The smell of blood, urine, and feces filled the air. A limp lifeless creature sat in the corner of a cold, dark, dank room. No longer wanting to lay on the thin mattress they provided him, now filled with urine and blood, from the many times they'd come in in the middle of the night and kick him in the stomach causeing him to cough up blood and release his bladder. He hardly ate anything. Mostly he only got water, and food every three days, and even then, only enough to keep him barely alive. He didn't want to be alive. One time he didn't eat his food he was given. Hoping that maybe he'd die from starvation. It'd be easier than where he was, but they werent having that. The next morning he awoke to being force fed. He couldn't die if he wanted to. Even his life wasn't in his hands. He tried to lift his head when he heard a noise. His now long hair getting in his face. He couldnt remember ever having his hair this long, and so dirty too. He couldn't distinguish his gray bangs from the rest of his black hair. Being so cake with blood and dirt. Someone stopped in front of his cell door. So thats what the noise was. Someone coming in. 'They must be bored again' The man thought, bracing himself for the Hell to follow. He heard the key slide into the lock and turn. In walked two armored gaurds. Cedric Didn't move. He couldn't. One guard walked over and forcefully picked him up. "How dare you not stand when your superiors enter a room!?" He yelled in the man's face, then shackled him to the stone wall behind him. The other guard walked up with an evil smile tugging on his lips. "We should tech you some manners!" With that he punched the chained man in the face with his armor covered hand. Causing his lip to break open and his nose to break. Yet the man made no noise. Or movement. This angered both guards. "Getting use to the beatings are we? I guess we just have to get creative." The second guard pulled out a strange looking contraption. He grabbed the chained mans finger, put the thing on his finger nail, and pulled, slowly. The pain was so intense! The chained man would've collapsed if he wasn't chained. The guard moved to the second nail. Then the third. Till both his hands were nail free. The guards laughed at the man spitting blood from his mouth, tears pouring down his face, and now hands bleeding from what they did. Satisfied with their work, One guard unchained him and threw something on the persons hands. He doesn't know what it was, but it made them hurt so much more. He crawled away to the fartherest corner and curled into a ball. The door slammed closed and he heard it lock. "Haha, not to 'Sentational' now are you Cedric?" Both the guards laughed as they walked away. Leaving the once royal sorcerer a crumped heep in the dungeon.

'I wish I was dead,' Cedric would think everyday. How could he not. Two months in this Hell. Was it 2 months? It felt like so much longer. Getting beatings everyday, sometimes up to five times a day, and on good days only two times. That was if he was lucky; but something kept him going. A girl with brown hair, wearing a purple dress, and bright blue eyes. 'Sofia' He would think. 'I'm so sorry Sofia. I didn't do it, I swear.' He would think. Willing by some chance that the young Princess would hear his thought. Someone had framed him. Planted the plans and potions in his lab. Yes he wanted the amulet Princess Sofia possessed, but he would NEVER hurt the girl to get it. He would never control her with a spell, or... kill her. Unfortunately King Roland didn't seem to think so. He sentenced him to life in the dungeons. Sofia's mother sitting idley by. Making no move to stop her husband, even though there was pain in her eyes. Where was Sofia? She was off with her sister and brother doing some vacation with their school. Cedric never cared to learn. He just knew she'd be gone for 3 months. Hopefully he can hold out for one more month. Maybe then he can at least see her one more time before he just gives up. That one thought alone is what keeps him going. He loves that girl like the daughter he never had. But no one could see that. No one... Cared to see that. Just what he suppossedly did.

"Baileywick! I'm back early!" An innocent voice called through the castle. "Sofia? What a surprise! Why are you not with the rest of your school? Are your brother and sister with you?" Baileywick asked Sofia with a smile.
"No it's just me Baileywick. I wanted to come home. I missed everyone!" She said giving Baileywick a hug.
"We missed you too Princess. Its nice to have you b- Where are you going so fast?" Sofia had let go and was running towards Cedric's lab. "I'm going to see Mr. Ceedric! I missed him so much! I cant wait to tell him about my adventures! I even have a whole satchel of rare potion ingredients I found while there!" The young princess stopped and said, holding up a satchel. Baileywicks face fell and his heart ached for this girl.
"Did no one send word to you Princess?" He asked confused.
"Word? Of what? Is Mr. Ceedric ok?! Is he hurt?!" Sofia asked worry in her face. "Where is he Baileywck?!" She was panicking now. What could be wrong with her sorcerer?
"Cedric... He was... Well he was found... I think it's best if your father told you." He grabbed Sofia's hand and led her to King Roland.
"Sofia! Youre early! What a surprise! Is... Everything ok? King Roland asked seeing the panic on her face "Where's Mr. Ceedric... Why won't Baileywick tell me where he is?" She demanded ynking her arm away from Baileywick and staring her father in the eye.
"Oh... Sofia... Cedric had... He was planning on hurting you and taking the amulet you have. We found the plans and potions... On his desk two months ago. Not to fear though. I sentenced him to life in the dungeons." King Roland said rather prudly that he saved his daughter from someone like Cedric.
"What? No... Mr. Ceedric would never... How could you... The dungeons?! No No NO! Mr. Ceedric Would NOT hurt me! I know it! He had to have been framed! He WOULDN'T HURT ME! How could you think he would?!" Sofia yelled at her father. Tears pouring from her eyes. She turned and ran away from him. Not wanting to look at him any more. She had to get to the dungeons. She had to see Mr. Ceedric. He was innocent she just knew he was.

Sofia arrived at the enterance of the dungeons. Both guards stood at attention with worried expressions on their faces. "Pr- Princess Sofia! Your back early!" They said. "Yes I am! And I demand to see my Sorcerer!" She said. More angry and hurt than she has ever been in her life.
"W-we cant let you in pr- princess. Nobod-" Sofia cut them off.
"I don't care about the rules! You let me in to see Cedric now! Or I WILL HAVE YOU BOTH BEHEADED FOR DIOBEYING!" She yelled. The guards jumped at her yell, and fumbled the keys trying to open the door for her. Cedric heard a comotion outside of the door. 'They must be coming foranother beating.' He thought. He didn't know how much longer he could last. Then he heard something strange. Heels. Not boots. But heels like what females wear. And they were running. It couldnt-
"Mr. Ceedric! Mr. Ceedric where are you?!" He heard the voice that was helping him to hang on. "S-Sofia..." He could barely manage. Throat so dry from not having his water ration for the day. Within seconds she was outside his cell door. "Mr. Ceedric!" She grabbed the keys she took from the guards and tried every key until the door opened. She ran inside to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. He winced in pain. The princess pulled back and looked at Cedric. What she saw made her gasp and cry profusely. His face swollen from being hit so many times, his nose so terribley mishappen, his hair so caked with dirt and blood (and probably other things), He was terribley malnourished, probably a few broken ribs, blood everywhere.
"How are you still alive?" She whispered fury now growing inside her. She could hardly hold it in. Suddenly the whole castle heard her scream, "FATHER!"
King Roland and Queen Miranda went running to where they thought Sofia was. Well where they knew she was. As soon as she could see them she let it all out. Cradlling Cedric's head in her small lap, tears falling onto his face she yelled at her parents.
"HOW COULD YOU LET THIS HAPPEN?! Even if he was planning something HE DIDN'T HURT ME! He does NOT deserve this! LOOK AT HIM FATHER! Only TWO MONTHS here and look at the state he's in! He got beat father! Did you order this?! LOOK AT HIS WEIGHT! He is dying! While you sat up there feeding your dogs the best steaks! YOU DISGUST ME! HE WOULD NOT HURT ME! He loves me! Like a daughter! And you repay his devotion to me by... THROWING HIM IN THE DUNGEONS?!" Sofia couldn't continue. Her hard crying now making it harder for her to breath. King Roland looked at his wife.
"Sofia we ha-"
"NO! If you have proof someone planted it there! Release Mr. Ceedric to his lab! I will personally take care of him!" Sofia said glaring up at her father and mother. "Sofia we can't j-"
"Then I'M staying down in the dungeons with him!" She said. Never taking her eyes off of her father's. King Roland couldnt have his youngest daughter stay in the dungeon, but he couldnt let Cedric go either. Miranda put her hand on the kings arm, drawing his attention to her. "Rolly, Let him go to his lab. Send for a nurse. I believe Sofia. Just look at her." She looked at her daughter. Sofia sat, still with Cedric's head in her lap, playing with his hair and gentley rubbing his head. Tears still falling from her eyes. King Roland didn't want tolet Cedric go, but he had no choice. He had people take Cedric up to his lab and into his bed. He even sent for the nurse.

Sofia was sitting by Cedric when the nurse came in. "You don't need to be here." Sofia said curtly.
"The King told me to come check on the Sorcerer." The portly woman said.
"I don't care what the King said. I say You may go. I can handle it" She said in a deathly call voice.
"But Princes-"
"GO!" She yelled at the women. She ran out of the room and back to King Roland. She told him everything that just happened.
"Oh Miranda. What am I going to do?" He asked his wife. She had no answer, but she too wondered what they were both going to do. Sofia sat next to Cedric's bed, she pulled out her satchel. "Mr. Ceedric... I found a bunch of rare ingredients for your potions while I was gone. I put them all in here for you." She said holding up the satchel. Cedric smailed as best as he could do. Even when this girl ws off away from him, she still thought of him. A tear rolled down his face, and Sofia wiped it off for him. "Please get better Mr. Ceedric. I don't know what I'd do without you. I love you." She said looking at him. Cedric could feel his heart swell. He used all his stregnth to motion her to him. Being careful of his bandages she wrapped him in a hug.
"I love you too Princess... You're the daughter I never had."

Two months later Cedric was fully healed. Every broken bone mended ever scratch healed, and he looked healthy! He walked to the King and Queen. "I feel obliged to tell you that I am leaving Enchancia. I will not say where I am going. That is all you need to know. I will be gone by tonight." He told them. The King kinda knew this was coming, but he didnt expect what happened next. Sofia came from behind him and looked at her mother.
"I am going with him, mother." She said. Cedric wrapped his arm around her protectively. Incase anything at all were to happen. Roland started to protest before her mother spoke first.
"Ok Sofia. If this is what you want. I will not stop you, but I request to know you're safe at least once a month. Not where you are. Just that you're both ok." She said, looking at her daughter who once again had a smile.
"Miranda! She's 8! You can't be serious! And with Cedric?!" King Roland was flabberghasted.
"Yes I'm serious. She spent two months with Cedric taking care of him, and many months before that. I have seen him act around her. He acts more of a father than you do. I trust him to keep my baby girl safe." With that she gave Roland a look that dared him to challenge her. (Cedric could see where Sofia got her look from) Unwillingly he let Sofia go. Not that he had a choice.

The Queen recieved a letter the other day. It said they were fine. And Sofia said that Mr. Cedric treats her just like daddy did. Miranda couldn't help but shed a tear at that statement. She knew then, that she made the right choice for her daughter.