It's the chapter everyone's been waiting for! Lover's Lake! I'm happy I finally got to write this chapter. This one and the one that reveals the bad guy have been my most anticipated chapters ever.

Anyway, I'm loving the reviews, thank you for them. Without further ado, heres the story!

Chapter ten:

The walk to Lover's Lake was a lot longer than Cedric thought it was. He felt his heart in his throat the entire time. Sofia walked calmly next to him. She fixed her hair at some point and he noticed all of the scratches down her arms. They were slight, but he was close enough to see them.

Sofia had a look of determination on her face and he found that admirable. Here they were stomping into some crazy person's land demanding something back with (in his eyes) little to no power. Sofia had trained, but most of her training wasn't combat. He liked to teach her other things, conjuring and healing techniques. Sometimes she surpassed him in those spells, but he wouldn't admit it.

The air was humid now, he figured they were close to the lake, finally. The maps he read made it look like once they were out of the maze, they'd be dumped into Lover's Lake. That was not the case.

They came passed the foliage and pushed the last of the brush out of the way. They stood in awe at the sight. When Cedric thought of Lover's Lake he always thought it to be depressing. With naked trees and gray stones everywhere and a deep blue lake. He thought it would be barren of beauty with the history it had. This was nothing like he thought.

Lover's Lake was on a plateau section of the mountain. There was still more to go up, but he was pretty sure they had to go down. Beautiful trees enclosed the lake, bountiful with vibrant green leaves. The lake glittered with the reflection of the sun. There was a bed of sand at the base of the lake, giving it almost a beach feel. Lilies grew ubiquitously, decorating the edges of the lake with beautiful colors.

There was a large boulder off to the right side in the lake, behind it another. That was the only blemish the lake had. Cedric walked out first and kicked off his shoes and felt the warm sand on his feet. He'd been so dirty, not even magic could help him clean off. Sofia was right next to him, tugging up her pants so they wouldn't get wet in the shallows of the lake.

"This is so beautiful." Sofia awed and Cedric could only nod. "How do we get across the lake?"

"We need to ask the siren." Cedric's heart raced a mile a minute at that point. His eyes scanned the lake for the figure they were looking for. He needed to warn Sofia. It was just so hard. He felt like there was a knot in his throat preventing him from talking. "Sofia I need to-"

"Look!" Sofia pointed to around where the boulders were and Cedric saw the ripples of the otherwise still waters.

"Merlin's Mushrooms..." Cedric squeaked. "Sofia-"

"Who are you?!" The voice boomed and Sofia saw a figure climb up the rock and stand there menacingly. The woman's figure was tall and slender, it looked like she was naked, but honestly they couldn't tell, she was covered in so much seaweed.

"We wish to cross the lake please!" Sofia said, bless her, she was so brave.

"Why should I assist you and that... cod-piece." She spat and Cedric flushed.

"Well that was awfully rude." He mumbled and Sofia ignored him.

"We're trying to get what was stolen from us. To do that, we need to cross your lake." The siren scoffed and walked off the rock and stood still on the water. Sofia watched amazed as she slowly made her way across the water. "Will you help us?"

"Let's find out if this imp here is worth helping." Cedric gulped and looked at Sofia desperately as if she could help prevent his impending doom.

"Sofia—"

"Cedric you'll be fine. I'm sure you can withstand her seduction." Sofia smiled good-naturedly at him and he turned to face the siren with a look of guilt.

"Please-" He started and she paused and laughed.

"Oh that's too cute." She grinned deviously and Sofia's eyebrow raised.

"What?" The water swirled around the siren in an almost peaceful manner. Sofia watched amazed, seeing her body glow faintly and the seaweed fall off in clumps. Her body slowly materialized...

Until Sofia was standing there looking at herself.

Sofia gaped like a fish and slowly turned to Cedric whose face couldn't possibly be redder, even his neck and ears were crimson.

"Cedric...?"

"Sofia- I-I..." He pursed his lips, frowned, and quickly looked away from her, trying to save himself from the embarrassment. This could not get worse.

He looked back at the siren, Sofia's beautiful face mirrored on the siren's. Her body was barely covered, just enough to cover the important parts. She sauntered over closer to Cedric, purposefully moving her hips more than necessary, thriving in the starved look in Cedric's eyes.

"Mister Cedric." She purred, Christ even her voice sounded the same. She was within touching distance of Cedric, but didn't reach for him. She pouted her lips and looked at him through her lashes. "Mister Cedric..." She whispered and eyed his lips.

Sofia stood, gobsmacked and unable to move. She was stuck right where she stood and wasn't sure if that was the siren's doing or her own. She watched Cedric's embarrassed face melt away and be replaced with something almost like fondness. Her mind raced faster than it had the entire trip.

She was Cedric's desire? When did that happen? When did she start being more to him than just an annoying little girl? Sofia was practically hyperventilating. She loved Cedric for longer than she could admit but she always assumed he didn't feel the same. Now she stood with him gawking over someone who looked like her. Her emotions twisted inside her and she couldn't pinpoint if she was feeling jealousy, happiness, anger, surprise. She couldn't stop her thoughts quick enough to actually know what they were.

The siren's arm reached to Cedric's face and Sofia's eyes widened watching him lean into her touch. The siren grinned; Sofia wondered if Cedric could see the evil twinkle in her eye. She tried to speak but once again, she found herself unable.

"Mister Cedric, don't you want me? We can be together." Her face was so close to his, Sofia felt the pit of her stomach twist with jealousy. "I don't care about any princes, or dukes. I just want you, Cedric." Sofia's eyes burned with tears. Is this what Cedric had dreamt of her saying? Why didn't he tell her?! She could say all those things and more! "You're worth more to me than any jewel. I've wanted to be with you my whole life. You can be with me, forever. Just follow me."

Sofia's tears rolled down her face when she saw Cedric take the first step. She wondered if part of him let her say these things because he thought it was the only time he'd ever hear them. The thought broke Sofia's heart.

"I always believed in you, Cedric. You know that. Even with the evil in your heart, I loved you still. I love you Cedric, so much. With all of me."

She led him in another step. Sofia's fists were clenched and tears were streaming down her face. She wanted to scream. The siren flickered her eyes to Sofia, almost like an apology but quickly fixated on Cedric and she brought him in another step.

"Talk to me, Cedric. What do you want?" The siren whispered seductively. Cedric tilted his head to the side.

"I want to wake up every day next to you, Sofia." He responded softly, the siren goaded him to continue and he took another step in the water. It was at his knees. "I want you to love me as I love you. I want to worship you, do everything for you. Whatever I can do to be worthy of even looking at you. Sometimes I have to call you princess to remind me of your standing, to tell myself you're worth so much more than me." Sofia hiccupped on her sobs. "I want to prove to you every day how important you are to me. To everyone. I want to prove to everyone that I can be worthy of you. But most importantly, I want to prove that to you. I'll do anything for you, Sofia."

"Then walk deeper." The siren gave him a sickly sweet smile. "Walk deeper and we can be together for eternity." She pulled him in to his waist. "Tell me how much you love me, Cedric. I'll never tire of hearing it. Tell me how you fell in love with me." The siren gave Sofia another look.

Sofia couldn't handle it. Her heart broke at seeing the man she loved get closer and closer to suicide, all while admitting how much he loved her. Sofia tried so hard to fight against whatever spell she was under to save Cedric but she couldn't move. Her mind screamed, desperate to get his attention. She wanted him to know she loved him too. She loved him so much.

Cedric please don't die. Please don't die on me. She couldn't catch her breath she was crying so hard, her vision was blurred, almost blind on her tears. She couldn't breathe, it was like no matter how hard she tried, her lungs burned and wouldn't take in enough oxygen. If Cedric died, she didn't know how she would continue on with the trip. Why did she think they could do this? She knew Cedric was starved for affection, she could tell. But watching him just willingly walk into the water with the siren baffled her.

"I love you Sofia. I've been in love with you for years. I never felt worth your time but every day you came to my workshop. You were my first and only friend. No one ever wanted to be my friend but there you were, little 8 year old nuisance bothering me, saying my name wrong, annoying me. But every day you got deeper in my heart. I fell in love with you when you were 16. I know, it sounds weird, and I never thought of you indecently, you were too young. You're still too young for me, but I couldn't help falling in love with you. I knew I was in love with you on my 31st birthday when you stopped the king from forcing me to do a magic show for princess Amber. You showed me how much you cared by taking care of me that day and showing me what a birthday is supposed to feel like."

"Did you want to kiss me?"

"Yes, I almost did. But... I didn't think you could love me. So I didn't." Sofia wanted to scream 'OF COURSE I LOVE YOU, CEDRIC!' but was paralyzed in place. Cedric was in the water to his shoulders now, he didn't seem to mind, his eyes never looked away from the siren's. The last thing he'd see was her face and it broke Sofia's heart to stand there and let it happen.

"A few more steps and we can be together forever. I won't be a princess and you won't be a sorcerer." She promised and it looked like Cedric came to a halt.

"What do you mean?"

"Where we're going there will be no need for such things." Cedric's brow furrowed and he shook his head.

"No. Sofia, you love that I'm a sorcerer." He stated calmly, confused. "Don't you?"

"Oh. Yes, of course I do, Ceddy." That deepened his confusion. Sofia rejoiced in the sudden apprehension of Cedric.

"You don't call me Ceddy. Only my mother does. What's going on?" He looked down. "Why am I in water? Oh Merlin's Mushrooms! You're not Sofia! You damn siren, let me go!" The spell on Sofia was released and she collapsed to the ground covering her mouth. New tears falling down her face for a completely different reason. She was so relieved she could hardly breathe. "Sofia!" She heard him rush out of the water and he quickly made his way to her, but stumbled once he reached the sand and crawled the rest of the way. "Oh Sofia! I-I'm so sorry. I-I wasn't thinking and you probably hate me and- Poseidon's pumpkins, Sofia I don't know—"

Sofia shut him up by throwing herself at him and burying her face in his wet shirt.

"Cedric I was so worried! I thought- I thought you we-were going to die!" She sobbed and Cedric looked down at her, amazed. His arm slowly reached behind her and he rubbed her back.

"Don't be worried about me, princess-" Sofia snapped her head up.

"Don't call me princess!" She hugged him closer. "Cedric you're worth so much to me. I don't care if I'm a princess and you're not a prince. You're my sorcerer and I'd rather have that than anything else any day."

"Sofia... What... what are you saying?" his expression was a mixture of confusion and hope.

"I love you Cedric. I love you so much." She kissed his shoulder and squeezed him closer to her, feeling desperate after almost losing him. "I don't want you to ever think you're not worth me. You're the best thing that ever happened in my life." She pulled away to look at him in the face. He saw how her face was red from crying and her eyes were pink from the tears. He never wanted to see her cry but even after she cried, she was the most beautiful woman he'd ever laid eyes on.

"I love you too, Sofia." He whispered against her lips. "Can... Can I kiss you?" She laughed through tears and nodded her head.

"You don't have to ask. Of course you can." He wasted no time and pressed his lips against hers, as if she'd revoke the right if he waited too long.

His fingers frantically laced through her hair and he held her head steady in placed. Her hands cupped his jaw, giving her more power in the kiss. Cedric felt too many emotions to single out what each of them were but he could finally admit that holding Sofia' in his arms, he was happy. And if he happened to let a few tears run down his face during the kiss, he knew she wouldn't judge him.

"Sofia." He stroked the sides of her head. "Can you... tell me again?"

"I love you, Cedric." She stared deep in his eyes and the way she said it sounded like a promise. One that Cedric was certain he didn't deserve but for once in his life he wasn't going to screw it up.

"I love you, Sofia." He gave her a chaste kiss on the lips and pulled away. He had to stop staring into her eyes or he'd never get anything done. He pulled away from her completely, feeling cold by the sudden absence of her heat. "Can we cross now?"

The siren crossed her arms, no longer looking like Sofia. She sighed and waved her arm and a boat rose to the top of the water and the water poured out like a waterfall.

"You did it, Cedric." Sofia grinned at him and Cedric returned the grin with a less confident smile. He wondered what would happen to Sofia if he didn't realize the siren wasn't her. It was strange, he went in knowing that the siren was going to turn into Sofia, yet he still treated her as if he didn't know. He wondered why, but not enough to ask. He helped Sofia climb into the boat and followed after her, he wasn't sure what came next, he only knew she would be with him for whatever followed. That was good enough for him.

Although, he didn't much like the smirk the siren gave him as they floated away.

The next chapter is going to be a bit... sexual, so there's a warning. I can't believe I started writing this 2 weeks ago and it's almost 30,000 words, thats pretty neat.

Did you all like the chapter? Is there something you feel needs to be addressed? Let me know! Can't wait to hear from you!