The Man from Nowhere

Summary: Greylock and Ivy invite several people to celebrate their daughter Zinnia's birthday, and while there, the visitors learn of a strange yet vaguely familiar man (to Cedric and Sofia, at least) who has taken up residence on the island. (Collab with Mr. Shortman92)

Disclaimer: I own the AutoCoach, Zinnia, Arabella, Gabriella & Sir Finlay (and their children), and any other children except Nana and Tanya, who belong to MarionetteJ2X. The character of Jess belongs to Mr. Shortman92.

A/N: Whoo, we have made it to season 3! YES! Okay, I literally call this the AquaMan season, because 2/3 of the stories are Shortman's ideas. :D We have been working diligently the last several months to make sure these stories are the highest quality possible and ready for you guys. I also want to thank my friends for helping motivate me and give me ideas with my writing. You guys are amazing, and I couldn't do it without all of you. Well, guys! Here we go! Season 3!

*Story*

Best news heard across the realms! Zinnia is turning four years old! If you are able and willing, please attend her birthday party on Ivy's Island on July 17. A map is attached to this invitation. We will begin the festivities promptly at noon for lunch, and you are welcome to stay beyond that (though not too late, since Baby Gareth needs his rest).

Gifts are not necessary, but Her Sassy Highness will appreciate them anyway. We hope to see you there!

Greylock & Ivy (and Miss Nettle)

"You got one too, huh?" Sofia asked as she read over the invitation Amber had passed to her. She and Cedric had returned early from the Magical Ambassador trip about a week ago, due to numerous setbacks with the kingdoms they were supposed to visit, but they weren't exactly complaining. It meant they got to spend more time with each other, which the princess was perfectly fine with. She grinned as the future queen shrugged, seemingly genuinely baffled. "I understand them sending an invitation to me and Cedric, but you and Desmond? That's a little surprising."

"Yeah, we don't even really know them that well, aside from them helping save the kingdom in the past…and of course, my whole interaction with Ivy all those years ago," Amber admitted, taking the invitation back and slipping it into the accompanying fancy envelope. "Though honestly, we've been cooped up in the castle for so long that I'm seriously considering going."

"It could be fun! Greylock and Ivy are pretty awesome now, and Zinnia is so sweet. I'm sure the new baby is too. And Miss Nettle…" The princess laughed. "She's…definitely a lot better than she used to be."

"Hmm, that seems to be a trend with people you help redeem, doesn't it?" Amber smirked, pocketing the invitation, and then took her sister's arm. "Speaking of which, we need to talk."

Sofia blinked, feeling herself being pulled along the corridor. She straightened up a bit, though her sister still had a steady hold on her arm. She sighed. "What about, Amber?"

"Are you and Cedric planning to make going on dates and kissing in a dark, empty ballroom a habit?" Her smirk grew as she saw a bit of the color drain from the younger girl's face. "It seems things like that are becoming more commonplace with you both. Never mind the more frequent hand holding, gazing into each other's eyes, and smiling shyly at each other at every meal…" She stopped, turning to face the baffled auburn-haired princess. "I'm pretty sure I wasn't imagining things the other night… Was I?"

"O-Oh, I, um…" Sofia could have kicked herself. Cedric had been so sweet, offering to change the ballroom into basically a planetarium, complete with a magical overlay of twinkling stars and slowly spinning planets. It had been so beautiful and…well, magical. And she'd just gotten mesmerized by the wonder of it all… So taken in by the depth and majesty of the mystery of space… And before she'd known it, she and Cedric were kissing… "I…guess I forgot to close the doors all the way…" She flushed darkly as Amber laughed.

"Sofia…" She reached out and grasped her sister's hands. "Look, I know you and Cedric are courting now, but if you're trying to keep your relationship a secret or anything, that's…not exactly subtle." She heard the other girl groan in dismay and then smiled. "I don't understand why you need to keep it a secret anyway… Most everyone here knows that you two are in love."

Sofia sighed, still feeling overwhelmed and reticent whenever she heard that phrase attached to herself and Cedric. Even though they'd been officially together for over a month now, it still felt so new and so surreal. "I know, Amber… I guess… It's just new to us. We've been friends for years, and for us to be courting instead after all this time…"

Amber shrugged, releasing the girl's hands and folding her arms. "I honestly saw this coming for a while though, so I'm sure others did too." She grinned when Sofia blinked at her. "Oh, come on, Sofia. I'm not stupid. I could see that you and Cedric were in love for a long time now… How anyone could miss that is beyond me. Anyone with any type of common sense could see that you two have been in love with each other…" She smirked. "You're not exactly fooling anyone with those longing gazes, the whispers and giggling, the—"

"Okay, I get it!" She laughed nervously, wrapping her arms around herself in a self-soothing motion. "It's just… This is something so different for us, and… I just…" She smiled softly as her thoughts drifted to her partner (an entirely different meaning attached to that label now). "I just love that…I get to be in love with him…finally…"

The future queen sniffled, a hand raising to her heart as she swooned dramatically. "Sofia, that is by far the sweetest thing I've ever heard you say!" She grinned as her sister blushed again. "Who knew you had such a romantic side?"

"Only for Cedric," she admitted. "I could never see myself with anyone else, Amber… We're already partners, already parents, already…everything… And someday, I'm going to marry him, and he'll be my 'everything.'"

"Oh, dear Sofia…" Amber giggled, taking the girl's hands again, winking. "He already is."

Sofia smiled bashfully, a dreamy expression crossing her features. "Yeah…"

A few days later, on Ivy's Island, it was the evening before the party would take place, and Greylock and Miss Nettle were just finishing up with the decorations. Ivy was observing the others while holding onto her newborn son, Gareth, as Zinnia sat by her side, cooing at her little brother. The little baby had soft brown hair like Greylock's, and while his eyes were closed pretty tightly right now, they also matched Greylock's hazel ones (just like Zinnia).

However, in an interesting twist of fate, this baby was much tinier than most. In fact, just fifteen days ago, he'd been born three months early and had nearly died during childbirth. But with some magical assistance and a lot of attention and proactive measures, including round-the-clock care the last few weeks, he was slowly gaining strength and growing day by day. Of course, his parents were very much aware that his condition was very delicate, so they took all the precautionary measures to care for him.

And perhaps having a party so soon after the baby's birth wasn't a great idea, but they knew how important it was for Zinnia to have her friends with her on her big day. They'd planned this a few weeks before Gareth's surprising entrance into the world, so it wasn't like they could anticipate it. And thanks to Miss Nettle, who took on most of the work herself, the party was still on.

Ivy smiled gently at her daughter as she caressed the sleeping baby's foot. "Are you excited about your party tomorrow?"

Zinnia nodded proudly. "Yes! Lots of people will be there, right? Ceddy? Sofi? Ooh, Nana and Tanya?"

"Well, we invited a lot of different people and their kiddos, so we'll see what happens." She blinked when she heard a booming knock at the door. "Oh, who is that supposed to be?" She stood and walked over to the door, Zinnia trailing behind her, and gently shifted Gareth into her left arm before pulling the door open with her free hand. Her eyes widened. "Mother?!"

Dowager Queen Alessandra entered in an obviously rehearsed regal fashion. The older, lightly olive-skinned woman appeared to be in her late sixties, though she certainly dressed younger. Her crystal-clear blue eyes had an aged quality to them, but she had a way of mesmerizing people with her sharp icy stare. Her eyelids were painted with dark maroon shadow, and opaque liner emphasized her gaze. Her lips were painted as well: a dark plum color. Her immaculately styled white hair was pinned back into a half-braided bun with waves curling just around her midback. An antique golden crown was nestled on her head, pinned properly into place. Her gown was both upscale yet minimalistic (for her, anyway), the outer layer a dark maroon that fastened at her waist with a golden pendant, though a band around both upper arms and then on her lower arms were coated in darker fabric. The under layer was solid black, a matte finish to it as it just barely brushed her maroon slippers. The multi-jeweled gold and maroon necklace around her neck matched the crown perfectly, and a pair of similarly shaded earrings dropped from her ears like colorful dewdrops.

"Dearest Ivy!" Alessandra called out boisterously, reaching out to embrace her daughter, careful not to harm the baby, the stifling scent of her rose perfume nearly choking the younger princess.

"M-Mother, I can't breathe!"

"That is her mother?" Miss Nettle asked in surprise as she and Greylock stood aside, a bit astonished to see the two interacting. Honestly, she felt a small tinge of something… Maybe a bit of jealousy? After all, she'd treated Ivy like a daughter these last several years, and to see her actually with her real mother… It was strange.

"Oh, wait till you meet the rest of her family, who I'm sure came with her," Greylock muttered. "They're just as…eh…interesting. Pleasant enough, but a bit overbearing and…well, obnoxious sometimes."

"Ivy!" another voice called out.

Just as Ivy had managed to not suffocate from her mother's hug and perfume, she found herself wrapped in another hug from the side (again, protecting Gareth's tiny form at all costs). "W-Willow! You too?"

Willow looked quite a bit like her mother, though she appeared to be in her late thirties. She had the same colored hair, though hers was a bit longer and not nearly as immaculately styled (if the half-up messy bun was any indication). She had the same eye color, though her eye shape was a bit rounder than her mother's, and her lids were painted a subtle green while her lips were more of a cherry color. Her skin was a bit lighter and smoother too. While her mother favored the darker maroon color scheme, Willow opted more for a light green range. Her rather simple green gown was cinched at the waist, and the sleeves hung down close to her knees, while the hem stopped just at her black slippers. There was black lining along her neck, her upper arms, her waist, and her sleeve cuffs, to accent different areas of the fabric, perhaps. Her silver crown was a bit more understated than her mother's golden one, with tiny emeralds embedded into the base. Draped around her neck was a heavy silver and turquoise necklace, which completed her ensemble.

"Dear sister, it's been such a long time!" Willow exclaimed, perhaps a little too needlessly loudly.

"It's literally been two months," Ivy deadpanned, maneuvering away from her older sister so she could tend to her now crying baby. "Oh, shh, Gareth. It's okay."

"Ooh, look at my sweet little nephew!" the queen cooed, smiling enthusiastically at the little one. "Hi, Gareth! I'm your Auntie Willow!"

"Gareth?" Alessandra asked, sounding a bit disappointed. "Why such a villager-sounding name? Why not something more majestic and regal sounding?"

Ivy offered her mother a sarcastic glare. "You named us after plants, Mother. I'd say 'Gareth' is at least a step up from that."

"Why is he so tiny?" Willow wondered. "Was he born early?"

"Three months early," the younger princess responded, wincing at the sharp inhale from the queen. "Yes, I know, Willow… We're well aware of his condition and are monitoring him at all costs."

The white-haired queen nodded thoughtfully. "That explains why you look like death."

Ivy glared at her. "Gee, thanks."

"Are you sure having a birthday party for your daughter right now was the best idea then?" Alessandra wondered. "Given little Gaither's condition?"

"It's Gareth, Mother," Ivy returned, growing annoyed with her. "And yes, I'm sure. We'd been planning this before he surprised us, and I don't want to upset Zinnia. Everyone here has been extremely helpful with taking care of him, anyway."

"If you say so, though moving on to other matters… I see you've kept your skunk hair," the dowager queen continued, walking around the princess and tutting as she parted the waves in mild displeasure. "I can't believe you'd give up your inherited crowning glory for something so…dual-toned."

"You'll find that to be rather popular nowadays, actually," Greylock corrected, recalling Cedric's and Calista's hair, and growing agitated that his mother-in-law was critiquing her own daughter…in front of everyone, including the children. "And if it's all the same to you, would you mind releasing my wife's hair now?"

The older woman shot the brunet a pointed stare. "She's my daughter."

"Then act like it. Treat her with some respect."

Ivy smiled at Greylock in appreciation as Willow looked back and forth between her mother and brother-in-law. Miss Nettle wasn't sure how to react, honestly, but she just knew she couldn't wait for these strangers to leave so their lives could return to normal.

"Mom, can I come inside now?" a young boy's voice asked from outside the door. "Are you and Granna done scaring people?"

"Oh, I knew I forgot something…" Willow laughed sheepishly. "Yes, son, come here!"

Greylock smirked as he nudged Miss Nettle, who blinked up at him. "Oh, this kid? I think you'll like him."

A young boy, probably about eleven years old, stepped inside as his mother ushered him forward. He was quite lanky and perhaps a little taller for his age, though his build and features still appeared relatively young. Like his mother, he had porcelain skin and clear blue eyes, though his held a lot more innocence than either his mother's or grandmother's did. Unlike the older women, he had dark brown hair that flowed just around his neck and bangs that fell just at his eyes (probably a trait of his father's, though he'd never met the man before). For his top, he wore an underlayer of a red shirt, and a black vest with a white collar, buttons, and flowing sleeves that fell to three quarter length. His pants were black as well, though there was a thick red waist band with three silver-white buttons fastened to the side. Long red boots stopped just below his knees and were wrapped with several black buckles. Around his neck was a golden dragonfly necklace, and off to the left side along his lapel was a white ornament fastened in place with a small silver chain.

"Porter, dear," Willow giggled, wrapping her arms around her son, pulling him into what appeared to be a rather uncomfortable hug. "Come say hi to your cousins! Little baby Gareth and—wait, what is your daughter's name again? Petunia? Tulip?"

Zinnia placed her hands on her hips, a bit annoyed that her name was coming out very wrong. "My name is Zinnia, thank you very much."

The dowager queen chuckled, a smirk appearing on her lips. "I rather like her. She has a lot of spirit and fire in her." She gazed at her younger daughter, who held Gareth a bit closer to her in a soothing way. "Not unlike my little wayward princess here. Really, Ivy? Trying to destroy the Amulet of Avalor? Marrying a former villain?"

"I think 'villain' is a bit harsh," Greylock suggested with a tug at his tie. "If you knew anything about the king I was working for—"

"Save it, Frumpelstiltskin." The dowager queen folded her arms as Greylock balked and instantly tried to straighten out his clothes. "I've had time to accept that Ivy will simply be a bit more…unpredictable…than Willow. And you do make some lovely children. Good genes, and all."

"Don't you think you're being kind of rude to your own daughter and her husband?" Miss Nettle suggested, frowning. "You can't just come in here on the eve of Zinnia's birthday and act like such a cretin."

"And who are you?" Alessandra asked, sizing Miss Nettle up. "Some sort of housekeeper?"

She grimaced at the very unwanted label. "I'm their...in-law!" Well, sort of...

The older woman quirked an eyebrow, glancing at Greylock. "So… She's your mother?"

Greylock blushed, remembering the time he'd had to kiss Nettle in order to shock her into reality after she'd been entranced by a pair of glowing emeralds. "Merlin, I hope not..."

"Nettle and I are friends, Mother," Ivy explained in exasperation. "Long story short, she's a…gardener…who had her flowers growing on the other side of my island. While I'm not a huge fan of color, she and I have learned to compromise, and since she didn't really have anywhere to go, I allowed her to stay on the island. Now she lives here with Greylock, me, and our kids."

"And Zinnia calls me Nana Nettle," the fairy concluded, smirking as the former queen glowered at her. "How's that for a 'housekeeper?'"

Porter happened to glance toward Zinnia, who'd shuffled away from the adults and their tirade of insults and arguing. He noticed her sitting on the back of a sofa, her legs drawn up to her chest and her elbows resting on her knees, her face lackadaisically settled against her hands. He walked over to her and smiled kindly. "You're the birthday girl, right?"

"I was," she remarked, sighing. "Until Mommy and Daddy got in a fight with your mommy and…that old lady."

"That's my Granna," he explained. "My grandmother. I guess…she's technically your Granna too, since we're cousins."

"Cousins?" the little girl asked, blinking at him.

"Yeah, because your mom and my mom are sisters. That makes my mom, Willow, your aunt. And your mom, Ivy, is my aunt. And we're cousins. So, your little brother Gareth is my cousin too."

Zinnia held a hand to her head. She'd never had to deal with complicated family relations before, outside of her own tight-knit family, so this was all taking a lot to process. "Uh…huh…"

The young boy laughed. "Don't worry about it, Zin."

She blinked, never having heard a nickname of her own name before.

"Let's just say we're family, because we are. And I'm glad we can be here for your birthday."

She grinned. "Well, thank you… Uh, cousin?"

"I'm Porter," he said, holding out a hand toward her. He grinned as she hesitantly accepted it, and he gently shook her hand in a friendly manner. "Nice to meet you."

The princess giggled. "Nice to meet you too, Porter."

While things slowly began settling down with Ivy's family and the others, the island grew darker as the sun set. A gentle wind had set about rustling through some of Miss Nettle's flowers, along with other swaying plants along the island.

And somewhere in the shadows, a tall, slim figure tarried along, the grassy path crunching under his heavy boots as he walked. The moonlight caught his eye, and he glanced up, his light blue eyes reflecting against the dim glow, highlighting his dark blonde hair as he did. "A change is comin'," he muttered to himself, his Scottish accent dancing in the night air. "Och, let's hope it's a good one…"

The following day was absolutely beautiful. It was July 17, and the skies were crystal clear, the weather was lovely, and the temperature was just right. Even a slight breeze every now and again made for an enjoyable atmosphere.

A few hours before the party was to start, the guests who were able to attend started to arrive. First to arrive, of course, were Cedric, Sofia, Nana, Tanya, Amber, Desmond, Alamea, and even Corban (though Miranda and Roland had to stay behind to handle the kingdom, naturally). James and Vivian would have come, but he had a tournament, so they were both unavailable for a while. A few surprising guests did tag along, though: Wormwood and Nina. "Because there's nothing else to do," Wormwood had insisted earlier that morning before they'd left Enchancia, though Cedric had to wonder…

Next to arrive were Sir Finlay, Gabriella, Sapphire, Davina, and their new baby Finlay, Jr., or Finn for short (named, of course, after his father Finlay). Finn took after his father as far as looks, with his spattering of silver-white hair. However, whenever he did open his eyes, he had his mother's dark brown irises. He was a sound sleeper, never stirring through the night (which was a nice departure from their first few months when Sapphire had been a restless baby, always babbling or crying out for attention in the middle of the night, or Davina, who often woke much earlier than her parents preferred). Arabella had also travelled with them, having wanted to spend some more time with her nieces and nephew, as well as her sister and brother-in-law. They'd been getting along really well, and nothing made her happier than being around family.

Other guests who arrived a bit later included Dexter and Brexley from Mahiya; Dante, Seraphina, and Isadora from Namile; and even Bonvis, Yohanna, and Vibbi from the Mystic Isles. While most of the interactions with some of these people had only been during battles, during the Royal Rumble, or during brief encounters in the past, there was still one goal in mind: to give the beloved Zinnia a wonderful birthday that she would always remember fondly.

"Wow, there's a lot of people out there," Zinnia told Porter as they looked around the corner at the adults and other kids mingling, all discussing the beautiful black, white, and blue decorations that Zinnia herself had chosen, not to mention the chocolate waterfall that Greylock had conjured and the plethora of other goodies and gifts spread around the lower level of the castle. "I don't think we've ever had this many people here…"

"You'll be fine, Zin," her cousin assured her, placing one hand on her shoulder and smiling at her. They'd only known each other a day, but they already got along really well. He thought the little girl was fun and interesting, and she was really nice too.

"I guess…" Zinnia was dressed up nicely for her birthday. Instead of her usual pigtails, she had her hair braided to her upper back, a few dragonfly pins nestled in the woven sections. Her dress for the party was mostly black with long yet loose sleeves that curled at her wrists, and a ruffled hem that fanned out around her calves. The upper collar area was white, and a small black bow around the neck finished off the garment. Her legs were donned with white stockings, and some short black boots covered her feet. Despite the summer weather, the castle itself was usually pretty drafty, so she often opted for longer sleeved outfits, and this was one of those times.

"Come on," Porter told her, extending his hand toward her and grinning as she took it. "Let's get to your party."

The little girl smiled brightly and nodded. "Okay!"

Zinnia opened her gifts after everyone had been served their lunch and, of course, cake. She received books, dolls, magical items, and just about anything else a magic child would enjoy.

Nana had dragged her big sister over to play with Brexley, Davina, and Sapphire, and soon, all the others had joined in. The babies, of course, were fast asleep in their mothers' arms, except for Alamea, who was sitting on Amber's lap and watching everything with her huge, curious, amber-colored eyes. While the kids were all playing together, the adults were sitting around chatting with each other.

"I don't think I've been around this many children in quite some time," Cedric admitted, looking around at all the little ones. "We're rather used to our two, and Prince Corban and Princess Alamea, of course, but…" He pinched a piece of beef from his plate of food before holding it up to Wormwood, who accepted the offering. When he felt a small nudge on his left side, where Nina was sitting, he smiled and did the same for her. Ravens…

"And they're all so adorable," Willow gushed. "I remember when Porter was Zinnia's age. He used to walk around in my coronation robe, and it would drag along behind him." She giggled.

"Issy has done that with my sorcerer robes," Dante admitted, grinning. "I had to promise I'd get her one for Wassailia this year. 'Pink with white sparkles,' she told me." He chuckled as Seraphina giggled and leaned against his arm.

Arabella sat quietly next to her sister and brother-in-law, listening to all the stories the parents or guardians were sharing. While she had no children of her own, she did enjoy spending time with her nieces and nephew, but it was fairly obvious that it wasn't the same…

"Here, hold him a moment," Greylock requested as he passed the sleeping Gareth over to Cedric, who blinked and awkwardly adjusted the little baby in his arms. "I'll be right back. Have to get another platter of food."

While the others were still talking, Cedric took some time to observe the sleeping baby in his arms. He had the same features as his friend, with the brown hair and the plush cheeks. And he was dressed in a little formal black and white onesie with matching gloves on his hands and booties on his feet.

Sofia smiled as she watched the sorcerer looking at the sleeping child. "You okay, Cedric?"

"Oh, yes. I was just thinking how…babies have the cutest outfits." He gestured toward the shoes. "And these little shoes. They're so tiny…"

Amber smirked. "He is a baby, Cedric… You've been around children before: Alamea, Corban, and even Calista when she was first born… Not to mention Nana and Tanya."

"Yes, of course, but…" He smiled as the little one stirred, opening his eyes and smacking his lips before staring up at his current watcher. "Oh, hello, little one. Did you have a nice nap?"

"He sleeps quite a bit, Ivy," Alessandra informed her daughter. "Don't you think you should try to get him to be more active?"

Ivy rolled her eyes. "Mother, he's not even a month old yet, not to mention was born much earlier than most babies. Let him sleep."

"Yeah, I was going to say," Gabriella spoke up. "I thought you were due in October."

"I was, but…" Ivy shrugged. "I'm not sure what happened. Complications, I guess. So this little guy had his birthday on the first of July."

"Aw, so it's his birthday too," Sofia gushed, gently brushing her finger over the baby's cheek, smiling when he turned his sleepy gaze toward her. "He's so sweet, Ivy…"

"You know he didn't get it from his father," Cedric teased as Greylock walked back into the main area, placing another platter of food down for the guests.

Some of the others snickered at the familiar banter between the old friends.

"I'm not sure what you're talking about, Cedric," Greylock remarked, smirking as he sat down beside Ivy. "I'm plenty sweet when I want to be. Oh, speaking of which…" He leaned forward, smiling mischievously toward the other sorcerer. "Something you're neglecting to tell us?"

Cedric frowned. "What do you mean?" He then happened to notice that Sofia had taken his hand that had been settled on Gareth's foot, her fingers entwined with his and her head resting on his shoulder. He blushed lightly, hating being the center of attention. "W-What exactly do you want to know, Greylock?"

"The same thing the rest of us do, I'm sure," Gabriella quipped, grinning as she saw the auburn-haired princess sit up, blushing a bit herself. "It's finally happened, hasn't it? You two are finally together?"

"Gabby," Sir Finlay chided, rolling his eyes.

"If it's true, that's wonderful," Seraphina added, smiling happily. "I've always admired your friendship, but to discover true love with someone you consider your best friend?" She scooted a little closer to her own royal sorcerer, sighing. "It's amazing, really…"

Cedric glanced toward Sofia, as if seeking her…permission? Approval? Assistance? He wasn't sure.

Sofia finally spoke up: "Yes, we're… We're courting now…"

"What?!" Miss Nettle gasped, then lowered her voice as she saw some of the babies, including Gareth and Finn, starting to stir a bit. "Oops, sorry. I mean… When did that happen?"

"Last month," Cedric told her honestly. "Although…" He smiled calmly at his partner, who returned the gesture. "I'm surprised it didn't happen sooner…"

"Yeah, like three years ago," Amber added, grinning as the newer couple shot them a disapproving stare. "I'm just saying… Sofia hasn't exactly been subtle about her feelings, and Cedric wasn't exactly denying her advances, especially recently…"

"Well, that's marvelous news, whoever you two are!" Dowager Queen Alessandra spoke. "So, when is the marriage? Any plans for any children?"

Sofia flushed darker before shaking her head. "W-We're not… We're not sure about marriage yet, but we do…" She pointed toward Nana and Tanya, who (like the other children) were playing a game without distraction. "We already have two daughters."

"Ooh, scandalous! Babies before marriage?" Willow snickered. "A princess and a royal sorcerer? That's rare."

"Not that rare," Dante remarked, gesturing to himself and his wife. "Sera and I have been married for a while now, and she's a princess while I'm a sorcerer."

"Not to mention your own sister," Gabriella pointed out. "Hello?"

"And they adopted those little girls when they were in a terrible situation," Greylock informed his sister-in-law, sounding far more serious when discussing Nana and Tanya. "It was an act of selflessness, greater than anything I've ever seen anyone do."

Cedric actually smiled at his friend, grateful for his interference.

"Oh," Willow murmured, sounding a little ashamed. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize."

"One thing you'll learn about Cedric and Sofia," Dexter began, smiling toward the duo, "is they will do anything they can to help others. The fact that they extended that to those little girls is not surprising. And the fact that they're finally together? Also not surprising."

Sofia laughed. "Thanks, Dex…"

"Well, so, you two have Nana and Tanya," Miss Nettle mentioned. "Any plans for any…biological children?"

"Yeah, little Cedfias running around the castle would be kind of adorable," Amber laughed, grinning at her sister, who offered her an embarrassed glance. "What? I heard someone else say it, and I liked it. Cedfia. It's kind of catchy."

Cedric sighed, smiling tiredly. "I…don't know, honestly… We've not even discussed those matters yet." He gently nudged Sofia, who glanced back at him. "Although, to me… A family with my sweet princess? That would be…ah-mazing…"

Sofia blushed lightly as he kissed her cheek. "Cedric…"

Arabella continued watching them, growing a bit despondent as she did. It wasn't that she wasn't happy for Cedric and Sofia finally admitting their feelings for each other. Heck, anyone could have seen that coming over the last few years… But she sometimes longed for that feeling again… She'd never really felt it since the incident with Liam all those years ago, and it just seemed…so unfair.

"Yeah, can you not be 'ah-mazing' while holding my child?" Greylock joked, moving over to scoop his little boy from Cedric's arms. "We don't want to traumatize him so young, do we?"

Cedric scoffed. "Funny, Greylock." He wrapped an arm around Sofia, finally pulling her into his embrace as he'd been longing to do, brushing his fingers through her hair as he did. Now that their secret was out… He wasn't about to retreat back into his shell when Sofia was concerned. He loved her, and he wanted to be able to express it, no matter who was around.

"Oh, so changing the subject," Miss Nettle said, gathering the attention of the others. "You may have noticed how colorful the island has gotten over a period of time. If you've never been here before, it used to be rather…well, gray-scaled, is a nice way of putting it." She side-eyed Ivy, who rolled her eyes. "Of course, with my Wake-Upsie-Daisies, I was able to incorporate some more color onto the island. But honestly, some new blooms have popped up all over the place, and they're not my doing at all. I think it may be the new resident…"

"New resident?" Sir Finlay inquired. "I thought those of you who lived in this castle were the only ones on the island.

"We were until recently," the fairy acknowledged. "A rugged man showed up on the other side of the island one day, looking a bit frazzled. He's pretty tall and looks like he has been in the sun a lot. I asked him who he was, and he told me he's a former rugby player who was stranded on another island for many years. He called himself Jess."

Cedric immediately froze upon hearing that name. "I'm sorry… J-Jess?"

Sofia blinked. Surely… She didn't mean…

"Yes, in fact…" She tapped her chin. "I wanted to actually invite him here for Zinnia's party. Poor boy looks like he could use some cake." She stood up, preparing to leave.

"C-Can we go with you?" the Enchancian sorcerer asked, pulling Sofia to her feet as the other adults had begun talking amongst themselves. Seeing the perplexed look on Miss Nettle's face, he shrugged. "We, um… Could use some fresh air?"

Sofia smiled, understanding his reasoning behind his query, and squeezed his hand in a comforting manner.

"Oh, sure, Cedric. Follow me."

Once they'd gotten outside the castle and started walking, the fairy turned to the partners. "All right, what's going on? You looked spooked when I mentioned Jess's name, Cedric."

He sighed. "It's a long story… But basically, a while ago, Sofia and I got stranded on an island in the middle of nowhere when we were on our way back to Enchancia. We were stuck for a while, and I sort of…"

Sofia offered, "He…wasn't quite himself. He carried a rugby ball everywhere, called it Jess—"

"Rugby ball?" The fairy hummed. "Interestingly enough, like I mentioned earlier, the Jess I know actually was a professional rugby player at one point. From what he told me, his team was traveling by ship to another kingdom—Dokken, I believe-to compete in a tournament, but the ship crashed during a storm. It washed up on one of the other islands of Nowhere (which was…what he called the island)."

"Oh, I remember seeing that when I was looking around the island where we got stranded," Sofia recalled, frowning. "I didn't realize that was…"

Cedric shook his head as they kept walking. "You had no idea, Sofia. It's not your fault."

"I know, but still…"

Miss Nettle continued, "He mentioned that his whole team died: some from injuries, some from infection or disease, and others from madness. After burying them, he essentially moved onto the island, only taking with him his clothes and the team's ball. He even made himself a shelter."

"You probably found that when you were…having your moment," Sofia told Cedric. "There were probably even signs of his name: maybe on a team jersey or some sort of carving on the wall of his shelter?"

"Perhaps," he agreed.

"And he said he tallied up the days on his wall," the fairy concluded. "Marking how long he'd been there, which was evidently a long time."

"And Cedric mentioned having been there for a lot longer than we were," the princess added. "So yeah, you probably confused Jess's stay with your own. But then again, you weren't exactly…at your best during that time."

He chuckled. "From what you've told me, that's putting it mildly."

Miss Nettle grinned. "Let's just say that old habits also die hard, because even here on Ivy's Island, he's made a hut for himself. In fact, he got here… Oh, I don't know. Probably about a few months ago… Though from what he's told me, he's travelled to other islands since Nowhere in the last two years."

"Yeah, two years was how long ago our own island experience was," Cedric informed her. "During one of our Magical Ambassador trips, when Sofia experienced the worst case of jealousy I've ever witnessed." He smirked toward his partner, who blushed darkly. "And was rather mean to a queen who was only being nice to me."

"She was flirting with you," the princess argued back. "And you weren't stopping her."

"Well, it's not like we were together yet, but in case you hadn't noticed, my love…" He shrugged, dropping her hand and wrapping an arm around her instead, pulling her closer and pressing a kiss to her temple. "I didn't reciprocate."

"And why was that, Cedric?" Miss Nettle intervened, enjoying this new bout of information.

He hummed. "Maybe I'd…already started having feelings…for someone else…"

Sofia blinked, looking at him bashfully. "You… You did?"

He nuzzled her cheek gently, whispering to her and even making her shiver as his lips grazed the shell of her ear, "I told you on the island, when you told me you were afraid I'd eventually want a different kind of partner, that I was perfectly happy with my current one."

She giggled softly, smiling. "Oh, Cedric…"

"Would you two like some alone time?" Miss Nettle smirked as they both stammered a bit before laughing shyly. "Hmm, perhaps when you get home, eh?"

"Anyway…" Cedric cleared his throat. "How much farther to this hut?"

"It's right there." She pointed ahead of them as they stopped just at the edge of a woody area.

There was, indeed, a small hut that was efficiently designed and even decorated with some seashell mobiles, which clattered together in the wind. And resting on the front porch, with a book in his hand, was a man.

The man, who appeared to be around Cedric's age, was tall and slim, though he did have some muscle to him. His shaggy dark blonde hair was a bit longer than James's, brushing against the top of his shoulders. His skin was a bronze color from often staying in the sun. On his face, he possessed a short beard and a little spattering of unshaven facial hair along his cheeks. His eyes were a light blue, similar to the reflection of the ocean. He was wearing rather simple clothing, which he'd likely gotten from Greylock or someone once he'd arrived a few months ago: a loose off-white top and khaki-colored pants, and simple sandals on his feet.

"Jess?"

Jess put his book down and grinned, standing up. "Ah, good afternoon, Miss Nettle," he greeted in his charming Scottish brogue, walking to the edge of his porch to approach the trio. "What brings ya here?"

"I wanted you to meet a few friends of mine." She gestured toward the other two. "Princess Sofia and Cedric the Royal Sorcerer of Enchancia. They were also stranded on your Nowhere Island a few years ago."

"Och, were ya? I don't remember seein' you two there…" He stroked his beard, humming. "Hmm, must have been after I'd left." He folded his arms. "I'd been stuck on that bloomin' island for twelve years… I think." He sighed. "I tried to keep track of it on the wall in my shelter, but I know I probably missed a few days when I got sick or overslept. It's not like it's hard to do on an island with absolutely no one else around…" He grinned at the duo. "And a princess and a sorcerer, huh? What were you two doin' on the island, if ya don't mind my askin'?"

"Well, she—" Cedric blinked when Sofia put a hand over his mouth.

"Our transportation crashed," she surmised, blocking her partner from saying what she knew he wanted to say. "It's a long story. But Miss Nettle said you played rugby?"

"Aye, I did." He chuckled as the girl dropped her hand, reaching down to take the sorcerer's hand instead in a mildly apologetic gesture. "Left my rugby ball behind though, I'm afraid. I'd actually drawn a cute little face on it with some stainin' fruits, just to pretend like I had someone to talk to. Even wrote my name on the bottom, for some odd reason. Didn't want the toucans swipin' it, I guess. Lousy rainbow-billed birds."

The other three continued listening as the man spoke.

"Anyway, one day, probably about two years ago, I decided I'd had enough and built a raft for myself, leavin' a lot of stuff behind, and then paddled as far as I could. I went to several other islands the last couple of years, but I landed here a few months ago and met Miss Nettle and her charmin' family, who agreed to let me take up residence on this side and fixed me up a new hut." He grinned proudly, patting the side of his hut. "And it's much sturdier than anything I built on that blasted Nowhere Island."

"I'm glad you got off the island, Jess," Sofia told him, smiling kindly toward him. "No one deserves to be stuck there… We couldn't use our magic or anything, and it was just…a horrible experience, honestly."

"Well, I don't know much about magic myself, but I'll definitely agree with the horrible experience part." He cleared his throat, resting his hands on his hips. "So, was there any specific reason you lot came here, or was it just to say hi?"

"Actually, Zinnia's birthday is today," Miss Nettle reminded him. "And we have cake…"

"Ah, cake, you say…" He nodded, turning and heading toward the door of his hut. "Let me change my shirt, and I'll be right there!" He hurried inside, the sound of a squeaky trunk opening and then slamming, before returning with a shirt that looked…almost the exact same, but with fewer wrinkles.

Cedric and Sofia exchanged amused glances as Miss Nettle rolled her eyes.

"All right, lead the way!"

When the quartet arrived at the castle again, the kids were still playing games, and the adults were still talking together. It was like nothing had really changed in the near hour they'd been gone. However, it was necessary to introduce the new guest, so as not to be rude.

"Everyone, this is Jess," Miss Nettle announced as the murmurs died down a bit. "He lives on the other side of Ivy's Island."

"Oh, Jess!" Greylock laughed. "I was wondering if you were going to show up. Let me get you some cake." He stood up and walked over to the dessert table.

"And you can sit next to Arabella," Ivy pointed out, nodding toward the dark-haired woman. "Since it seems most of the other seats have been taken…"

Arabella smiled nervously and hesitantly patted the empty seat next to her. "Please…by all means." She sighed as the man sat next to her. "Sorry you got stuck sitting next to the one loner at this party."

"Ah, you're a loner as well?" he asked somewhat cheerfully, grinning as Greylock handed him some cake. "Thanks!" As he settled in, he got a better look at Arabella and his grin slowly melted into a smile. "Why, you're a bonnie lass, aren't ya?"

"A what?" she asked, blinking at his strange choice of words.

"Er, um… It just means… Y-You're a b-beautiful…female." He wanted to take that last word back so badly, but it was out there now, just…hanging between them. 'Beautiful female. Ah, yes, the endearin' term that gets all the girls, Jess…' He mentally chided himself over and over for that ridiculous—

Arabella started laughing, causing Jess to relax a bit. "A beautiful female, huh? Well, thanks… What was your name again?" She couldn't help finding him rather handsome, even with the scruffy beard and looser clothing. In fact, it made him look a bit more approachable than any other guys she'd ever come across in the last several years.

"I'm Jess, short for Jesse… Which…isn't that much shorter, when ya think about it." He grinned as she snickered. "And your name was Arabella?" Seeing her nod, he looked as though he'd had a revelation. "Oh, like the apples, eh? And just as delicious, I'd wager." He paused, seeing her blush, and then he began blushing himself. "Oh, I d-do apologize, lass… That was a bit too…forward of me…" He turned a bit, popping some of the cake into his mouth to prevent him from saying anything else that might get him shamed…or slapped. Whichever came first.

She laughed. "Maybe you're just hungry. You're probably wasting away, given how thin you are." To emphasize her point, she reached out and playfully patted his flat abdomen, only to blush darkly when she felt how lean his physique was under that deceptive loose garment. "Wow…"

Jess couldn't help smiling sheepishly. "Was that a…good 'wow' or…?"

Arabella quickly pulled her hand away and brushed some of her hair behind her ear. "Um… So, Jess, tell me a bit about yourself."

While the party continued, it was clear that Arabella was feeling better, and most everyone noticed that she seemed to be enthralled by Jess's stories of his time on the other island. They were in their own little world, lost in conversation and recollections of the past.

"Looks like we have another potential couple in the making," Gabriella laughed as Sapphire and Davina hurried over to her, hugging her legs, while she held onto Finn. "Hey, girls. Are you ready to go?"

"We want to stay longer, actually," Sapphire explained maturely.

"Puh-lease?" Davina added, pouting. "We miss seeing Zinnia and Nana and—well, everybody!"

"We can't just invite ourselves to stay past our welcome, nugget," Sir Finlay reminded her, kneeling down to tap the little girl on her nose, causing her to giggle. "We mustn't be presumptuous."

"But Auntie Ari said she's going to stay a bit longer," Sapphire told her mother, who blinked before glancing at Arabella, clearly enamored by Jess and his conversation.

"Hmm, I'm not surprised…" She smiled, realizing that Arabella was probably finally getting the happy ending she deserved. "But it's clear that she's wanting to stay for a different reason."

"You're all invited to stay a bit longer if you want," Ivy told them.

"Yay!" Willow cheered before blinking as Miss Nettle grabbed her and her mother, shoving them toward the door. "Hey!"

"Except you two," she told them, opening the door. "I think you two have actually overstayed your welcome."

"Nana Nettle, no!" Zinnia called, hurrying over to the trio of women. "Let them stay."

Willow and Alessandra looked down at the girl, surprised that she'd actually spoken up for them.

"Are you sure, Zinnia?" Miss Nettle asked, hoping to sway her with her uncertainty. "They haven't been the nicest—"

"They're family," Zinnia insisted. "And they'll be nice. Because that's what family does, right? Be nice to each other?" She looked at the light-haired women expectantly.

Dowager Queen Alessandra sighed, nodding with a weak smile. "Yes, of course, Zinnia… We'll most definitely try to…be amicable with everyone."

"Just watch Porter," the little girl suggested. "He knows what being a family is all about." With that, she shut the door and began pushing the three women back toward the party. "Now, be good. Or you'll end up in time out." She hurried back over to play with the other children.

"Well…" Willow laughed. "From the mouths of babes…"

"Indeed. Zinnia has a good heart…" The fairy turned to the other older woman, glaring at her. "But so help me, if you say one more negative thing to Ivy, I'll vaporize you." Seeing the stunned look on the woman's face, she smiled pleasantly. "Enjoy your stay." With that, she fluttered off.

"She's scary," Willow muttered to her mother.

Alessandra nodded. "And this is the company Ivy keeps." She sighed, holding a hand to her head. "She's found a new path, it seems."

When the party finally ended and everyone was leaving, Arabella was getting ready to head out with her family, but she felt a hand grasp hers, holding her back. She turned, smiling as she saw the fair-haired man she'd connected with. "Jess?"

"Can I see you again?" he asked briskly, nervously. "Like…maybe in a few days? …Or hours?"

Sir Finlay chuckled. "I won't speak for my sister-in-law, but please try not to sound too desperate or overeager in your approach."

"Y-Yeah, right… Sorry." He laughed shyly as Arabella smiled and took his hand.

"I'd love to see you again," she told him. "How about tomorrow? Lunch?"

He nodded happily. "R-Right! Er… My hut or yours? Er, I mean…"

She smiled sweetly. "Why don't you come spend some time in Helvetica with us? Get off the island for a while?"

"Oh, I'd like that… I'd like that a lot!" He turned to Greylock, who blinked at him. "Will you keep an eye on my hut for me?"

"Um, sure, Jess," he laughed, knowing full well that wouldn't be happening.

"Great! I'll go pack!" He hurried out of the castle and back toward his hut.

Gabriella shook her head. "Ari, you sure about this?"

Arabella laughed as she heard a sharp yelp in the distance, a sign that Jess had tripped over his own feet in his excitement. It was kind of sweet how…genuine he was. "I'm sure… I think it's time I started over…and gave my heart another chance."

The end