Mångata

Summary: Cedric invites Sofia to a mysterious and magical land known as Mångata, a location that has never been mentioned in any texts or transcripts and has only been acknowledged via word of mouth. It's here that the Magical Protectors (Sofia's nickname for their 'team') try to unravel the mystery of two friends who went missing some time ago; however, the more they uncover, the more danger they find themselves in. [Takes place when Sofia is 16.]

Disclaimer: I don't own Sofia the First, and I don't own the name of Mångata (an untranslatable Swedish word used to express "the road-like reflection of the moon in the water" or literally "moon street"). I only own the original characters portrayed in the story, including Prince Corban. :D

A/N: There is a huge fluff alert on this chapter! Naturally, because it's Wassailia at this point in the story. Haha. And yes, I'm a bit early in reality, but with the hectic schedule I'm about to take on, I figured it would be best to go ahead and finish the story. 😊 I hope you've enjoyed it. The next series will be introduced at the end of this chapter, and the site will go live at midnight CST. So there's that! 😉 Just wait till you see what I have planned… This story had mystery. The next one has mystery and suspense, not to mention a higher level of danger. I told you that you've not seen the end of the mysterious evil entity. You haven't. It will be back in the next story, just in a different form! :D With that said, enjoy! And Happy (Early) Wassailia/Merry Christmas to all who celebrate! 😊

Chapter 10: A Priceless Gift

Things seemed a bit calmer now to the two friends as they prepared for the evening. They'd finally made the announcement to the others in the castle that they were back, and Roland (with Corban clinging to his neck) had welcomed their return. He'd indicated that the festivities would begin at six o'clock that evening, so they still had a little bit of time to themselves.

Sofia smiled as she slid Cedric's gift under the tree, right next to the rest of the family's gifts. She even saw a few addressed to Baileywick and Violet, which warmed her heart, because they really were a part of their family. She gasped as she felt a tap on her shoulder. Whirling around, she saw Amber standing there, a silly smile on her face. "Amber? What are you so happy about?"

"Well, first of all, Happy Wassailia to you too, dear sister." She grinned before thrusting a bag into the younger teen's hands. "Look at this. Desmond had Wassailia with his family today, but he gave me this as an early gift last night."

"Aw, that's sweet." She pulled out a few pieces of material before producing a small, black velvet box. She lifted the lid and blinked in surprise. "Amber…"

The blonde smiled. "It's not an engagement ring," she clarified as Sofia looked at the shimmering ring before her. "It's…a bit more than a promise ring though. Oh, what did he call it? A Forever Ring, I think. Yeah… Because 'I want to share this life with you forever…' Those were his exact words." A dreamy sigh escaped her lips. "Which makes it even sweeter."

Sofia smiled as she looked back at her sister. "And the gem is an amber stone. He did really well!"

"He's so thoughtful, Sofia." She took the box back, peering at the ring with a serene smile on her face. "I don't know how I got so lucky with him."

"I think you are both lucky to have each other," the other girl clarified, grinning as Amber blinked at her. "Or maybe it was fate… Like, maybe you guys were always meant to be."

Amber laughed softly as she closed the box and slipped it back into the bag. "Do you think so?"

"After watching you two together, I'm confident in saying that I know so." She reached forward and hugged her sister. "And I'm so happy for you."

The older princess smiled and returned the hug. "Thanks, Sofia…" She sighed happily as Sofia released her from the hug. "So, tell me, how was your trip with Cedric?"

"Eh… Interesting." She twirled some of her loose hair around her fingers. "Yeah, Mainlandia is…quite a place." She was going to get Cedric for coming up with such a lame cover name, but right now, she was more focused on changing the subject. "So, you want to get a snack while we're waiting on the others?"

Amber nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! I'm starving. And we'd better hurry before James eats all the Christmas crackers. He's already had about twenty, and Chef Andre had to shoo him away." She rolled her eyes. "That boy's stomach is a bottomless pit—I swear." She grinned as Sofia snickered. "By the way, I love your dress! Where did you get it?"

She smiled sheepishly and shrugged. "Mr. Cedric made it for me."

"Really?" Amber grinned and nudged her playfully. "Remind me to see about getting him to make my wedding dress when the time finally comes…"

Sofia giggled. "Oh, I'm sure he'd love that!" She shook her head as they moved along.

The castle always came alive during Wassailia. With Baileywick's fantastic direction of decoration and Cedric pitching in to make it even more magical, it was a sight to behold. The crackling of the fire and the falling snow outside just made it even better. After everyone had eaten their grand meal, they all gathered around the Wassailia tree to continue their festivities.

"Mr. Cedric, open mine," Sofia suggested as she walked over and sat down beside him by the tree. She passed a gift wrapped in green to her friend as her family (and even some of the workers, particularly Baileywick and Violet) continued sharing their own gifts with each other. "I hope you like it."

"I think you know by now that anything from you is definitely a favorite of mine," he told her quietly, chuckling as she smiled shyly. "Now then, let's see what you've made this year…" He tugged the silver bow from the gift and unwrapped it, his eyes widening slightly at the contents within. "Sofia…"

Before him lay what appeared to be a magical leather-bound book entitled Magical Protectors, Sofia's nickname for their team. As he opened it, he realized that the book had been magically enhanced and enchanted with moving pictures and glittering words across the pages. Upon reading a bit, he discovered that it told of their adventures the past few summers to all the different kingdoms, including Mahiya. To make it even more special, it was written from Sofia's point of view, offering more insight into the story. "This is amazing… How did you do this?"

"Mr. Merlin helped me," she admitted with a smile. "While you and Ms. Cordelia were gone one day, Calista and I paid him a visit. It took us all day to get the layout right, and when I told him everything I wanted, he finished it up. I can see why he's your favorite wizard." She laughed.

Cedric sighed and closed the book, initiating a hug for once, delighting his friend. "Thank you, Sofia… I think it's one of the best gifts I could have ever gotten."

She giggled as she returned his hug. "You're welcome, Mr. Cedric. You deserve it after all you've done for me, especially in the last few years."

"Speaking of which…" He reached under the tree, grabbing a small purple box with a pink ribbon. He passed it to the girl. "This is for you."

Sofia blinked as she accepted the box before removing the lid and gazing down inside. She pulled a few scraps of pink satin aside before retrieving a bracelet. It was made of pure silver, and on each link, there was an alternating pattern of amethyst and pink tourmaline gems. "Wow…" She gazed up at Cedric. "This is beautiful, Mr. Cedric…"

"There is far more to it than just beauty, my dear." He gave her a playful smile. "Kind of like you, I suppose."

She blushed modestly and laughed. "Mr. Cedric…"

"It was actually magically enhanced especially for you." He took the bracelet form her and unlatched the clasp, sliding it onto her left wrist and fastening it back. "It's called an Energy Stabilizer, or an E.S. Bracelet, if you prefer. It can either completely prohibit or seriously diminish the loss of energy due to powerful spell casting or a magical attack."

"Wow, that would have come in handy this morning," she remarked, smiling thoughtfully.

"Tell me about it… Which is why I wanted you to have it. It's something that Greylock and I worked on together, due to my concern for your safety." He frowned thoughtfully. "After nearly losing you a few summers ago, I wanted to try to keep you as safe as possible…"

Sofia grasped his hands and squeezed them. "Thank you, Mr. Cedric… I really appreciate it." She then grinned at him. "So… You and Mr. Greylock made this together?" She laughed as he nodded. "Well, that's good to know. I'm glad you guys are getting along better."

"Yes, it took some time, but I feel that we're on the right track. Oh! I almost forgot." He grabbed a second gift, this time wrapped in pink paper, and passed it to her. "This is also for you. But…if you don't mind, look at it later this evening, all right?"

She blinked. "Why?"

"It's…a bit private, I suppose. I'm not always the best at expressing my feelings and thoughts or whatever in person, so…writing them down is a bit easier."

She smiled in understanding. "I see. I will. Ooh, do you want to get some Wassailia cookies? Chef Andre made a new kind this year, with cinnamon."

"Sure, why not?" He set their gifts aside in a chair before standing, pulling his friend to her feet as well and following her to a table set aside with plenty of treats. "Ooh, these look delicious."

"They are," James responded as he walked up from the other side and snagged three of the white and red cookies. "I've already had like three dozen or so." He grinned as the two friends gave him amused looks. "By the way, looks like you guys landed under the Huggabow."

Sofia blinked. "The what?" She glanced up, noting a big red bow with an image of two people hugging. "James, what is that?"

"A Huggabow!" He laughed. "I came up with it as an alternative for the sixty strands of mistletoe that Amber put up all over the castle."

"Sixty strands?" Cedric asked, appalled. "Where does one even find that many sprigs of mistletoe?"

James shrugged. "Beats me. But hey, at least it was the Huggabow and not the mistletoe, huh?" he teased, laughing, causing the two friends to blush.

"Very funny, James," Sofia scoffed before smiling shyly toward Cedric. "Well, we've had plenty of practice, and I like hugs anyway." She reached over and gently hugged the sorcerer, resting her head on his chest. "Especially hugs from you, Mr. Cedric…"

He smiled fondly and returned her hug. "I learned from the best," he murmured softly, causing her to giggle quietly.

Roland raised an eyebrow at the hugging friends as Corban babbled and pulled on his cravat. "Looks like James got another few 'Huggabow victims.'"

"Are you sure?" Miranda joked, smiling. "They're Cedric and Sofia, after all. They hug each other all the time anyway." She laughed before picking up Corban, kissing his nose and grinning as the baby squealed happily. "Aww, who's a little cutie? Corban is!"

"They're still hugging, Miranda," Roland acknowledged several moments later, folding his arms. "You don't think she's upset and he's trying to comfort her, do you? Or maybe she's feeling sick and needed some help? Or-"

"Or maybe they just like hugging each other because they care about each other, Rollie. They're best friends. Friends hug each other. It's called being affectionate and showing your loved ones that you care." She rolled her eyes. "Don't be such a stick in the mud. It's Wassailia." She kissed his cheek and winked. "Lighten up!"

Roland sighed and smiled, shaking his head. "I know. Let's open one of Corban's presents now, shall we?"

The baby gurgled in response, grinning at his father, showing off the two new teeth he'd earned. "Dada!"

The king chuckled and took the baby back from Miranda. "That's my boy!"

The evening carried on successfully, with plenty of laughter, food, and celebration. Amber had received a new paint set and easel from her siblings, and Miranda had sewn her a new gown made with chartreuse and cream fabrics. James had gotten new armor from his sisters and a specially-crafted sword for his knight training from his parents. Sofia also got a new dark purple and blue dress from Miranda and some traveling supplies from her siblings (since they indicated that she was always going somewhere, and they wanted her to be prepared). Sofia was starting to see a pattern with people concerned for her safety, but she was definitely touched that they cared so much.

And the newest sibling received plenty of new soft, plush toys to play with. Cedric had even created a magical hovering mobile of different colored stars to play soft music so that it would be easier for the baby to fall asleep, which was much appreciated by his parents (especially when their youngest one was such a hyper and alert child).

Later that evening, Sofia lay on her bed and stared at her new bracelet. It glistened under the moonlight, causing her to smile. She then gasped. "Oh, right! Mr. Cedric's other gift…" She sat up and reached over to her bedside table, retrieving the pink package that he'd handed her. "He said it was private… What could it even be?" Unable to stand the suspense anymore, she swiftly removed the wrapping and set it aside, blinking as she found what appeared to be a…portfolio? "Huh?"

She opened the thin book and found a hand-written letter bound inside the book. It wasn't perfect by any means, with a few scratches here, a few smudges there, and tiny rips in the parchment along the way. But it was from Cedric, and that's all that mattered. She smiled as she leaned against her pillows and began reading by the glow of her lamp.

My Dear Sofia,

I cannot tell you how honored I am that, even all these years later, you still call me your best friend. I'll never fully understand it, and I'm quite sure many others think the same way—especially with my sordid past… But it is a pleasure to be seen in such a positive light, especially since you are the one to shine it.

I was nervous, to be perfectly honest, when I asked you to be my partner and work with me in our magical quests. I was sure you'd turn the offer down, especially since you are often immersed in school work, Protector duties, Story Keeper missions, and so many other things. Yet you said yes. And you seemed rather excited as well, which made me even happier. Never in a million years did I believe someone would be able to work so well with me: to see what I see, do what I do, enjoy what I enjoy, and so on… And to come from being my student to my equal in magic… that's a prediction I never could have made.

You've given me so many chances, Sofia. So many opportunities to prove that I'm more than my miserable past and bad choices… That I can be Cedric the Great, or even Cedric the Sensational. I love both titles, especially the second one, because such a good-hearted person bestowed it upon me when I was at one of my lowest points… It gave me a glimmer of hope, and I carried that with me until King Roland gave me the title I'd coveted since I was a boy. Like you said, perhaps I should hyphenate…

There's no way I can ever thank you for everything you've done for me, but I'd certainly like to try. I have one last surprise in store for you, and it's something I believe you deserve more than anyone else. However, this time, I'd much rather tell you in person. When you get the chance, come see me, and I'll explain everything.

Thank you for all you've done over the years, Sofia. Thank you for being there, for comforting me in my darkest times, for being my voice of reason and in a sense my guardian angel. There's no purer heart than that of a child, but you're no longer a child, and I've still not seen a purer heart than yours. It's saved me countless times, over and over again, and it's time I repaid you. It's the least I can do…

Happy Wassailia, my friend, my partner in magic, and my dear princess.

Love,

Cedric

Sofia was wiping away tears by the time she finished reading his letter. It was filled with so much sincerity and honesty that she was floored. And he had another surprise for her? What else could he possibly give her? She knew it was close to midnight at this point, but she just had to find out…

She closed the portfolio and slid it under her pillows for safe keeping and slid her slippers and robe on before heading out of her room toward Cedric's workshop.

Cedric glanced up from reading through Magical Protectors for the third time when he heard a knock on his door. He shut the book and stored it away in his desk drawer before standing and walking toward his door, pulling it open. He smiled as he saw the princess there. "Sofia-?" He gasped as she hugged him tightly, her face buried into his robe. He lifted one hand to her head as the other settled around her back. "Are you all right?"

She laughed, the sound muffled by the fabric, before looking up at him. "Am I all right?" She smiled sweetly at her friend. "I read your letter…" She giggled as he gulped, an uncertain expression on his face. "Thank you… It was one of the sweetest things you could have given me."

The sorcerer sighed in relief before chuckling a bit. "I'm glad… I wasn't sure if I should give it to you or not, but Wormwood got tired of me second guessing myself and wrapped the blooming thing himself.

The look on her face was priceless. "Wormwood did?"

"I couldn't believe it either… Who knew ravens could wrap Wassailia gifts?" He smirked as she laughed again. "But I digress…" He gently tugged on her loosened hair. "I assume you're here to discuss what I said in the letter?"

"Well…yeah…" She released him as he guided her over to the worktable to sit. "What exactly is this surprise of yours?"

"Believe it or not, it's another trip…" He held up his hands and smiled as she looked like she wanted to say something. "After you graduate next semester, actually…"

She blinked. "Really?"

"Yes. In fact, it's to a land that I'm certain will benefit you this time: Reimagia."

"Reimagia?" She shook her head. "I've never heard of it. What's so special about this place?"

He smiled. "It's where everyone goes when they want to receive proper training to become a full-fledged sorcerer…or sorceress." He shrugged as he heard her gasp, her blue eyes wide. "If you want to, of course… You don't have to, if that's not what you want." He gasped in surprise as she hurried over to him, hugging him yet again. Actually, she'd nearly tackled him off the chair, but he'd managed to maintain some form of balance. He laughed as he returned the hug. "I take it that you like the idea?"

"Are you kidding?" She let go of him and beamed. "A sorceress? Me? I've always wanted to go through with the training, but I didn't think it was possible…since I don't have the same type of magical family like you do."

"Perhaps, but you're special, Sofia. You made magic. Magic didn't make you. You unlocked the secrets of the Amulet of Avalor. You became the first non-magical Protector, and the youngest. You excelled in all of your sorcery classes and outshined some of the brightest magical minds. And how many redemptions are you responsible for? Not to mention defeating Vor and so many other wicked entities… If anyone deserves this opportunity, you do."

"And what if they say no?" she asked, a worried expression crossing her features. "What if I'm not good enough?"

"You're not 'good enough.' You're far better than that: you're perfect." He smiled as she laughed softly. "And they're fools if they don't see that. If they won't train you, I'll train you myself. Along with my father, Merlin, and whoever else I can find." He gently cupped her chin with his hand. "So what do you say?"

She grinned. "Let's do it." She squealed excitedly and hugged him again. "I can't believe I get to train to be a sorceress… I've wanted this for years."

Cedric gently patted her back, thrilled to hear her confession. "Good. Then I'm going to try my best to make that dream come true for you."

Sofia smiled as she sat up and looked at him. "You really are the best, Mr. Cedric."

He chuckled, grasping her hand. "I appreciate it, Sofia. Then it's settled. Next year, we'll travel to Reimagia, and if all goes well, you'll have one more well-deserved title to add to your list."

She laughed and nodded. "Sofia the Sorceress… I kind of like the sound of that."

He echoed her laughter. "So do I. Happy Wassailia, Sofia."

"Happy Wassailia, Mr. Cedric." She hugged him again, more gently this time. "I love you," she whispered.

Cedric smiled softly while returning her hug. "I love you too."

The end (and to be continued in "Reimagia")