Sofia : Family Doesn't End In Just Blood
Summary: Sofia was curious to learn about her mother's family history and that included her late father, Birk Balthazar, with the help of Cedric, they took a journey to the Past. What does she discover?
It was just another day at Royal Prep, students of Lords, Ladies, Dukes, Duchess and even Kings and Queens were all learning what took to run a kingdom or empire one day and even more.
Sofia was in her magic class trying to get the spell for her art assignment when Ms. Merryweather cleared her loudly and said.
"Now class, before we begin today's lesson, I am told to remind you that your "Family History Project" is due in 2 weeks time, now then..."
Sofia mind wanders as she half listens to the lesson, as she thought about the trouble she was having with her project.
'I know everything about Mom's side of the family, so I am okay there, but whenever I ask about my birth father, she just gives me a sad smile and says "I will tell you when you are older" before making up some excuse and leaving, I wonder what she is hiding, maybe I can ask Mr. Cedric if he still has Calista's looking back glass to help me find out more about my father and his family.'
With that thought in mind she quickly turns her full attention back to the lesson at hand.
Later that same day, Sofia practically made a beeline for Cedric's tower, knocking the door in wildly, which caused the door to be wrench open to see the annoyed face of Cedric, who annoyance quickly soften when he spots her.
"Princess Sofia...what is it?" He asked curious standing aside to admit the girl inside before closing the door behind them.
Suddenly all of Sofia excitement vanished leaving behind feelings of nervousness as she started to fiddle with the scrap of her bookbag, only to stop when a gloved hand cover her own, looking she saw Cedric kneeling down to her level, staring at her with concern.
"Sofia, what is wrong? If something is bothering you, you know that you can tell me, right?" Cedric said softly.
Sofia nods, take a deep cleansing breath, before explaining her project and what it was about.
"Family history? Why aren't you asking your parents? Surely they would have much to offer a lot more then me?" Cedric said still confused.
"I already know everything about my Mom's side of the family, Dad, I mean King Roland I already know much about his family anyway, but I need to know more about my birth dad, Birk and I was wondering if you still had Calista's looking back glass."
Now Cedric finally understood what she wanted and nods, "I believe I have it tucked away somewhere let me just go see." he goes to a storage closet and opens the door, forgetting that it was packed full causing stuff to come fulling out in waves, after a few seconds, Cedric finally weaves his way through the pile and digs around a bit before pull out a bag, tapping his wand he reaches in a pulls out a smaller version of the looking back glass and puts down on the floor in front of Sofia who looked both confused and disappointed, but with a quick wave of his wand, the mirror soon returns it's a original size.
She smiles and then turns to look at Cedric, "Great! Now we can go back to past of my parents, I always wondered why Mom always avoid talking about him, I only remember her telling me that he was a sailor who was lost to the sea, maybe there is more to the story, you ready Mr. Cedric?"
Cedric nodded and soon enough they were standing in Dunwiddie Village, they watched as the people walked around, until Sofia spotted a familiar but younger looking face.
"Mr. Cedric there's my Mom." She points, Cedric looks to see Queen Miranda who look around 18 years old on the arms of a oddly familiar looking man, but he couldn't but his finger on, so he files away for now.
They follow the couple who walking around the village talking and laughing, until they stop at all too familiar place for Sofia.
"This was my mom's shoe shop, but why is it called Alan's Apothecary and sons?" She asked, Cedric shrugs clueless as well, so they just continue to watch as the door opens to reveal a tall slim man with short wavy auburn hair with grey peeking out on the sides and light blue eyes with a kind smile on his face, he bears similarities to the younger man that was with Miranda.
Cedric gasped when he saw an all too familiar face, Sofia looks up at him both confused and concerned by his reaction.
"Mr. Cedric? What is the matter?" Sofia asked.
"Sofia, what was your father's last name?" Cedric asked still staring at the man.
"Balthazar, why?"
Cedric gulps and points at the older man and said, "That man was the teacher that taught me the sorcerer's secret during my days at Hexley Hall, he was named "Professor Alan Balthazar" he was a very beloved by both staff and students, the day he disappeared without a trace, it devastated everyone, I always wondered what happened to him, now we know."
Sofia looks at the older man, Alan, who was her grandfather.
"Birk! and Miranda how are you my dear?" Alan asked giving them a warm hug.
Miranda smiles, "I am well, the morning sickness is a pain though."
Birk just give a small smile, "Yes the little one is going to a fiery one indeed."
Miranda smiles happily and then to her father in law, curious. "Why are we here?"
Alan smiles, "I have something I want to give to my future grandchild, since it is possible that I won't be around to see it being born."
Miranda frowns when she hears that, "Nonsense! Alan, you are a strong and healthy man of 50 years, plus your sorcerer, you live longer then us mere mortals."
Alan just smiles sadly, before he stands aside and gestures for them to head inside the shop and home.
Sofia and Cedric follow after them quickly, watching as they walked into a small, but comfortable living room, where Alan was looking for something, while both Miranda and Birk sit on the loveseat waiting.
"Ah! Here it is, one magic transfusion potion." Alan said showing a small vial of dark purple liquid.
Hearing that Birk went pale as a sheet, his spoke his voice hoarse as he asked.
"Why do you have that? You know those are highly dangerous, not to mention illegal! You could be killed for even having it at all told me so yourself!" he was screaming by the end.
"I am dying." Alan states bluntly, causing Birk stare at him in shock.
Miranda who was for the most part silently watching the whole thing looks at him shocked, "What?"
Alan sighs heavily "Remember how I was always tired even after casing simple basic magic spells? Well I went to a healer and they told me that I have a magical version of cancer that is eating away at my magical core, they have given me a few months to live."
Birk said nothing as he got up and walked out the living and out the door, Miranda goes to get up but was stopped by Alan.
"Let him be, my dear, he may not be my son in blood, but I raised him like my own and if I know him he will come." Alan reassures kindly still holding the illegal potion in hand.
Miranda looks at Alan and the potion in his hand, and had a sudden realization. "You want to transfer your magic to my child, don't you?"
Alan nods, "It will be likely that your child will not have full magical abilities, but she will have magic even if she doesn't have access too it, I want my legacy to continue on, my son is adopted as you know and didn't have the spark and trust me I tried to get his core to work, but it failed, I will understand if you don't want this, do you know the reasons why these potions are illegal?" He asked.
Miranda nods curious, watching as the older man sits down next to her.
"They are illegal because when the person who gives the magic to the other, that person dies, but your child will be carrying on my legacy, please Miranda."
Miranda thought about it she knew that her husband won't approve of this, but she knew that since Alan had no other living magical relatives and Birk was born mortal, the magic would die with him. "I will do it."
Sofia and Cedric both stood there stunned as they watched a Miranda swallowed the potion, while Alan did a spell, just as he was finished and slumped to the floor, never waken again, Birk come bursting in and when he saw what was happening he screamed as he ran over to cradle his father's dead body.
"NO! DAD! PLEASE! NO!"
Miranda was sad yes, but she had to stay strong for her child, Birk was a mess, ever since that day, he barely spoke or even looked at Miranda kindly, the day Sofia was born, Birk stares at the child see his father's face and eyes staring back at him, his eyes filled with grief and anger as he storms off, ignoring a pleading Miranda to come back.
Both Cedric and Sofia continued to watch as Sofia grew up, asking where her father was, that when Miranda came up with idea of him being a sailor and being away at sea for long stretches' of time, she even secretly bought the hat that Sofia always cherished deeply.
The day that Miranda found out about her husband's death, she felt upset, he had drank himself stupid and fell asleep in the ocean, drowning as a result, so when it came time to tell Sofia, she again lied and said that he died while at sea.
Sofia had enough and stops the mirror, she walks away, with a concerned Cedric following after her, when they got back to the tower, Sofia just stares at nothing, silent.
Cedric walks over to where she is standing and kneels down to her level and gently embraces the girl, causing Sofia to stiffen a bit, before he felt her put her face on his shoulder and cry all of her hurt and pain, while Cedric just rubbed her back in comfort.
By the time Sofia was done, she felt drained both physically and emotionally, so Cedric led her to a small cot that he uses for nights when he has potions that had him pulling all nighters.
Sofia just lays on the cot, unable to fell asleep, every time she dozed off all she could see was the man who was her grandfather, die for her to carry on his legacy and her father hated her for it.
"Sofia..." Cedric said his face filled with concern.
"Mr. Cedric, if you are going to ask me about how I am feeling or something trivial, then save your breath." Sofia said her tone bitter and tired.
Cedric sighs, "I was going to ask to if you were hungry or thirsty, I know that you had quite the shock and I am sure that you will want to talk with your mother about it-" He was cut off but Sofia screaming.
"I am not going to talk to that two faced lying -"*DOG BARK
"SOFIA!" Cedric shouts sternly.
Sofia stops, but still has sulking hurt look on her face.
"Sofia, when you saw how my father and I didn't get along and how my father was constantly bugging me, you helped my father see that and sure enough he and I are on better terms now, I am sure that your mother had her own reasons for concealing the truth from you, you have to look at her point of view she saw a man who was dying that wanted his magical legacy to live on within you, when she made that decision it was to not only help your grandfather, but to help you as well and you see that she was trying to protect you from your father's rejection, she even went as so far as to buy a hat and make up stories about him being out at sea, so that his absent didn't hurt you so badly. If that is a mother's love, I don't know what is." Cedric explains smiling.
Sofia sighs heavily, "I do see it, Mr. Cedric, and I will wait until she ready to tell me, until then I want you to please remove the memory and lock it away forever."
Cedric was shocked, "Surely you wouldn't rather-" He tried but was cut off again by Sofia saying.
"Do. It. please Cedric, I don't think I can face my mother and not reveal what I just learned." Sofia begged.
Cedric nods and with a few compilated waves of his wand around Sofia's head, he was quick to catch her as she was knocked out and soon Cedric put her on the cot to sleep it off.
Soon enough Sofia woke up, confused as to why she was asleep on Mr. Cedric cot, when the man came over with a smile. "Have a nice nap?"
Sofia nodded confused, "What happened?"
"While I was looking for something in my storage closet to help you with your project when a bag of expired forgetfulness power hit you in the face, I quickly made sure that I gave you the cure and put on my cot to rest. It's almost time for dinner, let's get you down to your family before your father sends out a search party." Cedric help Sofia stand and soon enough they left the tower and met Baileywick who was just coming to get Sofia who waved goodbye to him, Cedric gives a half hearted wave back, before turning on his heels and heading for his tower intending on writing his sister to take back that accursed looking back glass.
The End