Winx Club Rewrite 4,5: Ties from the Past

by ArachCobra

Worn out from their harrowing experiences on Earth, the girls seek reprieve from their many hardships. But the past is littered with unresolved dangers, many of which now start to surface, threatening to rend asunder the peace the girls have fought for.

Winx Club Rewrite 4.5: Ties from the Past

A.N.: Hey, everyone. We're back to Winx Club for now to tackle the second movie. For those who didn't read our other project, we're now doing reviews of the material we base the fanfic on over on my Tumblr. Have fun.

Chapter 1: Heartbeat, Heartbreak

Stella lay in her bed, idly watching the ceiling. Warm air gently flowed in from the open windows, along with the sound of the people milling about in the castle gardens. The blond sighed, before blowing an errant lock of hair out of her face. She wasn't exactly bored, more like apathetic. She could imagine a thousand things she could be doing, but none of them seemed appealing at the moment.

Then there was a knock on the door.

"Come in," the Solarian princess said, sitting up in her bed.

"Excuse me, Princess Stella, but a visitor has arrived at the castle gates," a guard said. "A rather peculiar one at that. She was dressed in lederhosen and a tuxedo vest."

"That's tots gotta be Techna. Only she would, like, dress like that and go out in public," Stella said. "Huh. Weird. I don't think we've agreed to meet up." She furrowed her brows. "Anyway, just let her in."

"I'll pass your orders on, Princess," the guard said, bowing her head before leaving her room.

Stella grabbed her phone and began looking through its calendar. No sign of anything resembling a meeting with Techna. She scratched her head in confusion.

"Yo, what's up, Blondie!?" the scarred girl loudly declared as she barged through the door, umbrella in one hand and ice cream in the other.

Stella groaned from the floor, having tipped over in surprise. "Well, might, like, have aged a couple of years from the shock. Seriously, don't you knock back home?"

"Not when the alternative is funnier," she replied with a grin, closing the door behind her. "So, holding up alright?"

"Somewhat," the blonde sighed, getting back on the bed. "Guess I don't have that much room to complain. I just feel... Drained, I guess." She glanced at her calendar. "Kinda lost my sense of time. We've only been back for a couple of weeks and I swear, it tots feels like that whole Earth business was years ago."

"I know that feel. It's why I decided to drop in."

"People don't normally drop in on each other like this," Stella remarked. "Makes security, like, super nervous."

"Yeah, figured as much. I considered inviting you over to my place. But then we'd have to set you up in the garage, and then you'd probably whine and then my mom would get annoyed and then it would be a mess," Techna explained.

"Whine? I don't... Wait, how long are you staying?" the Solarian princess asked confused.

"Don't know. Figured we'd improvise," Techna said, putting the umbrella down. "So, heard from the others yet?"

"Not for a while. I know Musa is still at Sunny Soul and Bloom has moved in with her royal parents for now. Probably for the best." Stella's mouth became a thin line, annoyance seeping into her voice. "Easier to fend of the siege force of journalists and sycophants that have come out of the woodwork with a castle wall."

"Boy howdy, can they be persistent. I've even made a sort of obstacle course at the junkyard to help me lose them," Techna replied. "Let me tell ya, some of those reporters can jump with the best of them. Saw this one gossip columnist clear three hurdles in one leap. Mudpit got him though."

"Ugh," the blond groaned, leaning back on the bed. "Why can't we just go back to things being normal? I swear, we're cursed."

"And you even like the limelight," Techna noted.

"Yeah, but, like, even I have limits. And I can tots imagine how it's grinding away at the rest of you," Stella remarked. She sighed. "Let's do something else. This is totally bumming me out."

"Good idea. What are you up for?" the scarred girl inquired.

"Dunno."

"Then let's watch TV. That's always an option when you just want to turn your brain off," Techna said, picking up a remote control and turning on the massive flat screen TV that dominated one of the walls.

"...continued difficulties handling these new developments, which has slowed down opportunities to set up trade deals and hash out common law," the news announcer declared. "Progress is being made as several countries have entered dialogue with the Black Circle to establish their role in modern Earth society."

"Huh," Techna uttered.

"What, surprised?" Stella asked. "News have barely talked about anything else. Haven't you seen the news lately?"

"We don't have a TV at home. I made a custom once, but... Well, I tried to make a signal booster," she replied. "It kinda boosted it into the ceiling."

Stella stared. "How?"

"Magnets."

"Despite these difficulties, we have managed to reach out to some of the politicians involved," the newscaster continued. "Edmund Freisinger of Germany had the following to say."

The screen changed to a bespectacled man in a suit. "Between these, quite frankly, shocking revelations and the massive recovery efforts, all hands and resources have been tied," he said. "Therefore, we're not in a position to go through the efforts necessary to set up these... Interdimensional dealings yet." He sounded like he still found it hard to believe. "Right now, due to the influence they've had, we're also busy settling things with the Black Circle. They have been open enough to deliver all documentations and have proved the efforts they've gone to, to gain legal permission for their operations. Of course, we as a country cannot accept deals made with the Holy Roman Empire as being binding in modern times, even if we geographically share the same area, but these are but some of the difficulties we're having to sort out."

The newscaster returned on screen. "The leader of the Black Circle, Ogron, has declared that he and all members under him are committed to integrating into modern society and assist in dealing with the reintroduction of magic to Earth."

A picture of a decidedly uncomfortable looking Ogron surrounded by journalists waving microphones in his face appeared in the corner of the screen.

"So far, our impression of Earth is that opinions are sharply divided on how to handle these things. Many countries demand reparations for the war with the White Circle they've accidentally been dragged into, with some even calling for the arrest of those involved, not only from the Black Circle, but also people like Bloom Kadmos and Stella Guildenstern, who were heavily involved."

Techna winced.

"Doubt it'll happen," Stella remarked. "Me being arrested, that is. But I figured staying away from Earth until tempers cool will be for the best."

"What about the reparations?" Techna asked.

"Mom and Dad have already declared they're tots willing to assist, as soon as they can figure out how to go about it," the blonde remarked.

"That's good. Let's see if there's anything else on," the scarred girl noted, pressing a button.

"...has already stated that they consider your work inflammatory and misleading," a female interviewer said. "What do you say to these remarks from the Eraklian royal family?"

"I'm wholly unsurprised," the tweed jacket-clad man she interviewed responded. "They'd have to, because if I'm right, it could have dire consequences."

"But you also write that there is a possibility of you being wrong," the interviewer noted.

"Yes. But the odds are low. If the Eraklian royal house is deceiving us as to the status of the twice-crowned heir Sky, then we must know."

"What did Squire do now?" Techna asked confused.

"For once, nothing. Some people are just raising a fuss because someone claims that Sky is actually totally not Erendor's son," Stella explained. "So, like, that's got some people up in arms."

"Does it even fucking matter? I mean, they behave like father and son to me."

"If only it was so simple. Erendor's marriage was like a trade deal, so if he hasn't fathered an heir with his provided wife, that could actually be a serious enough breach that it could lead to one branch of the family declaring war on the main house," Stella said.

Techna stared slack-jawed. "What!? Are you for fucking real!?"

"Yes. And yes, it's tots stupid. But not like we've got room to talk. We've got the bloody history books to prove how bad we can get," the Solarian princess noted with a shrug.

"For some, it's a big deal. Isis would also get up in arms over it if Erendor had tried to get Diaspro hitched with someone who wasn't actually his son."

The scarred girl looked confused. "But they completely ditched Diaspro. To the point where she shacked up with Fancypants out of pure fucking desperation."

"True. But it's the principle of things. I guess."

"Ugh, nobility," Techna groaned, turning the TV off. "What are they even good for? Uhm, no offence."

"None taken," Stella sighed. She paused. "So what now?"

"Well, TV is also just bumming us out," the magenta-haired girl noted. "So I think we should find something different to do."

"Well, first we should, like, probably go tell Dad you'll be staying over," the blonde noted, jumping out of bed. "Next, I'd like to go to the tombs and see to some of my ancestors. Maybe see if I can get inspiration for what to do with myself."

"Awesome. I'm always up for seeing some dead people," Techna noted with a wide grin.

...

Slowly, the heavy fog of head lifted from her mind, replaced with dawning awareness. She groaned, slowly opening her eyes, observing the red blanket of hair that obscured her sigh. Her body was completely wrapped in her warm duvet and she only managed to free herself with some effort. Groggily, Bloom tried to remember what she had dreamt. It was vague, but it had been bad. Real bad.

She slowly got out of bed and staggered over to the window. A few grey clouds lazily floated through the sky above the snow-covered land.

"Looks like it's gonna be another cold day," Bloom remarked, eyeing the cage with her pet, Kiko. "But then again, I don't think we have anything but cold days around here."

The guinea pig looked almost appreciative about being inside.

"So, my first day at the castle," the redhead continued. "What to do?" She scratched her chin, then paused as her stomach loudly gurgled. "Right, breakfast. Wonder what they eat around here?" she said, heading towards the door.

Before she could reach it, it was suddenly opened and three well-dressed ladies hurried in.

"Ah, Princess Bloom, good to see you're awake at the proper time," one said, as they quickly surrounded the redhead.

"I... Ehm... What... Who... Who are you?" Bloom asked surprised, as the three wasted no time peeling her pyjamas off her. "What are you doing?"

"We're your governesses, of course," one said matter-of-factly. "The King has asked us to take good care of you and help you settle in."

Another pushed in a wheeled rack of dresses. "Which one should she wear today?"

"Ehm..." Bloom began confused.

"The one gifted by the Solarian royal house must wait for a proper reveal," one attendant insisted.

"This one was sent by the Bijoux family. They're loyal supporters, but not that important. Perfect for daily wear."

"But they..." the redhead tried, before the three suddenly surrounded her, quickly getting her into the icy blue dress.

"But my..." she tried again, before being cut off by her the dress being tightened around her waist, forcing a gasp from her.

"And here's your breakfast," the third governess said, rolling in a table with a covered tray on it, before revealing the intended food. "Here you go. Fresh rosefish, imported from the south."

The redhead stared at the water filled glass bowl, where said fish was swimming around, looking just as confused as Bloom felt. "It's... Fresher than I imagined."

"Of course. Cooking a rosefish just breaks down the enzymes. Swallowing it alive helps keep you skin smooth and supple," one attendant said.

"A-alive," Bloom repeated.

"Yes. Do not worry, the rosefish is easily digested, even whole," another attendant explained. "Its mucus coating also help you swallow it without risk of choking."

"Mucus," the redhead repeated, with a small hint of horror in her voice.

"We should also get her make-up done when she has eaten," one governess said.

"Not to mention get her hair cut. It wouldn't do for her to look like Duchess Cyria. Not this season," another said.

"And once that is done, we can..." the third attendant began, before pausing. The three looked from the empty tray to the empty room. "Princess Bloom?"

...

Bloom rushed down the stairs, aquarium wrapped in her arms, the rosefish looking distressed at the bumpy ride. "It's okay, I'm not going to eat you," the redhead tried to reassure the piscine captive. "I'm not even into sushi and this would be way worse." She paused, looking around the opulent room she was in. "Why are there no direction signs?" she moaned. "How does anyone find their way around here?" She picked a random hallway and ran down it, intent on putting as much distance between her and the governesses she had been assigned. She intended to have a long talk with her father about sending obviously insane people into her room without permission. After she figured out what to do with the poor fish, of course.

She sharply turned a corner, only to bump into someone. Clutching the aquarium in one arm, her other wildly waved around as she tried to regain her balance, before she fell on her butt, water from the glass bowl splashing onto her dress.

The fish looked panicked at its slightly shrunken home.

"I'm so sorry," Bloom quickly said, focusing her magic to dry the stain. "I didn't see you and I..."

"Well, I was looking for you, so it's fine," came a smooth voice that Bloom instantly recognised.

With a wide grin, she looked up. "Valtor."

"In the flesh," the well-dressed man replied, with a slight flourish. "I heard you decided to come home and figured you could probably do with a visit." He gestured to the small man by his side. "Allow me to introduce you to my personal therapist, Theodore Trent."

"A pleasure," the therapist replied.

"Likewise," Bloom said, getting back on her feet.

"So, new pet?" Valtor asked, eyeing the bowl.

"Nope. Supposedly, it's my breakfast," the redhead replied.

"Ah, yes. Rosefish. Of course, I've never needed supplements. My powers allow me to keep my skin perfect with but the barest amount of effort," he noted. "Of course, Daphne tried one out. Once. I cannot recommend it based on her reaction."

"That and I'm not sure I want to eat raw food," Bloom added. "And I'm definitely sure I don't want to eat it alive. But I'm not sure what to do with it?"

"We can set it free in the underground aqueducts. This hardy fish is more than capable of making it on its own from there," Valtor suggested. "Hmm, pretty sure it was this way." The three of them headed off. "So, how's the royal life treating you, Sister?"

Bloom groaned. "It was nice enough yesterday. Quiet, got some food, had a short talk with Mother and Father." She paused. "Still getting used to that. But this morning, these three ladies jumped me, forcing me into this dress and then served me a live fish. It was crazy."

"They are there to ensure that the royals live up to the impeccable standards set by our predecessors," Valtor explained, adjusting his jacket. "And yes. They can be frustrating to deal with. Claimed that these colours were out of fashion." He harrumphed. "My wardrobe is timeless. I will not be defined by the fickle winds of popularity."

"Sounds fine by me," Bloom said, as they headed down a wide staircase. "Gonna have a talk with Father about this. I'd like to be informed if my room will be stormed by more servants."

"It will. Put your foot down now or you will have stylists jumping in through the window and pedicurists hiding in your cupboard before you know it."

The redhead sighed. "You know what? I could believe that happening at this point."

They headed into an underground chamber. The walls were decorated with blue tiles, sculpted pillars of naked figures holding up the roof. In the middle was a massive pool, the light reflecting from its clear waters dancing across the room.

"This is an aqueduct?" Bloom asked. "I imagined something more sewer-like."

"Something as common as a sewer? In this noble house? Perish the thought," Valtor declared.

Theodore scribbled something on his notepad.

"Alright, little one. Out you go," Bloom said, tipping the bowl.

The red fish looked quite grateful at its newfound freedom, before diving into the waters.

"Well, glad that's over," she said, sitting down on a small bench.

"I'm sure the journalists currently piling up outside the front gate will appreciate the hard work you do for the country's fish," Valtor said. He eyed Bloom, who stared at the pool, seemingly lost in thought. He paused, his mouth a thin line. "Sister? Bloom? Are you alright?"

"Huh? Oh, sorry, I just..." The Dominian princess paused, resting her head against a hand. "I just got thinking again. I'm trying not to."

"I see," the well-dressed royal quietly replied. He paused, before sitting down beside her. "Why don't you tell me how you feel? I've learned from my therapist that that can be really helpful."

She sighed. "You know... You know how... How everyone called you a monster. For what you did?"

"Yep. Some still do," Valtor noted.

"Well... I feel like... Like what I've done is so much worse." She stared at the water, small saltwater droplets slowly forming at the edge of her eyes. "I know that... That we couldn't control what the White Circle did. I get that. But we still... We still freed them. Nabu died. So many people died. Things would have been so much better if we hadn't gotten involved in the first place and... And I'm not sure what I should do." She looked, almost desperately, to her brother. "I feel horrible. Whenever I think about it, I just feel so guilty. Back on Earth, some are already demanding that I should be imprisoned. Or even executed. And I'm wondering... If they are right."

"Oh boy," Valtor sighed, looking across the chamber. "Well, I'm not gonna tell you not to feel bad. I still feel terrible about my own mistakes. I've hurt people too, both in person and as an eventual consequence of my actions. Feeling bad is part of accepting responsibility. Realising that you've made a mistake. And that's just how it is. I can't promise if you'll ever feel better about it." He sighed, folding his hands. "It's the thing about wielding power, whatever form it comes in. The more of it you have, the greater your influence is. And in turn, if you make a mistake, it is that much greater. That's just how it is. Some people in power are so paralysed by this fact, that they end up doing nothing at all. Though I'd argue that's even worse." He rubbed his chin. "But I'm getting sidetracked. Sister, you went to Earth with the best of intentions and did what you thought was for the best. In that, I cannot fault you. And yes, you made mistakes. The consequences of which were, let's be honest, horrifyingly dire. But you also put your heart and soul into fixing said mistakes. Without you and your friends, the White Circle might just have succeeded. And as for you never going to Earth in the first place..." He sighed and shrugged. "It's pointless speculation. It is what it is. Take the lessons you can and move on. There's little else we can do." He pulled a handkerchief from an inner pocket and handed in to her. "Here. For your eyes. And nose, if need be."

"Thanks," she sniffled, drying her eyes. "I just... I just wish things were better. It's like... Every time something goes right, something even worse follows. I'm just... Tired."

"For better or for worse, that's life," Valtor softly replied. "Try to find comfort in the good you've done and the joys you've experienced. It'll help you move forward." He paused, looking to the water. "It'll help us both."

The redhead blew her nose. "What a pair we make," she chuckled sadly. "I'm honestly surprised anyone dares have us around."

Valtor didn't reply, instead just patting her on the shoulder.

...

King Oritel strode down the hall, wondering where his daughter had gone. All he had gotten from her rather confused governesses was that she had suddenly run off with her breakfast without a word and now they couldn't find her. He wondered if she had planned something, like an event she wanted to participate in, but then it seemed weird she hadn't informed anyone. He suddenly noticed Bloom coming up a staircase. "Ah, there you are, Bloom." He paused as he suddenly saw Valtor, before with a bit more strain in his voice adding: "I see you're here too."

"Good to see you too, Dad," the well-dressed man replied with a smirk. "I decided to drop by, say hi to Mom and see how my sister was doing. I hear you've already convinced the help to start harassing her, so you're off to a great start."

Oritel's mouth became a thin line as he glared.

"Uhm, what I think Valtor means by that, is that I'd prefer if we could talk about people barging into my room in the future," Bloom tried a bit more diplomatically. "I'm not used to people doing that. Not even my mom does that." She paused. "Ehm, my adoptive mom. In case that wasn't obvious. Ehm... Yeah." She scratched the back of her head awkwardly.

"I see. My apologies, I was under the impression, mistakenly I now realise, that you might have already been exposed to some of these things, via your friends if nothing else," Oritel noted, rubbing his chin. "They are really just there to help. As royals, all eyes are upon us and to look our best, we often rely upon specialists to bring that out in us."

"And yet you still wear that helmet in public," Valtor snidely remarked.

"That helmet," the king started sharply, in a tone indicating that this subject had been brought up numerous times. "Is a traditional royal headpiece, first forged for you great grandfather. To wear it is an honour and a privilege."

"It looks like a metal suppository," came the reply, as the Dominian prince rolled his eyes.

Oritel took a deep breath. "No, I'm not having this discussion again." He coughed. "Bloom, may I have a moment of your time?"

"Oh, sure," the redhead slowly replied, looking to her brother.

"It's okay. I'll go say hi to Miriam," he replied. "Maybe convince her to throw that damnable helmet in the moat when Father isn't looking."

It took the king no small amount of effort to abstain from replying, as he and his daughter walked off. "Once again, I am sorry for any unpleasantness you've experienced so far. I can see that we would both benefit from sitting down and having a talk about these things. Without unnecessary commentary," he added acidly, looking over his shoulder at Valtor and his therapist.

"That would probably be for the best," Bloom agreed. "On that note, I'd like to veto live food."

"Live food? Oh, the rosefish. They're good for your skin, you know," Oritel added.

"Yes. It's also alive when I'm supposed to swallow it," the redhead added. "I don't care how good its mucus is or whatever they said, I don't want to eat live fish. Or live anything, for that matter."

"Very well. I suppose it is also less than necessary. Your natural magic should help keep your skin smooth anyway," the king agreed. "Now, the rest of the details we can work out later. For now, I'd like to grant you a gift."

"Oh. That sounds nice," she said. "Ehm, it's not flowers and chocolate, is it? Or teddy bears? Because, I've kinda been receiving way too many of those over the years."

"Do not fear. I am well aware that you would be used to such common presents," her father replied. "No, what I have for you is something more befitting of a princess of your grand bloodline."

"Not my point, but okay," Bloom added, as they walked through a doorway.

"Now then, behold your gift," her father said, with a dramatic flourish of his arm.

They had entered a large stable and were currently on the first-floor wooden walkway. In front of them, tied up with some large leather straps, was an ice behemoth. As soon as it saw them, it walked closer to the walkway. Oritel gently stroked its head, eliciting a pleased rumble from the great animal.

Bloom blinked. "You're giving me a behemoth? I'm... Wow... I did not see that coming."

"They have been the traditional steeds of our family for many generations. Sadly, the curse resulted in a lot of them going feral out of necessity," Oritel remarked sadly.

"Yeah. I know. We had to put one down that attacked us while we were investigating the castle," Bloom noted.

"I see. But never fear. We will fix this in due time. She's imported stock from the west. Tame as can be. Go on, don't be afraid of her."

Bloom moved closer, before scratching the giant's large ear. In return, the behemoth sniffed her and softly rubbed its nose against her.

"That's a good sign," Oritel noted.

"So she likes me then. Does she have a name?" the redhead inquired.

"No. I figured you should have the honor," the king replied, walking over to a closet. "I've also taken the liberty of commissioning some proper riding clothes for you." He opened the wooden doors. "What do you think?"

"Wow. It's neat," Bloom said, inspecting the salmon-colored clothes. "Looks kinda thin though."

"Yes, but the material will keep you warm in all but the coldest of weathers," the king explained. "Why don't you take her for a ride, get to know her better."

"Really? Already? I mean, shouldn't I get lessons or something?" Bloom asked surprised.

"Nonsense. She's already tame and the rest is just a question of the two of you learning how to act together," Oritel insisted. "I have no doubt that you'll quickly adapt. It is in your blood."

"If you say so," Bloom remarked with a hint of doubt, taking the helmet from the closet. "I'll give it a shot."

"Good. Not that I wouldn't love to accompany you and get to spend some actual quality time with you, but my position requires much of my attention," the king added apologetically. "I truly am sorry for that. I hope that maybe after dinner we'll have the opportunity, but even though it's been about a year since our return, much work still needs to be done."

"It's okay. I understand, Dad," Bloom replied with a smile.

...

Tension grabbed the Dominian princess as her mount calmly strode across the snow-covered plains. If the great animal had done anything but calmly try and do its best to follow the redhead's directions, she'd probably have expired. She wasn't even sure why she was so nervous. Perhaps it was just the feeling of directing several tons of predatory muscle. Or maybe because she'd already tried being on the wrong end of a hungry behemoth. Either way, she was really nervous.

Even if she realized it was rather silly, what with the behemoth being very accommodating and affectionate. She felt kinda sorry for it, having to cart her ungrateful behind around.

"Maybe I just need to get used to you," she sighed. "A name might help. But, what do you call something like you? Titan? No, kinda boring. Yeti? You're kinda like an abominable snowman. Ehm, no offence." She paused. It didn't seem like her mount felt offended. "Or maybe I could name you after that yeti thing in Star Wars. Not like anyone around here will figure out I'm creatively bankrupt for at least the next couple of years or so." She sighed. "Maybe something mundane. Like Sasha. But you don't really look like a Sasha. Frosty? I liked that song." She hummed a few notes to herself.

As she stopped, she heard a different noise, echoing through the crisp and frosty air. She turned her head and stared, as a distant figure rapidly approached on an aircycle. The person, their identity obscured by their helmet, came to a halt beside her.

Bloom stared at the person. "Can I... Help you?"

"Well," the rider said, taking off his helmet and revealing a curtain of blond hair. "I'd appreciate it if I could accompany you."

"Sky!" the redhead exclaimed enthusiastically. "Hang on a moment, I'll be right... Down... As soon as..." She paused, looking around. "I have no idea how to get down from this thing," she admitted. "There was a platform back in the stable."

"Don't worry. I'll just come up instead," the blond prince said, as he jumped off his vessel. "Let me just set the auto-pilot on this thing." He pressed a button and the vehicle zoomed off. "There. Should make its way back to your family's castle." With a few deft moves, he scaled the behemoth's fur, ascending to a spot right behind Bloom. "Hey," he said, before they kissed. "So, I heard you finally got home. Decided to drop in, see how you were doing."

"You do know Sunny Soul has visitation hours, right?" the redhead asked.

"Yeah, but I've been so busy lately," the Eraklian prince sighed. "Being royal means a lot of running around. Especially since my father believes that since I helped recreate contact with Earth, I should be at the forefront of our kingdom's dealings with them. Which isn't easy."

"I can imagine," Bloom noted sympathetically.

"Anyway, I came out here to have some fun with you, not talk politics," Sky continued. "Mind if I take your behemoth for a spin?"

"You know how to ride one of these?"

"Yeah, we've got these in Eraklion too. Mind you, I prefer aircycles. Faster and more mobile." He managed to make his way around her, before grabbing its reins. "Not that behemoths can't be fast too."

"Well, she's mostly just been lumbering," Bloom remarked.

"Really? Let's kick it up a notch then. You ready?" the blond asked. Seeing the redhead nod, he lashed the leash and yelled: "LET'S GO!"

Immediately, the behemoth began galloping forward, its thundering footsteps loosening great puffs of powdered snow around them.

Bloom wrapped her arms tightly around Sky, as the great animal made its way across the snowy plains. "Oh... Oh God!" she exclaimed. "This... Is faster... Than I expected!"

"Yeah. It's awesome," Sky replied with a massive grin plastered on his face. "Look, a ridge. I bet she can clear it."

"How? By jumping?" the redhead loudly inquired, as they rapidly approached.

"Sorta."

Moments away from collision, the furred titan launched its hands forward, grabbed the ridge and vaulted over it.

Bloom heard a high-pitched whine as they swung over the protruding rocks, only to realise she was screaming.

With a massive thump, the behemoth landed on the other side, looking quite satisfied with the performance.

"Bloom..." Sky managed in a strained voice. "Could you... Slightly loosen your grip."

"Oh, sorry," she quickly said, releasing him from her vice-like embrace. "I think... I think that's quite enough excitement for today."

"Alright then. Let's head back for the castle."

...

The behemoth stopped just short of the beautiful winter gardens of the castle, then gently lay down on its stomach.

"Do you need a hand?" Sky asked, as Bloom carefully tried to get down.

"No, no, I think I got this," she replied. "Just... Just gotAARGH!" With a flump, she landed in a snowpile. "Well... I got down."

"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll get the hang of it," Sky said, as he climbed down. He patted the behemoth, who stood up and wandered off. "There. She'll find her way back to the stable."

"It's quite the impressive animal," Bloom said, as they began walking through the gardens. "Even more impressive that it does so well with someone as incompetent as me."

"I wouldn't call you incompetent," the blond prince quickly noted. "Ehm... More like, inexperienced. You'll learn."

"Dad was certain I would. Apparently, it is in my blood," Bloom quoted. "Whatever that means."

"Yeah, I've heard that said before," Sky replied, scratching the back of his neck. "You know how proud royals can be about their families."

"Yeah. So, why did you want us out in the gardens?" the Dominian princess asked.

"Oh... That... Uhm..." Sky fidgeted with his fingers, suddenly looking very bashful. "I... Uhm... I wanted to talk. About something... That's been on my mind recently." He looked away, blushing heavily. "Actually... I might have... Been a little bit... Dishonest about the Sunny Soul thing. I also waited because... I figured it was better to wait until you felt better."

"Should I be nervous now? Because I'm feeling nervous now," Bloom remarked.

"No, no, you shouldn't. At least... I hope not." He stared intently at a sculpture. "I... Ehm... You know... We've been through a lot. The two of us. Good. And bad. And... I think... I think we've been... A good couple. Even if... Even if I admit I... I have screwed up. A lot. I've been stupid, selfish... Jealous even. And... I am sorry about that."
"Are you... Okay?" Bloom asked concerned. "Sky, your face is beet red."

"It is? Well, I am feeling... A bit heated..." he admitted. "Ehm... The thing is... If I have... Any regrets, well, uhm, I feel like, what with, you know, how... Hectic things have been, that, uhm, that we, the two of us, I feel, we haven't really had a lot of moments together. I mean, stuff like, like, going on dates and such. There's been a lot of fighting... Too much fighting... And... Yeah..." He adjusted his collar.

Bloom frowned. "True."

"But, but, despite that, I really feel like we've worked. As a couple," Sky quickly continued. "Even if I can't remember our anniversary."

"To be honest, neither can I," Bloom said. Suddenly her eyes widened. "Sky, are you...?"

"No, no, let me finish," he insisted. "I... I have to do this..." He coughed. "Bloom... I feel... No, what I mean is... That I... I really..." He took a deep breath. "Bloom,wouldyoumarryme?" He clenched his eyes shut with the expression of a man facing a firing squad.

Bloom held a hand to her mouth, now also blushing quite heavily. "Oh... Sky... I..."

The Eraklian prince carefully opened an eye, as if to reassure himself she hadn't run screaming away.

"Sky... Yes... I would... I mean, I will... I mean... Yes," she stammered.

"Re-really? AWESOME!" Sky exclaimed, before spontaneously embracing her in a combination of a hug and kiss. Then he stumbled back and sat down in the snow. "Okay..." he breathed. "That... That might just have been the hardest thing I've ever... Ever done."

Bloom giggled as she kneeled down beside him. "How about we go inside now? It's kinda cold out here."

"Frankly, I stopped feeling cold some minutes ago."

...

The first thing she felt was an uncomfortable aching in her side. Then she felt the chill air surrounding her. And then a cold hardness pressing against her skin.

Slowly, Stormy opened her eyes. She was greeted by the sight of the tiled floor she was lying on. She tried to push herself off the floor, but instantly a migraine seized her mind. "Oh, fuck," she quietly said, grasping her forehead. "What happened? Did I go on a bender? Wait..." She tried to focus. "I'm in prison. They don't serve alcohol. Then..." She shook her head, trying to dispel the fog that clouded it. She instantly regretted it, as her throbbing headache only intensified. "Dragon's breath, my head," she cursed, as she rolled over. That's when she noticed the prone forms of Icy and Darcy not far away. With effort, she managed to crawl over to them, taking the opportunity to look around. They were in some sort of room, its walls and pillars built with the same type of dark stone as the floor, giving it a uniform appearance. Torches provided some light, yet the room was cold enough that mist obscured the back end. "The fuck is up with this spooky joint?" she asked herself, as she began shaking her dirty-blonde companion. "Darcy. Darcy! Wake up, we're in some serious trouble."

"Hmm... Uhm..." the dirty blonde groaned. "I feel less than optimal." She opened her eyes and sat up. Observing the room, she noted: "This is different."

"I know. Do you have any idea how we got here?" Stormy asked. "Because I'm clueless."

"No. I don't." Darcy closed her eyes in concentration. "Let's see, we where being transported again. And then... Did we arrive?"

"I don't know. As I said, I'm completely fucking clueless," Stormy replied. "I mean, we were on our way. I think I remember that much. But then... How did we get here? This doesn't look like any fucking prison I know off."

"Perhaps she can remember," Darcy noted, eyeing their still unconscious companion. She gently tapped her on the shoulder. "Icy. Icy. Isabella!" She waited for a response. "Alright then. This should get her attention." She grabbed the white-haired witch's arm, before digging her thumb into a spot by her elbow.

Icy stirred. "Ehm.. Wha... WhaWAWAWA LET GO!" she yelled, ripping her arm free. "DRAGON'S BREATH, DARCY, THAT HURTS!"

"Ah. I see you're awake," the illusionist noted innocently. "Sorry for the rude awakening, but we find ourselves in a bit of a situation."

Icy raised an eyebrow, before looking around. "Wait... Where are we?"

"Well, we don't fucking know," Stormy said, shrugging. "We were kinda hoping you could remember how we got here."

"Weren't we being send to a correctional facility in Tides? Or was it Solaris?" Icy frowned. "I can't even remember. They've been juggling us around from place to place ever since that whole debacle with Valtor."

"Yeah. Nobody really wants us around," Stormy added sadly. "Not that I blame them."

"Still, if this is a prison facility, it is a rather unconventional one," Darcy noted. "We should investigate our environs, see what we can find out."

"Do not worry," a voice that was simultaneously one and several echoed through the mist. "We will inform you."

"What the fuck was that?" Stormy asked, eyes wide.

A figure shambled through the fog. It looked like one of the guards that had escorted them, but his skin was withered, like old parchment. His eyes were two dark pits, full of ancient malice. His jaw hung loose, barely attached by strands of withered flesh, from which the horrible voice surged forth.

"NEVER MIND!" Stormy yelled fearfully, scooting backward against the far wall. "I DON'T WANT TO KNOW!"

Darcy and Icy too pushed themselves away from the aberrant creature.

"We," the corpse began. "Are the Ancestral Witches."

"I confess, this is not what I imagined you'd look like," Darcy said, staring with a mixture of fascination and repulsion.

"SILENCE!" the amalgamate roared. "We have but stolen the form of this guard to nourish ourselves off of his life. But you three yet live, because you are more useful to us that way." Their eyes narrowed. "Of course, should you disprove this notion, we will not hesitate to consume your souls."

"Well... Great... You won't have to. Because we're super useful," Icy nervously said. "Right, everyone?"

"Yeah, sure, whatever doesn't get me eaten," Stormy replied.

"Good," the possessed cadaver said. "We have freed you so that you may aid us. Your task will be to go to the Pixie Village and take control of the tree of life that grows there."

"Ehm... I mean no disrespect, but... Last time, it took considerable effort to find this place, as the pixies keep it well hidden," Darcy noted. "It will take us some time to find a way in there."

"We know," the witch wraiths informed her. They opened their cadaverous hand, revealing a compass.

"Ehm... It's pretty," Stormy tried.

"The Compass of the True Path is an ancient artefact. It can lead you to any destination, no matter the trickery that obscures it," they informed them. "You will take it, go to Pixie Village and secure their tree of life."

"Boy, they're going to be so happy to see us again," Stormy muttered, eyeing Icy. "So, going to murder their leader again?"

"Oh, do shut up," she replied.

...

King Erendor stroked his beard as his eyes scanned the report. It was an initial summary of the information so far gathered of modern Earth.

"It is rather vague," Samara, sitting on her throne, remarked.

"True. And I do not doubt that there are inaccuracies," the king of Eraklion replied, as he put the papers down. "None the less, this will form the foundation of our trade policies with the nations of Earth. If we dally, other realms will take the lead and no doubt cost us potentially lucrative deals."

"I suppose that is correct. As long as we're careful."

The doors to the room opened and Sky waltzed in, a big, goofy grin on his face. "Mom. Dad. I have excellent news."

"Oh? Let's hear it then," Erendor began, taking a sip of his coffee.

"Bloom and I are getting married."

The king's eyes bulged like they were about to shoot out of his skull, before he dropped his cup and coffee exploded forth from his lips, followed by a violent coughing fit.

Samara immediately jumped to her husband's aid, patting Erendor on the back as he hacked up the remaining liquid.

"You... Hrk... What?" he asked. "When? How?"

Sky's grin faltered. "Ehm... Today. I went and... I asked and... Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm... No. No, I'm not," his father replied, getting up from his throne. "Sky, this is not a good idea. In fact, this is a disastrous one. Call off the wedding immediately."
The last of the prince's smile faded, as he furrowed his brows in bewilderment. "What? Why?"

The king faltered. "I mean... There's a lot of things to consider on this issue. With all the recent rumourmongering... A marriage could have quite the political consequences. Did you even clear this with her father?"

"No," Sky said nonplussed.

"Aha. See. Big mistake. Right there," Erendor added. "In traditional Dominian marriages, the father's consent is very important. This goes double, nay, triple for royal weddings. So really, he might just declare the whole thing null and void."

The blond stared at his father for a moment. "Dad," he began. "I know very well that I'm not the sharpest sword in the armoury. But really? I don't think Bloom cares what her old man has to say about her getting married."

"No, you're probably right," the king sighed.

"And didn't you fully approve of her becoming my concubine? You'd think her being my wife would be even better."

"Yes, but..." Erendor paused, looking to his wife.

She just nodded.

"Right," the king quietly muttered. "No, you're right. You're absolutely right." He sighed. "The thing is, the situation has changed. What with the return of Domino."

"How has that changed anything?" Sky asked confused.

His father hesitated. "No, you've been through your second crowning," he finally said. "You're an adult now and I should treat you as such. You deserve to know. Come. We'll discuss this in the archive." He turned around and briskly walked off, Sky hurrying after him.

As they ascended the staircase to the upper levels, the blond prince asked: "So it's something you've been keeping secret from me?"

"From most people. It's a secret that could very well damn our kingdom," Erendor replied. "Especially if Oritel found out." He sighed. "And it could make a marriage with Bloom most problematic." He fished a key out of his pocket and unlocked the heavy doors to the archive. "I sometimes speculated if you'd find it on your own. As twice-crowned heir, you'd certainly have the right to read even the most top-secret files we keep here. But you've never had the curiosity for these sorts of things."

They entered and walked among the massive shelves, packed tight with files dating back to the very founding of the kingdom.

"As king, you will inevitable stand with some... Truly painful decision to make," Erendor continued. "And you might never truly know if you did the right thing. That is the burden of the power we wield. The crown is heavy to bear."

"You're making me nervous, Dad," Sky remarked.

"I'm sorry. I'm just..." He sighed. "This is... This information... I hope you will understand. And not think less of me for it."

They reached a wall at the very end of the archive. Erendor paused, then with determination pressed a sequence of stones. The wall rumbled as parts slid aside, revealing a safe. The king turned the dial carefully, before opening it, revealing a scroll kept safe in a crystalline tube. "You are my heir," he said, retrieving it from the vault. "Eraklion's future king. You deserve to know. And when you do know, it will be up to you what to do with it. I have not always agreed with your decisions, Sky, but I have always been proud of you for seeing them through." He handed the scrollcase over. "Whatever you choose to do with this information, whether you choose differently than I, know that you have my blessings. Come what may."

Sky stared at the object in his hand. It suddenly felt really heavy. Carefully, as if it might explode in his face, he began unscrewing the lid.

...

"I should have kept my big mouth shut," Bloom sighed, resting her head on her hand with an absolutely bored expression on her face. "I should just have gone missing for a weekend and gotten married in secret."

"Now, Bloom, it's not so bad," Miriam tried supportively.

"Alright, now we need to select the evening gown," one of the governesses said, rolling in another massive collection of dresses. "Now, this dress from Oppositus is most in, if we consider current fashion trends, but it was donated by the Twin Threads corporation, who are not even near one of the most important clothing businesses. Dragon's Yarn really is the top Dominian dressmakers, but this one was gifted to you half a year ago and is therefore completely outdated. We could of course also go with this lovely dress gifted by the merfolk of Jezero. But its colour might clash with your hair."

"God, how does Stella put up with this?" Bloom groaned. "Why can't I just pick one dress I like and stick with it?"

"What, do you think your wedding is about you?" Valtor asked, sitting in a nearby chair reading the newspaper. "This is all about letting a legion of sycophants know that their meaningless gifts were appreciated by having you play dress up for an entire day. Honestly, you're going to be running back and forth so much that you won't even be able to participate in your own wedding. Dad will probably have to escort a stunt double into the castle, while you're getting fitted into another over-designed cloth nightmare." He looked up. "But they are right. That colour doesn't match your hair at all."

Bloom groaned, leaning back into the sofa, looking to the heavens for salvation.

"Valtor, I know neither you nor Bloom approve, but... This is a marriage between two royal families and it is therefore important to a lot of people," Queen Miriam said. "But if you only want to wear one dress, I'm sure we can work something out."

"But Your Majesty, we have at least twenty-seven dresses from our own noble houses alone," one of the handmaidens pleaded. "Once news of the wedding gets out..."

"Then I'm sure everyone involved will survive not having their particular dress featured," the queen cut her off.

"They might feel snubbed though," Valtor added. "Could make them frustrating to deal with in the future."

"My experience tells me they already are," Bloom said, looking to her brother. "Like when they sent that Wankett guy to tell me to drop my education and go get pregnant already."

"Well, his position ceased to exist when Domino returned. So he's out of the picture," the well-dressed man replied. "My, that is some cheap patio furniture. And cheap looking too. Eugh."

"Bloom, I have taken the liberty of composing a guest list," Oritel said, as he strode in. "Not that I doubt you could do so yourself, but I figured you would not be familiar yet with all our allies and such."

"That would be correct," Bloom said, eyeing the bundle of paper. "A lot of people, huh?"

"But of course. Every noble house has to be invited and we have people of other realms that we need to bring in," Oritel said matter-of-factly.

"And my friends?"

"Invited, of course." The king eyed the list. "Even that... Rather odd Penelope girl. I must admit, you keep some strange company."

"Yep," the redhead agreed. "And my adoptive parents?"

"I knew I was forgetting someone," Oritel said, snapping his fingers. "I'll add them immediately. Now, how goes the selection of dresses?"

"I think Bloom finds it rather overwhelming and would rather just select one dress she likes," his wife noted.

"But this is a unique opportunity to demonstrate which allies are in ascendancy," Oritel protested.

"Ehm... What?" Bloom asked confused.

"He means that by selecting specific dresses, you get to tell certain people that they are doing well and that everyone who didn't get a dress featured needs to do more for you, or you will snub them again," Valtor explained. "It's the sort of petty games they play around here."

"Ehm, could I maybe not make my wedding into a passive-aggressive attack on people I don't even know?" Bloom questioned.

"Of course not. It's traditional," the Dominion prince commented venomously.

"As is the wide array of clothes the one to be married wears throughout the day," Oritel insisted. "We've already made a large exception by allowing Bloom to select her partner without input from us."

"That doesn't sound like it should be an exception," his daughter dryly remarked. Her phone rang. "What now?" She took the call. "Hello, Bloom here."

"Bloom. It's Sky," came the crown prince's voice. He sounded rather overwhelmed, as if on the verge of a breakdown. "Look, something happened."

"Oh no, what now?" the Dominian princess asked.

"I'm... I learnt something. Something that happened. And... I don't know if I can tell you. I don't even know if I should. I'm... It's big. I can say so much. This is really, really big." Sky sounded close to panicking. "And... And I'm really sorry, but this is too big. It has... Bloom, this could go so wrong in so many ways." He sounded genuinely scared.

"Sky, just talk to me. What's going on?" she asked.

"Bloom, I'm so sorry, but we'll have to cancel the wedding. For now, that is," he hurriedly qualified. "I... I don't know when we can get things back on track, but... But I'm only doing this... Because... Because I have to. I'll try to fix this. Somehow. I... I just don't know how... But... I still love you. I have to run, I gotta find out what to do." The call ended.

Bloom stared at the phone.

"What was that," Oritel asked, eyebrow raised.

"Ehm, that was Sky," she slowly said. "So... Uhm... He cancelled the wedding."

"WHAT!" the king squawked, causing Bloom to jump slightly. "WHY!?"

"Dad, use your indoor voice," Valtor said, scratching his ear. "You're scaring the help."

"Uhm... I'm not sure. It sounded vaguely bad," Bloom said and shrugged. "He said he couldn't tell me."

"How dare he," Oritel fumed, as he began pacing. "This is scandalous. Unforgivably scandalous. To scorn the heir of the house of Kadmos, inheritor of the dragonflame, after he proposed to you. This is a disgrace."

"Look, Dad, I'm sure there's a reason," Bloom said. "He sounded like he was ready to have a breakdown. Something bad must have happened."

"To think Erendor's son would turn out to be such an unreliable cad," the king ranted. "What a disgrace to his father's legacy. This will have consequences when he takes the throne, mark my words."

"Dad? Are you listening?" Bloom inquired insistently. "He wouldn't just break off without reason. I'm sure whatever disastrous thing he's referring to is bad enough that he had to call this off. He wouldn't do it without reason. Sky's not like that."

"But his insult shall not go unanswered," the king continued, resolutely marching out of the room. "The royal family of Domino shall not let this cur sully our legacy with this dishonor. By the dragonflame, he shall regret this day for the rest of his life." And then he was gone.

Bloom blinked. "I'm sorry," she exclaimed, turning to her mother and brother. "What just happened? Did he just go deaf?"'

"You'd think Sky broke up with him the way he acted," Valtor remarked.

"Sky didn't break up with me. He even said we'd get the wedding thing fixed once... Well, whatever is going on is fixed," the redhead continued.

"I understand. But proposing and then cancelling is considered... Well... You probably got the idea from how your father took it," Miriam said, as she got up from the sofa. "Look, I'll talk with him, see if he won't be more reasonable when he's calmed down. After all, if this is an emergency, Sky may have made the right call by putting the wedding on hold."

"But it just makes me worried what's happening now," Bloom sighed, burying her head in her arms. "What's happening to Sky?"

Valtor's therapist entered the room. "Am I interrupting?"

"Not at all," Valtor said, putting his newspaper down. "My dad's just being overly dramatic."

"Well, you see, the days we had allotted for your visit are practically at an end, so I figured we should plan our return to Lightrock."

"Spectacular," Valtor sighed. "Sorry, Sister, wish I could be here to help, but I gotta go back for now or people will think I'm planning another coup."

"That's okay," Bloom replied as she tried to smile. "I'll call you if anything happens."

...

Stella let the brush go through her hair once more, as she eyed her companion in the mirror. "I don't mean to be rude, but when are you going home?"

"Dunno," Techna replied, digging her spoon into a tub of ice cream. "Whenever I feel like it, I guess." She paused. "I'm not in the way or anything?"

"What? No, no, don't worry. You're tots welcome," the Solarian princess replied. "I guess... I'm just unused to this. But hey, it beats being all alone."

"Heh, glad to be of service," Techna replied with a grin. She sighed. "I miss Databoy. But he's been so busy."

"With what?"

"Ah, his family is gearing up to invest in Earth and he's helping them. So he hasn't had a lot of time left for me." She shrugged. "Not that I think I'd be able to help anyway."

"Have you even met his family?" Stella inquired.

"A little. Not much. Seem nice. Though rather timid. I can see where he gets it from." She grabbed the remote control. "You know what, enough sulking. Let's watch TV."

The screen lit up, revealing an elven woman in pink clothes and with equally pink glasses. "...scoop on the newest development in Domino."

"Domino, huh," Stella said, turning around in her chair.

"According to a direct press release from the royal family, Bloom Kadmos will soon be getting married," the host said. "It has yet to be revealed whom her father has selected for the honor, which could indicate that the selection process is still underway."

Stella blinked rapidly. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Yeah, I dunno either," Techna responded. "I mean, it's fucking obvious that she's marrying Squire."

"How can you be so casual?! Bloom's getting married!" the blond exclaimed.

The scarred girl shrugged. "Good for her. Hope there'll be cake."

Stella groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. "First of all, this is a royal wedding. Big deal. Second, the fact that she didn't mention Sky at all raises so many red flags it's totally not funny. And third, like, why hasn't Bloom contacted us? You'd think we'd be the first to get invited to her wedding."

"You know what, Blondie, you got a point there," Techna remarked. "That does seem weird."

Stella's phone rang. "Hello," she said.

"Hey," came Musa's voice on the other end. "So I just got back from therapy. Had a nice talk with my dad, sat down to relax with some TV, heard Bloom's getting married. Could you kindly tell me WHAT IS GOING ON HERE!?"

"Hey, like, easy now," Stella said wincing. "I don't know. I just... Hang on, I'm getting another call. I'll just add them."

"Good day," came Flora's voice. "Flora here. I have just been informed that Bloom is getting married and there are several oddities about that which I wish to discuss."

"That makes two of us," Musa remarked.

"Look, I... Another call," Stella sighed. "Hello, Stella here."

"Hi. It's Aisha," came the quiet voice of the princess of Andros. "I was just wondering if you knew why Bloom hasn't invited me to her wedding? I suspect it's because she still wants to give me time to recover."

"What? No, Aisha, like, we haven't gotten invitations either," Stella explained. "We have no idea what's going on here."

"What about Techna?" Musa asked.

"She's with me and no, no clue either."

"No offence meant, but that does not surprise me," Flora said. "I tried to take contact directly myself, but I was just told that the princess was too busy to talk."

"Well, that totally sounds like something Bloom would say," Musa sarcastically commented.

"Okay, so obviously something is wrong," Techna said. "I say we go to Domino and ask Bloom."

"But we cannot just..." Flora tried, before sighing. "Never mind. It is not like common sense has ever stopped us before. But let us meet up and at least try to do this properly."

"I promise nothing," the scarred girl dramatically declared.

...

By the front gate of Domino's great castle, two armored guards stood, watching the horizon. Having finally managed to lift the siege of newshounds thanks to the king's press release, what would usually be a boring calm was now a blessed reprieve.

And then an aircycle appeared in the distance.

"Oh, what now?" one of the guards groaned. "Better not be some late comer."

"Hey, as long as they're not trying to ram their way through the gate again, I'll be happy," the other noted.

The semi-magical vehicle came to a halt and Sky took his helmet off. "Hey," he said and waved. "Ehm, mind opening the gates?" He paused, as the two guards glared at him.

"I'm Sky Herakles. Crown prince of Eraklyon." He paused. "Does that... Does that ring any bells? Look, I gotta speak with Bloom as soon as possible, because..."

"I'm sorry," the first guard said. "The royal family are not receiving visitors today."

"Okay, ehm, could one of you then go tell Bloom I'm here?" Sky tried. "Because, I'm sure she would..."

"The princess is very busy today with her royal duties and is not receiving any visitors," the other guard insisted.

"Okay, listen, I get that," Sky tried. "But this is really important. Can't you call in and have someone tell her that I'm...?"

"The royal family are hosting an important meeting today and are therefore not receiving visitors today," the guard informed him.

"Dragon's flaming breath, I get it!" Sky exclaimed frustratedly. "But this is important, okay? I'm not asking to be let in. Look, could you pass on a message? A letter?"

"Princess Bloom is participating in an important arrangement and is not to be disturbed," the first guard stated.

Sky buried his face in his hands while vocalising: "YEARGHBLEBLE!"

That's when a Solarian vessel flew overhead, before gently landing on the snowy plains outside the gates. The side opened, as Stella exited with an annoyed: "...could just have let us land. I mean, like, everyone else seems to be allowed to."

"I would consider that another red flag," Flora remarked, following.

"It's becoming a red flag festival," Techna said, grinning.

"Our lives are a red flag festival at this point," Musa said, before halting and looking over her shoulder. "You okay? Do you need a hand?"

"No, I'm okay," Aisha quietly said as she followed. "But thanks."

"Huh. Sky is here," Flora noted, as they approached the gate.

"Thank the Dragon you girls are here!" Sky exclaimed relieved. "These guards are driving me insane. They won't let me in, they won't tell Bloom I'm here, they won't even take a message."

"And another flag for the collection," Musa remarked.

"Are you here because Firetop is getting hitched?" Techna asked.

"What? No, the marriage was cancelled," Sky replied. "That's why I'm here. I decided that Bloom deserves to know what's going on." He blushed slightly. "I mean, temporary cancelled. I... Uhm... Hope we can... Get that back on track. Once I've... Gotten the situation under control."

"Wait a second," Stella said, eyebrow raised. "Bloom's, like, getting married to you?"

"Congrats," Techna said with a wide smile while giving a thumbs up. "Somebody pick up the phone, because I called it."

"You didn't know?" the Eraklian prince asked. "Oh, damn, maybe I wasn't supposed to tell you."

"But we did come here because we heard news of Bloom's wedding," Flora said. "To whom we do not know."

"Ehm... That would have been me. Until the temporary cancellation," Sky explained.

"So, what did happen?" Aisha inquired.

"I'll tell you later. Not the sort of thing you bark about just anywhere," the blond replied.

"Well, let's get moving then," Musa said, approaching the guards. "Hey, mind opening the gates for us?"

"Sorry, we cannot do that," the first guard said.

"Not this again," Sky groaned.

"Come on!" Stella exclaimed frustratedly. "Not only are we Bloom's friends, as you'd know if you, like, contacted her, we're also very important people."

"Sorry, but for the event, only eligible bachelors and their escorts are allowed in," the other guy said. "None of you fit that description."

"Wait, hold on, bachelors?" Sky asked. "What are you talking about? You said to me she was busy with an event. What's this talk about eligible bachelors? I'm an eligible bachelor right now."

"Listen, Princess Bloom is busy today and will not be seeing you," the other guard said.

"But surely you can inform her that her friends are here to see her," Flora suggested.

"Sorry, but this event is for eligible bachelors only and none of you fit the part. That's why you have not been invited," the first guard said.

"Anyone else feel like we're going in fucking circles?" Techna asked.

"You're not alone," Musa grumbled.

"Ugh, these people," Stella groaned, throwing her hands into the air. "I've tots had it. You'd think that... Hey, isn't that Valtor?"

The others turned and looked. Indeed, the prince of Domino marched resolutely down the road, closely followed by Theodore.

"Hey, Fancypants, they finally let you out of the funny farm?" Techna asked.

"Greetings everyone. In a manner of speaking, I suppose," he replied. "I informed my therapist that either they could let me out or I could break out, but out I was going."

"So what's, like, the issue?" Stella asked.

"The issue is the sudden announcement of my sister's marriage, when I know for a fact that her boyfriend has put the idea on hold for now," he replied, adjusting his collar. "So I decided to investigate."

"Best of luck. These two are rather set on keeping us out," Sky said, pointing to the guards with his thumb.

"I see," the dandy magi replied and approached. "Alright you two, open this gate immediately and let us in."

"Ehm... I... Uhm..." one of the guards tried, fishing a list forth from inside his armour. "Actually... Your sister is far too drained to meet with you for now, but she will get back to you as soon as possible."

"Oh, so he gets called back, but we don't. Typical," Musa commented.

"And not only that. That is at least three differing explanations for why people are being rejected at the gate," Flora noted.

"Really? Interesting," Valtor said, allowing his magic to seep forth. The guard suddenly felt his body lock up as the prince reached out with a gloved hand. "I'll see that list, thank you very much."

"You're technically not permitted to use your magic freely yet," Theodore noted.

"I know," the prince sighed dramatically. "Sadly, in our haste we forgot a suppressor at Lightrock. Now, let's see what this says." He scanned the paper. "Ah. It's a list of people who're not currently allowed in the castle. We're even mentioned by name." He squashed the list into a little ball. "But I don't much care for that. I will not be kept out of my ancestral home and the two of you do not have the right to reject me. And since me coming home is nothing unusual, neither is there any reason to report that I'm here. Am I right, gentlemen?"

Something about the friendly smile he wore made the guards extremely uncomfortable. "Of-of course, Lord Valtor," one of them said. "We-we'll just get the gates open for you and yo-your companions then."

"Very good."

"Many thanks for the assistance," Flora said. "I fear we would not have gotten in without your help."

"At least not without knocking some heads together," Techna remarked.

"Think nothing of it," the dandy prince replied. "Now, my father will be rather upset when he sees us. But not as upset as when he sees you," he noted, eyeing Sky.

"What? Why?" the blond asked.

"Oh, he didn't take your cancellation well. So we'll need to disguise you." He held up his hands, framing the Eraklian heir. "I'm thinking... Purple."

...

"I feel... Silly," Sky muttered as they entered the castle. He was clad in purple silk, a large hat obscuring his head, his lips twitching as his fake moustache tickled his nose.

"It's the moustache really. Doesn't suit your face at all," Valtor said. "And the colour is wrong. But you did refuse having one grown by me, so it will have to do. Hmm, well now, looks like people really are busy around here."

Foreign dignitaries and fancily dressed people milled about, directed by castle servants.

"It really does look like they are preparing for a wedding. But whose?" Flora pondered.

"I'm getting a feeling," Musa muttered. "That I'll want to punch someone when we find out."

"In any case, we can't bring Sky with us to see Bloom," Valtor commented. "You'll have to go find a corner to stand in and look important."

"Really?" Sky asked. "Can't I just..."

"No. Too big a risk," the dandy prince explained. "Take the time to come up with a cover story. You might need it before long."

"Fine," the blond groaned, before flagging down a servant.

"Can I help you, sir?" the man asked.

"Yas, Eid like to 'no where ze main 'all ist," Sky replied in a mixture of accents.

"I... See," the servant slowly replied. "Come along now."

The others stared as he was led away.

"Infiltration never was his forte," Flora remarked.

"You tots don't say," Stella added, as the group headed upstairs.

As they closed in on Bloom's room, they heard her voice echo through the hall. "NO MORE DRESSES! GET OUT!"

The three governesses hurried out, the last one turning to bow with a: "O-of course Lady Bloom. We'll give you some space." Then she retreated.

"Oh my. This does seem rather serious," Aisha noted.

Inside Bloom's room, a large ashen hole had been burnt in the carpet, with the redhead herself standing by one of the windows, looking outside with crossed arms. The moment she heard people enter, she whipped around with a: "I THOUGHT I... Valtor? Girls?" Her furious expression gave way to relief. "Oh thank God you're all here."

"We've tots missed you too," Stella said, as she hugged the girl. "Like, what's happening?"

"I have no idea. Suddenly my handmaidens went crazy with make-up and dresses." Bloom threw her hands in the air. "Well, crazier. At least they didn't try to feed me any more live animals."

"Is it because of your wedding?" Aisha inquired.

"Oh, you've heard. I actually planned for that to be a surprise. Oh well." She shrugged with a disappointed expression. "Anyway, there won't be a wedding for now. Sky cancelled because... Well, I don't know."

"Good news then. He was totally gonna tell you," Techna said.

Bloom looked confused. "What do you mean?"

"That the only reason you haven't heard from him as that he was rejected at the gates," Musa said. "He was trying to get to you in person. Probably because of that."

"What? When? Why wasn't I informed?" the redhead angrily asked.

"We tots don't know," Stella said. "We were even rejected. We only got in thanks to Valtor."

"And Sky?"

"In the castle, in disguise," Valtor noted. "I imagine reuniting the two of you will be more practical once the festivities simmer down."

"What festivities?" the redhead asked confused.

"The one all those fancy people have shown up for," Techna said. "Mind you, if it's the usual noble wishy-washy fucking snorefest, it's not going to be a particularly banging shindig."

"I'm starting wonder if this party and Bloom's marriage has anything to do with the eligible bachelors the guards mentioned," Aisha pondered.

"Hold on. What bachelors?" Bloom asked utterly confused. "What the Hell is going on?"

"Bloom, are you decent?" Oritel's voice came from outside the room.

"Ehm... Yeah... I guess," the redhead tried.

"Excellent. We're all set downstairs so... We're..." Oritel paused as he saw Bloom's friends, then eyed Valtor. "Oh. You're here."

"What, did you really think that two guardsmen with a wad of excuses could keep me from seeing my sister?" the Dominian prince asked with an air of smug satisfaction.

"One hoped," the king muttered.

"Dad, what's going on?" Bloom asked. "What's this event you're suddenly hosting?"

"Do not worry, my daughter. I have taken your... Unique upbringing into consideration," Oritel tried to reassure her. "You see, after Sky so dastardly dumped you, I sent out messages to our allies, compatriots and vassals to send the best available men of their lineages." He put a hand on her shoulder, clutching his other hand into a fist with a victorious smile. "Once we've gotten you married, Sky will come to regret his decision. Too late, that is. Your successful union will be the perfect avenging of the insult he has hurled at our good name and your personal honour. But do not worry. I specifically arranged this party so that you might get to know them, so that you yourself select your preferred candidate. And any eventual concubines." He patted the stunned Bloom on the head. "But you'll have to excuse me. I have to get back to the arrangements. You just come down when you're ready." He turned around and was about to walk out, when he stopped and pointed at Valtor. "And you. Better. Behave," he warned him. "Prince or not, I am still king and if you do anything to ruin this, I will have you thrown out."

The dandy magi just rolled his eyes as his father marched out.

There was a pregnant pause.

"What the fuck!?" Techna exclaimed.

"This... Has to be some sort of nightmare," Bloom muttered.

Meanwhile, Stella and Flora grabbed hold of Musa, who struggled with a: "Let me go! I'm gonna shove that stupid helm of his lengthwise up his royal treasure chamber!"

"I presume from my interactions with you that this displeases you," Aisha noted to the staggered redhead.

"Displease me? Yeah it does," Bloom replied. "What... What the Hell? I didn't ask to be married. Where did this come from?"

"It's because..." Stella struggled, as she held the infuriated Musa back. "A failed marriage can only be... Hurg... Avenged with a successful one."

"But Sky and I are just putting the marriage off," Bloom insisted. "It hasn't failed. Nothing needs avenging."

"Look, Sister, you're expecting Father to think like you do," Valtor began. "Cancelling a wedding, after getting a yes from you, is a dire insult to our name and honour. It's not just about you. To get back at him, our family has to show he isn't needed. And they do this by getting you successfully married. By the way, he was not kidding. Allowing you to choose from a selection is a gross violation of Dominian tradition."

"I'm gonna show him a gross violation," Musa snorted.

"Please calm down," Flora insisted. "Assaulting the king will not help our case."

"I'm with Cacophony," Techna said, pulling an iron pipe out of her pants. "I say we beat him over the head until he gets his shit together."

"Oh, if only head injury alone could fix that man," Valtor sighed.

"So, what do we do?" Bloom asked.

"Can't you, just, like, not select anybody?" Stella asked. "I mean, isn't that tots an option?"

"I must assume no, from what Valtor said," Flora noted.

"Just select Sky," Aisha said.

Everyone paused and looked at her.

"I mean," the princess of Andros continued. "He is in disguise. If you can get your father to give his blessings, he will have to keep his word."

"You know what," Techna said with a grin. "I like that idea."

"If it saves us from having our friend attempt regicide, I will be happy," Flora noted.

Musa snorted again, as she ceased struggling. "Fine," she muttered. "I admit, it is a better idea."

"Well, I better get dressed in something proper then," Bloom sighed. "Valtor, mind helping me? You have an eye for these things."

"Of course I will," the dandy magi said. "But for expedience sake, Stella, start going through that pile of shoes and find a pair that will accentuate her ankles without wrecking her feet."

"On it," the Solarian princess said, as she let Musa go and began sorting through the footwear.

...

The grand hall was completely packed with people, many of them various hopeful suitors aiming to earn Bloom's hand in marriage. In a corner, Sky stood and glared ret-hot daggers at everybody, his fingers drumming on the handle of his sword as he fantasized of running all of them out.

At the top of a staircase, a fancily dressed lady stepped forth, before gaining the room's attention with a blast of her trumpet. "Presenting to you all!" she loudly declared. "Bloom Peterson Kadmos, heir to the dragonflame, princess of Domino, victor of the Usurper Crisis, heroine of the Phoenix War, veteran of the War of the Circles, champion and savior of our kingdom!" Then she stepped aside as the grand doors behind her were opened.

Bloom stepped forth with an awkward smile, before waving at the many people staring at her. "Uhm... Hello." She winced at the sound of people enthusiastically clapping.

"We're off to a good start," her dad said, following right behind her. "You just need to mingle now and select the best one." Then he wandered off to do more royal business.

"Is it bad I was tempted to kick him down the stairs?" Musa quietly asked, as the five girls followed Bloom towards the gaggle of bachelors.

"No, I tots get you. But please don't," Stella whispered back.

"Man, this getup is so not me," Techna muttered. Valtor had insisted on having them all dressed up properly for the event to make things go smoothly and the magenta-haired girl looked very awkward in the purple ballgown he had found for her, before obscuring her numerous scars with make-up. "I feel like a complete tool."

"Yes, it is a notable deviation from your usual style," Flora remarked. "I too find this... Style to be rather impractical. But we must grin and bear it for Bloom's sake." She adjusted her bloated skirt and pondered how she could quickly get out of it in case fire broke out. Or someone tried to kill her again.

As the redhead princess reached the floor, Miriam made her way over to her. "Bloom. You look lovely in those clothes," she said. "But you also look rather famished. How about a bite from the buffet table before you engage with all these lovely suitors?"

"That... Would actually be great," she replied.

As the queen gently led Bloom through the crowd, she leaned in and whispered: "I'm sorry about this. I tried talking with your father, but there was a misunderstanding."

"Oh?" the redhead asked.

"And first he wanted to select your husband, but I insisted that we let you choose for yourself." She sighed. "This is what he interpreted that as."

"That does explain a lot." The redhead paused. "Do I have to choose?"

"Of course not. But sending them all away now would be a massive social faux pas." The queen sighed again. "Best thing to do is just enjoy the party." She paused, before smirking. "But if you do find a concubine or two, I'm sure nobody would complain."

Bloom made a face. "Thanks for the support, Mom, but I'm not into multiple partners. That's more Techna and Flora's thing."

"I know," Miriam quietly giggled. "But you have the funniest reactions. Anyway, here's the food. Do enjoy yourself. I'll go talk with your father, try to prepare him."

"Hope he listens more to you than he did to me," the redhead muttered. She picked a few pieces from the table onto her plate and observed the room. She felt thoroughly scrutinized by the suitors, tle flock ranging from fresh-faced youths younger than her to grey-haired men older than either of her dads. No women though, so at least her dad had gotten in it through his thick skull that she was straight as an arrow. In one corner, she could see Valtor, scouting the room like a well-dressed hawk. It filled her with some comfort that her brother was watching out for her.

As she carefully ate, her friends made their way over to her.

"Spirits, look at them. You'd think you were a piece of meat on a hook," Musa quietly commented, as she poured herself a glass of fruit juice. "I wonder why they haven't jumped you yet?"

"Propriety dictates that if Bloom needs a bite to eat before engaging with them, then she must be allowed to do so uninterrupted," Aisha explained. "We, as her entourage, are exempt. As are her parents."

"Ya know, when you explain it, it almost sounds like this shit makes sense," Techna noted. "Oh, look, Flowergirl. They got roos."

"Which are very nutritious and healthy, yes," the brunette added, as she fished some slice of the white root vegetable. "You should all try them out."

"Like, no offence, but I tots might as well just eat the table," Stella commented, earning her a glare from the Limphean noble.

"Well, guess I can't stand here all day eating," Bloom said, putting the dish down. "Besides, I don't really feel hungry anymore." The moment she was done, she heard footsteps. Taking a deep breath, she tried to steady herself and turned. Then she exclaimed in surprise: "Eugene?"

"Hello," the white-haired nerd greeted her. "Good to see you again, Bloom."

"Uhm... Likewise," she replied, shaking his hand. "So, ah, I must admit, I didn't expect you here."

"Well, the Bijoux family is an old and ardent supporter of the royal house of Domino," he replied, before leaning in and quietly adding: "Plus, I'm not really here to court you. My family and I agreed you might need support, so I'm just here to help. Plus, if you did have to choose someone, you could pick me and exchange me for Sky later when things calm down."

"I see. Well, thanks for being in my corner," the redhead noted gratefully.

"Yeah. Besides I'm... Well..." He blushed. "Already with someone."

The Dominion princess thoughtfully put a finger to her chin, before smiling. "It's Albert isn't it? I've seen the way you two have been exchanging glances."

Eugene's blush intensified as he twiddled with his fingers. "Ehm... Yeah."

"That's cute," Bloom giggled.

"Not to interrupt, but you should probably start mingling," Aisha quietly noted. "Just to give everyone a chance."

"I suppose," the Dominian princess sighed. "Anyway, thanks again for being here."

"No problem. Good luck," he replied, as the redhead walked out into the room to meet the many men gunning for the position of future husband.

She paused, took a deep breath and continued, wondering who'd make the first move. They thankfully didn't just stand and stare at her. That would have made her really uncomfortable. But still, she was never in doubt that she was always being observed.

The propriety Aisha mentioned probably did keep some of the more eager ones from bull rushing her. Perhaps the rules for nobles were good for something after all.

The first to approach her was a well-dressed man who seemed slightly older than her, his hair the colour of chocolate. "Princess Bloom," he began, bowing. "It is an honour to make your acquaintance."

"Oh, thanks. Ehm... Who are you?" Bloom tried awkwardly, hoping he wasn't someone she had actually met before.

"My name is Thoren Herakles of Eraklyon," he replied. "Currently paladin in training."

"Wait, Herakles? Of Eraklyon. Uhm, are you related to Sky by any chance?" the princess inquired.

"As a matter of fact, I am. His cousin, to be exact," Thoren explained. "From a lesser family, so I'm not surprised you haven't heard of me. We used to be close when we were younger, but, well, becoming a paladin is a hard and arduous road. One barely has a life of their own. But I was permitted to join this party, as my family deemed it important. My understanding is that they are trying to salvage my failed arranged marriage."

Bloom chewed her lip. "Am I allowed to ask or is it... Awkward?"

"Hmm, you don't know?" Thoren asked, folding his arms. "No, I guess you wouldn't. Domino's barely been back for a year and... Yes, you were involved in the War of the Circles." He rubbed his chin. "Well, if you want to know, I do not mind sharing."

"Well, if you don't mind..." Bloom said.

"I was initially set up to marry your older sister, Daphne," the paladin-in-training explained.

"Oh. Uhm.. Wait..." Bloom's brows furrowed as she went over things in her head. "When did that happen?"

"About twenty years ago, when I was six years old," Thoren casually replied.

The redhead's eyes almost rolled straight out of her head. "Wait, what? Is that... Is that allowed? Marrying off a six-year-old?"

"Of course. Well, mind you, it would mostly have been a marriage on paper," he continued. "I would not have been expected to have a child with her until I was at least thirteen or fourteen years old."

Bloom found herself staring, before she quickly turned to her friends. Aisha looked completely unsurprised, whereas Musa's face was frozen in a grimace that equally showed disgust, shock and a deep level of personal offence.

"That's... Fascinating," the redhead tried, turning back to Thoren. "So... What happened?"

"Well, obviously the whole thing fell through when Daphne died," the paladin-in-training replied. "A shame. I have a few memories of her. I remember her as a vibrant and powerful woman. I admired her. I understand that she managed to hang around as a ghost though."

"Yeah. For as long as that lasted," Bloom sighed. "Her time has run out by now."

"So I heard. My condolences," Thoren offered. "My parents were very set on having me married to the Dominian royal family, so they are hoping for me to impress you at this gathering."

"Hey, can I just quickly ask something?" Techna began. "How do you feel about it?"

"Me? Hard to say. I've only been acquainted with Princess Bloom for a few minutes now," he earnestly replied. "Honestly, I'm not convinced I'd make for a good relationship at this stage, speaking from a personal standpoint. My training would leave me little time to actually spend with her and I fear that would make any marriage feel rather hollow. But politically, it's an excellent way for my family to increase our status. Of course, I imagine it would make any further family outing with Sky rather awkward."

"I'm not sure I'd call him bashing your skull in with a rock awkward," Musa commented. "Because that's how it's gonna go if you get hitched to Bloom."

Thoren looked thoughtful for a second. "I'm not surprised. Sky was always very emotional. Anyway, I will not take more of your time. There are no doubt others who wish to make your acquaintance."

"Oh. Okay. Thanks for the talk," Bloom said, as Thoren bowed out.

"Well, like, he wouldn't be a bad catch," Stella quietly noted. "Well mannered, looks good."

"Yeah? Maybe wait until he's actually a paladin," Musa whispered back. "Poor whatever girl has to sit around and wait for him to come back."

Barely had Thoren left her presence before a new contender stepped up.

He was also dressed formally, his navy-blue hair combed back into a slight point, fair-skinned and with hazel eyes. "Greeting," he enthusiastically declared and bowed with an equally enthusiastic gesture of his arms that forced Bloom to lean back to avoid getting smacked. "I'm Nex Azure of Tochi. It is a very great pleasure to meet you."

"Ehm... Likewise," the redhead replied. "So, you..."

"I was wondering if you'd like to go for a walk with me in the castle gardens. It is quite the beautiful piece of landscaping and I'd love to share the view of the evening sun with you."

"Oh... I'm..." the Dominian princess began.

"Hey," a loud voice began, and Bloom turned to see a massive, muscular man with wild blond hair step forth. "Where do you think you're trying to run off with the princess?"

"I fail to see why that concerns you," Nex replied.

"Yeah, well, don't think you can just sneak off," the larger man warned him. "We're all here for her, so don't try to hog her to score more points."

Bloom tried to figure out exactly how to formulate how offensive she found the comment.

"Now, now," Eugene said, as he walked over. "Let's not be unreasonable. I think it would be a good idea to give the princess some space."

"Oh yeah? And who are you, you scrawny puke?" the man asked. "You think some malnourished nerd like you are worthy of the princess. She needs a real man in her life." He flexed his arms, to show off his massive muscles.

Bloom huffed annoyed, two puffs of black smoke drifting from her nose.

"Gentlemen, please," Thoren said, as he returned. "Let's behave in a civilized manner. I believe... Sorry, I didn't catch your name."

"Eugene," the white-haired nerd replied.

"Right. I believe Eugene here is correct. Perhaps a walk in the gardens would help cool the mood."

"Ah, piss off," the large man replied annoyed. "You look like a toothpick. Doubt you could keep any woman of yours safe, let alone yourself."

Bloom clenched her hands and tried to count down from ten, to avoid setting stuff on fire. She glanced at her friends. Flora had put a hand on both Techna and Musa's shoulder as a warning, which had probably prevented them from pummelling the guy, though she was herself glaring daggers.

"From what I know of Princess Bloom, I hardly think that she'd need to rely on me for protection. And as for myself, I am a paladin in training, true, but I dare say I have learned plenty about defending myself during these last few years."

"Hah. You're a paladin, eh? Some sissy choir boy in fancy armour." The big man drew a sword almost as long as he was tall. "You've ever laid an eye on a real weapon before?"

"Guess he's compensating for something," Techna muttered.

"His poor manners most likely," Aisha replied annoyed.

"I have plenty of experience with weaponry. Though I did not bring any, as I thought it would be rather rude," Thoren noted.

"Really?" the man chuckled, as if it was a joke. "And what weapon would you have used? A dainty little dagger?"

"No, although a dagger is very useful in many situations," the paladin-in-training noted thoughtfully. "Personally, I am more of a fan of blunt weaponry. I have trained extensively with my warhammer."

"Really? Bet you look real cute with whatever lil' toy club you call a warhammer," the man snarled. "Just don't get in the way of a real weapon and I'm sure you'll be fine."

"So you'd say that the weapon you wield is a real weapon then?" Thoren asked conversationally.

"I'm impressed he hasn't just, like, kicked this guy's teeth in," Stella quietly noted.

"Most be that famous paladin willpower they're taught," Musa replied.

"Yes. This is a real weapon. A man's weapon. I could split a guy in two with the barest amount of effort," the large noble said, hoisting the blade, as everyone nearby slowly pulled back.

"So you'd say you're skilled with your weapon of choice?" Thoren further inquired.

"Wha? Of course I am," the man loudly fired back. "What are you trying to say, you little goody two-shoes? You think I'm lying, huh?"

"Well, I mean, everyone can buy a weapon and claim to be skilled, so..." the paladin-in-training suggested innocently.

"Oh yeah. I'll show you. Watch this!" the man exclaimed, before starting to swing the blade around. "Like this! And this! I could cleave a troll's head off, like this!"

Thoren waited patiently as the man went through the motions.

Bloom noted that the guards looked on edge, unsure whether they should interfere in the noble's dangerous display of his skills.

"There," the man huffed as he paused. "What do you think..." He paused, something falling in front of his face.

"I see you've managed to best your hair," Thoren noted, as the large tuft of blond strands gently floated down. "Ah, and you've slain your belt buckle as well. A true demonstration of your skill, sir."

The large man looked down at his feet, where his pants lay in a pile. Around him, the other nobles began chuckling, then laughing. The massive man looked up desperately, trying to see how he could salvage his dignity, before sighing. "I'll go now," he muttered, picking up his pants as he headed for the exit.

"You got him real good," Nex noted.

"I do try," Thoren replied.

Bloom was about to thank the paladin-in-training, when suddenly she was yanked away. She looked confused at the person who had wrapped an arm around her.

"Ah, Bloom was it?" the large and way older man began, before taking a bite of something that resembled a turkey leg. "Glad I can have a moment of your time."

"Ehm... That's what this is event is for," Bloom started, as she tried to pry the guys greasy fingers off. "But could we..."

"I'll be honest with you, you'd be one of my concubines," the man said, voice slightly muffled by the food. "But I am rich and you'd lack for nothing."

"Fantastic," the redhead flatly said, trying to shield herself from the food debris flying from the guy's mouth. "Look, who...?"

"Of course, you'd have to produce some children. Can always hope one of them has some dragonflame in them, eh?" he continued with what was probably supposed to be a comforting smile, but the redhead just found it creepy. "And no more gallivanting around with those types back there. It would make me look bad, like I can't keep my girls under control."

"Wow, that... I'm... Look, whomever you are," Bloom said sternly, finally forcing the guy's hand off, feeling her smouldering temper starting to reach a boiling point. "I'll be honest, that does not sound like the happiest life for me."

"Oh, don't worry, Sweetie," he replied, wiping his mouth with his sleeve. "I know how to leave my girls satisfied."

Bloom felt the hand she had only just gotten free from squeeze her butt.

Outside the room, Oritel was heading back from talking with the kitchen staff. "Better check in on Bloom. See if she's found some promising candidates," he commented to himself. As he opened the doors, there was a loud foom and the king's eyes widened as a large man flew towards him. He dropped to the floor, barely avoiding a collision.

The human projectile bounced across the floor before coming to a halt. Silence reigned for a bit, before he weakly asked: "Did anyone catch the number on that horse cart?"

Oritel blinked, before looking into the room.

Bloom stood breathing heavily, eyes sparking and fists smoking. Many of the guests had pulled back, though a few, including Bloom's friends, did not seem to fear the obviously agitated princess. "ALRIGHT!" the redhead yelled, turning to the remainder of the room. "I'VE TRIED TO BE PATIENT, BUT ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! IF ANYONE OF YOU THINK I'M SOME SORT OF GODDAMN PRIZE FOR YOU TO SHELVE IN YOUR FANCY MANSION, YOU'RE CORDIALLY INVITED TO KISS MY ROYAL ASS BEFORE YOU CAN GO STRAIGHT TO HELL! IF I HEAR EVEN ONE MORE INSINUATION ABOUT ME BEING SOME TROPHY WIFE TO BE WON, I'VE GOT ANOTHER FIREBALL READY! AM I MAKING MYSELF CLEAR!?"

Scattered noises of confirmation were muttered.

"Well, that could have gone better," the king muttered. He paused, noting a purple-clad man stride towards the redhead. "Wait, who's that? Isn't... That..." He paused, then signalled two guards.

The Dominion princess turned around sharply, upon hearing somebody approach. She glared at the purple-clad man, before pausing. The fire faded as she very quietly asked: "Sky?"

"Yeah. You're brother's idea," he replied, his lip twitching from the itchy moustache. "Look, I'm really sorry. This is my fault. Sorta. How about we drop these bozos and go talk somewhere?"

"You know what? I could use that right about now," Bloom admitted.

"I see you've caught my daughter's eye," Oritel said, as he approached. "Happy to see that... What was your name again?"

"Oh, ehm... I'm Guy. Guy Incognito," Sky tried. "From West Nowhere. It's far away."

In the audience, Musa facepalmed and Stella sighed.

"I can imagine. I've never heard of it. Must be a small province," the king dryly noted. "Say, you look familiar. Any relations to the royal family of Eraklyon? You sorta remind me of Prince Sky."

"I-I have no idea who that is, but I sound handsome," the disguised prince tried, obviously panicking.

In his corner, Valtor tried to figure out if he wanted to cry, groan or laugh at the Eraklian heir's failing attempt at fooling the king.

"Dad, what are you doing?" Bloom hissed. "You said I could choose, so butt out."

"Bloom, quite obviously, this is..." Oritel began, but paused as Sky's fake moustache finally gave up the fight and fell to the floor.

There was a moment of stunned silence.

"Do not panic!" Sky exclaimed. "I have early onset moustache baldness! It's just a skin condition, but it's not contagious!"

"Moustache what?" Aisha asked confused, as Techna began laughing.

"Oh, it's a condition alright," Oritel snarled, ripping the purple hat off. "Enjoying my daughter's party, Prince Sky?"

"Ehm... I can explain," the blond tried.

"Oh, I'm sure you can," the king said menacingly, stepping closer. "So, not only do you break my daughter's heart, now you're also trying to deceive her when she's trying to move on." Each word was punctuated by a poke into the prince's chest.

"What? Dad, would you listen for once?" Bloom asked exasperated. "I am not heartbroken."

"Yes, listen to her. Sir, I think you're reading way too much into this," Sky said, fumbling with his pockets. He pulled out the crystalline tube his own father had given him. "If you'd just let me explain, then..."

"I've had enough of your excuses," Oritel said sharply, slapping the tube out of the blond's hand.

Bloom immediately leapt for it, catching it before it smashed against the ground. "But you made a grave mistake coming here uninvited." The king stepped back as his guards approached. "Throw him in the dungeon. It's time he gets his just deserts."

"What?" Bloom asked as she got back up. "Okay, no, I've..." Before she could finish, a dessert trolley slammed into the guards, knocking the over.

Oritel and Sky blinked, before the latter made a run for it.

"Wha... GET BACK HERE!" the king roared. "GUARDS! SEIZE HIM!" Then he furiously whipped his head around, trying to figure out where the trolley had come from. He immediately noted Valtor standing close by, before emitting a growled: "You."

"Well, you did ask for the dessert, Dad," Valtor said innocently. "I was just trying to be helpful."

Sky galloped through the room, Dominian guards in pursuit. They were closing in, when suddenly, Techna stepped in the way.

"Wanna dance, boys?" she asked with a smile. "Then excuse me for a second." She pulled her arms and legs into the dress. Then she grabbed it from the underside and flipped the whole thing off, leaving her in her underwear and armed with an iron pipe she had hidden within her clothes.

"Ehm... M'lady, please," one of the guards tried, shielding his eyes. "You're not... Decent."

"Jokes on you," Techna declared as she leapt at them. "I'M NEVER DECENT!"

At the doors of the room, Sky found himself flanked by guards. They got ready to block the exit when suddenly a blast of sound knocked several of them off their feet. The rest turned in confusion, only to be hit by several blasts of expensive wine, allowing Sky to get through.

"So, where does this fit in with the whole propriety thing?" Musa asked Aisha, as she lowered her arms.

"It doesn't," the dark-skinned princess replied. "But propriety ceased to be a priority the moment Oritel tried to arrest Sky."

Outside in the hall, said blond kept running, as several guards tried to surround him. He saw a hint of light and closed his eyes, knowing what would come next.

An overwhelming flash lit up the room, blinding the Dominian soldiers. As they tried to regain their bearings, the many potted plants exploded out of their vases and began engulfing them.

"This party, like, totally sucks," Stella remarked, as she left the main hall.

"I quite agree. I knew I should have worn more practical clothes," Flora noted, as she began to free herself from the puffy dress.

Outside in the gardens, Sky kept running. He could see the fence in the distance, when three guards suddenly tackled him from a blind spot.

"Gotcha," one declared as they forced him to the ground. "Now you..."

A small wisp of fire shot between them.

The three guards paused, then turned.

Bloom slowly approached, her eyes glowing with power, white-hot flames dancing across her body. "Let. My. Boyfriend. Go."

"Ehm... But, Princess, your father..." one tried.

"I DON'T GIVE A SINGLE, SOLITARY CRAP WHAT HE SAID!" she roared, a pulse of heat vaporising the snow around her. "If you do not let him go, I swear, you'd wish you were dealing with Valtor instead, because he'd at least make it painless."

"I... See," the guard gulped, letting the blond go. "If that is... Your wish."

"Thanks, Bloom," Sky gasped. "Listen, I think the whole talk thing will have to wait. But I will tell you as soon as possible."

"I know," the redhead replied. "I'll see you soon."

"Hopefully. Good luck," the Eraklian prince said, as he made his escape.

Bloom turned, as her friends and brother approached.

"Well, that was a fun party," Valtor said. "Very non-traditional. They will remember this one for decades."

"Great," Techna said, dancing around as she rubbed her skin. "Now, can we get the fuck out of here? Kinda cold."

"What did you expect, running around in your underwear?" Musa asked, rolling her eyes.

Bloom paused. "I'm tired of this place," she muttered. "I wanna go home."

"Earth it is then," Stella said, summoning her sceptre.

"Wait!" Theodore yelled, as he sprinted through the garden. "Mr. Valtor, please, you can't just go without supervision. You know it's a requirement."

"Ah, yes. So sorry," Valtor replied earnestly. "Things got rather hectic."

"Yes, I understand," the small man said, adjusting his collar. "But still..."

"But don't worry. We'll bring you along," Valtor declared.

"Along?"

"To Earth."

"Wait, what?"

There was a flash and they were gone.