The Professor's Mate

Chapter Eight

  One of the girls took a step forward. Akira recognized her as the red haired fairy that approached her when she came through the portal. "Why don't we start with introductions? I'm Bloom. These are my friends, Stella, Musa, Techna, and Flora. We're the Winx Club," she said, smiling. Akira smiled softly back. "It's wonderful to meet you, Winx Club. My name is Akira Hawkheart," the elf responded. Techna started mumbling to herself when she heard the name. "Welcome to Alfea, Akira," Musa spoke. At this, Akira's smile grew larger, more genuine. "Thank you, Musa," she replied. "Why does the name Hawkheart sound so familiar?" Techna asked, more to herself than anyone else. "Maybe because it's the name of the royal elven family?" Flora suggested. Techna shook her head. "That's not it," the purple haired fairy answered. She continued muttering under her breath, while the elves and other fairies exchanged confused glances. Suddenly, Techna's face lit up. "That's it!" she exclaimed, pulling out her phone. Typing something in, she explained, "I figured it out. Hawkheart reminded me of an old prophecy I found once when I was looking through the archives back on Zenith. It's hundreds of years old, and because it hadn't come true, everyone assumed it was fake. It was spoken by an old elf, and one of the lines mentioned something about a 'Heart of the Hawk'. Here it is! Okay, this is what it says:
Eyes like sapphires
Hair the color of snow
The Silver Queen must find the
Courage to face a powerful foe
When the Kingdom of the Elves
To the witches does fall
The one true heir
Must answer the call
Heart of the Hawk will
Soar high above
To restore her people
To peace and love
Find the Great Guardians
Do it with haste
For time is not something
One can afford to waste
Marked by the dragon
Born to rule
She must master her powers
To win the final duel
If she fails
All is lost
And those she loves
Will pay the cost."
As the last lines of the prophecy were spoken, Stella scoffed. "That's pretty dramatic, especially for a fake prophecy. Talk about needing a hobby," the solar fairy said. Noticing how pale the professor and his mate had become, Stella asked hesitantly, "It is fake, right?" Bloom thought for a moment. "Maybe it's not," she ventured. "After all, Akira matches the description. Eyes like sapphires, hair the color of snow? It fits. And the timing is right, too. When the Kingdom of the Elves to the witches does fall. Professor Palladium did say that Akira came here because the Ancestral Witches attacked the Elf Kingdom. And as the princess, she was born to rule. The thing I don't understand is the line before that. Marked by the dragon. What does that mean?" Shaking, Akira showed them the mark on her arm, the one that everyone had always assumed was a birthmark. "This leaves no doubt, then. The prophecy must be about Akira," Flora said. Palladium wrapped his arms around his mate, pulling her back against his chest. Bloom took a step forward. "I think we need to see Headmistress Faragonda."