feel better?"

She nodded, then she jumped of her chair, went around the table and surprised both of them by throwing her arms around him. Cedric froze at first but then he returned the hug. This was weird for both of them because neither of them were really that much of a hugger. When Amber let go of him and was going to return to her bedroom, Cedric gentle trapped her wrist and she turned to him with a questioning look.

"You may not see her Princess but neve forget that she's always with you, in here." He said and then he pointed to her heart.

Amber looked down at her nightgown and Cedric pointing finger and then back up at him and smiled.

"Thank you Cedric." She whispered.

"Anytime, Princess."

Then she returned to her bedroom and surprisingly fell asleep as soon as her head rested on the pillow, her golden locks flowing behind her like feathers in a wind.