*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.

~A/N: Sorry if there is any confusion with the title change. I've been meaning to change it and just keep forgetting. The title is inspired from the song "Strangers in the Night" preformed by Frank Sinatra.

~THIS CHAPTER IS RATED M for sexual content~

CHAPTER 11

FOOLS RUSH IN

Cedric pulled aside the books that hid his small, but ample, liquor bar in his study. He wasn't one to drink often, but after the events leading up to his near slip up with the princess he figured a drink or two was well needed. She's going to Zumaria for a few days so I don't have to worry about if she comes in and finds me somewhat intoxicated... I think I should take advantage of this moment and indulge myself. I need something to make me relax. He thought to himself hovering his hand above the glass bottles one by one searching for the right spirit to ease his tension. Ah, yes, this will do splendidly. He thought picking up the crystal decanter half full of a peridot colored liquid. He grabbed a reservoir glass from the bar, along with the special slotted spoon that accompanied it and concealed the bar, once again, with its hollow book facade. He plucked two sugar cubes from the bowl on the tea shelf and made his way back into the workshop.

He pushed the magical gardening book to the side and laid out the items in his arms. Methodically, like he was adding an ingredient into to potion, he poured the green spirit into the glass filling it to the top of the reservoir. Cedric then sat the glass under the spout of his chemistry set's retort flask. With a flick of his wand the flask was filled with ice water, and with another flick a small blue flame lit underneath it. Typically this set was used for distilling liquids for his potions using a hot flame, but for the drink he wanted he used a blue ice flame instead. He proceeded, while the water began to bubble, to place the ornate spoon over the rim of the glass and the sugar cubes on the spoon's elaborate grille directly beneath the spigot of the flask.

He slumped down into his chair while the ice water began to slowly flow out, drop by drop, over the sugar, diluting the drink, causing it to cloud as the sugar and water reacted with the spirit. The ritual of preparing his favorite drink was half the reason why he enjoyed it so much. A fitting drink for a sorcerer whose second favorite color is green and who has a familiar named Wormwood. He chuckled to himself as he watched the spirit cloud more. He cleared his mind, watching the drink dilute slowly, already more relaxed. That looks about right; a good three to one ratio. He thought extinguishing the flame sliding the glass over towards him. He flipped the spoon, dropping in the remaining sugar, then giving the mixture a quick stir releasing the slightly nutty, spicy, and flowery flavor and aroma developed by the reaction.

He leaned back in his chair and savored the fragrance of his drink before taking a sip. His senses were overcome with various notes of spice from the anise and nutmeg, and a bitter herbaceous flavor from the fennel and wormwood. Oh this is grand! I forgot just how much I do enjoy a glass of Absinthe every so often.

Sofia sat down at her desk and quickly penned a letter to Vivian. She knew her parents would have devised a good reason why she had abruptly disappeared from her own party but she felt like she needed to tell Vivian face to face what had actually occurred. She divulged to Vivian she had a pressing matter and needed her opinion before moving forward with the situation. By the time she was done it was well into the afternoon if she was lucky she would get a reply by nightfall, if not the morning. Either way she knew her friend would never turn her down in her time of need. She gave the letter to Baileywick who promptly had it sent off to the neighboring princess. Sofia busied herself by packing her suitcase with a couple different outfits and her lavatory essentials, as well as a few souvenirs from her travels that she had picked up just for Vivian; an intricate mandolin from Corona and sheet music in their local folk style.

Supper came and went before Sofia received a reply from her friend. The shy princess instructed that she would be sending a coach to fetch Sofia at noon the following day. Sofia sighed, she was happy that her friend had welcomed her speedily, but she wished that she would have been able to see her friend sooner. There was so much inside of her waiting to spill out, the thought of having to wait through the night frustrated her more than she cared to admit. Annoyed with herself and the situation, Sofia resigned herself to a quiet evening with a book to pass the time. She curled up in her bed with an ancient looking text; its spine was badly cracked and its pages felt like they would crumble beneath her fingertips. She found herself rereading the same passage over and over again, not able to take in its words no matter how hard she concentrated. She groaned and flopped back into the fluffy pillows, tossing the book to her dresser in defeat. It landed with a thud and perceptible cloud of dust. Maybe I should just try going to sleep already. She rolled onto her side and closed her eyes trying to clear her mind but her thoughts were plagued with memories from the night before. Soon her dreams drifted into horrors as the memories morphed into something much more heinous. Sofia awoke, her brow furrowed with sweat, her heart beating like the hoofbeats of a flying derby horse. She blinked the sleep from her eyes and swiftly slid out of bed. She grabbed the robe off the chest at the foot of her bed and drew it around her as she settled down into the window seat.

Her fingers absent mindedly played with the gold colored tassels on Clover's sleeping pillow as her thoughts drifted back to a time when her furry friend had stayed up all night with her shortly after coming to the Castle. Sofia had been a confused and hurt little girl then, becoming royalty had been much harder than she had anticipated but Clover was there to comfort her through the night, reassuring her that all would be well in time. In years past she could have talked to Clover about anything that bothered her day or night, but Clover was long gone. Her bunny friend had lived a long life, but finally drifted away in his sleep one night while curled up on his favorite pillow. Sofia had awoke the next morning to Clover's cold lifeless body, in shock the girl fled to Cedric for comfort. The sorcerer helped the girl bury her friend in her secret garden (beneath Clovers magical radish plants) that morning and spent the rest of the day consoling her. Her tears and sobs echoed throughout the tower giving him chills, making him dread the day that Wormwood would pass, but he let her stay allowing her tears to soak his robes.

A soft sigh escaped her lips as the memory flooded her senses; Cedric's familiar scent, the taste of salt, itchy eyes and burning lungs, the blurry outline of radishes, and the echo of her own sobs. Sofia blinked away the tears from her lashes and turned her eyes toward Cedric's tower at the distant memory and was surprised to find light emitting from the windows.

Cedric lounged in his chair, his senses both sharpened and dulled by the absinthe. He propped a notebook up on his knee and brushed the lead tip of his pencil over the paper in long and short strokes creating an almost melodious song as he did so. He rubbed his fingers against the paper at times, smudging his work, leaving his fingertips stained black from the lead. Hours went by as Cedric immersed himself in the notebook, the clock slowly ticking like a metronome, eventually leading him to sleep with pencil in hand.

Sofia found herself at Cedric's tower door before she realized it. She sighed to herself knowing it was well past any appropriate visiting hours. Well I'm here now... she thought mustering up her willpower to knock on the sturdy door. She waited for Cedric's familiar 'What is it now?' Oozing with mock irritation, but it never came. She knocked again, a bit louder this time, calling out his name while she pressed her ear to the door. A moment passed; she didn't detect any movement from the other side. She bit her lip and contemplated going back to her room. But being the curious and adventurous girl she had always been she decided to enter the workshop and check on the sorcerer. She concluded that if there was candle light then Cedric must be up still, if not she had better go in and extinguish the candles for safety's sake.

Sofia took the spare key from the stone gargoyle forever standing guard at the workshops entrance and slowly opened the door. "Cedric?" She called as she passed over the threshold.

Cedric faintly heard his name being called by an angelic voice; his thoughts wandered. He imagined the numerous things the owner of such a sensual voice could do to him. He heard the voice again and images of his princess apprentice flooded his mind. Groggily he opened his eyes and groaned. What the deuce is she doing here? He thought rubbing his eyes to clear the sleep from them. He heard her shuffling about in the workshop as she called his name again. He tossed the notebook in his lap onto the end table and made his way to the study's entryway. He saw her peek down the stairs to his bedchambers and call again. Casually he leaned against the doorframe and crossed his arms.

"Cedric? Are you awake? I saw the light an-" she started turning around to find Cedric unceremoniously watching her from the study. Her eyes ran up and down the sorcerer, taking in the sight before her; his figure lean but surprisingly muscular, his skin alabaster in the faint light, his hair tousled and tangled, and clad in nothing but plum colored underwear (that resembled breeches but stopped just above his knees). Devoid of his normal robes, shirt, vest and trousers (Sofia had noticed in recent years, like many of the men in the surrounding kingdoms, Cedric had begun sporting trousers instead of his token breeches) Sofia noted that the man was indeed quite handsome.

"What in Merlin's name are you doing up this late?" He said pinching the bridge of his nose. "I thought you were going to visit that Princess..." His words hung in the air as he saw the girl's eyes run over him, blush and turn her head away from him. He looked down and realized he was standing there nonchalantly, half naked. Part of him realized the impropriety of the situation but another part of him shrugged it off. He was too comfortable as he was and she had already seen him, so what would the point be in changing? After all it is the middle of the night. We are likely the only ones awake. "Well?" He asked crossing his ankles, redistributing his weight, throwing all care to the wind.

"I...Umm..." She started glancing back at him then quickly away again. "I couldn't sleep... I saw a light and thought you were still up."

"I see." He said running his hand through his hair as he yawned. "Well, seeing that you're already here and that I'm now awake... Come in and make us a pot of tea Princess." He mumbled raising his arms above his head in a stretch as he stepped to the side to allow the girl entry.

"Uh, Cedric?"

"Yes, Princess?"

"Ummm, nothing, nevermind." She said shaking her head, walking past him to grab the tea pot from the mantle. Cedric shrugged and flopped back down into his chair, his legs splayed before him towards the fire. He watched her as she brewed their tea and rubbed his temples, his hangover already forming into a migraine; he hoped the tea would help. She kept her back to him as she brewed their tea, neither of them exchanging a single word as she did so. The few minutes it took the tea to brew felt like an eternity to Cedric who studied the girl as she poured two medium sized teacups full of a chamomile and honey tea. She handed him his cup and settled down before him on the floor, slightly off to the side him and the fire.

"Thank you Dear. I have to ask your forgiveness for my current state. I wasn't expecting you until the weekend." Audibly he cleared his throat. "I might have had a bit to drink this evening..."

"Oh, that explains things." She giggled from behind her teacup.

"You're not upset with me?" He asked arching his eyebrow at her.

"No, of course not Silly. Why would I be?" She laughed setting her tea to the side. "I could actually go for something a tad stronger than tea at the moment myself." She sighed, giving him a coy look.

"Really now?" He said holding his chin thoughtfully. "Your are, as always, full of surprises Princess."

"I have to keep you on your toes somehow." She winked playfully, earning her a chuckle from the man.

"Well, I suppose you are old enough now to make your own decisions... and you will be eighteen next month after all."

"So... would you please make me a drink then, Cedric?"

He gave her a crooked half smile and scoffed.

"Come on, just one Cedric... I'm afraid I'm a rather a lightweight when it comes to any sort of alcohol, anyway. One is all I could handle, if that." She laughed.

"Well with you being used to all the bubbles they serve at all your royal shindigs I would say so." He laughed, rising from his chair, slowly making his way over to the hidden liquor bar. "Neptunes nettles, what am I doing?" He muttered shaking his head slightly, not realizing he spoke aloud. Sofia stifled a giggle. "Well, what would you like Princess?" He asked waving his hand over his stash of liquor.

"I don't know, what do you like?"

"Me?" He laughed. "My choice is quiet uncommon with the elite... but I can see you enjoying it and appreciating it as much as I do... Grab a few cubes of sugar and one of these glasses and follow me." He said grabbing up the crystal decanter now only one fourth full of green spirit.

"What's in it?" She asked watching him prepare the 'ritual'. He set everything in motion before giving her an answer as he slumped back into his desk chair.

"It's called Absinthe."

"Absinthe? I've never hear of that before..."

"I told you, it's not something people drink in royal circles." He chuckled. "It's more of a... I don't know, artist drink." Sofia nodded as if she understood, but in reality had little to no idea what Cedric was alluding to. "It's made with anise, sweet fennel, quite a few other herbs and spices, and wormwood." He smiled.

"Ah, that's why you like it." She laughed.

"Partly." He smirked. "The ritual of preparing it is almost therapeutic in a way. It has to be prepared just right or it's no good. It's a lot like teas; herby, sweet, bitter even. I think you'll rather enjoy it, actually."

"I suppose we will find out shortly." She stated leaning over to watch the liquid change color.

It was the first time since her arrival that Cedric had actually noticed what she was wearing. She too, was in nothing but her night clothes; consisting of a long robe and nightgown. The robe was white silk with a coral and light peach colored floral print across the torso. The sash she used to tie it closed had become loose causing the robe hang open revealing her peach colored nightgown beneath it. Cedric could see her body's outline beneath the light, almost sheer, fabric. His eyes fell to the rigid peaks that were most certainly her nipples and continued to roam over her exposed body. Her breast were mostly bare, the gown cutting extremely low for Sofia's normal wear, giving him just enough view for his imagination to wander.

He blushed at the thoughts running through his head and looked away from the girl; internally scolding himself for having looked upon her in such a way and allowing himself such fantasies. He realized then just how drunk he really was; he might be able to carry on a conversation with the princesses but his sense of decorum was blurred for the moment. His heart skipped at beat realizing if she got as close as she did earlier he wouldn't be able to stop himself in time from doing something regrettable. Again his thoughts roamed uninhibited, imagining what it would feel like to kiss the girl; to press his lips against her soft ones, to flick his tongue over her plump bottom lip, to feel her lips part and invite him in, to pull her bottom lip between his own in a gentle love nip.

Cedric realized allowing her into the tower in his current state was a bad choice, one he was now stuck with.

"Is it ready?" Sofia asked glancing back at him.

"Uh, I, um..." He said blinking the thoughts from his mind before leaning forward and around the princess at their concoction. "Uh, yes. That should be good for you." He said giving his hand a twirl magically shutting off the valve and flame. He flipped the spoon, dropping the sugar in and gave it a quick stir. He placed one hand against the desktop on one side of Sofia and the other held the drink up in the light for her to see the sugar dissolve. Again he realized how close he was to her and how he unwittingly had put himself into a compromising situation with the young Princess. He shoved the drink into her hands and stumbled into the study to pour himself another cup of tea. Sofia followed him and took her spot on the floor yet again, favoring it over the furniture. She pretended to look out the window and smell her drink as Cedric took his seat, but watched him from the corner of her eye, unable to help herself from admiring the man's body. He took a long draw from his tea and Sofia decided to give her drink a try.

Cedric watched as she hesitantly brought the drink to her lips and took a small sip. The corners of her eyes squinted slightly from the bitter taste of the wormwood, then the corners of her mouth upturned.

"Wow, this is wonderful." She said taking a slightly bigger drink. Cedric snorted and downed half of his tea, willing it to clear his fuzzy mind. "You were right, as usual." She winked coquettishly at him. Cedric's heart pounded in his chest, surely he was only imaging such things, surely the Princess wasn't flirting with him. He took a deep breath and sipped his tea more, staring into the fire not wanting to make eye contact with his apprentice. Cedric didn't know how much time had passed as they sat in silence, but from the corner of his eye he saw that Sofia was already close to finishing her drink. Good once she's done I can ask her to leave before I act on these feelings. He watched as Sofia downed the rest of her drink and sat the glass aside before yawning and laying her head against his bare leg. He felt his hands shake from his nervousness, hurriedly he sat his teacup down on the table, knocking the notebook off into the floor by accident.

Startled Sofia jumped turning her head to the object that thudded to the ground beside her. She tilted her head as she looked at it closely, its pages now splayed open from the impact showed a very detailed sketch. Before Cedric could react Sofia had scooped up the notebook to inspect its contents.

"It's... me." She said looking the sketch over, turning it this way and that, making sure to not miss a single detail. Cedric groaned audibly, hiding his face in his hand before running it through his messy hair.

"Yes, it is. I was hoping you wouldn't see that." He sighed. Sofia arched her brow at him before going back to admiring the sketch. He rubbed the back of his neck. "That was supposed to be your birthday present."

"Really?" She asked. Cedric only nodded, a sad smile on his face. "It's beautiful Cedric, is this what you were working on tonight?" Again he nodded this time it was accompanied by a yawn. Sofia smiled up at him before gently setting the notebook on the chaise. She slid between his legs and wrapped her arms around his torso in a hug. "You are truly ah-mazing Cedric!" Cedric swollowed hard before deciding to return her hug. He wrapped his arms around her slender body, pulling her closer to him. Moments passed as they stayed in one another's embrace contentedly. "It's the best present anyone's ever given me, I will always cherish it." She said nuzzling into his chest letting a yawn escape her lips. She felt Cedric's heart flutter as her breath caressed his skin. She tightened her embrace and smiled before pulling back enough to turn up and face him. "Thank you Cedric." She whispered as her lips brushed his skin, bestowing a tender kiss on his cheek. Cedric felt a knot in his throat, his chest constricted as he temporarily forgot to breath, a fire burned in his stomach. Sofia slid back down his frame, holding onto him and nuzzling into the hollow of his neck, yawning again. Cedric finally remembered to breath and a yawn emerged from his lips as well. "Sounds like were both ready for a good nights rest." She whispered seductively into his neck her fingers finding purchase in the hair at the base of his neck.

She parted their bodies as she stood, and pulled him to his feet. Sofia wrapped her hand around his and pulled him behind her. Cedric followed, his mind and body in a stupor, unable to snap out of his daze. She led him down into his bedchambers, magically extinguishing the candles as they went along. Cedric's head hurt too much to think and allowed the girl to do as she bid. She crossed the room to his bed, still holding his hand, their fingers now entwined. She turned down the sheets, noting the familiar quilt from that afternoon was back in its proper place. She turned to face him as she undid the knot of her robe, allowing it to fall to the floor in a puddle at her feet. She took his hand and slid into the bed pulling him along behind her. His body did as she wanted with no word of protest. She pushed him back onto the bed and gave her wand a twirl extinguishing the last candle, leaving them in the dark nothing but the moonlight spilling through the window on them. She settled down into the bed beside Cedric, nuzzling into the hollow of his neck again. Hesitantly he wrapped his arm around her and drew her body closer to his. He held his breath not knowing what the princess would do next. Sofia tenderly wrapped her arm around Cedric's chest, trickled soft kisses over his neck and whispered "Goodnight, Cedric." The sorcerer let out a heavy sigh, slid his fingers between hers, gave her hand a small squeeze before kissing her forehead tenderly.

"Goodnight, Dearest."