3 days prior
"Dad!" Sofia shouts after her father with a smile on her face.
"Oh, Sofia, you startled me!" King Roland jumped.
"Umm...can I talk to you for a minute...alone?" Sofia said shyly.
"Yes..of course. Let's go into my office and sit down." King Roland replied a little shocked and confused.
Sofia followed her father down the hallway and joined him in his office.
"What was it you wanted to talk to me about Sofia?" King Roland responded gently knowing that Sofia doesn't come to him often with her problems and since she was this time that it meant it was important.
"Well...um..right. I'm just going to be straight forward with you about this. I am asking your permission to ask someone to court me, but he is not a Prince." Sofia rambled.
King Roland about spit out the tea he had just brought up to his mouth. Staring at his youngest daughter he could tell that she was very serious about what she had just asked him. "D-Did you have someone in mind?" he inquired knowing all too well who his dear daughter was talking about.
"You're not mad?" Sofia asked cautiously.
King Roland set his tea cup on the desk in front of him and took one of Sofia's hands. "Sofia, dear, I knew since you were a little girl that you were going to do things your own way. You were determined to race on the flying derby team. You wouldn't take no for an answer actually. You didn't care what other people thought on the matter. When you are passionate about something, you give it all of your heart. I am sure that you have been passionate about this man for a long time. Royal or not, if he holds your heart then I cannot deny you happiness. I really hope this man feels the same way about you as you do about him." He sighed lovingly to his daughter.
Shocked by her father's response, she had honestly thought he would be very upset with her and forbid the idea entirely, she swallowed hard and took a deep breath. "No going back now" she thought. "Thank you dad. I really appreciate this, more then you know. I just don't think that he would ever approach me. It's just not the kind of person he is but he is special to me and has been for as long as I can remember. " Sofia replied.
"Not going to share with your father who this very special man is?" The King rose his tea cup to his mouth to try to cover the smirk he was trying to hold back. He knew this was coming. He knew that she has always had a special place for Cedric in her heart. He never thought that it would turn into something like this but you cannot control who you love. He should know, he married outside of the royal line himself because love is a strange and powerful emotion.
"I-I really wanted to wait until I had the opportunity to ask him how he feels before I say any names." Sofia muttered sheepishly.
Looking up at his daughter, noticing the blush that had come across her cheeks as she giggled and shook her head. "That is fine Sofia. He is a lucky man." King Roland stated as he smiled.
Sofia's face lit up like the sun and her eyes sparkled like blue diamonds. "THANK YOU, DADDY!" She about screamed in excitement as she jumped up and hugged her father and ran out of the room. "Umpf" Sofia grumbled as she ran straight into her mother. "Oh, I'm so sorry mom. I wasn't watching were I was going." She chirped as she basically skipped past her mother.
"What's all that about?" Queen Miranda questioned as she pointed back toward were her daughter ran off too.
"Cedric." Roland laughed. "She came to ask me if it was okay if she asked someone to court her, she doesn't know that I know who it is though so don't say anything to her. She wants to wait until she knows if he feels the same way until she reveals names."
"Of course, he feels the same way. Is she that blind?" Queen Miranda giggled as she sat next to her husband.
"Apparently so." King Roland responded as they both laughed.
Sofia practically ran down the hall to her sisters' room. "Amber! I need your help." Sofia sang.
Amber about jumped off her vanity chair Sofia startled her so much. "What is it? What's wrong?" Amber questioned with concern in her voice.
"Oh, nothing is wrong Amber, everything is finally starting to go right. I asked Dad if I could ask someone to court me and he said yes!" Sofia squealed in excitement.
Amber was really excited for her sister, Sofia's affection toward a certain royal sorcerer was no secret to Amber or James for that matter. "That's amazing Sofia! Care to tell who this special person may be?" Amber teased.
"Not until I know how he feels about me. I didn't tell dad either." Sofia grumbled getting the feeling that Amber wouldn't let the question go with such a simple answer.
"Okay then what would you like my help with?" Amber inquired anxiously.
Surprised that Amber didn't pry into the question further "I want you to give me a makeover, I want to look like I'm actually turning 23. I want something that will make him notice me as a woman and not as a child." Sofia stated uncomfortably.
Amber danced around in her chair. She loved everything fashion and Sofia coming to ask for her help meant so much to her. Amber jumped up, looked at Sofia with a devilish grin and said "I have the perfect thing for you".
The look on Ambers face made Sofia almost regret coming to her for help, almost, until she pulled this beautiful dress out of her closet. It was a sensual crimson red with beautiful white lace applique on the corset. This dress didn't have any volume to the skirt as it fell just at the hips and cascaded down giving a more adult silhouette. It was perfect.
Sofia took the dress from Amber and started sneaking down the hall to her room trying not to be seen by anyone, especially Cedric. Once to her room, she hung the dress in her closet. Grabbed her sorcerers' robes, put them on and headed toward her favorite place in the whole castle, Cedric's workshop.
Cedric was in the middle of trying to find a potion to cure the pest problem the grounds keepers were having when he heard three knocks on the door. "Come in Princess Sofia." Cedric groaned "You're late Princess."
Sofia started to get butterflies in her stomach, her hands started to shake a little. She could have sworn her face was getting hot. "Yes, I'm sorry I had to talk to my father before I came up here this morning." Sofia spoke nervously trying not to give anything away.
"Is everything okay? You normally don't talk to your father about personal things." Cedric stated as he closed his book giving all his attention to the Princess.
Sofia noticed Cedrics gaze was aimed directly at hers. His deep brown eyes filled with concern for her. That made Sofia's heart just about beat out of her chest and made her a little dizzy. Shaking her head as to snap herself out of this trance she was in "Yes, everything is fine Mr. Cedric. Thank you for asking." Sofia managed to say with a smile on her face.
Relieved to hear that everything was okay, Cedric opened back up his book and invited his apprentice to sit down. "Pick up a book, we need to find a potion to get rid of the horned green worms that are destroying the village crops." Cedric muttered.
"Okay, I'm sure we will find something." Sofia expressed with great optimism.
That optimism was something that Cedric has always greatly admired and cherished in the Princess. She helped him see that the world wasn't all gray. There was beauty in it too. One of those beauties being Princess Sofia herself. Cedric periodically looks up from his book to peak at the Princess who was too busy reading to notice. He loved the way her auburn curls fell onto her face, the way she always seemed to have a smile on her lips no matter what, how she had such a burning passion for magic and how talented she had become. If he was honest with himself he was a little afraid she was going to surpass him in talent.
Once they had found the correct potion, Sofia helped him brew it. It was quite an easy potion so it didn't take very long. Cedric had to go give the potion to Baileywick to hand over to the groundskeepers and Sofia had a surprise to plan. "Princess Sofia would you like to join me in giving this potion to Baileywick?" Cedric inquired while opening the door for the Princess.
"A-actually I have something planned after this, maybe next time." Sofia chimed as she kissed Cedric on the cheek and preceded to skip down the tower steps.
Cedric couldn't hold back his smile any longer, his face started to turn red as he stood in the doorway to his work shop. "She's going to be the death of me Wormy." He sighed to the raven as he exited the doorway and started to proceed down stairs.
Present
Cedric sat next to Sofia in awe. Did he hear her correctly? Did she just say that she loves him? His heart begins to beat rapidly at the thought that might have been true. "No, there is no way that is what she said. She couldn't love a lowly royal sorcerer like himself. I'm not good enough for her." He thought in dismay. He looked down at his hands as to not make eye contact with Sofia. "She deserves a prince." He said out loud this time by mistake.
Seeing the discomfort on Cedric's face Sofia took her hand and gently cupped his cheek to make him look at her. "Mr. Cedric...I deserve who my heart yearns for and that is you. I love you." Sofia stated softly as she moves closer to him.
Cedric cannot believe what he just heard. Are his ears betraying him? Is he hearing things? No, Sofia just confessed her love to him. He put his arm around the Princesses waist and pulled her even closer. Sofia then laid her head on Cedric's shoulder. He sighed a slight sigh of relief that she didn't pull away from him. He could smell the scent of her lavender shampoo as a breeze swirled around them for a moment.
"I-I love you too Princess Sofia." Cedric somehow managed to conjure the courage to say. His heart starts to pound violently at this point.
Sofia sits up and looks over to Cedric and notices that he is still nervous for some reason. Wanting to change this she hops up brushes off her borrowed dress and gives out her hand "Come on Mr. Cedric, there is something I would like to show you." Sofia hummed. As Cedric took her hand and let her lead him around the island he starts to notice that he has never seen any place like this one before. "This place is magical Cedric." Sofia proclaims softly.
"It certainly is magical Princess, it's one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen." Cedric stammered looking around at how the meadow now had a glow to it. The grass lights up with flashes of neon green when touched, the water looks like a glimmering pool of some magic elixir, the trees in the distance also pulse with the rhythm of this meadow.
"I don't think you fully understand Cedric. The meadow is enchanted. Come here let me show you something." Sofia states as she lets go of his hand and starts walking to the water.
He reluctantly let's go of her hand as she passes him by. He can't help but to see how beautiful she looks in the moon light. How the full moon reflects off of her porcelain skin giving it a satin like shine. It's almost overwhelming how absolutely stunning she is. The cut of her dress is something he has never seen on her before, the neck line was a little lower and more sensual then he is used to, the way the corset hugs her waist giving her a womanlier appearance, reminding him that she is no longer a child. Her hair moves slightly in the breeze. He watches as she walks over to the water, the grass beneath her glowing with every step, even the air around her seems to have a magical glow when she moves. She turns back to him with an endearing smile on her face. Her eyes are like a magical azure lagoon, if he stares too long he gets lost in their depth.
As Cedric is watching her walk he notices that she is about to fall into the water, as she isn't looking at where she is going. "Sofia!" Cedric runs to try to catch her only to see a mystical crystal bridge appear before her every step. Stopping dead in his tracks watching this all take place.
"Come on Cedric!" Sofia giggled to him.
As Cedric gets closer to the bridge he starts to notice that it's made out of magical crystals. He hesitates to take a step onto the bridge in fear that it isn't as sturdy as it seems. He looks the bridge over, seeing all the swirling blues and purples. The bridges glow pulses too. It's like this meadow has a heartbeat of its own. Cedric hears a slight giggle, he looks up to find Princess Sofia standing before him. The glow of the bridge reflecting off of her dress, the moonlight shining off of her skin. "She looks absolutely radiant" he thinks to himself. He steps up on the bridge only to see the colors of the bridge change, as if it was reacting to his presence. The once blue and purple bridge is now a shimmering gold and silver. Smiling he looks at Princess Sofia to notice that she has also noticed the change in color. The excitement in her eyes is palpable. He can't take it anymore, he takes Sofia by the waist and pulls her against him and looks directly into her eyes, daring himself to get lost in them. He leans down and kisses her with burning passion. Her lips are as soft as velvet. He holds her close to him around her waist. Sofia brings her hands to rest behind his neck. They could feel the magic in the meadow, the wind swirling around them, the bridge vibrates as it changes once more. Cedric could swear he hears music. Both of their hearts are losing control. Cedric and Sofia release their embrace and just stare at one another.
"Princess Sofia..." Cedric started to say until he was interrupted.
"Cedric please just call me Sofia." Sofia insisted.
"S-Sofia...I don't even know where to start. I have loved you for so long and I honestly always thought that I was alone in my feelings, that we would never be more then close friends. I always feared the day that you would come up to my tower to announce your engagement to some Prince. I- I can't lose you Sofia. It would break me." Cedric proclaimed.
"You will never lose me, ever. I am yours and I always have been." Sofia tries to reassure him.
"Sofia, I highly doubt your father would be okay with such an arrangement." Cedric about choked trying to hide the pain even the mere thought of that causes.
Feeling a pull on her heart at how upset he sounds at that moment, she takes his hand and leads them off the now amber bridge. She starts walking with him into the middle of an open grassy area. "Cedric, I already talked to my father about my feelings on an arranged marriage. The choice on who courts me is my own choice and my choice alone." Sofia explains softy. "I chose you a long time ago."
The meadow started to change once more. Cedric and Sofia started to realize that the meadow was changing according to how the two of them felt. It's almost like it could feel their emotions and displayed them for the two to see. The trees that were now much closer were buzzing with what looked like to be a gold electric current. The grass beneath them now longer than before, glowed amber when touched. He could swear the air had a sparkle in it as it swirled around them.
"That's what you had to talk to your father about a few days ago wasn't it?" Cedric finally realizing all the signs he had been missing for years.
"Yes. I asked for Dads permission to ask someone to court me." Sofia giggled. "He was a little shocked at first, but he knew that I have always done things my own way."
"Did you tell him that the man you wished to court you was me?" Cedric inquired nervously "It is me, right?"
Sofia started to actually laugh at Cedric's innocence. "Yes, Cedric it is you but no I didn't tell him who it was. I didn't want to say anything until I knew how you felt about me. I couldn't bare having Dad know where my heart lies if you didn't feel same way about me." She said bashfully. "But he did say that it didn't matter if you were royal or not, as long as you hold my heart."
In complete shock that the King would be completely okay with him being with Sofia but also excited that she chose him out of all people Cedric just stood there, staring at Sofia with a huge smile on his face before pulling her into a sweet embrace. "Sofia dear, would you do me the great honor of allowing me to court you?" Cedric smiled at her.
Taking her hands and grabbing Cedric's face to pull it closer to her own, "I thought you would never ask" Sofia purred as she stood on her tip toes to kiss her sorcerer one more time.
Cedric releases his embrace, bows and offers Sofia his hand "Dance with me." He demanded sweetly as he smiled at the beautiful young women in front of him. Sofia smiled lovingly back at him as she took his hand. The moment she took his hand the meadow began to create a beautiful natural orchestra concert. They danced under the moon light and lost themselves in each other's embrace until the sun started to shine through the trees as it rises up over the horizon.