A bitterly cold wind swept through the Labyrinth, covering its walls with a sparkling layer of frost. Between that and its natural shine, the effect would have been blinding in the sunlight… except that there was no sunlight. The sky was nearly black with the heavy clouds that cast an impenetrable gloom across the entire kingdom that nothing could lift. Snowflakes fell thick and fast, burying everything in their frigid suffocation. Goblins shivered in whatever shelter they could find, brownies struggled to lift tiles that had been frozen in place, and faeries fell from the sky when their icy wings could no longer support them. Even the natural warmth of the Fieries was no match for the chill.
Everyone knew what had caused this, of course. He got like this for half of every year, and the living being attatched to his soul fed off the intensity of his emotions. When he was feeling miserable and desolate, the Labyrinth reflected it. It stood to reason, then, that cheering him up was the key to bringing warmth and light back to their home, but that had long been written off as hopeless. Only one person could do that. And so they waited, and hoped, and he lay sprawled lifelessly over his throne. Mismatched eyes as dead and cold as everything else gazed nearly unseeingly at a small crystal sphere. He hadn't moved from that position in months, not even to kick a goblin or toss a chicken out a tower window. Ordinarily, the King's listlessness and lethargy would have been broken in an instant by the chaos that ordinarily enveloped his kingdom. Now, however, they were concentrating on not freezing to death, and he was left alone to his depression.
Suddenly, though, a single ray of light broke through the darkness. The denizens of the Labyrinth snapped to attention, gasps reflecting the first hope and joy to be felt here in six month, and the whole Labyrinth began to quake as if stretching after a long nap. Buds slowly poked their heads out of branches before bursting into full blossom, and the clouds parted completely to allow pink-gold sunlight to grace the skies. A cheer went up over the kingdom, and there was a rush to be the first into the throne room to tell the King the good news.
They lept wildly around the throne, chattering and squealing excitedly, for they all knew what had brought about this rapid change. The King leapt to his feet at long last, causing even more rejoicing among his populace. He could hardly dare to believe this day had finally come, making his heart thunder against his chest in anticipation. He dashed out of his throne room as fast as his leather-clad legs could carry him, shadowed by a parade of his eager subjects. Unwilling to hinder them, the Labyrinth twisted itself into a single straight path to a hill on the outskirts of the kingdom. Goblins, brownies, Fieries, dwarves, faeries, and more gathered in a massive circle around a large tree that was covered in white flowers. The King stepped slowly forward through the mass, facing the one everyone had been waiting so long for.
His eyes were locked onto the pale green ones of a young woman dressed in a gown of emerald and gold. A circlet of flowers rested on top of her long, dark hair, and it seemed as though the golden sunlight spreading across the rejuvinated kingdom was emanating from her skin. For a moment, neither the King nor the Lady moved. Then, to the sound of more raucous applause, he raced forward, gathered her into his arms, and kissed her passionately.
Neither could hear the joy of the goblins; they were too engrossed in each other. The way her lips gave under his made the numbness and the pain melt away, and he could feel again the full range of emotion that only his beloved could bring on. She entwined her arms around his neck, burying her fingers into his soft blond hair, and for a moment he wanted to reorder time so this moment need never end. Finally, though, he pulled back, elation and tenderness radiating from his mismatched eyes. His love, his lady, the queen of his heart had come back from her home Above at last, bringing with her the springtime and the sunlight. Hand in hand, the two of them led their people back to the castle, disappearing once they reached the throne room to reunite properly. If only she didn't need to return home at the end of six months, and life could be perfect like this always. For now, though, they would make every moment they had together last.