*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: I apologize for the long delay in updates. Life happens and writing gets put on the backburner. On top of which, I just had a hard time getting motivated to write this chapter with everything going on in my life at the moment. This chapter is now being split up into two or maybe three parts. My original outline had 20 chapters but now it's looking more like 25ish chapters give or take, which is okay for me, because it allows me expand on a few aspects I hadn't planned on. This isn't the best work I've done or can do but I'm content with this after three write ups. Lol. Hope you enjoy guys! Please keep reviewing! It really helps with the motivation aspect!

CHAPTER 16

WHAT ARE YOU DOING THE REST OF YOUR LIFE

Cedric held out an open palm to Sofia as she stepped down from the carriage. It was a simple action that now, after the days earlier events, felt almost wrong to him. She now knew about the secret he had kept hidden for so long. Even with his palms being covered it felt wrong to let Sofia have contact there. It was unavoidable, he knew, but he felt as if he was contaminating her pure soul. He grimaced at the thought of fully divulging his secret to her. He had run the scenario through his head over and over again during the carriage ride, and all the scenarios ended with her despising him.

Their trip to mystic meadows had been spent mostly in silence; both passengers having words to speak but lacked the courage to utter them. Cedric spent the ride brooding and Sofia not knowing what to say to the man before her. Cedric had decided though, despite the circumstances, that he wanted Sofia to have an enjoyable day. He would push his worries to the back of his mind and preserve for her sake.

Cedric offered his arm to the princess as they began down the long dirt path around the lake; with a faint smile and a polite nod Sofia accepted the Sorcerer's arm.

"Shall we pick some herbs while we're here?" Cedric asked as they meandered along the lush lake meadows.

"I thought your stores were mostly full?"

"Yes, well... one can never have too many ingredients... Especially those herbs with medicinal properties, considering those have shorter shelf lives." He replied, pausing to wave a hand over the lush fields filled with forget-me-nots and marigolds.

"True, but aren't we running late as it is?" She pressed, gently tossing her loose, wavy curls to the side.

"Well... A little... but... I just thought since it's a lovely day that you might enjoy spending it outside as long as possible." He shrugged, coming to a stop just before the wooden foot bridge before them.

"Aww, how considerate of you... Now, what's the real reason?" She pressed, backing him into the railing with nowhere to go.

Cedric sighed. "I need more time to prepare myself."

"For what?"

"Mummy." He grunted, turning away from her, leaning on the rail.

"Ms. Winnifred?" Whatever for? She always loves it when we visit." Sofia asked, leaning beside him. They watched as the leaves tumbled over the rocky shallows of the stream and made their way under the little bridge. The crystal-clear water trickling along the gravely soil that formed its boundaries, pushing tiny pebbles along its path, eroding away the larger stones.

"Yes, she does enjoy it when we visit, but Mummy tends to be very nosy... and with everything that's happened recently..."

"Oh... I understand..." Sofia muttered, deflating at the idea of Cedric's parents discovering how helpless she was at Hugo's hands; it wasn't the image of her that they were familiar with and embarrassed the Princess. "I'm sorry Cedric... We shouldn't have come. I shouldn't have come..." She muttered, diverting her eyes away from him and the stream, gazing off into the distance.

"Don't be silly." He said turning towards her, taking her shoulders in in his hands and forcing her to face him. "I know what you're thinking and that's not what I meant. That was not your fault, and you have nothing to be ashamed of."

Sofia shifted her eyes away from the fervent man before her. She knew his words were meant to help, but she still felt shame within for the events that had occurred.

"News tends to travel fast amongst royals and sorcerers... if they don't already know, they will soon. But that's not what I'm worried about." Sofia looked up into Cedrics eyes, curious what he meant. His eyes narrowed and his brow furrowed, they seemed to bore into her soul, conveying emotions she had never felt before. Then the thought of the elderly couple discovering that she had spent the night in their only son's bed, half naked at that, made her blush. "Sofia, we need to talk about things... But I honestly just want you to have an enjoyable day, today. It's just, I'm afraid that Mummy will pick up on our uneasiness... I don't want you to feel like your backed into a corner..." he rambled, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "I wasn't prepared to... I-I didn't think that...that... I thought it was all a dream... I was in denial. I didn't expect..." He muttered, caressing her cheek with his thumb.

Sofia took in a deep breath savoring the man's touch before taking his hand in her own. She gave him a soft smile before turning and pulling him into the meadow behind her. "You worry too much." She laughed as she knelt down to gather the herbs at her feet. Slowly Cedric knelt beside her and began to pick the wildflowers before him. He used his wand to magically cut their stems, before placing them gently to the side, glancing every so often over at Sofia.

"You're not worried or concerned?" He asked her almost timidly.

"Well, of course I'm worried to some extent. But I'm more concerned about the talk we'll have later. " she stated not taking her eyes off the plants before her as she worked gathering them into the lap of her dress.

"R-really?" He questioned, raising an eyebrow to the princess. Sofia nodded softly, her curls bouncing ever so slightly with her movement. He gave his wand a twirl and muttered a short spell, producing a worn leather satchel into his hand. He gathered his herbs and tucked them into the bag before rising to his feet. "Well, then... Let's get this over with." Cedric declared with newfound courage, holding his hand out to the princess.

"You're sure?" she asked, slipping the herbs into the outheld satchel.

Cedric sucked in a deep breath and clenched his teeth. "Don't ask me or I'll lose my nerve."

"Okay... race you there then!" She yelled, pulling him behind her for a few paces before letting go to gather her skirts, in order to pick up speed.

"What? Sofia..." He grumbled, but she was already out of ear shot. Cedric grunted and began sprinting behind her in his best effort to catch up with the princess. "Sofia, slow down I'm too old for this nonsense!" He yelled, watching as she seemed to float across the lush grass and wildflowers that covered the rolling knolls like a thick blanket.

"You'll never beat me at that pace, Ceddy!" She teased over her shoulder mid-stride. She spotted the hint of a smile on Cedric's face before turning forward again to gain more momentum; only to fall forward harshly, crashing into the dirt sending up a large cloud of dust.

"Sofia! Princess!" Cedric yelled as he darted forward to her aid. She laid there on her side, clutching her left ankle in her hands.

"I think its broken..." She told him with a calm demeanor. Cedric gently moved Sofia's hands aside to assess the damage. Although the injury had just occurred the swelling around the joint was already severe. Her ankle was turning a deep purple by the second.

"To say the least..." Cedric muttered "This is something better suited for Mummy to fix..."

"But you've healed me be-"

"Yes, I know I can but we'd be here all night if I did. Mummy is the healer of the family, not me." He cut her off.

"There's no way I could possibly walk though."

"I'll ease the pain for now, but I'll leave the healing for Mummy." He cut her off again, already moving his wand along her ankle, brow furrowed in concentration. Sofia sighed as she felt the pain dissipate. When Cedric was finished with his efforts, he knelt down before the princess, his back facing her.

"Get on." He stated, facing away from her still.

"Pardon?" She questioned apprehensively, confused by his actions.

Cedric glanced over his shoulder and made eye contact with the princess, silently asking her to trust his actions. Without a word he grabbed her wrists and pulled her up onto his back, he shifted forward and tucked his arms under her knees, cradling her against his back. When he had rose to his full height he adjusted Sofia slightly, shifting her on his back to find a comfortable spot for them both. Sofia felt the warmth of his body radiating through his clothes and pressed closer to his form, until there was no space between their bodies.

"Thank you." Sofia murmured into his neck as she nuzzled closer. She felt a rumble deep within Cedric's chest, prompting her heart to flutter. She wrapped her arms tighter around his neck and playfully nuzzled his ear with her nose.

"P-Princess, please..."

Sofia frowned. "I'm sorry." She muttered, tucking her head back, her lips caressing his neck.

Cedric sucked in a deep breath and slowly exhaled. "Today's really going well for us both isn't' it..." He more or less stated, as he began the short trek before them. "At least Mummy will be distracted now. N-not that you getting injured is g-good, that is to s-say... umm, perhaps a blessing in disguise?" He sighed. "I'd take a broken limb any day over talking to my father or having Mummy pry." He scoffed. Sofia giggled at the man's dry humor.

"They're not that insufferable."

"You're not the one whom they've been relentlessly pressuring to wed and bed someone." He paused a moment to adjust his grip on her, his hand accidently slipping up under her skirts, allowing his hand to cup the smooth flesh of her thigh. He nervously glanced back at Sofia, embarrassed to be touching her in such a manner. The princess didn't seem to mind though, almost inviting it, wrapping her form around him. He cleared his throat before continuing. "Father has been quite insistent recently that I find a talented sorcereress to wed and produce an abundance of offspring." he groaned, shaking his head at the thought.

"Oh... I take it they want more grandchildren then since Calista is grown up now?"

"Mummy, yes. Father on the other hand just wants another male heir who, I'm sure, he will deem more worthy and more talented than myself... You know after all these years, I'm still a failure to him." He sighed heavily. "This last year hasn't been the most pleasant between the two of us, Sofia."

"I'm sorry to hear that." She frowned with a small sigh, resting her chin on his shoulder. "I guess a lot did change while I was away..."

"...Some things... yes."

"I-If he wants you to... get married... will he... approved of me accompanying you when you visit?" She asked hesitantly. Cedric paused at her question, now only a few hundred yards away from the cottage. She felt his grip on her tighten as he glanced over his shoulder looking her in the eye to the best of his ability.

"I highly doubt father sees you... in the same light as I." he said softly. "It would never occur to him that you... that you could have any bearing on the situation... But Mummy on the other hand... She's been keen on you for a while I dare say." He finished flashing her a debonair smile. "It doesn't matter what he thinks anyway. You're my oldest and dearest friend, next to Wormy." he said with a wink. "You're always welcome at Mystic Meadows Princess. And... I don't foresee any new women coming into the picture now anyway. Father will just have to learn to accept my decisions. It's my life after all, right?"

Sofia returned his smile and wrapped her arms around him tightly in a hug. "You always know what to say to make me feel better."

"I always imagined I was more of an 'open mouth insert foot' kind of fellow, myself." He chortled as he began walking again towards the cottage. As they neared the wood and stone dwelling, they saw Cedric's mother reading a book in her favorite rocking chair on the porch.

"Oh, Ceddy!" She yelled, throwing her book to the side jumping up from her chair. "Goodie! Ceddykins is here!" Sofia stifled a giggled into Cedric's back as she recalled her use of the moniker earlier in the week. "Princess Sofia? What in heavens name are you doing up there, Dear?"

"Mummy-"

"Oh, it's so good to see you both. Goodwyn come out here at once!"

"Mummy-"

"Your son is here with a surprise visitor!" She continued.

"Mother!" Cedric shouted, startling the older woman. "That's better... he grumbled. "She's broken her ankle on the way here. I need you to take a look, please?" He asked as Sofia craned her head over to smile sheepishly at the woman.

"OH! Of course, of course, bring her in right away Ceddy. Make sure she's comfy." The aging sorcereress said as she ushered her son into the living room. Cedric gingerly slipped Sofia from his frame and onto the plush sofa; his fingertips sliding along her legs, sending chills up Sofia's spine, igniting a fire in her belly. Hesitantly he looked up at Sofia for permission before taking her ankle in his hands and propping it up on the coffee table before them.

"Dear me, however did you manage this? Oh Sofia it's good to see you again! Ceddy never comes around as often when you're away." Winnifred gushed, taking a seat on the coffee table looking over her injury.

"I'm a busy man, Mummy." Cedric replied dryly.

"And that magically changes when our dear Sofia is around?" She eyed him as she drew out her wand from her skirts and pressed it to Sofia's swollen ankle. Sofia felt the blood rush to her cheeks and watched as Cedric blushed as well before diverting his eyes away from his mother.

"What's this here? What'd you do now boy? Allow the princess to be injured on your watch!" Goodwyn blasted as he entered the room. "When I was Royal Sorcerer-"

"Yes father, when you were the Royal Sorcerer no accidents ever occurred, everything was perfect. We know." Cedric said drolly, cutting off his father's words, lounging back in his seat beside Sofia.

"It was an accident Mr. Goodwyn. It was my fault, Cedric couldn't have done anything to prevent it." Sofia interjected, noticing how Winnifred perked up at Cedric's name. "He stopped my pain and brought me here immediately so Ms. Winnifred could heal me, considering that she is the healer of the family. Cedric made an executive decision and I trust his judgement." She finished, watching as Winnifred raised an eyebrow to Cedric upon the change of nomenclature again. Sofia felt him shift in his seat, unease settling in at his mother's uncanny intuition.

"Sofia, Dear, I would love to hear all about your travels while you're here." Winnifred quickly interjected before the conversation erupted more.

"I thought you would." Sofia smiled. "I've learned so many things while I was away. And I made sure to visit every royal sorcerer and learn how magic is used differently in certain regions."

"Sounds like you gained an education on magic that should have been covered here, by our Royal Sorcerer." Goodwyn huffed.

"They actually expanded on what Cedric had already taught me. They showed me quite a few in depth rituals and spells that are only possible in those regions. If it wasn't for Cedric's lessons they couldn't have shown me. Actually, they all were highly impressed that I had such a vast education." she paused a moment before nodding to Cedric. "In fact, they all asked me to introduce them to Cedric when they visit Enchancia." She stated, giving Cedric a quick smile.

"I told you that you should be proud of our son, Goodie!" Winnifred declared.

"I brought you back souvenirs." Sofia asserted, pulling her wand from her skirts with one hand and with the other she pulled out two tiny books. The two books fit snugly into her palm; one bright red and the other a deep plum. "Higitus Figitus Migitusmum Prestidigtonium." She said waving her wand over her hand. In a plume of magic the books returned to their normal size. She handed the purple one to Goodwyn and the red to Winnifred. "For Master Goodwyn, a one of a kind - History of Royal Sorcerers; with personal handwritten accounts from each of the Masters I visited." She grinned up at the elderly man, who for once was speechless. "And for Ms. Winnifred, a recipe book I made from my travels, each one tried and tested to perfection."

"Oh, Sofia Dear, you shouldn't have! You're so precious!" Winnifred gushed, winking at the Princess and then Cedric. "Isn't she perfect Goodie!" She declared, giving him a large smile. The grey sorcerer nodded flipping through the pages of his new book, eyes wide in awe.

"How long do you think it'll take you to heal her, Mummy?" Cedric asked, leaning forward in his seat towards the elderly woman.

"Another few hours at least, Dear."

Cedric let out an audible moan and stalked across the room to the mantle. "The king will have my head if I don't have you back in time. I do hope Wormwood is in the tower..." He thought aloud, picking up a medium sized crystal orb from the mantle. He muttered a few words and waved his hand over the crystal. It's clear form morphed into a swirling smoky mass before clearing up and showing an image of Wormwood. "Wormy, am I coming in clearly?"

"You bungler, how do you always manage to interrupt my naps? You had better hope this is important; you -"

"Oh, shut your beak, feather-brain. I need your help. The princess is slightly injured and it's going to take while to mend her. I need you to take the crystal ball to his Majesty so I can parley with him."

"Is that all I am to you, a messenger?"

"Please, Wormy? For the Princess..."

"I'll be sure to bring you some peanut brittle when we return, that is, if you cooperate Wormwood." Sofia chimed in from across the room.

"Did you hear that, you selfish creature? Even when she's injured she's still kind to you." Cedric chided his familiar as he walked across the room to take a seat beside the princess again.

"All right, all right. Give me a moment, this isn't the easiest thing to carry you know."

"Thank you, Wormwood." Sofia smiled down into the crystal. A few moments passed by as they watched Wormwood take flight and fly though the palace in search of the Royal family. After about five minutes the spotted the Majesties on the balcony taking tea. Wormwood swooped in low and dropped the crystal onto the table across from Roland before landing on the back of Miranda's chair. They heard a stifled scream, which Sofia instantly recognized as Amber.

"It's only Wormwood, Amber." James sighed in an annoyed tone.

"Cedric has an urgent message for you, your Majesty. " Wormwood interjected before anyone else could speak. "Just hold the crystal in front your face and they should be able to see and hear you clearly, and vice versa."

Roland nodded and took the crystal ball into his hand. He could see Cedric and Sofia sitting beside one another. He clenched his teeth together. He didn't like how close the sorcerer was with his youngest daughter, he allowed it to continue all these years only because of how trustworthy and honest Sofia was. Still, he disliked how much time they spent together, even more-so after Cedric's reaction to Hugo's advances on Sofia. Granted Cedric had reacted how Roland truly wanted to act, he was glad Cedric had been there to protect her. Although, it made him realize how deeply the man truly cared for his daughter, and that both infuriated and scared him.

"Dad? Can you hear and see us?"

"Yes, what's going on Sofia? Wormwood said Cedric had an urgent message for me?" He said glancing over towards the bird that was now accepting a handful of fruit from Miranda.

"Oh, It's nothing urgent, really. It's just, well I fell and broke my ankle. Ms. Winnifred is healing me as we speak, but she says it'll be a while before its mended. Cedric just didn't want you to worry because it'll be late when we return, now."

"Oh, there's no reason to go out so late, Dear! Your Majesty, Sofia is perfectly welcome to stay the night here. She needs the rest anyways. It takes a lot of energy from the patient to heal injuries using magic." Winnifred interjected, leaning towards the crystal to speak to the king.

"Mummy-" Cedric hissed.

"Well, of course I'd prefer for her to return tonight... but I suppose that's up to Sofia. As long as she isn't imposing on you and Master Goodwyn that is." Roland replied. Internally he scolded himself, not liking the idea of Sofia spending the night in the direct vicinity as Cedric. He couldn't confine Sofia like a bird in a gilded cage. She was strong and independent, and he trusted her judgement with politics, so he had to trust her with her relationship with Cedric as well. Sofia had never shown any interest in men her age let alone an older man, he had a list of suitors that were invited to her birthday ball but he wouldn't force her into marriage like most Princesses were. After all, his own sister had given up the crown for a life of adventure and only recently gotten married herself. He felt a pang of guilt as he caught himself hoping that Sofia would choose to live a life like Tilly rather than fall prey to Cedric. He decided then and there he was going to have to confront the sorcerer when they returned.

"Oh, not an imposition at all, your Majesty. We just love it when the Princess pays us a visit. We would be glad to have her for the night." Winnifred beamed. "She can stay in Cordie's old room, its where Calista's says when she visits."

"Thank you, Ms. Winnifred." Sofia smiled.

"And you're sure that you're alright Sofia?" Miranda asked.

"I'm fine Mom. Cedric cast a spell to dissipate the pain while Ms. Winnifred heals me. I couldn't be in better hands honestly."

"Okay, Dear. We love you, take care of yourself Sweetie. And Cedric?" Miranda contiuned.

"Y-yes, your Majesty?" Cedric choked out.

"Thank you, for taking care of Sofia for us."

"O-of c-course, your Majesty. I shall return her promptly tomorrow morning."

"No rush, enjoy the time with your family, Cedric. I know you don't get to see them often." The queen stated with a radiant smile.

"Thank you, your Majesty." Cedric nodded and waved his hand over the crystal severing the connection. He gripped the crystal in his hand and stalked over to the mantle. Sofia could visibly tell he was upset but his parents seemed to either not notice or ignore the fact all-together.

"So, Princess, tell me what are your plans now?" Goodwyn asked taking a seat in the large wingback chair by the fireplace. "Your birthday is approaching soon, correct?" Sofia nodded, demurely. "I'm sure that you will have all the eligible bachelors attending your debutant ball. May I be permitted to ask if you have a suitor picked out? I'm sure that you will have all the eligible bachelors of the realm will be in attendance. You'd make a wonderful Queen someday, if I may say." Sofia watched as Cedric clenched his teeth and gripped the mantle hard enough to turn his knuckles white.

"Thank you, Master Goodwyn. But I'm not quite sure where my life will lead me quite yet. I do believe in putting one's country first, but there comes a time when one must put one's self first. I believe everyone should be happy." she declared turning her eyes away from Goodwyn and towards his son. Cedric stood with his back to them, staring into the fireplace, doing his best to tune out the conversation at hand. "And if I do marry, I'd like it to be for love." She turned her eyes to Winnifred then back to Goodwyn to finish her statement. "I can't really say when my time will be, so in the meantime I think I will continue on as ambassador, if father asks me to."

"A very diplomatic answer, Princess. I see why your father chose you for the spot now." Goodwyn, chuckled. "You're very young still Princess, you might find your dreams and ambitions change after this party. With as many men already lined up ready to ask for your hand, surely, you'll find one appealing enough. I'm sure your parents would like to have grandchildren someday. You can't forget their wants and needs, like some children do..." He almost growled, glaring at Cedric who still had his back to them. Sofia watched as Cedric stiffened at his father's words. It hurt her to see him treated so. It pained her heart more though, that his father was the tormentor.

"I'm sure my mother and father do want grandchildren. But they would never expect me to marry into a loveless marriage just for producing offspring." She replied diplomatically as possible. "My parents had a second chance on love, and Dad broke tradition to be with my mom. If anything, its shown me that love is worth waiting for and that love knows no bounds." she finished looking back over to Cedric, hoping that he was listening and understanding her words.

"Again, I see why you make a good politician, Princess. If only it was so simple. Love is a fickle thing, Dear, especially when you're young. At least, you have plenty suitors to choose from though. Unlike some people who can't even get a date," he said glaring at Cedric again. "I'm sure you'll have many options, my Dear. " he finished opening his book again, thus ending the conversation.

"Perhaps. But that doesn't mean I have to choose from them." Sofia pressed on. "When the right man asks me, I'll say yes. Until then, though, I plan on living my life the way I have been." Cedric glanced over his shoulder to steal a glimpse of the passionate woman defending her ideals. Sofia saw a glimmer of tears in his eyes, before he looked away and left the room without a word.