DISCLAIMER: I do not own Sofia the First nor do I claim to. I just like the show and wanted to write a little something for it. However, I do own the OC Zwick and Megumi as well as the concept of the Rune Mage I'll be using for this story.
_[ STORY ]_
A clash of thunder jolted Cedric from his seat; he looked around at the room he occupied all morning, "what the hell!?" he cursed.
Rising from his desk, Cedric made his way out into the hall and looked out the long bay window, "I must be going crazy! I could have sworn I was in my tower talking with Sofia," he said to himself making his way to the door.
A memory crossed his mind and stepped to the side as a purple shape rushed through the door, "blindly rushing around corners now are we, Sofia?" Cedric asked.
Sofia jumped a bit, "oh Mr. Cedric hello, are you heading back to your workshop?" she asked.
"No, I'm heading to the Kings study," he told her leaving the library.
"Is something wrong?" Sofia asked following, "you seem upset about something."
"It's nothing for you to worry about, my dear, " Cedric told her looking back, "by chance do you have a letter for me from Baileywick?"
"I do, how did you know?" Sofia asked as she dug into her basket.
"Um call it a hunch," he said.
"Clover you crushed the letter," she scolded the bunny as she withdrew the envelope, "Baileywick asked me to bring it to you, Dad needed him for something urgent," she added handing Cedric the letter.
"Thank you," he said taking and stuffing it in a pocket.
"So Mr. Cedric did you hear that thunder a little bit ago?" Sofia asked after a moment.
"I did," was all Cedric said.
Sofia signed knowing her mentor was not in a talking mood she followed him to her father's study, where Cedric paused and looked around the hall muttering things Sofia couldn't make out.
"Are you sure you're okay, Mr. Cedric?" Sofia asked again.
"Yes, yes I am fine," he replied walking up to the door, he rapped his knuckles on the hardwood door.
No answer was forthcoming, yet both the Princess and Sorcerer could hear voices from the other side, Cedric knocked once more still nothing.
Sofia pushed the door open and walked in, "Sofia, let go," Cedric hissed as the Princess pull him along with her.
"Hi, dad," Sofia greeted.
"Hello Sofia," Roland replied glancing up from a box he was looking through, "hello to you as well Cedric."
"Your Majesty," Cedric said bowing.
"Sire, I found it," Baileywick said rushing from the annex room Roland used to store documents.
"Thank you, Baileywick," Roland took the rolled parchment from the Steward.
Roland brought it over to his desk and moved the box occupying it to the ground so he could unroll and look over the paper he spent half the day looking for.
As he did Cedric stepped forward, "Your Majesty, I have a question if you have a moment."
Roland was going to tell Cedric no, but he had been trying to repair their relationship, "of course."
Sofia smiled at her father.
"Has a letter or envoy arrived for you concerning a storm or something of that nature?" Cedric asked.
Those around the Sorcerer all wore confused looks, "that's an...interesting question, I've received nothing of the sort," Roland told him, "why are you asking Cedric did something happen, I should know about."
Cedric hesitated, but he had come this far so he said, "yes...but if I told you I highly doubt you'd believe me."
"Cedric!"
"The danger is real, but how I know is not the most reliable source...I don't even fully believe what I saw…"
"Saw? Cedric tell me what is going on," Roland demanded.
"You may want to sit for this it may take a bit to explain," Cedric told the King.
Cedric spent the next hour concocting the most insane lie he could think of, using a crystal ball and spell as a way of explaining the vision he had about the danger moving towards Enchancian.
"Seer magic is a fickle thing, can never tell when what you saw will happen or even will," Cedric finished.
Roland rubbed at his eyes, "why would you even bring this to me if you had no solid proof or confidence in its legitimacy," he stated.
"Um...well, I…" Cedric stuttered, 'oh damn it all,' he swore to himself.
Thunder boomed outside the study windows, all eyes turned to the window as a wall of rain beat against the glass pane, though the sky remained a crystal blue.
"Cedric I do believe you," Roland said turning to the Sorcerer, "but…
"Are skeptical about whether to take any action without proper proof," Cedric finished for the King.
A thought crossed his mind, and he withdrew the sealed letter from his pocket, "this may not be the kind you're looking for, but Baileywick gave Princess Sofia a letter. It's the same from the vision, a summons from a council member named Megumi, but as you can see it's still sealed," Cedric told Roland handing him the letter.
Roland understood what Cedric was saying, "if this letter is indeed a summons then at least some of what you said it true without doubt meaning more if not all of the other events could be accurate as well," he said breaking the wax and scanning the page.
"Grace almighty it's true," Roland breathed rereading the paper, "Baileywick...just in case please have the staff start clearing the interior rooms, use the excuse of a remodel to get it done," Roland ordered.
"Right away, Sire," Baileywick said with a bow rushing from the room.
"Cedric, I know you need to answer this summons could you perhaps take Sofia with you?" Roland asked handing the letter back.
"You don't want her here with you?" Cedric asked in turn wholly taken aback by the proposal.
"I want her someplace safe, but I know she won't stay in one place she will want to find out what is going on," Roland said smiling as his daughter, "and I think being with you will fill both her curiosity and the need to be safe."
Cedric was at a loss for words, only a few years ago the man before him would barely have trusted him to transmute a gargoyle statue, now Roland was trusting him to protect his daughter.
Sofia ran around the desk and hugged her father, "what about you, mom, Amber and James?" she asked.
"I was thinking of sending them to the winter lodge," Roland told her, "it should be safe there."
"What about you?" Sofia asked, though in her gut she knew was he was going to say.
"I have to stay here, Sofia, now go get ready." Roland said, turning to Cedric he added, "you as well Cedric, according to that letter you head out at dawn and thank you I can't imagine how hard it was to tell me about this knowing I may laugh you out of my study."
"Honestly I was fully expecting it," Cedric said taking his leave, before returning to his tower there was someone he needed to pay a visit too.
_[ TO BE CONTINUED ]_
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