[AN: Just a reminder, this is rated T for a reason. Some somewhat graphic things will be happening, including in this chapter. Younger viewers have been warned. Others, well, enjoy!]
Sofia slept well, the windows were left open to let in the cool night time air and she could smell the grasses and wild flowers just outside. She could also hear the frogs ribbiting and dogs barking. To her it was a soothing melody. However when she awoke, though she smelled the sweet scent of cinnamon from the confectioners in the market she felt this sense of dread. Something was wrong but she didn't know what. When she lifted her head from the pillow, she realized something awful. She touched her chest hurriedly and her neck. When she felt nothing there and just in case looked under her pillow and saw nothing as well, she let out a little scream. It wasn't too loud but it did awake her two female companions, both of which were light sleepers because they always had to be on alert. Elena rose with a start, also having felt even before that scream that something was not right. Her connection with the amulet was severed but she could sometimes still feel its presence. Right now she felt a lack of that, the power it held was no longer within that room but she couldn't identify where it might be.
"What's wrong?" Isabel asked, rubbing her eyes and yawning. "bad dream?"
"My amulet is missing! I never ever ever take it off, not even to go to bed."
"Ay dios mio! I knew it! I could feel something was wrong! Ohh...this is muy malo."
"You sure it didn't just fall off or something?" Isabel sleepily inquired, not awake enough to process the importance of the matter.
"I'm positive. I've flown on dragons and had it tugged on hard by a weasel. It never came off then. It has to be...taken off...oh...oh no!"
Sofia lept up from her bed and hurriedly got dressed, one of her shoes almost fell off as she ran down the hallway. She called Cedric's name loudly down the hall stirring the man up. He was used to waking up early and sometimes getting his sleep disturbed by people but this sounded like an emergency. She sounded in panic. He barely took note of anything as he dressed himself and answered the door, finding her there already somewhat out of breath. It didn't even take long for him to notice, even in his semi-groggy state, the thing that was missing. How could he not? Years of lingering on it alone would have shown him that but without it, Sofia looked somehow not herself at all. She was known not to take it off, the last time she did something terrible befell the kingdom, and it was not a flimsy piece of jewelry, it didn't just pop off of her.
"Y-y-your amulet... it's gone!"
"I know that's why I'm here!" For a moment he feared she might think he took it, which he absolutely did not and would not. He would rather cut off his own hand than even touch the thing again. It was hers and hers alone and he would not betray her. She realized that's how it looked so she quickly added, "Where is Francois?"
Cedric was about to say he was right there in the bed but when he turned around the bed was empty. He stared at it with burning eyes, putting two and two together quickly. He knew it! He just knew that he wasn't to be trusted! He snarled a little but calmed somewhat when Sofia tugged on his sleeve.
"He's not there...is he?"
"No...I'm sorry Sofia, I should have kept better watch on him. I didn't trust him the moment I set eyes on him and I let this happen under my supervision."
"It's okay, Mr. Cedric. You obviously tried your best but right now what's important is we try to see if he's still here. If he's not then...I don't know what to do..."
"I could try tracking him, all I need is a hair of his."
"That's great. If all else fails we'll do that. Come on, let's get everyone up and look for him."
Sofia was running back to the room to get Elena and Isabel but both girls were running towards her with dread all on their faces. Sofia knew it must not just be because of her amulet something else must be wrong.
"What's wrong Elena?"
"Sofia, I was getting ready and I realized that something of mine is missing too. My staff, I usually prop it in the corner of the room as close to me as I can or put it on a little holding place on a desk. I never let it leave my sight, it's muy importante!"
"He must have taken that too...but why...? Isn't my amulet enough?"
"Who knows? It doesn't matter. We have to get it back or all of my city, my people, and yours too, they will all be in danger."
Sofia had assured herself no one besides someone with good intent could use her amulet but she didn't know the rules of Elena's staff or what Francois goal even was with both of them. All that mattered was finding him, at least they hoped to find him. At first, they thought to split up but in case one of them should find him they shouldn't be alone. So they stayed together. Cedric had made sure beforehand that he had his wand and Sofia saw that she had hers. So at least they had magic on their side if nothing else but he knew they both had wands. Why didn't he take them? They were going to the throne room to alert the guards and also make sure her grandparents were okay when they saw someone on the throne who didn't belong. It was Francois, polishing the gem that adorned the staff. He looked casual, as if he belonged there. His eyes sharply shifted from staring fixedly at the sparkling adornment to the people before him. His smile now was all lips but no less sinister. He was laying across the throne with his feet and legs hanging off the side of the arm rest, looking bored at the group.
"Ah hello again, princess. Sleep well did you? Must have because you didn't even feel me take off your dear amulet."
"Give it and Elena's staff back, Francois. Now," Sofia demanded, raising her wand to him. He laughed at her.
"You think I'm scared of your pathetic little stick? Don't you realize what this staff alone could do never mind the amulet but that's not why I wanted them. I told you, I'm a collector of gems of all sorts and none were as rare as the three jewels of Avalor. Well I can't have one of them, thanks to Elena but two out of three isn't bad."
"So that's it? You just wanted another piece of jewelry for your collection?!" Elena yelled, outraged by all of this. He snickered this time, shaking his head.
"Well yes and no. I can't use the amulet so it will make a nice decoration but I can use your staff and with it I will release the rightful queen of Avalor- Shuriki."
Elena's eyes widened hearing that name again and so did her sister's and Sofia's. That woman had taken over and tried to take over Avalor one too many times. Elena thought she had gotten rid of her for good last time but apparently not if she could still be released from the spirit realm. The powers of her staff were mighty enough to do so and if Shuriki got a hold of it she could corrupt it, use it to reign over the kingdom as she had done before. No one wanted to think of what she might do to the people, to them, if she got out. Elena would not let that happen again, this was her city, her land, her people, her throne, she would not let them fall into the wrong hands. Fearlessly she stepped forward, preparing to take him on, joined by her side by those around her. She didn't have much to fight back with but they would fight until they could not. She wished her sister didn't have to be here, that she could go somewhere and hide or go get help but it was too late. They were all there together. Cedric and Sofia had their wands at the ready. Sofia didn't know as many spells as she would like to attack people but she could defend herself from dark magic. She hoped it was enough.
"What I don't get is how you know her and why you would want to let her free."
"Oh well like you Elena, I am much older than I appear. I'm also not a prince, I'm not even from Voumani. If that silly Amber did any research, she'd realized that Voumani had no royalty, they are a free people. No that was a lie I fabricated. I'm actually from here, yes right here in Avalor. My name is Fadile and Shuriki was and remains to be my aunt."
"But...she doesn't have a brother or sister..."
"That's where you are wrong. She had a brother but they never spoke, he was on the side for good and when he heard of her rule he left, never returning. He passed on before he got to see the rule of Elena once more. My mother had wanted to come back, that was her home, and like her or not Shuriki was her family. So when we came back at last and saw that she no longer ruled we sought her out. She at first wanted nothing to do with either of us but when I showed potential, she taught me her ways. She was more a mother to me than the one I called my own, and she took me in like a son. My mother grew envious of our bond and of the power she was not willing to share, so when Shuriki saw she might betray her she had to send her away-permanently."
"You mean she..." Sofia gasped in horror, eyes round and hands on her mouth.
"Yes and I don't regret it."
"You monster! How could you say that about tu madre!" Elena bellowed, beside herself with rage. She had lost her mother and father to this person's aunt, watched them perish before her eyes, and then was locked away in an amulet for so many years. It was a nightmare. Here he stood having his own parent destroyed and he felt nothing. "You cold, ruthless, animal! She was your familia!"
"And so was Shuriki. She was the only one who truly cared about me and she promised to make me a prince when she got the crown. I stayed behind during most of her schemes, waiting, practicing, stealing, serving her. Then you took her away from me and for that I will never forgive you, any of you. Now I will finish what she started, beginning with you, Sofia. If not for your snooping then Elena might have stayed in the amulet for good."
Cedric stepped in front of Sofia protectively, wand still raised and eyes full of fire. He would not stand for anyone hurting her. He already had previously not liked him at all but now he loathed him and if he must summon that spell, the spell that would taint him forever, then he would. If he had no choice, he would end his life without the wand. Now the so called prince was interested, moving in the throne so he was properly sitting.
"Do you wish to die so early, Cedric? I know all about you, what you've done in the past, and I know you have untapped power behind that wand. You could call all the forces of evil with one flick if you tried. The very elements of the earth could be molded by your might but you chose to waste that on protecting her. Think of what we could be together, all our forces combined could take over ten kingdoms."
"I'd rather end my own life than turn my back on my princess or my kingdom," He admitted with honesty, wand tip glowing a hot red color.
"Suit yourself," Fadile shrugged off, raising the staff of light now equipped with a shard of the staff of night. As to where he got it, when he got it, and all other questions in-between nobody knew. The crystal on top glowed a strange color between black, dark purple, and teal. They both announced a spell at the same time, beams of light shooting off at each other creating a giant dust cloud. Sofia was knocked back by the sheer magnitude of the force of those spells combining. Elena was coughing as she searched in the cloud for her sister and Sofia. Her ears were ringing and she could scarcely hear her own voice. Isabel was searching for her too, covering her nose and mouth as she looked for a streak of red within the dark cloud. The sound of thunder echoed around everyone, loud crashing thunder and bolts of lightning struck the ground. Sofia shrieked as one came close to her.
She had no idea what was going on, if Cedric was okay, if Fadile had been captured or worse. She had never seen this happen before and assumed it must be the result of two forces of magic crashing into each other. She did not know if Cedric used a simple binding spell, freezing spell, stop spell, or otherwise but she wagered no. He had most likely summoned his most powerful, aggressive, and darkest spell he could muster. She did not like him using such magic, the kind that could harm someone like that, but in this scenario, she knew he had no choice. She could not see in front of her but tried to use the lightning as a light source. Whenever it struck, she peered into the cloud, hoping it might illuminate a figure. Elena was found, hurdled up with Isabel, having found her at last. She was covering her head protectively against her chest. Sofia scurried to them as fast as she could.
The cloud was starting to thin but Sofia had no time to look around for anyone, she had to get to them. If she had looked, she would have seen that both men were still alive, battling it out wand and scepter burning hot with the spells they cast. Cedric was concentrated on his task, so concentrated that he almost missed the little nudge to the left the scepter went. He didn't know what spell he would utter but he could see now who it was aimed at. It was no longer pointed at him, it was now pointed at the running Sofia. He had no time to think, he only knew what he must do. He would let no harm come to his dearest princess. So he sprinted as fast as he could over to her, leaping towards her and grabbing her tightly to his chest, his back baring the full front of whatever spell was fired.
It was like slow motion for Sofia. That light like a flash almost blurring her vision and the warm body of Cedric hovering over her, holding her to him as if his life depended on it. Then the look on his face, pure shock and agony displayed everywhere she could see as he was struck. Then there was something hot dripping on her, hot, thick and smelled strangely of vinegar. She had been clinging onto his robes like a buoy in the sea and she realized now what that liquid was dripping down her arms and onto her dress. Her hands looked like she had dipped them into red paint. Red was everywhere in droplets and in little splatters. Her voice caught in her throat in a shrill cry realizing with full force what had happened to him. Tears ran down her face and yet as they did not a sound seemed to come from her that made any sense. Just off beat breathing patterns, high and short, choking sounds and squeaks. His body plopped down upon hers like he couldn't hold up his own weight anymore.
The pure horror of it all was displayed in front of Elena who shielded it from Isabel. She was too young to see such travesties. She felt then there was no hope for them unless they ran and got someone and even then, who knew what he would do? She couldn't leave her sister and she didn't want her sister to leave her and Sofia...she was in no state to be told anything. She was in hysterics. What could they do besides hope for a miracle? Sofia held him tightly to her, trying so hard to find a pulse but her hands were shaking violently. She couldn't breathe, she couldn't see. All she could feel was the heat of him leaving, dripping down in red rivers upon her. Her Cedric, he was gone. He had given his life for her and this time there was no going back. He would not live to smile at her again or laugh or make remarks or play with her. She would no longer hear his accent or see his passion flare up in his eyes or watch his magic. It was all over. While sobbing, overcome with more grief than she had ever felt, she buried her face into his neck and then stopped, feeling something on her ear. It was light breathing. Then she felt him move ever so slightly.
"Please don't cry anymore princess. It breaks my heart to hear you cry."
She didn't know what she was supposed to feel or do. She stood there frozen, unsure if this was his last dying breath or if he was somehow, some way, okay. She didn't move an inch, just held him to her, not wanting to ever let him go. Despite what he said she could not stop the torrents of tears that poured from her eyes.
"I'm so sorry you had to see all this, Sofia...you should have never had to bear witness to this."
"A...are...y..y..y..you...?"
He lifted himself up a bit from her, just looking into her eyes and nowhere else. He could not stand to look at anything else, not her face, not her skin, not her dress or her hands or even her mouth. All had some little droplet of red on it and it made him ill to know his sweet little princess had to suffer something so horrid, had to endure such a thing as this, had to sit there lying underneath the barely breathing form of someone she cherished. She had already lost her father and almost lost him more than twice yet each time he was unscathed, nothing so bad as this. He could not stomach the way she looked right now. It was something he wished he could erase from his memory, it hurt more than seeing that face she made when he betrayed her, when he denied their friendship. He knew he would be scarred for life, literally and mentally, because of this and so would she. They'd have nightmares for a long time to come and no matter what he did he could not erase the alarming face she was making, those tears mixing in with the red to make streaks of pink on her, the sounds of her crying in his ear. He did not wish himself dead but he had felt like he had died just hearing that alone.
"Oh you're still alive I see," Fadile commented, still twirling the staff in his hands, picking which one to do away with first Isabel or Elena. It appeared he'd have to handle this magician before anyone. "You're tenacious."
"You're damned right I am," Cedric affirmed, standing up as much as possible, Sofia helped him letting him lean on her a bit. "and for torturing my princess in such a manner you deserve no less than what you almost gave me!"
"Let's not start this again, it will just end the same way."
"Oh no not this time. This time...I will kill you."
Sofia had never heard Cedric's voice so full of venom like that but of course she had never been around him when he was alone and before he was truly turned for the side of good. It would have easily frightened her if it was not directed toward someone like that. Cedric asked, more like begged her, to close her eyes. He did not wish her to see more death. It was unnecessary for a princess, especially this one, to see so much so soon. She did as he said, putting her hands over her eyes but she still wanted to look, in case he could not accomplish this. He was still not well. She believed in him though. He could do this. Elena did the same for Isabel and closed her own eyes. As much as she disdained this vile, wicked, deceitful man she did not want to witness another death in her castle. With all eyes shielded Cedric could properly produce his spell and he would make sure he would not miss.
A crimson light engulfed the palace visible even to those who were just outside the castle. All the guards were notified with all the noise and rushed towards the throne room, Mateo, Esteban and anyone else in the vicinity also rushed forward. A metallic sounding thud was heard and a little tinkling sound like something small was dropped too. There was a smell of something burning, ash, and electricity. It wasn't pleasant especially when mixed with the overwhelming smell of blood. Cedric stood there for a moment contemplating what he had just done. The tip of his wand was smoking, a little black fog was curling out of it almost shaped like a skull. He felt his arm and fingertips almost were numb from the heat it produced but the numerous amounts of pain he felt scorching in him was nothing compared to the pain he felt knowing what she had just gone through. He would give up anything to turn back time and have that erased from his head.
He had done the one spell no wizard should do but some just had to. Mostly very malicious types would come to this but very very rarely did a benevolent type do this spell. He knew there was most likely another way around this but he had been livid and trapping him would not have been enough. Always these villains got out again. He could not let someone who had forced his Sofia to see something so heinous live. Sometimes, just sometimes, this spell was the only option but regardless of intent the result was always the same. He was marked for it; all magic users would know even without seeing the mark what he had done. No royal sorcerer had ever carried this mark, none that he knew anyhow. He'd be ashamed of himself if the scoundrel didn't deserve it and worse. He had heard the worse it was the more obvious the marking which usually meant somewhere on the face or hands but he didn't feel it there or see it there. He didn't care where it was, really. It had to be done.
He blew off his wand, morosely staring at the little skull in the fog fading away. He sheathed it, breathed then asked them to open their eyes. He dare not turn around. He still could not bear to see her, her lovely face, her pretty clothes, her lightly tanned skin...all covered, all doused, all painted, all colored with that awful disturbing hue. Sofia opened them and saw her amulet lying on the floor along with Elena's staff. She did not know where the wearer of those objects was but she didn't care. He was gone that's all that mattered. She felt the stiffness of the blood drying on her and her dress was soaking it in but she still hiked it up properly and went to fetch her amulet. She placed it back on her person, feeling a weight go off her shoulders. Everything was as it should be...for the most part. Cedric was not looking at her at all, he was grimacing and turning away as much as he could. She wanted to hug him, hold him, love all over him, let him know how happy she was he was alright, and that she was so thankful but he put up his hand.
"Please...don't touch me...not...while you look like that."
Sofia understood. He was not being cruel to her, he was clearly distraught about everything that had happened and so was she, which is why she wanted to hold him. It would have to wait. The guards came rushing in and saw what was before them. The Enchancian princess was splattered with blood, their own princess was still holding to her sister, covering her eyes, the royal staff was on the ground, and the sorcerer stood there looking solemn as the grave. Elena explained everything to them as much as she could as fast as she could because she wanted Sofia clean and Cedric tended to. Both were taken care of immediately. Sofia's dress was forever stained, it could no longer be worn they said but thanks to her knowledge she learned in class she could turn it a different color at least. It would no longer be lilac but buttercup yellow.
She put on her semi-new dress and was given a once over to make sure she had suffered no injury. She just had a minor cut on her nose and a scrape on her elbow, knee, and cheek, nothing a bandage didn't fix. She was pointed in the direction of the infirmary where Cedric lay. She found him there lying on a small rectangular white bed with bandages going from his fingertips all the way to half of his chest and a little of his ribs. He was lucky, if the beam from that spell shot any closer it would have hit his heart, stopping it instantly with the shock. Thanks to his height and quick thinking, both he and Sofia were spared. She had come in just when he was putting his shirt back on and she pretended like she just arrived when it was finally on. She had not meant to stumble in and see his bare chest but she did and if not for the terrifying ordeal she went through she might be more flustered.
He was able to now look at her while he tied his tie, smiling sadly at her but no less warmly. He got up to put on his vest and she stood there in front of him, moving his hands away to button up his buttons and retie his tie better. He just watched her work with her little nimble fingers, wanting to be helpful to him in some way or another. He stopped her hands when she got to his tie. She released her hands and wrapped them around him but not too tight for fear of injuring him. He ran his unbandaged hand through her hair trying to soothe her, rocking her gently in his arms.
"There there now, love, it's alright. I'm okay."
"I know...but you really could have...died...and I'd be lost without you...I really would. Please don't scare me like that again."
"My dear, you have to realize that I would do it all over again if it meant saving you."
"No I can't have you dying on me! Please promise me you won't do it again!"
"Sofia...if I lost you...I'd be dead anyhow. You can't make me promise not to protect you."
"But what if next time you don't make it...what if you-?"
He put his finger to her lips then gently went upwards to caress her nose and cheek where he could see some light damage done. Even the small cuts made him ache with sorrow. "I'm here now, Sofia, and as long as I can as much as I can I will always be here for you. Always and forever, eternally your faithful sorcerer."
"...Mr. Cedric...I...thank you...thank you so much."
Sofia stood just a bit higher and planted a soft kiss right on his cheek then turned her head hearing her name being called by Elena in the hallway. She excused herself and went away leaving him there. He touched his cheek and felt his heart melt for her, sighing gently as he recalled that feeling. He dressed himself fully, putting on his freshly washed and dried robe, then headed out the door feeling chipper and peppy. He wasn't bothering himself with whether or not her kiss was a bad thing or a good thing, but after all that trauma he just let himself enjoy it, let himself get swept away by that moment. They parted from Avalor with heartfelt goodbyes and gifts, well wishes and get better cards. As they flew off into the sky Sofia felt her amulet shake a little and saw it glow. She peered at it for a while but did not understand why it did so. It seemed to glow in pulses, like the beat of a heart.
Cedric looked at it and then at her, confused at it too. "Perhaps you have a new power...?"
"Hmm...but I don't even know what it is..."
Something in her, a little voice, told her what it might be. She supposed her connection with the amulet was so strong she could now hear its voice even without a person locked inside. She lifted her hands and touched Cedric's chest, watching her hands glow a golden shade. He felt his wounds healing faster than they had been, in fact he felt as if he never had been hit once. He rolled his shoulder a bit, amazed at this new power she had. It could not take away that stinging mark he wore or the burning in his finger tips from the wand but it had fixed nearly every other issue, even the crick in his spine from years of hunching over. However he would still wear the bandages because of how badly injured he was, even magic has its limits.
"You can heal now. That's a handy gift to have."
"Yes but...it will only work on you. No one else."
"Oh...how are you so certain?"
"Watch." She took her finger and pressed it to her nose but her hands didn't glow at all, the scar remained under the bandage. She showed him as proof. "See?"
"But...why me only...? Wouldn't it be more useful if it helped all people, including yourself?"
"I think it's because I had wished deep in my heart that I had some way to keep you safe from harm so that this would never happen again. I have you to always protect me and the amulet and so many friends but you don't have anyone. Now you do, you have me."
He smiled at her and took her hands in his, seeing a light golden glow. There was nothing wrong with is hands that he knew of but he felt better somehow. She did not tell him all that her powers did because she'd have to admit something to him and right now was not the time. You see the reason it worked just for Cedric was not just because of what she said, though that was a large reason for it. The reason it worked for Cedric was because her amulet reflected her heart, that's why it pulsed, so in turn it now not only protected the wearer but the person who was the wearers one and only true love.
