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Chapter Text

Disclaimer: I do not own Sofia the First or Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

A/N: Hi, everyone! I'm still technically "on break" from my normal writing schedule, but I decided to go ahead and put this story up just to get back into the habit of writing at least a bit. Since this is one of my "Read Me a Story" formats, it technically still falls in line with my other stories, though it's not necessarily directly related to anything in particular. It's just for fun, and since it couldn't leave my head, I figured…why not? :) Oh, and this WILL be a chapter story due to the length and my work schedule. Hope you enjoy! ~AquaTurquoise

Chapter 1: A Golden Opportunity

"Is she any better yet?" Cedric asked in concern as Baileywick exited Sofia's room one evening. He hadn't seen his apprentice in a few days now due to her apparent illness, and he'd wondered about her progress.

"Afraid not," the steward answered quietly as he pulled the girl's door shut behind him. "She had a fever a few nights ago, but it's gone down a lot. However, she's still pretty weak and can't do much. What Sofia needs is some rest, and I predict she'll be better in a few days." He turned and walked in the opposite direction. "Good night, Cedric."

Cedric sighed and lifted his hand as if to knock on the door. He paused. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to see her now, even if he was concerned about her. Still, not seeing her would surely upset the girl, right? And he didn't want that… Therefore, he knocked gently.

"Come in," responded a soft and seemingly tired voice from the other side.

The sorcerer blinked at the weak sound before pushing the girl's door open hesitantly and peering inside. "Sofia?"

The auburn-haired princess's eyes seemed to light up the moment she saw her mentor. "Mr. Cedric!" She smiled happily before beckoning him inside. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to skip out on our lessons or anything, but I've been…well, kind of sick."

"I heard. Your father informed me, and I was concerned." He sighed. "You have no idea how different things are around my workshop now with Wormy able to speak. I swear, that raven never stops talking."

The girl laughed. 'You have no idea,' she thought to herself. "At least now you two can understand each other." She gestured toward a chair located by her bed, which Cedric occupied. "Have I missed much?"

"Not in the least. I haven't quite managed to make much progress here recently, especially with Calista and Cordelia visiting."

Sofia's eyes widened slightly. "They are here?"

"Well, they were yesterday anyway…for a few hours." He rolled his eyes. "It was enough time for me to realize why my sister and I only see each other a few times a year, anyway."

She giggled. "Yeah…"

Cedric picked up a book from the girl's nightstand and chuckled. "The Magic Factory, hmm? My mother used to read this book to me when I was younger."

"It's one of my favorites," she admitted. "And sometimes, when I read it, I try to imagine other people in the roles."

He smirked at her mentioning. "Mm, imagine that. You sure have an affinity for stories, Princess."

Sofia smiled. 'More than you realize, Mr. Cedric…' "I don't suppose you would…read me the story, would you?" She gave him one of her famous pleading looks when she saw him appear to want to decline. "Please, Mr. Cedric? You tell the best stories."

Cedric rolled his eyes before opening the book and glancing at the characters outlined in the plot. "Very well… And just whom have you in mind for these characters anyway?"

The princess beamed. "I think you'll be pleased with my ideas."

*Sofia and the Magic Factory*

Enchancia in the wintertime was always somewhat cold and snowy. The inhabitants didn't mind it necessarily, because they'd grown accustomed to it by now. Still, the soft and quiet precipitation blanketed the earth in a way that hid the true beauty underneath…or maybe it was protecting it.

A young auburn-haired princess sighed and rolled away from her window, trying not to think about the snow now. Sofia, the youngest princess in Enchancia, had a way of letting her thoughts run rampant, causing her to daydream constantly. It was part of what made her so endearing and yet, at the same time, flabbergasted a few people around her.

"Princess Sofia," came a familiar voice from behind the door.

She sat up and stretched once before smiling and leaning back against the wall. "Come in, Baileywick."

The steward entered, hanging the girl's winter coat next to her bed. "I suggest bundling up if you go outside today. Oh, and…another one came today."

Sofia beamed as the older man walked over, presenting her with what appeared to be a small golden egg. "Thanks, Baileywick!" She picked up her training wand that her school Royal Prep had assigned to her and tapped it gently, watching with a small gasp as it glowed gently.

The excitement soon faded, however, as the egg changed from gold to orange, signifying that it was not what she was hoping for. "Aw…"

"Another one?"

"Yeah…"

For the last few weeks, many students had been participating in a contest to see who the ultimate winner would be. Sofia put the egg aside and grabbed one of her pillows, pulling out a scroll she'd all but memorized by now and read it over.

Dear Magic Enthusiasts of the World:

I am writing to you to announce a very special event I've been planning for quite some time. Everyone has a bit of magic within, but only a select few can handle it with the grace, talent, and poise necessary to benefit not only oneself but also others around.

With that said, I have sent thousands of golden eggs out into all of the surrounding kingdoms. They will arrive randomly not only to palaces and castles, but to villages and mountains alike. You never know just when one may appear before you.

Simply tap the egg with a wand. If it changes from gold to orange, the egg is of no use to you. However, if it remains gold and shimmers a blue tone, it is a success. There are only five in all the world, and those who wield the prized eggs will be invited to my Magic Factory. Of the five, only one will win a prize beyond comprehension.

Good luck to those participating. The contest ends once all five eggs have been located, and believe me, I'll know when that occurs.

Greatest Wishes,

Cedric the Sensational

Sofia sighed and lowered the scroll to her lap. Cedric the Sensational was her hero in a way. She loved magic, and she'd read all his notes and spell books he'd released to the public. She loved the way he described magic: whimsical yet challenging, but an honor to those who take an interest in practicing it. Magic wasn't for the fainthearted, but it was absolutely fascinating.

She wanted more than anything to meet Cedric just once—to thank him for indirectly encouraging her in his own way. That's why she'd entered the contest in the first place. But then again…so many other children had entered as well, and she knew her chances of being one of the lucky five were dwindling.

"Sofia."

She glanced up when she heard her steward's gentle voice and smiled lightly. "It's okay, Baileywick… I, uh… I mean, there's still time, right? Who knows? And if it doesn't happen, then…I'll be okay with that." She stood up and hid her scroll in her pillow again. "Thanks for putting up with me with all of this…"

The older man chuckled a bit before shaking his head. "To be honest, I've enjoyed it so far. It's a bit of a break from the usual activities around here." He glanced out the window and smiled. "Anyway, I believe I see your brother and sister outside now…and it looks like James is chasing Amber around with snowballs."

Sofia giggled. "I wouldn't want to miss out on that!" She hugged him happily and hurried over, grabbing her coat. "Thanks, Baileywick! See you later!"

The steward smiled and sighed as she left. "Good luck, Princess."

That evening, the Royal Family was gathered at the table for their supper, and King Roland and Queen Miranda listened attentively as each of their children chattered on about different subjects.

"…And then he pelted me with six snowballs!" Amber, the oldest child, concluded with an involuntary shiver at the reminder. She flipped her blonde hair back over her shoulder and tossed a glare at her twin James.

James just smiled and shrugged. "What can I say, Amber? It's just too easy!" He laughed as she rolled her eyes. "By the way, Sofia, I heard you got another egg in."

Roland looked toward his youngest child curiously. "Oh, really?" He smiled at seeing the downcast look on her face. "I take it this one wasn't a winner either?"

She sighed and lowered her head. "No… I'm wondering if it's even worth it at this point. I mean, there are so many other people participating… What chance do I have?"

Miranda gave her daughter an encouraging smile. "Sofia, you have just as much chance of winning as anyone else. Don't give up."

The young girl returned her mother's smile. "Thanks, Mom."

"So why do you want to win this contest so badly anyway, Sofia?" Amber asked curiously as she set her fork down. "I mean, I know you like magic and everything, but what exactly are you hoping to get out of the contest?"

She grinned. "I'll get to meet Mr. Cedric the Sensational, Amber! He's only been my magical hero for the last few years, since we began training with magic at school."

"But…you don't even know him," James pointed out with a raised eyebrow. "And even if you do find one of those eggs, what if you don't win this 'big prize' in the end?"

"That doesn't matter… Even just meeting him would be an honor." She sighed and put her head into her hand as she leaned against the table. "I know everyone says he's something of a private person and doesn't really talk much with other people, but it would still be neat to meet him just once. I mean, he is the one throwing this contest."

"Then don't give up," Roland told her kindly. "I agree with your mother. You can do it if you just believe in yourself."

Sofia smiled brightly. "Thanks, Dad. You guys are the best."

Baileywick entered Sofia's room that evening to review her schedule for the following day. Seeing she was sitting at her window again, he sighed and placed the document on her bed as he walked up next to her. "Still pondering, I see."

"Just wondering about some things…" She turned and looked up at her friend, who smiled gently at her.

"May I sit for just a moment?"

"Sure." She moved over to allow him some room.

"I'm going to share a secret with you, Princess Sofia. It's something not many know about, but I figure it's something you should know."

Sofia tilted her head. "What is it Baileywick?" Now she was intrigued. Baileywick almost never shared anything personal.

"I actually knew Cedric the Sensational at one point."

The gasp that erupted from the young princess was pretty comical, and the steward couldn't help the small chuckle at her reaction. "Really? Oh, my gosh, Baileywick! What's he like? Is he powerful? Why didn't you tell me this before?!"

Baileywick winced at the last question and motioned for her to keep her voice down, especially due to the time of the evening. "Calm down, Princess… Yes, it's true: Cedric and I knew each other a long time ago. However, I doubt he even remembers me. I merely worked for him for a few months before beginning my job here. He is powerful, naturally, and while he's pleasant enough, he's not exactly what I would call a 'people person' either… He's…unique."

"Wow…" She then began giggling and had to lean against the wall to avoid falling over.

The older man raised an eyebrow in question. "What's so funny?"

"Ah, Baileywick, for some reason, I just can't picture you working in a magic factory… You hardly even like magic."

He sighed and shrugged. "What can I say? It was a job, and it paid well. And it was certainly an experience…" He smiled as she sat up again. "Well, now you know my secret."

She smiled and nodded. "Thanks for telling me, Baileywick. Your secret is safe with me." She watched as he stood and bowed gently to her before leaving. "Hmm… I guess people can still surprise you sometimes…" With that said, she went to bed to rest up for the following day.

To be continued…

Chapter Text

Chapter 2: The Quest of the Best

A week went by with no results for the contest. People were beginning to wonder if there really was going to be any type of winner. Just when people were about to give up hope, the first golden egg was located in the Kingdom of Tangu.

Sofia opened a scroll that Baileywick offered her that morning and skimmed over the contents within.

The first golden egg located in Cedric the Sensational's contest is by a young prince named Zandar. When asked how he felt about the successful location, the boy admitted he was rather excited but didn't really know that much about magic. He was just excited to have something else to do to keep him entertained.

The auburn-haired princess sighed and gave her friend a hopeless look. "Great. Someone with hardly any interest locates an egg that easily, and all he wants is something to cure his boredom. I'd love to find the egg so I can expand on my magic training…"

Baileywick gave his charge a calming smile. "Cheer up, Princess Sofia. There are still four eggs out there, so don't give up hope now. Generally, if you want something badly enough and wish with all your might, you may just get what you're hoping for."

The girl gave a small laugh and shook her head. "Wishing isn't everything, Baileywick…but thank you for encouraging me."

He chuckled. "That's what I'm here for. By the way, breakfast will be ready in half an hour." He then left to aid the other servants.

Sofia sighed and flopped back into her pillows, the scroll tossed aside and forgotten. It just didn't seem fair. She wanted more than anything the chance to meet with her not-so-secret hero, and here someone from another kingdom had beaten her to it. It wasn't so much that she'd wanted to be first—she just wanted a chance either way. Usually she was an optimistic person with a healthy outlook on life, but the more days that dragged on with no success, the less full her glass seemed to be. Maybe it wasn't meant to be…

"Hey, Sofia!" James called to his sister later that afternoon as they were playing a game of Dazzleball together. "Watch out!"

"Huh?" Sofia looked up and yelped in surprise when the Frisbee flew directly into her head, knocking her backwards onto the ground. "…Ow…"

"Nice job, James," Amber snarked as she knelt beside the younger princess. "You've probably given her a concussion."

"It was an accident. I'm sorry, Sof." He also knelt beside the girl and waved a hand in front of her face as Amber attempted to help her sit up. "How many fingers am I holding up?"

"All of them?" the princess asked with a few blinks.

"She's cured!" He smiled excitedly and lunged forward, hugging his sister. "Yay!"

Sofia laughed and patted his back. "I'm fine, James. It was an accident after all. I shouldn't have zoned out like that…"

"What was on your mind?" Amber inquired as they all finally stood to their feet again.

"This contest… I'm wondering if I should even keep participating. The last few eggs I've received have all been duds, and it's getting a little discouraging for me." She sighed, lowering her head.

The blonde girl just smiled gently, taking her sister's hand. "Sofia, listen to me. You're the most optimistic person I know. You try hard at everything and give it your all. You're not a quitter, so don't start now. So the first few eggs weren't winners. It happens. But don't let that bother you. And so what if one egg has already been located? There are still four more out there, waiting for you."

Sofia beamed at the other girl's words. "Thanks, Amber… I needed that."

"So you guys wanna finish our game?" James asked excitedly, hoping they'd agree.

Luckily for the young prince, his sisters both agreed and returned to one of their favorite pastimes.

A few hours later, Sofia wandered into the kitchen for a snack and found Baileywick standing near the entrance. "Oh, Baileywick. Sorry, I didn't see you there."

"Hmm, it's all right, Princess. I, uh…have something for you." He fished another scroll from his jacket and handed it to her.

Sofia took a deep breath before letting it out and opening the scroll hesitantly.

The second golden egg located in Cedric the Sensational's contest is by a young princess from Friezenburg named Hildegard. The whimsical child, never at a loss for words, stated quite clearly that she had no interest in magic but absolutely loved winning, and she intends to win the big prize at the end of the contest. Best of luck to you, Princess Hildegard, but now we wonder… With three eggs remaining, who's next?

The princess sighed and crumpled the paper with a sour look.

"Something wrong?" the steward asked in concern.

"Another royal—a princess this time—found the second egg. And guess what? She doesn't care about magic. She just wants to win everything at the end. This is ridiculous, Baileywick. Since when do people enter contests for things they don't even like? It takes the fun away from people who do enjoy it."

Baileywick observed her disheartened expression before smiling secretively. He walked over to the wall and plucked a small apron from the coat rack before walking over and handing it to the girl. "Put this on."

She blinked. "What for?" She took the apron and did as he asked, tying the strings behind her back.

"I could use some help making some pastries for tonight, and you've always said you wanted to see how I make the lemon cookies."

Sofia's eyes widened in interest. "Really? Ooh, I'd love to learn!"

He chuckled as he began pulling out the necessary ingredients. "If you can grab some of the lemons, I'll get the flour, sugar, and everything else. You're not afraid of getting your hands dirty, are you?"

She grinned. "I'm no Amber, Baileywick. I know I can always wash my hands afterward."

Baileywick rolled his eyes and smiled. "Right. Let's get started then."

So the two friends prepared and mixed their ingredients together in a bowl, and Baileywick passed a rolling pin to the young princess so she could roll out the dough (something she'd always wanted to do). Together, they used some cookie cutters to create different designs for their lemon cookies.

"What now?" Sofia asked, her hands and face covered in flour by this point, making the steward laugh.

"I'll start baking them. Meanwhile, I believe you should head out and get cleaned up. Dinner will be ready soon, along with our cookies for dessert."

"Sounds great!" She giggled and hugged him happily. "Thanks for cheering me up, Baileywick." She then handed him her apron and skipped off.

The steward, for once, didn't even mind that his perfectly starched suit was a little messy. Seeing the princess happy was more than worth it. (Plus, he had a secret cleaning solution passed down to him through his family.) With that thought in his mind, he set his sights on baking the cookies.

Before Sofia could head toward her room, one of the guards stopped her and handed her another egg.

She hesitated before deciding she'd get cleaned up first and then check it. After dressing in a new outfit for the evening, she grabbed her wand from her bed and tapped it, waiting with a held breath to see what would happen. "Even if it isn't the winning egg," she told herself, "don't get upset. Don't get upset, Sofia…"

The egg changed to an orange color, as she expected, so she just sighed once and smiled before setting it aside in a basket with her other collected duds. "Maybe next time…"

At dinner, the royal family was gathered and enjoying their meal while conversing about their day, which was pretty typical.

"Daddy, do you know why swans are so pretty but so bad-tempered?" Amber asked randomly after James finished his third cannon story of the week.

"I have no idea, Amber…" Roland chuckled. "I guess that's a question for one of the animal keepers, hmm?" He glanced toward his younger daughter, who seemed lost in thought as she used her spoon to gather vegetables on it before dropping them back into her soup. "Sofia? Are you all right?"

"Huh?" She looked up and saw her parents looking at her in concern. She just smiled sleepily. "I'm fine, Dad. It's just been a long day."

"Dessert, everyone!" Baileywick announced energetically as he lowered a silver tray of beautiful lemon cookies for the family. "Princess Sofia lent a hand, and I dare say they came out splendidly."

James grinned. "Brilliant!" He swiped a cookie from the tray and began munching on it. "It's awesome!"

Amber gave him a cold stare. "James, finish eating before you speak…" She took her own cookie and took a bite before smiling and nodding her approval.

Sofia just smiled sweetly. "All I did was help mix some things together. Baileywick is the real baker here." She looked up at the steward and noticed he seemed to be attempting to hide something behind his back. "What's that, Baileywick?"

"Oh, um, nothing to worry about, Princess. We'll speak after dinner, all right?"

She raised an eyebrow at him. "…Okay…"

The family dispersed half an hour later, and the youngest royal quickly vacated the dining room to find her confidant. She paused when she saw him standing in the throne room, giving instructions to those cleaning for the evening. "Baileywick?"

The older man turned to the girl and nodded gently. "I have…news."

Her face fell. "…What kind of news?"

Baileywick held out one hand to her, sighing as she took it. "Violet, you're in charge for a few minutes. I'll be back soon, all right?"

"Yes, sir!"

The steward led his young friend into the hallway and produced yet another scroll for her, handing it to the princess.

Sofia inhaled and unrolled the scroll, reading it silently.

The third golden egg located in Cedric the Sensational's contest is by a young witch from the village of Dunwiddie named Lucinda. A mischievous child, as she herself proclaims, the young witch began studying magic under her very own mother and has every intention of winning the grand prize at the end. She insists that no one is any match to her in the field of magic, and she'll do whatever it takes to beat out the competition. With a spirit like that, Lucinda will be hard to surpass! Only two eggs remain. Who else will partake in this challenge?

Sofia groaned. "A witch? How am I supposed to compete with a witch? Sure, I know magic, but she probably practically breathes it…"

"Don't talk like that, Sofia," Baileywick told her kindly. "Just because someone is born into something, it doesn't necessarily make them the best at it… Some of us work hard for what we enjoy."

She smiled lightly. "I guess that's true…"

"Um…" He paused. He really hesitated to do this, but she deserved to know the truth. Seeing he had her attention, he reached his hand up to his other side of his jacket. "There was…one other."

The girl looked surprised. Two scrolls in one day? "It's okay, Baileywick… Just show me."

He plucked the new scroll and offered it to her, watching her skim the contents yet again.

The fourth golden egg located in Cedric the Sensational's contest is by a young prince named Hugo. His peers and family members call him 'determined' and 'focused,' saying he'll do just about anything to win and win big. While he's not the least bit interested in magic, it seems, he is intrigued by the prospect of obtaining something grand at the end, so he can best his older brother Axel. With such a mixture of different children in the competition so far, one can only wonder what the fifth and final egg winner will be like. Time will tell!

"Two in one day?" she asked in exasperation. "Baileywick, I think I…need about ten of those cookies right now." She sulked.

Baileywick shook his head and smiled. "Gorging yourself on sugar won't do you any favors, Sofia. You'll be too hyped to sleep, and it still won't solve your dilemma. Now look: four winners have been found. It's true. There's only one egg left in the world, and everyone seems to want to find it. However, and listen to me carefully when I say this…" He nodded when she turned her eyes to him, paying attention. "Even if you don't find this last egg, just know it's not the end of your interest in magic. Maybe meeting Cedric the Sensational will still happen for you, even if not in this manner. That's no reason to relinquish doing what you love, right?"

Sofia sighed heavily before giggling.

"What?"

"I love that you give me pep talks even if I don't ask for them." She grinned up at him.

He chuckled. "I have to look out for you. Besides, I truly believe if you're meant to win this, you're going to succeed entirely."

"You mean it?"

"Of course I do." He gasped in slight surprise when she wrapped her arms around him and gave him a firm hug. He sighed and smiled, gently returning the gesture. "Now, I believe you should be heading to bed, Princess. Tomorrow is a new day."

"And the last round of eggs goes out tomorrow," she finished, smiling. "Good night, Baileywick, and thank you." She waved at him before leaving.

Baileywick sighed. "Good luck, Sofia."

Sofia sighed the next morning and turned over, pulling her covers closer to her chin. She shivered. Why in the world was it so cold? Sure, it was winter break and everything, but did that mean she literally had to feel the cold-inducing grip of winter itself on her?

She blinked her eyes open and stared at her dark room. "I wonder what time it is," she mumbled with a yawn.

"SOFIA!"

"AHH!" The princess sat up in bed and looked around in fright. "Who? What? Huh? Amber, is that you?"

The curtains were suddenly drawn, letting in the morning sun, which Sofia shielded her eyes from.

"Get up, Sofia! Look!" Amber hopped onto her younger sister's bed and offered her the object she'd definitely been waiting on.

"Oh, Amber! I…" She paused, reaching for the egg before sighing and lowering her hand. "Mm."

"What's wrong?" Amber tilted her head. "Don't you want to 'magic' it and see if you'll win?"

"Of course I do, but I'm so tired of being disappointed… I kind of just want a break from it."

The blonde placed the egg onto her sister's lap before folding her arms. "Sofia, you cannot be serious. For the last month, you've been immersed in the world of magical eggs. You've told me every 'Cedric' story you possibly could think of. And now you're just giving up? No, no, no—no sister of mine gives up." She grabbed the girl's wand from her bedside table and pushed it into her hands. "Now…it's time to rise and shine, Sofia. Take all the time you need, but you're going to check this egg." She slid from the bed and walked toward the door. "Breakfast will be ready soon! Hurry!"

Sofia snickered after her sister sang the last word dramatically. She glanced at the egg in her lap and then at the wand she held. "Hmm. Maybe…after breakfast. Yeah. I'll check it after I eat." She nodded to herself before setting both objects aside and departing her bed to get cleaned up for the day.

When she arrived to the dining hall entrance, she paused upon hearing some voices.

"Did you hear?" came one male voice—a servant's voice she recognized. "The final egg was found this morning. Some rich duke from one of the northern kingdoms."

"Oh, no," responded a female voice. "Princess Sofia will be so disappointed. She's been going on about this competition for weeks now. Poor little dear."

"I know… I suppose she will find out soon enough."

Sofia's lip quivered, but she held back the tears she felt welling. She was stronger than this. Besides, Baileywick said it himself: even if she couldn't meet Cedric the Sensational through this venue, maybe there was a better way…down the road. Her mind made up, she and walked inside to join her family.

"Good morning, Sofia," Miranda greeted gently. "How did you sleep?"

'Better before I knew someone else got the last egg,' she thought somewhat bitterly before forcing a smile. "Fine, Mom. Thanks."

"Come get you some goldenberry pancakes before James scarfs them all," Roland joked, making the family laugh.

"I did nah scaff dem ah!" James responded through a mouthful of pancake.

Amber made a displeased face. "James, seriously?"

"Sofia, what's wrong, dear?" Miranda asked when the princess finally sat in her chair before put her elbows on the table and her head into her hands. "You seem down."

"I just…"

"Did you check your egg?" Amber asked curiously.

The auburn-haired girl sighed. "It doesn't matter anymore. I overheard some of the workers saying that someone else found the…the last one."

Roland looked distraught. He knew how much finding that last egg meant to his daughter, and seeing her so unhappy really bothered him. "Well… I'm sorry to hear that, Sofia. Maybe later, we can do something fun to take your mind off of it, hmm?"

She nodded slowly. "Sure, Dad… Thanks."

Roland and Miranda exchanged glances. They knew it would take a bit longer than that for the girl to feel better, but they were determined to try.

A while after breakfast, Sofia was sitting in the kitchen watching Chef Andre creating some pastries for a party event. She watched as he sifted the flour and spread it onto a board. She sighed heavily when he grabbed an egg from a basket nearby.

Chef Andre glanced at the princess. "Something wrong, Princess Sofia?"

"Uh…no. Sorry. I'm just…yeah." She grabbed one of the leftover lemon cookies from last night and exited the kitchen before running straight into Baileywick. "Sorry, Baileywick…"

He gave her a somber smile. "You heard, hmm?"

"How could I not? After the discussions this morning, and then people through the villages and the entire kingdom talking about it, I guess I have to face it: I lost."

"You didn't lose, Sofia… You gave it your best try. Look on the positive side, just like you always do."

Sofia finally managed a smile and nodded. "I'll try. I just…wish I could have found a real egg, you know?"

"I know." He watched as she retreated to her room again before turning, hearing a distinct conversation coming from the throne room.

"You mean the fifth egg was fake?" came a gasp.

"Yes!" replied a deeper voice, sounding a bit out of breath. "I heard about it in the marketplace just earlier. They were all showing me scrolls of the fake fifth egg."

"Oh, now why would anyone do something like that? All the disappointed children—was it worth that?"

"Look at it this way," reassured another voice, "at least now Princess Sofia has a chance of winning."

"Ay, that's true. I guess we'll see if she gets a new egg."

Baileywick's eyes widened. "Sofia."

Sofia collapsed onto her bed and grabbed her egg and wand. She wasn't sure why in the world she wanted to see the inevitable disappointment, but she just had to finalize her quest. Even if she didn't win, not finishing just wasn't an option anymore.

She closed her eyes and tapped the egg as usual. She kept her eyes closed a few moments before wincing at the random brighter light that seemed to seep through her eyelids. She blinked her eyes open and gasped in shock. Her egg was glowing golden while shimmering with a slight blue tone. It was a winning egg!

She yelped and dropped it onto her covers when she heard a voice echoing from within the egg.

"Congratulations, successful egg wielder," a voice, obviously belonging to the Cedric the Sensational himself, proclaimed. "You are one of the lucky ones! I applaud you—well, I would were I there in person. Ha!"

Sofia giggled. He seemed funny.

"No need in worrying whether I'll know of your win. I'll know: magic links and everything. Wait for further instructions about the Magic Factory via a delivery scroll. Oh, you'll see things and experience things you never before thought possible. I'm looking for the best and brightest, so come with an open mind and a steady wand. Best of luck to you. Sincerely, Cedric the Sensational"

Sofia gaped at the still-glowing egg. "I… I can't believe it. It's a—but the fifth winner was—huh?" She gasped when she heard a knock at the door. "Come in!"

Baileywick entered and stared in awe at the glowing egg on the girl's bed. "Sofia?"

She grinned. "I got it, Baileywick! I got it! But how? I thought the last one was already found?"

"It was a fake. I just overheard some of the servants talking." He walked over and observed the egg in curiosity. "So this is what a winning egg looks like, hmm?" He smiled toward her. "Congratulations, Sofia."

Sofia beamed. "I'm going to meet Mr. Cedric the Sensational…" She stood up on the bed and squealed before diving forward, hugging Baileywick happily as he caught her—though thrown off guard.

"Sofia! Don't do that! You could have given me a mild heart attack."

She giggled. "Sorry! I'm just so excited! Baileywick, I have a favor to ask: will you go with me to meet Mr. Cedric the Sensational and tour his Magic Factory? Please?"

He blinked at her. "Me? Why not one of your parents?"

"Because even though they're great, they still have a kingdom to run… Besides, you were the one who believed in me even when I didn't believe in myself. Please, Baileywick?"

He smiled, relenting. "Oh, very well. I suppose it could be an interesting tour…"

She grinned. "Thanks, Baileywick! This is going to be ah-mazing!"

Baileywick chuckled and placed her to her feet. "Indeed."

To be continued…

Chapter Text

Chapter 3: A Fantastical Factory

"I wonder what the other contestants are like," Sofia stated as she packed a small backpack full of her wand, some snacks, and a book or two. She glanced toward Baileywick, who shrugged.

"From what I gathered from the scrolls you read to me, I imagine they're a bit less pleasant," he stated simply.

She nodded in agreement. True, she'd figured as much from the majority of the scrolls. Still, the writers did sometimes tend to embellish their stories, so perhaps they weren't as bad as she believed? She'd have to see for herself really.

Cedric the Sensational had sent an update a few days ago, saying the five egg winners were to meet in front of his Magic Factory just outside of Enchancia at 9:00 AM sharp that morning. As it was 7:35 already, the girl was growing anxious.

"Oh, why didn't I prepare more last night?"

"I tried to warn you," the steward muttered, making her sigh. "You were more interested in fawning over that letter again."

"I wasn't 'fawning' over it. I was 'reading' it." She put the scroll into her bag as well and fastened it together. "I have to know where to go and get an idea of what to expect, Baileywick. Plus, I had to pick out my dress."

"…It's the same dress you wear all the time," Baileywick deadpanned as he gestured toward her signature purple and pink dress.

"That's not the point. Anyway, we'd better get a quick bite to eat before we leave. Come on!" She grabbed his arm and pulled him out of her room toward the dining hall yet again.

"Kind of in a rush, huh?" Miranda asked humorously as she saw her younger daughter trying to practically shovel down her food.

"Sorry, Mom," she said between bites, "9:00 is coming fast!"

Amber shook her head. "I see you've been taking lessons from James on eating and conversing at the same time…"

Sofia gave the blonde a guilty smile as she finished and delicately dabbed her mouth with her napkin. "Sorry, Amber. Are you guys coming to see us off?"

Roland smiled happily. "Wouldn't miss it for the world! Our little girl—touring a sorcerer's magical factory… It's not quite what I'd expected a princess to do, but if it makes you happy, by all means, I think you should do it."

"Thanks, Dad."

Baileywick finished his meal before glancing at his pocket watch. "I hate to disturb your majesties, but it's now 8:15. We really should be going."

"Let's go then!" James announced excitedly.

It took less time than they expected to make it to the factory. Then again, it wasn't exactly that far from the castle, luckily for the Enchancian inhabitants. Cedric had built his esteemed factory as far from the probing eyes of the local villages and royals alike as possible. He didn't really trust people not to bother him in some manner. Something Baileywick had neglected to mention but later informed Sofia about was that shortly after his departure from Cedric's factory is that the sorcerer had experienced betrayal in the worst way. His own employees had begun stealing or copying his spells and passing them off as their own; while never the type to be sentimental or emotional, he'd been hit rather hard. He thought he could trust the ones he'd hired, so he hadn't taken it well at all. In fact, he'd fired nearly everyone left so it wouldn't happen again.

He had very few loyal people he still trusted, but his circle had grown smaller and smaller. Yet there was still the curious nature of the factory itself.

"Hey, Baileywick," Sofia started as they approached the gates of the factory while her family stood back with the other crowd members. "There's something I was wondering. If Mr. Cedric fired everyone, who's helping him manage his factory? I still receive magic manuals every now and then, plus I know it takes a lot to keep a place this size running… Do you think he hired anyone else?"

"I doubt it, but that's a good question," the steward admitted. "Perhaps you could ask him."

She suddenly appeared quite shy. "I don't know if I could… I wouldn't know how to ask—I mean, I'm meeting my hero, Baileywick. It's enough to make me feel a bit nervous, so…"

The man chuckled. "Relax, Princess. You'll be fine. Just be yourself."

"Hmph, as if yourself is going to be enough to win some grand prize," a snobby voice scoffed from their side.

Sofia turned and blinked at the dark-haired girl in a blue dress. She had a unique tiara of flowers crowning her head. "Um… Hi, what's your name? I'm Princess Sofia."

The girl rolled her eyes. "Another princess? Original. I'm Princess Hildegard, and that's enough for you to know." She eyed the man beside her, who appeared to be her father. "I wish time would go faster, Father."

"Indeed," he echoed his sentiment.

Sofia made a face before looking up at Baileywick. "She's worse than Amber on her worst days, it seems," she whispered, making him nod. She recalled the words from Hildegard's interview. She knew the girl didn't care for magic and only was in it for the prize, but she was trying not to judge. After all, maybe she would change.

"I hope this tour isn't just about magic," Hildegard further complained. "Or if it is, maybe he'll show us spells to pass every school exam."

Then again, maybe not. Sofia rolled her eyes before looking on her other side at six other people who'd just arrived. One was another girl—a young witch with a pointed hat and purple-colored dress. Sofia deduced this must be Lucinda, as she was the only other girl. Beside her stood a near look alike woman, who must have been her mother.

Next to the two witches was a boy with dark brown hair and a dark suit. He appeared fairly serious just from first glance. His father stood next to him with long graying hair in interesting rolled sections on the side of his head, facial hair, and a maroon outfit. The last two included a boy in a white outfit and turban and a woman who appeared to be his mother, dressed in a colorful outfit. All of the students surrounding her seemed rather motivated.

"Stay focused in there, Lucinda," the older witch proclaimed to her daughter. "Don't forget to keep your eyes on the prize."

"I know, Mom," the younger girl said with a sigh.

Upon the stroke of 9:00, the gate to the factory opened with a squeak. Baffled by the sudden action, the five students and their guardians stood staring at the entrance.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" a voice echoed from seemingly nowhere. "Come in!"

Sofia's eyes lit up when she saw a swirl of magic appear in the midst of the area between the gate and the factory. Out of it stepped a purple-clad sorcerer with a matching wand, his brown eyes filled with mirth and a mischievous smirk on his face. "It's him!" she whispered excitedly to Baileywick.

The older man nodded with a smile. "It is…" He then scoffed lightly. "I just love how he doesn't seem to have aged a day while I'm over here looking like his grandfather…"

Sofia giggled. "You do not, Baileywick." She reached up, offering her hand, which he took.

The ten newcomers walked inside and looked around as the gate shut behind them. The large crowd of people behind them, the onlookers, cheered at the event unfolding.

Cedric waved his wand and released a bout of confetti over the cheering people. "Thank you all for coming today," he greeted, his voice amplified magically. "And greetings to my special guests: my egg locators. Today you'll witness things beyond your comprehension—magic in varying forms and fashions. Take nothing for granted, and try not to let your mind wander, for magic works best if you're truly focused on the task at hand." He then turned back to the crowd. "Thank you all again." To the others he asked more quietly, "Shall we?"

Upon entering the Magic Factory for the first time, even the most cynical kids were in awe. The entrance alone was grand and every shade of purple imaginable. Portraits lined the walls, and even better was the paintings within appeared to be enchanted, for the characters were moving.

"Wow," Sofia breathed, taking it all in. She knew he was the best. This just proved it. She wished she'd one day manage to enchant things like that.

"This is rather interesting," the brown-haired boy, Hugo, stated in a bored voice. "Is this what the mighty sorcerer does with his magic though: makes things in paintings move? Creative."

Cedric shot the boy a look. "Can you enchant paintings, young one?"

"No, and it's Prince Hugo to you. And this is my father, King Garrick."

Garrick just shook his head, wishing his son wouldn't be so hostile all the time. "An honor to meet you," he said graciously.

"Oh, well—" Cedric sighed as he was interrupted again.

"And I'm Princess Hildegard, and this is my father King Henrik. And my, you love purple, don't you?"

The sorcerer folded his arms, wishing the interrogation would end already.

Lucinda grinned and twirled around, using her own wand to spell out her name in the air. "My mother Marla and I, Lucinda, are witches, so we know all about magic. Enchantments are easy enough. Ever try curses?"

"Why would I-?"

"I am Prince Zandar," announced the last boy, "and this is my mother Queen Farnaz. We know very little about magic…"

Cedric sighed. "Wonderful. I'm glad you all felt inclined to tell me your life stories. Oh, wait, we missed one." He then turned toward the other two. "Let me guess: the last winner, Princess Sofia, and her…grandfather?" His eyes widened in surprise. "Wait…Baileywick, isn't it?"

Baileywick nodded. "It's been quite some time, sir. And I am Princess Sofia's steward and guardian for the trip now."

"Oh… Well, isn't that interesting?" He looked down toward the young princess. "You didn't feel the need to introduce yourself, my dear?"

Sofia simply smiled. "I had a feeling you'd gotten enough of that already, Mr. Cedric."

A chuckle escaped him before he could stop it. "You've no idea… Right then. We'd best get a move on. So much to see and so very little time to accomplish it!" He stood before his visitors and lifted his wand, creating a portal. "Step right inside, and you shall see the wonders of my Magic Factory. But heed my warning: do as I say, or you may very well put yourselves at risk. Magic is nothing to trifle with."

His final suggestion spoken, Cedric allowed the ten visitors through the portal before following them as it sealed up behind him.

Meanwhile, the entrance grew dark, and only a lone caw could be heard in the distance.

The tour had begun, and therefore, so had the test.

To be continued…

Chapter Text

Chapter 4: One by One

Upon entering the magical portal, the five children were suddenly at a loss for words. The room into which they'd entered was larger than they would have imagined. It was every shade and hue that existed in the natural world, and then some from the magic realm they never could have imagined. Scientific instruments such as beakers, pipettes, and vials lined every corner of the room on shelves, but there were also several randomly floating in midair. There seemed to be stations set up throughout the room, each with a connecting path that led to many other areas. Two large silver doors in the back of the room simply labeled in purple shades "1" and "2" loomed before them. The ceiling wasn't even a traditional ceiling; it was what appeared to be a swirling mass of rainbow-shaded galaxies, and even a few "shooting stars" fell from the ceiling and landed in designated parts of the room.

On the left side of the room was a large portrait of Merlin, and on the right side was some framed oath that appeared to be called "The Sorcerer's Secret." A case of varying sizes and styles of wands resided in the back between the two doors. And directly in the center of everything was a large podium with an opened spell book on top.

"Wow," Sofia breathed in awe. "This is amazing…"

"None of those stars will fall on us, right?" Hildegard asked suspiciously as she pulled a fan from her dress pocket and opened it, as if shielding herself from above.

Cedric chuckled at her question and shook his head. "No, Princess. This room was designed as imagery and an interactive environment. Truly, actual stars this close would be quite dangerous for us all. Think of them as simply moving images."

"Can we try some of this stuff out?" Lucinda asked excitedly with her eyes roving ever everything in the room. As a magic enthusiast herself, she was highly intrigued by everything the sorcerer had to offer.

"Certainly, but you must read every station's directions before you attempt anything. It is not only for my benefit, but for yours as well—and your safety. Magic is nothing to take lightly, children. While highly entertaining and useful, it may also be very dangerous." He ushered them onward with his hand. "Go on then."

Four of the children grabbed their parents' hands and dragged them off to different stations, including those that could create unpoppable bubbles or miniature animals of any nature. Sofia, on the other hand, was more curious about something else she'd seen earlier.

She tugged on Baileywick's sleeve, getting his attention. "Can we go look at the wall over there?" she asked, gesturing to the right.

The older man blinked. "Sure, Sofia… Lead the way."

As the two walked on, Cedric stood back and observed with his arms folded over his chest. He smiled lightly as he saw the purple-clad princess's choice of actions as opposed to her peers. "Interesting."

Sofia stood in front of the large creed on the wall and read it with curiosity. "The Sorcerer's Secret: Never give up; keep trying until you get it right." She nodded with a growing smile. "I think that's good advice for anything, don't you, Baileywick?"

The steward nodded. "I am inclined to agree. That's the one thing I always admired about Cedric the Sensational. He meant what he said, and he practiced as he spoke it. When one spell or potion would fail, he'd just try again. It took a long time to get him where he is today."

"Which is why I admire him so much," the girl admitted softly.

Baileywick smiled. "Me too."

"Zandar, what are you doing?!"

Cedric's head immediately snapped in the other direction as he saw Zandar had reached into a large pipe on one of the stations. His eyes widened. "Young man, what on earth are you doing? You're liable to get stuck!" He rushed over and wielded his wand as Zandar yelled, the force from the pipe pulling him from his position on the ground and into the very station itself—or so it seemed.

"What happened?" Lucinda whispered to Hildegard, who rolled her eyes and fanned herself with her fan.

"The idiot boy was curious 'what this thing does' and reached up into it. I believe the instructions read, 'Under no circumstances should you approach the pipe.' Well, bravo, boy. You sure showed that pipe!" She snickered, earning a glare from Zandar's mother.

"This is no laughing matter!" the queen lamented, shaking Cedric's arm. "Please, sir! Free my boy!"

Cedric paused and gave the woman a sharp stare, removing her hands from his arm. "Queen Farnaz, was it? I believe I said quite clearly that you all must read the directions carefully and follow what they say. Obviously your son has an issue with that."

"Please, just get him free!"

The sorcerer sighed. "Oh, I'll get him free—no need to worry about that." He lifted his wand and stated, "Free from the bond this boy you've ensnared; release him to reality from this magic I've shared." With a flick of the wand, Zandar was freed from the pipe and was left floating in midair, a bubble circling him. "Your time is up, I'm afraid."

Zandar gasped, his hands pressing against the bubble. "What? I just got here!"

"Someone who cannot follow simple directions is no longer welcomed in my factory. Wormwood!"

From a portal that appeared in the center of the room appeared a raven, his green eyes sharp and focused. He cawed once as his talons gripped the top of the bubble, and he began to drag the boy back through the portal.

"Strong bird," Hugo remarked with an entertained look.

"Mom! Help!" Zandar called as he disappeared, along with the raven.

Queen Farnaz stamped her foot and glared daggers at the sorcerer. "Tell me where my son is right now! This is no game!"

"Indeed, madam, it is not," Cedric agreed with a slight twinkle in his eye. "You'll find your son where you began: outside of my factory. Gnarlie will show you the way."

"Gnarlie?" Sofia asked quietly to Baileywick. "What's a Gnarlie?"

"I have no idea…"

A young green troll walked up to the queen and beckoned her along, never saying a word to her.

"Mm…are you sure I can trust a troll?"

Cedric gave her a humored look. "Do you really believe you have any choice?"

She gasped at his derision. "You'll be hearing from us on your…horrid demeanor in the midst of royalty." Sighing in annoyance, she followed Gnarlie, who was soon joined by many other trolls of the same shade and similar stature.

"Wow, that was fascinating," Hildegard drawled in boredom before snapping her fan shut and pocketing it again. She looked toward Cedric. "Hang around with many trolls, do you?"

Cedric gave the princess a patient yet strained smile. "Suffice it to say that I'd prefer their company over some genuinely insufferable people, Princess Hildegard. However, I'm also inclined to say that despite their nature, they're not the only trolls in this factory right now…" With that said, he began walking forward.

"What is that supposed to mean?" King Henrik asked King Garrick, who simply shrugged.

As they walked, Sofia made her way closer to Cedric and smiled inquisitively up at him. "So, is Gnarlie one of your helpers, Mr. Cedric?"

He nodded and gave her a gentle look. "Yes, Princess Sofia. Well, he and the other trolls help me with everything in the factory. And as you saw earlier, my raven Wormwood is the leader when I need him to be. I cannot run a magical factory alone, so I enlisted their help."

"Why not use people?" Hugo asked in genuine interest.

"Did you not see the boy stuck in the pipe earlier?" the sorcerer remarked sarcastically. "At least when I tell my aids to do something, they do it and do it well. They don't bungle guidelines and rules I've set forth for safety reasons."

"Maybe you just need the right people," Sofia told him happily. "There must be someone you trust, right?"

"Alas, my dear, I'm afraid I trust far too few people these days."

"That's a shame," Marla stated with a smirk. "At least if you had a witch or wizard helping you, things would get done faster."

"I'm quite happy with my current situation. Now, let's progress onward. We still have much to see."

The group traversed into a next room, filled to the brim with floating parchments with magic spells written on them. Each piece of parchment glowed mysteriously green, as if enchanted. Come to think of it, they probably were.

"Wow," Lucinda gushed as she spun around amid the spells. "Now this is more up my ally! Mr. Cedric, what kinds of spells are these?"

"Forbidden," he responded sharply with a pointed stare at the young witch. "These are the ones that have proven to be either duds or dangers, so they remain locked away in this room."

"If they're so dangerous, why haven't you simply burned them or something?" Hildegard wondered.

"It's an excellent question, and here's the simple answer: these parchments are magic-proof. Once they're created, they cannot be destroyed. So, in order to retain some semblance of harmony, I keep them locked away in here. Besides, this isn't the room you're meant to see. The next room is actually my point of interest for you all. Follow me." He led the group onward, brushing the useless spells aside as he walked.

Baileywick sneezed once and used his handkerchief to dab at his nose.

"Are you okay, Baileywick?" Sofia asked kindly.

He smiled and replaced his handkerchief. "I'm all right. I think these parchments must have stirred up my allergies…"

"I can't believe he has so many cool spells that he just locked up," Lucinda told her mother with a pout. She grabbed one of the spells and looked it over. "This one is for turning zebras into lizards. Weird. Oh! And here's one to turn any item into gold!"

"Um, darling, that one may actually come in handy," Marla whispered excitedly with a grin as she pulled out her wand. "What's the spell?"

"I wouldn't if I were you," Hugo told them with his arms folded.

"He's right," King Garrick affirmed. "If I recall correctly, the sorcerer said these spells were probably dangerous."

Lucinda sneered at the silver-haired man. "What's so dangerous about gold anyway? You're royalty, right? Gold isn't dangerous. It's just…gold!" With that said, she snatched the parchment away from the group and pushed through the others to get to the side, away from them all. "Shades of yellow were never enough—"

"Oh, no," Cedric said through gritted teeth as he turned.

"The best of the best is the golden stuff! Come to my hands, O Midas Touch; for all that I graze will now cost thrice as much!"

Lightning struck randomly from the ceiling, slicing through the room yet of course never harming the enchanted papers. The other children and adults watched in surprise as a strike of green lightning hit Lucinda's hands, the plasma changing to a golden color.

"Oh, this is awesome!" Lucinda cheered as she felt the charge within her hands. She grinned as the lightning died away, leaving an even more scattered mess of spells and utterly confused guests as well.

"What just happened?" Hildegard asked, surprised by the events.

"I'll show you," Lucinda acknowledged as she held her hand out. "Give me your fan." Without waiting for the other princess to respond, she grabbed the item from the girl's pocket and watched in wonder as it changed from its usual teal color to solid gold. "Wicked!"

The princess of Friezenburg squealed. "Ah! That's wonderful!"

"It's not wonderful," Cedric chided her as he marched over to them, ripping the fan from her hands and throwing it into the corner. "Have you any idea what you have done, young lady?" he asked Lucinda now.

"Uh, yeah. I changed her ordinary fan to an extraordinary one! Duh. I now have the coolest power of all!"

"And have you never heard the story of Midas? Don't you know how dangerous this power is?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Marla countered, grabbing her daughter's hand and leading her on. "It's just a little…golden t-ouch…" She blinked as she stopped moving, her body seeming frozen. "Wh-What's happening to me?!"

"It looks like it's not so much a magic power as it is a curse," Sofia told them both, eyes drawing to her now. "You may think having the ability to change things to gold is neat, but it's not just things that can be affected…people can too."

Lucinda gasped as she released her mother's hand, but the witch continued to turn to solid gold. "What am I supposed to do now, Mr. Cedric?!"

"Oh, sure, now you want my help…" He sighed exasperatedly. "Wormy!" As the raven appeared, Cedric used his own wand to wrap the two witches in yet another bubble. "You'll need the trolls to help you with these two. Take them to the reversal room and remove the curse from this young witch. And then see them out."

Wormwood nodded as he used his talons to pull the next two along, aided by a few trolls who magically appeared and assisted him.

Once they were out of sight, Cedric glowered at the others who remained. "And that, dear children, is why we don't go reading other peoples' spells." He huffed and threw his hands into the air before whirling around and stalking toward the exit. "Onward we go then."

Sofia and Baileywick hung back at the end of the line while the other four walked between them and Cedric. They'd been amazed at how disrespectful the others had seemed so far, and even more shocked at how frustrated Cedric could become. Then again, it must be annoying when you tell someone not to do something (for the general safety, of course), and yet they do it anyway. Sofia was beginning to understand how her parents felt.

"I can't believe two kids are already gone," Sofia whispered to her guardian. "Why can't they just follow simple directions?"

"Because people like to test their limits, Sofia," he responded lightly. "It's the inner nature most of us seem to have. The more you tell others not to do something, even with their welfare in mind, the more likely they are to do it."

"Hmm."

So onward they walked. It took a few rooms more than previously viewed, but they finally made it to the next room: the Dressed to Impress Room.

"Wow," Sofia breathed as they entered. There were magically charged gowns, suits, and everything in between swirling around the room at the moment, each one changing colors and styles every few seconds. "This is incredible!"

Hildegard swooned with appreciation. "I'll say… Just look at all those lovely gowns!"

"Mm, yes," Cedric agreed as he stood beside them and watched his creations moving around. "I'm designing the very best dressing spells and systems to help anyone prepare for either the day in general or for a special event. Come have a look." He directed them to one of the systems he'd built just for this occasion. "With just a bit of my magic, I've managed to create the first—and to my knowledge, the only—dressing system in the world. Then again, watch some little prodigy come up behind me and do the very same thing." (A/N: wink-wink ;))

Sofia giggled. "I think this is a great idea, Mr. Cedric. So many people could benefit from this."

"Indeed. However, it's not quite perfected yet. There are still a few minor adjustments needed in order to make it work properly. Yesterday, when I had Gnarlie try it out, he ended up wearing a floor-length wedding gown."

Baileywick chuckled. "I'm sure he made it work," he joked, making Cedric roll his eyes.

"Right. Well, we'd best move on then."

"No!" Hildegard pleaded as she gestured around the room. "Are you kidding me? You finally let us see a useful room for a change, and now we're just going to leave? Seriously?"

King Henrik gave his daughter a disapproving look. "Hildegard, Mr. Cedric has been more than gracious with his tour. I think if you've witnessed what's happened so far, you'll understand why he makes the decisions he does. If he's said we're not to touch anything or linger in any room, it's probably for the best."

"Father…this is every princess's dream come true! I can't just leave it alone…" She smiled wickedly as she spotted a switch labeled "Design Me." She reached out and grabbed it, yanking it downward. "Ha!"

Cedric's eyes widened as his invention came to life and released a bout of magic, swirling around the dark-haired princess and colliding with her current dress. "Oh, great."

Hildegard watched in fascination as her dress changed from its blue hue to a deep purple one, complete with turquoise trimmings. She frowned. "Ugh, purple? What is it with this place and purple? I wanted aquamarine!"

"Well, we can't all get what we want, can we?" Hugo teased with a smirk.

"Hush! Father! Make him change my dress back!"

"Hildegard, really, could you be a little more-?" King Henrik was cut off by his daughter's frustrated cry.

"FINE! I'll do it myself!" She yanked the switch up and down a few times, clearly confusing the magical device and causing it to whirl uncontrollably.

"It's going to explode!" Baileywick announced as he grabbed Sofia and ran for cover, King Garrick doing the same with Hugo but in a different corner.

Cedric pushed both King Henrik and Hildegard out of the way just in time as the device did in fact explode, heaps of poorly-designed outfits littering the floor. All of his previous and perfected outfits were now covering the floor as well, some having fallen on top of the people in the room.

Hildegard stood and whined when she noticed her dress had not changed back. "I hate this place," she mumbled with a groan. "I want to go home!"

"I want you to go home as well," Cedric said evenly as he turned toward the girl. "Someone who cannot follow directions and is blinded by material means is no longer needed on this tour. King Henrik, I appreciate your attempts, but your daughter needs much more time to develop into a proper young lady who actually listens to adults."

"I apologize on her behalf," the king stated. "Hildegard, let's go."

"No." She frowned before gasping as a bubble appeared around her. She whined when she realized Wormwood had appeared to fetch her just like the others. "This is not fair!"

As Henrik followed the raven carrying his daughter, Cedric looked around the room in obvious despair. He was growing weary of having his creations tested, mocked, and abused, and it was starting to show on his face.

Sofia stood and pulled Baileywick to his feet before leading him over to the group again. She observed the mess before gently tugging on Cedric's sleeve, garnering his attention. She offered him a simple smile. "I think I know how to fix this," she said sweetly.

"I'm not sure how, Princess," he sighed. "This is quite a number done on my newest creation… I worked rather hard on it, you know, and to have it destroyed in a matter of minutes…?"

"I learned this in school." She took off her backpack and pulled out her own wand before aiming it at the general state of the mess. "Tersus Malum." Once the room was cleaned and the dresses were now generally organized, she then stated, "Levitate a terra." Once again, the outfits were floating in midair.

"Wow, cool!" Hugo said, impressed. He then cleared his throat and shrugged. "I mean, if you're into that kind of thing."

Sofia giggled before Cedric placed a hand on her shoulder. "Mr. Cedric?"

"Thank you, my dear," he said gratefully. "I'm afraid my frustration has blinded me to simple fixes today."

"It's all right. We all get frustrated. I just wish everyone would listen to what you're trying to say. It's not like you're saying these things to make us upset or anything…"

The sorcerer smiled and nodded before turning and leading them away again. At least someone understood…but it was down to the two of them. Was the princess really as good as she seemed? He'd been fooled before by those who seemed to be good and noble. Realizing this, he set his face into a determined stare once again. They'd just have to prove who was best.

"So you know magic too, huh?" Hugo asked as he and Sofia trailed behind Baileywick and King Garrick.

"Yeah, I took an interest in it a few years ago. When Mr. Cedric started sending out his magical items, I started learning myself. And then we had sorcery classes, so that was pretty neat. Don't you know any magic?"

"Me? No. I'm more of a Flying Derby guy myself." He smiled proudly.

"Hmm. I think that's neat. Well, I guess I should say good luck, Hugo."

He lifted an eyebrow at her. "What do you mean, good luck? It's kind of obvious who's going to win this competition." He gave her a smile.

Sofia blinked. "Really?"

"Yeah! I'm going to win!" He missed the confused look on the princess's face. "I'm no loser. I've been trained to give it my all in any competition. And even though I don't know much about magic, I know all about succeeding. So yeah, good luck, princess." He grinned and hurried to catch up with his father.

The princess frowned. She didn't like how selfish all these other kids seemed. And having no interest in magic whatsoever yet still entering? Again, she was baffled by that. It just made things more complicated than they needed to be. Sighing she trudged up toward Baileywick, grabbing his hand and squeezing it tightly.

The steward looked down at his charge and smiled gently, choosing instead to wrap an arm around her shoulders for comfort (something she seemed to need right now).

Cedric inhaled once they'd reached the next door and exhaled soon after. He then turned to face the four remaining faces. "Now I need you all to listen to me, all right? This next room is possibly the most dangerous room. There are many different potions that are being tested. Several chemical compounds are stirring. The trolls are testing out new wands. Yet everything is equally balanced and neutrally charged. If anything—and I mean anything—goes wrong in here, we're putting ourselves in great danger. So please…don't do anything stupid, all right?"

"Yes, Mr. Cedric," Sofia answered immediately as Baileywick and King Garrick nodded.

Hugo rolled his eyes and folded his arms. "Fine."

Satisfied, the sorcerer pushed open the door and allowed the others inside.

True to his word, everything he indicated earlier was indeed going on. Wormwood was seated on a perch (evidently his work from earlier was completed), overseeing the trolls on Cedric's behalf. He cawed a few times as the remaining competitors entered.

"Wormy," Cedric warned playfully. "Behave yourself around our guests."

"Does this place have a name too, Mr. Cedric?" Sofia asked.

"Indeed it does. This is actually just…my workshop."

The girl's eyes widened. Workshop? She was in his workshop? Now things were far more interesting. She'd always dreamed of seeing a real sorcerer's workshop, and now she finally had the chance.

Hugo approached one of the spell books and sifted through its pages. "And just what is done in here that isn't done in some of those other rooms?"

"Well, more focused works, I suppose. Here I'm able to sort out more complex spells and potions and prepare them accordingly. I also manage to get a bit of peace and quiet in here, as opposed to the sometimes loud environments the other rooms created. Granted, children, I only managed to show you a fraction of the factory today… Had we not had so many spoiled brats ruining the show, I might have managed to show them all to you, but…"

Baileywick nodded. "We understand. It would be a risk to show off more rooms, only to chance something else being destroyed."

King Garrick gave the steward a stern look. "Are you calling my son destructive?"

The older man blinked. "Um, no, sir… That's not what I said at all."

Hugo smirked and folded his arms. "Sure sounded like it. Look, if I wanted to be destructive, I'd do far worse than Zandar and the girls did. But I'm not about that. I'm about winning." He picked up a few bottles of potions and slowly swirled them, the liquid within sloshing against the glass. "So what if magic holds little appeal for me?"

Cedric frowned. "Prince Hugo, I wouldn't if I were you."

"You're not me, Mr. Cedric." He turned and shrugged, dangling one of the potions from his fingers. "No one can ever be me."

"Hugo, please, be careful," Sofia pleaded, seeing how loosely the boy was holding the bottle now.

"Oh, Sofia, you're such a scaredy cat—" As soon as the words had left his mouth, the potion fell from his fingers and cracked on the floor, splattering the prince with its content.

The adults and Sofia held their breaths for a minute, watching. The boy didn't seem to be in any pain or distress. In fact, it looked as if nothing had happened.

Hugo laughed and grinned triumphantly. "See? Worried over nothing!"

No sooner had he said that, the prince shrank to about five percent of his actual height. King Garrick knelt down to the much shorter version of his son and picked him up. "Hugo! What have you done to yourself?"

"Are you kidding me?!" Hugo whined, his voice now high pitched from his size. "This is stupid! Magic is stupid! Potions, spells, little green trolls, spooky ravens, and a sorcerer who just leaves stuff lying around for other people to mess with! This is all so stupid!"

"Excuse me, but did I or did I not tell you not to touch anything?" Cedric returned with a glare at the little boy—literally little, that is.

"Fix me now! I don't want to be this little!"

"Perhaps it will give you a new perspective," the sorcerer suggested with a smirk of his own.

"Mr. Cedric," Sofia began with a wary smile.

"Oh, fine. Reverso." He pointed his wand at the boy and watched as he turned back to normal, now residing in his father's arms. "I believe Gnarlie will lead you to the exit now. Since my magic is so stupid, as you say, I see no reason to bore you with it any longer."

King Garrick sighed and put the boy to the ground, pushing him forward gently as Gnarlie led them away. "March, Hugo."

"But Dad, I—"

"March!"

Hugo whined once before being led away.

Cedric sighed and used his wand to clean up the spill, magically making it vanish. "Can't believe how hard-headed some people can be… Perhaps I should have just left him a little brat for a while, eh, Wormy?" He smirked when the raven snickered at the joke.

Baileywick cleared his throat. "Um, excuse me, Cedric, but…is that the end of the tour? I just realized how late it's getting," he added as he glanced at his pocket watch.

"Oh, right…" Cedric turned to the young girl before him and smiled kneeling down to her level. "Princess Sofia…you've been something of a bright light in the midst of all these dim moments today. I have something to tell you."

Sofia giggled and joked playfully, "Mr. Cedric, if you're proposing, I don't think my parents will be too happy… At least let me graduate from Royal Prep first."

The sorcerer laughed at the girl's jest. "You're quite clever, my dear. No, I'm afraid what I'm offering is simply my entire Magic Factory."

"Oh, Mr. Cedric, I—wait, what?" Her eyes widened in surprise.

To be continued…

Chapter Text

Chapter 5: Last One Standing

Previously…

"…I'm afraid what I'm offering is simply my entire Magic Factory."

"Oh, Mr. Cedric, I—wait, what?" Her eyes widened in surprise.

Currently…

Baileywick waved a hand in front of the young princess's face, his own a bit concerned as he stared after her. "Princess Sofia?" he asked, his voice attempting to cut through her thoughts. "Sofia, snap out of it."

"Huh?" Sofia shook her head once and looked up at her guardian and Cedric. "Oh, I… I'm sorry. I guess I just kind of zoned out. Mr. Cedric, wh-what was it you were saying?"

Cedric smiled in humor. "I want you to have my Magic Factory," he repeated, watching the young one's eyes remain rather surprised. "Granted, I don't want to overwhelm you by simply giving it to you now. Suffice it to say that over time, you'll certainly earn it."

"How?"

"I want you to come and train with me," he explained, watching her surprised look grow to one of disbelief and excitement even. "It is clear you have an interest in magic; otherwise, you would not be here nor would you have made it this far." He placed a hand on her shoulder. "I had a feeling about you from the very beginning, my dear. You're the only one who truly exuded fascination with the idea and are by far the best behaved." He rolled his eyes as he recalled the other four contestants. "I suppose they made this choice much easier. Like I would have any of them running my factory someday."

"So what you're saying," Sofia began, trying to clarify his previous discussion with her, "is that…you'll be like my mentor from now on?"

Cedric shrugged. "Well, yes, if you accept."

"This is the best day ever!" The princess squealed and jumped toward Cedric, wrapping her arms around him in a hug, surprising both the sorcerer and the steward. "Yes, yes, yes!"

"I think she's all right with the idea," Baileywick remarked humorously, chuckling.

The sorcerer gave him a smirk before gently patting the girl's shoulder. "Well, I'm glad to see you're responding positively to the idea..." He gently shuffled the girl back and gave her a smile. "Shall we get started?"

"Right now?" she asked in awe.

"Unless you have something better to do."

Sofia shook her head with a beaming grin. "Nope!" She glanced toward Baileywick. "You don't think Mom and Dad will mind, do you?"

He shook his head. "As long as you are home before supper, I doubt it. However, it is getting a bit later, so you'd better hurry."

Cedric scoffed. "You can't hurry magic, Baileywick. I figured you'd remember that even after all this time. You always were a stickler for schedules."

Sofia grinned and whispered playfully toward him, "He still is."

Baileywick gave them both a deadpanned stare. "Still in the room."

So the afternoon and early evening progressed with the new friends—or mentor and student—discussed many ideas and possible options for experimentation in the future. Sofia was anxious to discover new spells, while Cedric was delighted to finally have someone who was willing to learn.

"Mr. Cedric, I have a question," Sofia asked before she left with Baileywick.

The sorcerer nodded. "Ask away."

"Do you really not have anyone else here except the trolls and your raven?"

He seemed taken aback. He wasn't planning on that inquiry. "Well…I mean, my parents and friend Greylock stop by every now and again, but I'm really far too busy for much outside interaction. I suppose you could say that I tend to bury myself in my work sometimes…" Now why did he go and tell her that? This was supposed to be a happy occasion—not one laced with admissions of little communications with the outside world. "But, never you mind that, Princess Sofia. I'm quite happy here with Gnarlie and Wormy. Couldn't ask for better company!"

Sofia gave him an uncertain smile before nodding. "Okay… So, I'll see you tomorrow, right?"

"Tomorrow morning, bright and early." As she began to turn, he called, "Oh, Princess Sofia?"

The girl giggled as she faced him again. "You can just call me Sofia. If we'll be spending that much time together, it'll make things easier."

He smiled. "Right, Sofia… Um, I meant to ask…what are your long term goals with magic anyway? Or rather, what got you interested in it?"

"Oh, well… I'm not really sure what started my interest in it, but reading things you put out definitely helped it grow. And…I kind of want to be a sorceress when I grow up."

Cedric gave her a look of awe. "You don't want to be a queen or anything? Like most princesses strive for?"

She laughed. "I have an older sister who'd be more likely to fill that role. No, I'm happy just being myself and learning more. It keeps me grounded, I guess."

"I see…hmm." He nodded once more. "Right then. You two better head out. Baileywick, it was wonderful seeing you again. And Sofia, I'm glad to have met you and look forward to our future collaborations."

Sofia grinned. "Me too, Mr. Cedric. Good night!" She grabbed Baileywick's hand and led him out.

The sorcerer smiled thoughtfully as Wormwood flew down and landed on his shoulder. "I think we finally found a suitable heir, Wormy…"

"Imagine if you'd ended up with that Hildegard character," the raven spoke at last, annoyed that he'd had to keep mum the entire time the other group was there.

Cedric scoffed. "I'd rather suffer through twenty of Greylock's pranks than put up with that girl again for even a moment. Why on earth such insufferable people would enter a magic contest and yet have little or no interest in it is beyond me." He huffed. "Anyway, what do you think of Sofia?"

"Hmm…she really likes purple."

He rolled his eyes. "Besides that?"

"I think she'll be one of those overly enthusiastic apprentices who helps you in whatever way you can and praises you even if you do wrong." He smirked and glanced at his master. "In other words, the perfect heir for you, O Cedric the Sensitive."

The sorcerer glared at his friend. "Fine. See if I give you any treats from here on."

Wormwood snickered. "And you've just proven my point." He sighed and ruffled his feathers a bit. "I predict everything will be a good situation. With someone like that little princess by your side, how can it not be?"

Cedric smiled once again. That's exactly what he'd wanted to hear. In his mind, his adventures with the magically-inclined princess had only just begun, and he couldn't wait to see what would happen thereafter.

The end

Sofia smiled sleepily as Cedric shut the book. "That was a good story, Mr. Cedric."

"I'm glad you thought so," he replied. "It took a great deal of creativity to come up with some of those scenarios on the spot."

She grinned. "You did a great job. And how did you like my addition of the trolls as your helpers?"

"I was surprised by that, but I suppose it's better than having a hundred fliegels flitting about."

Sofia giggled and yawned before rubbing her eyes. "I'm sorry, Mr. Cedric. I didn't realize how tired I was, I guess…"

Cedric nodded before reaching over, gently brushing his fingers over her forehead and then the sides of her face. "Well, you're still a bit warm, so I suppose your fever is still lingering. I'll let you get some rest, and when you are better, I'll have a surprise for you."

The girl seemed intrigued. "What kind of surprise?"

Cedric chuckled. "You'll see. Get some sleep, my dear. I'll see you when you are better."

Sofia nodded. "Good night, Mr. Cedric."

He stood at the door a few moments and watched as she slept peacefully instead of fitfully like a few days ago. He smiled and left, shutting the door behind him before proceeding toward his workshop. He had an idea that he intended on seeing through, and if he managed it like he had in mind, he knew Sofia would be surprised. Now he just had to get Wormwood on board with the idea, though he knew sometimes that was easier said than done…

To be continued…

Chapter Text

Chapter 6: Powerful Enough

A few days later, Sofia was feeling much better. Her fever had completely rescinded, and she was back to her normal self: playing with her siblings, conversing with Clover, and generally being her usual spunky princess self.

She remembered one evening that she'd promised Cedric she would visit him once she was well again. So before bed, she decided to pay a visit to her favorite sorcerer.

She hurried up the familiar stairwell and stood before the door, knocking.

Cedric glanced up from his work and smiled thoughtfully. "I figured it wouldn't take too long," he murmured to himself before walking over to the door, pulling it open. "Feeling better, I take it?"

Sofia giggled and hugged him, something she'd missed doing while being sick and bedridden. "Much. So!" She grinned as she looked up at him playfully. "What's this surprise you promised me?"

"Well, I can't very well tell you. Then it wouldn't be a surprise." He shut the door and led her inside. "All right, have a seat and I'll be right back."

Sofia sat on a stool and kicked her feet back and forth in anticipation as Cedric disappeared from the room for a few minutes. She glanced up at Wormwood, who was resting on his perch. "Hi, Wormwood," she greeted warmly. "It's been a while."

"Indeed," he returned. "It's been rather quiet without you and Cedric chatting about random subjects." He rolled his eyes as she giggled. "He's been moping, you know."

"Moping?"

"Yes… 'Oh, I do hope Sofia gets better soon, Wormy. I can't do a thing without her!'"

"…I never said that," Cedric defended as he reentered the room, throwing a pointed look at his friend while the princess smiled and shook her head. "I tell you, ever since that potion fell on you, you've not stopped gossiping and trying to embarrass me in some way."

Wormwood smirked. "It's what I do best."

"Hm. Anyway, here you are, my dear." He passed a parcel over to Sofia, who accepted it willingly. "Open it first, and I'll explain afterward."

"Okay…" She pulled out a small purple box with a golden ribbon tied around it. Blinking in curiosity, she slowly undid the ribbon and set it aside before placing the box on the table and taking off the lid. She gasped softly when she lifted a shimmering golden egg from within. "Wow, Mr. Cedric… You created an egg just like the one in the story?"

"It took me all week to get it right," he admitted with a small laugh. "But there's a bit more to it." He handed her a wand and smiled. "All you need are the magic words."

Sofia nodded and held the wand over the egg.

"Revelare secretum."

"Revelare secretum," she repeated with a small shiver as the egg began glowing softly. "Wow, this wasn't in the story; what's happening?"

Cedric smiled and folded his arms. "Just watch."

Sofia observed as what looked to be holographic images of scenes from their past flashed from the egg and into her sight. She saw their first meeting, her first time as his apprentice, their ups and downs, their teaming up against various enemies, and so much more. She glanced over at him as the images began fading and he spoke to her.

"You know, Sofia, there's something special about you. There aren't many princesses who would cast aside their oft-taught rules of being a royal and do something entirely different, and magic certainly isn't for everyone." He took the wand back from her and observed it as she quietly watched him. "But you always seem to pick it up so well, no matter what spell I throw at you. You listen, you observe, you absorb everything… I couldn't have asked for a better apprentice, and I pretty well know there are few if any who would ever be able to do all the things you've done. No matter what the circumstances, you've always prevailed, and in a way…I guess I admire you for that."

The princess slowly smiled as she felt her eyes watering a bit. Did he really mean all of that?

He looked up toward her. "There's no one else who could drag me out of my shell like you have. Not only have I taught you magic, but I've also been able to get back in touch with my family, become more confident in myself, get my spells right nearly every time, become a teacher, and generally be just a better person. I still have a long way to go, because goodness knows I'm not perfect, but…I just ask that you stay patient with me. I may say and do things that don't make sense sometimes, and I apologize, but because you gave me a chance… I… I'd like to give you something."

Sofia watched as he said a few words and waved his wand, a spell book appearing before her. "A spell book?"

"Not just any spell book… It's my first one I ever received from my father. I've made several notes and adjustments within, and I've even added in ones I've taught you…"

She ran her fingers over the leather bound book with the purple gem on the front. "Mr. Cedric…"

"…Because I believe one day you'll become something far greater than just an apprentice. I believe you will surpass me in every way."

Sofia looked up at him in surprise. "Mr. Cedric, I don't know what to say."

"You could start with 'thank you' I suppose," Wormwood drawled sarcastically.

She giggled. "Yeah. Thank you so much, Mr. Cedric." She wrapped him in another hug before laughing. "I don't know about surpassing you though. You're still the best sorcerer ever. It'll be hard to outdo you."

"Not really," Wormwood quirked. "If I recall correctly, you were the one who had to help him not bungle his spells."

"That's enough, Wormy," Cedric scolded with a pointed stare. "I appreciate it, Sofia, but I mean what I say. Everything I've done has been because of you, in more ways than you can imagine." A brief flash of the Amulet of Avalor flashed in his mind, but he quickly dismissed it. Never mind that right now.

"So…does this make me your 'heir' now, like in the story?" She grinned cutely.

"Eh, well, I don't have a magic factory to bequeath to you or anything, but I'll certainly aid you in anything I can magic-wise."

Sofia beamed. "That's more than enough for me." She yawned softly before smiling. "Well, I'd better get some sleep. Thank you for everything, Mr. Cedric." She gathered her egg and her spell book before looking up at him again. "The usual lessons tomorrow?"

"I'll be here."

She giggled. "So will I. Good night!" She left in a very uplifted manner, a happy spring in her step.

Cedric glanced over at Wormwood, who was giving him a prying look. "What?"

"Nothing. I just find it quite interesting watching you two. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you've forgotten all about our quest and are seriously ultimately focused on making Sofia into a world-renowned sorceress or something."

He shrugged. "What's so wrong with that?"

"She's a princess, Cedric! She lives in a world of knights, princes, treaties, and royal parties. Sure, she loves magic now when she's still young, but what about when she gets older?" He sighed. "Eventually, she's going to outgrow her fascination with magic and be shaken out of her reverie that all life's little problems can be magically fixed, because her dear friend and mentor 'Mr. Cedric' said so."

"What are you even on about tonight, Wormy? Sofia loves magic."

"She loves it because of you. You went and made her your apprentice. You taught her spells and potions. You bailed her out of many predicaments with your magic. But when she finds out that all is not as it seems…"

Cedric frowned. "Wormwood."

"How do you think she'll react when she finds out you've betrayed her behind her back all these years?"

"Wormwood, enough!"

"It's time to grow up, Cedric!" Wormwood snapped, squawking at his master. "Before you end up just like the princess: blindly clinging to someone whom you think you know and trust…when in fact you never knew them at all. I sometimes question whether you're really powerful enough to deal with the magical dilemmas in front of you, yet now I wonder, even with all your progress, if you're really powerful enough to deal with reality…" With that, he flew out the open window to get some air.

Cedric sighed deeply and began putting his items away and preparing for bed. Was Wormwood right? Was he putting too much stock in Sofia's future instead of worrying about his own? He still had plans…he and Wormwood did anyway. Did that mean he had to relinquish his bond and friendship with the one person who'd shown him real kindness and even admiration?

He glanced to the side and saw the box Sofia had made for him a few Wassailias ago, his family wand residing inside of it. He then smiled gently. No. He wasn't going to give up anything. Despite what may happen in the days or weeks or even months to come, he'd find a way to retain that special connection with the princess, no matter what it took.

The end