I am back! It's been what feels like forever since I've written anything. But I decided to write another Cedfia. Hope you all enjoy. This story should be about redeeming friendships with a bit of humor thrown in.

Chapter 1

Sofia sat at her small dining table in the early morning sunlight, idly drinking her steaming cup of coffee as she browsed through the articles of the newspaper. Absentmindedly fingering the pages of the Daily Enchancia engrossed in the stories and entertaining updates, Sofia continued on to the next section where she read a headline that startled her causing her to spill a small amount of the hot liquid in astonishment. Ignoring the pain of the heat burning her skin through the thin pink nightgown, Sofia stared at the words on the page, gently setting her mug on the table.

"Cedric…" she softly murmured, running her fingers over his name with reverence. Slowly, a tear fell down her cheek and landed on the writing of the newspaper. "Oh Cedric, it's all my fault." The young woman wept as she read the article detailing his possible upcoming parole.

It has been ten years since that fateful day Sofia made the choice not to testify on his behalf. As person after person stood up to testify against him Sofia felt more and more unsure of her own beliefs on Cedric's character and values. She always saw the best in everyone and gave them the benefit of the doubt, but maybe her naivety caused her to be blind to his true nature? She was only 10 years old. Young girls weren't supposed to hold the fate of someone else's life in their hands; so she clammed up and said nothing.

For two months leading up to the trial everyone had been telling her Cedric was the one to steal her amulet as they had all heard him singing and scheming of ways to steal it from her over the years. However, deep down in her soul she just knew it couldn't be him. He was her friend and he wouldn't betray her. "As you're betraying him now?" her conscious asked. She was so torn and confused.

Who had stolen her amulet if not him? They had no other suspects other than Cedric. Did he steal it? Had he simply used her friendship as a means to get closer to what he had been seeking all along? Or had he truly changed as he told the jury in his testimony? Sofia did believe him. They combed his tower from top to bottom with the best searchers and magic out there and still no amulet surfaced. So he couldn't have been the one, right? She stood up and ran from the room with a frustrated cry; her thoughts going back and forth; tired of being unable to make up her own mind and tired of everyone telling her what to believe.

Fresh air is what she needed. She sat on the steps taking deep calming breaths when suddenly Sofia heard the sound she had been dreading: the bell to indicate a decision has been made. She raced inside as fast as her feet could carry her and rushed in the doors as everyone was standing to hear Cedric's fate. Cedric. Her friend. Her confidant for the past few years. Her mentor.

Staring into each other's eyes Sofia could feel his agony. What had she done? She should have spoken up. But it's too late now. She tried to speak to him with her eyes how sorry she was and that she believed in him. She was so lost in his eyes she barely heard the judge speak only hearing the tail end of his speech "…We hereby find the defendant guilty..." Sofia's heart broke as she cried out for him while people around her shouted in anger at Cedric. She couldn't lose him.

Her eyes locked desperately with his as he was led towards the door that would lead him away from her forever. A strangled cry escaped her lips as she tried to reach forward as if she could touch him one last time. The look in his eyes will haunt her for the rest of her days as he looked so utterly defeated and betrayed. As the door was about to shut he turned away from her at the last moment looking down at his feet and let the guards lead him to his future cell. Sofia tried to race forward but was stopped by her family reaching out for her.

"Sofia, let him go. He was no friend to you. I know how you felt about him and I'm sorry you had to go through this. But what he did was wrong and he deserves to be punished for his crime." Her father, the king, told her with kind sympathy in his voice.

"But he didn't do it…" Sofia replied in a bleak, broken voice as she turned to go with her shoulders slumped.

Coming out of her memory Sofia wiped tears from her face. The article detailed his upcoming parole hearing. It was all depending on if he had anyone willing to be his guardian to help with his supposed necessary rehabilitation into society. Without someone to step up to the role he would remain in custody for the rest of his life and seeing as his parents have since passed away they doubted he would be granted release. Going by the tone of the article, popular opinion was that he needed to remain behind bars for the safety of the public. His release would cause an uproar and the warden felt certain nobody would step up to take custody of the hardened criminal who dared steal from their kingdom's beloved princess. She felt disgust that people could be so cruel and quick to judge.

Guilt raked her as she remembered her part in his downfall. To this day, ten years later she still felt it was her fault he was found guilty because she did not stand up to defend his honor. Her voice alone could have helped, she was sure. But she'll never know now as she'll spend the rest of her life regretting what she did… or didn't do, to help her friend who needed her and who had helped her in so many times of need.

How could she make this right? She re-read the article over and over for information and details, an idea forming in her head. Maybe this was her chance.

As she began researching and making plans, Wormwood and Clover came racing into her humble little cottage on the outskirts of the kingdom. "I may have found a way to free our Cedric." Sofia excitedly explained to them without looking up, even though they hadn't been able to converse since she lost her amulet all those years ago. Despite the absence of the amulet they still found ways to communicate back and forth using a variety of different spells, potions and the occasional ridiculous game of charades.

With this news, Wormwood began squawking and flapping his wings flying around the room in excitement. Clover, having never cared as much for the man, merely raised one of his cute bunny eyebrows and went in search of food.

"Oh do settle down Wormwood, you're distracting my concentration with all your screeching!" Sofia admonished with a giddy smile on her face as she too was full of excitement and nervousness with the prospect of Cedric coming home. "Home…" She thought in her mind, "Would he feel at home here, with her?" She asked herself looking around her place of refuge that she has called home for the past few years.

Having felt out of place ever since Cedric's absence, Sofia chose to no longer live at the castle. Sofia still made the quick trek to visit her family once a week but once she was old enough she wanted to be free of the castle and all the memories, always feeling as if something was missing there. It was obvious what it was, she knew what her heart yearned for: her old friend back and to mend what she had broken.

A/N: Sorry for making Cedric's parents be passed away. I really didn't want to do that but I needed it so they couldn't possibly have him come live with them. I wasn't sure how else to go about that. Maybe I will find a way to allow him to speak to the dead or something. We'll see…