A/N: Hey everyone! I thought maybe you could all help me out! There´s a poll at the top of my profile page, the title of the poll is: Who makes a better match for Bloom? Please visit my profile and vote! R&R
Also I wasn't planning on updating so soon but I got a lot of reviews in a single day :O Thank you so much! Your opinions matter!
Chapter 26: Secrets within Secrets
Valtor returned to the cabin where he had taken Bloom hostage, and poured himself a drink. Oritel honestly believed that he had authority over a girl he barely knew.
He took off his cloak, unfastened the first buttons of his shirt, and rolled up his sleeves.
He heard a knock on the door. But how? Nobody else knew about this place other than Bloom and Icy...He set his glass down and walked over to the door.
"Diaspro?"
"I knew I´d find you here", she said, walking past him and into the cabin. Valtor sighed.
"What are you doing here, Diaspro?"
"You´re not leaving me out of the game plan", she said decisively.
"I´m a man of my word, Diaspro, coming here was highly unnecessary",
"I´m not taking any risks this time", she said firmly. Valtor sighed, irritably.
"Well, since you here", he said taking out another glass,
"Have a drink"
Diaspro sat in the couch close to the chimney, making herself comfortable. They had a few drinks while making small conversation.
"So tell me, what is it you find so alluring about your beloved Sky?" he asked, taking another sip. Diaspro grinned.
"Is that a serious question? What's not to like? Sky´s just…so good-looking, and incredibly strong. And he´s a king of course, a very famous one. I never said this to anyone but truthfully, I loved seeing him get angry on rare occasions", Valtor shook his head.
"Women…"
"What about you? What is it about dragon girl that has you so worked up?" she said, pouring herself another drink.
"Bloom…she has qualities you don't find in an average person. She has a strength and will power like no other. There were times when I could see how afraid she was of me, so clearly. And yet she always put up a strong front. She tried her best not to let her fear show. So fierce, so passionate…And it was all those qualities that made her all the more beautiful. She understood me, we connected", he said, now slurring his last words.
"I wonder if Sky saw the same things you did…" she said, lost in thought,
"He was your fiancée, hm?" she nodded.
"He was. It was all so perfect. The Queen of Eraklyon, my ex mother in law to-be was planning the wedding with my mother. I was taking classes and working hard on learning to become the perfect wife for a King, I was taught the responsibilities it implied. And she ruined it all", she said, taking another sip. By then they had both gone through a couple of bottles of wine.
Valtor leaned against the side of the chimney.
"You know there´s something else I´ve never told anyone", she said, feeling the effects of the alcohol.
"And that would be?" he asked, intrigued. How many secrets could a princess truly have?
"I think-I think I might have killed someone", she said, her gaze seemed lost in space. Valtor nearly spit out his drink.
"I beg your pardon?"
"I mean it. It was a long time ago, when I started living on Domino. Some guy had been spying on me for who knows how long…it was strange" she said, speaking quietly.
"Did you say he was spying on you…on Domino? Did you recognize him? "
"I had never seen him before, but I remember him perfectly. He was…aged, but not too old. He had a long white beard, and he wore armor. He had a sword with him that day…he used it to fight me…"
Valtor listened to her description, perplexed.
"How´d he die…?"
"I changed into my fairy form, and we fought. Until eventually…I attacked him as strongly as I possibly could and threw him back. His head hit a huge rock that was close by", she concluded.
"Hagen…he matches your description perfectly", Valtor said, taking another sip.
"You knew him?"
"He was a member of the Company of Light, and Oritel´s best friend. Somehow, he must have figured out our plan and followed you there. At least you managed to get him out of our way", he said coldly.
Diaspro gazed intently at the wizard,
"I´m fighting for love", Diaspro blurted suddenly,
"What are you fighting for?" she asked, standing in front of him. He was hesitant to respond,
"What are you really after? An evil wizard, who was raised by the three evil witches and escaped the Omega dimension, can't possibly say that ´love´ is his motive" she mused, Valtor smiled.
"You´re right, I don't waste my time with such pathetic emotions, I do however have a bond with Bloom, stronger than anything I´ve ever experienced. Impossible to deny",
"I wish Sky and I had a bond like that…Bloom never would've broken us up", Diaspro said, feeling light-headed. Suddenly she stumbled and Valtor caught her in his arms, holding her against him.
"I wish Sky looked at me the way you look at her…" she whispered, and pressed her lips on his, ardently.
Sky helped Bloom to her bed. She sat down carefully, taking a sip from the glass of water in her hand.
"Bloom, what happened back there? You didn't look so well", Sky said while placing his hand on her forehead as she took another sip of water. Bloom smiled weakly.
"I just…felt a little woozy. I´m fine now. It´s probably all the commotion of the last couple of days", she answered.
"Should I ask Queen Marion to call a doctor?"
"No, no!" she answered, quickly. "I feel fine now".
Sky knelt down in front of her and caressed her face lovingly.
"Bloom, I know you´ve probably heard about your father´s intentions…regarding our relationship" he said smiling. Bloom laughed,
"I think everyone has. Oritel really likes you",
"You´ve heard it from everyone, except me. Bloom do you remember your first year at Alfea, when we snuck out in the middle of the night to sneak into Cloud Tower?" he asked.
"Of course I remember, I think it was by far the wildest thing we´ve done", she said, laughing at the memory.
"And the other day, when we came here to Domino, well, I just want you to know that…I will never leave your side Bloom. I know that being King means I´ll have many responsibilities to attend. But my title will never keep me away from you.
"I don't want to be in your way, Sky" she whispered. He smiled,
"You're not in my way, you´re by my side. You´re it for me Bloom. Which is why, I want you to have this", he said, taking out a small box.
"What is it?" Bloom asked, in awe. He opened it, pulling out what seemed to be a beautiful heart shaped necklace.
"It's the pendant of Eraklyon. It's been in my family for centuries, and now it belongs to you", he told her. The pendant was a deep red color, hanging from a thin silver-plated chain.
"Sky, it's beautiful. Are you sure it's okay for me to have it? I mean it looks too valuable and-"
"And it belongs with someone who´s so much more valuable to me", he said, sitting beside her. Bloom picked her hair up and allowed Sky to place the pendant around her neck.
"The pendant belongs with the true love of Eraklyon´s King, and that would be you", he said grinning. Bloom blushed.
"I´m sorry I haven't been thankful enough to you, for everything you´ve done. Had it not been for you, Diaspro would probably still be here", she whispered. Sky leaned in and kissed her lips softly.
"There´s nothing to thank me for". Bloom gazed at him, and for the first time in a while, she truly kissed him back.
"I'd do anything for you…hardly newsflash" he said, with a smirk.
"Mom, dad, Daphne…I´d like you to meet the winx!" Bloom said, introducing each of her friends. Bloom had convinced Oritel to ask Ms. Faragonda for permission to bring her friends to Domino to meet them, especially since there would be a big meeting on Solaria regarding Valtor, and they all had to attend.
"It's very nice to meet you all, Bloom has told us so much about you", Marion said as the girls bowed.
"It's our pleasure, your highnesses", Flora said, excitedly.
"Bloom, you look so much like your mom! Now we know where all your charm comes from" Stella said, as they all laughed at her comment.
"I suppose Bloom´s already told you about the situation with Valtor. We must begin building a strategy. And we´ll need all the help we can get" Oritel said,
"Of course, surely you must have been invited to this afternoon´s council meeting on Solaria?" Stella asked.
"We have. King Radius called us this morning and specifically asked us to attend along with Saladin, Griffin, Faragonda and Hagen, considering that we were the members of the company of Light, he said our presence was essential", Oritel explained.
"But its more than just Valtor that worries us now, Winx. This morning while patrolling the southern region of our realm, the guards discovered that the ocean has been completely polluted", Marion told them sadly,
"It's true, we´ve never seen anything like it!" Daphne exclaimed.
"Tritannus must be behind this! The oceans in several other realms have also been polluted", Layla said, angrily.
"Tritannus is a triton from Andros who somehow took over the infinite ocean! But we believe he had help." Bloom explained.
"Why do I get the feeling that Valtor is also behind this?" Oritel seethed.
"He must be! It was that Triton who used his sirenix wish to free me, and he said he was following someone´s orders", Daphne said, remembering how she was freed.
"But who would possibly order Tritannus to help free Daphne?" Flora asked, confused.
"It had to be Valtor! He must have wanted you all together here on Domino, and that way Daphne wouldn't be able to contact Bloom", Layla figured.
"In that case, we really should get to Solaria as soon as possible. We need to warn everyone and try to find a solution", Stella said.
"Well then, your majesties, we´d better get going. It's a bit of a long trip from here to Solaria", Sky said to them.
They traveled to Solaria on the ship Sky had brought from Red Fountain.
"Marion, Oritel! My dear friends!" King Radius greeted when they finally arrived.
"Hey, check it out! The guys are here", Stella squealed.
"Riven? What are you doing here?" Musa asked, surprised.
"I came to check up on you, of course. Wouldn't want anyone looking at you", he said grinning. Musa laughed.
"With a bad boy like you, who would?"
"Nabu!" Layla said, smiling. He bowed and kissed her hand.
"It's nice to see you safe and sound, princess"
"Hey, look, Krystal´s here" Flora noted. Of course, she and her parents would have to be here too since they were the rulers of Linphea.
Flora gasped as someone wrapped their arms around her waist.
"I´ve missed you..." she heard Helia´s deep voice whisper in her ear.
"Solaria offers a warm welcome to all the Royals of the Magical Dimension. As we´ve all heard recently, the glorious realm of Domino has returned and is once again part of our dimension! We would like to-"
Just as King Radius began to speak, Bloom held her head,
"Oh…" Bloom groaned.
"Bloom, is something wrong?" Stella whispered, trying to be discrete.
"Stella, this is going to sound crazy to you but I-I saw Valtor in a vision!" she whispered frantically.
"In a what? Bloom are you absolutely sure it was him?"
"Of course I´m sure, I know what I saw!"
"It's alright Bloom, I believe you! But now what?" Stella whispered back. Musa, Sky and Layla began to look at them suspiciously due to all the whispering.
"Stella, this must be a sign, what if he´s close by? Stella, do you think that the Hall of the Universe can show us Valtor´s location?"
"Bloom, what are you saying? If it could show us Valtor´s location we wouldn't even be here"
"But he and I share the bond of our dragon flames! It could work!" Bloom told her frantically. Stella thought about it for a moment while her father continued speaking,
"I suppose we could give it a try but we have to alert the others-"
"No, Stel. If Valtor senses an entire army approaching him, he´ll just escape again! But if he only senses me, he won't go anywhere…he trusts me",
"Bloom…are you sure about this? I mean it's way too dangerous, what if we lose you again?"
"You won't Stel, let's do this", Bloom said, resolutely. Stella nodded and looked to around to see who was looking. Brandon was eyeing her suspiciously, but she thought nothing of it. Sky and everyone else seemed to be listening intently to King Radius´s words.
"Follow me Bloom, quiet now", Stella whispered, carefully trying to make her way through the crowd while going unnoticed.
They both crept up the stairs and entered the Hall of the Universe, which was a planetarium inside the palace where each and every one of the realms in the magical universe were represented. Bloom proceeded to enter her hand in an orb that floated in the very center, the orb was supposed to show her the realm and location of the person she was searching for. She could vaguely make out a calm, and still place. And then she saw Valtor arriving at the cabin…the one he had taken her to…
"I know where he is Stel! And I have to go there!"
"You´re not going alone Bloom, it's either both of us, or neither of us! But I´m not leaving you alone"
Bloom nodded in acceptance. She knew that no matter how she insisted, Stella truly wouldn't leave her side.
"So this is where he brought you?" Stella asked, awestruck.
"This is it", Bloom said, lost in the memories…
As they neared the cabin, voices could be heard.
"Bloom, are you sure Valtor´s here alone?" Stella whispered, worriedly.
"Well, I thought he was, I mean I didn't see anyone else in the vision?"
"Be careful Stella, stay behind", she said quietly. Stella nodded and remained farther back,
Bloom tiptoed carefully along the side of the cabin until she reached the window. Stella was right, she did hear another voice. And it sounded like…Icy?"
She glanced inside cautiously. The corners of the window were slightly fogged up, meaning that the chimney was on.
She gasped, not believing the sight in front of her…
Diaspro…kissing Valtor. Sting.
How could he…with Diaspro? He must´ve know she was taking my place…! And I trusted him! She thought with tears in her eyes.
Stella continued waiting for Bloom, while she peeked through the window, until someone krept up behind her slowly…
"Stella!"
Stella gasped and jumped up,
"Shhhh!" Bloom hushed them,
"Sorry!" she whispered back,
"Brandon, what are you doing here?" Stella whispered, startled.
"What am I doing here? What are you doing here?! Luckily I followed you guys, since you decided to leave without saying a single word to anyone!" Brandon said clearly upset.
"Don't tell me everyone else noticed too?"
"No Stella, nobody else knows we´re here, but how could you guys take such a risk?! What were you thinking coming here by yourselves?! After everything we´ve been through, have you lost your minds? The council is talking about finding Valtor, and you guys come and get him yourselves?" he whispered, frantically.
"Brandon honey, I did this for Bloom. She´s my best friend, and this was really important to her! What was I supposed to do?"
"Stella you know what Sky would say about this…" he warned.
"Honey, please. Please don't tell Sky, think about Bloom. Besides you´re with us now, so we´re perfectly safe", she said cuddling into him. Brandon smiled,
"Alright, but stay close to me" he whispered, pulling out his sword carefully,
"See anything, Bloom?" Brandon whispered to her,
"I´ve seen more than enough actually!" she said angrily walking past them and to the door.
Stella grabbed her arm just as she was about to knock,
"Bloom wait! Think about it, now could be our chance-"
"I´ve waited enough Stella"
"Bloom Stella´s right, let's think about it for a minute!" Brandon insisted.
Valtor returned Diaspro´s kiss just as fervently. He placed his hands around her waist as she wrapped hers tightly around his neck. He knew it was Diaspro, but his mind insisted on believing it was Bloom…his Bloom…