Category: Winx Club

Rating: T

Couples: none

Warnings: AU (which will become MAJOR should the fic continue)

Chapter: 2 (formerly a One-shot)

Copyright: © characters and places by Iginio; © Plot and OC by me

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"So you intend to stay here?" She was surprised.

"I have nothing else to do." He smiled at her. "Do you object to my presence?"

She couldn't see his eyes, but she knew he was studying her again. "What will you do if someone visits me? They only see the Evil in you." She closed the curtains. "They will defend me."

He sighed. "Can you imagine I grow weary of that?"

"Perhaps it would help if you looked less menacing?" She carefully touched one of his spikes. "If you looked more human, people might be less inclined to attack before asking questions."

"You truly are a mystery." He glowed red, his outline fading, swimming into a new form. "This better?"

Faragonda smiled at the man now in front of her: light-blue hair and matching blue eyes speckled with blood-red. He could have passed as her son to those who recalled what she had looked like several decades ago.

"It suits you." She gestured to the mirror on the far wall. "Although I do suggest you put on some clothes too."

He snorted and a red glow dressed him in paladin-clothes. He looked amused as she studied him again.

"Well, now that that is dealt with, do you intend to stay longer? I will have to think of a suitable excuse for your presence then."

"Shouldn't you be a bit more worried about this?" He advanced on her. "Not a few minutes ago I threatened you with death, and now you invite me to stay? You should fear me, regardless of you may or may not know, not act as if I'm the next best man you just met on the street!" He had pushed her against the wall, his human-body flush against hers. "What is it with you, Faragonda, that you are this weird?"

"I cannot fear what I know, Darkar, and I know you better than you might think." They were close now, close enough that she could count the specks if she desired too.

"But how?" He threw his arms in the air, stepping back from her. "How, Headmistress? I demand answers, Faragonda!"

"I knew your mother." Of all the answers, she knew that this was the one he would never have expected her to give. "I knew Sarana, starlight in the tongue of her people, and Vo'id, mate to a young woman he was only supposed to teach. Starlight and Void, parents in myth and reality."

"A story, made up by my dear brother to fuel his image of being a god." Hate flooded Darkar's being at the memory of the moment he found out about that particular story. "He born from the 'pure' starlight into the Void, while I came from the Darkness. He painted me as an enemy, twisting my nature into something evil." When he turned to her, his eyes glowed a dangerous red. "He twisted me into something evil. Perhaps you were wrong, Faragonda, perhaps I am the embodiment of Evil. I am no longer the man I was, the child I was. Courtesy of someone I called my brother!"

He felt something akin to pleasure when she backed away, fear now having come into her eyes.

Her eyes reflected his red aura, realization dawning on her. "And you will submit to that?"

He seemed to shake himself at her words. "Forgive me: it is still a sore subject with me."

"I noticed." Her hand came to rest on his shoulder. "Perhaps your introduction to humanity is long overdue."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

The next few weeks were spend introducing Darkar to humanity. It was a revelation to him: none attacked him, Faragonda's presence and his human looks were seemingly enough for them to trust him. He also found he liked chocolate, much to her amusement.

Much to his amusement, the Winx took an instant liking to the 'son' of their Headmistress. He was surprised how easily – even Griffin and Saladin – believed Faragonda's story of her son visiting. She truly was a mystery to all, not merely him apparently.

After a few weeks he left her again, returning to Shadowhaunt –boy, did that look terrible after what happened – not that he would tell anyone that. Over the ensuing year she visited him, and he her several more times, the Phoenix finding a strange joy in this friendship. Then came the day were she did not come, and a swift inquiry by her 'son' Adunal revealed that Baltor had finally made his move, and turned the elder fairy into a tree. He could have gone and broken the spell, since nothing - not even his accursed brother - was superior to him. That much truth the 'creation'-myth of the Dragon held. No, it was something different which stayed him. A strange kind of faith…

"I have faith in my students, Darkar." She had told him once. "Loyalty is a virtue they all have in spades, much like most fairies. They will not fail in a task that tests their loyalty, as you might recall from the Realix-incident."

And so he waited and was rewarded with the Winx returning in the nick of time, vial filled with the Tears of the Black Willow – he did wonder why none of the Enchantix-fairies tried fairy-dust though – and freed Faragonda. From a distance he could hear how they told her about the adventure they had had.

The rest of the year their visits were not interrupted. Then rumor came that the young princess of Domino wished to free her people. He wasn't entirely sure what he thought of that.

Adunal, 'son' of Faragonda, had sincerely come to like the fairy, but the thought that his traitorous brother could be restored to all his glory had been enough to throw him in a full-blown rage when Faragonda told him. Both of them were very glad she was as skilled in shield-magic as she was, otherwise it would have ended in tears.

As it was, he wasn't sure how to react when she came to him with a most unusual request.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"You want me to actually help them?" He was in her office, staring at her in shock. "You want me to help my brother?"

"I want you to protect my students." An elegant cane lay on the desk between them. "I will not lose them to the Coven!"

He paced in front of her desk. "My former minions, Faragonda, how can I face them? How can I fight alongside Bloom? She will recognize my power the moment I use it: she will know this was all a lie. Are you that eager to lose her trust?"

"I am far more eager to lose her trust than to lose her." Faragonda answered, her calm in stark contrast with his agitation. "You would be powerful there and not suffer from the dark aura Obsidian holds. Something even the Dragonfire cannot do. The Winx will weaken there and even Bloom cannot endure long if she is forced to battle."

"I refuse to aid my brother."

Faragonda rose, leaning on the table as she moved towards him. "This has nothing to do with your brother."

"This has everything to do with him!" His angry voice bounced off the walls. "This is just a repeat of our lives: he leaves a bloody mess and I am the one who has to deal with it! Why is Domino lost? Because that bloody idiot had to give his powers to people!" Darkar's breathing grew heavy. "And does he come to its' rescue? NO! Off course he doesn't! He could be bloody doing something for a change!" The chair in front of Faragonda's desk went flying, crashing against the far wall. "Do you have any idea how this hurts? Bloom, Domino, everything… It is a constant reminder of his treachery and he gets praised for it!"

The fairy waved her hand, the chair returning to its' original position in a rain of sparkles. Her voice was soft when she spoke again. "Perhaps, but do you want their blood on your hands? They will remain in Obsidian if no one aids them. Their courage and loyalty will not be enough. Will you become like your brother? Uncaring as to who lives or dies, as long as your will is done?"

It was low, this last question and they both knew it. But Faragonda was more than willing to take these measures if it meant her students would survive their newest adventure.

"Fine." He answered. "I will help them."

"Thank you." Her heartfelt gratitude took some of the sting of his decision, but only some.