Thank You, Ms Faragonda
After sitting in the hall with the rest of the school for dinner, Bloom found herself wandering the halls, wrapped in her blanket. She wasn't really sure where she was going, she just let herself walk. Before she knew it, she was standing in the clearing in front of her Headmistress. Sitting down in front of her, she looked up, tears in her eyes.
"I'm sorry Ms Faragonda. If I could have been there to help you, I would have." She whispered, "I wish I could have. I-I don't know if I could have done anything, but at least then I would have been there to help you." She sniffed, wiping her cheeks.
Getting up, she stood on her tip-toes and kissed her trapped mentor on the cheek, much like she had last year. Standing back, she brushed the back of her hand across her cheek, "Sweet dreams Ms Faragonda." She whispered, sitting down at the base of the trunk, "Sweet dreams."
Pulling the thin blanket around her shoulders tighter, she closed her eyes, falling asleep against the rough bark.
The next morning, the Winx rushed to find Ms Griselda. None of them had seen Bloom since dinner the night before. After what they had been through in the last couple of days, they were worried and thought it best to seek help. After explaining all this to Griselda, they waited for her say something.
Sighing, she fixed her glasses and looked at each fairy in turn. "I have an idea where your friend has gone," She waved her hand, "Go and eat, I'll find her."
Turning around, she left the hall, heading straight for the clearing. It didn't take her long to get there, nor did it take long to spot her wayward student, still curled up against the tree. Sighing once more, she walked up to her and shook her head. "Oh Bloom." Crouching down beside the sleeping girl, she shook her shoulder, calling out her name.
Slowly the red head woke up, her bright blue eyes blurry from sleep. "W-What?" She asked, looking around her in confusion before landing on Griselda. Sitting up straight, she looked at her teacher, "Ms Griselda? What is it? Is everyone okay?"
Griselda smiled slightly, holding her hand on the cold, bare shoulder, "Everyone's fine Miss Bloom." She assured her, "But you're friends are worried about you."
Bloom frowned, tugging the thin blanket tighter. "Why?"
"You disappeared after dinner last night and you weren't in your room this morning. They thought something had happened to you."
"What?" She asked, before following her teachers eyes to her singlet and shorts, "Oh, I must have fallen asleep."
Smirking, the brunette looked over the frame of her glasses, "Indeed." Straightening up, she cleared her throat, "Now, you need to get dressed so you can eat breakfast in the hall."
Bloom looked at her teacher, then up at her Headmistress, "But what about-"
"She wouldn't want you out here, worrying about her instead of looking after yourself."
Sighing, Bloom nodded and slowly got up. Looking over her shoulder, she hung her head and followed her teacher back to Alfea. When they were inside, Griselda didn't head for the main hall like she expected, but followed her to her room, a gentle hand resting on her back. Slipping into her room, she went straight to her wardrobe and pulled out her favourite jeans and top, wanting nothing more then to go back outside to her Headmistress. Instead, she did as she had been instructed and changed, quickly joining her teacher in the main room.
"How did you know where I was?" She asked quietly, a small frown creasing her brow.
Clearing her throat, Griselda held open the door for the girl, "If I wasn't for the fact that I am now responsible for the running of the school, I would have been out there as well." She explained, smiling down at her student.
Bloom snorted, "I bet you wouldn't have fallen asleep outside in the cold."
Griselda stopped, placing her hand on her shoulder and looked at her, "Maybe," she agreed, "But then again I haven't been fighting for two days straight."
"Still..." She whispered sadly, looking down.
Stepping in front of the red head, she grabbed both her shoulders, "Listen to me Bloom. What you and your friends managed yesterday after fighting those witches is nothing short of amazing. Very few fairies can fight for an hour before collapsing; you did it for two days. It's surprising you even managed to make it back to the clearing after everything you've been through."
Bloom smiled slightly, touched by what her teacher had said. "Thank you Ms Griselda."
Nodding, the brunette pulled back and fixed her glasses, "You're welcome, now come along."
Following, Bloom and Griselda made it to the main hall before Bloom finally spoke up.
"Ms Griselda?"
Stopping, the taller woman looked at her, "Yes?"
"Can I eat outside?" She asked hesitantly.
Looking over her frames, Griselda gave her a glare, "No."
Bloom sighed, her shoulders slumping in defeat.
"You will eat with your friends and then rest," She paused, thinking something over, "If you wish to do so outside, then so be it."
A bright smile spread across Blooms face. "Thank you Ms Griselda."
The stern teacher fought against her own smile, instead giving her a small nod. "You're welcome." She said softly before entering the hall.
Behind her, Bloom smiled and made her way over to her friends.
Not long later, Bloom was heading back to the clearing, intending to stay there as the rest of the girls tried to find someway to return Ms Faragonda. Getting there, she sat down in front of the tree and explained everything that had happened since her battle with Valtor. It wasn't until she tried to explain why she wasn't with her friends, helping them in their search that she ended up in tears once more.
"I can't-I can't focus knowing that you're out here on your own." She sniffled.
Before she could say anything more, a white hanky appeared in front of her, startling her. Looking up, she wasn't all that surprised to see Griselda standing beside her, hanky in hand. Taking it, she wiped her nose, quietly mumbling, "Thanks."
Nodding, Griselda gave her her typical look over her glasses, "You're welcome Miss Bloom." She said, studying the girl closely, "I believe you can have the next few days off to recover from...everything." She glanced at the trapped Headmistress. "But you must sleep inside, I will not tolerate you staying out and catching your death."
Bloom looked up at her in surprise, quickly nodding her head when a look of annoyance crossed the stern teachers features. "Of course Ms Griselda."
Griselda nodded sharply before thrusting a book towards her, "This is Ms Faragondas favourite, why don't you read it for her." She suggested, turning on her heel sharply. "I have work to do, so don't forget to eat."
As the brunette walked away, Bloom watched her, wondering to herself why she was being...kind to her. When she was finally out of sight, she looked down at the book, not bothering to hide her smile at the title. Opening to the first chapter, she settled back and started reading, "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King..."
That afternoon, after spending all of the morning working on paperwork and grading, Ms Griselda stood up and made her way to the looking glass that she knew Faragonda used to keep an eye on things. Activating it, she focused on Bloom until she saw her in the mirror, sitting exactly where she had left her after breakfast. Sighing, she admitted to herself that she wasn't surprised, but a little disappointed in her student. Turning back to the desk, she wrote out a short note 'I thought I told you to eat.' and sent it to Bloom, along with a plate of fruit and a sandwich. Sitting back down, she continued to work, occasionally looking up to see the girl nibbling on the food while she continued to read.
Before Bloom knew it, it was time for dinner, although if it wasn't for Tecna coming to collect her, she would have continued to read by the small fire she had built earlier to stay warm as the night drew closer. Sighing, she stood up and extinguished the fire, promising to continue reading in the morning, before following her friend inside. She didn't want to risk the wrath of the Deputy Headmistress by staying out and not eating. The red head was glad when Tecna didn't speak, but sadly that feeling was quickly dashed when the rest of the group crowded around her to ask her where she's been all day.
Before she could even think to form an answer, Griselda cut through them, directing them into the hall for supper. As she made her way to follow her friends, Bloom felt a hand on her shoulder. "I would like to talk to you after dinner Bloom."
Turning around, Bloom looked up at her teacher, a look of confusion gracing her face, "Of course."
Nodding, Griselda dropped her hand, "Come to Ms Faragondas office when you're ready." Bloom nodded, holding the book tightly to her chest, "Off you go, best not let your friends believe I'm torturing you." She joked, a slight smile turning up her lips.
Smiling back, Bloom relaxed as she was guided into the hall.