A/N: Hello again! I hope you had a Merry Christmas if you celebrate it, and even though this is late, you had a Happy Hanukkah; and have a Happy Kwanzaa to those who celebrate the holiday.

About Fairy Mary, she wasn't "born" yet when Clarion told Milori about her not having any friends. But she will be in this story and so will the Ministers, especially Spring, who I noticed is kind of a kiss-up to Clarion in the movies and who I think might have a crush on her too.

And I've always liked the name Alexandra…

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

Additional Note: There's a poll on my profile of whether or not to do a sequel to this, or do one about Rosetta and Sled. It'll be up there until the last few chapters of this story but it would be nice if you would vote. Thank you.

As Clarion flew back to the Pixie Dust Tree in a shock and daze, her fingers gently ghosting over her lips, she thought about the kiss. This was the first time Milori kissed her, truly kissed her, and he did it to bring her out of her misery. A pang of anger swept through Clarion then and she furiously reprimanded herself for feeling the slightest bit of self-pity, and in front of Milori who could read her feelings as if reading a book. You shouldn't have done that. You should not have done that, Clarion chided in her head. What will Milori think of you now? You may never be kissed by him again, or he might act like you're a delicate and fragile fairy. But Milori would never; Clarion disagreed with her own thoughts. He promised he wouldn't treat me any different…

Something whizzed by her then and Clarion heard a hurried, "Sorry!" call out to her. Clarion started and saw the Fast-flying Fairy fly towards the Pixie Dust Tree. Interested, and slightly happy that she had something to do to take her mind off of Milori, she looked around and saw other fairies flying towards the tree also. When she looked over at the tree in the far distance, she saw it was glowing more than usual, and concluded that a new fairy or sparrow-man would be born today. Gaining speed so she wouldn't miss the birth of a new fairy, she wondered what the ceremony would be like. This was her first time going to one different than her own, mainly because the tutors had forbidden her to, and partly because Pixie Hollow didn't get new fairies on a regular basis, but over the course of several months. So Clarion thought it would be different and exciting, after all, the Queen was said to greet the new arrival and help her find her talent.

As she neared the Pixie Dust Tree, she flew around to the back part of it and hid in the shadows, watching as a dust-keeper poured Pixie Dust onto a white dandelion seed and a fairy with thick brown hair emerged and looked around. Clarion leaned forward, like all the other fairies and sparrow-men, in anticipation for the new arrival to say something. "Hello?" the new fairy questioned. "Where am I?"

Clarion's eyes widened and realized that the new fairy had almost the same accent that Milori had, but in a different dialect. She longed to go to the new fairy and say, "You're in Pixie Hollow. Welcome." But held her tongue knowing that is what the Queen should say and that she should only watch.

By now, ripples of unease had spread throughout the fairies and sparrow-men because the Queen should have come and greeted the new arrival, but didn't. The new fairy looked about her and looked curious, shocked, and a tad bit scared. Clarion, thinking fast, realized that if the Queen was late, she would never show because something had most indefinably happened to her causing her to miss the ceremony. So, Clarion brushed off the dust from her dress, patted her hair in place, and flew towards the new fairy. Gasps were heard around the Tree and Clarion inwardly cringed, knowing this was not her place to do this, but on the outside remained strong and determined. Then, as she flew closer to the new fairy that was now watching her, did she realize she didn't know what to say when addressing the newcomer. So she made up, "Born in laughter, clothed in cheer, happiness has brought you here. Welcome to Pixie Hollow."

A sigh of relief seemed to spread throughout the crowd, and Clarion guessed she had said the right thing. The fairy seemed relieved to see someone speak to her, so she asked, "Hello, what's your name?"

"I'm Clarion, the Queen's successor."

"You have a Queen here?"

"Yes, to rule over the seasons and keep everything in order. But enough of that now, let's find what talent you have," Clarion said not sure how that was supposed to go. Fortunately, at the word "talent", little circular logs, being held up by Pixie Dust, appeared around the new fairy and one fairy from each talent put something on one log that resembled their talent. Clarion inwardly sighed in relief.

"How will I know which one is my talent?" the fairy asked dubiously.

Clarion, not sure either, answered, "You'll know."

First, the newcomer tried the Water Talent, but found that the water bubble collapsed when she touched it. So she tried again with the Fast-flying Talent, but found that it disappeared on touch also. The fairy tried all of the others; Gardening Talent, Animal Talent, and Sun Talent, but neither of them worked out. Disappointed, the fairy looked back at Clarion, who was stunned also, when a hammer suddenly appeared behind her, glowing brightly. Clarion's eyes grew wide and she motioned with her hands for the new fairy to turn around and when she did, she gasped and reached out to the hammer, which didn't fall when she touched it. Turning around back to Clarion, with the hammer in her hands, she asked, "What talent is this?"

No fairy seemed to know either so Clarion proclaimed loudly, "It appears we have a new talent, the talent of Tinkering!" The crowd cheered and Clarion smiled when she saw the newcomer's face light up. "Welcome Fairy Mary, to Pixie Hollow!"

Fairy Mary's face beamed back at Clarion and the fairies and sparrow-men began to disperse a moment later after, except for one sparrow-man who shyly made their way towards the two. "Hello," he began in the same accent Fairy Mary had. Clarion realized he was a dust-keeper as well. "I'm Fairy Gary. I'm a dust-keeper, but I know of a little nook a little ways from where I work that might be an ideal place to tinker. I could show it to you if you like."

Fairy Mary blushed and nodded her head. "Alright then, lead the way."

Fairy Gary smiled before flying off and before Mary followed she waved good-bye to Clarion, who waved back before leaving to her own room trying to process what had happened.

The next morning, Clarion woke up happy and counting down the time until she could meet Milori later again. She was still angry at herself for the self-pity she had felt, but also felt accomplished that she had performed a ceremony by herself without anyone helping her.

After she had gotten ready, she flew down into the library in high spirits unable to not smile and keep the sparkles out of her eyes. That all vanished when she felt the tension in the library as she flew in.

"Princess Clarion," one of her tutors greeted Clarion solemnly.

Clarion looked quizzically at her tutors as to why they greeted her so grimly. As far as she knew, she hadn't done anything wrong, nothing dangerous as to why they would use a grave tone - unless it was about the ceremony. "Hello," she answered trying to ignore the uneasiness within the room.

"You have no training for today; instead the Queen would like to see you." The statement was sudden and straight to the point.

"The Queen?"

"Yes, the Queen. She would like to see you as soon as possible," the tutor looked annoyed at the interruption of learning that it had caused.

Why would the Queen want to see me? Clarion thought worriedly. Was it because I took her place in the ceremony? Clarion bowed her head to her tutors in good-bye before turning around and flying toward the Queen's personal study. A guard with red-hair stood outside of it and when he saw Clarion asked, "State your business."

Clarion looked at him and said calmly, "I'm here to see the Queen."

"The Queen is not feeling well at the moment."

Clarion blinked in shock. "What happened?"

"That is information not to be given out."

"I understand, but may I please go in? The Queen wanted to see me."

The guard's eyes looked Clarion over - the way he did made Clarion feel uncomfortable – and stepped aside after examining her. "You may enter," he commanded.

"Thank you," she said as she rapped the oak door. When Clarion heard, "You may enter." she entered the study.

She had only been in there twice before, once when the tutors had given Clarion a tour after she had found her talent, and the other time was just two days ago when the Queen had given Clarion advice. So when Clarion gasped and put her hands to her mouth in shock, it wasn't because of how beautiful the study looked, it was because of the Queen, who was wearing a cloak to hide her wings and looked horrendously ill, which made her pale blonde hair look ghostly white.

The Queen noticed Clarion gaping and quickly walked to the door and closed it gently before turning to her shocked successor and saying calmly, "Clarion."

"Q-Queen Alexandra," Clarion stuttered looking up at the Queen.

"I have heard that you performed the ceremony and gave the new arrival her name. Is that true?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I didn't think you would come, you were late, and the newcomer looked frightened because no one spoke to her. With no disrespect intended, I carried on with the ceremony."

"How did you even go to the ceremony, I thought it wasn't allowed," Alexandra mused.

Clarion bowed her head. "It isn't, but I was coming back from…something…and saw some fairies flying towards the Tree and realized that a new arrival must have come."

"I see." The Queen said walking towards the window.

"I'm sorry Queen Alexandra," Clarion apologized looking at the Queen's back.

Clarion saw her nod before hearing her voice say, "However, this is not why I have summoned you."

"It's not?"

"No."

"Then why?" Clarion questioned.

In answer, the Queen took off her cloak revealing a broken wing with one part of the wing dangling limp. The other wing seemed to have a scratch on it but otherwise was unharmed. Clarion's eyes grew wide and she suddenly couldn't say anything, luckily the Queen started explaining while turning around to look back at Clarion, "This is why I couldn't be there for the new fairy, and this is why I have summoned you. I broke my wing when I was attacked by a hawk and fell from the sky. You know what happens when a Queen breaks her wing, right?" When Clarion nodded, Alexandra continued, "I realized that instead of living my full life of a thousand years, I can now only live for five-hundred. However, I have lived already for four-hundred and ninety-nine years now, and add that to the scratch on my other wing I have three seasons until I fade."

"Fade?" Clarion asked finding her voice again.

"Yes, fade. Queens do not die, they fade and become stars. Now Clarion, I will be teaching you for the next three seasons and not the tutors for there are important things that need to be taught to you. I'm sorry that your coronation has to come so soon, but by the time I fade, you will be ready," the Queen explained turning back around to look out the window. "We start tomorrow morning, I'll see you then."

The last sentence was clearly a dismissal and Clarion numbly said, "Good-bye."

She walked out of the study with her mind all jumbled and mixed up and immediately flew off towards Butterfly Cove to think. Her feelings of happiness were gone and replaced with fear, anxiousness, and sadness and when she reached her thinking place she sat down upon a flower and put her head in her hands. Emotions overwhelmed her and she tried desperately to fight down a sob that wanted to be let out. I will not cry, I will not cry. All the Queen did was break her wing and give you three seasons before coronation. It's not so bad, don't cry, she pleaded with herself.

Suddenly she felt a hand touch her shoulder and she when she opened her eyes and raised her head, she found herself looking at the new fairy. "Oh, hello," she said trying to keep the sadness out of her voice.

"Hello Princess Clarion," Fairy Mary said. "Is something wrong?"

"No. I was just thinking..."

"I don't believe you, what's the matter?"

"Something just happened," Clarion some-what confided.

"And what would that be Princess Clarion?" Mary asked.

Clarion looked at Fairy Mary's face to see if she was trying to collect gossip, but her face seemed concerned instead – something that no fairy or sparrow-man except Milori treated her with - a friend's concern, not a concern that was fake and shown to royalty out of loyalty. Seeing this, Clarion slid over to one side of the flower before gesturing Fairy Mary to sit down. When the fairy was settled, Clarion said, "You can call me Clarion, Fairy Mary. I'd prefer that than Princess Clarion."

"And you can call me Mary, Clarion. Now, what happened?"

"The Queen broke her wing. She'll fade in three seasons' time which leaves my coronation in three seasons' time also. I don't know if I'm ready for it though," Clarion confided her fear fully.

Mary was silent for a moment before saying, "Aren't you training though?"

"Yes, the Queen will start teaching me."

"Well there you go then. Pay close attention and you should be fine, Clarion. At first it might get rough, but that's because you are going to be new. After a while, it will get easier, I'm positive of it. Now, I have to go and get some acorns, but try not to worry so much over something in the future. You'll cross that bridge when the time comes, Ree." Mary suggested standing up.

Clarion nodded before asking, "Ree?"

Mary blushed and said, "I'm sorry. It sounded like it should fit you as a nickname. May I call you that?"

Clarion smiled and agreed, "It's fine so long as you remain my friend Mary."

Mary smiled at Clarion and waved good-bye before flying off towards the Autumn Woods. Clarion waved back before turning her attention towards a butterfly and noticing how her mind was slightly calmer than it had been before Mary had come along. And I now have a friend besides Milori, Clarion thought happily.

She continued to watch the butterflies and trying to comprehend what had happened, with the dark combination of feelings never really and truly going away, until sunset.

Sunset came and Clarion flew half-heartily to the border. She loved seeing Milori, probably more than he would ever know, but after what had happened that morning, she didn't feel like talking. But she went anyway, for Milori.

When she reached the border, she saw Milori was already there and she said, "Hello Milori."

"Hello Clarion," he seemed to notice her sadness and other emotions and asked, "What happened?"

"Nothing how was your day?"

"Clarion, what's wrong? I won't answer any questions until you tell me."

Clarion seemed at war with herself before blurting, "It's the Queen! She broke one wing and scratched the other one. She's going to fade in three seasons which makes my coronation in three seasons also and I'm worried I'm not going to be ready! I'm worried that I won't make a good Queen. I'm worried about the Queen also; she looked deathly ill, Milori."

Milori looked at the fretting Clarion and answered, "That is serious."

"I know, but why did it have to come so suddenly?"

"Things happen unexpectedly, Clarion. It wasn't your fault that she broke her wing, it was an accident. You can't control accidents."

Clarion sank to the ground and went silent lost in thought. Milori sat with her and put his arm around her shoulders and held her close, in which she moved closer and rested her head on his shoulder. They stayed in the comfortable silence for a while, neither of them talking, until Clarion asked, "Would falling in love be considered an accident?"

"That's a good question," Milori answered. "It would depend on the situation."

"Would we be considered an accident?"

"No, I wouldn't think so, Clarion."

Milori felt her nod and a second later her hand found his and she squeezed his hand and he squeezed back. The relapsed back into silence and Milori thought about how scared Clarion must feel. To be crowned Queen in three seasons must seem daunting, especially if you haven't been in training for more than two seasons, which was how long Clarion had told him she had been. Milori wondered how the Queen could have broken her wing and why she had only three more seasons to go. When he asked Clarion, she replied, "The Queen's life and power is held in her wings. To break one would give her half of her normal life-span. To break two," she shuddered. "She would fade in a matter of hours."

"Then why is the Queen going to fade in three seasons then? And what is fading?"

"She had already lived half of her normal life-span so that's partially why, but she also scratched her other wing so that takes some time off of her life too. Fading is a Queen's way of dying; only she becomes a star in the sky."

Milori looked at Clarion, "Didn't you want to become a star?"

"Yes, I did, but I didn't know then that you could achieve it by fading, Milori. I only found that out today," Clarion answered looking out at the river.

Darkness soon fell and the two fairies stood up, told each other good-bye, and left. While flying towards his home, Milori thought of how to make Clarion happy again, to make her eyes shine brightly, and by the time he reached his abode, did he have an idea.