Chapter Two

The castle's quiet atmosphere was eerie to Cedric. The boisterous children mixed with the hustle and bustle of the staff and their parents seemed to be missing.

He heard of the intruder from Baileywick's voice echoing through the walls of his workshop.

"I'll get the children to a safe location, your majesty."

The children.

The sorcerer didn't care about the twins but his heart pounded as he thought about Sofia and how scared she had to be.

Did she witness anything that would scar her for life? Cedric hoped she didn't, stopping by the throne room and froze.

There was the king who he worked for since their fathers' retirements lying dead next to his second wife while in the corner next to a blood splattered curtain laid Prince James.

Cedric walked towards the young boy and noticed the hazel eyes that were normally filled with infantile wonder had widened in horror.

He immediately closed his eyes, not wanting anyone else to see it.

If James, Roland, and Miranda were dead then where were Amber and Sofia? Did they make it out alive?

He didn't have to wonder for long, bumping into Amber. Seeing her with her tiara discarded was a frightening sight.

She looked up at him with bloodshot eyes, brushing off imaginary dust from her dress.

"Do you have a healing spell?" Amber asked.

Cedric nodded. Now wasn't the time to be snarky with someone who looked like they had been crying. "That depends. What's it for?"

"My cheek. I don't want Sofia to be reminded of me getting hurt during all this."

"I understand. How is she?"

"I don't know," Amber confessed. "She barricaded herself in her room after we got into a heated argument." She twirled a lock of her hair, clearing her throat. "Cedric about what happened a few months ago…"

"You still hate me for that, don't you?" Cedric scoffed. "Like your father?"

"No. I was wondering what you would've done with us once we were unfrozen? Surely you would've kept Sofia but what about the rest of us?"

"I never thought of that. Why do you ask?"

"When the intruder came here this morning, all I kept thinking was 'This is Cedric all over again' when it was just Mother, Daddy, James, and I in the throne room before Sofia showed up. Had you thawed us by dropping that stone, would you have killed us or banished us?" Amber questioned. "You could've done whatever you wanted to us and you chose my sister over power which I appreciate you doing even more now that she's the only family I have left."

Cedric was taken aback, smiling sadly at the young girl. "You're welcome Princess Amber."

"Cedric, if you could take back that day, would you?"

"Of course I would. I almost got exiled from the kingdom for the actions I displayed."

"Surely you wouldn't have been like King Magnus had you succeeded in taking over the kingdom would you?" Amber teased, a glint of infantile wonder in her eyes.

The sorcerer shook his head, amused by her question. "That man's a fool. How could a fool be king?" An unladylike giggle escaped from Amber's lips, having Cedric smile smugly. "Your mother, your birth mother, always laughed at that too."

He noticed Amber smiling. Actually smiling as another unladylike giggle escaped from her lips.

The life she once knew had been shattered so quickly that Cedric knew it was take some time before she was herself again.

If he could just keep her smiling and giggling like she was currently, Cedric knew Amber would appreciate it no matter what.

…

Sofia lost track of how long she'd been in her room.

When she first came in, Clover had been surprised by her appearance and startled by the blood on the side of her dress towards the hem of her skirt.

James' splattered blood from his slow and agonizing death was now dry, making Sofia shiver while she stood in her bloomers and undershirt wishing she could've done something.

Amber had made it to safety with Baileywick but she and James weren't so lucky. He helped her up after she tripped on her own two feet before spotting the curtain.

"Stay here until it's safe. When it is, we'll find Baileywick and Amber," James said, pushing her towards the curtain.

"I've faced worse people than this James!" Sofia protested. "I can help! I—"

"As your big brother, I won't allow you to be hurt. Please stay here until it's safe. Promise me you will."

"I promise."

She obeyed his orders, waiting until it was safe. How was she supposed to know they were steps away from the intruder?

She heard James cry out like a wounded animal while behind the curtain, reminding her of Clover getting caught in a snarl trap one time but while she had saved the blue ribbon bunny, she couldn't save her brother.

James' cries as agony filled her ears as Sofia came out from behind the curtain, kneeling down beside him.

"James, stay with me. I hear Amber's footsteps. She'll stay with you while I get Baileywick and Mr. Cedric. Please stay!" Sofia pleaded.

Glossy filled, James squeezed her hand. "Sof, I'm badly hurt." He took a rabid breath as Sofia bit her lip to keep from crying. "I'm afraid I can't stay. Not anymore."

"It's just the pain talking. We'll get you to a doctor. We'll…"

"I don't want to leave you or Amber but I…. I love you."

James laid limp in her arms as Sofia and Amber, who just witnessed the last moment of her twin's life, sobbed silently.

"Sofia? May I come in?"

Amber's voice came to Sofia who nodded softly as she placed a loose dress over her head.

Her bedroom door creaked as the older girl came inside, watching as her younger sister straightened the hem of her dress.

"I would like to apologize for earlier," Sofia muttered. "I didn't mean to abandon you like that."

"It's okay. I understand why you acted that way," Amber sighed. "I shouldn't have yelled at you."

"We're sisters. It's our job."

"I know. But after today, it's only going to get harder. It's just you and me. What are we gonna do?"

Sofia fiddled with the chain of her amulet, biting her lip. "I don't know." She looked over at her vanity and smiled softly. "I know it's not the appropriate time to do so but—"

"—no it's okay. Elena needs to know," Amber interrupted. "I'll leave you to write."

"No! I mean I'm not comfortable with being alone right now."

Amber nodded softly, following Sofia towards the vanity and watched as she sat down and held her purple feathered quill.

Leaning over her little sister's shoulder, she heard Sofia sniff and squeezed her hand.

"I miss them too," Amber muttered, stroking Sofia's hair. "It's going to be okay as long as we have each other."

The younger princess nodded, looking up at her older sister with a smile before returning to the paper in front of her.

Elena would know how to help them. Sofia knew she could.