The fly back to Enchancia sailed smoother than anticipated (to Cedric's surprise). Yes, there had been the occasional unpleasant patch, but the royals inside the flying carriage either blamed it on the weather or the coachman who was supposedly falling ill. Cedric hadn't complained too much about it, either, after a while. He thought the fly was enough of a breeze. After once being in the back of a rickety coach flown by Princess Sofia, this was nothing.
The landing was almost a different story, but Greylock fortunately managed to bring the coach down safely. The horses did take a bit longer than they should have to perform the landing, and their hesitance had Greylock's blood running cold all up until they came to a stop. He had to take a short moment to catch his breath before moving to open the door for the royals.
The family all exited and made their ways into the castle. Another 'thank you' was given to Greylock by Princess Sofia before following after the rest of her family. Cedric was last to exit the carriage, just as he was last to enter, and so the Enchancian took a moment to look down at the other sorcerer before standing up.
"What was that before you took off?" Cedric asked, standing up and putting his hands on his hips.
Greylock tilted his head. "Well, I checked up on the horses, and-"
"Not that," Cedric hissed. "With the door?"
"Oh!" Greylock started before laughing. Cedric scowled a bit. "Don't let the door hit you on the way in, as they say!"
"That's not how the expression goes," Cedric replied, clearly unamused. "And no one says that." He added.
Greylock gave the other a mock bow before looking at the other man. "My apologies, Your Majesty," He said before offering a hand up to him.
Cedric rolled his eyes and let himself out of the carriage, rejecting the offer entirely. Greylock lowered his hand and cleared his throat, shutting the door and following behind the sorcerer. All the others were far enough away to where they were able to walk freely.
Greylock glanced back behind him. "What about the carriage?" He asked.
"I don't know what you mean," Cedric stated.
"Well, surely it doesn't stay right there, does it?" Greylock questioned.
Cedric stopped and turned around, humming in thought. "No, I suppose it doesn't," He mumbled. Coming out from the castle was another chauffeur. Cedric looked at him and called out to get his attention.
"You, there!" Cedric started, pointing at the man. The chauffeur looked over at the sorcerer. "Take care of that carriage. Our chauffeur is ill," He commanded.
The chauffeur affirmed the request before going to put away the carriage. Cedric gave a nod and turned back around.
Greylock looked at the other sorcerer in surprise. "You don't know the names of your chauffeurs?" He questioned.
"I don't get out of the castle much," Cedric offhandedly replied. "Not unless I'm there with one of the royals. And I used to have a flying machine to fly myself," He added, peering into the castle through the large doors to check if the coast was clear. Once certain, he gestured with his hand for Greylock to follow him.
Greylock trailed beside Cedric with his hands behind his back. "I apologize if my trick was a bit too mean," He said. His voice was genuine, although the glance Cedric caught directed at him after the words did not match. Greylock smirked. "It's just been so long since I've been able to pull your leg."
"You'll never stop tormenting me, will you?" Cedric questioned.
"Tormenting?" Greylock repeated, appalled by the word choice. "I highly enjoy trickery, and it's especially fun to interact with you, but tormenting?"
Cedric rolled his eyes at the dramatics. "You know what I mean. Surely you do," He replied.
"I haven't the faintest idea," Greylock dismissed, his lips curving to a smile. He grinned at seeing Cedric's scowl.
There really wasn't much for conversation after that- not until they were near the tower stairs. Despite the lack in conversation, the silence between them helped Greylock in noticing how Cedric still hummed a bit when he was to himself. It was a habit the other man always had during their years at Hexley Hall. Greylock wondered if perhaps a part of it was to break the silence.
They soon reached the top of the staircase. Cedric moved to retrieve the key to his workshop from the gargoyle statue at right. He unlocked the door and opened it wide, gesturing for Greylock to head inside as he put the key back.
Greylock looked around himself as he entered. The tower was very tall- he noticed this while seeing the multiple levels higher up along the sides. He found himself taking a particular liking to the stair railing. The workshop in all felt very suitable for Cedric.
"This is a very nice workshop," Greylock commented. "I find the color of the bricks interesting," He added
"Yes, this space suits my needs well," Cedric replied, moving beside Greylock. He reached out to grab hold of his suitcase from the other man's grasp.
Greylock noticed the way Cedric's fingers briefly grazed his hand. He took in a breath at the contact but quickly released his grip on the suitcase, looking down at the exchange. Cedric thought nothing of the touch and walked it over to the table, setting the luggage down by the floor and propping it up against one of the table legs.
"I'll take care of that later," Cedric commented, drawing his wand and pointing it at the wheely stool by his work table and casting doppler duplicato. He sat down on his typical one and pushed the conjured one away a bit with his foot before beckoning the other man to come over beside him.
Greylock found himself confused by the spell casting. Not the act itself, he figured, but more of how the spell sounded. He couldn't help but think it sounded a bit different than he had heard Cedric say the day before. On the other hand, Cedric was much more calm this time around, and his voice clearly showed that comfort. Greylock let himself lose his train of thought as he responded to the sorcerer beckoning him over, distinguishing his curiosity.
He walked over and sat down beside Cedric on the conjured seat. Greylock noticed the wheels and placed both of his hands between his legs, gripping the stool and spinning himself around. A smile rose to his face and he chuckled.
Cedric rolled his eyes but was admittedly humored by the act. It was quite good for spinning around in, after all. Luckily, Greylock stopped briefly after he had begun, and turned back toward him.
"That's quite fun," He commented.
"Yes, I suppose it is," Cedric agreed, placing his wand back into his sleeve. He rested an arm on the table and took in a breath, sitting up straight. "Right, about what happens next," He started, trailing off and coming to a pause as he studied the other man's reaction.
Greylock did not seem opposed to discussion, although he did have a look of confusion to him. "Yes, I suppose that should be the next step," He started with a short laugh, looking away as his humor faded. His gaze was past Cedric's shoulder and over by the window as he thought for a moment. "Well, I can't say I have a full-fledged plan drawn out for you, but I figure I'll move over into the village as soon as I can," He explained.
"Is that so?" Cedric questioned, sounding sort of displeased by this.
Greylock nodded. "Yes, of course. As soon as possible, just as long as that is most convenient for you," He continued.
Cedric hummed in distaste. "Well, I'm afraid that plan will not be most convenient for me," He said, folding his arms.
Greylock gently furrowed his brows. "Oh," He said, confused. He was unsure of what the problem was and hoped for some more elaboration. "I don't quite understand," He admitted, taking note of the sorcerer's unpleased expression.
"You don't think I'll have you run off the moment I've done all your complicated dirty work, do you?" Cedric quizzed, folding his arms.
Greylock felt a bit guilty at the question. "I suppose not," He replied, looking intently at him. He couldn't tell if Cedric was upset with his assumption or not. "What did you have in mind, then?"
Cedric's expression changed to an almost mischievous one, smirking in a way as though he were thoroughly pleased of his decision. "You're going to stay right here, assisting me with all the sorcery and potions I do in the workshop. From that, I'll dismiss you when I see fit." He said with a proud look about his choice.
Greylock blinked. "I'll... be staying here?" He questioned.
"Yes, that's right."
"With you? Every day?" Greylock continued, his eyes widened.
"There's no getting out of it, so don't beg me," Cedric added, glancing back at the other man. He noticed that the sorcerer was not nearly as distraught as Cedric had thought he would. If anything, he looked overly pleased with the news.
"Well, what a delightful surprise!" Greylock beamed, a smile plastered along his face.
"Until I see it fit for you to leave," Cedric added sternly, pointing at him.
Greylock nodded giddily. He wore an unshakeable grind on his face. "Oh, I'm so delighted! We're going to have so much fun together!" He said, getting up quickly. "What's there to do first?"
Cedric looked back at the other man with wide eyes. He began to think thst surely he would find this to be a mistake by the end of the week.
A hearty "Rise and shine!" was the first thing Cedric was exposed to the next morning. He opened an eye to see a slightly blurry figure of Greylock towering above him from the side. He alsp hadn't expected Greylock to greet him in his bedroom first thing in the morning (Or, at least, it felt like first thing in the morning after the sudden enthusiastic greeting).With a sigh, Cedric lazily raised his hands to rub his groggy eyes before propping himself up. He wondered if this is how he would be awoken every morning when he looked up to see Greylock's beaming expression.
Cedric soon noticed a concealed silver plate in the other man's hand. "What's that?" He asked.
"Just a little breakfast in bed I prepared for you!" Greylock responded, pulling out his wand and conjuring a wooden tray table on the bed.
Cedric was taken aback by this. He wouldn't have guessed Greylock would do something like this for him. A small smile came to his face. "Oh, that's... actually quite nice," He commented as Greylock placed the silver onto the wooden tray table. He then grew suspicious and looked back at the sorcerer. "Is this part of some prank?" He asked.
Greylock shook his head.
"Then what's the catch?" Cedric questioned.
"There's no catch!" Greylock assured, removing the dome from off the top of the plate. Cedric felt the steam come from the plate and approved of the admittedly good smells coming from the breakfast plate. Greylock moved the silver dome off to the side, placing it on Cedric's nightstand. "I figured it would be a nice idea to pleasantly surprise you this morning; and what better way than with a little something to start the day off right?"
Cedric hummed. "I suppose you're right- I wasn't expecting it at all. This is very... kind of you," He said, looking down at the plate. On it was a stack of pancakes neatly decorated with syrup and fruit. On the pancakes were strawberry slices and blueberries. On the side, a small bundle of raspberries and cantaloupe squares.
"I want to try and return the favors you've done for me lately as best as I can," Greylock replied. "You've been very gracious," He added.
"Yes, I have," Cedric agreed, taking a raspberry from the plate and popping it into his mouth.
Greylock looked down at the setup and gasped, his eyes widening. "Oh, I forgot the orange juice!" He said, facepalming.
Cedric was humored by his dramatics. "That's alright," He said, grabbing hold of his wand that rested on his nightstand. "I can conjure some now," He offered.
"Certainly not!" Greylock rejected. "Making it with magic is much less meaningful." He said.
"Not to worry," Cedric assured, waving his wand and conjuring a glass of juice onto his nightstand. "See? It's an easy fix," He said, picking up the glass to take a sip.
Greylock sighed, disappointed in himself. "But it was freshly squeezed," He mumbled, scratching the back of his neck.
Cedric placed the glass down and unsurely looked up at the other man, feeling hesitant to reply. "What are you talking about?" He asked.
"You don't think I used magic for all of this, did you?" Greylock replied.
Cedric stared blankly at him. "You didn't?" He asked with a monotone voice.
"No! I made it all fresh. It's much nicer that way, I like to think," Greylock informed.
The Enchancian gulped before continuing. "You... went down to the kitchen to... fix all this up?" He asked, gesturing with his hands.
"Yes, but it didn't take long," Greylock assured. "A-And no one saw me, if that's what you're worried about," He said.
Cedric looked fearful now. "Greylock, you can't just waltz around the castle like that!" He stated, fidgeting with his fork. "It isn't worth it," He added.
"Why, of course it was!" Greylock countered. "Making this is the least I could do to show my appreciation for how you've helped me lately. Besides, I was in and out without a trace," He said.
Cedric sighed. "You're going to be the death of me," He commented, picking up the utensils provided on the tray. He cut into the stack of pancakes and tasted the breakfast, pleasantly surprised with their flavor. Greylock's face lit up at the way Cedric's eyes widened the bit that they did.
"Good?" He asked, his heart reveling in the positive visual response.
Cedric was cutting further into the stack. "I... suppose you're off the hook with this," He casually replied before stuffing in another mouthful. "For now," He then added, his speech muffled.
"I'll be especially careful from now on," Greylock said, using his wand to conjure a chair and sitting down. "Now, what shall we be working on today?" He asked.
"I have some ingredients for my potions that I need to reorganize," Cedric responded, thinking further on what he had going on the day before. "Oh, and I had a package delivered to me yesterday that I haven't opened," He added.
"G'oh, how fun!" Greylock said. "And regarding the package, were you expecting it?" He asked.
Cedric shook his head. "No, not in the least. It's quite strange for my tower to receive mail. I usually only receive the occasional letter from mummy- er, my mother," He added, correcting himself.
"'Mummy'?" Greylock repeated, his lips curving into a smile. He held back a snicker and folded his arms on his lap.
Cedric groaned. "Yes, I have a nickname for my mother, how so very funny," He grumbled, folding his arms.
"No, it's rather cute," Greylock claimed, still smiling. "It's just that I remember how Cordy always called her 'mother'. I suppose I assumed the same for you, that's all." He said.
Greylock cringed during the short moment of silence that followed. He hadn't meant to bring up Cedric's sister. "Oh, I'm sorry. I know things were always complicated with you and... Cordelia," He said, the last bit ending slowly.
The Enchancian shook his head, putting a hand up. "We-We're on good terms now," He replied.
Greylock's eyes widened. "Really?" He asked, astonished.
Cedric made a sound of unsureness, gesturing a middle ground with his hand. "Better terms," He corrected, taking another sip of orange juice. Cedric was still on the fence in terms of what degree he forgave his sister.
"Why, that's quite the surprise," Greylock said. "With how stubborn Cordelia always was, I didn't expect her to have ever forgiven you for ruining her hair,"
Cedric scowled at the other man. "I did not ruin her hair," He stated, folding his arms and looking away.
"Oh... 'kay..," Greylock continued hesitantly, unsure about the claim.
Cedric noticed how Greylock didn't entirely believe his statement and huffed. How typical that he was blamed for the incident. He didn't wish to explain now, though.
"I'm going to get ready," Cedric said, moving the tray and bringing himself out of bed. Greylock suddenly worried if he upset him.
"I didn't mean- I'm sorry," He started. He couldn't tell how he was wrong about what he had said but figured it better to not ask right now.
"I don't need sympathy, I just need to get up. I can't lay around in bed all morning," He stated, moving to the dresser across from the other. He did not seem particularly mad, Greylock noticed, just... tired. There was some irony in that and their setting. "You should go downstairs," Cedric continued. "I know I have another bottle of hurricane dust filled, so I'll be looking for that." He added while taking out his regular clothes. Greylock nodded at the request to go downstairs and left the room.
One thing he took note of as he walked down the stairs was the intricate railing at the side of them. Their design was unlike anything he had seen in his own workshop- or the Rudistan castle, at that. He admired how well the tower suited Cedric, although he couldn't help but notice a lack of cozy feeling. Perhaps Cedric did not think this and was perfectly content in the space, but a cozy feeling was part of what Greylock hoped and intended to be for him.
He reached the bottom of the stairs and noticed how messy Cedric's desk was. He had hardly taken it into account the day before, but now that he was alone, it seemed much more prominent. He knew they would probably need it for today and wondered if Cedric would appreciate it being tidied. At any scattered or open book Greylock saw, he put bookmarks in place when appropriate, placing them in a small stack at the side of the desk. Any potions or ingredient bottles that were turned on their sides he placed right-side up. He put them toward the back of the table so they were out of the way but did nothing more; he figured Cedric already had a particular place for them all.
The workshop door opened suddenly. Greylock turned around in alarm at the noise- as far as he knew, Cedric hadn't been expecting any visitors. Princess Sofia rushed into the tower, calling out for the royal sorcerer.
"Mr. Cedric!" The girl said, a smile on her face. She stopped in her tracks at seeing Greylock standing there by the table. Her face fell slowly as she looked around for the sorcerer. "Mr. Cedric?" She called again, quieter, before looking at the unfamiliar man with concern.
There's just no avoiding this confrontation, Greylock thought. The princess was looking directly at him, after all. He gulped before turning directly toward her.
"Oh- hello," He began with a smile. "Are you Princess Sofia? I've heard so much about you!" Greylock said, taking a few steps toward the girl.
Sofia looked at the sorcerer in confusion. He looked familiar to her, although she couldn't put a finger on where he had seen him. "You're not Mr. Cedric," She observed.
"Quite right!" Greylock replied, offering his hand out to initiate a handshake. "My name is Greylock. I'm a friend of Cedric's," He said.
The princess moved back a bit, staring down at his hand before looking back up at the sorcerer. Her surprise was masked by suspicion. Greylock noticed the uneasy behavior and lowered his hand a bit.
Sofia didn't understand why Greylock was in the royal sorcerer's tower. How had he gotten to Enchancia in the first place? Her biggest wonder now, though, was why Cedric did not seem appalled that an evil troublemaker was in his workshop. There was not much Sofia knew about Greylock other than his wrongdoings in Rudistan and the way he tricked Cedric at the jubilee.
A sliding sound filled the void of silence in the workshop, both turning toward the direction of the noise. Cedric was properly dressed by now, sliding down the workshop's ladder and stopping himself just before reaching the ground. He revealed a well-filled ingredient bottle of Hurricane Dust to Greylock.
"I found the spare bottle!" He informed proudly, showing the ingredient to the other man just before noticing the princess standing there. He exclaimed, nearly dropping the glass container.
Sofia held hesitance in her eyes as they darted from Greylock to him.
"Mr. Cedric, what is Greylock doing here?" She asked, her tone more expectant of an answer than simply questioning.
The Enchancian chuckled despite the wave of nervousness hitting him. "Oh, not to worry, princess. He's just... helping me with my work, that's all." Cedric said, fidgeting with his hands a bit as he moved to stand beside Greylock. It wasn't exactly a lie, he figured, but the lie behind it still made him feel uneasy.
"But... he's supposed to be in jail!" Sofia replied, obviously worried. "We have to tell my dad."
"No!" The sorcerers exclaimed in unison, quickly looking at each other after the strange moment. In Greylock's case, he would be mortified if he were to be sent back to Rudistan's dungeon (Or any dungeon, at that). In Cedric's case, the last thing he wanted was to end up in a heap of mistrust with King Roland. He couldn't let that happen after working hard to get it back.
Cedric folded his arms. "I'm rather surprised at you, Princess Sofia. You're always so trusting of other people," He started. "And... animals," He added, the thought still strange to him.
"Animals?" Greylock repeated quieter, speaking to Cedric with confusion. The other man put a hand up in his direction, leading to him choosing to disregard the statement. Greylock turned to look back at Sofia and leaned over a bit, clasping his hands together. "Princess Sofia, I can't go back to my kingdo- t-to Rudistan. You must understand," He tried, although he was unable to read Sofia's expression.
The girl wanted to ask why. There were more questions in her mind than just the reasoning Greylock would offer. She could see a look of hurt in his eyes, although he also seemed as though he was keeping back some information. In truth, he still was hurting, and it may be some time before that changed.
"I'm afraid he's right," Cedric agreed, putting a hand on his hip. "Greylock was trying to do the right thing for Rudistan, princess." He reasoned.
"Yes! There was never any ill-will in my heart to my kingdom- only who is running it, like many others," Greylock added.
Sofia frowned slightly. "Well... okay," She agreed, still unsure of herself and the situation. "But we'll have to tell my dad soon. He'll figure things out eventually."
"I suppose it's inevitable, isn't it?" Cedric said, turning to look at Greylock who hesitantly nodded. "I can't keep you under the radar forever," He added.
"And I don't expect you to," Greylock replied, looking away and putting his hands behind his back. "Surely we'll say something soon, just... not yet?" He said, glancing back at the other man. Cedric agreed, Sofia following suit with more hesitance. Greylock sighed in relief at the confirmation, thanking the princess.
After a moment, Sofia took a step back and announced that she was leaving. She had forgotten all about what she was going into the workshop to tell Cedric. The royal sorcerer dismissed her kindly and the other man waved.
Cedric held up the spare bottle. "Now, about the ingredients," He told Greylock. The man's eyes lit up at the reminder, although he was taken by surprise when Cedric held the bottle close toward him with both hands. Greylock looked down by his chest and grabbed hold of the glass, his grasp taking the place of Cedric's grip as their fingers briefly passed each other. Cedric's hands were oftentimes cold, Greylock was beginning to notice. His own hands, like his face now was, were often much warmer in comparison. He wondered if Cedric has also taken notice of all their small moments of contact. Perhaps he hadn't, and Greylock was just being hyperaware of each touch.
It seemed that Cedric thought nothing of it as he turned away, walking toward the large shelf with bottom drawers holding many ingredient bottles. Greylock let out a breath and looked away at the door only to notice the princess still standing there. The sorcerer gasped with a short exclamation, putting a hand on his heart at the fright.
"Do you need something, Princess Sofia?" Greylock asked, his voice hushed. Why was she still standing there?
The princess had a hand on the doorknob of the opened tower but hadn't left- the talk of ingredients had left her interested in their plans. She looked up at the sorcerer and shook her head. "No," She replied. "Nothing. Sorry," She said before properly leaving, shutting the door behind herself. Greylock still felt a bit confused by her staying- had she noticed something?
His wonder on the matter went away as Cedric called out to him. Greylock turned to look at the other man who was now on the floor, taking out several bottles from the now open bottom drawer.
"Come over here," Cedric instructed, placing the bottles down on the ground and taking out his wand. "I need you to take out any ingredient bottled that are running low or are out." He said, looking up the tall tower as Greylock sat down across from him.
"Can do!" Greylock replied, looking down at the drawer and skimming through each bottle. Cedric pointed his wand up above himself and wordlessly cast a spell, a large barrel coming down by his guiding. The wooden barrel was set in front of the drawer, still close in range.
Greylock briefly looked up at the barrel while setting down a few near-empty ingredient bottles on the stone floor. Cedric grabbed hold of one and looked at the label.
"Eggshell powder," He read to himself, standing up and placing it on the table. He then looked over the barrel and went through a couple of burlap bags before coming across the same ingredient. Cedric took the matching bag to the table and set it down, looking for a funnel.
Greylock hummed. "This is quite the organized system," He commented.
"Perhaps it is," Cedric replied, placing the funnel into the open bottle and untying the bag of eggshell powder. "I've never thought much of it. My father always did it this way, so it's how I learned. I believe Cordelia does the same with her own workshop, although I can't talk up her organization strategies," He said, shuddering at the thought. Greylock chuckled.
As Sofia descended the tower, she felt an internal conflict in her mind at the secret she had just been made aware of. The princess figured her father would surely discover or hear of Greylock's residency in the castle soon enough. If not the king himself, then certainly one of her siblings, the castle servants, or...
Or Baileywick, she thought, just as she noticed the steward at the bottom of the stairs to the workshop. She gasped at his appearance, almost certain that his visit up the tower was unplanned. She looked down at the floor and contemplated her choice before rushing to meet the steward.
"Princess Sofia? What a delightful surprise. How was your trip?" Baileywick asked, clasping his hands in front of him.
The girl smiled at the question. "It was great! King Magnus' castle is beautiful, and he has an entire room of the kingdom's history!" She commented.
The steward seemed pleased by the response. "It's very good to hear you had a nice time," He said, choosing not to speak further on the matter. "Good afternoon, princess," he added, excusing himself as he began to ascend the staircase.
Sofia's eyes widened. "Wait!" She exclaimed in haste, putting her hands out in front of her. Baileywick stopped just in front of her, although he had a raised eyebrow. Sofia gave a short chuckle, guilt grazing her mind as she thought up a diversion. "I, uh... can't find my luggage!" She claimed, placing her hands behind her back.
"Oh, dear," Baileywick said, his brow furrowing slightly. "That won't do at all."
"Do you think you could help me find it, please?" Sofia asked.
Baileywick briefly checked his pocket watch at the time and gave an affirming nod. "I certainly can," He affirmed, putting the clock back into his pocket. He turned and outstretched his arm. "After you, Princess Sofia," He said, letting her lead the way.
"Great," Sofia said, mainly to herself, with a quieter tone. She hurriedly walked away from the staircase, the steward following suit.
Although she felt more relief after successfully distracting Baileywick, she wondered what it was he needed to visit Cedric about. If it was important enough, he would surely go back soon enough. Luckily, it hadn't seemed urgent, considering how Baileywick did not hesitate to assist her. Sofia also wondered if the steward held any suspicions after her hasty request. Baileywick always seemed to know if something was wrong. Perhaps she was just overthinking all of this as they walked in near silence. She wondered if there was a way she could warn the sorcerers when or if Baileywick did go back.
Along the way, the steward asked Sofia a few questions about the luggage situation. The girl answered each one with hesitant confidence.