With Daphne's return to life, Bloom's emergence into adulthood, and the kingdom restored, things are quickly changing within the Domino Royal family. But after years of separation, and dramatically different upbringings, can Daphne and Bloom avoid butting heads and accept their paths in life?

~SPOILERS FOR THE S5 FINALE~ Okay, so I won't prattle too much, but, in the last episode of season 5, Bloom uses her Sirenix Wish to give Daphne back her human form and break the Sirenix curse on her, and we finally get to see the lost princess in civillian clothes without a mask. And she is GORGEOUS! :) Anyway, the season ends showing the Domino Royal Family reunited, and Mike and Vanessa with them as well. My prediction for season 6 was that with Daphne back, and therefore first in line to Domino's throne again, this would make her Domino's next queen, and Bloom free to marry Sky and become queen of Eraklyon. :) [Back in S2 I remember Bloom saying that if she and Sky ever got married, it'd be hard to rule two places at once, so this solves it.] Anyways, I digress. I thought it would be fun to act out some of my predictions for the final season, so enjoy! Feedback is much appeciated! 3

PS- apologies ahead of time for the cliche title, ha!

TIES THAT BIND

Chapter 1 –––– The Return

Daphne looked herself over in the mirror, once, twice, thrice. Eighteen years in a lifeless, transparent body left her nearly forgetful of what her real one looked like. Although she was nearing her mid-thirties, she could've easily passed for one of the Winx herself.

"How about this?" Bloom emerged from the front of the store with a long strapless dress of pale saffron, Daphne turned it down. "Nearly two decades wearing the same thing doesn't exactly make me wish for it in a shop window!" She jokes about the similarity to her Sirenix gown. Bloom chuckled nervously, half convinced she'd offended her sister. "It's okay, I'll go find something else!" Bloom swept out of the dressing room once more and left Daphne to her quiet.

"Eighteen years..." Daphne said to herself, placing a hand to the mirror. When she was younger, she'd expected that at this age that she would've been married with a child or two, that she would look older, and have the accomplishment of an Alfea diploma on her bedroom wall, that her face would've taken on more mature, defining features. She was happy to be back, elated in fact, but it was whenever her thirty-four-year-old sould glanced at her sixteen-year-old reflection staring back at her, that the miraculous absurdity of it all sank in. To passerbys, she was just some freshman off the street, just a little girl. In spirit and in birth, she was old enough to mother those Alfea freshmen! She looked at her face, at the hustle and bustle of Magix City, the agelessness of her revived parents, and it was as if the war never happened; she looked at 'baby' Bloom, and realized that time had not stopped, merely left them all behind.

Abruptly the dressing room curtain was ripped aside and Bloom stumbled in with a stack of dresses. "And don't you worry, Daf, this one's on me!" Another voice chimed in from outside. "Come on Bloom, you ought to be letting an expert handle this! We're both beautiful blondes! I know the PERFECT colors for her shade!" Stella exclaimed. Bloom smiled and rolled her eyes, leaving Stella to change the colors of every outfit in the pile, much to Daphne's chagrin. "You know, I'm not a 'pink' person, or a yellow. I've always liked...blue." Daphne declared, pinging Stella's changes into patterns and colors more suited to her tastes. "Humph! Fine! I'll have you know I am a fashion designer! Personal taste and beauty are my specialties!" Stella huffed, settling at last for being her own fashion consultant. The sisters shared a laugh as the Princess strode off.

"I can't wait for mom and dad to see you!" Bloom beamed, zipping up the back of the long blue tunic she had selected. She felt her jolt. "Daphne?" Bloom asked, noticing the faulter in her sister's once jovial expression. "It...it's nothing." There was silence. "If you think you're nervous, remember, at least YOU had sixteen years to get to know them! When I came back to Domino, it was like starting all over!" Bloom said encouragingly, earning only a weak smirk in return. She inhaled deeply. "Yes, I suppose you're right." "This looks great on you!" Bloom interrupted, wrapping a long mint scarf loosely around her sister's neck. Daphne adjusted it and smiled. "Indeed! Excellent choice, little sister!" Daphne smiled; it was awkward calling Bloom 'little sister,' but actually getting to be there with her, it was hard not to use the opportunity at least once.

Meanwhile in the Palace of Domino, Oritel and Marion paced nervously, constantly watching the windows by the courtyard for any signs of movement. But for hours it had been the same, other than the occasional bird or rustle of leaves in the wind: nothing.

"Will she remember us?" Oritel pondered. "Of course she will! She was a young woman when she...well...that doesn't matter, now. She's home. That's all we need to look towards." Marion replied, an unsteady brusqueness in her tone. "I wonder if she'll like her new room, and the new clothes?" Marion wondered, no response from Oritel. "There!" He cried, pointing out to the front gates of the palace, the fancy hovercar was just pulling up the long strait to the front stairway. "Marion, come! Let's be right there to greet her!" Oritel smiled, tears threatening in the corners of his eyes. Feverishly Marion took his hand and raced down the stairs as quickly as her furs and petticoats would let her.

In the back of the elegant car, Bloom held up a compact for Daphne to check her makeup [courtesy of Stella.] "You look beautiful! Don't worry, everything will be perfect!" Bloom promised. Daphne smiled and looked towards the encroaching castle, the smile growing with each passing moment as the towering building came closer into view. "I know!" Daphne wasn't nervous for her parents' acceptance, or even about re-assimilating into palace life. She was excited! Her mind was brimming with memories of the years she'd spent there from birth to 'death,' and there was no trace of witches, or death, or destruction. Domino was just as grand and proud as ever, as if nothing ever happened.

Minutes passed like hours and the car stopped at the threshold of the mighty castle. The doors swung open on both sides, and the driver greeted the royal women with deep bows. "A pleasure, my Princesses. Have a splendid afternoon." And with that he was gone, the car in tow.

Daphne stared at the tips of her shoes, sensing her parents' presence mere feet away. She peered over to Bloom. "Now, how do we greet––" "Mom! Dad!" Bloom blurted out, waving one arm haphazardly as she ran up the stairs and threw herself into their arms. "She doesn't greet them formally?" Daphne thought to herself. "Bloom!" Marion smiled as the two hugged their younger daughter. Bloom released them quickly and stepped aside, gesturing down the steps to the blonde woman standing stiffly before them. The happiness in their faces drained and faded into blank stares. "Daughter?" Oritel started, his voice breaking. "Is that you?" He finished, tears welled up in Daphne's eyes; her father's eyes. He had been frozen for so long, but enveloped in his emotions, she took notice of the age in his face, and his sunken eyes as his tears began to fall. "I don't believe..." Marion began breathlessly, unable to finish as her urge pushed her forward. Oritel quickly followed. Daphne met her family halfway up the stairs and sunk into a tearful embrace with the trio.

Inside the palace, Daphne sauntered through the marble corridors, taking in all the grandeur. She knew it was an ancient castle, and much of the decor was here from centuries of Domino Princess' dowries, regardless, she was somehow dissappointed at the lack of change since she'd been here. And yet strangely comforted.

Beside her, Marion strode along, smiling from ear to ear, stealing a glance at her older daughter every few steps. It was almost too good to be true, their little family had weathered more than its fair share of storms, and she more than anyone knew the risks of resting on her laurels, but this was different. Her daughter, her eldest child, long thought to be gone forever, had returned, and she fully intended to bless her with the most wonderful life. "Daphne, I...I mean we hope that you'll feel right at home in the palace, again! Things are a little different, but you were always a perfect Princess, I'm sure you'll get acclimated in no time! And just wait until you see the gardens in ther back courtyard! Everything's grown so much since you were last home!" Marion continued, Daphne simply smiled and nodded. From behind the chortling pair, Oritel chuckled. "Do you think your mother will give her a word in edge wise?" He gestured to Bloom, who smiled in return. "It's all coming together. My family." Bloom glowed internally. Finally, the one thing she'd longed for the most was complete and right there, living and breathing alongside her.

The family continued up yet another long and winding staircase and stopped at the foyer of a long corridor lined with towering windows and lengthy pathways. Marion gestured for a pair of guards to open the doors to one of the hallways. "Alright dear, we're almost to your room, it's just down-" "It's alright, mother! I know the way!" Daphne interjected, Marion halted her. "N-no dear, it's not that, it's just...we never imagined that you..." Before Marion could finish, Daphne slowly pushed open the double doors to 'her' chambers. The startled woman was greeted by a bombardement of golden frills, violet velvet and pink silk with pale blue damask to match. "This is Bloom's room now...I'm so sorry, Daphne! As I said, we never expect that you would ever return to us!" Daphne suppressed her shocked expression and shut the doors quietly. "So...where is my room?" She asked. It wasn't so much the fact that little Bloom had possession of the room, so much as it was the nagging notion that the younger sister had filled her place in her absence. It felt as though they didn't need her.

"Daphne, I'm sorry, I didn't know..." Bloom placed a hand on her older sister's shoulder. Indeed, she had known it was Daphne's room, and Marion was reluctant to let her have it, but Oritel later insisted on the grounds that filling the barren space with new life would be cheerful for all of them. Daphne squeezed Bloom's hand warmly and shut the doors, forcing a smile. "It's fine, really! I mean, who would've expected me to...you know." Bloom grabbed Daphne's hand playfully and flanked her down the next hall, trying to remedy the awkward situation. "I'm sure you'll love your new room, mom and dad have been working for days to get it finished!" Bloom exclaimed. The corridor ended at a large pair of pristine white doors decorated with floral gold leaf. "Here is your room." Marion smiled, pushing the doors open. Daphne entered and was met with an aire of elegance.

Her bed sat on a large round platform and was covered with embroidered golden satin blankets. The long patterned drapes matched the bed, and seemed to reflect off of the white marble floors. The furniture was also as clean and white as the tall doors to the room, and the walls were a pale mint and teal damask, reaching from floor to ceiling, leading up to a large crystal chandelier. "Wow." Was all that escaped the Princess' mouth as she took in the beauty of the room.

Daphne and Bloom plopped down on the plush bed together, and Daphne squeezed one of the fluffy velvet pillows that decorated it's once immaculate surface. Marion strode past the girls and opened the massive wardrobe. "We've had a few dresses picked out for you, and Bloom's friend, Stella is a budding designer, so she's pitched in a few designs for her own for you! We'll have the palace tailor commission a whole wardrobe for you in a little while!" She smiled. Oritel took his wife's hand and shut the closet door. "I think you're overwhelming her, darling!" He laughed. "No! Really! This is...this is all so wonderful. Thank you." Daphne interrupted, her parents smiled at one another. "Well then, I think it's time we give the Princesses of Domino some time alone, don't you?" Oritel suggested, Marion nodded in reply and the pair swept from the room.

As the doors shut before them, the sisters sat on the bed, enduring a few awkward moments of silence, before Bloom made a suggestion. "Hey! I told you that dad gave me a horse, right?! I'm getting a lot better at riding, and from what mom's said, you're a great equestrian! How about we go for a ride? It's still light out." Bloom suggested, Daphne glanced away in thought, but came to a quick decision, shaking her head softly. "No thanks, I'm exhausted! How about we pick back up tomorrow?" Daphne offered, she sensed Bloom's disappointment. Despite that, she understood how Daphne was feeling; not too long ago, she was in her exact position! "Okay, that sounds great! I'll be out with Peg if you change your mind!" Bloom simpered, practically skipping as she exited the room. As the door closed for a second time, Daphne was finally able to enjoy the silence, and take in the new environment at her own pace. Flopping back on the bed, she stared up into the velvet canopy. Not too long ago, she was lying back, staring up at dingy sea-rocks and wilting plants in Tritannus' prison, and now she was home again. The whole scenario still felt completely unreal, so much so, she feared it would be ripped from her grasp at any moment. And she would do anything, and everything in her power to keep the place she'd made for herself.

Phew! First chapter down! Feedback and reviews are greatly appreciated. :) Will update soon!

NEXT TIME: Princess Daphne was born royal, and had years of training before Bloom was even born, but how well will she be able to keep up when her once quirky and awkward younger sister is breezing past her in Princess Lessons?