AN- Welcome back! So quick update I was wondering how you would feel about Amber being the first death of my story, if you don't like the idea then I won't put it in there but if you wouldn't mind then please let me know also- sorry for the delay.

Synopsis of chapter 14: With Amber's unfortunate illness causing her to be confined to a coma, Sofia is left alone to decide whether to pursue her relationship with the unfaithful Cedric or just give up and help her recover. Which ever she chooses, she realises that there might be a way to help Amber and get her man back when Cedric tells her a story from old legends.

"There is a distinct, awful pain that comes with loving someone more than they love you."

– Steve Maraboli

Chapter 14: Melancholy

One month later.

Sofia sipped her tea cautiously, carefully avoiding burning her tongue. Oh the sting she had once had when the piping hot liquid had submerged onto the tip of her tongue and caused excruciating pain. The tea room seemed vacant without her sister's bubbly energy, her never ending conversation topics and advice on most situations- except how to deal with frogs because she hated them and would run away squealing like a pig being chased by a farmer.

Oh the times where she would point out a miniscule stain only viewable with a microscope on the pink laced tablecloth coating the table. Or perhaps those few times-oh you must pardon me, most times, where Amber would find the cookies, biscuits, cakes unsatisfactory and ask them be redone to her liking. Sofia would groan and moan when her sister would slap the cookie out of her hand and order it be binned, accused of being not princessy enough or some other dumb reason. Excitedly reaching for a sprinkled biscuit, only for Amber to shoot her a disapproving glare, implying to Sofia that she were to not eat one until they were up to scratch.

As much as she detested those times, she wished they would return. Anything to see her sister's smile again, whatever it takes to be able to play blazing badminton once more, (even though truthfully she felt annoyed every time Amber would win), or ride their flying horses together through the race coarse. The little things that she missed ever since Amber had fallen into that ghastly sleep with no certain chance of returning. She had taken her sister for granted, using her advice offered to her as a desperate attempt to swoon the sorcerer. Truthfully, she had become reliant on Amber's gimmicks over those days where she attempted to gain Cedric's affection. She was dying to make her dreams become a reality, yet all she managed to do was confess too little, too late and as a result allow him to hear her ramblings which were not the best.

He had tried to talk to the princess prior to this moment, but alas she ignored him at all costs even after leaving on a good note. Wasn't that best? He had once perhaps felt the same way for her as she did for him, but those nightmares she had had previously of her father tearing through their happy relationship and killing Cedric really opened her eyes to a new perspective of things. Was it wise to pursue her feelings? Knowing in all honesty that their relationship could end dreadfully. Their little visit was nothing short of disastrous when Cedric met an old friend and gained a strange liking in her.

The vitriolic sting of her sorcerer, hand in hand with that rebound wench was enough to evoke this whimpering desperation inside of her, which ended up resonating in the space which Cedric and Sasha were standing. She burst out with crocodile tears, got down on her hands and knees and practically begged for it all to be a farce, or the slim chance that they were just friends. Which technically they were, but she knew all too well that there was more to their friendship. A few weeks ago, he had been ordered with the King on a diplomatic trip to Malingrad to study the financial gain of perhaps each kingdom raising the taxes, and recruiting new means of entertainment for the king and his children instead of the sorcerer being held responsible.

On first glance, the idea was pure genius as it would allow the sorcerer's to finally be used for their sole purpose instead of a fake jester. But on reconsidering the consequences and implications to the idea, Roland instantly withdrew from the possibility of it ever happening. So with the raising of taxes (from the rich especially), being a substantial possibility for the future, the idea to recruit a new entertainment system was abolished completely due to the worry that there could be a power struggle.

As for mistress Sasha, Sofia assumed that the period of time her and Cedric were in close proximity to each other that it was only for business reasons and that alone. Knowing Sasha, she'd have fluttered her eyelashes, swished her hips from side to side and probably even gone to the extreme lengths of positioning herself very closely to him. Just the thought of it made her cringe.

The sun glimmered against the white fluffed clouds, the view from the window was just what she needed to make her morning. Her china cup bared no more warm tea to quench her thirst and so she gulped whilst watching the sky merge with the sunrise. About to rise from her seat, a gentle knock sounded out on the wood of the door.

"Come in!" she hollered.

What she didn't know was that the person yearning to seek her company was none other than her ex crush. Or maybe she did still like his unfaithful ass but we don't talk about those inner feelings. Upon seeing his awkward grin, thoughts rushed through her mind like blood rushing to one's head when you are upside down for a long period of time. She couldn't control them.

Oh god. Although I really shouldn't use the lords name in vain but OH JESUS CHRIST. He's coming closer, giving me the puppy dog eye look, rubbing the back of his gorgeous-NO NOT GORGEOUS, UGLY hair and smiling at me as if I want to see him of all people! Do I still like him? Do I still want to marry him? NO-well yes...I MEAN HELL NO! All that concerns me now is the wellbeing of my sister.

It took a while for Sofia to even allow him a glance from her blue crystalloid eyes, she thought maybe if she were to ignore him then he would magically disappear. He sat on the plush seat opposite her with a hardback book clutched tightly under his arm. As much as she tried to avoid eye contact, part of her couldn't help but gaze helplessly into his eyes and examine his luscious fluffy locks, those naturally alluring eyes and his coolly placed smile. She had flouted him for the past month, and of course he was still persistent, but most importantly he hadn't been necessarily angry with her, in fact he assumed it was because of the trauma of losing her sister.

Just as Miranda went into shock. The King signed the papers to the physician for the utterly most intensive care and so he visited the castle nearly every day to check up on her health and wellbeing. Whereas Roland resumed his daily duties as he needed to in all honesty, Queen Miranda secluded herself beyond her chamber walls and would lock herself in there pretty much from dawn till dusk. Her duties were passed onto her advisors temporarily, these circumstances being marked as an unaccounted for emergency and so the palace reinstituted itself, except that Sofia hadn't been able to visit her mentally ill mother.

We all know how word spreads like a virus, the rumours of the princess falling ill had spread like butter in a matter of hours and so did news of the Queen isolating herself inside her room. Now fortunately those rumours were true, but another set of rumours had spiked up only days later which contained new top secret information (which was false), that the King had poisoned Amber then poisoned his wife to shut her up. Those were incredibly rude and horrific to even process, and thankfully the starters of the rumours were captured and thrown in the dungeon for treason against his majesty.

She felt rather stupid for ignoring him for all this time, reasonably he had done nothing wrong in terms of the law or even cheating laws since him and Sofia had not been seeing each other. But that didn't stop her from feeling this angsty energy swirling around her. It seemed that day in Wei-Ling was supposed to be the best day once she had almost admitted her feelings for him, until it shifted to the worst once she spotted him with that flirty bitch. It wasn't that he had taken an interest to her, it was the fact that he had shown a distinct liking to herself before he had even met Sasha.

"Look... I understand you might not wanna converse with me but I'm really sorry for everything," the sorcerer said in a low tone. "Sasha is amazing... but she's just a friend and no one can compare to you Sofia, no one." he smiled.

It was like she was on Cloud 9, the thought of her crush complimenting her in such a way, and the slim chance that he truly does like her was elevating. A smiled crept out from the darkness and formed along her cheek-line.

"But... what about all the stuff you said. About―"

"I couldn't admit my feelings in front of Sasha. Do you realise where her power lies? King Magnus. And if he was fed that information from her, it would only take little time before Roland would find out." his voice trembled slightly. "... My head would end up on a stick some where!"

"So... do you have feelings for me then?" the inquisitive princess spoke up in a low tone. "I mean... ugh I don't want to make this awkward but I just need to know..."

She could tell his tongue was tied just by surveying the tilt of his head, the light shiver hovering above his shoulders and his lip quivering with every breath. Her father patrolled the castle on most days now nervously in an attempt to distract himself from the painful experiences of the recent weeks. Didn't work mind you, he would pace up and down his study endlessly for hours, driving himself insane, in hope it would extract his fears and worries from him. Cedric wondered if there could be the unlikely chance of Roland overhearing their conversation at this very moment.

She supposed he was fretting over the possibility that someone could be eavesdropping on their conversation and then report back to the King on the matter. As a result, they'd be stuck in the same boat as they would've been if Sasha had absorbed the news.

"Sofia... you and I... we've been friends for a long time, since you were only eight years old actually..." he chuckled. "And I won't deny that there has been romantic tension between us. But with all that has happened, and knowing that King Roland won't take too kindly to the news of us... you know... it's simply too big of a risk to take! Plus, you even said it yourself, it will only end in disaster..." said Cedric sullenly.

Sofia lifted her head up and stood up dramatically from her chair, placing both bare hands on the table to catch his attention. The winds picked up outside in a matter of moments, what was a sunny scene torn out from a fairy-tale book shifted to the pages where the heroes would be trapped in a storm.

"Cedric!" shouted Sofia. "I need to tell you something."

The sorcerer looked up directly at Sofia, encouraging her to carry on.

"A few months ago, I began having these strange nightmares..." she paused. "Ones in which... they... lets just say they started off fine. You and I would feature in them..." she blushed hotly. "Anyway... unfortunately as time passed my father would also enter into the scene and recently..." she paused for longer, quaking a little in her breathes. "and... in the most recent dream you died...he killed you Cedric..."

"The King killed me?" he said, alarmed. "Is that why... you were rambling in Wei-Ling...?" he questioned her, shocked by the horrific revelations of her dreams.

She nodded painfully, "Don't you get it?" she croaked, her voice scratchy and strained. "I was worried that these nightmares would become a reality!" tears rolled down her eyes onto her cheeks. She stood frozen in place, overwhelmed by reviewing the recent events. Not only had Cedric died in her premonition dream, her sister had possibly lost her life adding stress around the palace as a whole, especially when it forced her mum to isolate herself.

Cedric, jarred and surprised by her conscious care for him skyrocketed his mood. Effervescently, he got up from his seat and placed his book gently onto the laced table. Manoeuvring around it, he took the princesses hand and pulled her gingerly into a tight embrace. For years she had been the one to cling onto him, she had been the one chasing him no matter the outcome, been the one person he could count on and loved him for him.

Now it was time for him to reciprocate her kindness. With the King's hot head and traditional mannerisms, there was a potent danger that lurked in the direction of courting. Dating was off the table, but by playing his cards right he could earn the honour of courting her if given the opportunity. For now, his princess needed comforting: these nightmares had plagued her for months, her sister had been enveloped into a sickness with no certainty of waking and her mother had felt it necessary to hide away. All he could do was hold her tight, whisper everything would be alright and tell her he could perhaps solve her plight.

His robes now soggy in the shoulder patch, the princess wiped her eyes and leaned up to kiss him in the spur of the moment. Of course, he pulled back and shifted back to his cold self, still with intentions of helping her. They both sat back in their seats as Cedric clawed open the book. Sofia looked over in curiosity on recognising the front cover, the brightly coloured illustrations inside.

God Cedric... WHY did you pull away? She was only trying to show her affections for you and YA BLEW IT! Now look at her! Sure she seems interested in the book but you can tell she feels embarrassed for even bothering with you.

He could hear that annoying voice, floating around his head. It was true, he didn't have to pull back considering there were no witnesses to sieze them yet he felt a strange unsettlement which caused him to withdraw for now. Besides, his upcoming theory would blow her mind and make her forget the stupid moment of him fucking up. When the time felt right, then he'd know its time to kiss her.

"I'm guessing you are familiar with the ancient legend of the Green lions?" he questioned her suddenly whilst flicking back to the first page. Sofia nodded, leaning over the table to examine the text merged with the paper on the top right.

The Green lions consisted of seven legendary heroes: Lana (their leader), Lloyd (the illusionist), Chida (the crafter), Cole (the defender), Eloise (the mage), Scarlett (the herbologist) and Damien (the spy). With their mighty powers combined, their prevail against evil was inevitable...

"My mother told me the story about them once..." said Sofia. "Thought they were legend to be honest." she said, puzzled.

"Ah you'd only think they were legend because their location is so impossibly difficult to decipher." he said wisely, busying himself by flicking to the end page. Pointing at the last sentence, he began reading slowly. "With a loss of guidance and hope, the remaining three of the legendary heroes disappeared without a trace. On finding one of their scarves in the woods of Whistiria located in the grand kingdom of Malingrad. Grand?! I bet you any money Magnus ordered that to be written! Anyway... their last clue of their whereabouts stood firmly in the mysterious woods. Search parties were led out for weeks in hope to offer condolences and tears of gratitude to the remaining three yet their search became doomed as a few months passed and still no sign of them... blah blah blah." he finished the sentence with a gloomy sigh.

"So... they're some legendary heroes who just vanished?" she giggled. "Seems pretty legend if you ask me. No one can disappear without a trace, can they?"

Cedric furrowed his brows, disbelieving Sofia's naivety to the story. She had studied and practised magic for years, yet she almost subsided the possibility of their disappearance being due to magic.

"Ahem." he cleared his throat thoroughly. "Have you forgotten that these sorcerers practised magic!" he was almost going to blow a fuse. Years of training that little pest at the crack of dawn, giving up his valuable time to teach her and for what?

"Cedric..." she hushed. "Lana, Cole and Damien were the only remaining three. It states clearly what their abilities were, and they were not magic." she folded her arms, lifted her chin high, feeling proud that she was right.

"Leader, spy and defender! Are you kidding me little girl!" he gritted his teeth. "You can't take on a hundred ft beast with only a tacky blade in hand and STILL win without injury!"

"Little girl?!" she shouted. "I'll have you know that I once took on an evil sorceress with only the kindness in my heart to win!" defending her stance.

"Magic! You were proclaimed the sorceress of the heart. Meaning you joined the sorceress's and magic wielders who actually could use kindness in themselves and transform it into magic. No amount of goodness in one's heart can win alone." he smirked.

"This story is legend!" she hissed. "And I have more important things to be worrying about then some silly little tale which isn't helping!" in fury she clambered off her seat and made haste for the exit.

She couldn't quite grasp the real reason as to why she declined this legend being factual. Her palms sweaty, her eyes sore and itchy, all she could fester up was the pity story as an excuse for her poor behaviour. The illness of her sister hitting her harder than Cedric's rejection. She felt alone and cold like the winter days had come early, spreading Goosebumps up her arms and legs, stiffening her joints, slitting sharp pains in her eyes so she felt like a blind person with no guide dog. On normal winter days, her coat would be a fine example of dispersing her disgust for the cold climate, or her fluffy mittens, drinking hot chocolate by the fire, sledding with James, dancing with Amber, game night's with all her family and snowball fights with Cedric.

Playfully tumbling around in the soft snow, fistfuls of the substance readily positioned to fire willingly at the grumpy sorcerer. Oh his anger once hit. All those memories would change this winter. And with only a month to go before November rolled in, there was a seeping sap of desperation that leaked into the grounds of the castle. What would be the fun of snow falling without the usual cheer of the staff? Or her mum and dad? James? And...Amber...?

And so she just shoved the story out the window onto the paving slabs below. There was no time to wonder about if these heroes could be alive when her sister's health was gradually depleting each day.

"You love Amber, don't you?" Cedric spoke up just in the nick of time.

Sofia paused and turned around in some sort of slow motion. "O-f course I do! why wouldn't I..."

Cedric stood beside her, turning her head to face him. "Sofia, I know that this is hard for you. But I believe that this legend could in fact be true! If it is then finding them could save her life before its too late."

"I don't follow..." she sighed.

"On finding them, we could convince them to aid us, therefore aiding Amber. It's a fool proof plan and I'm a genius." he said smugly, grinning his pearly whites.

"You mean like... healing her?"

"Precisely."

"Didn't you say that magic hasn't worked on waking her?" she said glumly. "You think that if they try it, that'll suddenly work? Impossible."

"Just as it should've been impossible for you to beat Vor with the power of kindness or will power... or whatever it was." he blathered on. "But the fact still stands that they used merely an incantation to rid Enchancia of a calamity too powerful for any normal sorcerer to overcome. I know it's a stretch, but In all honesty there is nothing left to do here. Praying for her health isn't enough you know. This fable is our last hope."

Sofia's mood elevated slightly, perhaps he was right. "Why do you care about helping me save her?"

It was an honest question, one with an honest answer. "Because I want to see you smiling again."

With that response, there was a burning hope left. Needless to say, it didn't matter if this story sounded a little too good to be true, because her sister's life depended on it being so. They would set off for Malingrad, search for this hidden temple in the woods of Whistiria, find the paladins, convince them that they should help them, save Amber and poof! Life would return to normal.

There was one problem though... Roland's permission.