Author's Note: So, A LOT of the fun in reading reviews is watching you guys speculate on upcoming plot points. I really enjoyed the ideas of what would happen when Cedric met Miranda as 'Mendax', especially because this scene has been written for over a month. And yes, you really do have to suspend disbelief for Cedric's 'disguise', but to be fair, I started this story before Sofia saw him as a child, and for the sake of the story we're pretending she still hasn't, yet. ;)

When they were inside the palace and far enough from the entrance that Cedric could reasonably pretend to leave without actually needing to exit, they said their goodbyes.

Sofia made one last attempt to convince him to stay, of course, but he stood his ground, and soon she was waving and heading deeper into the grand hall. He turned and walked away until he was sure that they could no longer see each other, then ducked down the first corridor he passed, relieved to find it empty.

He noticed an alcove that would give him the perfect amount of cover, and marveled at his good fortune. Soon, Cedric was heading back in to the main part of the palace, only this time as a ten-year-old boy.

He followed the crowd until they came to the ballroom. When he spotted Sofia, he hid behind a pillar to try and puzzle out what he would say to her when he got the chance to talk to her. Try as he might, he couldn't find the proper words to convey the message of 'Sorry I beat up your brother, but I think your mutual crush is appalling and I was livid when he accidentally told me about it' in a way that made the situation any better.

Cedric peeked around the large marble beam and noticed that Sofia was coming closer to his hiding spot. He decided he'd just have to wing it, figuring he'd been most successful as Dax when he didn't overthink things. He held his breath and waited.

Soon, the princess passed by him, and he reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her behind the pillar with him. She spun around to face him, her eyes wide with surprise.

"Dax, what are you doing?" She demanded, her shock soon turning into indignation. He swallowed hard.

"I know you're angry with me, but you didn't even let me explain myself, Sofia." He began.

"What could you say that would possibly explain... that?" She asked, her sapphire eyes boring into his.

"James... he said..." Cedric almost told her everything, but as she stood there, her free hand planted on her hip, face set in anger, he found he couldn't do it, especially because he'd also have to explain his reaction when he didn't entirely understand it himself.

"He said I endangered you on purpose, just so I could show off. That made me so angry. I would never intentionally risk your safety, Sofia." Relief flooded through him as he watched her features melt into a more understanding look. He kept his grip on her arm, though, still afraid she might run off before he had a chance to be forgiven.

"What you did still wasn't okay." Sofia scolded him. He nodded contritely. If only you knew exactly how true those words are. He griped to himself.

"I know, and I'm sorry. Do you think you'll ever be able to forgive me?" Suddenly it occurred to him that he would do almost anything to earn her forgiveness, and not just because her hating him interfered with his plans. He hoped this would be enough though.

"I don't know, Dax. I'm still really upset about the whole thing." He could tell she was being honest. Sofia wasn't the type to toy with someone for fun, or pretend to still be angry just to see how far a friend would go to appease her.

"I know you are, and I really want to make it up to you. We have the whole weekend together. I don't want to spend it with you hating me." Now it was Sofia's turn to look guilty.

"I don't hate you, and I shouldn't have said I did. I'm sorry, too." She told him softly, regretting her words in the infirmary. Yes, she was still angry and very confused, but she definitely didn't hate either him or her brother for what they did.

"Sofia, there you are!" A familiar voice spoke, causing Cedric to pull his hand away from Sofia's arm quickly, as though the contact might very well burn him.

"Hi, mom. I just arrived a little while ago." Sofia greeted Queen Miranda with a smile and a wave.

"How did everything go?" Miranda asked, not yet noticing the young prince who was trying desperately to disappear into the marble column.

"We won! I got a blue ribbon, and Merlin said all sorts of nice things about us." She filled her mom in on the most important details. When Cedric attempted to skirt around the other side of the beam and escape, he inadvertently alerted the queen to his presence, instead.

"Oh, hello there, I don't believe we've met." Miranda gave him her nicest smile, but he found himself very nervous.

"H-hello. I'm... I..." He stammered. Could he really lie to the queen? He supposed it shouldn't be much different than lying to everyone else, and yet he found himself having trouble forming the simplest of words. It occured to him that she'd never touched his enchanted papers, and he hoped she was still ignorant enough of the various kingdoms to keep from finding him out.

"This is Prince Mendax. He's the new boy at my school that I told you about." Sofia made the introduction for him, and in his thoughts he thanked her profusely for it.

"Oh, yes. You go by Dax, right?" Miranda examined the boy, noting that he stood head and shoulders taller than her youngest daughter. She mused over his black and white hair, wondering if he might be somehow related to her royal sorcerer before remembering her husband's explanation that sorcerers weren't allowed to be royalty and vice versa. Still, affairs do happen... She reminded herself. It amused her to ponder that he may even be Cedric's biological son. After all, the man was attractive enough... when he wasn't sulking about with his shoulders slumped.

"Yes, mum." He answered simply, not exactly knowing what an unrelated prince would call the queen of another kingdom, but pretty sure a simple ma'am would suffice.

"Goodness, your accent is adorable! Is that why you were hesitant to speak?" Miranda gushed over him, and he felt his face heating. He managed a simple nod, wishing the queen would hurry up and lose interest in him. He was already quite aware that his accent was heavier as a young boy, and he didn't find it particulary amusing, having been teased for it just often enough to be sensitive.

Sofia stifled laughter, not wanting to embarrass her friend, but secretly finding his accent quite interesting as well. He shot his friend a dirty look. Before he could respond, Amber, having noticed her mother talking to them, rushed over and pulled Sofia away to grab refreshments and talk, leaving Cedric at the mercy of Miranda.

"Are your parents here? I would absolutely love to meet them!" Miranda asked, excited at the prospect of becoming acquainted with a new royal family. Cedric shook his head.

"My regent dropped me off at the gates." Cedric muttered lamely, pointedly ignoring the Queen's intense gaze. A look of sympathy crossed Miranda's face as the weight of the boy's words sank in.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. Sofia didn't mention..." She started to apologize.

"I don't think she knows. I never said anything, at least." He explained after some quick thinking.

"I understand. I lost Sofia's father, and it was the hardest thing I've ever dealt with. You'll talk to her about it when you're ready." Miranda soothed, unaware that her attempt at comforting the prince was actually having the opposite effect.

"Maybe." He stated simply. A silence settled on the pair before Miranda changed the subject.

"How old are you, Dax?" She inquired, beaming at the boy.

"Ten and a half." He replied, not quite sure why he threw in the half, but figuring it sounded good, anyways. Miranda grinned. Her own children often added a half to their ages to feel more mature, it was something adults never bothered with, no longer in a hurry to grow up, and she loved when kids did it.

"You really should have a chaperone, then. How about I keep an eye out for you?" She winked at him, and he went back to feeling incredibly awkward. He felt a hand grasp his and turned his head to see Sofia had returned.

"Dax, you must come try some of this punch! It's enchanted to have tiny bubbles in it, and they tickle your nose when you put the cup to your lips to drink it!" He glanced back at Miranda, hoping she was done with him.

"You kids have fun!" She smiled and waved goodbye, heading back into the crowd.