Magpie

Ch2: The Gift

I'm imagining your laugh again, the one you save for your family and very close friends

And I'm imagining the way you say my name, don't know when I'm going to hear it again

~ Every Angle by Ani DiFranco ~


Princess Sofia,

I leave this book of novice spells in your care. Be sure to keep up with your studies in my absence.

Cedric

After Violet left her for the night, Sofia perched on the edge of her enormous canopied bed, holding Cedric's parting note in trembling hands and rereading the message dozens of times while summoning all the strength within her to keep from bursting into tears, but no matter how hard she willed them to change, the words remained the same conveying little more than indifference to her. After all they'd been through, everything she believed they meant to each other, this couldn't be it.

The words, though few, made a statement that was heartrendingly plain to see: no matter how foolishly she had convinced herself that she and Cedric were the best of friends, that he admired her as much as she did him, in truth she was nothing more to him than a mere apprentice. It was this realisation that finally shattered the fragile dam within her, allowing a torrent of tears to burst forth uncontrollably. They dropped fat and unhindered onto the parchment, turning the handwritten letters into illegible blotches of dark ink until Sofia shoved both the letter and the package it was once attached to aside and flopped down on the bed to sob into her pillow until sleep claimed her. She'd never been much of a crier, but that night she seemed to be compensating for all the countless times she'd faced daunting situations without shedding a single tear. The night that Cedric left his tower for destinations unknown, she cried until she was empty inside, and she'd stayed that way since.

The soft thud of the carriage as it touched ground coaxed Sofia from her wallowing, and she peeked over to find Amber fast asleep, a tiny trail of drool smeared across her sister's usually pristine mouth. Reaching over, she shook Amber awake, receiving an incoherent stream of utter nonsense for her efforts. "Amber, we're here." The elder princess blinked groggily before turning her head to wipe her mouth in a not-so-discreet manner.

"How long were we flying?" Amber complained, stretching stiff muscles with an exaggerated groan. "Feels like we haven't been on solid ground for days." Sofia resisted the urge to roll her eyes, and a voice that sounded suspiciously like Cedric's scolded 'No whinging' in her head, but she didn't repeat it aloud.

"About two hours, I think", she answered as the door to the coach opened, revealing their usual coachman standing beside a man she'd never seen before.

"Ah, this must be the Enchancian princesses." The stranger grinned at them, offering a hand to escort them out. Amber accepted first, gracing him with a polite curtsy once she was on her feet. Sofia quietly declined his assistance, opting to let herself out of the confined space and peering behind him at the massive expanse of land and buildings that comprised their new school. "The tour will be beginning shortly, but first allow me to show you to your room."

"You mean 'rooms', don't you?" Sofia was vaguely aware of Amber's enquiry, though she wasn't paying much attention to their exchange.

"Oh, um… no. The accommodations here are two children per room, and I assumed — being sisters and all — that you'd like to share rather than being separated." It made sense, but Amber continued to protest the arrangements as the girls were led through a colossal set of doors and down a series of winding corridors that appeared to be practically never ending.

"Ah, here we are. If either of you are in need of anything, just ring the bell and someone will be right in." The man, the headmaster, Sofia could recall him saying at some point during their stroll, unfastened a bulky keychain from his belt and unlocked the door, swinging it open to give them access to the chambers beyond.

Amber strolled in first, dragging her ridiculously overstuffed suitcases behind her, and Sofia nodded what she hoped would pass as a decent good-bye to the headmaster before he scurried off, probably to meet with other new students as they arrived, then trailed in after her sister, carrying nothing more than the magenta satchel she wore slung across her shoulder. I guess we have that much in common. She sulked, again recalling the night Cedric left Enchancia with only one rucksack to hold everything he needed for his departure.

"It's too bad we don't have our own rooms, but this place is incredible!" Amber exclaimed, rousing Sofia from her daze. The older princess plunked her things in the centre of the room and dashed about the space, meticulously inspecting every detail of their new surroundings with blossoming excitement. "What do you think, Sofia?" she questioned, bouncing onto the bed that stood against the far wall. Sofia glanced around, trying to muster an answer that would satisfy her sister. It wouldn't be right let her sour mood spoil Amber's fun.

"It's very... pink", was all she managed to come up with. Unfazed by the younger girl's lack of enthusiasm, Amber leapt to her feet and rushed off to check out the en suite.

"Sofia, this is gorgeous!" she shouted, obviously impressed with what she saw in there, too. She popped her head back through the doorway, a wide grin plastered across her fair face. "I'm taking the first bath." Sofia shrugged, plopping her bag down on the bed Amber hadn't claimed.

"Shouldn't you unpack?" The sound of water running told Sofia not to expect any response.

Peeling back the flap to unpack her own supplies, she was surprised to find the discarded package from Cedric tucked away amongst her other belongings. Gingerly, she plucked it out and sat down on the bed, setting the box in her lap and staring down at it. Baileywick must have seen it in my room and thought I meant to bring it, she assumed, frowning at the gift. I really should open it, even if it is just an old spell book he didn't bother to take. Even as she told herself that, her eyes teared up all over again as she recalled that impersonal message from Cedric.

Still, it was wrapped so neatly, giving the impression that he'd taken a great deal of care to make it presentable for her. Perhaps she'd misunderstood and the book held some personal significance to the sorcerer. He was rather fond of reading, after all, and could often be found with his nose buried in some dusty tome or another, focused so intently on the text that he scarcely noticed the day passing him by. As Storykeeper, she had developed her own affinity for books that almost rivalled her mentor's, so it made sense that he might entrust her with one that was special to him. At the very least, it made her feel a little better to consider the possibility.

After further hesitation and some more internal debate, she pulled the twine off, then slipped her finger into a seam on the back, carefully following the line to prevent from tearing the wrapper even though it appeared to be nothing more than ordinary butcher paper. When she finished removing it, she folded the packaging neatly and tucked it into her bedside table before resuming her task. She pried the lid off of the box and slowly peeked inside, preparing herself for further disappointment.

The book was a large, leather bound tome with an image of seven birds perched upon the branches of an ancient tree burnt into the front. Her fingertips traced delicately across the textured cover, admiring its beauty. This certainly wasn't any book she'd ever seen in Cedric's workshop before, and it didn't appear to be a spell book at all.

When she lifted it out, she spotted a black quill underneath which she presumed to be one of Wormwood's feathers sharpened with Cedric's rusty old penknife. Though the raven had betrayed him recently, Sofia couldn't help but smile softly at the quill, thinking it must have been a very important memento to Cedric. He did have a tendency to be sentimental, though he tried very hard to keep that side of himself hidden away. Curiosity finally overwhelmed her, and she opened the book only to find nothing but thick, blank papers that appeared to be handmade bound inside. As she flipped through, she found a page at the front covered with the familiar scrawl of Cedric's hand.

Honestly, little one, how long did it take you to open my gift? I'm guessing it was a little over a week before you calmed down and peeked inside. You'll have to tell me if I'm right, you know. No cheating. The accuracy of his prediction made Sofia's cheeks burn as she read. Exactly eight days had passed since that stormy night in the tower, when they promised to see each other again someday. I'm truly sorry about the note. That was for Baileywick's benefit. I couldn't be sure you'd be the first one to see this, after all.

Sofia, I have so much to say to you, but if I tried to write it all down here, there'd be no space left, and some of it just can't be said right now. I promise, when I come back we'll go on one of those picnics you like so much and talk all about it.

I've been worried for your safety ever since that awful day that Wormwood left, and I nearly lost you, too. That was the day that taught me how dangerous your adventures had truly become. I worry more now that I won't be there to keep an eye on things. And so I'd like to introduce you to someone: His name is Magpie, and he will protect you where I cannot.

P.S. The quill is enchanted to work without ink. It functions as a key of sorts and the book is the lock. When used together, the messages will go directly to Magpie. Whenever you have a problem, no matter how trivial or serious it may seem, just write it down in here and he will help you.

P.P.S. Oh, and sometimes he might just like to hear how things are going even if nothing is wrong. He will always watch over you, Sofia.

"So, it's like a journal?" Sofia wondered aloud. She turned the page, but there was nothing else written inside.

"Your turn!" Amber chimed, opening the washroom door. Sofia quickly shoved the book back inside of the box, stuffing the whole thing under her pillow just as Amber entered the bedroom. "Sofia, is something the matter?"

"Hmm? Oh, no. I was just daydreaming, I guess." Sofia stood to take her own bath before Amber had a chance to notice the obvious lie. It wasn't fair to keep more secrets from Amber, especially now that she knew everything about Sofia's other unusual activities, but a journal was such a private thing, and Cedric had already gone out of his way to make sure the contents of his package remained just between the two of them, that she couldn't bring herself to tell her sister about it — at least not yet.

Sofia tugged the door shut and leaned against it, relieved to be alone with her thoughts once more. Cedric did care. In fact, he fretted over her safety and the perilous nature of her missions as a Protector of the Everrealm. That alone would have been enough for her, but he'd gone above and beyond all expectation.

'He will always watch over you.' I guess I'm supposed to think of the journal as a real live person. How strange... But it is a lovely gift. Without realising she was doing so, Sofia hummed a tune she'd heard from Cedric as she filled the tub with hot water.