Chapter 21
Bloom had no idea how long she sat outside in the hallway waiting for either her mother or Icy to step out. But the more time past the more annoyed she got.
'This is not fair.' Bloom mumbled under her breath and played with a little flame on the palm of her hand. 'Still not the dragonflame.' The fairy groaned when she suddenly felt shivers going down her back. She felt freezing cold for a second before the feeling past again.
'Strange.' Bloom thought. None of the windows were open that would explain the cold breeze.
It didn't take long before the door burst open and Icy came walking out.
Without looking at Bloom or saying a single word, the witch started to walk down the hallway away from the fairy.
'Hey, wait!' Bloom quickly stood up and shouted after Icy. 'What happened?'
'Nothing, go away.' Icy replied sharply.
'You said you would tell me what you talked about.' Bloom tried to catch up with the witch.
'Things change, deal with it.' The witch hissed.
'No I'm not gonna deal with it, tell me what happened or….' Bloom said
'Or what!' Icy spun around glaring at the fairy which made Bloom jump back.
That's when Bloom noticed that Icy's eyes were slightly red and she could see tears glistening in her eyes. Icy had been crying.
'Icy, what happened?' Bloom asked softly.
The witch didn't reply.
'Bloom, let her go.'
The fairy turned around to see her mother standing at the end of the hallway with her arms crossed.
Bloom started to look back and forth between Icy and her mother, before taking an uncertain step back from Icy, which prompted the witch to walk away.
This time Bloom didn't follow her.
'What the hell did you tell her?' Bloom asked and turned to her mother.
'The truth.' Marion replied.
'Which would be?' Bloom said hesitantly
She had no idea what they had talked about, but if Icy showed that kind of reaction it, Bloom wasn't sure if she wanted to know.
'Icy asked me not to tell you.' Marion breathed out.
Bloom wasn't about to give in and started to walk up to her mother. But before she could continue her questioning Bloom could see that her mother had been crying as well.
Breathe in. Breathe out.
Relax, everything is going to be alright.
Was Icy angry at her? Yes, absolutely.
Did she hate her right now? Possibly.
But she would understand it if Darcy explained her motive. The witch of darkness was sure of it.
Or at least she hoped the ice witch would understand it.
Oh God, what if she didn't.
Breathe in. Breathe out.
Relax….
She wasn't stupid, she knew what she did when she sided with her mother and backstabbed her sister. And she would've gladly explained it to her but Medora was keeping her on a tight leash, and Darcy didn't get the chance to talk to Icy.
Icy had been furious and it surprised Darcy that she didn't turn her into little ice cubes in front of the whole assembly.
It surprised her even more that she got to walk out of the winx suite without any frostbites after her, Medora and Faragonda were searching for Flora and Stormy. But she suspected the only reason she got out of there unharmed was because she didn't tell anyone they were hiding in the bathroom.
The witch of darkness has been pacing through the room for about an hour now. Alone, only with her thoughts to keep her company.
Medora went to Faragonda's office. Probably to tell her off for not having her students in check. She was still angry about what Stormy and Flora did. Darcy wasn't allowed to join. Which left her waiting, not knowing what was going on.
A knock on the door ripped her out of her thoughts.
Before Darcy could walk over and open the door, the person let herself in.
'Icy?' Darcy's eyes widened when she saw it was her sister.
'Congrats.' Icy said 'Even I believed you for a minute.'
The ice witch walked over to the window and sat down on the windowsill, watching her sister.
Icy noticed that Darcy looked nervous. Rightly so.
'Talk!' The ice witch crossed her arms. Darcy was confused about the calm in her sister's voice. She didn't sound angry or anything.
'What do you want me to say?' Darcy said quietly looking at the floor.
'I'm sure you can think of something that I would like to hear.' Icy replied. Still way too calm for Darcy's liking.
'I know you're angry….' Darcy started after taking a deep breath.
'Damn right, I am.' Icy hissed, making the witch of darkness flinch. There was a bit of the anger Darcy expected
'Let me explain.' Darcy tried to sooth her.
'I'm all ears.' Icy gritted her teeth.
Darcy gulped and took another deep breath.
'I tried to figure out what Medora wants and to do that I told her what she wanted to hear.' The brunette said. 'I wanted to tell you but she wouldn't let me out of her sight and the next morning I suddenly was dragged to the assembly and asked of my opinion. And I knew I had to do what Medora expected if I wanted to know more about her intention.'
'The throne.' Icy said matter of factly. 'That's what she wants. I could have told you that. Damn it, even Stormy could have told you that.'
'I don't think that's all she wants.' Darcy continued. 'There's more, but so far she hasn't told me. That's why I tried to gain her trust and said…..'
'…that I'm delusional and not quite sane. Yes, I remember that.' Icy scoffed. 'And all of the other kings and queens remember that as well. Thank you very much, by the way.'
'I know you have a hard time believing me.' Darcy said. 'But I achieved what you wanted.'
Icy looked absolutely perplexed at what Darcy said. And for a few seconds she was left speechless.
'What I….What I wanted?' Icy stuttered confused. She was done staying calm 'Why…Why would I want you to say these…these lies to the most powerful kings and queens in the magical dimension. Do you even know what position you put me in?'
' You told me you didn't want the throne.' Darcy frowned.
'But I also said I didn't want Medora on the throne.' Icy shouted.
'And she won't get it.' Darcy said determined.
'What the hell are you talking about.' Icy was furious.
'None of the other kingdoms want you on the throne, right? Which means if you claim it they will find a way to get you off the throne in a matter of days.' Darcy walked up to her sister.
'You want me to claim the throne and then get overthrown.' Icy said in disbelief.
'That way Medora wouldn't have the throne and neither would you.' Darcy replied 'Which is exactly what you wanted.'
'No it's not!' Icy yelled . 'Stop assuming you know what I want. You should've talked to me.'
'I..I don't…' Darcy stuttered.
'It's our homeplanet, Darcy. And I don't want to be the one that lost Whisperia to fairies. I'm not going to risk light magic taking the planet over, which is exactly what's going happen now if I claim the throne after the little stunt you pulled.' Icy slowly started to walk up to Darcy. 'I wasn't the focus. The assembly was never about who sits on Whisperia's throne. It was about the ancestral witches. If you hadn't gotten involved, no one would've cared about Whisperia and it's future. But you shifted the attention to me '
Darcy stayed quiet and avoided looking at her sister.
'You made me look like a maniac. You told everyone in there that I only made up the return of the ancestral witches. You gave Medora exactly what she wanted.' Icy hissed. 'And the worst part is that you think that's what I wanted.'
'I'm sorry.' Darcy said quietly. 'I wanted to help.'
'You made it worse. I had time, Darcy.' The ice witch continued. 'Time until we got rid of Medora to decide….'
'Claim the throne.'
'Darcy…'
'I'll talk to the Winx.' Darcy said determined. 'I don't like them but I know they can convince the other kingdoms to leave Whisperia alone.'
'Darcy….'
'We'll figure something out. And you're not going to lose Whisperia to any of those fairy kingdoms, I promise. We're going to fight.'
'Darcy…'
'No, I mean it. You're right, Whisperia is our homeplanet. And I can see that it means a lot you. Maybe it won't be as bad as you think ….'
'Darcy, shut up.' Icy finally managed to get the younger witch to stop talking. 'I already made a decision. You can stop presenting me all of your glorious ideas.'
The witch of darkness breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Icy take out a piece of paper and put it on the table. It was the document Medora had given her earlier. And it was still unsigned, which meant Icy hadn't agreed to sign Whisperia over to Medora.
'Thank god. For a second I was worried.' Darcy sighed. 'I swear I'm going to make it up.'
'Where is she?' Icy asked.
'Talking to Faragonda. She was really angry about the whole Stormy-and-Flora-breaking-into-her-room-thing. She wants Flora to be punished. They're calling her parents' Darcy replied.
'Yeah, I figured that out when she came storming into the dorm room earlier.' Icy said. 'Thanks for not ratting them out. I know you found them in the bathroom.'
'Oh, I definitely did find them in the bathroom. And it took a lot of willpower to not say anything.' Darcy scoffed. 'Don't ask, you don't want to know.' She added when Icy looked at her confused.
Icy was about ask what she meant by that but they both could hear the door open.
A few seconds later Medora stepped into the room. Apparently her talk with Faragonda turned out the way she wanted. She looked quite pleased with herself.
After spotting not only Darcy, but also Icy, Medora frowned and looked back and forth between the sisters before her eyes landed on on the document on the table 'Isabella, is that what I think it is?'
'Yes.' Icy answered. 'You expected a decision and I have made one. I am here to discuss it with you.'
'Wonderful.' Medora gritted her teeth.
Darcy had to hide her smirk. She knew her mother had seen that the document was not signed. The witch of darkness couldn't wait to hear her mother getting told off.
'Dakota, go to your room.' Her mother said to her surprise.
'What?' Darcy asked angrily. 'Why?'
'Because I said so.' Medora looked furious.
'Go.' Icy chimed in. 'Please.'
Darcy groaned but did what she was told and walked out of the room.
Medora waited until she heard the close before she turned to Icy.
'You selfish little brat. You are not going to stand a chance against any of the kingdoms.' Medora hissed. 'Whisperia is doomed to fall if you sit on the throne.'
Icy just stared back at her unimpressed.
' You have made so many mistakes in the past, but this is by far the worst one. You are a disappointment to all witches. And I swear I won't let you take the throne without a fight. You don't deserve it.'
'Are you done?' Icy asked nonchalantly.
'No, I'm not.' Medora was about to continue her rant when she saw something that surprised her.
Icy conjured up a pen and walked over to the table. Before Medora could ask what she was doing, Icy did something unexpected.
She signed the document.
'She threw you out? ' Stella frowned 'Why would she do that?'
'I don't know.' Bloom said as she let herself fall on the couch.
'Did Icy tell you what they talked about?' Musa asked
'Nope. She said she would, but than she didn't.'The red haired fairy sighed. 'Icy seemed pretty upset.'
'Do you know where she went?' Addy crossed her arms and exchanged a glance with her brother. Both of them knew that an upset Icy wasn't good.
Bloom shook her head.
'What are we supposed to do now?'
That's the question everyone was thinking about.
None if them knew what to do now. They expected Bloom and Icy to come back with answers. But Bloom returning alone without any kind of information just left them with more questions.
No one knew what to say. Which left them all waiting for someone to tell them what was going on.
It didn't take long before the door opened.
All of them immediately turned their head towards the door in anticipation. When they saw it wasn't Icy they groaned simultaneously.
'I've never felt more welcomed.' Sky said sarcastically as he stepped inside
'Sorry, we were hoping you were Icy.' Tecna replied
'That's not a sentence I thought I would ever hear.' Layla breathed out.
'Did she not come back with you?' Sky looked at Bloom who just shook her head.
They quickly explained the situation to him.
'Well, she's gotta be somewhere in Alfea.' Sky said
'That doesn't really narrow it down.' Riven mumbled.
'What about you?' Musa looked at the storm witch.
'I didn't do anything wrong.' Stormy blurted out which earned her a few confused looks.
'I didn't say you did.' Musa frowned. 'I just meant…you're Icy's sister…do you have an idea where she went to?'
'Oh..eh…Nope, no clue.' Stormy went back to being silent.
It was only then that they noticed that both Stormy and Flora hadn't said a single word after coming out of the bathroom. They hadn't even looked at anyone.
'Hey, what exactly happened in the bathroom?' Bloom looked at Flora.
'Nothing.' The flower fairy quickly said.
'But Darcy must've seen the two of you, right?' Stella frowned.
'Y..yes' Flora hesitantly said. 'She did. And then…then..'
'..she left …' Stormy finished her sentence.
Flora's and Stormy's eyes met for a second before they both quickly looked in the opposite direction
'She left?' Layla asked.
'Just like that?' Tecna looked back and forth between the witch and the fairy.
'Yep.' Stormy replied.
'But, why….' Addy wanted to say something before Stormy interupted her.
'She didn't tell Medora, that's the most important thing. Can we leave it at that now? Who cares why she didn't.'
'Alright…?' Addy frowned
''Where are you going?' Bloom asked Stella who just stood up.
'Who knows how long it will take until Icy gets back.' Stella said. 'And us just sitting around here is not going to get her back here faster. So I'm going to take a shower. And I suggest you do something that keeps you occupied as well. Time will go by much faster.'
'You eavesdropped.' Icy could see it in Darcy's face as she stepped into her bedroom.
'You tricked me.' The witch of darkness replied.
'In what way?'
'You said you would take the throne.'
'No, you assumed I would.' Icy instantly corrected her sister.
'You hadn't signed.' Darcy hissed.
'Medora had to be present. She had to see that it was me who signed.' Icy explained.
'How could you do that?' Darcy was exasperated.
'I already gave you my reasons.' Icy crossed her arms.
'Where is she?' Darcy said. 'We will tell her that you have changed your mind. You can't seriously tell me that you think it's a good idea to leave Whisperia in her command.'
'I believe Medora said something about making preparations.' Icy breathed out.
'Preparations for what?' Darcy asked
'For going back to Whisperia.'
'We're going back to Whisperia?!' Darcy's eyes widened.
'No.' For a second Icy could see the relief in her sister's eyes. 'You are going back to Whisperia.'
'I…What!?' Darcy stuttered. 'Absolutely not. I'm not going anywhere with her!'
'I don't think you understand what I did.' Icy raised an eyebrow. '
Darcy frowned and Icy could see millions of thoughts going through her head.
'Medora is going back to Whisperia as Queen. Which makes you, as her eldest daughter, the new crown princess.'
Icy could see all the colour leaving Darcy's face. She looked like she was going to be sick.
'You're teaching me a lesson here, right? You can't be serious.' Darcy said quietly. 'You're either joking around or you have a plan.'
'Not a joke and that is my plan.' Icy sighed.
'Icy….'
The door opened
'Oh, you're still here.' Medora peeked into the room and frowned when she saw Icy.
'I was about to go.' Icy answered and avoided looking at Medora.
'Has she already told you the good news?' Medora smiled at Darcy.
'Yeah, she has.' Darcy could feel a tear roll down her cheek which she quickly wiped away.
'Fantastic, you will have to pack your things. I want to get out of here as soon as possible.' Medora replied.
'I better leave, I guess.' Icy said and made her way towards the door.
'That would be the best.' Medora smirked. 'Do me a favor and tell Stephanie to be ready to go in an hour. I know you're hiding her somewhere.'
'Stormy is staying with me.' Icy looking back at the older witch.
'Oh no, I don't think so.' Medora said. 'I'm her mother and I've got the custody. And I say she's coming with us'
'She's not going to want to and you know that.' Icy replied.
Icy was certain Darcy wanted to shout that she didn't want to go back to Whisperia either.
'She will get used to it.' Medora smiled. 'She better be ready to go in an hour, understood?'
As response the ice witch only nodded. She took a last glance at Darcy before she walked out.
'Are you thinking the same thing?' Addy whispered to Darko after a few of the fairies and specialists followed Stella's advice and the living room wasn't as crowded.
'She went to talk to Medora.' Her brother replied.
'Is that good or bad?' Stormy asked uncertain.
'Bloom said she was upset.' Darko sighed. 'I don't think we should expect good news.'
'Why would Icy make a decision and not tell anyone?' Flora asked.
'Maybe she didn't make this decision alone.' Addy retorted and looked at Bloom 'She was with your mother beforehand, right? We don't know what they talked about.'
'That's it I'm gonna look for her.' Bloom said and stood up.
'Icy or your mother?' Sky asked
'Doesn't matter. Both of them can answer my questions.'
Bloom turned around and was about to walk away when something or rather someone caught her eye.
The others were visibly confused and turned around as well only to see Icy walking in.
For a minute they just stared at her waiting for the witch to start talking.
'Izzy, we can't help if we don't know what's going on.' Darko broke the silence.
Icy was visibly distressed and it looked she was searching for the right words. It took some time until she built up the courage to start talking.
'I signed.' She breathed out.
'Icy …' Bloom was about to ask her what she had been thinking, but Icy interupted her.
'Please don't. I'm not in the mood for you to tell me what a horrible decision I've made.' The ice witch mumbled and leaned against the wall.
'Medora is going back to Whisperia.' Icy said after a minute before looking at Stormy 'And you and Darcy are going with her.'
'Yeah, sure.' Stormy laughed.
The storm witch looked at Icy expecting her to tell her that was a joke. She didn't.
'Icy, this is not funny.' Stormy turned to look at the others.
No one but her was laughing.
'I don't think she's joking.' Flora whispered next to her.
'Of course she is.' Stormy scoffed. 'Icy tell them you're joking.'
The storm witch stood up and walked up to her sister.
'She wants you to be ready in an hour' Icy sighed
'No, tell me you're joking.' At this point even Stormy started to doubt that was the case. 'She can't just make me go with her, right?'
'She can.' The ice witch pulled Stormy into a hug.
'I don't want to' Stormy mumbled as she put her arms around her sister as well. 'Tell her she can't just force me to.'
' Unfortunately she's your mother and your legal guardian.' Icy explained
'She hasn't cared about us in the past years. Why is it so important to her now.' Stormy crossed her arms.
'I don't know. Darcy wasn't thrilled either.'
Stormy only rolled her eyes.
'She tried to help.' The ice witch said. 'You know for someone so smart Darcy sometimes tends to not think things through.'
'She hurt you.'
'She did.' Icy pulled out of the embrace to look at her sister. 'And I have hurt her a few minutes ago. The three of us have a tendency to sometimes do or say things the others don't like. You should know that.'
Stormy nodded but remained quiet.
'Why are you doing this?' Bloom blurted out. 'What could my mother possibly have said to you?'
'I'm not doing what your mother said to me. I'm doing what the journal said.' Icy rolled her eyes in annoyance. 'And the journal said I should decline the throne.'
'So you just…give up.' The fairy asked.
'I did not give up.' Icy hissed at the fairy.
'Well that's what it looks like from my point of view.' Bloom crossed her arms.
'I don't care what it looks like from your point of view.'
'So you have a plan ?' Icy turned to look at Flora who asked the question.
The ice witch slightly frowned when she saw the fairy looking rather sad. She took a short glance at her sister who immediately turned her gaze away from her.
Now she knew what Darcy hinted at earlier.
Icy decided to not address it right now, so she just took a deep breath.
'Sort of.' Icy answered the fairy.
'Icy, I'm not going anywhere until I know you have a genuine plan to get us out of there again.' Stormy said. 'Promise me you have one.'
Icy hated herself for doing the next thing. She lied to her sister.
'I promise I have a plan.'
Outside in the courtyard
She felt horrible for making her sisters do this. But Marion said everything written in her mother's journals was bound to come true either way, so why make a fuss out of something she couldn't stop anyway. Icy could only hope she would figure something out to get them out of there.
The ice witch continued to watch Medora talking to Darcy and Stormy before seeing that Faragonda approached them. Probably to wish them a safe journey. She had done so with every king and queen leaving Alfea.
The headmistress quickly stepped back again to talk to Griffin. Icy was certain Faragonda was equally as relieved as the others about Medora's departure.
'Alright. We're almost ready to go.' Sky walked up to them. Faragonda had asked him to bring Medora, Stormy and Darcy back to Whisperia. 'Last chance to to tell us you're joking.' He looked at the ice witch.
'Still not a joke.' Icy mumbled. The ice witch was certain she could feel a headache coming.
She could see Medora looking over to her, giving the ice witch a smug smile. Icy just stared back at her blankly.
'That woman is giving me the creeps.' Bloom said slightly shivering.
'At least we get a little break from her.' Sky sighed. 'But I don't think it's going to take long before we hear from her again.'
'How long will it take to fly to Whisperia and back?' Bloom asked.
'I should be back in two hours' Sky said, before giving Bloom a quick kiss.
'Be careful.' Bloom said after him.
'Yeah, but if you figure out a way to push Medora off the spaceship at a significant hight, do it. I would even help you to cover it up.' Icy added.
'You know what. If the opportunity arises I'll consider it.' Sky replied to Icy's surprise.
Icy and Bloom watched as Sky walked over to Medora, probably to tell her they were ready to go, before he made his way into the spaceship.
'Are you seriously telling me you're just going to let Medora get away like that.' Bloom whispered next to her.
'Yep.' Icy replied
'You're doing the right thing.' Marion appeared next to them.
'Certainly doesn't feel like it.' The ice witch said quietly.
'You're worried about your sisters. Understandably. But as far as I know they're not defenseless' Marion replied calmly.
'I'm aware that my sisters aren't defenseless.' Icy gritted her teeth. 'I just can't help but think about what Medora wants to achieve with all of this. We still don't know how or if her sudden appearance is connected to the ancestral witches.'
'We'll figure something out.' Marion said.
'Of course we will. The question is do we figure something out before or after Medora goes through with whatever she's planned.' Icy scoffed 'What if we come up with something and it's already too late for Darcy and Stormy.'
'You're worrying too much.' Marion breathed out. 'You need to clear your head…..'
'Easy for you to say.' Icy interupted her. 'You don't have any sisters you have to worry about.'
Icy didn't look at Marion but she could hear her take in a sharp breath. That was a low blow, even the ice witch had to admit that. And if the circumstances were different Icy would consider apologizing to Marion.
But she didn't, so she just walked away and put some distance between her and the two red heads.
Bloom looked absolutely puzzled at her mother's reaction and just stared after Icy confused.
'Oh, silly me!' Medora suddenly spoke up loudly for everyone to hear. 'I almost forgot something.'
Everyone turned their attention to her.
'My daughters and I shall not return to Whisperia on our own. ' Medora continued. 'We will be bringing a special guest with us.'
Medora made a pause to look at the reaction of everyone. She took a lot of pleasure by the confusion she saw.
'Miss Griffin, would you be so kind to accompany us.' Medora turned to look at Cloudtower's headmistress.
'I'll have to decline that offer.' Griffin replied politely even though she was as confused as the others. 'I have a school to run.'
'I was not inviting you' Madora walked up to her and handed her a piece of paper. 'You're being arrested .'
Griffin's eyes widened before she took a look at the paper. For a few seconds no one said anything
'Under what accusations?' Faragonda broke the silence.
'For the murder of Queen Leonora.' Medora replied smugly.
'What? That is absolutely ridiculous. Where is your proof.' Faragonda crossed her arms and looked at Griffin. It surprised her that her colleague hadn't said anything.
But when she saw the guilty look on Griffin's face Faragonda knew that no proof was necessary anymore.
'Mom, do you know who that was?' Bloom whispered to her mother. 'Mom?' she asked again when her mother didn't answer.
Marion looked like she was in shock.
Bloom wanted to ask her friends if they knew what was going on but they looked equally as confused.
The confusion only grew when they suddenly felt the temperature drop. They immediately turned to look at Icy who was being held in a tight grip by Darko.
'Izzy, calm down.' Darko whispered to the witch who seemingly tried to break free.
'Let go of me.' Icy was furious.
If looks could kill both Medora and Griffin would be a pile of ash by now.
'Look at me and tell me Medora is not doing this intentionally. What do you think she's trying to achieve with this? She is trying to provoke you' Darko tried to get Icy to calm down.
Without looking at anyone or even saying a single word, Griffin silently made her way to the spaceship. She walked past Darcy and Stormy who stared after their former headmistress with wide eyes, before looking back at their sister with worry.
'Well, that was easier than expected.' Medora said before looking at Icy 'Are you alright, Isabella? Would you like to say something?'
Even if Icy wanted to say something she wasn't sure if she could get a coherent sentence out of her.
'It's always the ones you think you know that hurt you the most, right?' Medora added before walking towards the spaceship.
That was it. That was the last straw. Icy really felt like hurting her right now. Unfortunately…. or fortunately depending on the perspective….Darko still hadn't let go of her.
'No, don't.' Darko whispered. 'If you attack anyone right now you'll be arrested as well. Don't give Medora that satisfaction.' He didn't let go of her but he could feel how Icy stopped to struggle against his grip.
Furious doesn't even cover how she's feeling right now. But Darko was right. She would just get in trouble.
So Icy just stood there watching as Medora boarded the spaceship followed by Darcy and Stormy.
She felt like she was going to throw up.
