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Sofia had suggested a royal hike. It seemed like an okay idea - and it was going well, at first.
When he saw the branch crack, Cedric - being the only person who saw it - had called out. It had been a kind of visceral reaction, one from inside his blood, and was accompanied by a feeling he didn’t know he was capable of. Of course, he had been too late. It didn’t even occur to him to use magic to prevent the incident.
Maybe if he hadn’t said anything, the princess would have kept walking, and the branch would have missed. But as it was, he called, she stopped, and he remembered the movement of her mouth from words that never made it to his ears. Then, that ghastly, echoing thud - red, purple, and golden brown, toppling down into the dirt.
Bailiwick rushed forward with first aid training, Roland and Miranda tried to help, but Cedric just stood there, like his legs were made of cement. Everything moved around him. And still, the dry ground became more and more saturated by crimson liquid, until he noticed that his own vision was starting to blur. The king yelled at him to do something, and that was about the last thing that Cedric remembered.
Now, he lay in his bed - or rather, on his bed - in his tower. How did he get here? Oh, it was so quiet here now, so quiet without Wormwood. Cedric sat up; he was still in the clothes he wore to the hike, but he felt alright, if a little dizzy. Overall, he wasn’t much concerned with his own health but rather with the princess’.
As he took some shaky steps across his room, Cedric noticed a raged note pinned to his door. Squinting, he read it: WE NEED TO TALK - ROLAND . How cryptic, as always. Cedric sighed to himself. Well, whatever this was about, it certainly wouldn’t be good for him. There was no point in delaying this, he made his way down to the throne room.
When Cedric arrived, the throne was empty. Roland wasn’t there, in fact, the only people in the room were a pair or tired looking guards. “Huh?” one of them looked to Cedric with drooping eyelids, “oh, magic man, it’s you. Um, king is in the infirmary.”
“ Poseidon’s parsnips, Sofia,” Cedric muttered, a crest of guilt striking through him, “is the princess in good health?”
“I have heard she is… awake,” the guard yawned, “ I don’t know how long I’ll be, though . What even happened in the forest? Was there a monster? I bet it was something crazy like a monster.”
Cedric left the throne wall. He didn’t answer the guard, partially because he didn’t want to dignify the question, partially because he couldn’t move his lips. The infirmary door was open. He hadn’t visited this place since the first queen’s death . He winced - many blamed Cedric’s incompetence for that incident. Were they wrong?
He continued inside, dodging the medics and clerics rushed back and forth with all sorts of equipment ladening their arms. Was this all for Sofia? She must be in a bad way . There was that guilt, again.
This was the room, behind this oak door. Cedric could tell. He knocked. “Come in,” the princess said.
“Sofia!” Roland scolded, “it could be anyone!”
“If they’re coming to see me, I’m sure they don’t mean any harm!” Sofia argued. Cedric let out a sigh, she seemed okay after all. The guilt dissipated, slightly.
“Just me, sir,” Cedric said to the door.
“Oh, you ,” the king said, “very well. Enter.”
“I’m deeply sorry for my inaction earlier today,” walked into the room, bowing his head quickly, “it - it won’t happen again.”
“That is not what I wanted to talk about,” the king shifted, uncomfortably.
“Huh?”
“The truth is, you are not well.”
“...what is that supposed to mean?” Cedric defended.
“You fainted today, randomly! You’ve never been the most fit person, but it is getting worse,” Roland gestured randomly with his hands, “I mean, I don’t want to push you to continue this job when it becomes too strenuous. I don’t want you, or anyone else, to be harmed.”
“I’m younger than you,” Cedric said, “what are you trying to say?”
“It’s not anything immediate, but we will need another royal sorcerer at some point,” Roland sighed, “please don’t be offended by that. It’s just the truth. And you don’t have any descendants, so you would need an apprentice.”
“And of course, I’m already Mr Cedric’s apprentice,” Sofia chirped. So positive, despite the bandage around her head.
“I don’t believe the royal and magical bloodlines are meant to be mingled,” Cedric said, although the breaking in Sofia’s eyes pained him.
“Neither were the royal and commoners,” Roland pointed out, “but that all changed when I married Miranda, didn’t it? Would you consider naming Sofia as your official apprentice?”
“Please!” Sofia clasped her hands.
“Well,” Cedric took a step back with hesitance, “Sofia does show a promising level of magical capacity, especially compared to her peers… and to me, when I was her age. She’s loyal too, and good . She would be sorceress to future Queen Amber, correct? I think she would do a good job. So why not?”
“Yes!” Sofia threw her arms up into the air, then her face drained of colour, “oh… wait, I don’t feel great.”
“Be careful, Sofia,” Roland warned, “you lost a lot of blood.”
“ Hemoreplenishis ,” Cedric cast a quick spell. A basic, blood regenerating charm that he had learned on his second day at Hexley Hall. A pink tinge returned to Sofia’s face.
“Of course,” Roland said, gently, “you’re hardly obsolete yet.”
Obsolete. That word stung. The idea that one day, he would be replaced like an outdated gadget; but what stung even more was that if this plan went through, Sofia would be discarded in just the same way. No, Cedric would not let this happen. But how could he if he was gone? “I’ll agree to make Sofia a royal sorcerer in training,” Cedric said, carefully. He studied the look on Roland’s face, “but only if you let me stay in the castle after her instatement.”
“Why?” Roland laughed, “wouldn’t you want to go the Mystic Meadows like-”
“No!” Cedric shouted, “oh, sorry, I didn’t realise that would be so loud… I mean, no,” he said more calmly, “I want to stay here.”
“Well, more sorcerers doesn’t hurt anyone, um, normally ,” Roland said, “fine, we have a deal.”
“Yay,” Sofia giggled, then she stopped, “it’s strange, this pressure. It’s scary but also exiting… is this how Amber feels, knowing she’s going to become queen?”
“Um, probably?” Cedric guessed. Sometimes Sofia said things with such clarity that it made him question if she was really an 11 year old, or if she was some kind of immortal deity trapped behind the former’s façade. Cedric knew he felt nothing but fear when waiting to become royal sorcerer, but then again, he didn’t have a choice. Perhaps this way was better.