That, was twelve years ago, but the memories are still just as fresh in the young woman's mind as if they happened yesterday. She was never the same after that. The once out going, happy, cheerful girl, was now withdrawn, sad, and spent most of, if not all, her time in her room. At first her animal friends still came to see her, hoping to cheer her up... Eventually Robin stopped coming, then Mia, Clover refused to give up though, but after three years of no improvement, even the rabbit had to admit that Sofia was no longer the same girl he knew. He stopped coming too. Sofia spent all her time alone and secluded in her room. She still excelled at school, though she never spoke to anyone, but her magic suffered. She only did the bare minimum that was necessary in order to pass. Never anything more like she use to.

Sofia walked up the stairs to here room after dinner with her family, head hanging low, and eyes devoid of any and all emotion. They tried to get her to talk about how she was. That didn't interest her, nothing did. Not even Amber announcing that she was pregnant made her happy. She smiled her fake smile she plastered on her face for the past few years, said her congratulations, and wished her well like everyone else, but deep down she didn't care. She was happy for Amber and Hugo of coarse, but it didn't matter to her personally.

She reached her room and went to her dresser, pulling out a rolled up parchment. She unrolled the parchment on her bed and out fell a stick. She went back to this test every time she felt extra sad about Cedric. She now understood it was only an accident. It wasn't that he didn't care about her, but that he DID care about her, and that's why he chose to do that potion without her there. She picked up the stick that fell out when the parchment was unrolled. At once the magic was brought to life in her again. After all these years her practice wand still was working, and so well at that. She smiled, the first time in a long time. Mr. Ceedric was great at making magical things. In her opinion he was great at everything.

She put her practice wand down. She refused to use magic. Not after that night, and her mom. She knows her mom wasn't yelling at her then, but she still wouldn't use it. She can't... Not without Mr. Ceedric... A lone tear escaped her eye and ran down her cheek. She closed her eyes remembering all the happy times with her sorcerer. That made her smile again. He was about the only thing that could make her smile for the past twelve years, a happy, true, real smile. A yawn escaped her mouth. My! She didn't realize how tired she was. She quickly changed and headed to bed.

A knocking started the princess awake, but it didn't come from her door. It came from... Her window? She got up and walked to her window seat to look out. What she saw made her gasp in shock. Standing outside her window on a balcony that was never there before... Was Cedric! She wanted to run out onto the balcony and wrap him in a hug and never ever let him go, but she was cautious. He was dead. There was no way he could be here.

Cedric motioned for the young woman to open the windows. She obeyed willingly, wanting to hear what he had to say... To explain.

"Hi Princess, you look lovely." Cedric had said with a soft smile looking at the youngest princess.

"Th-thank you... Mr. Ceedric... You... You do too... Actually, you l-look the sa-same." She said, stuttering at the end as tears filled her eyes and threatened to spill over.

"Please don't cry. Why would you cry?" He asked her, concern filling his voice as he just... Stood there.

"Becau-cause... You're dead Mr. Ceedric... How are-are you here?" She asked him, silent tears now lining her cheeks before they fell onto her cushions on her little window seat.

"I am? I seem very much alive to me. You do seem different though... Older. Last I remember... You were 8... Were you not? And you were supposed to get the results from your sorcery test. How did that go by the way?" The Sorcerer smiled at the woman and waited. Still not moving. Sofia gasped... He... He actually did listen to her!

"I got... Full marks. Thanks to you that is... I was coming to- to show you. And give you something, but that's... that's when..." She refused to cry again. She just wouldn't. She sniffled her nose and walked over to her dresser.

"That's when what?" He questioned and tried to follow her with his eyes, moving slightly.

"You died." Was all she said as she grabbed the parchment and walked back to her window. She reached through to hand it over to Cedric. He walked forward and grabbed it. 'I don't remember this balcony, but it seems sturdy.' She thought as Cedric unrolled the paper and took the stick from within it. His eyes watered as he read.

"Sofia you were always so sweet, and you always admired me and thought I was great just as I was. I don't know what happened, but I've been so lonely without you." He looked up at Sofia who was looking down.

"It's been... Very lonely without you too. Father got a new royal Sorcerer, but he's nowhere near as good as you... I refused to study magic anymore. It felt as though I was betraying you. Wh- Where's Wormwood?" She didn't meet his eyes till the last sentence. She knew he wouldn't be pleased that she stopped training in magic. He said himself she had a gift in it. Her eyes left his and scanned the skies and railings for Wormwood. He couldn't be found.

"I can't find him anywhere. He sort of vanished..." Cedric's eyes glazed over thinking of his former best friend. "Sofia come with me." He told her, holding out a hand for her to take.

"Y-you're dead... I can't go with someone who's not there... Why is my mind playing tricks on me?!" She almost yelled the last part, grabbing her head in her hands and pulling gently on her hair.

"I'm here Sofia, you can see that. Look take my hand." His hand was still outstretched waiting for her. His smile, his genuine smile, on his lips made her smile back. She got up and lightly put her hand in his. He was there! She could touch him! "There, there, Princess... See? Now come out here with me..." He said, gently pulling her a little to urge her out.

'Well if I can touch him, and he can stand on this, it must be safe.' She thought and stepped one foot onto the balcony, then the other. At first she felt like she was falling, then the feeling was gone. She looked up at Cedric and smiled. She wrapped her arms around him, and let everything that she'd been holding in for years out.

"I missed you so much! Please don't leave me! I've been so sad without you! What happened? Why didn't you let me help? Why didn't you wait? You meant, and still do, mean so much to me! Why-" Cedric patted the woman's head in comfort. Wait- patted? Sofia looked up and noticed she was shorter... Like when... When she was Eight! She let go and looked down at herself. She was eight! But-but how?!

Cedric looked at here with fatherly eyes. "I promise to never leave you again Princess. We have a lifetime to talk, let's go home and start." He grabbed her hand, and started walking toward a bright light. Sofia happily went. She was once again with Cedric. This was the happiest she's ever been. For the first time in twelve years she finally felt at peace.

The next morning, A scream rung out through the castle as a maid found a mangled body on the castle grounds. Directly under Princess Sofia's Window seat window.