Chapter Six:
Now go stand in the corner and think about what you did
Ha, time for a little revenge
The story starts when it was hot and it was summer
And, I had it all I had him right there where I wanted him
She came along, got him alone, and let's hear the applause
She took him faster than you could say sabotage
I never saw it coming, nor would I have suspected it
I underestimated just who I was dealing with
She had to know the pain was beating on me like a drum
She underestimated just who she was stealing from
She's not a saint and she's not what you think
She's an actress, whoa
She's better known for the things that she does
On the mattress, whoa
Soon she's gonna find
Stealing other people's toys on the playground
Won't make you many friends
She should keep in mind
She should keep in mind
There is nothing I do better than revenge, ha
I'm just another thing for you to roll your eyes at honey
You might have him, but haven't you heard
I'm just another thing for you to roll your eyes at honey
You might have him, but I'll always get the last word
Whoa
She's not a saint and she's not what you think
She's an actress, whoa
She's better known for the things that she does
On the mattress, whoa
Soon she's gonna find
Stealing other people's toys on the playground
Won't make you many friends
-Taylor Swift, Better Than Revenge (Taylor's version)
Author's note: I'm a little underwhelmed with the number of reviews so far :( Please tell me how I'm doing so I can make this story more enjoyable for you to read.
Sofia retreated woefully to her bed, neatly untouched from the day before. Thanks to her interrupted sleep, her body craved for deep, intense relaxation. She clambered under the many layers, sinking her head on her pillow. In reality, it was bigger and plumper than Cedric's bed but it felt rock hard beneath her vacated body. A vast emptiness consumed her, pulling her into an unfulfilling, numb stupor. Her mind tangled in the weight of unspoken words, Cedric still blissfully unaware, deeply asleep up in his tower.
Her dreams were filled with caressing touches to her body, her breasts, Cedric's hands reaching down to stroke her dampen drawers. His black gaze when he slowly lowered into her. The consuming fullness of him moving inside her. Making her come.
A sudden scratching nose jolted Sofia awake as she abruptly sat upwards in bed. Heart pounding, she frantically whipped her head around, searching desperately for the source of the sound. Her gaze ran over the door, but it was closed. Baileywick hadn't arrived to wake her.
Just as she snapped her head, the noise came again. It was a dry, grating sound, like nails raking across a chalkboard. It was coming from outside. Sofia's eyes widened in fear as her eyes locked onto a familiar blur of black outside her window. Its claws were frenziedly scraping against the glass, furiously trying to get in.
Wormwood. The deal. The memories of leaving the tower flooded back to her, sending a current of fear through her limbs. She immediately began to scramble out of bed, clawing at her many layers of blankets.
Rushing over to her window, with a twist of a latch it was unlocked. Wormwood let out an indignant squawk, flapping wildly as he swooped inside. He soared across Sofia's room, gliding over her window seat. To her dismay, she witnessed Wormwood veering towards her bedside, settling himself on the pillowy blankets. Sofia's eyebrows raised in horror, watching the bird make himself at home in her bedroom. He was a male bird after all so she was justified to feel uneased. Her fingers began to fidget irritatedly with the seams of her gown, unsure how to proceed.
"So.." Sofia cleared her throat, eager to get this over with. "What would you have me do?" she questioned, her voice piping up. Sofia hadn't had much time to dwell over what favour Wormwood demanded. Her mind was too overwhelmed with fear of the prospect of Cedric finding out. She had figured it would be something trivial- perhaps a piece of peanut brittle or something from the kitchen. Wormwood had always been a selfish creature, seizing any opportunity to benefit himself. His midnight eyes turned sharply, locking with hers. His voice was raspy at first, his tone becoming more deliberate .
"I have a very specific request" he insinuated, blinking slowly.
Sofia's stomach plummeted at his sardonic tone, making her nerves feel tingly in an uneasy way. Crouching closer to the bed, she faintly sat down on its edge, not wanting to sit too closely to Wormwood. The raven adjusted his claws, digging deeper into the thick comforter.
"Wwhat is it?" she gulped, teetering on the edge of the mattress. Wormwood shifted closer, crooning his head to one side as he hopped closer to Sofia's lap. His beady eyes gleamed with an eerie glow as his talons scraped against the soft, plush fibres of the blanket.
"I want you to turn me into a human" he blurted quickly, snapping his beak shut.
Sofia's foot began to tap anxiously against her instep as her eyes glanced away from the bird, darting to her lap. Her back felt stiff all of a sudden as she shifted uncomfortably, trying to relieve her distress. Too focused on her own agitation, she missed what Wormwood hastily said.
"You what..?" she asked queasily, knocking her knees together as she turned her head to meet Wormwood's eyes once more. The bird titled his head up irritatedly as he repeated in a louder, snarkier tone.
"I want you.. To turn me into a human".
Her mouth felt stiff, frozen in place. Sofia's lips parted slightly, but no words came out. Her mouth began to feel an awkward dryness as she closed her mouth, running her tongue over her gums to wet them. She swallowed a gulp rising in her throat as she began to digest Wormwood's request.
"I… I can't" she quacked nervously. Her hands began to shiver faintly, as she pondered the repercussions if she didn't give Wormwood what he wanted. But this was too much. Before the raven could object, Sofia persisted hesitantly.
"Why?" she let out, her voice too hoarse to be heard distinctly. Wormwood's pupils began flashing aggressively as he stuttered forward with an uneven gait, hobbling until one of his bony claws curled around the flesh of Sofia's thigh. Its shiny, black toe remained there as Sofia's quivered in fear, her pulse quickening.
"I want you to make me a human" he insisted, a threatening tone rising in his throat "so I can sleep with you. "That is your punishment" he finished nonchalantly, unwavering as he lowered his talon from Sofia's pale, shaking skin.
Sofia instinctively flinched, recoiling from the bed to pace up and down her room in random, faltering lines. Her breaths, when they came, were shallow and rapid, as sweat began to form on her forehead, pooling between her brows. Her voice began to break, doing nothing to cover her intense fear.
"And if I don't?" she shuddered.
"I will tell Cedric of your deception" he snapped back, mercilessly.
A tight, sinking knot coiled in her stomach, twisting nauseously as she heard the words she knew were coming. Cedric finding out what she'd done felt like the end of the word. A future beyond that seemed a hazy emptiness comparable to a scorched, deserted desert. Maybe Wormwood's intentions weren't so vile Sofia reassured herself. She was falling into the trap of seeing the best in everyone again.
"Wwhy do you want that?" she stuttered, unable to say the actual words out loud. Her shyness at sex should have disappeared after last night, but it hurried back like a returning storm. "Don't you have female ravens.. To do that with?" she stumbled, trying to unpick Wormwood's exact motives. Maybe Cedric kept him locked up in a tower all day leaving him sex-starved and dying for attention.
"No" he rasped, dismissing that idea. "I have plenty of company" he drilled on almost smiling, as Sofia began to blush a deep shade of crimson.
"I heard you last night with Cedric" he continued, his tone mocking. "And I want a go of you" he confessed, his specs of joy visible in his gleaming eyes.
An uneasy churn twisted in Sofia's gut. She knew this was wrong. But what she had done with Cedric was wrong too. She sighed heavily, realising how she had discarded all sense of morality. If this could get rid of Wormwood and ensure Cedric never found out about her lies then it could kill two birds with one stone. With all her immorality, maybe she actually had it in her to do it.
"Does Cedric still have his transformation spell book?" she found herself asking. She couldn't believe she was thinking about going through with it. She really would do anything to protect her fling with the royal sorcerer.
"Yes" Wormwood nodded his head firmly, his tone relaxing.
"Ok then" she shrugged her shoulders, resolvedly. "I'll meet you here after dinner" he croaked, adjusting his ruffled feathers. Sofia barely nodded in agreement before the bird took off from her bed, hovering over it before a black blur soared out of the window, leaving Sofia alone once again.
As Baileywick ushered her out of her room for breakfast a nervous wave crested through her. It would be the first time she would have to face her parents since last night. They would obviously have a million questions and Sofia did not feel up to answering them.
Smoothing her gown, she took a deep breath, preparing herself before she stepped reluctantly into the dining room. Inside, her mother quickly rushed to her presence, promptly followed by the King.
"How are you feeling?" Miranda soothed, resting a comforting arm around Sofia's shoulder. Sofia's face began to scrunch in cringe, as she reassured her mother of her health, trying to escape from her prying hands. She reckoned staying as much out of the way as possible would be the safest option.
"I'm fine mom" she inspirited as she hurried to her seat at the table. A warm, generous stack of goldenberry pancakes were stacked delectably on a place, tempting her nose with their delicious, warm scent. As she raised her eyes delicately from her breakfast, she met the warm gaze of Amber's insistent stare as her brother followed.
Sofia flushed lightly as her cheeks tinged with embarrassment. Amber's gaze cut as sharp as a blade through her, piercing through her pretense. Sofia felt vulnerable and insecure in response. She tried desperately to bat away her dissecting eyes. It was as if her loss of virginity was clearly written across her face. She slightly damned herself for not checking her appearance in the mirror. Maybe her lips were still red from kisses or her hair was messily tied up in a freshly fucked hairstyle.
"Are you sure you're feeling alright Sofia?" Amber prodded, interestedly. "You look a little…warm" she hesitated, unsure of the right word as Sofia's cheeks blushed bright red. Sofia's eyes fluttered skittishly as she tried to blink away from Amber's tenacious gaze.
"I just overslept" Sofia brushed her off, picking up her fork to dig eagerly into her pancakes. Changing the subject, she needed to divert attention from her imaginary illness.
"So, how was the ball last night?". The king and queen smiled fondly, exchanging contended looks.
"The ball went smoothly" Miranda calmed as Amber piped in " You would have loved it, Sof".
Sofia sucked in a quick breath of air as she continued feasting. Luckily they didn't mention any uninvited, out of place guests. Roland's brow crinkled as he interrupted.
"Although there was no sign of Cedric when the royal gift opening started".
Sofia was lucky that she had just swallowed her blueberries otherwise she would have surely spat them out. Amber and James shared blank faces while Miranda tilted her head in confusion. The blush began to creep back onto her face as she shifted backwards on her chair, as a silence swept over the dining table. She remained still, praying that her inner terror wasn't evident in her body language. Her fear was reignited when the king continued.
"Maybe I should ask him what happened".
Miranda's puzzled expression eased, nodding in agreement. An uneasy feeling stirred in her stomach. She felt like running out of the room at that moment. Her pulse settled however as the king and queen said no more about it, turning to Baileywick to take their plates. She knew deep down Cedric wouldn't ever disclose their secret relationship. Lies weren't anything new to him. However, her lips quipped into a smile imagining her parents' reaction if they knew what he was really up to last night. Finishing her pancakes, she needed to excuse herself before they interrogated her any further.
"Thank you, mom and dad, but I need to go and rest" she provided, leaving her mother and father to glance briefly at her, before she tucked her chair away and retreated from the room.
The rest of the day droned on at a sluggish pace, slow but unexciting. She returned to her room to be dolled up by Violet in another one of her petite lilac frocks.
She spent her time having tea with Ruby and Jade in her secret garden, making small conversation trying to bat away any questions concerning Cedric. Beyond her admission of her crush, Lucinda was the only one who knew she went through with the plan. Sofia internally thanked herself for that. She couldn't bear to be under fire from their curious minds. Revisiting the night's activities would have only brought her to a high to have it coming crashing down again.
As Ruby and Jade waved goodbye to Sofia, wishing her a pleasant day, Sofia peacefully walked through the castle grounds. The gardens were a spacious and intriguing maze, home to many secret passageways. There was a secret garden she'd uncovered as a child as well as a smaller garden, home to a peculiar wishing well, bordered up long ago. Hedges and plants of all sorts of species grew in the borders, the sources of many ingredients for royal spells. The birds tweeted sweetly, perched on various fruit trees which grew tall, sprouting into the sky.
All her problems seemed forgotten when she appreciated the calmness of nature and its consistency. Whether she had slept with Cedric or not, the sun would still shine and the birds would still chirp in the trees. There was such beauty in its simplicity, one which encouraged Sofia to make as many animal friends as possible. They always seemed to offer invaluable advice, helping her put her minor issues into perspective.
Lost in her thoughts, as she exited the gardens she didn't notice a dark, hazy figure lazily standing among the hedges. Her breath caught in her throat as she watched the shadow distractedly picking berries and leaves from the foliage. Her stomach flipped as she saw them turn and take notice of her. When he smiled and began to walk in her direction, Sofia wanted nothing more than to be swallowed up by the ground. Surveying her surroundings, she wondered if she had time to quickly squat down in one of the bushes or hide behind a nearby tree. But it was too late as Sofia looked up to meet Cedric's gaze as he stood not a foot from her.
"Hello, princess" he sang cheerfully, cocking his head downwards to meet her eye.
He was dressed in his usual, purple gowns. The sun cast an effortless, halo-like glow on his face, lighting him up. Sofia blinked, incredulous, uncertain if this was a dream or reality. She had been replaying every moment of last night in her mind so she wouldn't be crazy to think this was another vision.
"H-hi Ce.. Mister Cedric" she stuttered, trying to act as if she hadn't accidentally called him by his first name. Sofia had never dropped the formality before. Only Sascha had that privilege.
"What are you doing?" she forced herself to make polite conversation, to ease the growing tension beneath her skin. It was obvious he was replenishing his supplies, probably adding some hogweed to his diminishing stock. However there was a happy aura to him this morning, something she knew was out of the ordinary for Cedric. Sofia wondered if he would still be this joyous if he knew he had slept with Sofia last night. She quickly brushed that thought aside.
Cedric held up a bag of thorny blackberries in response. "I was collecting ingredients" he quipped, smirking back at Sofia.
She tried not to shiver in longing as she was met with one of his mischievous smirks, recalling how he made a similar face when lowering his cock into her.
"What about you?" he countered.
"Umm.. I was having tea" she quipped, forcing a smile. "Ruby and Jade were visiting".
Cedric nodded slowly, understanding.
"Aah I see".
He began to edge closer, a concerned expression formed on his face.
"I heard you recovered from your.. illness" he affirmed, pausing in between.
His eyes were as blazing as the midday sun. Her knees began to weaken, suddenly wishing to sit down. Her face tightened as she tried to restrain a blush from setting on her cheeks.
"Y-yes.. I'm all better now" Sofia answered, awkwardly.
"A-and what are you doing?" she quickly added, attempting to keep the conversation flowing.
His hands went to her hips as she bit her lip to control her body's immediate response.
"You already asked me that".
"Oh" she barely opened her mouth, her skin paling in embarrassment. She couldn't believe she was acting stupid in front of Cedric for the hundredth time. She had lost count of how often she made a fool of herself in his presence. Just last night she had stepped on his toe and forgotten his job as royal sorcerer. However, this time she realised she had no alcohol to blame. But another excuse came to mind.
"Sorry, I'm feeling ill again all of a sudden".
Picking up her short frock, she didn't wait for a reply before scurrying across the grass, hastily scampering her way back to the castle. She didn't turn back to see Cedric's bewildered face as she rushed past Baileywick, stumbling through the corridor before she reached her room.
His eyes, his smell, his statue had reignited a burning desire in her. She could feel a growing warmth tightening between her thighs. She couldn't have remained in his presence much longer before doing something she shouldn't. Seeing again made her want to bury herself in those robes again and throw them aside once more. She wanted him to bury his seed deep within her and make her cry out in pure ecstasy like last night. Ohhh she wanted.
But all she had was Cedric's pestering raven who ironically wanted to bed her. She pondered if her sensual experience was worth it, having been left with such a horrific consequence. Sofia crept dejectedly to her bedside, burying her head in her hands. Dinner was not an hour away and she was unsure how her fate would play out after that. It would likely be an experience she would wish to erase from her memory. However, gifting her virginity to Cedric was the most fulfilling moment so far in her life. It really didn't take much replaying in her mind before she realised it so was.