He felt burning heat in his chest and gasped in pain. Opening his eyes, he could barely see past the blinding white light to see Clarion under him on the bed. Her chest was radiating light, and he looked down to see his doing the same. Afraid she was hurting as much as him, he tried to get up off of her. In the process, his chest moved closer and the light grew stronger.

She gasped and opened her eyes.

He stared down at her in shock, leaning on his hands and knees above her.

"You got Alamur sugar," she said softly, her eyes shimmering with tears. Wrapping her hands around his neck, she pulled him down on top of her. "Stay," she whispered softly and wrapped her arms around him.

"Clarion?" he croaked, not believing his eyes, and wrapped his arms around her.

"It's going to get hot, but I promise you'll be alright," she whispered in his ear.

The bright light turned blinding, and he cried out in pain as his heart began burning within his chest. He held onto her tight, fearing she was being hurt. When he tried to reach between them to feel her, she panted through pain in his ear, "It's healing us."

Suddenly, there was a brilliant flash of pink light and the pain was replaced by a wave of cool relaxation throughout his body. She released her grip on him and he leaned up on his elbows to look at her in shock.

Tears ran down from the corners of her eyes. "We mated, didn't we? Lights cannot bind like that to heal without mating."

He slowly nodded. "Don't you remember?"

She slowly shook her head. "I remember hearing you speak in a field of flowers, but I don't remember anything else."

"What the hell was that?" Spruce asked.

She was sitting up in bed and curled up with his arm around her minutes later after Spruce had found nothing wrong with her or Milori.

"I felt so full of anger and loneliness, but I could hear you," she told Milori, looking up in his eyes and trying to figure out what had happened. "I remember not breathing, but I could still hear you. The more you spoke, the more I felt love pushing away the evil. I don't remember what else happened before I woke up and saw you," she said with wonder and reached up to touch his cheek.

"I don't understand it," Spruce said with a shake of his head. "But it looks like mating saved you."

She smiled and shook her head, gazing up at Milori. "No, I think it was his love."

He bent his head down and brushed a kiss over her lips. "I love you," he said huskily as if looking at her for the first time.

She blushed, wrapped her arm around his torso and leaned her cheek on his chest. "I love you." This feeling of giddiness was new to her, and she didn't quite understand it but relished in it all the same.

"Well, someone had better announce the Queen isn't dead," Spruce interrupted. "I need a drink," he said, still in a daze and walked out.

Milori smiled down at her. "Well, wife, shall we go make the announcement?"

"Wife?" she asked in confusion.

"It's what humans call a mate. I think it sounds prettier than 'mate,'" he smiled tenderly.

She blushed. "Alright, wife," she smiled.

He burst out laughing. "No, sweetheart. A male is 'husband.'"

"Oh. Then come on, husband." She beamed and slipped out of bed and let down her hair to start brushing out the knots.

He got up and walked up behind her to wrap his arms around her waist and nuzzle her neck. "Or we could stay here for a few minutes." He swept aside her hair and kissed her neck.

"Milori," she scolded in embarrassment.

"Alright," he sighed and let go to brush her hair for her. "But they will notice your wings are sparkling brighter. And there is that little detail that we must sleep in the same home now," he smiled.

She stepped forward away from him a bit and started braiding her hair, keeping her back to him.

"Sweetheart, I didn't mean to make you upset. I thought you'd smile and tease me," he apologized.

Swallowing hard, she didn't know how to tell him.

He stepped around and held her shoulders gently, bending his head down to catch her eye. "What's wrong?"

Looking into his eyes, she kept her mouth shut and tried to figure out the words.

"You really don't remember mating, do you?" he asked quietly, trying to hide the hurt.

"I believe you, and we obviously did...I just...I'm not ready for you to see my scars again. And to me it feels like we aren't exactly mated." She saw the sadness in his eyes. "I'm sorry, that sounds harsh..."

He shook his head. "No, it's not fair to you to push for something that you can't even remember. First off, let me say that I was so terrified of you dying that I didn't even notice your scars. Second, this might be a good thing because I can propose to you how you deserve."

She laid her hands on his chest quickly. "No, it's not that I think you did it wrong or something."

"I know," he said in understanding and wrapped his arms around her. "We'll work on building our home. I want you to be able to remember me proposing and us mating. We didn't mate in the traditional sense, just so you know," he explained gently.

"Well, I sort of figured you wouldn't when I was half dead," she teased.

He didn't find her joke funny.

He led her outside with his arm around her waist protectively.

The fairies, who had all been weeping, stared at them. And then a roar of cheers erupted. The crowd swarmed to her with hugs, and Milori was pushed away from her.

"Be careful with her!" he said in concern.

She looked up over everyone's heads and smiled at him, unsure what to do.

He simply smiled and found a seat on a boulder to watch her.

Turning her attention to the crowd, she accepted hugs, kisses, flowers and well wishes.

When Mary pushed her way forward, she stared up at Clarion with tears in her eyes. "Oh, Clarion, your eyes sparkle. He asked you," she said with so much joy. Then she pulled Clarion's arm until she bent down, and Mary planted a kiss on her cheek. "I'm so happy for you," she whispered.

Clarion wrapped her arms around her and wept tears of joy.

After she had been touched by probably every fairy in the land, Clarion made her way through the crowd to Milori. He climbed down and brushed a kiss over her lips. "Tired?" he asked in concern.

She smiled and shook her head. Then she turned to the crowd, holding his hand. "Fairies," she said in a voice clear and strong that could not disguise the joy in her heart. "Today brings me great joy in so many ways...Welcome your Lord of Pixie Hollow." She turned to him with the most brilliant smile. The crowd went wild.

He looked at her in surprise. He knew he wouldn't be king, but it had never occurred to him that he wouldn't be just the Lord of Winter but inherit lordship of both kingdoms. The crowd surged forward and, this time, Clarion stood back with a proud smile as the fairies welcomed him.

Author's Note: Remember I'll write 'The End' at the end of the last chapter. It's not coming anytime soon! :)