A/N: Thank you for reviewing! Kind of motivates me to keep writing lol, more Stella and Brandon for the Stella/Brandon fans! R&R
Chapter 13: Shadows
"We clawed, we chained our hearts in vain
We jumped never asking why
We kissed, I fell under your spell.
A love no one could deny"
She gazed at her reflection in the mirror. Her skin, her hair, the strangely shaped birthmark on her left hand. It all reflected the image of the sleeping woman she´d seen the night before.
She was still dressed in black from head to toe. It wasn't really her color, according to Stella, but it certainly gave her a completely new aspect. She exited the bathroom and was walking towards the small living room, when she heard voices,
"Why not me?! What has she done to deserve it!" she heard a woman´s voice whisper furiously,
"I don't have time to deal with your nonsense!" …Valtor´s voice…he was arguing with someone…
"You can't leave me like this! I won't let you!"
"This isn't the place for you, shouldn't you with Tritannus now? Where is he?" Valtor asked. Tritannus?
"That's none of your concern! I demand what's mine! And no one but you can give it to me. That stupid princess got what she wanted, now it's my turn!" The woman´s voice sounded awfully familiar…one of the witches? If she peeked even in the slightest, she´d be discovered eavesdropping and there was no telling what Valtor would do…but what did Valtor have to do with them?
"Of course…you don't need me anymore because you have her! It's always about her isn't it!? What has she done for you that I haven't?!"
"Plenty…" he answered grimly.
"I´m warning you…take care of your precious pixie….you don't know what I´m capable of!"
"Careful with your words!"
"I´m not joking! I will destroy her!" the woman said.
Suddenly the door slammed shut, making Bloom jump and run back into the bathroom. She took a deep breathe, what was that all about? So Valtor was protecting her? From another woman…
The realization stung for some reason. The woman he spoke to sounded beyond jealous, he must´ve meant something to her…was he actually involved with someone else? It wasn't like it mattered to her anyway. He was free to do and be with whoever he pleased.
After calming herself for a few minutes, she finally felt the energy return to her, so she left the bathroom and walked quietly into the living room.
Valtor sat still, in front of the fireplace. He had removed his overcoat once again and was simply staring motionless.
He finally had what he worked so hard for up until now. The complete power of the dragon flame was his now that both parts of it were united. He had the company he had so eagerly longed for. Of course he had Icy, Darcy and Stormy who were after him at every minute of the day and were more than willing to do whatever he ordered them to do. But there was no possible way of comparing the company of three common witches, to that of an equal. And that was what Bloom resembled, his equal. In a personal sense, maybe, but in power terms, she certainly was. And he would take advantage of their equivalence to no end. He would make sure that no individual or magical force was strong enough to defeat the power of the dragon flame. He and Bloom would be and remain undefeated. But first, he would have to see just how far Bloom had developed her powers, Alfea was obviously not qualified enough to train the keeper of the dragon flame…that must be what Faragonda´s afraid of…exploiting Bloom´s power to its full potential!
Valtor sensed Bloom´s presence in the room, he stood up suddenly, not turning to look at her, simply gazing into the fire.
"Do you trust me?"
"Does it matter?" Valtor tucked his hands into his pockets and paced towards the window.
"Believe it or not, it does to me"
"I still don't know what we´re doing here, I still don't know what your deal is. Who are you?! All I´ve known up until now is you're a wizard named Valtor, and?! Do you think that's enough information to make me trust someone who practically kidnapped me?!"
He walked toward her and put a finger underneath her chin, tilting her head upward to look him in the eye, bringing her face much closer to his. Bloom felt chills go down spine at such closeness, she could feel his cool breath against her skin.
"If I showed you what I truly am...would you stay?" Bloom hesitated for a moment, her breathe quickening. Even she wasn't sure of her answer, would she? Without thinking further, she responded, surprising even herself,
"Yes"
"Follow me", he said, in a much darker tone. His overcoat hauled behind him as he rapidly walked into a part of the cabin she hadn't been to. They walked through a dim lighted corridor and came to a single shut door. Valtor turned the door knob and signaled her to enter first.
"After you", he said. And she obeyed.
Ms. Faragonda sat in her office contemplating their current options. She felt as though her hands were tied and time was running. Suddenly the screen in front of her turned on.
"Faragonda, good evening. Has there been any news on your missing student?" Headmaster Saladin asked through the screen. Faragonda sighed deeply,
"Hello Saladin, and no…I'm afraid there's nothing yet",
"I wanted to inform you that the King of Solaria and a few other royals sent guards who tracked Valtor´s hideout to Andros, an underwater cavern. Unfortunately, he´s already gone. There hasn't been anyone there for days, surely he knows we´re searching for him!"
"Andros? He could be anywhere by now, the magical dimension is vast and Valtor is unpredictable to say the least!" she said, distraught. Saladin rubbed his forehead.
"Sky hasn't stopped searching a single moment. He´s directing his guards on another search through Andros, he thinks Valtor may still be close to where his lair was discovered", he said.
"I doubt it Saladin. If Valtor had even the slightest suspicion that we´re after him, he must´ve hid as well and as far as he possibly could",
"Faragonda, have you considered…that the water stars may be of great use in this case? They´re the exact opposite of the dragon flame and the only force that can extinguish it! If we could only use the water stars against him, he´ll be defeated indelibly",
"Saladin, that's nearly impossible! If he truly has Bloom-and I have no doubt that he does-we could be putting her own life in danger! Don't forget that she also possesses the dragon flame, its very core",
"I truthfully don't see any other way of defeating him. Faragonda think about it, isn't there a way to keep Bloom safe from the water stars? Isn't she in as much danger with him as she would be if we tried to attack? While we´re running out of time and searching for him uselessly, he could be preparing another attack on the magical dimension!" he told her. The headmistress hesitated, were they taking too great a risk?
"Faragonda our schools, as well as our dimension is in grave danger, and we´re running out of resources! There must be a way to keep Bloom margined from the water stars, they´re very close to being our last hope", he told her.
"And suppose we do make an intent to use the stars again him, they must be retrieved from the Golden Kingdom", she said, pausing. Saladin´s words began sinking in, deeper each time. The water stars could very well be their last resort! Oh, Bloom!
"One of the winx suffered an accident and is hospitalized, but I´ll speak to them this afternoon. As soon as Musa´s recuperated I´m sure they´ll be on their way to the Golden Kingdom to retrieve the water stars, I´ll have to speak to Arcadia as well", she deliberated. The guardian of the water stars was a dear friend of hers and would surely understand. What concerned her most of all was how on magix they would maintain Bloom away from the water stars? Extinguishing the dragon flame could possibly even kill her!
"Saladin I must say, I fear for Bloom´s life. If anything were to happen to her, I´d feel responsible for my dear student's misfortune", she said, holding her head between both hands. The elderly headmaster sighed. Despite the desire he had to comfort his friend, there really wasn't any other possible way to take the wizard down, without jeopardizing Bloom in the process. It was a risk they´d have to take, and the consequences they would have to live with.
"Musa you had us terrified! " Stella told her, Musa gave her a small smile.
"I´m sorry guys, I don't know what happened back there", she said softly.
"Might it have something to do with Riven, perhaps?" Stella asked.
"Stella!" They all said in unison.
"No, its fine…" Musa said looking away.
"Riven was part of the reason, but it wasn't his fault. He…he did nothing wrong",
"If it wasn't his fault, then what happened, Mus?" Tecna asked affectionately.
"I…I can't say really. When I saw Riven again, something happened. I can't explain it. All I can tell you is…I tried going after him, I just wanted to explain what happened and I followed his down the stairs, and that's pretty much all I can remember",
"Explain what exactly? It was Riven who decided to leave", Stella commented.
"Well, he saw Jared kissing me" she said sadly, causing the girls to gasp.
"So you guys are together now?" Tecna asked.
"Do you like him?" Flora continued. Layla only kept quiet. It didn't seem like the best moment to let Musa in on how Riven was also convinced that she and Jared were a couple.
"We´re not a couple, he took me by surprise. And if you don't mind, I just rather forget the whole thing. I don't know what Riven´s doing here, but I´ve moved on. He´s a part of the past", she said firmly.
"You go girl!" Stella said, with a smile.
"We´re sorry Musa, we were just worried", Flora told her putting an arm around her comfortingly. Musa smiled, she couldn't be thankful enough for these girls. But Layla was too quiet and it didn't go by unnoticed, at least not by her.
Suddenly Stella´s phone started ringing.
"Girls, excuse me just a sec. I think its Brandon", she said, leaving the room quickly. But as soon as she stepped out and shut the door behind her, she realized it wasn't.
"Stella? Hey babe, haven't heard from you in a while", Bishops voice said on the other end. Babe? Brandon was the only one who usually called her that way.
"Hey", she said laughing nervously.
"I guess I´ve been busy", she told him. Bishop chuckled.
"Well, that figures. Such a beautiful woman as yourself is bound to have her agenda full of occupations",
"Oh, thanks Bishop, but-"
"Tell you what, how about I invite you out to dinner tonight. You could use a break from all the fighting you´ve been doing. How does that sound?" he asked casually.
"I-I really can't Bishop, I'm sorry" she said quickly.
"Why not Stel? What's the matter, I didn't do anything wrong, now, did I?" he asked, slyly.
"Um…no, no it's not that I just think it's best to keep my distance. After all you know I have a boyfriend and I don't want him getting the wrong idea", she said quickly, all in one breathe.
"Boyfriend? You mean Brandon? I´m sure he´ll understand"
"I think not", she said simply. There was silence on the other end for a moment.
"Stella you're making a big deal, its only dinner. Two friends going for dinner. I mean we have to eat something don't we? No good boyfriend would want his girlfriend to starve, right?" Stella laughed. Brandon saw Bishop as a threat, but she couldn't understand how. He was a pretty innocently cool guy. Plus he was funny.
"Just dinner, huh?"
"Yeah, it's just dinner Stel, c'mon now. Don't make me beg" he said laughing slightly. Stella deliberated and couldn't decide what to do. There really wasn't anything wrong with just grabbing something quick to eat with a friend. Musa wouldn't leave the hospital yet, Layla´s parents were still here so it was likely that she would have dinner with them tonight, Bloom was still missing and Tecna was going over to Timmy´s tonight to try and tract Bloom down with some new device. So she would be stuck eating alone anyways.
"I´ll think about it", she said simply. Bishop easily caught the tinge of insecurity in her voice, but let it go, either way he was completely sure that she would accept his invitation eventually. Brandon wanted war, so war he will have. Stella, princess of Solaria, would be his one way or another.
"Alright babe, I´ll call you a little later expecting a yes. I don't take no for answer", he said. And Stella could almost imagine his flirty smile and the other end. She laughed nervously.
"I´m not making any promises, but alright then. Talk to you later",
"Later, darling". Stella shut her blue phone and slipped it into her pocket. She had to find a way to keep her distance from Bishop but his persistence was making that very hard to do. She sighed. If Bloom were here, she´d know exactly what to do. She truly missed her best friend and this angst and sorrow of not knowing her whereabouts was beginning to be too much. They needed Bloom back! But in the meantime, she´d have to decide what to do about Bishop!
On the other end, Bishop ended the call and opened up a photo of Stella on his cellphone. He had taken it a while back when they ran into each other one day in magix. She was wearing a navy blue sweater and navy blue scarf to match. Her long blond sleek hair in a neat high pony tail. He wanted nothing more than to win against Brandon but truthfully, as he stared at the picture on his screen, he had to admit the blond princess was definitely eye-catching. The green eye shadow she wore in the picture made her chocolate brown eyes stand out. Maybe he really was falling for Stella of Solaria after all. Who knows, maybe this could turn into more than just another competition.
Oritel sat quietly in one of the many rooms of the palace. His favorite in fact. Here he and Marion would sit by the window and watch the moon, singing to baby Daphne, and later on, to Bloom.
He sighed. He almost broke his word to Valtor, it was wrong of him and he knew Marion would disapprove. But this was something beyond his control. He had a feeling they were being kept away from everything for a reason. Maybe they were oblivious to something, but what? What could Valtor possibly have up his sleeve? They made a fair deal didn't they? Valtor had complete freedom, and they had their family back. Everything should've been well. But then, why wasn't it?
"A penny for your thoughts?" he turned towards the door.
"Sweetheart, you startled me" he told Daphne, chuckling. She smiled.
"What's on your mind, dad?" she asked, snuggling next to him in the big, cashmere chair. He laughed putting an arm around her affectionately.
"I remember how you and mom used to rock me to sleep here, until I was four", she said, laughing quietly.
"Yes, those were good times. That was until your mother and I began falling asleep before you did", Oritel said, causing Daphne to laugh.
"So what's up?" she asked.
"I would tell you gladly, if only I knew the answer myself", he said sighing.
"Maybe it's the same thing that's happening to me", Daphne responded.
"How so?" Oritel asked now concerned.
"Don't you think that the visit my sister received was a bit…strange?"
"Well she said it was an on friend of hers",
"You didn't her reaction dad! I certainly wouldn't act that way if a friend came such a long way to see me. She was…hysterical!"
"Honey, there are…many things I still fail to understand. But, Diaspro is my daughter and your sister. For now, all we can do is be patient with her. She´ll come around", he said kissing his eldest daughter´s forehead affectionately.
"I sure hope so dad"
"Tell you what, why don't you try spending more time with her? I´m sure she needs all our support, Daph", she sighed,
"Of course dad, I´ll give it my best shot" she said smiling. But internally she still couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off, and she knew her father knew it too.
"I´ll ask her to go to the mall with me, it´ll help her relax",
Oritel simply smiled and hugged his daughter. Bloom would come around, and he was sure of it. He had his family together and united once again, and that would have to be enough for now.