Many seasons passed: Spring, summer, autumn, winter. The preparations for each season became normal. Queen Clarion met with Lord Milori at the border every day. Their love grew stronger every day.
Many years passed. One fateful day, Queen Clarion met at the border with Lord Milori.
"Oh, how I wish that I could show you the Winter Woods and all that lies inside," Lord Milori said.
"And I wish that I could show you the warm seasons, and everything in them," Queen Clarion said.
"Maybe it is time for us to share our worlds," said Lord Milori.
As he spoke, a ripple of uncertainty went through the young queen. She remembered Mother Dove's words, "be very careful..."
But Queen Clarion pushed those thoughts away. "We must not stay together for long," she said. "Our wings could break."
"I understand the danger," said Lord Milori. "We will not stay together for longer than it takes to craft a snowflake."
Queen Clarion nodded.
"Will you show me your world first?" asked Queen Clarion.
"Yes," said Lord Milori.
Queen Clarion took a deep breath and flew through the border. Almost at once she felt a deep cold. It went right through her skin and made her tiny bones ache. But she tried to concentrate on the sights of Lord Milori's world.
Queen Clarion was amazed to see frost fairies frosting plants. One of them pointed and gasped, "The Queen!"
All of the fairies bowed, and Queen Clarion laughed. Suddenly, the queen's wings began to feel icy.
"Lord Milori, I must go back," Queen Clarion said worriedly.
Lord Milori grasped Queen Clarion's hand. Together they flew as fast as they could to the border. Lord Milori stopped, and Queen Clarion crossed.
"Thank you," Queen Clarion said.
"You are welcome," Lord Milori said.
Queen Clarion turned her head to look at her wings. They were not icy feeling any more, but there were still a few blue spots on them.
"I will be back soon," Queen Clarion said. "I must get my wings warmed up."
"That is fine," Lord Milori said. "I will be waiting."
Queen Clarion flew back to the Pixie Dust Tree. She searched for a light fairy. Soon, she spotted one.
"Moonglow," called Queen Clarion, "please come over here."
The light fairy fluttered over. "What is it?" she asked in surprise. Her blue eyes sparkled.
"Will you please bend light to hit my wings?" asked the queen.
"Of course," said Moonglow.
Moonglow flew higher in order to get a bigger beam. She noticed the blue spots on the queen's wings. After Moonglow had bent the light so that it would hit Queen Clarion's wings, she asked Queen Clarion about the blue spots.
"My wings are just a little cold," said Queen Clarion, not wishing to discuss crossing the border.
"How did they get cold?" asked Moonglow.
"Well," Queen Clarion said, "I was..." she glanced back at her wings. The blue spots had melted away.
"Thank you for your help, Moonglow," Queen Clarion said. Then she flew away.
Moonglow blinked. "She didn't answer my question," Moonglow said, "but then, she is probably very busy."
Queen Clarion flew to the border. Lord Milori was waiting.
"Are you ready?" asked Queen Clarion.
Lord Milori nodded.
Queen Clarion took his hand and pulled him across the border. Lord Milori immediately felt overcome by the heat. He forced himself to look at all of the amazing things in Queen Clarion's realm.
After a few seconds, Lord Milori felt too hot. But he flew closer to Queen Clarion. Their faces almost touched when there was a horrible crack!
Lord Milori fell to the ground. He turned to look at his wings. With horror, he saw a huge crack across one wing. It was getting larger.
"Oh no! You have stayed here too long!" Queen Clarion cried out. She grabbed Lord Milori's arm and helped him back to the Winter Woods. Just before he crossed the border, the crack on his wing went all the way across the wing, and it fell off. Queen Clarion grabbed it. She was crying.
Lord Milori was very sad. He lifted his wings and tried to fly, but he could not get off the ground.
"This is all my fault," Queen Clarion said.
Lord Milori shook his head. "No, it is not. It is my fault. I insisted on crossing."
"I knew the danger..." Queen Clarion shook her head. Mother Dove's words echoed inside her brain, be very careful... be very careful... be very careful...
"You'll never fly again," Queen Clarion said sadly.
"I will find a way," Lord Milori said.
Queen Clarion flew back to the Pixie Dust Tree. She put Lord Milori's wing under her bed. Queen Clarion then fell onto her bed sobbing.
Lord Milori walked slowly into the Winter Woods. He found a snowy owl and gave it a pat. This was his favorite snowy owl.
"Lord Milori, you are needed!" a voice called. Lord Milori gasped. It was the Minister of Winter! She could not find out about his broken wing.
Lord Milori hastily plucked feathers from the snowy owl. He draped them over his back like a shawl. He tied it around his neck and got onto the snowy owl. The Minister of Winter flew over to him.
"What is the matter?" she asked. "You are usually so punctual, but now you are very late!"
"I was busy," said Lord Milori. He held onto the owl's back and squeezed his legs. The owl understood and flew into the air, following the Minister of Winter.
Queen Clarion felt as if she could cry forever, but soon there were no tears left. Queen Clarion sat up. She had to do something. Nothing like this could be allowed to ever happen again.
Queen Clarion flew to a water fairy. "Tell every fairy in Pixie Hollow except for the winter fairies that cannot survive in the warm areas to come to the Pixie Dust Tree," she said.
The water fairy nodded and flew off. Soon fairies began to arrive. When every fairy including the Minister of Winter and a few snowflake fairies arrived, Queen Clarion cleared her throat to get everyone's attention.
"I have decided on a very important rule," began Queen Clarion. "A terrible tragedy has happened today. As a result, I have created this law. No warm fairy is allowed to cross the border to the Winter Woods, and no winter fairy is allowed to cross the border to the warm seasons, except for the Minister of Winter and the few snowflake fairies that have been born in the Pixie Dust Tree. Also, all of the fairies should keep a distance from the border, except for the winter fairies who were born here."
Everyone was quiet. Then one snowflake fairy raised a hand. "How will the winter fairies know about this law?" she asked.
"Oh!" Queen Clarion said. "Minister of Winter, you must tell Lord Milori about the rule. Then he will tell the other winter fairies."
"I will," the Minister of Winter said.
"Everyone may go back to what they were doing before they were called here," Queen Clarion said.
All of the fairies got up. The Minister of Winter went right to Lord Milori and told him the rule.
"If that is what Queen Clarion thinks best," Lord Milori said. "I will tell all of the other winter fairies."
Lord Milori looked off in the distance to the Pixie Dust Tree. Oh, Queen Clarion, he thought, if only I had not stayed too long. I'd fly backwards if I could.