Sofia ran up the stairs and out into the workshop, both hoping and fearing that the person following behind her was the royal sorcerer she'd just confessed to. What did I do? What if he never talks to me again? Tears threatened to spill, but she kept them at bay as she sped across the stone floor. She tripped over the leg of the worktable and flew forward, but strong hands caught her, and when she looked up she found herself staring into the monocled face of Greylock the Grand. He checked her over with concern as she regained her balance, embarrassment growing by the second.
"Hello, little princess. Where are you off to in such a hurry?" His friendly demeanour only served to make her feel more miserable.
"I-I... I'm sorry, I really need to go." She mumbled, trying to escape his hold.
"Princess Sofia and Ceddy had a bit of a falling out." A female voice came from behind, the owner of the footsteps now clear. "Morning, Greylock." She added, coming into view.
"Good morning, Miss Cordelia." Greylock gave a slight bow to the woman, then turned his attention back to the princess, still locked in place by his grip. "What's all this about? I thought you two got along so well."
"That's why..." Sofia began but hesitated, lulled into answering by his gentle tone but also afraid to repeat the words. "I confessed to Mister." She hung her head in shame, expecting the man to scold her, but instead he pulled her against him, his stomach rumbling with quiet laughter.
"Oh, Princess, it's about time." He told her, letting her go and gesturing to Cedric's work table. "Let's have a little chat."
"Wait a minute, you knew?" Sofia questioned with disbelief, debating between claiming a spot on the table or continuing her escape.
"I'd wager that Rubrick's the only one that didn't." He admitted, exchanging glances with Cordelia, who nodded in agreement.
"I could tell right away." The sorceress chimed in, kneeling down beside Sofia. "It's alright that you told him. There's nothing to be upset about. But if you run away, he'll let you... He won't try to convince you to come back or anything of that sort. That's his nature. Is that really what you want?"
Sofia shook her head, she didn't want to go back to how things were when she first came to the palace, or before that, in the village. She wanted to keep coming to the tower, where she could sit on the table and chat with the sorcerer between comfortable silences that were necessary so he could concentrate. She wanted to keep watching him brew all sorts of amazing potions, even if she didn't understand what half of them were for, and she especially wanted to sit next to him on the couch, reading fairy tales together while time seemingly ceased to exist.
"Then you'll just have to endure it, sweetheart. Things will be strange for a little while, but not forever." Greylock smoothed curls dishevelled by running, and Sofia felt warmed by the kindness of the adults. She wasn't sure what she'd expected to happen when she confessed, but they were taking her true feelings seriously, and it made her feel much better.
"Why's everyone standing around up here?" Cedric demanded from behind them, eyeing the group warily. "How am I supposed to get any work done with you lot making so much noise?" Relief washed over Sofia at the ordinary question, but before she could turn to apologise for disturbing him, Greylock took her by the hand.
"I was thinking of stealing our little princess for the day." He stated, tugging her towards the door.
"You'll do no such thing. The brat has a rabbit to tend to, after she tidies the mess she left downstairs, of course." Greylock ignored him, and Cedric produced his wand, aiming it towards the pair. "Take one more step with her and I'll turn you into a rather unattractive bullfrog." Greylock smirked over his shoulder, giving a final wave.
"It can't be helped, I already promised the girl a date." He winked down at Sofia, tugging her towards the door despite the other sorcerer's protests.
"Don't call it a date so casually! I mean it, Greylock, get the fuck back here this-" The door slammed shut behind them, and Sofia glanced up curiously at the man who still held her hand in his own. He placed a finger to his lips, signalling for her to keep quiet, and urged her down the stairs.
"I thought Miss Cordelia said not to run away?" Sofia objected once they were a good distance away from the tower.
"We're not running away. We're giving him a chance to calm down... And to realise he misses you." Greylock explained, releasing her hand to pat her on the head. "Now, where would you like to go?" Sofia chewed her lip, thinking over her options.
"Could we get ice creams?" She asked hopefully. Greylock grinned, escorting her to the palace entrance.
"I think that's a perfect idea!"
...
With Greylock and Sofia gone, Cedric turned his frustration on the only person left in the tower, spinning around to stare angrily at his sister.
"You did this!" He accused, aiming his wand at her. "What were you whispering about earlier?"
Cordelia burst into laughter, further angering the sorcerer. "Sorry... Sorry." She gasped for air between breathless apologies. "I've just never seen you react to something before."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" He demanded, tossing his wand onto the table and crossing his arms defensively.
"You're always so cold, Cedric, like forever frost. I can't remember you caring about anyone since..." A sharp glare from her brother prompted her to stop before she said something that would shut down the conversation completely. "To think that a little girl would prove your undoing." She shook her head, raising herself up onto the table.
"If you're implying something obscene..." Cordelia laughed again, rolling her eyes at him.
"Of course not, I didn't mean to suggest you return her feelings. But it's clear that you do care about the princess." Cordelia corrected him. "The proper thing to do would be to let her down gently, you know."
"I-I have no idea how to do something like that." Cedric admitted, sinking into his desk chair and spinning it so he faced away from his sister. "It's not the sort of thing I have much experience with."
...
"Mr Greylock?" Sofia asked between bites of lavender ice cream, interrupting the quiet. "Miss Cordelia - it seemed like they're very close."
"No, not anymore. Something happened a long time ago, and neither of them has really got over it." He explained, taking another spoonful of his hot fudge sundae.
"Oh. But, they were once?" She ventured, using her free hand to nervously fidget with her skirts. "When I found the two of them in the tower this morning, it- I felt..." She paused, trying to express an emotion she didn't fully understand. "I don't know what I felt, but my chest hurt, and it made me sad. It was even worse when she called him 'Ceddy'." Greylock chuckled, examining the princess closely.
"You're talking about jealousy? I have good news for you: Cordelia isn't your rival. She's Cedric's-" He trailed off, raising his eyes to a point above Sofia's shoulder, and she turned her head to see what had caught the man's attention.
"I told you not to take the brat." Cedric announced, crossing his arms defiantly as he locked eyes with Greylock.
"You win." The other man conceded, holding his hands up in a gesture of defeat. "I'm due back in Rudistan, anyway. Princess Sofia, is it alright with you if we postpone our date?" Sofia's eyes darted back and forth between the two men, wondering what the proper answer would be. After a few seconds she smiled politely.
"Of course, Mr Greylock. I'll look forward to it." With that, Greylock excused himself, and Cedric claimed his seat. They sat in awkward silence as Sofia finished her ice cream, and she wondered if he meant to speak to her at all. As she was wiping her face and hands, Cedric cleared his throat, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.
"You've caused trouble again." He muttered, fiddling with the spoon sticking out of Greylock's unfinished ice cream. "It seems to be what your best at."
"I didn't mean to-" Sofia began, but he held up a hand to stop her before she could continue.
"I don't return your feelings, nor do I claim to understand them." Sofia nodded slowly, already suspecting as much. "But... I do respect them, and I envy you for being able to express them so freely. If that's enough, then let's go home."
Cedric stood to leave, and Sofia hurried to follow after him. As they walked toward the palace, she noticed the signs of the changing season all around them.
"Hey, Mister... The leaves are turning." Sofia informed him, pointing up to the canopy of gold, orange, and red foliage above their heads. Cedric stopped to look as she caught up to stand beside him.
"So they are. It'll be cold soon." He mused, his thoughts returning to the conversation in the tower. 'You're always so cold, Cedric.'
"That's okay, I like the cold." Sofia chirped out beside him, catching the sorcerer off-guard.
"Why's that?" He questioned, shoving his hands deep inside his robe pockets and continuing down the path.
"Because right when it's coldest, when the whole world's covered in ice and it feels like it'll be frozen forever, that's when spring comes and warms everything up." Cedric stopped again, studying the child carefully as she grinned up at him. "Sorry, did I say something strange?"
"No, not at all." Cedric breathed, glancing at the trees again.
"Also, there's hot chocolate, and snowball fights, and Wassalia..." She ticked winter's good points off on her fingers as she skipped on ahead. "When it starts to snow, could we have fires in the library?" She spun around to look at him, eyes wide with excitement.
"The flu'll have to be cleaned first, but I don't see why not." He answered with a shrug.
"And we can read fairy stories on the hearth." Sofia added, jumping on a dry leaf and smiling in satisfaction as it crunched beneath her feet.
"You'll get your gown dirty." Cedric countered, discreetly going out of his way to step on a fallen leaf, too.
"I don't mind it." Cedric shook his head, chuckling to himself. Spring, she says... Of all the childish notions.
