SECRETS | Fate: The Winx Saga ~ Alternate Season 2

Chapter 16

Ben had been holed up in his office for two days, completely distraught. His two best friends had been taken away from him, and he'd only learned of Saul's arrest when he saw Andreas' face, who'd survived, and Sky crying alone. Poor guy, he had no parents anymore. Farah had vanished, Rosalind had more than likely harmed her. Now she had returned to her old job, and the lonely botany teacher had no choice but to keep quiet, or risk reprisals against his children.
Tonight, when Terra and her friends had come back from their weekend in California, they had been welcomed by the new teaching staff, as well as the Queen. Luna... she was perhaps his only chance to save Farah. He had to talk to her, at least try to tell her about the ordeal Rosalind and Andreas had put his friend through. If the fairy had a modicum of humanity, she would help him find her, because he was certain that Rosalind had lied to get her job back. Perhaps she had even threatened to harm her reputation, or her daughter, if she didn't accept. Maybe Luna wasn't a bad woman.

He glanced at his watch, which was showing almost eight o'clock. At this hour, it was unlikely that she would still be at Alfea, unless she had stayed longer to chat with her daughter.
He sighed and got up from his chair, before leaving the greenhouse, determined to have a chat with this off-putting woman.
As he was walking down the hallway, he heard two female voices echoing. It was the light fairy who was talking to her daughter.
He stopped dead in his tracks and hid in a corner until they had finished their discussion, hoping to speak to the Queen alone.
After a few minutes, the voices died down and he heard footsteps getting closer.
More precisely, heeled shoes. Luna was alone, now was the time.

"Your Majesty," he called in a whisper.

She turned in surprise and couldn't help but giggle.

"Professor Harvey, why are you hiding like this?" she inquired, laughing.

"I'd like to talk to you about something important, but I don't want anyone to hear us."

The fairy suddenly looked serious again, scanning him with her eyes.

"Okay, let's go to the car, it'll be easier," she agreed gently.

The botany teacher followed her, astonished by her reaction. Maybe she wasn't so bad, she had directly suggested that the two of them sit somewhere quiet and talk.
Stella's mom motioned to her security guards to leave them alone, and they got into the back of the car.
She grabbed a little metal box, opened it and it began to give off a strong mint smell.

"A mint?" she offered, waving the box.

Ben hesitated for a moment before accepting. It was important not to upset her now.

"I'd like to talk to you about Farah," he began, searching for words. "She hasn't gone on sabbatical, there are things you don't know about."

His interlocutor stiffened, looking stern.

"Rosalind told me the opposite, and I trust her," she replied curtly.

He sighed. This was definitely going to be more difficult than he had expected.

"Two days ago, Farah went to meet her in the forest, in the soldiers' graveyard to be precise, she had been pestering her for months and had finally given her an appointment...except that Farah, who was exhausted before she left, never came back."

The fairy's jaw tightened. He could tell she was tense, as she didn't like his friend much.

"And you think she hurt her?" she asked with a touch of irony.

Ben grunted. He wasn't keen on her mocking attitude, and chose to tell her a little more.

"Over twenty years ago they were together, except that soon Rosalind began to bully her, to beat her up. As a result, Farah broke up with her and found love with Saul, whom she married. Jealous, she has always sought revenge, poisoned her during the battle of Aster Dell, and has haunted her dreams for months," he revealed sadly. "Andreas, meanwhile, is no better, as he took advantage of her injury and weakness to rape her. The rest you know. Andreas should pay for all the harm he's done to her. And Farah will not say otherwise if she is still alive."

Faced with this truth, the Queen remained silent, not knowing what to think. Was he telling the truth? He seemed so sincere and desperate.
If all this was true, there was cause for concern, with a murderer and a rapist on the teaching staff.
All at once, Professor Harvey grabbed her hands and squeezed them tightly.

"Luna, please help me find her, her life is probably in danger," he begged, tears welling in his eyes. "I'm going into the forest tomorrow morning during my free time."

In normal times, she would have considered this proximity disrespectful, but she knew he was at his wits' end. His friend was missing, and Saul had been jailed.
She even felt sorry for him, because he was a good person, an excellent teacher, always ready to help. He didn't deserve all this suffering.

"Okay, Ben, I'll help you, there's no way you're going into the forest alone, I'm coming with you, and Rosalind won't know anything about it because she's teaching all morning," she said with confidence. "We'll find her, I promise."

He smiled, relieved that she was willing to help him find someone she didn't like. She would do it for him, and that had no price.

"Thanks, Luna."

He insisted on her first name. The distance associated with her royal title bothered him, he just wanted to be friends with her, because deep down, he knew she wasn't evil. And besides his children, she was his only ally at the moment.