Chapter 6- Million Dollar Questions and Answers

One second, Nabu sat laughing as he helped the guys pat down the sand they'd buried Timmy in. The next, Nabu was on his feet searching the skies. He'd just felt a disturbance in the magical ether, a huge crack snapping through the universe. And it was definitely evil.

A quick glance toward the Winx girls told him they'd felt it too. But the guys were oblivious to the disturbance. But they'd noticed Nabu staring at the skies.

"Did you all feel that?" Flora called out.

"It didn't feel right, whatever it was." Stella commented. "The million dollar question is: what was it?"

"What are you talking about?" Brandon asked, glancing at Nabu.

"Something happened. Something big. Something evil." Nabu said. He leaned down and began digging Timmy out of the sand.

"Great. After we just got done dealing with evil too. Will we ever get a break?" Riven grumbled. He looked up at the sky. "Is a free weekend too much to ask?"

"Riven? Who are you talking to?" Musa walked over. "The birds?"

Before Riven could answer, a cacophony of ring tones filled the air. Everybody pulled out their cell phones and glanced at their screens. Nabu pulled his own out and glanced down at the ID.

"Finally! I got an answer from Roxy!" Flora said excitedly.

"Me too!" Stella exclaimed.

"Me three?" Layla looked quizzically at Musa.

"Yep." Musa nodded.

"Mmm-hmm." Tecna agreed.

All the girls glanced at the guys. Helia just shrugged. "She texted all of us?"

"No." Timmy coughed in embarrassment. "My mother texted me." He fiddled with his phone. "Wait! She texted me too!"

"Why would she text nearly everyone when one text would suffice? It's unusual." Tecna frowned. "Unless she's trying to start another forward again. Those are so annoying."

"It's an SOS!" Stella shrieked. "Roxy's in trouble!"

"What?" All the girls glanced again at their cells.

"Crap! She's at Alfea!" Musa yelped.

"Who'd attack Alfea? We've taken care of all the bad guys!" Flora looked about ready to cry. "How much more of this do we have to take!?"

"It's gotta be those damn witches. No matter how many times we kick their rears, they always get back up again!" Layla growled angrily. "We can't stand around here freaking out. Let's move!"

"We can't just dive in without some kind of plan Layla. We'll end up with a belly-flop otherwise." Nabu said calmly, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"He's right. If we lack a plan we're basically handing ourselves over. And if it's the witches, they'll be ready for us." Helia agreed.

"We can't wait around to figure out a damn plan! By the time we figure one out, those witches will have hurt Roxy somehow! She's a Winx girl and we don't leave them hanging." Musa shouted.

Another ring tone went off. Everybody glanced down at their phones again. They all looked at one another, trying to figure out whose phone it was.

"It's mine." Nabu said quietly. He flipped the cell open again and glanced down. It was another message from Roxy. And the three words he read nearly killed him.

Bloom attacked Alfea.

"I thought you said you told Serel Daphne would be the next heir to the throne! Why would Serel claim you told her Danwin would be the next heir!" Miriam asked angrily.

Oritel sat quietly in his desk chair, trying to focus on the paperwork piled high before him. He was finding it to be a bit hard to accomplish with his wife ranting in front of him. He set down the file he'd been reading with a sigh and glanced up at Miriam.

"Are you going to answer me." Miriam asked. "Oritel, you've never hid anything from me before. Why this? Why now? Why would you start having secrets now of all times? After everything that's happened too…"

"Miriam." Oritel said Miriam's name calmly and quietly.

Miriam stopped her rant and glanced at him. "I'm worried about you Oritel. That's all. This behavior is so unlike you…" Miriam walked around the desk and grabbed Oritel's hand. "…it's scaring me. It's scaring Daphne. Tell me Serel is lying. Tell me you didn't tell her you'd name Danwin the next heir."

Oritel glanced down at his and Miriam's hands and pulled away. Miriam gasped. "Why Oritel? You knew Bloom was going to come back."

"No I didn't." Oritel stood up and walked to the other side of the room, his back to Miriam so she wouldn't see the pained look on his face. "I thought she was gone Miriam. I had lost faith. I figured she was a lost cause and I had to tell the Queen of the Morrcale realm something. I couldn't tell her the next heiress was to be my long-dead child." Oritel sighed. "Danwin is a good man as far as I can tell. At the time I figured he'd be a good king to the people of Sparks."

"He may be a good man, but his mother is a pushy old bat!" Miriam grumbled. "As far as I can tell, she has Danwin under her thumb."

"I don't think so." Oritel said.

"Why won't she let this go? Bloom is back now, thus is the next heiress. If not, then it's Daphne's right. Why does Serel think her son still has a right to the throne of Sparks?" Miriam stood before Oritel. Her green eyes gazed up at him. "You know, don't you. You know why."

Oritel took Miriam's hands into his own and squeezed them. "I do."

"Why?"

"Danwin's father was a close friend of mine back before Sparks fell. If you recall, he fell during a fight at the hand of Lilith."

"Yes. I remember. Serel was devastated. It was tragic indeed, especially for the Morrcale realm. Serel had to fight to keep the throne for her child." Miriam looked up at Oritel. "What does any of that have to do with now?"

"I made a deal with Danwin's father. Serel was there and agreed with it." Oritel paused.

"What deal?" Miriam asked. "What kind of deal could possibly motivate Serel so?"

"Betrothal. Miriam, Prince Danwin of the Morrcale realm was Bloom's betrothed before Sparks fell." Oritel stated.