AN: So this story was originally meant the be a oneshot but I just couldn't convey everything I wanted into one little chapter. I have no idea how long this story will grow but hopefully it won't be too long, as I have a few other fics in the works and don't want to bog myself up with too many stories at once.

A couple things; I absolutely love the idea of "Daddy-issues Sofia" (what I call any pairing where Cedric is significantly older than our dear, beloved princess,) but I've kind of been playing around with the idea of the two of them being around the same age and ways for that to happen within the existing universe. Thus, you have this story. Also, there is a group mentioned in this story that will play a much bigger role in future works. They're called the Wizards of Wisteria and I wanted them to be sort of like the Order of the Wand but not necessarily for good/evil sorcerers.

Anyhow, please enjoy! Any reviews would be greatly appreciated!

"It isn't fair, Mr. Cedric..." Sofia whined as she barged into the sorcerer's workshop with an admittedly dramatic sigh. She had previously been complaining of her plight to Baileywick who had been listening in disinterest until his duties as castle steward pulled him onto other far more important things. Now with none of her animal companions in sight and Violet gone to accompany Amber she found herself in Cedric's workshop looking for a sympathetic ear. She knew very well that she might not find one there but it never hurt to try so she crossed the room quickly and flung herself across the top of Cedric's desk despite the paperwork all strewn about. "Do you know where my family is right now?"

Cedric let out a small snort as he stood from the stool he had been seated on and walked over to shoo the princess off of his work space. "I imagine they're well on their way to Rudistan by now. King Magnus' annual ball?"

"Yes." Sofia said with a huff. "Every year he throws that silly ball and every year I'm not invited..."

"It's not a slight against you, Princess. You're simply not old enough to attend." Cedric said, taking the princess' hands in his to pull her up off the desk. "Quite frankly, I don't blame him for setting an age limit. Nobody wants to attend a ball with a bunch of impudent children running about and teenagers are by far the worst, present company excluded, of course."

Sofia crossed her arms and chewed the inside of her cheek. She knew Cedric was right, that she was taking the whole ordeal personally when in reality it was nothing personal at all. King Magnus had held a grand ball every year for his birthday and only those aged eighteen and older were eligible to attend. The strict age limit had never been a problem for Sofia before because she'd always had the comfort of James and Amber's company while their parents attended the ball. This year, however, her brother and sister were finally old enough to attend and they were both eager to do so. This gave her a feeling of being left out which was not something she handled well.

"It still isn't fair." Sofia continued to complain. At least Cedric seemed willing to nurture her self pity; best to take advantage of it while she could before he got annoyed and kicked her out of the work shop. "I feel like I'm very mature for my age. I should be able to attend."

Cedric couldn't help the chuckle that rose in his throat at Sofia's words. Perhaps at one time the princess had been quite mature for her age but hormones and teenage angst had since shuffled the cards a bit. "Princess, I hope you don't take this the wrong way but... well, you're not quite as mature as you should be. Actually, that's not accurate. You're just as mature as you should be for a sixteen year old, but therein lies the problem. King Magnus doesn't want anyone who acts like a sixteen year old flitting about his party. You have a bit more growing up to do and that isn't a bad thing. You just need to be patient."

"You're right, Mr. Cedric." Sofia muttered as she moved to take a seat on a nearby stool. "I know I shouldn't be upset. I know it's nothing personal and that I'll be old enough to attend in a few years. I just... I feel so left out."

Cedric's ears perked at Sofia's words. The princess felt excluded and that was a feeling he knew all too well. He didn't like to think of anyone experiencing such anguish, especially Sofia. Although the dynamics of their relationship had drastically changed as the girl grew into a young woman, Cedric still cared a great deal for her and he wanted to alleviate her sorrows. He knew how it might look to outside eyes; the royal sorcerer fraternizing with the king's teenage daughter behind closed doors. It was scandalous even if it was entirely innocent. That was why he'd been keeping her at arms length for the past few years.

Despite his better judgment, however, he reached for the stool he'd previously been seated upon and pulled it up beside the princess. "I'd like to tell you a story."

Sofia looked to Cedric with wide, excited eyes. As a child she had always adored any story he'd told her but in recent years he'd been tight-lipped and standoffish. There seemed to be a glimmer of their old friendship in his eyes, though he kept them averted from her face. "What's the story about?"

"About myself." Cedric replied before pausing in thought. "Well, I suppose it's about my whole family, really. As you know, I was never looked on very fondly by my father. Every minute error was a glaring mistake in his eyes and he made sure to remind me of it near daily but there was never a time where his disappointment with me was more painfully obvious than when it came time for the Sorcerer's Soirée. It's an annual event much like the Conjurer's Conference only far more exclusive. It's held by an elite group known as The Wizards of Wisteria."

"You've told me about them." Sofia interjected, eager to demonstrate some of the knowledge she'd gained from the man over the years. "They're a group of wizards who use wands made from a magical wisteria tree found on the Mystic Isles."

"Yes." Cedric replied with an amused smile. "And the Sorcerer's Soirée is a strictly invitation only event. You must either be a member of The Wizards of Wisteria or be invited by someone who is in order to attend. Every year for as long as I can remember my parents would head off leaving Cordelia and me behind to wallow in our own self-pity. I wanted so badly to attend but I understood why I couldn't... until my parents began taking Cordelia with them, that is."

Sofia's heart sank as Cedric's brow crinkled at the painful memory. "That must've really hurt."

"That is the understatement of the century, my dear." Cedric replied with a sigh. "But it never bothered me quite as badly as when I became a teenager. I kept telling myself as a boy that surely my father would bring me along once I matured a bit. But as the years ticked by from fourteen to fifteen to sixteen I still found myself left behind while Cordelia got to attend. It was infuriating and heartbreaking all at the same time and I handled it far less gracefully than you're handling your similar situation. Imagine something akin to your sister's tirade the time she threw that masquerade ball of hers and your brother showed up wearing a full-body costume."

Sofia couldn't help but giggle at the idea of Cedric throwing a massive tantrum like Amber had thrown the night of that particular ball. Amber had been very adamant that formal attire was required but James, in typical James fashion, had deliberately ignored her and went dressed as a knight, complete with authentic armor, shield and sword. Amber had screamed for what felt like an hour straight, stomping and thrashing until she expended every last ounce of energy she had. She hadn't even been able to enjoy her own party for her anger.

Sofia looked Cedric up and down, trying hard to imagine the man behaving in such a way but it was hard to envision. She cocked an eyebrow and gave him a skeptical glance. "Are you sure you aren't exaggerating just to get your point across?"

Cedric let out a hearty laugh in response and shook his head as he stood. "I only wish that were the case. I'm afraid I was as monstrous on occasion as your sister can be when something upsets her."

"It sounds like you were quite the sour little sorcerer." Sofia said in jest, much to Cedric's chagrin. He turned his back to her and resumed his earlier task but she could tell by the redness of his ears that she'd embarrassed him with her quip. She watched him in silence for a long while before tilting her head ever so slightly to the side as a curiosity overtook her. "Mr. Cedric, what were you like when you weren't upset?"

Cedric tensed at the princess' question. It wasn't one he wanted to answer because he knew the truth might disappoint her. By the time he'd hit puberty he had already resolved to devise a way to take over the kingdom. It was true that those desires were long dead and buried but it made him nervous to remind anyone of his less than savory past deeds, especially her. He inhaled sharply and whirled around to face the princess, forcing a smile to his face. "That will have to be a story for another time."

Sofia sighed and slid off the stool where she had planted herself. She was wise enough now to know when she was being dismissed and she knew she had been lucky for Cedric to let her stay as long as he had. She started reluctantly toward the exit but paused to cast the man a farewell glance. "Thank you for letting me vent... and thank you for sharing your story. I wish I'd been able to meet you as a teenager, Mr. Cedric."

Cedric snickered and gave the princess a small wave as she exited the room, closing the door behind her. "You should thank your lucky stars that you didn't, my dear. You wouldn't have liked me very much."