Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter nor Winx Club. *All recognizable plots belong to JKR and Iginio Straffi*
Chapter Twenty-Seven: "Healing of Wounds and Memories"
Bloom was standing on the terrace, gazing at the beautiful moons of Andros (to her own surprise and it was kind of strange to see more than a single moon on a planet). Earth had only a single moon and not a variety of different coloured moons that had brightened the skies as the sun was slowly setting over the horizon—causing shades of the brightest orange to the deepest of violet to tint the blue sky.
A spray of salty breeze had splashed her face as the girl took in the fresh scent of the ocean though she could see that there was a thin haze on the shore. The slight breeze was warm as it'd danced on her exposed skin.
Bloom wondered to herself if this was just only a mere dream—one that she simply could awake from not remembering all the dark things she'd encountered with her sister and biological parents?
But sadly in her case, it wasn't a dream. It'd been all real.
The redhead had gazed down at her wrapped bandages that had a faint glow to it and a numbing feeling—it was healing her punctured skin. A stronger breeze had caused her lavender nightdress to swish about her sides and it'd tickled her exposed back and wings.
Bloom couldn't help but feel a sense of loneliness no that wasn't the right word or feeling she was sensing at the moment, but a much deeper, perhaps a sense of utter despair. A loss of hope. No more sparks lingering in her blue eyes that showed such brightness.
What happened to her at Shadowhaunt was something Bloom could never forget for the rest of her life. The way Darkar had titled his head at her with a devilish smile as if craving her entirely to himself. The way his red eyes held complete eagerness as she felt his dark magic pulling at her wrists and ankles. Darkar had took Bloom by complete surprise from behind her.
Bloom had trembled in fear over how twisted the dark prince was as he held her firmly in place, allowing her biological mother to witness her own daughter to be touched by his bloody fingers. The way Darkar had forcedly decided to taunt Marion by kissing her own little girl's neck repeatedly and fiercely as the princess had screamed.
The next thing the redhead princess had felt was an unexpected pain surging through out her body especially her lower stomach where the pain had radiated from. Her eyes had widen in horror over feeling something liquid trickle down between her legs to know it'd been dark blood.
Marion's heartbreaking cries had just shattered Bloom's heart.
It'd forever stained her memory of the dark incident that hovered over her head.
Yet, Bloom had founded herself standing on the terrace alone, as tears trickling down her face. She just wanted to let those awful memories fade from her mind. She couldn't exactly speculate what happened to her? Should she confront her two mums about it? Would they tell her? Or would they simply brush it over her?
Although the moment of pure silence had shattered upon hearing a deep male voice calling out her name.
"Bloom?"
A hand was placed delicately on her shoulder, startling the girl from her own thoughts.
The redhead had looked upwards to see her biological father, Oritel, gazing down at her with such sorrow. He could easily see the misery in her blue eyes that were reflecting back in his own brown eyes. It'd pained him to see his youngest child so broken.
"Are you alright my sweet Bloom?" he asked bending down on his knees trying to reach to her level. He wiped the tears off of her face. "Please don't cry Bloom. Tears don't suite you my love. If I remember correctly, when your mother used to be upset about something, I'd used to personally make her of cup of my famous hot chocolate. It'd always made her feel better afterwards."
Bloom quirked a brow at Oritel and snorted. "Your famous hot chocolate? I highly doubt it's really that famous. What if it wasn't good tasting or something?"
Oritel had gaped at his daughter for her outspoken words—though the man knew she was simply teasing him and had quickly twisted his lips in a serious-like-manner. "Well if you put it that way young lady, I suppose I'll just make enough for me, your mother, and sister. . . "
Bloom's blue eyes had widen and laughed lightly with a sweet innocent tone like. "I was only joking! I'd love a cup of hot chocolate! Though it'd better be as famous as you say it is. . ."
The brunet king had gave a deep chuckle as he ruffled his daughter's bright red hair. The more he looked at Bloom, the more he saw his beloved wife in his youngest child. "You look so much like your mother, Bloom."
Bloom's cheeks had flushed a bright shade of pink.
"Thank you daddy! I do get that compliment often! Come on Padfoot!"
"Padfoot? Who's Padfoot?" Oritel asked.
Bloom raised an eyebrow.
"You know Sirius's nickname is Padfoot or I'd like to call him sometimes as 'Snuffles' as you can see he takes a form of giant black dog," the girl explained to her birthfather, who apparently hadn't been familiar with Sirius' extraordinary magical abilities.
A big fluffy black dog had appeared by the girl's side, waging it's tail back and forth.
It'd only struck Oritel completely since he'd recognized that same dog from last night who had the decency to sleep at the end of his and Marion's bed and his wife had took a fancy to the sweet black dog, assuming it was a pet that belonged to someone in the family as his youngest daughter had an adorable female tabby cat. But now it'd seemed to Oritel that wasn't the case anymore.
"Awe! You always know when to cheer me up, Snuffles!" Bloom rubbed the dog's chin lovingly as she squealed delightedly as the dog continued to wag its fluffy tail.
Oritel was happy to see his little girl no longer upset, but at the same time, this dog who apparently was an actual wizard taking a form of a dog and comforting Bloom—he felt slightly irritated. No. That wasn't the best way he could describe his feeling.
Was it pure jealousy?
It was a rather odd, yet powerful feeling that had welcomed the king's heart and the man wasn't sure if it was a grateful feeling or a feeling of being slightly envious as he wanted to be the one to console her from her sadness. It hit him hard, like as if he'd been stung by some sort of stinging curse.
The brunet king knew that he shouldn't be a tad jealous that other people knew both his daughters better than he and his wife (even though that was expected to be), but still that unpleasant feeling lingered in his chest.
Oritel had wanted to spend quality time with his children along with his wife and get to know them personally rather than hearing tales for the most part.
"But didn't you want some hot chocolate?"
"Of course I do! Me and Snuffles will be the judge of it. Now come on Sirius, why don't you show him, pretty please?" Bloom batted her blue eyes that twinkled with joy.
The black dog had barked in response before he'd decided to change back into his human appearance with a huge grin across his face.
If there were any indications to being highly surprised, Oritel had managed to hide it really well or for the fact that there were certain things he didn't want to discuss openly in front of his youngest daughter as the girl was far too young to hear adults' conversation.
"So you were that dog that slept in our bedroom last night that Marion took a fancy too?" he questioned, slightly annoyed.
"Well, I mean you and your wife did trap me in the room so it wasn't exactly my fault, but I did make myself pretty useful though," Sirius admitted.
"Yes," Oritel rolled his eyes at that comment, "and my wife had thought of you being so intelligent and understanding for a dog and quite adorable for that matter."
"Ah, I do have that charm that no one could not resist," Sirius noted, remembering the way that Marion ruffled out his smooth black fur with her slender fingers and the way she kissed him plentiful times on the head for being too adorable for her liking.
Bloom's lips curled into a smile. "So you two got along I presume?"
The two men glanced at Bloom who seemed to be pretty enjoying they way Sirius and Oritel were engaging in a short conversation.
"I guess we did," Sirius told his goddaughter.
"Just as long as you don't be in your dog form when Marion and I are alone is all I'm asking."
Sirius rolled his eyes at the king's mere comment.
Before he could say anything in response—
"I'm gonna look for everyone inside. I'm pretty sure everyone would love a cup of hot chocolate!" Bloom smiled, but her smile didn't match her expressive blue eyes—if one hadn't known her for very long, they'd might mistaken it for her being quite cheerful.
Oritel and Sirius had noticed that the girl had tired to put a brave (and a happier) smile on her face as if she was all better, but clearly the girl had some trouble that was running through her mind. Her lovely features had become tense and it was all what they needed to know.
They had watched her as she finally vanished from their sight.
It was dead silent.
Neither of them had spoken to each other as the two men dwelled in their own thoughts.
"Bloom's not her usual self. She was always so happy, but this isn't like her. I hate seeing her like this. I only hope she gets better, " Sirius frowned, but he was deeply disturbed not over her severe wounds but rather by the fact that the dark prince had done something sinister to the girl, (an underaged girl which was revolting, even the thought alone would make one sick to their stomach). He could easily tell in his animagus form as a dog since animals are known to pick up on emotions spilling from a person.
Oritel had let out a heavy sigh, this was the one thing he wished hadn't happened to the girls. He had to make sure they would overcome this situation by talking about it freely rather than bottling it up inside up of them—avoiding the dark situation that had fallen on them. It would do them no good.
To say that his family were okay—as if nothing had affected them for what Darkar had unleashed upon them would be a lie. It wasn't simply just Bloom or Daphne, but even his wife Marion too had suffered greatly.
Marion had fallen to pieces (breaking into hysterical sobs in which had shattered him) as he held her in his arms last night rocking her softly as Marion told her husband what happened to them in Shadowhaunt—how Darkar had raped his beloved family—it was simply unimaginable.
"I know," Oritel said quietly, but at the same time the man looked frustrated, as he glanced at Sirius. "And they can't bottle up their feelings about it. My wife only told me in bits of pieces even she's being a bit subtle about it especially since we have known each other since our early childhood together.
Marion would tell me all of her secrets, but this. . . she wouldn't give me any deeper insights, which is really making me worried about them. The girls have to talk about it together. It's the only way we can overcome this otherwise my family might fall apart again and I refuse to let that happen."
Sirius had sympathized with the man as he too knew someone he'd loved, Marlene McKinnon—she'd been murdered along with her entire family by Death Eaters under Lord Voldemort's command. It was something Sirius had thought he would never imagine himself ever bringing her up again. It'd been such a painful reminder to Sirius.
"You know, it'd also happened to someone I once loved, but I hadn't known until it was too late. Her name was Marlene McKinnon, I just wished I'd known sooner during the time. I could've helped her or been there for her, but she'd been murdered before I could have the chance. . . "
"I'm sorry to hear of that," the king replied, as sorrow had flittered across his eyes.
Sirius gave a slight nod.
The redhead princess had walked back into the nice infirmary room where she knew her biological mother and older sister were being treated for their wings. It was a nice spacious luxurious room with a couple of full sized plushy canopy beds with lavender silk blanket embedded with seashells beads and plushy velvet sofas.
There were many different picture frames hung on the wall of the most famous sites on Andros. At the end of the room, where it'd led to the balcony as golden sunlight had streamed in through the glass doors, revealing the beautiful ocean of Andros.
The middle-aged nurse, dressed in a uniform that consisted of a white blouse, vest of dark purple with the Androsian symbol in gold, and the skirt was a dark blue with gold which were the trims at the end of the skirt. The woman was glancing over Marion's wings, giving her the proper healing ointment on the redhead's delicate wings.
"Bloom, where have been? I was getting worried about you?" Marion questioned her youngest daughter who appeared to be slightly peppier than earlier, but still Marion could see the emotional distress in her blue eyes that Bloom tried to not show.
It'd faintly eased the woman's worry upon seeing Bloom's face again.
Though the girl had winced in which Marion had easily suspected her to be in some sort of pain, but then again, a dark smoky tendril had rose from Bloom and she'd easily gotten her suspicious correct.
Marion's expression had changed from being lightly concerned to being deeply unsettled.
A flicker of anger radiated in her green eyes.
It was unforgivable.
How was she suppose to explain to both of her daughters what really had happened to them?
The thought alone just disturbed her and Oritel tremendously, and what had made it worse is when they had told the despicable tale to their friends late last night, but from their mere somber expression they'd worn on their faces told Marion and Oritel all what they needed to know was that their friends already knew.
Niobe and Teredor had escorted her friends to a private infirmary room on the first floor of the palace.
Marion had sobbed broken heartedly as grief and pure guilt had consumed the redhead queen entirely. The woman wasn't even sure if she could ever move on from this gloomy tragedy that had struck her family.
Luna simply held her best-friend in her arms, trying to cheer her up from her misery that Darkar had inflicted upon her and her own daughters, as the redhead fairy continued to mope in utter despair.
"Shh . . . Marion please don't cry darling. It's going to be okay," Luna murmured softly.
"I-I . . .don't . . . kn-know . . . if it'll . . . ever be okay, Luna," Marion hiccuped.
Luna had sat on the plushy velvet plum sofa, allowing Marion to rest her head on Luna's lap as Niobe was on the other end—both queens were trying to their very best to console their best-friend, who stared at their faces with misery.
"What I am going to do? How am I going to tell my daughters the truth of what happened to them? The girls don't know what this could mean for them. . . or how it'll affect them later on in their future? Or how could I even possibly bring that kind of subject up to them? They're only young girls. . ." Marion rambled on with endless questions that seemed to had drowned the woman to the bottom depths of the ocean. It was as if all sense of reality had broken the young woman to nothing but fragile pieces.
Niobe and Luna had exchanged glances.
"Marion you know you can't avoid this situation. Think of how Daphne and Bloom are feeling too? They could be feeling much worse than what you're feeling now. You have to give them the 'Talk'. It's crucial for them to know. Dragon knows I'd given Stella the 'Talk'. . ." Luna said seriously.
Marion looked horrified as if the thought hadn't occurred to her. She wasn't sure if giving her own daughters the Talk was a right thing to do at the moment and they were young, perhaps Daphne since she's a few years older than her sister Bloom. Bloom was an eleven-years-old-girl. A small babe in the woods. Marion didn't want to destroy her own daughters' innocence with the Talk but then again their innocences had been already shattered to a million of pieces.
"Yo. . . y-you'd given Stella the Talk, Luna?" Marion stumbled in her words, unsure how she'd felt about it giving her daughters the Talk.
"I also 'Talked' to Aisha about it. You should've seen the way she'd reacted. She looked highly revolted by what I'd told her but its only for her own good. It's something I wished I could wait a bit longer, a few more years perhaps, but sometimes you have to do your motherly duty in protecting your child," Niobe explained rationally.
The rest of it had seemed like only a blur in Marion's memory.
Although Niobe and Luna had made a point in that, but she felt as if they had led her on something, as if keeping a small secret between them and the redhead wasn't sure what it was exactly.
"I was with Dad and Padfoot outside. Dad told me about his famous hot chocolate, how he'd used to make it for you whenever you were upset. But is it as famously delicious he says it is?" Bloom implied, quirking a brow at her birthmother for a response.
Marion had flushed a deep shade of red as she recalled her memories of when she'd been younger when Oritel had personally made her a cup of hot chocolate—all the trouble the young crown prince had gone through when he invaded the kitchen causing much trouble to the staff. He'd been such a silly prince, well, her silly prince anyways.
Marion's green eyes were transfixed on Bloom—observing her daughter's behaviour rather closely as possible as if any sort of reaction the girl might give, might just pull her closer to her child she missed for so long. The woman wanted to know what made her children so unique and just so precious in her eyes.
The redhead queen's lips had curled into a warm loving smile.
"So he did tell you that sweetheart. Well, I couldn't possibly agree more, your father's hot chocolate are one of the best I ever had in my life. Now come here Bloom, I'd like to take a look at your wings. . . "
Bloom felt her mother's hands push her vibrant long wavy red hair aside, as the woman observed her child's wings that was now giving off a healthier glow—slowly healing. Bloom's wings were slowly healing and she knew from what the doctor and healers had told the entire family that it would take weeks for it to be fully healed before flying on them again. Then something had come across Marion's mind as she was inspecting her daughter's wings.
Had her youngest daughter ever flown on her wings?
Did Bloom know how to transform into her fairy form?
Or had Daphne taught her little sister to do that?
Or did Bloom know about the glaring changes a fairy would face once she'd gotten her very first menstrual cycle?
"Have you ever flown on your wings from before Bloom?" Marion asked curiously.
The girl wasn't exactly sure how to respond to Marion's question as for sure it'd only break the woman's heart even further but her thoughts had been shattered as her birthmother had pressed on that question once again, demanding a reply from her baby girl.
"Um. . . no, not really," Bloom hesitated before continuing, ". . . and I don't really know how to transform. Daphne hadn't exactly showed me yet. But I suppose I can't exactly learn it now since we can't transform out of this for the sake of the wings."
Bloom turned to face Marion to see that her eyes were beginning to water again.
"It's fine, really, you can teach me later on."
The girl grabbed Marion's hands in her own, trying to comfort her brokenhearted mother who smiled back at her.
"So where's Dap—" before Bloom could finish off her sentence, the girl somehow knew (or rather heard their footsteps) that grew louder. "—you know, I never knew that fairy ears could pick up on the slightest noise, something I must get used to." Bloom noted.
"Well, yes, I mean a fairy is a bit different than a witch you know and both are unique in their own ways that really can't be compared. Did you know a fairy can miniaturize herself?"
Bloom's blue eyes had widen, quite interested in idea of being really tiny in size. How would the world be like if she were such a tiny fairy? For some reason it had excited her. Too be really small. . . would the world look too big then in her eyes?
"Really? How tiny can we get mum?"
"If I'd tell you we can become so tiny that the three of us can actually sit on the palm of Oritel's hand."
"That's incredibly tiny mum!"
Marion smiled, as if all her worries had instantly vanished as she brought her child into her arms both finding serenity in each other's company.
"Unbelievable! I just leave for a couple of minutes and come back to see you and mum hugging each other without me," Daphne pouted, as if pretending to be saddened by her mother and little sister who weren't sharing this moment along with her. But Bloom for her part had jumped out of Marion's arms and crashed into the arms of Daphne.
If anything, Daphne had loved and cherished her younger sister as she was the greatest gift her parents had give her: a sweet little sister, one of life's most precious gifts.
Bloom had glanced at her sister feeling Daphne's arms tighten around her, whispering the words I love you into her ear as the redhead beamed brightly. The redhead girl had noticed her aunt and adoptive mum were standing in the doorway, watching the girls as they embraced each other tightly.
Evelyn and Lily had a soft expression, and once the girls had broke apart from each other, the two women had guided them inside as they closed the door behind them—not wanting anyone to listen in over the private conversation the three women were going to explain to Daphne and Bloom.
They had sat at the edge of the bed, already noting their serious appearance that had brought the girls back to reality. They were going to give them the 'Talk' about the incident that occurred in Shadowhaunt not that Daphne and Bloom wanted any more reminder of what happened to them.
The redhead princess had felt a chill run down her back at the mere thought of it alone. Though she felt a hand being placed on her shoulder. Lily looked at her daughter sincerely.
"Girls, I know this is very sensitive to you, but we have to talk about the incident that happened in Shadowhaunt," Evelyn said as her oldest niece had shuddered horrifyingly.
"I really don't want to talk about it," Bloom's faint voice piped up, though she had stumbled in her words as she clung onto Lily—her gaze shifting nervously downwards at her sore stomach. She really didn't want to speak about it, as all what she wanted to do was forget about it entirely—erase it from her memory.
Marion had seen the way how both her daughters flinched.
They were willing to protest about it, but the women had stern looks on their faces that told them otherwise.
But they knew in their hearts that it was only a natural response for the girls to refuse to talk about it, or not wanting anyone breath down their neck for that matter as if they were deeply ashamed (or embarrassed) about it. Confusion was written across the girls' faces.
It'd broke her heart knowing that maybe her girls might never be able to fully recover from the dark incident that Darkar had done to them. But she was more than prepared to heal their immeasurable pain in every way a mother could possibly help her daughters.
Oritel had told her last night that he would support his family in every way he could possibly do to help heal their deep wounds—even as simple as making a cup of hot chocolate for his girls. Marion knew this was going to be a long process to heal from and it simply couldn't happen over night. Only time would tell. Marion hoped that her daughters and herself would overcome such a tragedy.
The brunet king only groaned in response upon Radius' mere comment.
He really didn't want to be reminded of it, something about it just unsettled him and he wasn't sure what it was exactly? Was it because Daphne and Bloom weren't babies anymore, but rather developing girls? Or was it a simple reminder that he'd missed out on the first part of his children's lives?
Why was he feeling so groggy about it?
Was this a normal emotion that any sort of father would be feeling upon realising that his wife would give their daughters the chat?
Certainly, Oritel wasn't feeling too comfortable with that notion in his mind as Marion had explicitly informed him that she would be discussing those private matters with Daphne and Bloom in a subtle manner. Still it hadn't quite settled with Oritel, but at the same time perhaps, the girls could begin their journey to recovery as he for one wouldn't them to be scarred for the rest of their lives.
All he wanted to do was to whip up some hot chocolate for the girls—perhaps it would ease their anxiety and fears they had thanks to Darkar. Oritel would do anything to provide them the comfort they needed and give them the space they needed.
"Don't stress yourself Oritel," Teredor observed Oritel's restlessness within the kitchen as he continued to look for right ingredients in order to make the perfect hot chocolate. "Just give your family some time. After all, healing is a long process to recovery."
Oritel let out a heavy sigh.
Teredor had a point.
This certainly wasn't going to be an easy process, but in time, his family would slowly get better.
"Perhaps after this we can all go down to the beach and set up a little campfire there and share some stories. I'm pretty sure that will lighten everyone's spirit. Save the hot chocolate for tonight Oritel. Why don't you join us and loosen up a bit," the Androsian King offered.
Oritel had took a seat next to his brother-in-law Alec, who seemed to be slightly at ease (but clearly Oritel could see the distress in his green eyes. He always kept his mood hidden if only one would pay attention to the way light would reflect in his eyes) as if he needed to know that his sister and nieces were doing alright.
"That sounds like a great idea. It would take their minds off of things," Alec responded.
Oritel too had agreed with the idea that Teredor suggested.
The brunet king was deeply preoccupied in his thoughts with the overwhelming information that happened in the past decade. There was too much to catch up on and simply trying to follow with today's news.
Oritel was snapped back to reality upon hearing his brother-in-law voice who was trying to grab his attention. Apparently, he'd been thinking too deeply that he noticed everyone was staring at him.
"I was just talking about how the girls ought to attend a fairy school together. I'm sure they'll love it," the sun king beamed.
"But then again from what we heard, your daughters do attend a magical boarding on Earth," Teredor noted.
Oritel was still getting used to the idea that there was indeed magic on Earth (to his own sheer surprise).
"Out of curiosity, have you two ever thought of giving Stella or Aisha a sibling of their own?"
"Ah? I had a feeling you were going to ask that Oritel. But yes, Luna and I had been trying for years after Stella's birth, maybe we could give her a brother, but unfortunately we didn't have much luck like you on the other hand," Radius pointed out, and continued on, "it doesn't matter much anymore, I love my Luna and Stella—they're my starlights."
"Is there any reason why? I'm kinda curious to know?" Remus questioned.
"Well, supposedly fairies in general are a bit tricky and difficult to impregnate despite fairies being relatively healthy. Many physicians claim that fairies aren't high in fertility as to why most can't have more than a single child. But then again, it could also depend on your luck," Teredor elaborated.
"Well that does explain things. When Alec told me that Daphne hadn't had any extended relatives besides him being her uncle I was really surprised. Especially since she comes out of a royal bloodline I was expecting a big family or something," Regulus commented, seeing the downhearted king who was Daphne's and Bloom's biological father.
Oritel had reflected back on his memories when Marion had broke the news of her second pregnancy to him and the entire family. How overjoyed they'd been—blessed with another child—after the many attempts of trying to give Daphne another sibling.
Nevertheless Marion's pregnancy with Bloom had been most difficult for unknown reasons even though she was completely healthy. There had been days when the young crown prince had feared that he and Marion would simply loose their second baby—especially during the first trimester in which Marion had struggled to keep the baby within her upon seeing spots of light blood.
The physician had given Marion specific potions that she'd been required to take twice daily, once in the morning and once at night. Emmeline had warned both parents during the time that some fairies would respond to the treatment very well and others would have poor prognosis—as some fairies would face miscarriages to their sheer devastation. Every fairy was unique from one another. It'd heavily depended on their bodies—how it would tolerate the pregnancy.
It'd terrified Oritel greatly knowing that his unborn child might not get a chance to live. . . he closed his eyes. It was just old memories now. Relief had flooded his chest entirely knowing that he and Marion had overcome this and saw the birth of their beloved second daughter.
"Marion had struggled so much in her second pregnancy with Bloom." Oritel reencountered the days in which his wife would simply break down in tears, as Oritel would only hold her in his arms trying to comfort his wife.
He watched his brother-in-law Alec go stiff, also sharing the same pained expression as Oritel. It hadn't been easy for his little sister to bear another child again.
"You remember Bloom had been born a month earlier than her actual due date."
Alec had clearly remembered the stressful day of Bloom's birth—it'd caused panic among the family members. Leilani had attended to her daughter-in-law's aid in easing the young redhead princess' stress in delivering her child.
"She'd been born a month early?" James questioned, shock was evident in the wizard's voice.
Oritel glanced at James sadly. "Indeed, but it doesn't really matter as much anymore. I suppose Marion and I are really lucky to have her as own little girl. From what my parents told me, they also wanted to give me a little sibling as well, practically a little sister since my mother had always wanted a daughter of her own to dot on, but alas it hadn't worked out in their favour. My mother had considered Marion as a daughter to her."
"You do miss them don't you Oritel?" Radius pressed, seeing the heavy sorrow in Oritel's brown eyes.
Miss them?
Miss them, it was far beyond that. His heart ached for them. His soul cried out to them for some sort of guidance. It was a feeling that he very well knew that would never fade away. Oritel hadn't even properly grieved his parents' death nor that of his father-in-law's death either. Both his daughters hardly met them (with the exception of Daphne, but even she was too young to remember them).
"You know my parents and father-in-law had died two weeks after Bloom's birth. I hadn't had a proper closure nor did my wife. And I think we need to visit their graves to say our final goodbyes and have that final closure."
It'd been something Oritel had wanted to do, but the war hadn't exactly given him or his wife that kind of opportunity to properly grieve for their parents' demise.
"My condolence to your loss," Regulus said quietly—he too had been greatly affected by his parents' death especially since it'd been at the near end of the First Wizarding War. But his mother had passed away a few years after his father's death back in 1979.
Though he did visit their graves under a different identity—modifying his appearance to someone unrecognizable as he mourned over the loss of his parents. Regulus had loved them regardless of the views they held that were extremely wrong in his eyes, but it hadn't meant he stopped loving them.
"I know how that feels," James added.
Oritel had deeply appreciated their condolences.
The brunet king's thoughts had wondered off back to his daughters—realizing that the man hadn't known anything about his girls—about their likes or dislikes. Perhaps this was the perfect opportunity to try to bond and build up a relationship with Daphne and Bloom and figure out what had made them so special.
Oritel was anxious about being an active father again to Daphne and Bloom. After all they were his children who shared his flesh and blood. But he had no idea where to begin? Or how to be a good father that his daughters would look up to? What if he failed in being a good father to them?
What if he would do something that would somehow offend the girls?
What if they weren't on the same page?
What if they couldn't agree on anything?
Or worse, a trembling feeling lingered in his soul and heart—what if Daphne and Bloom didn't love him back in return as their biological father? Forget about liking him. . . which was a different feeling than being loved and adored and looked up to as a charming hero and king.
What if the girls had preferred their current lives without him and Marion in it? What if Bloom preferred her adoptive parents over him and Marion being her parents? Or what if he and Marion were simply being overbearing (somewhat nosy) parents to their two daughters for just wanting to know every details of their lives?
Oritel couldn't help but question it and feel as if there was a sense of rivalry. . . the man tossed that idea from his mind, what a ridiculous notion. But still that feeling lingered on the surface of his chest as if it were weighing him down. Though a sense of slight guilt had washed over the man for the fact that he a bit envious of those who had raised his darling Bloom and Daphne.
Was this a normal fatherly feeling?
Wait. Does he even know how to be a good, protective, and loving father towards the girls? Oritel had little knowledge of being a father—not to girls being in their early teen years—he was officially clueless in that.
"Your awfully tensed mate," Alec commented, seeing his brother-in-law fidgeting nervously over a particular thought.
It was embarrassing to question his brother-in-law about how to be a proper father to his daughters? Would Alec most likely rub it in his face about being a better father? Or would he ridicule him for it?
Oritel sighed. "I suppose I'm a bit nervous about being a father to Daphne and Bloom again."
"Ah. I knew it. The fatherly jitters," Alec grinned at his brother-in-law, it was a familiar taunting smile that Oritel had easily recognized.
The king had rolled his eyes, looking unfazed as if it were a casual thing of him to do so. His brother-in-law's intimidation had always rubbed on him the wrong way and he detested it. "You're taunting me aren't you? Taking such a wonderful pleasure in this?"
"And what makes you say that Oritel?" Alec was taking this to his own satisfaction quite delightedly.
"Don't you dare. I know what you're trying to do here," Oritel pointed out—he never liked anyone knowing such matters before him—it was almost intimidating and he for one didn't like to challenged in something that he was unfamiliar with.
"For Dragon's Sake Oritel, I'm not do anything to annoy you honestly!"
Radius rolled his eyes at the most amateurish scene that might just unfold before everyone's eyes.
"Honestly, you two have not been in each other's grace and yet you're starting to bicker with each other like the old days. I thought you two got over your rivalry or whatever it was?"
Everyone had seemed a bit surprised over this revelation, excluding Teredor and Radius who already of this from long ago.
"You two don't get along?" Sirius questioned.
"I don't think they ever did Sirius. And I'm guessing Alec here hadn't given much description about his relation to Oritel. Only Marion would straighten them two out," Teredor gave out a chuckle.
Alec had crossed his arms as the man snorted. "You're still my favourite in-law Regulus."
"What about me!" Sirius piped up curiously.
Regulus sighed. His brother could be so egocentric about everything, literally.
Alec flustered. "Well. . ."
"Padfoot just give the man a break, I'm pretty sure he does like you and besides he hadn't known you for a longtime compared to your brother," Prongs informed his best-friend.
"So you're picking favourites now? Did you just bluntly say you dislike me?" Oritel implied, an eyebrow raised.
The blond-haired wizard groaned in response as he rubbed his fingers on the side of his temples.
"Ah! You're so bloody frustrating Oritel!"
Bloom bit her lips. Uncertainty had flickered in her blue eyes. Though she was on the very verge of bursting into heavy sorrowful tears. Her heart ached her too much for this world.
The young redhead girl had clung onto Lily as if trying to feel safe in her arms or perhaps trying to confide herself with the women in the room who loved her and her older sister Daphne dearly.
Daphne had seemed to be slightly better than her younger sister, but still, the oldest princess appeared to be disconnected as if her mind had wondered off somewhere else. Her hazel eyes were filled with gloominess as if she could no longer spark any kind of hope or joy she held prior to her and sister's kidnapping.
Bloom couldn't help but feel rather tainted after such a horrifying incident. It had shook the girl off of her axis—making her feel unbalanced. She had relied on her mother's reassurance and love.
Bloom averted her gaze from her aunt and both of her mums. It was too awkward and quite shameful for that matter for what she wanted to say to them. Her feelings were all mixed up. The redhead girl wasn't sure what she felt exactly.
"I feel so. . . tainted," the girl finally admitted with a deep groan.
A single tear had glistened down her pale face. After learning what truly happened to her, Bloom felt terrified that her family might leave her (or in other words, disown her) on her own along with Daphne?
What if they truly didn't want anything to do with them after what Darkar had done? What if their father would be simply disgusted just by glancing at them knowing that they weren't exactly the same as they were from before? What if their father would no longer love or cherish them with all of his heart?
Lily's eyebrows shot upwards as she rubbed her daughter's back easing the girl's fears. "Bloom, honey please don't say such things. It hurts me to see you like this."
Marion had appeared to be utterly brokenhearted as she drew closer to her youngest daughter Bloom who was just in pieces after giving her children the Talk. It'd only punctured the woman's heart upon seeing them so dispirited. How was she ever going to cheer her girls up? What could she possibly do to ease the pain they were feeling?
Marion wasn't exactly sure what to do in this kind of situation especially over being a mother to Daphne and Bloom. She personally never experienced full on motherhood or had grown up with a mother in her childhood years?
"Oh my baby girl. . . we're all here and listen to Lily, please don't say awful things about yourself. You're a beautiful girl and we all love you and your sister so much," Marion caressed her daughter's cheeks as she gazed into her face. Bloom gazed at Marion with a small smile.
"I'm going to see your sister okay, love," Marion kissed Bloom on the forehead lovingly.
Bloom was wrapped in Lily's warm embrace.
Daphne was being comforted by Evelyn who in her arms.
Evelyn had been livid once she discovered what had happened to her darling nieces. It was purely despicable. Once Marion had broke the tale—everyone had been so pissed off. Alec, her husband, had a grim appearance even her two cousins Sirius and Regulus had that same dark Black streak that ran in the family.
"We're not. . . " Daphne couldn't even express her words that she wanted to tell her aunt. In her point of view, this was a shameful and mortifying thing that had ever happened to her and Bloom. She hadn't imagine what deflowering had truly meant. . . no. . . the girl didn't want to dwell upon it. . . why couldn't she stop crying about it?
"Shhh Dap. No matter what had happened back at Shadowhaunt you'll always be my same little adorable Daphne that I'd raised for all these years, nothing will ever change that," she glided her fingers in Daphne's blond hair. "You and Bloom are my precious nieces."
The redhead queen felt a pang in her heart upon hearing her sister-in-law's words. After all these years could she really be a mother to Daphne and Bloom after being absent from their lives for so long?
"Daphne," Marion begun, as she grabbed a hold of her older daughter's hand in hers—her green eyes shinned with warmth—as the girl looked at her mother with glossy eyes. The girl appeared to be discomforted. Daphne had wondered how could they even love her and Bloom after all what they been put through?
"Please darling, we all love you no matter what. I just told your sister that a few minutes ago. We are on your side in good times and bad days. We'll pull through this, after all that's what we do as a family," the redhead queen reassured Daphne who seemed to be giving it a moment of thought, and smiled warmly at her aunt and mother.
"Anyways, from what Niobe and Luna told me," Marion stood on her feet, "is were going to set up a campfire down at the beach and share tales."
"That sounds like a lovely idea," Lily spoke.
Bloom's eyes brighten—peaked up in pure curiosity as she asked Marion.
"I love tales! But I wonder if they're real or a myth?"
"Most are a myth sweetheart, but some of them are true according to the actual legend." Marion stated.
"Just to let you know, your brother told me to tell you that you're not allowed to not use your magic," Evelyn mentioned to her sister-in-law who had pouted, completely displeased by her brother's order.
Marion sighed.
All what she wanted to do was give them proper dresses for the campfire and apparently her older brother hadn't want her to use her own magic—and it was most likely until she and her daughters were completely healed from their injuries.
"I was simply going to change our clothing to something more fitting for tonight's campfire," Marion admitted.
Evelyn smiled and flicked her wand, as each one of them wore a stylish flowy dressed that had suited their complexion. Marion had admired her off-shoulder ivory dress that the ruffle of the dress had reached above her knees with flat sandals and her hair was in a pony tail.
"Oh, how lovely," smiled Marion.
Bloom was wearing a strapped summery light blue dress that brought out her bright blue eyes with her firey red-hair and wore yellow sandals as for Daphne she was dressed in honey colored turtle neck shirt and light jeans shorts with sandals as well, (though it was more of a knee length sandals).
"Why thank you Evelyn," Lily had appreciated Evelyn for what she'd done—liking her halter peachy dress that would definitely take to James' liking.
"No problem," Evelyn winked back at them. "Hopefully this puts everyone into good spirits!"
The sun was slowly setting on the Androsian horizons—setting off vibrating colours in the skies. The group was making their way down to the sandy shores of the beach.
Harry was utterly glad to see his younger sister again and remained by her side, though he been disheartened to see his sister injured. He didn't want to let go of her again.
"You know I love you Bloom and missed you. I was really worried about you," Harry had held his sister's hand in his own as they walked down the wooden steps.
She gazed at her bother with a soft expression and tightened her grip on her brother's hand for reassurance as she loved to see his face again. It had melted all of her deep worries away into sweet oblivion.
"Me too. He was really scary Harry. . ." Bloom muttered, without letting the other adults hear what she was talking about—not wanting to let them be overly concerned over her again.
Harry gave a nod.
The boy knew exactly from the descriptions of the fellow creature that Bloom was trying to tell him. Harry, Stella, and Aisha had simply overhead the adults' conversation.
"Here's my favourite ladies," Alec beamed brightly, as he draped an arm on his wife's and sister's shoulder, walking side by side. He kissed them both on the top of their heads lovingly. Evelyn's grey eyes had met her husband's bright emerald eyes and a grin appeared on his lips. Marion let out a soft giggle.
"It's so good to see you again Alexander," Marion narrowed her green eyes in a playful manner—getting back at her dear, sweet brother.
Alec eyes brown shot upwards, nearly forgotten about his full name.
It'd been so long since anyone had called him by his full name rather than the one he created and wanted everyone to call him by and genuinely preferred over complete Alexander.
"Alexander?"
"You never knew Evelyn?" Marion pressed her lips together quite intrigued.
Evelyn shook her head. "No. He never told me that was his actual full name."
"Really? He chose Alec because it sounded cooler in his opinion and demanded our parents and everyone that knew him that," Marion teased her older brother who looked flustered—completely red in the face—embarrassed.
Marion smiled as she watched her daughters along with Stella, and Aisha, and her sweet little nephews walking ahead of them, as they all giggled in joy. Marion was utterly delighted in seeing her daughters being a bit cheerful than the state they had been earlier. It'd swelled her heart of pure joy.
"I'm really glad to see you're doing well Marion," he told her, despite the intense blush on his cheeks.
"Alexander? I like it," Evelyn mused, teasing her dear husband.
"No. Please Eve, don't call me that," the blond-haired wizard groaned as he disliked his full name for unknown reasons.
"So from what I heard, are you and Oritel back at your childish bickering again?" Marion raised a single red brow at her brother quite suspiciously.
"You know I have feeling we're going to get along with each other quite well Marion wouldn't you say?" Evelyn told her sister-in-law.
"Definitely," Marion grinned.
"Come on I can't have my two favourite women turn against me now, right loves?" Alec tried to defend in return as the women only smirked.
Author's Note
Merry Christmas! I hope you all have a wonderful holidays! Thankfully I was able to update this chapter on Christmas Day! You won't see me until 2020! Wow! This really does mark an end of the decade and start of a new decade! An entire year went so fast just as I remembered giving a nice shout out to 2019! I'd like to thank you all for following/favoriting and reviewing this story and it means so much to me! I've been through a lot in the year of 2019. So yes, I wish you all happy holidays and I'm not sure if I'm gonna be updating on New Years Day. Though I'll probably be updating somewhere in mid-to-late January in 2020!
So I hope you liked this chapter as it's basically almost a filler like chapter since its events taking place after what happened in Shadowhaunt and how the girls are feeling. Definitely the next chapter is a bit more epic and fluffier and perhaps it marks the end to summer vacation or not, just depends on how the chapter goes with a bit more surprises. I'm thinking that year 2 at Hogwarts will get a bit darker, but not too dark as I did on a few previous chapters.
I hope you had enjoyed this chapter!
Like always please leave your reviews and comments down below! I really do appreciate it and love to hear your thoughts about it!
Until Next Time!