Title: The Secret Princess
Summary Plot: What if Bloom had known all along about the magical world, about the Dragon Fire, who she was and also, what she had lost? Now, thanks to her sister, with a suitcase in her hand, in front of Alfea's gate, she is ready to face her heritage and reclaim what she had once lost.
Chapter 3:
Luckily, they arrived on time, which meant no unwanted greeting from Griselda. All of the girls were pretty glad about this, none of them wanted to see that lady more than what was necessary. Happily, they walked to their apartment, ready to order their last things and get ready for bed, alas, they cheered too soon. As they almost reached their destiny, they were met with Griselda.
Bloom could have sworn that she saw each in the group wince at the sight of stern Griselda, who was waiting at their dorm for them. However, they had nothing to fear, since the only one she came for was Bloom, although she did spare Stella a pretty murderous look.
"Miss Faragonda wants to see you tomorrow morning," she merely told her and disappeared again. None of the girls dare to say something, they walked through the door as though nothing had happened. However, the moment they shut their door, knowing that Griselda was far from ear's reach, they bombarded Bloom with questions. But the most important one was the reason for Bloom's visit tomorrow.
"Well, I guess it is probably because of the Earth thing, you know. It is pretty unusual," she guessed jokingly, although deep down inside she was panicking, wondering whether her cover had been blown and the headmistress somehow knew about her identity. It was absurd, she knew. How could Miss Faragonda have known? But she is the headmistress after all, Bloom would not put it past her if she was all-knowing, having her eyes and ears everywhere.
So, although she tried her best to soothe herself in as many ways as possible, it was still hard for her to escape into her dreams and dear, how she longed for that.
She wanted to see Daphne.
Bloom closed her eyes again, hoping that this time, when she opened her eyes again, she would find herself in some magical place that her sister had conjured up in order to entertain her, or just the cave underneath a lake she saw so many times, with her sister's glowing figure and her clothes floating around in the water like the divine goddess that Bloom always thought of her sister as.
"So, how was your first day?" Daphne asked her. Bloom knew that although Daphne was not all that fond of the idea of her being exposed to the magical world, she was proud of her. She loved Alfea.
"Daphne, you know that this is not my first day. The lessons are just starting tomorrow."
"Well, was it eventful nevertheless?"
"I did meet a few... girls?" Bloom was unsure whether she could already count them as her friends, on the other hand, she would rather stay close to them, than others, since she already had to share her apartment with them and all. "They were really interesting, everyone of them is very different and I think they all come from different planets, so yeah, they are probably very different, but they also seem very nice."
"That's good to hear. There is nothing more terrible than having to share your room for the next few years with someone you cannot stand or get along with."
"Are you talking about experiences?" Bloom teased her sister, knowing that this was impossible. No one could dislike Daphne, she was perfect. Okay, maybe just in her eyes, but really, she could not imagine someone disliking her sister, who always seemed so friendly and nice and open-going.
"No, but I can still imagine what it's like."
"Don't worry about me, the girl I have to share my room with is very nice. She is from Linphea."
"Well, Linphean people tend to be tranquil, quiet and peaceful," Daphne agreed.
"Yeah, she reminds me a little of you. She has a little sister and I can see that she is very fond of her."
Daphne smiled at her sister.
"Was there anything else?" she asked. Bloom pondered about it for a second and then it struck her. Yes, of course, there was something she wanted to talk with her sister about.
"Yes, there actually is. Daphne, do you know something about Miss Faragonda?"
"Faragonda?" Daphne sounded rather shocked to have heard that name and Bloom wondered why. "Why are you asking?"
"This is our headmistress. I don't know, maybe you have mentioned her to me, since you have been at the school, too. Her name sounded familiar, but I cannot remember why."
"Faragonda, huh..." Daphne seemed to think about the name, for along time if Bloom had to admit. "No, when I was at school, Faragonda had not been the principal of Alfea, she had not even been a professor, she was far too busy for that. I guess she settled down and became principal after it happened."
"But Daphne, do you know her? You sound like you do. But how?" She turned towards her little sister and although Bloom could not see it, she could feel a pair of pained eyes over her.
"Do you remember when I told you that our parents fought with the strongest wizards, fairy and witches against the Witches?" Bloom nodded, not sure what she wanted to imply. "On the contrary to what you believe, there were not many, don't misunderstand, their number was not equal to their power. Anyway, our parents were the strongest and bravest of them all, and even if perhaps not in power, they were so mentally. Our parents were the ones, who lead Magix in the war against evil. They founded the Company of Light, every powerful wizard, fairy, witch and whatever you can imagine were united underneath that banner."
"What does that have to do with my question?" Bloom asked irritated, the story was fine and well, but she failed to understand why it had anything to do with her question.
"Be patient, sister, it is a virtue you have yet to acquire." Like all monarchs of Domino had to. "And the reason why is because now, I will tell you who exactly they were. There a few of them, the most trusted and most powerful among them three certain people I believe you will meet very soon."
"Daphne..." Suddenly, her stomach was filled with dread, anticipating her next words.
"Father and mother were close friends with them, they trusted them very much, otherwise they would not have asked them to join him in his battle," Daphne explained. "One of them was Faragonda."
"You are telling me that my old, very old - Daphne you have not seen her -, my headmistress was friends with our parents! That they were fighting together?"
"Do you really believe that they would appoint someone with less than stellar credits as the headmistress of the school in which the fairies of the future are trained?"
"Daphne..."
"She must have become headmistress after the battle, since this is surprising for me as well," Daphne mused. "I have not known her personally, we met a few times, when father held council meetings and war strategies, but I do have heard her name a few times. There is no mistaking, I do believe that this world is small enough that she will become your headmistress and given her resume and achievements, I can believe that she became Alfea's headmistress."
"Do you like her?" Bloom asked. Daphne laughed, although Bloom could not tell whether it was sarcastic or even-
"It does not matter whether I like her or not, the only thing that matters is that she will not find out our secret."
"Well, tomorrow I have a meeting with her in her office," Bloom admitted. She could feel that Daphne was far from amused by that.
"Does she know? Have your revealed anything to her?"
"No, Daphne, I have not. Perhaps it is just the fact that I came from Earth or something. I am not that useless you know," Bloom replied, she could not help but feel that her sister was not giving her enough credits. She knew that Daphne was doubting and very suspicious of all of this, but damn it! She wished that her sister could trust her more, not just herself but also her abilities.
"Bloom, I am sorry, I did not meant to insult or hurt you in any way. I am just worried."
"There is no need for you to. I am very capable of taking care of myself and I did tell you that Earth as my home planet was suspicious."
"Would you rather want me to write Domino inside it?"
Bloom sighed, knowing that there is no way to end this on a good note if they kept blaming each other.
"I want to ask you something."
"What is it?"
"You don't want Faragonda to find out our secret, am I right."
"Of course," Daphne replied with insistence, as though it was the most obvious thing.
"But have you not said that our parents trusted? Why don't you? Do you not trust her? Why?" For Bloom it seemed beyond comprehension that Daphne did not, considering that their parents did. As much as Bloom loved Daphne, she also knew that Daphne was a parent's child, she was the picture perfect daughter mothers dreamed of when they carried them in her stomach and obedient daughter fathers hoped they would receive once they are plagued with thoughts of their daughter chased by random boys.
If she did not knot it better, she would almost believe that their parent's word for Daphne were almost God's word to priests. Diligently following with obedience and no ounce of doubt.
"Imagine what would happen if she did know. She can become a liability, the more knows the harder it will get to keep things under cover," Daphne reasoned.
"So, it's just that, nothing else?"
"What else should it be?"
"Well... I thought that maybe..." Bloom stammered and looked at her knees.
"She was very nice whenever I saw her, as a child I even thought she was pretty cool. They all were, Faragonda, Griffin, Saladin, even Hagen," Daphne giggled, reminiscing in old times.
"Pretty hard to imagine," Bloom laughed as well.
"That's because you are a brat, pay more respect to your elders," Daphne teased her.
"Hey-!"
Bloom opened her eyes again, wanting to hear more of her sister's laughter.
"What is it, Bloom?" Flora asked.
"Nothing," Bloom replied and leaned back into her bed. "It was just a dream." Flora looked at her with a sympathetic look, never knowing the true story behind her words, that they mean just so much more than she expected.
"You wanted to see me?" Bloom asked as she entered the room.
"Yes, Bloom, please close the door." She did as the headmistress asked her to. "How do you like Alfea?"
So the small talk first, heh? She tried to remain as calm as possible, this was an important lesson Bloom had learned from Daphne. Calmness and indifference were the best defenses and it turned out to be true many times over.
"Alfea is really great, it's very beautiful. I don't think that I had ever seen something as beautiful as this building... and I am very excited about this school year," Bloom told her, not really knowing what she was expecting to hear.
"That's great to hear and you are getting along well with your roommates?"
Why didn't she get to the point? She hated how she was beating around the bush. She could be wanting to lighten up the mood, but if this was the case, then it was miserably failing, because it just made her more nervous and if this was the case... then she was doing a great job!
"They all seem very nice and although I have not known them for long, I think that we can get along and be friends, but who can say what the future tells, right?" she pretended to joke in a legit as possible.
"Bloom, there are matters that I would like to discuss with you."
"It concerns my whereabouts, right?"
"I am sorry for bothering you, but you do realize that this is rather unusual case for us. We had not had a fairy from Earth for centuries, not until you," Faragonda pushed at her glasses.
"Yes, I can understand." Bloom guessed that this was her cue to tell her story or rather her and Daphne's story. "I was actually not born on Earth. I was born here, somewhere in Magix, I just don't know where. It was 15 years ago, my parents disappeared, I just know this from my sister and that I was raised by my adoptive parents."
"But you knew that you were from here?"
"Yes, my sister never hid that from me. I came here, because I know that she would have liked it, if I did and she insists that my parents would have wanted this as well, but I don't know for sure of course."
"Oh, so your sister attended Alfea? What's her name? Perhaps I know her," Faragonda offered with a persuading smile. Bloom wondered whether this nice, forthcoming and helping lady was really who she was or whether she was just doing what she found necessary to get the information she needed.
"No, she went here more than 15 years ago, so I am not sure. I could ask her, but..."
"No, it's fine, I wasn't here at that time either. I was ... busy..." Something flashed in the older woman's eyes, probably a memory buried deep and hidden in her mind and although she could not see it, Bloom could still imagine what she was thinking of. "Where is your sister? Is she in Magix as well? You need someone to take care of you, after all."
Bloom shook her head.
"She isn't here, actually, she has been gone for a long time," Bloom replied in a small, quiet voice.
"Oh my, that's..." Apparently she had not expected to hear this from Bloom. But what else did she expect when she summoned her here?
"It's fine. I may not have seen her, and maybe even miss her, but I can still feel her," Bloom put her hand over her heart. "I can still hear her voice, I still remember it, her and I see her in my dreams, too." Bloom smiled. This was the truth, she was not lying, but just because it was the truth does not mean that everyone see's it as such. She was sure that Miss Faragonda misunderstood her truth, but she did not feel like correcting her either, after all, she did put her words as vague as possible not without a reason.
"Oh Bloom," Maybe she should feel guilty, for manipulating this nice woman like this, but to hell with it. She was a desperate girl, who took desperate measures to get what she wanted and she did feel dirty, somewhere in her heart, but she failed to care for that.
She wouldn't understand.
None of them would.
"Maybe I should get back to the class, I don't want to be late. Is there something you want to ask?"
"Actually, yes, do you know what happened with your parents?" This was definitely not a question she had anticipated and - she would have cursed, if Daphne had not told her that a princess did not curse, especially a fairy princess, she wasn't a witch! - she thought of answers she could give.
"No, I don't. I was too young to do that and D- then my sister... she did not tell me either." She was getting too used to using her sister, something she had never done before on Earth and this was dangerous. She could not slip her name, as slim as the chances were that they would connect the two. Yesterday had showed that none of the girls knew, but still, as slim as the chances were, chances were chances.
"Oh, I am sorry for that. Maybe I can help you in the future if you find something, I am always here for you, Bloom." The gentle and motherly tone she used in her voice made Bloom want to believe her, to accept the hand that she offered her and for a moment, she did consider forgoing her sister's words.
"Thank you, Miss Faragonda." Bloom smiled painfully and honestly grateful, as she rose from her seat and went towards the door. However, as grateful as she was, she still feel that despite her words, her convincing act, there was a doubt lingering in Miss Faragonda's eyes. She did not fully believe her, but as Daphne had said, she did not become headmistress of a school which was specialized in training the fairies of tomorrow, without a reason.
On the first day, the students were shown the many rooms, areas and placed in Alfea, like the library, the dining hall, the laboratories, although according to Griselda's announcement yesterday, it would take a little longer until they could be used again. Bloom also learned that each of the girl she had to share her apartment with were also in her class. It would be interesting. They were nice girls... at least she thinks so.
The library was big and just as impressive as the rest of this building. She imagined herself spending most of her time in these four walls. After all, she wanted to get better, acquire more knowledge about the magical dimension and become a great fairy.
All just for one goal.
She concentrated on the place around her. There were a lot of books, which of course was no surprise, considering that this was a library, but like the entire building, it was architecturally seen beautifully crafted in a way that let her stunned eyes admire its art.
The books in the shelves seemed interesting, some were plain, some were adorned with a beautiful ancient cover that was no doubt worth the entire history of whatever its topic was about, but either way, she was assured that it contained a value that she might need in the future.
She couldn't wait to get those things in her fingers.
Bloom smiled, thinking and considering her own thoughts, this play may become her new sanctuary, especially if her own room became too nosy, which might be the case looking at the people she had to share her rooms with.
A/N: As I might have already hinted, the relationship with Faragonda and Bloom is going to be different than in the canon first season. Few patterns can already be found in their conversation. Bloom is not above lying to her or at least, misleading her. This is all due to the fact that she has Daphne to depend on and this time, she is on a mission.
Bloom is not the little lost girl anymore, searching for guidance and answers and if she might be in need of them, she wold have Daphne to turn to. Instead she is the mature and determined princess, who searches for a way to go through it and help her sister. That would be my point of view, if anyone might disagree, feel free to tell me, maybe I am even missing a few points and if you were interested in other changes which I had not commented on, ask me too.
I am unsure as of yet, but I believe in the next chapter, she would be finally meeting our dear prince charming...
See the difference
Until next chapter.
