Twins of Love*

16. The new king

"Riven, listen. If you want to make things easier on yourself, why don't you organize a tournament. Between the most powerful sorcerers and the most valiant warriors. Whoever wins will be king," Helia concluded.

"Like in the Middle Ages?"

"That's right... I'll come with you, along with Sky and Brandon, to help you. Sky, being heir to Eraklyon's throne, will surely understand," he chuckles.

"Why are you helping me?" He asks dryly.

"You are our friend."

"I betrayed you with the Trix, I betrayed you when we went on a mission to free Domino, I mean...I'm someone who can be trusted very little."

"If you betrayed us it's because they took advantage of your troubled soul. However, you have always had the courage to get out of trouble on your own and you have always helped us. Riven, true friends apologize like you, and forgive like us."

Riven smiled at the young specialist and hugged him, patting him on the back.

Musa, at home, was worried but had to brace herself. Riven would return to her and they would become a family....

"I wonder if... oh, now I'm asking too much..." she says to herself.

" You wonder what?" Aisha asks her as she sits next to her on the couch.

"I wonder if he will ever want to marry me...I want it so bad. Even if he wants to wait, I will wait for him."

"Riven loves you so much, I think he will! Do you remember how you left? You weren't even speaking to each other...and you were visibly smitten with the handsome dark man!" Laughs Flora. Musa blushes.

"Um... well then..."

"Then you rolled under the covers but as friends eh..." laughs Aisha teasing her. She and Flora laugh as well.

"So much friendship didn't seem to me, he was jealous like a boyfriend" admits Musa.

"Ohh and how he would look at you, especially when you were dressed in a certain way or you were in a swimsuit... I remember during that vacation when we got the Charmix, you were ambushed in the forest and you ..."

"ohh Aisha! Stop it!" Laughs Musa visibly embarrassed. "Rather, how do you know that!"

"Well, you undressed him with your eyes ... he had that surfer suit all tight, your little eyes always fell THERE ... then you two disappeared as soon as we had put out the fire."

Musa nods. She and Riven were always caught up in desire when they were bed buddies. They always ended up laughing and joking like two old friends and their relationship seemed to improve. Of course, there was no shortage of fights until, moments before confronting Darkar, he had revealed his feelings to her... the young fairy's heart had stopped, realizing that there was actually some feeling in that relationship that didn't involve any love connections.

She shook her head and leaned on Flora's shoulder.

"What are we seeing tonight? Some trash?" She laughs turning on the TV. Flora had prepared savory snacks, mostly vegetarian, while Aisha had gotten some soft drinks given her friend's state.

"OBVIOUSLY!" the other two say in chorus.

The next morning, at about 6 a.m., Musa receives a text message. She picks up her cell phone, still half asleep.

I love you pixie.

Short, simple, unique. Musa smiles but couldn't help crying. She takes their picture, on the bedside table... It was the same one Riven held when they had a fight and he wanted to vent his pain by drinking. It was a special photo of the two of them at the beach, embracing, happy, in love. The word "in love" next to Riven's name sounded strange but it was so... Riven, meanwhile, climbs aboard the ship, trying to hold back tears. He then looks at Nabu and Timmy, who nod. He had entrusted him with his Muse, the same he had done with the Winx. He trusted them all, his one and only true family.