Parsenian Nightmare

Summary: Cedric and Sofia delve into the mystery of what led to the downfall of the exiled Princess Imaldrina. (Part of the Beyond Enchancia Series. Takes place over two years after the show's ending.)

Disclaimer: I don't own Sofia the First.

A/N: Let's see what's really going on with this awful princess, shall we? :D And you'll get to meet a bunch of new OCs in here, who are all a driving point of the plot—one in particular…and I have a feeling some of you aren't going to like him very much. *shrug* Depends on how you look at the situation. As for the bad guys… Well… Let's just say that one of them is much worse than you probably originally believed. _ lol Off we go!

Note: Lots of raw emotion in this one, especially toward the end. Just thought I'd give you a heads up. :D

*Nineteenth Story/Episode 19*

Cedric and Sofia had landed right outside the palace in the Kingdom of Parsens. Unlike a majority of the other kingdoms they'd visited, this one was a bit more modern in its appearance. Rather than the large, stone structures of the castles they frequented (and lived in themselves), the palace was a grand rose-gold colored building. A beautiful fountain spouted streams of water directly in the center of the front courtyard, and the whole area was surrounded by lush vegetation. And rather than the numerous steps to get into most castles, this palace was equipped with a very slightly elevated ramp instead.

Due to it being springtime, numerous colorful plants had begun to blossom all over the place, including directly in front of the building and in the surrounding areas. To the southwest of the palace, the friends spotted a rather large waterfall, which seemed to descend into a never-ending abyss.

It also would help to mention that this particular palace was built into the side of a mountain, which made it secluded and quite possibly dangerous, especially for clueless visitors who might take a step too many off the side of any steep part of the landform…

"Wow," Sofia breathed as she and Cedric just stood, taking in the sight of the palace before them. "This is…nothing like I imagined it would be."

"Agreed," Cedric concurred before shaking his head. "But we have no time to admire the sights. We must remember our mission."

"Right." She began walking forward, her mentor keeping pace with her, before a sudden thought struck her. "I'm surprised there aren't any guards here."

He rolled his eyes at her comment. "I'm sorry, my dear, but in my experience, 'guards' do far less 'guarding' than you would hope they would. Some of the laziest human beings I've come across."

"Halt!"

They instantly paused in their trek as a group of four guards, dressed in armor, appeared out of nowhere, pointing their sabers at them.

"Whoa," Sofia gasped, backing up a bit and stopping once she ran into Cedric. "Um, hi! W-We're here to speak to…" She frowned, realizing they didn't even know the names of the rulers of the kingdom. They'd somehow overlooked that important detail… "Um, the king and queen."

"Sir Finlay of Helvetica sent us," Cedric added, hoping his friend's name would at least give them some leverage.

The main guard raised one arm, signaling for his men to lower their weapons. He narrowed his eyes at the Enchancians. "And who are you? What business do you have with our king and queen?"

"I'm Princess Sofia of Enchancia," Sofia stated clearly, doing as Amber always told her and staying regal and poised during royal introductions. "This is our royal sorcerer Cedric the Great. We're here to discuss urgent matters with your rulers." She faltered a bit, realizing she still wasn't fully used to the more serious role. "Please?"

"With all due respect, Princess Sofia," the leader began, "we were not told of your visit, and it's not often that Parsens receives visitors. Our land has had its fair share of unwelcome surprises, and the outside influence has been greatly limited the last few years. I'm sure you understand."

"And I'm sure you understand that we're in a bit of a situation," Cedric opted, stepping in front of his apprentice. "From what we were told by Sir Finlay, this kingdom and its rulers are likely our only hope to solving our problem."

"And what problem would that be?"

Sofia frowned as she clutched her amulet. "Princess Imaldrina."

Instantly, the other three guards gasped and began frantically pleading with the leader not to let them in.

"She'll be back to sabotage—"

"They may be working with—"

"She may be a princess, but—"

"Enough!" The lead guard glared at his companions before brushing them off and stepping forward toward the friends, a rather serious expression on his face. "You know very little about our kingdom. You are clearly outsiders with limited sources." Seeing the disappointed look on Sofia's face, he sighed. "I'll speak on your behalf."

The teen lit up. "Really?"

"For reasons which will soon become clear, I'm sure, I feel it necessary to allow you both to proceed. However, let's make you more aware of basic information: you are seeking out King Jedediah and Queen Kyrie. The princess you've mentioned is their daughter."

"Was their daughter," one of the younger guards retorted, scoffing.

"What does he mean by that?" Cedric wondered, narrowing his eyes at the guard in question.

"Follow me," the leader insisted, ignoring the sorcerer's inquiry.

The inside of the palace was even more majestic than the outside. The rose-gold theme continued, intertwined with real gold and light blue marble meshed into the walls. This kingdom seemed to favor tapestries, since many hand-spun varieties were hung all throughout the main hall and along numerous corridors as they moved along.

Just as Sofia was about to take a better look at one tapestry in particular (one that featured the image of a woman who looked a great deal like Princess Imaldrina), they were hurriedly led into the throne room, which was filled with many villagers and other visitors.

The king, queen, and three of their daughters sat in their respective thrones, one dark red one between the queen and one of the girls unmistakably vacant. All three girls looked very similar with their shockingly white braided hair and amethyst eyes (clearly a trait from their father). They each wore long gowns in a variety of shades: dark blue, dark purple, and dark green. They seemed to be around the ages of ten, sixteen, and twenty-four, respectively.

Queen Kyrie had brown hair tied into a bun, and her aqua-blue eyes darted curiously from one subject to the next as she sat and listened to their requests. She donned a long maroon dress, complete with silver detailing throughout.

King Jedediah appeared to be a bit older than his wife. If his worn and weary features didn't give it away, then his bright white hair did. He also had a matching beard and mustache, which aged him even more; his royal robes were also a bit dated, harkening back to a different generation, with his favored black ensemble with gold designs. However, he looked rather kind and understanding—far different from what Sofia had expected of a family member of this Princess Imaldrina.

In fact, the whole family seemed nice… At least, that's what she concluded upon merely observing them.

King Jedediah noticed his guard bow to him before making a brief gesture. He nodded.

"Your Majesties, may I present Princess Sofia and her royal sorcerer Cedric the Great of Enchancia?"

"Enchancia?" Queen Kyrie asked in surprise as the friends both bowed and curtsied respectfully. "The Enchancia?"

"The only one I'm aware of, darling," King Jedediah joked lightly, chuckling as he smiled toward the visitors. "Your visit is very unexpected, friends. Tell me, why have you come here?" He blinked as a man with short graying-black hair and a blue suit stepped up next to him, his stance protective and his blue eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Is there any way we could speak to you in private, Your Majesty?" Cedric wondered, hoping they wouldn't have to share the critical information with all the visitors present.

"You will speak here," the man next to the king demanded. "The king is very busy, as is his family, and they cannot stop their daily activities simply because two other kingdom dwellers visit."

"Not even if our visit is about Princess Imaldrina?" Sofia challenged, blinking as the room burst into gasps and frantic whispers.

The dark-haired man instantly recognized the predicament he'd put them in and sighed. He snapped his fingers, causing the crowd to freeze and become silent.

Cedric's eyes widened. "He's a sorcerer."

Sofia's mouth dropped. "Are you Mr. Kagano?"

"I am," he replied with a curt nod. "How do you know my name, Princess Sofia?"

"Sir Finlay of Helvetica," Cedric answered for her, watching as the man's eyes switched over to him. "He…said you would be able to help us."

"If it's concerning Princess Imaldrina, I'm afraid there's very little I can do to help you." He glanced apologetically to the royal family. "No more than has already been done." He stared back at the two friends, a hard expression on his face. "Why do you seek her?"

"That's just it," Sofia retorted, growing frustrated. "We don't want to 'seek her.' She's been seeking us! She's apparently out to get Mr. Cedric and me… She and some other guy—Kilimanjaro."

"Galiviano," Cedric corrected, rolling his eyes at her name flub.

"Whatever." She stepped forward, a desperate look on her face. "Please, Mr. Kagano… Your Majesties… We need your help. Princess Imaldrina has it out for me, and I don't know why. She even sent a servant of hers after my trainer just to get to me." She gestured toward her friend. "We both have someone after us, actually. Mr. Cedric is being hunted by this Galiviano man… And we've both had nightmares about them, sending warnings that our time is coming to an end, and explosions, and…" She sighed, knowing that to the family and to the other royal sorcerer, this probably sounded rather strange. "I know how it sounds, but… Unfortunately, it's true, and we need your help."

The ten-year-old princess in the dark blue gown shivered a bit. "I can't believe Imaldrina would do all of this."

The second oldest princess, the one in the dark purple gown, scoffed and gave her younger sister a perplexed look. "Really, Lenée? Think what you know about her. You really can't see her doing this?"

"That's enough, Airie," the queen said firmly. "Ilene, please take your sisters away from here for a while. We have much to discuss with our visitors."

The oldest princess in the dark green gown nodded, guiding her sisters out of the throne room.

"There's a lot more going on than we know, isn't there?" Sofia asked, concerned.

Kagano nodded solemnly. "I'm afraid so… Your Majesties." He looked toward the king and queen. "I will deal with their inquiries. Apologies for interrupting the villagers."

"It's quite all right, Kagano," the king assured him. "And we appreciate it." He nodded toward the two friends as his royal sorcerer snapped his fingers and undid his spell, returning things (surprisingly) to normal.

"Follow me," the dark-haired man told the Enchancians as he beckoned them forward.

The two friends followed Kagano deep below the palace, into an area that would likely lead to his own workshop. He opened a heavy wooden door and led them into a darkened room. With a quick wave of his wand, several candles lit up and illuminated the entire space. It was, indeed, a workshop: books, potions, the obligatory 'sorcerer desk' and typical scattering of work items…

"Do all sorcerers have workshops like this?" Sofia wondered as she and Cedric sat down in a couple of chairs, situated beside the desk where Kagano now sat.

"I prefer to call it my study," Kagano corrected with a small nod. "But yes, I suppose we do."

"Perhaps now we can get to the matter at hand?" Cedric suggested. "Kagano, please… Enlighten us. What exactly are we missing where this princess of yours is concerned?"

The other sorcerer sighed and leaned back in his chair, pressing his fingers to his temple. "It's a long story…"

"Then start now," the princess requested anxiously. "We don't have a lot of time…"

"Very well." He flicked his wand once, producing an image of the princess in question, frowning as Sofia shied away at the visual, seeming to seek solace from Cedric, who wrapped his arm around her. "Princess Imaldrina was a nightmare when she was growing up."

"Ironic," Cedric muttered under his breath.

"She was very cold and cruel to others, especially her sisters. She would hex them for fun. In addition, she would also hurt helpless animals, steal things, destroy things, and soon enough…" His frown deepened. "She tried to destroy her own kingdom and family using powerful, evil spells from unknown sources. She was getting out of hand and had become a danger to herself and others, so King Jedediah forced me to strip the princess of any illegal powers she'd somehow obtained. He clearly faced resistance from his daughter, who vowed vengeance and declared she'd 'murder everyone in this ill-begotten kingdom.'"

Sofia's eyes widened considerably. "Wow."

"So… The king made what was probably the toughest decision he'd ever made in his life: he exiled his own daughter, and the guards took her away and left her to fend for herself deep in the forests around the mountains."

"Was she really that powerful and dangerous?" Cedric was having a hard time processing all of this. And he still failed to see what this had to do with Sofia, and the fact that the other princess was after his friend.

"You noticed that Princess Ilene didn't speak?" He folded his arms as the other two nodded. "Princess Imaldrina was responsible for that, I'm afraid…" He sighed heavily. "She used her dark magic to cut out her tongue."

Sofia's hands lifted to her mouth—for more reasons than one. "Oh, my gosh… How could she do that to her own sister?"

"Now you see why bringing her up before the royal family is problematic…" The Parsenian sorcerer sighed. "You didn't know though, so I can't fault you. In any case, the guards informed me upon their return that she'd declared over and over that she'd get her revenge." He leaned back in his chair. "And while our kingdom has never seen her again, there have been plenty of reports from surrounding kingdoms, indicating someone with her likeness was terrorizing other royals and commoners alike with newly-obtained dark magic. Some kingdoms were even destroyed…"

Something clicked in Sofia's mind, causing her to gasp. "You don't think she got her dark magic from Galiviano, do you, Mr. Cedric?" She frowned as he gaped at her. "You said it yourself: he was heavily into it when you called him out on it, and he was discharged from Dad's army. I don't think it's too crazy of a leap to take, considering what we know."

Kagano was strangely silent, and Cedric noticed instantly. He folded his arms, glowering at the man. "You are holding something back. Out with it."

The other sorcerer sighed, frowning. "What I'm about to tell you two, you cannot repeat to my king or queen, or anyone else for that matter." Seeing their uncertain nods, he continued, "I know for a fact that she did indeed team up with this Galiviano character, whom I've known to be rather scandalous. …I saw them a few times during my travels, though I used an invisibility spell so as not to be caught."

"You knew about this all this time?" Sofia demanded, growing indignant. "Why didn't you just capture them when you saw them? If you knew that she was such a wicked person, why didn't-?"

"You can question my previous inactivity all you want, Princess Sofia, but it's not going to change anything." He raked one hand through his hair, shaking his head. "I'm well aware now that I should have acted when I had the chance, but… You must understand. Despite her current pathway and ill intentions, I watched this princess grow up. Regardless of her behavior, she was very dear to me." He gestured between Cedric and Sofia, glancing particularly toward the other sorcerer. "I'm sure you can relate. Imagine it was your princess committing such crimes."

"That's impossible," Cedric argued. "Sofia is an angel, unlike your demon princess."

Sofia blushed modestly. "Mr. Cedric…"

"And she knows better than to side with evil and dabble with dark magic. I've taught her better than that, as have her parents." He slowly stood to his feet as he saw Kagano doing the same. "Perhaps if one of you had intervened and kept the evil brat from pursuing her dark desires, then—"

"You'd best hold your tongue, Cedric the Great," Kagano challenged, his blue eyes flashing with fury. "You don't know just to whom you're speaking."

Sofia hesitated briefly, the tension between her friend and the other sorcerer nearly palatable. "Guys, calm down," she pleaded as she purposefully grabbed Cedric's arm, grounding him in reality. "Mr. Cedric, please don't blame Mr. Kagano. You never know what's in someone's heart… And it's not like he could have stopped her if she'd already decided the path she wanted to go on." She glanced toward the Parsenian man. "It's not your fault."

He nodded solemnly. "I'm aware. I can't blame Cedric for his perspective. It does appear that I just…let things happen. And…I'm afraid what I have to tell you next will worsen your opinion of me."

"How could you make this any worse?" Cedric asked, feeling something akin to a metaphorical icy hand clutching at his nerves, twisting them until he could barely handle the discomfort and apprehension afflicted on him. Something was very unsettling about this whole scenario.

Kagano paced a few times. "I knew exactly who you both were when I saw you."

Sofia gasped. "You did?"

"Everyone in the magical world is familiar with Princess Sofia. And she's rarely seen without one of her primary companions: Cedric the Great…or one of those flying donkeys."

"Um, Minimus is a flying horse, and Skye is a unicorn," Sofia instantly corrected, hearing in the back of her mind Minimus's complaint about his species always being confused with something else. "But… We've never even met until now. So how did…?"

"As I said, everyone is familiar with you by now; also, Princess Imaldrina was never one to be inconspicuous," Kagano explained. "She was very flippant in her manner and did things without thought, even before she became what she is now." He gave the princess an apologetic look. "As I clarified before, Princess, our former princess teamed up with the one you call Galiviano. While during my travels, especially the times I came across them, I managed to stay hidden and overhear some of their conversations. Princess Imaldrina would often complain to Galiviano about you, Princess Sofia."

Sofia blinked. "Me?"

"Yes. She expressed feeling inferior to other princesses and magic-wielders around the globe, particularly the esteemed Princess Sofia. She was irritated that someone not even of royal blood was far more popular and magically-inclined than she'd ever be—according to reports she'd heard, anyway." He cleared his throat uncomfortably, noting the keen stare he was receiving from Cedric. "I overheard her declare to her traveling companion that she had a mission and a goal: she wants to prove herself…by destroying you."

Cedric was outraged as he instantly gripped his friend's shoulders, perhaps a little too tightly as the girl winced a bit. "You're just now letting us know this?! And never mind that—I still believe that you should have said something earlier, regardless of the situation. You allowed this to go on too long, and now Sofia's life is in danger. On top of that, I've got a wayward warrior after me because I outed him as a dark magic user, getting him thrown out of Enchancia."

Kagano simply glared at Cedric. "One would think their link would be painfully obvious now."

"What do you mean?" Sofia asked, gently shrugging Cedric's hands from her shoulders and instead settling for holding onto his arm.

"Galiviano is out for revenge against you, Cedric, because of what you did. And Imaldrina is highly jealous of Princess Sofia's success and popularity, not to mention she's not exactly stable. The two of them combined could cause any sort of chaos they'd like. They've come after you in your nightmares. They've sent out minions to do their bidding, you've said. It's quite clear that they want to get to you both. I wouldn't put it past either of them to try to attack and destroy your kingdom—your family and friends—while you're here…unable to do anything about it…just to exact some sort of twisted revenge once and for all. After all, what better way to get to you than to eliminate what you cherish the most?"

Sofia's mouth fell open before she gasped and looked up toward her friend in dire concern. "M-Mr. Cedric, you don't think…?"

"Dark magic is a cruel force, Princess Sofia," Kagano warned her as she nervously held tighter to Cedric's arm. "It makes people do the unspeakable. And considering how many kingdoms have already been destroyed at the hands of Princess Imaldrina…" He frowned. "I wouldn't be surprised if yours is next."

The two friends didn't need to hear anymore. Simultaneously, they frantically ran from the sorcerer's underground study/workshop and through the palace, panting fearfully as they did so. Without one word to anyone else in Parsens, they sped to the AutoCoach and instantly took off, the enchanted ride now on course for Enchancia.

"How long will it take us to get back to Enchancia?" Sofia asked, gasping for air as she tried to breathe normally, especially after their fast-paced sprint.

"A-About five hours…" Cedric grimaced at the girl's incredulous expression.

"Five hours?! Mr. Cedric, our whole family could be dead by then! Sh-She's gonna win! And Galiviano—he's going to… They'll both…"

"Sofia!" Cedric instantly grabbed the princess and held her securely to his chest, stroking her hair to calm her down as she sobbed into his robe. "Easy… All of this is undetermined right now. It may very well be nothing."

She looked up at him, shaking, tears streaming down her face. "And what if it's real? What if they're after our kingdom?"

"Then we'll fight for it," he responded calmly, assuring her with a gentle smile.

Sofia hated to ask the next question, but she knew it was a possibility…especially after all they'd been told. She swallowed nervously. "And…what if something happens…to everyone? Our family and friends? Our home?" She closed her eyes and pressed her head against his chest, feeling helpless. "What if they're already gone, Mr. Cedric…?" Her voice was barely a whisper.

Gone? The king and queen… The royal siblings, including the new baby, yet to be born as far as they knew… His sister and niece… Baileywick… All the workers and villagers… Gone? He almost didn't recognize his voice as he declared softly and determinedly to the young Protector, "Then I'll protect you, Sofia… With my life. Even if the others fall, I'll protect you to my dying breath." He gave her a somber look as she sat up, staring at him in astonishment. "It's the least I can do."

"I don't want anyone else getting hurt," she stated clearly, frowning heavily as she grabbed fistfuls of his robe, causing him to gasp in surprise. "Don't you dare say you'll die for me, Mr. Cedric. I'd rather you live with me… That's the noble declaration I'd prefer to hear."

Cedric gave his apprentice a light smile, though he noticed she still didn't return it. She was clearly too shaken and too frightened. "Very well."

She hugged him again, breathing deeply as the AutoCoach moved on through the clouds. Her eyes instantly flew open as she bolted up, grasping her amulet. "I'm such an idiot… Why didn't I think of it before?" She briefly exchanged glances with her mentor.

He seemed to catch on to what her plan was, and he asked, "Do you think it will work?"

"Only one way to find out…" She closed her eyes. "I wish Mr. Cedric and I, along with the AutoCoach and all of our belongings, were back in Enchancia right now."

A bright, warm pink light filled the entire coach before ultimately dissipating, the coach and its passengers now gone.

The end

(Next Story/Episode 20: Lockdown)