Here we are: the first chapter of Amaranth! I'm sorry it took forever to be uploaded, but this first chapter was rewritten… three times! I never managed to be satisfied with it; believe me, the first version was completely different! When I wrote it, I completely changed one point of the plot (if you want to know which one, please remind it to me in the reviews towards chapter 5 or 6). First of all, I'll reply to the reviews from the last chapter of Her red rose:

Lover of romance246: I'm not satisfied with it, so if I finish it I'll rewrite it in the process.

Winxkate: I'd like to thank you so much; your reviews are always so sweet, I'm glad you liked this story! Yep, Veronica has a daughter; but of course, this will be explained (If everything goes as I planned, in chapter 5!)

Flora: Well, since there is this sequel, the story is not entirely over ;) Thank you for your comment, this is very nice!

So concerning what's to come, I'd like to warn you: this might be a very cheesy chapter, but believe me, what I am planning for the next is not AT ALL; I'd go as far as saying this story will be darker than Her red rose had been. I think you can understand why since you read the summary. The ending will, at the same time be a happy and a sad ending. There will be a major death; but I won't tell you who is going to die.

CHAPTER 1

5 years later

"It's time for you to get ready, your highness." Michelle bowed from behind the young Queen. Flora turned around to greet her servant and noticed she was holding the white dress covered with the white transparent fabric she was supposed to wear in her hands; and her eyes quickly slipped to the wall clock.

"Isn't it a bit early to change myself? The banquet is only in three hours."

"When I took it off your wardrobe, I noticed some problems on it that I'd like to fix up." Michelle said. Flora stood up from her bed, placed the book she was currently reading on the night stand and sat in front of her pedestal table. Her servant approached. "After all, you have to be perfect for your husband's 30th birthday."

"Of course." Flora replied with a dreamily smile starting from her right ear and ending on her left one when she thought of her dear husband. She couldn't believe he was turning 30 this day; to think the two had met when they were ten… "But he still has to be the King of the party."

Michelle took the heart-shaped forehead jewel on the pedestal table and tied it up on Flora's head. She then grabbed the whole of the brunette's hair and begun doing it on a side braid that she was to let down on her right shoulder.

"But you're always the Queen of his parties; and there is nothing you could do against it, your highness."

Flora smiled in acknowledgement.

Throughout these five first years as King and Queen, they had held lots of parties and banquets in which everybody was invited if they wanted to come. This night was held a banquet for Helia's 30th birthday, where they had invited numerous of their friends for, at first, a private party. Unfortunately, almost none of them managed to be available; this was why they had decided they would invite whoever decided to come from their people in Linfea for a banquet instead.

Only recently had Flora managed to get used to this new life in royalty. She was fully aware of how numerous were the responsibilities that rested upon her shoulders and how much the people related to her, a woman who used to be a part of them, and the first year, this situation almost shocked her to the point she could not find the sleep she needed.

Despite this almost depression, the new Queen had finally managed to find some peace back thanks to her husband of seven years and her partner of fifteen years, Helia. No mattered how many times she had lost her temper and had begun to cry for hours, he would always be there with her, comforting her with one of his arm around her shoulders, what he had always did when she needed comfort. Of course, the both of them still had lots of work to do each day, but they did not let themselves suffocate with it.

For Flora, Helia was nothing more than her husband. Of course, in front of the people or of the council, they tried to act as professionally as possible, but behind closed doors, they became the old couple they had always been; this was something no one could take back from them: their love for each other.

"It looks like your husband was waiting for something on his birthday. I wonder what could be so important." The red-haired servant noticed when she looked at Helia's calendar, where the date of the 2nd of September was circled in red. Flora was broke off her thoughts and smiled at her question.

"It's not for his birthday, it's for our anniversary." She replied while Michelle tied her hair in a low braid. The servant raised her eyebrows.

"But, didn't you two get married on June?"

Flora shook her head. "Not our wedding anniversary, our first kiss anniversary."

"You remember when it first occured?" The servant asked, apparently surprised.

Flora giggled. "Of course."

It's been 15 years already. She sighed; but it was a happy sigh. Never would she regret the day when the two had shared their first kiss; when he won the tournament to impress her. Flora recalled in every detail all the moments they had spent together during this decade; starting from their little battles to their awaited wedding seven years earlier.

Of course, none of them could forget the time gap that had parted them in between. This was something she would still have nightmares about, in nights where she would wake up and not manage to fall asleep after. In those horrible dreams she would see this scene again, when he had fallen into her arms with a thin trail of bloom running out his mouth. Each time she would wake up crying rivers after doubting the reality of her life with her husband, this latter would wake up too, alarmed by her sobs, and hug her tightly for comfort. Thankfully, these nightmares had become less and less frequent, even though they still occurred. But now, she and Helia shared a relationship that they thought could not get stronger, but was reinforced each second.

"Here you are, Flora." Michelle announced, helping Flora to stand up. The Queen was indeed gorgeous; her white dress was fitting her tightly, and the transparent white fabric over it was held up on the waist by a very thin grey thread. (A/N: If you want to know how the dress looks like, take a look at Morgana's white dress from Merlin, the one with a small yellow pattern on the chest) "You look radiant."

"Thank you, Michelle." Flora thanked her servant. "But we are still early, why don't you get prepared?"

"Get prepared?" The red-haired asked, obviously surprised. "For what?"

"Don't you come to the banquet, tonight?" Flora asked.

"I thought you were organizing a party with your friends tonight…"

"No, a majority of our friends couldn't make it, so it turned into a banquet." Flora explained. "But you know that even if it would have been a party, you would have been invited."

"You're so nice with me, Flora." Michelle bowed, touched by so much kindness; after having served Diaspro and Chimera, serving such a wonderful woman had been a complete change. And this was the first time that she had been invited to any royal banquet of party. "I'll get ready to serve you tonight, your highness."

"You will have to make the most of the banquet too." Flora told her, and Michelle grinned happily.

"Of course."

Flora was still in a deep thought writing the peace letter for Queen Amentia, something she had promised the council she would do as soon as possible. She was holding the fountain pen with the tip of her fingers, her thoughts drifted from a remembering of the last meeting she had with the council to imagining what was supposed to occur this night at the banquet for Helia's 30th birthday.

She was at the same time very sad to learn none of the Winx nor Felicia would be able to come –since the princesses from the Winx Club had been crowned Queen and Felicia was busy with her new job- but also felt overjoyed when Layla added to her negative phone message answer the news she was to visit her soon to announce her something. Flora was certain this concerned Nex; she would have bet her life on it. And no one could know how right she was at this moment.

When she heard the door open behind her, from the sound of footsteps, she recognized her husband's presence. With a grin, she turned around and noticed she was right.

None of Helia and she change much during these seven years. Flora had kept her unique beauty, and when they had held parties at the castle, the guests had never needed to be asked twice to remind her of this. Helia was under a similar situation; despite entering his 30th today, he was still looking very good and had kept his soft and gentle features that would make anyone fall for him.

"Hey." Helia said. He kissed the top of Flora's head sweetly, and Flora giggled at his gesture. "Hey."

He took both her hands and helped her getting up. His eyes which were at first locked in hers managed to get freed and travelled from the top of her head to the bottom of her dress.

"You look so beautiful; a true goddess." He complimented her and kissed the back of her hand.

"Thank you honey." She kissed his cheek and hugged him tightly. He returned her embrace pouring as much strength as she was doing. This was something that had always surprised their council; the fact that after a fifteen-year relationship, none of their feelings for the other had even lightly declined. They loved each other so deeply and tenderly, and nothing could part them from the other.

"Are you ready for the banquet?" He asked.

"Yeah, but I guess I'd rather celebrate our anniversary," Flora started and leant back with a smirk "just with the both of us,"

"In the forest,"

"On our spot,"

"Without anything around." Helia finished the sentence Flora had started before. The two laughed at their complementarity, and the King held her tightly against him pressing his lips on hers. He was once again rediscovering the honey taste of her lips, which he always felt like forgetting when they parted. And this liplock would not leave any of the two satisfied.

Flora felt his tongue tracing her lips, and having known the process of his kisses for fifteen years; she opened her mouth and accepted his tongue gladly. Her arms tightened their grip around his neck, but her hand soon felt the need to touch his hair, and so she deepened the strength of their kiss by pressing his face even harder against hers.

Unfortunately, the moment had to be cut off when a personal guard of Helia knocked at their door. "Your highness, my lady, the banquet is about to start. We are waiting for you."

"We are coming." Flora answered without leaving her husband's arms. She sighed deeply. "I wish I could have you all for myself right now."

"I wish it too." Helia answered, holding his wife even more closely. "But don't worry, it will only be the two of us, we are going to celebrate our anniversary properly."

"Did you plan something?" Flora asked, earning a wink from her husband.

"You'll see." He then turned around and showed her his arm for her to take. "Are you ready, now, Love?"

Flora nodded and took his arm in her hand while he guided her to the banquet room, next to the hall of the castle.

"I planned something too." She whispered in his ear as they finally reached their destination. The walls were decorated with birthday banners and roses bouquets, and the inner wall were very similar; except from all the guest who had already arrived.

"Mom, dad." Helia greeted his parents, the same way Flora did with hers. Of course their families would be the first guests to be invited. During the first three years, Aniello and Maia had stayed in the castle where they had kept their room, but when they realized Helia and Flora had begun to adapt to their new life, they started taking vacations and time for themselves, encouraged by the new rulers, even though there was never a single moment when they wouldn't be available if their son and daughter-in-law needed them.

"Happy birthday, sweetie." Maia wished her son while hugging him tightly. "I'm sorry that your grandfather could not come. He did not answer the phone."

"It's okay." Helia replied with a sincere smile. He was not mad at his grandfather for not coming and he certainly couldn't be. He knew how busy he was at Red Fountain with all these exams and students to look after.

After a few minutes of chatting, Helia and Flora took each other's hand back and walked towards their thrones at the end of the room. Everybody sat down; the places on the left of the room were reserved for the council members and their close relatives. On the right side were placed for the other guests, whoever wanted to sit there.

The room was full and the atmosphere was very light, and most of all, friendly. Everybody was chatting, discussing about everything and nothing –mainly the food-, waiting to grab the opportunity and greet their rulers.

Flora suddenly stood up after hitting Helia's glass several time with her silver knife. The whole room was then filled with silence, and everybody turned their glances to her. In this situation where everybody was staring at her, she used to feel embarrassed, but this anxiousness had grown to disappear.

"Good evening to all of you. I'm sure you all know why this party is being heldFlora raised her glass of wine in the air for her dear husband. "Now, your King is 30. And he is still the same adult child you all have grown to love and that I have to bear every day of my life."

In return she earned giggles from all the guests; including Helia's.

"But today, this is not only the birthday of such a man. This is also an anniversary for the both of us. And to celebrate this, I wanted to do something, a little speech of my own."

Helia placed the back of his knuckles under his chin with an amused smile while he curiously looked up at his wife.

"However, I have to admit something. I was supposed to find one reason to leave versus twelve reasons to stay. I was caught because I could not find any reason to leave against almost twenty reasons to stay."

The King's smile grew wider. He had finally understood what she had to announce, what her speech was about. Knowing his wife by heart, he knew she did not even try to find any reason to leave him, the same way he would not.

"This made me realize something." She announced after taking a mouthful of her wine. "This made me realize that I was the luckiest of all the women of the universe. Because I am the happiest one, married to the most incredible man of the galaxy, who treats his wife as the most priceless treasure, who acts nicely and kindly with everybody who crosses his path, who is forgiving, funny, loving, and if that's not enough for you to understand why I'm staying, I'll tell you exactly why."

This time, Flora stopped looking at the guests and instead did the same to Helia. "I love my husband, more than everything. And I would not wish for any other."

At this moment, she earned the clapping of all the guests. Helia stood up and wrapped one of his arms around her waist to bring her closer to his chest.

"I love you too, so much."

The guests clapped again as Helia leant down to kiss his wife on the lips. It was something they used to do in public; they loved each other and had no reason to hide it neither from their people nor from their allies. This day was also the day of their anniversary, and the two were determined to make the most of this day.

And everything ended as quickly as it had started. Flora and Helia parted and followed the guests' looks turned to the room entrance, where two guards were almost dragging a young girl. "I did not do anything!" The young girl whined. The two armoured guys threw her on the floor towards the rulers' places with her face covered with bangs of her long white hair.

"What's going on?" Helia sharply asked; what he hated the most was being interrupted when he kissed Flora, even though this time, the two were in front of a public.

"This young girl was found interacting with one of our prisoners, your highness." The left guard told the King standing as straight as a wooden log in his armour.

As her husband got his information, Flora, on the other hand, did not listen and just examined the young girl when her hair finally was removed from her face. She never saw her but one thing was sure of, these features were familiar. These sharp -yet innocent- red-eyes, this white hair, this as pale as snow skin… Flora definitely knew them. And her feeling of distress came back when she finally managed to put a name on them.

These were features she would have preferred to erase from her memory for eternity.

"Veronica." Flora muttered taking a step backward, trying to escape this return of the past. Helia grabbed her wrist when he noticed her as white as a sheet expression.

"What's wrong, Love?" He asked her. Flora did not manage to answer immediately; her voice could only produce meaningless sounds.

"S-It's-She's-"

"Love, calm down. Breathe." Helia whispered to her grabbing both her shoulders into both his hands. Flora did as she was told and inhaled and blew out.

"She looks so much like… her." Flora confessed, unable to pronounce this name that would bring all those nightmares back.

And this was only the beggining.

I hope you liked this first chapter! Yes, we are already starting with the drama, but don't worry, this won't last for long... or that's what the characters will think! Like I wrote at the beggining, this story might be darker than Her red rose.

I'd love to read your reviews, and also read what you expect to happen throughout the story if you have theories.

See you on the next chapter!