Clarion doubted their relationship a lot of times. A lot of nights she spent lying awake thinking of what she had done. It was a bad idea to become enamoured for someone who she was fated to be apart from in the first place. But they got along so well it's like they were also fated to be together and her self control wears thin sometimes. And she loved him so much that it pained her. It pained until tears rolled down her face and collected on her pillows.

But could fate really be so cruel that they could never exist like any other couple in love? For so long she thought that she would be alright being confined to that one spot where it was safe for the both of them. But as she observed the other fairies around her, envy bubbled slowly watching them be able to hold hands, go on dates, and dance together at parties. While she wasn't much of a dancer herself, what she would give to be able to do those things with him.

The thoughts make her question her capability as her new queen as she grew obsessed with them she hardly thought about anything else. Her heart yearned for him and the time she wished they could spend together every waking moment. Deep inside she knew the day would come when being confined to that one spot would never be enough.

One day she had enough and brought her winter coat to the border at sunset. Milori looked at her in surprise. "Why did you bring your coat?" He asked,

"Can I cross, please?" She begged,

"Ree, it's late. It gets really cold at this time." He tries to reason.

Clarion didn't want to cry but she could already feel that sinking feeling start to arise. She already knew he would object, but she didn't care.

"Please?" was all she could say. She didn't even know how to express the thoughts she was thinking, couldn't seem to meet his eyes.

He seems to study her for a moment before he takes the coat she clutched tightly to her chest. "Where do you want to go?" He asked, draping it around her shoulders and tucking her wings snugly inside.

"Anywhere." She's thankful Mary was extra thoughtful (and protective) to make her coat extra thick to protect her against the night cold.

"It's too cold to go to my place, but the caves are warmer, shall we find one?"

Clarion nods her head, following him into the Winter Woods. She holds his hand as their footprints trail behind them. It was so simple, walking next to him hand in hand. But something so simple that other fairies might take for granted was a privilege for them. It felt like an undeserved reward.

Milori finds a small cave not far away from the border. He collected some fallen wood along the way and used them to make a fire in the middle to serve as warmth and light. "Are you cold?"

She shakes her head, sitting down in front of the fire. It's as warm as a cave in winter could be. Milori plants himself next to her. No matter how hard she tried to resist, she still shivered against the cold. He was right, it was too cold for her to be there, which only made the tears she tried to hold back, fall. She pulled her knees closer to her chest as she shook from her sobs. He doesn't say anything, just pulls her into his arms. She sought refuge in his arms, not caring that he was cold too.

Her warm tears rolled down her face, wetting his blue tunic. He didn't quite know what to do, just rubbed her waist and ran his fingers through the hair down her back. She's fully curled into him now, but it's better, not as cold anymore. Not crying as hard anymore, she peers up at him under her wet lashes.

"Kiss me?" Clarion asks and he obliges, kisses her as sweetly as he can. He can taste a bit of her salty tears but he doesn't care. Anything to make her feel better.

She wanted to talk. To tell him everything she felt, the purpose she wanted to come here, but she couldn't. How could she explain that all she wanted was to feel like a normal couple for a while? Still though, it didn't feel normal. Other couples didn't feel a deep chill in their bones when they were together. They were too different. The stars were working against them constantly and eventually as their love grows, it wouldn't end well for either of them. She knew he knew it too and he deserved to live a happy life without this constant cloud of reality hanging over their heads. She wanted it for him even if she wasn't in that life. Which was why she was ending things with him that night.

"Ree." Milori said quietly, interrupting her thoughts. "I don't know what happened. But if you want to talk I'm right here. You don't have to talk if you don't want to, we can do whatever. But I love you so much and I'm here. I'm always here for you."

Another tear falls down to the ground below. She's not done crying yet. "Forever?"

"Forever." He echoed. "I'm so in love with you."

Clarion interlocks their fingers, bringing their laced hands up against her chest. "Me too, Milori."

He was her whole world and nothing could change that. Perhaps they were more normal than she thought. Their love for each other was the same as what others had for each other. And although they were completely at the mercy of a cruel fate, One look at him and call her selfish, but she knew she didn't have it in her to leave.

If this was their reality forever, she didn't care anymore. All she needed was him.

She kissed him harder, wrapping her arms tightly around him like he was air and she couldn't get enough. Gently, he lays her down on the ground, gazing softly into her eyes. Illuminated by the warm glow of the fire, he could tell her cheeks and nose were red although he couldn't tell if the reason for it was the cold or crying or both.

Milori wipes a stray tear from her eyes. "I want to stay here forever." she tells him.

He laughs softly. "This place is not fit for a queen."

"It's got you. It's more than fit enough for me." She smiled for the first time that night and she meant it. She would have given the world to freeze time at that moment. There's so much more she wanted- was going to tell him but it could wait. Clarion didn't know until when but it would be okay.

Slowly, curled into his side, she drifts off into sleep. When she awoke the next morning, the fire was still going strong. Milori had kept it going throughout the night for her.