"We suspect that your father is fading soon."
Clarion drops her fork, making a loud ring across the room. "W-what?" She stutters.
"He's been growing weaker, his glow is dimming, he doesn't have a lot of time." Queen Maeve says. Clarion can't even find the words to speak as she stands and runs off to her father's room, leaving her mother in the dining room.
Sure enough, Dayton lays on his bed, eyes closed and chest rising and falling. He was never one to take naps so seeing him in bed in the afternoon was rare.
"Is it true?" She asks from the doorway.
Dayton opens his eyes and turns his head to face her. He gives a small nod of his head. Clarion drops to her knees by the side of his bed as her sobs wreak through her body.
"Don't cry, love." He coos, though they only make her cry harder.
"D-don't go, please." She cries. "I don't know what I'd do."
"You're strong, Ree. You don't need me."
"I do, I'll always need you." She says, sobbing harder when she sees a tear fall from his eyes.
"I won't go yet. Stay and talk to me, okay?"
"Okay." She sniffles.
Clarion sits on the side of his bed and they talk about anything they could think of. Reliving old memories, friends, past experiences.
"Do you remember the first time you learned to fly?" He asks.
"Not really."
"You failed many times. But the determination on your little face was so cute."
She smiled. "How old was I?"
"Around four I believe. Your wings took some time to get strong enough to support your weight." He replies. "You know, I was sure I saw a hint of a smile on your mother's face the first time you succeeded."
"I would have never thought." She chuckles, looking into his eyes as they were enveloped in a comforting silence.
"I met a boy." Clarion tells him shortly into the quiet.
"Yeah?" He smiles. "Do you like him?"
"A little. I think he's sweet."
"Tell me about him."
"Well, he's funny and smart, he gives good advice. He likes to read too. He looks so happy when he talks about the books he likes." She gushes. "I don't like to read that much but he makes me want to read a book so we'll have more to talk about."
"He must be lucky to be fancied by you."
"I don't know if he likes me back."
"He would be a fool not to like you too." Dayton smiles.
"You think so?"
"I do. It's good you're finding love. Just don't let it distract you from your royal duties." He jokes.
"I won't. Pixie Hollow will be my top priority."
"Good girl."
Dayton started getting tired again so Clarion left to let him rest. She runs into her mother on the way back to her room.
"I'd like to spend the rest of my time with him until he fades if that's okay." She says.
"That's fine." Queen Maeve replies. "I'll relieve you for the next few days."
"Thank you, mother."
"It won't be easy losing someone you care about, Clarion." Queen Maeve starts. "But I want you to stay strong."
"I'll try my best." said Clarion.
"Run along now."
.｡*ﾟ+.*.｡
The sun hadn't started to set yet, however the Home Tree started feeling slightly too loud and crowded the longer she stayed. Helper fairies could be heard bustling about in the hallways, kitchen talent fairies flying about to deliver food. Clarion decides to grab a bite and leave for the border early.
No one is at the border when the princess arrives. Of course, the sun hadn't started to disappear beneath the west yet. Thus, it gave her ample time to have some time alone, to think about everything going on. They'd only recently lost Lily about a month ago, she barely got time to truly get over her fading although she knew she might never get over her father's.
"You're here early." She hears Milori come up beside her.
"I needed some time to think." She says.
"Is this not a good time?" He asks.
"No, please stay." She calls back. "I think I really need a friend."
Milori sits down beside her. "Have you been crying?" He asks, noticing the red around her eyes.
Clarion takes a deep breath. "My father's fading."
"O-oh." He realises. "I'm sorry."
"I don't know what to do, Milori." She admits, voice breaking as she pulls her knees to her chest. "I feel like everyone's leaving."
"I mean, everyone is going to fade away one day." Milori trails off but doesn't miss the sorrowful look Clarion throws at him. "Sorry, I'm not very good at the comforting thing."
Clarion sighs. "No, it's okay. I shouldn't throw all this at you at once if you're uncomfortable."
"I'm not uncomfortable, you can tell me anything. I just can't promise I'll say the right things sometimes." He says quickly. "I'll do my best to help you though."
"Thank you. That's all I want." Clarion wipes her nose and smiles.
"The Lord of Winter is choosing who will succeed him in about a week." Milori says, trying to distract her.
"How are the odds?"
"I don't know. They look about even right now."
"What's Snowflake like?"
"She's a glacier fairy, a really talented one. She's the kind of person that will practice her talent while everyone has fun."
"Hyacinth's a little like that too." Clarion chuckles. "He's so nervous about being the minister of spring that it's all he talks about now."
"Does he talk a lot?"
"He likes to ramble. His thoughts just kind of flow out of his mouth sometimes."
"Snowflake's the exact opposite." Milori starts. "No one knows what she's thinking. Sometimes I think she secretly hates me."
"I'm sure that's not true."
"I guess we'll never know." He grins.
"Are you nervous?" She looks up at him.
"Slightly. I want the position, but Snowflake works really hard for it too." He admits.
"Whatever happens, it all comes down to the Lord's choice. You just have to trust that you've done enough."
Milori looks up into the sky, now filled with a million stars. "Do you have a wish?"
"What?"
"I read that if you wish on a star, it'll come true."
"Have you wished on a star?" She asks, looking at the stars too.
"I haven't thought of anything I want so much yet."
"Not even being the lord?"
"I don't mind if I'm not chosen. At least I'll know that the Winter Woods will be under some good governing." He says honestly. "You?"
"I don't think theres anything I want to wish on."
"Not even your father?"
"It's inevitable isn't it. If I could change it I would but it's not possible. He'll go no matter what." She says sadly. "I guess I'll be saving my wish."
"I don't think there's a limit, Ree." He laughs slightly.
"I'll save it anyway. On something I really want." She smiles, looking into his eyes.
.｡*ﾟ+.*.｡
It has been said that the soul doesn't leave the body until it turns completely cold. So Clarion kneeled next to her father's bed, his hand in hers. She didn't let go, not until it went cold.
"I'll watch over you too." Dayton told her.
"I've already got Lily doing that." She tries to make light of the situation despite her voice breaking.
"We'll all watch over you. Your mother too. You always have our support."
"I really don't want you to go." She sobs. "Who will I go to now? I need you."
"You don't need me, Ree. I know you can do this all by yourself."
"I can't. I have no idea what to do when everyone leaves."
"Trust in yourself. You'll know exactly what to do. You're smart, you know?" He smiles sadly. "I'll have your back. Always."
She tries in vain to wipe the tears but they keep coming. "I love you."
"I love you too. Don't forget."
"I won't" She promises. "I'll be here 'til the end."
Thus, Queen Maeve slowly places her hands on Clarion's shoulders, helping her up and leading her out of the room when she finally lets go of his hand.
"You've been good to me, and Clarion too. For that I will be forever grateful." Clarion heard her mother tell him. She had never heard her mother say she was grateful for anything or show much affection but it was nice. For a moment she felt like she had a full family. Her, her dad and her mom.
"I'm so sorry, Clarion." Sunflower says as she comes out of the room, Redleaf and Hyacinth coming up behind her.. No one had seen the princess in tears before. Clarion doesn't have the energy to say anything but gives them a teary look before heading off to bed.
"He loved you so much. You were like the light of his life." said the queen , opening up her door for her. Wordlessly, she lies down on her bed, tears staining the pillow as she falls asleep.
.｡*ﾟ+.*.｡
"Clarion?" Queen Maeve calls from her doorway. "You haven't had breakfast." She places a tray down on the nightstand.
"Wasn't hungry." Clarion comments. She had been awake for a while, breakfast just didn't seem like the most appealing thing.
"I hope you at least get a bite or two. I don't want you going hungry."
"So now you choose to be a good parent?" Clarion snaps.
Queen Maeve sighs. "I know I haven't been the best mother, I don't think I'm very good at the whole parenting thing. But I know losing him hurts. It saddens me more than you think. I just wanted to see if you were alright."
"I'm sad." She says simply. "Everything just hurts right now."
"I know. That's completely normal." Queen Maeve replies, grabbing a hairbrush from a table and moves to sit next to her. "Turn around."
"What are you doing?" Clarion asks, puzzled.
"Brushing your hair. It looks like a mess."
"Why? I'm not going anywhere."
"It always makes me feel better." Queen Maeve says, combing through her light brown hair. "I like it when I look presentable, don't you?"
"I never really gave it a thought." She replies, not feeling like arguing.
"Of course. You've never been one to care about what you looked like." Queen Maeve sighs.
"I do care, just not as much as you do."
Queen Maeve picks up a few pins from her nightstand and proceeds to insert them into her hair. "It has been said that fairies turn into a star when they fade." She starts.
Clarion snaps her head up. "Where did you learn that?"
"Read it in a book."
"You read?"
"I used to. I am too busy to read much anymore."
"So where are your books now?" Clarion asks.
"Deep in the library. There are lots of books you probably don't know about." She replies.
"Can I see them?"
Queen Maeve raises her eyebrows. "Since when do you read stories?"
"I want to give them a try."
"I suppose I could show you some of them when we're not too busy." The queen answers.
"Do you believe it? The star thing?" Clarion asks.
Queen Maeve chuckles. "I'd like to. Stars are all over Pixie Hollow at night. I like to imagine that they're watching over us. Now, what do you think?" She asks, bringing a hand held mirror over.
Clarion takes a look at herself in the mirror. Her eyes are bloodshot and she is suddenly aware of the tenderness she feels around them and the way her nose is slightly blocked. However, her hair was intricately pinned up into an intricate bun at the top of her head. It's different from the way she lets her hair down, or pins a part of it up but it makes her look older, more mature. "I think I quite like it." She says honestly.
"That's good. I think you look beautiful like this." She smiles, returning the mirror and the brush to their original places. "You look quite put together." She adds.
"I'm in my nightgown, mom."
"That's why I said quite." She jokes, turning to the door. "It hurts, and it's gonna hurt for a while. You can feel sad but soon you're going to have to accept it."
"I know." Clarion breathes, her heart heavy.
Heyy pls leave a review if you can ! I'm going through a bit of writer's block rn so if some of you can give me suggestions on how to improve my writing or if there is anything you guys wanna see it would be very much appreciated :)
Also thank you to everyone who's followed the story this far! means a lot to me.