Chapter 11: Realizations and Fears
"I don't believe you Miranda, there's just no way."
"Well you should. It doesn't matter what you or I or all of Enchancia thinks Rolly, the truth is the truth regardless of what we may want"
Miranda and Rolland had moved their conversation from the dinning room to the bedroom upstairs enabling a frank discussion on Miranda's revelation about their current predicament without Amber, James and Baileywick interrupting.
"There is just no way Sofia could fall for that no-account, blundering, OLD traitor!"
"Oh Rolly, that's not fair, he's a lot younger than us."
"But older than HER. By a lot Miranda, a LOT."
"Rolly, Sofia was always inviting him places, even to our family events. She initiated all those magic lessons, and she was always following him around."
Rolland couldn't reconcile it, had that wizard been taking advantage of his daughter all this time, and right under his roof!
"He must have coerced her dearest, or put her under a spell. That must be it, he…"
"Rolly... I've been thinking. It's been at least a year, maybe two, since Sofia's been preferring magic to the exclusion of everything else. Do you really think he's kept her under a spell for two years and didn't do anything with it until now? I just don't see Cedric as someone who could plan that far in advance, or keep up the pretense for so long."
Miranda had a point. Cedric wasn't exactly the most meticulous sorcerer around when it came to planning, well, anything.
"You're right, dear. As you always are. I just… I need time to take this all in."
With that, Miranda's countenance relaxed, "Of course Rolly, I understand. We have plenty of time on our hands, after all. Despite what Amber thinks, I doubt any princes are on their way to save us."
Rolland bent down to hug his dearest wife. She was his closest council, always there at the right time with just the right thing to say. She brought balance and love to his life unlike he'd ever known.
"Don't you worry dearest, we will get out of this, somehow."
"Rolly, we can't do anything from here. Also, on the topic of Cedric… he didn't kill us, he didn't hurt us. He just.." Miranda watched as Rolland began to show signs of agitation, but she continued onward, "He just …removed us from the situation."
"You can't be serious Miranda, you're not actually trying to DEFEND him right?"
"No Rolly, but think about Sofia and what she wants. She loves us, but she also cares about Cedric, a lot more than we realized. You've got to trust in her. She is the key to all of this, and I know my daughter, she can do anything. She'll figure out a way to unwind this mess and make it right."
"I know Miranda, I know. I just feel.." Rolland sat next to his wife, and the flopped over backwards on the bed. "I just feel so… powerless. I've never really felt like this before. My life is in someone else's hands, and Sofia, I'm supposed to be the one protecting her! I'm her father, it's my job."
"My dear sweet husband, Sofia's a grown woman now. She can make her own choices, and I know she'll make the right ones. She's had an excellent example, watching you all these years." Miranda slowly leaned back to lay alongside him on the bed, nuzzling his neck with her nose.
"My dear you give me too much credit, but I do think we are an excellent team."