A/N: It's a little pathetic how relieved I am to be posting this. My brain seems to have turned to mush! I really need to get used to 24 hours of daylight, cause my circadian rhythm is punch drunk right now!
So I'm not sure how funny this is, but I put it in because I could totally see Wormwood going all vindictive bitch if Cedric ever did fall for Sofia or someone equally good!
Chapter Six:
He's not evil, he's my raven…oh wait.
Lost in the haze of true love it's easy to forget everything and everyone around you.
If you had chosen an evil lifemate your closest minions might consider this a nice time to kick back and relax a bit, catch up on some reading, take up that hobby they've been neglecting, maybe go on vacation.
But you didn't.
You chose a hero. A being whose very soul radiates near divine purity and goodness. So OF COURSE your closest underlings and/or adorably sinister animal companions can't help but detest them. Couple this understandable disgruntlement with lots of free time, from your sudden neglect, and congratulations!
You've just provided them with motive and opportunity!
So take my word for it. Don't let your newly fluttering tummies and reawakened hormones cause you to neglect those who've devoted their lives to helping you curse the innocent, slay the good, rob the poor to give to the rich, take over the kingdom, or the world, or the universe, or whatever your bag is! …
… "It should be right up here." Sofia looked down from the top rung of the pull ladder to encourage my puffing, panting form to keep going.
"Really there were easier ways to get this!" I said, in between gasps for air and tremors in my arms and legs.
Sofia only rolled her eyes and held out a hand to pull me up the last bit of the way.
"If you think I'm going to let you go out and kill a wolf for its pelt you don't know me well enough to be marrying me!" She huffed.
"If you thought I'd prefer being dragged to the top most attic of the topmost tower of the topmost…whatever instead, I can't believe I agreed to marry you either!"
I was thankful for the darkness of the attic because I just knew we were giving each other the stink eye.
"There's still time to turn back." She grumbled.
"No we're here now." I lit my wand so we could see.
"I was talking about the marrying me part."
Heaving a sigh that had nothing to do with having just climbed a bajillion stairs, I cupped her jaw, tilting her face up to mine.
"Are we having our first fight or our last?"
Sofia made a gruff noise and wound her arms round my neck.
"I suppose all this climbing is making us both a tad overdramatic!" She pecked the end of my nose before spinning away to illuminate the far corner with her own wand. "You know I'm never letting you out of my clutches right?"
I closed my eyes, breathing deep, more thankful to hear that than she could possibly ever imagine.
"But your wolf slaughtering days are over." She tapped her chin thoughtfully, "actually that goes for pretty much all animals."
"Yes, yes, I know, and no stealing the amulet, or taking over the kingdom, or turning your nearest and dearest into animal hybrids. I suppose I'm not even allowed to turn toadstools into tornadoes anymore, eh?"
"Where you going to use those tornadoes to take over the kingdom?"
"Fine, fine." I grumbled.
Sofia made an empathetic face.
"My poor Cedric. Have I taken away all your fun?"
"I suppose having potions blow up in my face and constantly failing at taking over the kingdom wasn't really fun…not much at least."
She put her wand down and picked her way around a bunch of sheet covered furniture back to my side.
"You know why none of that stuff ever worked out?"
I said nothing, but my raised eyebrow was question enough.
"Because you're not a villain. Your magic is always strongest and most sensational when you're doing good." She pulled me down into a soft kiss.
Damn woman, she knew just what those kisses did to me.
"I don't know where you'd get an idea like that." I challenged, even though I was feeling slightly less crabby with her taste on my lips.
"Well," she peppered her words with more tiny kisses to my jaw and neck, "there was the wonderful snowman and fireworks you conjured at Mystic Meadows. There's the ah-mazing snow you make every year on Wassalia. Your grow fast potions for Enchancia's gardens. How you taught a group of novices enough magic to save Royal Prep without being able to wave your wand. All the healing spells and potions you've created over the years. The way you rescued my amulet in Corona. And let's not forget how even the mighty Merlin couldn't defeat Morgana without your help! Since I've known you, every time you set your mind to doing right, your magic is always magnificent and never fails you!"
I could feel my shoulders straightening and my chest puffing with pride, just as she must have intended.
"Well…yes, I guess you're right!" All my frustration forgotten I pulled her into a much tighter, much more intense embrace.
"Besides," her mouth was a millimeter from mine, her sweet breath puffing against my lips, "you're my dearest." Then she wound her fingers into my hair, wrapped her lips around mine, and crushed the two of us together.
I was dizzy with want and trying to maneuver us over to the furniture, scheming all the ways we could violate the spirit of the vow I'd made, not to violate her till after her birthday, while still technically remaining within the letter of said vow… only to have it all ruined by something large and angry buzzing my head.
"Hades hell, I've had just about enough of you Wormy! I swear if you're not careful I'm going to turn you back into a rock!" I waved my gloved fist at the intransigent bird.
Wormwood's response was a series of loud squawks and bitter sounding caws which didn't die down until he settled on a large object draped in black cloth at the back of the attic.
"What did he say?" I asked Sofia, seeing her eyes beginning to water.
"It's not worth getting upset about." She sniffled.
Despite the fact she was too good to rat out my miserable excuse for a loyal companion, it was obvious he'd said something mean to her.
It made my blood boil.
I'd never asked him to like anyone or anything before. I had no idea why he couldn't just get over it this once and accept that Sofia made me happy.
"Please, just forget about it." She turned all her attention to finding the wolf pelt. "It must be around here somewhere."
"I should hope so." I eyed Wormwood one last time before joining the search. "If we've come all the way up here for nothing I'm going to make you carry me back down!"
She snorted.
"Still being overdramatic." She sing-songed while opening an old chest.
"So says the athletic teenager." I grumped. "You have no idea what it's like to get old." I started lifting sheets in case it had been laid on top of a stray loveseat or something.
"You are not old!" She shot back as though she knew anything about it.
"Hmm, yes well be that as it may sometimes I wish…." I never got to finish my sentence because Sofia suddenly flung herself at me, her hand clamping down firmly over my mouth.
"Merlin's mushroom's what's got into you?" I yelped, or something close to it. It was hard to form words with her palm smothering the lower half of my face.
"Um, I maaayyyy have forgotten this attic is also home to a magic mirror." She removed her hand and ducked her head to study the ancient plank flooring with a rather guilty intensity.
"You're kidding?"
"No, no I'm not. It's right over there." I followed the finger she raised until my gaze settled on the object Wormy was using as a perch.
"How long have you known about this?" I grasped my bowtie, twisting and tugging at it in an attempt to work out the sudden flair of indignation this news brought on.
"Um…since I was nine and mom brought it down from the attic while decorating for the Villager's ball. Dad made a wish in front of it and we ended waking up as bakers the next morning."
I turned back to her, jaw practically on the floor.
"You've known about this for eight and a half years and you never said anything to me? Everyone knew and no one said anything? I'm the royal sorcerer! I should have been told!"
Despite the rather alarming depth of my feelings for her, it seemed today was one of those days when we were just destined to find ourselves at odds about everything because Sofia's guilt melted away at my accusing tone and instead she met my ire head on.
"Would you have used it to wish yourself King?"
I went to answer but caught myself before walking straight into a transparently pointless lie. For a few moments we just stood there, me opening and closing my mouth and her staring with challenging eyes.
Then something dawned on me.
"Ahh but you didn't know I was trying to take over the kingdom!" I sounded far too proud of having fooled a child.
Sofia just exhaled loudly and rolled her eyes.
"No, but I learned pretty fast that quick fixes like this mirror, or the well no one talks about, always seem like a great idea until you get your wish. The you realize it's not all you thought it would be. Or worse yet it ends up ruining everything."
I did know about the well and that gold-plated shyster was an even bigger asshole than me.
"Which was why I never said anything. I didn't want something bad to happen to you, especially since no one else knew enough magic to help you if something went terribly wrong."
Oh.
"You're almost too good to be real sometimes, you know that?"
"Well, you try wearing this for a decade!" She touched her amulet, giving me a half smile. "Being almost too good to be real is basically compulsory. Oh hey, here it is!" She said holding up the old wolf pelt.
"We'll have to beat the dust out, but I think this should do." I mused, stroking the thick, wiry fur.
"Good! What do you say we mist it back to your workshop then!"
I turned to Wormwood. "Are you coming?"
His response was to raise his beak skyward before turning himself around and showing us his tail feathers.
"Suit yourself." I put my arm around Sofia and swirled my wand above our heads, letting green mist engulf us.
When we reappeared, I huffed, letting my legs go out from under me and gracelessly plopping onto my red cushioned workbench.
"Well now we're away from any eavesdropping magical furniture I'll say it. Sometimes I wish I were seventeen again so I could keep up with you better!"
Sofia shook her head and laid the pelt on the table behind me.
"You keep up just fine!" She said, kissing the top of my head and getting the spell book we needed. "Now what do you say we take a break from quarreling and brew this potion, I want it perfect before we leave tonight."
I couldn't help giving her a goofy grin. Tomorrow was my birthday and this was part of my present.
"I'm sorry about all the bickering." She said quietly, looking a little chagrinned.
"I'm sorry too. I think It's just one of those days."
She nodded sagely.
"You're probably right. I guess every couple has them, even mom and dad do sometimes. You know I love you though, right?"
She set the spell book next to the pelt and I used the opportunity to pull her into my lap and lay a kiss to her forehead.
"I do, though I still can't believe it."
"Well you should. I love you. All of you, just the way you are, and I wouldn't change you for the world."
Part of me (the part that was obviously spoiling for another argument) wanted to point out I wasn't allowed to do anything even remotely evil anymore. But then I remembered her words about my magic. Maybe she wasn't asking me to change. Maybe she was just challenging me to get out of my comfort zone, bringing out the best in me like she always had. After all I'd been happier these past months than I'd ever been before.
"That goes double for me!"
.o~O*O~o.
I woke to a heavenly smell.
Sofia and I had taken a coach to Mystic Meadows after bottling my birthday potion. It was an enhancement potion made to compliment a spell. I'd spent half the ride trying to wheedle out of her what she intended to do with it, but she wouldn't give me even the slightest hint. Finally I gave up.
But only because she distracted me.
At first I'd flushed straight to scarlet and pushed her hand away pointing out, with wild gesticulations and stumbling words, anyone might see us. Sofia had just smiled sweetly and explained in blasé tones how the height of the coach and the way the windows were situated meant we could only be seen from our chests up.
Then my virtuous, pristine Princess, Enchancia's pride and joy, shocked me stupid by sitting back and making her face into a perfect mask of boredom. All while her hand crept from the bench between us to my knee, up my thigh, under my robe….
All thoughts of birthday presents- all thoughts period- fled my head and I don't remember much of anything until we got to my parent's cottage.
Now I was lying in a little bed in one of their guest rooms breathing in the scent of my favorite breakfast: very berry crepes with lighting lemon sauce!
Jumping up, I washed and dressed with an almost absurd enthusiasm.
Sofia was somewhere in the house and I was eager to find her and spend my special day with her! Normally I didn't much care for birthdays, but today was different. I'd won Sofia's heart (somehow) and we'd confronted her parents and been given their blessing. Her birthday ball was in three weeks and the King was going to officially make her a duchess and formally announce our betrothal.
Thirty-five had been a good year and thirty-six was going to be even better!
One last adjustment to my yellow bow and I practically tripped down the hall to the bedroom where Sofia had spent the night, only to find it empty. Then I heard laughter from downstairs. Bounding down the steps and into the kitchen I saw my mother, my sister, my niece, and my Sofia all crowded inside.
Calista was setting the table, Cordelia was making tea, my favorite blend of herbs and citrus, and my mum was teaching Sofia how to make lightening lemon sauce.
"Just two drops," she was saying, "otherwise…."
"Kaboom!" Sofia finished.
My mother and sister laughed, probably remembering the time Cordelia made her first attempt and blew out an entire wall of our old kitchen.
"That about sums it up!" My mother nodded.
"Good morning all!" I said, smiling wide.
Unfortunately my voice seemed to startle Sofia and the whole bottle of lightening lemon drops tipped over into the pot.
For a moment everyone froze listening to the sauce begin to rumble ominously. Then, with a speed I hadn't ever seen my sister use for anything but the day after Wassalia sale at Spells Fifth Aveue, Cordelia shoved my mother out the way, grabbed the pot off the stove, and threw it out the open window towards the small creek just beyond the deck. The whole thing exploded spectacularly before hitting the ground, coating the grass with oozing hot lemon slime.
"Something always happens the first time, dear, don't fret." My mother laughed good naturedly taking out another pot and a new bottle of lemon drops.
My sister agreed, laying a hand on Sofia's arm and giving her a kind smile.
But when Sofia turned to me and our eyes locked it was like someone flicked a switch and I felt compelled to say something.
"So enchanted cooking is clearly not a strong a suit." Something spiteful apparently.
I wasn't always nice, even to Sofia (though I did try much harder these days). But even when I was cranky she usually took it with aplomb.
Not today.
"My cooking, enchanted or not, is always wonderful. I can hardly be blamed for being sabotaged by someone intentionally sneaking up on me!" She retorted huffily.
"Who's sneaking? It's breakfast isn't this where everyone is supposed to be? Should I enchant music to go before me into a room or some such so you'll always know when I'm coming?"
My mother and sister were just starting at us uncomfortably while I watched Calista edge out of the room from the corner of my eye.
"Why go to all that trouble," she bit back. "I'm sure we can find you a nice bell at that pet store or something."
"Ahhh! Cedi darling why don't you find Jullian and your father, while we get another pot of sauce on. Don't want your birthday crepes to get cold do we?" My mother asked, before basically shoving me out of the room.
As soon as I was by myself, I felt immediate regret for the way I'd acted, and for doing it in front of my family. I realized my mood seemed to have swung rather violently from one extreme to another and back again too. I'd been so mad at Sofia just seconds ago and now it was gone!
What on earth was wrong with me?
Shrugging my shoulders I decided to let it go. We would just forget about it and have a good rest of the day.
Except we didn't.
Every time Sofia and I were in the same room for the entire rest of the day an argument broke out. Each one was worse than the one before it, until finally we'd managed to end up in a screaming match over the deck table where we were having cake. My family sat silently, gapping at us like we were insane as I picked up my piece of cake and hurled it at Sofia's head.
Being a flying derby champ her reflexes were sharp and she ducked just in time to miss the confectionary projectile, standing back to her full height with barely a flinch at the sound of the plate shattering against the stone wall behind her.
She opened her mouth to say Merlin only knew what, but I'd had enough and wasn't sticking around to hear anymore. Instead I overturned my chair dramatically and stalked off into the woods.
I hadn't gotten very far when I heard my name.
"Cedric! Cedric get back here right now! We're not done!" She was shouting behind me, her foot falls coming hard and fast as she rushed to catch up to my longer stride.
"Oh I think we're absolutely done!"
"So Is this how it's going to be? You're just going to cut and run whenever things get rough between us?"
Rough? Things had passed rough well before lunch!
Fingers wrapped around my upper arm and, with a strength I often forgot she possessed, she forced me round to face her.
"I didn't run away, I ended the conversation. You just can't abide the fact someone walked away from you!"
"No, I'm fine with anyone else not wanting to be around me, but we're getting married, that kind of implies your being around me."
"Then maybe we shouldn't be getting married because you've done nothing for the past forty-eight hours but piss me off! If I can't stand two straight days in your company I don't know how we're going to make it another fifty years!" I yelled, yanking my arm back.
Sofia got a look on her face I don't think I'd ever seen before. It was…vindictive.
"Fifty years," she laughed and an alien cruelty twisted her features, "don't flatter yourself! You're practically a bag of bones as you are! I'd bet your halfway to the grave already!" I flinched back, wounded like I'd never been by anyone before.
Everything inside me went hard and cold. I looked her up and down, noticing the utter shock in her big blue eyes and the way she'd clapped her hands over her mouth as though she was afraid of what new terrible thing might jump out next.
This was the woman I loved. The woman I'd fallen so hard and so deep for I'd willingly given up my nefarious schemes and reformed my villainous ways. This was the woman whose every artless look and innocent word made my heart ache and my body tighten.
But I didn't see any of that. All I saw was someone I suddenly couldn't stand.
"Maybe as terrible as today has been it was for the best. You and I," I gestured between us, "are obviously a mistake."
Her hand dropped from her mouth and her eyes narrowed.
"I think that's the first thing you've said all day I can agree with."
"Good, then why don't you go home and tell your parents you're a free woman. I dare say your father will celebrate."
"So will I." She bit out, turning away from me in a swish of skirts before pulling out her wand and disappearing.
The minute Sofia was gone it was like someone took a pin to the giant balloon of rage inside me.
What was going on? What on earth had compelled us to act that way, to say those things?
I started slowly back to my parent's cottage, thinking over the day, feeling stupefied and not a little ashamed. I'd woken up so excited about being with Sofia but my mood had taken a swift downturn as soon as I'd laid eyes on her. And so had hers.
Still bad day or no, we'd never stooped to mocking insults and cutting each other where we knew it would hurt most. And I'd never, ever been violent with her before! I also realized I hadn't meant a single word I'd said all day. And I was pretty sure Sofia hadn't either. I knew she didn't think I was ugly or old! She'd proven over and over in the last (almost) year she thought exactly the opposite. She loved me and saw me as attractive and desirable.
She was insane, clearly, but not cruel or vindictive! So what in Neptune's nettles had happened?
I entered the yard to see the cake flinging had ended the party and my sister and her family had fled.
My parent's were cleaning up, my father floating the dirty dishes into the kitchen sink and my mother directing the enchanted broom around the deck.
"Cedi?" My mother's voice was tentative as she laid down her wand leaving the broom to hover under the table.
"It's over." I said, disbelieving the words even as I said them.
"Oh Cedi no!" My mother clasped her throat and shook her head solemnly.
"Cedric you have to go after her, change her mind!" My father declared, because of course he assumed Sofia had dumped me.
"She didn't end it with me, I ended it with her. We're…wrong for each other." With all of our many differences it should have been obvious from the beginning we were mismatched, but up until today I'd never believed anyone was more right for me than her!
"Oh but you're not Cedi! You're not! Your father and I, we're just the same way and even though we've had our bad days from time to time, some worse than the one you two just had, we've never doubted it!"
I had no idea how any two people could've had a day worse than today and still carried on. But I was well aware that despite the fact they acted like a docile old couple now, crazy didn't even really scratch the surface of my parent's relationship. Still…
"Sofia and I aren't you and father!" I mumbled.
Even as I said it the words felt false. Hadn't Sofia and I joked often about how we were exactly like them? Weren't most magical couples like us? Opposites that seemed peculiarly paired to the casual observer but actually fit together with a kind of elemental perfection.
"I'm so sorry for everything today father, mother. I promise I'll make it up to you, but I have to go now." I said, pulling out my wand.
My room was cold and dark and I assumed I was alone, until I heard a voice up in my workshop.
"You had something to do with this didn't you?" It was Sofia, but I had no idea who she could be talking to.
Until a high pitched squawk echoed off the stone walls.
"I'm right aren't I?" She asked, getting louder by the moment. "Tell me what you did or so help me I'll turn you back into a rock myself you, you, you…," nearly eighteen and Sofia still hadn't mastered the art of cursing. "You HORRID bird!"
My heart clenched at her artlessness. I loved her! I loved her so much! I had to make this right.
I rushed up the stairs and threw aside the curtain but the minute I laid eyes on her the warmth of love melted away and I was instantly, outrageously pissed off all over again. How dare she yell at Wormwood! How dare she come here when she knew I was gone, as though she had some gods' given right to intrude on my personal, private space!"
She turned when she heard the curtain scrape across the rod and her face went through a rather acrobatic contortion of emotions before she seemed to grit her teeth in effort and hold up her hand.
"Wait! Before you say anything, tell me how you were feeling five minutes ago."
I had no idea why she was asking, but for some reason I answered.
"Remorseful, desperate, I couldn't believe what we said to each other and I wanted to find a way to get you back."
"And how do you feel now?"
"Like I want to tear your head off!"
"When we left Wormwood in the attic yesterday he made a wish in front of the mirror. That's why we're ripping each other apart like this."
"Why would Wormy do that?" I asked looking at my familiar and seeing the truth in the way he was puffing himself up and raising his beak towards the ceiling.
"Because he's feels like you've betrayed him, and all the sinister dreams you two used to have, for me. He doesn't want us together. He thought if he made us fight you'd realize being with me was a mistake and break it off and then things would go back to normal."
Mother fucking conjured piece of shale shit!
"Because If you tried anything else you figured we'd find our way back to each other, is that it? But this way I'd believe I came to the decision myself."
Wormwood squawked once, loud and indignant, and began preening his feathers.
"What did he say?" I asked her.
"You really don't want me to repeat it."
My indignation flared and I was about to bark out that I wouldn't have asked if I didn't want to know, but I shut my mouth just in time. I wasn't really angry, or at least I wouldn't be if it weren't for Wormwood's wish.
"We should go to the attic." I said instead.
Sofia swallowed hard, probably stifling some nasty comment of her own, and nodded her agreement.
A long, silent half hour later we were standing in front of the mirror again.
"I wish Cedric and I weren't being compelled to fight with each other anymore… right away please!"
The mirror shimmered and suddenly all my rage melted away.
Sofia sighed.
"I wasn't sure if I worded that right, but I think it's okay now." She raised big, beautiful, worried blue eyes to me. "How do you feel?"
I stepped closer to her.
"Angry," She grabbed at my forearms in fear. "At Wormwood." I clarified, pulling her close. "Otherwise I feel utterly and completely in love with you, and so, so sorry for every terrible thing I said today. We aren't a mistake! You and I are the smartest thing I've ever done."
Sofia's eyes closed but a small smile betrayed her relief.
"Oh Cedric, I'm so sorry!" She nuzzled her face into my robe. "You know I didn't mean any of it! You aren't…," she shook her head in vexation, frustrated tears forming at the corners of her eyes, "I can't even repeat those horrible things I said. You're beautiful and perfect and I love you and want you so much!"
I shushed her by cupping her cheek in my hand and lifting her lips to mine.
"Why don't we just forget all this ever happened." I suggested when we pulled apart.
"Does this mean we're still together?"
"I hope it means you still intend to marry me." I couldn't keep the little niggle of worry out my voice.
Sofia just nodded her head and a few of those tears broke loose and trailed down her cheeks. I couldn't resist kissing them away.
"We should get downstairs."
I nodded but then couldn't help looking at the mirror.
"You know Sofia this mirror could give us anything." I let go of her feeling strangely tempted to touch the magic object's surface.
"Cedric, don't." She pulled my hand back.
"Think about it!"
"What do you want that we don't have?" She asked, warily.
At first I couldn't think of anything, the way I always come up blank when I'm at the charmacy without a list, looking at so many options they all blur together. But then I remembered my wish from yesterday.
"I could wish to be seventeen again." I whispered, left a little breathless by the idea of getting a do over at life and with Sofia by my side.
Suddenly the mirror started to glow.
Sofia sucked in a breath, but nothing happened.
"I didn't actually make a wish." I pointed out, hoping that would calm her. But instead I found her pointing to the mirror.
My seventeen year old self was staring back!
When I looked down though I was still the same old me.
"I didn't know it could do that." There was a strange sort of awe in her voice. "We didn't know what the mirror was when dad made his wish so we weren't thinking aloud about it beforehand.
Sofia walked into the mirror's range of reflection and there we were, two teenagers together. I put my arm around her and pulled her into me while we watched ourselves in the enchanted surface.
"Look at us!" I whispered in her ear. "It would be wonderful, Sofia. There's so many things I would do differently if I had them to do again. I wouldn't let them shut me up in that tower to perform parlor tricks for your sister's balls. We could leave here, go off on adventures. Together I could be the person I always wanted to be and you could be the person you're meant to be. Your father might even be more approving of us if I were this way."
She continued to stare at the mirror for a long time saying nothing.
"Please tell me what you're thinking?" I implored when her silence became too much to bear.
"I was thinking, if we had been kids together I would have been just as head over heels for you then as I am now."
I tried to see what she did, but all I saw was a gangly lad with messy, longish hair and a too big nose. Just me, except younger and, embarrassingly, skinnier.
"We could be. All I have to do is make the wish."
Sofia stared at us for a moment longer and then shook her head. "But what if it actually makes you seventeen again?"
I looked at her blankly.
"When you were seventeen I hadn't even been born! What if it makes you mentally seventeen again and not just physically? What if you don't remember me?"
I hadn't thought of that. "I'll have to word it just so." I offered.
Sofia shook her head again, more vehemently this time.
"No Cedric, it's just like I said yesterday. It seems like it will be wonderful until you get what you wished for! Did you even like being a teenager?"
I thought about it for a moment.
"Not really no, but that probably had more to do with circumstances. If you were with me, I know it would be wonderful!"
"But what if it's not?" She paused to let me consider that. "Cedric why should we mess with fate for no reason? I love you, as you are right now! I don't need you to be younger and I don't care if it would make my dad, or anyone else, more inclined to approve of us. He gave us his blessing and we are together. That's all that matters to me!
If you want us to go off on adventures, I'm all in! If you want more from life than we can have it, now, just as we are! The only thing I would want, if I could have it, would be to make sure no one could manipulate us the way Wormwood did today!"
I gave us one last, longing look as young lovers and then I moved Sofia out of the way. She protested at first, until I put my hand behind the mirror and pushed. It came crashing down with a thunderous bang, shards of jagged glass raining onto the floor.
"Opps," I shrugged when I saw her astonishment.
Suddenly she was hugging me.
"Thank you!"
"What this?" I said pointing to the mirror. "That was a small feet for a master sorcerer like myself."
"No, thank you for not wanting anything more than us!"
"You make that easy!" I said before a sinister expression took my face. "Now how would you like to lift the ban on slaughtering animals for the rest of the night, and I'll make us some roast raven a la Cedric."
"I have a better idea." She said, her hands running up and down my chest.
I gave her my very best pout.
"But it's still my birthday. Doesn't the birthday boy get just one wish?" I let my lower lip tremble just a little knowing she found it almost completely impossible to resist.
She shook her head, but there was a smile on her face.
"How bout if I give you your birthday present instead?" She offered pulling the vial of potion from her pocket.
My face lit up and she took that as a yes. Taking my hand she pulled me down the attic steps. But instead of beginning the long descent back to the main part of the castle she took us out a small door onto the east roof.
"I believe I made you a promise a while back and I have yet to make good on it." She said, baffling me.
Then her wand puffed into her hand and the stopper from the potion popped open. Dipping her wand in the pearly white liquid she spoke a spell that was meant to amplify her voice.
I raised an eyebrow in question.
I'd performed this particular spell for the King many times so his voice would carry at public events, but we were alone out here, what could she possibly want it for? I didn't get the chance to ask because she took my hand and walked to the edge of the battlements. Once there she climbed on top of one of the guard stones that enclosed the roof from the fathomless drop to the water below.
"Sofia, what are you doing?" I screeched, fearing for a single moment she actually meant to jump.
She held my hand and lifted the other to balance herself better. Then she took a deep breath.
"I SOFIA OF ENCHANCIA LOVE CEDRIC THE SENSATIONAL!"
With the amplification spell and the enhancement potion her voice rung out, echoing loudly for miles around.
"I LOVE CEDRIC WITH ALL MY HEART!"
Lights were starting to come on in the castle and I tried to pull her down from the stone perch but she stood fast. Sofia shouted out four or five more times until she clearly had the attention of everyone in the castle and in the village.
I should have been embarrassed, but I couldn't be.
I was remembering her words from the night of Amber and James' ball. It was the night I'd unknowingly given her my grandmother's cursed bracelet. I'd been jealous of all those princes who would think she was up for grabs and so I'd asked her to wear it because we couldn't shout our love from the rooftops.
She'd slipped it on promising we wouldn't have to hide forever and vowing after we told her parents she was going to drag me to rooftop herself.
And here we were.