The Ties That Bind

by PrisonerOfTheMind

Trying to set right a horrible injustice Sofia unleashes a chain reaction of events, plunging kingdoms into war. Political intrigue and magical battles abound. Peasantry and nobility clash while the chaos spirals out of control. Sofia will have to make a choice, but can she live with its ramifications? Cedfia/Hugfia/HildyAxelLuci/AmberDesmond/BirkMirandaRolly STRONG T RATING

31. Chapter 31-Dissention

Chapter 31: Dissention

Blackness surrounded her, the only discernible sensation a horrible throbbing in her head. Nothing else, not sound, not light, could penetrate this pain encompassing her. It seemed to last forever, each passing instance a complete agony, and then sudden moments of lucidity returned. The feeling of fingers on her leg where there, then gone, and it was back to purely pain. Then a dull throb in her arm broke through the haze, only to recede once more. A slow drip of moisture trailing down her temple, and then the arm started aching anew. Having no idea what was happening to her was the most frightening part of the experience, as if she was alive but unable to wake from the most painful dream imaginable.

She smelled the metallic tinge of blood, and the shoulder she'd landed on throbbed violently, but unable to rouse herself it all faded away to the blackness. Slowly the pain reverberating around in her skull subsided, and she could actually feel the air passing in through her nose. The deepest of exhales, it felt as if she'd never breathed before, and then more moisture was rolling down her temple. The sounds began to focus, and unable to open her eyes she narrowed her attention on what were the voices of those surrounding her.

The tonal qualities to her side were feminine and soft, definitely her mother. Straining harder, the actual words began to coalesce. "But why isn't she moving?" A man's voice was mumbling. More jagged in its cadence, it was harder to discern what that one was saying. Her mother responded, "Please just try your best Cedric, for Sofia."

There was a loud POP, and while she was still unable to move the voices became clear. "Well?" It had come from Miranda, who was somewhere nearby.

"Oooh, it seems that didn't work either, but I'll bring her out of this your Majesty, I must." There was a rustling of papers right next to her ear, perhaps the pages of a book being flipped through, and then "Perhaps this one." Relaxing warmth spread along her chest, but still she couldn't move, even to open her eyes and tell them she had regained consciousness.

A pregnant pause, and she felt the surface below her shift. It bounced a bit in response to someone near her jostling about, which meant she was probably on furniture of some sort, and no longer in a heap at the bottom of the stairs in the garden.

A loud creak, and hurried footsteps clanged across the floor, "Mother! Is Sofia okay now! Oh, oh this is all too horrible!"

"Amber calm down, Sofia's no longer in danger but she hasn't woken up yet."

"Oh Sofia! I should never have let go!" She felt something reaching around her head, and angry grumbles.

"Princess Amber, until your sister regains consciousness it would be prudent for you to NOT grab her thusly! She could have other injuries I'm not able to detect without her… responsive. Oh…Oh why." That was Cedric no doubt, and he began whimpering after he'd said it. Just how badly had she been injured by that fall?

"Amber, maybe it would be better if you just let Cedric work right now."

"Okay Mother, I'm going to check on James!" A furious clattering of shoes upon a marble floor indicated Amber had departed much as she had come.

What had happened? Miranda seemed to be okay, and so was Amber. The fighting was probably over, and at least half of her family was safe. If she'd been able to sigh in relief she would have, but then James was probably injured by what Amber said… and Cedric. He was here healing her, but still…

"Can you heal her Cedric? There's no shame in asking for help." Miranda's soft voice helped to calm Sofia's nerves that even though she couldn't move yet someone would be able to fix this.

"Y-y-yes, your majesty I'll heal her with every ounce of magic I've got. I've just to find the right spell. Oh, oh, Merlin's mushrooms."

Papers kept rustling in Sofia's ear while Miranda continued speaking. "My poor girl. She must have been so confused and hurt, seeing her friends attacking us like that. But the question is, why?"

"F-f-forgive me your M-a-ajesty. I wished to catch her with everything in me, but couldn't stop her in time."

"Don't blame yourself. At least she wasn't in the ballroom when that horrible mess broke out. I don't know what got into Lucinda and Jade, but I have a feeling that Carol is behind it. Once I know Sofia and James are okay I'm going to the dungeon to find out what's going on around here."

Lucinda had been captured, and was in the dungeon no less. But she was alive, so that was something. Now that she knew the outcome anger that they'd put everyone in danger welled up inside her.

There was silence, as Cedric didn't answer but instead there was a loud thud near her head. Perhaps a book being set down upon the nightstand. "Violet, can you fetch Sofia another blanket from her closet, she feels cold."

"Yes Ma'am."

So she was in her room, probably on her bed, and the battle really was over. Given Miranda didn't know why it happened there must not have been a lengthy discussion of the war's impetus before spells went flying. A comforter was set atop the sprawled princess, and a soft hand was stroking her fingers lovingly. She'd know that touch anywhere, her mother's instinct to comfort was everything she needed in that moment.

"I guess I know why Rolly told Hugo he'd have to wait a little longer before marrying Sofia."

"M-M-MARRY?!" A loud clang and the bed bounced underneath her.

"Cedric! What's wrong? You nearly hit Sofia in the head with that spell book."

Fingers were smoothing down her curls alongside her head while Cedric muttered uncontrollably, "My Q-Q-Q-Queen, NO! S-S-Sofia doesn't want this! Please you cannot let this happen."

"Relax Cedric, it's not happening tomorrow. Rolland wanted to make them wait a little longer and I agreed completely. I don't think Sofia realizes what she's getting herself into, despite that incident with Hugo on the beach in Leidleville yesterday." There was a short, uncomfortable pause before Miranda continued. "After all, Sofia's been so erratic lately and I don't want her making any rash choices with her teenaged hormones. I definitely need to know what's going on with Hugo's family now too before I agree to something so serious as a marriage." There was a long silence, and another warm feeling in her chest. Cedric was casting healing spells on her, no doubt. She couldn't seem to blast the image of Westin pushing him into the bushes, her heart breaking all over again despite the healing energy wrapping around and into her bones. Hugo had been so excited to talk to Rolland the night prior, he must have been asking for her hand. If she'd have been able to shudder she could have. There was no way she was marrying that man.

"Incident… on the beach." The sorcerer whispered it in Sofia's ear. "No… not again. Oh no… no she couldn't have." He was right next to her ear, breathing heavily.

"Cedric, this might sound a little strange, but I know Sofia's keeping secrets from me. I tried talking to her in Leidleville, but she dodged all my questions." She heard the man gulp. "Please Cedric I need to know what's happening to her."

Cedric whimpered.

"Please Cedric, I know she trusts you with things she won't tell anyone else, and you two have been practically inseparable lately. I can't thank you enough for being there for her all this time, and no matter what Rolly says I'm so appreciative you stayed with her, healing her the entire time during that battle between Lucinda and Amalthea. But Cedric, I need to know what's making her act so strange lately." There was a long pause, as the blankets moved alongside Sofia. "Is it the new baby? Does she feel insecure about that still?"

"N-N-No, your Majesty."

"Then is it Hugo, or something else?"

She felt cloth up against her cheek, brushing along the ridge. That was Cedric's glove, she was positive of it. "It must be… s-s-s-something else. She does NOT love that charlatan. She can't." Quieter she heard whispering in her ear, "Please Merlin, she can't."

"So then, you don't know?"

Her poor sorcerer was cornered. Correction. NOT her sorcerer, Westin's sorcerer. Why would he care now if her copy was out groping Hugo? He had something better to worry about, his new best friend and lover. She was sure they were an official couple now, the hedge he'd been pressed into was probably dented from the force of that romantic encounter, and if she had but the ability to she'd have rolled over and buried her head into her blankets, never to emerge and face the sorrow of her broken heart. The door squeaked open, and several pairs of footsteps entered. "My Queen you will be happy to know Amalthea has finished healing Prince Hugo and agreed to help your daughter immediately." That had to be Baileywick.

"To assist your Royal Sorcerer, if that's okay Cedric?" And there was Amalthea, right on cue.

There was some shifting of the mattress and POP! Her eyes snapped open, the canopy of her bed refocused into view. Immediately she flung herself upright, practically knocking into Amalthea's head. "Sofia, please lay back."

A glance to her side, and Miranda was standing near her hips with arms extended toward her, coaxing her backward into some pillows.

Cedric was right there, seated alongside where her head had been, just staring at her. The image of Westin devouring his face burned into her corneas, she froze and stared at him. A few inches from his face, but he seemed so far away.

She started to cry. He looked as if ready to weep as well, but then glanced around, making eye contact with the several people occupying her room.

"Sofia are you okay? SOFIA say something." Miranda had taken the hand nearest her on the edge of the bed, breaking the prolonged stare she had going with Cedric. "Mom."

"Yes dear, can you tell me if anything else is broken?"

"Anything… else?"

All eyes trailed down to Sofia's side. The arm her mother wasn't stroking had voluminous bandaging near the shoulder. That must have been why her arm had been throbbing. She'd broken it. But it didn't hurt now.

"It's numb." She turned, extending her head toward the sorcerer. With all her might she wanted to thank him for the healing he'd been doing, but simply couldn't muster a response, the cobwebs still clouding her mind.

Cedric glanced over at Baileywick, then started biting his lips and clenching the fabric of her sheets in his hands.

"How is she?" Another man had entered, and to this franticly uttered sentence everyone snapped to attention. Rolland had come.

"She's okay now Rolly."

Turning to Amalthea, Rolland could not contain the relief. "I cannot thank you enough Amalthea. You're a credit to all sorceresses."

Sofia felt weak, and in truth was partially paralyzed to keep from feeling this pain, but also small and wounded, like prey torn asunder. She could feel one of Cedric's stray hands trying to work its way behind her, sight unseen by the growing multitudes in her bedroom, but shied away from his touch, too distraught by what she saw in the garden to accept it. The recoil made him as well, and he continued staring at her, looking as if unsure of what to do or say.

What could he say? She clearly saw what she saw, and should be happy for him, but was thoroughly unable to do so.

"Sofia? Sofia you need to tell me what happened." It snapped her back to reality. Rolland was looming large on the opposite end of the bed, and now even Amber and James had wandered in. Her brother had a bandage around his forearm but otherwise looked alright. All eyes were set upon her as she tried to summon the strength to finally come clean. Amber sucked in a nervous breath and clasped her hands to her face.

"Rolly she's still recovering, and doesn't need to be interrogated." Miranda had an unusually stern tone in her voice, and had turned away from her daughter to stare at her husband looming on the adjacent side of the bed.

"Dear I need to know who injured her. If it's that she-witch I'll sign her over to Victor this instant."

What? Miranda was on her feet in a second flat, the worry on Rolland growing. "Rolly you can't hand over Lucinda and Carol to him, we need to know what happened first."

"They attacked us Miranda and Sofia almost died, YOU were almost hurt! If I hadn't dove to cover you… you…" Rolland grew stern, fists tightened and gaze stelled. Miranda had been in danger. "That's all I need to know. She's an enemy."

"But she's Sofia's friend, and if we let them be taken to Maldonia I'm afraid for what might happen to her."

In a rare moment of dissention Rolland stood erect, assuming that air of nobility he so rarely did during intimate family moments.

"Miranda your safety is the most important thing in my world. We already know she's been instigating a war, that's reason enough. Now tell me what happened Sofia." It boomed as a command across the bed.

The room fell silent, as all eyes were again turned on her. Cedric was right there, breathing into her ear, but she felt such overwhelming loneliness and could no longer bear to look him in the eye.

A heavy hand was set into the opposite side of the bed, Rolland had leaned over to be closer for his interrogation. "Speak."

"Daddy I saw it all. She-"

"Not now Amber, I need to hear this from Sofia. She was running before it started."

The princess pulled her legs in slowly, and used her one good arm to wrap around her knees bent to her chest, the now useless extra arm dangling to her side in the middle of the bed. Her head was still spinning a bit, but Cedric's breath on her ear felt like knives ripping at her soul.

"Lucinda wouldn't stop, Cedric kissed Westin, and I slipped, falling down the stairs. I only hurt myself."

It was twofold. Not only was she responsible for her physical injuries, she was also culpable for the emotional ones as well. She KNEW this would happen, and even helped it along. Amber again clasped her hands, overwhelmed with sympathy. She must have figured out why Sofia was so distraught, and James grimaced. Cedric gasped at her words and lunged forward, long thin arms and gloved hands barely made contact around the huddled ball of princess before "CEDRIC" from the King produced an instant recoil. He was shaking, one of his hands in front of her, hovering just off her knees. Oh no! Had she just outed him to the world. This was awful, why'd she say it!

"Y-Y-Y-Yes, y-y-your Majesty."

"By not keeping your personal affairs private you distracted one of our finest guards in a time of crisis. I find this unacceptable." Rolland was scowling, but as he said it Cedric jumped to his feet.

"B-B-But sire! I'd NEVER…"

"That's enough Cedric. We discussed this years ago. You were to keep your personal affairs to yourself, and not let them affect matters of state. I'm very displeased."

"NO I haven't! What do you TAKE me for! I'D NEVER! The thing is, I… well I… oh.. OOOHH. Sofia is… is…" Cedric had stopped flailing, and had set a hand on Sofia's shoulder, standing tall. It lasted but an instant, for just after he said her name the strength behind his words flagged, and again he hunched over into his normal stance around the king, unable to finish his sentence. His eyes snapped shut, and he seemed to be performing mental gymnastics.

"Rolly, chastising Cedric's new relationship isn't important right now. You can't turn over Lucinda to them. I heard Victor ranting about heads rolling, we just can't do it."

The king began stroking the bridge of his nose, then turned to face Amalthea, who was watching this all unfold. Words were swirling around as Amalthea argued for Lucinda's head on a platter while Miranda stood stalwart in defense of the witch. Her mother's saving grace meant Sofia could retreat inward, dwelling on the aches in her arm and her heart.
Cedric had sunk to his knees, and was able to whisper into her ear once more. The entire room sans Sofia and Cedric was wrapped up in the heated discussion of Lucinda's fate, seemingly oblivious to Cedric's whispers. "Sofia I must know. Did you encourage the boy, to shame me publicly? Please tell me. You couldn't really have sent the boy just to mock me, could you?"

She had told Westin what Cedric had said the evening prior, setting off Westin's pursuit of the sorcerer. "I didn't mean to."

Cedric looked wounded, choking back some heavy emotions so the occupants of the room couldn't see him suffer. "Please Sofia, tell me you regret it. Tell me you didn't wreak havoc upon my feelings. I want to believe that I'm not your royal fool. That you weren't intimate with Hugo yesterday and keeping me distracted to do these things without my knowledge. Not this time. Not after that speech in my tower. That you couldn't possibly toy with my innermost thoughts and desires in this way. Please, I need to believe." Straining his voice in whisper, she was the only one in close enough proximity to hear his words. But Amber and James at the opposite end of her bed were watching intently while words between the elder occupants of the room kept flying. "Please tell me what I want to hear, lie to me if you must. Please I can't bear this. Sofia please."

What could she say to him? She turned to face him, her breath catching in her throat as silent tears started down her face. An unsteady, "No. The presents, the lessons. He wanted them, because he loves you."

"But WHY Sofia, WHY would do these things to me? To make an outright mockery of me so publicly? Do you derive some sort of sick pleasure in it? Am I just a game to you after all? An object for you to torment?" His whispers were intense, but no one could hear them over the serious tones flying about the room in regards to Lucinda. Exposing his sexuality to everyone wasn't her intent by any means. It wasn't her secret to broadcast, so it was understandable that he was livid. The public shaming by Rolland that was 'tormenting' him so was entirely her fault. His nose was practically buried in her hair, muttering prayers that she lie to him.

Delving deep inside herself she tried to find the strength to rise above the hurt and force the descriptions out. Turning slightly toward him she managed to brush her nose against the softness of his cheek. "No of course your feelings aren't a game, you mean everything to me. Everything." With that she broke down, heaving great sobs. A deafening silence fell around her as all attentions were turned on the youngest princess's tears.

Cedric curled his fists into balls, began gnawing on his bottom lip, rocking back and forth, then stood abruptly. In his steadiest voice he tried with all his effort to turn toward Rolland, "Your Majesty I've something to declare!"

"NOT now Cedric, discussions about your relationship with my guardsman can wait." Boomed Rolland.

"Sofia!" Amber had run round the bed, pushing Cedric back and crawling into his spot, stroking her sister's hair lovingly in an attempt to stop the sobbing.

"Aw Sof!" James had pushed past Amalthea and crawled onto the middle of the bed, pulling Sofia's tear-streaked face onto his broad shoulder. It helped that both her siblings had bounded over, heaping comfort onto her.

Staggering a few steps backward Cedric tried to regroup, "B-B-But Sire, N-N-No, Rolland, this is about my f-f-future, well our f-f-future. I…"

No one was truly listening to the sorcerer, and Sofia made out words like 'banishment' and 'treason' while her parents, Baileywick, and Amalthea all returned to heated discussions.

"I know Lucinda and Jade, they must have been coerced by Carol into this Rolly. Just let me talk to them."

"Miranda I love you above everything else, and I'm going to do everything in my power to protect you."

"But Roll—"

"PLEASE LISTEN! We plan to spend the rest of our lives together, n-n-no matter what!"

"NOT NOW CEDRIC!" Both Baileywick and Rolland had shouted it at the sorcerer. The thin man deflated and slumped against the wall while the last of Sofia's shattered heart went numb. How could he have decided it so soon? After just one kiss? Perhaps Cedric had found his love story. After all, Miranda and Rolland had decided to marry the day they met. Trying to escape reality she longed to descend back into the void, but settled on burying her head into her brother's strong shoulder.

Miranda took in a deep breath, "Amber, James, will you both keep Sofia company while I speak with your father alone?" The twins nodded, "Okay. Rolly can we discuss this situation in private. Sofia needs some time."

The king nodded softly, and ushered Miranda out of the room. His pace was slowed and Miranda left first, then whispered something to Baileywick. The steward fidgeted uncomfortably, but nodded in agreement as Rolland left the room. Baileywick hung his head, then turned to the Maldonian sorceress. "King Rolland has asked if you can perform a few more duties before you depart for Maldonia."

"Until King Victor is ready to leave I am at his disposal."

"Very good. Cedric, please come along so Sofia can recover."
"B-b-but…."

"She'll be fine now that Amalthea has healed her. You've been given a command by the king Cedric. Please follow me." Impatiently Baileywick tapped his watch, and not-so-gently pushed the sorcerer out of the room.

"Right now the king can eat my knickers for all I care. I need to speak with Sofia alone." His arms and wand were up above his head and shaking, clearly frustrated.

Amber gasped, "CEDRIC!"

"That is no way to speak about your King Cedric, especially after he was lenient with you." Scowled Baileywick.

"Lenient, of all the utter nonsense, the man wouldn't even listen." Cedric bent over Amber's seated frame, and the girl batted at him to exit her personal space.

"Sofia please tell them to let me speak with you alone. Please."

She closed her eyes and sank into James's shoulder. A tongue lashing about blurting out his sexuality to the entire room was the last thing she could endure, as giant tears rolled down to the covers below.

"Come Cedric, before I tell the king what you've said about him."

There was a scuffle of sorts, feet dragging across the marble floor, and the door clicked closed.

Several minutes of sorrow passed, her sister softly stroking her head and her brother holding her steadily upright, before she was able to resurface from the depths of his conciliation. Amber met her blood-shot eyes with sympathy. James looked equally empathetic, but perhaps with a bit of guilt added to the mix.

"I'm sorry Sof. I guess he's really into guys after all."

"I did tell her." Another cry forced itself out of the shattered princess.

"Was that really necessary Amber?" came sarcastically out of her brother.

"Sorry Sofia, but I did tell you he was gay. But, all considered I'm really shocked he'd just declare he loved the guardsman like that, especially considering how he'd felt about Daddy all these years." James just rolled his eyes and laid his head on top of Sofia's. "I guess he does look like Daddy did back when Cedric had a major crush on him."

"Oh STOP Amber." James was beyond annoyed, "This ISN'T helping Sofia."

"No, it's okay James." Dejected, she looked down at her upturned knees. "It's my fault. Everything's my fault. I knew I shouldn't fall in love with him, but it just came on so gradually, and before I knew it I was laying in his bed and just dreaming that maybe he felt the same way too. I feel so stupid."

Both her siblings froze in place. She glanced over at Amber, whose beautiful chocolate eyes had bulged from her porcelain face. "What were you doing in his BED Sofia?!"

A brief glance over and James was thinking the same thing, but unable to verbalize it. Oh man, explanations needed to be given. "I just, well at first I just took a nap there, but then he started insisting and it just felt so good I couldn't stop."

"Wait, Cedric wanted you to sleep in his bed?" James had stiffened, the soft nook he'd made in his shoulder tensing with hard muscles.

"Well, yes." It was true, he had insisted on several occasions.

"Did he touch you Sof? You need to tell us."

"Yes yes! Sofia what did he do to you?!" Amber was up on her knees, as if some great truth was about to be revealed.

"No of course he didn't touch me, you both just heard him declare he wanted to spend forever with Westin. He only hugs me, and kisses my face, and my neck, and I guess he's kissed my shoulders too, and then he did give me an amazing bareback massage when I was sore from ice skating. Oh and he ran his fingers along the inside of my hips that one time." Reminiscing on that for but an instant brought her out of the malaise, but quickly she was right back into it.

"Wait, he touched you here!" Amber pointed to the inside of Sofia's hip, and the princess nodded. Her elder sister gasped, "You didn't say THAT! Just that he kissed your forehead like Daddy used to."

"Well he hadn't done it back then. After James and I were abducted he just got really protective of me, and I guess we got a lot closer because I didn't want to be alone. It was never sexual, and he had plenty of opportunities to do something if he'd wanted to. I've been naked in front of him so many times and he never touched me then."

She thought her sister might faint. James grew solemn. "You were NAKED in front of him. Sofia WHY would you do that?!"

"I just, felt so safe with him and well, I needed to change and it just felt right. I guess I was just deluding myself, maybe hoping on some level he wanted to see me that way."

"I can't believe I'm hearing this Sofia. You've got tons of friends, would you do that with anyone ELSE?" James's head was rattling around in disbelief.
"Well no, but Mr. Cedric is just so unique and he's never had another friend so he treats me different."

"You can't be serious Sof. Don't you remember our last talk? He could like both men and women."

It took a little bit for her to look back on everything. "Of course I'm serious. But I was the one who started kissing him first, and I took his clothes off first when he was sick, so he must have thought it was okay when he took off mine. It doesn't mean he thought it was sexual by default."

Amber had stopped breathing. James seemed equally flabbergasted.

There was a series of blinks, and Amber feigned fainting backward onto the bed.

"YOU TOOK HIS CLOTHES OFF?! AND HE LET YOU?!" James was actually bouncing. "Sofia if he LET YOU do that HE'S NOT GAY. No guy ever let his just-a-friend STRIP THEM NAKED! GAY or NOT."

"But he was really sick then, like when you thought you were slaying dragons."

"But then I stripped my OWN clothes off! Sofia that's as far as I've ever gotten with Ruby, except—Oops." James halted, then groaned, but it was way too late. There was now another soul privy to James's preference.

Silence hung in the air before Amber's shot up from the bed and James smacked his hand to his forehead, falling backward onto Sofia's pillows.

"YOU'RE doing WHAT with WHO! As in, RUBY from the VILLAGE!"

It was too late now. Amber was in on James's extra-curricular activities as well, and the poor young man had to acknowledge the illicit affair to his elder sister. The salacious nature of it all was both tantalizing and disgusting to Amber, as she vacillated between squealing at his every detail with admonitions about how this all would affect Clio. When James was finally done confessing, Amber sat back, her dainty chin resting in her curled fingers.

Sofia turned to plead with her sister. "So we're all going to support him, right?"

Her beautiful sister glanced between the siblings, then gave a half nod of acceptance. "Daddy's going to hate this, ALL OF THIS. Ugh, I feel like we're ten again but instead of just breaking the window you shattered Daddy's crown, and YOU Sofia, how could you not be telling me these things with Cedric as they were happening!"

"I'm sorry Amber, I was just… distracted, and not really comfortable taking about this at all."

The elder princess flicked her hair about, then zeroed in on her younger sister. "Sofia I know you get jittery around this subject, you ALWAYS have, but you're a princess and your dignity is important."

Sofia flung a hand over one ear to block out her sister, but the deadened arm prevented her from fully blocking out the awkward conversation she was sure was to follow. Amber wasn't having it, and pulled the defensive palm back to the covers below.

"Sofia, all I'm saying is you need to establish some boundaries with him. He's an older guy but that doesn't mean he's experienced or knowledgeable, and I definitely wouldn't trust him to have your best interests in mind, so you'd better be careful or you could end up in a LOT more trouble than just falling in love with a servant."

Blinking, Sofia turned to James, who was shaking his head in disbelief. "Trouble?"

Amber coughed, then looked down at Sofia's legs. "Really Sofia? Ugh. Fine I'll spell it out. Our royal household needs only one new addition, and that's our new sibling, got it. I'm too young to be an aunt."

Sofia went red in the face. "Amber STOP! This is embarrassing and totally unnecessary! Mr. Cedric can't love me, not like that. He was just kissing Westin."

"Well, I didn't want to say anything when Daddy was here, but it didn't look like Cedric enjoyed it very much."

The pounding in her chest as her sister said that made her innards ache. Was there really a chance? "How do you know? We both saw him kissing Westin."

"Well actually the guard kissed him, and after a second Cedric shoved him backward really hard. He looked somewhat stunned, then angry, and then you fell and he freaked out."

"SEE Sofia. Listen to me when I tell you NO GUY lays around naked with a girl he doesn't love, and Amber's right, you need to be more careful."

Still raw from earlier, Sofia couldn't help but wonder. Had it all been a mistake? "And Cedric didn't actually say anything about this Westin fellow just now, he only said that he wanted to spend his life with someone. OH! Sofia maybe he meant you!"

She was blinking at the covers over her knees. "Do you… think so?"

"The only way you'll know is to ask him." James nodded. "Trust me on this. You'll have to just go up there to his tower and air it all out."

"I hate to say it, but James is right Sofia. Either he's in love with you and it's a big misunderstanding, or he's in love with the guard. You said his name was Westin? Anyway if that's the case it's better for you to distance yourself instead of constantly hanging around him. It'll only keep hurting you."

Looking between her siblings, they were both of the same mind about it. That in itself was rare, and probably meant she should confront her fears instead of assuming he didn't love her romantically.

"But then, what if he doesn't like me, and he's so embarrassed he stops wanting to spend time with me."

"You have to find out Sof. Otherwise you'll just keep torturing yourself."

They were right. She needed to be absolutely clear about how he felt, prolonging her suffering only made it worse.

"Thanks. I needed that."

"I know. I'm always right." Amber stated confidently.

"Yeah sure, wasn't it your fault she thought he was gay in the first place?"

"He WAS attracted to Daddy, there was proof!"

The twins bickered a bit more before it devolved into a three-way hug. "Now if only I could make Dad accept Ruby as my bride, then we'd really have a breakthrough."

RUBY.

"James, if you're going to really commit to her you'd better go tell her how you feel as soon as you can."

Perplexed, he leaned back, eyeing her strangely. "Why Sof? She knows I love her. I even used my body to shield her when some short guard with a bushy beard fell backward and almost toppled over her." He gestured down to his bandaged forearm.
"But she was heartbroken when you took off during the ball. It seemed like when you had to make the choice you just abandoned her."

He jumped backward off the bed, instantly defensive, "No that's not what I meant to do. I was just worried, that's all."

"Well you didn't stick by her."

The crown prince covered his face with his hand in shame while Amber ran her hands through her long silken hair. "Really James? That's not smooth at all."

"Aw man. I'd better go try and patch things up. You'll be okay if I go, right Sof?" She nodded but Amber was quick to interject.

"Oh James you're so dense. Sofia's got me to keep her company so she's fine, but if you try sneaking off to the village right now you're going to get caught. The castle gates are CLOSED because the villagers rioted."

"Well, maybe I can convince Dad that I'm trying to find out what happened, maybe?"

"You really are silly."

James stood and paced the floor, then as if struck with inspiration flung his hands upward. "I know! You can help me sneak out Amber."

"Shouldn't you just go talk to Dad? As in, the exact same advice you just gave me?" Sofia deadpanned.

"Well no, what if I go through it all with Dad and then Ruby rejects me 'cause I hurt her feelings?"

"You really need my help James?" The prince nodded, "Ooooh, alright I'll help you."

"Brilliant." He ushered her toward the door and Amber groaned, "I'll be back as soon as I can be, okay Sofia?" The younger princess nodded, as Amber peaked her head out from the door one last time.

"Oh, and I really am sorry Lucinda didn't listen to you. I thought she was your friend." With that the golden princess disappeared, leaving her solidly alone.

"I thought she was too."

Why couldn't Lucinda have just listened? Everything was in shambles now. That after everything they'd been through together fighting this war her pleas had fallen on deaf ears grated on her, the anger building to a fever's pitch. Finally she could take no more of sitting and waiting for something to happen, and the decision to confront the witch was made. It was an easier argument to have than a potentially earth-shattering conversation with Cedric about his sexuality anyway. Drawing a shawl loosely over her injured shoulder Sofia made her way to the door, and through the corridors. Almost to the dungeon she was caught.

"Princess Sofia you should be resting after that terrible ordeal. You've not even properly healed yet."

Turning slowly the thin frame of Baileywick, ever present, was tapping his foot idly. "Please Baileywick, I need to speak to Lucinda."

He was shaking his head, "I'm not so sure that's a good idea Sofia. Rolland has commanded that Amalthea 'speak' with her, and right now they are probably… busy." The steward cringed as he said it.

Oh NO.

"What's Amalthea doing to her? Please tell me Baileywick."

"Sofia your father only wants to keep you and your family safe, and that girl turned against us. He needs to know how far the poison has spread amongst his people." Her gaze began to trail away from the steward, refocusing on the intricate weaving of the carpet to keep from toppling over. The steward reached out, steadying the girl. "Your father knows what's best Sofia."

Interrogation.

And an ugly one at that if Baileywick wouldn't let her trespass on it. "No! I'm going to see my friend."

"Sofia wait!" The princess bolted the last few steps and tried to pass a startled set of guards. They physically stepped in front of her, blocking the path while Baileywick ran up from behind. "Please princess you are injured. If your father found out you were here and not safely in your bedroom he'd be furious!"

"WHAT! Would he throw me in there too if I speak out against this?!" Cries of anguish came from beyond the solid planked door. "Amalthea's in there, HURTING Lucinda! Please this has to stop!"

The steward cringed, visibly upset by what he clearly heard as well. "Oh dear. Alright Sofia, I will speak to your father immediately after you return to your room."

"But NO! Lucinda!"

"Please Sofia, everyone is under orders to keep you and your family safe. There could be another attack before the village is purged of these traitors and the castle is secure."

Purged? That sounded horrible.

"Then I'm going to talk to Rolland myself. This has to stop!"

Off she stormed, Baileywick trailing but a step behind her. "Sofia stop! Since when do you address the king thusly? Princess please stop! He's not really in a position to discuss this logically right now." She didn't care, and marched straight into that room where Rolland had folded and given aide to Friezenburg's king. There her father stood, pounding his fist into the table with Constable Miles and several knights surrounding him.

"I don't care how it's done! The castle must be secured. Not a soul is to pass in or out until Amalthea ferrets them all out and they are held accountable for their crimes. I want every last traitor identified, no one is immune!"

Several men bowed. The king rarely grew angry, but Miranda being in danger had driven him over the edge.

"Your Majesty, Sofia needed to speak with you." The king, mid-glower had turned to see her standing there.

"Sofia dear, go back to your room."

She tried in earnest to collect the last pieces of her courage. A daunting task when juxtaposed against the formidable Rolland. "But Dad, Lucinda's in the dungeon and Amalthea is hurting her!"

"I know Sofia, please go back to your room."

"But Dad she's my friend."

"Sofia she is NOT your friend, no ally of ours would attack our family."

"But Dad just listen to me, she wasn't after us, she was after King Victor and—"

"Sofia she ATTACKED us, in our own home! Your brother was injured and we almost lost you."

"But I fell! And James said he was hurt protecting Ruby from a falling guard, not—"

"Sofia that's ENOUGH. After everything I've done for the people of my kingdom, I've suffered with them, loved them, even my beautiful wife came from the village, but then they'd turn around and do THIS. They could have KILLED her, your mother Sofia! Then what would we have done? I can't live through the death of my pregnant wife, not again, I—" He lurched forward onto the table, catching himself with outstretched arms. Strong fingers dug into the ceramic map inlay on top of the carved wood. "I've been too indulgent for far too long, inventing holidays to make my people feel appreciated and trying to appease everyone. I thought my subjects were kind and understanding, that they knew I truly care about their happiness, but I was wrong." He was so angry he'd begun shouting, spiraling angry energy all around him.

"No Dad, it's not like that! They're upset about what's going on in Friezenburg and Maldonia!"

"Sofia I've been too soft, and your mother and our baby almost paid the price for my leniency. But no longer." He turned to the constable, and edict looming on the tip of his tongue. "Constable, ANYONE found conspiring with the witch is to be hanged alongside her, IMMEDIATELY."

Anyone.

"NO DAD! Don't do this!" Sofia had drawn her good hand up to her face, clawing at the air in desperation.

The constable looked to Baileywick, then back at the nearest knight. Everyone knew this was wrong, but wouldn't speak up. Slowly the steward inched closer, "Sire I know you're upset that the Queen was almost injured, but perhaps a trial is more prudent? Public opinion is important and-"

"No Baileywick. Miranda isn't safe, and I have to keep her safe! I saw some of the villagers fighting with the guards and they got away. We need to catch all the bad elements, to protect my kingdom and my family." He stood tall as a redwood and pulled his arms in tight, adjusting his shirt. "I want them found. Set Amalthea on it."

"But Sir, she's not yours to command. She's set to return to Maldonia with King Victor after she's done with Lucinda."

"Then send word for Edith, force Cedric to take a break from snogging that guardsman and actually DO something, whatever it takes! This ends tonight."

Shaking her head in disbelief, she couldn't fathom how enraged her father had become. It was true that he'd used his own body to shield Miranda when fighting broke out in the ballroom. It must have activated some deep protective instincts inside him.

"Please Dad, don't do this! PLEASE."

"It's US versus THEM Sofia, and I will protect my family." He stiffened, towering over her and looking beyond to the steward behind her. "Baileywick, escort Sofia back to her room, and make sure she stays there until it's safe."

The steward sighed, setting a soft hand upon Sofia's shoulder from behind. "Come Sofia, I'll escort you back to your room."

She was pulled backward, away from King Rolland and his knights, out of the planning room and any decision making process. Footsteps echoed down the corridors as the steward gradually made his way through the castle, guiding her back to her bedroom turned confinement. There was nothing for it. If Sofia didn't save Lucinda, Jade and Carol they weren't going to survive. She had to help them escape, somehow. Plans began swirling inside her as heavy footsteps fell along the corridors. Whilst traveling up the last flight of stairs Baileywick's sighs intensified. "Please don't think ill of your father Sofia. I know he's a bit, irrational right now, but he's doing what he thinks is best."

"But it's WRONG Baileywick, surely you see that."

The steward stopped near an end table, producing a small cloth from his pocket to rub away a slight blemish on a candleholder, then taking it in his hand he ignited a matchstick and set it to the wick, lighting the passage. Sofia had barely noticed the night descending through the castle, but as the candle light flickered it set a somber pallor throughout the solitary hallway.

"Sofia your father has always put family above everything else. I think that when Miranda was almost injured today it brought back some painful memories for him. Ones he's tried to forget for a long time."

Baileywick began to walk once more, Sofia following the aged steward.

"What happened Baileywick? I've never seen Dad so irrational. He just won't listen to me. King Victor is the enemy, not my friends, and not his subjects."

The steward paused in an isolated corner. They had passed the servants staircase and were in a remote section of the castle. Briefly the steward glanced around, before finally setting his vision on the confused and anxious girl before him.

"Sofia I'm sure you realize that before his marriage to your mother the King was married to Queen Anne, the mother of Amber and James."

Anne.

That name Cedric had uttered on the battlefield. When she'd conjured a disguise of long blonde hair and brownish eyes. Similar to her sister's after all. It was all making sense, but was it just coincidence? Sofia stroked her Amulet anxiously with her good hand as the steward waited for a response. "Yes" managed to squeak out, and Baileywick continued.

"Most know that Queen Anne fell ill quite suddenly after a meal here in the castle, and passed in less than an hour. The trauma of watching her die was a terrible thing for the king, especially because…" With that the steward paused, obviously unsure if he should continue, but a long thoughtful look at Sofia steadied his resolve. "Because she had recently come with another child."

A hand clasped to her face to stifle the gasp seemed a paltry sum for that revelation, but the steward seemed to think it appropriate. "Yes, only the king and I knew as it was a recent discovery, but then they were both ripped from him in the worst way imaginable."

The steward inched closer, gently swaying his head back and forth. "Sofia that is why your father has been on edge ever since Queen Miranda announced her pregnancy. He's deathly afraid of loosing her and the baby, of the past repeating itself. That scare we had in Rudistan when Miranda fell ill quite suddenly was almost more than he could take. It turned out to be morning sickness, but if it hadn't been I don't know if your father would have survived."

Sofia would have clasped her deadened arm over her mouth to cover the second gasp, had she the ability to lift it. "I know, I'm only telling you this to make you understand how afraid your father is right now. He wasn't able to save Anne, and he loves your mother so much more than he ever loved his first wife. I know he'd make any sacrifice he deemed necessary to protect her and the baby. So please don't judge him harshly, he's trying to protect his family. His wife and children mean everything to him."

Thoughts and emotions were swirling around inside her, but she tried her best to sort through the confliction. "But Dad needs to stop protecting King Victor, not turn on his own people."

"He sees the villagers as a threat right now Sofia, as they are the ones who attacked his home. When he calms down I'll try talking to him again, in private, but for now he needs to know his family is safe. Once everything settles down it'll be okay. The king is a good man, he always has been."

Somehow Baileywick had navigated her to her second story hallway. Not too challenging, considering the weight of his words had distracted her mind throughout their journey. She couldn't help but dwell on what Cedric had said on the battlefield when he saw her in the conjured disguise.

'Anne. I watched you die. I saw…'

"Baileywick, did Mr. Cedric try and save her?"

"Why yes he did Sofia. We thought he was just painfully shy when he started here in the castle, but as time wore on we realized how strange and inept he was. However the king and I both felt like he did try with all his might to save her. But he failed, Queen Anne died, and then all his erratic behaviors magnified. After it happened we contacted Goodwin, and found out that she died from rare form of poisoning. There was no way Cedric could have concocted a remedy in time, even if he was competent like his father had been."

The upsetting undertones of Baileywick's low opinion of the sorcerer were but shadows to the revelation he'd just unloaded. Cedric's profound behavioral oddities had their origins in one, colossal failure. She wanted to run through the halls and find the sorcerer, wrapping her arms around him to heal this very old wound, but that was ridiculous. Here Baileywick had her almost to her room, and here she was expected to stay.

"I had no idea that's how Amber and James's mother died. I feel so bad for everyone involved, including Mr. Cedric."

"Please don't be sad. It was a long time ago Sofia, but it makes one reflect on the good things we still have. I am thankful every day that the king was more interested in tending to Amber and James that evening than his dinner, and now I'm thankful that he found your mother."

Reflecting on her time here in the castle, and Rolland's true happiness with Miranda, made her pace slow steps from her doorway. Concerned, Baileywick stopped as well. "Princess, are you alright?"

"It's just, I guess I always thought about Dad giving Mom and I everything when he brought us to the castle, about how happy Dad was making Mom, and not how much Dad needed Mom and the happiness she brought him."

"Yes, your mother was his blessing Sofia. He was in such pain for so many years. We all assumed he'd never remarry, but…" The steward paused, giving Sofia the brightest smile. "Queen Miranda is nothing like Anne was, and I'd never seen his Majesty so happy. You and your mother brought life and love back to this castle and to him, and for that I am eternally thankful."

"Aww, Baileywick!" Sofia gave him a half hug with the functional arm.

"Why thank you princess. Now please stay put, I need to tend to your father's requests but I'll be back every half hour on the dot to check on you."

CLICK. The door closed behind her, and again she was left in the room alone. It was a lot to take in. Cedric had failed, Queen Anne had died suddenly, taking a younger sibling for Amber and James with her, and now Rolland was afraid of the past repeating itself. So afraid he'd let Lucinda burn.

'It's US versus THEM.'

But which WAS she? The princess was caught all over again between social stratums. Sofia paced her floor, the memory of Lucinda's muffled cries growing in intensity within her mind with each passing moment. The air felt heavy, and she cracked open the window, letting in the cool autumn breeze. It helped to clear her mind. The priority was Lucinda, even if her friend had betrayed her trust, her life was in danger and in dire need of salvation.

More than just the breeze drifted in. Wormwood swooped, landing on the bed sheets. He began scratching at her covers to draw up bunches.

"Wormwood, what are you doing here?"

"I think it should be obvious to someone who kept birds as pets for years. She wanted to come so I'm NESTING, and since you've no twigs I'm also improvising."

"Mia and Robin were friends, not pets Wormwood."

Her phoenix was right on his tail, swooping in to examine the mounds he'd created and cooing happily. The raven puffed up his chest feathers triumphantly as she nestled into the blanket folds. "If you say so. Do liberate me though Sofia, as I've another message for you." The raven cawed sarcastically and stuck out a leg, revealing affixed parchment. "It seems you've made a mess of things once more."

This note was hastily written and poorly tied, lacking all magical concealment he'd placed on the others. The ink was from an unfamiliar quill, and it was written on what looked like a scrap of book page rather than his typical thick and scented parchments. Cedric must have scribbled it hastily in the middle of other tasks.

As soon as I'm able to slip away I'll come. We need to DISCUSS certain things, before I go and make a further mockery of my own existence.

She couldn't wait much longer. Rolland had made it perfectly clear he wasn't going to forgive her dear friend. She collapsed on the bed, unable to exit through the bedroom doors for certainty of being caught. Noting her distress, the phoenix crawled out of the makeshift nest and curled up on her stomach.

Lucinda was going to die, and here she was laying on the bed. Waiting for Cedric, waiting for Amber, even waiting for Baileywick to check on her. Whether by Amalthea's torture, Rolland's hangman or on some chopping block in Maldonia, Lucinda was going to pay the ultimate price for all of this, as might Carol and Jade.

Sofia couldn't let it happen, but what could she do? Her normal spell-casting arm was injured, she'd been locked in her room, and her pleas for reason and mercy had fallen on Rolland's deaf ears. Even if she now had some sympathy for Rolland, she couldn't let Lucinda die.

Smuggling out her friends was the sole option, but there was only one way out of the castle not currently on high alert. She had no idea how to shrink those captured to make them fit through the tiny openings, so the dungeon wall would have to be removed magically to allow for their escape into the storybook tunnels, and out through the secret library.

But any prolonged absence would be noticed in this tense environment. There was only one thing to do. Though she was loathe to summon Scarlett again, but needed a cover, lest they all go looking for her. She stood there, hovering above her desk and the wand upon it when Wormwood lighted next to her hand.

"If you're thinking of summoning that copy of yours to evade Cedric you truly are daft." Fingers clenched around her wand as the magical instrument lifted off the dresser. "Don't do it princess. I'll summon Cedric. Don't think I won't, he'll catch you and then you'll truly be sorry for ignoring my advice."

"I have to save my friend Wormwood. Once she's safe I'll talk with Cedric and tell him everything. I owe him that much."

"Wrong answer." Wormwood was off, flying out the window. Her phoenix tried to swoop after him, but the bird was gone. Her companion pivoted and landed on her shoulder, cawing loudly in distress as Sofia clanged the window shut in frustration.

"I have to save Lucinda, so I guess I better do this fast. DOPPLER DUPLICATO."

The copy sprung forth once more, materializing from the haze. A wand was pointed at the girl as soon as she formed. "Listen. I'm going to be as clear as possible. Once I'm through the wall you need to bang on the door until Baileywick answers. Once he does, say you want Amalthea to cast a protection charm over your room to keep everyone out. It has to be Amalthea, Cedric won't do." The copy nodded.

"Why?"

"Because I need to get Amalthea out of the dungeon to avoid fighting her. I can't win with my arm like this."

"Alright Master. Then what?"

"Just wait, and once Amalthea is done just stay here, don't do anything I wouldn't do, and just keep everyone distracted so that I can slip out with the others and save everyone."

Her copy said nothing, just stood there and looked down at the bandage. Sofia tossed off her princess dress and managed to get the green fighter's dress assembled once more. The deadened arm wasn't helping, but at least it didn't hurt. This was a stealth mission, but she couldn't afford to be seen. Not after Rolland's trip off the deep end. 'Anyone' who was involved could easily include her own neck, she was sure of it now.

"You can't just leave them in the library." Sofia turned to Scarlett, whose terse words were very accurate. The Library was still Enchancia, and once the prisoner's absence was discovered the knights and guards would be sent to look for them, assuredly.

"Then I'll have to get them to Friezenburg." Her copy nodded. "Okay then I'll be done sometime in the middle of the night. Just please don't do anything bad, okay, and be here in my room tonight when I get back." Sofia turned to face her copy one last time at the wall before shrinking.

"This is the last time I'll force you to help me Scarlett, I promise."

The girl bit her lip, giving off a horrible stare as Sofia shrunk down, wand in hand and disguise conjured. "I guess I'll have to make it count then." Was whispered by Scarlett as the wall gap closed behind her, but it was too late to go back. Time was of the essence, and lives were on the line. Snaking through the internal corridors she made her way down to where the dungeon should be, and waited. There were muffled cries on the opposite side of the brick walls, and she used the Vannisimo! spell to create a peep hole. Lucinda had collapsed on the floor of the cell, her body contorted in unnatural ways. She was being tortured by Amalthea, who loomed above with wand drawn, not truly enjoying this but performing it all the same. An ominous light flowing from the tip of her wand.

The creaking of a heavy door, and royal guards accompanied by Baileywick were in the dungeon. Some words were exchanged, and thankfully Amalthea departed. As soon as the door clicked shut behind them the entire wall was disintegrated, and Sofia stumbled out. Several shouts of joy were stifled by others as Sofia melted away the bars and gestured for those captured to escape into the secret tunnels. Jade crawled out, stunned and upset, "Who are you?"

"That, little freedom fighter, is the Mystery Mage who liberated the slaves, and who in this disguise bears a striking resemblance to the last Queen of Enchancia."

"Disguise?"

Sofia sighed, "it's ME Jade. Sofia. I'm using magic to conceal my identity."

Jade mouth flopped open, but there wasn't time for a full explanation. "Just get through the wall, quick!" Sofia breezed past them to the darkened mound of human in the last cell.

Lucinda was still in a heap, sobbing lightly as the disguised princess bent down to her friend's head. Soft healing light streamed from her wand, and her friend was able to regain control of her extremities.

"I'm so sorry Sofia. I thought we could end this."

"They almost ended you. Now come on, we can talk once you're safe."

They limped to the storybook boat, Sofia reconjuring the wall behind them. It was only a matter of minutes before Amalthea returned, and they needed to be out of Enchancia as fast as possible. A little magical assist to propel the boat, and they'd made it to the Secret Library.

"Up, up! Go! There's a windsail up there!"

"Really?! I've never seen one before. Look at that propeller! This place is amazing Sofia." Jade was looking around briefly at all the books, but Carol kept her focused.

"There it is!"

Once boarded they let out a collective sigh. "That was close." Lucinda collapsed downward and all three of her friends stood opposite the miffed princess on the small rotary windsail. The enchanted tree faded into the distance as Sofia set the trajectory toward Friezenburg.

"Wait Sofia, where are we going?"

"Friezenburg, obviously. None of you can stay in Enchancia after what you did in my castle. I heard Rolland decree anyone involved in that attack was to be hanged."

Jade gulped, suddenly aware or her own mortality as Lucinda regained her footing. "But I need to stop at home, for supplies."

"No way."

"But Sofia I need a wand to fight, and another broom, and some remedies for helping the injured. If I might never come back home I need to leave prepared, otherwise I'm useless to the people fighting in Friezenburg."

"This is a bad idea." Sofia cringed.

"Please, we need to stop at my house, then go back to Friezenburg."

Solidly opposed to this, Sofia gripped her injured arm as Lucinda inched closer. "Please friend, I realize I was wrong to try and go after Victor at your home."

"Oh NOW you realize. Why didn't you listen to me? Friends listen to each other."

"We had a real chance." Carol interjected.

"No, I shouldn't have done it, and I'm sorry Sofia." Cautiously the princess turned to look at her friend, who was indeed truly sorry. "Okay, if you think we should go straight to Friezenburg, we'll go. It's your decision. You're in charge Sofia."

Lucinda stood back, waiting for the princess's decision. Wind whistled by their ears, whipping Sofia's conjured long blonde hair about her back and shoulders and lengthwise over her arms while she struggled with the decision, but ultimately Lucinda was right on this front. A witch relied on a wand for defense as much as a sorcerer did.

"Okay, a quick stop for the essentials and we are out of there."

"Agreed."

As they anchored alongside Lucinda's family home a great clamor arose from the direction of the castle. Being situated on the outskirts of town afforded Lucinda's home some level of anonymity, and wands, charms and brooms were being shoved into bags rapidly. "Uh, guys, I think they've figured out we're not in the dungeon anymore." The panic growing in Jade's voice.

"Come on, quickly let's go!" A bow was conjured for Carol, as was a full quiver of arrows, which was passed to the eager freedom fighter.

"Okay I think I got—"

Whoosh. An arrow flew by, imbedding into Lucinda's window. A great conch shell was blown, as was their cover. "Reinforcements are coming!" cried Carol.

The howl of dogs and the stomp of horses hooves grew in intensity. Sofia kicked loose the windsail's anchors, sending Jade and Carol up into the sky. Carol reigned down arrows while several horses drew nearer, their frantic pursuit and call to surround the cottage escalating. They'd been spotted.

"LUCINDA NOW!"

The witch exploded forth from her bedroom laden with bags of magical necessities, grasping at Sofia's waist. Several loose items went crashing to the ground two stories below, as a knight on a flying horse came charging forth. "Stop! In the name of the king!"

Lucinda navigated the broom they were on straight into the ground. The pursuing horse had to dive upward to avoid careening into them. As the horse ascended into the sky Sofia shot a disappearing curse, making its reins vanish. Without those there was no way for the knight to steer the horse, neutralizing the aerial pursuit. However using her good arm to cast the spell required her to let go, and gravity took its course.

"STOP THEM!"

Rolland's command was the last thing they heard before Sofia went headlong into a bush. Lucinda had managed to keep hold of the broom and dove to the side. The urgency was dire, and Sofia flopped out from the foliage and into the meadow. Staggering to her feet she saw Rolland, riding a magnificent stallion with several knights surrounding him in a protective formation. His eyes were transfixed upon her in a state of terror.

"ANNE. It's impossible."

"HEX!" Lucinda had enchanted the dried grasses of the field into a hedge of brambles between where Sofia stood and the cavalry in pursuit. "Come on let's GO!" On approach Lucinda went swooping by, catching Sofia by her good wrist and in one fluid motion tugging her into position on the long handle of the broomstick.

A lightning bolt whizzed by, and looking back Amalthea had rode up alongside the stunned king. Taking aim once more the royal sorceress had locked in on her target, but Rolland held up a hand, grabbing the royal sorceress's wand and blocking any further attack. Off they zoomed after Jade, Carol and the windsail. After several miles the girls caught up, and a series of deep sighs of relief were passed between them as Lucinda inspected what had stayed inside her many bags throughout the aerial gymnastics.

"That was a really bad idea." Jade had come to rest on the side of the sail's basket, staring after her home, now disappeared behind them in the blackness of night.

"Of course it was! You guys attacked my home. You all need to promise me that will never happen again." All nodded, including Carol.

"But how are we to end the war and ensure the freedom of Friezenburg's people?" the oldest woman stated solemnly.

Sofia clutched at her Amulet with her good hand, "I need to brew a special potion. It requires rare ingredients, but it'll work."

They finally landed on the outskirts of Birk's village in Eastern Friezenburg. Jade was filled with trepidation at the prospect of entering a war zone, but eased considerably when Jane and the rest of the Merry Helpers came bounding up to them. It seemed Carol had left them to help the injured, and ventured back to Enchancia alone, despite or perhaps due to the danger of being recognized after the battle to free Birk.

"Stay." Carol made one final plea. "At least to see your father. Your REAL father. He is a great man."

"I wish I could, but I have to go back as soon as possible and dissolve my copy. I don't trust her."

Nods of acceptance were given, and she was off without so much as a hello to her father or uncle.

Using the windsail to return home was risky, but necessary as she was still unable to effectively ride one of Lucinda's brooms. However she took a long detour to avoid approaching the castle from the direction of Dunwitty, instead navigating through the mountains and returning to the Secret Library. It seemed no one had discovered the method of the prisoner's escape, as the library and boat remained untouched. As she ran down the spiral staircases she caught a glimpse of the storybook, still sitting where she'd left it all that time ago. Unable to stop herself she picked up the voluminous story and, flipping through its pages was able to see that there were still many pages left blank.

The war wasn't over yet, and her family was made to pay the price. Rolland had nearly fainted seeing her in disguise, and now Cedric's emotional reaction to her disguise was needling at the back of her brain. She'd somehow stumbled onto looking like the former queen of Enchancia, Amber and James's mother. Poor Cedric, he must have been overwhelmed with feelings of inadequacy, and Rolland, seeing the ghost of his dead wife could only exacerbate the emotional turmoil he was suffering with.

The princess assuaged herself with the knowledge that for now everyone was alive, and that was paramount. Now that Lucinda and the others were safely outside of the royal's reach she could confront Cedric and ask him the pointed question James was so insistent she asked. She had to do this, to finally put to rest her own emotional strife that she might focus whole-heartedly on brewing the potion, harnessing the Amulet's power, and stopping the war.

Up the secret passageways she traveled, and finally shrinking down she entered her bedroom once more. The arm had begun to throb, but she was struck by the visage of Scarlett, in her nightgown and waiting for Sofia's arrival. The copy was seated in front of the dresser staring at her reflection, the only light in the entire room a single candle sitting on the tabletop beside her.

"Uh, I'm back."

"So you are Princess Sofia."

There was an uncomfortable silence as Sofia changed out of the green fighter's dress and into another nightgown. Slowly the princess squared herself up behind the conjured apparition, almost trying to avoid the uncomfortable melting that needed to occur. "Well, did anything bad happen?"

The girl broke her trance-like stare at herself to gaze upward at Sofia through the mirror's reflection. "I did as you asked, and apparently it worked because the palace flew into a panic once they realized the prisoners were gone."

"Is that it? You were in here the whole time."

"Well no. I went with Cedric up to his tower and discussed things."

Sofia felt her heart flag. "I didn't ask you to do that."

"No, but he came looking for me, well YOU, so it needed to happen."

There was silence. She was obviously waiting, but Scarlett just went back to staring at herself in the mirror. "Well what did he say?"

"You'll have to ask him yourself."

"You're serious. You're not going to tell me?"

"No."

"You didn't tell him you were a copy, did you?" Nervously escaped the princess. After a moment Scarlett looked down at her hands, to a bit of parchment in them.

"No. If you're so perfect you can summon up the courage to tell him you've been lying to him and conjuring me yourself, since you have to go talk to him anyway."

She felt horrible. Scarlett seemed so defeated. "Look, it's nothing personal but I can't keep doing this. You're really not me, and things keep getting messed up when you're around. I'm sorry, but it has to be like this."

"You said that already." Slowly Sofia lifted her wand and pointed it at the back of Scarlett's head. "WAIT!" Without turning Scarlett lifted up the piece of parchment. "I found this spell in Cedric's workshop. It will make me disappear WITHOUT pain. You can at least grant me that, right? You don't want to intentionally cause me agony, right? You're not that heartless."

Slowly the princess took the parchment from her identical hands, and read it over in her mind. It looked harmless enough, but she had no idea what spell it was. Her copy had complained of the pain inflicted by melting every single time she'd been dissolved though.

"Sure, it's the least I could do."

"I guess it is."

"Well, uh… goodbye." The girl never moved, forgoing even a blink. She only stared deep into the mirror's reflection, as if taking in these final moments of existence. "Thanks for everything."

Scarlett would speak no further, and so Sofia began to conjure the spell written on the parchment. As the last word trailed out of Sofia's mouth she saw her copy in the mirror's reflection dawn a wicked smile. Magic shot from her wand towards the girl, who dove to the right, landing with a thud upon the ground. Everything moved in slow motion as the spell ricocheted off the mirror, connecting with Sofia's chest. A blinding green light engulfed her, and once the swirling subsided she was sprawled on the floor, engulfed by waves of purple energy.

"What happened? SCARLETT! What was that spell!"

The wall moved.

But it wasn't a wall at all. Instead it was a huge foot coming towards her. Sofia lunged forward but banked up against a hard clear barrier as she was lifted by some unseen force off the ground. It seemed as if she was shooting up stories high, but was instead brought eye level with Scarlett's face, now made gigantic.

She'd been shrunk, but not by request. As the fog dissipated she realized what had happened, the reflection in the mirror too real to imagine. Scarlett was holding up the Amulet of Avalor, the REAL amulet that was supposed to be hanging around Sofia's neck.

She was inside the Amulet of Avalor. That massive grin spread across Scarlett's face as she gazed at the Amulet, and then that devious laugh, the one likened to Cedric's old musings sprang up. Immediately her phoenix, who had been hissing at the copy, attacked. Scarlett batted at the bird, knocking it with the brush handle into the window. It listed open, and the bird flew out. Scarlett quickly closed it, shaking off the few loose red feathers the bird left behind.

"Silly bird. Doesn't matter anyway. NowI'm the only Sofia, and that's not even the best part."

"You let me go this instant!" Her copy seemed not to register her words. Oh NO. Her voice couldn't penetrate the Amulet.

"The best part is your Amulet can't curse me because I'm not real. If it even tries YOU'LL be the one who's cursed, if you're not already. After all, my entire existence was your doing."

With that the girl turned, pulling open the dresser drawer. Slowly the Amulet sunk into it, Sofia screaming for it all to be some horrible dream.

"Friezenburg. Maldonia. Leidleville. Even Enchancia." A wicked upturn sprang across Scarlett's lips. The Amulet touched the planed wood of the drawer, slowly coming to rest.

"It's Scarlett's turn to reshape this world, and I know just how to do it."

The drawer slid closed with Sofia imprisoned inside the Amulet, the princess now powerless and enveloped in darkness.

Oh NO. What had she unleashed?