Sofia the First

Chapter 2: Cedric's Retirement

"I should really take a break now." Cedric muttered to himself tiredly as he pulled out a familiar object. "Wormy look, I found Sofia's sorcery hat. It's hard to believe she's not my apprentice anymore."

The raven rolled his eyes, he could care less of what his master was saying. If it wasn't for that irrating girl Cedric would have already been King of Enchancia but no she had to make him a softy and actually care for him. If Wormwood could do any magic he would make sure that Cedric and Sofia didn't become friends.

Lucky for the princess, he couldn't. Maybe if he fell asleep he could drown out Cedric's walk down memory lane.

"After all these years who knew it would be time to leave my life of in the castle behind. I know I have to accept it though, my work here is done. Prince James is going to take over as king in a few weeks, Princess Amber is having her first child and now Sofia is getting married. Time flies so fast." The now old man sat down at his empty desk to look at the hat.

This hat brought many memories to his mind. He shouldn't be surprised, the sorcerer should have known that packing up all of his stuff would bring back old memories. Yet, the thing he was holding in his gloved hands wasn't his, it was Sofia's.

After many years of being her teacher he couldn't believe he had grown fond of her. She had brught many changes to his life over the years and now these last few weeks would be the last time he would he would see her. Would he lose contact with Sofia after her mairrage? He hoped not but who knew she probably would become really busy that she wouldn't be able to write letters to him.

If Sofia's queen duties would make her busy then he would understand. In the past, he hadn't been able to contact his parents in the first few weeks of his sorcery job. His mother had grown worried he would not keep in touch. It was a silly pradicament. Eventually, he did contact his parents. Cedric had to smirk, he could tell by their birthday present for him.

The portrait of his parents was a surpring birthday girft. He had figured that his parents thought he was missing them but later on found out that the portrait was their crystal ball. Now, the portrait no longer srved it's purpose since his parents were dead now. All it was good for now was showing a picture of his parents.

Cedric would have thrown it out but Sofia and his feelings had stopped him from doing it. True, he had started to miss his parents after their death but his pide made him say nothing of it. He would dread of packing it up when he got to it and dread it again when he did unpack it. He had to do something with it.

Deciding to not think about it now Cedric looked away from the portrait and sat Sofia's hat on his desk.

Before he knew it Sofia raced inside slamming the Worksop's door. Why did he even have a door to begin with? Cedric remembered over the years she cad come inside without knocking but only because she was excited to come see him, half of the times she would remember to knock.

"So where's the fire?" He asked turning around to see an upset princess instead of an excited one.

"Tell me it's notrue Mr. Cedric." She said walking up to the sorcerer. The man looked at his friend in silence hoping to find out what had her so upset.

"What's the matter? Tell you if what's not true."

A sigh exscaped the auburn-haired girl as she looked away. "Tell me you're not retiring." Guilt now entered as Cedric heard the word retirement left her mouth. So she had found out. Secrets were eventually found out. He should have known the princess would find out anything. She was smart after all!

He looked down to the floor, not wanting to look her in the eye. "It's true." As he waited for her to scream or become angry for not telling her he saw a tear fall to the floor. He made her cry.

Cedric didn't know what would happen next, he began to feel time slowing down to punish him. It was aginizing. He wanted this to be a dream but it wasn't. He wanted her to give him his punishment already, maybe even slap him across the face but nothing came. Instead, Sofia fell to the floor. It wasn't by accident, he didn't make her fall it was what she had realized.

"Why are there secerts Mr. Cedric."

He wanted to tell her, tell her everything but he had darker secrets than she could ever imagine him having. Secrets that involved the necklace around her neck, secrets of taking over her beloved home. Eventually, he had given those schemes up but now he was starting to wonder if fate was making him try to tell her everything.

"Are there anymore secrets I should know about Mr. Cedric? If there is I want to know them. I don't want to be hurt anymore."

"If I did we would both be hurt and I don't want that. It would only make you hate me but then I guess I dersrve it after all I have been hurting you for two years."

'What was he saying? Was he hurting me when I didn't know it? We've been friends for years now I am just finding out? He has secrets that involve me!'

Sofia was about reach the sleeve of his robe but then he stood up. She wanted him to give her one of his famous hugs, telling it this wasn't real but now she was starting to wonder if all that she taught him was for nothing.

She finally stood up to look into his eyes and saw there was that hurt she saw when she first met him. The pain that she took away to make him happy, it was back. She thought she had gotten rid of that but it was only hiding over the years.

All of sudden his words, Cedric had said the secret would hurt him too. Could it be that he actually cared for her as a friend? Could it be that he didn't tell her to keep her safe? She remembered him saying that he wasn't respected, wasn't given credit for his talent and was nervous of her father.

Cedric had gotten better at his magic after his first show and doing better around her father. Now, she finally understood. Understood the pain yet did she know there was another secret he hadn't told her.

Sofia realized she could be patient at whatever he needed to say. He needed to gather his words, needed to think through everything that was on his mind.

Before deciding on departing the Workshop Sofia gently wrapped her arms around his neck but then felt his arms wrapped around her as he said next surprised her."I will tell you everything, every secret that you wish to hear. You are right, I can't hide it anymore. I can't tell it here nor now but I promise you'll have your answers before you leave but... whatever you wish to think is up to you, if you decie to hate me I will accept it. I desrve anything you might want to do to me, there is only one thing I ask for you to do once you want to take your revenge. Either cast a spell on me or crush me piece by piece."

Sofia's eyes wided. Did he really want that? Those were cruel punshments he had placed upon himself. When she looked at him again she realized he was serious. She knew herself too well, she would do no such things to him. Perhaps, once he told her everything his heart wanted to tell her, she would tell him she would forgive him.

Before anything else could happen Cedric grabbed Sofia's wrist tightly , puled her to the door then pushed her out then shut it.

Cedric looked at his raven and said "Wormwood, I believe I just sealed fate. I'm doomed as I know it and I wouldn't have it any other way."

The raven was suprised Cedric would seal his own doom but was even more surprised he had decided to place his fate in the princesesss' hands. "He's lost his mind." Wormwood muttered to himself.

A/N: I have surprised myself. I hope this story is putting you at the edge of your seat. I can't wait to see what you guys think. Please Review!