A/N: Wow, two chapters in two days! I had to strike while the iron was hot. There may be another gap, though I have sections of Ch. 13 written. So hopefully not too long. I hope you guys like this. Thanks to Theoliviaocti and Crapolicesquels for their suggestions which I have utilized in this chapter. And thanks to everyone for reading and reviewing. After all knowing people are enjoying this story and want to read more makes me want to write more. Cheers!

She spun around to see who it was, and there stood her mother looking at her with concern. Sofia's heart dropped, for a moment she had thought, she had hoped, that it would be Cedric. She silently chided herself for even entertaining the notion. After all, it was a rare occurrence for him to actively seek her out and it was even rarer for him to venture into the bright sun unless he was forced to. She'd just have to go to him. Sofia quickly recovered from the flurry of thoughts. "Oh Mom, it's you!"

"I'm sorry, sweetie. Did I startle you?"

"Just a little."

"Can I sit down with you?"

"Of course!" Sofia moved over so her mother could sit.

"It's a lovely day." remarked the Queen as they looked out at the gardens.

"Yes. That's why I came out here to read."

"Oh? What are you reading?"

"A book about dreams and all sorts of things of that nature. Mr. Cedric lent it to me."

"Is it interesting?"

"Oh Yes, very."

"That was very kind of Cedric to loan that to you."

"Well, he is the best after all."

"Is that why you excused yourself at breakfast this morning? Because of the things your Father and Amber were saying about Cedric?"

Sofia shifted uncomfortably. "It was part of it." she admitted. "But I really do have a headache."

"Did it have anything to do with the other things your Father was talking about, too?"

Sofia nodded. "Mom… I don't want to be courted, or get married."

"Oh, Sofia you might change your mind about that someday."

"Maybe. But It's not going to be with any of those Men Dad wants me to meet. Although, I suppose I don't have much of a choice, do I?"

"Of course you do, sweetie! Your father isn't going to just give you away to the first Young man who asks for your hand. And as to the other thing, that isn't fair to say, you can't know you wouldn't grow to love one of these young men once you get to know them."

"But, what if I couldn't love them, because… because I already feel that way about someone else?" she struggled to get the words out.

"Are you in love with someone else, Sofia?"

Sofia turned away from her mother and glanced at the castle, her eyes unconsciously focusing on his tower.

"I don't know… I thought I was, but now I'm not so sure."

"What do you mean?"

"It's just... when I think about this person, I feel happy, but I also feel miserable. I can't understand it. Love isn't supposed to cause pain. Is it? I mean what about you and Dad, it was love at first sight, wasn't it? Isn't that what it should be like?"

Queen Miranda smiled sympathetically at her daughter. "I was wondering when this talk would happen. Sofia, love isn't all black and white. It's a beautiful thing, but it can cause pain too." the Queen stood up and walked over to a rose bush where she carefully picked a rose bringing it over to Sofia, "It's like a rose. Beautiful to look at, but like a rose with thorns that may prick or scratch you, it can cause pain… and yes, When I met your Father it was love at first sight, but that doesn't mean things have always gone smoothly. We've had our problems and heartache, just like anyone else, but we keep working at it. Communication is important. Have you told this person how you feel about them?"

"Not exactly… but I'm afraid if I do that they won't feelthe same way."

"You won't know until you say something." said her mother smiling at her.

"I guess so." she thought for a moment about something and then shyly asked, "When you met my Papa, was it love at first sight with him too?" she felt strange asking the question, she and her mother rarely spoke of her long dead birth father a man she barely remembered except for his tall frame, weathered hands and chestnut hair. She was hoping her mother wouldn't be upset by the question. Miranda looked surprised for a moment and then laughed.

"Not exactly. In fact, It was pretty much the opposite. When I first met your Papa I was very young, not much older than you are now. He was quite a bit older than I was. He was a Sailor from Freezenberg and the royal fleet had sailed to where I lived in Galdiz. I didn't meet him right away, but I knew him from reputation and appearance. And let's just say his reputation preceded him. He was said to be a braggart and rude, but he was striking looking." she smiled a far away look on her face

"There was a tavern where the sailors would go and your Papa would be the main attraction there. Telling tales of the things he had seen and the brave acts he had accomplished. "Birk Balthazar the Brave!" he called himself. I found myself going to the tavern to listen to his tales, but I didn't believe them. One day, I called him out on something. I don't remember exactly what it was now, it was of little significance, but I said that he was wrong. He was aghast and went up to me, calling me child and behaving in an extremely patronizing manner. I was livid. I called him a liar, and refused to listen to any of the foolish things he said any longer and vowed never to speak to that horrid man again."

"So you didn't like each other?"

"We certainly didn't get off on the right foot, that's for certain, but for some reason I couldn't stop thinking about him. I would see him out and about the village and he would glare at me, so our dislike was mutual." finally one day after weeks had passed I couldn't take it any longer I saw him and told him how angry he had made me, and he did something I didn't expect, he apologized. Turns out he couldn't stop thinking of me either . We became friends, dear friends he told me all about Freezenberg and I told him about Galdiz, we learned so much about one another. We learned each others dreams. Eventually, I realized I loved him. Then after some months, he had to return to Freezenberg. I was heartbroken. I told him that I loved him and that I would wait for him to return. I don't know if he believed me. He tried to dissuade me. Telling me I was still so young and I had my whole life ahead of me, that he couldn't love me the way that I loved him, he belonged to the sea, but I wouldn't listen. Finally he agreed that if I was still single by the time he returned he would marry me. 'Miranda,' he said, 'Remember that a broken promise can never be glued back together.' and so I waited. For five long years until he came back to me. And then we left Galdiz, and moved to Enchancia. I had you and we had a lovely life together for 4 years…" ' Sofia frowned. She never realized how in love her mother had been with her first husband.

"Do you miss him?"

Miranda nodded. "But life goes on. There are others to love. Never in the exact same way, but I love Rolie, I do. There isn't always a Happily ever after, Sofia. Love can cause unbearable pain, but no love is sorrow. If I had never talked to your Papa if I had let pride and anger consume me as you're letting doubt consume you, I never would have had those wonderful years with him. I wouldn't have had you." and she embraced her daughter.

"Just talk to this person. That's the best advice I can give you."

"Thanks, Mom." Sofia thought for a moment.

"You said Papa was older than you. Was that a problem with your family? Is that why you had to leave Galdiz? Because they didn't approve?"

"His age, really wasn't the issue, although I think they were afraid he'd leave me a young widow... " Miranda paused and frowned. "There are other reasons, why we left for Enchancia, but that's a story for another day. Now, it's time for lunch and I don't believe I've seen you eat today, Sofia."

"I'm not really hungry… "

"Oh, nonsense now come along, there's a plate of strawberry tarts with your name on it!" Sofia smiled and followed her mother to the castle. 4'O clock wasn't very far away. She needed to decide what she'd say to Cedric.

When 4 O'clock rolled around, Sofia was relieved that no word was sent from Cedric that her lessons were cancelled. She was dressed in her robes and had her wand and had the book of dreams in tow, because she still had questions about Astral projection she wanted to ask him. Sofia took a deep breath and tried to calm her nerves. She knocked on the door to the workshop. No answer. There was a very distinct possibility he was going to ignore her, but she had to be persistent. She had to talk to him like her Mother told her. She knocked again and called out to him. "Mr. Cedric?!" when that resulted in nothing, she decided the time for polite formalities had passed and attempted to enter without his invitation. It was unlocked. She walked in, and there he was, hunched over a large tome and several pieces of parchment, reading intently, and muttering to Wormwood who was asleep on his perch.

"Oh, Wormy, I don't understand it! This isn't what the spell was supposed to do… was it? It can't be. That wasn't what I had in mind when… this can't be... can it…?" he trailed off,

She didn't want to disturb him but she didn't want to eavesdrop either.

She waited for a moment more, but he'd failed to recognize her presence so she spoke finally. "Mr. Cedric?" she asked, ever so softly. Poor Cedric shrieked and jumped about a foot off the ground, his papers scattering everywhere. He spun toward her his hand pointed in defense, but luckily for her he was wandless.

"P-Princess Sofia?! Neptunes Nettles, girl! If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times, don't you know never to sneak up on a Sorcerer?! If I'd had my wand on me, I.. I could have hurt you. Or worse."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Cedric. Really I am." she watched as he attempted to collect the scattered parchments and started to try to help him. "No, no! Don't bother, I've got them!" he snapped as he grabbed the papers from her reach. Very clearly these weren't something he wanted her to read, that was strange.

She frowned and backed away. "I didn't mean to frighten you."

"You didn't Frighten me. You just… you caught me off guard. What are you doing here anyway?"

"It's 4 O'clock. Time for our lessons."

He glanced at his clock. "Oh, so it is. I'd meant to send word that you needn't come today. I guess I forgot."

Of course he hadn't wanted her here. She'd known that. Suddenly all the reassurance the conversation with her mother had given her faded away. Her chest ached and it took everything in her to keep her voice from shaking as she replied stiffly: "Well, if you want me gone, then I'll leave!" she turned to exit, completely missing the alarmed look on Cedric's face. "Wait. Don't go." he said quietly. she spun around to face him, raising an eyebrow. That wasn't what she'd expected him to say. Cedric cleared his throat.

"I mean... that is to say… you're already here after all, you might as well stay." he said quickly.

"Really?"

"Yes...just make yourself useful and clean or something." he thrust a broom into her hands. She stood motionless for a few moments trying to process what just happened. He didn't want her to go. She supposed that had to count for something, but then he'd asked her to clean, that wasn't exactly the thing that would entice one stay. She was a little disappointed. Well, she'd oblige him, she swept in silence for a long period of time, while Cedric straightened out his scattered papers and Wormwood continued to nap on his perch. She was trying to decide how to ask him about what was going on, was he dreaming about her? And… and so many things. These musings and the discussions from earlier today with her mother and father weighed heavily on her mind. So lost in her thoughts was she, she didn't notice the several curious glances, Cedric had been casting in her direction. She didn't notice as curious glances soon turned to confused and finally irritated.

The Silence that filled the room was finally broken when Cedric exclaimed:

"Merlin's Mushrooms, Sofia! What on earth is the matter with you now?!"