Another morning had come to Alfea. Sun was rising and birds were singing. What a typical morning, it almost felt like a cliché. Still, the woman, who was watching the sunrise, couldn't have enjoyed more.
"Miss Faragonda!" The silence was broken with nasty shouting. The headmistress turned her head with bad grace. She recognized the voice immediately. "What are you doing here so early?" Griselda had walked to her. She looked so busy already. "None of the classes will start yet!" "Good morning for you too, Griselda", Faragonda said politely. "I'm waiting for Saladin."
"But why is he coming here this early?" brown-haired woman asked.
"I don't know, he didn't tell."
Griselda looked at her suspiciously. Such short notice appointments are contrary to her principles. However, she couldn't say anything, so she just sighed and folded her hands.
Bright light appeared right in front of them and both of the women took few steps backwards. The old man's figure appeared in their field of view. "How lovely to see you, Saladin", Faragonda said when she recognized him. "What brings you here?"
The headmaster looked confused for a moment until he said: "Oh, sorry, I forgot that I didn't tell you. I'm actually here to bring someone; he should arrive in any second."
"Who?" she tried to ask, but old man didn't seem to hear her.
"I visited him yesterday and he asked me to bring him here", he explained. "To see you, I think."
"But who?" Faragonda was getting impatient. Another light appeared next to Saladin.
"Here he is, just in time!"
The new visitor was tall, at least taller than Faragonda. He had long beard that almost covered his chest and braided silver hair.
"It can't be…" the headmistress thought. "Not him, not now!.. Why now..?"
"Well that's what I call exciting journey", Hagen said and looked at himself, hoping that he didn't miss anything important, like an arm or a leg. Then he noticed her. "Faragonda! Nice to see you again", he said and smiled. His smile was so big that it even made some wrinkles in his eye corners.
But she didn't look happy at all, quite the contrary. For a second, she looked angry, then sad and confused. Even she didn't know what she felt. "Well", she finally said. "If that was all, please, excuse me." She gave Hagen wrathful look and turned her back to them.
Hagen was abashed, but he wasn't the only one. "What's wrong with her?" Saladin asked with astonishment. "I don't understand, she wasn't that grumpy few minutes earlier!" Griselda said and looked at Faragonda, who was already at the front door. "I'll go talk to her."
"No", Hagen said and stepped in front of her. "Please, let me."
Griselda looked him oddly, but then nodded. She took few steps backwards and whispered to Saladin: "Do you have any idea, what's going on here?"
"Not really."
But when Hagen had gone farther, he said: "But I'm sure, that we'll see very soon."
Faragonda was already at her office. She didn't even bother to lock the door. She stood in front of her desk. Tears flowed down her cheeks and landed on her jacket, leaving some wet marks. But she couldn't care less. She let tears flow freely and few sobs came through her lips.
"Why is he here?" she said aloud. "After a year… Why?" She turned her head toward the mirror. Her cheeks were slightly red and tear-stained. "Look at yourself", she sighed. "You're pathetic."
Someone knocked the door. She quickly wiped her tears away. "C-come in." Hagen opened the door and asked: "Are you okay?" Her expression turned instantly angry. "I'm fine", she lied and refused to look at him.
"We both know that it isn't true", he stated. "What's wrong?"
"I said, I'm fine!" Faragonda yelled and walked past him, out of the room. She walked in the corridor, Hagen right after her.
"Why won't you talk to me?" he asked impatiently.
"We have nothing to talk about!"
"Yes, we have!"
His both hands grabbed her shoulders. Those had held her waist and hand during the dance in prom of Domino. She remembered that night, she had had great time, and she had promised that she won't let Hagen isolate again. She felt the same warmth. Then she almost literally shook that feeling away. She was angry. There was no time to feel affection.
"What do you want?" she asked quietly.
"I want to know why you're angry." She didn't answer. "I am here to meet you, you could even talk to me", he insisted. "I've missed you."
The headmistress looked up. "Missed?" she repeated questioningly. "Why don't you have kept in touch? We saw last time year ago. I thought that you are going to stay away from another eighteen years ..." Although she tried, she no longer sounded angry, but sad.
"I don't have that fancy hologram phone like you", he said and smirked. "And I have had a lot of work because those Winx girls destroyed all my guards." Faragonda smiled weakly for a moment.
Some students had come to corridors, including Stella and Bloom. They were surprised to see Hagen again, and even stranger was to seeing Faragonda looking sad. Everyone kept a few meters distance from that couple and said nothing.
"I'm sorry", Faragonda sighed and wiped her eye corners. She didn't even seem to notice the students and their confused stares. "I've been so childish…"
"It's okay, dear. I understand", Hagen said and smiled. "I've been frustrated because I haven't got to see you. But now I'm here."
She smiled a little. "I'm glad it didn't take many years."
"You should know that I couldn't stay away."
He placed his hand on her cheek and gave her a kiss.
Everybody in the corridors stared at them with eyes wide open. Some girls giggled and whispered something to their friends' ears. "Well, that's what I call great gossip!" Stella said and smirked. "If I know you well, whole school will hear about this", Bloom chuckled.
The headmistress' reaction surprised Hagen. He had waited for her to burn his face, turn him into frog or at least slap him. Instead, she smiled sweetly. She closed her eyes and put her hand on his chest. She let the warmth full herself. "I've missed you too…" she whispered.
He chuckled and held her hand. They just stood there, as if they could stay like that forever.
"Should we take a picture? We don't see things like this often", some girl said to her friend and giggled. Now Faragonda finally noticed them.
"Hagen", she said nervously. "How long have they been here?" "I don't know, few minutes?" he said lightly.
"So they saw when…"
"When we kissed? Yes."
"You mean when you kissed me."
"Is there much difference anyway?"
Faragonda sighed in frustration. One student took few steps forward. "So… Should we pretend that nothing happened?" she said and looked somehow amused. The headmistress felt her face turning red. "W-well, I don't know. Maybe, but, uhh…" She didn't manage to answer. Hagen tried hard not to smile, however it was impossible.
"Calm down, dear" he said and stroked her back. She took few deep breaths.
"Okay… No need to hide this, it's fine, I guess."
Stella immediately turned to walk back to her room, she was full of excitement. She couldn't wait to tell to other girls.
Neither Faragonda nor Hagen said anything after that. Faragonda just leaned her head on his chest and smiled. At last, he was back. Once again, he was on her side, his arms holding her, but this time, he won't let go.