Chapter Text
Chapter 5: The Sweetest Words
The last few days had been horrific. Sure, the castle was back in working order, and everyone was healed and better. But one thing had not been restored: Sofia's voice.
Zarova's curse had lingered, and for three days, the princess had remained as silent as ever, despite all the spells, incantations, and potions Cedric, Cordelia, and Calista could think of. She'd even tried making a silent wish to her amulet, and nothing.
The very thought of never hearing her speak again was devastating to everyone, especially to Cedric. Her voice was one thing he really loved about her. He loved how gentle it was when she sang the girls to sleep. He loved how mischievous it sounded when she was trying to talk him into something. He loved how concerned she sounded when she checked on him after a long, hard night of work. He loved how fervently, gently, and sincerely she told him she loved him…
And now, he could very well never hear her voice again… And that thought shattered his heart—so much so that he sobbed that first night in his bedroom, an hour after Nana and Tanya had gone to sleep. He couldn't let them hear him cry…
The third night, Nana had opted to stay with Sofia, though Tanya had decided to stay with Cordelia for a change. But even just having one of her daughters with her brought her a sense of peace she wasn't able to feel when she was alone. And when Cedric came to bid them goodnight, it was all she could do not to cry.
"Good night, my darling." Cedric kissed the little girl's forehead as she snuggled into the covers. He then walked over to the other side of the bed where Sofia was lying. He noticed her somber expression, and he knew he had to keep it together to not break down in front of her. After all, he knew she was still reeling from the reality of her lost voice, so he didn't want to make it any worse. "Sofia…" He sat down beside her, gently caressing her cheek as he did. "Don't worry, my dear… We're going to figure this out. I promise you that I won't rest until we do."
Sofia reached up and took his hand, offering him a soft, imploring look. She didn't have to speak for him to understand what her eyes said quite clearly.
"I will sleep, of course… But every second that I'm awake, I won't stop looking for an answer to this situation. Because I know there has to be something I've overlooked." He leaned down, kissing her forehead tenderly. He then slowly trailed his lips down and kissed her cheek, her nose, and that new spot he'd learned about only recently: her neck. He smiled against her skin as he felt her gasp quietly, her hand lifting to his hair. He noted how sensitive and intimate this was, especially now: he wasn't just kissing her neck; his lips were caressing her throat, where her…voice…
The princess blushed as he peppered a few kisses along her throat, almost as if he hoped the very action would bring her voice back. Even if it didn't, she certainly didn't mind the attempts. It also distracted her from reality and took her back to that time on the galleon: when they'd practiced being a couple.
Right… 'Practiced.'
"I'm not giving up, my love," he whispered, smiling as she blinked at his use of her very personal nickname, which he'd recently started using outside of the Raelyn/Horatio situation. He really did…love her that much, didn't he? Just…how much? "I promise." With one more kiss to the crown of her head, he left the room, shutting the door behind him.
Sofia smiled for the first time in days. Maybe things would be all right… She had to believe they would. If Ariel could regain her voice and break her own spell, then so could she. Somehow… With that thought in mind, she drifted off to sleep.
While sleeping, Sofia's amulet reacted, glowing a soft white, illuminating the room.
Sofia shielded her eyes as the bright light died down, revealing an empty white room with a soft pink haze hovering before her. She narrowed her eyes a bit, making out a rather familiar silhouette in the distance. Curious, she cautiously approached the figure, kneeling down to sit before…
Nana. The tiny girl was dressed in her usual strawberry dress, her leaf cap situated adorably on her head (as always). She wore a calm smile, her green eyes shimmering in mirth.
The princess wanted to speak, but she could tell she wasn't able to. Where was she anyway? Was she dreaming?
"It's not a dream, Mama," Nana spoke—spoke—for the first time.
Sofia lifted her hands to her mouth, her blue eyes widening and threatening to spill tears. Nana's voice was so…sweet. It sounded just like she'd always imagined: soft, innocent, angelic, and even bell-like. It was just so…Nana.
"Your amulet is giving you a vision," the little girl continued. "You've never heard me speak before, and I've never known you without your voice." She walked up to the princess, placing her hands over hers, the size difference still stunning, even after knowing each other the last few years. "I'm going to tell you something you would tell someone else: silence doesn't mean weakness." She grinned. "Just look at me! I'm a Strawbaby in a tiny body, and I helped Davina save the whole world without ever saying a word!"
The princess smiled at her adorable explanation, nodding. This was definitely true.
"But Mama, every curse has a counter-curse. Every spell can be undone. You just have to know what you're looking for. Which is why your amulet summoned you…to me."
This information was stunning. Sofia had experienced princesses coming to her aid many times in the past, and she'd even been summoned to help someone else. But to summon her to Nana? In a vision-dream-state? And she could talk? This was beyond surreal.
"Tanya told you and Papa that she could understand me. We do communicate all the time, through my own amulet." She lifted her hand to Magdalena's jewel and smiled. "She understands me, even if you guys can't always do the same. She's a really good big sister. And…" She hopped into Sofia's lap, wrapping her arms as far around her as they would allow. She smiled as Sofia returned the hug. "You're a good Mama. And Papa is a good Papa. And I love you guys a lot."
Sofia was definitely trying to hold back tears now. She'd never heard Nana speak before now, and she'd always wondered what it would be like to hear her say, 'I love you.' Now she knew, and it was everything she could have hoped for.
Nana glanced up at her mother before giggling. "Aw, don't be sad, Mama… I know I don't say anything in real life, but just know…this is my voice. This is me. And I'll say it again: I love you." She smiled as Sofia sniffled and nodded. "Okay, here's what we're going to do. You're going to get your voice back, because I know the counter-curse to Zarova's spell." Seeing the perplexed look on her mother's face, she shrugged. "It's a Never Realm thing…"
She could only nod, not quite understanding the connection but entrusting the little girl to her task.
Nana reached up and touched Sofia's heart, beginning the counter-curse.
Darkness to light and midnight to noon
Undo the voiceless curse and soon
Destroy the chains of silent cries
Return the speech, so sayeth I
Those green eyes peered up at the princess, a small smile on her lips. Wake up…
Sofia gasped as she was hurled back into reality, her vision slowly refocusing as she saw Nana sitting on her lap, staring up at her curiously. "N-Nana?" the princess asked tentatively, a gasp soon escaping her lips as she held onto her daughter with one hand while her other hand flew to her mouth, stifling a relieved sob. Her voice was still a bit raspy, since she hadn't used it in a few days, but at least it was back. She collected herself before hugging Nana gently once more, pressing a kiss to the little girl's forehead. "Thank you, Nana… Thank you." She smiled down at the beaming girl. "There's something I need to do. What do you think?"
Catching her mother's drift, the pink-haired girl nodded emphatically as she quickly crawled up to sit on her shoulder, holding on tightly as Sofia hurried out of her room and toward the far too familiar tower.
"Have you…spoken to Sofia recently?" Wormwood asked uncertainly, immediately cursing himself for such a poorly worded question. "Er, sorry…"
Cedric sighed, shaking his head. "I'm afraid she hasn't left her room in a few days, Wormwood… I just told her goodnight not too long ago, and she looked as though she had been crying for days now. And honestly, she probably has. Cordelia had been watching Tanya and Nana for us during the daytime, while she was recovering and I was working to find a solution to her vocal loss, but…" He recalled all the physical and mental pain Sofia had endured: her arm that had to be tended to, even after his magical intervention; her blood loss; her stolen voice; her run-in with the same woman who'd tried to kill her before... She really had been through it, and he wanted to help her any way he knew how. He just…wasn't sure what that might be. He turned to the expectant raven, who watched him carefully. "Given the circumstances, though, I can't say I can blame her… I would stay hidden away too, even more so than I already do, if…"
Wormwood nodded. "Agreed. I do wish things would have turned out differently… It's far too…quiet…now."
The sorcerer frowned, leaning up against his desk. "I know, Wormy…" He picked up the book that Sofia had been reading to the girls several nights ago, his frown deepening as he could practically hear the echo of her laughter in his mind when she read the silly parts of the story. Would he hear that laugh again? Some might call it superficial, since she technically was still very much alive and with him, but her warm, kind, understanding voice was something that couldn't be duplicated. And to be faced with the possibility of never hearing it again…?
"Cedric!"
Cedric's head whipped up as he heard his name echoing in the stairwell outside his workshop door. He dropped the book to his desk, his hands shaking a bit as his eyes trained on the door. "I-It can't be…" He gasped as his door slammed open, rattling a few jars near the entrance, and Sofia stood there, smiling excitedly at him, Nana clinging to her head. "S-Sofia…?"
Sofia hurried over to her partner, stopping just before him and gripping both of his hands. "Cedric…"
Nana grinned at her other guardian's shocked expression, and she silently slid down Sofia's back and legs before sitting on the base of the spiral staircase, watching her guardians in interest. She smiled as Wormwood flew over, sitting next to her on the step.
"Oh, Sofia…" Cedric, relieved to hear the princess's voice again, gathered her into his arms, embracing her. "Sofia," he sobbed, his hands lost in her hair as she tenderly rubbed his back while hugging him. "I was so afraid I'd never hear your voice again…"
"I know…" She smiled gently at him as he looked down at her, and she reached up to wipe the tears from his face. "Oh, my Cedric…" She giggled softly, lowering her hand to his shoulder.
He lifted his hand, his fingers absently caressing her throat, causing her to blush a bit. "Please, Sofia… Say my name again, just so I can be sure I'm not dreaming…"
Recognizing desperation in his eyes, she sighed and allowed her hand to trail from his shoulder to his head, her fingers gently stroking his hair. "Cedric…"
"Again, Sofia… Please say it again…" He sniffled once as he noticed her tearing up.
"Cedric…"
They laughed, their voices both a bit muddled by the emotion welling up within, and embraced once more, happy tears falling down their faces.
"Oh, my darling Sofia… You have no idea how much of a relief this is for me… There are times I wish I could caress your very voice... But alas, I must settle for hearing it like a symphony in my ears, filling my every sense with wonder, calmness...and love..." He noticed the blush spreading across her cheeks and smiled. "I love you so much, Sofia," he whispered directly into her ear, pulling back a bit as she laughed in relief.
"I love you too, Cedric." Her smile was warm, comforting, understanding… Endearing, adoring, and…
"N-No," he corrected, his heart beating a bit faster as he lowered his hands to her arms, causing her to blink. It was time. She had to know... "Sofia, I… I mean… I'm in lo—"
They both jumped as they heard a loud clearing of a throat near the entrance to the workshop. Turning, they saw Cordelia standing there with a smirk on her face and her arms folded, Tanya next to her with much the same expression.
"C-Cordy!" Cedric yelped, reluctantly moving away from Sofia and instead trying to smooth out his robe. "W-What are you doing here?"
"Returning your daughter," she responded, gesturing toward the white-haired girl. "And I'm thrilled I chose now, because oh, Sofia! You're able to speak again!" She hurried over to the princess, surprising her with a hug of her own. She grinned as Sofia laughed. "It sure is a relief to hear you talking and laughing again. It wouldn't be the same if you couldn't."
Sofia grinned at her. "Tell me about it…" She leaned down, hugging Tanya as the young girl had approached her. "I guess it just…took some time." She glanced toward Nana, smiling secretively.
Nana nodded, a small smile on her own face.
Wormwood blinked at the exchange, feeling like he had missed something.
Within the hour, Cedric and Sofia had gone to the princess's bedroom to read the girls a bedtime story. Cedric, of course, insisted that Sofia do it, because… Well, he really just wanted to hear her voice some more. Considering all the trauma they'd both faced, especially with such a unique and heart-wrenching scenario, he felt it was a warranted request.
Soon, both girls were fast asleep, and Sofia pulled the covers over them as Cedric walked toward the wall and rested there, watching the scene before him with a warm smile on his face. Suddenly, his mind drifted back to a word he'd heard a lot a few days ago… Soul. The Elementals lacked one. But he found that Sofia was…his soul…in a way… Soul… Soulicia…?
-*Flashback*-
"Cedric, come look!" Sofia called excitedly as she knelt down next to a plant in her secret garden. She observed it with careful precision as her partner knelt in front of her, peering at the peculiar plant as well. "What is this? I've never seen anything like it before."
The flower almost looked like a normal bloom, but it was missing the typical petals. The stem, a few leaves, and the pistil base were visible, but the petals were nowhere to be seen. On top of that, it had a curious glittering purple aura surrounding it.
"It's a soulicia," he explained as she blinked up at him. "Some theorists believe that soulicias have the ability to predict the longevity of a relationship. Two people simply touch the flower on the stem near its root, and the more petals that bloom, the longer the relationship will last and stronger it will be. If the petals fall off, it wasn't meant to be."
"Well, that's comforting," she laughed. She reached down, gently caressing the flower's stem. "I wonder if people actually believe that."
"My mother certainly did." He chuckled. "She said the flower that she and my father touched had sixty-eight petals. I'd say that's a fairly decent number." He also reached down to the flower, touching the stem with a mild sense of curiosity.
Sofia smiled thoughtfully. "I think it's really sweet… I like the idea of…" She trailed off as she saw the flower begin reacting to their fingers, which had barely brushed one another. She gasped as several purple petals bloomed all over the pistil base, nearly coating the upper part of the plant. She gaped at it for a moment before looking up at Cedric. "U-Um…"
Cedric swallowed nervously as he reluctantly withdrew his hand. "Sofia… Did you…? I-I mean… The soulicia reacts to…to strong f-feelings between—"
"I've got to go." The princess stood up, brushing off her outfit as she did so. Before Cedric could say anything, she smiled quickly and waved. "Later, Cedric!" With that, she took off.
"Wait, Sofia! Come back! Sofia!"
-*End flashback*-
"Sofia, there's something I've been meaning to ask you." Cedric waited for her to finish tucking the girls in before walking over to her. He held out his hand, smiling as she accepted it and stood before him again.
"What's that?" she wondered.
"The soulicia," he answered, smiling knowingly as she blushed a bit at the mention of the flower. He'd dreamed of it during the Royal Rumble events, but that encounter had actually happened in real life. It was the soulmate flower, and there had been a reaction when they'd both touched it. "I was just wondering… Given the nature of the flower's properties…" His thumb massaged the skin on the back of her hand, and he eyed her curiously. "Is there…something to it? Between…you and me, perhaps?"
Sofia watched his thumb caressing her hand, and she slowly looked up at him, a shy smile forming on her face. "…Maybe…"
"Really?" He returned her smile. "I rather like the sound of that." He lifted his other hand, the back of his fingers brushing along her throat again, the soft blush returning to her cheeks as he did so. "And to have it spoken…is a gift I don't take lightly, and something I'll always treasure…" He then trailed his hand to her face, his fingers resting on her cheek as his thumb softly caressed her bottom lip. "Sofia…"
"Cedric," she murmured quietly, a shiver going down her spine when his thumb traced the sensitive skin of her lips.
Cedric paused, leaning down and kissing her cheek, delighted at the warmth he felt there. She sure had been blushing a lot recently… That thought made him smile. "Good night, my dear. Sleep well."
Sofia sighed and smiled, pulling him into a hug. "Good night, Cedric. I…" She laughed gently. "I…love you…" And once again, those words felt so different this time. They weren't just friendly anymore… They were…
"I love you, Sofia… More than you know…" He kissed her forehead before turning and leaving, gently shutting the door to her room behind him.
Sofia stared at the door for a few moments before holding a hand to her heart, feeling it beating harder than it ever had. "I think…I need to talk to Aunt Tilly…"
The end