Chapter 1
(Vidia's POV)
It's Becky's first Arrival Day after we officially got married.
I leave our house while she's still asleep, ready to get her favorite food (blueberry muffins) for her birthday breakfast in bed.
When I come back, I see our friends outside our door.
"Well, there you are, sugar! We were wondering when you'd get back." Rosetta says.
"You guys didn't wake her up on her Arrival Day, did you?"
"No, we didn't."
"Good. The last thing I want is for her Arrival Day to be ruined." I open the door and put the tray on Becky's bedside table. I crouch next to her side of the bed, and gently shake her.
"Good morning, baby girl. Happy Arrival Day."
"Thanks, babe."
"What would you like to do today?" I ask after she's eaten.
"Vidia, you know I don't like celebrating my Arrival Day."
"I know. But Gelata did insist she give you the day off to spend your Arrival Day any way you'd like."
"True. We could spend the day at the library."
"Why doesn't that surprise me?"
"Because I'm a bookworm?"
"Exactly."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be, hon. Come on. Let's go bury ourselves in books."
I wrap an arm around my wife and we head out the door.
"Surprise!" Our friends exclaim.
"Hey, guys." Becky says.
"Happy Arrival Day, Becky! What are you planning to do?" Iridessa asks.
"Just head to the library to get lost in a good book."
"That doesn't surprise us. We know you love getting lost in good books. Maybe we could all get some lunch together later?" Silvermist asks.
"Maybe. Can you excuse me for a minute? I just need to get something." Becky flutters back inside the house, closing the door behind her.
"Well, that was odd." Tinker Bell remarks.
"I know. Becky's not her usual self." Fawn says.
"Do you think her depression's hitting her?" Iridessa asks.
"I wish her depression would give her a break. Especially today." Rosetta says.
"Guys, I appreciate your concern, but can we please stop talking about her as if she's not just through that door?" I ask.
The girls agree.
"Maybe it's hitting her about her parents." Silvermist says.
"Silvermist!"
"I'm sorry, her what now?" I ask, turning around.
"Her parents. On the mainland."
"Sil, we all agreed we wouldn't talk about it, especially since Vidia and Becky had their memories about her parents erased." Rosetta says.
"How can Becky have parents on the mainland since she's a full fairy?"
"Well, it didn't used to be that way, Vidia. She became a half-fairy nine years ago. She had parents and they kicked her out for being gay. They nearly killed her so Queen Clarion had her parents' memories of Becky and yours and Becky's memories of Becky's parents erased." Tink says.
"And you're just telling me now? How could you guys keep such a huge secret from us? From her?"
"Well, it's not like she needs to know. She could go on acting as if she never had parents in the first place, like the rest of us."
"I can't keep another secret from her, guys. She's my wife." The girls are trying to signal to me to stop talking. I turn and see Becky has heard everything and she's looking at me with tears in her eyes.
Tears and disgust.
She flies off as fast as she can. Where she's going, I don't know.
"Becky, wait!" I fly after her and stop as…she flies into the Winter Woods.
"No…please, no."
"Vidia! Where is she going?" Tink asks as she and our friends land.
"The Winter Woods, and I'd bet my pixie dust she didn't get her wings frosted."
"She could freeze to death! Her wings could snap and…!" Iridessa starts, unable to finish her sentence.
"I know, Dess. You guys go get a healing talent fairy. I'm going in."
"Your wings, Vidia." Rosetta says.
"I know. I don't care. If she's hurt…or worse…I'll never forgive myself."
"At least let me go with you, Vidia. I know these woods. We'll see if my sister has seen her."
I nod at Tink and we cross the border between Autumn and Winter.
Gliss and Spike spot us as we cross and head over to frost my wings.
"Have either of you seen Becky? She's got brown hair, glasses, and she's five inches tall." I ask after my wings are frosted.
"We haven't seen her. We would've frosted her wings if we had."
"Thanks. We'll look for her."
We head towards the colder part of Winter, regretting not wearing our winter gear.
"Becky! Honey? Light of my life?" I call. No answer.
Tink's wings suddenly start glowing.
"Peri?"
We see Periwinkle, Tinker Bell's sister, flying towards us, someone in her arms.
"Periwinkle! Down here!"
Periwinkle spots us and heads towards us.
"She went into the deepest part of Winter…she's not doing too well. You need to get her to the warm side of Pixie Hollow immediately."
"Thank you, Peri. If I can ever repay you for helping her…"
"Consider it payback for helping me, Vidia."
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
Peri passes Becky over to me and I fly as fast as I can to the warm side of Pixie Hollow, Tinker Bell trailing behind me.
"We need to get her warmed up as soon as possible." The healing fairy says.
"Are her wings okay?" I ask, knowing how much Becky loves flying.
"I won't know until she's conscious and able to test her wings."
We head to the Fairy Hospital, and head to a room.
A blanket is wrapped around Becky's near-frozen form. I rub her hands to try to get some warmth back into them.
"Come on, baby girl. Please wake up. Please." I plead.
An hour passes, and Becky is still unconscious. Someone has been sent to get Queen Clarion, just in case things go south quickly.
Zephyr comes by to see how I'm doing.
Not well, I tell her.
Another long hour passes. Queen Clarion has since arrived, not leaving us.
"Do we know why she did this?" Queen Clarion asks.
"It's our fault, Queen Clarion. I said something about Becky's parents on the mainland, and she heard me. We kept a secret from one of our best friends. Something that involves her. And we shouldn't have."
"When she wakes up, I'll restore her and your memories about her parents, Vidia. You both need to know about them, despite the pain they've caused." Queen Clarion says.
I numbly nod.
"If she wakes up." I say before breaking down.
Things have begun to look grim in the past five hours: Becky still hasn't woken up.
Our friends have since apologized profusely, but it's not enough to bring my wife back.
I don't know what will be enough, if anything.
I spend the hours that go by trying to warm up Becky, even though her body temperature has since returned to normal.
Another five hours pass as I try to stay awake.
"Vidia, go get some rest. I'll take first watch." Queen Clarion tells me.
"With all due respect, Your Highness, I can't leave her. If something should occur and I'm not here…"
"I understand. But before you fall asleep, there's something you should know."
"What is it, Queen Clarion?"
"I've always thought of Becky as a daughter. When she makes it out of this, I'd like her to be next in line as queen of Pixie Hollow."
"Really?"
"Really."
"I guess that would make you my mother-in-law."
"If she accepts me as her mother, then, yes, I would be your mother-in-law. But that shouldn't change how you address me in public."
"Of course, Your Majesty."
"Thank you, Vidia. Oh, I truly hope she makes it out of this so she'll know how I feel."
"I just hope she makes it out of this."
"As do I, Vidia. As do I."
Another day passes, and both Queen Clarion and I have gotten little sleep. Lord Milori comes by to see Becky, as Peri had told him what occurred, and he knows of Queen Clarion's intentions.
When he arrives, he kneels next to Becky.
"When you wake, Queen Clarion and I would like to adopt you as our own. But you must first awaken. Nothing is more important than your waking up, Becky."
The healing fairy comes over to do her daily checkup on Becky and her vitals.
"Her heartbeat has slowed. Things are not looking good. If her condition doesn't improve, I'm afraid she may never wake up."
"Please…there has to be something you can do."
"I've done all I can. It's up to her now."
Another two days pass, and when I wake up on the fourth day, Becky is looking a bit more pink.
"Becky? Honey?" I kneel next to her, stroking her hair.
"Mmmm…"
"I think she's…I think she's waking up!" I exclaim. Queen Clarion and Lord Milori both bolt awake, hurrying to their prospective daughter's side.
Becky's eyes slowly flutter open, facing me.
"Oh, thank the second star you're alright." I say, gently hugging my wife.
"I'm sorry, Vidia. I'm so sorry."
"Shhh. You're okay. That's all that matters right now. I promise, I'm not letting you go ever again, okay?"
Becky nods against me.
Leaning on me, she turns to see Queen Clarion and Lord Milori.
"Queen Clarion, Lord Milori. Forgive me. I just…"
"Shhh. It's alright, sweetheart. Don't apologize. You're alright. That's all that matters now." Queen Clarion says.
"So, it wasn't a dream. My parents really exist."
"Your birth parents, yes. But the Queen and I have an offer for you."
"But let's focus on getting you well before we tell you our offer." Queen Clarion says.
The healing fairy comes in to test Becky's wings and vitals.
"Your vitals are looking good. Let's test your wings."
After testing Becky's wings, the healing fairy declares them and Becky both warm enough to go home…well, in a few days.
"It's a miracle your wings are alright. I'd like to monitor your mental health for a few days." She tells Becky. Becky just nods.
The few days of monitoring Becky's mental health come and go, and Becky is ready to head home.
"Becky, may Lord Milori and I see you alone for a moment, please?"
"Of course, Your Majesty."
(Queen Clarion's POV)
Milori and I lead our prospective daughter to my chambers.
"Now, dear, we want you to know, first and foremost, that we are very glad you're alright. I would hate to lose one of my subjects, especially one as special as you."
"Thank you, Your Highness."
"You're welcome. About that offer: Lord Milori and I…well, we'd like to adopt you as our own."
"What about my mainland parents?"
"Their memories of you haven't been restored. You may visit them as a fairy, if you wish, from time to time. But they won't know you're there."
"Oh. I guess there wouldn't be any point in seeing them, then, huh?"
"If it causes you pain to not see them, we'll let you go."
"If they'll never see me, and don't even know I exist, there's no point."
"I understand. Now, about our offer?"
"How would that change what I call you?"
"In private, you may call us any parental names you'd like. In public, our titles will be just fine. You'll be in training as the princess of Pixie Hollow, along with being a baking fairy."
"Me? W-why did you choose me?"
"Because there's something special about you." Milori says.
"But I don't look like a princess."
"You don't have to look like a princess to be a princess, dear. Now, would you like to think about our offer, or have you made your decision?"
"Where will I live?"
"You will still live with Vidia until your coronation. Afterwards, you will both live closer to me."
"I'm sorry to ask so many questions, but will I become Queen one day?"
"Yes, you will. But baby steps at first. And we don't mind you asking so many questions. It's how you'll learn." Milori says.
"Yes, Lord Milori."
Becky paces for a few minutes, trying to think over our offer. Milori and I watch her pace.
She's currently wearing a gray jacket, and a pink dress underneath with black boots.
A few more minutes pass, and Becky turns to face us.
"I've made my decision. I'll let you adopt me."
"Wonderful!" I exclaim.
"We'll let you go home. We'll see you tomorrow for your first day of princess training."
"Thank you, Queen Clarion. Thank you, Lord Milori."
"You're welcome."
Becky flies off, and heads home.