Sunshine in a Raining Day
Chapter 2
Bloom, Flora, Musa, Tecna and Aisha rushes to Solaria palace. Ever since Bloom received the call from Brandon – connected through Sky – she immediately abrogated whatever homework that Miss Faragonda assigned, and called the other girls. Without even discussing what they should do first, the girls transports through the magical gate to where their best friend is.
"Stella!"
Cried all of them, simultaneously, when the parlor door opens. There she is, their blond-haired girl, who used to have that jubilant expression filled with mirth before this came to her. They did not expect her to be lachrymose all of a sudden, either, but this cold and soulless countenance of hers saddens them so much. It obfuscates them, for she is hiding her real emotion so deep, just to satisfy the rest of the kingdom that she is worthy to rule over in the king's absence.
"You look like a doll." Commented Musa, walking over to the throne. She is not wrong – Stella is just staring at her and the Winx, waving at them with a robotic attitude, in the same way as she waved any other citizen who had greeted her few minutes ago. "Stop this tedium now, and please return to the blithe self before, when you have the plethora of zest!"
Still saying nothing, Stella remains unmoved. Either she has not heard her friend's words, or she could not understand what the purple-headed wanted to say. When finally snapped out of it, she speaks, almost in a monotone:
"I am okay."
"No, Stella, you are not!" Bloom denied, she is still in shock of how her best friend who was once replete with confidence and even vanity, can be in such a miserable state. "You are in no mood to attend the citizens, and you know that! Stella, please, stop repudiating your true feelings, and put down the mask!"
She abhors that mask. The emotionless mask that Stella apparently picked up somewhere in her father's bedroom. It makes her look lackluster, and nothing more than just a precarious blunderbuss who is willing to fall down any moment. Her Stella is not like this!
"Bloom." Exclaimed Stella in a placid voice, yet still somewhat pleading. "I need some time alone to think over this. Don't try to persuade me, it will only exacerbate what's already terrible right now. I understand your good intentions, but please don't make my head hurt any more than this."
Seeing no point in continuing, Bloom and the girls leaves the room. They want to do something for their friend right now, but if they do it wrong, it might very well counter the initiative intention.
Brandon has already been waiting outside the parlor, looking obnoxiously worried. Seeing the girls come up with helplessness on their faces, he knows they could not do anything more than what he had tried.
"Don't worry," comforted Flora, albeit her voice does not sound very persuasive, as if she is trying to convince even herself. "Stella will be fine. She's just… She's just needing some time, that's all. That's what she said. She will think it over."
The squire just nods, unwilling to discuss any further. Being able to meet Stella, the glorious princess of Solaria, and able to become her boyfriend, he thought it was the felicity of his life. It was, indeed, to some certain extent. However, now he realizes that there are more than just the title of 'princess' that his girlfriend bears. One must always remain sober, decisive, and even complaisant in this pompous palace, having allies or not. It does not bring weight to the matter if she is a lonely girl. A ruler is not allowed to keep too much emotions in mind, and must be ready to face any situation. He knows that right now, Stella is playing that role correctly, that she is now a perfect heir of the previous estimable king, who is prestigious enough to have the trust of the people. Yet he feels this is wrong. He feels that this is not how it supposed to turn out. At this rate, the people of Solaria will have their desired queen, but he will lose his precious girl.
Meanwhile, in another parlor - which is profuse in maids and footmen, lightened with hundreds of diamond pieces around the room, so pompous that anyone would be able to tell that the owners are of royalty – Chimera is stomping back and forth, teeth gritted furiously while mumbling about the girl she has just encountered.
"What an insolent fool!" She exclaims in her ear-wrecking enunciation, sending the flower vase to the floor. "That supercilious attitude of her, such mediocre-looking girl! Who does she thinks she is?"
"The real princess of Solaria." Answered her mother, who is now sitting serenely next to the window. Her face turns towards the outside scenery, so that no one can guess what she is having in mind. "For the last time, Chimera – watch your tongue. Your impatience can exacerbate the situation. The odds will be with us soon, Chimera. And you are apt to remain obsequious, at least for now, to create good impression in the eyes of the elders. Act like a princess. That's what they want."
The girl seems deep in thought for a moment, as she tries to digest her mother's convoluted advice. Then turning to the mirror, she adores her wonderful appearance, along with the indigo-colored hair that she always boasts about. How can that blonde win against her? That's ridiculous.
"Sweetheart, get some humility." Growled her mother, not looking very happy to see the daughter dreamingly adores herself like that.
"Mother, there's nothing wrong with adoring something beautiful!" She cried. "Look, this royal cerulean raiment that I am wearing which matches the color of my hair so much, and all this makeup that has used up a decimation of the kingdom's resources. Do I look indigent? Not at all. Decorous, and somewhat esoteric, I'd say."
"All flotsam." Disagreed her mother. "And you did not used up a decimation of our resources! Such bigot. Don't go tell that to anyone in the castle."
"My queen, please don't be so harsh on the princess. After all, she was not wrong to admit her beauty in such an open way."
A deep male voice rises up from the entrance, attracting the two women's attention in the room. Standing at the door is a black-haired man, his silver eyes glowing in shadow like those of a hungry wolf in the wild. His appearance bears a mythical aura, and Chimera cannot be certain whether this loquacious – or at least he would be if she were to ask him more, for she viscerally knows that he has sweet mouth – man is worth of her trust or not. Prudence is still the best, and though in such a milieu that she is tangibly the 'villain', Chimera is not that tedious.
"Introduce yourself," she demands, taking a step back while her mother remains placid.
"Why, Joseph, make yourself at home."
Chimera looks at her mother, almost unbelievably. "Mother, I'm trying not to affront you, but how could you be so calm? He could be one of those ridiculous Specialists or whatever that sides with that hypocritically amiable Stella."
"Oh Chimera, my eyes for people is developing abstemiously, and I know for sure who is friend or foe. Whatever type of information about my personality can be percolated throughout the kingdom, but I did not achieve this Countess title by accident. Let me edify that little brain of yours, daughter, and witness my preeminence, for when the belligerent and pugnacious me am really serious about something, there is no concession for the enemy. And do you want to hear my prognosis about how this whole thing is going to end? The venerable princess of the Sun, trembling in fear and remorse that she dared to face Countess Cassandra. And this is just a retrenchment of reality."
Such strong though laconic dictum, though it was exaggerated by a bit of bombast, has impugned Chimera to be more and more fired up about getting the Princess title. In fact, the Princess title and the treasure that she would gain from getting the throne has now become just a side story. The main victory is when she really gets to see the miserable side of Stella.
"So what are you planning to do with this handsome man, mother?" Smirked playfully, Chimera wanders towards Joseph and touches his cheek. "Seems mercurial enough to serve me. Great figure. Tenable. That's what I'd say, but are you really capable of doing anything, sweetie pie?"
"Such compliments from the princess leave me no way to reciprocate what I have just heard, Princess, since you are already more beautiful than any words could have ever described." Keeping his bright smile, Joseph shows no sign of irascibility or annoyance upon the skin contact of the other girl.
"Tsk, what a wicked man." Murmured Chimera, letting go of him.
"Stop your churlishness, Chimera!" Cried her mother. "Joseph here is my reconnaissance of the palace."
"Oh?" Chuckled the indigo-haired. "Is that why he looks so ossified and not candid at all? Mother, how can you trust someone who can phlegmatically hide his perfidy without failure like this?"
The Countess massages her temples, and is half surprised at how verbose her daughter could be at such trivial matter. "Right, it is dangerous for such a gamble, but I do not wish to jettison this opportunity to overthrow the throne heir, and more over," she turns to Joseph who is standing patiently at the door. "I hope this will not antagonize you, but you do understand what aspersion will bring, correct? And what we have negotiated was mollified plenty, you should know that."
Joseph forms a smile on his face, but his eyes show no sign of laughter. "As a matter of fact, your Highness. You need not to mitigate the punishment, because in the beginning there was no need for mentioning it at all. I have never derailed keeping my credibility of trust with customers. If I were to break this vowel, I would have live aloofly and be estranged from society, and my face would not have been standing here speaking to you. I am a man of words."
"I am trying not to be too censorious, but beside adulation, what else do you have?" Questioned Chimera, still disbelieve in the stranger.
"Oh princess, I suppose that was my candor you are talking about there." He chuckles affably. "Cajoling is not the only thing I am good at."
And to prove his words, Joseph holds his left hand up to the face, and within a blink of an eye, his facial appearance changed. At first, he makes himself into a swarthy boy with such familiar features that Chimera often sees this guy wandering around one of the Winx. The next one is a blonde guy whom she often finds with Bloom, the fiery-haired girl. Analogously, he changes into every single Specialist, and she finally knows for sure what his power is.
With a bit of fatuous discomfiture in her raucous voice, Chimera murmurs. "Disguising."