"I told you – stop bringing it up!"
Sofia grunted in anger as she sat on Cedric with her on top of him on the ground while punching him repeatedly on the face. He had to put his arms up in front of his face to prevent being knocked out
"It's not my fault you can't take a joke.." he responded, as he swiftly swung a punch right on her cheek, finally hitting her that it made a satisfying sound. Cedric felt victorious for a second before finally getting pinned down on the ground with the girl herself on top of him and giving him a couple of blows on the head
There was no getting out of this, and so, Cedric had to made the decision
"Okay Okay… you win. I'm sorry"
Hearing this finally brought a smile to her face as she rolled away on top and sat next beside him instead. Sofia was hyperventilating, and is clearly catching her breath after their whole activity. And there they were, laying next to each other on the field and watching the stars up above on the sky.
To some, this may seem too violent, but for them, it was their way of bonding. They have fought each other countless of times with all the disputes and arguments that they had… but at the end of the day, the brotherhood between them prevails.
Cedric sat up and turned to her "For someone as manly as you… you sure are sensitive huh.."
Infuriated, Sofia glared at him quickly which he only responded with a laugh. She was still catching her breath, but she was ready to pound him again anytime
"You just want to rile me up, don't you?" she looked away
"What can I say? You really have a very punchable face" Cedric joked
"Shut the fuck up." Sofia scoffed in defiance as she also sat up from her position
Cedric turned to her and notices the scratches and injuries that were on her face from his punch. Despite her win, she also took damage from him too and it looks pretty nasty.
Without hesitation, the Sorcerer pulls out his wand and turned to her
"Look this way"
The tomboy faced him and closed her eyes. They had done it a couple of times that she already knew what was going to happen next. In a quick second, a whoosh sound came out of his wand and her face was okay again like before…
It was that spell that could fix any fresh injuries done to anyone within five minutes. Pretty convenient to hide the aftermath of their whole rambunctious fight
It was like they never even had that bloody fight to begin with
"Who needs the fountain of youth when you got spells like this, right?" Cedric jested as she opens her eyes and rolled them at him "We gotta preserve this face for your birthday tomorrow"
"Kinda unnecessary don't you think?"
"What is?"
"Ah never mind.." she shrugged her arms away as she turns to him "Anyways, since you lost and I won. You got to do something for me"
"Sure, whatever you need, Bud" Cedric stretched his back and layed on the ground
"It's for tomorrow"
"Your birthday?" he asked
Sofia nodded slowly as she picks a flower from the ground and points it at the moon. With one eye closed, she slowly inspects the petals from the light of the stars
"I want you to dance with me at the ball… just like last year"
Hearing this made Cedric immediately look at her in bewilderment.
"You want me to dance with you?"
Sofia nodded "just like last year.." she whispered under her breath
"That won't be necessary" Cedric answered which garnered a reaction from her "Because you'll have suitors and princes attending for sure"
"How do you know?"
"I made sure of it.." He winked at her
"Cedric.." her eyebrows furrowed to each other as he turned to him. Her fists also clenched the grass on the ground
"Okay okay… I might've forced them on doing so"
"You idiot! why would you do that!?" She finally snapped on his face
"Sometimes, we have to take matters into our own hands I guess.." Cedric shrugged in response
"Did you even bother consider asking me if I wanted suitors for MY BIRTHDAY!?" Sofia got on her feet and stood up
"I just don't want last year to happen again.." Cedric reasoned out and walked closer to him
"There was nothing wrong last year!" she yelled at him of anger "I had you… so it didn't matter"
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A sudden silence soon followed as Cedric was flabbergasted of what he just heard. Sofia on the other hand is still peachy about it
"Whatever Man, I'm outta here. Don't come to my birthday party tomorrow or I'll beat you up again"
Cedric raised his hand up for a dap but Sofia shoved it away and walked the other direction. She clearly was offended of what he did and it shows. Perhaps he shouldn't have done that in the first place.
He shrugged all those thoughts away and shook his head. A smile forms on his lips while moving his feet back to the direction back to Enchancia. Tomorrow is gonna be a busy day for sure… and he oughta take every rest he could have before it comes.
x X x
The castle sure had lots of things with a spice of everything in it with all the decorations glittered on every corner. Cedric couldn't help but wander while his feet were taking him to a certain room just ahead. It was finally the day of Sofia's birthday, and in his hand was the potion she asked him to do
Finally arriving to her door, Cedric knocked three times before leaning in "Yo S, I got your stuff here. Come get it!"
There was no response, and it seemed like the knocks only echoed from the inside. Cedric decided to knock again but there was still no response
"Are you looking for Sofia?"
A sudden regal voice from behind took Cedric out of nowhere as he almost jumped to see the Queen herself smiling at him
"Q-Queen Miranda… Good Morning" the Sorcerer gave a bow of respect
"Good Morning as well. I didn't quite understand with the way you talk to her but I assumed you were looking for her" Miranda spoke
"I was just here to deliver the potion your daughter asked for later"
"She's preparing in the dressing room right now, but I can deliver it to her" Miranda said as Cedric then presented the vial on his hand which she eagerly accepted the potion and looked at it on her hands "What does it do?"
"It makes your hair grow long, your Majesty" Cedric responded politely "She said she needed it for her final look tonight"
"My Sofia all dolled up!" Queen Miranda uttered in enjoyment "I can't wait to see her tonight. It's been years since I've seen Sofia in a dress"
For some reason, Cedric looked away and felt guilty. His demeanor was then caught on by the Queen
"Aren't you excited as well, Cedric?" she eyed him
"Whatever Sofia dresses up to be is none of my business, your Majesty. But I'm pretty sure she'd look great in any of them" His answer was composed and polite, unlike his usual hip vocabulary or sentences
"I must go. There's still some work back at the workshop. Please do inform me if I can be of any assistance, Your Majesty" Cedric did another bow and turned his heel to the other direction
"Cedric." Suddenly, he stopped and turned to her
"Do you think Sofia's odd?"
Cedric was bewildered for a moment with such a random question "Queen Miranda?"
Queen Miranda nodded "I love my daughter no matter what, but her lifestyle, choices and demeanor is so unlike other princesses. I just worry sometimes that she may be deemed as an oddity in society and they won't accept her"
"Sometimes, I fear she won't get any attention from any man whatsoever… especially not that she's come of age. I fear it'll be just like last year"
"I see nothing wrong with Sofia, Your Majesty. She's wonderful as she is" A smile forms on the Queen's face hearing this "And to anyone who can't see her worth with their shallow standards can all go back to whatever third-world kingdom they crawled out from"
A chuckle came out of the Queen hearing this which Cedric also did the same "You're right. Somehow I had no doubts about you, Cedric. You're always with Sofia and she turned out to be such a good girl. She tells me about you a lot and your adventures together"
"Well. I just do whatever I can to look out for the princess, My Queen" he responded
Her eyebrow raised hearing this "Oh I know. James told us about the other day and how you coerced those poor princes to attend tonight"
Eyes wide, Cedric almost felt his whole body shut down hearing this. He'd get in trouble for sure
"W-Well… that was" Cedric tried to come up with all the possible excuses on his mind. Queen Miranda however just smiled and closed her eyes
"Is that also your way of looking out for her, Cedric?"
Hearing this somehow calmed him down. "Yes, that's right, Queen Miranda."
"Forgive me for prying but why are you doing all this, Cedric?" Her eyes narrowed slightly, emphasizing her serious intention "What is Sofia to you?"
"In all honest… I don't know either.." Cedric looked away again "I guess Sofia is my…"
"Homie?"
Shocked, Cedric turned to her. Miranda responded with a slight giggle "I heard it from James the other day but I don't know what it meant"
"That damn snitch.." he whispered to himself
After her series of giggles, Queen Miranda wiped a tear from her eye and walked up ahead "I must go now, Cedric. See you at the party tonight"
Cedric did a bow of respect as he turned his heel as well..
"And Cedric."
He stopped and turned around to the Queen once again
"I want to thank you for everything" she commented with a proud smile on her face "You're doing a great job as Sofia's friend.."
"Well, it is my absolute honor, Your Majesty–"
"Or Homie…"
He was interrupted with that snarky comment as Queen Miranda walked away quickly looking all satisfied with her joke. Cedric sighed, now he knows where Sofia got that side of her from.
"I guess even Queens get goofy sometimes"
Cedric then made his way back to the workshop to take a nice nap. He was finished with his work, what else is better to do?
When he finally made his way up to the staircase and unto the door, he noticed that it was locked for some reason. He tried buckling the knob but it won't open
"Is anyone in there!" Cedric yelled out as he tried to shank the door "It's me, Cedric. The Royal Sorcerer!"
"I-It's me.."
Cedric sighed. He knew the voice well
"What are you doing here… aren't you supposed to be preparing for tonight?" Cedric tried to open the door but it was still locked "And why did you lock the door?"
"I wanted to go somewhere… and I can't have you see me like this.."
"See you like what?" he questioned
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"Unlikely.." she hummed in a barely audible whisper
He scratched his head hearing this. He didn't understand what that meant. Sofia was never cryptic like this and she's always direct with her thoughts. Something must be really bothering her
"Unlikely? What do you mean by that?" he yelled out across the other side of the door
"I'm not my usual self.. and it's cringey. I look different too.. so back off" she spat out in response
"Back off? This is my workshop. You back off." Cedric sighed "How did you even make your way in anyways?"
"I climbed from the tower."
"Of course you would" He commented. Knowing this conversation was going nowhere, he figured he might as well lend her his ears on what's bothering her
"So, what's up? What do you have on your mind?"
"I'm scared.."
"Scared?" Cedric was surprised hearing this. Never did he expect such words to come out of brave and tough girl like Sofia "What are you scared for?"
"I don't know… I'm just scared.." Her voice showed hints of withdrawal and anxiety. Cedric was beginning to worry
"Is this about the suitors? I already said I'm sorry, didn't I?" he gently touched the door
"No. I couldn't care less about those guys" Sofia responded quickly "It's different…. Arghh, I can't explain it!" he groaned out in annoyance
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A sudden silence soon followed with not a word coming out of them, as Cedric could only assume what was bothering Sofia. He didn't know, he cannot read her mind. Unfortunately, he can't
"Hey Cedric… do you think I'm odd?"
He looked up at the door "What makes you think of that?"
"When I tried the dress earlier and looked at the mirror. I looked different. I felt different." She explained wholeheartedly which got Cedric invested
"It's like… I didn't know who the person in front of the mirror was. I didn't know who that girl was anymore… she was from a memory a long time ago."
"Bit of early to have an existential crisis don't you think.." he slipped in a snarky comment
"You're not helping." Sofia responded, rather unsatisfied
A chuckle came out of him. Despite this, Cedric didn't know what to say to her or what advice he should give her at all. But there was one thing he's sure of
"Look Man, I don't have much words to say, I'm not wise like my parents… and no one knows you better than yourself and you have to find the answer yourself." Cedric explained hoping she was listening "But no matter what happens, no matter what you become and no matter who you want to be… I'll always have your back, Sofia"
He leaned in closer to the door to whisper to her "No matter what.."
A moment passed before a response finally came from the door "Y-You promise?"
"Do I have to answer?"
He heard a giggle from the workshop which made him at ease. She was happy now
"You're coming to the party right? I didn't mean what I said last night." She pleaded in a gentle manner "Things would be easier and I'd be calm if you'd be there"
"Nah, I'm good. I'll probably read a book inside or something"
"This is a really nice vase you got from Sir Merlyn himself last year. It would be a shame if it would just fall to the ground, won't it?"
"What I meant to say was!" Cedric was quick to change his demeanor upon hearing that "I can't wait to see you at the party tonight, my smart and awesome friend"
"Good Boy," he could hear her smile despite the door between them. "I'll unlock the door now, but wait for ten seconds so I can leave from the windows"
"Okay." He responded. Cedric sat for a quick while and thought to himself about what she just said.
She's about that age, of course, Sofia would start questioning about herself and her identity. But for now, all Cedric can do is to be there for her no matter what…
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And to prepare for the night. It's been years since he last wore his blazer.