#AND HE GAVE BACK SOFIA’S AMULET I REPEAT HE GAVE BACK SOFIA’S AMULET | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

ograndebatata · 4 years

Note

Hi! I don't know if you're still taking prompts for the "Mateo's Wizard Ways" one shots (I know my request is a little late XD), but would you be willing to do one with Mateo teaching Sofia more about the amulet?

Hello.

Well… first of all… I’m really, really, really sorry that I have taken such an inordinately insane amount of time to get around to this. I wish I could have some sort of concrete explanation as to why… but… well… I won’t try to explain.

On one hand, it’s true that my life has been insane over the last year.

On the other, I confess that the answer to this prompt got a bit out of my control, in the sense that it grew much larger than I had intended. In fact, it grew so big that I decided to split it into more than one part, in an attempt at making it easier to read.

However, I still wanted to give it, and I hope you are still willing to accept it, and that you still enjoy it.

As I said, this has been split up, so this is only the first part. There will be at least one more, maybe two.

I’ll really try my best to make those take less time to come out.

I hope you enjoy this one as is, and I hope that you will enjoy the following ones as well once they’re out.

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Credit note: Thank you to @lostbutterflyutau and @zoeology31 for their help with a small dilemma concerning a certain part of this fic. Your help has been greatly appreciated. :)

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Mateo’s Wizard Ways

Sofia

Tales At The Fair - Part I - Encounter

At the end of the first day of the first All Kingdoms’ Fair since Elena’s release from the Amulet of Avalor…

He must be hearing things.

At least, it was what he thought as he heard his name whispered from somewhere as he walked through Castillo Park very after hours, trying not to disturb the sleeping campers while he looked for places where his help might be needed and tried to guess what was being sold in each stand so that he knew which ones would be the best to visit when they were open.

But then he heard it again, louder and closer than before.

“Mateo!”

He frowned at the sound. He swore he knew that voice, but there was no reason for the one it belonged to to be here. Was the extra work he’d been doing since Shuriki’s return driving him insane?

“Over here!” the voice repeated, more firm and forceful and yet still in the same hushed tone.

He swore his eyes doubled in size at the sound. It was her voice. He’d never forget it after what she had done for Avalor. But how could she be here? She should be at school an ocean away!

The hushed beat of someone tiptoeing through the grass edged toward him as if to challenge that thought. It sounded slightly heavier than he remembered it, but the rhythm was still familiar, as if the person approaching had grown up since he last saw them. As Mateo turned towards the sound, he saw a short figure moving away from a group of sleepless children that Armando was entertaining.

His mouth opened in a silent gasp.

“Sofia?” he whispered.

He blinked slowly and deliberately, half-thinking that the poor light and the sleep creeping up on him were making him see things. But it was the youngest princess of Enchancia alright. Although she had grown up since he last saw her, and the purple tunic and pink leggings she was wearing were different from the dress he had seen her in, her pale complexion, blue eyes and caramel hair were recognizable even under the dim starlight and the glow from the few lamps that remained lit throughout the park. But he barely had time to confirm that before she wrapped her arms around him.

“It’s great to see you!” Her tone was just as hushed as before, but the joy in her voice and her smile were no less genuine for that.

Despite his amazement, Mateo returned the hug, even as a wave of questions surged in his mind.

He knew Elena and Sofia wrote to each other. Even he and Sofia had exchanged a few letters, mostly on important dates like Navidad or each other’s birthdays or La Semana Santa. But neither had ever visited the other since, and this seemed an odd time of the year for her to do it.

“It’s great to see you too,” he told her as she stepped out of his hug. Whatever questions he had, they could wait for basic politeness at least. “But what…" he trailed off, suddenly unsure of how to ask the question without sounding rude.

“What am I doing here?” Sofia finished for him with an amused, but understanding look.

Mateo could only manage a nod. Then, as it hit him how such a question could be taken, he raised a hand in appeasement.

“Don’t get me wrong; it really is great to see you. I just thought you’d be in school at this time of year.”

“I am,” she clarified. “But the Ever Realm Academy set up a field trip to Avalor’s All Kingdoms’ Fair for a practical experience in diplomacy. Amber wanted to come, and I thought it might be fun.”

Mateo raised an eyebrow. “Your sister’s also here then?”

Sofia opened her mouth to reply, but then shut it as if she’d remembered she was about to share some kind of secret she should keep. Mateo tried to keep his own expression neutral, but his eyebrow itched to move farther up his forehead.

“Yes,” Sofia at last replied. “But she’s asleep.”

Mateo tried even harder to will his expression as it was, rather than have it turn ‘too sympathetic’. From those words alone, and the fact that Sofia had been with the group of children Armando was entertaining, he already knew that she couldn’t sleep. And he had a good idea as to why. But he kept quiet; bringing it up could make her feel even worse.

"I see,” he said, mostly to let her know that he was paying attention.

But even that seemed to give away too much, judging by Sofia’s probing look.

“Do you want to go for a walk while we catch up on things?” he offered. “Maybe it will help you be sleepier.”

Sofia only shrugged, something about the gesture suddenly making the bags under her eyes stand out.

“It’s worth a try,” she added afterwards, as if she had been afraid a mere shrug would sound too rude, but still failing to hide the lack of energy in her voice.

Mateo pushed back another sympathetic expression as he and Sofia moved to a quieter part of the park. He had seen Sofia apprehensive or scared before, but this display of sullen tiredness contrasted so much with the chipper joy he remembered from her that it was almost scary.

Not to say he blamed her. With what Elena had told him of what Sofia had gone - and to a degree, was still going - through, it was a near miracle she wasn’t any worse off. But knowing why she felt as she didn’t made seeing her like that more pleasant to see.

“How’s your family?” he asked as they got farther away from the tents, though still within sight of the guards posted throughout the park. “Is everything alright with them?”

He barely hid a wince when he saw Sofia’s sullen tiredness edging into sadness. Whatever the reason, that was an unpleasant topic. The urge to apologize reared up within him. He pushed it back down, unsure if doing so wouldn’t just throw salt on the wound.

“Yes, everything’s alright with them,” she replied. “But…”

Her voice faded, and her eyes turned downwards as if she had been about to say a swear word rather than to start some explanation. It reminded him of Elena, who even now - though much less often than in earlier days - was sometimes reluctant to share some of her burdens despite inviting everyone else to share theirs with her.

Mateo didn’t know Sofia as well as he did Elena, but he could imagine how busy she would be, now that she was at a more demanding school and still had juggle her schoolwork with all the extra duties he knew she had. Keeping her sorrows to herself would only make things worse.

He gave her the same smile he used to soothe Olivia whenever she got nervous or messed up some spell.

“It’s alright if you want to talk,” he soothed. “I know it can help.”

She looked back up at him, her eyes still with a flicker of nervousness as she held her left pinky.

“I’ll listen if you feel like sharing it,” he reassured, trying to keep his voice as gentle as possible, hoping to make it clear through his tone alone that he was giving her a choice, not a demand.

Her eyes started to flick between his face and the ground, her hands twitching as if she was trying to repress some sort of nervous tic, even as she sped up in what looked like another attempt at suppressing the same thing. Mateo did his best to both keep up and to keep his face as calm and patient as possible while Sofia decided if she should tell him or not.

After a while, she let out a breath and started to speak.

“I just feel like I barely see them anymore. Me, Amber and James all have more hours at school than at Royal Prep, and James is at a different school now, and schoolwork itself is harder. And things may be quiet, but Mom and Dad still have a kingdom to rule.”

She let out another sigh. “Amber is the only one I can actually spend time with as a rule nowadays, but even we still spend most of it studying.”

This time, Mateo did not hold back his sympathetic look.

He could relate. Since he had become Royal Wizard, he had much less time to be with his mother as well, especially now that he was so busy trying to track down Shuriki and her allies before the witch - or rather, the daemonfirma, to use the proper name for female beings of Shuriki’s kind and to not offend any of Sofia’s witch friends - finished her training with the Scepter of Night. He thanked his lucky stars that his mother had friends of her own to spend time with, just like he did (whenever he wasn’t cooped up in his workshop at least), but he still wished he could make more time to be with her.

“I’m sorry about that,” he managed to get out.

Then words seemed to die in his throat as hesitation took over. Should he add more on the topic, or should he change subjects? He could tell talking about this made Sofia sad, but like he had said himself, talking about it could be good.

And it seemed Sofia didn’t have a lot of chances to talk, and possibly even felt she was burdening her sister enough already if she hadn’t woken her up.

That settles it then. He thought.

He took a discreet breath, and, trying to sound as natural as possible, carried on, “Are things at the Ever Realm Academy going well, at least?”

Sofia pursed her lips, as if she either didn’t know how to answer, or even whether she should answer. Mateo waited for her to decide. All around them, crickets chirped soothingly, as if to let her know that even they could wait for her to be ready to speak.

“Well enough, I guess,” she eventually replied. “Most of the teachers are nice enough, most of the students also are, and most of the subjects are interesting.”

Mateo let a few moments go by before, trying his best to sound calm and reassuring rather than as worried as he was starting to feel, he echoed Sofia’s earlier word.

“But?…”

Sofia actually stopped walking at his question, as if the effort of answering it was enough that she couldn’t do it on the move. Then, she let out a tiny sigh, and looked up at him with an edge of sadness in her now slightly wider eyes. Overhead, a small cloud cast a veil over the moon.

“I miss a lot of things from Royal Prep,” she breathed. “Mostly my friends.”

Mateo managed to repress his raised eyebrow, but she either noticed the twitching in it or was afraid of how she may have sounded, because she added, “I mean, I still write to them, and I manage to see most of them once in a while, but…”

“But it’s just not the same thing?” Mateo finished, now letting all the sympathy he felt come through.

Sofia nodded, her shoulders dropping. Mateo rested a hand on her right shoulder, briefly squeezing it in sympathy. He could understand why she would feel that way. He’d never had friends his age until he got to meet Elena and got close to Gabe and Naomi, but even before that he had been able to picture how awful it was to lose someone he cared about. And he already had his moments where he missed Gabe because the now Captain of the Guard was busier now that he had new duties. He could only imagine how it would be to mostly lose touch with Elena, or Naomi, or Gabe now that he’d gotten so close to them.

“No new friends?” he eventually managed to ask.

Another moment of silence went by, as Sofia hesitated. “A few,” she managed to reply. “But the Ever Realm Academy isn’t the best place to make friends."

Strange. Mateo thought, thankfully managing to keep it from actually turning into a word.

He couldn’t talk much without ever having been to a school that only taught royals, but as far as he could understand, the Ever Realm Academy shouldn’t be that different from Royal Prep, other than the students’ ages. Could that somehow play a role in why it was more difficult making friends there? Could it be due to so many students apparently being in what Mateo knew some parents called the 'typical troubled age’? Or was it because they were already old enough that downplayed versions of some ‘royal conflicts’ that sometimes happened between adults were already starting to develop?

“And school itself isn’t the same thing either,” Sofia went on as she resumed walking, Mateo following her. Then, looking like a child who realized they’d let a swear word slip out, she turned to him. “It’s fine for the most part, really! But there’s a lot I liked about Royal Prep which they don’t have.”

After a few seconds of silence to give her time to start, Mateo asked himself, “Would you like to tell me what it is?”

Sofia kept walking as she pondered his question. At first, Mateo let the silence remain, but then it dragged on, and a frown itched to come onto his mouth. Had he pushed things too far by asking that? Or had he misinterpreted Sofia’s remark when he thought she actually wanted to talk about this?

Time kept passing by as they strolled through the park, during which Sofia kept her lips pursed in thought. From time to time, Mateo looked around to ensure that they were within sight of the guards and to check that there was no place where his immediate assistance would be needed. More than once, he caught Sofia sneaking looks at him only to look away at the last moment, as if whatever she had to say concerned him but she wasn’t sure if she should ask. He always pretended not to notice, hopefully well enough for the princess to believe the deception.

After a long moment of silence, Sofia let out another sigh and again turned to him.

“A lot of things, I guess. The teachers, for instance. It may be nostalgia talking, but I think a lot of the teachers at the Ever Realm Academy are not as good as the ones at Royal Prep.”

Mateo made no comment. At least to him, his own teachers had never been good by any measure of the imagination. They either had tried to pretend he didn’t exist or had actively avoided him like the plague, no thanks to the fact his family had been on Shuriki’s sights for years. So he wasn’t the right person to have an opinion on average teacher quality.

Now not waiting for him to reply, she went on, “I also miss some subjects or activities. For instance, we don’t have flying derbies there. All flying horses they have are for transportation services, whether for students whose kingdoms can’t afford flying horses and for any long trips the teachers need to take. Nothing else.” After pausing to take a breath, she added, “There’s no ice dancing either, or any theater. And on actual subjects, I miss enchanted painting and enchanted gardening.”

Again, Mateo kept quiet. Sofia seemed to have a lot to get off her chest, and he thought it would be easier for her to keep doing it if he didn’t interrupt her.

“At least I’m still learning magic,” she added. “And the Ever Realm Academy does have a great elective magic class.”

Despite his best efforts to prevent it, one of Mateo’s eyebrows rose inquisitively. He willed it to stop before it went too high, but it was more than enough for Sofia to give him an inquisitive look of her own, the question plain as day on her features.

“I’m glad you’re liking that,” Mateo added. “But I’ll admit I’m confused. As far as I can tell, I never got the feeling you were a huge fan of magic when you came here. Not that you ever seemed to hate it or even dislike it, but…”

He trailed off, as if suddenly robbed of the right words to use, but no more seemed to be needed.

"It’s not my really top favorite thing ever,” Sofia explained. “But I do like it, and of all the elective subjects the Ever Realm Academy had to offer, that was the only one that seemed appealing."

Interesting. Mateo thought.

He had no idea what kind of elective subjects the Ever Realm Academy had, but for Sofia not to find any of those appealing, he imagined they weren’t pleasant.

"Besides, with the kind of life I have, I never know when I’ll need it,” Sofia added as if voicing an afterthought.

The moment the sentence was out of her mouth, she immediately put her hand to it and looked at Mateo with wide eyes, her pale skin flushing red as if she’d said a swear word. Mateo again tried to pretend he didn’t notice, but this time it was too late - he knew his eyes had widened a fair bit from her sudden reaction.

Again as if she was afraid of how she must have sounded, she quickly added, “Don’t get me wrong, things are mostly calm. And I do have people who will help me with magic if I need it. Mr. Cedric will help me with anything magical if I ask him. So do his niece and sister, and his father, and my friend Lucinda and her parents as well. And my friend Desmond will share what he’s learning at the Institute of Science and Alchemy if I ask him.”

She stopped there, her gaze strangely intense as if she was trying to check how convincing her lie was. She must have found it wasn’t much, for she added in a murmur, “But still…”

“It’s alright,” Mateo told her, again with the same reassuring smile he used with Olivia whenever she was nervous. “I get it.”

To a degree, at least.

While there seemed to be plenty of truth to Sofia’s words, there also seemed to be something else to them.

But what?

If it was magic-related, why didn’t Sofia just talk to him? Was she too nervous about being straightforward and asking for it outright? And if so, why? She had never seemed like the type of child that had problems asking for help.

Given what she had said about the ‘kind of life she had’, maybe she felt she shouldn’t be asking for help for some reason.

Or maybe she felt she had been asking so much help for so long that she was starting to get ashamed of it.

Or maybe he had just gotten the wrong idea when he first met her, as all things considered, he didn’t really know her all that well.

Or maybe it was simply the fact that she was growing up - after all, she would be thirteen within months - and could be getting to that age where she didn’t want to seem so childish and wanted to solve things on her own. If Isabel was younger than Sofia (time spent frozen in a painting aside) and was like that sometimes, maybe Sofia had a bit of that streak as well.

Whatever the reason, Mateo wouldn’t force her. But he’d make sure to let her know his help would be available if she wanted it.

Hoping that doing so wasn’t a mistake, Mateo took the most subtle deep breath he could and smiled down at Sofia as he offered, “You know, if there’s anything about magic you need help with and you don’t mind asking me, maybe I can help you.” He made it a point to assume a sheepish look, and added, “I know, it’s not very likely, but no harm in trying, right?”

His tone felt forced even to his own ears, and he knew his quip was far from the most brilliant one in history, but for the first time, amusement sparkled in Sofia’s eyes, though it was immediately replaced by apprehension, as if whatever she wanted to ask was hard to bring up.

Willing his mouth to stay shut and still, Mateo forced himself to look as reassuring as possible while he waited for her to make up her mind. He didn’t know if he could help her, but whatever she wanted, he’d do his best to help her with. The only way he’d refuse was if it was something she wanted to hurt someone else or herself, but he knew her well enough to be sure she wouldn’t want those things.

Time dragged on, the chirping of the crickets suddenly sounding like a drumbeat building up the tempo.

Then, Sofia let out another sigh and asked, “Do you know any spell or potion that can make people sleep without nightmares?”

And that was all it took for his heart to drop like a block of iron.

He should have figured.

Of course Sofia would want that. After everything Elena had told him, it made far too much sense.

Unfortunately, it wouldn’t change the answer he had for Sofia. It was the same he had given Elena herself when she had asked him for the same thing once she started having bad dreams over her 'big test’, as well as the same answer he had given Isabel when she had asked him for such a potion after everything she’d gone through over the last weeks.

It was an answer he didn’t like giving, but it was the only honest one he had.

“I don’t. I’m sorry.”

I can only imagine how much you’d want it. He added inwardly.

Some of that must have shown on his face, because the look Sofia gave him after he spoke was far too understanding.

“Elena told you about Vor, didn’t she?” the Enchancian princess murmured.

Mateo winced as if he had been punched in chest, self-consciousness and embarrassment suddenly coming down on him like an anchor dropped onto him. His eyes darted about as subtly as he could make them, trying to fall everywhere but on Sofia, and yet always picturing a reproachful, offended look on her face.

While it was indeed true that Elena had told him about Vor, he had never actually expected for the topic to come up in conversation with Sofia, much less for it to be brought forward in such a direct and blunt manner. After all, how did one discuss being trapped in a magical amulet with a psycho trying to torture them to death?

A sudden warmth settled on his forearm. Mateo’s eyes flicked to it, and he saw that Sofia had rested her hand there, and was still giving him an understanding look.

“It’s alright,” she told him in a comforting tone. “I told her that she could tell you anything she wanted, as long as you promised not to tell anyone else.“

Though the weight around his heart faded, Mateo could only keep staring. He knew indeed that Sofia had given Elena permission to do that before she had started sharing Sofia’s secrets. But still, he couldn’t help but feel awkward standing before Sofia now that she actually knew Elena had shared so much with him.

"I know what it’s like to have to keep secrets,” Sofia went on, her face downcast again.

This time, Mateo managed to nod. One of the things Elena had told him was how Sofia kept a lot about what she went through from her parents, so that they wouldn’t always be beside themselves with worry at the trouble she might be getting into. He couldn’t say he agreed with the idea, but he got where she was coming from. While he’d never wanted to keep the same kind of secrets from his mother, he sometimes mused on how she hadn’t gone mad from worry from everything he’d been through since becoming Royal Wizard.

"I’m so sorry you had to endure that,” he said as he brought forth another smile, putting his hand over hers. “I can’t even imagine what that would be like.”

Sofia’s composure shattered like a frail crystal hit by a boulder.

Then, before Mateo could even kick himself for saying the worst possible thing, she flew into him and buried her face in his chest.

“It was horrible!“ she cried, her body shaking as she wrapped her arms around him like a vise and shed her tears into his robe. "It was dark… And the Amulet was scary… And there was nowhere to run… And she kept hitting me… And it hurt so much…”

Any further words died off in her throat, her sobs suddenly doubling in volume, as loud as church bells in the quiet night. His heart leaping, Mateo looked around, as if the whole campsite had suddenly woken up and half of them were shouting complaints at Sofia.

Things weren’t quite that bad yet, but all the guards Mateo had made sure to remain within sight of were already looking at them, and he thought he could see a few shifting forms inside the closest tents. He had to do something soon, otherwise Sofia would have yet another woe on her list.

His eyes narrowing into a focused look, Mateo drew his tamborita.

“Calmatude!” he whispered forcefully as he smacked the drum before swishing it in a counter-clockwise circle around them both, a golden-orange line of Maruvian symbols following in its wake.

Once the drum got back to its starting point, the line of symbols turned into a loop which then expanded into a sphere that ballooned around them both in a radius of about four steps, faintly glowing through the night and casting a goldenrod hue through the area for about ten seconds. Mateo kept the tamborita raised as he checked the result, just in case he had to do it again, but as it was supposed to, the invisible bubble seemingly faded into nothingness, though its presence could still be sensed by him and anyone who knew what to feel for.

Relieved that the spell had worked, Mateo put his tamborita back into its holster and hugged Sofia, trying to convey through that gesture that she was free to keep crying.

And she would be. For at least the next hour, no sound either of them made would come out of the sound muffling spell Mateo had made, while the two of them would still be able to hear any sound coming in from the outside and be able to react to it. And as they were still in sight of the guards, they were also in a good position to be alerted to visual signs of danger.

Fortunately, it seemed he had done it on time. The shifting forms inside the closest tents seemed to have settled down, and while the guards he could see looked surprised at the sudden silencing of Sofia’s sobs, neither came to ask questions.

That was a relief. Sofia was already dealing with enough without adding that to the mix.

Thankful to have that concern out of the way, Mateo kept hugging Sofia as she let out her burdens.

Eventually, her sobs faded into hiccups, and then into silence, as Sofia pulled back from his chest and looked up at him, her eyes red and her face streaked with the remains of her tears.

“Are you feeling better?” Mateo asked.

After a sniffle, Sofia managed to give him a small smile.

“A bit,” she replied. “Thank you. I’m sorry about this, but…”

“It’s alright,” Mateo interjected with a small smile of his own. “We all need a good cry sometimes. And I know we haven’t seen each other in a long while, but we’re still friends. I’m glad to help you whenever you need.”

Sofia gave him a slightly bigger smile at those words, but then it shifted into a startled, even scared look, as if she’d just had a sudden thought of a very unpleasant sort. Mateo’s heart leapt again as he wondered what it could be, but it settled down the next instant as he saw her looking around, as if she had suddenly gotten afraid a whole crowd was staring at her.

Trying to be as comforting as possible, he rested a hand on her shoulder.

“Don’t worry. I put up a sound muffling spell around us. Until it fades, nothing farther than two or three feet from us will hear anything we say.”

Sofia turned to him at his reply, her shoulders deflating from relief. But at the same time, her face scrunched up in puzzlement.

“Then why do I still hear the crickets?”

“It’s only one way,” Mateo explained. “We hear sounds from the outside, but no one outside hears us.” Realizing that Sofia might not be entirely comfortable with the idea, he added, “But I’ll let it down if you’d rather I did so.”

Sofia waved the suggestion away.

“It can stay,” she said, her voice a heavy, tired sigh. “For all I know, I’ll need it again.”

Mateo forced back a grimace at the remark, as if the words had torn a chunk of flesh from of him. Something about the matter-of-fact way she said it… he couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but it just struck him as wrong that someone as young as Sofia had already gone through so much. He knew she was capable and brave, but she was still young. And the kind of ordeals she had gone through were enough to affect even many adults. It was a wonder Vor was the only source of her nightmares.

Hopefully not a too frequent one. Mateo couldn’t help but think.

The inner remark bringing borth a sudden doubt, Mateo stepped forward and rested a hand on her shoulder again before he could stop himself.

“How often do you have that nightmare?” he asked.

Sofia rubbed a hand across her face, wiping off the tear streaks smattering her cheeks.

“Not often. At first, I had it every night. After about a week, it started becoming rarer, and before tonight, I hadn’t had it in months. But tonight, for some reason…”

Mateo nodded. He didn’t need more details. Nightmares could be weird. Even now, eighteen years after it happened, his mother still had nightmares about his father’s death for no apparent reason. Inner demons seldom warned before striking.

“Now I know what it was like for Elena,” Sofia went on. “To be stuck in a place the size of a palace bedroom, with only copies of your reflection to keep you company, not seeing anything outside the amulet beyond what’s closest to it, being unable to do anything but wander around and hope someone will get you out…"

She left the sentence hang there, her eyes wide in fear at the thought. But even as Mateo felt his sympathy going out to her, he couldn’t help a frown of puzzlement at her words. The idea was nothing short of terrifying for sure, but for lack of a better description, something about what she said didn’t make sense.

“And I still had Prisma as company, and I spent less than two hours in there. It must have been a thousand times worse to be trapped there, all alone, for forty-one years.”

The same mix between sympathy and puzzlement remained on his features. As much as he didn’t want to downplay what Sofia went through, and as horrible as what she mentioned seemed, he couldn’t shake off the feeling that her ordeal didn’t sound like Elena’s at all, and not only because Sofia hadn’t been alone inside the amulet.

“What’s the matter?” the princess interjected, a puzzled look back on her features.

Mateo held back a wince. Of course she would - again - notice the change in his expression and have questions about it. When would he learn to keep an expressionless face?

A bit late to complain, don’t you think? A voice chided in the back of his mind.

Yes. It was too late for that. Now the only thing he could do was to see if Sofia’s question was one he could answer.

“Did Elena ever get to tell you what being inside the Amulet was like in her letters?”

He hoped she had. If she hadn’t, the only way for Mateo to explain the matter would be if he told Sofia himself, and he wouldn’t be the one spilling Elena’s secrets. As fond as he was of Sofia, he wouldn’t betray Elena’s trust.

“Yes. Why?”

Some of his tension ebbing away from relief at being able to answer, Mateo explained, “Because what you’re describing about being inside the amulet doesn’t sound like what Elena went through.”

Sofia frowned at his words, her eyes clouded over in thoughtfulness.

“Now that you mention it, I had the same feeling. What I heard from Elena about being inside the Amulet wasn’t like what happened to me.” Her frown deepened, her eyes clouding over as she seemingly thought about something. “Why do you think that was?”

Mateo pondered her question, rifling through everything he knew on the Amulet of Avalor, and all his theories on it based on what he could only imagine still had to be discovered.

“If I had to guess, it has to do with the way the Amulet was used in each situation,” he settled on. “With Elena, it acted on its own initiative, and it wanted to protect her. With Vor, it was under your command, and it wanted to punish her because that’s what you wanted. But unfortunately, you were dragged along after the punishment started, so to speak, and after the request was made the Amulet wasn’t able to modify the terms of your wish on its own.”

Sofia’s frown faded slightly at his response, but some of it remained. He could only guess his answer had caused her to have even more questions.

“What exactly are the limitations of the Amulet’s initiative?” she asked, suddenly shooting questions at him. “And how could it even have any kind of initiative in the first place? Does it have an actual person inside it other than Elena? Is the amulet actually sentient? Does it have feelings?”

More tension left him at having managed to find another subject to talk about - even if it was a bit too related to Sofia’s nightmare to be ideal.

“You ask very complex questions. Magic objects can be at many different levels when it comes to sentience and autonomous action.”

Reading more questions in the way Sofia tilted her head and the way her eyebrows knit together, Mateo went on, “For instance, my tamborita is pretty much just an object. It needs me to tap it, and needs me to channel my magic into it when I cast a spell. While it does have inherent magic of its own, it’s still little more than a piece of leather and wood lying about, or worse, a peril to whoever tries to wield it without knowing how to.” He took a breath to gather himself. “But on the other end of the spectrum, you have objects like Aladdin’s magic carpet friend, who was - and may still be, if he’s still around somewhere - an entity all his own. He had a personality, he had feelings, he was self-aware, he could think so well that he would often win against Aladdin’s genie friend by a landslide when they played a game…”

Some sources suggest he could even feel pain. Mateo added inwardly, remembering what he’d read about some of Aladdin’s adventures and the reactions from the Carpet described in them.

As if his point had made her think of something, Sofia chuckled.

“I figured. Given the trouble Amber and I had with a carpet once, they’d have to be that way.”

Mateo nodded with a chuckle of his own, remembering the story he’d heard about the adventure Amber and Sofia had had with a wild carpet in Tangu.

Her face turning serious again, Sofia asked, “So, where does the Amulet lie exactly?” Sofia asked, her eyes lightning up in interest.

“I’m not sure,” Mateo replied. “The Amulet’s story is very long, and there are quite a few holes in it, including a very big one between the time the Maruvian civilization fell and the time the Kingdom of Avalor was born. And for most of that time, very few wizards had access to the Amulet, and none of those that did could properly study it. When you add to it that the Amulet of Avalor is like no other jewel that the Maruvians made… there just is a lot of room for mystery.”

His self-professed ignorance didn’t seem to deter Sofia. If anything, the interest in her eyes intensified even further, and her legs shook as if she had been about to take a step forward in interest but changed her mind at the last instant.

Holding back a smile as he realized the chance he had, Mateo offered, “Of course, I can still tell you what I know about the Amulet, but you might want to sit down. Even the little I know makes for a very long story.”

It only took moments after he was done talking for Sofia to sit down, the motion careful and poised and reminding him in a bit of an uncomfortable way of the times he had seen Elena interacting with diplomatic visitors she wasn’t particularly fond of. But the curious and eager glint in her eyes conveyed her true feelings well enough.

Again holding back a smile, Mateo sat down cross-legged himself, took a deep breath to gather his thoughts, and started speaking.

“Elena might have told you in one of her letters that her story doesn’t have one begininng; it has two.” Upon Sofia’s nod of confirmation, he went on, “Well, it just happens that the same can be said about the Amulet of Avalor itself. Its actual beginning was millenia ago, when one or more Maruvian wizards first created it, using secret magical techniques known only to them. But its beginning as the Amulet of Avalor under that actual name is more recent, from the days Avalor was first born as a kingdom.”

Pausing for a moment to gather his thoughts and his knowledge, Mateo added, “I don’t know much about the first beginning of the Amulet’s story, but I can tell you a fairly complete version of story of its second beginning.”

He hoped Sofia wouldn’t see through his half-truth. While he knew much less about the origins of the Amulet than about how it had become the Amulet of Avalor, he could tell Sofia the basics of that story as well if she wanted him to. But he hoped she didn’t want it. That version of the story was not only a bit sad for when his idea was to cheer her up, but parts of it were likely to give Sofia more nightmares.

To his relief, Sofia didn’t seem to notice anything suspicious. Her eyes remained just as eager as before, and she was even leaning a bit closer to him in anticipation.

This time not holding back his smile, Mateo went on. “And to tell you the story of how both the Amulet of Avalor and the actual kingdom came to be, I need to go back in time, to over three hundred years ago, all the way in the kingdom of Galdiz…”

He drew on his best deep and mystical tone as he let the sentence trail off, hoping for an improved storytelling effect. It was hard to say if he succeeded or not, but he noticed that if nothing else, Sofia’s eyes lit up at the reference to Galdiz, possibly because her mother had been born there.

Inwardly crossing his fingers, Mateo made a silent request for the right storytelling words, and then, after taking the most disguised deep breath he could, continued his tale.

#elena of avalor #sofia the first #fanfiction #mateo's wizard ways #prompt response #I'm really sorry it took so long #I hope you like it

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primrooks · 5 years

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Wands of a Feather: An Elena of Avalor/Sofia the First Crossover

[Chapter 1] AO3 link here! *This was a chonker of a chapter, so I had to split certain events into two. There's still a lot to come, cuz it's gonna be one packed weekend for our two magic boys. Chapter 2: The Conjurer’s Conference

“With each deed performed, for better or worse, a power is granted, a blessing or curse.”

Cedric repeated the words in his head as he finished drying off his face and replaced the towel by the washbasin. Weeks had passed since he last thought about the Amulet of Avalor; odd how some years-long obsessions could simmer like a soaked bonfire.

In one corner of the room, Quarry, his new eagle-owl familiar, still dozed soundlessly in his perch, peaceful as could be. Back when Cedric was scouring the local aviaries trying to find a suitable new companion, Quarry endeared himself immediately with his permanently-set scowl. The owl himself was actually very sweet and made for an eager assistant, but the dark brow lines extending from his ear tufts always made him look comically offended. The sorcerer smiled and scratched softly at Quarry’s black-and-white crest, knowing that he would be up soon. They had one more round of practice before the Tri-Kingdom showcase that afternoon, although by all means they were ready to give their audience a good show. But Cedric hoped, against all rational thought, that he wouldn’t run into that Mateo boy again. He was still annoyed at himself for that graceless display of shock when he realized the boy’s identity, but then he had to get carried away and introduce himself on top of that. As if the boy wouldn’t have heard from Princess Elena about the Amulet of Avalor’s history, including some of its less-than-rightful holders. He was fortunate enough that they’d parted ways soon after, and that Mateo didn’t recognize him instantly. Perhaps Princess Elena ultimately didn’t register Cedric as a threat. All of the ruckus from the last Conjurer’s Conference happened after she had been freed from the Amulet, and Sofia told him that she was keeping correspondence with her, though the Avaloran princess was understandably rather occupied in other matters. Yet if there was anyone who could spin his story in a positive light, there was no one else whom he trusted more. But that told him nothing about what Mateo might think of him, and how the young lad would feel about someone like Cedric being stationed so close to his country’s most valuable magical artifact. He thought that this year would be a nice do-over of last year’s fiasco, but now all he wanted to do was get through this conference without a hitch and return to his tower in Enchancia. He’d just put on his robe when Quarry flew up to the crook of his left arm. The owl hooted hesitantly, his amber eyes curious and alert. Cedric smirked, recalling how Sofia described Quarry’s voice and speech patterns as boyish, even though he was an adult bird. Even without magical animal speech, Cedric could gather that his familiar was nervous; today would be the first time he’d assist in a magic show in front of an audience. “Let’s not get cold talons now,” he admonished. Quarry replied with a quieter hoot. “I’ve been there before many, many times, and I will say... I can’t guarantee that it’ll go perfect.” The owl gave a fearful “H-hoo?” “But I know you’ll be marvelous, Quarry,” said Cedric, stroking his crest again, right up to the sweet spot on Quary’s head. If a bird of prey could somehow purr, he had no doubt Quarry would’ve done so. It surprised Cedric how quickly they had taken to each other, especially with all the bitterness left in the wake of Wormwood’s betrayal. But he knew that Quarry was his chance to start anew, to once again have a companion he could trust with his work and his life. “Now come along, we’ve still got an hour left before the show starts,” he reminded him. Quarry gave a trilling hoot, flying in place as Cedric went over to his armoire to collect the rest of his supplies. The conference site was about a twenty-minute walk from their villa, but outside was a perfect balance of blue sky and cloud cover. Hopefully the rest of the weekend would carry on with that same clement level of pleasantness. +++ Mateo had painted in his mind what the Conjuror’s Conference would look like once he finally stepped through the gated entrance, and the real thing didn’t disappoint. The spacious front lawn of the estate was already packed with stalls touting charms, familiar care kits, designer robes, sample wands, and enchanted toys and art pieces. Further down the lawn, the air grew rich with the heady scent of rare herbs and incense pots, and several stalls were just focused on selling gardening supplies for the aspiring apothecary. There were even a couple of sigil tattoo stands, showing off elegant designs of mystical animals, constellations and summoning circles. Mateo didn’t even have any interest in getting one, but he was still intrigued to see what designs were popular. He knew his mamá would have given him some serious side-eye for even looking at these kinds of stalls, but so long as he was by himself, he practically had the run of the place. And that was just the outside. Past an elegantly carved set of dark oak doors, the rose marble-floored foyer of the estate’s main house was where mages gathered to mingle, while the translucent hands of invisible servants went around with trays of finger foods and tea cups. Mateo noticed some enchanted portraits hung from the beige walls, displaying curious fairies, unicorns and dragons looking down at the assembly. It seemed as if spellcasters of every nation from Norberg to Khaldoun were present, and he could see the experience etched into their sharp eyes and deep laugh lines. Mateo had seen the day before that most decorated mages were close to Cedric’s age or older, but now he noticed something else: many of them were followed around by apprentices not much younger than himself. They ran the gamut from eager, wide-eyed children to nervous teenagers, and they stuck to their masters like ducklings waddling after their mothers. In their arms they held satchels, staves and familiar carriers, if those familiars weren’t perched on their masters’ shoulders or sitting at attention at their feet. These apprentices were obviously dressed for a public event, their robes spotless and fitted with not a wrinkle out of place. As he stood taller and carefully straightened out his maroon robe, Mateo felt a harsh bump against his hip. “Hey!” he cried. “Oh, pardon me. Maybe you shouldn’t be staring off into space so close to the doorway!” retorted a bratty voice somewhere around Mateo’s waist-level. He looked down to see a blue-robed boy no older than twelve, his freckled face pinched into a condescending smirk. “Wendell! That is no excuse for such behavior!” scolded a fancily made-up woman in white storming up to them. The boy’s smirk vanished, and he meekly ducked his head as the woman towered beside him and crossed her arms. “Well, Wendell?” she prodded. Wendell’s brow was set to a harsh V as he looked back up at Mateo, but he managed to eke out one “I’m sorry.” Mateo was just as eager to move past this as he was. “It’s fine. But I appreciate that you apologized,” he said, his tone more gracious than he really felt. “Please pardon my son’s behavior,” said Wendell’s mother. Her eyes then took on a discerning light, just as Cedric’s did. “And, beg pardon, young man, but I can’t recall seeing you last year. Have you just taken on your apprenticeship?” she inquired. Mateo blinked. “Oh... well no, I actually never was an apprentice. Where I come from, there weren’t any wizards around to teach me.” As soon as he said that, both mother and son stared as if Mateo’s hair suddenly turned green. That… was that the wrong thing to say? He’d only spoken the truth, but now he realized that he didn’t have time to go over Avalor’s troubled history with magic. “Wait, no! That’s not a hundred percent true,” he exclaimed. “I took a lot from my grandfather’s old writings and books, so I did have a master wizard to learn from, and.. well, circumstances being what they were, um...” What was he doing? He should have his introduction down pat! “You’re a self-taught wizard? Now that’s something you don’t see everyday,” the woman remarked. “That’s just how it worked out.” Maybe if he just kept his answers short and neutral enough, she’d lose interest. “Who is your grandfather then?” she asked, busting any wishful thinking. A short and neutral answer wouldn’t stop her reaction from being anything but. Mateo took a deep breath. “He’s Alacazar. The... the former Royal Wizard of Avalor,” he replied. “Avalor? You mean the country where-Oh, goodness!” she gasped. “I heard about you! You broke a painting spell, and helped save the whole royal family!” Wendell’s scowl vanished as he looked back up at Mateo with astonished eyes. “Lissabeth my dear, is something the matter?” asked an approaching enchantress in a silken yellow gown, accompanied by a small group of mages. Oh great, an audience. “I happened upon this remarkable young man. His grandfather was the last Royal Wizard of Avalor!” Lissabeth proclaimed. A middle-aged sorcerer in green laughed in surprise. “I’d heard through the grapevine that we had a guest from Avalor this year, but I’d taken it for the usual claptrap.” “Er-“ Mateo tried to answer, but Lissabeth interjected, “And he just told me that he learned all that he knows about magic by himself.” “Hm. That’s rather unorthodox, but given the circumstances, it probably couldn’t be helped,” said another sorcerer, stroking his short black beard. Mateo tried to laugh it off. “It’s funny, I was just saying that-“ “But wouldn’t some measure of qualification be needed? There should be records kept of the boy’s progress,” interrupted a younger woman in a shimmering dragonscale shawl. “Doesn’t that seem rather belated at this point, Professor Willough? There are only so many schools who’ll take in wizards his age, not to mention all the rigmarole involved in getting into magics universities,” said Sorcerer Shortbeard. “How about a kingdom-issued exam?” suggested one wizard that Mateo couldn’t even see. “Do they have any qualified individuals to oversee that in Avalor?” asked another. “We might be able to find someone within the Ancient Arts University Association,” said the first enchantress to approach them. “Would you be interested, young man?” asked Lissabeth, addressing Mateo as if he hadn’t been overridden in this exchange. “I…” Mateo’s left hand gripped the satchel holding his tamborita like a lifeline. The only way out of the deep end was to say something . Preferably something astute. Or at least coherent. He crossed his hands behind his back, straightened his knees, and tried to recall the last time he watched Chancellor Esteban or Gabe speak in public. “I hadn’t put all those factors into consideration. I only took on the title of wizard officially just last year.” That’s it, he thought. Short, neutral, but stay alert. “How has that been, lad?” Shortbeard asked with a kind smile. “I’ve learned a lot just from experience, and it helps that I have so much support back home,” he responded. “Er, how long have you been studying magic on your own?” asked Professor Willough. “Basically for as long as I can remember. Close to twelve years, maybe?” “I’d say he has the experience to at least speak with a university board member. I do know a few who should be about,” she said, looking around the foyer. “I’ll think about that after the conference,” Mateo added quickly. “It certainly would help to have something on paper.” And get all of you off my back, please. “Why don’t you come over to the soirée on the estate rooftop tomorrow evening? It’ll be just like this, only with a more casual atmosphere. I think it would be a lovely opportunity for you to get acquainted with more of the wizards here, and bounce off more ideas for potential decisions,” suggested Lissabeth. Something that was even more of this? “That’s very kind of you, my lady, but I’ve hardly packed anything suitable to wear for a soirée,” said Mateo, exerting considerable control to keep his voice from shrinking. “Oh tish tosh, like I said - it’ll be a casual affair. And rest assured, we’ll all be looking out for you, making sure you’re not bothered by some of the more talkative elders,” she breezily assured him. Not wanting to dwell on that statement, Mateo decided now was his time to bow out. “That sounds amazing, thank you. It’d be great to meet some of the people I see at the showcases and seminars today,” he said, praying that someone would take the hint. “Oh, we do hope to see you there, my dear boy!” “You have a wonderful day now!” “Would you mind stopping by the enchanted gardening stall this afternoon?” Mateo responded with as many “Yes”s and “Thank you”s as warranted, careful not to look anyone in the eye for too long as he ducked and wove his way across the foyer and into the main hallway branching off from the left. “Oh, Lissabeth dear, did you happen to catch the boy’s name?” asked Shortbeard. By the time they looked back, Mateo had made himself scarce. --- The doors leading to the courtyard were just within reach, and any second thoughts about slipping away scattered with the bracing scent of the sea. Turns out, when a former tourist attraction’s featured highlight was its expansive range with an ocean view, all of the event’s main attractions would be lined up there. As crowded as the foyer had been, this was where all the action was. Everyone here scattered in groups or as individuals, taking in live demonstrations of new illusions, mystic menageries, a cadre of fortune-telling tents, game booths, and a hedge labyrinth that took things to the next level with enchanted climate simulations. And no one could miss the focal point of the conference: a whole quarter of the great field was dedicated to a gigantic beige tent with a green banner flaunting the name “Marvels of Tomorrow” in shimmering white letters. Red, blue and green curtains coated the sides of the tent, and a length of red velvet carpet led up to the entrance. Mateo didn’t know what to expect as he stepped into the tent, and he was immediately struck by how vibrant everything was. The inner perimeter was bedecked with decorative flowering plants and towering tropical trees, creating the illusion of a jungle growing around the cleared expanse containing the booths and smaller tents. The effect was heightened by the tallest trees reaching the roof of the pavilion, though enough bare area was left for sunlight to filter through the tan canvas. Flittering across the trees were automated toy birds, lovingly crafted with silver and bronze filigree on their wings, tails and beaks. Their trilling songs echoed throughout the pavilion, carried over the bustle of the conference attendants. The spectacle before him drove off all his earlier unease from the foyer. This felt overwhelming in a good way; a surge of excitement that lit his eyes and powered his gait as he made his way to the showcase theater. The pavilion was split into two large circular areas, not unlike circus rings. The theater area was a raised wooden platform located in the second, larger circle, placed flush against the farthest end of the tent, with six rows of low wooden benches for the audience. A magenta curtain patterned with stars covered the stage proper. There was already a considerable crowd lounging and mingling on the benches, but thankfully, it wasn’t difficult for Mateo to find a good spot in the middle row. “Attention to all our esteemed guests and attendees: the Tri-Kingdom Sorcerer’s Showcase will now start in ten minutes,” announced a booming voice speaking over their heads. “The showcase will be the first of many displays of wonder that we’ve in store as part of the Marvels of Tomorrow exhibit, and we indeed hope you have a marvelous time during your stay. Thank you.” “You heard him, you majestic mages! Let’s find our seats and get ready to start the show!” shouted a perky voice from the stage. In a puff of violet smoke, a young woman with waist-length light pink hair, a pearl-studded diadem, and a flashy blue-and-white dress robe appeared before the curtain, raising a thin golden wand. With a flick of her wrist, she gathered the errant smoke into a floating ball, and then tossed it into the air. The smoke-ball spiraled upwards for a few feet before it burst into a shower of sparkling lights, and Mateo applauded along with the crowd. “Welcome, and what a wonderful morning to see you all here on the first day of our Conference! I am Isadora the Illustrious, your humble host!” shouted the sorceress. A few loud hoots and whistles pierced from the younger attendees, though they were met with reprimanding looks from their elders. Their host, however, paid no mind as she tucked her wand back into her sleeve. “It gives me great pleasure to introduce our esteemed line-up of Royal Sorcerers, because they’ve prepared quite the eye-popping show to get this weekend started! But before we get that going, a few points to keep in mind: we’ll want our sorcerers to give you the best show they can, so let’s keep our familiars at their best behavior.” Isadora went on to list some standard bits of protocol, none of which surprised Mateo save for the point about errant demon summonings. “But well, I think we all know what to do there, now don’t we?” jested Isadora with a knowing smirk. A handful of mages laughed in response, though Mateo felt the joke slip through his grasp like a hard-flung china plate. “Alright, let’s not keep you or our panelists waiting!” Isadora drew up her wand again, and with one dramatic flick, a mysterious violet light flooded the theater area. Everyone in the audience held their breath as the curtain began to rise on its own. Mateo’s smile grew, and his hands gripped at his knees as a silhouetted figure stepped forward.

#wands of a feather #elena of avalor #sofia the first #fanfic #disney fanfic #mateo de alva #cedric the sorcerer #cedric the sensational #eoa #stf #rooks writes #my writing

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chaotic-deerspirit · 6 years

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Pt.10

Edit: Sorry for the looooooong hiatus but here's part 10. Hope it meets expectations. Let me know about any mistakes I missed.

The King walked among the lines of freshly sewn crops.

He studied the earth and the tilled rows, making sure everything was in order, fully aware of the villagers watching him from the side lines. Cedric couldn’t help but feel his old anxiety flare at the thought of the prying eyes, waiting, watching for him to slip up in some way. It almost felt like the old days and it brought a bitter taste to his mouth as he looked at them from the corner of his eye, head turning slightly and frown set. Many of the on lookers turned their own heads so that they wouldn’t meet his eye and he grunted, pleased that some fear still lingered in them.

Looking forward Cedric raised his hand and made a circular movement as he walked, a shimmering green mist filling the air around his feet as he went along the rows, and then he stopped his movements. The green aura falls to the earth, seeping into the ground and vanishing. The onlookers gasped as the corn in the field slowly sprouted before their eyes and then stopped just above the Kings knees, surrounding him in an ocean of green. Farmers rushed forward to inspect the baby stalks and confirmed that they were perfectly healthy, signaling for others to begin watering the crops. The crowd cheered and cried, and Cedric watched this as he moved on to the next field, repeating his self-appointed task over and over until he had sprouts and saplings everywhere.

When the towns folk were hard at work watering the fields and tending the crops, Cedric made his way back towards the castle with his guards following close behind. He had a few towns women throw themselves in his path and praise him for his mercy, but instead of basking in their praise he stepped around them and continued onward, looking forward to the quietness of the castle and the smell of his potions brewing. But walking through the streets gave him a sense that he was once more missing something. Children running in between the buildings laughing with each other and their parents calling for them to return home. Cedric couldn’t help the small smile that caused his lips to twitch slightly for a moment before falling once more. Pausing outside the window of the old shoe shop where he could see the former queen, dressed in her peasant garb and working away on a new pair of shoes. She looked neither happy or miserable but almost content to have something to do with her hands that still brought some joy, no matter how minuscule, to others. Coldness washed over him the moment a second feminine figure moved into sight, holding a set of wooden soles meant for another pair of shoes. The same long flowing brown hair, and delicate features as the former queen albite a little, rounder from youth that still hasn’t fallen away just yet. The same young newly fledged sorceress that he had met that night at the ceremony of his father’s apprentice.

‘No, former apprentice, it was her party.’ Cedric corrected his racing thoughts as he rubbed his lips with the pads of his fingers, becoming aware of the dry cracked skin and the tremor now taking over his hands.

For a quick moment doubted had settled in his mind about his choices thus far, only for him to shake his head and stamp his doubt down once more. He couldn’t afford doubt, it was a cancer that weakens and twists one’s judgment and he couldn’t afford to let it do that to him. He couldn’t let such dark thoughts to cloud his mind once more, dragging him back to his sleepless nights and fits of madness. He had finally found a calm place in his mind and he didn’t want that jeopardized. Even if the lovely sorceress he had met was, in fact, the late princess, was in Sofia. But the thought was already there, nagging at the back of his brain as he lurched forward into a long stride pace as he made his way back to the castle once more. Even his own guards had noticed his movements become stiffer and a little agitated as they went. “Is everything alright my King?” One asked and flinched when Cedric snapped at him. “I’m fine! I just wish to return to my room already!” His pace picked up and his guards fell back as Cedric entered the castle, not wanting to be close by as their memory of his past violent outbursts served them as a warning.

Cedric’s eyes flicked around as he went, searching for the shadows that always taunted him and found nothing but the bright sunlight streaming in through the windows, chasing the darkness away and leaving everything exposed, including himself. He felt like he was in the open now for everyone to see and he didn’t like it. Despite the demons that lurked around the doorframes he had craved the safety of the darkness, hiding from the bitter, judging eyes of the townsfolk and the servants. He ran his hands through his hair, pulling at the greying locks as he rushed passed startled maids and confused guards who watched him as he rushed by, and he was all too aware of it. The amulet hidden under his shirt began to feel heavy once more and he pressed his hand to it as he came to a standstill, head spinning and breathing becoming labored as his chest clenched.

Cedric couldn’t describe what he was feeling, it was a mess of emotions that caused his thoughts to become a blur as he tried to process them. Breathing becoming labored, he could feel his throat closing in on itself and shadows swirling before his eyes almost grinning at him. Inhaling sharply and pulling at the collar of his ansger, undoing the ties in an attempt to allow air to get into his lungs. He could hear the servants watching him muttering, saying he was having an attack but made no move to help him. Closing his eyes and forcing himself to take a long deep wheezing breath as he as he stepped forward, fighting to keep in control and grounded.

Once in the safety of his chambers he locked the door and leaned against it as he tried to study his labored breathing, hands reaching out almost blindly, feeling the rigid wood of his door beneath his fingers and the stone of the wall, trying to seek something that would act as an anchor to keep him from falling over the edge of sanity. To keep him from plummeting into the shadows of his mind once more and allowing the beasts within to devour what little light he had managed to salvage over the past few days of clarity. He finally identified the storm of emotions as unbridled panic clutching and clawing at his mind and his chest, a voice hissing in his ears his past failures.

‘You saw her, she returned, and she has gained power, and you allowed it to happen, King.’

“Shut up… Shut up all is calm, all will come together… It’s my throne I deserve this, and the people are now mine as well.” He growled under his breath. He refused to sink under again, even if the talented sorceress he met was Sofia, he didn’t have to let the darkness take hold again. But he could feel it creeping into his mind, filling it with thoughts that clawed their way to the forefront of his mind;

‘Are you so sure that the people are on your side?’

‘Would one act of kindness cause such a miracle?’

‘What the little princess is planning to take back the throne?’

‘Are those obnoxious twins in contact with her?’

‘Is she after the amulet?’

‘Will there be an uprise?’

These thoughts continued to come, one after another, sprouting like the crops in the fields had earlier. He wanted to sleep, to escape the shadows creeping in on his mind but the day wasn’t over yet, and he still had things to attend to. He couldn’t sleep now he had to stay awake, there was no rest to escape to, no escape. Closing his eyes tightly he desperately tried to force the darkness away.

When he didn’t hear the voice he inhaled shakily and released it before opening his eyes. Only to meet the grinning face of his worst nightmare.

‘There is no escaping me Cedric.’

The castle became still as a scream tore through the air and bounced around the stone halls of the castle. The sound bringing a chill into the air and chasing the warmth away.

#dark redemption #pt.10 #cedric

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