For Akela Victoire's birthday, I present this oneshot. There will eventually be a follow-up to it, but I wanted to have it out on her birthday, so…yeah. Anyway, it's set in the same universe as After the Fallout and features a pairing I can't believe I'm actually writing for. I hope you all enjoy it.
As per usual, all recognizable characters belong to Rainbow and Nickelodean. Sylvia and Lisette are my own creations, however.
Unnatural Attractions
It had been another exhausting day working and training with the outgoing Guardian Fairy of Linphea, and while Sylvia was a kind enough woman, all the little jobs she assigned were wearing Flora down. It was near the end of the work day, and the young Nature fairy was hoping to find news of somewhat easier assignments for her shift tomorrow. Trying not to look as tired as she felt, Flora made her way to the cork board containing the next day's assignments.
She froze as soon as she read the sticky notes with her name on them. "Eraklyon?" She blurted out, causing Sylvia to look up at her. The much-older Guardian Fairy—the Fairy of Forests—gave the former Winx Club member an amused smile. "You're sending me to Eraklyon?"
"That was the idea." Sylvia's brown eyes danced as she watched Flora's reactions. "I was supposed to meet with either the King and Queen or their son, along with that realm's guardian fairy, on behalf of all Linpheans as a favor to King Rowan, to negotiate new trade arrangements. However, there is some troublesome business on the southernmost continent that needs to be taken care of, and you aren't experienced at working on your own enough to handle it."
"Why not send one of the princesses to negotiate?" Flora asked. "I may have befriended a couple of princesses, but that doesn't mean I know how to talk to kings!"
"King Rowan and Crown Princess Krystal felt that you were the best fairy for the job." Sylvia remarked, brushing a few errant strands of pine-needle-green hair behind her tanned ears. "I happen to agree with them. Now, since this is official planetary business, you will be expected to wear something nice. Not a full formal gown, but something that says 'professional business with royals' and 'woman of high social status'. If you don't have anything in that vein, I am sure that one of the young princesses would be more than willing to help you find something appropriate."
It took a moment for the young brunette to process what she'd been told. Princess Krystal recommended her for this job? She hadn't thought the lavender-haired healer would stick up for her like that, not after she cited the girl as one of the reasons why she and Helia split. It's not that she hated Krystal or wished her ill. No, she just couldn't handle Helia's repeated verbal slips whenever he spoke to Krystal in her presence coupled with the fact that he never mentioned being friends with her before. If she had known he was friends with the new princess before being formally introduced to the girl, she might have let him off a little easier.
However, he never brought it up and then introduced her as his 'friend' instead of 'girlfriend of four years'. They tried to salvage their relationship, but it was too little too late after far too big a blow. He was now off on Andros, standing by Aisha's side as she finally took time to grieve for Nabu. Maybe something would come of this, or maybe he would move on to another realm after the Fairy of the Waves finished grieving her dead fiancé. Flora didn't particularly care. He deserved to be happy; deserved someone more confident and assertive than she was.
But, that was the past (albeit the very recent past), and this was the present. "No, I think I can find something on my own." She breathed, temporarily shutting down her emotions so they wouldn't overrun her. "I take it you will be leaving for the southern continent tonight?"
"Of course, but don't you worry about me." The older fairy smiled warmly. "Saffron, my personal secretary, will meet you at the transport terminal tomorrow morning to go over the main points you are to bring up in your discussions with the Eraklyon royals. I suggest you do your shopping now and get a good night's sleep; I doubt you will have a chance to do so on the transport shuttle."
Prince Sky was bored out of his mind, but didn't let anyone else see it. There were a great many things he would rather be doing than standing in between his mother and Lisette, the Guardian Fairy of Eraklyon, waiting on the transport from Linphea. It wasn't that Sylvia wasn't a nice woman to talk to, but dealing with trade talks was something he personally loathed. He might have done a lot of maturing since his little breakup with Bloom the previous year (and subsequent drunken one-night-stand with a stranger on Cosmosia not long afterward), but he didn't see himself ever growing to like sitting in on trade talks.
At least his father wasn't involved this time; that resulted in screaming matches between Erendor and the visiting dignitaries as of late. Linphea was a friendly planet who often traded natural resources for credits, but with his father's recent foul mood (brought on by losing a critical battle in their planet's civil war) it wouldn't stay that way if he conducted the talks.
Erendor had lost a lot of trade deals when he turned his back on Domino twenty-some-odd years ago, but had (as per his usual) put the blame on someone else's shoulders. This planet was too stuck-up; this planet charged too much; he didn't like the way that king talked to him—all of those excuses had been given more than once within the royal household, and Samara was finally sick of it. She had always been rather vocal that they should have stood by Domino in their hour of need as Domino had done when the civil war broke out two years prior. Now that Domino was restored and Princess Dafne was alive again, it was time to right an age-old wrong… a wrong that wouldn't be touched if Erendor made all the arrangements. So, she made Sky one of their official off-world ambassadors and sent him to talk with various dignitaries, be it at home or away. Sometimes she went with him, sometimes she didn't, but he invariably did most of the talking at these meetings.
"Ah, there she is." Lisette, a woman in her early forties with long rust-colored hair and unnervingly vivid red eyes remarked, looking at the shuttle that was now making its first landing attempt. "I do not think this meeting will take long; they know what they want from us and what we will be willing to pay to gain access to some of their natural resources."
"True. And Sylvia is always very quick in stating her case." Samara tilted her head to the side, red-brown hair falling behind her as she did so.
"Oh, it's not Sylvia doing the negotiations today." Lisette corrected. "She had some urgent business to see to on Linphea."
"Then who could they have sent?" Samara wondered.
'Please, not Princess Krystal.' Sky thought fervently. The young princess was nice, but awfully naïve and likely to be taken advantage of. Besides, she wasn't even an adult yet, and thus would hardly be a good choice for a planetary spokesperson.
As the shuttle landed, Sky racked his brain for any clues as to the identity of the mystery person on board the ship. It wouldn't be King Rowan; there were no royal markings on this craft. Krystal was far too young, and her sisters even younger than she. The Queen wouldn't have troubled herself with this sort of meeting, and Sylvia was detained on Linphea, so that only left…
"I offer my sincerest apologies for keeping you waiting." He shook himself out of his thoughts as a familiar voice filled the air. "The turbulence we hit leaving Linphea were not kind to us." He tried his best not to look like a gawking lunatic, but it was rather difficult. He'd never seen sweet, demure Flora looking quite like this.
Her long, light brown hair was pulled into an elegant bun with a flower-adorned comb holding it in place. A pale pink floor-length dress and a matching ¾ sleeved jacket gave the appearance of a sophisticated businesswoman, an impression further perpetuated by a pair of simple white dress shoe and the three-stranded pearl necklace, accented with what appeared to be a real violet blossom, around her neck. A simple brown briefcase was clutched in her left hand.
Sky never found her so attractive before. "Think nothing of it, Lady Flora. Welcome to Eraklyon. I trust the rest of your trip was enjoyable?" 'Be polite; think of her as your ex's roommate, not as a potential date…' He repeated the mantra in his head, but found that it wasn't really helping to keep his thoughts on the topic at hand and not how very lovely Flora looked in her new dress.
"Quite." She smiled. Noticing Samara and Lisette, she gathered some of her skirt in her hands and offered a small courtesy. "Queen Samara, Guardian Lisette, I thank you very much for having me here at your palace."
"Oh, they picked a nice one when they accepted your application for Guardianship." Lisette smirked. Other realms didn't focus so much on personality and skill as they did on power type, making the Guardians from those worlds hard to deal with. "I hope whoever takes my job is half as polite as you are."
A delicate blush crept over Flora's tanned cheeks. It made for a rather cute picture, one Prince Sky was desperately trying to keep from becoming anything more than 'cute' in his mind. He had wanted to remain single for a while so he had more time and energy to devote to his duties as crown prince and off-world ambassador. That had been working out wonderfully for the last six months; no need for him to go ruining that now, especially not with his ex-girlfriend's former roommate.
"It is our pleasure to host you, Lady Flora." Samara responded with a smile. His mother may never have approved of Bloom or Stella (the Solarian blonde was a bit too loud and flighty for the Queen's taste), but she rather liked Flora. The Linphean girl was sweet, calm, and intelligent in her own right, although she was still a bit behind the other girls in the self-confidence department. "If you will follow me, we will go to one of the conference rooms and begin these negotiations."
"Of course, Queen Samara." Flora bowed her head respectfully.
Following the pattern of previous talks with friendly realms, Samara let Sky and Lisette do all the talking. It suited her purposes well, allowing her an opportunity to study both her son and the visiting Linphean unobtrusively.
Sky… Dragon, how much that boy had changed in the last six months! Since his break-up with Princess Bloom of Domino, he had thrown himself into being the best ambassador and prince he could be as an outlet for all the unpleasant emotions he was dealing with. Just because a break-up was mutual didn't make it any less painful for those involved. He carried himself differently now, standing taller and straighter than she'd seen him do in years. He was also more mindful of how he treated the women of the court and armies, which was a very nice bonus. She'd rather hoped he would come to that realization sooner, but she would take what she could get.
To say she was livid about the Day of the Royals debacle five years ago was a gross understatement, though unlike her husband and the dignitaries from Isis, the brunt of her fury had been directed at her son and not the redhead who nearly burned down the stadium. He had toyed with the affections of two women, lying to the both of them about having another love interest and that simply would not do. Even disguised as his squire, Brandon, there was no excuse for Sky not to tell Bloom he was already engaged. It would have saved everyone a giant headache and thousands of credits worth of property damage.
Diaspro and Sky's engagement contract was voided after that, which grieved Erendor deeply. He had really wanted to us their marriage as a way to strengthen ties with their neighboring realm. Samara wasn't quite as distraught. Yes, she loved Diaspro—loved her like the daughter she never had, but she could tell that Sky was never all that attracted to her. He loved her as a childhood friend and would marry her for duty, but she would never be the love of his life and Samara knew it. Then again, she also knew that Bloom wouldn't be the one her son would settle down with either.
She hadn't hated Bloom, despite what her son might still think. She didn't think that the Fairy of the Dragon Fire was a good match for her son but had never truly hated the girl. Now that the two college sweethearts had gone their separate ways, each of them could find that one person that they truly belonged with.
She turned her gaze away from Lisette as Flora began to talk about what resources Linphea was prepared to offer and what they would take in return. Her first interaction with the soon-to-be Guardian Fairy had come during Sky's last year at college: the year the Winx began their quest for Enchantix in an attempt to stop Valtor. She'd taken an immediate liking to the teenager, knowing that her nurturing spirit and soft-spoken demeanor would win her many favors. She had already won the heart of Saladin's grandson, who was as quiet and contemplative as she was. An artist and a gardener—they looked and sounded to everyone else like a perfect couple, but Samara didn't quite agree. Unlike his grandfather, Helia was indecisive and not very good at taking charge of a situation. Flora, at that time, lacked the confidence in herself to be the one in charge of the relationship. Eventually, something had to give, and it did just that last year.
Now, both the quiet Nature fairy and the future King were single and had grown far more comfortable in their societal roles and with themselves. Flora was gaining confidence in herself and learning how to lead rather than follow; Sky learned what it was to love someone, and how to properly treat a lady. And Samara felt it was high time she had a turn at playing matchmaker.
The treaty discussions had just ended, Flora and Sky signing the appropriate documents cementing the trade unions, when the Nature Fairy stood up, preparing to leave.
"Unless there are any other issues you have that require my planet's assistance, I feel it would be a good time to depart for Linphea." She stated, smoothing the front of her gown with her hands.
"Actually, I do have one small request to make of you, Flora." Samara spoke up for the first time since the meeting began. Her son stared at her like she'd suddenly decided to change her hair color, while Lisette seemed perfectly content with what was about to play out.
"By all means, Queen Samara, tell me what it is and I will do my best to aid you." Flora nodded in polite submission. Though now the understudy to the Guardian Fairy and a member of the famed Winx Club, Flora did not hold titles unrelated to her job. She was the daughter of a middle-class family with no connection to the nobility on any known planet and therefore considered socially "inferior" to Samara. The Queen was rather impressed that she remembered it and chose to follow the proper decorum so gracefully.
"Every year, our neighboring realm Isis hosts a great gala for the ruling families of planets they are allied with. It's more a show of wealth than anything else, but it is still an honor to be asked to attend, and it is to be held next week." She explained. "However, with all that is going on here with the war, Erendor and I will be unable to attend and it would be rather awkward to send Prince Sky there on his own. I know that both Diaspro and Sky have moved on with their lives, but the tabloids have not forgotten about their tumultuous history and would put a rather negative spin on a seemingly innocent situation."
Flora struggled valiantly to maintain her composure, but Samara noticed that the woman was shaken by the news. "You want me to go to the gala? As Prince Sky's date?"
"I prefer the term 'plus one', since this is more of a business dinner. Isis has wanted to speak to the elite of Linphea about securing similar arrangements to what we currently have with your realm, and this will provide you and them the perfect chance to feel each other out." Samara answered. "Besides, you two are not officially dating, and a fancy gala is a bit much to ask for a first date, don't you think?"
"Quite." Sky muttered, stunned by the turn of events. "Mother, you don't have to ask Flora to do this."
She was actually rather proud of him for saying that. "It is but a request, and one she may turn down if she feels it is too much of us to ask." She assured her son. "But in all honesty, who would you have asked, dear? You no longer have a girlfriend and none of the daughters of our realm's nobility seem to have caught your eye."
"And you can't very well ask me to go, as I am happily married." Lisette pointed out in her usual blunt fashion. "It really is your best option, my Prince."
"Flora?" the blond man asked, sapphire eyes focused on the Linphean woman. "Do you want to do this?"
Samara's green eyes focused on the slender fairy seated across from her son. For a moment, she thought the woman might actually turn her offer down, but then she saw that determined flash in the Nature Fairy's eyes and knew that phase one of her plan was complete.
"Yes, Prince Sky and Queen Samara, I will act as the 'plus one' for the Isis gala." Flora's voice rang clear and strong without sounding haughty. "It is in the best interests of Linphea for me to speak to the royal house of Isis as soon as it can be managed, and as you so graciously pointed out, there is absolutely no need to subject Princess Diaspro or Prince Sky to the wild imaginings of gossip magazine columnists after they've worked so hard to move on."
Samara smiled warmly, but was mentally jumping up and down with excitement. She'd gotten them to go somewhere together! Whatever happened beyond this point was totally up to them. "I thank you very much for your willing compliance, Lady Flora. I have no further request of you save that you return to Linphea safely and in one piece."
"I will do my best." The younger fairy bowed politely. "Now, since we are finished with negotiations, I really must get back to the ship."
"I'll walk you out." Sky nodded, walking up to the girl and holding the door open for her. Samara resisted the unladylike urge to roll her eyes; her son could try to talk Flora out of it all he wanted, but there was very little to be said. Flora had agreed and would be accompanying him to Isis and that was all that really mattered at this point in time.
"Flora, why did you agree to do this?" She glanced curiously at Sky as they walked back to the Linphean shuttle. "I know my mother is important, but she shouldn't make you feel so obligated to do things like this…"
"That's not it." She answered shortly, focus fixed intently on the path ahead of her. "I'm not doing it for her; I'm doing it for my realm and for you and Diaspro." Even without looking at him, she knew the blond prince was blinking in sock.
"Diaspro? Why would you do something for Diaspro?"
"Because, contrary to Bloom's persistent belief, she is not evil incarnate. She's made some very bad choices, but she's not trying to take over the known realms or anything. Besides, the times I've talked to her on my own, she's seemed like a fairly nice person." She shrugged lightly, the silky fabric of her jacket rubbing coolly against her shoulders as she did so. "I read in the newspapers that she has a new beau—a nobleman named Sebastian—and am happy for her; she deserves someone who will love and respect her." Grassy green eyes cut to her left, narrowing angrily at the prince. "What she does not deserve is a bunch of gossip-mongers trying to spin another clichéd and inaccurate love-triangle story between you, the new boyfriend, and her. Besides, if Linphea is going to be trading with Isis, it would be wise for me to be on good terms with their princess."
The man beside her sighed, his gaze drifting upward to the palace's vaulted ceiling. "And you're one-hundred percent sure you want to go through with this?"
"Yes." She nodded. It was, as Tecna would say, the most logical course of action. "I suppose we'll have to make sure our wardrobes don't clash for this gala." She was not looking forward to formal-wear shopping on her own, but shopping with Stella tended to be a hassle. Maybe she should ask Mirta for dress opinions instead? She'd always been helpful during her days at Alfea. Even with Mirta now living in Magix City with Lucy, it shouldn't be too terribly difficult. She could just text a picture of the dress she wanted to the redhead and wait for a response.
"The royal family's coat of arms is green, gold, and blue, so my suit will probably be blue and gold. You don't have to match, though, since you're not a member of the royal family or my girlfriend." He remarked.
"I don't want to match you, but it would be terrible if I wore something in safety-cone orange. I have no intention of winding up on someone's worst dressed list this year." While she didn't follow the latest fashion trends as religiously as Stella, she also knew it would be bad to upstage or clash with your date's attire.
"Ah." He nodded, falling into silence as the pair walked back to the shuttle. For once, Flora was thankful for the silence as it gave her time to mull over what she'd just signed herself up for.
She'd have to tell Sylvia about this once she got back home and ask for a day off so she could attend. In all, Sylvia would probably consider this a very successful meeting. Then there was the hassle of dress-shopping and managing the transportation issues faced by this arrangement. She wouldn't have agreed to do this sort of thing for just anyone, but Diaspro deserved a happy ending. Sky deserved to be dumped by Bloom (and a few other creative punishments, if she had her way), but his family did not need to be subjected to that kind of stigma. Okay, maybe Erendor had earned it, but Samara certainly hadn't. The woman had never been anything but nice to Flora, after all. Besides, she would likely be invited to many more galas as Guardian fairy and this provided excellent practice for those scenarios. Having a handsome date didn't hurt, either.
Once back at the shuttle, she turned to face him one last time before climbing aboard. "We will need to discuss the issue of transport, since Linphea isn't exactly a next door neighbor to Isis." It would be the better part of a day's journey to reach that world from hers.
"Agreed." He nodded. "Take care, Flora. I'll see you soon."
"Likewise." She responded, sparing him a quick glance before ascending the loading ramp. It was only after she nearly tripped on her skirt that she remembered to gather some of the pink fabric in her hands so that it didn't drag the ground. This was why she didn't particularly like long skirts, but if she was going to continue meetings like these when she became the Guardian of Linphea (and it was looking like she would need to continue arranging formal meetings, no matter how much she disliked them), she would need to learn how to walk in a full skirt without tripping on the hem and landing on her face. She supposed she would need to practice with stairs for the gala.
As the shuttle bay doors shut behind her, the Guardian-in-training sighed while sinking into one of the chairs. The things she did for realm and friendship…