AU: Jessibelle's premise from "Sealed" in her Bits and Pieces collection. I loved it so much I wrote my own sequel.

Sofia awoke the following morning exhausted from the weight of the previous evening's sin. She'd cried herself to sleep, reflecting on her actions and wondering if there'd be any future in her marriage with Cedric given his anger. He had every right to be mad, but the concoction she slipped him still let him have a choice in the matter, albeit a skewed one. Oh, and she'd used up a bunch of his ingredients to make the damn thing as well. It'd be just her luck he'd need Freewill Flowers or Lover's Bane for an upcoming potion only to discover his stores empty. She'd best get up and get on replacing them immediately. Her husband was furious enough with her.

And yet the idea of addressing Cedric as such brought a little comfort to her. She did love the sorcerer, now in more ways than ever, and here she'd done nothing to stay in his good graces, if such a thing were still possible. Time would certainly help, and now she at least had some to work with, but there'd be no telling how long he'd need to digest their marriage. Things wouldn't ever go back to how they used to be, but maybe they could come to some sort of understanding. They just had to.

Shopping helped calm her mind somewhat and stretching out her legs eased the aches in her abdomen. She didn't mind the soreness, figuring it would be the least of her punishment when it came to her new husband, and even so, whatever Cedric had in mind to reprimand her with would surely be a hundred times better than what Grimtrix had in store for her should his bid for her hand had been approved. Yes, she regretted the how, but not the who. She only hoped Cedric was willing to hear her out.

She dreaded knocking on the workshop door, fearing he wouldn't even acknowledge her telltale knock on his door, and such appeared to be the case until she realized the door was locked in addition to having no sound of an occupant inside. Cedric wasn't there. Oddly relieved, she took the key from the gargoyle's toe and let herself in, finding the workshop cold and dark.

He must have been really upset if he didn't even toil around his workshop after last night, Sofia thought and heaved a heavy sigh before setting her basket on the desk and moving to open curtains so she could begin sorting ingredients in proper light.

She was halfway through retrieving the empty bottles to be refilled when she heard the upper doors open and the swish of a robe over the stone floor, followed by the slow footfall of the tower's occupant. Sofia found herself frozen with fear, wishing she had a little more time to prepare a statement or at least steel herself against a cold glare from the man.

Cedric begrudgingly forced himself out of bed, hungover from alcohol and potion alike and went down to his workshop for a remedy he wished in hindsight he'd taken the night before, but who could blame him for forgetting to? Last night had been quite eventful. Thus it came to no surprise that Sofia was already in the belly of his lair awaiting his appearance. Not surprised, but in no mood to bother, he seized the needed potion from the cabinet near the stairs and took a seat as he downed it. The relief that washed over him caused him to take a deep breath and look up at the woman avoiding looking at him all together as she busied herself with some physical task.

Sofia wanted to initiate a conversation and apologize again for her actions, but the shame made looking at him a monumental step she couldn't muster up the courage to take.

"Preparing another potion to drug me with?" His sarcasm cut through the awkward silence, stinging with its accuracy, but gratefully providing a starting point.

"No," Sofia answered quietly. "Refilling your stores."

"Yes, because that's clearly what I'm upset about."

His words hurt, but she deserved them. Bowing her head down, she took a deep breath to keep from bursting into tears, and stared down at the container of Freewill flowers, wondering if such a plant even worked considering the impact of last night. How the devil were they supposed to move forward from that. "...It's done though. You weren't going to like whomever you made your marriage bonds with anyhow, but at least we know each other."

Cedric huffed. "Quite intimately now too, and I was ever so eager to know that side of you."

He might have been speaking sarcastically, but he was more into it last night than she was. It didn't seem fair that he dismiss his own actions. "...Potions and innocence aside, you were rather enthused to bed me of your own will."

Cedric paused, slowly raising an eyebrow.

"...But what do I know? Before this whole ordeal, I actually had the nerve to think you cared about me, but then when I was in trouble, for the first time in my life, you weren't going to save me... so I saved myself," she finished sealing the canister she refilled and summoned the courage to turn and face him. "...I take it you have the vial?"

He slowly nodded.

"...Will you seek an annulment?" She had to ask.

"I doubt they'd grant one," he answered, finally pushing himself up from the stairs to approach his workbench. His villainous side was stirring, that primal, wanton side of him recalling how tight she felt on his cock. He briefly wondered how sore she was, but knew he'd prefer an ache to his nethers than this pounding in his head. The least she could do now was offer her body as remedy for the pain.

Sofia blushed brighter the closer he drew, excited, yet nervous to have him against her, breath at her ear.

"So then, Wife, you'll lower your knickers and bend over this desk immediately. I've quite the headache from your meddling."

Sofia gulped, but obeyed his command, lifting her skirts around her waist and then pulling down her bloomers and pantalettes. She did have similar cravings of pleasure, but his anger made her nervous. She knew he'd never hurt her, but he could inflict a pleasure so marvelous she might not be able to stand up afterward, and wife or not, she still had her day to day doings as a princess to attend to - including how the hell she'd inform her family she'd solved her marriage dilemma.

Cedric wasn't having any of her hesitation, pushing her forward against the desk and her bottom in the air made him growl with want. Unlike last night when she'd not nearly been wet enough at first, today she was already damp with need. He shoved his hand against her sex, needing to feel just how wet she was. His slid two fingers inside her easily and rocked them back and forth to spread her wetness, wanting her more than ready for his cock.

Sofia braced herself on top of the desk, awaiting him to take her. She was already at the mercy of his fingers as she feared she might be. He worked her to the edge of release before smirking to himself and withdrawing his fingers. Her anxiety skyrocketed as she heard his trousers rustle and felt his hot tip brush against her backside. She gasped loudly, expecting instant penetration, but instead he merely rubbed against her to build their anticipation.

Cedric grinned to himself, feeling her backside grind against him. It was pleasing to know her body already desired him so intensely. It made resisting her near impossible. Without word, he pressed the tip of his cock inside her, claiming the tight channel with a low grunt and swift thrust. He wasn't at all concerned with being gentle this time. The niceties he'd granted her last night were born out of a drunken kindness, now there was only fierce desire and redirected anger, anger he vented through his hips, pounding hard into his new bride as she screamed his name.

He was in no mood for drawing out her torment either given his own state. He came rather quickly this time, release being his main goal after all, and it felt damn good. His headache continued to lessen as her walls milked his shaft, unwilling to release him even after she received his seed.

Sofia was panting heavily and gripping the desk for dear life. What hurt most this time was Cedric pulling out of her, the loss of pressure making her feel all the weaker.

"I hope you're prepared to bear children as well, Sofia," Cedric told her calmly as he tucked his softening member back into his pants. "That's what these magical unions are about after all."

"Yes..." She answered softly, managing to lift herself up a little and slowly pull up her undergarments. The prospect of child bearing once again sounding like nothing more than some business deal between the two of them. He had every right to be angry with her, but he wouldn't begrudge his own child as well, would he? Hopefully things would calm between them before a third-party became an issue, but as things stood right now, such a future felt out of reach.

"You should get back downstairs," Cedric continued. "Explain yourself to your parents while I think of how to best explain it to mine."

Yes, that was on her to-do list, but the first item she'd yet to finish. "But I haven't put-"

"Go," he commanded, not caring whether or not she'd returned the ingredient containers to their proper storage or not.

Sofia sucked in her lower lip, resisting the urge to say anything further, and fled.

Author's Note: There is a little more I'd like to add, but not sure when the second part will be ready.