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Young Sofia of Enchancia was currently lying in her bed. Her usual spark of life wasn't there. Even the Amulet of Avalor appeared to have dimmed. She lay there silently with her gorgeous sky-blue eyes half-closed, and her lips formed a slight frown.
"I don't know what to do, Miranda!" her father, King Roland II, exclaimed to his gorgeous wife. "I've never seen her so lifeless! She lays there day and night!"
"I don't know what it is either, Rollie! I wish I knew! Except she won't engage with anyone! Three days ago, Lucinda came and attempted to get her to go for a ride on her broom. However, she refused!
Yesterday, James and Amber sought to get her to ride their flying horse together, but she didn't desire to do that either! I've no idea what's wrong with her! Furthermore, it's beginning to terrify me!"
Sofia could hear her parents clearly outside her door. Yet, their words didn't bother her at all. Instead, she rolled over, more gloomy and lifeless then before.
Clover snuck into the room with the rest of her animal friends. They're determined to make Sofia smile and laugh anew. "Okay, guys, we must be as entertaining and energetic as possible! We can't have our favorite princess be so down in the mouth!" They immediately got to work. They were singing their songs while dancing chaotically all over the walls.
Yet Sofia didn't even smile or scold them for wreaking her room. So, what could be bothering Sofia so much? Moreover, would they need to summon a princess quickly?
While everyone else was running out of ideas to get through, Cedric asked if he might be let through. He had a hunch about what was bothering his only friend and wanted to talk to her. So the king and queen let him through. Then, taking a deep breath, he said, "Sofia, it's Cedric. Might I come in?"
Out of all the people who could've made her look up, Mr. Cedric was the one who did. "I guess you could come in." Smiling, the bumbling sorcerer came in and sat at the foot of her bed. "So, Sofia, mind telling me what you are feeling?"
The young princess sighed and slowly explained. "I always feel drained. I don't get joy from what I love to do. I feel lifeless, and everything has become meaningless. I don't know why I'm so sad or can't even feel glad. I've never felt this way before. I know I started feeling this way shortly after we defeated Vor."
Cedric smiled, "I've felt that way countless times before. I felt that way most of my childhood. It's not easy the first time you get truly depressed. Even the happiest people can become depressed."
"Depressed?" she asked, bewildered.
"Sometimes, even when things are at their most content on the outside, inside, we are still not as happy as we make ourselves. I'm convinced that the last battle took a lot out of you. Or feeling you might be trapped in the Amulet forever."
"I'm confused and sad. I know it all worked out in the end. Yet, I feel anxious it might happen again. All of it was overwhelming. There was so much terror, anxiety, and rage. It isn't easy to process it all. You are saying you've felt this way, too?"
"Yes, I've had depression almost from when my sister blamed me for her hair. But, unfortunately, it's not a quick fix. You can be depressed for any length of time. But people who have never had depression say, "Get over it! Quit moping about and pull yourself up!"
"That's not very nice to say." He laughed in agreement before saying, "Being sad and truly depressed aren't the same. Depression affects you physically as well as emotionally.
It will take an unknown amount of time to figure out how to pull yourself out. Expect it to be a process that takes time. Sometimes, all you need is someone willing to listen but not judge."
"Like you're doing right now?"
"Yes, if you need to talk, I'm here. But, unfortunately, I can't wave my wand and fix how you feel. So you'll have to do that on your own. Remember though. You'll do it in your own time.
For now, write down how you are feeling. Then, make practice speeches so you can explain them to your family. Then, you can get through things better with those who love you."
"Thanks, Mr. Cedric! I'll do that!" she said as she reached out and hugged him.
He smiled and hugged her back. Cedric knew from his own experience that, as he said, this would take a lot of work. But he'd be here by his friend's side for whatever she needed, even if it was to listen to her.