The King walked among the lines of freshly sewn crops.

He studied the earth and the tilled rows, making sure everything was in order, fully aware of the villagers watching him from the side lines. Cedric couldn't help but feel his old anxiety flare at the thought of the prying eyes, waiting, watching for him to slip up in some way. It almost felt like the old days and it brought a bitter taste to his mouth as he looked at them from the corner of his eye, head turning slightly and frown set. Many of the on lookers turned their own heads so that they wouldn't meet his eye and he grunted, pleased that some fear still lingered in them.

Looking forward Cedric raised his hand and made a circular movement as he walked, a shimmering green mist filling the air around his feet as he went along the rows, and then he stopped his movements. The green aura falls to the earth, seeping into the ground and vanishing. The onlookers gasped as the corn in the field slowly sprouted before their eyes and then stopped just above the Kings knees, surrounding him in an ocean of green. Farmers rushed forward to inspect the baby stalks and confirmed that they were perfectly healthy, signaling for others to begin watering the crops. The crowd cheered and cried, and Cedric watched this as he moved on to the next field, repeating his self-appointed task over and over until he had sprouts and saplings everywhere.

When the towns folk were hard at work watering the fields and tending the crops, Cedric made his way back towards the castle with his guards following close behind. He had a few towns women throw themselves in his path and praise him for his mercy, but instead of basking in their praise he stepped around them and continued onward, looking forward to the quietness of the castle and the smell of his potions brewing. But walking through the streets gave him a sense that he was once more missing something. Children running in between the buildings laughing with each other and their parents calling for them to return home. Cedric couldn't help the small smile that caused his lips to twitch slightly for a moment before falling once more. Pausing outside the window of the old shoe shop where he could see the former queen, dressed in her peasant garb and working away on a new pair of shoes. She looked neither happy or miserable but almost content to have something to do with her hands that still brought some joy, no matter how minuscule, to others. Coldness washed over him the moment a second feminine figure moved into sight, holding a set of wooden soles meant for another pair of shoes. The same long flowing brown hair, and delicate features as the former queen albite a little, rounder from youth that still hasn't fallen away just yet. The same young newly fledged sorceress that he had met that night at the ceremony of his father's apprentice.

'No, former apprentice, it was her party.' Cedric corrected his racing thoughts as he rubbed his lips with the pads of his fingers, becoming aware of the dry cracked skin and the tremor now taking over his hands.

For a quick moment doubted had settled in his mind about his choices thus far, only for him to shake his head and stamp his doubt down once more. He couldn't afford doubt, it was a cancer that weakens and twists one's judgment and he couldn't afford to let it do that to him. He couldn't let such dark thoughts to cloud his mind once more, dragging him back to his sleepless nights and fits of madness. He had finally found a calm place in his mind and he didn't want that jeopardized. Even if the lovely sorceress he had met was, in fact, the late princess, was in Sofia. But the thought was already there, nagging at the back of his brain as he lurched forward into a long stride pace as he made his way back to the castle once more. Even his own guards had noticed his movements become stiffer and a little agitated as they went.

"Is everything alright my King?" One asked and flinched when Cedric snapped at him.

"I'm fine! I just wish to return to my room already!" His pace picked up and his guards fell back as Cedric entered the castle, not wanting to be close by as their memory of his past violent outbursts served them as a warning.

Cedric's eyes flicked around as he went, searching for the shadows that always taunted him and found nothing but the bright sunlight streaming in through the windows, chasing the darkness away and leaving everything exposed, including himself. He felt like he was in the open now for everyone to see and he didn't like it. Despite the demons that lurked around the doorframes he had craved the safety of the darkness, hiding from the bitter, judging eyes of the townsfolk and the servants. He ran his hands through his hair, pulling at the greying locks as he rushed passed startled maids and confused guards who watched him as he rushed by, and he was all too aware of it. The amulet hidden under his shirt began to feel heavy once more and he pressed his hand to it as he came to a standstill, head spinning and breathing becoming labored as his chest clenched.

Cedric couldn't describe what he was feeling, it was a mess of emotions that caused his thoughts to become a blur as he tried to process them. Breathing becoming labored, he could feel his throat closing in on itself and shadows swirling before his eyes almost grinning at him. Inhaling sharply and pulling at the collar of his ansger, undoing the ties in an attempt to allow air to get into his lungs. He could hear the servants watching him muttering, saying he was having an attack but made no move to help him. Closing his eyes and forcing himself to take a long deep wheezing breath as he as he stepped forward, fighting to keep in control and grounded.

Once in the safety of his chambers he locked the door and leaned against it as he tried to study his labored breathing, hands reaching out almost blindly, feeling the rigid wood of his door beneath his fingers and the stone of the wall, trying to seek something that would act as an anchor to keep him from falling over the edge of sanity. To keep him from plummeting into the shadows of his mind once more and allowing the beasts within to devour what little light he had managed to salvage over the past few days of clarity. He finally identified the storm of emotions as unbridled panic clutching and clawing at his mind and his chest, a voice hissing in his ears his past failures.

'You saw her, she returned, and she has gained power, and you allowed it to happen, King.'

"Shut up… Shut up all is calm, all will come together… It's my throne I deserve this, and the people are now mine as well." He growled under his breath. He refused to sink under again, even if the talented sorceress he met was Sofia, he didn't have to let the darkness take hold again. But he could feel it creeping into his mind, filling it with thoughts that clawed their way to the forefront of his mind;

'Are you so sure that the people are on your side?'

'Would one act of kindness cause such a miracle?'

'What the little princess is planning to take back the throne?'

'Are those obnoxious twins in contact with her?'

'Is she after the amulet?'

'Will there be an uprise?'

These thoughts continued to come, one after another, sprouting like the crops in the fields had earlier. He wanted to sleep, to escape the shadows creeping in on his mind but the day wasn't over yet, and he still had things to attend to. He couldn't sleep now he had to stay awake, there was no rest to escape to, no escape. Closing his eyes tightly he desperately tried to force the darkness away.

When he didn't hear the voice he inhaled shakily and released it before opening his eyes. Only to meet the grinning face of his worst nightmare.

'There is no escaping me Cedric.'

The castle became still as a scream tore through the air and bounced around the stone halls of the castle. The sound bringing a chill into the air and chasing the warmth away.