*Just a friendly disclaimer. I don't own any rights to Sofia the First. Sofia the First and the characters herein is/are the property of Disney and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

~ Also I'd like to thank my wonderful betas (Mr. Shortman92 and Lilactime) for putting the time in to edit my mistakes and put in ideas. You are the best!

CHAPTER 9

MY ONE AND ONLY LOVE

Hours passed while Cedric brewed a few potions. Caught up in his thoughts, he hadn't realized the time; it was almost noon now, Sofia's family would be expecting her for lunch. He stretched and thought to himself I guess I can get a little nap out while she has lunch. She's been awful quiet, while I was working, I half expected her to come out wanting to help. He magically put away his cauldrons and entered the study. I wonder what she's reading that has her so intrigued... He stopped mid thought upon finding the princess sound asleep in his chair. A smile spread across his face. "At least one of us is getting caught up on sleep." He mumbled to himself, quietly walking over to her. He slid the unopened book from her hands and put it back on the shelf, then made his way down to his bedchambers.

He grabbed the heirloom quilt off of his bed and threw it over his shoulder as he ascended the stairs. Re-entering the study he gave his wand a flick and the fire was roaring again; he then proceeded to drape the quilt over the sleeping princess. She sighed contentedly and nuzzled into the quilt never waking from her slumber. Cedric smiled again then hesitantly leaned down and placed a kiss atop her head. I guess she was right; she smells of smoke and herbs as well...

He made his way back out to the workshop and looked around for something to occupy himself with. He had already given the potions for King Magnus to Baileywick before the meeting that morning, which meant his schedule was cleared and caught up with for once. He sat down at his desk and sighed. His gaze drifted to the closed window; it was a dreary day for early summer, but in light of the previous nights events, fitting he thought. He thoughts strayed as he stared out the window; remembering how elegant she had looked in her gown, recollecting how Sofia felt while she'd laid atop him that morning in his bed. His heart fluttered at the thought. He was shaken from his daydreams by a loud tapping against the window pane. Awoken from his trance, he saw Wormwood perched there waiting to be let into the tower.

Cedric smiled, glad his friend had safely returned from his trip to Hexley Hall. Cedric opened the window and offered his arm to the bird. Wormwood took his perch on Cedric's forearm and ruffled his feathers, flinging water droplets across the room.

"Of course it decided to drizzle on me halfway here." The raven muttered preening his feathers.

"I see that." Cedric replied dryly, wiping water from his face with his free hand. "At least that is all it did, though."

"Yes, very true, although if I had known it was going to rain I would have waited another day before returning."

"Well, in all honesty, I'm glad you didn't." Cedric said sitting back in his chair; allowing wormwood to hop off onto the, for the time being, tidy desktop. The raven eyed his master through his feathers, momentarily pausing his cleaning. "There's been... a bit of a... situation... occur while you were gone." Cedric said slowly trying to find the best words.

"What did you do now?" The familiar asked sarcastically, returning to his preening.

"Well, it has to do with the Princess." He sighed, resting his elbow on the desk.

"Stop beating around the bush and out with it already." Wormwood cawed in agitation.

"Shush, Wormy, you'll wake her!" Cedric said, waving his hands at the bird, glancing back over his shoulder making sure the Princess hadn't been awoken. "She fell asleep in the study..."

"Why would you let her sleep here? Send her to her own rooms and out of ours!" Wormwood said, ruffling his feathers at his master.

"Are you going to be quiet and let me tell you what happened, or do I have to shut that loud beak of yours for you?" Cedric threatened, jabbing his wand in Wormwoods direction.

"Testy today, aren't we?" He teased flying up to his perch. "Fine, now what did I miss?"

Cedric peeked over his shoulder once more, making sure Sofia wasn't there, then flung his wand down onto the desktop. "Oh, Wormy, you're not going to believe what happened. Where do I begin?" He ran his hand through his hair and sighed.

"Short and to the point please? I'm in no mood to listen to you prattle on today." Cedric shot the bird a glare, causing Wormwood to roll his eyes and mutter "Go on."

"Short and to the point, is it? Fine. That damned prince, Hugo, forced himself on the princess last night and I just happened to come across them and stop him." Wormwood's beak dropped in shock. "Not before the rest of the Royals happened upon us though, and wouldn't you know that's the moment I happened to grow a spine?" Cedric almost laughed. "Standing in front of a dozen royals and guards, with my wand drawn and aimed at that sniveling little prince, I stood my ground; for the first time in my life, Wormy, I didn't back down." He sighed a tranquil look on his face. "With Sofia there clutching me so tight, her nails practically ripping holes into my robes, I protected her and in return she protected me against those royals. That damn boy and his father wanted me beheaded then and there! And even through her tears and pain... she and her mother defended my actions."

Wormwood tousled his feathers. "I always knew that one was a bad apple. And after all the nice things Sofia has done for him! What happened to the boy, Cedric? Please tell me they let you hex him."

Cedric chuckled. "Alas, I'm afraid not my friend. His father swept him and his brother up and out of the kingdom before I could pry myself out of Sofia's grasp." He held a finger up and shook it. "There's more to that though, there's a lot that happened actually." He sighed.

"Well, go on." The raven pressed, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"Well... It took Queen Miranda and myself a moment after that, to get Sofia to let go of me. Her mother consoled the girl while she did the best she could, considering the state she was in, to explain what happened. After she had calmed down, she, rather diplomatically, dismissed her parents and told them they would deal with everything in the morning. She didn't want to ruin everyone's evening... Sofia through and through." He almost whispered, shaking his head. Wormwood fidgeted on his perch wanting to know more, waiting to hear Hugo's fate.

"We were alone at that point, and she lost all her composure. She threw herself into my arms and I held her while she cried." He sighed, recollecting how Sofia had flung herself against him after her parents had parted their company. "She needed me and I could tell... So we came back to the tower to finish those potions for Magnus." He exhaled and glanced over his shoulder before continuing. "And I...Wormy, I..."

"You what? You what?"

"Well," he swallowed "I... I started to see her in a new light after that point... It's complicated... The reason she was outside and was attacked by that... that vile man, was because she was looking for me... She made this gorgeous gown and enchanted it with a glow charm... she did it for Me Wormwood... and oh, you should have seen her Wormy! Never had I felt so proud... a-along with other, n-new feelings as well..."

"You have feelings for her? Well that's not anything new Cedric, I knew that."

"You... what? How could you... I didn't... I mean... I didn't realize it... until last night." Cedric choked out, his mind racing to connect the dots.

"Oh, everyone can see it except for you two. I've been waiting years for you to tell me you finally realize that you love the girl."

Cedric sat there, mouth agape, completely astonished at his friends words. He threw himself back into his chair blinking, trying to wrap his brain around the fact that he was oblivious that he had feelings for her before now.

"We can chat about that bit later, tell me what happened next?" The bird pressed, picking at Cedric's sleeve with his beak. Cedric pushed him away and took in a deep breath.

"Well... she tried to help me with the potions and... well... She wanted the damn dress off because it reminded her of him groping her, and it got in the way of her helping me as well ... So... So I... I helped her out of it." He said his cheeks flushing at the memory of her soft skin as he unlaced her.

"You undressed the Princess?" Wormwood blurted out rather loudly.

"Hush you stupid bird!" Cedric barked checking over his shoulder again. "And no I didn't undress her, I... I just helped her to unlaced it, is all... and I conjured her a new dress out of one of my old robes. Nothing inappropriate happened... then..."

"Then?"

"Well, you see... I was so tired Wormy, she insisted I get some rest, and she didn't want to go to sleep after what just happened to her... so I agreed to let her brew some potions while I took a power nap... but she got all sassy with me... and-and before I knew it I had her up on the tab-"

"What did you do Cedric?" The bird asked cutting him off mid word.

"Well, certainly not what you're thinking, you dirty animal." The raven ruffled his feathers again not taking his eyes off his master. "I just tickled her is all. She needed a laugh, and she seemed to enjoy it... She egged me on! Called me 'Ceddykins' Wormwood, 'Ceddykins'! She's even dropped the prefix and is calling me by my name! And-and she wanted me to be cheeky back, Wormy. And I obliged because she needed the distraction." Cedric said justifying his actions to his friend.

"Well, as long as the line wasn't crossed then... It wasn't was it?" The raven pressed on.

"I would like to think that you know me better than that."

"Well, yes I do, but I also know how impulsive the Princess can be."

"True, but no Wormwood I did not deflower her. The feeling and want was there though, I shan't deny that."

"Was that all that happened?"

"I left her to brew the potions for an hour while I caught a nap. I awoke to the sunshine spilling across the bed- and lo and behold there was Sofia; kneeling beside the bed, sleeping with her arms and head on the edge. Of course I was mad at first, it would have been my head for sure if someone found us like that... Anyways, she was having a nightmare and crying out in her sleep. So I woke her and the next thing I knew, she tackled me, crying and hugging me so tight I could barely breathe. I comforted her for a moment and honestly, I enjoyed lying there in bed with her..." He stared off into space for a moment, fondly recalling the mornings events. "I thought for a moment she was going to kiss me Wormy, but she tenderly pressed her lips on my forehead instead and thanked me for the umpteenth time. I told her we should teleport her to her room before anyone noticed she was gone and – of course she didn't notice – but she straddled me there in bed before telling me the potions were completed. It took every fiber of my being not to act on my feelings Wormwood, but I succeeded. I sent her to her rooms, then shortly later we had our meeting with that dreadful prince and his buffoon of a father. Sofia took the helm and she surprised us all. She handled the entire thing with political ease and did, in reality, what was best for both kingdoms. She let the dirtbag off the hook; as long as he apologized and gave her room for a while."

"Of course she would give him a second chance..." Wormwood said rolling his eyes and tapping his forehead with the tips of his feathers, like fingers.

"Yes, only Sofia could be so kind after being assaulted." Cedric replied rubbing the bridge of his nose and temples with both hands. "Although, I really do think, she did it as a political move. Seems like she really did learn a lot about politics while she was away."

"Apparently so, she always was a keen girl. I assume she followed you back here after said meeting?"

"Yes, we had some tea and another chat. She asked me to go away with her the next time she leaves..." Cedric let his words trail off, looking down at his hands in his lap.

"What a preposterous notion."

"I would, though, Wormy, if I only could."

"Yes, I know, you'd follow her to the end of the world."

Cedric only nodded, disheartened from where the conversation had led. His thoughts were disturbed by a loud rapping at his workshop door. He moaned and rose to answer it.

"What is it now?" He demanded before seeing who was there. Before him stood the Queen, a distracted look on her face. "Oh, y-your majesty, I-I..."

"Is Sofia here Cedric? I have something for her..." Her words trailed off, and her gaze fell to an envelope in her hands.

"Y-yes she is..." Miranda stepped into the workshop and glanced around looking for her daughter. "S-she followed me b-back after the meeting... She fell asleep in my study, your majesty. I couldn't bring myself to wake her..."

"Oh, I see... I don't want to wake her either, can you give this to her when she wakes up Cedric?" She asked handing him the letter. "I'm assuming it's a written apology from Hugo, I did want to be there when she opened it... but I'm sure she'll be fine with you here, instead."

Cedric took the enveloped and nodded. "Of course your Majesty."

"Thank you Cedric, for everything... You're what she needs right now, and I trust you... She needs to deal with this in her own way, and I'm glad you're a good enough man to be there for her." She said smiling at the sorcerer before leaving the tower.

"Of course, Milady." Cedric muttered, running the Queen's words over and over through his mind, confused by her monologue. Did... she just... approve of me? He thought, turning around to look into the study at his sleeping princess.