Chapter 14 – Confrontation
"I'm coming with you."
"Nassima, it's going to be dangerous!" Michelle said, coming closer to her daughter. "What if something happens to you?"
"I know how to fight, mom."
"Maybe, but-" Flora started, but Nassima cut her off.
"Flora, you told yourself it doesn't matter that we don't share blood: we still are a family. And as a sister, it's my duty to protect you."
"Nassima!" Flora started. "It's not that! I already feel guilty about involving my friends into it-"
"Do you think that those slobs can even protect you with their plastic swords?" Nassima replied disdainfully with her fists on her waists. Flora tried not to laugh when she heard Musa, Layla and Stella laughing behind her and Riven and Brandon grumbling.
"Of course they can!" Flora raised her hands. "They are the strongest men of Magix! And I bet they won't even get hurt!"
"They will..." Flora raised an eyebrow. "… If you don't let me come!" She finished while stepping towards the ship, while Flora remained too astonished to move. She barely heard Brandon throwing "What did you say about us being slobs?" and Nassima replying "Oh god, I'm so scared."
"Oh dear." Flora and Michelle eventually sighed together.
"I'm sorry sweetheart."
"Don't worry Mum. I'll bring her back in one piece."
"I'm sure of it. I just hope she won't be a burden to you and your friends."
"She won't. In fact I'm quite glad she comes with us." Flora smiled. "At least it will bring a great atmosphere. Look, she already has new friends." She joked, looking at Nassima who was pushing Riven aside while Timmy was struggling to prevent them from fighting.
Michelle laughed. Helia arrived from behind Flora, while Michelle smiled at him.
"I'm sorry Michelle, Flora, but we have to go."
Flora wrapped her arms around her mother's neck, hugging her for a last time. "You'd better come back."
"No." Flora leant away. "You will come. You will meet my father." She winked. "I'm sure you will be great friends."
"Flora, I'm not sure if…" Michelle paused. "I'm not sure if your father will accept me."
"I don't leave you any other choices." Flora said. "I will take Nassima as a hostage."
Michelle laughed. "Okay, then."
Flora smiled as she turned around, Helia wrapping an arm around her shoulders, while she did the same around his waist, leaning her head on his shoulder as they walked away.
"And, Helia!" Michelle called. Helia turned his head towards her.
"Please, take care of her."
Flora was resting her head on Helia's shoulder, with her eyes shut, as he was entering some commands for the ship, just like the others boys (or at least Brandon was trying to, because of Nassima who was pushing him with her elbow each time his arm unconsciously brushed against her) were doing just after she told them where Gaia was.
She felt really tired. All her friends told her to rest, because they all knew how hard what she was going to do was.
Flora felt a little scared about all of this, but, knowing that her friends were there and knowing that together, they could do everything, took every weight off her shoulders.
"Are you alright?" She heard Helia's sweet voice whispering to her.
Opening her eyes slowly, Flora nodded with a smile, as she intertwined her fingers with the ones of his hand he eventually laid on his lap.
Diala was looking at the emptiness, her fist above her mouth, and the fingers of her other hand hitting the table one after the other. Sophie entered the room with a plate on her hands, putting it on the table next to the sorceress.
"Do you need anything else, Diala?"
Diala didn't move, still drowned on her thoughts.
"Diala?" Sophie tried again, a little louder.
"Something is going to happen." Diala mumbled.
"What do you mean?"
"I don't know." Diala replied while straightening herself up on her chair. "Something had been bothering me. The atmosphere around there had been… I can't really explain. There is like a weight on my shoulders."
"Is it because of what Astrid told you?" Sophie tried to understand.
Diala waited a few seconds before answering. "No. This is more like a... feeling."
"A feeling?"
Diala nodded. "Something is going to happen. I don't know when, I don't know what. But I know something important will happen."
Then, all of the candles which were burning on the room went out, leaving the room in the dark. The wind made all the windows open all of a sudden, as the door opened fiercely.
Just when the opening door reached the wall, everything stopped. The windows slammed shut themselves again, the door slowly creaked as it closed, and Sophie wasn't moving anymore, standing in her astonished position without making a single move, her eyes looking right before her. She was frozen.
"Sophie!"
Diala was about to reach Sophie to make her react, before hearing footsteps behind her while whistling. She immediately recognized this person. This person who took her family away years before.
"You…!" Diala threw a fog arrow to him, but her attack almost didn't go out of her fist: Gaël already had stopped it with his lightning.
"Nice to see you too, Diala." Gaël smirked.
"How dare you come back here after what you've done?" Diala was talking bitterly.
"Hey, hey. Calm down." He stretched his neck with his hand. "I've spent 100 years frozen. I need to recover."
"And you think I will let you?"
"Please. Don't imagine you're stronger than me."
Diala clenched her teeth. She knew he was right; and she also knew Sophie was still behind him, remaining in her position. She was still completely vulnerable, and Diala couldn't bear the thought of letting Gaël hurting Sophie.
"What are you doing here, Gaël?" Diala tried to hold herself on.
"Well, well… I heard a certain "Astronomia" came here for some years." Gaël stretched his arms above his head. "I want to know where she is now."
Diala burst out. "And you think I would tell you?"
"Well, I don't think you've got any other choice." Gaël inclined his head on the right. "You may have noticed there is someone behind me."
Diala clenched her fists tighter and tighter. "If you want to kill somebody, then kill me. But don't do anything to Sophie."
"Is that your real wish?"
Diala nodded. "You took the dearest things to me once. I won't let you do it a second time."
"Then…" Taking two steps forwards Diala, Gaël was about to touch her shoulder. She closed her eyes, ready to accept the fate which was waiting for her…
"I feel so booooooooooooooorred!" Stella moaned as she stood up from her chair. "How many time left until we arrive?"
"We left an hour ago." Nassima muttered with her face on her hands. "How can she be so impatient?"
"This is Stella for you." Layla replied. "The impatience on itself."
"I saw it." She sighed. "I understand why she's dating that brown slob."
Brandon grumbled again, while the girls tried their best not to laugh at the situation.
"This planet is very far, that's why it has never been located." Timmy said. "We might arrive in 3 our 4 hours."
What she expected didn't happen. After hearing someone screaming, Diala opened her eyes quickly, discovering Gaël unconscious against the wall next to the door, with his head bent a little at his right side. Sophie was looking all around her, trying to understand what just happened. She felt a huge pain on her arm; looking at it, she noticed the bloody wound. Did she manage to push him away?
That was when she noticed her.
"You…"
"Run!" Astrid yelled to Diala as she pushed Sophie to her. "He is still a little weak! You have to run now! Michelle is waiting outside!"
Diala couldn't reply, because Sophie had already taken her wrist and jumped outside by the window. Michelle was standing next to a tree, and when she saw them arriving while running, she guided them on the forest.
After a few minutes of running, Michelle stopped them and sat Diala under a tree, ripping her sleeve to take a look at the wound.
"It's not a deep one. You are lucky, he could have killed you." She opened one of the pockets of her shoulder bag, taking bandages out of it.
"What happened?" Sophie asked, kneeling next to Diala.
"Astrid and I were walking around the houses tonight; I couldn't sleep, I was really worried." She was bandaging the witch's arm while answering. "And then, Astrid said that you two were in danger. I didn't know what she talked about; she just started running and was asking me to follow her. And when we arrived, she told me to wait for you outside because Gaël was here."
"So it was him. Gaël." Sophie concluded.
Michelle nodded, tying a knot with the bandage. "I didn't see him but… I felt his power. I never felt something like this before."
"Me neither." Sophie added. "He stopped time around me for a few minutes. When I was released thanks to Astrid, I understood how powerful he was." She sighed. "How did Astrid manage to beat someone like him?"
"I think it's because he is still weak because of all that happened. He has been frozen for 100 years, and he just got released. He didn't have time to recover from it. That's why he is weaker. But I don't think this weakness won't last for a long time."
Sophie remained silent, looking at Diala. Sweat was running down her forehead, showing the pain she was trying to hide from the wound on her arm.
"How did he hurt her? I don't think he touched her…"
"I don't know." Michelle admitted.
"But we have to run. Help me carrying Diala." She ordered, wrapping one of the witch's arms around her neck. Sophie did the same as they advanced towards the village.
"Why are you doing this?" Diala whispered to Michelle. "I thought you hated me for parting you from your family."
"Don't misunderstand me. I don't like you. At all."
Diala looked down. She eventually managed to understand her. It took her time, but she did.
"I just don't want to end up like you. You've not been able to forgive humans. And by helping you, I forgive you from everything you've done to me."
"Astronomia…"
Flora mumbled, her eyes still closed.
"Astronomia…" She heard the voice whispering again. It was a beautiful melodious woman voice; which she had already heard.
She eventually opened her eyes. She was on a ballroom, where everybody was dancing ; ball gowns were glowing, the sound of violins was flowing on the air. The red, pink and white roses she always used to love were spreading on the walls, the moonlight coming across the glass windows making them shine.
"Where am I…?" She asked herself. "Am I at the palace?"
"Astronomia…" The voice said again. This time, she remembered it.
"Mother?" She asked while looking all around her. Flora noticed her behind her; she was wearing her usual pink ball gown with white gloves; her curly black hair tied up on a bun, a golden and jewelled crown placed atop her head. Flora remembered how beautiful her mother had always been, having been seen as the most beautiful woman of Gaia since the day she became Queen by marrying her father, Andrea. Flora couldn't help remembering when she was a child running on the corridors, seeing all the painting of her mother during her youngest days, before Felicia's birth. She had always been astonished by how gorgeous her mother was, and her grandparents were always complimenting her appearance, and always told Flora she was looking more and more like her mother.
Elenne smiled softly, approaching her daughter softly. "Hello, sweetheart."
Flora tried to run towards her for a hug, but when her arms were wrapped around her neck, Flora almost fell on the floor, passing right through her. Elenne didn't move except when she turned around while Flora stood up, her tearful eyes wide opened.
Then, she remembered.
"You are dead."
Elenne's smile didn't disappear from her face as she looked down at the floor. "Yes, sweetheart."
"And it was my fault." Flora clenched her fists, remembering the scene in all it details. "It was because of me that Gaël-"
"It was none of your fault, sweetheart. People don't choose the power they have. You couldn't know that Gaël would attack to kill you because of how powerful you are."
"But instead of killing me, he killed you." Flora felt tears running down her cheeks.
"And if it meant having you alive, then, it was worth it."
Elenne raised her hand to her daughter's cheek. It passed through it again, but Flora could feel the same warmness she felt when she did these same gestures years before. She wanted to hug her mother, to apologize and show her how much she felt responsible for everything that happened. "I saw you all this time. Since the day Michelle found you on the forest until today. And what I can say is I am proud. I have never been more proud than I am today by looking at you. I am proud of the beautiful woman with this sense of peace, justice and love you are."
Flora gasped, but her opened mouth eventually turned into a small smile, with a weak blush on her cheeks. "I couldn't have become what I am today without my friends, you know."
"I knew you would say that." Elenne smiled, before turning to her side. "Look."
Flora did as she was told. She saw the same scene; the ball room, the dancers, the violinists.
"This will happen in more than 11 years."
"We are seeing the future?"
Elenne nodded. "I can't tell you what will happen during these 10 years which are parting you from this moment. It is forbidden, because it is something too important that you would do anything to change."
Flora gasped. From what her mother was saying, something heart-breaking was going to happen to her within 10 years.
"Believe me, I want more than everything to tell you what is going to happen, but I can't. What I am showing you is only a small piece of your future."
"My future?"
Elenne smiled. "This is something that, no matter what, you will never have the idea or a desire to change. That's why I can show it to you."
Flora remained surprised. From what she was seeing, it was a classical ball, just like all the ones that took place at the palace when she was young. Was it because it was usual that she won't want to change it?
Her mother, who might have seen the questioning look on Flora's face, indicated her a special place with her finger. "Look."
Flora followed her mother's index: she was pointing the thrones of the room, where her parents usually sat down after the speeches. But, to her surprise, Andrea, without his crown on his head, and Felicia (next to Colin) were standing up, with smiles on their faces… behind the thrones where were sitting Flora and Helia, their fingers intertwined, with the crowns of her parents on their heads, wearing a long-sleeved green gown and an armour with a blue cape where the blossomed rose as Gaia's symbol was on. Her other hand was placed on her round stomach, slowly caressing it as a sign of protection.
Flora blushed fiercely, eventually understanding why she wouldn't ever change this moment. Because this was a moment she would cherish as she has ever cherished every moment with her boyfriend. Only at this moment, they wouldn't be boyfriend and girlfriend anymore, but husband and wife, King and Queen, and, moreover, soon to be father and mother.
She barely heard her mother giggling when she saw her look on her face. "You understood."
Flora didn't reply; her eyes wide opened from what she was seeing.
"Aren't you happy?" Elenne eventually asked.
"O-of course I am! It's just that… I never thought about the idea of getting married with him before…"
Elenne smiled. "I've been watching you all these years, Astronomia." She paused. "Or should I say, Flora." Flora smiled after hearing that sentence, glad that her mother didn't disapprove the fact she preferred this name from her ancient one.
"I know how much this man, Helia, means to you, and I also saw how much you mean to him."
Flora blushed softly as the face of her boyfriend came on her mind again; his deep but soft eyes, his charming pale skin, his smile which always made her heart melt…
"This man is ready to do everything for you, sweetheart, even if it goes as far as giving his life for you." Elenne turned back to her daughter; Flora could clearly see that she was being serious. "You shall remember this. Helia won't give up on you, no matter what he has to pay for you to stay alive."
Flora gasped. After that being said, one question, one single question was burning her tongue too much for her not to ask it. "What is going to happen?"
Elenne shook her head and giggled to herself. "I'm sorry sweetheart, I've said much more than I should ever have." She looked up and crossed her hands behind her back. "It's time for you to wake up; your friends are waiting for you."
"Wait! Mother!"
"Just remember: the sun is a star."
"Mother!" Flora threw her arms to catch her up, but her figure slowly disappeared on the air, but she could clearly hear a last "I love you, sweetheart" coming out from her mother's mouth.
"Flora!" Stella was almost shaking her friend. She had called her three times, and she didn't wake up. She was growing impatient!
"Hey, be gentle with her!" Nassima got up and raised her fit on the air.
"Hey, don't talk to my girlfriend like this!" Brandon stood up next to Nassima with a frown.
"Have you got a problem?"
"Yes, and it's you!"
"You want to fight?"
"Why not!"
"Shut up, you two." Flora rubbed her eyes with her fists as she got up from Helia's shoulder.
"Finally!" Stella sighed. "We were growing impatient."
"What's wrong?" Flora asked.
"We think we arrived." Timmy said from the front board. "Is it Gaia?"
Flora turned around to take a look at the window. She couldn't believe what she saw.
The entire planet was frozen; the whole palace was, the garden she had always loved was, the whole city and the inhabitants were. Flora's eyes widened.
When the devil have I become so powerful?
First of all, I am sorry for the wait for this chapter. Honnestly, it was more because of a lack of inspiration than a lack of time (but, just like I said in my other story, the end and sequels' plots are already written!). To be honnest, I thought about the passage between Diala, Gaël, Astrid, Michelle and Sophie long ago, so I kept it at the first write. The most difficult to write was the dream: at first, I wanted to show the future, but in a different way, just like Flora imagining she would get married with Helia. Then, I wanted a talk between Flora and her mother, but during the scene where she was killed, with Flora looking at everything and Elenne helping her figuring out how to make ice melt. Then, I wanted to do it but with Felicia. And then, it came. I "mixed" the two firsts ideas; whe didn't see the past, but the future, and Elenne gave Flora a clue. (Storyofmylifemode:OFF)
Yes, Gaël is already free ~ And I don't think he is going to keep calm for long... ^^ (And yes, I like Nassima and Brandon's relationship)
I hope you liked this chapter anyway! (I hope) the next one will come soon. Just like I said in the chapter before, be prepared to see more FloraxHelia, because this will be really important for the plots!
Reviews? :D