Umbra Inferno

Summary: *sequel to "Guardian Sorcerer"* Cedric and Sofia investigate a phenomenon known as "Umbra Inferno," which is a dark entity cast by a dark magic enthusiast. In the process, they also uncover a deep-seated secret about one of their own.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

A/N: This one is going to be what I call a 'long one-shot.' So you may want to get a snack or something. Lol. I didn't really feel this would be a chapter story, because it's a continuous story altogether. Hope you enjoy!

*Story*

It was a bit later in the evening than usual when Cedric was startled from his unintentional nap at his desk. He'd fallen asleep attempting to write some potion ingredients down, and he'd simply stayed that way for possibly an hour until he heard the knock at the door.

He gasped and shook his head, waking himself up enough to stand and walk to his door, pulling it open. He frowned when he saw Sofia standing there, shaking. "Sofia? What on earth are you doing here so late?" He knelt to her, realizing she wasn't even looking at him and was instead just staring downward. "Sofia…" He gently placed his hands on either side of her face and turned her line of sight to him. "Sofia, snap out of it."

The princess gasped at the command and fixated her vision on her mentor. "M-Mr. Cedric…" She let out a shuddering sigh when he lowered his hands. "I… I'm sorry. I know how late it is."

"I would have thought you'd be asleep by now." He realized she wasn't even prepared for bed, and was instead still in her normal dress. "What's wrong?"

"Can we talk in your workshop?" she pleaded, glancing over her shoulder. "I'd feel safer in there."

Now he was definitely concerned. He stood and ushered her inside, glaring around in the dark tower and along the staircase, attempting to determine the source of her evident fear. Seeing nothing, he walked inside and shut the door behind them. He turned toward Sofia, who was situated on the bottom steps of the staircase that led up to his window. Sighing, he rolled his stool in front of her and sat down. "You have my full attention."

Sofia took a few breaths before glancing toward her friend again. "You remember a little while ago when Minimus and I got stuck in that cave, and that creepy wolf attacked us?" Seeing him nod, she looked down. "The one thing that really stood out to me were its eyes. I'd never seen just completely red eyes before, and it was scary. But when my amulet destroyed it, I thought that was it—that I would never have to see anything like that again." She looked back toward Cedric. "I was walking past Calista's room a while ago, on my way to my room, when I saw those eyes again, Mr. Cedric… They were just glaring at me from the darkness. I didn't even think to reason what it could be… I just ran."

"You ran here," he surmised as she leaned against the wall. "Why here?"

"Because I feel like if something bad is after me, you're the only one who can help me." She eyed him tiredly. "I love my parents and I know they'd protect me, but that wolf was from dark magic. You said it yourself. And my parents aren't magic; neither are James and Amber. And while I like and admire Mrs. Cordelia and Calista, they're not…" She sighed. "They're not you, Mr. Cedric. You know me much better than they do, and you were there when that happened."

Cedric nodded before recalling a particularly important detail she'd mentioned. "Did you say glowing red eyes?" Seeing her nod, he frowned. "Umbra Inferno…" He stood and looked up at one of his shelves of books. After searching for a few minutes, he withdrew a dark blue one and sat back down in front of the girl. "If I'm right about this, and I think I am…" He sighed heavily. "You may be in grave danger, Sofia."

The princess's eyes widened. "W-What do I need to do?"

"Just trust me. There are methods for dealing with Umbra Inferno, but we must take precautions. First, you need to see this." He shifted from the stool to the step next to her, holding the book open as he flipped a few pages in and illuminated the contents with his wand.

Umbra Inferno

Definition: Latin phrase meaning 'demon shadow'

Origins: Dark Magic entity utilized by Malvagos and/or wayward conjurors

Time Period: Unknown beginnings

The last time an Umbra Inferno made itself known was in the 16th century, when a dark magic enthusiast known only as Pravus set loose wicked shadows upon the Island of Light. It destroyed an entire village of people and cast each person into his or her own personal 'inferno.' No trace of these people was ever discovered.

Umbra Inferno can manifest itself in any form the manipulator wishes; it also is more likely to prey upon the weak and afraid, though it is not unheard of that it may also seek out those with powerful abilities. Umbra Inferno is not humanistic in any sense and is only derived from an evil source. Should the reader ever encounter one, it is advised not to attempt to 'reason with' or 'heal' the wickedness within. There is no 'within.' Umbra Inferno is evil and empty/devoid of any redeemable qualities.

Pravus, after destroying the Island of Light, disappeared; however, it is said that he was actually an accomplice of a much more sinister force. Despite that declaration, no one knows the force's identity, which plunges Umbra Inferno and information surrounding it into even deeper mystery.

Sofia sighed in frustration as Cedric turned the page. "So basically, this book is saying that there's a name for the evil thing with glowing eyes, but no one knows much of anything about it, especially how to stop it."

"It said not to attempt to resolve issues with it, though," Cedric clarified. "Meaning, if you do come across one of these things again, don't hesitate to obliterate it. I don't care if it's with your amulet, with your wand, or even with that thing." He gestured toward her Enchantlet, which he realized she didn't even try to hide this time. "Just do what you have to do to stay safe, Sofia."

On the next page, he saw exactly what he'd expected to see. Then he turned the book toward Sofia.

There, on the page in ominous black and red outlines, was an example of an Umbra Inferno. Instead of the wolf they'd seen, it was a horse with an all-black body, along with red eyes that seemed to peer into their very souls.

Sofia reached over and slammed the book shut, breathing raggedly. "I… I don't want to look at that. Those eyes…" She looked at her friend. "That's what I was seeing, Mr. Cedric."

Realizing she was shaking again, Cedric reached out and carefully pulled her into a hug, which she gratefully reciprocated. "It's going to be all right, Sofia. Whatever is going on, you and I will solve this problem together."

The princess nodded against his shoulder before looking up at him. "I…" She sat back and looked down at her hands. "I really don't want to go back right now… Just knowing those eyes might be there in the dark areas before I get to my room really scares me."

"You know the best way to counteract the darkness?" He held up his wand with a smile, noting the soft glow from the end. "Shine a bit of light." He stood and helped her to her feet. "Come along. I'll walk you back to your room."

Sofia finally smiled and grasped his hand as they left the workshop, his wand lighting their pathway.

Both couldn't help gazing around and checking different areas as they passed through the castle and up the stairs that led to Sofia's room. Luckily, they didn't run into anything that would have hindered them or caused them any danger, so they were happy about that at least. As Sofia opened her door and walked in, Cedric surveyed the area once more before following her inside.

"I didn't see anything," Sofia told him as she turned toward her friend, her eyes tired. "Maybe I was just imagining things?"

"I doubt it," Cedric said with a shake of his head. "I know that's not quite what you'd like to hear, but I do believe you, Sofia. I know there are forces out there that we don't fully understand, and unfortunately a vast majority of those are malevolent. However, whatever you might have seen earlier doesn't seem to be here right now, so… I want you to sleep well tonight, all right?"

She laughed nervously and fisted some of her dress's fabric into her hands. "I'll try, but… No promises." She hugged him once more. "Thanks for bringing me back, Mr. Cedric. I'll see you tomorrow."

He chuckled and patted her back a few times. "Yes, you will." With that, he left and headed back to his workshop as Sofia prepared for bed.

Once left alone, Sofia lay in her bed with her covers pulled up to her chin. It was quiet in her room—so quiet that she could hear ringing in her ears. She hated that. In fact, she'd love to have any bit of noise at this point: rain, thunder, wind, anything… Soon enough, her wish was granted, and she sighed in relief when she suddenly heard a mass of rain pouring outside her window. She listened to it for a little bit before finally losing the battle with sleep, her eyes closing and her breathing evening out to a calm rhythm.

From the corner of her room, the very darkness seemed to open its own pair of glowing red eyes, and a low, mocking chuckle poured from a nonexistent body. "Sleep well, precious princess. You're going to need it." The eyes closed again, leaving the room empty and dark once more.

The next few days went by relatively normally. There didn't seem to be any incident, and for that both friends were grateful. However, one day, Sofia woke up with a fever, which in turn forced her to stay home from school. But…

"Mom, I need to go," Sofia complained with a frustrated whimper as Miranda pressed a damp cloth to her forehead. "I can't miss school. I have exams coming up soon, not to mention new spells in class, and…" She paused mid explanation and lay back against her pillow. "Oh, I feel dizzy…"

Miranda sighed and shook her head. "Sorry, Sofia, but in your current state, you should not be at school. Amber and James can get any work you're going to miss, and you'll stay here and rest."

The princess wanted to protest again. She really did enjoy school and hated missing it, but she also wanted to go somewhere she considered safe. While there hadn't been any suspicious signs the last couple of days, she really didn't want to take any chances. Yet, with her head spinning like it was… "Okay," she relented softly, her cheeks aflame with the fever growing a bit stronger. "Mm…"

Miranda sighed and grabbed another wet rag from Baileywick, who was standing nearby, and pressed it against her daughter's forehead, letting it stay there. "Your father and I have a meeting to attend for a good part of the day, but Baileywick is here if you need him. And if he's not available, I'm sure Violet or Cedric can check on you."

The girl nodded. "Okay, Mom…" She glanced toward the steward, who was clearly concerned. She smiled gently. "Thank you, Baileywick."

The man chuckled softly. "I haven't done much yet, Princess Sofia, but you're welcome anyway. I'll leave you with some broth and fresh rags, and I'll come check on you when lunch is ready. Meanwhile, I can send Violet to tend to you."

Sofia frowned thoughtfully. "Actually, can you send Mr. Cedric? He may have some medicine or potions or something for this."

Miranda laughed gently and caressed her daughter's wavy hair. "He won't be able to cure you quickly enough to go to school, I'm afraid. Still, I'm sure he'll be happy to check on you too." She stood up and kissed the crown of the girl's head. "Get some rest and feel better. I love you."

The princess smiled. "I love you too, Mom. Thanks." She settled into her covers and drifted off again.

The queen pulled the steward into the hallway and shut the door. "What do you think she has, Baileywick?"

"I'm not sure, Queen Miranda," he responded, mystified. "She doesn't seem to have anything other than a fever and a bit of dizziness. No nausea, no congestion… Strange, but who are we to argue with an illness?" He smiled as she sighed in resignation. "We will see to her, Your Majesty. Don't worry."

Miranda smiled. "I'm a mom, Baileywick. It's my job to worry. But thank you." With that, they departed.

After managing some of the broth that Baileywick had brought for her, Sofia lay in her bed for a while, staring up at the top of her canopy bed. She was starting to get a little restless, even though her fever had yet to break. However, her dizziness had finally faded, which helped.

She sighed and slid from her bed, her feet touching the cold floor and causing her to shiver a bit. She did at least get to wash up a bit and even managed to put on her dress, which actually made her feel a little better. Still, she knew if Baileywick came in and she was up walking around, she'd never hear the end of it. So, she forced herself to get back into bed, covering up with her blankets.

A few minutes later, she heard a knock at the door. "Come in, Baileywick," she called, not finding much energy to sit up.

"Guess again."

Sofia smiled as Cedric walked inside and over toward her. "Mr. Cedric…"

"Not feeling well, huh?" He frowned as he noted just how red her face was. He reached out with one hand and used the back of his fingers to touch her cheek and then her forehead. "Sofia, you're burning up… Your mother told me you had a fever, but I didn't realize it was this bad." Using his wand, he conjured up a small pale blue bottle before offering it to her, which she accepted. "Drink some of this. It should help."

The princess nodded and sat up, drinking some of the potion he'd created. She passed the bottle back to him and sighed in relief, finally feeling her fever break. "Wow, that works great…"

"I only wish I'd been able to give it to you earlier. I had to brew a new batch since I hadn't restocked from the last time someone had an illness."

Sofia nodded and leaned back against her headboard as he sat down next to her.

"At least you got the day off from school." He smiled before frowning when he saw her glance downward, as if upset by that statement. "You…didn't want that?"

"I just…" She sighed and looked at him again. "I feel like Royal Prep is safer, you know? I've never had to worry about evil glowing eyes there."

"Oh, I see." He glanced down as he noticed her absently playing with his robe sleeve. "Have you seen it again since the other night?"

She shook her head once.

"That's a good thing, Sofia." He observed her features and noticed she still seemed a bit flushed, even though previously it had appeared to be fading. "Your fever is certainly persistent. Usually, my potion completely does away with it after a few minutes."

"Mm…" She glanced and looked past him, her eyes slowly widening. She grasped his sleeve tighter, which he noticed, before managing, "M-Mr. Cedric…"

Cedric frowned at her actions before realizing she seemed to be staring right past him. Feeling his skin growing rather cold for some unknown reason, he slowly turned in the direction she was staring. He couldn't even gasp.

There, in the darker corner of her room, was a malicious pair of red eyes glaring in their direction. Strangely, they didn't seem attached to any particular body, which made them more frightening.

"Don't move," the sorcerer commanded his apprentice, who was too shocked to respond. Gathering his courage, he stood and wielded his wand. "Show yourself!"

An evil laugh echoed throughout the room, sending chills down the friends' spines. "Are you certain you want me to do that?" the deep, crackling voice asked with a sort of calm maliciousness to it. "I may…scare you to death."

"Who are you?" Cedric demanded. He wasn't about to be intimidated by some disembodied voice—not when Sofia was relying on him.

"Who I am is not important to you. What I want is." The eyes seemed to float toward them before a dark hooded figure glided on air in their direction, no real signs of humanity about the creature. It literally seemed to be a floating dark cloak containing a silver wolf pendant around the neck with evil red eyes beneath a hood, and to Cedric and Sofia it might as well have been.

"And what is it you want? Why are you bothering the princess?"

The figure laughed again, causing Sofia to grasp Cedric's arm as she seemed to shake herself out of her trance. "I told you what's important is what I want. And I want the princess."

Sofia blinked before managing, "Wh-What? Why do you want me?"

"I almost had you, you know," the figure continued, ignoring her question. "When I sent my wolf—my Umbra Inferno, you humans like to call it. Oh, I almost had you…and then you had to interfere." The red eyes bore into Cedric's uncertain brown ones. "If it weren't for your meddling ways, I could have had her at last. Her power could have been mine…" The voice became rather mischievous as a ragged hand with jagged nails extended toward them, causing Cedric to back up a bit as Sofia still clung to him. "It still can. But first, I'll deal with you." With a snap of those gnarled fingers, Cedric vanished and appeared in a floating bubble, and the entity cackled as Cedric pounded on the bubble as if trying to escape.

"Mr. Cedric!" Sofia glared at the being before her. "Let him go! No one messes with my friends!" She lifted her right arm and prepared to use her Enchantlet when the gnarled hand grasped her wrist, and those evil eyes glared into her startled blue ones.

"You challenge me, little girl, and you won't survive to proclaim having any friends. Now look into my eyes…"

Sofia attempted to fight him off, but she soon found herself fainting and collapsing against her bed.

Cedric yelled from the bubble, "Sofia!" He growled toward the dark presence. "Release me now! And wake her up!"

The being turned to him and chuckled lowly, the non-human body beginning to vanish. "And ruin my plans? I don't think so." He snapped his makeshift fingers and caused Sofia to float before him. "You wanted a name…" The eyes narrowed toward Cedric. "Furio."

Before he could respond, the sorcerer yelled in pain as he felt an electric current run through his body, causing him to collapse in a heap in the bubble.

Furio laughed. "So much for protecting the princess, sorcerer. Come along, my captives." Soon enough, all three vanished completely from Sofia's room, unbeknownst to the rest of the castle.

When Sofia awoke, she immediately wished to go back to sleep…anything to hide her from the atmosphere by which she suddenly found herself surrounded. She looked around, realizing there wasn't much to see. It was basically pure darkness, save for a distant red and purple fire that seemed to have no true origins. She raised her hand to her head, wincing as she felt a sharp pain pierce through it. Soon, though, the pain dwindled, and she was simply left sitting and staring into the shadowy area. "Mm… Where am I?"

She shakily stood to her feet before resolving to investigate her surroundings, so to speak. Dusting off her dress, the princess trudged forward. She realized as she walked that she didn't feel feverish like she had previously. Maybe Cedric's potion was finally fully working? She frowned in concern as she held onto her amulet. "Mr. Cedric…"

"That's far enough, little one."

Sofia stopped dead in her tracks, her skin prickling with goosebumps as she heard the eerily familiar voice. She found enough ability within her to look around, her hands both falling to her sides as she did so. She screamed when the same dark gnarled fingers from earlier appeared from nowhere and came within inches of her neck.

The figure from her room, now known as Furio, appeared in the same shape as earlier, eyes still glowering at the girl with an intensity she'd never known. Seeing she took a step back, the figure growled, "Stop."

It might have been only one word, but it was enough to cause her to follow instructions.

"If you want to get out of here, and if you want to see your friend again, you'll do what I say."

Sofia frowned, her hands balling into fists and her nails nearly digging into her skin due to her fear and anger. "Where is Mr. Cedric?"

"He's contained. However, he's none of my concern." The dark being began circling her, causing the princess to anxiously turn simultaneously, so she didn't lose sight of him. "Now, you on the other hand…" Furio inhaled once and chuckled deeply. "Yes, I can practically smell the magic on you… A sorcerer is a dime a dozen; a magical princess, though, is quite different."

She couldn't help herself. She had to correct him. "I guess you've never heard of the princesses I have studied in school…"

"There are magical princesses, of course. You're quite right. But there's something very different about a girl who was given magical powers. Someone—or several people, perhaps—obviously saw something special in you to allow you to possess such powers. And it practically radiates from you." That same hand reached out to caress her hair, which didn't sit well with the girl. "You, Princess Sofia of Enchancia, will tell me of the secrets of your power…"

Sofia scowled at the dark entity. "Never!" She yelped in pain when the hand yanked on her hair, dragging her toward him. She reached up and attempted to remove the hand, to no avail.

"Listen to me, little one. No one tells Furio 'no.' I'll destroy every last magical item you own, and then I'll destroy your sorcerer friend before going after your family. Now tell me no."

She sighed in relief when the hand released her hair, but she cried out as the figure shoved her to the ground instead. Her eyes widened when Furio produced a bubble with Cedric encased, his form collapsed at the bottom, his eyes closed. "M-Mr. Cedric!" She glared up at the being. "What did you do to him?!"

"This is nothing, Princess. What I will do to him if you don't cooperate will be much worse."

Sofia was at a loss for words, but she gasped when she saw Cedric starting to sit up, obviously disoriented. She fought against the aching she felt and rushed over to the bubble, placing her hands against the outside. "Mr. Cedric!"

Cedric groaned in confusion before glancing toward the girl. "S-Sofia?" He pressed up onto his knees and placed his hands against the bubble as well, as if matching hers. "Are you all right?"

"Me? What about you?" She quickly observed him, realizing he didn't seem to be hurt. She was relieved about that anyway, until she heard the same menacing voice from behind her, ordering her to step away. She turned and instinctively held out her arms, as if protecting him. She glared at Furio, her anger boiling. "You leave Mr. Cedric alone!"

"I told you, Princess," the entity grumbled in annoyance, "the sorcerer is of no interest to me. You're the one I want." He held out both hands, a powerful energy emitting from them and pulsating toward the girl.

Sofia screamed in pain as she fell to her knees.

"Sofia!" Cedric slammed his fists against the bubble, attempting to break the barrier. However, nothing would work. He quickly searched his robe and sighed in respite as he realized his wand was there. Still, he didn't dare try magic in this dark prison right now. What if the magic backfired and electrocuted him again?

Furio cackled. "All right, Princess! Time to relinquish these powers of yours. Let's start with that Enchantlet of yours." With little effort, he managed to absorb the sacred bracelet from her arm and collect it for himself. "And now…the Amulet of Avalor."

Sofia opened her eyes wide as she felt the necklace being drawn from her neck. She shakily reached up and clamped her hands over the jewel. "N-No! My dad gave this to me! It keeps me safe!"

"You realize you're trying to reason safety with an evil being?" Furio mocked with a dark laugh. "The less safe you are, the better off I'll be. Now hand it over!" He threw another blast of energy at her, causing her to loosen her grip and fall down to the floor, and the amulet was immediately ripped away from her. "Ah, yes! I can feel the glorious power!"

Cedric looked down at his apprentice, who seemed to be growing weaker—not because of her loss of magical items, but because she was just a human girl who couldn't withstand such attacks. In fact, she appeared extremely frail now, as if she might… He scowled and whipped out his wand, deciding to take a chance and risk his safety for hers.

"And now that I've got the most important item," Furio snarled with delight, "I can do anything. I can conquer any realm!"

Sofia attempted to sit up, but her energy was sapped. "Y-You can't!"

Cedric tapped his wand against the bubble. "Bulla Perdere!" He was ecstatic when the bubble popped, but he immediately regretted it when he fell hard to the floor. "Oww…" Glancing to his side, he noticed Sofia lying there, looking as though she'd given up. "Sofia…" Shaking off his own pain, he moved over to her and scooped her into his arms, holding her.

"Mr. Cedric…" She whimpered and leaned against his chest. "I don't feel very well…"

The sorcerer lifted his hand to the princess's forehead and frowned. She was burning up again. He then made the connection; obviously Furio's attacks had something to do with her fevers. He'd likely drained her energy before, causing this dilemma. "I'll heal you," he offered, surprised when she shook her head weakly.

"I… I need to get my amulet and…and my Enchantlet."

This was the first time he'd heard her call the mystical bracelet by its actual title, but he decided he would question her on that later. Right now, she was right. She certainly needed to retrieve both of those items, because either powerful object left in the dark being's hands would be chaos. "I'll take care of that. You stay here and rest."

"But I want to help," the princess pleaded as she gazed at her friend with sincere eyes.

"And if you weren't so weak, I would definitely let you."

"Mr. Cedric—"

"No, Sofia," he declared with a stern voice and firm expression. "I won't have you dying just because you wanted to help save the day. You put yourself before others all the time. Now let someone else do the same for you."

Sofia was surprised by his tone, but given the circumstances, she just nodded as he placed her on the floor again.

Before either could react, they were surprised to see that the amulet had started glowing immensely in the dark being's hands.

Furio growled. "Wh-What is this?!"

Cedric gasped as he dropped back to Sofia, holding her protectively. "Of course. The amulet has a safe guard."

Sofia's eyes widened. "With each deed performed, for better or worse, a power is granted: a blessing or curse." She glanced up at Cedric. "Does that mean…?"

He frowned as they looked back at Furio wrestling with the obstinate piece of jewelry. "Can you curse evil?" He shielded Sofia as a blinding light erupted from the amulet, covering the entire dark realm in a pink haze.

Furio yelled in fury as he felt his very existence being obliterated by the Amulet of Avalor. "Agh! You've not heard the last of me, Princess Sofia! No meager piece of jewelry can destroy what was never created!"

The amulet and Enchantlet both fell with a clatter to the floor as Furio disappeared altogether.

Both friends looked at each other before laughing in relief and hugging each other. It was, perhaps, the most vulnerable and by far the weakest either had felt in a while, being ripped away from powers and energy in such a manner. Despite Furio's angry threat, they sincerely hoped that was the last time they'd hear from such a horrid, evil presence.

Cedric smiled at his apprentice when he noticed that her fever seemed to have disappeared altogether. He gently felt both of her cheeks and her forehead to make sure, and he was relieved to discover his analysis was true. "How do you feel?"

"Better… A little weak still, but better." She turned and gazed longingly at her amulet and Enchantlet.

He held up his wand. "Allow me." Using the wand, he levitated both items and grasped them. He gently lifted her right hand and slid the Enchantlet onto her wrist before carefully clasping the Amulet of Avalor around her neck again. "No one deserves what you experienced, Sofia…" He sighed and lowered his head. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you."

"Are you kidding?" she asked with a small laugh, getting his attention once more. "Mr. Cedric, you held me back earlier so that I would be safe, even though I tried to protest." She smiled and hugged him tightly. "You're my hero."

Cedric laughed breathlessly for a moment before returning her hug, holding her just as tightly. "Oh, Sofia…" He released her and smiled. "What do you say to going home?"

"I say perfect, but… How do we even get there?" She glanced around and gasped, realizing the scenery had changed somehow. Blinking, she made a discovery. "We're back in Enchancia."

Cedric took a look around and realized she was correct. In fact, they were in the ballroom with the midday sun streaming in from the window. "Um… Heh, I'm not even going to ponder how that type of magic happens." He stood and pulled the princess to her feet.

"Princess Sofia?" Baileywick asked in confusion as he walked into the room. "Cedric?" He blinked. "Sofia, I thought you were sick. What are you two doing in here?"

The girl laughed uncertainly. "It's a long story—"

"I gave her a potion to combat her fever, and she feels much better," Cedric explained as he stepped in front of the auburn-haired girl. "She indicated she didn't want to be cooped up in her room, so we came in here."

The older man lifted an eyebrow at his fellow employee's explanation. "So…out of all the places you could have taken her—the village, outside, a carnival—you chose an empty and not entirely clean ballroom?"

The sorcerer scoffed as he folded his arms. "Must you always question my decisions, Baileywick?"

"Yes, of course." The silver-haired man smirked. "You've made some strange choices before, Cedric, but this one takes the cake. But if it makes the princess happy, who am I to judge?"

Sofia laughed uncertainly. "Um, right…" She stepped up beside Cedric and smiled. "At least tomorrow I can go back to school."

The steward smiled proudly. "I admire your stamina, Princess Sofia. Well, if you two will excuse me, I've got some work to tend to. Cedric, be good." He smirked and walked off.

"Hmph. 'Be good.' I'm grander than good. I'm Cedric the Sensational." He glanced down at the giggling girl. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing." She grabbed his arm and began walking with him out of the empty room. "Since that's over… Can we just have some fun now? Maybe play a few games or something?"

Cedric shrugged as they continued walking. "I don't see why not. Oh, but Sofia…" He stopped and looked around, making sure no one was nearby before suggesting, "Perhaps that debacle today…should stay between us?"

She nodded in agreement. "Absolutely. It will be better for everyone." She grinned. "So, checkers?"

"I'm going to beat you this time," he proclaimed.

"We'll see about that, Mr. Cedric."

They laughed as they carried on, never noticing the weak yet surly pair of red eyes watching them from a distant dark corner before vanishing completely.

The end (and open for a potential sequel)