Cedric had fallen of his stool when he found out who the mystery woman was. Seeing this usually proud sorcerer fall on his bum, had caused her to let out a melodious laugh, and Cedric couldn't help but smile at the sound. Sofia walked over to him and offered her hand to help him up. His small smile quickly faded as he reached up for her outstretched hand. Her smile, on the other hand, only grew wider when he accepted her offer. She let out a small giggle, but quickly silenced it as soon as it came. She didn't want to seem like a little girl to him. She was, after all, a woman now. After he was up, she quickly straightened herself to a standing position with her back straight, as all grown up women should do.
"Well... Now I know where my aging potion went..." Cedric said while he got up, making Sofia blush in embarrassment of being caught. Once he was standing he dusted himself off, and looked over at Wormwood who seemed to look everywhere, but at him. Cedric's eyes grew wide when realization set in.
"And you helped?!" He screeched in disbelief. HIS raven helping someone else? Why would that blasted bird want the young princess to be older? How does he benefit? Cedric will never understand that raven.
"Kaw!" Wormwood replied before he flew off through the window. He wasn't going to deal with an upset Cedric. Last time that happened he got turned into a rabbit! The horror! He was stuck hopping, yes HOPPING!, for half an hour while Cedric calmed down. Something Wormwood NEVER wanted to experience again. The bird quickly flew off his perch and towards the window. Cedric watched his bird go out the window and turned to glare at Sofia.
"Well you must have promised him something really... amazing to get him to help you... Maybe your amulet?" He said with an evil crooked grin. He came very close to the princess as he said this, looking longingly at her amulet, his eyes may have strayed south just a little bit too...('She's still a child Cedric stop it. The body of a woman doesn't mean she has the mind of one!' He kept telling himself over and over). Sofia giggled at him.
"No, not my amulet, Mr. Ceedric! I... I told him... Well... That I'd ask you to... Well... Not call him 'Wormy' anymore... He really does loathe that nickname, Mr. Ceedric." She said, cheeks turning a bright pink at his close proximity to her. Thankfully she didn't notice his wandering eyes. Her heart beat quickened to such a fast and loud pace, she was surprised that he didn't hear the rhythmic "thump-thump". Cedric's face took on a look of disinterest again. He was let down that she didn't promise the bird her amulet, and she got the bird to help by promising something as silly as getting him to not say his nickname for the feathered creature. He got up, a frown on his face, and looked the girl up and down.
"**Sigh*** Sofia, I assume you have no size appropriate clothes?... Otherwise you'd be wearing them..." Cedric drawled out, disappointed that he, yet again, won't be getting his hands on the amulet. Unbeknownst to him, his drawl had made Sofia get a pleasant shiver down her spine, but the feeling quickly left as she realized she was still in her nightgown; Her too small, all most see through night gown! She yelped and grabbed an extra sorcerer's robe Cedric had draped over his chair, covering herself as fast as possible.
"Oh come on girl, you've been standing there, just like that, for awhile now. That robe does you no good... Here let me fix that nightgown into something more size appropriate for you." He said, trying to act uninterested, hoping he sounded bored. He lazily swished his wand and a white light came out of the tip, circling her night gown making it change. The too tight fabric started to loosen and flow. The almost too short length grew to floor length, and puffy. The sleeves puffed up as well at her shoulders. When the light went away, she was left in a size appropriate light pink dress.
"Oh thank you Mr. Ceedric!" She ran up and hugged her Sorcerer. Since she was older, and taller, her arms now wrapped around his chest, and her head rested on his shoulder. She could feel him stiffen under her touch, but tried to ignore it. It was probably a coincidence. He wouldn't stiffen at her touch, she hugged him all the time before when she was still a kid. She let out a content sigh as she relaxed her grip, but still held on to him, keeping her eyes closed, trying to memorize this moment forever.
Cedric was taken aback by the strange feelings he was getting from the princess hugging him. As if he was on auto pilot, he wrapped his arms around her too, and started gently swaying with her, side to side. He felt... Happy. Content, with her in his arms, like he didn't need the Amulet anymore. As long as he had this woman, that was all he needed.
'But she's not a woman.' He reminded himself, and he could feel something in his stomach turn, and he didn't like it. He quickly let go of the princess and grabbed her shoulders, making her let go of him too.
"We have to tell your parents Princess." He told her looking her dead in the eyes. Sofia's blue orbs got bigger and fear crept up into them.
"T-tell my parents? Oh no! They're going to be so upset with me! So disappointed! Oh I didn't think this plan through!" She shrieked at him. She sat on his chair, no longer able to stand from her knees wobbling at the mere idea of telling her parents.
"Plan? What plan could you possibly have that would require you to become older?" Cedric asked her, head slightly cocked to the side. He may never understand this princess. Sometimes he thinks he is better off not understanding her.
Sofia jumped up, her entire face as red as a tomato. "Oh well... I'd love to tell you... But... Uh... I have to tell my parents! Yeah! I... I gotta go! Bye Mr. Ceedric!" Before Cedric could blink, Sofia was out the door and halfway down the stairs. He was left standing there with a surprised expression on his face.
"What the Heck is with that woman... girl... child... FEMALE?! It's not like I asked her to get naked... Women!" He threw his arms up in the air and went to his table. He had very important work to do. Like devising a new way to get the amulet, and figuring out what to turn Wormwood into this time. 'Maybe a cute little mouse... He'll loathe that.' Cedric's evil grin spread across his face at the thought.
Sofia ran as fast as she could from Cedric. Her cheeks were so red, she could feel heat coming off of them. She couldn't believe she let slip about her plan! And he asked about it! Thankfully she was able to get away, but now she has to face her parents.
'Better than facing Mr. Cedric.' She thought to herself. Trying to fight back the churning in her stomach. Before she realized it, she had ran into the throne room. Her parents were sitting on their throne seats, staring right at her.
"Oh Hello there. Who are you?" Miranda asked with a smile. Roland looked at her trying to figure out who she was.
'Uh-Oh... Well here goes nothing.' Sofia thought before slowly walking up to the King and Queen.
"Hi mom, dad... It's me... Sofia..." She said looking down unable to meet their eyes. Miranda's eyes went wide, but she quickly collected herself. Roland had the slightest blush on his cheeks and coughed.
"Sofia... Did you get into Cedric's workshop again?" Miranda asked her, a stern look on her face.
"Ummm... Yes..." Sofia was now playing with her dress, still not looking them in their eyes.
"How did you get a dress that fits?" Roland couldn't help but blurt out. Surely she didn't have that in her closet, did she?
"I... ummm... Well... I went to see Mr. Ceedric... To show Wor... Mr. Ceedric that the potion worked... Not that he knew I took it! I just... He... I drank it last night... And it didn't work... So when I woke up I was so excited... I ran to show him... And he changed my nightgown... I was covered!... But he changed my nightgown... into this... He didn't know until I ran into his lair! I promise!" Sofia was finally looking into their eyes, trying to not get Mr. Cedric into trouble. He really didn't know. Roland pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Why did you want to be older?" He asked her. He has to remember to tell Cedric to put his potions where Sofia can't reach them.
Sofia froze. What was she going to tell them? To get Cedric to see her as more than a child? Oh that will go over well. She thought quickly.
"I... I was... Tired of being a child? I wanted to be treated like an adult! Yeah!" Sofia smiled to herself. What a great excuse!
Miranda looked at Roland and smirked at him. Roland smirked back. "Well Sofia, if that's what you want. Until Cedric can reverse this, you will be treated as an adult." Miranda said to her daughter. Sofia swallowed hard. What did she get herself into?