The morning sun rose over the land of Enchancia, slowly dying the land with its golden rays. As it peeked over the rolling green flowered hills it peered through the blinds of a high tower warming and waking up its resident. Cedric laid in his bed all covered up in his blankets and though he usually disdained the sun leaking in and near blinding him in the morning he welcomed it today. It hit his face almost directly into his eyes but he could care less, he smiled at it actually. He rose from his bed slowly but surely and stretched with his smile still on his face. Today his bed was empty, devoid of the beautiful brunette resident he usually liked to see there but that was fine. It was supposed to be that way.
He hopped out of bed with renewed vigor and went about his daily tasks of getting ready with a chipper whistle and beaming wide. Today was the greatest day in his entire life. Today was at long last the day where he would be wedding Sofia. It had been to him a long time coming and he had patiently but also somewhat impatiently been waiting for it. He waited until she would finally tell him it was time, she was ready to start planning. When they at last had a date he counted the days until it was here at last, at long glorious last. Now it was here and all sorts of emotions raced through him. He had a mixture of pleasure, intense satisfying bliss, and anxiety such as he never felt before.
Above all of that he was enthralled, trying to still his shaking hands as he scuttled about his tower but he couldn't stop them for anything. He was beyond ready and beyond excited for this. They had gone through a lot to get here and it took a long time for her to come to a decision but he understood why. She had a lot of things to do and plan. There were events she had to attend, people that relied on her, the entire realm needed her protection. Planning a wedding amidst all of that chaos was not going to be easy but when it was finally time to do so she put all her energy into it. It would not be the biggest nor the fanciest nor the brightest but it would be perfect. She wanted that at least. Lower into the castle down the hallways and into a royal chamber soundly slept the young bride but not for long.
Her bird friends came flying into her room twittering a hello to her and telling her it was time to rise and shine. She got up from her bed and felt like the sun wasn't the only thing giving her this sunny warm feeling inside. She tossed off the covers and greeted all her friends, picking up Clover and hugging him to her body then began to dance around the room with glee. It had certainly taken a long time for her to have enough time to do this but now that the day was here she was looking forward to it. Now she was seventeen, almost eighteen, and today was going to be the happiest day of her life, the day where she would be joined in union with the man whom she had loved for so many years. Sofia couldn't help herself but to sing out loud as she pranced along her room.
They had to avoid each other today which wouldn't be too hard seeing as he could stay in his tower but it would be torture for him. It had been for the last couple days. He was not aloud to be near her for a few days but it would be all worth it once he had her in his arms forever. The maids came in and drew Sofia's bath for her and she sat in it soaking in all the feelings of today that were washing over her. There was a little trepidation but mostly she was experiencing overwhelming joy and anticipation. The wedding itself would not be until the early evening but already Baileywick was getting everything in order, as expected of him. Sofia had a light breakfast with her family as there would be a lot of food at the party after the wedding and also she didn't want to feel sluggish and heavy the whole day. Her sister was just as excited as she was.
She couldn't wait to see her little sister's big day come at last. It had been years since the proposal and now the day had come where the two most unique lovers in all the kingdom could be together. Sofia was wringing her dress a little, she felt all jostled about inside. It was maddening but wonderful all at the same time. All throughout the day her mother had been very emotional and told herself to keep it together until the wedding. Amber seemed to be the same way. It seemed James was the only one who was calm as a cucumber. James was picked to be the man of honor as he was the closest thing to a brother Cedric could have. They didn't have a lot of memories together or a relationship that had been built over time but they liked each other and respected each other and that was enough for both of them. For a while they weren't sure who the ring bearer was going to be.
Sofia was close enough with her prince friends but not that close to any of them in particular. They were all about on the same level. In the end although it was completely unorthodox her trusty rabbit would be the ring bearer. Amber had tried to convince her to use Desmond or some boy from the village but nobody was that close to Sofia, not like Clover was. She supposed that this entire thing would be the opposite of ordinary, after all their relationship was anything but. The flower girl was Callista who really wanted to throw red petals everywhere even though it would clash with the lilac and white pastel color pallet of the wedding. Sofia asked her if she knew the spell to create rose petals and Callista said yes, her uncle taught her it when she was young.
Sofia told her if she promised to use the regular flowers down the aisle then at the very end when they left instead of rice she could do that instead. Sofia really didn't like the thought of rice being thrown at her anyways, it should be saved for the birds. So Callista agreed to that. The maid of honor was Amber but there were two others; Ruby and Jade. Sofia felt that they were all like her sisters just as Amber felt Hildegard and Clio were like sisters. She had grown up with Ruby and Jade, knew them first before anyone else, and they had been a part of her life when she was not royal and when she finally was. They had stuck with her through it all and they not only deserved to be there but be important parts of this too.
Everyone was going to come from all sides of the family and any friends Sofia had met. It wasn't going to be a big wedding in terms of grandeur but it was going to be big in terms of the amount of people there. They would need the entire back yard to fit them all and then some. Special accommodations had to be made for special guests such as those that swam, those that flew, and those that were too big to even fit in the castle. All animals were allowed to come and now that Robin's chicks were big enough to have feathers and fly a little, they could come too. Crackle, Whatnaught and his recent girlfriend were coming, director dove, Rex, and all else were going to show up. It was the first time in Enchancian history that animals attended the wedding like they were regular guests. Usually they were shooed away.
Everything was being set up and all servants were busy running about preparing everything just so to Sofia's liking. She checked in on things to see how it was going and told everyone she was happy to assist anyone who needed it. They denied her every time because it was her day she should be relaxing and not worrying about a thing. She took a look at her venue thus far and smiled. Perhaps just today she could let other people handle things. Sofia stayed in her room most of the time even though she wanted to be outside but she also didn't want to get in the way at all. She was told guests were showing up but she wasn't meant to greet them for some odd reason.
Amber and James and the rest of her family would be taking care of that. It was getting closer and closer to that time and she wondered how Cedric was doing because she was getting antsy and a little anxious. If she was a little anxious Cedric was toppling off the edge. His palms were sweating as he went over his vows and that wasn't all, he was just sweaty in general. At this rate he'd have to take another bath. It wouldn't do at all to go to his own wedding covered in sweat. He was so worried. What if he flopped and messed up all his lines? What if he just plum forgot and made a fool of himself in front of the entire kingdom? What if he dropped the ring because of his wet palms? What if he just outright fainted because of his nerves? He was shaking more than he was already.
He was elated as could be, naturally, he wanted this to happen but he was also nervous as could be too. He felt jittery and a little ill, as if he was dizzy and might just need to use the bathroom to expel whatever he ate this morning. He loved her and he wanted to marry her, had been wanting to for years now and he was still certain of it but he still felt a jumbled up mess. When he received a knock on his door he let out a loud high pitched squeal and dropped all his note cards immediately. The person that came in was James, dressed as dapper as could be with a full regal suit on in a classy dark velvety green color with a buttery yellow bow tie, just like Cedric's. He wondered briefly if that was just a lucky accident or on purpose. Not all the groomsmen, the few that there were, all dressed like James, he was different because he was a part of the family. Same for Amber.
"Just about everyone is here now, your parents just showed up. It's time to get ready. Amber and the all the maids in the entire castle are with Sofia now."
"R-r-r-eady? Really...? N-now?"
"Yeah now unless you don't want to get married," James joked, shrugging a bit with a laugh.
"Of c-c-course I do it's just...oh I just..."
"Nerves?"
Cedric nodded slowly and solemnly, sitting down now with a long sigh. "I just don't want to embarrass her by messing things up..."
"Cedric, even if you fell face first into the cake she'd still love you. You could never embarrass her or me. I may not be getting married and I may not ever, I'm still unsure, but I know how it feels to be nervous about something. When I first became a knight there were so many people better than me and I thought for a moment that I might as well give up. I ended up failing the first test right in front of everyone including Zoe who came to show her support. I felt like a failure but you know what? Sofia pulled me aside and told me that I gave it my all, I put my heart and soul into it, and it showed. She could tell I had tried my best and that failing isn't any reason to beat yourself up. It turned out that I wasn't the only one who failed it, most people did."
"Sofia... she always knows just what to say...," Cedric responded, staring at his note cards curiously. "At her graduation she lost all her notes but it didn't matter she spoke from the heart. If I put my heart into it then I guess that's what matters most...isn't it? Even if I do mess up?"
James nodded his head yes. "Mhm. Just give it your best shot. I'm sure whatever you will say to her if it comes from in here," He explained tapping right on Cedric's chest, "then you couldn't possibly fail. That's what Sofia has taught me and now I'm one of the best knights in my class. So come on, let's get you ready."
"Right, no more dilly dallying."
Back in Sofia's room she was going through something similar as her handmaids and sister worked to get her ready. It wasn't just her in there either some of the other girls had come too and it was getting awfully crowded in there. All the people surrounding her were making her a bit claustrophobic and her breathing was rapid and shallow. Amber fanned her sister, trying to alleviate the tension she had.
"I think there's too many of us in here. I'm sorry ladies you should all leave. Family only, go on out out out."
She clapped her hands together and pointed out the door making sure they all left. When they did Sofia breathed a sigh of relief. It was already enough to have five people in here she didn't need more.
"Thank you Amber."
"What are sisters for? Are you feeling okay though? You seem tense."
"I am a little. It's all just coming to me now, really coming to me. I'm actually going to be getting married. I can't believe it. It didn't seem so long ago that I was just plain old Sofia, helping my mom sell shoes."
"I can't believe it either! If you had told me a couple years ago that you'd be marrying Cedric I would have flipped my lid but you know now I can't imagine anyone else but him with you. You're like a rare star in the sky and something like that needs to be treasured. I know in my heart he will do just that."
"Aww Amber...that's so nice of you to say. After everything I've been through to hear that it makes me happy. I had been so worried for so long about your opinion on things, I had let it cloud my judgement...let it make me feel like I was in the wrong. So now that you accept him, accept us, it's just so nice to hear."
"Sofia I'm...I'm sorry about the way I had acted before. I wish sometimes I didn't do those things. You're my sister and I love you, I should have known better than to interfere with your love life."
"I understand Amber. Actually in the end you only helped make our love stronger. It was worth fighting for and if I had to do it again just the same way I would."
Amber grinned up at her sister, so very proud to call her that, this hero this courageous woman, this strong noble lady who did so much for others and deserved someone who would move the tides for her. Cedric, she could see, was perfect for Sofia and obviously Sofia was perfect for him. They completed each other. Like two halves of one whole or like Jun would say, yin and yang. Two opposite who only compliment each other and are at peace when with the other. Sofia was all done getting ready now, all dressed up for this special day where she would be taking a step into something new, something more. To Amber nothing meant more to her than those moments she had become The Lady Amber Dirichio, wife of Axel Dirichio. It was such an important day for her and a momentous occasion. She would make sure her sister had a day just like that, a day she would never forget because someone as important as Sofia deserved to have everything go right today.
"Oh look at you...just look at you. You're so...oh god...tissue, I need a tissue," She sniffled, trying to locate her napkin in her pockets and dabbed her eyes with it once found. "You've grown up so much Sofia and now everyone is going to see it. Oh Cedric is going to just faint when he sees you."
"Gee...I really hope not...though he is prone to doing that...maybe we should have cold water on standby."
Amber laughed at the suggestion and Sofia joined with her, it was just a little joke but really and truly they should just in case. All the guest were there now waiting on the benches. Her aunt and uncle were there, her grandmother on Roland's side, all the villagers including Ruby and Jade's family, the merpeople even came in specialized water bowls, giants, gnomes, trolls, witches, wizards, cat people, dragons, Sir Drax and Boo, Carol of the arrow, Nigel, Lady Joy and even Lord Alexey, who had since changed his mannerisms for the better, every kind of prince, princess, emperor, king, and duchess, all the old buttercup scouts, all her protectors and much much more. It was the largest group of people at any wedding ever because Sofia was friends with so many across the lands. Truly it was a once in a lifetime event and nobody was going to miss it.
At the front of the aisle at the podium was Merlin and standing to each side were all the bridesmaids and groomsmen, including Amber who had just joined in dressed down for once, she wanted her sister to really sparkle. Cedric was standing there on the right, twitching his hands a little and breathing unevenly. Minerva was sitting on his shoulder, having preened herself to look her very best, and was trying to comfort and relax him as much as possible but it seemed to not be working so well.
Sofia's mother was sitting in the front next to the other relatives dressed in her finest dark carnation colored dress and had packed a thousand tissues with her because she just knew she was going to cry. It was bound to happen. Winifred sat close to her, also knowing she would cry, she was already watering up seeing her son looking handsome in his silver and white wedding robes. Roland was waiting for Sofia to come down the stairs so he could walk her down the aisle and the moment he saw her he couldn't help it. He thought he wasn't going to cry at all but he was fooling himself. He had cried at Amber's wedding and this was no different.
His special little girl was now a special woman and he couldn't be any happier for her. Despite his initial reaction to Cedric's proposal he had seen over and over again that the man loved his daughter, he would honor and protect her and allow her to be free to do what she wished. He couldn't ask for anything more. The wedding march started and the procession came down the aisle. First was Callista in a ruby ballgown with her hair decorated with a flower crown of red flowers that she made herself. She did as she was told to do and spread the petals all over the floor some on one side some on the other side. There were other little girls traveling behind her, from the village, that Sofia had wanted to include and a very young princess too. She wanted to have all parts of her life shown through these girls. The villagers representing her past, the princess representing her present, and the little conjurer representing her future. Then hopping behind her was Clover who was successful in carrying the rings on a cushioned pillow. It took him a long time to get this right without the rings falling but he did not fail his princess.
Then there she was with her father royally standing at her side, trying to appear as if he hadn't just wept moments before. Cedric's mouth and eyes were wide opened and his heart raced so fast he swore it would blow up the moment she got to him. It had already been palpitating before she came but now it was a crazed drum inside his chest full of love for this gorgeous woman who was making her way to him. She was stunning to say the least given how the years had sculpted her into her full womanly form. She was not as curvy as her sister but to Cedric that was all the better, he wasn't one for buxom women. Her dress was whiter than the whitest snow with gentle beading along it. There was delicate lace detailing on the hemline and a light lavender shade swirled within the white, just barely noticeable. The dress itself was a classic princess type dress with round sleeves that hung off her shoulders. It cinched in at the waist then poofed out and trailed behind her but not nearly as long as Amber's, she didn't want to trip over her own dress.
That same thought process is why it wasn't so long, it was just short enough to see that on her feet she had sparkly silver shoes with a white bow on each of them. Her train was lacy at the ends as well with that same lavender tint to it and it was being held up by Mia and Robin. She wore her amulet, the only real burst of color on her, and had polished it. She had pearl drop earrings with just a touch of silver. Her lips were strawberry milkshake pink and her eyelids were sparkly lilac. She needed no blush on her cheeks, she provided that herself naturally. The thing that made Cedric's heart swoon, besides everything else, was that she still wore the tiara he made for her, even though she had millions to choose from and this was an important day, maybe the most important thus far. Yet she still wore it. When she finally got to the left side of the podium and stood there with a small mini veil just barely covering her eyes he stared deeply at her. Her eyes met his and she blushed prettily with a dazzling smile. It made him turn to mush right then and there.
"Dearly beloved," Merlin began, "We are gathered here today to bear witness to the union of this sorcerer and this woman in holy matrimony."
As he continued on with the elongated ceremonial speech Cedric's eyes and ears could only focus on the beautiful blushing bride right in front of him. Every time their eyes met she bashfully looked down to her bouquet of flowers right from the garden. It made him wish they would just skip to the kissing part already because those blue eyes were screaming his name and those satin pink lips needed to be kissed for each time she smiled at him the way she was now. He had to snap out of it because it was time for the vows and it appeared he was first. He cleared his throat a little with uncertainty, knowing all eyes were on him, but then told himself the only ones that mattered were hers. He searched deep within himself for the words he wanted to say to her. Just to her.
"Sofia, my darling, from the first day you called me your friend until now you have been a special light in my life and that light has brightened up everywhere I have ever gone. You stole into my once wicked heart and melted the ice around it entirely until it was that I realized I was not at all the man I thought I once was. I had changed and there was no going back to how I used to be. I'm so glad you walked into my life and turned it right side up. You are my inspiration, the reason I move, you drive me every day to do better and be a better person. You are everything to me, you have taken someone who was once on a track to darkness and showed him the way out. I love you, I know those words are simple and overused but I don't have much else to say. All I can offer you is my heart and all my love even though you deserve so much more. I wish I could give you the world but I don't have much. I know you don't care at all about those kinds of things that all you want from me is me and I find that endearing and so pure. You truly are the most right thing in this whole world to me and I'm truly blessed to have you, honestly I am. Thank you for choosing me when you had so many options open to you, thank you, Sofia, for being mine."
Sofia didn't even care about her makeup, she usually never did anyways, and allowed her tears to slip from her eyes and roll down her cheeks. She used the back of her hand to wipe them away. Everyone was moved by his words but no more than the members of both of their families, most especially Roland who found them to be the most sincere words of love he had ever heard. It made him feel all the more confident that his choice was for the best, that this man was right for his daughter despite everything. He could no longer see his age anymore, all he saw was a man, plain and simple, giving his heart and soul to a woman who he would do anything for. Amber too thought they were such beautiful words he spoke, she had never truly heard him talk like this before. He was quite poetic when he wanted to be. His words were like him, unassumingly romantic and simplistic but full of meaning. Now all waited to hear what Sofia would have to say. She pulled herself together to say her vows now.
"My Cedric, my beloved, my past, my future, my soul mate, what can I say that I haven't already said a thousand times? You are, no matter what you say or how you deny it, perfect to me. From your beautiful white bangs to that twinkle in your eye to your wonderful smile and your delightful accent. From the very start I have loved you, at first only as a small child with girlish fantasy but it blossomed quickly into something more. I knew without a shadow of a doubt that you were meant to be my husband no matter what flaws you or anyone else dared to tell me you had. I saw past all that because you are more than just the broken bits, you are flawed, yes, but who in this big wide world isn't? Even I am sometimes. Even still with all that you have done that might mark you as wrong you are still perfect to me. Our relationship has been tried, tested, pushed, shaken, but through it all through all the bad times, the scary times, the times where the darkness felt it would swallow us whole, it did not break, it did not falter and it never will. Our love is stronger than anything in the world and it will prevail so long as we work together to preserve it. No matter what has gone on in my life you were always there you have always been there and I know you will continue to be there for me. I'm so glad I became a princess, for thousands of reasons. I got a wonderful new family with a sweet sister and a brother who makes me laugh all the time, I found friendship, I fought things I never thought I could overcome, but you know what I never expected to find when I came here? Love, my true love, but on that day I met you something in me told me, whispered inside of me, that it was going to be you. Call it what you will, say its destiny or fate, it doesn't matter what brought us together, here we are and I regret nothing. I'm so glad you love me because honest and truly I could not live my life without you in it."
Cedric let out a long swoon, gushing completely at her words. He felt like he was floating right now, bouncing along the clouds and he could barely hear anything but those words repeating in his head. They were truly heartfelt and heart warming and as long as he lived he would never forget them. Oh how he wished they would hurry on up so he could kiss her already! He was dying to. He wanted to just cup her lovely face and kiss her until he couldn't any longer, her words had struck such a chord in him that his passion was bursting inside himself. It didn't help at all that she looked more beautiful now than ever before, not that she didn't look jaw dropping any other day but right now more so than any other time she looked like a real angel. It made him weak the way she looked into his eyes like that, so deep and full of tenderness. He was able to slide on the ring just fine, petting the rabbit in a friendly manner beforehand.
It wasn't so bad, really. He kind of even was starting to like the thing and it had done its job today remarkably. Sofia had trained him well. Perhaps Cedric would conjure him a giant carrot to say thank you for all he had done for Sofia not just today but all the days where she was blue and in need of a friend. He now knew the value of a true animal friend, such as his own which sat there proudly on his shoulder. Minerva was hailed as a hero amongst animal kind for her bravery in the battle. If not for her they wouldn't have had all the wizards on their side. At last it was time to kiss the bride and Minerva made sure to fly off to a nearby branch to give them some room. Cedric lifted up Sofia's veil revealing her face in full, looking expectantly up at his. Their lips touched, gentle and slow but not lacking in the feelings they had for each other.
Everyone in the audience was clapping for them and sniffles were heard throughout the crowd. Winifred was blubbering quite loudly while Goodwin rubbed her back, trying to remain firm but even he was shedding a few tears too. They couldn't be any more proud of their son if they tried. He had finally gotten all he deserved, all that they had hoped for, all that he wanted. As soon as the knot was tied Sofia remained Lady Sofia of Enchancia, high royal council and protector of the Ever Realm. Easily she could have lost her title but Roland refused to let that happen, he was still king and made the rules. She would still be a royal but would have no right to the throne. That was fine with her, she didn't want it anyhow.
Cedric however could not be called a lord unless dictated otherwise, he could be called Sir Cedric, which he liked, or even to some extent Cedric, Prince Consort to Sofia but he felt the term prince was meant for someone young. He was a little past his prime, he thought, to be called a prince of any sort. Roland gave it some thought upon what they should be called, if Sofia was still a royal what did that make Cedric now? Honestly he was okay with just being plain old Cedric, but if someone called him a higher title, well naturally he wasn't going to deny it. It made him feel important. James would call him Sir Cedric, because he was a knight to him even if he passed no trials to become one. He had done enough trialing in his own life, battled enough monsters, and saved a princess enough times to be called one. To Amber and to the others he would always be Sir Cedric the Great, but they would just refer to him by his name. It was more respectful in his opinion.
When Sofia threw her bouquet it was caught by Crackle of all people, who had flown high up to grab it. When she did she looked at Clover and nuzzled up close against him making him clear his throat and try to slide away slowly. Once the wedding ceremony was over the party could begin. Sofia had used magic to make her wedding dress into a short regular dress, still white though and still beaded and lacy. So it sort of looked like her original ballgown when she was little and had her first royal dance only white instead of purple. They all ate, drank, and danced the night away. Sofia and Cedric fed each other cake which was half black and half white on the interior, dark chocolate and vanilla, a little bitter on one side and very sweet on the other. A perfect representation of them both. Sofia in her playful mood dabbed some frosting onto Cedric's nose. He then did the same to her causing her to giggle. He almost couldn't stop smiling or kissing her the whole time, occasionally laughing for no reason at all it seemed. He was the happiest man on the planet. When he and Sofia had their wedding dance it was like the time at her fifteenth only far more meaningful. Sofia laid her head on his chest as the spun slowly side to side, a content smile on her face.
The party had winded down and it was time for the newlyweds to be on their way. They had done a lot of preplanning on where their honeymoon would be and Cedric picked the destination but he told her it was a surprise. She had packed for just about anything. They left through a shower of raining rose petals courtesy of Callista. Everyone at the event waved goodbye to them as they entered their flying carriage, swiftly going off into the sky. The whole way there Sofia was guessing where it was but each time she was wrong. When at last they landed she got out and had no clue where she even was at. The coach flew off and would not be back for a week and some days. Cedric lead her through what looked like a forest, carefully guiding her along the way. She could hear some type of stream and the wind whistling in the trees but not much else besides crickets. Once they broke out of the forest they found themselves in a clearing.
In that clearing there was a glade, a stream just as Sofia heard with a waterfall tumbling over the rocks, flowers growing wildly everywhere amongst the grasses, and the light shining perfectly through the canopy of the tall dark navy colored trees. In the very center of that glade was a cute little cottage, almost just like the ones in fairytales she had read about with a thatched roof, circular windows, wood carved door, and a cobblestone path leading up to it. Sofia marveled at it all with an open mouth, taking in all the beauty around her in nature. Butterflies were fluttering about and bumble bees were buzzing from flower to flower while frogs hopped along and fish swam in the little pond connected to the stream.
"Well...do you like it?"
"Oh Cedric it's wonderful! Where are we?"
"This place was where I grew up as a child. I used to live here before we moved and my parents retired. I took some time to tidy everything up and make it look exactly like it did when I was young. Come, come inside and I'll show you everything."
Sofia was smiling from ear to ear as he lead her inside his family home. It was a special place, to her it was even a sacred place, where he was born, where his story began. It meant more to her than he could know to have their honeymoon be here, someone so significant to him. He had memories here that weren't so pleasant he wanted to create some here that were, with her, his wife, his world. She was already a part of his life but now he wanted her to be part of his life in another way too, by bringing her here he was ensuring that. Their new life together would begin where his life had begun. He opened the door for her leading her into the living room and kitchen. It was charming, just like him. Four chairs sat at a small square table covered with a white cloth and purple vase. It had been filled with what looked like fresh flowers plucked from right outside.
There was a sofa right in front of a fireplace and a massive area rug. A wooden toy box sat just to the side. Cedric lit up the fireplace as it was getting on into night and it would get colder. He gave her the tour of the small humble abode, pointing out where things happened and what things were. He showed her briefly to his parents and sister's old rooms, where the lavatory was so she could freshen up if need be, there was a small powder room, and then where they would be sleeping, his old bedroom. Now though he had said he kept everything as it was he didn't mean literally everything. There was no way he was going to have a romantic honeymoon with his new wife in his old childhood bedroom looking the way it did. It was too cutesy and childish, even for Sofia.
He was but a young lad when he lived here and some of the stuffed animals, toys, and other things from his far gone days had to go. Now he made it more appropriate for them both, but more so for her. He added a much larger bed to accommodate the two of them with silky sheets and a good number of fluffy pillows. There were candles placed here and there, a proper light fixture hanging from the ceiling instead of the one he had shaped like the moon. All the paintings and pictures were moved, he didn't delete them but just put them someplace else. Nothing but a dark plum wall paint that still remained, though he had painted over the wallpaper of black birds and crooked bare trees. As Sofia was having a look around she was caught off guard by Cedric scooping her up right off the ground and into his arms, just as one would carry a bride.
"What do you think then? It's not anything extravagant but I think you might have liked it better that way."
"Cedric it's absolutely ahh-mazing, just like the one the seven dwarves stayed in! It's just...all really happening isn't it? I'm really your wife... I still can't get over it. This whole experience has been like... a fairytale come true."
"No my pet, it's far better than all that. Far far better," He softly cooed and placed his lips on hers.
He carried her into the bedroom, closed the door behind him, and placed her on the bed, barely taking his lips off of hers. He caressed her cheek and took her hair out from its styled updo, tossing her veil to the side. Carefully he removed the tiara from her head, placing it on the nightstand. He kissed her neck gently causing her to shudder. It delighted him that he could still make her do that to this day. His bride was indeed blushing like it was her first time and that too delighted him. He lifted up one of her legs, departing from kissing her even though it took all his strength to stop. He kissed her ankles as he took off her silver shoes.
"My little Cinderella," He teased playfully.
She laughed a little in a shy way. "I guess I am aren't I? Cinderella was a poor girl from a village and became a princess, just like me, and she had lots of animal friends she talked to."
"And did you, like her, find a prince charming too?"
"I found something more than that," She sweetly whispered, her eyes twinkling like blue sapphires in the low lighting of the room. "So much more, more than words can describe, more than he gives himself credit for."
"Sofia...god you make my heart explode with emotion. You should hear how hard it beats inside of me for you. It sings your name," He proclaimed with passion, taking off her other shoe and placing it down with the other. He made his way back up to her and kissed her deeply while his hands undressed her. He could feel her skin flaring up under his touch, knowing without looking it was flushed pink or red. He started murmuring things as he kissed her neck again, things Sofia couldn't understand.
"Are you...speaking a different language?"
"Yes, it's an old language, where my name comes from. I'm just saying I love you."
"All this time I've known you and you've never spoken it."
"Yes I have you just don't seem to hear it, I say I love you this way all the time. Maybe I just say it too softly. I should scream it out loud because my love for you deserves to be heard by the whole world!"
"Say it again, please? Slowly this time, I want to hear it this time."
"Is brea liom tu," He lovingly pronounced, saying each part of each word as slow as possible but the way he said it was in that smooth tone of voice that made Sofia all tingly. She still wasn't exactly sure what to call that tone so she referred to it in her head as liquid butter. That's how it made her feel and that's how it sounded. She shivered again making a strange excitable noise.
"Do you like hearing that, darling?" He questioned with a raised eyebrow.
"It's like nothing I've ever heard. Sounds like a spell almost. Could you...say it once more?"
He chuckled a little then went straight to her ear, pressing his mouth against it and whispered in that same tone of voice, "Is brea liom tu, Sofia." Even the way he said her name now sounded different and the way he spoke to her made her hairs stick up in the most pleasant way.
"What do you call your accent? That's what I like the most about it, that you still have your own accent even when talking another language."
"My accent? Ah, right sometimes I forget I have one. I'm so used to hearing my own voice. Yes, it's called cockney. You really do love it, don't you my little nymph?"
She blushed vibrantly and nodded her head while biting her lip. Cedric felt his heart soar for her. He knew his accent was directly linked with poor people and yet she adored it so, even compared to others that had it. Just as she loved his accent and voice he loved her voice, so very much. It was so sweet and lilting, like a harp became a person and when she sang it almost always made him sigh happily. It was angelic in every sense of the word. She had always had a beautiful singing voice even as a girl but now that she had grown and it had matured she sounded twice as beautiful. She was twice as beautiful with each coming year. As he removed her clothes entirely and stood there gaping at her he could view that beauty. She was outstanding. A true marvel and he was fortunate enough to be able to touch something so perfect and pure. Once he stroked along her skin she uttered out a sound that made the heat in his body spike and she whimpered out the name that drove him crazy; Lord Cedric.
That was always his undoing and she knew that good and well by this point. Although they had done this many many times that didn't mean it wasn't special. It was more special than almost every other time because now she was his wife. He held her ringed hand in his own as he loved on her, the only other piece of jewelry on her besides her amulet which even now she never took off for anything. He didn't care at all if she kept it on, it no longer held even the remotest of his interest. Only the wearer, only his princess. That's all that mattered to him, perhaps truly that's all that ever mattered. Tonight was their night, the night where the two had become one, a union sanctioned by magic and started by magic and so it only made sense that this night would be magical. Nothing in the world could compare to their love for to Cedric and to Sofia it was the most magical thing in the entire world.