Chapter 4 - Diala

"Esma. Diona." The King greeted them with a smile. He was really big and had the same skin colour as Esma. He was wearing a big crown, and white outfits to represent his royalty. His daughter was smaller, with a blue skin and brown hair. "You can stand up." They did. "So, you came here to introduce these strangers?"

"They aren't really strangers, your majesty." Esma replied.

"I know." The king replied while he looked at Flora and smiled. "I'm happy to see you're back, Flora."

She bowed before the King. "Thank you, your majesty. I'm happy to be back too."

As she slowly stood up, she saw the princess giving her a wink. She smiled.

"So, these are your friends?" The king asked.

Flora nodded and presented each one of her friends, as they all bowed. She quickly explained why they came, and the king smiled again at her.

"That would be a pleasure to welcome all of you until Astrid comes back. You'll just have to ask some villagers for a room. Don't worry, they won't bite you." He smiled. While they all nodded, he turned to Flora and said to her in a lower tone. "You should go to see Michelle. She misses you a lot, you know. And Nassima feels the same."

"I'll do, your majesty." Flora nodded.

"Mira, why don't you go with them? I think you and Flora have a lot of things to tell to each other." He said to his daughter, giving her a wink and putting a hand on her head affectionatly.

"Of course!" She replied, excited.

She ran towards Flora, put an arm around her shoulders and said "Michelle's house is at the back of the village. You just have to follow the path." They all nodded.

While they started to go away from the castle, they didn't hear the conversation between the King and Esma.

"Did she tell you why she left?"

"Yes, your majesty. She said it was because of Diala."

"She said she went away because of that?"

"She implied it, your majesty."

"That's not good. I'll make sure to double the guards around the village so that the village will be safe. You and Diona are the warriors I trust the most. You will have to make sure Flora and her friends will be alright. I don't want them to be hurt."

"Yes, your majesty."

"You're soooooooooooooo cute!"

"She is totally crazy…"

The Winx and the Princess of the Elves, named Mira, were waiting for the woman called Michelle, as the night was coming more and more. They discovered that Flora was Mira's best friend, and since Flora was a child and arrived in the village. They were always spending their times together, and didn't hide anything from each other. Mira, at first, seemed really calm while she was talking to Flora, telling her how glad she was to see her again, but after a little conversation with the others, she became totally excited and crazy, jumped everywhere and without any reason, and even started to seduce Timmy (but Tecna didn't really let her do it).

"What's that thing on your nose? I never saw something like this before on my life!" Mira said as she took Timmy's glasses rapidly.

"Hey! This is not a toy! Give it back!"

"How old are you…?" Brandon asked with a shocked face while Mira was looking through Timmy's glasses.

"62!" She replied with a childish smile. "Oh my god! You all look so funny!"

"Is she always like that…?" Layla turned to Flora. She nodded with a smile, her arms behind her back.

"She has always been." She then murmured to her shocked best friend. "And she is really 62, if you doubt it."

"How is it possible?" Layla asked more loudly. "She seems so young!"

Flora nodded again. "Well, she is. 62 years old is equivalent to 18 years old for fairies like us. The King is 82, you know."

Layla was about to reply, but she was interrupted when Mira gave Timmy's glasses back to him.

"Finally!"

Mira laughed and turned to Flora. "Your friends are sooooooooooo funny! Oh, what's your name again? I love your hair!" She looked excited while she went towards Tecna with a big smile. Tecna didn't seem to feel as excited as her while she muttered to Stella "Oh god..."

"But she's cute!" Stella said, chocked.

"You find her cute because you are EXACTLY like her, Stella…" Musa said quietly.

"Then why don't you find her cute?"

"Stella…" The fairy of music mumbled, rubbing her eyes as a sign of exasperation.

"We love her like that…" Brandon whispered to Riven as he was hiding his face, maybe trying to escape from Mira's excitement.

"Please, make Mrs Michelle come back soon…!" He begged to himself, ignoring what Brandon said to him.

As if his wish was heard by heaven, somebody arrived from behind the bush, holding a basket full of clothes. Her dark green skin was contrasting with her pink hair, which were in a ponytail. Another girl was standing by her side. She was a little smaller (maybe she was her daughter) with the same skin, and with hair a little clearer, and a sword attached in her back. As they arrived next to the group, the older woman smiled gently.

"You're bringing guests, Mira?" She asked. "Who are they?" Her voice was calm and soft, and she didn't stop smiling. The other girl wasn't smiling at all, and her arms were crossed. She seemed really cold towards them. Mira approached them and gave them another excited smile.

"Actually, they are some of Flora's friends!" Mira informed her, still energetic, but the woman didn't seem to care. She raised an eyebrow.

"Flora?" As she looked above Mira, she saw her. She was standing with her arms behind her back, with a small and shy smile across her lips. "Hi mum." She replied slowly, as if she was hoping she wouldn't be slapped or anything like that. But instead, the woman released her basket which crashed on the floor. A few seconds later –seconds which seemed like hours for Flora- she ran towards Flora and took her in her arms with tears running down her cheeks. As she received her on her arms, Flora was also crying, with a bigger smile on her lips. The other girl came slowly towards them and took them also in a hug, a smile appearing on her face for the first time.

"I-I'm sorry Mum, big sister." Flora leant back. "I never wanted to-"

"It's okay, darling." Michelle smiled. "You left for some good reasons. I know it."

"And I think you have a lot of things to tell us." The other girl said, ruffling her hair.

"Oh yes she has!" Mira nearly screamed, making the three of them jump. They almost forgot they weren't alone… "Her friends are soooooooo funny!"

The others were trying to hide again from her as if they just realized she was still there. Michelle looked down at Flora. "These are your new friends?"

"Yes, mum." Flora nodded. "I met them at Alfea. Now we have to stay here until Astrid comes back, to save the city of Magix."

"I have some friends around who will be glad to welcome them in their houses." Michelle said. "But why don't you stay for dinner? I'm sure you will explain all to us?"

They all nodded, even if Michelle daughter, Nassima, didn't seem to enjoy the idea of them staying for a few hours more…

The dinner was wonderful, and everybody finally enjoyed it. They discovered a lot about Flora's past, and she didn't seem to be really embarrassed to talk about it anymore. They discovered that Michelle was one of the best friends of the queen. One day, the queen and Mira were walking on the forest and discovered Flora, who was still a little baby. They took her and, because the queen couldn't keep her, she entrusted her to Michelle. Even if she already had Nassima, she gladly accepted Flora. Nassima first felt threatened by Flora, because she was a human, but after some months, started to consider her as her own sister.

"It's getting late, no?" Stella said after finishing her third plate of the food Michelle had prepared.

"No, not really. Michelle smiled. But if you're tired, you can go on the houses around. Tell my friends I'm sending you, they will be happy to welcome you."

"I think each couple will stay together. Stella said, standing up quickly as the others nodded. Thanks for the meal, I've never ate something as good as that!"

"No problem. She replied, giving her a wink. Come back when you want to."

While Michelle was talking with Stella, Mira came next to Flora and kissed her on the cheek.

"See you tomorrow? Flora nodded."

After saying goodbye, everybody left, leaving Flora, Helia, Michelle and Nassima alone. While Michelle was closing the door, Flora whispered in Helia's ear "Do you mind if I introduce you as my boyfriend?"

Helia smiled at her. "Not at all."

Flora slowly stood up, and invited Helia to do the same. "Mum, Helia is my boyfriend. Since four years, now."

Michelle smiled, and walked closer to them. "I knew it. You were smiling more than before. And the way you looked at each other during dinner told everything." She turned to Helia. "Thanks for taking care of her, and making her happy."

Helia smiled back and tilted his head. "Thank you. You don't have to worry. I'll always take care of Flora."

"I know."

As they continued to talk, Nassima came next to Flora and whispered on her ear "Are you sure you can really trust him?"

Flora, who was looking at her boyfriend with a smile, quickly went out of her daydream and turned towards her sister. "Stop being so suspicious, Nassi'. Of course I can trust him. He already proved it to me a lot of times. He risked his life for me since the day we first met."

Nassima crossed her arms. "I hope you're right…"

Flora smiled and took Nassima's shoulders in her hands. "You're overprotective, big sis."

Nassima smiled back, her facial expression softening for the first time in the evening. "You're right."

"Your mother is really a good person." Helia said at his girlfriend as he sat on the bed. "I feared that she wouldn't like me when you said you wanted to introduce me."

"Who in the world can dislike you?" Flora said softly with a smile as she sat next to him. He put an arm around her shoulders, as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"Nassima."

"She doesn't dislike you. She's just... Special."

"Like every sister in the world." Flora laughed. It was true that Helia's sister didn't act really nicely towards Flora when they first met… even though they became really close nearly after.

Helia took Flora with him when he visited his family once, in Lynphea. She remembered it in every detail: his father bowed, while telling her he was "glad to have a future daughter-in-law like her", his mother hugged her because her son "became really happy since he knew Flora", and his sister… only shook her hand and bowed her head. Flora first thought that she didn't like her, but a few hours later, while she was in Helia's garden, his sister appeared next to her and apologized for the way she acted, saying that Helia meant a lot to her and that was why she was really suspicious. After that, they talked a lot and quickly became friends.

She heard Helia sighing. She looked up and made their ayes lock. "What's wrong?"

He looked away from her. "Nothing, don't worry."

"Helia. You can't lie to me. What's wrong?"

He didn't reply. She always knew when he was lying. "I'll tell you later. It's not important at all." Seeing the look on her face, he continued "I promise."

Flora sighed to herself and looked away. Why didn't he want to tell her? What is something so important? Was it about their relationship? She didn't want to force him to tell her. So, she just replied "Okay."

Helia understood that she was thinking it was about them. So, he took her chin and turned her face towards him, so she could look at him again. "I swear that's not important, and that won't make you sad." He put his forehead against hers, looking deeply in her eyes. He waited a few seconds before whispering "I made you suffer once. I'll never do this mistake again." Helia then leaned down and Flora closed her eyes, while following his lead. She had what she wanted since what seemed like years for her: his lips against hers. All her worries melted into that kiss and she ran her hands on his long hair, pulling him closer, as he put one of his hands on her back, bringing her closer and closer to him. He slowly pulled back, and Flora felt like it was the end of one of her other daydreams. He smiled at her gently, pressing again his forehead against hers.

"Aren't you tired?" He lay on the bed, and quickly fell asleep.

"Oh yeah." She lay next to him, putting her head against his bare chest. "Goodnight." She whispered, falling asleep with a smile on her face.

A dark room, with shelves filled of bottles containing poison. At the centre of the room, there was a chair where a woman was sitting, and a table, with a crystal ball on it. The woman was an elf, with long white hair, pink skin, and red and green eyes. She was looking the image of Flora and Helia kissing through her crystal ball with a bad smile.

"So, this little girl came back, right?"

On the other side of the room was standing another girl, a tall human this time. Her pink hair was in a braid, and she was wearing white strapless top and pants.

"Yes, Miss Diala." She said, bowing her head, her hands on her back. "I saw her with her friends on the woods, this morning. They'll stay until Astrid comes back."

"I see." Diala stood up and looked though her window. "She can't stay alive any longer."

"Are you going to kill her by yourself?" The woman asked shyly.

"Not really." Diala's bad smile came back again. "One of my assistant will arrive soon, with the object I asked him to create."

I'm really really sorry for the wait! I came back at school and I'll have to pass some exams on June... But, because writing english stories will help me for my english test, I might upload more regularly.

I know this chapter wasn't the most interesting, but I hope you liked it. The next chapter might contain a little more explaination than this one ^^

And I'd like to thank people who reviewed my story! It's always pleasurable to see that people are liking my story! :D