Sophia's Story
A Disney crossover by talking2myself
DISCLAIMER: I do not own any recognizable Disney characters. All original characters are my own creations.
CHAPTER 15 Quite the Pair
Sophia practically flew through the forest, flailing as she tore through the darkness. Having spent so many years without a human body, it felt wildly unmanageable. Her arms and legs flailed wildly. Her skin erupted into goosebumps as she felt the cold air against her skin, but Sophia's wild terror of the witches managed to override all of the and she was overwhelmed by one instinct, run!
The frog, the man technically, in Sophia's pocket was having his own transformation issues. His log webbed legs were kicking frantically as he struggled to get himself upright in the pocket of her apron.
Sophia could hear the witches chasing after her. She glanced backwards to see where the trio of sorceresses were. That proved to be a mistake. She failed to notice a raised tree root stretched across the path. Sophia tripped over the root and tumbled down the hill. Sophia somersaulted down the path uncontrollably. Sophia screamed as she fell and she could hear the bard shrieking as well. Rocks and branches tore at her arms and legs as she careened forwards.
Finally, Sophia came to a halt as she crashed into a tree. Her back struck its trunk and bashed her head against the wood so hard her for a moment her head spun and she could only see spots before her eyes. Slowly, her vision cleared and Sophia was met with a far more terrifying vision. The witches slowly approached her, surrounding her.
Sophia let out a yelp of terror and struggled to rise to her feet. Her body ached with pain as she suddenly became aware of a thousand aches and bruises. The frog seemed alive in her pocket. He slowly lifted his head up out of the picket and peered over the fabric. He croaked with fear and dove back inside.
"Well, well, well," Orddu chuckled as she slowly approached them. "No where to run and no Rosamund to save you this time."
"Dibs on the red head," Orgoch cackled.
"Can I please get the frog back first Orddu?" Orwen whined.
"Silence!" Orddu snapped at her sisters. "This one is mine."
At that moment, Sophia slowly looked up at the witches and came to a realization. This was how it was going to end? She was going to die freezing to death in the forest at the hands of three witches who wanted to turn her into a frog simply because they could. And all this after she had finally gotten her body back after years of She would be dead here all alone except for a frog. She would never find out what happened to her beloved sister and if she was still alive Giselle would never even know she was dead. And worst of all, she was going to die with her magical abilities all because her useless mentor didn't teach hear anything useful…
No.
The thought came to Sophia's mind, wild and unbidden… and angry. A strange feeling of terror, desperation and fury passed through Sophia's shaking body. Orddu had raised an arm and was about to cast her transformative spell. The strange feeling surged through Sophia and she could feel the strange sensation of her own powers ripple through her body. Sophia let out a wild scream and flung up the palms of her hands, one desperate thought passed through her mind. DO SOMETHING!
There was a strange rush of energy that flew through Sophia's body like electricity. The energy exploded out of her hands in a strange pink glittering blast. Orddu eyes widened and let out a shriek. "Not again!"
As quickly as it came, the blast vanished and Sophia stood there in the snow, her arms still outstretched. Her mouth hung open in surprise as she stared at the spot where Orddu had stood mere moments ago. Instead, there sat a delicately frosted pink cupcake with a whipped buttercream frosting dusted with sugar sprinkles. It was the exact same type of cupcake that she would have made with Giselle.
The other two witches were staring mesmerized and even though Sophia had probably just managed to save not only her own life but that of the little frog-man in her pocket she was horrified. Rosamund had turned her into a bullfrog. An inconvenient form to be sure, but at least it was a creature that was still breathing and moving. Sophia let out a yelp of alarm. Did she just kill Orddu?!
"Orddu!" Orwen wailed. She scooped up the cupcake and held it up to her face. "Speak to me!"
Orgoch held up her hands defensively, "Easy sister. Easy. We're leaving…"
Orwen and Orgoch began to back away slowly. That's when Sophia remembered what Rosamund had said when she had performed her transformation. Spells were temporary. Orddu wasn't dead, at least as long as the cupcake remained intact. Sophia finally felt as though she could breathe again. That was when she became aware of the frog shivering in her pocket. Sophia looked up at the witches and struggled to find her voice again. "WAIT!"
The witches froze. Sophia gently removed the little frog from her pocket and set him on the ground before them. "Change him back!" Sophia ordered. The witches looked from her to the frog in confusion. Sophia wasn't sure how to change him back or even if she could. She knew that she was probably pushing her luck, but after spending so much time trapped in a body that wasn't her own, she couldn't just leave him like that. "You heard me!" she snapped. She raised a hand menacingly, hoping that it would frighten the witches into obeying her will.
"Okay, okay!" Orgoch cried. She jabbed a finger in the little man's direction. There was a blast of magic and the man was restored to his form. He sat there crouched on the ground and looking a bit dazed.
"Good!" Sophia declared in the strongest voice she could summon. "Now get out of here!"
The witches scrambled away, but not before Orwen fluttered her eyelashes and blew one final kiss to the bard before vanishing into the woods. The man cringed and groan. "Oh that vile woman! Will she never leave me alone?!" He turned towards Sophia and gave her a small sheepish smile. "Thank you, my dear. I do believe you have saved my life. Of course, they caught me by surprise. If I had been surprised I would have shown them a thing or two."
SPROING!
One of the strings on the bard's harp snapped as he spoke. The bard jumped and glared at the harp. "Oh hush you," he snapped and then sighed. "Oh fine. I would have been doomed if you hadn't been there. I owe you a great deal."
Sophia wrapped her bruised arms around her shivering body. "It's fine," she sighed, almost too weary to be polite. "Now, who exactly are you?"
The gray haired man puffed up his chest. "You haven't heard of me? Why, I am Fflewddur Flam! Bard or bards, master of song, the greatest traveling musician in Pyrdain…"
SPROING!
Another harp string split. "Oh alright," he snapped at the string. "I might have exaggerated a bit, but yes my name is Fflewddur Flam, how do you do?" he offered her a hand. Sophia shook it feebly.
"I'm Sophia," she said wearily.
"Are you a sorceress?" Fflewddur asked, taking a step backwards and looking at her a bit suspiciously.
"Hardly," Sophia snapped. "I'm a fairy godmother. Well, a godmother in training."
"Ah well I would say you passed," Fflewddur chuckled. "Shall we return to your castle?!"
"NO!" Sophia burst in a panic. "That's not my castle. It's an enchanted castle. The prince won't be happy to see us."
"Not a music lover?" Fflewddur asked crestfallen.
"Not at all," Sophia said miserably.
"Typical," Fflewddur groaned. "Why is every castle I visit cursed in some way? Oh well." He sighed heavily. "No matter. I'll find somewhere else to perform. After all, I have performed for the greatest and finest lords and ladies…" Another harp string quivered dangerously. Fflewddur slapped his hand against the strings. "That is, I have performed at a handful of taverns and I can perhaps find us a place to spend the night."
"Good," Sophia sighed. "I know there's a village somewhere around here. It shouldn't be too far."
"Splendid," Fflewddur exclaimed. "Let's see if we can find it." He shrugged his cloak off his shoulders and graciously offered it to Sophia. Sophia gratefully wrapped it around her frail, battered body. Fflewddur offered her his arm and gingerly led her up the path. "Can I ask you how a nice girl like yourself wound up transformed and in a cursed castle?"
Sophia sighed. "My godmother mentor wanted to teach the spoiled prince a lesson. She transformed the whole place and me along with the rest of them. She never came back for me."
"Great Belin! How dreadful!" he cried. "I am so sorry to hear that, my dear."
"It's okay," Sophia said oddly numb to everything around her. She wasn't sure if it was because of her scrapes and bruises or the cold, but she was exhausted and seemed incapable of feeling anything even relief. "I suppose, I should be thanking you."
"Me?" Fflewddur asked.
"If you hadn't brought those witches to the castle, I would still be a broom now," Sophia said. She gave Fflewddur an odd look. "What exactly were you doing around here?"
Fflewddur sighed. "I helped Taran of Cear Dalban defeat the Horned King a while back. I've been using the notoriety to get gigs lately. While I was traveling with him, that daft witch took a liking to me. She found out that I was passing through the area on my way to France and she tracked me down. Still wants to track me down and marry me, I suppose."
Sophia stared at him in disbelief before her eyes darted towards the harp, but this time none of the strings snapped. Sophia's eyes widened. "Really?!" she cried. "That's the truth?"
Fflewddur grinned and held up a hand, "My hand to God."
"No kidding," Sophia said in dull disbelief.
Fflewddur chuckled to himself. "We are quite the pair aren't we, Miss Sophia?"
Sophia pressed a hand to her aching head. "Oh yes," she sighed. "Quite the pair indeed."