18Waiting while the freeze crept over the tree and around the outside of the small knot where she huddled with her fairies was the hardest thing Clarion had ever done. She clutched Milori's cape around her, inhaling deeply and allowing herself to dream for just one moment that it was his arms around her.
Remembering the sight of his wing, ending in a jagged broken tear, was enough to banish the pleasant daydream from her thoughts. Though he seemed to bear her no ill will, she could not help the guilt that threatened to engulf her.
Eventually, sunlight peeping through the cracks in the bark alerted her that the worst of the freeze had passed and she tentatively stepped out into the light. She was unsurprised to find that Tinker Bell was already there, staring anxiously at the tree. Clarion lifted her eyes as well, hoping against all hope. It had to work. It had to!
Milori's cape dropped unnoticed from one shoulder as she held her breath. The entire clearing was silent as every fairy watched and waited.
Then at last, at last, it happened. With a crack, the ice around the tree burst open and a stream of golden pixie dust flowed into the base. It set off a chain reaction, frost and ice shattering, melting, dissolving, disappearing to reveal the healthy tree underneath. All around Pixie Hollow, life was returning, safe and sound thanks to the winter fairies.
The clearing exploded, warm and cold fairies alike cheering and capering through the air in celebration. Clarion felt like dancing herself, but stayed demurely on the ground, folding Milori's cape over her arm as he approached. He was grinning with relief and she found herself smiling back at him.
She stepped in close to him, perhaps closer than she ought to be, and saw his eyes widen in surprise as she placed her hand on his arm. She had to speak quickly, quietly, while the others were all distracted.
"That was it," she told him urgently. "The idea that drove me foolishly into winter in the middle of the night."
"Clarion, what...you're trembling!" He wrapped his arms around her but she placed her fingers on his lips, silencing him.
"I'm not cold, but listen. Listen." He nodded and she dropped her hand. "I had the idea that your frost could protect me, protect my wings, from the cold. I thought-"
"That we could be together," he murmured, then quickly pursed his lips at her admonishing glare.
"I woke up and my head was just full of these dreams, and I ran off without thinking." She sighed. "It was the most utterly ridiculous, completely lovesick, foolish thing I have ever done and it is my deepest regret that you paid the price for it."
"Clari, Clari," he soothed, fingers brushing through her hair gently. Her heart leapt at the nickname. "Don't, please. No real harm was done. I spent much of my time with Freeze anyway. And now, after so long, I mostly don't even think about it all." He touched her chin so that she had to meet his eyes, and what she saw in them brought tears to her own. "I have no regrets. No sorrow could live within me as long as I know that you are safe and well."
"But not happy," she whispered, leaning into his touch. She saw her own emotions mirrored in his eyes.
She became aware of a heavy silence around them and broke her intense gaze with Milori to glance around.
Tinker Bell stood in the center of the clearing, alone on the ground when all the other fairies had taken flight. Slowly, as if ashamed, she removed her coat. A collective gasp rose from the assembled fairies and Periwinkle immediately landed beside her sister.
"Oh!" The cold fairy exclaimed, staring at the jagged rip in Tinker Bell's wing. "When you flew to winter...that's why you fell."
"Oh no…" Clarion said softly, drifting closer, Milori at her side.
Periwinkle looked lost. "Tink," she said sadly, "why didn't you tell me?"
Tinker Bell looked equally forlorn. "We had to save the tree," she said with a small shrug. "Besides, there's no cure for a broken wing."
Clarion felt sorrow and pride fill her at Tinker Bell's sacrifice.
"This happened because we tried to keep you apart," Milori said solemnly.
"But never again," Clarion added. "You belong together." Now that they knew the frost worked, everything would change.
She felt Milori staring at her as the sisters talked softly, and stepped without thought into the embrace that he wordlessly offered. She felt such contentment in his arms. "Everything will change now," he murmured, echoing her thoughts out loud.
"If only we had learned this before…" His grip on her tightened and her voice trailed off as she glanced up at him. He was staring into the clearing in astonishment. Clarion turned to look and was equally stunned.
Tinker Bell and Periwinkle's wings were...sparkling. As they stood back to back, their identical wings aligned. Waves of light rippled across the wings and...something miraculous was happening.
Tinker Bell's wing was healing. She gave her wings a tentative flutter, then lifted into the air. It was as if the tear had never happened.
Clarion gasped, joy filling her as the other fairies broke into cheers once more. She heard the Keeper babbling something about adding a new chapter in his wing book.
"If only you had a brother," she told Milori.
He smiled. "I have something better," he said into her ear.
At that moment, she felt as if all the barriers to her happiness had fallen away. Not caring who was watching, she turned to her Lord of Winter and pulled him into a kiss, which he returned enthusiastically.
After a moment of stunned silence from the onlookers, the noise around them doubled and Clarion pulled away with a blush. Milori's silly grin was worth every bit of her embarrassment, and they both knew that they no longer had any reason to conceal or deny their relationship.
The next few weeks were full of celebrations.
A few trees and plants closest to the border had been damaged, but the fairies in those seasons were working hard to encourage new growth. Thanks to the quick actions of the warm fairies and the aid of the cold fairies, there was surprisingly little damage.
Winter clothes became the latest fashion, every fairy clamoring for their own set so they could visit winter for themselves. Milori had to assign a constant frost fairy presence at the border to ensure that each warm fairy was properly attired and had their wings safely frosted as they crossed.
Once that was taken care of, the risks became so minimal that he was able to sneak away to take Clarion flying. Flying on an owl was nothing like flying with one's own wings but he had never dreamed that he would be able to share the experience with her. Now as he leaned down to help her onto Freeze's back, he was struck dumb by how beautiful her golden wings looked as they glittered with silver frost. He ran his fingers down them lovingly and she gasped at the caress, face flushing.
"I love you," he told her, smiling at her adorable blushes.
"And I you," she replied, a light in her eyes that he knew shone only for him. She snuggled closer into his lap, now making him gasp.
Her laughter was lost in the wind as Freeze took them up into the cold sky.
Snowflake returned in the middle of the festivities and immediately caused such a commotion at the border that it took Clarion and all three of the other ministers to calm her down enough to explain. She was at once delighted at the discovery, vexed that she had never thought of it herself, and beyond smug when she noticed how close her queen was standing to Milori.
She managed to remain appropriately solemn as Milori officially requested some time off from his responsibilities, though her serious mien did not stop her from wondering aloud how they would find a stand-in for the queen, as she expected their liege would shortly be otherwise occupied. Milori flushed, but Clarion, overjoyed at having one of her oldest friends back, merely quipped that perhaps Tinker Bell would be available.
The simultaneous horror on all four ministers' faces was priceless.
- End -
Author's Note: Thanks to all of my reviewers, especially leo105! While I would love to write more about this couple, the plot bunnies are in hiding so far. If you enjoyed this story, please send me links to your favorite Clarion/Milori stories. There aren't enough of them out there! :)
