The Legend of Greeneyes

Summary: The Enchancians are startled when Merlin pays a visit, warning them of a villain who's been causing tragedy and chaos in other realms. Seeking to understand more, Cedric and Sofia learn of the legendary Greeneyes, a mysterious figure whose primary aim is to cause personal devastation to any victim available.

Disclaimer: I own Artie and Greeneyes. Nana and Tanya belong to MarionetteJ2X. Everything else belongs to Craig Gerber.

A/N: I'm so happy that I'm finally getting to write this story. Sure, it's going to foreshadow some really dark things, but you'll finally get to meet one of my favorite OCs to create—Arturo "Artie" Nott. He is actually based on the YouTube personality Peter Monn, whom I adore. His personality will be similar to Peter's, though he does have a bit more of a serious side, considering his involvement in this story. And just to note, it's been a month since Cedric's and Sofia's wedding, so I just wanted to clarify that for reference. Meanwhile, enjoy the story, and also…brace yourselves. You're finally getting a firsthand look into this season's villain…

Fun fact: Greeneyes is a nominal reference to the character Green Eyes in the Johnny Depp movie The Ninth Gate.

*Story*

"Good morning," Cedric whispered as Sofia slowly blinked open her eyes, chuckling as she moaned in mild annoyance as a small stream of sunlight filtered through the slightly askew curtain above their bed. Their bed…

It had been over a month since they'd gotten married, and in a move that might have surprised a typical royal but certainly not their family or friends, Sofia had moved from her bedroom in the castle to Cedric's bed chambers instead. Sure, there was less room, but given their magical abilities to store things or create anything they needed, she hadn't had any qualms about moving. Besides, they were still technically in part of the castle, even if the tower was situated on its own small portion of the island. And as a result of her deciding to stay in Cedric's room, she'd officially given Nana and Tanya her old bedroom to share (which the girls just seemed to love). Of course, they'd replaced Sofia's canopy bed with a lovely hand-carved bunk bed, coated in shades of red, pink, purple, and black. And all their toys and new furniture now neatly lined the room, along with a brand-new wall of books and magical instruments. Sofia's former closet, now emptied of her own wardrobe, was now filled with both Nana's and Tanya's clothing, with each girl having her own side of the room.

So much had changed in the last month, but then again, a lot had changed in the last year—perhaps more than that. But things had certainly changed for the better, as far as everyone was concerned.

Cedric reached over to Sofia, curling some of her loose hair in his fingers as she yawned and snuggled closer to him, seeking warmth on that slightly chilly April morning. "Are you going to get up?"

"It's Saturday," the princess mumbled into his pajama top, her left hand sneaking up to tangle into his hair. She smiled sweetly at him as she gently ran her fingernails across his scalp, earning a soft sigh. "I'm not opposed to just…staying here all day."

"As much as I'd love that," he began, trying his hardest not to give in to her persuasive attention as he pulled his own hand away from her hair, "we do have some work to do…"

She giggled, kissing him ever so softly on the lips, before rolling him over to the middle of the bed, playfully pinning him there. "You're really using the 'work' excuse on me? Your wife?"

Cedric paused upon hearing her lilting tone. It was still so surreal to call his best friend his wife. Surreal, but very, very nice… He chuckled, reaching up and wrapping his arms around her, pulling her down into a warm hug. "I love you so much."

She sighed, smiling, as she returned the hug. "I love you too, Cedric…"

A few hours later, the couple was up and dressed, working side by side in the workshop as always, while the girls were playing a game of chess with Wormwood. He'd actually taught Nana to play, though it turned out Tanya was rather skilled already, possibly due to Victor teaching her in her previous existence. In fact, Wormwood and Nana were a team, while Tanya was on her own, and her strategizing methods unnerved even the collected raven sometimes.

Cedric gently nudged Sofia, nodding toward the other side of the room, where the little Strawbaby was leaning forward, her tongue sticking out one side of her mouth as she tried to concentrate on which piece she was going to move. "I know I usually jest that she takes after you," he began, "but with her focus on the game like that, she's starting to remind me a bit more of James. Let's hope she doesn't become as competitive."

"Well, don't curse us, Cedric." She laughed, passing him a small box. "Here. Chrysta sent us some pixie dust extract. I wasn't exactly sure where you stored that…"

"I…don't," he laughed. "Until now, I've never had—how do you even get extract of pixie dust anyway?" He shook his head, storing it next to the unicorn hair. "I'm not entirely sure what that's even supposed to mean…"

"Are fairy dust and pixie dust the same?" Sofia wondered, folding her arms and leaning against his desk. "I've always been curious about that."

"I'm almost certain they can be used interchangeably, but I'm sure there are 'scholars' who would argue against me on that one, so I'll be perfectly honest and say I'm honestly not sure." He blinked as he heard a knock at the door. "Come in."

Violet opened the door, smiling at the tower dwellers. "Good mornin', everyone. Mr. Cedric, you have a few visitors. I asked 'em to stay at the bottom of the tower until I spoke with you. Would you mind if they were to come visit with you?"

He frowned. Visitors? On a Saturday? Unannounced? "Er, sure, Violet. Send them up." He watched her nod and leave before glancing toward Sofia, who seemed just as confused as he did. "I take it this wasn't your doing."

She shook her head. "I didn't know you were getting any visitors…" She then smiled playfully at him, propping herself onto the desk as he walked over to her, standing in front of her. "Besides, I've kind of been with you every single day…and night…"

Wormwood made a loud, purposeful sound of disgust, causing the couple to snicker and the girls to giggle (silently for Nana, of course). "Must you?"

"Do we make you uncomfortable, Wormwood?" Sofia teased as she grabbed Cedric's bow and pulled him closer, ghosting her lips over his.

"Princess, you've both been making me uncomfortable since long before you got married…" He rolled his eyes. "From the annoyingly cute interactions to the shy ones to the—would you stop that?!" To his dismay, they'd clearly been ignoring him and were rather enjoying themselves now, completely immersed in their own little world and each other's embrace.

Sofia giggled as she broke her kiss with Cedric, smirking at the bird. "We're married now. Couples kiss."

The raven scoffed. "That was more than a kiss. Blah… Could you save it for the privacy of your bedchambers and not subject your children, or me, to such a revolting display of affection?"

"I think it is sweet," Tanya finally spoke, grinning as Wormwood glared at her. "They are married, Wormwood. They have been through so much to be together. Let them be in love. Besides, you and Nina have shown romantic feelings, and now have the little baby ravens as a result, so I am not exactly sure that you have room to speak."

Wormwood would have blushed if he'd had the ability. That's right... About a week ago, his and Nina's eggs had hatched: three tiny ravens, two girls and a boy, the girls looking a lot like their mother while the boy was the carbon copy of his father. In a very sentimental twist no one had seen coming, the raven couple had named their offspring after the two long-passed bird friends Sofia was once close to (Mia and Robin), and their own stylized names were Mya and Robyn. The boy raven was named Klover, after, of course, Clover himself. The bunny had about fainted when he'd heard the news, but after collecting himself, he'd told his sometimes-friend/sometimes-enemy, "Thanks, man. That means a lot." And it had. The new father bird cleared his throat and brushed his feathers out. "Y-Yes, well... That's neither here nor there."

Cedric smirked at his familiar and then smiled fondly at his daughter's wise words before hearing a soft knock at the panel near the door entrance. He blinked. "Merlin? What are you doing here?"

"Apologies for the unannounced arrival," the wizard responded, beckoning someone behind him forward. He walked into the tower with another man before shutting the door behind them. "First of all, before we begin, Princess Sofia, Cedric, girls…" He nodded with a smile toward Tanya and Nana, who smiled back at him. "This is an old friend of mine, Arturo Nott. Or Artie."

Artie looked to be a few years younger than Merlin, and he was definitely in better shape. He was slender yet mildly muscular as well. His short silver hair swooped into a messy fringe around his eyes, and the rest just barely brushed his collar. His mustache and short beard were of the same color, both neatly trimmed. His eyes were a stunning light blue, so pale that they almost looked clear. He wore an outfit that indicated his connection to a more mountainous region. To start, he wore a navy turtleneck with long gray sleeves as his underlayer. Above that, he wore what appeared to be a black sleeveless jumpsuit, tied with a gold sash around the belt area. Over that, he wore a calf-length plum sleeveless robe, loosely tied with a thick navy ribbon. His black boots with silver bands near the top stopped somewhere below his knees. And lastly, in his right hand, he held tightly to a twisted brass scepter with a circular topper, which encased a smooth sapphire orb.

"Nice to meet you, Artie," Sofia greeted, smiling kindly. "What brings you guys here?"

"Lots, unfortunately," Artie laughed nervously, his voice a bit higher than Merlin's. He had a sense of mirth about him, though it was clear he was anxious right now and attempting to be a little more serious. "Um, I don't even know where to start, Merlin…"

Merlin nodded before glancing toward the girls. "Perhaps we should speak in private for a bit?"

"Anything you can say to our parents, you can say to us," Tanya told the old man kindly yet firmly. "We have been through everything together, including the worst battles one can imagine. Nothing you have to say will surprise us anymore."

"As much as I hate to admit it, Tanya's right," Cedric acknowledged. "If it's as serious as it seems, it may actually be best to have the girls in on…whatever is going on."

Merlin sighed and stroked his beard before shrugging in acceptance. "Very well." He gestured toward Artie. "Artie came to me a few days ago, warning me of a very dark disturbance creeping ever closer to Enchancia. You may have felt it…in one way or another?"

Sofia frowned, a chill running down her spine as she recalled some uninvited dreams that she'd had last year, and several nights since then. That feeling of emptiness, desperation, fear, and doom that crept over her like icy water over a sinking ship, threatening to drown her in misery and anguish. The agonizing pain of loss… Despite their experiences and all the danger that they'd faced so far, nothing and no one was lost. Everyone was all right. Everything was in place. …Right?

"Sofia," Cedric murmured, taking her hand and gently stroking his thumb along her knuckles, waking her from her trance. "Are you all right?"

"O-Oh, y-yeah…" She nodded, glancing at the other men. "Sorry, guys. I just…" She laughed sheepishly. "I guess I sort of zoned out there for a minute. Um… What were you saying about…a dark disturbance?"

"That's where Artie comes in," Merlin explained. "He's something of a reluctant expert in a specific dark entity, and he thinks she may be preparing to strike."

"She?" Tanya wondered, frowning curiously. "Who is she?"

"Greeneyes," Artie answered, seeing that he had everyone's attention. "She's an apparently invincible being, responsible for much devastation throughout the realms. She's cloaked in darkness, and her distinguishable green eyes are how she got her nickname. No one knows her real name, if she even has one."

"I actually ran into her many years ago myself," Merlin admitted. "I…won't divulge much about my experience with her, as there are children present, but…" He eyed the couple before him seriously. "Suffice it to say that her 'methods' are not only illegal but also extremely unethical and even soul-crushing. I honestly fear for the safety of any who come across her. She's ruthless."

"She's a villain," Cedric surmised, shrugging. "We've dealt with many before, Merlin. I fail to see what's so terrible about her."

"How much do you value your children, Cedric?" The wizard watched his friend deflate a bit, seeming nervous now. "She can smite someone without even opening her mouth, especially someone as helpless as a child. And while she uses and values magic, it's not the only thing she values. There's a reason the wicked sacrifice: to gain favor, power, status…"

Artie added, "I saw Greeneyes murder an entire village with a snap of her fingers. It was so quiet…" He shivered a bit, gripping the scepter. As if remembering he had it, he held it up. "This scepter has the ability to detect when Greeneyes is near, but unfortunately, I can't use it to destroy her." He watched as the orb pulsed weakly, as if it were a humming heartbeat. "If she weren't nearby, the orb wouldn't pulse at all. She's coming… Sooner or later, she's going to make her way to whatever destination she has, and she will overcome any who stand in her way. With that, respectfully, I must warn you both: be careful, be diligent, and be aware of everything around you. I sense that you are in grave danger…"

"Why us?" Sofia asked with a heavy sigh, leaning into Cedric's embrace. "Not that I'd wish danger on someone else, but we just can't get a break…"

Merlin smiled apologetically. "I know, Princess Sofia… It certainly does seem that way… But Artie said Greeneyes very well may be on her way to Enchancia, given how powerful its inhabitants are. She's probably well aware of your brushes with death and other evil beings."

"So, she wants a piece of us," Wormwood suggested, rolling his eyes. He flew up to Cedric's shoulder, frowning in annoyance. "I can respect the art of 'villainy' as a whole, but there comes a time when enough is enough. Cedric and Sofia barely sleep—no, they barely catch their breath before they're told of another enemy."

"Well, they are evil, so…" Artie actually grinned, shrugging. "I…don't know what else to say. Just that…you really need to be careful and stay alert. I'll be out of the country for a while after next week, but I couldn't leave without at least making you aware of the situation."

"Thanks, Artie," Sofia told him, smiling, despite the circumstances. "We'll… We'll be okay. We always are. And we promise to be careful."

Nana watched Sofia carefully as the adults continued talking. She could tell her mother was perplexed, worried, and…lost? Maybe she was scared. Yeah, that was probably it. They'd just heard about a new evil woman who might be on the way to cause more trouble. Who wouldn't be scared? She pushed up from the floor with a small grunt before running over to the princess, hugging her around her legs.

Sofia glanced down and smiled at the little girl before picking her up, holding her closely. "Nana… My sweet Nana…"

With all the effort she could muster, little Nana poured her love and care into the hug that she returned. If only hugs could stop the evil in the world… If only…

"You have barely said anything since Merlin and Artie came today," Cedric told Sofia softly later that evening as she sat with her back to him, her knees drawn up to her chin, while he slowly and gently braided her hair for bed. "You're worried."

She sighed, the uneasy feeling she'd experienced earlier that day still lingering. "Yeah."

"Sofia, you said it yourself: we only need to be careful and pay attention to what's going on. We have our magic to protect us, and—"

"What if magic's not enough, Cedric?" she asked quietly, her voice laced with a fear he'd never heard from her before. "I love magic, and it's done some wonderful things, but it can't do everything…" She lowered her forehead to her knees as she felt his fingers brush her back while continuing to braid her hair. "What if it's not enough to protect us? Save us? W-We'll be…"

Cedric tied a ribbon around the end of her hair before maneuvering to sit in front of her, reaching out, and gently lifting her head up so he could smile lovingly at her. "What is it you've always told me? We can do anything… Just have some faith. We just need to stick together, and nothing will come between us." His smile fell as he noticed her glancing away from him. He lowered his hand, sighing. "What aren't you telling me?"

"Do you…remember that dream I had last year? That nightmare, actually…" She glanced back at him, seeing him nod. "…That wasn't the only time I had it… I've had that same bad dream at least a few times a month since. Last week, I had the same dream every night…"

"Sofia, why didn't you tell me?" He reached down, taking her hands. "I know how much it upset you the first time, so surely—"

"I didn't want to upset you," she admitted, feeling a little emotional at the notion. It was silly to keep things like that secret, of course, but there was something almost intrusive about those dreams. They made her uncomfortable, distressed, and even ashamed… And she wasn't sure why.

"Oh, my love… Never feel that way. We promised no more secrets a long time ago, and I… Well, perhaps bad dreams aren't exactly 'secrets,' but…don't be afraid to tell me. I only want to protect you and make you happy."

Sofia smiled softly at him, sighing. "You do protect me, Cedric, and you've always made me happy… I just…" She shrugged. "I don't know… I don't know how to explain what I'm feeling. I know they're right, though… I can feel the danger coming too, and I don't know how to stop it."

"We'll figure it out, I promise. In the meantime, let's get some rest, and forget about it until our minds are clearer." He released her hands before moving back to his usual spot on the bed, sliding under the covers. He yawned once before smiling as Sofia crawled next to him, moving under the covers as well, before resting her head on his chest and wrapping her arms around him. "No more worrying tonight. It does no good."

She drew little patterns on his shirt with her finger before murmuring, "You know what might do some good?" She turned her head, leaning forward and kissing him softly. She used her hands to push herself up, hovering over him as her amulet dangled between them, glowing softly, like it did sometimes during these moments (though they were unsure why). "Love me, Cedric…" She leaned down, kissing him again, giggling happily as he hugged her to himself before turning her over, pressing his forehead to hers, his lips brushing hers as he spoke...

"As you wish, my princess…"

The end