I should really try to get some sleep… but it is so much fun writing on this! (And seeing all the reactions I get from you guys. You're awesome!)

Sofia the first is not my property but I do have this story in my head and I want to write it down.

But please; read, enjoy and please write me some feedback!

I do hope that you will like this chapter!

Enjoy!

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Cedric regretted coming out from his tower. Sure, he wanted to be here but at the same time he didn't… She was finally coming home. He had longed for this day, hated this day, felt joy that she was finally home again and he could stop being afraid that she would be cold… he could still wake up in the middle of the night having terrible dreams of her turning into ice from the cold water.

He turned and took another glance at the clock in the clock tower. It would still be some time before she was scheduled to arrive in her carriage. Maybe he could excuse himself saying that he had forgotten an important job he had to do… Then he could skip this meeting. He dreaded that she would ignore him when greeting everyone… and he dreaded that she would be giving him too much attention making him do something he would regret.

No. It was better this way. He knew that he lacked the willpower to meet her for the first time in nearly four months in a more confined space. He had never been away from her for so long and he had missed her dearly.

He knew that she would come up to his tower eventually if he didn't show up quick enough for her. And if he saw her in that small space that he knew that he would have to give her hug. And a hug would definitely become more… Sofia had become like a drug to him. He longed for her taste and he knew that it was a big risk that he would try to kiss her if he was left alone with her like that.

And kissing her again would be devastating for the princess. He knew that she had feeling for him and he couldn't give her more hope. It wouldn't be fair to her. She needed a prince and not an older sorcerer by her side. Even if the sorcerer loved her more than anything, wanting her as his own.

He tried to shake the gloominess from himself. He didn't want to destroy this day with sad thoughts. He almost tripped over his own robe by doing it and he had to make some staggering steps. King Roland saw him and made a questioning face but turned around soon to his wife that was eagerly awaiting her daughter.

Cedric shrugged. The day after his confession he had believed that he would get hanged... or at least tortured. He had been certain that his majesty had realized that Cedric had said a bit too much about who he loved. He still didn't understand why he had been so talkative! But the king hadn't hanged him. Sure, he had acted really strange. But a very strange and weird excuse from his highness about prying into things that he had nothing to do with made him believe that the king felt embarrassed to witness his personal breakdown…
Cedric hoped that it was the case and that the king had long forgotten about it.

"I can see her carriage!" Baileywick said and sounded cheerful. Even if he had become one of the oldest stewards in history still on duty his sight was still top notch.

Cedric started to feel sweaty. He knew he should have stayed in his tower!

The carriage was coming in closer and closer with speed. The white Pegasus horses gleaming with their well-groomed skin.

Soon it landed safely and everyone cheered when the door was opened and the princess went gracefully down from the carriage. Sofia smiled brightly and was soon in a deep embrace with her two step siblings. Amber was crying of joy. She had never had the possibility to go to Letithia and had missed her the most. James laughed and said that life in the palace would become much more interesting again now that she was back.

Miranda was third to welcome her daughter back. Roland was only seconds after her. He smiled and gave his daughter of the heart a warming hug too.

"Welcome home Sofia! You've been dearly missed! I wish that you would never have to go away again!" Roland said. Amber and James laughed; they knew that the chances of that would be slim the day she would want to marry the prince of her dreams.

Cedric knew that to and it felt like small needles stabbing his heart. He wished that she would never leave.

The king suddenly turned around and looked after his sorcerer.

"Cedric! Come!"

Cedric stepped forwards nervously. He wanted to look at Sofia but he felt too self-conscious about it so he tried instead to look at the king instead.

"I'm here your majesty." He said nervously and made a court bow. When nervous it was always good to go back to the protocols of the royals.

"Please do a nice trick for us to start the celebrations now that Sofia is back! I know I haven't given you the time to prepare a trick so an easier one can suffice." Roland said.

Cedric looked up. Huh?! That had been quite a while since the last time he had been asked to perform a party trick.

He saw the anticipation of the royal family. The one looking the most eager to see it was as usual Sofia. She was watching him with her beautiful azure blue eyes. He hinted a sadness in her eyes and he wanted to get rid of that sadness. Then her eyes would glitter in that beautiful color. He loved that gorgeous color!

He quick knew which trick to do. He had imagined doing this trick countless times just as to make Sofia laugh. It would be perfect! It was one of the few tricks that he had invented himself. Everyone had been made to please Sofia. He had only tried it in a small scale before so he was a bit scared that it wouldn't work.

He looked at her one last time and decided that he needed to do it. The only way he dared to show her his special love for her.

Cedric lifted his wand over his head and made the movements that acted together with the words.

"Azure hyacinthi papilio!" he screamed and directed the wand down to the tiles on the ground.

Everyone present started 'oohing' and 'aahing'. The whole arrival balcony had suddenly been covered in spring green stems and beautiful azure blue flowers. The hue the same as her eyes. It looked beautiful. But Cedric only saw the one most beautiful of them all standing there in awe looking at the wonder. She bowed down towards one of the flowers and picked it. When rising she saw that something happened to the flower.

The magical trick wasn't over yet. All at once the flowers started to vibrate before they all of a sudden flew up in the air. The flower petals had become butterflies that fluttered around them all. Everyone gasped even more. Sofia laughed and raised her hands over her head and twirled around looking at all the cute tiny wings.

The others clapped their hands and cheered on the sorcerer. He didn't notice them. He only saw the dancing princess. Maybe that was the reason why he was the first to react when he saw her trip over a stone that was hidden underneath the magical greenery.

He saw her fall in slow motion while he moved towards her. She tried to take a step but her foot got twisted under her and it ended making her fall backwards instead.

She never hit the ground. Cedric caught her before that holding her around her back.

"Sofia! Are you all right?!" Roland came forward being the second person to see that she had fallen.

Cedric tried to help her get back on her feet.

"Ouch!" she cried and almost fell again when she couldn't keep her weight on her foot. Sofia made a surprised yelp when she all of a sudden left the ground. She found herself being carried by Cedric. She blushed in joy.

"Sofia! Here! Let me carry her." Roland said and tried to take the girl from his arms.

"Don't be silly your majesty. Let's take her inside first and take a look at that foot." He said and started walking.

Roland just gaped at the sorcerer. When had he started to be able to talk like that to him? He sighed and followed them inside.

The others had just realized that something was amiss too awed by the magical display that had started to fade away.

"Why does Cedric carry Sofia?" James asked feeling like he had missed something.

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"Maybe we should call for the royal doctor Cedric… he should know if everything's ok with her ankle…" Roland felt a bit nervous and wanted Cedric to let go of her bare foot.

"It's no problem your majesty. Princess Sofia has only gotten a sprained ankle. I will just bind the foot for her and with some rest it will soon be as normal." he quickly conjured some bandages and started to carefully wrap it around her tiny foot. The most gorgeous foot that he felt was a shame to hide away underneath it all… Keep your thoughts on the task Cedric! He thought and ignored any other thoughts.

Sofia on the other hand was acutely aware of his hands on her foot. It felt really intimate and she had problems not showing it. And she had to! Her dad refused to leave them alone. If he left she would be able to talk to Cedric…

She had used the last months thinking of him and the way she felt…

Soon the bandaging was finished and the three of them became quiet. Now what?

Soon Roland cleared his throat and looked at the sorcerer.

"Thanks a lot Cedric for all your hard work. Let me take her to her rooms so that she can rest for a bit before the dinner." He said.

Cedric wanted to object and tell him he could help, but he knew it would sound strange and that it could lead to questions that he didn't want to answer. So instead he nodded and backed away. When he opened the door he stole a glance before he went through and closed the door.

Roland patted Sofia's head and looked at her. He sighed when he saw her.

"How can I've been so blind for so long?… You really do love him."

Sofia blushed, knowing fully well what her dad meant. Of course her mum would have said something… She didn't really know what to say…

She looked up when he suddenly chuckled. Huh?

"But then again, it shouldn't come as any surprise really. You did tell us already when you were eight years old… not that I believed that you actually loved him then…"

"You're not mad then dad…?" Sofia felt insecure. She knew that she was a princess and that it was custom to marry a prince or a king… Not that she wanted anyone else then her Cedric.

"Oh Sofia. Why should I be angry? You can't be angry over someone's heart. No darling. I'm not. The fact is that I'm rather relieved that it is Cedric since he feels…" Roland shrugged and changed what he was about to say. "I've heard of way worse… but at the same time I'm sad that it is Cedric… It won't be easy for you." He smiled a sad smile.

He sat down next to Sofia and gave her a hug.

"You know. Before I married your mum she made me promise me that I would let all my children marry for love. She was terrified that you would have to be married off to some unknown kingdom against your will and hearts desires just because that you had become royal. Luckily I wholeheartedly accepted since I thought the same thing before that… and that's why I've refused at least five or six proposals for both you and Amber the last years… you should be the one's deciding, just as Amber choose Hugo all on her own…"

"Thank you dad…" Sofia said feeling a both joy that she could do anything she liked, but at the same time her heart ached. Even if she could choose it wasn't going to mean anything if the one she loved weren't interested…

She heard Roland sigh next to her again.

"I wish that I could help you Sofia, but I'm afraid that if I told Cedric that he could marry you he would be terrified and run away and never come back. Not because he doesn't love you, but for the way he feels about everyone else. Until he feels that he deserves you he will only feel bitterness and that can be like poison for the soul. No Sofia, you will have to make him feel that he deserves you… That he can truly show everyone openly how much he loves you. It will be hard but remember: We will be here for you…"

"Oh dad!" Sofia hugged her dad fiercely feeling a bit more hope.

If there's a way I will find it.

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I'm positive that Cedric's magic always works better when it's to please Sofia. Cedric is a good sorcerer and not a bad/ evil one, that's why he's always failing miserable when trying to do the no god magic. ;-)

What do you think? As usual I love the feedback you give me. I'm not afraid to hear critique as long as it's in the form to make me grow in my writing.

I do hope that you would want to read the following chapters that I will write.

Until next time!

Aasa