I'm both excited and worried about introducing this plot point. Ever since I first wrote Tilly and Roland into the story it has been in my head, but I don't know. We'll see how it goes. Charlette and Tilly are fifteen. Roland is fourteen. Cedric is twelve. Enjoy!

Things get better just as they had so easily gotten worse. Cedric doesn't make any friends, but he doesn't need to. He has Wormwood now. He does however begin to go to the castle again. He hadn't in at least a year and found himself sorely missing Tilly. She always was a light in his life. So today they are going for the first time together since things got better. He, Charlette, and their father gather in the living room. Of course there is Wormwood too, perched on his shoulder. Then Goodwin casts the transportation spell. In a flash they are there and Cedric is pleasantly surprised to find he does not get ill, not even a little bit dizzy. It seems the break in travelling has not affected his resilience.

Cedric stares up at the castle in awe. Despite the now frequent trips he can never get over the sheer enormity of the castle. It is always breathtaking compared to their humble home.

"You don't have to stare like that every time." Charlette laughs. "It's not that great. Just an oversized house."

Cedric looks incredulously at her. "How can you say that?" His brows knit together. "It's completely amazing." He shifts his gaze back to the castle. He smiles up at it.

Charlette snorts. "If you say so Cedric."

Roland and his children approach. Upon the sight of them Goodwin lights up. "You kids have fun." He pats each of them on the head, a habit he can't quite break despite them growing older every day. She shoots Charlette a sharp look. "And be nice." She may be growing up, but she has never grown out of her childish teasing of the prince. It will never do for the sorceress to treat her king with such disrespect when the time comes. So the sooner she stops this nonsense the better.

Charlette rolls her eyes. "Yes, daddy."

Goodwin nods. Then he walks off toward the king and they leave together.

Tilly and Roland appear in the next instant. Roland smirks, his hands held behind his back as he eyes Charlette. "Hey, Charlie." He stretches out each word. "I have something for you."

Charlette crosses her arms. "Oh do you now."

Cedric watches with slowly raising brows. He frowns and confusion swims in his brown orbs. They act like they are putting on some sort of show. He doesn't remember them acting like this last time. Then again, that was more than a year ago. What happened while he was gone…?

Wormwood tilts his head as he takes in the scene alongside Cedric. What a strange couple these humans are. He has seen Charlette day in and day out, but this is a side he has not seen nor could he fathom. Such an odd little girl.

Roland nods. "Yep." He draws his hands out and revels a flower. He shoves it forward and jerks his finger down to press on the stem.

Charlette snaps her hand into her sleeve and yanks out her wand. She aims at the flower and yells, "mutato aranea!" The flower – the trick flower – transforms into a spider.

Roland shrieks. He throws his hand up and sends the spider flying. It lands square on his head and his screams rise higher. He spasms, swatting at the vile creature as he shakes his body to try and get it off.

Charlette cackles.

Roland's franticness causes him to lose his balance and he falls backwards.

Charlette flicks her wand and the spider changes back to a harmless flower. Just as quickly she cries, "Surgere!" Roland freezes in mid-fall. She lifts him brings him toward her, his face inches from hers. "Nice try." She rights him, setting him easily on his feet.

Roland snorts. He smirks. "I'll get you next time. Just you watch."

Charlette barks out a laugh. "You may be the future king, but you'll never beat me." She flicks her wand and brings the flower to them, letting it float just above his head. "Coronam." She floats the bejeweled crown to his head and rests it there. "Because I'm the future sorceress."

Roland chuckles. "Girls can't be the sorcerer."

"And toads can't be kings." She waves her wand in threat.

Roland takes a step back, more than a little afraid of her. Girl or not, after so many years he knows her power is very real. She is no scrub, not like Cedric. She would kill a man if she so desired.

Charlette laughs. "You scared?" She raises a brow.

"You wish." Roland walks away from her, toward the garden, knowing full well she will follow.

Charlette leaves him hanging, lingering until she sees the slightest shift of his head as he tries to get a glimpse of her, to make sure she is coming. Once she sees him expecting and wanting her to follow she gives in. With a small smile she walks after him, not going to fast as to seem overeager but just fast enough to catch up and match him step for step.

Cedric stares blankly after them. Wormwood does the same.

Matilda bounces over to Cedric's side. "What a bunch of dorks." She giggles. She loops her arm through his and tugs. "Come on now. Let's go, let's go."

Wormwood glares at her as she disturbs Cedric's arm and by extension his resting place. Normally he would squawk at such an annoyance, but he knows Cedric likes this one, and she is nice. Not many people are nice to his master. So he keeps his beak shut.

Cedric blinks and breaks the daze. "Huh? What?" He glances at her and then back toward Charlette and Roland's disappearing figures. "What was that all about?"

Matilda tilts her head. "Hm? You mean Roland and Charlette?" She giggles. "Oh, right, you haven't been here with her since last year. Well, um," She covers her mouth with her hand to hide her laughter. "They kind of…like each other."

Cedric raises a brow. "Like each other?" He makes a face. "You mean like…friends?" What kind of friends prank each other like that? It's stupid, like something five year olds would do.

Matilda grins from ear to ear. "No…" She stretches out the word. "Like like."

Cedric's face pales. "What?" He gapes. He double takes. "No way. No freaking way. They wouldn't-she wouldn't, I mean…they can't stand each other. She sicked a spider on him!" He points in the direction they vanished.

Matilda throws her head back and laughs. "That's just their way of flirting. Trust me." Her expression becomes dreamy and she sighs. "Isn't it just the cutest thing ever?"

Cedric grimaces. "If you say so."

Wormwood rolls his eyes. Yes, adorable. About as much as a cat in his path.

Matilda studies Cedric's face. She frowns. She sees in the blink of an eye that he isn't going to let this go without getting to the bottom of it. "Hey," She taps his shoulder. "If you want we can follow them and you can see for yourself." She smirks. "I've done it before."

Cedric hesitates. He should say no. He knows it isn't right to spy on his sister's private moments, but the urge to watch pulses strong within him. More than anything he wonders if father knows. Certainly he wouldn't approve – the future king and sorceress having a fling. He can just hear father. It isn't professional. It will ruin how the kingdom runs. "Yeah…" He breathes, nodding faintly.

Matilda skips after them, pulling Cedric with her. "It'll be so much fun. You'll see!"

Wormwood springs from Cedric's shoulder as the girl drags him along and makes him move in a most unnatural way. He'll land again once they stop moving. For now he flies low, just behind Cedric.

Roland takes a seat on the stone surrounding one of the patches of vivid flowers. "Always so colorful." He notes, half to himself and half to Charlette. "Matilda loves this wretched place. Thinks it is the most beautiful garden in all time and the best place in the castle."

Charlette takes a seat next to him. "Too much color for me." She says simply.

Roland grins. "Right." He plucks a pink carnation from the flowers. "She especially loves flowers and all the 'hidden meanings' or whatever that means." He holds the flower in her direction, just between them.

Charlette taps the flower with the tip of her wand. It turns coal black and then disintegrates. "Nonsense." The specks of burnt remains slip through his fingers and sprinkle the concrete. With a wave of her wand the specks rise, swirl, and reform as the carnation. "You ought to be careful though. As stupid as it is, meaning matters to everyone else. And this – a pink carnation – it means you'll always be there." She smiles coyly.

Roland smirks. He scoops the flower between two fingers and tucks it above her ear. The chocolate colored hair creates the perfect contrast to the blindingly pink flower. "Maybe that's what I mean." He leans forward and lays a kiss on her lips.

Charlette closes her eyes for the brief moment. Even as he pulls away the warmth of his lips linger on hers. It sends her heart aflutter. She opens her eyes to see the same smirk plastered on his lips. "You idiot." She smiles despite her words. "You knew all along."

"I do listen to my sister's ramblings, you know."

"As any good brother would, Rollie."

"Indeed, Charlie."

Cedric gags. The amount of cheese dripping from this display is sickening. He can't believe it. This is Charlette? His Charlette? He has never seen her act this way toward anyone. And pet names? Other than Ceedric it is unheard of for any of her friends, and Ceedric she only uses to annoy him.

Matilda throws her hands over her mouth to stifle her giggles. "They are so funny." She says as quietly as she can manage. "They never just come out and say how they feel. They always have to make a game out of it."

Cedric frowns and crosses his arms. "Does your dad know?" The question leaps to his lips unbidden.

Matilda jerks upright. She whirls on him. "No!" She shakes her head. "And you can not tell him."

Cedric starts at the intensity behind her reaction.

Wormwood jumps a bit too, unsettled by the uncharacteristic tone to her voice and look in her eyes. It's not often the girl shows anything but cheerfulness.

Matilda sighs. "Sorry, it's just, he…he wouldn't understand." She shakes her head. "And…she is supposed to be the future royal sorceress. If daddy found out about this," She shudders. "It could ruin that."

Cedric's brows furrow. "But…won't he have to find out?" Cedric frowns. "I mean, if they're serious-"

"Psh." Matilda waves his words away. "Please, this is nothing. Just infatuation born from rivalry. One day one will go too far – a prank to many or much – and they'll get over each other. You'll see. Then they can go back to the way it was before and take their places as king and royal sorceress without any problems."

Cedric looks back to the pair as they sit on the concrete and talk, surrounded by the dazzling flowers that once illuminated Tilly and her brightness. It could be nothing. A little crush like he had on Rebecca. And yet…he grimaces. He has a terrible sinking feeling – that it is more than that. That it is only the beginning of a terrible domino effect.

Matilda shrieks and jumps a mile.

Cedric jerks his head up and looks with wild eyes at her.

Wormwood rockets in the air in unison.

Matilda grins sheepishly. "Hehe…sorry." She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. "A, um…snake." She points to it as it slithers off.

Roland and Charlette jerk to attention. Their shock shifts to a glare. "That little sneak." Roland seethes. He shoves himself to his feet and stalks over to the bushes.

Charlette is not far behind. She knows if Tilly is here then Cedric must be too. "Come out you little brat." She plants her hands on her hips.

Matilda squeals and ducks down. Cedric, however, does not try to hide. He comes right out. He crosses his arms and looks hard at the two of them. "You shouldn't be doing this." There is no point beating around the bush.

Charlette glowers at him. "Me? You're the one who shouldn't be doing this – spying."

Wormwood caws threateningly at her. He glares to match hers. As much as he likes her and feels at one with her he does not like how she is accusing Cedric.

Cedric shakes his head. "What if father found out?" He says sadly. He looks at Roland, his gaze particularly sharp. "Both of our fathers."

Roland scoffs. He rolls his eyes. "Whatever. My father doesn't pay any attention to me. He won't ever find out." He narrows his eyes. "Unless you tell." He stomps past Cedric and to the bushes. "Or you!" He grabs Tilly and yanks her to her feet. "You little sneak."

Matilda laughs. "You're so cute Rollie." She grins from ear to ear. She ruffles his hair.

Roland turns a deep red. "You don't call me that." He smacks her hand away.

"My bad." She says in a sing song voice. She tucks her hands behind her back. "Only Charlette does that, right?" She barely holds back more laughter.

Roland grinds his teeth and growls deep in his throat.

"That's it!" Charlette towers over them in that moment. "Get. Scat." She swats at them. "You awful little twerps."

Wormwood squawks at her, over and over, warning her off.

Cedric backs up, but he does not leave or shut his mouth. "Seriously, Charlette." He looks hard at her. "You have to be careful. You know this could mess things up."

Charlette rolls her eyes. "Oh, please. Nothing will happen. Dad's still the royal sorcerer and will be for years. It's fine."

Cedric looks her over. He wants to believe her, and Tilly too – that this will go away before she has to take her place as royal sorceress. But again He has a terrible sinking feeling. His stomach twists itself into knots.

Charlette holds his gaze for a long moment. Then she snaps her wand out and points it at him. "Get." Her voice thick, verging on cold.

Cedric sighs. "Come on, Tilly." He takes her arm in his hand and pulls her along.

Matilda never loses her grin or the spark in her eyes. "Rollie and Charlette sittin' in a tree!" She sings to the sky. "K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" She cracks up, cutting herself off.

Both Roland and Charlette's faces burn a bright red. "Punks!" They yell after the two.

Cedric shakes his head. What a terrible predicament. He can't tell this terrible secret, but wants to. Yet at the same time will do everything to hide the truth to protect his sister. He has never felt so horrible in all his life.

Roland shakes his head. "Little brats." He turns hard on his heel and stomps in the opposite direction of them. He clenches his fists and shoves himself down on the wall. He huffs.

Charlette follows cautiously. "Oh, relax, Roland." She seats herself next to him. "You know they won't tell. Matilda adores you too much and Cedric is too afraid to hurt me." She flicks her wand. "But if it makes you feel better," Twin flowers appear and float before him, each bearing the image of their siblings. "Then tear them apart."

Roland sighs. A smile twitches at his lips. "You never cease to amaze me." He proceeds to tear the flowers apart, petal by petal before finally there is nothing left. Then his smile spreads full over his face.

"Better?" Charlette giggles.

"Yeah," He reaches for her and curls his fingers around her hand. He squeezes lightly. "Thanks."

"No problem, Rollie." She leans her head against his shoulder and imagines a world where this didn't have to end, where she was a princess and fated to be with him, not from a long line of sorcerers who had no choice but to take their place as royal sorcerer. A place forever by his side, but never in his heart.

So, yeah. Pretty sure you can tell where this is going. If not then that's fine too. I hope that this pairing doesn't bother anyone. I thought a lot about it and I actually really like the idea of them together. What are your thoughts? Please review!