One Month Later

Sofia gave her siblings a worried look from across the table. Ivy, who was sitting between the twins, hadn't taken her eyes from her hands all throughout breakfast. Throughout her month in the castle, she had been growing more and more distant. Nobody dared bring it up, as they knew she was mourning, but it was still worrying.

"Hey, Ives," James said, "you haven't eaten anything. You want a cookie?"

"They're scones, James."

"Meh, basically the same thing."

Ivy shook her head.

"Are you feeling okay?" Sofia asked. "I could see if Cedric has anymore of that potion if you need it."

"No, I'm fine." Ivy stood up, pushed in her chair, and took only a small bread roll from the table. Without another word, she briskly walked out of the room.

Sofia waited a few seconds after the door closed. Then, she stood up as well. "I'm going after her."

"Just make sure to be careful," Amber said. "Go ahead, we'll be out on a few minutes."

Sofia nodded and rushed out. It took a few minutes, but she eventually spotted her walking down the hall. Her head was down, and her right arm was clutching at her left shoulder.

"Hey, Ivy? Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine. Just...going up to Cedric's workshop."

"I can tell you're not okay. You got along so well with Amber and James, but now you only really talk to the adults, and that's only when you have to. I haven't even seen you eat in two days."

Ivy didn't turn around, but she didn't keep walking. "I'm..."

"Can't we just talk about this? You're not fine. Just let me help you."

"There was a long silence. Finally, without saying a word, Ivy sat down with her back against the wall. She held the bread roll in her hands, staring at it, though it seemed her mind was elsewhere. Sofia sat next to her and put her hand on her shoulder, allowing the silence to continue.

"You know I want to spend time with you, right?" Ivy's hands danced with flames, but she barely seemed to notice. "Your family is so nice. You and Amber and James, Baileywick and Cedric..."

She nodded.

"And your mom and dad are great, Sofia. They're so different from mine, but they...they still care. I miss my mom and dad. I miss them, so much, Sofia..." She said this as if trying to justify her feeling. "But...have...have you ever missed someone, and then met someone who made you feel the same way you felt about the person you missed? Like...a friend left, but then you met someone who made the same sort of jokes? Someone who felt different but just also felt...right?"

Sofia nodded. She had suspected something like this, but it was entirely different to hear it confirmed.

"I'm...I'm just awful. I..." She shook her hear and stood up, pulling at her hair. "I need to go."

This time, Sofia didn't try to stop her. Instead, she got up and gave her a hug. "Go ahead. I'll be here if you need to talk."

Ivy lingered in the hug for about thirty seconds. Then, she pulled away. "Thanks. See you later, Sof."

As she watched Ivy walk away, Sofia heard footsteps behind her.

"So, what's going on?" James asked. "Is she okay?"

Sofia waited until Ivy had turned the corner. Then, making a decision, she turned to face her siblings. "I need to go talk to mom and dad."

"And that's what happened." Ivy groaned. "Why do I have to be so...terrible?"

Cedric dropped some herbs into the small cauldron. "Oh, I'd say you're quite the opposite. There's nothing you could have done about any of this."

"But there was! I just let the Ocean pull me away! By the time she got to them, they were already-"

"Dead? Forgive my bluntness, my dear, but it's for your own good: there was no possibility of them surviving. You, despite your magic, are a child. A child who was up against gods. Your parents and the gods aligned with them could do nothing by reasoning or battle, there is nothing you could have done."

"But...I could have...no, I should have stayed! I should have died with them, but...now I'm here! In a castle!"

Cedric sighed. "You told me your father pushed you off the boat, correct? To get you in the care of the ocean goddess, where you would be better protected?"

"...yeah."

"Well, he and your mother likely knew what was coming and decided your safety was paramount. All good parents would lay down their lives for their children. It's their duty and responsibility. I'm sure your parents are glad you're alive and safe." He pointed his wand at an empty glass bottle across the room, summoning it without saying a word. "But, I have a feeling you're not saying something. Is that really all you spoke to Sofia about?"

"Grrrr...no." Ivy made a ball of ice and threw it to the ground. "I just...I'm betraying them. I'm just so tired of feeling, but then I can't feel and it's scary. And I just wish..." She sighed and pulled at her hair. "Do you think the king and queen...when do you think they're gonna make me leave?"

Cedric froze. He very much wanted to say that she could always stay, that she would never have to leave, but he had no way of guaranteeing it.

"It will all work out in the end," he managed, wincing internally at just how generic and insensitive the statement was.

Ivy sank to the floor in despair, the potted plants around her beginning to grow and twist in unnatural ways. "That's what my mom and dad said before they were murdered! Now they're dead, I'm supposed to be dead, and I'm starting to love people who I'm going to be torn away from!"

There was a minute of silence as Ivy began to cry. Just as Cedric began to recover from the shock and realize what she had just admitted to, the door swung open.

"Cedric, King Roland would like to speak to you." Baileywick paused, his expression going from happy to startled. "Oh, Ivy, what happened?"

The poor girl pulled her knees up to her chest and continued to clutch at her hair, which was flashing shades of bright red and orange. Tears were streaming down her face and she was shaking like a leaf in the wind.

"Would you like to talk to Baileywick while I'm gone?" Cedric asked.

She shook her head frantically and waved her hands in a quick, repeated motion. It was a simple gesture, but the meaning was clear: Please, don't make me talk. I can't.

"We won't force you. Baileywick, if you would stay with her for a while? She should be doing better in around fifteen minutes."

"Of course." Baileywick took off his tailcoat and put it around the shaking girl.

"Alright. Oh, what does Roland want to see me about?"

"He only said that it's important."

"...that's quite concerning. Should I meet him in the throne room?"

"By the rose bushes in the garden."