UN-divided, Not Conquered

Hey guys. Sorry for being gone so long. I'm looking for a new job and have been busy.

Anyway, on another note, someone brought it to my attention that the dress link wasn't working. Here's a new one. Hope it works.

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Just put it all together. Right now she's wearing her uniform. If the link doesn't work, let me know.

Let's move on.

XxX

"Rolly, I just recieved this letter from Marquess Ursa!" Miranda exuberantly entered Roland's study, waving a piece of parchment. She stopped halfway, noticing Roland's displeased demeanor. He had his forehead pressed to interlaced fingers, obscuring a dismal glare. "Is everything okay?"

"No...I mean, yes!" His voice cracked. He pushed to his feet, combing askew hairs back. He cleared his throat in a curled palm. "Yes, Miranda, I'm fine. Just...distracted." He pinched the bridge of his nose. The heated discussion with Abraham lingered in the back of his mind. Lydia can lead and master magic. I know it. He refused to doubt her."About that letter..."

Miranda decided to read him the letter. Roland seemed like he could use the respite. "Lydia, Constable Miles, and Cedric are investigating the strange magically occurrences." She summarized the drawn out notice. "Cedric and Lydia have ideas what's going on, but...do not wish to make assumptions until absolutely sure. She moves on to say she's grateful you sent two highly capable sorcerers to help."

"Let's just hope they don't kill each other before they finish the job." Roland PARTIALLY joked, falling to a couch. He admired the letter, pleased by how well things seem to be progressing. It was still early. "Do you think I made the right call sending Cedric AND Lydia to the same place. What if I receive a report of a crater that used to be Lyndor."

"Rolly, that's exaggerating things a bit, don't you think?" Miranda softly scolded him.

"You've seen how they are. They can't go five seconds without arguing." He massaged the bridge of his nose, feeling a migraine coming on just thinking about it. It's the rivalry heard around the world. Cedric and Lydia lived for arguing with one another. They sounded more like a bickering, old, married couple than friends.

"That's how the best of friends usually begin." Miranda reassured him, touching his shoulder. "You'll see. By the time they return, Cedric and Lydia will be the best of friends."

"You think so?" Roland grumbled, mourning the fact that he doubted his wife.

Miranda kissed his forehead, earning an adorable blush from Roland. "I know so." She bat her eyes.

XxX

"THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!" Lydia and Cedric roared. Lightning surged between their glares. "MY FAULT? STOP THAT!" Cedric punched Lydia on top of the head. Lydia kicked Cedric in the shin.

"KNOCK IT OFF!" Lydia stretched his cheeks.

"YOU KNOCK IT OFF!" Cedric yanked her hair.

The day was starting out so beautifully too. With the exception of Roland's twisted sense of humor deciding to pair Cedric and Lydia together for a visit to the home of Lady Ursa, the Marquess of the beautiful land of Lyndor. A land blanketed by endless, gorgeous meadows, all surrounding and complementing Metropolis locations across Lyndor's borders. An ideal vacation spot as well as a peaceful place to live.

The splendor aside, that's not what brought Lydia, Cedric, and Constable Miles - rest his soul - to Lyndor. It was to be a routine visit. With a...not so routine request for aid from the Marquess. Magical mishaps were rioting throughout Lyndor, and causing a small disconcertion amongst the people. Roland agreed with Ursa about the importance of bringing peace of mind to the people, and sent his two sorcerers and his Constable to help her with the matter. A steady, beginning assignment for Lydia to fit in to her role as princess. A taste of Royal Duties Roland intended to issue every so often as he deemed her prepared for. Aiding the town of Hamil would be what allowed her foot through that door.

Hamil lived up to Lyndor's amicable atmosphere. In the midst of a crisis, the people continue to go about their lives. Laughing, singing, making a living - unless briefed, outsiders would never guess there was a problem. Never in anyone's wildest dreams did they imagine witches would come to Enchancia. Especially not a witch barely older than Sofia. Her age aside, the little witch was clearly no stranger to her wand. To make matters worse, she may not be the only witch. There are, purportedly, two witches causing trouble. Normally where there's one witch - as young as her - there's usually another. And now, thanks to her and her tricks, Lydia and Cedric were joined at the hand. Hopefully their dwindling sanity didn't drive them too...amputative matters.

Eezeyal and Wormwood viciously pecked and clawed at the goo binding the two sorcerers at the hand. It was like trying to chew through stale taffy. The only thing the birds succeeded in was getting a foul, dusty jelly taste coating their mouths. The little witch that hexed them certainly had a nice touch. And a strange sense of humor to match. A dangerous combination when dealing with witches.

"The neverending humiliation THAT CONTINUES TO VEX ME!" Cedric growled rabidly, clawing at his forehead. He dragged the bottoms of his eyelids. The bloodshot veins only highlighted a fraction of his irritation for their day. "Not only is it now confirmed that witches are responsible for this blight, but a prepubescent witchlet has just outsmarted ME - The greatest sorcerer of Enchancia - and latched me to an adolescent, royal prat!"

Lydia scrunched her nose, putting her only hand to her hip. "I don't recall Goodwin The Great being strapped to Hildegard!" Cedric snarled venomously at the name. He seemed to lose wind in his sails. Almost...hurt? Lydia was taken aback for a second. "And don't make a mountain out of a molehill. Even though I could blow like a volcano being stuck to you." She rubbed her temple, sensing a migraine on the horizon. Or was that drumming on the crown it.

"Do you see this?!" Cedric wiggled the gooey glove in Lydia's face, neglecting to notice he shook off Wormwood and Eezeyal. Lydia glared impassively, if not slightly irritated, at the wiggling gelatin. "Do you see what that witch has done?"

"Maybe when we find her again she can do the same to your mouth!" Lydia shot back contemptuously.

"She never would have been able to do this had I just kept my WAND-ON-HER!" He jabbed a finger in Lydia's chest on the last couple words. His morning breath made her eyes water. "But SOMEONE just HAD to show mercy because the witch was a child." He shoved the tip of his wand into her chin. The stabs at her pride were far more annoying. "You of all people should appreciate the gravity of a young person wielding a powered stick!"

Lydia grit her teeth, growling heatedly. She wrapped her fingers to the wand, threatening to snap it with her thumb. "I know it warms you to hurt kids, Cedric, but I'm not so sad!" She shoved the wand in his chest. Cedric angrily massaged his chest. "That aside, I already admitted that I made the mistake! I take full responsibility for this!" She thrust the goo covered palm against his nose. "SO STOP BRINGING IT UP!"

"Nice of you to be grown up about this." Cedric remarked, ignoring the cold glove on his nose. He did, however, remove her hand so to have a clear path to glare. "Now if only that maturity applied to our current predicament."

"Alright, smart aleck, you think you're so smart? Then you can get this off!" She decreed, folding her arms.

"Me?! Why me?!" Cedric screeched.

"You never miss a beat reminding me of your seniority and superiority." She stressed with sarcastic air quotes. "So use some of that hot air to free us before I strangled you with this!" She threatened with the goop link.

Cedric grumbled and cursed under his breath. He wrangled his hands, desiring nothing more than to strangle HER with this abominable chain. He started to mutter the chemicals constructing the sorcerers' periodic table. More soothing than counting to 100 in Greek.

"Well!" Lydia pressured, stamping her foot.

"OOH! Give me a moment to think, won't you?!" He demanded, facing his back to her. "Not all of us are goody-two-shoes honor students with every spell memorized!" He mocked her by wiggling his fingers, sprinkling glittering dust.

"Better than being an insufferable know-it-all whose only true talent is tripping on a flat surface!"

"I am capable of quite a bit more, as you no doubt recall!" His voice lowered to a dulcet growl. The glow in his hardened glare sent shivers down Lydia's spine. She maintained a stone glare, not giving him the satisfaction of a falter. She was wondering if that was a bead of sweat on her brow. "I really must meet this Lezard person. It will be prudent for me to fathom the mere notion that your better would even consider consorting with an underdeveloped spawn."

Lydia ground her teeth, finally having enough of his insults. She had drawn her fist back to punch him in that aggravating nose. Something rough grasped her sleeve and knuckles. Wormwood and Eezeyal stayed her hand, shaking their heads with the same furrowed brows. Lydia and Cedric were impressed. And were in agreement. This was no time to be arguing. Lydia sighed resignedly, lowering the hand. Eezeyal perched to her shoulder and Wormwood to Cedric's.

"It never ceases to amaze me when animals know what's best." Cedric marveled, warmly stroking Wormwood's neck.

"No kidding." She pat Eezeyal's head.

"Now if we're done with the petty insults, we must return to the Marquess's manor. I must consort my books if I am to combat this blight."

"Then let's find Miles and Bertrand. Which way did they go again?"

Cedric and Lydia monitored the busy street. The original forked path led them to cross streets, and down random ways in pursuit of answers. If memory serves, they parted from Miles and Bertrand at the entrance. Likely they have ventured further into the town. Cedric and Lydia could keeping walking straight. A cross street might bring them to Miles and Bertrand. Or they could cut through an alley, walk the road - supposedly - Miles and Bertrand would take.

"This way!" Both walked in different directions. The goo link stretched and pulled. Lydia and Cedric smashed into each other, knocking heads. "Ow..." The two groaned. Eezeyal and Wormwood shook their heads, throwing wings across their beaks.

"Okay...okay..." Cedric picked himself up, dusting off his robe. "A minor setback." Lydia fixed her skirt, cleaning her blazer. "Right. Once more." Once more they walked in different directions. Resistance tugged their arms. The two dug in their feet, each pulling with all their strength to drag the other their way. "This way, Princess. We can meet them somewhere along the way." He pulled.

"We can head them off if we go this way!" Lydia pulled back. The goop felt like it was getting thicker the harder they pulled.

"It will be faster if we go this way!" Cedric yanked.

"How do you know? You can barely find the bathroom!" Lydia edged a foot back, weaving back as she pulled.

"I'll have you know I was born with a keen sense of direction!"

"Like a compass that doesn't point north!"

"You know what! NO!" Cedric ceased futilely pulling at the link, and instead stormed over to Lydia. "I am not arguing with you," He latched onto her wrist, "When I can just do this!" He snapped his fingers. Green smoke swallowed the birds and sorcerers. A crowd of people gasped, retreating as the small group appeared in the middle of the street.

"What the-" Eezeyal and Wormwood dropped, groaning dizzily. Lydia's mind did a 360 loop. She wasn't clear on what just happened. Seeing Hamil's front entrance, and the hoards of people and carriages stopped to stare in awe, she growled. Incoherent murmurs about their link sparked concern. "The front entrance?! Really? We could be nowhere near them!" Lydia scolded Cedric, ignoring the people.

"There is a method behind this madness." He crooned.

"Which is..."

"YOU," He pressed his wand tip to her nose, "Can no longer protest the direction we must take." He put a hand to the small of her back, gesturing to the right hand fork. "Constable Miles and Mr. Bertrand are yonder that way. Come along." He tauntingly moseyed her along. Lydia reluctantly - dragging her heels for a few steps - acquiesced to the shoving.

"Aww...this is horrible." Right on cue, Eezeyal perched on her shoulder. He sighed with notable disappointment. That thin trail of goop binding her to Cedric sank him. "When I imagined ya havin' yer hand stolen by a man, Liddy, this ain't exactly what I imagined." He teased in a somber tone.

"Since you're lacking your usual cynicism I'll forgive you for that one." She groaned edgily. Of all the people...Cedric aggravated, agitated, annoyed, and whatever other A words meant his very existence made her want to explode, regroup, and explode all over again, to the brink of screaming. When she see's Constable Miles again, she was going to turn him into a toad. Then dissect him!

xXx

"Thank you for your time." Constable Miles shook the hand of a merchant and his partner. Bertrand bowed his head, grateful for the information they provided. Although it brought them no closer to solving this mystery.

Seven residents of Hamil, anxious to end the rising turmoil, reached out to the Marquess via letters pleading for help. With magic not being a common element in Lyndor, the people feel trapped in a corner with no means to fend for themselves. Unable to find a way to surpass this trial, pleas to the Marquess ignited a fire in her to take action. Unfortunately she was in the same boat as her people. She would never be able to thank Roland for sending aid.

Hamil was not too large of a town, but neither was it small. As non-residents, Bertrand offered to serve as a guide for Lydia, Constable miles, and Cedric. To save time, it was proposed to venture down separate roads. Upon splitting up from Cedric and Lydia - a sly ploy by Miles - Constable Miles and Bertrand received no luck in ascertaining the source behind the strange occurrences throughout Hamil.

The merchant and his partner were the last of the leads. Before them were a husband and wife who awoke one morning to find their furniture on the ceiling, and their chandeliers and lanterns stuck to the floor. It stayed like that for maybe an hour. Then when they blinked it returned to normal. As for the merchant and his partner, both have daughters who are in love with stuffed dolls, and stuffed animals. All either one recalled was their daughters screaming in the middle of the night, cowering in the corners of their beds, escaping their dolls that had come to life.

Confronting the victims, comforting them while gathering information, Constable Miles and Bertrand were met with similar end results. No identity to the attackers, and sinister cackles at the end of each attack. And the further anyone investigated, further behind they seemed to fall.

Despite the people's cheery demeanor, the magical assault - benign or menacing - has left them in bit of a defensive state. Constable Miles accepted suspicious glares he's received with a grain of salt. Because the people have no idea who's behind the incidents, placing all who passed by under a microscope granted them an pinch of security. Unfamiliar faces definitely raised red flags. However, they try not to allow it to affect their daily lives. Constable Miles was proud of that. Though he would be lying if he said he wasn't suspicious of every other person that passed him and Bertrand by.

"I hope our sorcerer friends are faring better than we are." Bertrand mumbled, sluggishly sauntering down the streets in defeat.

Constable Miles almost forgot about Cedric and Lydia. He strained an ear, searching for the distinctive sounds of destruction and petty insults. "Well they aren't destroying the town. So things must be running fairly smooth." He half joked.

"Are they truly so horrible together?" Bertrand questioned, praying Constable Miles was kidding. It was his idea to pair Lydia and Cedric together in spite of their aggressive disagreements. "Constable, I must confess…" He began gently, earning a perplexed raise of a brow, "If Princes Lydia and Master Cedric are as truculent toward one another as you claim, why allow them to be alone?"

"Because it is in their best interests - and everyone elses," He stressed, "If they at least learn to tolerate each other." He used the term tolerate loosely. It was Constable Mile's fondest hope that, amid the arguing, Cedric and Lydia find a common ground. Preferably before they make it sink into a pothole.

Constable Miles put a hand to his forehead, creating a visor to deflect the boring sun rays. Judging by the sun's ascended position, Constable Miles assumed it was early in the afternoon. Between noon and two at best. He was surprised so much time had passed.

"Perhaps it is time we return to the manor for a brief rest." Constable Miles proposed.

"Agreed." Bertrand stretched his arms behind his head, pleasantly cracking his neck and back. "Let us find our sorcerer friends and head home." Bertrand led Constable Miles further down the street. It would be faster to use other streets than going in reverse.

Sinister cackling came from around a hat merchant's stand. An aged woman emerged from the shadows, lifting the brim of her orange hat. Her envy green eyes glistened. Her hand gripping a glittering wand itched to transform their shoe laces into snakes. But something they said intrigued her. Finally adding a little zest to a dull day.

"Two sorcerers..." She purred. "I really did give Lucinda the good ones. Oh well." She tapped her wand on her palm. A pouch of smokey powder appeared. "This will lift my spirits, and everyone else to the clouds." cackled into her hand, vanishing in the shadows.

xXx

It was so humiliating, and remarkably exhausting. Cedric was leading Lydia by that blasted goo link as if she was on a leash. She heard a couple of people wonder if 'dad was punishing his daughter,' or 'Was it a strange marriage ritual.' The most demeaning was when a little girl laughed and called the goo snot.

Cedric hummed pensively to himself. He drummed his skull, skimming the library he had tucked in that brain of his. While he may not be able to think of it off the top of his head, he was sure there was a way to dispel a witch's hex. A common curse amongst sorcerers. Knowing hundreds of spells and other rituals hindered the ability to conjure off the top of one's head. Without his books Cedric wasn't even sure if their magic could dispel a witch's magic. Young or old.

Luckily, Lydia never went anywhere without Ubos. Almost nowhere. He's proven to be a great second for Eezeyal. Cedric was notorious for drifting into his own world when pondering. If his reputation holds, he shouldn't notice Ubos. But Lydia ensured to keep an eye out in case he suddenly lost concentration.

I'll need to make this quick. Lydia slowed her pace, creating as wide a gap as she could before the link tensed. "Ubos...psst...I could use a little help!" She whispered urgently to her satchel.

Wormwood's impeccable bird hearing caught the whisper. He carefully glimpsed back at Lydia. She was patting her satchel. He made out incoherent whispers, raising a perplexed. There she goes again. He rumbled in his mind. The princess has been acting rather peculiarly as of late. First on the carriage ride to Lyndor, now in the middle of town she is speaking with...whatever was inside that bag. Could it have something to do with that book I saw? He was certain he heard her carrying on a full conversation with a book. At the very least Lydia became nervous when Wormwood watched her at the Marquess's manor. Now she is shouting at an over the shoulder pack. His leer glued to that satchel she fervently cared for. It jogged a memory. A strange reaction Lydia displayed when Bertrand offer to hold onto the mind was whirling with curious speculation of what inside.

"Ubos!" She pat the bag. She snuck a glance every other five seconds to the mumbling Cedric. He hadn't noticed Lydia and Eezeyal conversing, which held hope he wouldn't notice her talking to Ubos. "Wake up, Story Book! How do I dearly depart from the crutch?!" Lydia lifted the flap a small ways. She just hoped Ubos had a section on What to do when a witch straps you to a grouchy sorcerer.

Ubos? Wormwood repeated the name. What the devil is an Ubos? And why is he in a bag? He leaned in, boring holes through that satchel. What is Cedric's young adversary hiding? Wormwood's become uneasy by Lydia's ascension in her magic studies. She's climbing the ladder faster than the sun scales the sky. The hours she's training, the time she spends practicing. Cedric's agenda geared toward the amulet ignites that fuse. Wormwood may not be able to communicate with Cedric the same as Eezeyal speaks with Lydia, but he refused to let an upstart get the better of his master.

"Hmm..." A corner of that mysterious spellbook of hers poked from the satchel flap.

Ubos scuffled to the top, just enough so Lydia would be able to hear him clearly. He let out a drowsy yawn, batting heavy eyes at the sudden brightness. "...Did you say something, Princess?" He slurred. His mouth widened in a yawn.

Wormwood's beak dropped open. He rebound hot breath to his eyes and quickly rubbed them. He wasn't seeing things. He wrapped his feathers to his beak before the growing gasp became audible. "I-don't-believe-it!" His clamping wings muffled his outburst. The book...! The book talks! She has a talking book! It was starting to make sense now. Why she carried that book everywhere, why she spoke with it, and WHY she kept it hidden! Her teacher and her lesson plans were all one person - er thing. Whatever. Wormwood chuckled victoriously. "Very interesting. Well played, little Princess." A shame he cannot communicate mutually with Cedric.

Lydia would feel guilty for waking him up when she wasn't anchored to Cedric. Ubos is a great and powerful book. Lydia's only tasted his power, but doesn't doubt his claims for a second. Were Cedric to learn she has a talking book guiding her, he may ignore Sofia's Amulet and decide to chase after Ubos. While Lydia would beg for the chance to stop Cedric's attempts to get the amulet, she shuddered to think what Cedric would be able to wrought if he stole Ubos. Not only that, Lydia promised to help conceal him unless he decided otherwise.

"Cedric and I are joined at the hand." She summarized, feeling the urge to puke every time she said it outloud.

"Oh my! It happened sooner than I anticipated!" Ubos cheered. His auburn cheeks flushed bright red. "I do not recall hearing wedding bells." He wiggled his brow. Lydia stared at him deadpanned. Eezeyal groaned in dread, draping a wing across his beak. Lydia showed him the gooey glove. "Oh. Wrong unification." He felt sweat hang on his brow. "Please pardon the assumption. But you two just get along so nicely-"

Lydia clawed the top of his cover, smashing her nose into his. "Do not make me put you through the shredder, BOOK!" She hissed through gritted teeth, reassuring she kept it at a whisper. Ubos laughed nervously, weaving his bindings in vain to create personal breathing space. Lydia acknowledged the hint and held him tenderly by the sides of his cover. "A little witch - Sofia or Amber's age - placed this on us! I was hoping you had a trick to get rid of the baggage." She requested softly.

"I am afraid I cannot provide the answer." He regretted to inform her.

"Whaddya mean you can't? What kind of all knowin' book doesn't know?" Eezeyal scolded.

Ubos's brow knit. A spark on Eezeyal's forehead, knocking him off Lydia's shoulder. Cedric heard a thud and glanced to the ground. Eezeyal was twitching dazedly, smoke emanating from his small figure. Cedric shrugged and returned to his thoughts. "Please reroute your ears from selective to undivided hearing! I said I can't provide an answer. I never said I didn't know." Eezeyal and Lydia were impressed. Ubos's sarcasm knew how to hit you.

"Okay..." Lydia trailed off, wanting the full explanation.

"Here..." A single page slid up from Ubos's pages. "This shall elucidate my motives."

Lydia grudgingly accepted the page. She and Eezeyal skimmed the contents. "What?!" They snarled. "This is part of one of my lessons!" Cedric broke his concentration upon hearing the snarl. He kept his head facing forward, but his ear was trained to the fuming princess. "Lesson 13 - Sorcerer vs the world of arcanists. Dispelling and repelling other magics - the Cornerstone to becoming a top sorcerer." She mocked the last passage. Lydia furrowed her brow, glowering blankly. "I feel like I'm reading a catalog for a cheap couch." Ubos smashed his opened pages in her nose. "OW!"

"Keep reading, Your Highness!" Eezeyal growled. While he may disagree with Ubos's teaching methods at times, Eezeyal was able to accept he would lead her to success.

Lydia rolled her eyes, proceeding to read. Lest she be battered in the nose again. "In the realm of sorcery there are rivals as well as ne'er do wells who mean you harm. The rub: Not all are fellow sorcerers." Lydia had a sense those were big, bold letters shouting at her. Given she's anchored to her second least favorite person, that passage was written specifically for her. "Waving a wand and brewing potions is only part of being a sorcerer/sorceress. Knowledge of your magical counterparts is key, and will extend your life and and credibility to your reputation in the long run." She squeezed Ubos's edges, almost tempted to burn him alive. "Why do I get the feeling you knew something like this would happen?!"

"While I can understand your desire to blame me," Shivers unraveled Lydia's spine. Please don't tell me he heard us, please don't tell me he heard us! Cedric crossed his arms, leering crossly at the fuming girl, "Please bear in mind I am nowhere near THAT omnipotent."

"Trust me, you underqualify less than Madam Mim!" Lydia felt relief wash over her. She snuck a glance at Ubos. He was a regular book. She mentally sighed with relief. She needed to keep her conversations with Ubos at a stand still until she's separated from Cedric.

Because Cedric was no longer talking to himself, Lydia assumed he was out of ideas. "Think of anything?"

"No. You?"

"Nothing." She angrily closed Ubos, stuffing him back in the pack. Wormwood sneered venomously. Lydia irritably waved Ubos. "This is what I get for bringing a lesson book rather than a HELPFUL spell book." Ubos rattled. He would make her pay for that one. Does this mean I'll fail the lesson if I can't free us? Clarification never killed a lesson plan. Silly her. Ubos lives for riddles and brainteasers. He's a headache.

"Yes." Cedric laughed nostalgically. He kindly took Ubos off her hands. Lydia's protests hitched in her throat. Right now Ubos was an ordinary book. But there was that paranoia he would discover Ubos's secret. Cedric ran his fingers over the cover and then the pages, carefully studying the grooves and abrasions from years of use. A fine book. He hummed mentally. Truly a fine book. "These books have a sense of humor that inconveniences their owner. They provide answers when you don't need them, and hide the answers when you do."

"And right now..." She flipped the pages to her new lesson, tapping a finger above the directions, "That is my priority. So this book won't be of any use to me." Any other time Ubos would be full of information, providing Lydia with answers and something to read herself to sleep. During her lessons, only her passed tests and current lesson are visible. Ubos is indirectly teaching her to locate information from other sources. A familiar headache.

"You certainly have your work cut out for you." Cedric sounded pleased she was tasked with this particular assignment. "Would you prefer your lessons be a cakewalk?" Cedric smirked impishly at Lydia.

"No way." Lydia puffed her chest, placing a confident to it. "Getting what I want the easy way would take all the fun out of it."

"Words of a true sorceress. Perhaps there is faith for your generation after all." Lydia was going to let that one slide. They were having a once in a blue moon pleasant moment. Cedric flipped the pages in reverse, admiring the progress Lydia has made in her studies. She marked her completed work with a green tag. "You are making remarkable headway in your studies." He commended, handing her book back. Amazing headway. I'll need to be on my toes. Lydia was dumbstruck. He complimented her! AGAIN! Somewhere in the distance pigs were no doubt flying.

"WEE! WEE!" Lydia's shoulders dropped. She tilted her head up. A pig flew by. Lydia puffed her bangs boredly. The universe's sense of humor never ceased to amaze her.

"HEELLLP!" Cedric and Lydia jumped at the scream. That wasn't a flying pig. It was chewing the sticks poking from someone's merchant stand.

The surrounding crowd definitely heard the same scream. Heads and bodies twisted in search of the source. There wasn't anyone in any particular distress. Maybe an architect fixing a building fell off his ladder. A child hurt, and the parents needed help. Confused murmurs rumbled from the nervous people. Cedric and Lydia slipped into a similar unease. It wasn't their imagination. That scream had to have come from somewhere.

The sunlight started to dim. Shadows aimlessly rolled over the scouring townsfolk. It went unnoticed by the disconcerted people. Chalking it up to a feat of nature. Cedric and Lydia acknowledged the shadow. Finding it odd seeing as no clouds were in the sky. It stretched past their feet. It was moving. Following the length of the shadow, it was traveling through the town. Technically over it and shaping to buildings-

"SOMEONE GET US DOWN!"

"HELP US!"

"I'M GONNA PUKE!"

Heads jerked up. Gasps echoed in the crowd. Children hugged their parents. Cedric and Lydia's brows furrowed, eyes widening in shock. A massive, grey cloud was floating above the town, coasting aimlessly on the wind. Cedric squinted, tilting his head at dots that were spread across the underside. They wiggled fiercely, agitating the thick cloud.

"What are those?" Cedric muttered. Lydia placed a flattened palm above her brow, shading obscuring light. Gradually eyes adjusted. The dots gained color, formed shapes. Hair and clothing were distinguished. Dismay gripped the two sorcerers. Those weren't dots. They were PEOPLE! People were trapped in that cloud.

"MY HUSBAND!" A woman reached out futilely.

"AMANDA!" A man cried.

"THAT'S MY DOG!" A boy and girl shrieked. Cedric and Lydia exchanged worried glances. Handfuls of people were trapped waist deep in the cloud, pushing and clawing at the cloud's deceivingly strong grip. Those with their arms hugged at their sides twisted vigorously, gaining not an inch of leeway. Constable Miles and Bertrand were amongst the captured.

"MILES! BERTRAND!" Lydia cried.

Bertrand thrashed, wrenching to free his hands, chewing rabidly at his cloudy bindings. Constable Miles hacked at the cloud with his sword. Bits of broken cloud evaporated into thin air. Damaged cloud regenerated, thickening around Miles. His sword arm's elbow was swallowed. Clouds filled Bertrand's mouth, coming out his ears. The cloud was irritatingly durable.

"SOMEBODY HELP THEM!"

"WHERE ARE THE GUARDS?!"

"QUICK! GET EVERY LADDER!" With someone still on them, from inside their homes, and literally out of the ground - ladders were gathered and thrown onto carts.

Ladders weren't going to help. And the guards weren't going to make it in time. At the rate the breeze was lifting the cloud, a pegasus would meet turbulence attempting to give chase. Even if the guards were to arrive, they wouldn't be able to free the people trapped. If it were so simple to pluck them free, half of those people would have fallen back to the earth already.

"It must have been that little witch!" Cedric snarled. "Or her accomplice!" Cedric was as sure as the sky was blue - the little witch had a friend somewhere in Hamil.

"We have to do something!" Lydia implored Cedric.

"And we shall!"

"How?!" Lydia thrust her arm up, angrily reminding him of the chain tying them down. In truth she was stunned he wanted to help anyone. "I don't see how we'll be able to do anything like this?!"

Ignoring the stab at their current predicament, Cedric drew his wand, thinking of a spell that just might work. The challenge was just getting up to the cloud to do it. "YOU BIRDS!" Eezeyal and Wormwood snapped to attention. "Back to the manor with you, and take the bag!" Cedric ripped the satchel off Lydia. She couldn't utter a squeak of protest before he tossed it. Wormwood and Eezeyal caught it. "PORTEO!" Cedric snapped his fingers. And just like that Eezeyal and Wormwood were gone. With Ubos. Lydia could not begin to describe how nervous she was. "Do you remember that leaping spell you cast? After I sent you out Sofia's window?"

"How could I forget?!" She snapped. Her stomach flipped just thinking about it. "I almost lost my love for heights because of that!" She still found it hard to fathom how he could casually reminisce blowing her out a 20 story window...and seemed humored by it.

"Consider this reconciliation!" Cedric yanked the gooey chain, pulling Lydia into a strong hold. he swiped his wand down. They vanished in a puff of green smoke.

The older woman in orange and the girl she named Lucinda surreptitiously peered at the spectacle from a nearby roof. The frantic crowd, the cloud full of people, and two sorcerers outsmarted by an eight year old witch. Would it not give away their position, the two witches would bust up in a fit of laughter.

"Delicious! Absolutely delicious!" The woman was so giddy she felt like a child again. "Nice work on those sorcerers, Lucinda!" The elder witch complimented, patting her daughter on the back.

"Thanks, Mom. It's my new blend." She boastfully pushed her hat brim up with the wand. "Unbreakable, unmeltable, and completely unhexable - except by me." There was a ping in her smile. She covered all her bases. "But...shouldn't we be heading to the next town?" She urged fretfully.

"Why would we do that?" Mom chortled. "There's still so much more mayhem to be had." She drew her broomstick under her, sitting casually on the floating appliance.

"But those sorcerers-"

"Aren't going to get in our way." She reassured Lucinda. "There isn't a rat tail's chance they'll be able to stop that cloud. It's my special blend." It was now her turn to boast. Lucinda clearly had doubts. Her mom tenderly placed her hands to her shoulders, smiling lovingly. "Trust me, Lucinda, we're going to finish up, then we'll move on and find a place where we can settle in long term."

"You promise?" Lucinda's cheeks bubbled.

Mom kissed Lucinda's forehead. "I promise."

xXx

Cedric and Lydia reappeared on a supporting tower to a clocktower. Lydia lost her balance on the landing. "Warn a person next time, huh!" Lydia fumed. Ubos and Cedric ruined teleporting for her.

"Rule number 28 in the sorcerer's handbook," He lightly tapped his shoe on her boot's toe, "Think on your feet."

"There's no such book."

"It's an unwritten book." Cedric's stretched finger directed Lydia's attention behind her. Lydia flinched at the strenght of the wind, tucking hair behind her ear. The cloud was swiftly approaching their position. "Okay! We're going to need to time this just right! Constable Miles wishes for us to work cohesively? Here's our chance!"

"What's the plan again?" Lydia asked nervously, scared of where this was going.

"Here it comes!" Cedric announced. The cloud was nearly upon them.

"There isn't a plan, is there?" Lydia dreaded.

"Get ready to fly…" Cedric bent his knees. He raised his wand.

"Yeah. Didn't think so." Lydia grudgingly mirrored him. She listlessly raised her wand. Dread clung to her. "Make sure you're careful. The spell packs a punch." Cedric nodded firmly, watching the cloud. The cloud drifted closer...closer. It was gaining speed. Closer.

"NOW!" Cedric and Lydia flourished their wands. "Hopita! Skipity! Jumpis!" The roared. The spell coated their shoes. They dug in the ball's of their feet and pushed off, launching like canons. Cedric screamed shrilly, the tremendous speed flapping his cheeks. tears escaped his drying eyes.

"TOLD YOU!" Lydia shouted with her face scrunched. The ride stopped short. The momentum dissipated, slipping off like grease. Lydia and Cedric slowed down, able to brush their palms over the cloud. Weightlessness was followed by a sinking fall. Lydia felt life slipping through her fingers.

"I'VE GOT YOU!" Constable Miles grabbed her hand. Bertrand caught Cedric.

Lydia held onto Constable Milles' hand for dear life. Air being the only barrier between her and death made her legs turn to jelly. "I swear...I could...kiss you." She huffed between breaths.

"I do not think King Roland would approve." Constable Miles joked.

"Would you two focus?!" Cedric roared.

"How's this?" Bertrand quizzed, pointing at the link. "Is this a tradition in Enchancia?"

"A test of patience!"

"Yours or mine?!" Lydia barked.

"LATER!" Thinking on his feet - so to speak - Cedric swished his wand wildly and chanted, "Gravita Groundo!"The wand dinged on taps on his head and Lydia's. A violet hue shared between the two, flipping them upside cloud connected firmly to their soles.

Lydia paused for a moment. It was tapped her foot. "Whoa..." Lydia dazedly laughed. It was amazing. She was upside down...on a cloud. She was upside down ON A CLOUD! It was like Wasalia and Halloween on the same day. "This is...AWESOME!" The excitement corroded to sick when she saw the ground a death's drop away. She turned as green as the goop.

"Hold that lunch, Princess!" Cedric slapped a hand over her mouth. "You and I are far from done!" He scoped the trail the cloud seemed to be following. The town's border was coming up ahead fast. Beyond the grassy green dunes was a drop into a shallow pool at the bottom of a ditch. The grass... "Princess! On my count, plant your wand and say, evaporous cloudicus. I'll take care of the rest."

"The rest of what?!" She shrieked. It become scary clear that there was no plan!

"You'll see." Cedric chuckled.

"Miles!" She cupped his pudgy cheeks. Her eyes were full of despair. "If I die: Sofia gets the wand, James gets the potions, and Amber gets the Infinity Tiara Polish."

"Get ready!" Cedric hollered. The cloud left the town border. The grassy fields were coming up as swiftly as they were going to pass by. "ONE!" Cedric stuck his wand in the cloud. People hugged each other and trapped kids close. "TWO!" Lydia groaned, solemnly planting her wand. Miles and Bertrand and others cringed. "THREE! EVAPOROUS CLOUDICUS!" They bellowed. A muffled BOOM jolted the cloud, jiggling it like pudding. Then sizzling bubbling was heard within. For Miles, Bertrand, and the others trapped, they felt fizzie tingles. Suddenly the cloud started to lift. Rising as if yeast were being baked.

If Constable Miles didn't know better… "The cloud is getting bigger! It's inflating!" He caused people to panic.

"Where we make our exit!" Cedric grabbed Lydia's hand.

"What?!"

"Gravita Releasa!" Cedric ocellated the wand, dispelling the violet hue. Lydia paused, feeling the cloud leave her feet. That falling feeling came on strong.

"CEDRRRIIICCC…" She screamed, plummeting for the grassy earth. That grassy could be pillows and it will be like hitting the ground. What was the most frightening - and infuriating - Cedric was diving headlong without losing his mind. "I SWEAR IF I DIE-"

"Ready for phase two?!" He interrupted. Lydia just stopped. There's a phase two? "Repeat after me. Onward to death by this sky high plunge…" He swiveled the wand up, then brought it down.

"On-onward to death by this sky high plunge..." She nervously mimicked the motions. The cloud reached its breaking point. It burst like a balloon. Cloudy balls dissolved, and everyone trapped were sending plunging, screaming helplessly.

"FOCUS!" Cedric redirected Lydia. "Onward to death by this sky high plunge…Grant the ground elasticity of a sponge!" He carefully repeated. He drew a yellow ring, and dabbed the center with a light brown spot.

"Onward to death by this sky high plunge…" She swiftly repeated, executing the motions. "Grant the ground…" Lydia's circle was clumsily askewn by her shaking hand, "Elasticity of a sponge!" She managed the spot. Cedric released the wand, letting it be swallowed and launched by the spot. Lydia was so surprised by the feat she barely noticed her wand be snatched and launched.

The wands impaled the ground. It rippled wildly. Cedric twisted onto his back, hugging his body in tight. Lydia copied him on the last second. Everyone closed their eyes. One by one they hit ground, and sank into a plush pillow of grass and soil. The folded dips slowly retracted, rising cloud victims and sorcerers to the surface. Breaths of relief came with resurfaced bodies. Some hooked the grass, petrified to stone. The dog sat idly on a shivering man, barking happily. Cedric was the same. He was lying back with his hands behind his head, smiling contentedly. Meanwhile Lydia, Constable Miles, and Bertrand were trying to comprehend what just happened. The spongy ground outlined their figures, allowing their dazed bodies a moment to get ahold of themselves.

"Oh...oh my…" Bertrand panted. He couldn't feel a single part of his body. He lifted the shaking limbs to make sure they were attached. "That was...an experience…" He rolled onto his butt, propping himself on his hands, "I never want to repeat."

"Agreed, good sir, agreed." Constable Miles lied spread eagle. "That was some quick thinking, Cedric. Well done." He never thought he'd hear himself saying those words.

"Thank you..." Cedric dusted himself off, fixing his wrinkled robe, "I thought so me-self." Lydia flew up from lying the grass, gasping for air. "But I do not deserve all the credit. My young protege-" Hands clawing his collar halted the praise. Cedric reached down, helping a jelly limb Lydia to her yet to fortify feet. She hyperventilated in his chest. Cedric supported her by the small of her back, growing concerned by her shaking. "P-P-Princess?! Are you...alright?"

Lydia jabbed a finger in his nose. Her flushed cheeks were soaked by sweat. Her blue eyes were sharper than diamonds. "Don't...ever...do that...again! Capisce?!" She panted.

"As you wish." Cedric submitted smoothly. Lydia's knees caved. Cedric and Constable Miles swooped under her arms, keeping her aloft.

"Princess, perhaps you should meet with the doctor." Constable Miles proposed. Lydia was pale as a sheet. "Or find a trash can?" She was that shade of green again.

"Just...need...to lie down..." Lydia hobbled along. Cedric and Constable Miles lifted her.

"There is a doctor within the town." Bertrand announced, taking it steady as he led the way. "She can rest there."

"No time!" Lydia blurted, scaring Bertrand. "We know who's behind the attacks. We need to see the Marque-HMPH!" Lydia capped her mouth. She ducked behind Constable Miles and vomited some animal's burrow. The three men cringed sickly. "Okay…" Lydia wheezed, "Maybe motion sickness caplets wouldn't kill me." Constable Miles put his fingers to his lips, whistling shrilly. A pegasi drawn carriage came in to a smooth landing. The pegasi padded their hooves, steadying themselves in the brake.

xXx

"GRRR! FUNGUS SPORES!" Mother witch cursed. She and Lucinda hovered on their brooms, keeping high enough that they wouldn't be spotted, but low enough that mom could crave dunking those sorcerers in a vat of acid.

She bore holes in the older Cedric, and that little sorcerer he was helping the portly guy haul into carriage. "That pouch of smoke cloud took me months to perfect, and they just...GRAH!" She yanked hairs from her scalp. Lucinda cowered against her broom, edging back to a safe distance. "And if they beat my cloud then they'll beat your goop!"

"What can we do?!" Lucinda hoped her mom had the answer. "We can't leave without that cauldron! That's the whole reason we came to Hamil!"

"And we aren't going to!" Mom promised Lucinda that. "We did not tour half a countryside to lose what's owed us!" She snapped her fingers. A large pocket watch phased to a calendar materialized. "The delivery guy will be at our cottage in the morning tomorrow! We lie low!" She demanded angrily. "No more hexing, no more tricks, no more flying squirrels!" She ignored that they already exist. "We get our goods and go."

"Deal." Lucinda said sternly. "Anything to get out of this dump!" She whipped her broom around and made a beeline for the woods on the opposite side.

The mother lingered a moment. She glared dangerously at Cedric, peeling that smug sorcerer to ribbons in her mind. The young one lying half conscious in the carriage was a bug. Cedric, however..."I may have to deal with him before we leave."

TO BE CONTINUED

I cannot begin to describe how hard it was to write this. Writer's block, job hunting. I'm sorry guys. But I must as that you expect delayed updates. Real Life comes first, and I can't pay bills without a job.