Castaways

Summary: During an unfortunate mishap while conducting their annual duties as Magical Ambassadors, Cedric and Sofia find themselves stranded on an island with their magic somehow depleted. They have to work together to survive and stay collected, but that may be easier said than done. (Requested by Mr. Shortman92 – Last year. Lol. Sorry it took so long!)

Disclaimer: I don't own Sofia the First. Nana belongs to MarionetteJ2X. The other new OCs and kingdoms (specifically Dokken) belong to Mr. Shortman92.

A/N: How's this for a personal challenge? Every single chapter of this story is posted on the same day, within minutes of each other. O.o I've done it before, but it's not easy! Haha. Anyway, you'll see our famous duo have a bit more argumentative situations in here, and yes, a lot of inspiration did come from the Tom Hanks movie. Mr. Shortman92 sent me all the info I needed to know last year, and I've compiled it all into a set of notes, which I've followed to the best of my ability. And yes, MS92, I guess this is an AquaMan production. Lol! Hope you all enjoy but buckle up. It's going to be quite a ride. :D

Chapter 1: Disaster in Dokken

Summertime for most people meant vacationing with family or friends in far-off kingdoms, lounging around until some of the later hours of the day, or even taking time to catch up on things missed throughout the rest of the year. It was a time to relax and have parties.

But not for Cedric and Sofia. For the last four years, they'd been acting as Magical Ambassadors for Enchancia and conducting their quests on behalf of Roland. In those years, they'd managed to form ties with several new kingdoms, re-establish ties with familiar kingdoms, and expand their own knowledge of magic in general. Thanks to Sir Finlay's guidance, they were elite members of the Magical Ambassadors Program as well, which enabled them to make these journeys each summer.

Naturally, with their summer-long voyage, they were unable to bring Nana with them. She was in Enchancia under the care of Amber and Desmond (and anyone else who opted to help). Explaining to their charge that they would be gone for a few months (since she'd never experienced this particular event and thus their lengthy absence) had been extremely difficult. There were lots of tears—not all of them from Nana either.

Still, this journey and obligation were now part of a yearly routine, and they'd explained to the little girl that they would be back before she knew it. Besides, she had so many people in the castle to hang out with, including Corban (her best friend in the world), so that made her a little happier. It wasn't easy to depart with a child they'd worked so hard to protect and raise as their own, but they knew this separation was only temporary.

And besides, now they were on their way to their final kingdom, and a little over two weeks ahead of schedule at that! Everything else had gone so smoothly and rapidly that they figured they'd be back in Enchancia much earlier than anticipated.

"I can't believe this is our last stop," Sofia said, sighing tiredly as she leaned against Cedric and played absently with the little strawberry plush toy he'd made her last year (before they even knew of Nana). Just having that precious memento with her helped her feel like their little one was close by, especially since it smelled of fresh strawberries, even after all those months.

"Neither can I," he admitted as he gently rubbed her arm while he was flipping through their agenda with his free hand. "We need only to meet with the queen of the Kingdom of Dokken, establish ties with her, and then we should be on the way home within a few days."

The princess grinned at her partner. "And earlier than usual. How did you manage that?"

"I'm not quite sure, to be perfectly honest with you. We didn't miss any kingdoms; I checked. And we even had new ones added, so…" He shrugged. "Then again, some of the kingdoms we visited had rulers who simply wanted to sign the contracts and send us on our way, which I was more than willing to do." He chuckled.

"Of course." She smiled softly as she closed her eyes. "At least this trip was productive. Not that the others weren't, but… Well, the first year alone was challenging, to say the least."

Cedric didn't respond to her acknowledgement. Just thinking about that time four years ago when they'd traveled as Magical Ambassadors for the first time was bittersweet. Granted, a lot of good things had come from that journey, but a great deal of pain had come as well. Sofia still talked about Master Elgraste on occasion, and he could always tell that she had some form of survivor's guilt due to the man's sacrifice. He held nothing but gratitude for the former ruler, though. Not only had he saved his best friend, but he'd also afforded her the chance to be an important figure in a helpless child's life. It had all come full circle, as far as he was concerned. Besides, life without Sofia would have been horrible, and he wasn't quite sure how he would have handled the aftereffects. Probably rather poorly, he imagined.

"At least we will be able to get back to Nana and the others faster," the princess concluded, holding her precious strawberry plush toy closer to herself. "I miss her so much."

"Me too." Cedric closed his agenda and set it on the floor of the AutoCoach as he settled into his seat a bit better. He gestured once, smiling as Sofia shifted from lying against his shoulder to reclining on the seat, her head now in his lap. He trailed his fingers through her hair, causing her to sigh in relaxation. "Get some rest, my dear. We've got another two hours to go until we get to Dokken."

A sleepy smile spread on her face as she closed her eyes, a soft exhale escaping her. "Sounds good to me… Just wake me when we get there, I guess." She turned a bit, smiling up at him. "Unless you choose to get a nap of your own."

He smiled down at her. "It does sound enticing, but one of us has to keep an eye on the navigation. Magical or not, the AutoCoach can make a few errors here and there, and I'd rather prevent that if possible."

"Whatever you say, Cedric." She turned back around and sighed happily, her eyes closed once more and her entire form completely relaxed. Before long, she was asleep.

While the princess slept, Cedric monitored their position and found that everything seemed to be on track. The AutoCoach was making excellent time (as he'd hoped), and even the weather conditions were good. When they'd visited Helvetica a week or so ago, it had rained practically the whole time they were there. Talk about a gloomy visit, although the children hadn't seemed to mind. They were just glad their 'Ceddy and Sofie' had come for a visit. And it was nice to see them without the looming uncertainty of the Never Realm hanging over their heads for a change.

Sofia had certainly made the trip more entertaining too. It was possible this trip was much needed for both of them, especially after the last several trying months. But the princess had kept their spirits up throughout the trip, joking around with him and playing a variety of different games. She had even taught him a new magic spell that he'd never heard of before (allegedly from Ms. Fauna herself when they'd come across the fairies about two weeks into their journey). She was good for his spirit, and he knew this rather well. This trip alone would have been far melancholier and more straining without his best friend with him.

He gently ran his thumb over her left hand, grazing the BerryBand nestled on her middle finger. Cedric smiled thoughtfully, wondering what Nana was up to right now. He missed her a great deal, though he was very much elated that they'd be reunited soon.

...

The two hours passed by, and before long the AutoCoach arrived in the Kingdom of Dokken. It seemed to be mountainous on the outer area of the kingdom, though the castle itself was nestled just on the edge of a cliff, its crystal-like structure a light color and glistening under the sun. It looked like something out of a fairytale.

"This is a rather unique area for a castle," Cedric murmured to Sofia as they prepared for the AutoCoach's final descent. "Most are at least on level land. This one is literally on a cliff." It was pretty obvious that he was a bit hesitant about nearing the dangerous area, but he knew they didn't really have much of a choice.

"I guess that makes it more interesting," she giggled as she maneuvered to the other side of the coach, getting ready to exit. "Besides, if all castles were the same, they'd lose their intrigue. Right?"

He shrugged with a nervous laugh. "I suppose. I just hope it's built securely enough…"

Once the AutoCoach landed at the entrance to the crystal castle, the friends exited and were instantly greeted by a rather enthusiastic presence.

"You must be Princess Sofia and Cedric the Great," the man greeted with an infectious smile. "We have been expecting you, though you're a bit earlier than we were anticipating. However, not to worry; everything is already prepared for you. I am Halford, the royal steward for the Dokken castle and Her Majesty Queen Delora."

The steward, Halford, appeared to be in his late forties or early fifties. He had a light olive complexion. He wore his blonde hair tied back in an immaculate ponytail that just barely brushed his collar. His hazel eyes seemed to dance with excitable mirth, evidence that he really enjoyed his job. His entire outfit was black, including his jacket, pants, and boots. The only different colors to be seen were his white collared shirt beneath the jacket and the grayish white cravat tied around his neck.

Sofia smiled as the man bowed to them, and she returned the gesture by curtsying once. She nearly fell over though, given that they were on jagged terrain. She laughed as Cedric caught her before she could trip over anything. "Thanks, Cedric."

He smirked. "Saved you again, my dear."

Halford looked between the two before chuckling. "If you'll follow me, I'll take you to the queen. She's been looking forward to your visit, as has our royal witch. You'll likely meet her tomorrow though, since she's away on business for the day."

The princess's eyes widened in interest as the three of them approached the castle gates. "You have a royal witch? That's awesome!"

"Yes. Her name is Abigail, and she's just turned sixteen this month, actually."

"Isn't sixteen rather young to be a royal witch?" Cedric wondered as he followed the steward. "Oh, what am I saying?" He winked toward Sofia, who grinned. "At sixteen, you were saving a kingdom from an evil entity. Again."

"Ooh, you speak of Reimagia, correct?" Halford quickly slapped the hands of the guards away as they tried to reach to open the doors for them, and he did it himself, allowing the visitors to enter the castle. He gave the two guards that followed them an annoyed glance, gesturing for them to back off.

"That's right," Sofia admitted with a giggle. "It's where I trained to become a full-fledged sorceress."

"Now that is truly fascinating!" He clasped his hands together and sighed in awe. "What a magnificent and adventurous life you must lead, Princess Sofia."

Cedric rolled his eyes as he placed his hand against Sofia's back, leading her onward. "You don't know the half of it, Halford…"

Once they entered the throne room, Cedric and Sofia were led to the steps that stretched to a solitary gold throne. Upon that throne sat Queen Delora herself. She appeared to be in her mid-forties, though her fair and unblemished appearance would suggest otherwise, for she seemed to appear younger than she actually was. Her long blonde hair fell in waves down to her waist and was pulled back slightly as a tiara rested on her head. Her green eyes were full of curiosity but also a bit of sadness. Her gown was rather simple with a cream-colored underlayer and a silver outer layer that stretched all the way to the floor. Around her neck was a silver necklace in what appeared to be an abstract shape of a flower.

The two friends bowed or curtsied respectfully to the woman as she stood.

"You must be Princess Sofia and Cedric the Great," the queen acknowledged with a knowing smile as she approached the two visitors. "I've heard of your travels as ambassadors for the Kingdom of Enchancia, though I was previously unaware that my husband had arranged for you to create ties with our kingdom." She suddenly paused, her eyes downcast. "My… My beloved Diggory passed away not too long ago, I'm afraid. Rather unexpectedly too."

"I'm so sorry to hear that, Queen Delora," Sofia told her with a perplexed expression as she stood next to Cedric, who seemed focused on what she was saying. "We're honored that you have allowed us to discuss forming ties with Enchancia. I don't know if I'd be able to do this if I were in your situation."

The woman chuckled softly and nodded. "I appreciate that, Princess Sofia. Be grateful you're not in the position of having to bury your husband. You're still just a child yourself, yes? What are you? Fifteen?"

The princess frowned in mild annoyance but tried not to let the woman's words affect her. Sure, she was sort of short for her age, but she had hoped that her maturity would have made up for the inches. "I'm eighteen, actually… I'll be nineteen in a few months."

"Still so young. Enjoy it while you can. In either case, I'm glad you've come so far just to conduct your Magical Ambassador duties here, of all places." She made her way over to Cedric, slipping between him and Sofia to gently take his arm. "Why don't I show you around Dokken? It's the least I can do after you've traveled all this way."

Sofia stepped back and folded her arms, a bit miffed that she had basically been pushed aside. Just a minute ago, the queen had been so downcast and sad remembering her husband, and now she'd practically just taken Cedric's attention away. She didn't know how to feel about that.

"O-Oh." Cedric laughed nervously before nodding. "Well, certainly, Your Majesty. I just need to get our luggage and—"

"Oh, Halford can do that." She turned and waved to her steward, who briskly hurried over from the other side of the room to bow before his queen. "Halford, see to it that the princess's luggage gets to the Kensington Room, and the royal sorcerer's luggage is to go in the Bartholomew Room."

Halford bowed with effortless flair. "Yes, my queen." He then turned toward the nearby guards. "Tipton, Downing! You heard Queen Delora. Service, if you please!"

While the workers were busy carrying out their duties, Queen Delora led Cedric toward the back of the castle. "Come along, Cedric, and I'll show you the gardens. They're so lovely this time of year."

"Y-Yes, Queen Delora. I just…" He turned and looked over his shoulder toward his partner, who was standing with her arms folded and an annoyed expression on her face. He shrugged helplessly as he mouthed something to her.

Sofia just rolled her eyes and turned, walking away. Clearly, the queen hadn't invited her along for their garden walk. She sighed as the other two slipped outside. Maybe she saw Cedric as more of an authority figure than she did the princess? Maybe she believed it was going to be easier to talk to him? "Ugh. Whatever." She groaned and ran her hands over her face. She was tired. She was hungry. She missed home, her family, her friends, and especially Nana. What she wouldn't give for a few snuggles with the strawberry child at this point…

"Princess Sofia?" Halford called out, smiling toward her as she looked up. "Would you like to see your room?"

"Um… Sure. Thanks." She stole one more glance toward the back of the castle before shaking her head and following the energetic steward.

...

Sofia looked around her room after entering and was instantly taken aback by how beautiful it was. The color scheme seemed to mimic the ocean, so she felt as though she were practically under the water. There was even a built-in aquarium along one of the walls, and she could see several varieties of fish swimming by. Her bed was what she was used to: a canopy bed. However, this one had sheer curtains that billowed around the bed frame every time the wind blew in from the opened balcony doors. The room contained all the usual amenities too: a full-length mirror, a closet, a vanity, a sofa, etc. It felt similar to her room at home in its own way, but she knew they were still as different as they could be.

The princess gasped as she heard a crash at her door frame, and upon hearing a loud groan, she hurried over to see what had happened. She blinked as she saw one of the guards from earlier on his back and rubbing his head, along with a few of their pieces of luggage scattered on the floor, and the other sentinel stood over him, just shaking his head. "Are you all right?" she asked worriedly.

The younger guard on the floor appeared to be in his mid-twenties. His tousled dirty blonde hair brushed along the collar of his royal guard outfit, which consisted of a rustic-red tunic, dark trousers, and rather intricately decorated boots. A cloak usually dangled from his shoulders, though it was now in a twisted heap around him. His dark eyes peered up at the princess as he laughed sheepishly. "I'm fine, Princess Sofia," he insisted in his heavy English accent. "I'm just a bit…clumsy."

"I can see why you're called 'Tipton,'" the other guard remarked, though with a far more serious demeanor and tone (and a lighter version of the other's accent). "One accidental move, and you've tipped over and fallen yet again to your derriere."

"Ooh, fancy French word from the oh-so-benevolent Downing!" Tipton snickered as he stood up, hauling some of the luggage into his arms.

Downing, the other guard, was much quieter and more serious than his partner. He was in his mid-thirties and possessed lighter blonde hair that fell in a wave around his shoulders. He shared the same type of outfit that Tipton did. His blue eyes were piercing in their own right, though they were also calm, like their owner. The older guard shook his head and gathered the rest of the luggage. "Princess, may we deliver your luggage properly now? I do apologize for taking so long. You can see what I have to work with."

Sofia giggled and nodded, allowing the guards inside. "It's okay. And just set it down wherever you like. I'll sort everything out later."

"I love this room," Tipton gushed as he placed the bags down before hurrying over to the aquarium. He pointed out a rather plump yellow fish that was swimming slowly in the back of the tank. "That's Francois. I named him myself, after King Diggory had this tank installed a few years ago. Francois and I are good chums. Of course, I'm the main one who feeds him, so that's probably why."

"That's pretty neat…" Sofia folded her arms and bit her lip momentarily before sighing. "Um, Tipton? Downing? I don't know if it's a sore subject or anything, but… With King Diggory… What exactly happened to him?"

Downing shook his head once. "No one is quite sure, Princess Sofia. Queen Delora just entered their bedroom one evening to find that he had passed away. He'd been complaining of chest pains earlier that day, so some suspect that it could have been a heart issue, though no one is quite sure. He was in his fifties, so I suppose it's not outside the realm of possibility."

"I see…"

"Well, we'd best get going!" Tipton announced, trying to sound more cheerful to alleviate the seriousness of the topic at hand. He'd never been one for such melancholic conversations anyway. "Got lots to do before our shift change." He bowed to Sofia, Downing following his lead. "It was an honor to meet you, Princess Sofia. If you should need us for anything, we're typically downstairs near the front doors. And Halford will be helping prepare the evening meal, but he's always willing to stop what he's doing if anyone needs help."

Sofia smiled lightly as she nodded. Halford seemed very different from Baileywick—and even from Violet, who'd recently taken over for her dear friend. Halford appeared to be very upbeat, energetic, and completely immersed with and in love with his job. Not that the other two from her own castle weren't, but this man seemed to take it to an entirely different level. Or at least, that's what she'd gathered from the short time of her being there. "Thanks, you guys. I appreciate it." She waited until they'd left before collapsing onto her bed, folding her arms and resting her head on them. "I wonder if Cedric is having a good time with the queen…" She frowned thoughtfully. "Hmm…"

"My dear Diggory planted all of the flowers you see," Queen Delora informed Cedric as they moved along through her gardens. She seemed to have several, which spanned along the mountainside and down into the valley below. The one they were currently observing was right outside the castle, which overlooked the massive drop from the cliff to the water beneath them.

"Th-That's nice," Cedric mumbled as he strayed a bit farther behind her, gulping as she leaned over the iron fence that had ivy curling around it to reach for a new blossom. "Queen Delora, I beg your pardon, but is that safe?"

She laughed as she grasped the blossom before settling back into safer territory. She smiled as the sorcerer sighed in relief. "I'm fine, Cedric. I do this all the time. I'm not afraid of heights. My castle is on a cliff, for goodness sake."

"Yes, I'd have to relocate if I were in your position." He held one hand to his heart, which was beating rapidly. He'd never done well with heights. Even though he possessed and could control his magic, he knew that panic would set in long before logic if he were to fall from any types of high places.

"I understand. Not everyone can live in a place like this."

He decided that maybe now was a good time to address the elephant in the room, so to speak. "So… We came to your kingdom on behalf of your husband, King Diggory." He noticed her face fall and immediately regretted even broaching the subject. "I… I'm sorry. It must be a sensitive subject."

"It's all right." She forced a smile to her face and shrugged. "What can I say? Diggory and I were married for twenty years. He was a wonderful husband, so his death was a huge shock to me, and to our kingdom. It's possible it was related to a heart defect, or so some of the royal doctors said. Our only daughter recently married as well, and she and her husband are now in his kingdom, so I can't exactly pass this kingdom along to her…" She shook her head. "When I die, my legacy and kingdom will likely pass to my brother. But I'm not even sure he wants to be the king, to be honest. If not, I'll have to find someone else to take his place."

"Oh, so this was originally your kingdom before your marriage?"

She nodded. "Yes. Diggory's kingdom no longer exists. There was a really bad war that destroyed not only his palace and subjects, but pretty much the entire land. He was fortunate to be with me during that time, but he lost everything: his family, his kingdom, and his memories."

"I…" Cedric swallowed once, trying to think of something useful to say. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"I appreciate it… It's a sad fact to face, but it's part of the past. And I feel like our past makes us stronger if we realize that we can grow from it." She gestured around, deciding to change the subject. "Would you like to get some flowers for your princess?" She frowned curiously. "I noticed she didn't come with us."

"Yes, I'm not sure why…" He shrugged, rubbing his arm uncertainly. "Perhaps she was just tired? But if you're offering, I would love to get some flowers for her." He lit up a bit as he noticed a bush across the way. "And I know just the ones that will make her day."

Queen Delora smiled.

Sofia now sat outside the door to her room, playing with the hem of her dress. It had been an hour since Cedric had gone off with Queen Delora to see the apparently splendorous sights the kingdom had to offer. Then again, she wouldn't know… She hadn't exactly been invited.

"Am I being too sensitive?" she murmured to herself, sighing. "The queen just lost her husband. Maybe she sees something in Cedric that she saw in King Diggory." A soft smile played on her lips. "Maybe the king was also taller, intelligent, funny, sweet, and amazing with magic…" She glanced up as she heard hearty laughter from down the hallway. Seeing Cedric and Queen Delora heading her way and practically doubled over in laughter from something, she frowned and pulled herself to her feet before walking over to them.

Queen Delora, noticing the girl, just smiled brightly. "Oh, Princess Sofia! There you are! I thought you were coming with us!"

"I…didn't think I was invited," she answered honestly, clasping her hands together. She noticed Cedric's curious expression and continued, "I mean, you told Cedric that you wanted to show him around the kingdom."

"You should have seen the gardens, Sofia," Cedric enthused with a warm sigh before the queen could respond. "Filled to the brim with roses, chrysanthemums, daisies…"

"That's nice," Sofia interjected, trying to get his attention.

"…and hydrangeas," he finished, smirking as he saw he'd gotten her attention. He knew those were her favorites, after all. He then looked toward the queen, smiling. "I've greatly appreciated your taking the time to show me around, Your Majesty."

She grinned, playfully tapping her fingers against his shoulder and then nose. "The pleasure was mine, Cedric. It's nice to actually talk to someone for a change, too. The workers here are so busy. With you here, at least I'll have a nice conversationalist."

"I'm at your service, Queen Delora."

Sofia realized that whatever 'bond' these two had formed in such a short amount of time, she wasn't exactly in on it. She sighed, getting their attention. "I'm… I think I'm just going to go to bed."

"Oh, but we're having the most amazing meal tonight!" the queen enthused. "Dokkenian roast, seasonal vegetables, desserts from the Dokken Mountains, and of course the finest gooseberry cider." She smiled apologetically toward Sofia. "Don't worry, Princess Sofia. There will also be some chocolate cookies, if the more prestigious desserts aren't to your liking."

Cookies? Now it just sounded like she was making fun of her… Treating her like a child, still. Sofia smiled, though it appeared rather forced, before laughing dryly. "Thanks, Queen Delora… But…" She frowned as she saw the queen latch onto Cedric's arm again, startling him a bit. "…I think I've lost my appetite… I'll just…see you two in the morning." She bowed once, though she avoided eye contact with either of them, before turning and walking back toward her temporary room.

Cedric managed to pull his arm from the woman's hold before looking toward her. "Er, would you mind if I just spoke with her for a moment before dinner?"

Queen Delora nodded with a smile. "Sure. The upper level dining room is down the hall and to the right. Just past the green vase with the fresh lilies. It's where we like to eat during the summertime." She walked onward as Cedric turned and took off after his partner.

Sofia had just made it to her door before feeling someone grab her arm. She turned and frowned upon seeing her partner. "What?"

"What's wrong, Sofia?" he asked cautiously, sensing some hostility with her. He had a feeling Sofia's current mood had something to do with the queen, though he couldn't quite pinpoint why.

"I'm just not hungry," she lied, blushing a bit as her stomach growled softly, divulging the truth. "Ugh."

He chuckled, releasing her arm. "No sense in lying, my dear. Your body will betray you every time. Why don't you come eat with us?"

"Mm…" She really was hungry. And even though she didn't care for the way the queen had brushed her off, perhaps it had been completely unintentional? "I don't know, Cedric… I don't think she likes me very much."

"What's not to like? Oh, speaking of which…" He reached into his robe and withdrew a sprig of hydrangeas that he'd managed to secure. He adjusted the sprig to where it was the perfect size, and he slid it into her hair, nestling it behind her left ear.

Sofia laughed softly, reaching up to touch the flowers. "What's this for?"

"I remember how much you loved hydrangeas, of course." He gently caressed her cheek. "And I wanted to try to cheer you up. You've seemed down since we got here. Is it because you think the queen doesn't like you?"

"Well—"

"Come on, Ceddy!" the queen called from the other end of the hallway, a bright smile on her face as she waved from the entrance to the dining room. "The food's ready!" She then disappeared inside.

Cedric sighed, wincing a bit at hearing his nickname (though how she knew it was beyond him), before glancing back toward Sofia, who was frowning again. Oh, what now? "Sofia?"

"I think I'll pass on dinner. Thanks, though. Go eat with the queen…" She rolled her eyes. "Ceddy." She slipped into her room and closed the door just as he had been about to say something. She sighed and leaned up against the intricate oak, her hand reaching up and pulling the hydrangeas out of her hair. She frowned and tossed them aside before using her wand to change into her pajamas. "Ridiculous…" She walked over to the bed, fell onto it, and pulled the pillows over her head, groaning loudly in frustration.

Cedric wasn't sure what had just happened, but he knew one thing: Sofia wasn't happy. She was clearly irritated (most likely with Queen Delora, for some reason), and now he was sure that he was caught in the middle of it. "Sofia…" He placed his hand on the door, preparing to knock, but he decided against it. "Sleep well, my dear." With that, he turned and walked off toward the dining room to meet up with the queen once again.

To be continued…