Love Can't Be Denied

It Begins

THREE MONTHS LATER

Bloom had avoided leaving her room every chance she could, and when she did, stayed clear of her father and Jared and his family whenever they came to Dominio, which was every... other... day. She knew he would be proposing soon and didn't know how much longer she could stall it. Even if she were to refuse, there would be no use to it. Either way, she was stuck.

Waking up from a nap, feeling pretty ok about the day, there was a knock at the door. Assuming it was a maid, she answered in her sweat pants and tank top, patting her hair down. Sticking her head out the door, she looked up to see Jared, a smirk resting on her lips as she scowled at him.

"Who let you up here?" She sneered, glaring up at him.

"Your father since you've been avoiding me" he stated, leaving her stuck for a second. Her mouth responding before her mind could.

"Don't take it personal. I've been avoiding all of you" did she feel sorry she said it? Absolutely not. She was just shocked she said it. It seemed to be a bigger mistake than she thought because he soon glared dangerously at her. She went to close her door but he put his foot in the way and entered her room, stalking towards her.

His 6'2 stature easily towered her as she backed up against a wall, being cornered by him, putting his arms on either side of her head so she was really trapped. Feeling her powers burn in her, her hand started to glow, ready to blast him, but as soon as the burning came, it extinguished.

Looking at her hands, she tried to use her powers but all she got was a spark that didn't last long before it went out completely. She paled and looked up to see Jared smirking at her frightened expression.

"W-what d-did you do to m-me?" She stuttered, leaning back into the wall.

"That's for me to know and you to find out, Princess" he grabbed her chin and looked deep into her eyes, seeing confusion and slight fear in them.

Gaining back her spirit, she put her hands to his chest and pushed him back with as much force as she could, making him stumble back a few feet from her and he looked at her shocked before anger crossed his face and he stomped towards her, getting very close to her. Before Bloom could blink, she gasped deeply and fell to her knees, wheezing, desperately trying to breathe. She was getting air but struggled to get enough as pain seared through her stomach and chest.

It took her a long minute to register that she was punched, but once she did, she got up, ready to return the favor but was knocked back to the floor, the pain now in her cheek. She screamed as she fell and looked up, seeing Jared standing over her. He pulled his arm back and she covered her face with her arms as a snack came down on them. She hissed at the sting and groaned feeling him pull her up by her red locks, crying out as he kicked her sides. She tried to cover them but would get kicked in her arms and hands. After a minute, she couldn't take anymore and tears fell from her eyes.

He slapped her one more time and let her fall to her knees and to her side, wrapping her arms around her stomach and curled up in pain as her body shook in breathless sobs, eyes closed tightly in despair.

"Watch your mouth, Princess, or there'll be more where that came from" he threatened and left her there, bruises forming on her arms, cheek, and no doubt on her mid section.
Her vision blurred as he closed and locked the door behind him, passing out hearing the faint click.

Waking up to the sun coming through her blinds, she sat up, letting out whimpers and looked down at her body. Her arms black and blue and stomach the same. Crawling to her bed, she pulled herself up, and laid down on it, feeling her body being soothed by the soft mattress and comforters compared to the hard, cold floor.

A knock at her door made her sit up and her her heart speed up as silence came from the other side.

"W-Who is it?" She asked, every second seeming to take hours long to pass.

"Carol, Your Highness. Your father asks that you arrive in the throne room" a maid responds to her, calming down as much as possible.

"I will be there in 5...45 minutes" she corrected, noticing her injured state.

"I will let him know" Carol's footsteps faded down the hall and Bloom fell back into her bed and concentrated on her powers. Her body glowed in a dim orange and the ache melted away. Opening her eyes, she looked at her arms and stomach, the bruises faded slightly. Getting up, she started to walk to her door, going to tell someone, anyone about what happened, but then his voice replayed in her head.

Watch your mouth, Princess
She shuddered and decided to go take a shower and get dressed, hopefully scrubbing away the memories of what happened. That didn't work so she stood in front of her closet, a towel around her body and hair while she looked through the variety of clothes she owned, not knowing what to wear.

Something caught her eye and she grabbed a sweater off the hanger to inspect it more, smiling to herself. It was one of  Sky's sweaters that he gave her a year ago when they went ice skating and now was a great time to wear it since it was getting colder on Domino.

She paired it with a skirt and some leggings, pulling on black suede boots. Checking her phone, she saw all the messages and phone calls she couldn't bring herself to respond to. Shoving it in her pocket, she made her way to the throne room where her parents were waiting for her, her father loosing patience with his youngest.

"Bloom..." Mariam sighed, seeing her daughter making her way to them, grabbing Oritel's attention.

"Hey mom...father..." she glanced at her dad and turned back to her mom. "What's up?"
"Well..." her mom started.

"We're hosting a ball " Oritel cut in. "Where you'll be officially engaged to Jared"

"No. I refuse to marry him"

"Do you have a better suggestion?"

"Sky!"

"I don't approve. Jared is a much better choice" he said, signaling the end of the conversation. "Two days from now"

"Argh!" She growled and ran out of the palace, charging towards the guards that denied her from leaving. Her hands glowed brightly and she blasted them both to the ground, running through the gate and as far away as her legs would take her.

She ended up at a forest a ways from them and fells to her knees, crying again for the umpteenth time, setting the grass around her ablaze.

Forty-five minutes passed and her ratchet sobs reduced to sniffles, getting up on shaky knees, made her way back to her home, pretty much out of options, pretty much out of hope.