"You don't control me, if anything; you owe me for saving your lives." Bloom yelled at her parents.
"You may have freed us but that gives you absolutely no power over us, we are still your parents and therefore what we say goes."
"Unbelievable" Bloom screamed throwing her hands up in frustration "I save your sorry lives, and suddenly you want to take over my life."
"Take over your life?" The king yelled standing from his throne. At the same time the queen asked quietly "suddenly?"
Both monarchs froze and glanced at each other before the king continued "Bloom, we are not taking over your life, and this request" he emphasized the word request "Is by no means sudden. We have given you plenty of chances to make this decision for yourself but it has been three years, you are twenty one for goodness sakes, it's time for you to make a decision."
"So basically this is an ultimatum." Bloom said crossing her arms "I make a decision or you do it for me."
"I'm sorry Bloom but as the only remaining heir to the Sparx throne this is issue of the utmost importance to us and our subjects."
Bloom snorted and sighed, she knew nothing she would say would change her parent's minds so she resorted to the childish, foolproof method of the silent treatment. She turned to leave but her father's voice stopped her steps from the large doors.
"You have a week Bloom."
Bloom didn't reply to her father's whispered comment. She seethed but did not respond, instead she continued on out the door.
-:-
"Ahhh." Bloom screamed in frustration as she let out her anger on an unsuspecting tree, anger that had been building up for years.
"What did that tree ever do to you?" Bloom didn't turn towards the source of the voice; instead she scowled at the ground wishing she could do to him what she had done to the tree. "Is someone trying to play bad guy again?" He mocked.
The small bit of control Bloom was holding on to floated away and she aimed a glowing red fist at the man who had become her closest companion over the last three years, her only friend since leaving Alfea, a man she couldn't stand the sight of.
"I'm not playing bad guy." She hissed "I am seriously pissed right now."
"Are you having daddy issues again?" Valtor mocked ducking under the fire ball she shot at him.
"I'll take that as a yes." Valtor continued. "Or," he paused thinking "is it the anniversary." Her lack of response was all the response he needed. Three years ago, to this day her friends had graduated from Alfea and become guardian fairies leaving their poor friend on her own in a dimension that was still relatively new to her.
-:-
Bloom stood at the back of the crowd, frantically applauding as several of the fairies in her year, including the rest of the Winx girls graduated and became guardian fairies. She wished she could be up there with them, receiving a scroll proclaiming her as a guardian fairy but she couldn't. She had no planet to guard and supposedly her Enchantix wasn't even complete (that wasn't true but she couldn't tell anybody that). No, Bloom would just have to suffer in silence.
"How can you stand there and applaud the people who are getting the one thing you'll never get?"
Bloom stopped clapping immediately and her whole body froze.
"You're supposed to be dead." She growled, her eyes never leaving the stage.
"Yet here I stand." He whispered in her ear, wrapping an arm around her waist. "And it's all thanks to you"
"Stop that." She growled, pushing his arm away. "I only saved you because I didn't want to have your death on my conscious."
Valtor made an unintelligible noise that clearly signified that he didn't believe what she was saying. "If that is what helps you sleep at night." He muttered then he looked over her shoulder and disappeared.
"Bloom!" Bloom turned to a very excited Stella and wrapped her arm around her best friend.
"I'm so proud of you Stell." She said, releasing her friend so she could hug the others "I'm so proud of all of you."
"Thanks Bloom." Flora said. Bloom eyed the scrolls each girl carried enviously.
"I've always wanted to be a guardian fairy." Tecna said to Musa as they both looked over their scrolls Blooms smile became more forced.
-:-
"It's a bit of both." Bloom admitted. Leaning against a tree, the large skirts of her overly fancy dress preventing her from sitting. "My parents have finally given the ultimatum. One week to find a husband."
Valtor started laughing which did nothing to sooth the temper of the angry fairy princess. Valtor's laughter stopped when he realized that Bloom wasn't laughing with him and he looked at her shocked. "You're serious."
"Yes, daddy dearest needs me to marry someone so I don't control over this kingdom alone, and of course, he needs to make sure I have someone to take over from me after I step down."
"So basically unless you find a man this week your father is going to choose your husband and hover over you until you're holding a squealing little kid."
"Yes, and I already know who he has in mind."
"Do I really want to know?" Bloom simply looked at him, her eyes filling with tears she refused to let fall. Valtor knew immediately who was going to be her intended.
"Fucking Prince of Eraklyon,"
-:-
Bloom quickly moved from table to table making sure everyone was happy. Satisfied that her immediate attention was not needed anywhere she slowly walked towards the kitchen to tell her boss she was taking a much needed break.
"Bloom," Bloom froze as a very familiar voice called her name. "Bloom"
Bloom turned and met the eyes of her boyfriend, or ex-boyfriend, she wasn't sure what to call him anymore. She walked towards him slowly but the restaurant where she was working was small and the walk took much less time than she wanted it to. "Hello Sky."
"Bloom, can we talk for a minute." Sky's eyes refused to meet hers and she quickly became scared of what he was going to say but she led him to a table and slid into the booth across from him. There was a moment of awkward silence before Sky cleared his throat "So, you're working here now?"
She watched as he disdainfully eyed the restaurant before replying. "Yes, there's not much an Alfea flunkey with no planet and limited knowledge of the dimension can do around here." She didn't mean for her words to be so bitter but she also couldn't bring herself to regret her tone.
"I see," Sky said though he clearly didn't "Anyway, I really came here to end our relationship officially." Sky actually had the decency to look sheepish as he spoke "My parents don't like you very much and they believe a planet less Princess is no match for me. They believe that my relationship with Diaspro would be more beneficial for our planet."
"And you didn't fight them." Bloom stated. Sky's news did not surprise her. In fact, she was surprised he hadn't done it sooner."
"I'm sorry Bloom but I couldn't help but agree with them. A prince and a waitress should never be together…"
"Get out" Bloom hissed before he could go on"
"Pardon?" Sky asked, looking genuinely confused.
"You heard me. Get out, you don't want to be with me, I get that, don't torcher yourself by staying in the presence of this lowly waitress anymore."
She stood from her seat and made her way towards the backdoor of the restaurant. "Bloom I.." Sky gripped her wrist causing Bloom to freeze.
"Let go Sky." The prince refused to and in fact tightened his grip on her arm as if afraid she would make herself disappear. "Let go Sky, before I do something I regret."
The Prince of Eraklyon actually heeded her warming this time and allowed Bloom to make her escape out of the restaurant. Her anger lasted only until the cold air of the outdoors hit her face, when it did; her anger evaporated and was replaced by sadness. Soul crushing sadness. She lowered herself to the ground, pulled her knees to her chest and cried. Eventually she became aware of arms holding her, she didn't fight them, in fact, she gripped him right back and cried into Valtor's arms.
-:-
Thinking of that day now only brought her anger especially considering that now that she had money power and social standing Sky was desperate to take her back.
"Take me away from this place." She said. Her voice sounded broken, hollow, like a person who had given up on being happy, loved or respected, like a person who no longer had anything left for her in life. She broke down, and just like three years ago, Valtor was there, holding her and comforting her.