You're a Woman Now

Summary: Now twelve, Sofia gets her first period and despite having the talk with Miranda and Amber about it, she freaks out while Cedric tries to calm her down.

She had only come to apologize for the previous day's actions. She had been moody and had unintentionally snapped at her mentor while having a lesson with him.

Sofia thought an apology would work. It always did as she came inside, not bothering to knock.

"Mr. Cedric? I want to apologize for yesterday," Sofia smiled softly, noticing that he wasn't busy.

"You don't need to Sofia. I under..." Cedric paused, having her turn around before his face darkened in horror. "You're bleeding."

"Bleeding? How can I be..."

Sofia stopped mid sentence, touching the back of her dress. It was still wet and slowly started to stain as Sofia looked at her hand, her eyes widening in pure horror.

No. Not with Mr. Cedric. Not now.

She wasn't ready to be a woman.

No matter what Miranda's talk with her and Amber said.

"Sofia? Are you all right?" Cedric asked. He noticed her look of terror and frowned. "What's the matter?"

"I think I got my..." Sofia trailed off, holding back a scream.

Her look of being petrified she thought was enough for her mentor to witness. Hearing her scream over something every girl eventually goes through Sofia thought would make Cedric not her friend anymore.

Cedric noticed her face and the motion of his apprentice backing away from him.

Then he noticed her dress splashed with blood towards the back.

Puberty.

No wonder she had been moody the previous day.

The sorcerer wanted desperately to be panic but he knew it would only make Sofia more petrified as she was now whimpering.

Clearly she knew she wasn't going to die, much to Cedric's relief, but Sofia looked embarrassed and was close to tears.

Cedric shushed her gently, conjuring up a fly cake for her to nibble on while he ventured around his workshop to see what could cover up the growing stain on her dress.

He spotted one of the sweaters Winifred had made him in Wassailia past as the sorcerer picked it up.

"Hopefully this helps," Cedric whispered.

He was no expert in a girl's changing body but he'd do anything to calm Sofia down.

Upon giving it to her, and struggling not to laugh at her face being covered in frosting, Cedric watched as Sofia wrapped the sweater around her waist.

"Thank you Mr. Cedric," Sofia muttered. She looked away from him, her embarrassment now turning a light pink. "You wouldn't know how mortified I would've been if you had me leave."

Cedric was baffled, adjusting the sweater so it wouldn't fall off. "How mortified?"

"Very. I'm just embarrassed that you had to see it."

"To be honest I was disturbed by the blood but Sofia, upon seeing your face, I started to realize that you weren't exactly a little girl anymore."

Sofia looked up at him and hugged his waist.

"I'd rather be a little girl than a woman," she confessed.

Cedric smiled sympathetically, kneeling down beside her. "You got a couple years left to be a little girl Sofia. Enchancia won't expect you to be a woman until you're eighteen."

"But I'm getting taller and my breasts are developing. Mr. Cedric, I even found a hair that wasn't on my head last night. Ick!"

"You're just beginning to grow up, that's nothing to be ashamed of."

"You'll still be my friend won't you Mr. Cedric?" Sofia hoped.

It was beginning to dawn on Cedric why she had reacted to him after being given the sweater.

He stroked her hair lovingly.

"Why would I ever stop being your friend as you grow up?" The sorcerer laughed. "While today's unfortunate and embarrassing for the both of us, that won't mean our friendship's over."

"I'm happy to hear it," Sofia smiled. Seeing Cedric stand up, she grabbed his hand. "Wait! I'm not leaving just yet." She glanced at the door to his workshop worriedly. "I...I'm not ready to tell Mom and Amber yet. It's still embarrassing."

"You're going to have to tell them eventually," Cedric smirked. "I'm no expert with your body changing Sofia."

Sofia sighed. Why did he had to be right?

She had let go of his hand, feeling the sweater come in contact with her dress as she sprinted to the lesson Cedric had left off on the previous day.

The sorcerer cleared his throat, having her stop in her tracks.

"I think what happened here today is enough of a lesson," Cedric smiled playfully, wrapping an arm around Sofia. "How about a walk in the garden? You'll be needing a few herbs for pain resistance soon."

Sofia was baffled by that statement but wasn't in the mood to question him.

Cedric had helped her in a moment she wished hadn't happened but was glad it did.

Still at least her mentor had been there to help even with his lack of fathoming on her body changing.

"Mr. Cedric, why did you help me back there?" Sofia wondered as she provided the sorcerer with a basket for the herbs.

Cedric accepted the basket as the two walked out of his workshop.

"I wouldn't just let you stand there freaking out now would I?" The sorcerer smiled.

Sofia looked away for a moment before looking back at him. "That must've been difficult for you. Just last week you said you didn't want me to grow up."

"Only because you outgrew your apprentice robe. But I can't stop you from growing up and neither can your father."

"Dad's been wanting that too?"

"That's putting it lightly!" Cedric laughed.

"You can tell Dad that I haven't fully grown up just yet," Sofia smirked. "You know Mr. Cedric, after we get the herbs, we can spend the rest of the day together like we used to."

Cedric smiled warmly at the idea. "I'd like that. But on one condition: you're taking it easy. Just because you're changing doesn't mean I'm letting you drag yourself ragged."

Had she been eight years old, Sofia would've complained and pleaded with him.

However she was twelve now so she nodded, taking his hand.

That was something that hadn't changed.