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He raised an eyebrow when the youngest princess of Enchancia told him about her latest school assignment. “Why someone else’s family tree?” he asked her.
“The teacher said it was so we could have the chance to hear about stories about other people,” Sofia explained with a smile. “I just know your family must have lots of amazing stories to tell!”
“Well, yes…”
“Please? Maybe just one or two?”
The royal sorcerer could only sigh and give in. He would never be able to resist Sofia when she asked him with such a look on her face. He stood up, taking his family wand from its box. “Follow me,” he said, heading for the stairs that would lead into the lower levels of the castle.
“Why are we going down here?” the princess asked as she followed him.
“It’s the only way to properly display it,” he explained over his shoulder. He chuckled when he saw her eyes widen.
“It’s that big?!”
“Very much so,” he said. He puffed out his narrow chest, unable to help but feel a little proud of the girl’s awe. He brought her to a large bare wall just as his mother had done years ago and he held up the family wand. “Teaghlach!”
Sofia smiled in pure delight as Cedric’s family tree spread out across the entire wall. “Oh! It’s so pretty!” she breathed. She stepped closer, looking over the names. She giggled when she found Cedric, pointing it out to him. “Look! Baileywick is beside your name,” she said.
“Of course he is,” he laughed. “He’s the love of my life so he’s part of the family too.”
Sofia continued looking at all of the names on the wall. She walked down the length of the wall, amazed at how many there were. She had never really thought about families being so big and lasting for so long before! It was all so…
She stopped and frowned at an odd looking section of the tree. “Cedric?”
“Hm?” The sorcerer was distracted, looking at images of several cousins and aunts.
“Why is this part on fire?”
His eyes widened in realization and he walked over to her, blushing as he toyed with the sleeves of his robe. “Oh...well I…”
“All of these branches are so small. Some of them are only partially made before this fire starts!” Sofia said.
“You weren’t in Amber’s class when they learned history,” he said.
“No, I had a mission with the Protectors at the time,” she said. She turned to look up at him, “why? What does this fire mean?”
He cleared his throat, his mind racing as he tried to figure out how to talk to her about this. “...you know what happened to Greylock,” he said.
“Yes.”
“Fire is the only method of execution for magic users,” he said. “It...it can be done in different ways but the result is always the same. Greylock is incredibly lucky to have escaped with his life. No one else has.”
“No one...else?”
He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly before he continued. “Centuries ago, there were some Royals and common folk who became fearful of those who could use magic. They didn’t understand it and they became afraid of what they could do. What if these magic users tried to gain control over all of the kingdoms? This fear spread and soon consumed almost all of the Ever Realm.
“Their solution was to… they used fire on a very large number of magic users and their families and loved ones. Just like Magnus tried to do to Greylock. It was a dark time. Almost all magic was burned to ashes before sense came back to the Royals and the Burnings stopped. Hexley Hall exists as a way to try and build up the number of magic users and to be a place of protection should something similar happen again.”
She listened to Cedric in growing horror. She felt her chest tighten, an odd pain coming to her as she thought about the number of people. She looked back at the names and the ones engulfed in flames seemed to fill her entire vision. All she could see was bonds torn apart and branches abruptly broken.
Royals had done this? Royals had really tried to destroy something so open ended as people who could use magic? Anyone could use magic if they trained! They would still be hunting people down if they had not stopped!
She paled when she thought about the people she knew. Lucinda and her mother were witches. Calista was very young but she could already use magic. Cedric would certainly have been burned too!
And her...the Royals would have burned her too for being Cedric’s apprentice. Even Aunt Tilly wouldn’t have been spared. The thought of families turning on each other, tearing everything apart out of the fear of magic…
Cedric winced when Sofia buried her face in her hands. He waved his wand at the wall, wiping the names away as he stepped forward, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Sofia…” he whispered.
“Me and Aunt Tilly...you and Calista!” the princess wept.
“...I shouldn’t have said anything,” he sighed, holding her close and rubbing her back. “This was centuries ago, child. It will never happen again.”
This seemed to help calm the girl’s nerves. She sniffed and wiped at her eyes, nodding. “Daddy would never do such a thing,” she agreed.
Cedric smiled, holding her hand as they climbed up the stairs to his workshop. “Of course not. Do you know; your father had a similar reaction when he learned about this in school. He…”
“Seasick! There you are! I was wondering where you had gone off to!” Greylock smiled as he turned to face the two. He was not wearing his hat today, his scars clearly visible in the sunlight. “I wanted to ask you about…”
Sofia burst into loud sobs.
Greylock winced, looking at the girl in surprise. “I...what..?” He became nervous, trying to hush her as Sofia sobbed loudly in the workshop. “I didn’t do anything! I promise!” he helplessly cried.
Cedric pulled Sofia into his arms, rubbing her back as he gently hushed her. He looked up at Greylock and shrugged. “I think seeing you after learning about the Trials was a bit too much for her,” he said.
“Oh dear…” Greylock blushed.
“Come, Sofia. Your family would never do such a thing to you,” Cedric soothed.
“But...what about you?!” she wept into his robe.
He blinked in surprise at this declaration. He shook his head, tightening his hug on her. “No, that was a long time ago. It will never happen to me, my dear.” He smiled when she pulled back, hiccuping as she tried to control herself.
“Besides, mine was more of a special case,” Greylock offered. “It’s not as if your father will suddenly shove old Cedric here into a campfire or something.”
Cedric gave Greylock a look. “She’s going to think magic users go up like dry straw, Greylock!” he hissed.
That finally drew a laugh from her. The earlier tension had been broken and she was able to calm down with Cedric and Greylock’s help.
***
He couldn’t say he was terribly surprised when the door to his bedroom opened in the middle of the night. Baileywick woke up beside him with a groan, pushing himself up to look at the figure standing in the doorway.
“Princess Sofia?” Baileywick asked in confusion.
“I had a bad dream,” she whispered.
“Dear, what..?”
“Come in,” Cedric said, gesturing to a spot between himself and Baileywick. He offered Baileywick a sad smile as the princess climbed into bed with them. He pulled the blanket over her, adjusting the pillows. “Trust me, love. Sleeping in our bed will help her. She learned about some distressing bits of history today.”
The older man hummed as understanding came to him. He nodded, yawning as he laid back down. “Good night, princess,” he murmured. “I shall make sure to explain to your parents if they become concerned.”
Sofia slept for the rest of the night, secure with the presence of the steward and sorcerer on either side.