Chapter Text
6pm So? Are you home yet? How did it go? When can I come visit? I miss you!
6:01pm …
6:03pm ??????
6:05pm It happened.
She had just finished typing, when her phone immediately lit up, showing an incoming call from Bloom (fire emoji). Stella barely had time to pick up before her best friend’s face appeared on the screen. “WHEN? You’ve got to tell me EVERYTHING! Well, not everything. Did you like it? Is he … how they say he is? Tell. Me. Everything. Not everything everything, you know.”
Stella let herself fall on her bed, while she laughed. She had no idea her friend would be so eager to know, but she had to admit she had been the same – if not worse – when Bloom had told her she had been with Sky for the first time. It had happened during the dark rain, while Alfea was under siege, and she and Sky were alone in the world, gone to try to find a solution to that whole mess. They had found comfort in each other’s embrace, in their love.
“He is everything they say. And more.” Stella said, as her cheeks reddened.
“More? Oh my God, Stella!!!” She didn’t have to ask her if she was happy because it was written all over her face. Things with Brandon were better than they’d ever been. Now that there were no more secrets between them, there was nothing but the naked truth. Emphasis on the naked.
They went on talking for a couple of hours – about their plans for the rest of the summer, the celebrations for Stella’s birthday, their respective boyfriends, the other Winx, their upcoming second school year … – until both their mothers requested their presence for dinner.
“See you soon, okay?”
“Of course, Bloom-Bloom. Love you, sweetie!”
“Love you too, Stel!”
August 19th, early morning, Solarian Palace’s birdhouse / Eraklyon, Brandon’s family garden
On the phone
Brandon
I don’t believe you! He laughed, lying on the grass as he looked up at the starry sky, like he had done so many times with her. Stars in Eraklyon were different than those in Magix, she had told him, pointing out each system’s peculiarities. It always amazed him how much she knew about the sky. She made it sound like it was so easy remembering all those names and being able to connect them to single twinkly dots in the blue.
Stella
You must! I swear that the Crown Prince of Oppositus is the worst dancer ever! She said, while lying in a comfy armchair. She had called him immediately after the end of the party. Well, not immediately. First, she had had to get out of her gown, undo her hairdo, remove her make-up, take a shower, do her skincare routine, put on a nightgown and a robe, wrap her hair in a towel, and reach the birdhouse. She had called him between three and four in the morning, and he’d picked up a few seconds later. He was expecting her call. They hadn’t been able to talk all day, and, with the day over, they finally could.
Brandon
He can’t be worse than Timmy!
Stella
He said he’s the best dancer in his whole realm. She sighed. Her poor feet had had to suffer all his dancing skills. And maybe he is, but in Solaria we don’t dance backwards.
Brandon
What? So, he … He would’ve given anything to see that.
Stella
Yes. He had his back turned to me for the whole dance. Ten fucking minutes. She could hear him laugh. Hey! Don’t laugh! I’ll probably be covered in bruises tomorrow!
Brandon
Sorry. He wasn’t, he was still laughing, but she started laughing too. And yet I thought royalty were taught by the best instructors …
Stella
I know a squire who dances much better than any royal. Stella said. I wish you were here.
Brandon
Me too, gorgeous. But I’ll see you in two weeks, and then we have the whole school year to be together.
Stella
Can’t wait. She smiled but couldn’t hold back a yawn. A loud one. Oh, sorry …
Brandon
Go to sleep, princess. We can’t risk you having puffy eyes.
Stella
Oh no, we can’t! She wholeheartedly agreed. Good night, shnookums. Love you.
Brandon
Good night, sunshine. Love you too.
“We’ve got a problem.”
“I know.”
“She’s getting good.”
“I know.”
“The King is going to reassign us.”
“I know.” Cyrus sighed, as he and Samson watched the Princess practice with her new sword, a birthday gift from Eraklyon’s Head of the Royal Guard, who happened to be her boyfriend’s father. Less than ten days had passed since they’d started training her, under her own request. When she’d voiced it, they had thought she was joking. Even Cyrus, ever so serious, had laughed, but then she had repeated her wish in the presence of the King and Queen and they had almost choked on their breakfast. After the first shock, it was impressive how well the King had taken to his only daughter learning to use a blade. But then, she had already mastered fighting with her scepter, and it had been Radius himself the one who taught her, so …
“I can hear you, you know?” Stella put down the sword to catch her breath, and looked at her guards, who were looking back at her.
“We know.” They answered as one.
She smiled, sheathed the blade and secured it to her side, then she adjusted her ponytail and reached them, who were standing under the shadow of a nearby tree.
“So? Are you afraid of me yet?” Stella joked.
“We’ve been afraid of you since you were ten, Princess.” Samson answered dramatically, to which Cyrus added, “Once you can hold your guard for more than three seconds, I’ll start to worry.”
Both Stella and Samson rolled their eyes in sync, just before they burst out laughing and the Princess went to hug the grim soldier, who rested a hand on her shoulder. Samson smiled at them, but a second later his eyes widened, and he started laughing so hard his belly ached.
The Princess was lying on the grass, where Cyrus had left her, just a second before. “First rule about being a soldier: never let your guard down.”
“I-I’ll try to remember it.” She babbled, and then Cyrus laughed too, helping her up.
“I think that’s enough for today, don’t you, Princess?” Samson suggested, joining his friend, and offering an arm to Stella, which she gladly took and let her guards guide her back inside the Palace.
“Nine dresses are enough, don’t you think?”
“Mmm … maybe we can try just one more shop …”
“Stella.” Luna gently put a hand on her back to lead her to the car. “You don’t want to be late. Your father is expecting you for dinner.”
She grumbled but complied, walking with her to the car. Once they were seated, the driver set the route for the Royal Palace. “Don’t you want to stay? I’m sure dad won’t mind.”
“On the contrary, I’m certain your dad would absolutely mind.” She took her daughter’s hand in hers. “You know none of this is your fault, right?” She hadn’t noticed in the past, and the last few years had been a rollercoaster of emotions – with the divorce, Stella starting at Alfea (twice), the war, and everything – but she knew now that her daughter tended to blame herself for anything and everything she thought was going wrong in her life. And that meant self-harm. She didn’t want to find her bent down on a toilet ever again, punishing herself for things she hadn’t caused and couldn’t change. After her expulsion and before things started slowly getting better, she and Radius had been afraid they could lose her. But then she’d gone back to school, she had made friends, and during one of their rare civil conversations, while Stella was still in Eraklyon, Radius had even told her he had met her boyfriend – Brandon, that same Brandon who had pretended to be Prince Sky and had broken her heart – and said he seemed like a good lad. A thing he had never said about Stella’s boyfriends before. So now she seemed fine, but Luna knew that the monster was likely hiding and not completely defeated. She had vowed to be more present in Stella’s life, and she intended to keep that promise.
“I know.” The Princess sighed, looking down at their hands. The former Queen was no longer wearing her wedding ring. “But it still sucks. You didn’t have to move out. The Palace is huge. There’s enough space for both of you and you would never even meet!”
“Are you saying you don’t like my penthouse in the city?” Luna smiled and kissed Stella on the cheek. “It’s fine, sweetheart. It’s better like this, and you can come visit whenever you want.”
“Okay.”
“Okay.” She replied. “What time are you leaving tomorrow?”
“I’ll teleport to school at 8.” She sighed dramatically. “I can’t believe I have to wake up early for school for nine whole months!”
Luna laughed. “Fairy of the Sun, eh?”
“And the Moon and the Stars.” Stella reminded her, with a wink.
“Do you have everything you need?”
“Yes, dad. My luggage is already in my room at Alfea.” She tried – and failed – to fight back a yawn, to which King Radius laughed and hugged her tight.
“I love you, kid. Do you promise you’ll call if anything bad happens?”
“Nothing bad will happen, dad.” Stella replied, resting her head on his shoulder. “I love you too.”
The King kissed the Princess on the top her head, before seeing her off, waving as she disappeared in a beam of light created by her scepter.
“So, you guys came all the way here just to see us?”
“No, we came all the way here just to see you, sunshine.”
Stella’s impromptu hug would’ve made him fall on the ground if he hadn’t been prepared. He had had to deal with the Princess’ displays of affection for two years now, and he knew when he had to plant his feet and stand as firm as he could. She managed to catch him by surprise more often than not, but he never complained, not when she seemed so happy just because they were together.
“Missed me?” He asked, not really needing an answer.
“You bet, handsome.” She smiled. “And I see you’ve been shopping. This outfit is so pizzazz.”
“I learnt from the best. Lilac with amber accessories? Just iconic.” Brandon replied, taking her chin between his fingers. “They bring out your eyes. Stunning.”
“So many compliments!” Stella giggled. “Are you in a good mood?”
“I always am when I’m with you.” He leaned in for a kiss, which Stella was eager to give.
“I bought nine dresses yesterday.”
“Nine dresses?!” He exclaimed, surprised, but then her remembered it was Stella they were talking about: nine dresses were just a little more than her usual average. “All for me I bet.” Brandon smirked.
“Don’t be greedy, shnookums! They are for all of Magix to enjoy!” After that, she lowered her voice to a whisper. “It’s what’s underneath that’s just for your eyes.”
The specialist’s eyes widened, and he slightly tightened his grip at her waist. “You can’t say these things to me when we’re in public!” He whispered back at her. “How am I supposed to wait until we’re alone?”
The princess giggled. “Patience, Brandon. It’s the virtue of the strong, or something like that.”
“Then I don’t know if I want to be strong …” He murmured on her lips, ready for another kiss … until Tecna ruined the moment. “Looks like they’re about ready to start.”
Stella grumbled, but Brandon took her hand, and they joined their friends and the rest of the students, eager to listen to Headmistress Faragonda’s speech, which would officially give a start to a new year full of magic and adventures.