Disclaimer: I do not own Sofia The First. I only own my OCs: Clemens, Agnes, Amos, and Mina.
A/N: So I wasn't really expecting to have something ready to update by today, but here I am. Truth be told, this chapter was a real pain to write. But I'm relatively alright with how it turned out. Anyway, please enjoy.
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"I can't believe father thinks I should marry that man." Mina bemoaned
"What?" Sofia gasped, shocked by this revelation.
The other girl sighed, as though about to divulge a heavy secret "I heard from the marriage officiator that father had thought Amos and I made a good match...and that she agreed with him.
—-
So that had been the other princesses issue with the songster all along. Not only was she expected to perform with him on stage. But it also seemed that like Dorcas before her, she was doomed to an unwanted marriage. However, unlike Dorcas and Belteshazzar who grew to adore each other deeply. There was clearly no love between Mina and Amos. Despite Baby Breath's assessment.
That misjudgment was discouraging to hear from Sofia's perspective on another point as well. After all, the matchmaker thought her and Cedric were a good match too. But if she could be so egregiously wrong about Amos and Mina, perhaps she was wrong about the two of them as well...
She brushed that worry aside for the time being though. In any case, at least she had discovered the reason for Mina being present at the marriage officiators home during her arrival.
Sofia took a walk in the gardens during the early hours of the day to clear her mind. Smiling as she noticed the variety of magically potent herbs all ripe for picking. Recalling fond memories helping Cedric collect ingredients for his potions back at their own castle.
She saw quite a lot of plants that weren't available in their own garden. Many of which were also either hard to find, or expensive, in the magical shops in Enchancia. Though that wasn't surprising considering that resources were different in different areas; and the Baeldthorians did seem to possess a talent for horticulture. At least in their present day. She even remembered Cedric telling her of the Hocus Crocus he had secured at the village herb shop.
That discovery had pleased him quite so, however there was also a tinge of fear as he related to her in hush tones the rather terrifying experience he had with the store's keeper. One which had further solidified their decision to keep his and Calista's identities as sorcerers mum. Even if King Clemens himself didn't appear hostile towards magic.
But she shook the thought from her mind for now as she focused on the plants. Bending down to admire some mint leaves. The whole point of her coming out here was to clear her mind of difficult things for a moment. Allowing her a chance to recalibrate her approach to all the problems she was facing.
An idea came to her as she stroked some lavender petals. Smiling she straightened up and hurried back to the castle.
—
Queen Agnes was out on the balcony again, the servants serving her afternoon tea. As she sipped from her cup her eyes lit up as she saw whom she knew as the young Duchess Sofia approaching her.
"Lady Sofia," she greeted, warmly "Would you join us for tea? Clemens should be here shortly."
"Thank you, your majesty. But I promised to help Mina with practice in a bit," she declined politey. "I was wanting to ask you something though."
"What's that?"
"Would it be alright if Cedric and I collect some of the plants from your garden? Some of them are hard to come by back home in Enchancia, and they would be of great use to us."
"Oh is that all," Agnes laughed, "Of course, pick as many as you'd like."
"Aunt Sofia?" She turned to see Calista walking by. Her large brown eyes searching until they finally landed on her "Aunt". "There you are, come on we're meeting in the ballroom today."
"I'll be right there," she answered, before gracing the queen with a delicate curtsy. "Thank you, Queen Agnes."
"You're quiet welcome Sofia."
—
This days practice session was a little more tense than usual. Nevertheless Mina participated, and Sofia was pleased at the progress the other princess had made.
However she was also disappointed, though not very surprised. When gathering herbs with Cedric, she caught the girl sitting out in the gardens instead of taking lessons with Amos.
She confided in her husband the matter, and after getting him to agree to at least thinking about broaching the subject with Amos. Followed by a quick but sincere kiss on the cheek, she left his side to take her own chance in confronting Mina.
Unfortunately it took some time to find her again. During Sofia's exchange with Cedric, the other princess had apparently decided to relocate and the girl's penchant for avoiding detection was still as uncanny as ever. Or maybe it just seemed that way because Sofia had once again, declined the use of her which-way bow. Hmm...perhaps she had become far too reliant on it...
At last she found her standing in the evening air. Deep within a heretofore unseen part of the garden. It was much further away from the rest of the castle, and appeared to stand alone as it's own grove. A feeling of peacefulness surrounded the area.
Mina was standing in front of a peach tree. The blossoms of which had closed for the night, though the air was still filled with the last dregs of their perfume. Her arms folded, and her back turned towards the other princess.
"Mina?" she said softly, not wanting to frighten her.
The other girl flinched, startled, but relaxed upon recognizing the form of the young noblewoman.
She turned away, squeezing her arms tighter around her. "What are you doing here?"
"I just wanted to talk," Sofia responded amicably, after a beat of silence she asked. "Did you go to your lesson with Amos?"
"No." Mina answered simply and honestly. Endeavoring not to hide the truth of the matter.
Of course, Sofia had already known the answer to that question. However, she knew she had to approach this situation delicately, and choose her words carefully. She had gathered early on that Mina, for whatever reason, was very resistant to help from others. Evidenced by her attitude towards Sofia during their first days in Baeldthoria. As though she thought the prospect of Sofia offering assistance to her was something that should elicit suspicion. Though seeing how Mina was clearly not accustomed to magic, nor being graced with needful advice from other princesses from far off lands, Sofia could understand why she held those cautions.
So she had opted to take Calista's lead, focusing on sincerely befriending the girl as they worked towards her goal of preparing for the concert. An approach that seemed to work wonders as the older girl, though she was still quite reserved, had taken to confiding in her a bit more.
Sofia didn't want to disturb that balance. But perhaps... their relationship had developed enough for her to try a more bold approach...
A breeze from the cool evening air blew past, interrupting Sofia's musing. She breathed in deeply, thankful for the distraction. Which once again called her to the serenity of their surroundings.
"It's very peaceful here..." she remarked, gazing up at the tree above them.
Mina nodded in agreement, the serene aura putting her own mind at ease at well.
"What is this place anyway?" the Enchancian asked, "It feels kind of disconnected from the rest of the castle." Looking over her shoulder in the direction of the Royal edifice, as if to make her point.
"This is the Royal Graveyard." Mina said simply.
Sofia's brow started to raise, but quickly ceased upon recalling the Baeldthorian tradition of planting gardens over graves. As well as Mina's previous mention of a graveyard crafted specifically for the royals.
"Really?" She asked, piqued by sincere interest.
Mina nodded, "My grandmother was laid to rest below this peach tree." gesturing towards the space where they were standing.
Sofia shifted her stance a bit, looking at the ground as some falling blooms landed at her feet. Unsure if she should make the effort to remove her person from the grave. But since Mina did not seem bothered by it, she figured it was okay.
After another moment of silence the Enchancian asked. "Were you and your grandmother close?"
"Very much so." the girl recalled wistfully. "Though she passed away when I was still very young. The two of us would pick flowers from the gardens to decorate my room with."
Sofia smiled to hear the memory.
"I noticed you and Cedric picking flowers this evening too." she mentioned.
A small blush started on Sofia's cheeks. "Oh you know... I thought it would be a nice little activity to do together."
The grin on Mina's face appeared almost mischievous as she eyed the younger girl's reddening expression. She then sighed, her gaze turning outward "...It must be nice..."
That wistful tone brought Sofia back, as she remembered Mina's predicament.
"You know..." she began, "I've been thinking about what you said about Amos, and I was wondering...what if you just tell your father you don't want an arranged marriage."
"What?!" Mina's brow furrowed.
"Well, it's just," she chewed the inside of her cheek a little, as she considered how to phrase it, "Back home in Enchancia, we don't have arranged marriages. Everyone chooses who they want to be with, without a matchmaker's advice."
The older girl stared at her oddly before looking away, "You have some strange customs..." she muttered.
Sofia's nose wrinkled, I could say the same thing about you. She bit that comment back though, and tried a different approach.
"...or you could just let him know that you're not ready to get married yet."
Mina sighed, "Look...getting married doesn't bother me. I always knew I would have to one day so that Baeldthoria could have a king."
Sofia raised an eyebrow, "Wait. But aren't you the heir to the throne?"
Mina shrugged, "Not exactly. The rule in Baeldthoria passes from father to son. But since I was the only child of King Clemens, and a girl, the law said I would need to marry; so that my husband would take the role of king, and together we could continue the bloodline."
"Really?..."
"Oh yes." The older girl affirmed, "Apparently there's never been a female only child in the Royal family before me. So trust me, they've checked the situation thoroughly."
Sofia blinked, surprised by this information. It was so different from the way things were done at home...
Wait...So then...if Amos married Mina. Wouldn't that make him King?
Sofia did not get a moment to ponder this revelation further as, Mina interrupted with her own spoken thoughts.
"I'm just upset that it has to be Amos of all people." her body seemed to prickle in agitation at the mere mention of his name. "he's...he's just..."
"You don't love him..." Sofia finished with understanding.
"Huh?" Mina stared at her wide eyed. "Well no, I don't," she admitted "But that's not really the problem."
The Enchancian grimaced in confusion, "It's not?"
Mina shook her head, "To be perfectly honest, romance isn't really all that important to me. Marriage is about fulfilling my duty to the kingdom, not about love."
Sofia frowned. After all, the idea of falling in love with someone and marrying them had all seemed so appealing to all the other girls she'd known. Even she, after realizing her feelings for Cedric (and even back to her temporary crush on Hugo), had found herself quite enamored with the idea. So to hear such an old fashioned view on it, was a bit strange to her.
But if Mina didn't care about that, then what was the problem?
"What bothers me is...that I just can't bring myself to even like him," her voice strained as she said it. "And I don't think he cares about me very much either."
So that was it, she should have guessed. Even if Mina's views on marriage and love were far more pragmatic than what Sofia was accustomed to, that didn't mean she didn't desire at least friendly companionship in her relationship. Someone with whom she at least shared a mutual concern for one another's wellbeing with.
Plus there was also the issue of their responsibility of carrying on the bloodline should they wed. Which would need to involve certain intimate aspects. Sofia herself could hardly stomach the idea of doing that with someone she didn't love, let alone someone she didn't even like.
Mina grimaced "And I don't think he'd make a very good King either!" She fumed, lost in her new found rant. "I don't think he's capable of feeling compassion for anyone."
Sofia frowned, "Don't you think that's a bit harsh..."
The older princess shrugged, "All he cares about are those old books he's always studying..."
Sofia sighed, mulling over in her mind what to do about the predicament. Lost in her musings she actually missed Mina's softly muttered "Not that I'd make a good Queen for that matter..."
"We certainly would make a pretty abysmal pair..." she sighed, this time loud enough for the other girl to hear. "Not like you and Cedric."
Sofia blinked, startled out of her thoughts, "Us?"
"Well yeah..." Mina explained "I mean, I know that Baby's Breath married you two to comply with our customs of propriety. But I can still tell you two care for each other a great deal."
"You...you can?" The Enchancian blushed lightly. Her heart fluttering a bit at that thought. Could it really be possible that Cedric cared for her the same way as she did him; and it just took an outsiders perspective to see it?
But, caring for someone wasn't necessarily the same as loving them. At least not in the sense that Sofia was hoping for. There were many different kinds of love. It was likely the one that Cedric possessed for her was merely that of friendship, or maybe even familial; and not the tenderness that one feels towards a lover.
Even so, the idea gave her heart hope as her memory inadvertantly turned to that time during their picnic. How nice it had been to just be with Cedric...to savor his touch as his fingers grazed the back of her neck...
No, not now. This wasn't about her and Cedric after all. It was about Mina and Amos...
"You know, Cedric and I weren't always this close though." She admitted. "Well that's not entirely true, I wanted to be friends when we first met. But I think he just saw me as a nuisance." A chuckle escaping her as she recalled their differing reactions as they literally bumped into each other her first day in the castle.
"But...overtime, as I visited him...and showed him that I really cared about him. He started to open up to me more..." absently she stroked her amulet, "and he started to care about me too..."
Obviously there was much more to the story than that. But she didn't feel it'd be right to air her love's past mistakes to a stranger.
But to her at least, the fact he'd grown to care about her more than the magical jewel around her neck, and former evil ambitions he once held, was a treasure worth far more than gold. One she had always guarded carefully in her heart.
The Baeldthorian watched her, listening quietly yet attentively to her companion's anecdote.
Sofia took in a deep breath, then asked "Mina, what do you know about Amos?" She stopped the girl as she started to speak, "l mean as a person, not as your teacher."
Mina shrugged, "Not much actually. All I know is that my father appointed him as the Royal songster just a couple years ago. I had never met him at all before then. So I was a bit surprised to hear father go on and on about him like an old friend."
Now that was interesting. Sofia had to wonder exactly what kind of relationship Clemens and Amos shared.
"But I've never really talked with him much myself," Mina admitted, "You've probably already noticed. But unlike my parents, I'm not exactly outgoing; and Amos is pretty closed off himself. So we've never really talked to each other before father suggested I participate in the concert."
Sofia nodded, she had expected as much.
"Well, maybe that should change." she said.
Mina looked at her, "What do you mean?"
"I think," Sofia explained, "That maybe if you got to know Amos a bit more. Outside of your lessons. Maybe you'd be able to become friends."
The princess groaned hesitantly, "I don't know... He still doesn't seem like a very good person."
Well, considering his attitude Sofia guessed she couldn't exactly blame her for that; and she herself couldn't lie that she wasn't at least the tiniest bit suspicious of him. Especially after catching him staring at her amulet.
But, she had no further proof than that. Either physically or via intuition. So while she had decided to remain cautious. She had decided to give the man the benefit of the doubt.
"Look, I understand that Amos may not be the nicest person. But that doesn't necessarily mean he's bad. I mean sometimes people just act cold because they're hurting inside..."
Indeed, Sofia had met several people throughout her life that were like that. Her former flame Hugo, who's arrogant pride had been born from the pressure of living up to the expectations his family put upon him. Hildegarde, who's snobby know-it-all attitude had been the result of a bad first day at Royal Prep; and many others. Including her beloved Cedric. A man who had suffered much from mockery and teasing throughout his life; and had initially come out the worse for them. While it was true he had fit the bill of "the bad guy" at one point in his life, he recovered after being given proper care.
Ultimately, all of them were good people underneath it all. They just needed a little encouragement, friendship, and love.
Perhaps Amos was in the same boat.
"I just think that you should give him more of a chance to get to know you, and you him." she finished.
The other girl hummed in acknowledgement, seeming to consider the matter over in her head.
"And If that doesn't work out. Then maybe you can consider talking to your dad about cutting off the engagement." Trying her previous suggestion once more.
There was a moment of silence before Mina looked up at the sky. "We'd better head back." she said simply, "They'll probably be missing us."
"Oh, right." Sofia answered, noticing that night had fully descended upon them. Understanding the cue that Mina no longer wished to continue their conversation. A request she would have to respect if she didn't wish to eliminate any progress she'd made with her.
Still, at least she had come to a better understanding of their situation.
The Baeldthorian princess led the way back to her castle. Sofia following behind as she pondered what they had talked about. Both in regards to Amos and Mina, as well as herself and Cedric.
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A/N: Thank you for reading, and Happy Valentine's Day.
