Chapter 33: Manipulation
Restless sleep did nothing for her. Perhaps a few hours had gone by before she awoke from the pain of her empty belly and flopped upon the smoothed, hard surface of the amulet. Scarlett took it all in stride, sleeping as though the world was her oyster to conquer. Perhaps it was.
It was all so much to take in. Cedric loved her, but something was gnawing at her, contributing to the restlessness of the night. Had Scarlett forever damaged his psyche? And why was she taunting him with Hugo? Scarlett had been adamant she didn't actually like Hugo when allowing him to touch her in Leidleville, so why make Cedric endure this?
The moon was but a sliver in the sky, casting shadows about her room. A soft poof broke the silence, as trails of green smoke wafted throughout the bedroom. If she'd not already been awake from hunger she'd have slept through it, indeed Scarlett was still slumbering on her bed. Appearing in the center of the room was a human figure, hidden in the shadows of the night. They held a stack of misshapen books that towered high above, obscuring their identity. However the smoke and its vivid green coloration betrayed its owner.
Cedric.
Struggling under the weight of the stack, he stumbled quietly about before setting the collected tomes down without a sound. Shifting the weight caused the top book to fall, knocking ever so quietly into his head. He managed to reach out and catch the thin text before it went crashing into the floor, but the muffled clunk of binding connecting with forehead made Scarlett snort and shift underneath the covers.
He froze, almost caught, but as the imposter drifted off once more he finally took exaggerated, silent breaths, and readjusted some sort of placeholder in the fallen book.
He set it down gently and drew his wand, the tip began glowing an ominous white shade, to illuminate the room with its dim haze. Indeed it was Cedric as assumed, he paused, rubbing his forehead at the point of impact, then inspected himself in her mirror for damage. After a fashion he shifted his gaze upward and began tugging at strands of his hair that had fallen out of place. Seemingly unsatisfied he tried repositioning the bangs and smoothing out the sides several times before giving up and sighing regretfully, obviously upset with the spread of grey hairs the last decade had brought. Some of the more prominent wrinkles also got disapproving strokes and pulls. Poor Cedric, this whole thing with Scarlett was bringing forth his gravest insecurities. His age, his appearance, and most definitely his confidence were all tinged in unpleasant tones. He set his gaze upon the sleeping princess and took a few pointed steps closer, that same look of loving devotion he'd worn after the incident in his tower plastered on his face.
What was he doing here? It was far from morning, the partial moonlight silhouetting him behind the glow of his upheld wand. He stopped a bit to rub his reddened and creased eyes. The poor soul had been up this entire time, riffling through spell books to deliver on Scarlett's request.
To steal Sofia's life.
A hand was outstretched toward Scarlett's curls laying scattered upon the pillow, but retracted at the last second, as if she might burn him. He stood straight and proud, then buckled, returning to his normal, hunched-over stance. The wand was set hovering to his side, and gloved hands drew in front of him, fingers fidgeting nervously, as if searching for the right words and coming up empty. He was probably trying to alert her that he'd collected the information she requested, but afraid of what reaction his presence may bring. The poor guy, he'd been traumatized by Scarlett's behavior.
Who could blame him for being leery of the girl? She'd used and abused his feelings, to the point of torture. How was Sofia ever to atone for the trauma Scarlett had inflicted?
Scarlett just laid there snoring lightly, oblivious to his presence. Suddenly he began pacing as if conflicted, then stopped and pulled a hand into a determined fist and disappeared in a poof of smoke once more. The imposter didn't stir, and Sofia was left in silence.
An uneasy feeling crept up inside her. He came uninvited into her room, while she was unconscious, in the middle of the night. He'd even drawn his wand as he approached her, while her doppelganger lay helpless on the bed. That was very unsettling, and the even more disturbing question of if this was the first time he'd done so sprang up in her mind. But then, Cedric did see himself as her lover, perhaps that was something a lover would do.
Perhaps.
Sofia had little time to ruminate on it, as he reappeared in another green poof of smoke, this time cradling in his arms a mound of fluff. Suddenly arms were flapping everywhere, trying to contain the ball of fur wiggling furiously. Two eyes and long ears struggled out of his spindly fingers.
"CLOVER!" Tears would have come from her eyes had she not been so desperately parched.
It was her rabbit, very much alive and seemingly healed. The bunny took one look at the princess laying on the bed and flipped out.
"Nuh-uh. Not happening till I know if she's the real deal! Thanks for the potion magic man but I'm outta here." Those words were like music to hear ears, a bright spot on all the horrors Scarlett had unleashed.
"Oh Mr. Cedric, you healed Clover." That wonderful warm sensation ran through her arms, and for a second the ever present gnaws of hunger subsided. "You're so ah-mazing. I love you."
Unaware of her appreciation, Cedric was lost in restraining the rabbit. "Shhhh, "Stop struggling you fidgety fur ball. Simply tell her of my amazing healing prowess when she's awoken and I'll consider the spells paid for. Indeed this will do nicely to win her affections, now hold still."
Cedric extended his arms a bit, but Clover tried in vain to wrest himself from the sorcerer's grip and flee in terror.
He spit more strained whispers at the rabbit in a forsaken attempt to soothe the creature. "Ooooh, Merlin's mushrooms! What was the blasted point of healing you bothersome bunny if I'm not to receive the credit for it!" Cedric's eyes went wild as he began grinning. "I'll not lose this time. Indeed, that prince can never compete with my skills, she just needs a reminder of my magnificence. I demand you tell her this instant, woodland creature."
The wicked laugh. The devious grin. Cedric hadn't healed Clover out of decency or empathy, he'd only healed the rabbit to garner favor with Sofia. That warmness in her extremities melted away, leaving a hollowed out cold in its stead.
He was scheming, and echoes of all the tricks he'd pulled in her youth to get her amulet resounded through her brain. "Oh no. You're not really trying to manipulate me, are you Mr. Cedric? I know Scarlett's awful… but you're not like this, not anymore." But he was, twisting events to produce favorable outcomes for him. "Please Mr. Cedric, don't do this. You're better than this."
Of course he couldn't hear her pleas. Cedric tried to bind the rabbits' front legs like he would have Wormwood's wings, with little effectiveness. Clover was out of Cedric's grasp and scurrying across the floor in seconds flat, the sorcerer scrambling behind him. The bunny fled into his secret portal, the wooden door slamming shut as momentum carried Cedric headlong into the wall. He connected, groaned, "Poseidon's pumpkins" coming out in normal tones as he slid into a puddle on the floor.
Scarlett snorted, and immediately Cedric sprang to his feet, drew his family wand and whispered "Dormintato!" The spell found its target, but instead of making the imposter drift off into sleep it seemed to have an opposite, jarring effect. Scarlett launched upward, the Amulet with Sofia inside went careening around, smacking the princess's injured shoulder into the Amulet. Pain shot through Sofia and reflecting that agony, Scarlett jumped backward in the sheets. While Scarlett was collecting herself from the rude awakening Cedric was frantically inspecting his wand. "Oooh, Prospero's pickles. What happened? It's always worked before, I…"
What. Just how many times had he cast a sleeping spell on her?
Oh no. Sofia had spent so many nights with him, and several times she woke up woozy, with the distinct impression of intoxication. It had started the morning he made her pastries. Before Scarlett was conjured. Could he have been… casting spells on her, without her knowledge, to keep her asleep and accounted for?
"No Mr. Cedric, no that's not what you meant. It can't be, there must be some other reason you said that. You're a good person, I know you are. You're my hero, I… I love you. You'd never do that… please no."
He inspected the tip of his wand throughout Sofia's breakdown as Scarlett regrouped. "Cedric? What are you doing here? I told you I needed to sleep." Once Scarlett realized the sorcerer was standing near the small portal the imposter grew serious. "What's going on? Tell me now."
The demand roused the man from his inspections, guiltily he flung the instrument back up his sleeve, trying in vain to salvage the situation. "Well I.. you see I went to find Wormy after you left and he led me to your rabbit, injured and in desperate need of my magical assistance. I healed the creature Sofia, but then the hairball scurried off into the wall just now. Who knew the castle outside my tower had all these irksome crannies for small things to disappear into."
Scarlett gave a soft, menacing laugh. "Who indeed." Puzzled, Cedric merely stared off as Scarlett reshuffled the blankets about. "Well if that's all, you can go now Cedric."
He jerked upright, "B-B-But Sofia, aren't you happy I healed your rabbit? And look here! I've gone and done as you asked!" The vixen in her skin sat up, looking incredulously at the man as he gestured wildly toward the table.
Scarlett gave a delighted little laugh and began stroking the Amulet as if to taunt the princess trapped within. "So you did, but you were supposed to do it tomorrow."
Two gloved hands were balled into fists and set into the mattress, the sorcerer leaning almost menacingly into Scarlett's face. "Oh yes well you see, there was a slight change of plans. I've done the task you desired ahead of schedule, now there's nothing stopping me from escorting you to the coronation and keeping that foul prince away, is there princess? Hehe…"
It was in that moment Sofia realized they were, in fact, manipulating each other. Their relationship a befouled dance of deception and lies. Going back, they'd been misleading each other for a long while, he was constantly making her promise to stay in his tower, casting spells on her and magically locking her in her room. He even bewitched Minimus to keep her from flying off.
But Sofia was no better. The lies of omission, the deflected truths, and Scarlett! The main reason Scarlett existed was so that Sofia could maintain the lie, flying off whenever she needed without making hard choices. Looking back farther, Sofia had been deceiving him for a long while. Even her participation in the Hexley Hall tournament was extorted from the man. "I'm… I'm sorry Mr. Cedric. I didn't realize what I was doing, how my actions were affecting you, and… and… how I've just been reacting to you as well. I even conjured Scarlett as a reaction to you destroying my room, but you only did that because I wasn't honest. I wasn't taking charge of the situation. The things you've done, they're just reactions to my… actions." Aunt Tilly's warnings to her echoing through her thoughts. "I'm to blame for this, for not taking responsibility and telling the truth, the whole truth at the very beginning. I should have waited and told Rolland, told you about the prisoners, but instead I just reacted and flew off. I didn't think, I didn't consider the ramifications. I just… reacted." Her energy drained, she languished on the realization.
Scarlett inhaled deeply, leaning away from the triumphant sorcerer. "Well then, I guess you did get it done, so I'll let you escort me tomorrow, you're better company than Hugo anyway." Cedric's eyes went wild at the prospect of winning that round with her, a reaction Scarlett was most displeased by. She knew Cedric was trying to thwart her plans, whatever they were. "Stop smirking already and bring me the book."
He bounded over to the enormous stack, then looked back, unsure which to fetch for her.
"Um… which book exactly princess? Or do you wish to read them all through till morning?"
"Ugh. I want to know how to transfer the breath of life into a vessel." An impatient nod, and the sorcerer redoubled his efforts.
"Right, here we are…" He pulled the thickest book from the stack and walked it over to her. She took it greedily and began diving into the volume, but all Sofia could see was Cedric, creeping closer as if to hover over the pages and Scarlett's lap. He gulped strangely before inhaling a deep breath and gluing his eyes shut.
"S-S-S-Sofia you p-p-promised to let me stay with you throughout your nights! I've gone and done what you asked, n-n-now honor your promises to me!" He held himself a stone upon her sheets, bracing for the impact of an expected negative reaction.
Instead of unloading, Scarlett reached a hand up, running her fingers through his hair, melting the man's resolve. Eyes opened wide to reveal iris's rolled back in his head, and that loving obliviousness rose in him again. She giggled at him, "Alright, you can stay and cuddle, but first get me something to eat. I'm really hungry, but not sure why. I ate a lot at dinner…" Scarlett trailed off with Cedric jerking backward, smiling widely. "Yes, yes, something warm and soothing from the kitchen. An excellent idea if ever there was. Never you fear, I'll be back in an instant!"
He was gone in a poof of smoke while Scarlett shook her head. "What an adorable mess he is. It's really too bad I can't just marry him outright, but there's only one way I'm going to be able to take over Maldonia and free the slaves. Isn't that right Sofia? Cedric won't like it at first, but he'll have me in the end, once I'm done with Hugo." She knocked a finger hard into the Amulet, jostling the starving girl.
Once the shaking stopped, Sofia stared up at this wretch who laid in her sheets. Scarlett meant to marry Hugo, steal Maldonia's crown, and once ruler free the slaves, ending the war.
It was a horrible one, but it was a plan to end the war, and in that way Sofia felt unsettled, in that even though Scarlett's actions were deplorable, she meant to end the bloodshed with her body.
"But don't you realize what that will do to Mr. Cedric! How can you string him along like this!" So many scenarios we flying by her mind as Cedric reappeared carrying a tall glass of milk and several fruit pastries pilfered from the kitchen.
Leering at the pastries Sofia was gripped by sudden, deep hunger pangs. Scarlett reeled to the side, but caught herself with her free hand upon the mattress. He was concerned but timidly crawled up alongside her in the bed, wrapping his torso around the imposter's seated frame as Scarlett began devouring the midnight snack. Once finished with the meal she ran her hands along his back, the sorcerer letting small mews of happiness escape, before cleaving into the book on soul transference. Half of an hour passed in the dim wand light before Scarlett began grumbling. "Not good… not good at all… she can't just die, that'll kill us both… but the bird might work…"
Sofia growled, "What's the matter Scarlett, not as easy to kill me off as you thought?"
Louder Scarlett began interrogating the sorcerer. "Cedric, can the breath of life be transferred from one reflection to another? Cedric… CEDRIC I asked you a question." She shoved the man whose top half was curled around the imposter's bottom, the jostling made him grunt.
"nugh.. nugh.. Marry me. I have wants…" With that began to snore heavily.
Scarlett giggled loudly. "You're so hopeless. You'll make a great puppet, alongside me of course. Goodnight."
Scarlett managed to shove his head back a bit and laid down in the newly vacated space. Soon they had both drifted off, leaving Sofia alone with her own, unsettled thoughts.
…
The morning came soon, as Cedric rose just after the sun. Sofia had been drifting in and out of consciousness all night, but Scarlett was sleeping deeply. He managed to slink out of her grasp, and after lingering above her on the bed briefly disappeared in a poof of green smoke. He reappeared in a silent cloud carrying an ornately carved wooden tray. Upon it was set the most delectable stack of goldenberry pancakes, and alongside those gluttonous desirables was an empty cup. She couldn't smell it, but her tongue gaped out and stomach growled heavily nonetheless. Her sight was beginning to wane from hunger and dehydration. Cedric stood there with the tray, his nerves gripping him once more as the nervous shaking began. He was afraid to wake Scarlett still, and was offering up gifts to garner favor.
Lifting up her hand toward his unsure frame, desperate to wrap her arms around him and calm his nerves, it collided with the wall of her prison. All she could do in this state was watch the man second-guess every muscle, every inch of his mannerisms. Scarlett truly had him on edge.
The internal struggle he was fighting intensified, and after setting the tray down silently next to the towering stack of books he began pacing her floor between the window and the closet. Arm gestures started, and soon he was having a full-blown silent argument with himself. His repeated head turns and snarky glances had her imagining Wormwood alongside him for one of their famous quarrels, but no. There he stood alone, in the middle of her room. He finally set a foot down hard. The battle had been won, but who was the victor? Quickly he sped over to the tray. A thin vial was extracted from the deep sleeve of his robe as well as a large canteen from his chest pocket. He gave a final cautious glance back to assure himself the princess was still sleeping.
Ten drops of white potion fell into the canteen, and after a swirl a cup of blood red berry juice was poured into the cup.
Sofia's mouth fell open in disbelief. He was attempting to drug her with Amalthea's potion. The vial and canteen disappeared into his robe, and he flung backward from the cup, as if the glass were on fire with his guilt. Indeed, Cedric seemed to be reassuring himself that this was justified in some way. For her part Sofia couldn't believe he'd actually try to drug her without permission.
"How could you do that? No, it's not possible. This is a mistake, please Mr. Cedric, you'd never… do that."
There was no mistaking it. The potion was meant for her, its purpose to level out her moods so as to avoid psychotic episodes where she'd end up hanging from a balcony, but she'd already told him she refused to take it further. Again the unsettling feeling crawled up her spine, for if he'd do it this time, had he done it other times as well?
Cedric glanced back at the sleeping imposter, whispering, "ByMerlin and the forces of magic around us, let this work."
His head sank low, shoulders slumped, and the hunched man was over to the side of her bed. Knees settled upon the floor silently, shoulders hovering over her. He seemed desperate to lay himself down beside her there, but held back. Ever so slowly his head fell to the side so as to not disturb the bed sheets, silver bangs trailing across his face. Whispers in the morning light broke the silence. "Oh Sofia, I know you'd never mean to be cruel. It's not in your nature." He suddenly grew hard. "This is all that wretched war's fault. Those filthy Friezenburgers, I'll forever curse the lot of them for what they've done to you."
The world contracted around her at his words, her arms pulling tight to her sides subconsciously. He'd fought in the war, he saw the devastation and carnage wrought by it. The people who'd been injured, he'd even called it a slaughter. Where was his compassion for them now?
Instead of empathy he began snickering at himself. "Just who am I trying to convince? This was all my doing, driving you away and into danger when I ought to have known better. If only I could find a way to fix you, return you to the girl I know you are, before they hurt your mind."
"Oh Mr. Cedric, that's what you think isn't it? That I'm still suffering from Donovan and the caves." Sofia took in a deep breath, "Okay I understand, what you're doing isn't right, but I understand."
Sucking back some serious emotions, Cedric continued on, unaware the real princess was listening in. "Oh Sofia, I'd give anything to go back to that evening in my tower. Your smile, that delicate white powder dancing along your skin, those beautiful lips pressed against mine. Oh how I wish I'd have died in that moment, it would have been a happy end."
"You… kissed me?" That afternoon, when he'd tried to brew Amalthea's potion and it had exploded white soot everywhere. He'd cleaned her…. Oh! That warm softness was his lips!
Wait… that means he really was her first kiss! "Oh Mr. Cedric, it was you. It was always you. Why didn't I see it sooner?!"
The sudden wave of happiness was tempered by her imprisoned reality, but he really did love her, didn't he? That was before she'd made the awful decision to conjure Scarlett after all. For his part Cedric turned his head upon the blankets, heaving a great sigh, "I won't need the adoration of strangers if I can have it from you. This time will be different, this time I'll win and live in bliss with my princess forevermore. I've just got to keep trying."
He walked over to the mirror, staring deeply at his reflection and sunk his weight into the tabletop, rubbing the back of his head, then letting his fingers settle on the yellow bow tie about his neck he crumpled into sorrow. "Perhaps it really is me, after all. Perhaps this is my fate… what I deserve for the sins of the past."
Stealing her Amulet? Maybe, but maybe not. It didn't seem like he cared about her amulet at all anymore. Half an hour was spent this way; Scarlett snoozing on the bed while Cedric stared at his reflection mournfully.
"What princess could love a pathetic Royal Fool such as me?"
Sofia could do little but watch this self loathing, riddled with confliction. Now unguarded in his behavior, she was finally seeing his true self, and if she was entirely honest, it filled her with both empathy and disdain. She was absolutely certain there was so much good in him, he'd rescinded his chances to steal her amulet and been her closest friend, but then the forced drugging, the spells and the lies weighted heavily on her. Surely the bad aspects were Scarlett's doing. It just had to be.
Cedric finally straightened, lifting off the dresser he turned to head into Sofia's closet, emerging with the forbidden dress.
He held it up in the morning sunlight, and gave the faintest of smiles. Wand drawn, he set the fabric to suspension in midair, then twirled it briefly before stopping, the enchantment broken it fell to the floor and he stared up at the ceiling, cursing quietly under his breath with self-loathing.
Eventually he picked up the offending garment as Sofia watched, completely perplexed why he'd want to dance with the taboo garment in the morning.
Cedric folded the dress in his hands and, drawing one leg up upon her windowsill set the fabric along his lap.
"Oh my beautiful Anne, do you curse me even to this day? That my sorted past with you would come roaring back to simply repeat itself with her was my darkest fear." His head clanked softly against the window, agony writ across his face. "It must be me, I am the common denominator, reaching for the moon and landing upon the rocks below." His forehead slumped down the glass, bangs stuck trailing upward from the condensation upon the window. "That the heart you shattered all those years ago would reform, only to be rebroken in the same pattern, truly fate is the cruelest mistress of all."
He looked back at Scarlett, Sofia's heart shattering alongside his. "It seems I truly am unworthy of a princess's love."
Did he just?
He'd been in love before hadn't he? With Queen Anne no less.
Sofia's mind went wild, the way Rolland and Baileywick had reacted to Sofia in the dress, Amber's statement about the dress being a fashion from her mother's kingdom, it must have been hers.
Cosmic connections were snapping together at rapid speeds, ANNE was who the letters were written about, NOT Rolland! ANNE had injured his heart all those years ago. It was Anne who'd chosen to be the 'perfect princess' and marry Crowned Prince Rolland rather than Cedric. It was an arranged marriage not predicated on love.
But Cedric had loved her, with all his heart.
The realization left her a hollowed out shell. He'd LOVED her, an all-consuming sort of love. That face he'd made when Amber mentioned her mother's funeral, and the yellow flowers, and… THE BOW.
He still wore it. Rolland had moved on long ago from what was described by several as a loveless marriage, but Cedric never did.
Sofia couldn't help but stare at it now, he was forever grabbing at it. There it sat upon his neck, the permanent etching of a love long lost to time, and death.
DEATH. The queen had died. Baileywick had mentioned how Cedric became erratic after assuming his position as Royal Sorcerer, then fought in vain to save the queen from an agonizing death by poison. It must have crushed him to be powerless while she died right before his eyes.
What horrible memories he must harbor. Sofia's mind raced as she remembered the conversation with Amber. Her sister had stated that Cedric was delirious after Queen Anne died, and crawled into Roland's bed, perpetuating the ubiquitous rumor he was gay, but what if instead…
Was he pinning for her?
Were they…. Lovers?
Queen Anne was pregnant when she died and… Oh NO…. was it… really Rolland's baby?!
Sofia tried to grip reality, but it was all spinning out of control. If they were lovers… it was illicit. There was no way Rolland would have turned a blind if condescending eye to the sorcerer had he known. Sofia shook her head, trying to clear the delirium hunger and tiredness were having on her reasoning. That didn't matter now, as Cedric said he loved her, Sofia, last night. After all, the former Queen had been dead for over fifteen years, buried in the…. Graveyard.
No.
She couldn't let her thoughts go that way. She couldn't let herself realize that when she'd been abducted, her life in imminent peril, that the thing Cedric desired most was in the graveyard.
"No. He loves me."
The thing he desired most was in the graveyard. Anne was buried there.
"NO!" Her heart shattered into a million tiny fragments, the fragile love she'd denied, suffered with and struggled against that seemed validated mere hours earlier was an utter falsehood. He might lust after her, want a life with her to stave off the loneliness, but Anne was his deep passion, his dark desire, the one he'd truly loved, and lost.
She broke down, dry heaving for lack of tears in her prison of lies, now laid bare. Her entire existence seemed to have been dangling upon high wires, now snapped she came hurdling down without safety nets.
Scarlett began to stir naturally as Cedric's sorrowful grumbles had grown in decibels at the recollection of Anne.
She rose, and sauntering over to where he sat on the windowsill in her nightgown. Cedric guiltily flung the dress behind him as the imposter cackled mercilessly at him, but the girl ended up kissing him on the windowsill, her legs between his knees in an undeniably romantic position. Cedric dodged away expertly when the imposter got a bit too physical with him, redirecting her attention to the breakfast he'd prepared. Anxiously he watched Scarlett down the tainted juice. Little did he know that a mood-altering potion couldn't cure the root cause of the erratic behavior.
Scarlett dawned that overly tight green dress and fended off all Cedric's protestations on the matter, finally agreeing to wear an overly conservative and fluffy overcoat, but Sofia couldn't focus on the details, the raw pain of realizing Anne was more important than she'd ever been to him stabbing her psyche. Cedric disappeared in a poof of smoke with the breakfast trays, and hastily Scarlett harnessed the opportunity to comb her hair and reaffix the star pin without the sorcerer noticing. The black cut still lingering on her temple. A normal body would have scabbed over by now, but not this wound.
Scarlett wasn't able to heal herself. A fact she was acutely aware of, and grimaced heavily.
There was a brief exchange about the spells for soul transference, most of it not to Scarlett's liking, but they were late for Amber's induction. Cedric seemed to be guarding her more than guiding the imposter toward the carriages, only to be confronted by a very angry James. Scanning over Cedric briefly the seriousness he so rarely wore frightened off the sorcerer. "I need to speak with my sister, ALONE."
"Y-y-yes my p-p-prince." Cedric did that strange bow and waggle he so often did to avoid Rolland, and hurried to the coach, waiting patiently for her outside of earshot but still within his sights.
Scarlett couldn't be bothered. "Oh, what is it now James?"
"You were supposed to talk Amber out of this, but when we woke up this morning she'd already gone in the main coach. What happened?!"
Incredulous, Scarlett stuck out her hip. "Well obviously I was tired, like I said, so I fell asleep and she was already gone this morning." James stepped back.
"Sofia I don't know what's gotten into you lately, but I don't like it. You're almost, mean. I don't know if you really care about how this will hurt Amber anymore."
"Oh James, don't be weird. It'll be fine, I'll talk to her before the ceremony." Rolland had emerged, dressed in his finest regalia, and Scarlett zeroed in on her prey. "Now if you'll excuse me, you should get in the coach so we can get to Leidleville quick." She was off to greet Rolland, leaving James behind.
Eyes were batted innocently, and hands wrapped around the king's upturned forearm. "Good morning Dad."
That elicited a smile from Rolland. "Well Good morning Sofia. It's so good to see someone happy, it's been a while."
Scarlett stared wistfully at the marble steps, "Oh, it's not really a GOOD morning, but I'll put on any brave face it takes to make sure the kingdom knows we are stable and secure." An over exaggerated acting performance if ever there was one, but Rolland seemed not to notice.
"Why isn't it a good one? Amber is going to be induced as the heir of Leidleville today, and despite your mother's reservations, I agree with you that it's in everyone's best interest."
"Oh it is Dad, but…" Scarlett shifted her weight and clung to Rolland, staring off at the clouds. "It's only that I miss Hugo."
Rolland grumbled, "You miss… Hugo. But Sofia he and his family's presence in our kingdom was the root my people's dissent, or so I've been led to believe."
"Of course Dad! I completely agree with you that you had to send Hugo back to Maldonia, but I still miss him, after all, we had hoped to marry, soon."
Scarlett stroked the Amulet, as if to further torture Sofia, but all the shattered princess could think of was where Cedric's true affections lie, staring off to the sorcerer anxiously unaware of Scarlett's current scheming.
"Sofia your mother and I were of the same mind on this, that Hugo's family and kingdom situation was too unstable right now." He smiled gently down at the girl, the king didn't realize it but Sofia certainly knew. He was being played. Scarlett wanted Rolland to agree to the marriage, as soon as possible.
"I know that Maldonia is unstable Dad, but it'll only get worse once Axel marries Lucinda." The king's mouth dropped open, as if sideswiped by a flying horse. "What Sofia? Did you just say Axel is planning… to marry… that TRAITOR! My word, Victor has no idea and… the scrolls. The troop placements. He must have forged them and… It was Axel." Rolland's hands clenched so tightly in anger they actually shook. His deep inhales through the nose were reminiscent of a dragon snorting fire. A man with this much power this angry was a truly terrible thing to behold.
Oh no. Sofia knew exactly what he was referring to. Axel had said he forged documents to reposition troops and smuggle the prisoners out with the least resistance.
Axel was exposed.
That forsaken copy let go of Rolland's arm with one hand and held it to her lips in a false display of shock. "Oh no! Dad I didn't mean to reveal the secret they entrusted me with, I was just so worried about Maldonia! Once word of this spreads it will bring widespread panic, there could be all out civil war, and Maldonia is such a powerful militaristic country, who knows how many other kingdoms that could entangle." Scarlett leaned in even closer, Rolland was doomed. "How much farther the war could spread, and how may more lives would be lost?"
It was clear Rolland's head was swimming in horrible possibilities, but he fought to regain a sense of composure. "Don't worry Sofia, I'll protect my family no matter what, and I'll talk to Victor about this. I'll do anything I can to prevent this conflict from getting any farther out of hand."
Those hateful fingers moved from Scarlett's lips down to her chest, brushing past the Amulet. "I know you will Dad. You're such a strong and powerful leader. I know you can convince King Victor to do what's right, for everyone, tradition, and stability."
Sofia would have wretched once more, but could do nothing except stare woefully off at Cedric fidgeting with his robe by the covered carriage, nervously waiting for her return. Axel's secret lay bare now for Rolland to use it as he would. Victor was likely to disown Axel at the news, leaving inheritance of the throne to Hugo... and Hugo's bride.
Rolland turned and put a hand delicately on Scarlett's, still draped over his arm. "Sofia, while I wanted to give you and your mother everything I had to offer in this world, I would never dream of forcing the expectations of a royal marriage onto you. It's my great fortune that James is so agreeable as is Cornithia's princess, but you Sofia are almost too kind and accepting. Are you sure this is what you want dear?"
"Oh Dad! Please let me marry Hugo, it's my heart's fondest wish."
Rolland relaxed into a smile. "So be it. I'll discuss it with Victor after the ceremony." Scarlett grinned wildly as the king departed for the carriage. Cedric eyed the king nervously, but Rolland passed by him without a second glance.
"My heart's fondest wish…. To be the master of destiny."
Scarlett put on a concerned face, and as she approached Cedric he seemed crestfallen.
CAW! There was shouting, and a mass of black feathers. Scarlett fell into a defensive heap, the raven attacking her topside while Cedric batted at the bird. "Odin's icicles! Wormy what is the matter with you!" Another, higher pitched cry meant the phoenix wasn't far behind, and Cedric shoved Scarlett into the coach.
Angrily Rolland screamed, "CEDRIC! Look what your bird did to Sofia! I demand an explanation."
Cedric was fumbling, trying to help but in all honesty hindering her efforts. "I d-d-don't understand, he's my familiar, there's no way he could want to h-h-harm Sofia". Desperate to prove himself Cedric tried pushing her hair back into place and startled, Scarlett jumped backward, covering the scratch along her temple.
"NO!"
Cedric flung backward, limbs plastered against the covered carriage wall, afraid to touch her further, lest Rolland skewer him alive.
Once the passengers calmed down, Miranda arrived with Baileywick as escort, and the coach took off. Her mother sat uncomfortably next to Rolland, the fissures in their iron-clad love deepening with each of Scarlett's manipulations. That Sofia could evoke fighting between the pair was a startling development. They had always seemed to be of one mind, and Rolland was always putty in her hands, but the stressors of war and destabilization had taken a toll on Rolland's psyche. Still, Rolland made overtures to his wife, stroking her arm lovingly and adjusting a curl or two of her hair so that they fell perfectly in place.
In return she glared at him, the tension palpable. Finally Rolland could take no more. "Miranda please, I really think it's in everyone's best interests."
"Rolly this is madness, agreeing to let Amber throw her life away like this."
"But dear she's always wanted to be a Queen, this was her choice."
"But it's wrong Rolly."
"Dear, if you only understood…"
Miranda slammed her hand down on the coach sill. "That's IT. I've had enough Rolly. How am I supposed to understand these decisions you're making if you won't tell me what's really going on."
The Queen stared at him sternly, and the king began to buckle. All the while Scarlett just let it play out, snuggling up closer to Cedric and leaving a sizeable gap next to James as their parents were distracted. "But the baby..."
"Oh Rolly, honestly this is enough. I'm pregnant, not an invalid!"
Desperate for her to calm down the king finally buckled, "Alright, okay. Just please, I need you to stay calm. Getting worked up like this isn't good for the baby." He looked over at James, Cedric and who he thought was Sofia before truths came tumbling out. "I guess you both should know as well." The king took in a deep sigh, and began. "Dear, full scale war had broken out between dissident factions in Friezenburg and my dear friend King Aaron." The Queen was nodding, and Scarlett was on edge. Sofia was too, for just how much of it did Rolland really know?
"I've always known that Maldonia and Friezenburg had a… troubled past, and I was worried to tell you about it because of what happened to… your first husband." Rolland gulped, and Miranda sat back in her seat, visibly distressed at the thought of Birk. She covered her mouth, and Rolland went into damage control mode. "Please dear, I knew how painful it is to dredge up the past and I couldn't…"
"It's okay Rolly. He died a long time ago."
"He's not dead!" Cried Sofia, but her words fell short, unheard once more.
Rolland held the Queen's hand, stroking it softly before Miranda formulated a response. "But why Rolly, why are they fighting again? What's the reason? Last time it was over trade issues, that can't possibly be the reason this time, it was all resolved years ago."
Rolland looked deep into his queen's eyes, dripping with sincerity. "All this started when dissidents broke several high-risk prisoners out of jails in Maldonia. Those escapees were smuggled to Friezenburg, where they've been instigating this revolt against king Aaron. They took advantage of the people in Friezenburg. You know how the people struggled, despite Aaron's best efforts." Miranda nodded, she was privy to the official tag line at least, probably from being married to Birk. "People were unhappy, and these monsters abused that. Now Hildegard and Desmond are dead, my dear friend Aaron has gone insane, and countless lives have been lost. I feel an utter failure for not being able to stop this, especially after my father gave his sanity to stop the last war." Rolland sank his head into his hands, and Sofia felt waves of empathy wash over her.
"Oh Rolly, I know it'll be okay. We should try talking to them." Miranda, ever the voice of reason.
Rolland sighed. "I've tried so many times dear, but Aaron and Victor have been intractable, and well now Aaron's unreachable. Neither would tell me exactly what resources they were fighting over, or why the prisoners fled to Friezenburg of all places, so I sent Edith. That woman is a godsend, and she's managed to find out a little of why the first war started, apparently the prisoners were harvesting some dark mineral called 'Autunite' that was poisoning Maldonia, and Friezenburg was angry its workers were dying."
Workers. A certain subtext that the people of Friezenburg had gone willingly clung to that statement.
The last great lie.
Cedric stammered, "B-b-but Sire, no one should even handle Autunite! Let alone mine it! That particular stone is poisonous. Even the slightest exposures can be deadly, dependent on the variety!"
"Your brilliant sister already informed me of that Cedric, but Edith assures me they found a way to harvest it safely and dispose of it properly. So as far as I can tell this is all about revenge, and nothing more. I can't condone all this bloodshed for something that happened so long ago."
By the fates above, those stones, those glowing yellowish stones were the real reason behind the war, and the prisons. She was panting, strewn along the bottom of the Amulet and unable to truly stand any longer, but this was the missing piece she's wracked her brain for. This was the reason the Sons of Friezenburg had been stolen.
Finally, it had all become clear. Maldonia was being poisoned, and needed a disposable workforce to cleanse the country of them. Friezenburg was no military power, and with an excess of people they were ripe for the harvesting of those without means to defend themselves. When Amalthea killed the former king, and Aaron ascended the throne he found about this awful practice, rebelling against it, and for his heroism his kingdom was crushed into submission. The fragile truce meant the abducted sons of Friezenburg were doomed to labor in the mines, probably until the last of Autunite was purged from Maldonia.
Sofia had broken that truce.
Abject horror gripped the princess, but at least she understood now why all the prisons had been mines, and the war's true origins.
No one seemed to make the cosmic connection, but then no one but Sofia knew that this wasn't a historical grievance, that the workers had been stolen. Cedric did grumble audibly at the mention of his sister, but quickly silenced himself. Scarlett shifted under the cloak that had at some point extended to cover both their laps, and he looked embarrassed, planting his head against the window of the coach to mask the guilty shade of crimson he was turning. She must be doing something naughty to him, but Sofia couldn't see what. Neither of her parents noticed that Scarlett had snuggled even closer to Cedric, setting her head upon his shoulder.
"I meant you should try talking to the rebels, not the other kings Rolly."
The king stiffened with hatred, "Miranda that is totally out of the question. Their leader is some sort of 'mystery mage', she's a magic user who started this whole war. Because of her, countless are dead and no matter what I try I can't seem to stop the bloodshed, stop HER. How am I supposed to talk to someone reasonably when they would start an unprovoked war just to seize control of a country? Don't you realize what would happen to our relationships with other royal families if I went behind our allies' backs and stuck my nose in their internal affairs by starting up discussions with dissident groups?" There was desperation in his eyes, and Miranda was truly sympathetic to his struggle, all the while Cedric had turned from the window, batting Scarlett's hands back and boring his eyes into the side of Scarlett's head, burning with something to say but keeping his mouth shut. "What's to stop the dissenters in Tangu from rising up? The outcasts in Borrea? Seriously where does it end Miranda? I'd be undermining their authority if I did that."
"Oh Rolly, I understand what you're saying, but you can't just ignore why these people, and the 'mystery mage', are upset."
"Miranda, I'm trying so hard to do the right thing, to support my fellow kings to keep peace. I've even signed an international agreement. If this mage is found anywhere on the continent she's to be executed immediately and her head presented to Maldonia." Miranda was shaking her head, distraught but Rolland countered, "Don't look at me that way, judging me like I'm a monster! Every single king on this continent has agreed to this. She is the monster. Why can't you just support me like you always have before?"
Oof. If Sofia was found out, there would be no where to hide… except with Birk.
"I…" Miranda looked down at her hands, using the pregnant pause to collect her thoughts. "Rolly I love you, and I want to support you, but you're living in your father's shadow again. I know he was a great and powerful king, but that doesn't mean he did the right thing." She took his hand in hers. "I wish you would have just told me sooner, at the very start. I would have gone to talk to this mystery mage myself."
Rolland jumped up in the covered coach, whooped into a rage while Scarlett smirked. Cedric leaned in to the imposter's head, seething with a supernatural sort of rage. "NEVER! Miranda that woman is dangerous, traitorous to everything we hold dear, and stands against all that is good in this world! Just thinking about what she's done makes my blood boil. I'll hand her head on a platter to king Aaron before Wassalia, maybe that will help his troubled mind."
"ROLLY. How can you say that! You'd have someone put to death!"
"Yes Miranda, I would. They snuck into our castle and used magic to free those traitors we caught at the harvest festival. She's responsible for destroying Aaron's kingdom! Just thinking about how they violated our home, MY home, we were violated! If she got into the dungeon she could have reached YOU!" Miranda was in disbelief; unable to comprehend how knotted up her husband was inside. "Don't you see? She's already after us, we aren't safe, YOU aren't safe until she's caught and killed."
Miranda turned, pulling the blanket over her legs up into bunches. "Oh Rolly, how could I not have noticed what was happening to you?"
Rolland pivoted toward his wife while still standing hunched in the coach, practically red in the face. It resulted in him yelling directly into her face. "Happening to me? It's everyone else Miranda, can't you see I'm just trying to keep everyone safe." As he spoke his wife shook her head back and forth.
"No Rolly, this war is affecting you. You're becoming your father."
That struck some sort of nerve in the king, and he tensed, sitting down on the bench hard. "I'm nothing like him. I'll protect you by ending this mage and anyone who helped her myself."
"N-N-NO!" Cedric finally cried out, one hand up defensively before Scarlett could stop him. Rolland turned to glare at the sorcerer, the defiance did not sit well while he was in the middle of an intense argument with his wife. "N-n-n-no sire! P-p-p-please you mustn't k-k-kill them." Cedric's arm nearest Scarlett had drawn across the imposter's lap, as if somehow he was defending her body from Rolland's decree.
Wait, did he… know Sofia was involved in the war somehow?
Rolland's initial glare of disapproval at the insubordination shifted menacingly. "Something you'd like to say Cedric?"
The sorcerer whimpered and deflated as a balloon would, shrinking back into his seat. "I sure have something to say." Miranda piped up. "You can't just go around executing people Rolly! I know you're really upset and you feel violated, but this is so unlike you, anyone you think was involved would need at the very least a trial."
"Or a confession." Rolland's eyes were burrowed solidly into Cedric's forehead, making the nervous man retreat farther back into the cushions. Smirking, Rolland straightened up, that air of authority assumed. "That's what I thought. It's already been decreed. ANYONE found to have helped the mystery mage infiltrate our home will be subject to justice, with penalties matching their crimes. I don't care how long they've worked at the castle, or what their title is, if there is irrefutable proof justice will be done." As Rolland glared at Cedric he almost seemed to be salivating, it was unnerving under the best of circumstances, and Cedric had retreated inward to escape as thoroughly as possible.
Once the coach landed Rolland was off in search of King Victor, Maldonia's fate squarely in his hands. To reveal Axel's treachery, or to seal Sofia's marriage to Hugo, perhaps both. Miranda must have sensed something amiss, and dodged all attempts Scarlett made to lure her away from her husband and into the castle.
"Mom you really shouldn't be out in the cold right now."
"No Sofia, I'm fine, but Rolly's too frantic right now. I need to find him and calm him down." She took James by the arm and the strapping young man began to lead his stepmother off toward the crowd.
"James, think of Mom's well-being."
"YOU should think about what we talked about earlier Sof. I'm going to stay with Mom." James set an accusatory glance at her, then without further distraction helped Miranda through the crowd.
Scarlett breathed words of fire under her breath. "Bad move old woman. You'd have had better luck with Amber. Just you wait James."
"What was that princess?" Cedric had snuck up behind Scarlett, startling her. The girl jumped, and for an instant seemed scared of Cedric. "Because it almost sounded like you… wished ill on your family members." Cedric paled, then dug into his robe and pulled the flask from its depths. "Here Sofia, you're looking parched. I insist you have something to drink, to keep your strength up."
The upturned cap served as a cup, and greedily she drank it down, Cedric peering at her to confirm it had all been consumed.
"Oh Mr. Cedric, it's not something that potion can fix. It's simply not ME. You KNOW I'd never want to hurt my family. Please I'm begging you."
Scarlett downed it all, then turned her gaze up to the sky. "Aaah. Thanks, I don't know why but I'm still super hungry. Could you find me something to eat inside the castle?"
He staggered backward, eyeing her suspiciously. "Is this a ploy to divert my attentions? That you might wander off and find that dastardly prince for a another little rumble in the tulle weeds?" Scarlett swung around, pulling on Cedric. She tugged him behind a pillar, then wrapped her arms around him, trying desperately to kiss him. The sorcerer, however, refused.
"I can't Sofia, not now, not while you're…"
"While I'm what Cedric?" He looked guiltily down at his robe where that flask of berry juice was being stored, then shook strangely. He was going to lie, now that Sofia had started the lies they simply wouldn't stop. "A-er, while we are in public. Yes, that would never do."
"We're not in public right now, so kiss me. It'll make you feel better." Scarlett giggled, tempering Cedric's resolve.
"N-n-n-no Sofia, what if an errant king wanders by, I'll be drawn and quartered by your father's flying horses. Please, the only thing that would truly set me at ease is your pledge of faithfulness, but we both know…"
"Yes."
The thin man froze in place. "Excuse me, I thought you said yes, but I must have misheard, I…"
"Yes. I said yes Cedric." He stood a statue, overwhelmed by the implication. Scarlett rolled her eyes and batted at his face. "Hello? I said I'd accept you. YOU Cedric, now please, just do what I tell you." To this point the imposter stood solidly in front of him, jabbing her finger hard into his chest with each pause for added emphasis.
"I need you to always do everything EXACTLY as I tell you to do it, and if you do EVERYTHING I say, I'll marry you. If you don't you can forget it, are we clear?"