Seven days.
It took seven long and tiring days, but the agreement was finally decided on and signed by the two. Equal trade was to be established for certain needed items as long as certain requirements were met. The borders were open for travel now though there still had to be certain documentation to allow access to either side. Zandar had slipped in a small loophole that he was grateful the Magi had not picked up on, allowing him to grant permission to as many people as he wanted to go to Enchansia at any time. As far as Cedric could see these people would be people who 'wished to make a better life' someplace else. Zandar was shocked to see the Magi honestly thought this was a great kindness to struggling citizens and not as the danger it potentially was to his position as 'King of Enchansia'. The Tangu Sultan almost felt guilty for taking such advantage of his ignorance.
This open door was his wedding gift to Amber. Making her his bride the moment he returned home to Tangu.
Three years slipped by and in those days Enchansia was met with a great boost to trade and a small but noticeable increase in returning and new citizens moving to the little village the first few months in. Many, Sofia recognized, were citizens who had originally fled Enchansia to neighboring Kingdoms. This particular group having fled to the Tangu deserts only to return and buy back their abandoned properties. Some boarded-up businesses reopened, and reunions filled the streets. The new citizens arriving with the returning ones numbered about thirty and counting. Construction went underway to improve existing buildings and create more to accommodate the increase. Sofia frowned at the increase, but it wasn't unmanageable and the new workers this provided helped the businesses. New hands to work the fields, new technics to weave, smelt, and cook. One new resident wanted to open his own bakery to rival the current one and this was met with complaints that their business was being encroached on. Cedric scoffed at the Baker when he came to complain to him, and Sofia couldn't argue with the man and his reasoning as to why the new Bakery would stay.
"Do you think so lowly of your own skills that you fear you would lose your business? Maybe you should just close your own shop then because the new one stays. Or you can return home and continue to find new ways to improve your own business to keep customers interest and provide your new neighbors some competition to work with while they do the same with you." Cedric drawled from his throne and the Baker left in a huff. The following week the Enchansian Baker produced a new product of muffins that involved a sweet berry from the Elvenmoor trades. This was a berry that turned the tongue of the person eating it different colors depending on the mood they were in when consumed.
On the other hand, the local cobbler, Miranda, took on two new assistance who helped expand her selection of footwear and even added things like hats and belts. Sofia went to visit her mother who, though joyed to see her, still showed obvious mistrust and distaste toward her choice to work for Cedric. Sofia chose to omit the knowledge that Cedric had been courting her for the past three years because of this. Though she wasn't sure if their relationship could be called courting now since he had started excluding her from certain meetings and had his focus on other things to the point, she actually felt neglected. What confused her most was his most recent behavior as he sent out secret messages and talked to others behind closed doors.
She continued her own work which increased greatly as well, and she ended up taking on her own assistant. A young blonde green-eyed girl who was eager to follow Sofia around and help her with her magic. Sofia found the humor in her having her own apprentice, just as she had once been Cedric's.
The girl's name was Aldith and she always came in the early mornings to the castle kitchens, just in time to meet with Sofia who oversaw the making of Cedric's breakfast. She was strangely pale and always wore dull colors. At first, Sofia was fearful she was ill or abused or even homeless altogether. But none was true, having moved from a far village, the girl's uncle was a secretive man that opened his own shop that sold ingredients for potions, most on the rarer side, others the grislier.
It was on a day off that Sofia met the man and entered his home, a place made so no daylight could invade certain places. She knew the man from so many years ago, the necromancer she had briefly danced with at the celebration to commemorate the completion of her magic studies under Goodwin the Great.
She remembered an old man referring to him as 'The Necromancer' and it was evident that it was not just a title. Small mishappened animals scurried about moving this and that or even restocking shelves of smaller ingredients. One that caught her eye looked like a large squirrel that had been combined with parts of an exceptionally large bat before being reanimated. In a twisted way, it was cute, but it still didn't sit well with her as she sat at the table holding a teacup and watching as the creature scurried about with a jar clasped in its jaws. When Sofia asked The Necromancer, Alured, why they had moved to the village he admitted that his niece wasn't interested in the darker arts such as the restoration of life in dead things and thought that maybe being trained under Goodwin would be a more favorable fit. But he had seen the old Sorcerer and though they are all long-lived he could sense the old man was too tired to take on another student.
This is what prompted Sofia to offer to teach Aldith herself and thus bringing them all to the present.
They all sat in Sofia's tower, curtains drawn to lessen the light so Alured could sit a little more comfortably as he watched from across the large conjured table as Sofia prompted Aldith to levitate some water out of a glass and hold it in the shape of a ball. It was a little advanced, but Sofia was sure she could do it. Cedric knew of the lessons Sofia had with the girl and of her Uncles visits. When this happened, the King made it a habit to avoid the man and Sofia understood why without it being said. He still radiated an eerie aura that left one cold.
They both watched as the girl managed half the glass and Sofia clapped happily while her uncle sat in eerie silence. If it wasn't for the very slight curve of his lips Sofia would have thought, he didn't care for the girl's success. It was a knock on the door that caused the child to lose her focus and the water splashed to the table surface and splattered all three of them. They all jumped and moved back on instinct, but it didn't stop the inevitable as their fronts were soaked. With a sigh, Sofia called for the knocker to come in, and to the maid that walked in looked around at them. She then focused on Sofia and curtsied to her before delivering her message.
"Sorry to disturb you Lady Sofia but the King has summoned for you." She announced and Sofia thanked her before turning to Aldith and Alured.
"I am afraid today's lesson will be cut short…" She announced and her apprentice hurried over to give her a farewell hug before retrieving her Uncle's cloak so he could wrap himself in it. Once he was shrouded Sofia watched as he and his niece left with the maid before going off to meet with Cedric.
Cedric paced nervously back and forth in his study there was a flat wooden box on his desk sitting open. Within sitting on a bed of silk was a necklace bearing a glittering pink pendant. He was unsure if it was a present Sofia would like, considering how many necklaces she had and how few she actually wore. He also berated himself for his choice in gem, the pretty pink would clash with the colors she wore for her work and he wondered what he had been thinking when he had it made.
He reached to close the box and hide it away when the study door opened, and Sofia walked in with a wide smile. He spun around to look at her, his expression was one of a child who was caught with his hand in a cookie jar. She laughed seeing him and moved toward him to place a kiss on his cheek, this helping him exhale and relax. This gave him the courage to smile at her and present the box to her, showing the glittering pink necklace.
"I wish to apologize for ignoring you… So much has happened that I have failed to give you the attention you truly deserve." He said sweetly and Sofia just laughed before turning her eyes to the necklace. "I thought something light would fit you better than another dark toned bobble."
He helped Sofia put it on, taking note of her silence as she traced the cool surface of the pink gem. As he watched her with a slight frown, seeing the sorrow in her eyes and feeling the Amulet weighing heavy around his own neck.
"Is there something wrong?" He asked and her eyes looked up at him, blinking in confusion at the question.
"NO… No nothing is wrong… I was just-" She fell silent, unsure of how to answer.
"You… Find the necklace lacking…" Cedric sighed and watched her shake her head franticly at him as she reached for his hands.
"No, my Lord that is not true… I love the necklace it is wonderful and thoughtful." Sofia sounded genuinely happy as she gripped his hands. "I can tell you put your heart in selecting this for me and I love it."
When the frown didn't leave Cedric's lips she sighed and reached up to rub her hand against the facial hair he continued to wear. When he couldn't hold the frown anymore he jerked his head back and chuckled before grabbing her wrists so he could pull her hands away from his face.
"Very well Sofia… I shall believe you this time." When he released her he reached to pull her into a hug. "The other part of your gift is that tomorrow you and be shall spend the day at sea… I already cleared my schedule for it."
This is what really caused Sofia to brighten up… A nice relaxing day at sea and he was willing to sacrifice his comfort for her enjoyment.
