A/N: Soooo sorry for not updating in like…forever! School has had me very busy, but luckily, I'm now on vacation for the holidays as I'm sure the grand majority of you are, which reminds me- Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! R&R please, hopefully once I'm on vacation from the semester ill start updating another story I recently started, its related to this one.

Epilogue

Bloom sat by the edge of the fountain, observing the endless number of golden coins sitting at the bottom. They were currently spending the afternoon in the heart of Domino, the city´s center. And boy was she surprised. The place was overflowing with people! Apparently, Domino was hosting its annual festival, and that included all sorts of entertainment, exhibitions, crafts and more. And because they were celebrating a victory, even her nonna had decided to leave the palace for a while to accompany them. Regina was also the only person who continuously called her by her given name, Denisse. Not that she minded. What she still wasn't used to were the bodyguards and how some folks were already addressing her as Princess (how they knew her identity before any announcement was made, was still beyond her). Although it probably had something to do with the incredible resemblance she shared with her mother.

Her mother…Bloom held great respect for her. During her short stay on Domino she´d started learning to truly see the Queen for who she was. And Marion was more than the compassionate and eloquent woman everybody saw. She was also full of strength and confidence, something that her father, the King, seemed to appreciate very much, or so she´d noticed.

"Ready to make your wish?" a voice came beside her,

"I don't really know what to wish for", she admitted, timidly. Oritel sat by her side.

"I used to come here every so often when I was a child, always wondering what my wish would be, if I was ever able to make one. Queen Regina wouldn't give me money to waste on such "silly things"", he remembered with a smile. Bloom giggled.

"And did you? Make a wish, I mean" she asked.

"That´s the curious part. You see, I came back here once I was older with a pocket full of coins, and I realized that I had everything I could´ve wished for, or everything that would´ve made a regular person happy, perhaps. But still, something was missing. Let´s just say that I made my wish not really knowing what I was wishing for, if that makes sense", he told her. Bloom nodded in understanding.

"And then what happened...?" Oritel laughed wholeheartedly,

"I met your mother only two days later. And I haven't felt the need to come back here since" he said, causing Bloom to laugh as well. It was strange. At a first glance, Oritel seemed like a strict, no-nonsense kind of King. But here he was, completely blissful and unpreoccupied. Having Valtor and the witches out of their lives was probably the reason for this. And Bloom couldn't say she felt any differently. She liked this side of him. The pressure of becoming a perfect Princess seemed to fade just a little.

"She gave me everything my life was missing. Her affection, a family…" he contemplated. "I know we don't know each other well, Denisse. But we´ve never stopped loving you" Oritel said, and turned to gaze at the fountain,

"Now", he placed a coin in her hand, "how about it...?" Bloom smiled widely. She shut her eyes tight and turned her back towards the fountain. And she threw the coin backwards and over her head, listening to it fall into the water with a gentle splash.

"What are the two of you up to?"

"Just making wishes", Bloom replied, opening her eyes to find her sister, the crowned princess, standing before her. Daphne eyed her, gingerly,

"Does it really work?" she asked, peering down into the crystal blue water.

"Well, there´s only one way to find out. Now, what do you girls say if we find the others and get something to eat?"

"Sounds good to me, I´m starving since we left the Palace, Daphne can't cook if her life depended on it", Emmet called, making his way over to them. Bloom giggled, she was beginning to get used to his teasing nature. Not that it took much effort. Emmett could be hilarious when he wanted to be.

"If only you'd waited for the cooks to return from the marketplace", she muttered, rolling her eyes. She looked over at her mother and grandmother, who were too busy looking through the souvenirs at a nearby shop to hear their bickering.

"I bet Bloom could make us some of those dishes from Earth I´ve heard so much about",

"I bet I could. As soon as we get back, we can make pizza", she offered. Her cousin scratched the back of his head, confused, while Daphne smirked.

"You´ll have to teach us",

"We have all the time in the world"

4 years later….

"Where are all the dragons?" Leander asked,

"Quiet Leo, we don't want to disturb them", Daphne whispered as she guided them. They were on the island of Pyros trying to catch a glimpse of Rory, Daphne's childhood dragon. They'd been walking for almost thirty minutes now. Apparently, magic (flying included) could easily be sensed by any dragon, especially the presence of an even stronger dragon, the one who's essence lived within Bloom.

"I can sense his presence, it shouldn't be much longer", her sister's excitement was almost palpable. According to Daphne, all dragons were born on the island, but it was a tradition for every upcoming ruler of Domino to bond with one. And not just anyone. Fate had its way of bringing them together. It was that simple.

They arrived at an opening, and in the distance, a group of dragons big and small could be seen resting.

"Can you see him?" Bloom asked. Her sister had a look in her eyes that made her believe so.

"I´m not sure…give me a minute"

All dragons lived with their bonded prince or princess throughout their childhood, and when the time was right, their faithful companions were to return to their home, but the bond was never forgotten.

Funny how she felt related. Just like Rory, Bloom too had left her home as no more than an infant, until destiny thought it was time for her to return.

"There he is, that's him! The one with golden scales" Daphne chimed.

"He's awesome", their little brother whispered. Daphne ruffled his messy red curls.

"He is, isn't he? Just as I remember", the creature suddenly turned in their direction, and Bloom realized the magnitude of their connection, then.

She was now living permanently on Domino, with frequent visits to her adoptive parents on Earth. And sometimes, they came to Domino to see her. Marion and Oritel had had a serious conversation with Mike and Vanessa and put the palace at their disposal whenever they wished to visit.

It was strangely satisfying to no longer have to ask about what everything was while being with her friends. Her family was there to teach her, her sister especially. Her grandmother, despite showing a solemn façade, was surprisingly sweet, a little authoritarian and overprotective at times, but it was nothing she couldn't handle. Regina was just concerned for her grandchildren and just a little wary of those who would marry into the family. It made Bloom smile. They´d put her into etiquette classes, her mother and big sister teaching her everything they knew. Her afternoon training sessions with Daphne were her favorite, so far. Of course, she still had a lot more to learn, but they all turned out to be pretty patient. And her father just a little overprotective, he also tended to spoil her, still treating Bloom as his ´little girl´, which she thought was very sweet. The fine stallion she´d gotten for her birthday was proof of that.

Her little brother Leo was currently climbing up Rory´s back, while Daphne had flown up to embrace her long-time, childhood friend.

Daphne and Avalon had parted ways after the professor expressed his desire to take things further, her sister on the other hand, wasn´t ready and didn't feel like she would be anytime soon. Now, however, she was head-over-heels in love with Thorin, Sky´s cousin and a member of his royal court. And Bloom couldn't have been happier for her big sister, as well as for her cousin Emmett, who was engaged to Princess Galatea of Melody and would be married in six months. Which Musa thought was incredible, ´Having Emmett as King should be interesting´, she´d said with a smirk.

She´d come to see Emmett as an older brother rather than a cousin (just as Daphne did) and needless to say, he was less than thrilled when Bloom officially announced her relationship with Sky.

But she had to hand it to him. The man had done everything possible to earn back their trust and her affection. His parents were delighted of course. Marion and Oritel had frowned slightly when they heard of Erendor and Samara´s initial rejection toward her. Bloom had to resist the urge to roll her eyes when she thought back on the royals´ sudden approval upon realizing she was Princess Denisse of Domino. Not to mention the daughter of their closest friends. But none of that mattered anyway. Only that Sky loved her. And she loved him.

Marion and Oritel continued to rule together (at least until Daphne married) and were more infatuated than ever. It was sweet to say the least. Oritel, even with all of his duties, had done his best to care for Marion during her pregnancy, always making sure that she wasn't stressed or on her feet for too long. And after nine months, she gave birth to a beautiful baby boy whom they named Leander after her deceased grandfather, and who Bloom adored more than anyone in the world. He had bright red curls and blue eyes just like she did, and he rarely left her side.

"Ready to go?" Bloom asked, Daphne shook her head with a grin.

"Not exactly, we didn't just come here to see Rory", she told her. Bloom furrowed her brows not understanding.

"I know we should´ve done this sooner, but with your studies and etiquette classes, it hasn´t been possible",

"Do what?" she asked,

"Your bonded dragon, Bloom. Every Princess needs one, and you´re no exception",

"But, how do we know he´s here?", she was no longer a child…

"We don´t, you do" Daphne said, placing her hands over her little sister´s shoulders and turning her to face the vast landscape beneath the horizon.

"Close your eyes", she instructed. Bloom found herself doing that more often than not. Perhaps some of the most beautiful things had to be done with closed eyes, because they were felt rather than seen.

Diaspro and her parents still had many years to serve in prison. And as for Valtor? She hadn´t seen or heard from him in the last four years. But she knew he was out there. Because their bond was, too. As someone had once explained to her, the only way one of them could exist was if the other did, as well. And so far, that seemed to be the case. But the wizard had been true to his promise and so she knew nothing more of him since they´d last spoken. Which was fine by her.

"Well...?" Daphne asked. Bloom smiled and continued to walk forward.

"He´s close",

She touched the medallion on her necklace, suddenly recalling a conversation with her mother…

Flashback

Bloom gazed at the setting sun through the window at the end of the hall.

"What do think?" her mother asked, walking up behind her and smoothing her hair gently.

"It´s perfect" she whispered.

"Just like this moment", Marion replied, "Having you here feels like a miracle",

After a brief moment of silence, Bloom spoke up,

"Have you ever wondered what would´ve happened if I hadn´t been taken away? What would our lives have been like?" she asked, gazing at the queen, who seemed to contemplate her question.

"If you hadn't been taken away from us, we wouldn't be here appreciating this moment like we are right now. It was a painful sixteen years, I won´t lie. But it´s what taught your father and I to never take anything, or anyone for granted. Domino was a great and powerful nation, but in that very same power lied our weakness. We gave that final battle everything we had, never foreseeing that even the strongest of nations can come crashing down. We continue to be strong, but never again will we make that same mistake", she spoke so solemnly.

"Losing our family was the worst thing that could´ve happened to us, but it´s made us who we are. It´s brought us to this place and moment in time, and if there´s anything to be recovered from such a painful event, I´d say its this", she said, pulling Bloom close, as the sun continued to descend.

"I think you´re right", she replied with a smile and leaned her head on her mother´s shoulder.

End of flashback

"It´s you", she said, smiling brightly. The small green dragon with big, innocent eyes turned to look at her, wary at first, then ecstatic.

"What took you so long? My name is Buddy, by the way", he said to her.

So was this trip worth it?Most definitely. It was a long journey to get to where she was, sixteen years to be exact. Sixteen years to find her way back home. But no amount of maliciousness, no witches, wizards or spoiled princesses could possibly take away what she had earned along the way.

Her sister and little brother watched her and Buddy, excitedly.

Yes, her journey was definitely worth it.

So this is the end! Thank you all so much for taking the time to read and to review this story! Like I said before, I´m hoping to have some free time to continue another story, same timeline, same characters, based on some of what happened to Bloom during the four-year gap. Of course it´ll include romance, drama, etc, lol. Please let me know what you think, all ideas are welcome.

Until next time, XoXo.