A/N: I found that some of the documents I uploaded changed so I've gone through and made some corrections in FanFiction. Hopefully this makes the story easier to read.

I wasted no time seeking out Cedric when we arrived home. He did not even hear me knock on his door, and upon entry, I saw he was so involved in reading and making notes that I decided to take revenge. As quietly as possible, I snuck closer to him, then behind him, and then pursed my lips and blew his hair.

He jumped up and turned around so fast I nearly was knocked to the floor by his chair.

"Sofia!"

I laughed loud and long.

"How? I didn't hear you come in."

"I know!"

"You can't do that to a person!"

"Really?"

He quickly shut his notes inside the book and turned to me, opening his arms. I went into them happily. "I missed you."

"I missed you too. I've got plenty of work for you to do."

Pulling away I frowned at him. "You only missed me because you need help?"

His face softened and his lips met mine. "Of course not." We kissed again. "Did you have fun?"

I shrugged.

"What happened?"

"Nothing happened. I just really missed you. I wanted to come home."

"You will have to get used to it. Lady Amber is going to keep you busy the next several months."

I nodded. "Cedric?"

"Yes."

"Will you teach me how to use magic?"

"I can probably teach you some things. Like making potions. Why?"

"I just realized while I was gone that I don't really have a purpose."

His forehead creased. "A purpose?"

"It's… never mind."

"You are Lady Sofia, step- daughter of Duke Roland. Your purpose is to be his daughter and someday get married and…" he trailed off.

"He asked me to call him Roland." Cedric's forehead crinkled even more. "When we are alone," I added. Cedric looked away.

"Well, he is not your true father." We stood there for a few minutes, me still in his arms. "I will begin to teach you how to make potions and use them. We will see how that goes."

"Thank you, Cedric."

There were two more weeks before the next ball hosted by Lord and Lady Dunhaven. They lived in our duchy so we would return home after. Then, two weeks after that we would travel to the palace. The center of the kingdom was much farther away. It would take nearly five days to go by coach. Because of the long way, more servants and guards were coming with us, as well as Cedric. He said he knew a few sorcerers who would be in the palace, and needed to share his research with them.

We also would be staying longer at the palace, giving Amber time to reacquaint herself with her mother's family.

My mornings were spent poring over potion books with Cedric, then dinner with Amber, and lessons on how to act around the king and queen. I had assumed that it would be the same as with Roland, but Amber insisted that everything had to be done perfectly. She criticized my curtsies and made me practice over and over. She led me in dances, and we even covered table manners.

I still did not see much of a distinction but I played along. She had already said she had not been at the palace since she was a child. But I have never been at all.

We went over our dresses a million times. By the time we were ready to leave, I felt like my skin was chafed as we had changed clothing so many times. I was afraid my dress would not look new anymore, by the time I met the royal family. Amber's ball gown was a deep green colour, whereas mine was a pale yellow. It made my hair look more brown than auburn, but it looked good all the same.

Soon enough, the Dunhaven's party was in the past and we were setting out for the royal palace. We spent the nights in Roland's friends' homes along the way. The last two homes also had family members who also accepted King Stephen's invitation, so our travel party grew.

Amber invited two sisters, Johnna and Jane to sit with us in our carriage. Johnna, the eldest, was nearly twenty and still unmarried. Jane was Amber's age and looking for a husband. I was not sure why Johnna was unattached. She was very pretty, light brown skin and dark black hair, but as we got to speaking more without so many people around I saw that she was very intelligent. Intimidatingly intelligent. With one look it was as if she could see your innermost thoughts. I got the feeling that not many men would like a woman like that. She was very nice, and while Jane and Amber became fast friends, it seemed the Johnna and I became comfortable with each other.

We arrived at the palace in the middle of the afternoon. The stewards efficiently moved us to our rooms to freshen up as servant brought our trunks and began hanging our clothing. Amber poked me in the ribs a couple times as I began to dawdle and fall behind. The palace was ornate, and immense. I thought for sure it could not be bigger than our home, but it was.

"You'll have time to gawk later, Sofia." Amber murmured.

At the door to our room, Amber asked Johnna and I if we would be willing to switch. Amber and Jane would share and Johnna and I could share. Johnna and I looked at each other and shrugged. We did not have a choice at that moment. Jane and Amber had already decided.

The rooms each had two canopied beds in them, and there was a shared sitting room in between. We informed the servants of the switch and then Johnna and I sat down to have tea in the sitting room. "Perhaps later we can walk in the garden," Johnna said before biting into a biscuit.

"That would be nice. I would love to see the garden."

We could hear Amber and Jane going through their gowns in the next room. "I'm so glad to be out of that carriage." Johnna relaxed back into the sofa and looked at me. "It's a pity that they only let men ride horses on trips like these."

"I don't even know how to ride."

"Truly? The daughter of a duke does not know how to ride?"

"I was not always the daughter of a duke," I reminded her.

"But you are now. You must learn. What do you do all day?"

My hand stopped, midway between bringing my tea cup to my lips, and holding it on the saucer. Could I tell her what I do? Would she think less of me? Or the duke?

"Oh," Johnna said. "You've been given other work now that Lord James is gone."

"How did you know?"

Her eyebrow raised. "You told me."

"I didn't…"

"Your face said it all, Sophia. It is fine, I'm not judging you. We all have to keep busy." A smug look came over her face. "Otherwise all we'd have to talk about is gowns and shoes and such."

I smiled. "I have been helping Amber, and then I try to check in on my brother Michael each day. And when I'm able, I help our resident sorcerer."

"Do you have magic?"

"No. At least I don't believe so, but I help him in the lab, just with little things," I felt myself blush, "and he's starting to teach me about potions."

"Good for you. The potions and such. I can't imagine what you must do for your sister. She's more out of control than mine."

I laughed, and it felt good.