Ruffled Feathers

Summary: As a tactic to get Wormwood back on the right track, Cedric insists that he participate in community service at the Raven Haven with none other than Nina, who has unfinished business with her fellow raven. (Part of the Beyond Enchancia Series. Takes place over two years after the show's ending.)

Disclaimer: I don't own Sofia the First.

A/N: Okay, guys! Here's the Wormwood story. There's going to be a TON of conflict in here, as you'd probably expect. But this is also the story that will pave the road to something that will happen toward the end of the series. Enjoy!

Note: Throwbacks to my stories with Nina in them – "Captivated," "Raven Haven," "Wormwood's Holiday Hijinks," and "Birds of a Feather." Also, references to AIM! 😊

*Ninth Story/Episode 9*

Three days. That's how long Wormwood had been back in the Enchancian castle. And why was he back, you ask? Well…

*Four days ago*

"Mr. Cedric really does miss Wormwood, Chrysta," Sofia told her trainer as she chatted with the other Protector through her Enchantlet. "I walked into his workshop the other day, and I caught him staring at Wormwood's perch." She sighed. "It's one of the saddest things I've ever seen."

"Well," Chrysta began hesitantly, "I personally don't care much for that bird. He's loud and obnoxious. Of course, he hasn't done anything bad while here—mostly because we don't tolerate that. And we've kept him separated from Prisma and Twitch, too. The last thing they need is to reunite and try to do something even dumber."

"Yeah…" Sofia frowned as she rolled over on her bed, extending her arm above her as she continued her communication. "I just want him to be happy, you know?"

"Wormwood or Cedric?" Chrysta smirked as Sofia smiled softly.

"Both, really, but if I'm being honest, I care way more about Mr. Cedric. He's actually tried to make a better life for himself, and he's more than proven to me and to everyone that he is trustworthy and hardworking. Wormwood…" She rolled her eyes. "Most of the time that he was around, all he did was complain about Mr. Cedric. Or he'd have some sarcastic remark for everything, and nothing was ever good enough for him." She frowned. "When I found out he was actually pretty bad—way worse than Mr. Cedric ever could have been, in my opinion—I was both disappointed yet not surprised. Wormwood always seemed to have some sort of grudge against me…and everyone else. I have no idea what his problem is, but he needs to get over himself."

"I agree." Chrysta glanced over her shoulder at Orion, who was carrying Wormwood by in a small iron cage. "And there he goes again. I think he tried to attack Garish earlier." She shook her head before glancing back toward her charge. "I know Cedric misses his friend, Sofia, but that Wormwood is bad news. He's not repentant for his involvement in the whole Vor situation. Just consider this: when you last saw him, how did he react around Cedric?"

Sofia sighed sadly. The bird had been really awful to his former master. He'd chastised him and berated him, which she knew had hurt Cedric more than he was letting on. Still… "I know, Chrysta, but…"

"Oh, here we go." The crystal fairy sighed heavily as she placed her free hand on her hip. "Let's hear it. You want to redeem him too, don't you?"

"Not exactly." She flipped back onto her stomach and lowered her hand to one of her pillows. "I want him to come back to Enchancia and make amends with Mr. Cedric."

"Sofia, I'm sorry, but that's a really dumb idea. He was working with Prisma, who became Vor, who tried to kill you a few years ago. How can you just forgive and forget that?"

"Because, deep down, Prisma was just hurt about the treatment Azurine got that she could never receive. Vor was just plain evil." She frowned. "But I don't think Wormwood is… I think he just has a lot of anger for whatever reason. Maybe it's just some weird raven thing; I don't know…" She lowered her head onto her hand. "All I do know is that he and Mr. Cedric used to be a team. They worked well together, even if it was more about plotting back in the day."

"Yeah, remind me why the sorcerer is your 'best friend' again?"

Sofia giggled. "Because I saw something in him that he didn't see in himself, and he's saved my life several times and kept me on as his apprentice. He's taught me magic, helped me with my school work and my problems, listened to me when sometimes my own family couldn't…"

"Okay, okay!" Chrysta rolled her eyes as Sofia laughed. "I'm sorry I asked. Should've known you'd give me an entire list. Sheesh, you should start a 'Cedric the Great' Fanclub or something."

The princess grinned. "Don't tempt me."

"Anyway, so, you really want to do this?" She lifted her hand to her mouth and raked her teeth over her thumb thoughtfully. "Not sure how Orion and Vega will feel about it."

"Look, let's just give it a try. Maybe we can get through to Wormwood and help him be a better raven. If not, you guys can just permanently keep him locked away in the Mystic Isles."

"Uh-huh. You gonna tell Cedric your plan?"

The teen grinned sheepishly. "Um, nope. It'll be a… Heh, an early Wassailia surprise?"

"Well, 'tis the season,' I guess, with Wassailia being a few weeks away and everything." The older Protector sighed. "Fine. I'll return him to the castle myself. But if he makes one wrong move—if he even shifts his eyes a little suspiciously—you call me, and I'm going to haul his feathered behind back up here. Got it?"

Sofia smiled, nodding. "Got it. Thanks, Chrysta." She sealed off the communication with the other girl and sighed, flipping back to her back and staring up at the canopy of her bed. "I hope this works…"

*Current Day*

To say that Cedric was shocked to see Wormwood back would be an understatement. In fact, he went through several emotions at once: denial, surprise, anger, frustration, confusion, hope, and finally acceptance. He'd never projected any of those emotions onto his apprentice, though he did wonder what had gotten into her to cause her to request the wayward raven's return.

In those three days that Wormwood had returned, he'd hardly spoken to Cedric. He was sitting on his old perch, eyes narrowed and focused, while Cedric conducted his usual experiments and daily routine in relative silence. It was so awkward.

"What's that?"

Cedric blinked and looked up from his potion he'd just finished brewing before glancing toward a curious-looking Wormwood. "What?"

"The potion." The bird nodded toward the green liquid in the beaker his former master was holding.

"Oh… It's, um, an anti-nausea potion…for Queen Miranda." He poured the liquid into a separate jar and placed a cork in the top opening before labeling the side of the glass. "She's expecting a baby, you know."

Wormwood snorted. "Oh, joy. One more royal brat in the Enchancian castle. And speaking of brats…" He smirked toward the sorcerer. "Where is your precious apprentice?"

"Sofia is not a brat, Wormwood," Cedric insisted, glaring at the raven. "You should know that quite well. If anything, she's…." He paused, sighing, refusing to even continue the conversation. He knew the rotten bird was trying to rile him up, and he wasn't going to fall for it.

"She's what? A kind soul? A sweet girl? An angel?" He scoffed and rolled his annoyed green eyes as Cedric tossed him another glare. "She's just a girl, Cedric. She's a pesky pest of a princess; you once said it yourself."

"I was wrong, all right?" He slammed his fist down on the worktable, startling the raven. "If anyone is a pest here, it's you."

"Me?!" the bird gasped, eyes narrowing. "At least I'm competent. You are so wishy-washy that you'll change your mind at the drop of a hat and switch to whichever side shows you more consideration." He smirked at the flabbergasted expression on the sorcerer's face. "It's true, isn't it? All you wanted was praise and attention. Well, you certainly got that, didn't you, Cedric the Great?" He flapped his wings a few times. "I don't even know why those Protectors decided to return me here. I would have been better off in that cage in the Mystic Isles than sitting here with the sorriest excuse for a sorcerer that I've ever met."

"That's enough, Wormwood."

"Oh, what are you going to do?" he taunted, laughing. "Going to call forth your parents and have them scold me? Or perhaps you'll get your meddlesome niece to 'cuddle me into submission.'"

"Leave Calista out of this." It was one thing to make fun of him, but to bring his loved ones into it was pushing the line.

"No, I know exactly what you'll do." Wormwood flapped his wings and landed on the table, glaring at his former master. "You'll summon the delightful Princess Sofia and have her use her Amulet of Avalor—because, you know, you failed at stealing that long before you gave up overtaking this wretched kingdom. And you'll have her wish me to be nice. Is that it?"

"You know what?" Cedric stood up, swiping the potion and holding it so hard that he was a little concerned it might break. "Go back to the blasted Mystic Isles for all I care. Sofia was only trying to do something nice for you. She's seen the good in others, Wormwood, and she's always trying her best to help them if she can, even if it means risking her life." He glanced away as Wormwood grew still and observant. "She's done that…far too often."

Wormwood blinked a few times. "The princess has never been in such extreme danger that she could have died—"

"You have no right to say such a thing," Cedric snapped, "because you are very wrong. First, Prisma nearly destroyed her the day you betrayed me. I saved her then, and I was almost killed myself."

"Well, I…"

"And of course, Vor very well could have destroyed her when she was absorbed into the amulet, but Sofia managed to defeat her on her own, proving just how powerful she really is."

"Yes, yes, power of love and all that garbage." Wormwood scoffed.

Cedric narrowed his eyes at the unimpressed raven. "And this past summer… She…" It still hurt to talk about this, but if he was to help Wormwood change his perspective, he was going to have to go with the brutally honest approach. "…She sacrificed herself to save a woman who was so absorbed in the world of dark magic that she wouldn't be able to get free on her own." He felt a chill shoot through him after the words left his mouth, and he noted the bird's surprised stare. "She died, Wormwood."

"But…she's alive. How…?"

"Another magic wielder, Master Elgraste, sacrificed himself so that Sofia could live…" He lowered his head. "When I think of what I would have lost if she'd… And…she was…so still in my arms, so quiet and cold, that…" He closed his eyes and turned away.

Wormwood was shocked. Princess Sofia had actually…died? The optimistic, sunny, loving, annoyingly cheerful princess and Protector of the Ever Realm…had been defeated? Somehow that didn't sound right. Sure, he was no fan of the teenager, but he'd never imagined her actually losing her life against evil. But then… As he considered whose side he'd been on a few years ago, he realized that it was a possibility that Sofia could have been hurt or killed by Vor. Again, the thought alone made him uneasy. "Cedric…"

"She's my closest friend, Wormwood," Cedric mumbled as he gripped the worktable, his back still turned and his head lowered. "And, despite my progress, for the longest time she was my only friend. If I had lost her, I don't think I would have handled it very well. Things might have turned out very, very differently for me." Those words spoken, he turned back around, fixating the raven with a firm glare. "But that's neither here nor there now. And to be perfectly honest, I'm not sure why I'm even bothering to tell you all of this. It's not like you actually care."

"An insensitive raven…" Wormwood laughed ironically. "Perish the thought. But despite what you may believe about me, Cedric, I… I hate that you had to experience the pain of losing the princess, even for a little bit of time." He sighed softly. "That…must have been difficult."

Cedric decided to change the subject, because he could feel himself growing emotional just thinking about the events in Mahiya. "Your behavior and attitude are terrible."

The bird's beak dropped. "I attempted to signal a sign of a sorrowful connection, and you lean into me with the insults. What a grand idea."

"Shut your beak and listen." Seeing that Wormwood was listening, he continued, "If I am to believe that you'll be able to flourish in this environment again, regardless of whether or not you return as my companion, then I need to assess this whole situation. And I think I have an idea how you can earn your redemption."

"You seem to think everyone needs to be or wants to be redeemed." He scoffed. "Where did you get that idea? The princess?"

"You're not wicked, Wormwood," Cedric informed him, disregarding his previous quip. "You're just rotten."

"Rotten?!"

"And you need a wakeup call."

"Oh, really?" Wormwood inched back when Cedric leaned down, glaring into his widening green eyes.

"Really." He stood back up, straightening his robe. "And you'll be glad to know that I'm not the one who will be sorting out your priorities."

"What? Then who-?" The raven balked, giving his former friend a glare. "You wouldn't dare…"

A smirk formed on Cedric's face. "Oh, wouldn't I?"

Wormwood scowled at the sorcerer. "You're a different kind of evil, Cedric." He huffed and flew back into his cage, slamming the barred door behind him and sulking.

Cedric rolled his eyes before continuing on with his duties for the day.

The next day, Cedric arrived at a rather familiar homestead in the village of Dunwiddie. Dangling from his right hand was a heavy iron cage, where Wormwood was being held. He knocked on the door, only to smile upon being greeted. "Mr. Birdsong?"

The dark-skinned man nodded with a warm chuckle. "I remember you. You're the royal sorcerer, aren't you?" Seeing Cedric nod in response, he grinned. "It's been a few years. How can I help you?" His eyes instantly went to the cage, and he blinked in surprise. "Isn't that your raven who helped me with the Raven Haven a number of years ago? Um… Wormwood, wasn't it?"

"Yes, sir. And now, he's the one who needs some help." Cedric gestured gently, smiling as the older man took the cage. "Wormwood has had a bit of a rough patch recently, and he could use a little community service to remind him how good he has it."

Wormwood glared at the sorcerer through the bars and squawked at him, though he really would have rather chewed him out in a language his former owner could understand.

"I see…" Mr. Birdsong cleared his throat. "Well, I won't ask any particulars, as I imagine there's quite a good reason for him being here, but… I suppose I could find a place for him here. There's always a need for help at the Raven Haven." He smiled thoughtfully. "Come to think of it, the same sweet little female raven from your last visit continues to help out here, nurturing the tiny ravens back to health. Of course, she's aged a bit, and she's far more capable than she used to be."

'Nina,' Wormwood thought, realizing exactly who the man was talking about.

"Perfect," Cedric insisted, nodding. "I think a little volunteering with a familiar face might do him some good."

Mr. Birdsong chuckled. "I hope you don't mind my saying so, but it almost feels as though you're speaking of your son or something."

The sorcerer smirked as Wormwood made a sound of disagreement. "Trust me: I might as well be." He shook the man's free hand. "Thank you, Mr. Birdsong. I'll return later today to pick him up." He shot the bird a pointed look. "Be good, Wormwood. And I mean that." He then turned and left.

"Well, then," Mr. Birdsong said as he lifted the cage and smiled kindly toward the flustered bird, "let's get started, shall we?" He opened the door to the cage, gently guiding the uncertain raven onto his arm. "Come along then."

Wormwood grumbled a few minutes later after the man carefully placed him on a wooden table in the back of the homestead, which was, indeed, the Raven Haven. Glancing around, he noted that not much seemed to have changed. He could still pinpoint some familiar items used to treat wounded ravens in the past, among many other things. Once the man had left him to his own devices, his mind began turning, focused on one thing.

"Maybe there's a way I can get out of here," he murmured lowly to himself. He despised Cedric for bringing him here, telling him that he needed to do community service to make up for his wrongdoings. "You plot world domination and side with an evil spirit, and suddenly you're a bad guy." He scoffed.

"Mr. Wormwood?"

"Bah!" He quickly turned, his feathers fluffed out in surprise at the sound of his name being called. "Who knows my n—N-Nina… Is that you?"

Where a little fluffy-feathered raven once stood, a mature one now replaced her. She looked quite similar to Wormwood now, only her stance was calmer, she was a bit smaller than he was, and her blue eyes shimmered in curiosity. The younger raven gasped. "It is you!" She frowned. "I haven't seen you in a few years. I was worried something bad had happened to you."

The older raven laughed bitterly. "Depends on your perception of 'bad,' my dear." He mentally chided himself. 'Now you're sounding like Cedric. Stop it!' He groaned, scoffing. "I mean, it's none of your business." There, now he sounded more menacing.

"Okay."

…Well, that wasn't how he'd thought the conversation would go. Normally, the younger raven would have challenged him. Now she was just letting it go? What exactly was her angle? "That's it? No prying questions? No insisting that you just want to help me? No nothing?"

"I'm sorry, but I think you're confusing me with a raven who cares."

Wormwood's beak dropped in shock. Nina never spoke to him like that in the past, so he wasn't sure what had occurred to cause such a change in her countenance. "I beg your pardon?"

"You heard me," she responded, glaring at him. "I've tried hard to care, but I keep getting disappointed. On top of that, I heard about what you did." She narrowed her eyes. "You're giving ravens a worse reputation than we already have. They think we're evil and bad-spirited."

"We are!" he insisted. "It's part of our genetic makeup, I'm sorry to inform you."

"Haven't you ever wanted to break that stereotype, Mr. Wormwood? Haven't you ever considered what it would be like to be nice and help people for a change? To see a smile on others' faces, knowing that you're the one who put it there?"

He considered her words for a moment before snorting and starting to laugh. "Uh, no… No, can't say that I have."

She frowned heavily. "Then, you're not even worth my time. I don't understand why you're even here."

"I'm here because Cedric insisted that I be. He thinks he's doing me a favor by dumping me off in this forsaken shop, hoping that just by being around a goody-goody little raven like you, and—ugh—helping others, that I'll 'change my ways.' Well, it's not going to happen, Nina. Sorry to disappoint you."

"You've already disappointed me," she stated candidly. "To be honest, I've just come to expect it at this point." She frowned as she turned, preparing to flutter off, ignoring the surprised expression on the other bird's face. "You're not the raven I thought you were, Mr. Wormwood. And that's too bad." She glanced back at him, noticing his softening gaze. "I really wanted to like you, to be your friend… I guess I should have known better."

Why had that hurt? Really, seriously? Wormwood actually felt really bad at that point. It was one thing to disappoint Cedric, but it was another thing entirely to disappoint a little raven (not so little anymore, he realized, as she was growing up) whose previous admiration for him was just so…unexpected. Now, far be it for him to actually care what Nina thought, but… The more he was around her, the more he realized that…he did care what she thought of him. Maybe that's why Cedric had been so enthralled with Sofia? Because she gave him attention, kindness, and admiration? Something he'd rarely—if ever—had before? He groaned audibly, stopping the other raven from taking off. "Nina, I'm sorry."

The younger bird did a double take, turning to fully face him. "W-What?"

"Don't make me say it again," he grumbled bitterly. "I don't think I've ever said those words before, and I don't intend on saying them to anyone else again." He glanced at her seriously as she just stared at him. "I don't know why, but I actually do care what you think of me… I suppose it's because you're the only one who actually looks up to me and sees something more…" He gestured vaguely with his right wing. "Something less 'wicked' or 'brooding' than what others seem to see when they look at me."

"You're not a bad raven, Mr. Wormwood," Nina informed him sympathetically. "You've just made some really dumb choices."

"Dumb?" He scoffed. "Questionable, perhaps, but—"

"No, they were really dumb," she insisted. "There's no substitution word for your actions. Teaming up with an evil sorceress who seized Enchancia and tried to take over the world? Yeah, actually, that's not only dumb… That's just downright stupid."

"All right, I get it," he responded, growing annoyed. "Granted, I can't exactly take back what I've done…"

"Then make it right by moving forward and never doing something like that again." She gave him an imploring stare. "And make amends with Mr. Cedric. Even if you never try to make things better with anyone else, at least give him an apology. He held out hope for you for over two years, you know. Probably even longer than that… To have that denied now would not only disappoint him." She frowned. "I think it would crush him. And he doesn't deserve that, Mr. Wormwood…"

Wormwood was left to ponder over her words as she flew off, readying herself to begin her usual community service with the Raven Haven. "Hmm."

Hours later, after Cedric had picked up Wormwood and taken him back to the castle, the two former friends sat in silence in the sorcerer's workshop. Cedric was working on something—some sort of new spell—while Wormwood sat on his perch, merely observing. It wasn't exactly a 'comfortable silence,' but it didn't seem nearly as tense either, for whatever reason.

After another hour passed, Cedric heard something he never thought he'd ever hear.

"Do you want any help?"

Blinking in shock, the sorcerer turned to find the raven perched on his shoulder, staring down at his worktable in a focused manner. "What?"

"I'm your familiar, aren't I? Your right-hand raven?" He smirked as he stared at a confused-looking Cedric.

"Are you?" His shocked look changed to a suspicious one, causing the bird to snort in amusement.

"I'm not good with apologies and admitting I'm wrong. I think you can appreciate that… So suffice it to say that…I understand where I went…in the opposite direction of correct."

Cedric slowly began to smile.

"Hypothetically… Is there any chance that we could…?" He half-shrugged, not wanting to finish his inquiry.

"Sofia taught me that everyone deserves a second chance… I suppose she'd extend that courtesy to ravens as well."

Wormwood nodded, satiated. "Just don't expect me to be sunny and friendly like your beloved princess."

"I'd be worried if you were…" He gently stroked the raven's feathers, sighing as Wormwood lowered his head a bit.

"I make no promises, Cedric."

Cedric shook his head. "Neither do I. Let's just see how things work out."

Wormwood nodded silently. "Very well."

The end

(Next Story/Episode 10: Worth a Thousand Words)

Ending note: I'm leaving it on an uncertain note for now for a reason, as I'm sure you all can tell. Cedric and Wormwood will continue to have a pretty strained relationship for a while, because everything that transpired will take some time to come to terms with. Cedric hasn't always been the 'forgive and forget' type, as we know, and even though he's willing to give Wormwood his second chance, that won't necessarily mean it's going to be easy. I'm going to be realistic with their relationship repair. It's something we all seem to want to happen, but like all things, it will take a while. Meanwhile… The next story will take on an entirely different type of subject: Amber's impeccable knack for art. 😊 Later!

PS: Would anyone like to see Nina again before the end of the series? Just let me know in the reviews, and I'll see about making it happen. 😉