A/N: I'm sorry this was so long in coming. With the move and getting settled again, this chapter was just giving me the hardest time. I will try to be more regular in posting from now on!

.o~O*O~o.

Cedric

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Cedric growled in frustration.

Some dark sorcerer demigod he'd turned out to be!

He'd been at it for hours and hadn't even managed to loosen the enchanted ropes binding him to the bed posts. He'd tried it the old fashioned way for a little while, just to see if Ravenna had been lying, but had gotten nothing for his efforts but two bloody wrists. Then he'd tried spells: "Be Gonigus", "Let Loosium", "Stoppeezy" etc., etc., etc., thinking if he really were a mythical being he should be able to manipulate his magic without a wand! After all, he'd seen Sofia shooting bolts of pure energy out of her palms right before he collapsed.

Still nothing.

"Ohhh, Finnegan's fungus of course I could be the vengeful, malevolent half of a near deity and still manage to bungle it?"

"Poor thing, I forgot to mention I put a suppression spell on you before you woke. One can never be too careful."

Cedric looked up to see the Queen in the doorway. She had remained in her most recognizable form, but changed back into her scarlet sorcerer's robe, the red veil now hanging from her gold crown.

Long black hair snaked around her as she began stalking towards him. Cedric had to admit she was eerily flawless, but her beauty wasn't enticing. Instead he found it deeply unsettling. Not the least because her expression suggested she was done playing gently.

His mouth felt suddenly dry.

"Wh…What are you doing?" He stuttered out, as she reached up to remove her crown and veil.

She gave no answer, but showed two rows of perfect, pearl white teeth in a catlike grin of predatory anticipation.

Cedric flinched as her crown dropped onto the small bedside table, turning instinctively towards the sound to see her gossamer veil slither to the floor forgotten. Then she was on the bed with him, hand pushing down the covers to touch him as her lips slanted over his. He tried to speak, to tell her to get away, but it only gave her the opportunity to plunge her tongue inside his mouth. She must have anticipated he would try turn his head next, because her other hand was gripping his hair painfully, holding him in place before the thought was completely formed.

Cedric began to panic in earnest when he realized she was climbing on top of him.

If she were anyone else he would have felt confident she could try as she liked. He felt only revulsion at her assault and rage at the knowledge she thought she could arouse him by force. But with a sorceress of her power he knew he had cause to be afraid. There were any number of spells she could use to take away his free will, to compel his body to respond as she pleased. And he was confident when her initial attempt failed she would turn to one of them next. So he did the only thing he could think of:

He bit down on her tongue, HARD!"

Ravenna shrieked and reared back. The fingers that had been wrapping themselves around his limp member appeared at the corner of his vision just before landing across his cheek hard enough to make him see stars.

When his head lulled back onto the pillow, Cedric found her sitting on her heels next to him. Her movements had caused the tie of the robe to come undone, the red silk now hanging loose around her body.

His eyes journeyed reluctantly upwards to see her breasts, nipples tightening in the cool air of the room, as the right one began to drip a warm, red liquid onto his chest.

His eyes traveled farther to see the liquid was blood, pouring from her mouth where he'd bitten her. It was smeared all over her lips and chin and on her hands as she pushed her hair out of the way. Raising his eyes farther still he saw hellfire burning in her demonic green eyes. But when she saw him staring she smiled in return.

"Is that how you want it? Because fighting me will only make it sweeter. Your little love is coming, and when she arrives I want her to see her greatest nightmare come to life. Her dark sorcerer crying out beneath a better woman!"

The images her words evoked turned Cedric's stomach and he was certain if his stomach hadn't been empty he would have vomited all over them both!

"They will be on their way soon! We don't have time for your little games right now Ravenna." A new voice in the room caused them both to turn.

"Merlin's mushrooms!" Cedric whispered.

The large mirror on the other side of the chamber shimmered briefly and he watched as a long forgotten form appeared in its surface: Morgana.

The enchantress nodded before stepping out of the glass.

"It's a wonderful trick isn't it? One I have you to thank for. I spent years trapped in that mirror where you and Merlin imprisoned me before discovering, not just how to escape but, how travel between them. You thought you defeated me, but your little stunt only made me stronger." She sneered at him triumphantly.

"With every attempt to stamp us out we all grow stronger." Those words came from the fire place which flickered ominously before a horned creature in black materialized behind the flames. "And when we destroy your princess we'll finally be strong enough to come out of the shadows."

Cedric's words had run out as he watched her walk through the fire to stand next to Morgana at the foot of the bed.

Maleficent gave him a single, scornful snicker, before picking up the blanket Ravenna had pushed down and throwing it over his hips.

"At least there's one thing about you that isn't disappointing." She mocked.

"If they're coming, than you both should be getting ready! Not interrupting me!" Ravenna spat, drawing her robe closed and tying it tightly.

"I have a better idea." Maleficent's voice echoed through the stone chamber chillingly. "Why don't you move aside and let me kill him now! Then it won't matter when they come or what they do when they get here!"

"I told you, I'm keeping him. When Sofia is dead and his true powers have been unleashed you'll be thanking me!"

The two creatures stared at each other and Cedric could swear he felt the temperature in the room plummet.

"Ravenna is right!" It was Morgana's voice that cut the air, and he watched as triumph bloomed over the Queen's bloodstained face. "But…," the enchantress continued, "only if we manage to kill Sofia. Which we cannot do as long as he can give her his power." The triumph drained from Ravenna's face and seemed to slither onto Maleficent's. "Give him the potion!"

Cedric began to tremble as the three of them fought over his fate.

"Arne still isn't sure if the antidote he created will work! I've put a suppression spell on him, that should more than keep him from helping the princess."

"We all three of us know the power of true love," Maleficent growled, "I won't take any more chances because you've suddenly gone into heat at the thought of fucking pure darkness! Give him the potion or I'll kill him right now!"

The horned demon was a blur of black and green and then her hands were around his throat, squeezing the air from Cedric's already battered throat.

"ALRIGHT!" The Queen shouted.

Maleficent loosened her grip. Smiling down at him, she spoke in soft tones.

"For your sake, I very much hope she's right about what will happen after Sofia's death. Because if not, it'll only take a few days of her games for you to wish I had killed you."

When the evil fairy pulled away Ravenna took her place, holding a vial in her hand.

"What's that?" His voice came out horse, but the note of fright was still humiliatingly obvious.

"You know my story."

Cedric swallowed thickly. "Sleeping Death."

Ravenna nodded.

"Arne has been tinkering with a counter potion which I'll administer after your other half," she spit the words, "and your band of bumbling do-gooders are defeated. Then you will belong to me and your powers will help us bring the world to its knees!"

Cedric scoffed. Bravado wasn't normally something he felt, but his belief in his princess was unwavering.

"Sofia will stop you. And afterwards she'll easily figure out what you've done and wake me. Then we'll join and end the three of you for good!"

Morgana let out an answering snort. "So you've finally accepted you fate, eh? How tragic it comes too late. Sofia won't figure it out you're still alive because I have a little surprise planned that should take all the fight right out of her!"

Maleficent let out a cry of rage at the continued conversation. "Tick, tock, Ladies, tick, tock."

Ravenna looked at her 'sisters' with an angry grimace.

"Well! Hold him," she commanded.

Cedric knew it was useless to struggle, but he did anyway, making every drop they got down him a labor. Despite his efforts it was only a matter of minutes before the world began to get fuzzy at the edges.

He'd thought the poison would act quickly, taking his consciousness in just a few drops. But he was wrong. It was only his ability to move which melted away immediately. Then it was as if each of his other senses shut down one at a time while he struggled in vain against the impending darkness. And all the time there was a burning agony inside him, as though they were stabbing him in the ribs and stomach over and over.

The last thing he felt was Ravenna's lips brushing over his.

The last thing he heard was her whispering in his ear, promising Sofia's corpse would be lying beside him when he woke.

.o~O*O~o.

Sofia

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Sofia hadn't known where they were going next, but she managed a small smile when they materialized in the main hall of Dragon Hold. She remembered the day she and Cedric spent here with Merlin and the great adventure that had ensued.

Harrowing as his capture had been, the day had ended up even more special than she'd ever expected. And now, as Sofia looked back with the knowledge the book had given her, she realized why. It was the first adventure she and Cedric shared after he'd given up his schemes to take her amulet. The first time they'd both been fighting on the side of good.

"It will be alright child." Merlin's voice filled her ears as his ancient cragged hands came around her shoulders, pulling her into a grandfatherly embrace.

"We'll get him back." Sofia nodded, attempting to feel nothing but confidence.

"We've gotten him back once before, you and I." He reminded her with a warm smile. "So come let's put a plan together." He said the last loudly, looking around the room at all of his guests.

Everyone gathered round them as Merlin pulled out his wand. Waving it at the floor he spoke a spell Sofia wasn't familiar with, and a perfectly conjured, three dimensional image of Eldrid's ancient fortress rose from the floor.

"If Queen O'Dessa has returned to her Castle then I suggest we create a diversion." Graylock said, taking the reins. Eugene, you and Sofia will sneak into the castle and find Cedric while the rest of us make a frontal assault, distracting the Queen, and whoever else might be with her, until you have good Ol' Neck Crick out."

There was a growl from Sofia's right and both she and Graylock turned to see Cedric's mother staring daggers at him.

"Just a pun Madam, I assure you." Graylock laughed uncomfortably and loosened his tie as Mrs. Winifred continued giving him the evil eye.

"Let me go with Sofia and Prince Eugene." Aleric spoke now, thankfully taking everyone's attention away from Graylock. "I know the castle like the back of my hand. I can get you in easily." To demonstrate he pointed to a small courtyard that ran along the entrance to the woods. "Two of the stones on the outer wall, here, are loose. I used to move them to sneak out on market day and pilfer tarts from my favorite stand. And the lock on this door is practically prehistoric, it should break easily."

Sofia looked at him and felt her eyebrow creep up her forehead in a way she knew Cedric would be proud of.

"I'm grateful you tried to protect me from your brother this morning. But Aleric are you really suggesting your willing to fight your own family to help us? To help me? I can't believe that. You love them."

Aleric gave her a look that made her deeply uncomfortable, and not a little bit guilty. For a moment she thought he was going to declare he loved her best. But instead he raised his head proudly.

"I do love them. But what my mother is doing is wrong. What Arne tried to do to you is wrong. My father raised me to believe a Prince should never stand idly by while others do wrong, no matter who it is."

His sincerity was irrefutable, as was his knowledge of his home. A thing she had seen firsthand when he'd taken her on a tour of the castle.

Sofia took in a startled breath when she realized they'd done that only yesterday morning. How could it feel as though a lifetime had passed since then?

"Thank you." She said, her voice barely more than a whisper.

"Alright friends, we should be on our way!" Merlin said, clapping his hands together loudly.

They were all gathering to move magically when Sofia cried out, doubling over in pain and wrapping her arms around her abdomen.

"Sofia!" Tilly and Winifred were at her side in a moment, helping her to the floor and looking over her anxiously.

"Princess Sofia dear, tell us what's wrong." Cedric's mother pushed back her hair, holding it away so she could feel the air on her face and neck.

"It hurts!" Sofia managed to squeak out as she clutched at her sides.

Before anyone could ask more an echoing laughter filled the expanse of the tower. It sent a chill down Sofia's spine.

She was sure she had heard that laugh before, but couldn't place it.

Someone else could though.

"Morgana!" Merlin hissed, his wand back in his hand before he was even finished speaking her name. The other sorcerers followed suit but nothing happened.

Then Sofia saw her. She was only a reflection in a large mirror.

Sofia had no idea if this one was spelled like the one they'd used to defeat Morgana the last time, but the evil sorceress didn't seem to want leave it. Instead she merely knocked on its surface, garnering the attention of the whole group.

"Hello Merlin, surprised to see me?"

"I only wish I were. I should have known you'd be involved in all this somehow!"

The beautiful woman gave him a sinister smirk.

"Always one step behind." She clucked shaking her head. "I'm not here to trade banalities with you in any case. Princess Sofia, little princess where are you?" She sung tauntingly.

Sofia expected to have to struggle to her feet, anticipating more pain. But as suddenly as it had come it was gone and she rose easily.

"Where is Cedric?" She asked, not caring if the woman laughed at her.

"I thought you'd never ask. Why, he's here with me and a few of my 'friends'." She answered. "Would you like to see him?"

Instead of waiting for an answer, Morgana moved out of the mirrors surface and Sofia screamed as she saw what was behind her.

Cedric lay on a stone slab, two huge black morning candles burning on either side of his head. He was dressed in his familiar purple robes and yellow bowtie, his wand clasped in lifeless hands crossed over his chest.

"The Queen wanted to keep him, but she's been…overruled." Morgana paused for effect before smiling silkily. "IT'S OVER," she shouted as Sofia began to tremble uncontrollably. "But by all means if you'd like to collect what's left of your dark sorcerer, be my guest. We'll be waiting."

Then she was gone and leaving the image of Cedric's body to linger a while longer before fading away.

For an endless, silent moment Sofia simply stared at her reflection.

She barely recognized herself. Her hair was a tangled nest of knotted curls, her cheek bore an ugly purple mark the size and shape of her father's palm, her simple, blue woolen dress was torn and bloody. She might as well have been a mad woman.

Maybe she was.

Maybe this was all a deranged delusion and she'd wake in her bed any moment now, still just Princess Sofia, about to turn twenty, in love with magic and flying horses and books without endings. And Cedric would still be her best friend, crankily inhabiting his tower, waiting for her to arrive for the day's potion brewing and spell casting, completely oblivious to her secret longings for him.

But then she clenched her hands and the one she'd cut stung enough to make her gasp.

Suddenly she was screaming Cedric's name, banging on the mirror until the glass beneath her fists began to crack.

Hands grabbed at her but she fought against them.

"CEDRIC!"

He couldn't hear her.

He would never hear her again.

He would never hold her again, never kiss her again, never tell her he loved her again.

Sofia crumpled, letting the hands she'd fought pull her from the mirror. When they realized she wouldn't fight they let her go and she slithered to the floor. Laying her face against the ancient stones, she let the coldness soothe the soreness in her cheek as she tucked her legs into her stomach and wrapped her arms around them.

That's what she'd felt when her stomach had seized. She'd felt them killing him.

She'd been so sure O'Dessa would keep him alive. She'd never imagined there were others more powerful involved. How could she have been so naïve? How could she have been so careless with his life?

"Cedric," she whispered his name now, hopeless in a way she hadn't felt since she was a small child learning her father was never coming home. The feeling was miserably familiar even though she'd only felt it once before. A deep ache settling into her chest, making it hurt, as her heart called for him knowing he could never again answer.

"Cedric."