Royal Rumble

Summary: Enchancia is hosting a competition called the Royal Rumble between their kingdom (as well as a few visiting members) and another kingdom called Carpus. However, what starts off as friendly rivalry quickly descends into madness as members from the opposing team start causing unnecessary drama and chaos. (Collab with MarionetteJ2X)

Disclaimer: Oh, boy… lol. I own the following: Corban, Alamea, Sir Finlay, Gabriella, Sapphire, Davina, Zinnia, Angel, Corban's new puppy named Ollie, and (if she shows up) Nina. All other OCs (especially Nana and Tanya) and the games belong to MarionetteJ2X (except a few that were from the show), and everything else is Craig Gerber's. Phew. Haha.

A/N: Oh, you guys… Just you wait. A LOT of things will be happening in this chapter, and I'm so excited about each and every single thing. 😊 Plus, you'll meet some new characters, revisit with older OCs, and see a nice little set-up to the rest of the story. Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 3: We Meet Again

Roland had barely gotten seated on his throne the next day before Violet stepped before him with a rather hefty scroll (longer than usual). He blinked in surprise as the dark-haired woman allowed the scroll to fall nearly to the floor. "Um, Violet… Should I be concerned? I thought we had cleared my schedule for the Royal Rumble this week."

"We did, Your Majesty," she responded with a bit of a sarcastic undertone and a glint of mischievousness in her eyes. "This…is the list of people coming to stay at the castle for the games. Some of whom have already arrived…" She gestured toward the door, where several people entered into the throne room.

"Oh, wow…" He cleared his throat. "Very well. Let's begin then!" He smiled enthusiastically, even as Miranda and Corban snickered next to him.

Violet nodded and stood aside. "Presenting your Team Enchancia visitors and their families…"

The stewardess read off the list one by one, introducing the following people: Sir Finlay, Gabriella, Sapphire, and Davina; Dante, Princess Seraphina, and Isadora (Issy); Bonvis, Yohanna, and Vibbi; Prince Daniel; and Greylock and Zinnia.

Seeing the former royal sorcerer alone, Roland frowned curiously. "Greylock, Princess Ivy isn't with you?"

"Afraid not, Your Majesty," he responded with a shrug. "She got sick last night, and while I insisted on staying to help her, Miss Nettle assured me that she'd take care of her while I'm gone." He glanced down at Zinnia, who was holding his hand and smiling up at him. He returned the smile before looking back at the king. "It might be for the best that we're here… I wouldn't want Zinnia contracting any illnesses."

"I see." Roland returned his attention to Violet. "And you said there are no other visitors so far, right?"

"Not yet, King Roland. I believe I heard that the Carpus Royal Schooner is a bit late due to some bad weather last night, so it might be a little while before they get here." She rolled up the scroll. "I'll just get back to work then, at least until the others arrive."

"Just a moment, Violet." The king grinned pleasantly as she looked at him. "I have a favor to ask for the upcoming games… You know, the last time we had the Royal Rumble, Baileywick did the announcements for the Enchancian team. And since you basically took his position…"

She blinked. "You want me to announce the games?" A frown formed on her features. "But Your Majesty, there's so much work to be done. I couldn't possibly run the castle and do the games at the same time."

"Of course not! The castle crew will be fine. I'm calling in Cladilla Clingfelt."

The very name sent chills down the former maid's spine. "Not Cladilla, Your Majesty…"

"Who's Cladilla?" Miranda wondered.

Roland smirked. "When I was younger, if—on the rare occasion—Baileywick ever got sick, my father would call in Cladilla Clingfelt. She's rumored to be in her early hundreds, but she's as spritely as ever. Allegedly, she had a little too much to drink at a certain Fountain of Youth, though it mostly only appealed to her longevity and not exactly to her looks… Though she does look far younger than the centennial she likely is."

"She's also one of the meanest people I've ever met, sire," Violet argued lightly. "She made Marcie cry when she told her that her folding skills were worse than a toddler's; she then proceeded to tell her that she had 'donkey knees.'" She frowned, folding her arms. "We still have no idea what that means, but that ridiculous nickname stuck with her for the first few years she worked here until Mr. Baileywick put the taunting fools in their place."

"It'll be fine, Violet. I'll talk to her."

She sighed. "Couldn't we just…let Mr. Baileywick take back temporary control of the castle? I'm sure he wouldn't mind."

"He'll be working with you, actually," the king explained. "Sort of like a mentor and a successor… Well, I suppose you're both familiar with that situation." He chuckled.

"Oh..." She nodded hesitantly. "Very well. I just hope I don't return to a bunch of emotionally bruised staff members at the end of the week."

"If she's that bad, I'm with Violet," Miranda added.

Roland smiled in a placating manner. "It'll be fine, Miranda. I'll set some guidelines for dear old Cladilla."

Violet smiled appreciatively. "Thanks, King Roland." She turned to the visitors. "Beggin' your pardon, your majesties, ladies, and gentlemen… If you'll just follow me, I'll get the lot of ya to your rooms. Come along, then."

Everyone visiting from a different realm or kingdom followed the stewardess, piling into the corridor outside the throne room.

Roland sighed as he turned to his wife. "I sure hope we have enough rooms…"

Miranda laughed. "Relax, Rollie… There aren't that many people staying here—at least, not as many as there could be. Need I remind you that we've housed all of Dunwiddie before?"

"Hmm, yes… For far less entertaining reasons, I might add." He laughed lightly as she nodded. "This will be fine. It will." He frowned as he tapped the arm of his throne. "After fifty years of letting the Magnificent Trophy of Excellence slip through our fingers, it has to be…"

The queen reached out and took her husband's hand, giving him an encouraging smile. "Things will be all right, Roland."

Seeing his son also nodding from his position on Miranda's lap, Roland chuckled. "I hope so, Miranda… I do."

Sofia, Cedric, and the girls had just descended from the stairs as the visitors were exiting the throne room, and the look of surprise on their faces was rather priceless.

"Oh, my gosh!" Sofia laughed, capturing the attention of the others. "You guys! You're all here!" She first ran and hugged Dante, who happily returned her hug. "Ah, one of my favorite royal sorcerers." She grinned as she nodded toward Cedric, Greylock, and Sir Finlay, all of whom smiled in amusement, before returning her attention to her friend. "How are you?"

"I'm fine, Sofia," he laughed. Dante hadn't really changed much over the years, nor since a year or so prior when Cedric last saw him. His black hair was styled into its typical ponytail, sweeping below the belt that held his gold and navy tunic in place over his dark pants. He was a bit leaner and older now, of course, though he still had that air of innocence about him that made him Dante. "And you remember Sera and Issy?"

The princess nodded as she looked toward the blonde princess, who still looked the same as she remembered from all those years ago (long wavy blonde hair, fair features, kind eyes, and a rather simple white dress that she was famous for in her own kingdom). "It's good to see you again, Princess Seraphina." Her eyes then settled on the little girl next to her, and she grinned as she knelt to the somewhat shy girl. "You're Issy, aren't you?"

The dark-haired girl, whose curls lay heavily around her shoulders, blinked up at the other princess. The little girl wore a simple blue dress with white stars embroidered into the skirt portion. Her little black shoes also had some white star patterns, matching the ensemble. "I am," she responded quietly.

"How old are you now?"

Isadora smiled. "Five."

"Whoa." Sofia looked up at the girl's parents. "Five? Already?"

Seraphina giggled. "I know. It's hard to believe. I now know what my mother meant when she said she used to plead with time to slow down. It doesn't seem like we really have enough of it."

"Tell me about it." She looked around at the others, hugging anyone who seemed to be receptive to one and just smiling at the others. "It's so good to see you guys… Oh, let me introduce you to someone." She turned and walked over to Cedric, pulling Nana down from his shoulder and turning her toward the crowd, the girl's large green eyes blinking curiously at the those before her. "This is Nana. And this…" She gestured toward Tanya, who was standing directly by Cedric's side. "…is Tanya."

"Your children?" Prince Daniel asked in surprise.

Sofia smiled at his shocked expression. "Well, sort of… Cedric and I adopted them due to…um, well…"

"Less than satisfactory circumstances," Cedric finished, saving his partner from having to go into the gritty details since the girls were in the room. "And they've been such a wonderful addition to the family." He smiled down at Tanya, who returned the gesture before leaning lightly against him, her hands holding onto the fabric of his robe. He could tell that, like him, she wasn't a big fan of crowds (regardless of who was gathered, though she obviously didn't know any of these people yet).

"I see…" Prince Daniel chuckled. "They're adorable children."

Nana grinned appreciatively from her place in Sofia's arms while Tanya smiled shyly but didn't move from Cedric's side.

"We think so too," Cedric concluded with a nod toward the prince. He hadn't always liked Daniel much in the past, though they'd parted on good terms the last time they saw each other several years ago. At this point, he could tell they'd both matured in many ways, and for that, he was grateful.

Violet stepped forward from the group and smiled toward the Enchancians. "If it's all right with you, Princess Sofia, I told our visitors that I'd show them to their rooms. I'm sure they could do with a little rest and relaxation, especially the little ones."

Sofia nodded. "Of course, Violet. Thank you." She felt Nana struggling in her arms, and when she glanced to the side, she saw why. "Aw." She set her little girl onto the floor, watching her rush over to Davina, practically plowing her over with a hug. "I should have known."

Sir Finlay laughed. "It's always a delight to see our little ones getting along so well."

"Well, they did sort of save the world together, Finny," Gabriella remarked in her usual sarcastic tone, though she said it with an air of modest pride. How could she not be proud? Davina, their daughter, had aided in defeating Malum In Se. Defeating the Never Realm that had caused them all so much trouble and despair. Not many mothers could say that, and she was thrilled to be one of them.

While Violet led the visitors to their rooms, Nana tagging along with Davina (with Sir Finlay's and Gabriella's permission, of course), Cedric, Sofia, and Tanya headed toward the throne room.

"Papa, can I go to the tower?" Tanya asked as they stopped near the door. "I left my book there last night, and I was just getting to the good part."

Cedric chuckled softly. "And you'd rather be in a quiet place since there are far more people here now." Seeing her shy grin and nod, he shrugged. "It's all right with me. If you see Wormy, tell him it will be a while before we get back."

"All right." She waved at them before turning and leaving.

"Yep, she's definitely your daughter," Sofia teased, playfully nudging him.

He smirked in her direction. "So, she takes after me, and Nana takes after you. Especially that 'look' she's been giving people lately."

The princess scoffed. "I didn't teach her that. Maybe she just gets annoyed with stupidity as much as I do."

Cedric snickered as the guards opened the throne room doors, ushering them inside. "That makes two of us…"

"Ah, Cedric!" Roland grinned as he stood up from his throne. "I was hoping I'd see you before the other team gets here. I have a favor to ask."

"Please, King Roland, no more workouts," Cedric requested, practically moving a bit behind Sofia, much to the princess's amusement. "I'm lucky I'm even walking after yesterday's practice…"

"Well, it wasn't about a workout, actually…" The king laughed as his friend sighed in relief. "I was actually going to ask if you could think of a potential 'magical creature' for the bonus round of the games." He folded his arms. "If you remember last time, we had a gnome playing for our team, and… Well…"

Sofia blinked. "What happened?"

"The gnome had an 'accident' and ran to hide in the castle," the sorcerer informed her, sighing as she giggled. "I tried to tell your father that gnomes are a bad idea for something like this."

"I know," Roland acknowledged. "Which is why I'm asking your opinion this time."

"Oh." He nodded appreciatively. "Thank you, sire. Um…" He shrugged. "Well… I'm afraid we don't quite have magical creatures around… But we do have a magical being who would likely be a great asset to the team.'

Sofia blinked as he turned to her expectantly. "Do you mean Tanya?" Seeing him nod, she frowned thoughtfully, propping her chin in her hand. "I don't know, Cedric… Tanya is even more of an introvert than you are."

"I'm sure all will be well. She doesn't have to participate in all the games anyway… Just one. And I'll definitely have to offer her something generous as a reward." He laughed as Roland smirked. "Sofia's right, after all. As little of a people person as I am, Tanya is even less of one."

"Must run in the family," Miranda joked.

Sofia grinned. "That's what I said!"

"I'll talk to her tonight, King Roland, after we're finished with the day's events."

Roland nodded once. "Thank you, Cedric."

Once the Enchancian team members had gotten settled in, they were permitted to enjoy themselves and occupy their time as they saw fit. They were all still waiting on the opposing team to arrive, so they did have some extra time on their hands.

It was around 1:30, after lunch, when the other team finally arrived. While the feeling of anticipation was finally over, a sense of rivalry hung in the air as the visiting men from the Kingdom of Carpus entered the throne room.

Violet instantly felt uncomfortable because of all the eyes on her, even as they were gathered together, awaiting the opportunity to announce their arrival to the king. One person in particular who made her uneasy was a rather tall, slender man with light brown hair and playful blue eyes. He dressed almost identically to Baileywick, minus the spectacles, of course. He also seemed to be in his thirties or forties, though it was hard to tell. According to a very brief conversation with him, his name was Brandon, and he was the royal steward of Carpus.

Either way, the flirtatious looks he continued sending her made her want to run straight back to work, avoiding any unnecessary extra attention. But she couldn't. It was her job to announce the team members and other participants, and that was a job she intended to see through to the end.

"Your Majesties," the stewardess began as she unrolled the previous scroll, adjusting it to find the correct spot on the list. She felt a small poke against her lower back through her uniform, and when she turned, she saw Brandon grinning at her. Deciding to prevent that from happening again, she glared at him before walking closer to the king and queen, instead turning to face the group.

Brandon sighed disappointedly before smirking and folding his arms. "Hard to get, Porter," he murmured to a boy—probably sixteen or so—who was clearly his protégé, as evidenced by the younger guy's similar style of dress. "Get yourself a girl who isn't easily impressed. It makes things more interesting."

Porter, a blonde-haired teen in a uniform matching his mentor's, rolled his eyes and folded his arms. "If you say so, Master Brandon."

Violet cleared her throat, preparing to read from her list. She looked up as she heard the door to the room shut, and Baileywick walk inside, his presence regal and calm as ever. She smiled in relief; just seeing her dear friend there was all she needed to carry on. "King Roland and Queen Miranda, may I present the visitors from the Kingdom of Carpus? His Majesty King Hayden; his brother-in-law Prince Kabir; his dear friend and fellow royal King Haegan; his royal steward Brandon and steward protégé Porter; his royal sorcerer Zeke; his royal shaman Nakamo; and his guards, including Captain Thiago, Private Rodney, Private Benson, Private Idris, and Private Omari." She sighed in relief after getting through the list, but she heard someone in the group clear his throat, and looking up, she saw a tall, muscular…fairy? "Oh, and, uh… Cookie, the Fairy of the Favored, King Hayden's choice of magical creature or being for the…the games." She'd never seen such a large fairy before, so just the sight of him threw her off a bit. She rolled up the scroll, hoping to move things along so that she could return to work.

King Hayden appeared to be around the same age as Roland. He was fair skinned but possessed at least a touch of a tan that likely came and went throughout the year. His dark blonde hair resembled James's favored style, and he also possessed a matching goatee. His eyes were clear blue with a tinge of mirth shining through each time he smiled. He wore a simple green and gold tunic with white long sleeves and gold cuffs, black pants, and heavy black boots.

Prince Kabir, King Hayden's brother-in-law, was a dark-skinned man with deep brown eyes and a cream-colored turban wrapped around his head. His outfit consisted of a black three-quarter length sleeved kurta, which contained a cream-colored deep "v" collar from his neck to his abdomen. His pants matched his turban, while his simple flats matched his kurta. His expression was a bit more serious than the king of Carpus, though he did appear to be kind.

The second king, King Haegan, definitely appeared to be the stand-out of the group. With his strikingly messy short red hair and beard with mustache against his lightly sun-kissed skin, his dancing green eyes, and his vibrant gold tunic and black pants with matching boots, he didn't quite match the same aesthetic as the others. Then again, given that he ruled a different kingdom, it was highly likely that their style of dress was different there. Either way, just judging from his demeanor, he seemed like a relatively outgoing and likable person.

The steward from Carpus, Brandon, again had short light brown hair and blue eyes. He was slim yet muscular at the same time, even hidden in his work clothing. While Baileywick favored his black and lavender outfit, Brandon seemed to prefer gray (his coat with tails), black (his pants and shoes, as well as his tie around his collar), and light blue (his undershirt). A sly smile remained on his features, even though no one appeared to be talking to him, although his eyes hadn't left Violet since the moment he'd seen her.

Porter, Brandon's blonde-haired and green-eyed protégé, wore the exact same style of outfit, though he was probably at least ten inches shorter than his master. He appeared to be in his mid to late teens, especially regarding his youthful complexion and demeanor. Every time he began to slouch a bit from standing so long, Brandon would nudge him, making him straighten up again.

Zeke the Zealous, the royal sorcerer of Carpus, was about Cedric's height, and he was also around his age. That was about where the similarities stopped. His eyes were a lighter brown than Cedric's, and his light reddish-brown hair was held back in a short low ponytail. His chin was lightly coated in a short and well-kept goatee. He didn't wear gloves like Cedric, preferring instead to have his hands uncovered. His navy-blue robe was tied in a form-fitting manner, covering the brown collared shirt and cream-colored cravat beneath. His dark shoes peeped from beneath the robe every now and then as he shifted back and forth.

The royal shaman Nakamo stood farthest from the group. He clearly possessed indigenous roots with his appearance and style (similar to Angel, but undoubtedly from a different tribe). A strip of red paint extended from one side of his head to the other, even over his dark brown eyes. His midnight-black hair swept down to his knees, a few locks loose about his face. He was dark-complexioned and clearly quite strong, as evidenced by his physique demonstrated due to lack of a shirt. He did, however, wear a long brown and white cloak that was fastened around his chest with a leather band and feathers hanging from it. He wore dark pants with fringes swaying from the sides, and brown moccasins. He possessed a calm demeanor, not saying much as he stood near the back and watched the others.

The remaining members of the team were the guards. Captain Thiago was an older gentleman with shoulder length white hair and a frosty beard and mustache. He had olive skin and soft blue eyes. He stood out from the other guards with his maroon and white-trimmed vest and coat over a sharp white collard shirt and maroon tie. He possessed a few medallions hanging from his coat as well. He wore military black pants and boots. Like Nakamo and Kabir, he seemed a bit quieter and more serious than the others.

Captain Thiago's royal guard members were all wearing the same outfit: black pants and knee-length boots, a white collared shirt underneath some gray chainmail, and a maroon vest-like tunic that spanned down to their knees, fastened together with two gold latches. Rodney was lighter skinned than the others and had short black hair and a neatly trimmed mustache and beard, along with brown eyes. Benson was tanned with shoulder length dark brown hair tied back into a half-up style. Like Rodney, he also had a similar type of facial hair, but he had blue eyes. Idris and Omari were both dark skinned men, though Idris had green eyes and short black hair, and Omari had brown eyes and braided black hair that spanned down his back. Both had minimal facial hair.

"It is wonderful to have you all here," Roland told them with a warm smile. "We have your rooms prepared, and I'm sure your luggage is already delivered as well. We'll have supper in a few hours at 7:00 PM, so feel free to enjoy yourselves until then."

"I know I will," Brandon muttered to Porter, who made a face as his master winked at Violet.

Violet grimaced at the action and turned to Baileywick, who clearly looked annoyed; she knew he'd likely seen the way he was looking at her, as though she were a tasty snack, and didn't approve. "Let's go, Mr. Baileywick…" She walked over to him.

Baileywick wrapped one arm around her and began leading her away. "Gladly."

While the others were elsewhere, Zeke had taken Roland up on his offer to enjoy himself. Walking around the grand castle was enjoyable enough, but when his eyes landed on a particular princess who was talking to one of her guards, he smirked.

Sofia laughed and bid the guard goodbye for the time being before turning, nearly running into the other royal sorcerer. She gasped. "Oh, I'm sorry. I wasn't looking where I was going."

Zeke smiled at her comment before shaking his head. "You're perfectly fine, mademoiselle." He'd been brushing up on his language studies since touring other countries, and that particular title seemed to charm many women. Evidently, Sofia hadn't gotten the message, because she blinked at his strange response. "Er… That is…" He cleared his throat before straightening his robe. "My name is Zeke the Zealous from Carpus. I take it you're from Enchancia." He smirked, folding his arms. "You're probably nothing like the snooty family that lives here though."

She frowned at him. "Actually, that 'snooty family' you're talking about is my family. I'm Princess Sofia."

His eyes widened, and he desperately tried to backpedal. "O-Oh, I'm so sorry, Princess Sofia…" He laughed sheepishly as she glared quietly at him. "I-I meant no harm. And clearly, I don't know your family, but… In my defense, many royal families do tend to be rather…snooty."

"Maybe get to know people first before you jump to conclusions or make false assumptions about us." She brushed past him. "I've got to go. Enjoy your stay." Without another word, she left.

Zeke groaned, slapping his forehead. "Great job, Zeke. Now you look like a fool and a complete jerk…" He grinned to himself. "No matter. I'll settle things with the princess, and all will be well again." His grin changed into a smirk. "After all, she's attractive and clearly intelligent. Maybe I can work this in my favor."

Later that afternoon, after all of the visitors were settled and unpacked, Cedric and Sofia were in the garden outside the castle, watching both Nana and Tanya playing together. She leaned her head against his shoulder, smiling as he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her closer.

"Are you ready for tomorrow?" she asked quietly, hearing a small sigh from her partner. "I'll take that as a 'no.'"

"More like… I'm ready for it to be over." He ran his hand up and down her arm, smiling as she hummed happily. "Ready to be done with training, done with games, and done with visiting people I'd rather not see."

"Zeke, I take it?" She looked at him as he nodded. "I met him earlier." She decided not to go into the details just yet, given that Cedric would likely react in a negative way (and for once, she wouldn't blame him at all). "He seemed…a little haughty, I guess."

A scoff escaped the sorcerer's lips before he could stop it. "If that's all he is on this trip, consider yourself lucky."

"Papa, come see!" Tanya called as she and Nana frantically waved toward him. "Nana has found a raven's nest with some eggs!"

Hearing those words, Cedric's eyes widened. "I swear, those had better not belong to Wormwood or any…acquaintance of his." He shook his head as Sofia laughed. "I'll be back." He stood from the bench where they were sitting and hurried over toward the girls.

Sofia sat quietly by herself for a few moments before being overwhelmed by an eerie feeling. She felt as though she were being watched, and it was unnerving. She yelped in surprise and recoiled with a sharp jolt after feeling someone tap her on the shoulder. Turning, she found herself face to face with the Carpus royal sorcerer, Zeke. She frowned. "Oh, it's you… Zeke, right?"

The brunet sorcerer laughed lightly. "I apologize for suddenly appearing and frightening you," he told her, his voice like warm honey as he smiled toward her. "I only meant to find and apologize to you for my harsh words earlier… I meant no harm. You said your name was Princess Sofia, correct?" He grinned as she nodded. "You wouldn't be the same Princess Sofia who played a role in defeating the Never Realm, would you?"

She wasn't quite sure why she was so wary of his presence. It could have been because of Cedric's previous mentioning that he was an old rival and bully of his from Hexley Hall, but there was something else off about him. "U-Um, yeah…"

"Wonderful, but why are you here all alone?" Zeke wondered, his light brown eyes twinkling a bit.

"I'm not. I'm…watching my daughters." Seeing him beginning to round the bench to approach her, she stood up and stepped aside, feeling that he was too close for comfort.

"And what are your daughters' names?" he asked smoothly, undeterred by her retreating form. He slowly pursued her, even as she moved away. "I overheard something earlier about two little girls who were adopted into the royal family, including their rather unique background… Is it true that they are products of the Never Realm, as someone mentioned?"

Sofia stopped, glaring at him, her annoyance reaching its peak with him. She wasn't sure what he'd overheard or who had mentioned it (nor why it would be mentioned), but she wasn't going to take someone talking negatively about her little ones. "They're not 'products.' They're people, just like you and me." His presence alone had given off a negative vibe, but his comment about her girls was the spoiled icing on the worst possible cake.

"Indeed, Princess Sofia…" His eyes darted back and forth from Sofia to the little girls down the way, both studying the bird's nest with Cedric, and then back to her again. "And I hear that you are quite a fascinating…person."

Sofia tensed at his words, taking a step back as he slowly broached her again.

Cedric sighed as he investigated the nest, finding five eggs nestled in the center. "Oh, they're raven eggs, all right." He frowned as he heard a caw from above him, instantly recognizing the bird. "Wormy, get down here!"

Wormwood, who had been flying in the direction of the castle, changed direction and alighted onto Cedric's shoulder. He yawned. "What is it, Cedric?" he grumbled. "I was out looking for some new berries with Nina early this morning, and I'm ready for a nap…"

"What else have you and Nina been doing, Wormwood?"

The raven frowned. "What is your problem, Cedric?"

The sorcerer gestured toward the nest with the little raven eggs lying there. They were bluish green with little brown spots bespattered on their surface. "Please tell me that I'm not about to become Grandpa Cedric…"

Wormwood balked at the idea. "I don't know what you're getting at, Cedric, but those aren't my eggs! Nor are they Nina's! We have no eggs!" He was instantly thankful that ravens couldn't blush. The very idea…

"Hmm." Cedric smirked. "If you say so…" He looked to his side as he felt a small hand tugging at his sleeve. He noticed both Nana and Tanya staring ahead with concerned expressions. "What is it?" He turned back, seeing the situation between Sofia and Zeke. He could feel his blood boiling as he watched the other sorcerer reach out and grasp Sofia's arm. "Girls, stay here."

Sofia gasped as she stepped backwards again, especially as Zeke grabbed her hands and smiled suavely at her.

"You're lovelier than a sunset," the sorcerer told her with a glimmer in his eyes. "Hair like spun russet silk, eyes as blue as the sea, hands as soft as the air…" He grinned as Sofia tried to remove her hands from his. "And a fire burning within that is threatening to burst free." He leaned forward, keeping one hand clasped over hers and lifting his other hand to grasp her chin, peering into her startled blue eyes, while whispering, "How about we stoke that fire?"

"Let her go, Ezekiel."

Zeke released Sofia upon hearing his full name spoken, but he then winced in pain as he felt a hand clasp over his shoulder, curling painfully enough to cause him to groan in agony.

Sofia managed to slip away from the Carpus sorcerer and over near Cedric, who kept a firm hold on his old rival and bully. "Cedric…"

Cedric, who still had his hand painfully "resting" on Zeke's shoulder, was forced to release his hold as the other sorcerer whirled around, though Zeke's expression seemed eerily calm. Cedric glared at him, his brown eyes nearly red as the sun's rays reflected off his irises, practically highlighting the anger he felt coursing through his veins. His glower toward the other man spoke volumes, promising painful and miserable times ahead if anything dared happen to his princess. Though his outward appearance was calm though clearly angry, his inner mind was a chaotic anticipation of revenge for his partner's discomfort. If he were to act on that anger and desire, he had no doubt that he might seriously hurt the other sorcerer. And for once, he didn't care.

Zeke finally collected himself enough to smirk at the other sorcerer, despite the shooting pain he felt in his shoulder. 'Since when is Loser Long-Legs so strong?' he thought to himself before humming thoughtfully. "Ah, Cedric. So you're here too? That rather hurt, you know." He rubbed his shoulder as he spoke those words. "Is that any way to greet an old friend?"

Cedric glared at him. "You're no friend of mine, Zeke. What were you doing to Sofia?"

"I was merely making pleasant conversation with perhaps the most amazing young lady I've ever met. A wonderful, lovely, fascinating princess, I might add."

"That's my princess you're talking about," Cedric warned him, his eye twitching a bit after hearing the other man gush about his partner. "And as far as I'm concerned, you'll keep your hands to yourself. If I ever hear of you touching her again—with or without her permission—I will—"

"Cedric," Sofia interrupted, quickly sliding between him and Zeke, her arms spread a bit to distance them from each other. "Stop."

Tanya and Nana were watching from a distance with Wormwood settled near them. They eyed their guardian warily, especially since he appeared ready to pounce on the other sorcerer and take him down.

The princess reached forward, grasping Cedric's fisted hands, sighing softly as they relaxed at her touch. "Let it go, okay?"

The other sorcerer frowned at the tender moment between the two Enchancians before smirking. "Yes, Cedric," Zeke retorted. "Do let it go… I meant no harm. Besides, someone as beautiful as Princess Sofia deserves a…delicate touch…" He stepped up behind the princess, his left hand trailing up and down her arm as his right hand found itself lost in her ponytailed hair, his head resting near her shoulder and smiling wickedly toward his old classmate, who was obviously growing angrier by the second.

Sofia frowned heavily at his actions before wrenching herself from his grasp, activating her lasso from her Enchantlet, and ensnaring the Carpus sorcerer within its hold. "I've tried being patient, but enough is enough, Zeke. I don't want to be touched."

He chuckled. "Hmm, obviously, you do… Just not by me." His eyes darted to Cedric, who sneered at him. "But that will change before long." Using an advanced form of magic, he loosened the lasso enough to grasp her hand, gently kiss it, and say, "Farewell for now, fair princess." He released her hand and winked before quickly leaving their presence.

"Why, I ought to-!" Cedric growled in annoyance as Sofia grasped both of his arms, halting him from taking off after Zeke. "Sofia, let me go! He deserves punishment!"

"Save it for the games," she responded firmly, feeling him practically deflate in her hold. "Take out your anger and annoyance there. He's not worth getting into trouble or hurt over." She squeezed his hands gently. "Okay?"

Finally calming down, especially since Sofia had switched from holding his hands to slowly embracing him instead, he sighed and returned her hug. "Very well, my dear… I apologize for my reaction as well. I was only trying to help."

"I know," she murmured softly as she hugged him. She smiled up at him. "And I appreciate it. Really." She glanced down after feeling a tug on her skirt. "Hey, girls." She giggled as Nana quickly climbed up her side and into both of their arms, since they were still hugging. "Sorry about that." She was pretty sure they'd likely seen and heard everything, which bothered her a bit, though there hadn't necessarily been anything she could do about it.

"I hope Team Enchancia crushes Team Carpus with the force of a thousand stone guardians," Tanya murmured, a frown deep set on her features as her guardians eyed her in mild surprise. "I am sorry, but if one such as that Zeke person is on their team, they have no sympathy or lenience from me."

"I love this girl," Wormwood gushed with a proud smile. "She takes after my own wicked little heart, but in a different way."

Cedric rolled his eyes before kneeling next to Tanya. "I was going to talk to you about this earlier, but I suppose now might be best, given what just happened and how you really feel about the situation…" He gently took her hand as she gave him her full attention. "The Royal Rumble has a subset where a magical creature or being from both teams will spar against the other side, usually involving a boulder toss or something of that nature—"

"I will do it." She nodded as her guardians seemed a bit surprised by her quick response. "And I will win."

Sofia smiled as Cedric stood up again. "I love your confidence, Tanya, but please be careful when it's your turn, okay?"

"Do not worry, Mama." She smiled. "It will not be this Tanya who will participate in that event. I assure you."

"Oh, that's a good point," Cedric muttered. "Yes, older Tanya will definitely give the other team something to cry about." He grinned. "And if one boulder just so happens to accidentally knock out or eliminate Zeke from the competition, I certainly won't be complaining."

Nana snickered as Tanya shrugged with a smirk. And try as she may, Sofia couldn't stop herself from smiling at Cedric's half joke and half wish.

That evening, Cedric and Sofia, along with the girls, met up with Greylock and the others to spend some time with them before supper began. The kids got to play with each other while the adults visited and caught up.

"How is Vibbi liking the Mystic Isles?" Sofia asked Bonvis and Yohanna as Cedric was talking to Greylock, Sir Finlay, and Gabriella. "I almost never get to see you guys when I'm on my missions, so I never get to ask."

"She fits in well," Bonvis told her. "She really adores Orion, who has apparently taken a liking to her."

"It's too adorable," Yohanna giggled. "He'll need to go on an errand, and Vibbi begs to tag along, so in order to keep her from crying, he will just scoop her into his arms and let her fly with him."

Sofia laughed. "I always knew Orion had a soft spot for little kids."

"So who's this Earl guy you mentioned again?" Dante asked Daniel as he and Seraphina stood, holding hands. "Your royal sorcerer?"

"Yes," Daniel responded with a grin. "Well… He's sort of in the process of retiring. But he taught me everything I know about magic, so maybe one day, if I don't take the throne, I can become our royal sorcerer instead."

Seraphina smiled lightly. "I'm not sure that's ever been done before. But then again, our kingdom is more progressive, and we have many unique positions and relationships, so it doesn't sound too far-fetched to me. Even I, a princess, married our own royal sorcerer." She playfully winked at Dante, who blushed. "My best friend and the love of my life…"

Daniel smiled. "I feel like I've heard this story before…"

"How are you feeling?" Cedric asked Gabriella as she sighed.

"Pregnant," she retorted, grinning as Cedric gulped. "Calm down, Cedric. I'm not going to pulverize you or anything."

"She saves that for me at nighttime," Sir Finlay responded dryly, causing Greylock to snicker. "I'm not kidding either. I'm in the dead of sleep, and she'll violently shove me out of the bed for no reason." He eyed his wife pointedly as she smiled sheepishly. "She claims it's due to 'night terrors,' but I think a bit of it is intentional."

"Aw, Finny, I don't mean it… Maybe my subconscious is just being rude."

Greylock laughed. "It happened with Ivy too when she was pregnant with Zinnia. I think she was even meaner to me: punching me in the arm, stealing my pillows, wrapping herself in the only blanket we had during the freezing winter months, knocking me onto the cold floor… Oh, and yelling at me in her sleep. Something about an artichoke sandwich that she didn't ask for? And then she started crying." He shrugged. "Go figure…"

Cedric hummed. "Baileywick always had a theory about potassium, but I'm not sure if that applies to pregnancy."

The former Rudistanian sorcerer grinned and nudged his friend. "Well, if Sofia ever does get pregnant, watch out. It's always the nice ones who end up being the meanest during those times, or so I've heard. And at that point, 'potassium' would be the least of your problems."

The Enchancian sorcerer scoffed. "What a detestable thing to say, Greylock. I'm quite sure, given our current lives, pregnancy is the last thing on her mind right now." He blushed at the way those words had sounded, especially when he saw the smirks from both Greylock and Gabriella. "I-In any case, we're raising Nana and Tanya, not to mention Wormwood, so another child is really the last thing on our minds. Er… And…besides… W-We aren't exactly married, so it would be highly inappropriate for such a thing to occur anyway."

Greylock grinned. "We know that, Cedric… Not sure what's taking so long."

Cedric folded his arms, looking away, the blush still evident on his face. "I-I'm not sure what you mean."

"Of course," Gabriella laughed. He'd clearly either missed or intentionally avoided the hint Greylock had thrown at him, but she'd definitely caught it.

"Daddy!" Zinnia called as she hurried over to Greylock. "Where is my doll? I want to show Issy."

"It's upstairs, Zinnia. I'll go get it." He began walking toward the stairs.

"Pay attention to where you're going, Greylock," Cedric called sarcastically. "Wouldn't want you getting lost."

The other sorcerer turned around, grinning as he walked backwards to address his friend, "Don't you worry about that, Ceddy-Weddy. I know exactly where I'm—ahh!" He winced as he tripped over the first step of the staircase, but the unusual pain that came with such a simple misstep was unbelievable. If he wasn't mistaken, he could have sworn he'd just…

Sofia hurried over to him, kneeling next to him as Zinnia ran after her, climbing up a few steps to sit next to her father, her hands on his arm and a look of concern on her face. "What happened?"

"I only tripped over the step, but it truly feels as though I've…broken my leg." He groaned as he reached down, hesitantly touching his right leg, which was pulsating and quite obviously broken. "H-How is that possible?"

Cedric lowered next to Sofia. "I'm going to check for a break, Greylock. But remain still." Seeing his friend nod, he pushed his robe aside and slowly slid up his pant leg, wincing at the sight before him.

The bone in his leg was clearly shifted and pushing against his skin, the likes of which had turned red and purple and was badly swollen.

"Can you heal him, Cedric?" Sofia asked quietly as Greylock was trying not to whimper in pain, so as to stay strong in front of his daughter.

"I…" Cedric turned as he felt a gentle tap on his arm. Turning, he saw Nana standing there, a knowing look on her sweet face. "Nana…"

Nana maneuvered by them and slid into Sofia's lap, her tiny hands lowering over Greylock's injury. With a quick glance in his direction, and a small smile of encouragement, she began allowing her healing powers to flow from her hands and onto his leg.

"What is she doing?" Zinnia asked.

"Healing your daddy's leg," Sofia responded with a kind smile toward the little girl.

"Ohh…"

After a few moments, Nana began yawning and released her hold on Greylock's leg, her eyelids heavy and her body slumping a bit as Sofia held her more securely.

"I'm afraid she's too weak and tired to continue, Greylock," Cedric told the other sorcerer somewhat apologetically, though he knew he wasn't about to push her to proceed, given her exhausted state.

"That's perfectly fine." Greylock tried to stand, but he found that his leg still hurt, though it didn't feel like it was broken anymore. "She probably spent so much energy healing the bone breakage that she wore herself out." He reached out to Nana, gently patting her head, eliciting a silent giggle from her. "Thank you, Nana."

Cedric used his wand to wrap Greylock's injured leg in a cast and then summon him a pair of crutches. "Here you are. Use these until your leg is healed at least."

"Thanks."

Zinnia sniffled, wiping her eyes as tears fell down her face.

"Zinnia?" Greylock frowned and reached out, brushing her arm aside and wiping her tears himself. "Sweetheart, what's wrong? Why are you crying?"

"If I hadn't asked you for my doll, you wouldn't have gotten hurt…" She looked up at him with watery eyes. "It's my fault you're hurt, Daddy…"

"No, no, darling. Come here." Greylock set aside his crutches and pulled his daughter into his arms, hugging her and kissing the crown of her head. "This isn't your fault at all. It was an accident."

Sofia looked around before whispering to Cedric softly enough to where only he could hear, "That I'm not so sure about…"

Cedric frowned as he glanced at her. She was right. There was something incredibly unnerving about the way this whole thing had happened. Greylock maybe should have twisted his ankle or any other minor thing, but a break? There was no way that was even possible just from tripping on the stairs. Not in the manner he'd done so… Realizing something, he whispered back, "This is similar to what happened the last time we played… People were getting hurt for no reason. I'd hate to think who's next…."

She frowned.

"We're now down one guy," Dante remarked, sighing.

"I hadn't even thought about that," Daniel admitted, looking toward Cedric and Sofia as they stood up. "What do we do now?"

Before they could even respond, a guard walked over to Sofia, bowing. "Princess Sofia, you have a visitor."

"I do?" She tilted her head. "Who?"

"Actually, Princess Nana has a visitor…"

Sofia smiled. The guards had taken to calling Nana and Tanya by the princess title, mainly to entertain them but also as a form of respect. After all, regardless of the situation, they technically were daughters of a princess and a royal sorcerer, so…

Nana lit up as she heard her name, and her eyes widened while a smile spread across her face as Tarrant was ushered forward. She waved her hand at him.

"I'm terribly sorry for coming at such a late hour, Princess Sofia," Tarrant told her as he bowed respectfully. "Timothy is out of town on an errand for me, and I woke up from a nap after having a terrible dream about Nana, and I just…wanted to see that she was all right." He blushed as he noticed all the people surrounding him staring at him curiously. "I, um…see that she's fine, and I guess I'll just…go now."

"No, wait, Tarrant." Sofia reached out, taking his arm and smiling. "I'm glad you're here." She glanced toward Cedric and Greylock, who both nodded. "It's a long story, but…we have a favor to ask…"

To be continued…

Next Chapter: Royal Rumble Day One