The Absurd Love Triangle
Chapter Ten: The Trap!
"What?!" both Ruby and Jade shouted as they sat on Sofia's bed facing her. She had just finished telling them of her plan to leave the castle after her parents returned.
"But we worked so hard to be your ladies' maids!" pointed Jade.
"I can't stay here. I don't belong, I never did…" she turned her head away in sadness. A part of her was telling the truth, but a part of her wasn't. She did belong there, but that was when she was used to being a princess and had James by her side, but not anymore… "I want to go back to the village. It didn't work out between me and Edward, so I would like to live out the rest of my days as the village girl I was born as."
"Oh, Sofia…" Ruby went to comfort her and Jade joined in as the three childhood friends hugged, "We don't really care what you decide. All that matters is that we're with you… If you want to go back to the village, take us with you."
"We're with you to the end, like any Buttercup Scout should." Jade agreed.
Sofia giggled as they did the Buttercup Scout chant.
"Hey!" motioned Ruby, "That's what we should do when we go back! Start a Buttercup Troop of our own!"
"Good idea!" cheered Jade.
"I love that plan…a lot." Sofia beamed.
"We'll go get our things ready and even pack some of your things, too, as a last act as your ladies-in-waiting." said Jade curtsying.
"Very well, and thanks again, you two. You guys are the best friends an ex-princess can have."
"Hey, now, you are still a princess. Even if you plan on not being one, you will always be a princess in our eyes. Isn't that right, Jade?"
"You bet it is." the three hugged again before the two of them left her alone.
But she wasn't alone for long when Clover hopped in and onto the bed.
"I heard the whole thing. Is it true? You're really leaving?"
"Yes, Clover, it is…" she rubbed the rabbit's head.
"But why? Why do you want to suddenly leave the place that's been your home for the last ten years?! Ten years! That's enough time for a castle to become a home to you. What's the real reason you're leaving?"
She smiled at her bunny best friend. She knew she could tell him anything, and luckily because he was an animal, there was no danger of anyone understanding what he would have to say. She took a deep breath and began to tell to him of the events of late: her growing feelings towards James and the confusion that came with it, and then suddenly, Edward came back and proposed to her and she was unable to accept his offer of marriage because of the feelings she had for James. But she knew now that James would be choosing a bride soon and there was no way he would return the feelings she had for him. Thus, she planned to leave the castle so she never had to see him and his new wife living happily ever after while she'd be hopelessly in love with him forever.
Clover stood silence after she finished her explanation, and then he pondered, "Hmm, so all of this is because you love Prince James?"
"Yes…"
"Your stepbrother?"
"And that's why I love him so much. Since we don't share the same bloodline, I feel attracted to him…"
"I see your point, but why run away? You have everything here! Food, dresses, parties, and hey, you even have good company!" he pointed to himself, causing her to smile.
"But how would you feel, seeing the one you love, the one could've you have… be married to another person they love, instead of you…"
"Ouch… I can see you being right there… No point in staying after all."
"Exactly, so…would you like to come with me for when I do move out of the castle?"
"Oh, you bet I would! Where you go, I go!" he jumped into her arms and she cradled him for a long time before putting him down.
"Thank you, Clover. For too long, that was bottling up inside of me. I couldn't tell any of my human friends for fear they might accidentally say something and risk having James knowing before I had the chance to express my true feelings to him. At least this way, I keep the secret to myself and you, and nobody has to know how I truly feel about James."
"You got that right!" he began to hop to the window, "I better prepare myself for when we do. There are some carrots I need to pull and also pick some blueberries. It's going to be a long move!"
She laughs and waved him off as he hopped out the window. Sofia sighed as she looked around her childhood room. She was going to miss it, but it was for the best. Her future was sealed now that she wasn't going to be a queen anymore. How things could have been different if she had married Edward. She would have loved him, yes, but not in the way she felt for James. In fact, the more she thought about it, she had always loved James since they were kids. His fun-loving nature, his need to win, but he always was so sweet and protective of her. He also helped her with the simplest of royal tasks, but he was her best competitor on the royal obstacle course, and how they always pushed each other to be better.
She wanted him to love her back, but she won't stay in the way of him being happy. She started going around the room picking things up on what to bring back to the village.
James paced in his room and started feeling troubled over this ball. How was he going to do it? He couldn't pick some random princess, could he? He guessed he could try to seek a princess that was a lot like Sofia, but that wouldn't be fair to him or the princess… Could he really love another like he loved Sofia? They've been together since childhood and even then, he had loved her even more than as a sister. Amber was right: he was jealous of Edward grabbing Sofia's attention when he had her attention in the first place, how he loved to answer her questions on royalty no matter how simple they were. In her early days of living in the castle, she took the rap for him when he broke the special stained glass window his father commissioned, but Sofia… sweet, wonderful Sofia took the blame for him. He knew he couldn't bear to watch the circus without the guilt hanging over him; she shouldn't have to pay for his own stupid mistakes.
He was also impressed on how she wanted to be on the flying derby team even if she was supposed to act like a princess. When she did get on the team, they worked hard to make sure that they would win for their school. They always did make the best team. He imagined what kind of team they would have made if they were king and queen of Enchancia together. A darn good one… he thought, knowing with Sofia as his queen, she would make sure the kingdom was well-off. Oh, well… She'll be a great queen no matter where she lives… Edward is back, so that should make her happy. Speaking of which, they should have returned by now. Oh, leave them alone, it's about time you do… She's happy, and that's all that matters even if you do love her and you want her to return your love… He went back to pacing, figuring out his problem for tomorrow night.
In the workshop, Cedric told Wormwood, "It always did seem she could communicate with you, so it'll be up to you to get her attention and bring her to the spot while I go get the prince. Is that understood?" Wormy cawed from his arm and started flapping out to the window.
Sofia was overlooking her dresses when she heard panting. She turned to see Wormwood flapping and wobbling around.
"Princess… Princess Sofia!" Wormwood gasped and flopped on top of her bed, "Thank… Thank heavens I've found you!"
"Wormwood! What is it? What's wrong?!" she rushed to the bird's side filled with worry.
"The prince! The prince is in danger!"
She gasped, "James?! James is in trouble?! How… How do you know?!"
"I saw him! In the gardens! Oh, he's at an awful risk!"
"I'll be there!" she rushed out of the room, unaware of the raven smirking back at her.
James kept pacing back and forth until he heard his door opening with a clank and turned to see Cedric panting and fretting, "Oh, Prince James! Come quick! It's Sofia! She's trapped!"
"What?! Where?!" he yelled.
"In the gardens! Hurry!"
James ran out of the room, with Cedric grinning behind him.
Sofia searched around the great castle grounds, but could not find James anywhere. She went to her secret garden door, hoping he'd be there instead. But once she was inside, she could see that he wasn't. She was confused as to why Wormwood would mislead her until she saw James coming to her and shouting her name. He then gave her tight hug.
"Are you alright? Are you hurt?" he quickly asked.
"I was going to ask you the same thing."
"What do you mean?"
"I was told you were in danger!"
"But Cedric told me you were in danger!"
"What?" She was now feeling really confused. Wormwood had told her James was in trouble while Cedric told James she was in danger. It didn't make any sense.
"Okay, this is strange. Why set us up?" James questioned.
A voice then said, "So I can do this!" a spell was chanted and in an instant, both Sofia and James were wrapped up by vines and were separated away from each other. "Ha-ah!" Cedric showed himself, "At long last, I can finally rise to power!"
"Cedric, what is the meaning of this?!" James demanded while struggling.
"Oh, do forgive me, Your Highness, but you'll be giving into my commands from now on!" he took out the ripped page and recited the spell while pointing his wand at James. There was a glow that surrounded James until the glow swirled into his eyes and just like that, he was motionless.
"No! James!" Sofia cried out.
"Now to see if it worked…" he kept pointing his wand and released the vines on the brainwashed prince, "Go to the girl and take her amulet!"
James obeyed the command and went to Sofia. She could see his eyes were still having a yellow glow on them. He took off her amulet and gave it to Cedric.
"Finally, Enchancia is mine! And as for you, my dear," he went to Sofia, "you've ruined my plans one too many times… Ten years! Ten years I've tried to get that amulet away from you!"
"Cedric, please…" she looked at him with pleading eyes.
"It's Cedrick! Ugh! Great, now you finally got me saying it!"
"But… I believed in you… I trusted you…"
"Well… It goes to show you were foolish enough as it is!"
"But everything we have done together! Did that mean nothing to you?!" anger raised in her voice.
He stood there with his head turned away and not looking at her. In truth, some of the things she did with him were very nice and sweet, but he couldn't show weakness at that moment, so he merely grunted.
"There is good in you! I know there is! All you ever really wanted was for someone to care!"
He turned back to her in irritation, "You don't know what I want! And what I want is the kingdom!"
"Please, Cedric, I beg of you… don't do this… You are a kind person and a wonderful sorcerer… I saw it a long time ago and I still see it now… I can't honestly believe you are about to do this… The Cedric I knew when I was young…"
"Exactly, when you were young! You were a kid, so of course I thought you'd be easy pickings. I could convince you to give up the amulet on your own, but with each passing year, I was forced to think of more drastic measures. This is your fault, you know, the way Prince James is. This all could've been easily avoided if I had the amulet from the beginning…"
"Never!"
"You know, I never noticed it before… but I guess when you stopped visiting in my workshop, I didn't get to see you grow into this rare beauty…" he held her chin, "You really are so much different now than you were."
She moved her head away, "Last chance, Cedric. Release James from the spell and give me back my amulet and we'll forget this had ever happened. Things will be as they are and I'll see to it that you are rewarded for your loyal service and all that you had put up with."
"That's just it, isn't it?! I don't want things to be the way they are! So… adieu, Princess…" he hissed and then performed a teleportation spell. No sooner had she faded away by the spell than the amulet in Cedric's hand had started glowing…
End of Chapter Ten.
AN: So many of you reviewed in; thank you so much! And such good suggestions, too! The popular choices were Merriway Cove and Arendelle! Those were good, but not exactly for what I have planned for. If you'll recall, I had the parents going away on the floating palace and back to visit the mermaids of the Cove. Arendelle did cross my mind at one point, but if certain princesses are going to show up, then it gives one princess to upstage the others and plus, I think they will do a Frozen crossover soon enough, so no need for me to write about it. And you also said one of villages of Enchancia so that it would be easy for Sofia to get back. Now I agree you with you on that, but I think it's too easy. The made-up places are very good ideas and I think I'll explore more into that, but I would also like to explore more about the upcoming movie episode, The Curse of Princess Ivy. It's about an exiled princess exacting her revenge. If I could learn more about the place she was exiled to, then maybe I can send Sofia there as well. However, it won't be released until November and I hate to make you guys wait that long especially since it's been about a year when I made this. Can you wait a little longer? It would be nice to know what other lands I could use instead and that would make for an even better chapter! I already spoiled out that the princesses will once again make cameos and help Sofia out of huge trouble! Your thoughts?