"Done already?" professor Avalon asked as Samara handed him the third stack of papers.
"Yep, all in order." She said.
"Excellent work miss Samara."
He looked around his classroom. "Now there really isn't anything I can let you do."
"There must be something, detention isn't over until another two hours." Samara said as she straightened a chair.
"No I believe you are done, I'll write down two hours of dusting for Griselda."
"Thank you professor."
"Now, I didn't have the opportunity to ask during this week but how are your panic attacks?" Avalon asked as he sat behind his desk.
"It is going well, I didn't have any after Sunday." Samara answered truthfully.
"Did you discuss it with someone?"
"Some of my friends, I haven't had the chance to talk to professor Palladium about it."
"I understand you have an important day tomorrow, you can leave and prepare, just make sure Griselda doesn't catch you."
"Thank you professor, I'll see you next week."
She walked out of the classroom and straight to her dorm. She was the first one there. It was two hours later and Samara just finished packing when the door of the dorm opened. Musa, Bloom and Flora walked inside.
"Anyone here?" Musa aksed.
Samara called out from her room.
"All packed already?" Bloom asked. "I thought Sky would pick us up this evening?"
"He is but I was done with detention early so I thought to just get it over with." Samara said.
"How are you feeling?" Flora asked. "Must be weird going back home after everything that happened."
Samara shook her shoulders. "We'll see what happens, it's only for a short time, Palladium and I are leaving Sunday morning."
"I better get packing too." Bloom said.
"I'll help." Flora said.
"I am going to annoy Tecna, wanna join?" Musa asked.
"Nah I have some homework to finish before I leave." Samara said.
Musa left and Samara sat behind her desk. It wasn't long before she was completely lost in her work and before she knew it there was a knock on the door. She looked up from the book she was reading to notice that it was getting dark outside.
She opened the door to see Bloom with a suitcase in her hands.
"Ready to go?" She asked with a nervous laugh. "Sky just texted me that he is waiting outside."
"I completely forgot the time, let me get my bag and let Palladium know that Sky is here."
"I am already aware."
Samara looked at the doorway to see the elf standing in the hallway, suitcase in hand.
"If you are ready ladies?" He asked.
Samara felt her cheeks grow a bit warm by the sight of him.
"Yes I think we are." Bloom said.
She looked at the other Winx. "Well…we'll see you all tomorrow evening."
"Don't be nervous Bloom it'll be alright." Layla said.
"Just enjoy the time with Sky at Eraklion before the big event."
"We'll see you soon!" Stella said giving Bloom a big hug.
Samara grabbed her bag from the bed and walked to Palladium. The elf gave her a quick kiss and together with Bloom they went outside where Sky was waiting with his aircraft.
"Who's ready to go to Eraklion?" Sky asked with a smile.
Bloom jumped into his arms and started to kiss him. Palladium and Samara decided to give them some privacy and got on board. Palladiums hand found hers as they sat next to each other.
"Nervous?" He asked.
"Last time my parents saw me I basically kidnapped their son and threatened their lives…what's to be nervous about?"
"That was Celena not you."
"Try explaining that to my parents."
Sky and Bloom came on board and took the front seats.
"Alright here we go." Sky said as he started the aircraft. Samara closed her eyes and leaned on Palladiums shoulder.
"Still not a fan to flying?" He whispered.
Samara shook her head slightly. Immediately Palladiums arm held on tight around her. They stayed that way the entire trip. The only sounds were that of the aircraft and Bloom and Sky's voices holding small and quiet conversations.
"Prepare for landing." Sky said louder.
Immediately Samara tensed.
"It looks beautiful out there." Palladium said as he looked out of the window.
Samara looked as well and saw that he meant the dark green blanket of the forest just next to the Royal Palace.
"Have you been in the forest often?" Palladium asked.
Samara thought back to the time where she was just a girl, playing hide and seek in the forest with Sky and Brandon, when her father would take her on long walks and made her a crown out of flowers before they found out about her magic abilities.
"Oh yes a lot…" She said.
"Perhaps you can show me around tomorrow morning?" Palladium asked.
"I would like that."
"So, we've landed, everything alright sis?" Sky asked. "I know how you hate these kind of things."
Samara blinked a few times. "We landed already?"
"Seems Palladium distracted you through the whole thing." Bloom said with a smile.
Samara eyed the elf, who gave her a guilty smirk back.
"Thanks for that." She said as she gave him a kiss. Suddenly she gasped and let out a small set of swearwords as she stared at her brother dressed in a dark blue/gold/white suit. "I completely forgot to change!"
"You have to wear that dress now already?" Palladium asked as Samara opened her bag and pulled out the hideous dress.
"I'll help you." Bloom said.
Palladium and Sky exited the aircraft, immediately some Royal Guards came towards them. Sky held up his hand. "We are waiting for the Royal Princess and my personal guest, Bloom princess of Domino." "You can inform the King and Queen that we will be with them shortly."
The guards nodded and walked into the palace.
"So…do your parents know that I am here as well?" Palladium asked.
"Yes I informed them that Samara would bring someone." Sky said.
"No no, do they know that I am here?" Palladium asked trying to get his point across the prince.
Sky looked at him with a frown. "Yes as I just said…they know that Samara is bringing her boyfriend."
Palladium sighed and rolled his eyes. "Do they know that I am an Elf?"
Sky's eyes grew big as he finally understood. "Ooh…I uh…I believe so."
"We're ready." Bloom said as she and Samara got out.
"How do I look?" The redhead asked as she did a quick twirl.
She was wearing a slim fitted dark blue dress with her hair out of her face and tied to the back.
"Amazing." Sky said.
Samara walked behind her with a sour face. She almost stumbled to the ground because of the many layers of fabric but Palladium caught her.
"I hate this dress." She groaned.
"It's just for a while and if anyone can wear it with dignity, it is you." Palladium said.
Samara smiled. "I like the way we match though."
"Now let's show your parents what an amazing princess you are."
He offered her his arm and she gladly took it. The four of them made their way into the palace. Samara tried not to look around too much, trying to keep the memories at bay. They stopped in front of two large doors. The guards opened them.
"Prince Sky of Eraklion and Princess Bloom of Domino!" The announcer called.
Bloom and Sky walked into the throneroom first.
"Princess Samara of Eraklion and the Elf Palladium!"
Samara opened her mouth to object but Palladium forced her to move forwards.
"It's fine…" He whispered.
The throneroom was long and almost empty, with at the end two thrones. Along the walls of the room were guards almost every two meters. Samara frowned, that was unusual. Bloom and Sky stopped a few meters in front of the thrones and Samara and Palladium moved to their left. Samara and Sky bowed as they always did when meeting their parents, Bloom and Palladium awkwardly followed their example.
"Aaah my son, what good to see you again!" King Erendor said as he stood with open arms. "And the lovely Bloom, it has been too long."
"Thank you your majesty." Bloom said with a smile from ear to ear, growing a bit red in the cheeks.
The Queen walked from her throne towards Sky and gave him a hug. "Welcome home son."
The Queens eyes fell upon her daughter. "And you too."
"Thank you…mother." Samara replied with her head held high. She raised her voice a bit. "Mother, father allow me to introduce to you my boyfriend, Palladium."
"An honor to meet you your Majesties." Palladium said with a small smile and a polite nod.
"Yes…an honor it is." Queen Samara said as she looked at the elf for a second before walking towards her throne and sitting down.
Samara bit her lower lip. Bloom also seemed trouble holding her tongue, something Sky noticed.
"We cannot deny that a lot has happened between us all." He began. "But I give my full support towards our Princess and her partner." "Palladium is a good man and has risked his life to save us all last year."
Sky turned towards the thrones and stepped forward. "And for that he deserves our gratitued, does he not father?"
King Erendor scraped his voice, taken aback by the words of his son. "Yes…of course, if what you say is true my son, he will have our gratitude."
Queen Samara huffed and refused to look towards Palladium. Instead she focussed on her husband. "I believe we have business to attend to my dear?"
"Yes of course, we are not here for tea, no tomorrow is the most important day for our kingdom until now." King Erendor said. "The celebration of the birthday of a great kingdom, perhaps even the greatest kingdom of all!" "The people of Eraklion will look towards us, they expect us to show them that the Royal Family is strong as ever."
He beckoned Sky and Samara forward. The two of them did three steps towards the thrones.
"Traditionally, on a day like tomorrow, the crown prince will be presented towards the entire kingdom." King Erendor continued. "But now we have two possible heirs to the throne."
Palladiums eyes narrowed as he noticed a sort of mocking tone in the Kings voice as he mentioned the word possible.
"We had to make a choice." Queen Samara said.
"A choice that was certainly difficult to make…" Samara said sarcasticly.
"There has always been a male heir." Queen Samara said loud.
"I am most certain that that was not the main reason to choose Sky as crown prince." Samara said looking straight into her mothers eyes. "But do not fear, I never wanted to become Queen, I would have refused."
The Queen shot daggers with her eyes.
Sky let out a nervous laugh. "Well than it seems there is no problem." He glanced to his left.
Samara looked at him as well. "No brother, not a problem at all."
"Enough!" King Erendor said loudly, his voice echoeing through the room. "Sky will be the crown prince, he will be presented to be so tomorrow evening at the beginning of the celebration." "All members of the Royal Family will gather at the front porch at the presentation and will look and act as a Royal should!"
Samara stared at her father but remained silent.
"Now I believe it best if we all retreat towards our private rooms." King Erendor said. "The guards will show Princess Bloom and the elf their rooms."
"I can do that myself." Samara said. She turned around and marched out of the throneroom, not even waiting for a reply. She heard her mother say something about disrespect but she couldn't care less.
"Who do they think they are?" Samara huffed as she and Palladium walked up the stairs. "Referring to you as 'the elf' and telling me that I am disrespectfull?!"
A hand reached out to hers and squeezed. "Calm down, don't let them get to you."
"How can you be so calm?" Samara asked as she looked at Palladium.
"I knew what I was getting myself into."
"I am sorry that I brought you into this mess."
"Don't be, there isn't anywhere else I'd rather be but close to you."
"Not that close, it seems that your room is on the other side of the palace…" Samara sighed.
They walked into a corridor and stopped at the very last door.
"This is me." He said as he opened the door to discover a nice looking but small bedroom.
"Pick you up at eight for that walk through the forest?" Samara asked.
"It's a date."
They shared a quick kiss that longed for more and said goodnight. Samara made her way towards her old bedroom. As soon as she closed the door she wiggled out of the massive dress and untied the knot in her hair. A sigh of relief escaped her mouth as she changed into her nightgown. Only now she took the time to look around. The room smelled a bit dusty but other than that it looked as if she never left. Samara opened the curtains and was pleased to see the moon. She stood there for a while, bathing in the moonlight. With a big sigh she fell onto the bed staring at the ceiling. Tears started to well up in her eyes. How was she ever going to make it through the day tomorrow?