Work Text:
Cedric’s day had not started out very well and it looked like it was going to end the same way. None of his experiments had turned out right up in his workshop. There had also been three fires up there, one of which was to Rosemary’s tail. The magpie was spending the rest of the day sulking in a bowl of water mixed with herbs.
Baileywick’s heart went out to the sorcerer as he tried to perform for the king and his family. One spell had nearly sent a battleaxe through Roland’s head. Another had shattered Miranda’s tiara. Cedric had tried to fix these mistakes and although the tiara had been put back together, the axe had left a massive crack down the middle of Roland’s throne. Cedric’s anxiety made it impossible for him to attempt to fix it and it soon split into two pieces.
“It...it’s not that bad,” Roland tried. “I uh...I was looking to get a new one anyway…”
The sorcerer looked about ready to cry. He was glad that the royal family were no longer laughing and mocking him for his mistakes but the idea that he was still making them at all were disheartening. In a way Roland’s kind words were as bad as his insults.
A hand touching his arm made him flinch and look up. Baileywick was standing beside him and he touched his arm again. Wordlessly the steward guided him out of the room and helped him sit down on a bench in an empty hallway.
“Do you want me to give advice or listen to you?” Baileywick asked. He watched as Cedric’s eyes started to water and he stepped in front of him, placing his hands on his shoulders. “Oh Cedric…”
He threw his arms around Baileywick’s middle, burying his face against his chest as he started to cry.
Baileywick hugged Cedric back, rubbing his back. “We all have bad days,” he reminded him. “You’ll be okay. It’ll be okay.” He stayed with him until Cedric had used up all of his tears, offering him a handkerchief to clean his eyes and nose. “How do you feel?”
“...better,” Cedric murmured.
“Do you want to go back inside or back to your tower?”
“Inside,” Cedric answered and Baileywick helped him onto his feet, fixing Cedric’s ribbon and robe.
“Take a deep breath. Hold it. Now let it out. You can do this. I know you can, Cedric. Let yourself calm down. Everyone makes mistakes.” He walked the other back into the throne room, ignoring the looks his rumpled and tear stained jacket received from some of the other servants. He smiled in approval as Cedric started with smaller spells first, building up his confidence before he tried out the bigger ones once more.