Author's Note: I love that everyone has been so moved by these chapters! :) We have some reviewers who have never left comments before! :) Almost 300 reviews! :D

Rosie0522, their mysterious way of mating will be explained in this chapter. :)

There was celebrating and honey nectar flowing throughout Pixie Hollow that night. Torches were lit to keep away the bats and hawks.

Tink had secretly asked Milori if she could throw a celebration in winter in honor of their mating for the next day. She had pulled him aside while Clarion was busy talking with friends and shown him how she, Peri and Gliss had mastered frosting warm fairy wings. He had drilled her, Spruce and Dewey to make sure it was safe. Consensus was a celebration would be thrown tomorrow, and Tink had been more than happy when Milori had let her make the announcement. Clarion, however, looked a bit shocked.

He wound his way through the crowd, slightly frustrated that he was getting the least time with her, and set a hand on the small of her back just as she finished accepting congratulations from his Minister of Winter, who was a bit shocked herself at the news.

Clarion turned around in surprise. "Oh, it's you," she sighed.

He wasn't sure what to make of that comment until she leaned against him as if exhausted. He slipped his arm around her small waist. "Do you want to go home?" he asked quietly under the music some fairies had started playing to begin some dancing.

She looked up at him. "Do you?"

"I'll go wherever you do. If you're tired, we should go to bed."

"I'm not tired physically. It just feels like a lot to take in. This morning I was dying from Alamur sugar and now we're mated and here." She ran her hand over her forehead as if a bit distressed.

He took her hand and guided her away from the crowd and noise. Then he turned to her and helped her sit on a log. He sat beside her and held her hand. "Tell me what you need, sweetheart. Don't worry about what I'll think or what they'll think. What do you want to do?"

She met his gentle eyes. "I want a hot bath and a good novel," she said honestly. But then she started to cry. "But it's our first night together, and I shouldn't want to be alone." She buried her face in her hand.

"Clarion," he said gently and wrapped his arms around her. "I know it's a lot to take in so suddenly. It's alright that you want some time to relax. We can take things slow."

"You're not upset?" she sniffled and looked up at him.

"Well," he said with a slight smile on his lips. "It's a little bit of an ego blow to find out I'm not a hot stud you're falling all over yourself for," he teased.

Her face crumpled and the waterworks really started.

"Whoa, sweetheart, I was teasing," he cooed and brushed loose strands of hair away from her face as she wept into her hands. "I'm sorry, love. I thought you'd laugh at my stupid joke. Come here." He scooped her into his arms. "Let's go find that bubble bath, sweetheart."

She calmed down once he had a bath and book ready for her at the castle, with her nightdress laid out on the counter.

He stepped back with his hands on his hips and surveyed his handy work. "There. I'm not too sure what a bubble bath entails, but I think I have you started." He turned to see her soft, hiccuping tears subsiding. "Now, do you want me in the bedroom or just some time here alone?"

She looked up at him with big eyes.

A soft smile crinkled his eyes. "Alright. I'll go back to the party for a couple hours. Thomas and the guards are in the hall, and your windows are locked. Do you need anything else?"

"I'm sorry," she said softly and looked at him through tear-stained lashes.

He cupped her cheek and gazed into her eyes. "There is nothing to be sorry for, love. I think this will be good for us to slow things down. I'm a bit in shock still myself." He brushed a kiss over her lips, not wanting to press her too far for affection right now. "Relax and I'll be back in awhile." Then he gave her a smile and closed the door.

She sank into the hot tub and closed her eyes, feeling so much better already with the peace and quiet.

He enjoyed talking to friends and meeting more of Clarion's fairies...his fairies, he mentally corrected himself. But his mind was on his wife and worried if she was doing alright after her meltdown.

"Where's your lovely mate?" Spruce asked and threw his arm around Milori's neck.

Milori was jerked down a bit and he frowned. "You're almost three sheets to the wind, my friend."

Spruce laughed. "That I am! A hell of a day."

"Where's Lilly?" he frowned and his eyes searched the crowd.

"We had an argument, and now she's flirting with some warm bastard fairy," he slurred.

Milori followed to where he pointed. "Oh, that's Terence. He's with Tinkerbell. You don't need to worry about anything actually happening. Perhaps she wants you to go swooping in and be all possessive. Young females like that kind of thing, you know. But you have to do it so it doesn't look like you're controlling."

Spruce looked at him funny.

"Come. You need lots of coffee bean juice to sober you up." Milori grabbed his hand and dragged him to the bar.

Spruce thew up what honey nectar was left in his stomach, behind a boulder a bit away from the party.

Milori clapped him on the back. "Good job. Now, is that coffee juice working?"

He held his pounding head. "I feel completely hung over," Spruce groaned.

"That's why I made you drink half a thimble of water. Now, are you ready to go get your girl?" He sipped on his mug of honey nectar, his eyes on the party. He could see Lilly looking around to see if Spruce was still watching her.

"Are you mad? I'll probably heave all over her." He spun around and heaved again behind the boulder.

Milori sighed. "You really shouldn't drink so much."

Spruce flipped his finger at Milori as he heaved again.

Milori chuckled and waited for Spruce's stomach to calm down.

Sleet peeked into the hospital room to see Silvermist sitting on the bed in her clothes with her arm wrapped in leaves. He cleared his throat and stepped in.

Her eyes flew up and she visibly tensed.

"Don't be frightened," he rasped and marched forward to her, bringing his arm out from behind his back to shove a bouquet of flowers at her.

The flowers were practically in her face, and she sneezed.

"Oh. I'm sorry." He reached to grab her a tissue off the counter, but he bumped the bed, making her cry out in pain having her broken limp jostled. He straightened and turned. "I...Are...I'm sorry, I'll go." He spun around and quickly went to the door.

"Did you try to hurt me this afternoon?"

He stopped in his tracks and slowly turned to look at her. "I'm not gentle and I'm not patient. I keep to myself, and I don't remember anymore how to be a friend. I don't remember how to be careful with a female," he said quietly, slowly stepping closer. "It had been years since I had told someone I'm sorry...until today. Now those seem to be the only words I can say to you."

She cocked her head and studied him. "Why are you here?"

He swallowed uncomfortably and looked away. "I wanted to make sure you're alright."

"An Alamur doesn't care about others," she stated simply.

A bitter smile crossed his lips. "I don't fit in with the Alamur and I don't want to. But I don't fit in with Bright Fairies either," he said sadly. Then he gave her a slight bow and walked to the door.

"Wait!"

He turned.

"I'm not the Queen," she frowned. "You don't need to bow to me."

"No, but it's the least manners I can show you after breaking your arm and botching everything else," he frowned.

"Do you want to stay? I'm still waiting for a cast," she offered with a slight smile. "I told my friends to go on to the party because the healer said two hours ago it would be just another thirty minutes. I don't really like hospitals." Her eyes darted around as if checking that she couldn't be overheard. Then she whispered, "Ghosts scare me."

"Ghosts?" he frowned in confusion.

"You know...whoooooooooo," she mimicked with wide eyes. "Fairies die here sometimes and probably turn into ghosts."

His eyebrows shot up. Never had he heard of such a stupid thing. And never had it endeared him more. He sat down in the chair beside her bed.

Clarion was tucked in bed with her firefly turned on and sitting on the nightstand to give her reading light.

The door opened and Milori peeked in. "May I come in now?" he smiled.

She gave a soft smile and nodded, setting her book aside.

He walked in and started pulling off his tunic. "I'm going to wash. Rosetta got a little too happy with her flower air fragrance for the party," he smiled but stopped beside the bed. "Are you doing alright?"

She nodded and then held her nose. "Oh my. Go wash. Please," she laughed.

He laughed and shut the door.

He hummed as he showered, and she was surprised at how deep and smooth his baritone was. She shouldn't have been surprised because he was good at everything he did.

The door cracked open and he peeked his head out, his skin still damp. "Um, sweetheart?"

"Hm?" She turned to her left and leaned forward to look at him, with the door being on the same wall as the headboard.

"I didn't think to bring extra clothes," he winced. "Any chance you have detergent here so I could wash my pants in the sink?"

She giggled and climbed out of bed to pull on her robe. "I'll go get some."

"Thank you!" he called.

She returned and knocked on the washroom door.

He opened it a bit and reached around for the jug from behind the door. "Thank you, love."

"No, two hands. I could only find the big one in the washing room downstairs," she grunted.

"Set it down and I'll grab it. Your towels are a bit small."

"Oh, alright." She set it down and stood.

He stepped around the door wearing nothing. They both froze for a second and then he jumped back behind the door. "I'm sorry. I thought you meant 'alright' like it was safe to get it." The utter embarrassment was tangible in his voice.

She spun around and dove back in bed, throwing the covers over her head. "Get it!"

The door closed a second later.

"Ninny," she whispered, scolding herself under the covers. "He's your mate, and it's not as if you didn't see a male naked in the war hospital." She hadn't really gotten a good look, but she did see enough to know that his thighs were deliciously well muscled and his hips were leaner than she had expected. All in all, he was an amazing male specimen. She felt a pool of heat low in her belly and wasn't naive enough to not realize she desired him. "Stop being a wuss," she told herself.

Throwing the covers off of her head, she was mortified to see him standing there with his hands on his hips. And a grin on his face.

"How long have you been there?" she demanded.

"I must say, I'm a bit disappointed that I'm not your first encounter with a male," he frowned.

She groaned and pulled the covers back over her head.

The bed jostled slightly and he leaned over her to pull the blankets down. "It's not as if we aren't mated and aren't mature adult fairies," he smiled and kissed her cheek.

She peeked her finger out from under the covers to point at him. "No, you are mated. I have practically no recollection. You could be making it up for all I know." Then she gasped and sat up, forcing him to sit back or bump noses. "You lied! We can't be mated without being in flight and you having your way!" She wasn't truly upset, but she did want answers.

He blinked and a look of panic flashed across his face. "I swear I didn't. I wouldn't take you when you're dying!"

She cocked her head slightly and raised her eyebrows. "Then how are we mated."

"I don't know!" He threw his hands out before him, gesturing as he tried to explain. "I didn't even know if I could mate at all. Dewey said it wasn't possible for any kind of mating to happen just being together and baring souls, but it happened! I don't know how it happened or if we're mated a hundred percent, but something happened! You said yourself that our lights couldn't bind like that to heal if we weren't mated!" he cried, a bit panicked by what she thought happened. Then he stilled and his brow slowly furrowed and his eyes squinted accusingly. "Wait, why do you think I'd take advantage of you. I'm not going to try to...when you're on your deathbed," he scoffed.

She covered her mouth with her hand to stifle her laugh. "I'm sorry. I'm not actually that upset because it's not as if we didn't plan on mating someday. I just never imagined a shotgun mating." She knew she was overtired and emotionally drained when she started laughing harder.

He crossed his arms over his chest and didn't look amused.

She set her hand on his corded arm. "I know you wouldn't normally take me like that, but I didn't know if you thought it was the only way to save me. Well..." she said, thinking out loud. "It is a bit morbid to mate with someone on her deathbed." Her eyes focused back on him. "But I suppose I'd understand if it was to save me."

"Well, I didn't," he said briskly and got up to grab a bucket and start hauling water into the gourd that was still in her room for him to make his ice bed.

"Milori, don't be offend," she said, starting to realize that the conversation wasn't as lighthearted as she had thought.

The water faucet in the washroom slammed off and he marched out with a pale and dumped it in the gourd. "I don't really find it amusing on any level that you would even tease about me doing that." He spun around and marched back into the washroom.

"Milori," she pleaded and got up to follow him.

He spun on her in the washroom. "Don't! You have died in my arms twice!" he snapped with tears in his eyes. Then he swallowed hard and turned away to fill the bucket again. "You don't understand how painful it is," he said quietly. "And I hope you never do."

She set her hand on his back and stepped up to the sink beside him, surprised to see tears rolling down his face. "I'm sorry, Milori. I didn't think before I opened my mouth." She kissed his muscled shoulder. "Don't weep," she said softly and gently turned him to face her. She hugged him.

He set the bucket on the counter and wrapped his arms around her. "This is so messed up," he whispered.

She pulled back to look up at him. "What is?"

"We should have a home, you remember mating, the proposal right, a bed that we both can sleep in...everything. This isn't what I wanted your first night of being mated to be like," he sighed.

"So we change it," she said simply. "It's only ten o'clock." She felt his brow to find it cold yet from the shower. "Come."

A bit later they were laughing and talking under her bed blankets in the dark.

"Then Lilly practically swooned when he kissed her. Poor Terence is so infatuated with Tinkerbell that he had no idea Lilly had been trying to flirt with him. Tinkerbell's face turned quite red, and I think Terence is probably still getting his ear chewed off," Milori laughed.

She was in hysterics.

"And guess who Sleet is falling for?" he chuckled, her laugh contagious.

"No! Sleet?" she gasped.

"Silvermist."

"What?" Her laughter instantly died. "Milori, she can't take someone as rough as him."

"Actually, her...let's say simplicity, for lack of a better word, seems to endear him. He went to see her at the hospital, I hear."

"The hospital? What?!"

"Calm down, love. She's alright." He relayed the story to her. "I think it might work, Clarion. He's so rough but she's so innocent. They actually make a nice match, I think."

"Oh, and you're Mr. Matchmaker?"

He rolled on top of her, the sheet still over their heads to keep it dark. "Are you complaining, my lady?" he asked huskily and kissed her neck. He ran his hands over her hips, trailing a little white dust.

She gasped with pleasure and tilted her head back for him to have better access to her neck. "No," she panted, suddenly caught up with the wonderful sensations his dust was sending through her body.

"No, who?" he asked and nibbled her ear. "Just it for me this once," he whispered, his breath cool on her neck. He glided his hand over her thigh where he knew it would drive her wild.

"No, my lord," she breathed and pulled him closer. Somehow submission to him thrilled her because he would take nothing but absolute care of her heart.

He rolled off of her suddenly.

"No," she panted. "You can't do that and then leave." She tried to pull him back over her.

"Not tonight, sweetheart. When we have a home," he smiled, pleased that she desired him.

"Ughhhh!" she groaned in frustration.

"Why on earth do you like skating so much?" she asked a bit later after they had resumed their conversation, enjoying having his arm around her shoulders in bed and resting her head on his shoulder while he laid on his back.

"It feels a bit like flying," he answered softly.

Her smile instantly died. "Do you miss it often?" she inquired gently, absently stroking his chest.

"I miss it the most when I see everyone so excited like when the freeze didn't harm the tree. I know you stayed on the ground because of me," he stated. "I don't want you to hold back, but it means a lot the times when you do wait for me. I know I slow you down. That day you ran through the fields to the cabin...I liked that because I could do it with you. I know you had to resist the urge to fly because it's a natural instinct to fly when you're happy, but I loved it so much, Clarion. I was so happy watching you that I felt like I had wings again," he said longingly.

She scooted up slightly and kissed his cheek. "You never slow me down. Let's run in the field again tomorrow."

He released a heavy sigh. "My leg doesn't hold out for that anymore."

The sadness in his voice broke her heart. "We will do therapy and exercises until we fix it enough," she promised.

"Speaking of therapy," he said reluctantly. "I have to go back again in a couple days."

"I'll come with you."

He laced his fingers with hers on his chest. "Actually, I was wondering if you'd come inside with me."

"I'll do whatever you want, honey." Then she yawned quietly.

"Time to go to sleep," he said and carefully slipped out from under her.

She caught his hand when he was sitting on the edge. "Can I sleep with you?"

"Love, you might get too cold," he said with regret.

"If I wear my cape and have blankets? I don't want to be away from you."

The innocence in her voice melted his heart. "We'll try it. If you feel cold during the night, I'm putting you back in bed."

He laid a leaf over her half of the ice so she wouldn't get wet as it melted under her, and then they piled blankets on the ice on her side. He climbed into the gourd that was oblong and skinny and helped her in. Then he tucked her in tight and laid his head on part of her long pillow, turning onto his side to face her in the moonlight. "Goodnight, sweetheart," he said softly, his eyes shining bright.

She smiled and tucked her hands covered in mittens under her chin, rolling onto her side to face him. "Goodnight, husband."

That brought a smile to his face.

They were silent.

"Go to sleep," he whispered.

"I'm not tired anymore," she giggled.

He laughed softly in his chest, the sound warm and deep. "Never when I was young did I think I'd hear the Queen giggle. I think I've heard it a hundred times tonight. You must sleep so you aren't tired for tomorrow. Before the party, let's go to Mary and start making plans for our house."

She smiled and snuggled into his arms. She knew in a few hours she'd be too cold and need to go back into her own bed, but right now in his arms was enough.