I own my stories. That's about it.
Secret Valentines
The sun rose over Enchancia one morning in mid February bathing the kingdom in its warm glow. Spring was around the corner, and the days had been getting warmer, but the nights could still be very cold.
In her bedroom, Sofia snuggled under her blankets. She had been awake for the last fifteen minutes, but she just wasn't ready to get out of her warm bed. Today was Valentine's Day, and she had spent the last few minutes daydreaming of a certain sorcerer, which was something she had been doing quite regularly. She loved everything about him from his boyish smile to the way his eyes lit up when he was happy. Even his unique gray bangs. "He's so handsome," she thought with a dreamy sigh.
A loud snore interrupted her fantasizing, and she giggled, glancing toward the window seat. Clover was stretched out on his cushion, looking as comfortable as could be. The bunny was now very old, and Sofia often marveled at how he had lived so long. He sometimes reminded her that they lived in an enchanted world. Plus, he liked to point out that he ate good food. She supposed those things were both true. She couldn't imagine a world without her Blue Ribbon Bunny.
There was a knock on the door, and Baileywick walked into the room. "Good morning, Princess Sofia. It's time to get up."
"Good morning, Baileywick," the princess replied, sitting up and stretching.
"Shall I send Violet to help you get dressed?"
Sofia shook her head. "Oh, no. I'll be fine. But thanks."
"Very well. Breakfast will be ready in twenty minutes." He nodded and left.
"Ugh," Clover grumbled from his cushion. "Did Mr. Walking Pocket Watch have to ruin my dream? I was about to bite into the biggest radish ever."
"Oh, Clover," Sofia laughed, pushing back her covers and getting out of bed. She walked into her closet to put on the dress she had selected for the day. It was a lovely light pink with red and white rose petals throughout and a white ribbon around her waist. She then walked to her vanity and sat down to brush her wavy hair.
"So what's on the agenda today?" Clover asked, watching her.
Sofia finished brushing her hair and started styling it in a half updo. "This morning I'm going to Dunwiddie to see Ruby and Jade and give them the Valentine cards I made for them. Then, if it's warm this afternoon, I'm having tea with Cedric in my secret garden." She smiled dreamily when she said this. It didn't go unnoticed by the bunny, who smirked to himself. "Then there's the Valentine Ball tonight."
"Oh, the ball. I forgot it was Enchancia's turn to host it."
"Mmm hmm."
"Will there be cake?"
"Probably…"
"Carrot cake?" He was giving her a hopeful look in the mirror.
"Sorry, Clover. I think Amber requested chocolate with strawberries on top." With her hair finished, it was now time for her tiara. She chose her favorite. It was the one Cedric had given her for her graduation from Royal Prep all these years ago. She had asked the Protectors to change her dress and tiara back after the graduation party because they were both special to her. Over the years she had had the tiara magically adjusted so it would always fit. It was one of her most treasured possessions. She put it on carefully, studying her reflection. Standing up, she turned toward Clover. "How do I look?"
"Like a princess in love." He grinned when she blushed. "What? I wasn't born yesterday, kid. I've seen the way you look when you mention a certain sorcerer's name. And you have been wearing that tiara every day for the past several months. And I don't think any of that has anything to do with Valentine's Day."
She shrugged. "Cedric is very special to me. Oh, speaking of Valentine's Day, I have something for you." She picked up her wand from her vanity and said a quiet spell. A large basket appeared on the floor with a red ribbon around the handle. The basket was filled with carrots and radishes. "Happy Valentine's Day, Clover."
The bunny's eyes widened. "Whoa, Sof! Now that is a dream come true. But you could have just used a plate instead of the fancy basket."
The princess just smiled. "Well, I should get to breakfast. I'll see you later." She left the room, closing the door behind her.
Clover jumped down from the window seat and hopped over to the basket. Taking a radish in his paw, he just looked at it contemplatively. "I'll bet ten of these she'll be married to Cedric by this time next year. And the year after that there will be a Little Sofia." He grinned, pleased with himself. "But right now, I'm hungry." He bit into the red vegetable.
…
Sofia hummed happily as she walked up the front steps. She had just gotten back from visiting her friends in Dunwiddie. She hadn't seen Ruby and Jade in a few weeks, and it was nice to spend time with them. Jade was now engaged to the village's new baker, and she had given Sofia a basket of cookies and other pastries to take home and share with her family and friends. The guards who opened the front doors for her blinked in surprise when the princess handed them each a cookie. She just smiled and went on inside.
A few minutes later, she had given cookies to several people, including an astonished Baileywick. She was heading for her bedroom to check on Clover. As she rounded a corner, she gasped when she bumped into someone much taller. As she stumbled backwards, a gloved hand grabbed her arm, steadying her.
"Perhaps you should watch where you're going," a familiar voice chided.
Sofia blushed darkly. "Cedric… Hi…"
He smirked, giving her an amused look. She looked lovely when she blushed like that. "Hello, Sofia. I don't suppose you have a Valentine card for me."
She giggled. "Of course I do, but it's in my room, and I'll give it to you later. I do have these." She showed him her basket of goodies. "Want one?"
"No, thanks," he shook his head. "You know the only sweets I eat are fly cakes."
"Oh, come on, Cedric." She looked at the contents of the basket and picked out a creamy strawberry tart. Holding it close to his mouth, she grinned. "Try it. It's amazing."
The sorcerer eyed the fluffy pink treat warily. Then, sighing in resignation, he opened his mouth and took a bite. "It's delicious," he admitted after swallowing. He took the rest of the pastry from her hand and finished it, smearing the filling on his lips.
Sofia couldn't help it. She laughed.
"And what, pray tell, is so funny?"
"You have pink cream on your lips," she replied, still giggling. "I have a handkerchief. Hang on." She reached for the small pocket in her dress, but he stopped her.
"That isn't necessary."
She gazed up at him as he lowered his head, inching his face toward hers, cupping her cheek with one hand. Time seemed to slow down as she closed her eyes. Her heart beat faster the way it always did when he kissed her. She leaned up to meet him…
"Ahem."
The two jumped apart and turned to see Baileywick, who had just rounded the corner. He smirked knowingly and folded his arms.
"Oh, hi, Baileywick," Sofia smiled innocently, trying to hide the blush that was spreading on her face.
The steward cleared his throat. "Princess Sofia, Cedric, the king and queen request your presence in the throne room."
"What's going on?" the princess asked worriedly. Had something gone wrong? She glanced at Cedric. He took her hand squeezed it, giving her a calming smile.
Baileywick shrugged. "I don't know, but I do know there are a few guests in the throne room." He turned to walk away, paused, and turned back, whipping a handkerchief from his jacket pocket. "Cedric, I suggest you wipe off that ridiculous mustache. It's not becoming for a Royal Sorcerer." He snickered as Cedric grabbed the cloth from him. Then he walked off around the corner.
The sorcerer grumbled as he wiped the cream from his mouth. "One day I'm going to put a spell on that steward so he can't sneak around like that."
"I heard that, Cedric," Baileywick's voice called from down the hall, making the other man jump.
Sofia laughed and linked her arm with Cedric's. "Come on. Let's go see what's going on."
When they reached the entrance to the throne room Sofia looked around at the people gathered there. Her parents were in their thrones. Roland had a mischievous look on his face as he dropped a small piece of parchment into a bowl a maid was holding. Another maid stood nearby with a similar bowl. Violet was also there with a confused look on her face. James was standing off to the side talking to Desmond, who had arrived early for the ball that night. Tilly and Bartleby had arrived unexpectedly. Tilly waved to Sofia as the princes walked in with Cedric.
"UNCLE CEDDY!"
Cedric gasped as a red blur came flying at him. The next thing he knew, he was sitting on the floor with a pair of arms wrapped tightly around his neck.
Cordelia laughed softly as she glided over. "Calista dear, let's not strangle your uncle. I'm sure he wants to live for a few more years."
Calista immediately relaxed her arms. "Right. Sorry, Uncle Ceddy. I was just so excited to see you." She jumped to her feet and held a hand out to him. At thirteen, she was rather tall for her age, and she was also very pretty with her dark hair and light gray bangs, which were currently in a braid down her back. She was just as energetic as she had been when she was younger. She effortlessly pulled Cedric to his feet then hugged Sofia. "Hi, Sofia!"
"Cordy, what are you doing here?" Cedric asked, dusting off his robe.
His sister pouted and folded her arms. "Hello to you too, Cedric." She then smiled again. "Calista wanted to give you her card personally, but when we got here the king asked us to come in here."
"Yes! Here's your card, Uncle Ceddy," the young girl chirped, whipping two cards from her red robe. "Oh, and one for you, Sofia."
"Aw. Thanks, Calista," the older girl smiled, taking the card that was offered to her. "If I had known you were coming, I would have waited to give you my card instead of sending it magically."
"Are we all here?" Roland asked amiably from his throne.
"No, dear," Miranda answered, looking around. "We're missing Amber and Baileywick."
"Ah, poor Baileywick," James said with a smirk. "He probably has to stand by while Amber decides which of her gazillion tiaras to wear for Desmond." He snickered when the other prince blushed.
Just then, Amber and Baileywick walked into the room.
Amber smiled when she saw Desmond and walked over to him. "Desmond, it's so good to see you again."
"H–Hi, Amber," he smiled shyly. "You look lovely."
Her smile widened as she fingered her rose red gown. "Why, thank you. You're very handsome yourself."
James pretended to gag.
Roland cleared his throat, getting everyone's attention as he stood up. "As you all know, today is Valentine's Day. It's the day we spread love among our family and friends…"
"Oh, Rollie," Miranda laughed lightly as she stood up next to him. "Just get to the point."
He chuckled. "Yes, dear." He turned back to the others. "The queen and I have come up with a fun way for us to spend time with one another. We will each be paired with another person in the room. The couples will go on pretend dates this afternoon. You can do whatever you want."
"Cool, Dad," James said with a grin. "So, do we just pick who we want for a partner?"
"Not exactly, James." The king gestured at the maids holding bowls. "Each of our names are in these bowls. Violet, will you come up here please?"
"Yes, sir." The handmaid walked up the steps and stood before Roland.
"Please stand between Emma and Patti." When she obeyed, he went on. "Violet, I want you to draw a name from each of these bowls. This will determine our partners for the afternoon." When she nodded, he took Miranda's hand and led her down the steps to join the others.
Violet drew a piece of parchment from each bowl as she had been instructed. She smiled as she read the names out loud. "Mr. Baileywick and Miss Calista."
The steward blinked in surprise. "Wait. How did I get roped into this?"
"We needed one more man." Roland smirked when he received a pointed look. "What? I couldn't ask Chef Andre because I want Jiggly Wiggly pudding at the ball tonight."
"But I have work to do before the ball."
Cedric snickered.
Baileywick glared at the sorcerer. "I don't see what is so funny, Cedric. You're here too."
Calista giggled as she skipped over to the older man. "Don't worry, Mr. Baileywick. I'll help you."
With a nod from Roland, Violet drew out the next names. "King Roland and Princess Amber."
Roland chuckled as he moved over to his oldest daughter. "Looks like you're stuck with me this afternoon."
Amber just smiled. "Looks like it, Daddy."
"Sir Bartleby and Miss Cordelia."
Cedric sighed in relief as his sister joined the celebrated knight. "At least I'm not stuck with my own sister," he muttered under his breath.
Sofia smiled and nudged him.
"Prince James and Princess Sofia."
"Brilliant!" James cried enthusiastically, holding an arm out to his younger sister. "Sorry, Cedric, I get to steal Sof for the afternoon."
Cedric frowned.
"Oh, lighten up," Sofia giggled as she patted his cheek. "It's just for the afternoon."
"Master Cedric and Queen Miranda."
The sorcerer ambled over to the queen. "Your Majesty," he smiled uncertainly.
"Cedric," she returned pleasantly.
That left…
"Prince Desmond and Duchess Matilda."
"Oh, awesome!" Tilly exclaimed, taking Desmond's arm. "We're going to have a whiz bang time."
The strawberry blonde prince blinked. "R–Really?"
Tilly just winked.
"Thank you, Violet. And thank you, Emma and Patti. You may go back to your duties." Roland smiled as the maids curtsied and left the room. "Well, everyone, have a good time with your partners."
"Er, wait a minute, King Roland," Cedric said. Seeing he had the king' attention, he went on. "Are we supposed to keep these partners for the ball tonight? Um, no offence to the queen, of course…"
Miranda laughed. "None taken. The partners are just for the afternoon."
"Besides," Roland added. "I will be dancing with my lovely wife tonight."
Baileywick cleared his throat, taking out his pocket watch. "Well, if we're done here, I have things I need to do." He smiled toward the young sorceress beside him. "You're welcome to join me, but I'm afraid it won't be very interesting."
Calista just giggled as she followed the steward.
Everyone else headed in different directions. Amber told her father she had something she wanted to show him and led him off to the observatory. Cordelia and Bartleby headed outside talking about jousting. Miranda led Cedric to the library suggesting a game of Chess. Sofia and James decided to play Dazzleball, and they both headed to their rooms to change clothes. This left Desmond and Tilly.
"So, Desmond, are you up for a little adventure?" she asked with a bright smile.
He eyed her carefully. "Uh, what kind of adventure, Duchess Matilda?"
"Oh, none of that." She waved one hand. "Call me Tilly. Hmm…" She tapped a finger on her chin. "Oh, I've got it. There's a special rose called the Diamond Rose. It's very hard to find because it only grows once a year in any given location. What do you say we look for it? Then you can give it to Amber."
Desmond thought for a minute. It did sound nice, but… "Where will we find it?"
"Let's check the map, shall we?" Tilly winked and led him to a table where she had left her carpet bag. She started rummaging around inside, pulling out an unsheathed sword, which she handed to the startled prince. "Hold this for a minute please."
He took it, holding it at arm's length with the blade pointing downward. "Um, how did this fit in there?"
"Magic, dear boy." She pulled out a top hat and set it on his head. "And, no, that's not a magic hat."
Desmond blinked in amazement.
After pulling out several more items, Tilly smiled triumphantly, handing him a rolled up parchment. She took back the sword and put it away along with everything else.
The prince unrolled the parchment and stared. "It's blank."
Tilly chuckled. "Oh, Desmond. All you have to do is ask it to show you where you want to go." She took the blank parchment from him and asked. "Where will we find the Diamond Rose?"
Desmond's eyes widened as a map of Enchancia appeared on the parchment. A path led southeast of the castle.
"Well, there we are," Tilly said cheerfully. "And look. We're going to the Valley of Singing Snakes. That is so whiz bang!"
"U–Um, what?" the poor prince asked with a frightened look on his face. "Singing S–Snakes?"
"Don't worry. We'll be fine," Tilly assured him. "Oh, and I have just the outfit for you." She reached into her bag again and pulled out a red shirt and black pants. Handing them to the bewildered Desmond, she laughed. "Now change quickly. We have a long way to go."
…
Clover looked up from his cushion as Sofia rushed into her room and headed for her closet. A few minutes later, she emerged wearing one of her Protector outfits, a purple tunic with long sleeves, black leggings, and black boots.
"What's wrong, Sof?" the bunny asked, alarmed. "A sudden mission?"
"Oh, nothing like that," she said, sitting at her vanity. As she gathered her hair into a ponytail she explained to him what was going on.
Clover's eyes widened in surprise. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! You mean to tell me you're going on a date with your brother instead of your lover?" He laughed. "Ah, Cedric must be fuming."
"Clover," Sofia blushed at his phrasing. "Well, he was a little upset, but it's just for the afternoon." She finished with her hair and stood up.
"Just out of curiosity, who did he get stuck with?"
"He's with Mom."
"Ah, so he got an older version of you." He grinned when she shot him a pointed look. "I'm just sayin', kid. Go on. Enjoy your date." With that, he settled down for another nap.
Sofia shook her head in humor and left her room.
In the front hall, James was waiting for her. When she reached him, he took her hand and kissed it. "M'lady."
The princess giggled. "James, what are you doing?"
He grinned. "Well, since this is a pretend date, I'm laying on the pretend charm." He then bowed low. "It will be an honor to escort this lovely lady outside for a game of Dazzleball."
Sofia laughed harder, slapping his shoulder lightly. "Oh, James, stop."
They laughed as they went outside.
…
Baileywick sighed as he walked down a hallway heading for the ballroom with Calista trailing close behind. The young sorceress was very sweet, and he had found her to be quite good at cleaning spells, but boy, did she talk a lot. How one girl could talk so much was beyond him. He wondered how Cedric managed this. What was she chattering about now? Oh, yes, her classes at Hexley Hall.
"…And then my professor told me I passed with flying colors," she smiled proudly.
"That's wonderful, Miss Calista," he said, stopping before the ballroom doors.
The girl giggled. "Mr. Baileywick, if I'm talking too much, just tell me. Mum does all the time. Even Uncle Ceddy does sometimes."
"Well, I wouldn't say you talk too much," he said thoughtfully. "Just… slow down, please. It's hard to keep up with you when you jump from one topic to another."
She smiled sheepishly. "Right. Sorry."
"Don't worry about it," he chuckled as he opened the doors. "Now let's see how the decorations are going."
"Ooh. Can I help?" Calista asked eagerly, following him into the ballroom. Servants were busy putting up banners and other decorations. Vases full of roses were set out on tables. "We had a decorating class the other day. I did everything in red." She smiled happily.
Baileywick returned the smile. "I suppose you can help, but let's not turn everything red…"
…
Meanwhile, in the library…
Cedric distractedly moved one of his black pieces on the chess board. As he waited for Miranda to make her move, his gaze drifted to the window near the table. There was a clear view of the castle grounds, and he could see Cordelia and Bartleby. The knight seemed to be demonstrating some complicated swordplay with a moving dummy Cordelia had apparently conjured. A sigh fell from the Royal Sorcerer's lips. It was after two o'clock. He and Sofia should have been in her secret garden having tea by now, but, no. The king had to come up with this ridiculous idea. Cedric just knew it was Roland's idea. Who else would come up with something so… juvenile? Ooh, If Cedric caught Roland alone he was going to… Well, perhaps it was best not to dwell too much on that thought.
"Checkmate."
The sorcerer blinked, coming back to reality. Turning back to the game, he realized that Miranda had taken his queen with one of her knights. He looked up to see her smirking triumphantly. "Ah, well… Congratulations, Your Majesty."
Miranda raised an elegant brow. "Cedric, I have beaten you four times already. Sofia has told me that you're a very good player, so I was expecting more of a challenge from you. Are you feeling all right?"
"Perhaps today just isn't my day," he admitted, pulling out his wand and waving it, resetting their pieces.
The queen gave him a knowing look. "You had plans today, didn't you? You and Sofia? And this idea Rollie and I came up with messed up those plans?"
Well, so much for this being Roland's idea.
The sorcerer unconsciously reached into his robe to touch an item tucked safely into his vest pocket. He sighed as he met Miranda's gaze. "Yes, Your Majesty. Princess Sofia and I were supposed to have tea this afternoon."
"Oh, I see," she hummed thoughtfully. "Well, I have an idea. You and Sofia can have dinner together while the rest of us are at the ball."
"But I'm supposed to put on a magic show."
"I'm sure we can find other entertainment." She waved a dismissive hand. "Besides, I know you would rather not be at the ball."
Cedric thought about it for a minute. It would be nice not to have to attend the ball with all those stuffy royals. And time alone with his princess sounded wonderful, especially after their plans were ruined. "Very well, Queen Miranda. Thank you."
She smiled brightly. "Now let's have one more game. Then we can have tea."
…
Meanwhile, in the observatory...
Amber smiled happily when she finished going over her latest star chart. It wasn't bad, if she did say so herself. She frowned when she heard a slight snore from beside her and glanced toward her father. Roland had fallen asleep in his chair with his chin resting on his chest. The future queen sighed. Was she really the only one in the castle who thought astronomy was fascinating? Shaking her head, she reached over and tapped him on the shoulder. "Daddy."
His head shot up. "I'm listening."
"Uh huh," she smirked, folding her arms. "What was the last thing I said?"
"Um," he laughed sheepishly. "I'm sorry, Amber. The stars are beautiful to look at during the night. But I can't keep up with all the names and charts and… everything."
Amber smiled and rolled her eyes, leaning back in her chair. "It's fine. What do you want do now?"
Roland thought for a minute. "Well… There is something I've wanted to give you. I was going to wait until your birthday, but I think now is a good time."
"Oh, what is it?" she asked curiously.
He stood up and took her hand, pulling her to her feet. "It's in the jewel room."
She giggled. "One of my favorite places in the whole castle."
"I know," he chuckled.
A few minutes later, father and daughter entered the jewel room. While Amber was instantly drawn to a display of sparkling rings, Roland walked to a glass cabinet in the back of the room. Opening the glass doors, he looked at the collection of crowns and tiaras that had belonged to royals of the past. Selecting a crystal tiara encrusted with diamonds and rubies, he turned from the cabinet and laughed softly when he saw Amber trying on a shiny gold bracelet. He cleared his throat to get her attention.
She spun around and smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, Daddy. I got… distracted." She took the bracelet off and put it away.
"It's fine." He walked up to her and held out the tiara. "Amber, do you know whose tiara this was?"
Amber's eyes widened as she recognized the headpiece that was in some portraits throughout the castle, including one in her bedroom. "Is that Mother's tiara?"
Her father nodded. "I know she would want you to have it. She would want you to wear it when you become queen."
Amber removed her tiara, and Roland carefully set Lorelei's tiara on her head. The princess turned to look in a mirror on the wall. In that moment Roland could clearly see his first wife in Amber's reflection. She looked so much like her mother. The same eyes… The same hair… All kinds of emotions tightened the king's chest. Sorrow because of what happened to Lorelei. Pride at how Amber and James had grown into such fine people. Love for his entire family. He swallowed a bump that had formed in his throat. Where had the time gone? It didn't seem that long ago when the twins were born. Or the day Miranda and Sofia joined the family. Time went by too fast…
The moment was broken by Amber turning from the mirror and throwing her arms around his neck. "Thank you, Daddy," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly. "I love you."
He hugged her back tightly. "I love you too, Amber."
…
Meanwhile, in Sofia's secret garden…
"Sofia, look out!"
"Huh?" The auburn haired girl blinked at her brother's call, but she wasn't fast enough and a Frisbee smacked her in the forehead, knocking her to the ground. "Ow…"
James rushed to her side, a worried look on his face. "I'm so sorry, Sof. I didn't mean to." He helped her sit up and frowned at the bruise forming on her forehead. "Ah, man. Cedric is going to kill me."
Despite the situation, Sofia laughed. "Don't worry, James. It was an accident. And it really doesn't hurt very much. Besides, it was my fault. I was… distracted."
"Well, I think we've had enough Dazzleball." He stood up and pulled her to her feet. He then picked up the shape shifting ball, which was now a kickball. "You're lucky it was only a Frisbee and not something harder." He shuddered dramatically. "I'd rather not be on the wrong end of Cedric's wand."
Sofia laughed again. "Oh, James." She led her brother to a tree, sitting down in the grass. "You know Cedric wouldn't hurt anyone."
"I don't know, Sof." He plopped down beside her. "I went on that Protector mission with you two last month. I saw the way he kept looking at the thieves. I actually thought he would put some dark curse on them. Especially because they were giving you dirty looks."
"Well, he's just protective of me." It was true. As she had gotten older Sofia's Protector missions had become more dangerous. One day when she was sixteen, the girl had fallen from a ridge and twisted her ankle. Cedric had been in the front hall when Chrysta helped her through the front doors. She still remembered the look on his face when he saw her scratched, bruised, and limping. Ever since that day he had insisted on going with her for her missions, no matter how simple some of them were. This had been just fine with Sofia. She relished their time together.
James tossed the Dazzleball into the air and caught it. "He really isn't the same bumbling sorcerer he was when we were kids."
"Yeah…" She smiled fondly.
"Most of that is because of you."
"I don't know about that," she said modestly.
"So when is he going to pop the question?"
Caught off guard by this sudden question out of the blue, Sofia blushed darkly. "What? James!"
James threw his head back and laughed as his sister rolled her eyes.
After a minute, the prince calmed down. "But seriously, Sof. We all know how much you two adore each other." He grinned. "I heard Amber and Hildegard talking about designs for your wedding dress the other day."
Sofia raised a brow. "They were probably talking about Amber's wedding dress."
"Oh, I don't know. I heard something about 'lavender lace'." He snickered when his sister sighed and folded her arms. "Okay, okay. I'm just kidding." His face grew serious. "Honestly though, Cedric will be a great brother–in–law."
She just smiled happily.
After a while, the two of them went back inside. It was time to get ready for the ball.
…
Sofia stood in front of the mirror looking over her reflection. Violet had just left after helping with the gown that Hildegard had had made for her to wear to the ball. The Friezenburg princess had insisted on designing gowns for all of their Royal Prep friends since they would all be there. Sofia really liked hers. It was lilac purple with off the shoulder sleeves and a V shaped neckline. White lace ran around the hem. Her hair had been swept up into an elegant updo. Her amulet was in its usual place around her neck. The only problem, at least in her opinion, was…
"Ugh. Why did I agree to wear this thing?" She frowned, reaching behind her and trying to grasp the laces of the corset.
"What's wrong, kid?" Clover asked from her bed. "I think you look nice."
"This corset is too tight," she complained, still struggling with the laces. "And I'm not sure why I need it."
"Ah, but I'm sure a certain sorcerer won't be able to take his eyes off of you." He grinned when she shot him a pointed look. "Just kidding. Come here, and I'll try to loosen it."
Sofia walked over to her bed and sat down. A minute later, she smiled when she felt the corset loosen a bit. She stood up and turned to her bunny friend. "Thanks, Clover."
"Don't mention it. Now go on. Have fun waltzing around with Cedric."
The princess just shook her head and left her room, making sure to pick up Cedric's Valentine card on the way out. In the hallway, she was surprised to find Cedric waiting for her. The sorcerer had dressed for the occasion in a crisp white and black vest with a red bowtie. He was wearing a formal black robe and white gloves. His mouth fell open when he saw her, and he almost dropped the red rose he was holding.
"S–Sofia? Is that you? You look…"
"I know," she smiled sheepishly, standing before him and looking down at her dress. She blushed when she realized just how low the neckline was. "I look different. Hildegard had this made for me to wear tonight. Maybe I should wear something else."
Cedric chuckled and put a finger under her chin, gently coaxing her to look up at him. "You look beautiful."
She blushed even more. "Thank you, Cedric. And you look very dashing."
Now it was Cedric's turn to blush. "Thank you, my dear." Seeming to remember the rose he was still holding, he handed it to her. "This is for you."
"It's lovely. You're so sweet." She giggled as he blushed even more. She took the flower and inhaled its sweet scent. "I have something for you too." She handed him his Valentine card.
He took it and read it, smiling fondly as he tucked it into his robe. "Sofia…"
She smiled shyly. "So… I guess we should go to the ballroom…"
"Actually," he began, taking the rose from her and nestling it above her left ear. "Your mother arranged for us to have dinner together in the dining room since our plans for the afternoon were ruined."
"But what about the magic show?"
He rolled his eyes. "Cordelia is doing it." He offered her his arm. "Shall we?"
Sofia smiled brightly, linking her arm with his.
…
Miranda smiled happily as she watched everyone in the ballroom. The ball had started thirty minutes ago, and everyone seemed to be having a good time. The queen was standing with Roland, Tilly, and Bartleby listening as the other woman described the adventure she and Desmond had been on that afternoon. Amber was now dancing with said prince. The blonde princess had spent twenty minutes fawning over a beautiful Diamond Rose that he had apparently gone to great lengths to get for her. James was now dancing with Vivian. He seemed to have had more dance partners than any other prince tonight. Cordelia had finished the magic show and was now chatting with a Royal Sorcerer from another kingdom. The only pair who had stuck together after the events of the afternoon was Baileywick and Calista, who were now dancing. They seemed to enjoy each other's company.
"…So that's how he bargained with the Singing Snakes to get the rose." Tilly finished her tale. "It was so whiz bang!"
"It sounds like quite the adventure," Bartleby chuckled.
"Wait, are those snakes dangerous?" Roland asked uneasily.
Tilly laughed. "No, Roland. They just like to sing. Perhaps I should take you there sometime." She winked.
"Eh, no thanks," he shook his head. He turned to his wife. "Would you like to dance again?"
"Of course, dear," she smiled wryly. "Just try not to step on my foot again."
He laughed sheepishly, taking her arm. "I'll try."
…
Sofia watched Cedric from across the dining table as he fiddled with a chocolate covered strawberry. He seemed nervous, but she couldn't figure out why he should be.
Their candlelit dinner had been wonderful. The kitchen staff had served them Quail in Rose Petal Sauce along with a few other delicious dishes. They were now having dessert, chocolate covered strawberries with whipped cream and chocolate sauce for dipping. The sorcerer had been unusually quiet throughout the meal and Sofia was starting to worry, especially since he had been playing with the same berry for the last ten minutes.
"Cedric, are you okay?" she asked softly, reaching over to touch his hand, causing him to jump slightly. "I'm sorry. You've been so quiet. I was starting to wonder."
"I'm fine, Sofia," he said, giving her a small smile.
"So how was you time with Mom?"
"It was quite pleasant." He then frowned when he noticed something he hadn't seen before. "How did you get that bruise on your forehead?"
"What?" She blinked. She had completely forgotten about the bruise because it didn't even hurt. And exactly how he could even see it in the candlelight was beyond her. "Oh, that," she laughed uncertainly, waving her hands. "I wasn't paying attention earlier when I was playing Dazzleball with James, and I was hit by a Frisbee."
Cedric sighed, pulling out his wand. "I can't have my princess going around with a mark on her forehead. Now, hold still." He pointed the wand at her face, muttering a healing spell and smiling in satisfaction when the bruise vanished. "There. Much better."
"Oh, thanks, Cedric," she beamed. "I know I've said this a million times, but you're the best."
He laughed bashfully. "Well… I don't know about that. Sofia… I have something I want to ask you…"
Her smile softened. "Yes?"
Gazing at her across the table, Cedric felt his heart beat faster. She was so beautiful with her eyes sparkling in the candlelight and that soft smile of hers. She was an angel. She was his angel. His heart filled with love for her as he stood up and walked around the table. When he reached her side, Cedric took Sofia's hand and pulled her to her feet. Standing in front of her, he took both of her hands in his. "Sofia," he began with his voice full of tenderness. "You have been my best friend for ten years, ever since you became a princess. I know it took me a while to realize that, but you were always there for me. You cheered me up when I needed it. You saved me from a very dark path. I am who I am now because of you, and I can't imagine my life without you in it, nor do I want to." Letting go of her hands, he got down on one knee, pulling a simple gold ring out of his robe and holding it up. "My dear Sofia, will you marry me?"
Sofia gasped, covering her mouth with both hands as tears of happiness filled her eyes. This was the moment she had been dreaming about for the last few months. "Yes," she finally managed to squeak out. She laughed joyfully. "Yes, Cedric!"
In all his life, Cedric had never felt such pure joy like he felt in that moment. Standing up, he slipped the ring onto her left ring finger. Then, pulling her closer, he caressed her cheek with one hand while lowering his head and looking deep into her eyes. When their lips were a mere two inches apart, he whispered. "I love you so much, Sofia. So much…" He kissed her tenderly and they stayed this way for a minute wrapped in each other's arms.
When they pulled apart, Sofia smiled up at her sorcerer. "Happy Valentine's Day, Cedric."
He smiled back. "Happy Valentine's Day, my dear princess." His lips found hers again, and they were lost in another blissful kiss.
A/N: Happy Valentine's Day! Thanks for reading! Thanks to Mr. Shortman92 for the story idea. I hope you enjoyed it.