A/N: So I wrote this without the intent to add it to the story, but I actually kinda like it, and since I more than likely won't be updating for a while, I thought I'd leave a parting gift for you all.
Now, it's from Cedric's perspective. That's something I was planning to do anyway, just a little later. So don't consider this ch. 14, consider it more like 13.5… after this I'm going back to Sofia's perspective for a bit then Cedric then it may go back and forth. I know it's late in the game for that, and I hope it's not too confusing, but it's how it's working out in my head. So enjoy this. It's much shorter than normal.
P.S. Shoutout to Crapolice Squeals for the awesome Fic artwork! I love it!
art/What-Do-You-Dream-About-550837335
Cedric slammed the door behind him. His heart was pounding and his head was spinning. He needed to sit, but couldn't seem to move from the spot where he stood. He was frozen again.
"Mr. Cedric, please come out... we need to talk about what just happened." Oh, Mushrooms! She was still out there! He started to hyperventilate. She needed to be gone, away from him!
"I'm not mad, really I'm not! Please talk to me… please." her voice broke on the last word and he felt something tugging at his heart. An effect only she seemed to have on him. That's if he had one, of course. And he didn't. He most certainly didn't have a heart! Then why did it pain him so? He groaned and slid from the door to the floor, placing his face in his hands. A part of him wanted to go out there and comfort the girl, but he quickly suppressed that compulsion. She would leave soon enough. Good. He wanted to be alone anyway. He cursed himself for allowing her to stay to there begin with.
He closed his eyes and realized even if she wasn't in the room, he still couldn't escape Sofia's presence. He could still see those large eyes of blue looking up at him with such adoration and that sweet face with her smile so inviting. Not only that, but the air and his robes now held her fragrance of lavender and peonies. It was intoxicating. She filled up his senses, like a night in the forest.
He'd kissed her. He hadn't meant to. It had just happened. It had been a strange compulsion and he couldn't have stopped himself, even if he wanted to. Which he did! Of course he did! He shuddered. As fleeting as it had been (because, thankfully, he'd regained his senses before things had gotten out of hand) he could still taste the sweetness of her lips on his own. Lips like sugar. Of course they were. The girl was so irritatingly sweet in every conceivable way, wasn't she?! He made a move to wipe the sensation away with the sleeve of his robe, but stopped the gesture midair and instead found his fingertips moving to touch his lips, where hers had been only minutes ago. Yes, her lips were sweet, but then he realized it wasn't just sugar, she tasted more like peppermint tea and honey.
The thought calmed him for a moment. He had kissed her... He had kissed his apprentice. He had kissed Sofia. He had kissed the Princess. As soon as that thought came to him his eyes shot open in terror. He had kissed the Princess! As in King Roland's daughter! A girl half his age! Oh Merlin, if Roland found out he would have his head! He began to hyperventilate again as images of himself being led to gallows or the chopping block for execution played in his head. Or… for an infraction of this nature, Roland would probably have him burned at the stake or… or drawn and quartered! Everyone knew there was little love between the King and Sorcerer. He'd probably pick the harshest punishment the law of the land would allow.
He mentally kicked himself over and over. How could he have been so foolish?! So perverse?! He felt nothing like that for her… he- he couldn't! It was the spell. It was the dreams. It had to be. He never should have dabbled in something like that. He'd learned his lesson with his last brush with romance long ago and it wasn't something he wanted to repeat. He wasn't sure why things were playing out the way they were. They weren't supposed to.
He put his head in hands once more.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Cedric." he heard her say in a small voice from outside his door. He opened his eyes, turned his head and looked at it longingly. She was still there on the other side. He once again fought the urge to go to her. Luckily for him, he wouldn't have to. He could hear as Sofia started walking down the stairs and away from him...
"I'm sorry too, Sofia." he whispered after a few moments, when he was sure that she was gone. He found that aching feeling had once again returned to the heart he refused to acknowledge that he possessed. He had no idea how he would face her now or if he ever could again. He got up and made his way to down the steps to his bedchamber. The night would be long in coming and although he was heading there to lay in his bed, he seriously doubted he would be able to sleep. He cursed the night and he cursed the inevitable morning that would come no matter how much he wished it wouldn't.