Just as Silva had said to Codatorta, Helia was the first person that was contacted about Tecna's current situation.
After the conversation ended, Helia hung up the phone and said, "I have great news guys, Tecna's safe."
The announcement caught Timmy off guard. Timmy slumped over and leaned his head on the steering wheel as he let out a relieved breath. "Where is she?" Timmy asked breathily.
"She's with my father, Silva. My dad is Codatorta's brother-in-law. He was able to sneak into Zenith's dungeon and hide her in one of the wineries my family owns," Helia explained.
"Your family makes alcohol for a living. No wonder you're so chill," Riven remarked, only for his off-hand comment to be ignored.
"So, we are going to this winery then," Aisha asked, "shouldn't we be going in that direction then?"
Timmy didn't even need to think about anything before he entered in the coordinates, "I am doing that right now." Once the new location appeared on the screen, he turned the wheel and headed in the opposite direction. Timmy's heart pounded in his chest as the ship sped up. He desperately hoped that Tecna would be unharmed when he got to her.
After hours of endless searching, Codatorta had sent the other groups of Specialists home. He and Helia were the only ones other than Silva who knew exactly where the hidden door in the winery was and wanted to keep it that way. Timmy's group, including the fairies were the only ones he trusted completely. With Helia's help, Timmy was able to pinpoint the exact coordinates of their destination. As they approached it, Codatorta went in first to scope out the situation. The rest of the group was told to land the ship and guard the exit.
As Timmy waited, his stomach was in knots. His instincts told him that there was something wrong. The feeling grew more prominent as he started to stealthily land his ship. Suddenly, he could see Codatorta, Tecna, and Silva rushing out of a building. Timmy knew it was a mistake to come without more Specialists for help, they were fighting for their lives because of it
As the ship touched the ground, the fairies and Specialists hurried off to assist in the battle.
"We have back up about five minutes out," Sky yelled to Codatorta. It was a lie, but the Zenithian fighters didn't need to know that. Codatorta nodded, playing along to keep their attackers in ignorance.
The Specialists clashed swords with the Zenithian fighters while the fairies fired magic into the crowd. Silva kept Tecna hidden away while he pushed her towards the ship, knowing she had exhausted herself with her magic. However, Silva wasn't able to make it to the spacecraft. He was shot by a sharpshooter hiding on the winery roof. The shooter aimed for Silva's head, but he moved at the last second, causing the laser gun to clip his shoulder instead.
"No!" Tecna screamed as she saw Silva fall. Timmy saw what happened after taking down an attacker of his own. He knew he needed to deal with the shooter before they became his new targets. Though it was weaker in combat, he put his sword in his left hand and pulled out his laser gun to take down the sharpshooter. Timmy managed to hit the gunman in the chest, making him drop his weapon.
Tecna glanced briefly at the shooter as he fell before she continued to drag Silva to the ship. She knew Timmy was the only one who could have made that shot, so she silently thanked him. Once she was safely on the ship with Silva, she got him to a seat and hurried to find the first aid kit. Then, she pulled off his shirt and started to clean his wound when he heard the door of the ship open. Tecna snapped her head to find that a Zenithian fighter was standing there before her.
"Shit," she mumbled as she placed a barely conscious Silva's hand on his wound. "Hold it here, I'm going to be busy for a while," she said as she pulled out her sword.
This swordsman was stronger than any she had ever faced. She fought hard, but he eventually disarmed her. He gave her a satisfied smirk and said, "I will give you a choice, Princess. Either you come with me peacefully, or I will slit your friend here from navel to nose." From his place on the chair, Silva tried to stand but ended up in a crumpled heap on the floor.
Tecna closed her eyes, shaking in fear. "I surrender myself to you willingly," she whispered. The swordsman grabbed her wrist and teleported her out of the ship.
Not too long after the Zenithian fighter had left with Tecna in his clutches, Tritannus was the first to make it back to the ship. Tritannus found Silva collapsed on the ground and went to help him up as the others made their way inside.
"The King has her," Silva admitted painfully, "He's got Tecna. She surrendered herself to save me."
Helia and Brandon helped lift Silva up and put him back in the chair. Then, they started tending to his wound as Codatorta asked, "Do you know where he took her?"
Silva shook his head, "She saved my life. You must go after her."
As Timmy overheard this, his face went pale. He knew Cryos wasn't going to waste any time now that he had Tecna again.
"That coward," Aisha shouted with great fury, "We came all the way out here to save her, and she just surrenders herself to the enemy!"
"Tecna is not a coward," Musa shot back just as furiously, "She has gone to hell and back, and still, she is willing to do anything to protect the people she loves. She may not have known Silva well, but she knew he meant the world to Codatorta and Helia. That was why she was willing to sacrifice herself to save him."
"I'm heading towards the castle," Timmy responded without an ounce of hesitation, "That's the only place I can think of that he might take her."
"I will put up an invisibility spell," Flora said as remembered a spell she learned from her friend Mirta, a witch who attends Cloud Tower.
…
As expected, the group wasn't going to let Timmy go on this dangerous mission alone. On the way over, the group worked to formulate a plan. When the ship approached the gates, guards were standing at various posts along the grounds. Codatorta observed that more military than what was typically required were guarding the castle. He looked over to Flora and asked, "Can an invisibility spell be applied to people?"
Flora nodded and replied, "Theoretically, yes, but it would require a great deal of energy, and there is no guarantee how long it would last. I wouldn't recommend it. Sorry guys."
Stella thought for a moment before speaking, "but that doesn't mean that I can't make you blend in." She raised her hands in the air and used her light magic to create an illusion spell. The guys looked at themselves, all dressed in Zenithian guard uniforms.
"Cool," Aisha said as she saw that the girls were also dressed in the guardsmen's gear.
"When you control light, you control what people see," Stella explained, "This is a relatively simple spell, so I should be able to keep it up for a long time if I don't spend too much energy."
Timmy smiled and said, "Perfect, Flora and Stella, you two stay and keep up the spell on the ship and our uniforms. That will prevent you from having to use up any more energy. Is there anyone else who can do these spells?"
"I can," Musa offered.
"Great, I want you to stay behind with them just in case either of them runs out of energy to hold up the spells. The rest of you can come with us. I am about to land the ship right outside the castle. Closer would be faster, but there are too many guards to land the ship undetected on the inside."
After the ship landed, Codatorta was the first to exit to make sure the coast was clear. He then led all the others off the ship towards the castle.
When they reached the gates, they suddenly heard a voice, "Halt, state your name and business." A tall man with a curly afro and dark skin stood in their path. He was obviously young, but seemed to have a hint of wisdom and mischief in his eyes.
Codatorta greeted, "I am Captain Silva. I heard that there was a disturbance at the palace and have brought more troops." Codatorta could feel himself sweating bullets. He was praying that this man did not hear of his brother's escape with Tecna.
Surprisingly, the man nodded, "Yes, I heard a rumor that someone snuck a prisoner out the dungeon earlier. Very well then, carry on."
He opened the gates and let them inside. As the group walked past, Tritannus whispered, "That was easy."
Timmy's eyes narrowed as he thought, 'Yes, too easy.' He was suspicious about the action, but he looked the guard over and realized he seemed relatively young, perhaps naive. So cautiously, he continued with the rest of the Winx and Specialists.
Before they were out of earshot, they heard the guard tell them, "You are probably going to be on shift at the trial tonight. It is going to be held in the Great Hall. I do hope that the princess can convince the jury of her innocence. We used to play in the courtyard as children."
That was when Codatorta realized that the boy knew that they were intruders. He was trying to help them, "What's your name, son?"
The boy cautiously glanced both ways before answering, "Orion, sir."
Codatorta slipped him a card and whispered, "Keep our secret, and I will give you free admission to attend Red Fountain next year."
The boy shoved the card inside his armor and replied, "I look forward to it. Now hurry up before someone else sees you."
…
Tecna walked to the Great Hall with her head held high. If she was going to go down, she wasn't going down without a fight. She knew every person that courtroom, and she intended to prove her innocence. As she looked out into the crowd, she could instantly tell some of them were paid to vote for her execution. Still, many would not be swayed with money alone.
Tecna swallowed hard as she sat waiting for the judge and the king's arrival. As she sat, she felt a hand on her shoulder. A chill went down her back, but she saw nothing. She then heard a whisper in her ear.
"We're here," recognizing Bloom's voice, she let out a breath of relief.
Aisha was building a key to unlock the handcuffs with her Morphix when she heard people start shuffling in. Aisha then whispered, "Sit on the edge of your seat." Tecna did as she was told and Aisha sat behind her, editing the key so it would perfectly fit the cuffs.
Meanwhile, Bloom moved to the King's side of the courtroom and waited. When he came in and sat down, she carefully began to use her magic to work on pulling the mood chip from under his skin without him feeling it.
"All rise for Judge Fission," The bailiff announced, causing the room to rise from their seats.
The judge was an old man with salt and pepper hair and gray eyes that looked entirely too small for his face. He had a longer but well-kept grey beard which seemed to balance out the rest of his face. The judge reached his pulpit and signaled for the jury to be seated.
After everyone was seated, he called King Cryos to the stand. Now that the king was facing her head-on, Tecna could get a good view of the microchip implanted under his skin. She pulled slightly on the handcuffs, knowing Aisha was still working on freeing her.
'If I could only get these stupid cuffs off, I could easily remove that chip,' Tecna thought to herself.
She stared the King down as he spoke; he was saying that she was the one responsible for the murder of her mother. He claimed that she bewitched him to do several horrible things to his wife and kingdom.
Tecna felt one cuff loosen slightly, and that was all she needed. "Electrix!" Tecna shouted as she freed one of her hands. Lime green feathers sprouted from her back, lifting and spinning her in the air in front of the court. Guards from all directions tried to capture her but were stopped by something unseen.
A sparkly lavender top appeared with a matching skirt. Several electrical cords wrapped around Tecna's waist creating a belt. Finally, a curly blonde streak formed in her hair, resembling a lightning bolt. Tecna was only functioning at half power since she still had one handcuff on. But still, the strength that she had in her eyes lit up the room. She raised her hand at her father and tore out the chip like ripping off a bandage. The King screamed in pain, and a red spot formed on his arm. She would have felt remorse if it were anyone else, but this man ruined her life.
King Cryos looked up at her with confusion in his eyes as he saw the guards fighting with some unseen force. His brain tried to comprehend the chaos going on around him, but it was all a blur. It wasn't until a guard managed to get past the strange magical barrier that the King came to his senses.
A guard snuck up behind Tecna and slammed her on the ground.
"Stop!" the King yelled, "What do you think you are doing to my daughter?"
Everyone in the room froze, "But sir, you said…" the soldier Stammered, dumbfounded by his king's change of heart.
"I said what?" The King asked.
The guard shook his head and added, "You said that she needed to be put down, like that bitch of her mother."
"Her mother? What do you mean, Sir Garreth? Speak clearly, I implore you," The King replied knowing that Garreth would never speak of the queen like that without cause.
"So it was a mood chip, Timmy murmured under his breath while still being under the illusion spell.
The King looked around curiously, uncertain of who was speaking, "Your Majesty, your wife is gone. Your daughter has been accused of attempted regicide."
"By whom?" the King asked.
"You," Tecna answered furiously, "You murdered my mother in cold blood, and now you're trying to pin it on me."
"What? No, I would never hurt my beautiful wife or daughter. So, who's really responsible?" The King asked. He then realized the guard was still on top of Tecna and said, "I suggest you stop manhandling my daughter, or you will be put behind bars."
Tecna stood up as the guard released her. She thought for a moment before speaking, "King Cryos, I realize that you were under a spell, and I forgive you for my mother's death. However, I can never forget the cruelty you inflicted on my mother and me. Therefore, I renounce myself as the Crown Princess of Zenith and as your daughter. Don't come after me." Then, Tecna turned on her heel to leave. Flashes from cameras came from every direction.
The Winx and Specialists who were hidden with the illusion spell followed her out. Codatorta watched as the king fell to his knees and started sobbing. Flashbacks of what happened while he was spelled were playing in his mind. Cryos couldn't blame his daughter for leaving; he was horrible.
As they exited the building, Timmy slipped his hand in Tecna's to lead her back to the ship. He saw the look on her face and felt compelled to ask, "Are you going to be alright, Tec?"
Tecna bit her lip and answered, honestly, "I don't know, Timmy. I just don't know."
Tecna couldn't see Timmy, but she could feel his hand tighten around hers as she struggled to hold back tears. Timmy knew the other Specialists were behind him. They walked on the ship, and Stella lowered the spell, revealing the whole rescue party.
Musa ran up to hug her best friend and whispered to her, "I'm so glad you're safe."
A tear rolled down Tecna's cheek, and she gave a weak smile, "Let's go home."
…
That night the group celebrated another successful mission. The girls were busy dancing to the latest song Fairy Underwood. Meanwhile, the guys were drinking shots, not worried that Silva and Codatorta were in the same room. However, one person stood on the balcony of Red Fountain, not really in the celebratory mood.
Tecna felt a pair of arms wrap around her. She tensed up at first, but she caught a light whiff of his cologne and relaxed into his arms. She looked up at him with a weak smile.
He led her to the bench and asked, "What's on your mind, Tecna?"
Tecna knew by now that he could see right through her, so she decided not to hide anything. It's been a long time since she felt this level of trust with anyone, and for once, she wanted to give into it. She leaned back into his arms and answered, "I don't know how I feel. I just gave up everything I ever knew…." She stopped for a moment to gather her thoughts before explaining, "I was born and raised to take my place on the Zenithian throne, and I feel like I just let my people down. What if they wanted me to take over my father's kingdom? Besides that, I know that King Cryos didn't purposefully hurt my mother or me, but I can't help but hate him. I don't want to feel this way, Timmy. That man raised me, and before this, he was a wonderful father. I just can't get past what he did to us."
Timmy squeezed her a bit tighter and said, "You have the right to live life the way you choose. Maybe your people expected you to take the throne, but you are responsible for your own story. Besides, you don't have to forgive King Cryos right now, Tecna, and you will never forget what he did. It's okay to let yourself grieve. In a way, you lost a mother and a father. I think in time, you may be able to rekindle some kind of relationship with him. Although I doubt it will ever be as strong as before all this. Just remember that you are not responsible for another person's actions."
While the two talked, neither one of them realized someone was listening in on their conversation. Tritannus was hiding behind the curtain that led to the balcony. His jealousy getting worse with each passing moment they spent with one another.
"That's just it, Timmy. I was betrayed in the worst way by the man who was supposed to love me unconditionally. I struggle to trust anyone now…Well, almost anyone," she said as she slowly looked up from his chest and into his eyes. She nervously put her hands on his chest and swallowed nervously before standing on her tip-toes and giving him a light peck on the lips. At that moment, Timmy's brain shut down from shock, and he froze.
Tecna saw his reaction to her kiss, and her heart shattered. "Oh no, Timmy." She looked away from him, biting her lip to stop herself from crying. "I thought you felt the same way… I'm so sorry."
It took Timmy a moment before he was able to come down from cloud nine. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his chest. "Don't ever apologize for loving me," Timmy whispered before capturing her lips with his own. She smiled briefly between kisses and wrapped her arms around his neck. Tecna felt alive with the new thoughts and feelings that were flowing through her as she kissed Timmy. The feeling was electric as a chill ran down her spine. When they both came up for air, it was clear that something new and exciting was starting, and neither of them could wait to see what was going to happen next.
Tritannus tightened his fists as he watched the exchange. He would never forgive Timmy for this indiscretion. And Tecna, did he have plans for her.
END OF PART ONE
A/N Hello beloved readers. I sincerely hope that you enjoyed this first part of my series. I will be continuing this in a new story called Siren's Wings. I would like to give TecnoFan34 a special shout out. She has been an incredible beta reader, and has been working her tail off on creating a cover picture for each of these stories.