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: More fluff is coming, but we do have to handle some other things as well. 😉 A few things regarding some comments I saw in the review. First of all, thanks to RubyTiara2020 and Naosh7633 and several other people for the reviews and favorites/follows! I've seen y'all showing up recently in my emails for notifications, so I greatly appreciate you. 😊 And of course, thanks to all my usual reviewers as well. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I continue writing because of you guys. It's your interest in my own little universe that keeps me motivated and enjoying so much what I'm able to write.
As far as the age thing, Sofia is 19 in my stories (her birthday was in "Fashion Hijinks"), just to clarify. She'll turn 20 in my "season 3" stories. Most people don't make mention of the age difference between Cedric and Sofia in my universe, and for now it'll stay that way. Also, while I appreciate the interest, I'd rather keep my universe lemon-free (regardless of who's writing for it). If you want to write that type of story yourself with your own "universe" and take on the show, go for it. I'd just prefer not to link my universe up with it, because I do have a set story line planned, and I have no intention of deviating from it. Hope you understand. Meanwhile, I began school again August 17 (grad school and working/professional development/teaching), so the final two chapters (I split this chapter into two parts due to the length) may be a bit delayed. Apologies for that. Anyway, hope you enjoy chapter 5!
Chapter 5: Shaken and Stirred
The next morning was similar to most other mornings: sunny and fair, with plenty of good weather to come. In fact, the Bixtou Realm had very few (if any) storms in its existence. However, it was still early (not even 8:00 AM yet), so most people hadn't opted to leave their cabins and instead had preferred to sleep in.
Cedric and Sofia were two of those people. They hadn't intentionally decided to sleep in, but considering how draining the previous night had been, it wasn't necessarily surprising that they'd decided to do so.
Sofia was still asleep, though Cedric had stirred and awakened, mostly because he realized that his arm was a bit tired from having held his partner all night. He sighed as he looked down at the princess, smiling as he noticed her eyes were still closed and her head was still resting on his chest.
He shifted her a bit, moving the pillows behind her head, and helped her lie down on them instead, tugging the covers up around both of them as he turned to face her, a soft expression on his face. Without much thought to it, he reached up and slowly and gently traced one finger down her forehead, along her nose, over her slightly parted lips (which he noticed quivered a bit at his touch), and then to her chin, before circling back to her forehead. There, he brushed her messy swooping bangs back a bit, smiling as she sighed. "Sofia," he murmured lightly, chuckling to himself. "You are…so adorable…especially when you're sleeping."
The princess's lips twitched into a small smirk as those eyes opened, narrowing playfully toward the sorcerer, who blinked in surprise. "Especially when I'm sleeping?" she countered, sounding mildly irked, though there was a lighthearted lilt to her tone.
"…How long have you been awake?" he asked, ignoring her previous query.
"Since you moved me over here. I was going to say something, but then you did…that thing…" She blushed a bit, noticing that he'd also turned a bit red at her mentioning. "Um… Wasn't expecting that…"
"I-I'm sorry, Sofia… I didn't mean-"
She grinned, reaching up and placing a finger over his lips to silence him. "I didn't say I didn't like it, Cedric… And for your information…" She let her finger trace his own lips, smiling as he shivered a bit at the sensation, and then she reached up and cupped his cheek. "You're adorable too."
He blinked at her words before placing his hand over hers. "Sofia, I…"
"Shh…" She slid her hand from his cheek to his hair before leaning up slowly, closer and closer to him, both their eyes slowly closing… Until-
A loud ringing outside their door startled both of them, causing them to scramble away from each other.
"B-Breakfast bell," Cedric stammered, his mind clearing as he laughed sheepishly. "Um… Y-You must be hungry, my dear…"
She smiled shyly as she nodded. "Y-Yeah…"
"Let's, um…" He stood up, busying himself with making his side of the bed, then ran a hand through his hair. "Let's…get ready for the day and…get some food."
Sofia giggled at his flustered state. "Sorry if I…um…" She shrugged, gesturing toward him. "If I…upset you."
Cedric frowned curiously, shaking his head. "N-No, Sofia… No, you didn't upset me at all…" Deciding to save this conversation for later, he walked over to her side and held out his hands, smiling as she took them and stood to her feet. "Quite the opposite, actually…"
This admission made the princess smile, and she leaned up, kissing his cheek. She then whispered, "Good to know." With a playful wink and a quick turn, causing her hair to gently brush his arm, she gathered her clothes and left to prepare for the day.
The sorcerer sighed heavily, leaning against the dresser and touching his cheek, a dazed smile on his face. "That girl is going to be the end of me…"
Meanwhile, a certain group of five and their captain were currently meeting in a secret room below deck…The Five, as Captain Zhigo often called them, were Robert the Robust, Wanderin' Wally, Butterford, Hopscotch, and Tamoa. While they may not have always looked or acted like it, these five were no joke when it came to carrying out the captain's plans, even if that meant acquiring some victims along the way.
Robert the Robust was a tall, muscular, copper-skinned man, his messy fire-red hair cuffed just below his ears in a somewhat frizzy manner. His brown eyes were so dark that they nearly appeared black, piercing through anyone he laid eyes on. He was surprisingly clean-shaven, considering his line of work. Around his neck was a silver necklet in the shape of a winding snake. His ensemble was rather unique and all a similar shade of black: a see-through/netted tank-a thin loose strap falling below his left shoulder-with an opened vest cropped just above his belly button, long shorts to his knees, fingerless gloves on both hands, netted tights, and calf-high platform boots. Robert was not quite the hothead his hair would stereotypically suggest, but he was definitely straightforward and played no games with anyone.
Wanderin' Wally was about the same height as his brother Robert. However, his skin was a shade or two lighter, and he possessed two different colored eyes: his right was a dark blustery blue, while his left was a somber gray. He was the tiniest bit more muscular than his brother as well. Like Robert, he also possessed no facial hair. His hair was a vibrant purple (a color earned via a strange potion debacle about ten years ago), and it was heavily braided from his scalp all the way down to his ankles, with some stray pieces falling along his neck. Around his forehead was a white bandana, keeping some of his loosened hair out of his face. He wore a silver chain with a few metal pieces (similar to dog tags) around his neck. His top was a long, loose, gray tank top, which bunched a bit at his waist. Around his wrists were some red bands with four black buckles holding them in place. He also wore some black shorts, but his dark boots expanded past his knees, meeting just at the hem to the shorts. Wally was a bit more outgoing than his brother and enjoyed a good fight (real or feigned) every now and then.
Butterford was probably the best-dressed of the five. He wore nicely pressed black pants with matching shoes. Beneath his black buttoned blazer with white piping on the seems of his hem and long sleeves, he wore a black and white pinstriped collared shirt, a solid white tie peeping just above the blazer. His hands were covered in silk black gloves (most proclaimed due to an accident that left his hands a bit mangled, though he never did indicate whether or not that was the case). Butterford possessed a cream complexion and was probably every bit as muscular as the brothers, though his clothes hid this fact well. He had a thin mustache just below his nose and a little soul patch under his bottom lip. His eyes were a stormy aquamarine. His hair was a sandy brown color, the right side a stylish short cut, and the left side parted into a longer swoop of hair that rested just at his neck. Butterford, more reserved than the other five, tended to stick mostly by the captain's side to see to his general needs, but he could also often be found hanging around his surprising choice of a "best friend": Hopscotch.
Of the five, Hopscotch had the most striking appearance. We'll begin with the normal aspects of the man: he was slightly muscular and tanned, with a messy head of uneven white hair that was a bit the opposite of Butterford: longer on the right side in a spikey cascade to his clavicle, and shorter on the left side. His eyes were a reddish brown, though they sometimes even had an orange hue to them, always narrowed into a fierce or mischievous glare. His unshaven face left him with a thin spattering of facial hair along his cheeks, chin, and upper lip. His style was similar to Robert's, with the see-through/netted tank top, the black open vest, and the black boots that went up to his calves. However, he also preferred longer leather pants that gathered around the tops of his boots and had a small rip on the left leg, and an uneven hanging dual set of gold-colored bands around his waist. There was a spikey blue collar around his neck and a thin black bracelet on his right wrist. Now for the strangest thing about him: his left shoulder was perfectly normal, but below that was a skeletal arm and hand. A terrible accident many years ago with a powerful and evil presence had caused this occurrence, though he actually did have full function of that side. Sure, the bones were exposed and rattled a bit more, but they were surprisingly strong. Plus, he found it hilarious to freak people out when he revealed his unique quality for the first time. Butterford had fainted upon seeing it at first, which Hopscotch had never stopped teasing him about. He was more of a sardonic, crass, and even rude sort of person, but he did have a sense of humor, albeit a somewhat dark one sometimes.
The final member was Tamoa. Tamoa had hardly said a hundred words to the group since joining a few years ago. He was a tall, slender yet lean man, with a grayish tint to his pale skin. His hair was jet black and fell just below his shoulders in a straight tumble of locks, though a short set of bangs did fall near his right eye occasionally. His eyes were sunken and black as midnight. Like Butterford, he possessed a small soul patch below his lip, though no one ever really saw that due to the dark scarf tied around his mouth and nose. Across his forehead was a red band that ran beneath his hair and tied behind his head. He wore the typical dark pants and heavy shoes, though his upper outfit was more intricate than the others'. He had a sleeveless tank top with a black buckle around his neck, and an asymmetrical jacket that possessed a long angled right sleeve that fell nearly to his knees, while his left arm was completely exposed (except for the red band on his wrist). Three long strips of fabric expanded from his right side outward to his left, holding the jacket in place. The bottom part of the jacket fell entirely around his body and at his feet, the black fabric lined with red and white trim at the hem and around the sleeve cuff. Of the five, he was the most serious and focused, and probably the deadliest as well. Rumor had it that he'd killed over three hundred men in the past six years, though no one knew who they were or why he'd done it. Another rumor was that he'd been a hired assassin for a secret group, though that was also unfounded, but it would certainly explain the high number of kills he proclaimed to have.
Either way, all five of them had been hired and now worked for the captain of the Vista di Galileo: Captain Zhigo.
Captain Zhigo wasn't like the clichéd captains one might imagine. He didn't have that bushy beard, the oversized hat, the peg leg, or the talking parrot. He wasn't even that old. At thirty-nine, he stood a bit taller than all the others (except Tamoa). He was pale-skinned, despite being in the sun most days. He'd never been able to hold a tan in his life, though he wasn't bothered by such miniscule details. Most of his head was shaved save for a mohawk that fell in spikey fragments into his eyes, and some stray long pieces on either side of his head fell just below his shoulders. Some peculiar designs were tattooed in those shaven spots, and some of the tattoos also curled in curious characters below his right eye. His sharp eyes were green, and his thin lips never left their straight line, even if he found something amusing. A simple 'hmm' was the sign that he was pleased most of the time. His own thicker soul patch was pointed and nicely groomed at his chin. He wore black slacks that were tucked into his narrow boots, and his top was a simple long-sleeved coat that was perhaps a size too big for him and was held into place with some gold crisscrossed belts. The sleeves and hem were outlined with white trim.
They were all gathered, having eaten a feast for breakfast (even grander than their 'passengers,' who were currently receiving the standard eggs and choice of meat and bread that morning). Robert reached over and tried to swipe a muffin from Butterford's plate, but he yelped when Hopscotch leaned over his best friend and stabbed the redhead's hand with a fork. This led to arguing (not unusual) while Wally appeared to want to jump in (not necessarily to help his brother, but rather just to entertain himself). Meanwhile, Tamoa and Captain Zhigo merely rolled their eyes and sat quietly, sipping their choice of drink while watching the other four banter.
Cedric and Sofia happened to be walking near the area that led to the 'secret' room and overheard their loud conversation.
"You don't think…" Sofia glanced at her partner, shrugging as he nodded. "It's…worth looking, I guess."
"We need to be inconspicuous," he reminded her. "We can't exactly just waltz into a room, unwelcome, with potential villains at hand."
"There's nothing 'potential' about them since we're here in the first place, but you do have a point..." She took his hand before grasping her amulet in her free hand. "We wish to be small," she murmured, grinning at the sorcerer as he gasped a bit.
They'd shrunk considerably before they had even realized it, even smaller than they'd been before. In fact, they were so small that they would easily be able to fit under the crack in the wooden door that led to the obscure room. Both Enchancians quickly scurried along the path the captain and his crew often took, slipping inside the room.
Cedric pointed up toward the table where the six men were sitting before taking her hand, tugging her along to hide behind one of the heavy curtains spilling over the window and onto the floorboard.
"It's almost time to cross into the Kryfito Realm," the captain told his crew members before sipping something from a small chalice in his hand. "You know what that means."
"It's sealin' time!" Hopscotch responded, grinning as he ripped his fork out of Robert's hand, causing the redhead to yell in pain, before tossing it over his shoulder and nearly hitting Cedric (until Sofia pulled him out of the way, making them tumble to the floor in a tangled mess of limbs).
Cedric stared down at Sofia in surprise, grimacing apologetically as he noticed her rubbing the back of her head. "I'm sorry," he whispered while blushing, trying not to be too loud.
"It's not your fault-," she whispered in return, being caught off guard and gasping as she felt his fingers brush the uncovered skin of her side through her slightly raised black and pink top, which had previously been tucked into her purple skirt. Her cheeks flushed a dark pink color upon feeling the unexpected contact with her sensitive skin. "C-Cedric…"
He blushed darker, realizing the accidental position he was in—they were in. "S-Sorry, Sofia! Merlin's Mushrooms, yet another e-epidermis s-situation…" He could have kicked himself for that wording. It wasn't making things any better, if her persistent blushing was any indication. "Ugh, could this get any more embarrassing?"
"Shh!" the princess insisted, placing a finger over his lips—similar to that morning—shaking her head. "Let's not tempt fate, shall we?" She then giggled lightly, smiling as he nodded and moved back before helping her to her feet. "Anyway… Flying forks… Never knew those could be so intimidating." As he released her hands, she was able to quickly tuck her shirt back into her skirt, brushing out the fabric.
He smiled playfully, calming his blush, as he tucked some of her hair behind her ear. "That still is not as intimidating as realizing…" He noticed her staring at him curiously, and he cleared his throat softly, withdrawing his hand. "N-Never mind… Er…" He quickly turned, leaning around the curtain and nodding back toward the table. "W-We should…pay attention…"
Sofia giggled quietly once more before peeping out the curtain next to him. "Yes… We should…"
"How many souls have we collected, Butterford?" the captain asked, turning toward the fair-haired man. "Enough!" He glared at the other three, who stopped mid-punch or mid-yell and settled into their chairs.
Butterford adjusted his silk gloves before responding, "The last…contribution…totaled well over two thousand souls, Captain."
Cedric and Sofia exchanged worried glances. Souls? Not again… They'd experienced a number of villainous people in the past collecting souls for various reasons, so this was nothing new. However, these were still people… They just hoped it wasn't too late to rescue them.
"All sealed away, nice and neat," Wanderin' Wally added. "I had to handle a few stragglers and rebellious ones last time, but considering how many we've collected, it doesn't really matter."
"All souls matter," Tamoa told them lowly, his voice sounding mysterious and unused, especially since it had probably been a few months since his last spoken words. He certainly had the others' attention. "They're being collected for a reason, or have you forgotten?"
"Right," Robert scoffed, yanking the bandana from his brother's head (much to the other man's chagrin) and beginning to wrap it around his wounded hand. "Scary boss-man of Captain Zhigo. So mysterious that no one even seems to know who he is—"
"I know who he is, you idiot," Captain Zhigo scoffed, glowering at his crewman. "You don't need to know though. None of you. All you need to do is follow the plans accordingly."
"What about that strange couple we saw?" Wally asked, tossing some bread back and forth between his hands. "The girl with the gorgeous hair and the guy with the weird nose."
Cedric balked at the description and frowned. "I don't have a weird nose…" He suddenly felt a little self-conscious as Sofia turned to him, her hand gently caressing his back. "Do I?"
"I love your nose, Cedric," Sofia whispered, using her hand to lower his head toward her, placing a gentle kiss on the tip of his nose. She smiled as he blushed a little bit while she let him go. "It's part of you. And it's kind of cute too."
He smiled shyly and was about to respond when he heard the captain growl in frustration. He returned his attention to the scene, but not before wrapping his arm around his partner protectively.
"What about them?" Captain Zhigo countered.
"We sensed something powerful," Butterford admitted, twirling his fork in his fingers. "From both of them… And when the girl had been stung by the jellyfish, the guy said he was a doctor and could heal her himself, but…" He shrugged. "I don't know. I feel like there's a lot more to them than we realize."
Hopscotch noticed the captain growing even more impatient, and not wanting his friend to get the brunt of the other man's anger, he added, "Plus, think about it, Captain. If they really are that powerful, wouldn't it benefit us and your boss to keep them around? Rather than makin' 'em just two more 'collected souls' in the Kryfito Realm?"
Sofia felt Cedric's hold on her tighten, and she leaned into him a bit more. She never realized their powers were that obvious to other people. Sure, others had often told her that she seemed like a powerful person, but…she wasn't really sure how that worked.
"You imbeciles." Captain Zhigo rolled his eyes. "If anything, they need to be the first to go. If they do have powers, then they need to be eliminated. It's pretty obvious to me that they'd never volunteer their 'services' for us."
Robert grinned and nudged his brother. "Though I'm sure we wish the girl would."
Cedric thought he couldn't have been any more protective over the princess, but that off-color comment had certainly done the trick. While keeping his hold on Sofia, he withdrew his wand, ready to strike the redhead. He felt a warm hand fall upon his gloved hand, causing him to look down at his partner.
"No." It was all she said, but it was all she needed to say to get him to relent, sighing and sheathing the wand.
Tamoa frowned at the laughing crewmen (minus Butterford, who yawned). "Glad to know you are taking this seriously. Perhaps learn to control your lust-filled ambition, and then you might be more successful in life."
"Ha, yeah, Robert!" Hopscotch sneered, smirking at the other man. "Old Tamoa even opened his mouth to tell you off for a change. You land-lovin' food thief."
"Keep talkin' and I'll beat you with your own bony arm," Robert challenged, glaring at him.
"All souls onboard are to be collected," the captain insisted. "I don't care who they are. And if you idiots keep acting like this, I'll personally add you to the list as well."
Sofia had finally heard enough, tugging Cedric along as they discreetly exited the room, hurrying back to a more secure area on the deck of the galleon. Seeing no one around, she whispered her wish to her amulet, and they both returned to their normal sizes. "I wonder how far it is to this Kryfito Realm…"
Cedric turned and looked out at the water, seeing nothing. "I've never even heard of it, so it's hard to say…" He looked back toward her, smiling apologetically as she held a hand to her head. "You're hungry, aren't you?"
"Well, we kind of…didn't have breakfast, so…" She shrugged, dropping her hand to her side and smiling tiredly at him. "It would probably be best if we get something to eat before we have to take those guys down…whenever that is."
"Right. Let's go then." He nodded toward the side as the familiar pair of Zydel and Orla waved at them. "I do hope we can solve this problem before anyone else is taken…"
She frowned. "I know… Me too. And I also hope there's some sort of way to rescue the others who've already been…what did that guy say? Sealed away?"
"We'll figure it out, Sofia." He placed one hand along the small of her back, guiding her toward the other couple. "But first…let's eat."
Given the lack of activity with The Five or the captain, even a few hours later, the Enchancians had all but decided that this new realm wasn't going to be crossed today. Therefore, to keep up appearances and be less suspicious, they decided to attend one of Orla's favorite things on the galleon: a dancing event.
"You guys do dance, right?" Orla teased as she and her husband guided Cedric and Sofia to the area that was sectioned off just for the dancers.
There was upbeat music playing, and many of the couples were spinning each other, dipping one another, and participating in some rather impressive (if not moderately questionable) dance moves.
"Not like that," Cedric responded, gesturing toward one couple, who had begun focusing more on kissing each other than dancing. "It's…not exactly an appropriate style of…dance…for the public eye anyway."
"What Horatio means," Sofia began, placing one hand on his chest as the other lingered on his back, "is that we're more used to the proper style of dancing. Do they play any slower songs?"
"Eventually," Zydel laughed. "About every third song seems to be slower."
"Then that's the song we'll dance to," the sorcerer insisted. He nodded, more to convince himself than the others. "Those are the types of songs we danced to at our wedding, after all…" He smiled toward Sofia, who blinked before returning the smile. "One after the other, slow and steady…" He chuckled as her lips quirked into a smirk at the familiar saying. "Dancing is just like magic, really… If done well, it can produce a great…outcome."
"Wow," Orla laughed as she noticed the partners staring amorously at each other. "That's probably the most romantic thing I've heard either of you say."
"H-Horatio has a way with words," Sofia laughed, breaking eye contact with the sorcerer. "But I think he's right. Dancing can…do some pretty magical things…" She giggled softly as he nodded.
Once a slower song began playing, Zydel and Orla were instantly swept into a steady rhythm. They looked toward the other two expectantly, patiently awaiting their accompaniment.
"It's just a dance," Cedric muttered, taking Sofia's hand.
She blinked up at him before laughing. "I know, Cedric."
"I was…giving myself a little encouragement, actually, but…" He sighed as she smiled. "Why is it so much harder to…to dance here, away from familiar faces? As often as you asked me to dance for different occasions, I'd gotten used to it. And here, without the watchful eyes of those we know, it's actually harder for some reason…"
Sofia placed her hands on his arms. "Maybe it's because…you're overthinking it… At home, a dance is just a dance. But here…" She lowered her hands to grasp his. "It's more than that… It's not just a dance between friends…" She reached up with one hand and cupped his cheek. "But… We haven't been 'just friends' in a long time, Cedric… And I think that's becoming very obvious…"
He chuckled softly, grasping her hand against his cheek. "Abundantly… My love…" Without waiting for a response, he carefully pulled her closer to him, falling into the normal placement for all the other dances they'd ever done together.
As they slowly began moving, their feet barely brushing together sometimes, their hands either entwined or resting on his shoulder or against her back, soft smiles gracing their faces, a thought ran through both of their minds. The same thought. The increasingly obvious thought that now followed them both nearly daily.
They weren't just friends anymore… They were something much stronger… Stronger than best friends. Stronger than partners. Stronger than any other title they'd bestowed upon their relationship. They both knew it. But…
There would be a better time and place to discuss it. And given how lost they'd gotten in each other's eyes in their slow dance, even when the music had changed to a far more upbeat tempo, it was evident that the impending discussion would probably need to be sooner rather than later.
When nighttime came, Zydel and Orla informed Cedric and Sofia of a feast that was to take place. Apparently, they were very near the halfway point of their journey, and beginning the next day, they'd start heading back to the Ever Realm. Of course, Cedric and Sofia didn't believe that for a second, but they did want to keep suspicion down and play the roles of the committed and loving couple (though it was hard to justify such a thing as a simple "role," honestly).
Of course, for the occasion, they felt the need to dress up a bit more formally than they'd been doing, so they retreated to their cabin to prepare.
Cedric tapped his wand to his chin as Sofia rummaged through her luggage. "Should I go with my dress robe or a tuxedo for this occasion?"
"Tuxedo," she answered almost immediately, giggling as he blinked at her. "Cedric, you're not supposed to 'be yourself' on this trip, remember? Horatio isn't you. I don't think he'd be wearing a dress robe."
"Fair enough." He smirked as she withdrew a simple lavender dress from her clothing. "And if I may say so, my dear… I don't believe Raelyn would wear something so…Sofia-ish."
She placed the dress on top of her luggage before turning to him, placing her hands on her hips and offering him a playful smile. "Fine. What would Raelyn wear then?"
He hummed thoughtfully before walking over toward her, holding his wand up to her shoulder and beginning to move it slowly along her collarbone, walking around her as the magic began to flow from the wand. When he was finished, he stopped in front of her, smiling fondly at her. "This."
She stood in a slightly off-the-shoulder midnight black gown, the underlayer a shimmering shade of royal purple, hidden just beneath a shear black fabric. The dark heels she now wore boosted her a few inches, to where she could finally see above his shoulders. Her hair was mostly down, but a top layer was twisted into a small bun, fastened in place with a glittering black bow. The only thing that hadn't changed was her jewelry.
Sofia giggled as she looked down at her new gown. "I kind of like this… I may wear this to our next party at the castle."
Cedric stared at her, mildly surprised. "R-Really?"
Nodding, she grinned at him. "Raelyn has good taste, apparently. Now it's your turn." She took the wand from his hand and pointed it toward him, softly muttering something.
The sorcerer's robe and gloves disappeared, and his normal clothing was replaced with (as predicted earlier) a dark tuxedo and shiny black shoes. However, his raven pin still resided on the lapel of his tux, and his hair was styled very much the same. The long tails of the tuxedo made him appear far more distinguished than usual, as if he were part of the upper echelon. The very idea…
Sofia giggled, nudging him playfully as she handed his wand back to him, smiling as he pocketed it in his jacket. "Looking sharp there, Horatio."
"Why, thank you, my darling Raelyn." He linked arms with her, smiling mischievously. "Shall we go?"
"We shall, but first…" She leaned up ever so slightly, kissing his cheek, grinning as he blushed a bit. "Yeah, that's actually a lot easier now. Maybe I should wear heels more often!"
"S-Sofia!"
She laughed and tugged him along out the door.
"Can you believe these fools?" Butterford asked Hopscotch as they both watched the grand feast taking place with lots of talk, laughter, and more dancing. They were settled near the helm, the others taking a break below deck. "It's like they don't even realize they're well on their way to their demise."
"Heck, if I were them, I'd party too," Hopscotch joked, turning his neck a few times, sighing in relief as it popped. "Ah, that's better." He frowned curiously as he saw the perplexed look on the smaller guy's face. "Jas, what's wrong with you?" he asked, using the shortened version of his friend's first name (Jastin), which he rarely said aloud. "Can you lighten up?"
"I don't like this, Hopscotch…" He sighed, folding his arms. "I mean, I thought I could…be on board with this whole thing, but…" He frowned. "It's… It's not right."
Hopscotch growled softly and, using his skeletal left hand, tilted his friend's head up to glare him straight in the eyes. "Don't talk like that around here. If they sense any weakness, you'll be sealed away, along with the rest of these morons." He let his hand linger just a bit then huffed, dropping it to his side, especially after seeing how tense the gesture had obviously made the sandy-haired guy. "Just… Just do your job, Butterford. Captain's orders, after all. And we're not that far from the Kryfito Realm, so keep your eyes open."
Butterford sighed. "I know… I'm reminded every day…" He blinked as he felt the same skeletal hand gently squeezing his. It was a strange feeling with those bony fingers curling against his skin, but it wasn't necessarily unpleasant. It was almost comforting even. He stared at his friend. "Hopscotch?"
"I don't want to lose you, Jas," the white-haired man admitted, sounding far more serious and concerned than he usually did. "If anything happened to you, I'd…" He cleared his throat as his friend watched him curiously, those uncertain eyes trained on him. "I… I gotta go. I'll be back later." He released Butterford's hand and turned, leaving without another word.
Butterford stared after the other man, an anxious feeling filling him. "Hmm…" He frowned, turning and focusing on the festivities once more.
"You two look wonderful!" Orla gushed as she saw Cedric and Sofia approach the festivities. "Like a prince and a princess!"
Sofia laughed, finding pure irony in that statement. "Aw, funnily enough, that's not exactly the first time we've been called that."
"Well, it's my first time to be called a prince," Cedric corrected, rolling his eyes. "A bit too cliché for my liking, but I still appreciate it, Orla."
"He's hungry and cranky because of it," the princess explained, grinning toward Orla and soon Zydel, who walked up next to her. She noticed that they were dressed in matching yellow, red, and black clothing, which seemed to reflect a tribal pattern she'd once seen in her history books at Royal Prep. She thought their garb was beautiful, and even more so since they matched.
"Best to get him some food, then, before it is gone," Zydel suggested, pointing toward the tables behind them. "There is plenty to choose from."
"Thanks, Zy!" Sofia took Cedric's hand, guiding him toward the buffet. She grinned as she eyed the display before them. "Okay, Horatio… What looks good?"
He smiled, pulling her close and placing his forehead to hers. "You."
Sofia blushed before snickering, smiling up at him and whispering, "Smooth, Cedric…"
Cedric winked once, chuckling as he caressed her arm. "I thought so."
Giggling quietly, the princess hummed happily. "As much fun as flirting with you is…" She grinned as he now blushed, clearly a bit embarrassed. "I'm hungry. Let's eat."
He nodded, relenting with a happy sigh. "As you wish, my dear."
A little while later, the stars had started twinkling more visibly in the night sky, creating quite the visual spectacle for the passengers. While most continued eating or dancing, Cedric pulled Sofia away from the crowd after they'd eaten. Despite a strong and excitable start, the princess had gone down rather fast for some reason. In fact, he could tell that she seemed a bit weary now, and he was pretty sure he knew why.
"Another dizzy spell?" he asked calmly as they leaned against the railing of the galleon. Seeing her nod slowly, he sighed. "I wish I knew how to help you, my dear…"
"Just hold me," she suggested, sighing as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her in for a hug. "I can't even enjoy one night with you… It's like every time something goes right…" She glanced up at him, a defeated expression on her face. "…Something soon goes very, very wrong…"
"It's just a spell, my dear," he assured her, hugging her closer and caressing her hair. "It will go away soon."
Sofia buried her face into his tuxedo, groaning softly as he held her steady. "I hope so, because I'm not sure how much more I can take…"
Having overheard the girl's comment from his position near the helm, Butterford frowned, forming a fist as he watched them hold onto each other. "Neither am I…"
To be continued…
Next Chapter: The Kryfito Realm