Mal Voyage
Summary: Chrysta informs Sofia of a strange recurring incident in a location known as the Bixtou Realm, where hundreds of couples from many different realms have gone missing while on a supposed couples' getaway retreat. Desperate to know more and recover the missing participants, she sends Sofia on an undercover mission, but there's a catch: she has to go with Cedric, and they must pose as a newlywed couple to avoid suspicion.
Disclaimer: I only own the Bixtou Realm and any OCs mentioned on the ship. Though they are not in the story and are only mentioned, Nana and Tanya both belong to MarionetteJ2X. Everything else belongs to Craig Gerber.
A/N: So, this chapter will be very…fluffy. But not just fluffy. A lot of what you'll see here is not just pretense, as Wormwood has so delicately pointed out already. Haha.
Extra Note 1: Also, to a few people who were asking about me writing a lemon… I'm sorry to disappoint you, but that's really not my area of expertise or interest, honestly. Lol. There are several other writers here who have done a far better job than I could ever do. Trust me: it is best for me to stick with what I know and enjoy. I appreciate the interest, but it's just not me. I'm more about the intimate build-up than anything, which can be really sweet and fervent at the same time. Also, Sofia is not pregnant. I'll put it this way: there is absolutely no way she can be pregnant… At all. She and Cedric are close, but they've never been that close in my universe (yet), nor has she had that "closeness" with anyone else. Lol. I hope that clears that up.
Extra Note 2: And for the question about my PMs, they're closed for the time being. It will be a while before I open them again, due to my schedule and an overhaul I'm doing on my stories (when I get some time).
Chapter 4: Playing by the Rules
The next morning, the partners were up probably earlier than they'd expected, considering they were on a "getaway retreat." They were currently discussing their plans while Cedric braided Sofia's hair.
"…And I think after breakfast, we should seek out those men I noticed yesterday," Cedric told Sofia as he reached the half-way point in her braid, pausing only to straighten some strands. "They were acting rather shifty, and the boy who'd brought our luggage here for us kept looking at them. They're up to something; I'm just not sure what."
"I guess that's where the 'investigation' comes in, huh?" she surmised, sighing and folding her arms into her lap.
He frowned in concern. "Are you feeling any better than you did yesterday?"
"Oh, yeah… I don't feel like I'm going to faint again. Though…that kind of came out of nowhere…"
"It did." He reached down to the bed and grabbed one of her ribbons, tying off the end of her braid. He then brushed it over her shoulder, smiling as she giggled. "There you are. All finished."
"You know, I seem to remember you using a hair braiding spell once upon a time." She smirked playfully at him as he stood up and gathered her hair supplies into a small bag, setting them aside onto a table. "Now, you seem to prefer just doing it yourself. Why is that, Cedric?"
Cedric managed to keep from flushing or getting embarrassed at her obviously cheeky question. He instead smiled sincerely at her. "Because I enjoy helping you, personally. There are some things that magic can't do, Sofia…" He chuckled as she nodded with a small smile. "Besides…" He walked over to her, brushing some of her loose tendrils aside, tracing his fingers over her cheek. "You know I quite enjoy it."
She blushed and laughed softly. "Y-Yeah… That makes two of us." As he stepped away, she stood up, looking down at her outfit. She was wearing a simple white dress that extended to her ankles, the light fabric flowing each time she walked. Underneath the dress, she wore a one-piece swimsuit (lavender). Not that she necessarily knew for sure that she would get to go swimming (especially if the galleon didn't anchor somewhere soon), but she could hope, right? She wore some white sandals to accompany her outfit. She smiled at Cedric, who was dressed like he normally was. "You're not going to change into something more comfortable?"
He scoffed lightly, causing her to snicker. "My darling Sofia, don't you know by now?" He gestured toward his usual attire. "I'm perfectly comfortable in my own clothing."
Sofia reached up to his bowtie, playfully tugging on it. "Even with this on?"
Cedric smirked and grasped her hands, causing her to loosen her hold on his tie. "Even…with that…" He lowered their hands, instead wrapping one arm around her waist and guiding her toward the door. "We'd better hurry if we want to eat."
She laughed. "Good point."
After eating breakfast, the duo set out on their mission: investigating the galleon. They spent some time asking passengers questions, always receiving confused expressions or negated responses about any 'strange occurrences.' None of them seemed to have a clue as to what they were talking about. They'd even attempted to talk to the five suspicious men Cedric had reminded Sofia about, but they'd all but ignored them when they even attempted to approach them, instead turning and walking away.
It was honestly frustrating. How were they supposed to get any answers if no one would cooperate?
While they were working, Zydel and Orla had been sitting in a few chairs on the deck, watching the partners trudging all over the galleon, determined expressions on their faces at first, and then defeated ones when they didn't seem to get whatever they were looking for. They were intriguing but exhausting, or so the married couple believed.
"Zy," Orla began, reaching up and pinning her bun back into place, "they have been interrogating people for almost an hour now."
"You don't know if that is what they are doing, Orla," he returned, shaking his head. "They could just be trying to make conversation."
The woman smirked as she lowered her arms. "When I'm making conversation with someone, I tend to linger longer than thirty seconds. Whatever they're doing, it's not working."
Zydel shrugged. "Some couples are strange like that. Your mother thinks we are strange for wearing each other's shoes."
"We're the same size," she argued, rolling her eyes. "Mother will be fine. Is it my fault that all the women in my family have large feet? She's got no room to talk either. I've seen her feet, after all." She nudged him as she noticed the partners approaching. "Ooh, here they come." She grinned pleasantly as Cedric and Sofia sighed, lowering into chairs opposite them. "We couldn't help noticing how busy you both looked this morning."
"Oh, yeah," Sofia laughed. "That's a… That's a long story."
"This is a getaway retreat," Zydel reminded them, smiling softly as they glanced toward him. "Give yourselves a break. Relax. Be a couple for a change…"
"Yes, speaking of which…" Orla leaned back in her chair, one leg draping over another as she folded her arms and eyed the Enchancians curiously. "You two don't act much like a couple. Especially not newlyweds." She smirked toward her husband. "When Zy and I first got married, I couldn't keep my hands off of him."
Cedric shook his head. "W-We, um… We just…do things differently, I suppose."
"I've watched you two all morning. You don't hug. You don't dance. You don't kiss." Orla missed the embarrassed glances between the partners and laughed. "Are you sure you're in love?"
"Absolutely!" Sofia defended, sounding both offended at the question and emphatic in her response. She calmed down, chancing a glance at Cedric, noticing his stunned look. "I mean… Y-Yeah, w-we're in love… I love…Horatio…" She smiled gently as Cedric took her hand. "Very… Very much…"
Orla chuckled. "Okay, sorry if I upset you. I was just saying… Most couples I know tend to be a little more…flirtatious with each other. Especially at the beginning of the relationship, and often as newlyweds." She shrugged. "But I guess you're right, Horatio: everyone is different." She stood up, pulling Zydel up from his seat. "Come on, Zy. I heard they have a dance party down at the other end of the galleon. I wanted to check it out." She looked back at the other two. "Would you like to come?"
"Oh, uh… N-No, thanks, Orla," Sofia responded. "I think we'll just…" She shrugged. "Work on being more…couple-ish?"
Zydel chuckled. "Don't take Orla's words to heart. Some people aren't as comfortable expressing their feelings in public, and that is perfectly fine." With nothing else to say, he took Orla's hand and led her away.
"We're failing at being convincing, aren't we?" Cedric wondered, folding his arms.
"We're so used to being friends and partners that we just…don't know how to act like a couple. I mean, I've never had experience…" Sofia sighed.
"Neither have I," Cedric admitted, frowning. This was not new information. She knew that he'd spent his entire life either studying or working, and the thought of 'romance' was such an unfamiliar concept to him because of it. Sure, he'd wondered about it on occasion over the years, but it had never been a priority. "We have more experience being parents than we do being…romantic."
The princess laughed once. "How backwards is that? Yet again… Looks like our friends and family were right about us…" She nodded to herself. "Well, it's settled. If we want to be convincing as a couple and not draw any unnecessary attention to ourselves, I guess we'll just have to…play by the rules."
He raised an eyebrow at her words. "Meaning?" He gulped as she leaned closer to him, brushing her nose against his and causing him to blush darkly. "S-Sofia?"
"We need to…practice," she whispered, grinning at him as he blinked at her with wide eyes.
Back in their cabin, Cedric sat on his side of the bed, hugging one of the pillows from his precious 'wall of fluff' to himself as Sofia finished writing some things down. "I can't believe you made a 'couple' list," he mumbled, watching as she smirked in his direction. "And I don't like how smug you look about it either…"
She giggled. "I'm just trying to remember things we need to know. Being a couple looks easy, but there are apparently a lot of layers. Take Amber and Desmond for example: they're married now, but remember back when they were courting? How did they act together?"
"Well, Prince Desmond was always nervous around your sister." Cedric snickered as he shook his head. "Not much has changed in some cases, I'm afraid."
"Poor Desmond…" She laughed. "But they did hold hands, sit closer together, and things like that. Oh, what about Angel and Calista?"
"My niece is a little more…forceful…than I think either of us would be in that given scenario." He gestured vaguely as she blinked at him. "Remember when we were trapped in that maze? She shoved him up against the wall and kissed him when trying to demonstrate what 'frisky' meant." He frowned as she laughed. "It was…rather awkward for us to have to witness."
"But Angel seemed to be enjoying it…" She calmed her laughing as their eyes met, and a soft blush spread over each of their faces. "W-We should, um…p-probably not…"
"R-Right… I…don't think we're…"
"Y-Yeah… Not ready…" She blinked, rubbing her arm self-consciously. "I-I mean… I-It would be weird." She paused her movements as she gazed at the sorcerer, who appeared perplexed. "N-Not that…kissing you would be weird, Cedric. It's just… I…don't think I'm… You know, ready for…something like that…"
"I… Yes, of course…" He shook his head. "I'm not either… I suppose…" He smiled knowingly at her, reaching over and taking her hand. "There are…plenty of other things that couples do…besides just kissing like that."
"Oh?" She giggled as he sat up a bit, the pillow falling to the bed. He leaned over to her and nuzzled his face into her loosening hair near her ear, breathing in quietly before whispering something unintelligible to her, his lips soon tracing from her ear to her neck, where he placed a simple soft kiss, causing her to gasp softly. "Oh, Cedric…"
Hearing that unexpected reaction, Cedric backed up a bit, staring at his partner in surprise. "S-Sofia? A-Are you all right?"
The princess offered him a comical (and nearly dazed) look, a warm smile on her face. "I'm…fine, Cedric… Better…than fine, actually…" She reached up and touched her neck, making him blush darkly. "Where…did you…?"
He realized she was likely wondering where he'd learned that and instantly set into an explanation. "O-Oh! N-No, I just… Um, i-instincts?"
She giggled, scooting closer to him, snuggling up to him. "Well, keep it up. With instincts like those, we'll convince people we're a couple in no time…"
Cedric lifted his arm, wrapping it around her, and murmured softly, "And…that's something you're all right with?" He half shrugged as she glanced up at him. "I mean… I know we're portraying Raelyn and Horatio, but… You're still Sofia, and I'm still Cedric…"
"Cedric…" She took his free hand, tracing her nails over his fingers. "I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't trust you… Besides, who else would be my 'undercover partner?'" She smiled sweetly up at him. "I needed someone who was comfortable with…this: snuggling, hugging, holding hands, playing with hair, being adoring and attentive, and maybe a few stray kisses here and there-not necessarily those kinds of kisses, but…"
He considered her words before sighing. "When you put it that way, Sofia… Maybe we already are a couple and don't even realize it." He laughed gently as she smiled. "We do…or have done…all of those things at this point."
"Funny how that works, isn't it?" She giggled.
"Indeed, it is, my love…" He saw her eyes widen, and he grew a bit flustered. Had he said that out loud? "O-Oh, I, um-! Heh… I figured…a nickname…might be g-good to use… I…hope you're all right with that one…"
She watched him carefully for a few moments. That nickname was so simple yet so intimate and meaningful. It had certainly taken her by surprise… He'd called her many things over the years: 'my dear,' 'my darling,' 'my darling Sofia,' 'my princess,' and so on… And all of those could be categorically explained as friendly (to a degree), but this? 'My love?' There was…no denying the implications of this nickname. And since it was supposed to be between their characters-their married characters-of Raelyn and Horatio… "I love it."
"Y-You… You do?" He frowned slightly. "It…doesn't make you uncomfortable?"
"Well, it would if some random guy I don't know came up and started calling me that." She laughed. "But it's you, Cedric… I'm not just comfortable with it… I'm…flattered, actually. And…I think it's a beautiful nickname…" She smiled thoughtfully. "Any girl would love to hear that aimed at her…"
"I'll…keep that in mind…" He turned his hand over, capturing hers in the process, before lifting it to place a gentle kiss to her knuckles. He smiled as she gasped quietly before giggling softly. "So… Our aim is to appear more…couple-like. I think…we have a pretty good basis…"
"You definitely have a way with words, Cedric." She slipped out of his hold and stood up, stretching. "Well, I don't know about you, but I hope they anchor this thing today so I can go swimming. Pretending to be a mermaid for a story was one thing, but actually swimming… That would be great."
"Yes, and while you're doing that, I'll be reading my book." He grabbed the book from his bedside table and stood, maneuvering around the bed and over to his partner, taking her hand. "I suppose it's time to rejoin the other oh-so-fascinating couples."
"Who are you kidding?" She winked. "They don't have anything on Cedric and Sofia."
"You mean Raelyn and Horatio?"
Sofia shook her head, smiling gently at him. "No."
Cedric blinked at that one word before returning her smile, kissing her cheek, chuckling as she blushed modestly. "Noted."
When they made it back onto the main deck, they discovered that the galleon had indeed anchored for an opportunity for those who wished to swim to be able to do so. Of course, there were still plenty of other activities going on throughout the vessel: food, games, dancing, trivia, and so on.
"There are Zydel and Orla," Sofia pointed out as she nodded toward a dancing contest. She laughed as she watched the couple spin or dip each other, much to the enjoyment of the gathered group. "Now that is impressive."
"I think we're lucky just to do some simple dancing," Cedric muttered with a small grin. "Although I could probably handle spinning you a few times."
"Oh, you've made me spin around a few times, and not just during dancing…" She winked and nudged him playfully. Seeing his confused look, she giggled. "Never mind. I'm going swimming for a while. I'll be back."
"All right. I'll be right here." He gestured toward the chair he'd located.
"Okay." She unbuttoned the top part of her dress before lowering it, revealing the swimsuit underneath. It was rather modest and lavender, with the top just around her collarbone and the short sleeves wrapped around her shoulders. As she removed the white dress, the rest of the simple swimsuit appeared. This suit had a skirt attached to it, which stopped a few inches above her knees. She passed the dress over to Cedric, smiling as he appeared a bit surprised by her outfit. "What?"
"N-Nothing…" He put the book into his chair and busied himself by meticulously folding the dress, smoothing out any creases. "Y-You, um… You look lovely…"
"Aww. Thanks… Horatio." To keep up appearances, she leaned up and quickly pressed a kiss to his cheek. "I'll be back in a little while." She then walked off toward the side of the ship, where people were being lowered into the water of the Bixtou Realm.
Cedric was more stunned as she left. While her braid did cover most of her back, he could tell that her swimsuit had a bit of a scoop to it, which stopped somewhere around her midback. Maybe that was just the way the outfit was made, but still… He shook his head, retrieved his book, and sat down, placing her dress on the side of the chair as he returned to the page where he'd left off the night before. "That girl…" He sighed, smiling to himself.
Sofia took some time to tie her hair into a somewhat messy bun, and she was in the water before she knew it. The crew had a few boats designated as lowering devices for those who wanted to swim. She and about ten other people from the vessel had chosen to take advantage of this opportunity.
She'd been swimming for about half an hour already. It felt really good to be in the water again, though it took her a little while to get used to swimming without being in her mermaid form. In fact, in the last several years since gaining that ability, there had been very few times when she hadn't been swimming as a mermaid. However, it was like picking up any favorite activity: it came back to her easily enough: a side stroke here, and a few kicks there, and even a few dives. Granted, she knew she wouldn't be able to explore under the water very much like she normally would, but she was still granted the view of probably the clearest underwater environment she'd ever witnessed.
However, she waded probably a bit too far from the galleon at one point, and before she knew it, she felt a sharp pain against her back. "Ah!" This was pain like she hadn't experienced in a very long time… She felt as though she'd been stung by something, and after looking behind her, she realized what it was. She'd accidentally come across a nearly invisible jellyfish, which was slowly easing away. "Oh, no…"
"Are you all right?" a young woman asked as she swam over to her. "Are you hurt?"
"Jellyfish sting," she responded weakly, feeling her strength beginning to lessen and her body beginning to cramp up. "I… I need to get back to my partner…"
"Oh, dear! Hold on. I'll help you get back to the galleon." She helped Sofia wrap her arms around her neck, and then she swam over toward the lowered boats. "This girl was stung by a jellyfish," she told one of the crew members. "She needs to get back to her partner."
"M-My h-husband," Sofia corrected, feeling herself pulled from the water and onto the boat. "I-I'm sorry. I meant…"
"We'll find him for you," the crew member assured her as she sat in the middle while the boat was being pulled back up. "And we will get you some medical attention."
She nodded, too much in pain to say or do anything else.
Cedric happened to look over toward the side of the galleon when he noticed one of the crew members helping Sofia onto the deck again. He noticed how pale she seemed and how hard of a time she appeared to be having with walking. "Sofia," he whispered to himself before abandoning his book and her dress to the chair as he hurried over to her. "Raelyn, what's the matter?"
"She was stung by a jellyfish," the crew member answered for her as Sofia all but collapsed against Cedric. "I was going to take her to the medic so she could get treated. Are you her husband, sir?"
"Yes," he responded immediately, not even second guessing himself for once. "And actually, I… I am a medic…" He did not want her being observed by anyone on this galleon, especially considering the fate of the previous passengers. Just the thought of them touching her or trying to medicate her with who knew what sort of substances? He wouldn't allow it. "I have my own potion-or, medicinal potion, rather… Something I've created to help with stings such as that. I'll take care of her."
"Are you sure, sir?" the other man pressed. "Not to question your medical expertise, but we're responsible for the health and safety of-"
"I'm sure," he answered patiently, though he was feeling anything but patient at that point. "Thank you. Come along, my love." He guided Sofia back to the chair where he'd been sitting, helping her sit down as he pushed his book and her dress onto the deck. "A jellyfish sting?" he asked quietly, watching her nod. "I thought you were able to speak to any animals…"
She winced at that mention. "I…didn't see the jellyfish… I felt it though… Ugh…" She turned to look at him, noticing him removing his gloves, pocketing them. "Do you actually have jellyfish sting potions on this trip?"
"I'm about to." He discreetly withdrew his wand, tapping his hand, producing a small jar. "There." He sheathed his wand, uncorked the jar, and poured a thick liquid into his other hand before setting the container aside. He then rubbed his hands together to warm the cool substance before looking at her back, frowning at the place where she'd been stung. The sting had produced a reddened, swollen section of skin, causing sharp, painful sensations throughout her body. He knew welts would soon be forming, and he wanted to prevent any further discomfort to her. "This may hurt a bit," he told her, "but it's going to help."
"Just do it," she told him, trying not to cry. She bit back a groan of anguish as she felt his hands rubbing in the potion, which had begun to counteract the sting. But that wasn't all she felt… A very familiar warmth flooded her, and she knew that he had also used his hand magic to help her heal. Despite the pain she was in, she couldn't help but smile.
Several minutes passed, and eventually, the sting had vanished completely. The pain had subsided as well, though the unease from the event sure hadn't.
"Relax," Cedric told her quietly, chuckling as she scoffed. "I know. A rather strange request after you've been attacked by a jellyfish, but still…"
"I don't know if I can relax after that…" She shook her head. "I've already fainted and been stung. What's next? A lightning strike?"
"If you'll allow me, I'll help you calm down a bit." He gestured around at the busy area. "And plus, this will also add to the whole 'act like a couple in front of everyone' concept… To make things more convincing, of course."
She looked at him over her shoulder, curious. "What do you have in mind?"
"Lie down," he whispered, moving onto the deck next to her as she did as he asked, lowering onto her stomach on the deck chair, which now stretched out as she moved. "Close your eyes…"
Sofia sighed, closing her eyes upon request, her arms folded under her head as she kept her face turned toward him.
Cedric gently traced the area where she'd been stung, applying only mild pressure before simply rubbing her back. He smiled as he heard her sigh in relaxation. That was a far better sound than her near tears and pained cries from earlier. He massaged her shoulders a bit, realizing that the motion seemed to release some of her tension as he did. He then returned to her back, noticing some stray water droplets lingering on her skin. He traced his fingers along the pathway the water droplets made, chuckling as he felt his partner shiver as he did.
He alternated between massaging and barely even stroking her back, and he noticed a peaceful smile appear on the princess's features. "How are you feeling?"
"Um…" She opened her eyes, blushing at the knowing smile on his face. "B-Better… R-Really good, actually…"
"So, I can stop now?"
"No!" She smiled sheepishly, her blush still lingering as he blinked before smirking at her reaction. "I mean… C-Could you just…maybe rub my back a little longer? I did get stung, after all…"
Cedric chuckled, leaning forward to whisper, "As my princess commands…"
She giggled, whispering back, "Thank you, my sweet and loving sorcerer…" A smirk formed on her lips this time as she corrected, "Or should I say medic?"
He rolled his eyes. "I didn't want anyone else touching you." Realizing how that might have sounded, he quickly corrected his statement to, "E-Er… I mean… I didn't know if these crew members were trustworthy, even the medic they have…"
She smiled, keeping her head resting on her arms as he began caressing her back again. "You meant the first part too."
He smiled sheepishly, sighing in resignation. "I did…"
"Hmm…" She closed her eyes, that same peaceful smile lingering. "Good…"
Zydel and Orla stood off to the side, sharing a plate of sweets and each drinking some gooseberry cider, while watching the other two several yards away.
"Never let me say they don't act much like a couple again," Orla joked, winking at her husband. "That's probably the most romantic thing I've seen anyone on this galleon do since we got here."
"Speaking of which, my back hurts a bit," the taller man teased, blinking as she shoved one of the pastries into his mouth.
"You always complain about my massages. You say I'm too rough."
"You could stand to be a little gentler, yes." He laughed as she rolled her eyes.
"If you want a gentle touch, I hear the lady in the parlor with the false teeth is pretty easy going."
"Eh, I'd rather not. I've heard some rather…unpleasant stories about her already…" He chuckled as she shrugged. "I'll stick with my lovely wife."
"Aw, he's learned." She kissed his cheek.
A few hours later, Sofia was wearing her dress again, and she and Cedric had eaten before getting back to their mission. It didn't take long to locate that suspicious group of five men Cedric had noticed the previous evening. They weren't exactly trying to be inconspicuous, after all. They were, in fact, standing near the helm, overlooking everyone and everything.
"I wonder what they're doing," Sofia murmured as she and Cedric stood near the railing of the galleon, leaning against each other and watching them carefully. "They have been staring at the passengers for a long time."
"Maybe we can listen in." Cedric withdrew his wand. "I can tell they're talking. Here." He tapped her hand, producing a small object that looked similar to a cork. "Hold this up to your ear."
She blinked before doing as he suggested, watching as he created a second one and then doing the same himself.
"Captain Zhigo will be pleased."
"He should be. Do you know how much food and drinks we had to plow this group with to get them to loosen up and be less suspicious?"
"There are a few who aren't cooperating though. That couple from earlier-the ones who kept trying to follow us; the girl who got stung by the stingray-"
"Jellyfish."
"Whatever. Her husband is apparently a doctor, so he insisted on taking care of her. And then he spent over an hour tending to her. You just know he got quite a 'thank you' later."
Sofia and Cedric blushed darkly at that suggestive tone. In fact, after they'd departed from the upper deck, they'd just eaten and looked around. So, clearly, these men hadn't seen them after they'd left the viewing area. But…
"It was over an hour?" Sofia asked in surprise, causing Cedric to stammer a bit.
"I-I…didn't realize that…" He smiled shyly. "I guess…time flies when you're…enjoying yourself?"
She smiled appreciatively, nudging him. "I was definitely enjoying myself…"
"O-Oh?"
"Oh, there they are. They're just…standing there…"
"Do you think they know something?"
"Maybe we should check and see…"
Sofia chanced a very quick glance upward and noticed that the group of men seemed to be shuffling a bit, as if to approach them. Thinking fast, she swiftly turned to face Cedric, shoving him up against the railing. She threw her arms around his neck, her fingers slipping into his hair, and she began pulling his head down toward her, almost as if she wanted to…
"Sofia, what are you doing?" Cedric whispered in alarm, noticing how close their faces were to each other.
"Just pretend," she whispered back. "They were about to come over to us, so I had to do something…"
"And slamming me into the railing was your best plan?" he joked quietly, wrapping his arms around her securely, blinking as she smirked.
"That's only part of my plan, Cedric…" She leaned up a bit, kissing the side of his mouth, tilting her head a bit to where it looked like they were actually kissing. She could feel him stiffen a bit, his face warming considerably, and caressed her fingers through his hair to calm him a bit. "Just relax…" She was a bit taken aback herself when she whispered to him, since her lips accidentally did brush against his, making them both blush. She moved back just a bit to alleviate the tension. That was definitely…different…and something they were not used to. Still… That pleasant feeling that had filled her when it had happened… She absolutely understood why people were always kissing now, even though they hadn't…technically done so… But even that soft, brief brush had been…sensational.
That was something Cedric hadn't been expecting, but… It had felt rather…nice, for lack of a better word. Processing the fact that she'd echoed his words back to him now, he figured he would take her advice. He reached up and undid her messy bun, using a discreet bit of magic to also unweave her braid at the same time. What did this accomplish? It looked like it was part of this plan of hers, it obstructed the view of the crewmen a bit, and…it made her feel better, obviously, especially as she sighed in relief.
"Are they still watching?" she asked softly as she nuzzled her head under his chin, enabling him to glance up.
He saw that the men were indeed still there, murmuring something that he couldn't understand. "Y-Yes," he responded after he'd lowered his head to hers. "W-What now?"
"Let's try…a repeat of your little…demonstration earlier…" She smiled as he stared at her in surprise.
"And…y-you're comfortable with that?"
"You didn't hear me complaining the first time, did you?" Hearing him gasp at her words, she giggled lightly. "Don't worry, Cedric…" She hummed happily as he stroked her hair with one hand while keeping his hold on her with his other. "If I remember correctly… You'll have no problem helping me make this look convincing…"
"S-Sofia!" he whispered in surprise, glancing upward only briefly to see that three of the five men had vacated the area, though two still lingered, eyeing them every now and then. "Two left," he whispered directly into her ear. "The other three are back in their position." Like earlier, he slowly trailed his lips from her ear down to her neck, leaving a very light trail of kisses.
Sofia moaned softly, but she knew that Cedric could tell this wasn't a moan of delight. The princess frowned once before opening her eyes and looking up at him, a bit disoriented.
"Not feeling well?" he asked gently.
"Dizzy spell," she responded quietly. "It's… It's slowly going away though… Ugh…" She sighed, smiling apologetically up at him. "What timing, huh?"
He chuckled. "I could always try that again, if you'd like…" He chanced a glance up, noticing that the other two men had returned to their original positions. "Or…"
"I'd like that," she whispered, giggling softly.
"Oh, um…" He was going to explain to her that the second round wasn't necessary, but he noticed that she seemed to be patiently waiting. Almost as if she… He smiled gently. "Very well…" He tucked some of her hair behind her ear before whispering gently to her, "They're gone now… So, I suppose we should…" He did place one more gentle kiss just beneath her ear, making her shiver.
"Ooh…yes, we should… We should go…" She lowered her arms before stepping back from him, taking his hands into hers and smiling, blushing at the recent events. "I'm…sorry if I was a little…forceful earlier. Or if I hurt you."
Cedric laughed nervously, blushing himself as she released his hands. "It was…necessary. Ahem…" He brushed his robe, trying to straighten it out a bit. "A-And… I didn't…mind, I s-suppose."
The princess felt a mischievous smirk appearing on her lips as she stood on her tip toes, kissing his cheek. "I'll keep that in mind…" She smiled before tugging him along, back to their cabin for the evening.
Up near the helm, the five men stood, still observing.
"Something strange about those two," one of them muttered.
"And powerful," another growled, fisting his hand and creating a magical surge. "We should destroy them now."
"No," the third insisted. "Captain Zhigo made it clear that all passengers are needed, even ones who may be magical or powerful themselves. We will not harm them."
"For now," the fourth one chuckled.
The fifth one just stood, his arms folded, a heavy scowl on his features.
That night, as the partners were lying in bed (the 'wall of fluff' back where Cedric usually had it), they spent some time talking.
"Today was kind of…strange," Sofia began, "and painful…" She recalled the jellyfish sting, which Cedric had healed. "And even…nice." She glanced over at him, smiling as he turned to face her. "Really nice…"
"O-Oh… Heh…" He smiled nervously. "I'm…glad you…enjoyed some of it at least… I'm just sorry that you had to go through so much pain before…"
"It was worth it." She hummed softly as she reached over the pillows, taking his hand. "You make everything worth it, Cedric… It's like, even if there are bad things we have to go through, you still manage to make everything okay in the end…" She felt her cheeks warming as she said, "And I'm…um… I'm sorry if I…freaked you out back there… I wasn't planning on…" She lifted her hand, gesturing toward her lips.
He chuckled, shaking his head. "I think I'll survive, my dear. Besides…" He let go of her hand, lifting it instead to cup her cheek, his thumb softly brushing over her bottom lip and causing her to gasp before smiling shyly. "I'd go through just about anything to keep you safe, no matter how new, bizarre, uncomfortable, or unfamiliar it is… You're worth it."
Sofia felt a little sting of what might possibly be tears behind her eyelids, but she managed to keep her emotions in check. Instead, she shoved the pillows away, breaking the 'wall of fluff' and moving over to him, hugging him and resting her head against his chest.
"Sofia?"
"No more barriers, Cedric," she told him quietly. "No people, no disasters, no distance, and even no pillows…" She smiled at him. "I just want you…with me…"
His breath caught in his throat, the look of surprise on his face expected, yet…it was also one of…gratitude and even adoration. "Sofia…" He kissed the crown of her head, whispering, "I'll always be with you… I promised you once, and I'm promising you again…"
She sighed softly, closing her eyes as he held her. "I love you, Cedric…"
"I love you too, Sofia…" He watched her slowly fall asleep before smiling softly, kissing her forehead. "Good night, my love…" With a quick wave of his wand with his free hand, he dimmed the lighting. Before long, he was asleep as well.
To be continued…
Next Chapter: Shaken and Stirred