Princesses Amber and Hildegard did not come around to talk to Cedric again that evening, nor the next morning - at least, as far as Greylock could tell. On the other hand, given he was sleeping in the same room as Cedric and didn't have a whole lot else to do while at the Royal Enchancian Castle - it wasn't very creatively named, but what can you do - given that, though, he ought to be in a pretty good position to know.

So Greylock was a little surprised when, late the next morning, he found Cedric sitting at his workbench not with a potion, or with a spellbook open, but with a piece of parchment.

On the parchment was the following:

List of Questions to Ask Sofia:

1.

The line following the first point was conspicuously blank. As was the rest of the page.

"You know, Headbrick old friend, you this plan could also work to your advantage. But please, don't let me interfere with your plan to self destruct." Greylock was quite sure to keep his voice and face cheery as he said this, intending to underscore his words with the contrast.

Of course, Cedric didn't notice. Or care. It was hard to say which. "It's not self-destructive, it's self preserving. Even if it weren't for Amber's threat, there's the fact that she is the Heir Apparent and I am twenty five years older than her. Thirty? Ah… Greylock, how old am- I mean are you again." Cedric didn't look up from the page as he spoke. He didn't write anything down either, he just stared at it.

Before Greylock could respond, there was a knock on the door. Greylock turned to look, Cedric didn't - until a voice came from behind it. "Mister Cedric!"

That got his attention. Finally. Cedric whipped his head around to look at the door - and hurt his neck, apparently, with how he put his hand up to it. Then he looked at Greylock with wide eyes. "She's… she's early! I. What… I'm not ready! What do… I…"

Aaand he was starting to hyperventilate. "Don't worry yourself, old Bedsick," Greylock said despite himself, "I'll distract her for a bit. Finish that list. Collect yourself. Win the girl." Greylock winked and grinned at Cedric, who rolled his eyes - but smiled gratefully.

Greylock then slipped out the door to greet a rather surprised Princess Sofia.

"Oh, hello Mister Greylock! Nice to see you again."

"Pish!" he exclaimed, waving a hand dismissively. "Mr. Greylock is my father! Call me Greylock."

Sofia tilted her head a moment, but then laughed. "All right then. Anyway, I was just coming for my sorcery lesson." When he didn't move to let her through, Sofia's brows knitted, but she offered a weak smile regardless. "Iiiis Cedric not here…?"

Greylock grinned. "Indeed not, for you see! He is still where I just came from - on the moon!"

Sofia blinked. "You came from… the moon?"

"What's o'clock?" Greylock took a step towards Sofia, and though she didn't feel threatened or uncomfortable beyond her confusion, Sofia took a reflexive step back.

"I…? That's a strange way to ask the time. Are you sure you're all right?" Wording was apparently more disquieting than claiming to have been on the moon. He supposed he and Cedric were sorcerers, though. ...That made this whole charade a little less funny.

Greylock took another step. "What hour? What country this? What month? What day? Was't a hundred years - a minute, since? - I cannot guess what time that fall embraced! That I was in that saffron-colored ball?"

About halfway through this line, Sofia's face broke out into a wide grin. "Oh! Oh, this is from the play, isn't it? When Cyrano's fending off the Comte De Guiche." A moment's pause, and she added, "I thought you were escorted out before that, though?"

Greylock blinked. "I'd actually forgotten it was recently put on as a play. I just like the monologue." He breathed an irritated sigh and sat down on the stone floor with a huff. "Well, I'm… rather out of ideas. ...Sorry, Cedric."

A moment later, Sofia joined him on the floor - at least she was only messing up a sorcerer's workrobe and not one of her nice dresses, Greylock supposed. "Is he all right? Is there some reason you'd need to keep me out here? I mean, it seems pretty peculiar you'd pick specifically that speech."

Greylock shrugged. "Yes, I am trying to buy time, here. Thank you for playing along, by the way, given how easily you pierced my plot. Largely, Cedric was upset that you were earlier than he expected, I think." That was even technically true. Not that Greylock particularly minded lying if necessary, but… it was nicer to avoid.

"Huh." First Sofia looked one way, then another - not conspiratorially, just thinking, or at least that's what Greylock thought. Her face scrunched up and she put a hand to her chin. "That's odd. I mean, it's not like he was ever really happy when I'd show up unexpected , but he didn't usually send me away. Or even lock the door usually." She grinned. "And posting guards is certainly new."

Greylock smiled as he realized she meant him. "Oh, yes, very formidable. A stone wall, here."

"... He hasn't gotten more reclusive, has he?" She bit her lip as she asked, but quickly forced a smile instead. "Ah, it's probably nothing." All the same, she asked, "Do you think I'm reading too much into it?"

Greylock shrugged. "I've known him for a long time, dear, but it's been… quite a while since we were around each other for any appreciable stretch. I've been back and visiting him this time around for less time than you have. ...Granted, I've also largely not left his side in this past - what, week? Few days? I am legitimately bad at the passage of time." He chuckled softly. "So, that said… Perhaps, though he has got other irons in the fire. He might just be more stressed than average, exacerbating everything else."

Nodding, Sofia said, "I see." She took a breath, then looked back at Greylock. "It's very nice of you to try to help him, then." Another pause, more hesitant this time, before she went on. "Not to pry.. But since you seemed pretty frustrated when I caught on.. Is everything else okay? With you, I mean?"

"Of course I'm okay! Right as rain." Greylock drew himself up - as much as he could while sitting, at least - and gave a large grin. ...Perhaps a bit too large, given how Sofia was still looking at him with concern. "Shall we walk?" He motioned, hoping the change of scene would also change the subject.

She accommodated, but not to the desired effect, unfortunately. "Are you sure? It's just that I'd like to help if I can." ...Greylock was beginning to see what Cedric meant. Not entirely - there were some things he'd never entirely understand - but she was quite charming. And pushy. In an oddly agreeable way.

He sighed. "Well, I don't know if you can help, especially. If nothing else, though, I suppose my tale would occupy you while Cedric finishes up whatever tidying he was doing." Sofia laughed lightly at that, and Greylock continued, "The issue is that I've got this friend. I'd like to be rather more than that, but they never have. I've convinced myself this was fine for years. ...Decades, actually. Gandalf's Garters I'm getting old." Greylock shook his head and grinned.

Taking advantage of the pause, Sofia asked, "Buuut I take it you're not actually fine?"

"No indeed." A pause for breath, then he continued, "Each time I visit him, it's wonderful but also quite painful, as you might imagine, even if it's a bit of a dull pain these days." Sofia raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. "The more I visit, the more they push me away. At this point, I'm having serious doubts if I'm simply being tolerated, leaving any more romantic ideas quite enough alone."

Sofia took a moment to process this before a sudden gasp escaped her. A few words followed, but at such a rapid pace Greylock could only half be sure he understood them. Something about being right? The princess looked at Greylock with very wide eyes then, and he could practically see stars in them.

"Would this friend be magically-inclined, by any chance?"

Greylock was growing a mite suspicious of the way those stars twinkled. "Yes?"

"Well, Greylock~ I'm sure I don't know your friend specifically, but I've met a few wizards in my travels. So I think I just might be able to help~"

Greylock squinted slightly at the princess, but grinned all the same. "Really, then? So, what is your plan? Give them a love potion? ...That's all I'm immediately able to come up with aside from the other plan I'm part of, which is largely just 'get to know them better,' which… Doesn't especially apply here."

Sofia's brows raised with intrigue, and Greylock worried he'd said too much. A few moments passed and she didn't seem to be questioning it, but just to be safe he ran with his other half.

"By the by, love potions don't actually exist. Or at least, not that we could obtain. King Magnus ordered me to brew one, once. From what I could find, fairy magic is necessary -I think specifically a, ah...sugar plum fairy? - and other things, and it's all quite… hard to make. And lucky that not too many sorcerers seem to know of it, honestly. I mean, true actual love does break the initial 'sugar-pie honey bunch' infatuation, but…" He shrugged. "So… don't go spreading that about, all right? I don't think you would, having heard as much - that is - from what I know of you. As a princess. I imagine it could cause all sorts of midsummer chaos, though."

Sofia could scarcely contain her amusement. "A princess and a sorceress," she corrected him. Yes, of course! That was why he was here in the first place, after all. "But yes, it does sound like it could turn into quite a nightmare."

Greylock nodded. "Also, specifically don't tell King Magnus. I said it couldn't be done."

Sofia stifled a laugh. "Princess Promise."

"And a Sorcerer's Sec - wait, no, that's something else entirely." Greylock grimaced momentarily, then waved it away as if swatting a bug. "Well yes, thank you. So, about that plan you had to help?"

They had reached the base of the tower now, and began to walk the nearby grounds toward the magical herb garden. "Weeell… First, I should really know what kind of wizard we're dealing with. I know we haven't talked much, but you've always seemed so… Outgoing! Really fun and upbeat. Basically the opposite of Mr. Cedric in that way. You know, just as a point of reference. Soo… The person you like. Are they as outgoing as you? Or…" Her smile seemed to become more… pointed. "Is it true what they say about opposites attracting~?"

Color rose in Greylock's face as Sofia mentioned Cedric by name. But it wasn't a direct callout… it made sense; aside from him and the Fairies, she wasn't likely to be terribly close to too many magicians-by-trade, right? Realizing he had been silent for perhaps too long, Greylock said, "You could… say they're more like Cedric in that regard." Just a little, though. Only a smidgen. Of course.

"I thought so," she replied, a little too sure and a little too cheery. "So, if you don't mind sharing, could you maybe tell me a bit of what's happened between you? To make you feel like he doesn't want you around, I mean."

Greylock crossed his arms. "I never said it was a man!" He paused and looked out of the corner of his eye. "You're… not wrong. Frodo's Frilly Frocks I know I've been practicing pyromancy lately, but am I really that flaming?" Huff. "I guess it doesn't matter. To answer your question, I...am a bit overbearing. It's how I do things! I'm the Fun One! I find it hard to do things by half-measures! ...He is significantly lower energy than all that. He has literally tried to leave me behind because of it. Not all that often, mind you, but then I've not really been around him as much these days. Perhaps I'm looking back with rose-tinted glasses."

"Or jaded ones," Sofia countered. Her smile softened after that. "But really, it's okay for people to have different needs. Maybe he just needs a lot of alone time, like my friends Vivian and especially Desmond- or Cedric. Just because someone isn't very social doesn't mean they don't like you, or being around you, when they have the energy for it." She paused a moment, then leaned in and half-whispered. "Also, you'd let a pronoun slip earlier." She winked and chuckled softly as she resumed her previous distance. "But was there anything else?"

"I did what?" Heart beating fast, Greylock thought- then calmed down. "Oh. Well, at least it was the right one. I was almost afraid… Er. Uh. This is as bad as-" Sofia seemed a little confused, and he realized he was getting sidetracked. "Anyway." Greylock cleared his throat. "Back on topic, he, ah…" Hm. He couldn't decide if he thought she'd sussed out who his Mystery Crush was, after all. The first mention of Cedric seemed awfully on the nose, even after his rationalizing. But she seemed to be hammering it in rather hard if that was intentional. On the other hand, if it was simply coincidental - well, of course he'd notice correct guesses more than incorrect ones. Confirmation bias and all. "He's recently become interested in someone else. And, well, while I know he's not entirely straight in a few different ways, I don't know if that involves any sort of orientation that could include me. So at this point, I'm trying to cut my losses and help him find what - and who - he's looking for." That would serve Cedric right. Sabotaging that self-sabotaging plan. What in Merlin's name was the man thinking with that.

Turning his attention back to Sofia, he saw the stars were back in her eyes, but the smile had faded from her face. ...Starstruck, was that the right word? He couldn't imagine what he'd said that might cause that reaction.

She blinked a bit as she shook herself out of whatever reverie she'd just had and regained her composure- for the most part, anyway. "So, if he's not just attracted to women, but you're not sure if he likes men, does that mean.. he likes people who identify as both? Or neither?" Greylock.. couldn't exactly see how this was relevant to her attempt to help but…

"I… That's a good point. I'm not really sure - this is the first time I've known him to be interested at all in probably forty years. He- ah. There's more to all of it than…" He grimaced. "I'm not really sure how to say what I'm thinking, but I do know that it actually isn't my place to tell you. I probably shouldn't have said even this much, so-" Greylock closed his mouth and imitated turning a key in a lock in front of it, then throwing away the imaginary key.

He would have sworn Sofia was squirming just then, but her face never lost its pleasant smile and it had ended so quickly he wondered if he'd imagined it. "That's fair, sorry. It probably seems silly anyway, me being so curious. I don't even know him!" Of course not. "I just.. really love people. I get so excited hearing everyone's lives and stories. But now I probably just sound like a gossip-hound, huh." Her tone suggested she was joking, but whether in part or full, Greylock couldn't say.

Sofia stopped then; it seemed they'd reached a particular spot in the garden. "Darn," she mumbled. ...Was it bad that such a commonplace interjection felt so jarring to him? He should spend less time around magicians and maritimers. "I was hoping the Lightningleaves would be ready to harvest, but it looks like they'll still need at least a few more days. Oh well."

Greylock nodded appreciatively at the statement - you could probably use the leaves now, but they'd have… less than stellar results. Good eye, she had. Then he glanced back down, and his eye caught a decorative sundial - moderately useful, but old-fashioned and somewhat inaccurate. "You know, we've been out here for… a while now, judging by that. Cedric's had plenty of time - more than he should, really, as I think you'd be late by now. Shall we head back?"

Sofia nodded. "I'd say you've done a fair job of keeping me busy," she teased. As they turned tower-ward, the princess brought a fist to her face in a pondering gesture. "Hmmm."

At last, her eyes lit again, and she smiled up at him. "Oh! Greylock. You like plays, don't you?"

"I do! Back in the day, I was quite the leading man. Hexly Halls' drama hasn't been the same without me. ...On or off the stage." He gave her a wink as they started to go back inside.

A/N: Thank you so much to my bff+ to collabing on this chapter with me. 3