So this skips around a lot, so pay attention. Italics is memories, and quotes are either talking or singing. This chapter was inspired by the song "Still" by Ben Folds.
Dewey stood at his pedestal and let out a sigh. He couldn't write, not when he was so depressed. The Keeper might not be Milori's father, but he was pretty close to it, and he cared about him like he was his own son. Dewey tried the best he could, though there wasn't really anything he could say to the only fairy in history who could't fly. Milori hadn't said anything for the past few days to anyone except for a few orders here and there. He only ever had a full conversation with a seamstress fairy so she could make a cape for him, to cover up his… wings.
In another room within the mountain, Milori stood leaned against one of the walls, staring at a crystal piano. He wanted to break it, but he wouldn't. Milori approached the piano and dragged his hand across it's smooth top. He lifted his hand to see a streak and grey dust on the tip of his fingers. Milori wiped his hands on his pants and continued to the front and stood at the edge of it. He played the closest key and listened as it's chime echoed and bounced off the high ceiling.
Milori let out a sigh and sat down on the bench. He placed his hands on the keys, but her didn't play. Milori only stared at his hands, remembering how energetic he used to be about playing the piano. He loved playing quick paced and up beat pieces. Clarion used to watch him and occasionally he would try and teach her. There was only one song she knew how to do, but Milori would have to be playing right beside her. When Milori would play a song for her she would smile and laugh, and some times she would even cry.
That's why he loved her. Well, one of the reasons why he loved her. Milori sat down and played another slow key. It started to turn into something that he was making up as he went. He let out a slow sigh, "I must… give the impression, that I have the answers for everything."
Milori walked through the Winter Woods, lazily looking over the preparations. He was tried because he hadn't slept a wink in days. The sparrowman wanted to collapse to the ground, but even then he wouldn't sleep. Not when every time he shut his eyes all he saw was her.
"Lord Milori?' a fairy spoke.
He was snapped out of thought as he registered that someone was speaking to him. Milori glanced down at said fairy blankly. "Where should this go?" the fairy held a giant snowflake.
"Over there will be fine," the fairy zipped off and Milori continued walking.
"Lord Milori!" a fairy flew up to him, "One of the owls is hurt!"
Then another fairy came up to him crying, "We don't have enough baskets!"
Suddenly dozens of fairies were surrounding him and shouting.
"ENOUGH! All of you just shut up! All your blasted yelling is bloody annoying!" Milori yelled.
The fairies all cowered in fear and scrambled away.
"You… were… so disappointed, to see me unravel so easily," Milori sang as he continued to play the piano.
Across the room the doors were cracked open. Dewey was peeking through them and watching him.
The Keeper dragged Milori into his library, "Why in Neverland would you yell at those fairies? They've done nothing wrong!" He suddenly caught a whiff of Milori's breath. "Are, are you drunk? Great, this is just great! The changing of the seasons is tomorrow and you're hungover."
Dewey let out a sigh and stood at his pedestal, "Look, I understand that you're depressed, but you have to get over this at some point. I just… don't want you to be a disappointment. You are worth so much more than you know. Please, just get some rest and maybe things will be better by then, I'll take care of the preparations."
"But it's only change, only everything I know."
Dewey studied the way Milori played, he was sad, but in a way that was supposed to assure him that he himself was going to be alright.
Milori awoke the next morning, feeling a lot better. He slept like he had never done it before and this time he wasn't haunted when he closed his eyes. Immediately, the sparrowman apologized to all the fairies. Everything was in order, thanks to the Keeper of course. Milori always wondered why he never went to the mainland with them.
Everyone was excited, especially because Lord Milori seemed excited too. Within moments the birds leaped into the air and they were off.
"Even the things that seem still, are still changing."
Dewey let out a sigh and left, "At least he's trying."
Milori watched his fairies run around and play. This was no different than any other winter, right? The fairies were happy, he was happy. It was just like the years before, but, no matter how similar they all were, everything had changed. None of the fairies knew, but Milori had changed.
He couldn't even fly anymore! Milori would from now on always wear a feather cape over his back, and no one would know why. It was wrong to keep something like this from his fairies, but, as a matter of fact he was terrified to tell them. They would make fun of him for being the only fairy in Neverland who couldn't fly. At least that's what Milori thought.
Everything might seem the same, but things are changing all around.
Milori finished his song and stared down at the keys for a while. This had only happened just a few hours ago. He had left the Minister of Winter in charge of the fairies on the mainland. Milori needed to get over things already. He needed to face facts. Number one, he was never going to see Clarion again, and two, he was never going to be able to fly again.
Next Chapter: Milori and Dewey get a surprising visitor that might just put Milori over the edge.