Chapter 10

The room is silent. Oritel just stares at his daughter, a look somewhere between utter shock and disgust. Miriam had to sit down to prevent herself from fainting; her face as pale as a vampire. Flora had moved to stand next to Miriam, worried about her health.

"What?" Oritel asked in an eerily calm voice. Bloom would have been less scared if he was screaming at her.

"Baltor and I were lovers." Bloom said hesitantly.

"Why?" Oritel continued his interrogation.

"I always felt a connection with him. When I was with him I felt safe and happy. He was the only link to Spark at the time." Bloom answered, remembering the long nights with him in his hideout.

"He was the enemy. He tried to take over the realms several times, caused millions in damages. How did you fall for that demon?" Oritel asked, the anger starting to seep into his voice.

"When we attacked Could Tower to get revenge for Techna, he told me how he didn't want what he was doing. We talked more and more and he told me his troubled past. About how he blamed you for the execution of his wife and how the Ancestresses had manipulated him. He's regretted everything he did to his home realm and helped me free everyone, including you." Bloom explained, trying to convince her father.

"How do you know he ever told you the truth? He could have just used you." Oritel said.

"He opened up to me. I know he told me the truth. I helped save him from the Ancestress's control. He's not perfectly good, but he's not evil. I still love him, and I know he still love's me. If you want to disown me for it then I understand, but I want to be with him." Bloom finished and made her way to the door.

"Bloom wait." Miriam called. Bloom stopped and turned back towards her parents. Oritel just stood there in silence. Suddenly a hand appears on his shoulder. He looks over to see his wife next to him.

"My father tried to keep us apart. He thought you were bad for me. Did we let that stop us?" Miriam asked. "No, we didn't." Oritel answered.

"Do you think we can stop her if she's in love?" Miriam asked again.

"No I don't, and I won't try." Oritel said.

"Really?" Bloom asked surprised.

"He has a lot to do to prove himself to me, but I will not be a hinder. He is your responsibility, and you get to explain to everyone the situation." Oritel finished, Miriam rubbing his back. "Thank you." Bloom said as she went up and hugged her parents. As she moved away she remembered there was another person in the room.

"Flora? How do you feel?" Bloom asked.

"Well, now I know where you kept disappearing to third year. All that matters is that you're happy." Flora replied. Bloom ran up and hugged her.

"Where is he then if he isn't here?" Oritel asked.

"He's looking for Vidic. Vidic had a deal going with Baltor but never fufilled his part of the deal. Baltor was going to try to force Vidic to give him what he wanted after he killed the assassin, but instead he's going to help me." Bloom answered.

"What will you be doing now?" Miriam asked.

"I need to talk to a contact on Earth first. Then I need to get back to convincing the other royals to stop supporting the Templars and find Vidic." Bloom answered.

"Well I will try to get the royals to agree to a meeting. Perhaps we can settle this somewhat peacefully." Oritel offered.

"That sounds like a great plan. I'll leave that in your capable hands. Flora if you could get the Winx together and at the meeting that would be great." Bloom said.

"I can certainly try." Flora said.

"Good luck everyone." Bloom said before she teleported to Earth.

New England

Bloom opened the door to the dinner. A few looked to see the new arrival but most continued with their meals. A few of the guys that looked towards her spent a little too long looking at her in her form-fitting knee length blue dress.

She looked around the room until she saw a man in a white hoodie sitting in a booth in the far corner. She made her way over and sat across from him.

"Why hello there. Who might you be?" The man under the hood asked.

"Here I've come all the way from Venice to give you a gift and that's how you treat me?" Bloom asks, acting to be offended.

"Venice huh? Are you from the Orchard?" The man asks.

"I am and I've brought your apple." Bloom answered.

"As always we can always rely on you Bloom. Good work." The man says as he pulls a bag out from under him. Bloom pulls her purse up to the table next to the man's bag.

"Thank you D. Always nice to here a complement." Bloom said as she pulled the Apple of Eden out and quickly placed it into Desmond's bag.

"I always aim to please. Now I really must be going. Thank you for the gift." Desmond said as he got up. Bloom waited for Desmond to be gone before she left.

Suddenly another man sat across from Bloom where Desmond was.

"Come here often?" Baltor asked while grinning.

"Oh all the time." Bloom replied with a smile. "So what do you know?"

"Apparently Vidic is unaware of my true intentions. He scolded me for not being able to defeat you and commanded me to try again." Baltor answered.

"So where is he?" Bloom asked.

"He's currently at Abstergo's main complex, but he will be visiting Eraklyon's Palace tomorrow. He assigned me to watch over him from a distance." Baltor answered.

"Well I can try to get him there, but I hope I won't have to face Sky." Bloom said sadly. At this point Baltor knew there was more going on.

He reaches over and grabs Bloom's hand. "What's the matter?"

Bloom sighs, "My parents and Flora know about us."

"About us?" Baltor asked, unsure what she meant.

"I told them the complete truth." Bloom lowers her head and stares at her hand.

"How did they take it?" Baltor asked, worried for her.

"Surprisingly well once I told them that I freed you and you helped me free them. Oritel did say that you need to prove yourself and I'm responsible for you."

"Then I will do my best to impress." Baltor half joked. Bloom playfully slapped his arm.

"I need to get back to Sparx. I'll see you tomorrow." Bloom said as she stood up. Baltor followed and pulled Bloom into a hug.

"Be careful Bloom." Baltor said. Bloom looked up at him. "You too." Bloom replied.

Baltor kissed Bloom passionately. Bloom reluctantly pulled away and left the dinner.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Another chapter done in this sudden spree of productivity. I get to start college on Monday. I'm so excited.