Getaway

The sand dunes of Tangu whizzed by as the gold, red, and black magic carpet sped through the air. Holding the carpet's front tassels, her hair blowing in the wind, Sofia scanned the desert. When she caught sight of a familiar grove of very tall bamboo trees, she smiled happily. "There it is! We're almost there."

"Thank Merlin," Cedric muttered from his place behind her. He had been clinging to his wife's waist for dear life ever since the carpet had left Tangu's palace. How Sofia had managed to convince him to ride the thing was beyond him. She certainly wasn't concerned with becoming a young widow, although he wasn't about to make her one, if he could help it, that is. "Then we can get off this wretched— AHH!" He let out quite a girlish scream when the carpet did a loop in the air.

Sofia laughed gaily, even as she tugged lightly on the tassels to straighten out the mischievous carpet.

When they reached the grove of tall trees, the carpet dived into an opening at the top of the leafy canopy and flew downwards, stopping just above the ground. Cedric just barely had time to sigh in relief and release his hold on Sofia before the carpet bucked him off, causing him to fall into a pile of sand.

"Ugh…" The sorcerer pushed himself up and spat sand out of his mouth.

"Carpet, that wasn't very nice," the princess scolded lightly as she hopped off of it. She smiled and petted its soft fabric. "Thank you for bringing us here. Do you think you can come back in a few hours?"

The carpet seemed to nod before flying upward and disappearing through the opening high above.

"You really trust that enchanted rug to come back for us?" Cedric grumbled as he got to his feet and dusted himself off. "I don't think it even likes me."

Sofia couldn't help giggling at her husband's childish declaration. "That's because you're afraid of it," she explained, brushing some sand off his robe. "That carpet used to be wild, and a wise princess once told me that when a carpet knows you're afraid, it will walk all over you."

He sighed in agitation and folded his arms. "I just don't trust household objects that have minds of their own, my love. Don't you remember what happened to Yensid's apprentice when he enchanted a broomstick?"

"Oh, Cedric, will you just relax?" Placing one hand on his chest, she rose on her tiptoes and gave him a long kiss. When she pulled away, she smiled upon seeing the dazed look on his face. "Feeling better?"

"Very much so," he replied, finally smiling as he unfolded his arms and wrapped them around her, pulling her close. "But I don't understand why you wanted us to come here of all places." He looked around them, noting that they were surrounded by trees that grew so close together he couldn't see the desert beyond. The only way out was through the opening high above. "Where are we exactly?"

"This is the Hanging Gardens," she told him. "I was here a couple of times when I was younger. And I wanted to come here because… well…" She blushed as she smiled up at him, reaching up to run her fingers affectionately through his gray bangs. "I wanted us to be alone, just the two of us, where no one can find us."

Cedric nodded in understanding. They were currently on vacation in Tangu with the rest of the Enchancian royal family. While Cedric did appreciate being included in the family vacation, and while he did enjoy some of the activities they did together, he'd yearned to take his wife somewhere away from prying eyes. He reached up to grasp her hand, kissing her fingers before lowering it. "Did I ever tell you how clever you are?"

"Once or twice." She winked playfully. "But I'm not as sensational as you are."

"I beg to differ. I happen to think you're the most sensational princess in the Ever Realm." He grinned, loving the way she blushed at his words. "I also think you look better in that outfit than Princess Hildegard does in all her Tanguan finery."

"Oh, Cedric…" Sofia couldn't help laughing. She was dressed in a lavender outfit that consisted of beggy pants and a top that left her shoulders and midriff bare. Her hair was up in a high ponytail. She knew she didn't look quite as breathtaking as Hildegard, but she was comfortable, so she didn't care. When she calmed down, she stepped away from him and pulled her wand from a pocket in her pants and conjured a blanket, which magically spread itself over the sandy floor. She sat down and set her wand aside, smiling as he joined her. She leaned against him as he wrapped an arm around her.

"Sofia?" Cedric asked softly after a few minutes of silence.

"Hmm?"

"What did you have in mind for this little getaway of ours?"

She moved to sit in front of him and reached up to tug his bowtie loose. She smiled coyly as she pulled the yellow fabric from around his neck and tossed it aside. "I had a few ideas."

He chuckled. "Then we'd better get started before that wretched carpet gets back." He leaned down to kiss her clavicles, his lips making a trail of kisses down the expanse of exposed skin to the edge of her top. His hands found their way to her waist, his fingertips caressing her smooth skin.\

Sofia moaned in delight at the feeling of his touches. She gently pushed him back and pulled her top off, throwing it aside. She smiled at her husband, who was watching her longingly. "Love me, my sensational sorcerer."

"As you wish, my sensational princess." He kissed her deeply as he pushed her back onto the blanket.

A/N: Cedfia limes ripe for picking. LOL! I first got this idea while messing around with a Sofia bot on Discord, and when the prompts for this week came out, I decided to use the idea for Vacation. By the way, yes Hildegard is married to Zandar in here. I was going to write that Amber and James had spouses on the vacation, but it didn't feel necessary. I hope you liked it.