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Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Nana and Tanya belong to MarionetteJ2X.
A/N: You guys… I'm not gonna lie. I went through a few variations of this story before finally talking to MarionetteJ2X, who offered me some feedback and a solution to an issue I was having. It's going to be emotional, for sure. I was a bit emotional even planning for this. But you know by now that good things can come out of bad situations, especially in my stories… With that said, I do hope you enjoy. 😊
*Story*
"I haven't seen you use your cauldron in a while," Sofia remarked one November morning as she watched Cedric pouring several bottles of ingredients into the huge pot. "What are you making anyway?" She smiled as she glanced upstairs, where Tanya and Nana were sitting near the window, gazing outside at the passing birds. They were giggling about something, which the princess just found endearing.
"Your father asked me to work on a general healing tonic that we can pass out to the villagers as the winter approaches," he responded, stirring the potion with a wooden paddle. "With these ingredients, the tonic can heal anything from normal illnesses to injuries. It's not perfect, of course, and can't heal everything, but it's a good place to start."
She nodded. "Yeah. Especially during this time of the year."
A knock fell upon the door, and the sorcerer paused his work to answer it. He blinked as he saw Violet standing before him. "Oh, Miss Violet? How may I help you?"
"Is Princess Sofia with you, Mr. Cedric?" she asked kindly. Seeing him nod, she passed a sealed letter to him. "Could you give this to her? It just came in from Zumaria early this morning. Something of an emergency, it seems."
Sofia frowned as she turned around, glancing at her partner.
Cedric smiled gently at the stewardess. "I'll give it to her. Thank you." He nodded appreciatively toward Violet before shutting his door, turning back around to find Sofia standing directly before him, her hands clasped together nervously. He blinked as he bumped into her, one hand instinctively reaching out to grasp her shoulder. "Sofia?"
"Zumaria is where Vivian lives," she reminded him. "I hope she's okay. I heard Violet say it was an emergency." She accepted the letter and quickly unsealed it, withdrawing the letter within.
The sorcerer rolled his eyes. "That could be anything, though. Either a haphazardly flying carrier pigeon or—"
"Oh, no," Sofia's voice cut in, her hands shaking a bit as she gazed down at the letter she was holding. "No, it… It can't be…"
Cedric watched her curiously for a few moments before gently prying the letter from her hold so that he could read it himself.
Dear Sofia,
I don't know how to tell you this, so I'm just going to say it. Clover isn't doing well at all. He's already older, especially for rabbit years, but he's always been active—even after he came to stay here. I thought being around Crackle brought that out a lot.
Recently, he's started eating less, and over the last day, he hasn't eaten at all. He spends most of his days sleeping now. He doesn't seem to have the same amount of energy, and I'm worried that he may be reaching the end of his life.
I knew I had to tell you, especially since I know how much he means to you. I'll keep him comfortable as long as I can, and if you want to see him, you're more than welcome to come to Zumaria.
I'm really sorry, Sofia.
Vivian
"Oh, Sofia… I—" Cedric couldn't say anything else as Sofia's eyes rolled back in her head and she collapsed, causing him to drop the letter and catch her instead. He gently scooped her into his arms and cradled her closely, sighing. "Sofia…"
"What happened?" Tanya asked from her position at the top of the stairs, her little hands wrapped around the iron bars as Nana beside her mimicked her movements. "What is wrong with the princess?"
"I think she just became overwhelmed. It appears Clover, her rabbit friend from her younger years, may be close to dying, and she…" He shook his head. "Well, she is clearly not handling it well."
"Perhaps Nana can heal her?"
Nana nodded, holding up one hand and looking meaningfully toward Cedric, who caught her eye.
"I'm afraid not, girls… Even magic can't heal a broken heart."
The girls exchanged glances as their guardian left with the princess, heading toward his bedchambers.
"I feel horrible for Sofia," Tanya told her fellow charge, who nodded sadly. "I do not know this Clover, but I sense that he was a meaningful part of her life."
Nana sighed.
"He was practically her best friend before she and Cedric became inseparable." Wormwood swooped down from the rafters and landed on Tanya's shoulder, briefly preening his feathers before frowning. "He and I never saw eye to eye. Like the princess, that bunny was a pesky do-gooder with a knack for getting in the way." He sighed heavily. "But… He was rather entertaining in his own right as well. I'm actually rather disheartened to hear of his situation." He shook his head. "If he dies, I think it will really hurt Sofia. Losing Clover would be almost as bad as losing Cedric…or either of you."
The little strawberry girl gasped, her hands raising to her mouth.
"There must be something we can do," Tanya groaned, her hands gripping the bars tighter. "She has done so much for us. It is only fair."
"Unless you can stop death, I doubt anything will be completely beneficial at this point." Wormwood flinched as he saw Nana begin to tear up. "I, er… I apologize, girls. I don't mean to be so blunt."
Tanya shook her head. "You only speak the truth, Wormwood. That does not make it any easier to hear."
The bird blinked at her words before sighing. "I know…"
...
Cedric drew back his purple and black covers before gently laying Sofia on his bed. He gingerly removed her boots and set them on the floor before covering her up with the blankets. He knew that the shock had caused her to faint, and she would likely come around any minute now, but he still wanted her to be comfortable.
He turned and walked toward his fireplace, withdrawing his wand from his robe and lighting the kindling within the hearth. Warmth immediately began filling the room, a stark difference from the chilling words that had cut straight to the princess's heart only a short time ago.
"I knew this day would come eventually," he murmured to himself as he stared at the flickering fire. "And I knew it would hurt her. I just…didn't expect it to come so soon." He blinked as he heard a soft rustling behind him.
"…Neither did I…"
Cedric turned, his gaze softening as he spotted Sofia still tucked beneath his covers, her sad blue eyes staring vacantly toward the fire. He hadn't seen her that devastated in quite some time. He wanted nothing more than to make her happy again, no matter what it took. Sadness didn't suit his princess. "Sofia…"
Just hearing the sorrow and sympathy in her partner's voice caused Sofia to break. She finally let the tears pour down her face, her body wracking with sobs. "Clover… No…" She couldn't fathom a world without Clover, even though he hadn't been living in Enchancia the last few years. She had at least gotten updates on his status from Vivian, and she'd always said he was fine. The fact that his health had taken such a drastic turn in such a short span of time just proved to her how fragile life could be.
The princess gasped as she felt the mattress beside her give a bit, and glancing up she saw Cedric sitting there, looking down at her with such a concerned expression, his hand gently stroking her hair. She cried harder, throwing herself at him and embracing him tightly, her face buried into his robe, her tears soaking through the fabric.
Cedric wrapped his arms around her, holding her closely as she cried. Sofia was one of the happiest and strongest people he knew, so whenever she broke down like this, he usually felt utterly lost. However, now, he knew she needed him to be strong. If one of her closest friends were to die (whether human or animal, which wasn't surprising considering this was Sofia), he had to step in and be her grounding force. He needed to protect her, comfort her, and shield her from grief as much as he could.
"…Clover was my first real friend at this castle." Sofia sat up, wiping her tears away as he gazed at her curiously. "It didn't matter that he was a bunny… While everyone else was concerned with work, school, or whatever else, after I got the ability to speak to animals, Clover immediately became one of my confidants and closest friends. We shared everything. He helped me in more ways than I ever thought possible." She sniffled a bit, wiping at her face. "I know realistically, a bunny's life is much shorter than a human's, but…when you have the ability to talk to them like I do, losing one of them is like losing a friend or a family member. It's…so much harder." She frowned. "And it's why I sometimes wish—" She froze, glancing down at her amulet and noticing that it hadn't reacted. Maybe it knew not to this time…? "I, um… Sometimes think it would be easier…not to understand animals the way I do."
Cedric shook his head and reached up, wiping some of her tears away as he stroked her cheek. "You don't want that, Sofia. I know what you've mentioned is true, and it must be hard to lose animals when you can understand them, but… Don't give up such a wonderful gift."
"I know, Cedric…" She sighed. "I guess it's just harder since I lost Mia and Robin a while ago—a few sweet birds who always encouraged me—and Whatnaught the squirrel hasn't been around in a long time… It was painful losing Mia and Robin. Losing Clover would break my heart." She gestured toward him. "That would be like you losing Wormwood."
He froze in his spot, a strange chilling feeling washing over him. While Wormwood had spent time in the Mystic Isles several years ago, Cedric was satisfied knowing that he was at least alive, active, and healthy. Normal ravens lived maybe forty years or so if properly attended. Wormwood wasn't nearly that old, but he was also no ordinary raven. Cedric had already magically enhanced the bird's lifespan to go well beyond the expectancy (though that spell had nearly killed him in the process, since he'd done it when he was an inexperienced sorcerer). Given how long the duo had been together, it was a safe assumption that the raven was at least a few decades old now, though he didn't look like it at all. "I… I see."
She frowned in determination. "I want to go see him… Whether it's to encourage him and hope that he feels better, or to…to say goodbye…" She shook her head. "I owe him at least that much."
Cedric nodded quietly, still holding onto her. "When do you want to leave?"
"Tomorrow." She rested her head against his chest again. "Right now, I just want…to be with you."
He blinked at her. "Me?"
"Just hold me, Cedric… Please." She didn't say much else, and neither did he, as they listened to the crackling of the fire and the calm stir of the wind outside his window. Before long, Sofia had fallen asleep in Cedric's arms.
Cedric sighed, rubbing the princess's back as she slept. "I promise you, my dear… Whatever happens, I'll be there for you."
The next morning, Cedric, Sofia, Nana, Tanya, and even Wormwood were piled into the AutoCoach and heading off to Zumaria. Explaining their reasoning for leaving to Sofia's family had nearly caused Sofia to have another breakdown, but luckily Miranda had quickly given them an encouraging pep talk and well wishes for their journey. Just hearing her positivity made the princess feel a bit better.
However, now that they were actually on their way, a bit of apprehension had settled over the group. Cedric was sitting with Nana in his lap and Tanya next to him, while Sofia sat with a surprisingly affectionate Wormwood on her own lap, her fingers gently caressing his feathers in both a sign of appreciation and a method for calming her nerves.
The ride was unsurprisingly quiet, save for a few soft snores from the girls as they slept. Even Wormwood had fallen asleep under Sofia's care, leaving the two partners the sole ones awake.
"I honestly don't know how I'm going to react when I see him, Cedric," she finally admitted, breaking the silence after several minutes. She sighed heavily as he turned from looking out the window to facing her. "I'm terrified to see what he looks like now… Is that weird? I mean, Vivian didn't mention anything necessarily, but…"
"This is going to sound rather strange," Cedric began thoughtfully, "but…this is what I do to prepare for situations like this. Imagine the worst possible image of him you can fathom. Usually, your own imagination's worst creation is going to be far more horrific than the reality."
The princess flinched as a mental image of Clover lying on a pillow, covered in scabs and bald patches in his once lovely fur and bloodshot eyes, came to her mind. "Oh, wow… I sincerely hope what I just imagined isn't what I see when we get there."
He smiled calmly. "I'm going to pretend to be you for just a minute." He shrugged when she laughed softly. "Given my experiences with you, I think I know how you operate by now." He cleared his throat. "My darling Sofia—"
"First of all, I don't say 'darling' unless I'm joking around." She grinned lightly as he rolled his eyes. "But go on."
"It's a term of endearment from me to you, you cheeky princess. Anyway…" He collected himself once again before continuing, "Don't give up hope for something positive. Good things happen all the time, despite how dark and desolate they may appear. Just have some faith and confidence that things will be all right in the end." He nodded as she observed him carefully. "How was that?"
Sofia smiled happily. "I couldn't have said it better myself, ironically enough. And thanks, Cedric… I needed that."
The rest of the ride to Zumaria was done in relative silence, both anticipation and anxiety filling Cedric and Sofia especially. The girls didn't know Clover, but they knew that their guardians were worried. Wormwood was even a bit curious how things would play out. While Clover had never been his favorite nor could he consider him a friend, he didn't like the idea of his former acquaintance in such a bad condition.
When they finally arrived and landed on the cobblestone path outside the castle, all of them exiting and approaching the large door to the beautiful rustic-brown building, they were surprised to see the entrance already opening. But they soon saw why.
"Vivian," Sofia gasped, hurrying forward and embracing her friend. She leaned back a bit, looking at the other princess apprehensively. "C-Clover?"
The dark-haired teen sighed, lowering her eyes to the ground before looking back at her friend. "He's…resting. But he's not doing well, Sofia." She glanced behind the other girl, seeing Nana sitting on one of Cedric's shoulders while Wormwood nestled on the other, and Tanya holding his hand. "I'm not sure if the girls will want to see this…" She knew a little about Nana and Tanya, but she was unaware of the full story behind each of their backgrounds. She only knew that Cedric and Sofia had chosen to foster them as their guardians since they were basically orphans, which she'd found so admirable. However, she wondered if there was more behind the little girls that her friend wasn't telling her. And knowing Sofia…
"It's… It's okay. If it gets to be too much, I'll tell Cedric to take them out." She ran her hand along her arm in an anxious manner. "Can I see him?"
Vivian nodded. "Sure. He's in my room with Crackle. Come on. I'll take you to him."
While they followed Vivian through the massive castle, Cedric and the girls were looking around in awe. They'd been to several castles, of course, but this one was just the right mix of classic and modern to leave quite the impression on them.
Vivian opened the doors to her room, laughing softly at the astonished gasps from Cedric and the little girls. Sofia had seen her room numerous times, but the others hadn't, and it clearly was intriguing in their eyes.
It was easy to understand why, of course. It was huge, with large indigo-colored tiles and dark purple diamond-patterned walls. There was also a huge maroon rug with golden star designs etched into the center lying amid the floor. Since she hadn't changed much since she was younger, the large treehouse structure remained with steps spanning up one side and a pale-yellow slide sloping from the little house above on the other side. A large fireplace was nestled to the left of the treehouse, its hearth ablaze with flames due to the chill in the air.
Various mandolins, boxes of sheet music, and other musical items were neatly organized on the other side of the room, which was also where her huge walk-in closet had been built recently.
Her bed was on a slightly raised oak platform beneath the treehouse. The bed was covered in blue and white blankets while teal curtains were tied to the bedposts. And in the center of the bed on a fluffy green pillow lay Clover, with Crackle lying next to him and clasping his paw with hers.
Sofia frowned. It was the first time in a very long time that she'd seen the dragon look so sad. It wasn't in Crackle's nature to be that sad, but given the situation and the fact that Clover was her best friend, it did make sense.
The princess walked forward, her boots echoing across both the tile and the oak platform as she approached the bed and sat down, Cedric following her at a close distance. She reached out and gently stroked Clover's fur, her features falling into a grim expression.
Clover looked so much older than she remembered him ever looking before. The last time she'd visited was probably a year ago, or maybe more. She couldn't remember, because time was going by so quickly, especially since Nana and Tanya had come into her life. His once vibrant and lighter fur was a few shades darker, and he had dark circles near his eyes. She was just grateful her mental image from earlier turned out to be a falsity, but he still didn't look like the Clover she once knew.
"Clover," Sofia began, gently stroking one of his floppy ears and smiling as he opened his eyes. At least those amber eyes looked the same, and his nose twitched a bit as he saw her.
"Sof," he said in a slightly raspy voice, a smile making its way across his face. He nodded gently toward Crackle, who released his paw and allowed him to sit up as best as he could. He began falling back, but the princess caught him, scooping him into her arms. "Still a heroine to all, eh, princess?"
Cedric and Vivian observed in silence. Neither of them could understand Clover, given that they didn't have her gift, but they could tell that the princess and the bunny had a very strong bond. Nana and Tanya, however, did seem to be able to understand what was going on, and they were paying close attention.
She cuddled him closely, a few of her tears falling into his fur. "Clover, I am so sorry… I know you were okay with coming to stay here with Crackle and Vivian, and I'm glad they've taken such good care of you, but…" She sighed heavily, guilt washing over her. "I feel like I just abandoned you, and now you might be…"
"Sofia…" The bunny raised a paw to her cheek. He rarely called her by her full name. It was usually 'Sof' or some other nickname, so that definitely caught her attention. "Hey, you didn't know. You couldn't. But it was bound to happen one of these days, right?" He chuckled before lowering his paw, sighing. "I'm thirteen years old, which is longer than most bunnies live. I'm lucky. Kind of like a four leaf…Clover. Eh?"
Sofia laughed a bit, her tears still falling.
Wormwood shook his head from his spot on Cedric's shoulder. "Same old furball, cracking jokes, even at times like this."
"Hey, Wormy. Good to hear you turned over a new leaf. Whatever magic Sof worked on Cedric must've rubbed off on you too. And yes, all the puns are intended."
The raven scoffed, trying to continue lightening the mood. "Whatever you say."
Nana reached forward a bit, waving her arms toward Sofia as she leaned toward Sofia from Cedric's shoulder.
Cedric released Tanya's hand and gathered Nana from his shoulder, gently easing her onto the bed next to Sofia. "I believe she wants you, my dear."
Sofia smiled up at Cedric before looking down at the little pink haired girl, who was observing Clover with interest. "Thanks, Cedric. I—"
"Hold up." Clover waved a paw. "It's just 'Cedric' now? When did that happen?" He then looked toward Nana. "And who's this?" He then saw Tanya, watching him curiously from next to Vivian. "And that?" He gasped as his eyes widened, his head whipping back toward Sofia. "Oh, I did not see that coming. Well…" He shook his head. "I mean…"
Catching his drift, the princess blushed a bit. "Clover, it's not what you think… Cedric and I adopted the girls, and we're their guardians now. The older girl is Tanya, and this is Nana."
"Tanya, Nana…" He smiled as Nana reached out and gently stroked his fur, her tiny hand settling on his head. "Aw, what a cute kid." He blinked as the little girl giggled, smiling at him. He turned to his friend. "Can she understand me?" Seeing Nana nodding instead of hearing a response from the princess, he smirked. "Sure she's not yours? Does she have an amulet too?"
"Well…" Sofia gestured to the necklace around the girl's neck. "Sort of, but that's a long story. Actually… They both have a few long stories."
"Wish I could hear them…" The bunny shrugged, smiling peacefully. "But you know… I'm just glad I got to meet them, and see you, Sofia…" He frowned as he felt a wave of exhaustion pass through him. "I just think…my time is coming to an end, you know?"
"Clover, don't talk like that." Sofia gazed at him sadly. "I don't want you to go… You still have so much life left in you. I know you do. I'll get you a hundred carrots and all the napping pillows you want. Just…stay with me, okay?"
"Wish I could, kid." He chuckled. "Listen to me. 'Kid.' You haven't been a kid in a long time. You're all grown up now, huh?" He nodded slowly to himself before glancing at Cedric, then back at Sofia. "I'm glad to see you two are still so close. I know I was really critical of him, but he's clearly changed for the better, and I can tell he really cares about you." He then smirked at Wormwood, who narrowed his eyes in a challenging manner. "Can't say the same for old birdbrain over there."
"I resent that, fluff-butt."
Cedric looked back and forth between the animals. "What…are they talking about?"
Vivian laughed uneasily. "I'm still getting used to the idea that your raven can talk, so…"
Nana shut out their voices and concentrated, closing her eyes, pooling all her powers into her palms and forming a ball of magenta light. Around her and spanning to Clover, the same magical circle that appeared beneath her during the event with Malum In Se returned. Some small pink petals began falling down, a few landing on Clover while the rest dissipated into thin air. However, this time, the petals also had a curious sheen of sparkling gold glitter on them.
"What is she doing?" Tanya wondered, staring at the little girl in surprise. She had a feeling she knew what was going on, but she couldn't say for sure, since this was her first real experience with Nana's healing powers.
"I think…she's healing him," Cedric murmured.
Sofia watched as not only did Clover begin looking healthier (his fur color reverted to its old shade, the dark circles beneath his eyes disappeared, and his general state changed drastically), but he even appeared to be younger. She gasped in surprise as Nana's powers settled down, and the little girl opened her eyes to stare at her guardian. "Nana… Did you heal him?"
Nana nodded with a gentle smile.
Clover slid from Sofia's hold, his legs not hurting for once and his energy restored. He grinned as he began hopping around the bed, hollering out in excitement.
Crackle, who'd been relatively quiet the whole time, gasped and grinned excitedly as she saw her friend bouncing around like old times. "CLOVER!"
"Crackle—ahh!" Clover yelped as the dragon knocked him over onto the bed, hugging him enthusiastically, nearly cutting off his air supply. "Crackle, can't…breathe!"
Vivian laughed, smiling. "So that whole magic thing you two have going on… Was it extended to Nana?"
"No," Cedric clarified, shaking his head. "She does that all on her own. It's—"
"A long story," the dark-haired princess finished, smirking as he nodded sheepishly. "I know. And one day, Sofia's just going to have to sit down and tell me all about it."
"I will," Sofia told her. "I promise."
The sorcerer hummed thoughtfully. "What is interesting is that she wasn't just healing him… She appears to have reversed the clock and given him some more years of life as well. If you compare him now with just a few minutes ago, he looks just like the bunny he used to be back when you first told me about him, Sofia."
"Yeah…" Sofia gazed at the little one before her, watching as she blinked her sleepy green eyes up at her. "Nana… Did you…make Clover's life longer?"
Nana paused momentarily before smiling tiredly and nodding.
"Wow." Clover sat up, leaning against the little dragon with an exhausted smile. "I appreciate it, kid. And I owe you." He held his paw out to Nana, chuckling as she placed her tiny hand there. "I think we'll be great buddies. And ya know, I've gotta tell ya all about my adventures with Sofia—oh, excuse me. Your mama."
Sofia laughed nervously, waving her hands. "No, Clover… I'm not… Well…"
"You take care of her, don't you?" Seeing her nod, Clover smirked. "Feed her, dress her, love her?" Again, she nodded. "I repeat: you're basically her mom, Sofia. Hers and the other kid's—Tanya, right?"
Tanya nodded, smiling. "Right."
"Whoa!" Clover gasped. "She can understand me too?" He held a paw to his head. "This is gonna take some getting used to…"
Sofia gathered Nana into her arms. "Clover… I have a serious question for you." Seeing that she had his attention, she inhaled slowly before sighing. "Do you…want to stay here? Or do you want to go back to Enchancia?"
Crackle lowered her head. Now that he had his youth back, there was no way Clover would pass up the chance to be with his best friend—best human friend—again. He was always talking about Sofia and Enchancia, so why wouldn't he go back?
Clover smiled patiently, hopping over to sit in front of the princess. "I appreciate the offer, Sof, but… I'm actually happy here." He heard the elated gasp from the dragon nearby and chuckled. "I've got Crackle with me, and there's a lot to do. Vivian takes good care of both of us. And besides, you've got your own family to take care of now." He laughed as Nana reached out and patted his head. "Don't worry about me. Thanks to your kid, I'm gonna be just fine."
Sofia sighed, scooping the bunny into a hug. "I love you, Clover."
"Love you too, Sofia. And I think we'll both be fine." He grinned as she set him down on the bed again. "Just make sure you visit though, okay?"
She laughed. "I definitely will." She smiled as Crackle also hugged her before sitting next to Clover. Then she turned to Cedric, Vivian, and Tanya. "I guess we should head back home. Clover's going to stay here, if that's all right with you, Vivian."
"Oh, sure. He's more than welcome to. But…" She smiled at her friend. "You guys don't have to rush off right away. Besides, I want to hear all about how Nana and Tanya came to be with you. If you're up to talking about it, of course."
Cedric exchanged glances with Sofia, who shrugged.
"Only if you're ready for some very long stories."
Vivian smirked, placing her hands on her hips. "I've got plenty of time."
Clover smiled as Crackle snuggled up next to him, and he nodded. "Me too."
The end
Ending Note: You guys can thank MarionetteJ2X for Clover living, because I was seriously considering having him pass away in here. Not to add angst to the story line or anything, but just to have a bit of reality hit home. BUT thanks to both MJ2X and Nana, we've got our bunny back. AND I have plans for him in the future. 😉 We'll see how things go! Next story will be out starting in a few days—maybe this weekend—and I hope you're ready for some drama. O.o There's gonna be LOADS of it. Haha. Later!