Sofia's POV
I walked up to my father, who was staring at a picture on the wall. He seemed stiff. "Dad, who is that man?" The man in the picture wore a cloak that looked like it was covered with moss, and never was cleaned properly. My dad seemed to awake from his thoughts. He turned to face me as Amber, my sister, screamed. "What is it Amber?" "That man. He's wearing a moss covered cloak! That was once a fashion?!" Dad rolled his eyes. "This man, Sofia, was my father's best personal Ranger. He saved my brother and my life multiple times. He probably would have gotten more done if my brother and I hadn't get in the way so much." James laughed. Dad sighed. "Sadly though, he disappeared the night after my six birthdays, and the night before Cedric arrived."
I had training tonight with Cedric for my magic class. He might not be the best magician in the world, but he was the only one I had access to. I walked up the stairs to his tower. Instead of Cedric's constant bickering to his bird, Wormy, it was quiet. "Mister Cedric?" I asked. I don't know if I really heard this, or I imaged this, but I think I heard giggles? I opened the door to see no one? "Mister Ced-Ahhhhhh!" I yelped as Cedric popped out from nowhere. "Princess Sofia are you okay?" "Yes Mister Ced-Ahhh Mister Cedric, your bird!" Cedric only had the limited amount of time to turn around to see his bird flying towards him. Suddenly, it bit him on the neck. His eyes turned red. "Um, Mister Cedric?" I asked. Mister Cedric reached into his robe and pulled out a dagger. "Mister Cedric?" He swung. I yelped as I blocked it. Downstairs, I heard some of the royal guards yell, "Sofia!?" Mister Cedric swung again, almost drawing blood. Four royal guards rushed in and grabbed Mister Cedric, who strangely went unconsense in their arms, dropping his dagger.
Later that day…..
Unlike most of the prisoners in the under the castle prison, Mister Cedric didn't fight the royal guards or yell that he had been framed. After he was put in his cell, he just sat in the far corner, where you could barely see anything other than some of his face. "Cedric, in due of trying to kill my daughter Sofia, you shall be hanged in one month's time," my Dad proclaimed. Mister Cedric just nodded. "Y-yes my K-king." Dad spat on the floor and turned to go. Dad, Mom, James, and Amber left. I stood there, shocked still. "How could you Cedric?" I whispered. I turned to go when, "AHHHHHHHH!" I turned back around to see Cedric on the cell floor, twitching in clear pain, as if fighting something inside himself. I tilted my head. "Cedric?" Cedric, still twitching in pain, pulled out a dagger that the royal guards somehow missed, and started to cut at where Wormy had bit him in the neck? "Cedric!" I cried. I unlocked the cell door and rushed in. Deeper and deeper he dug until he pulled out an infected artery. Then he collapsed on the floor. "Cedric?" I whispered. Was this a trick? "It couldn't be," I thought. "I know Cedric, and he wouldn't endanger himself for what he wanted."
Gasping, (and with blood pouring out from his neck) Cedric sat up. "I'm free. I'm finally free."
