Chapter 11

They just stood in each other's embrace. Milori pulled back slightly and wiped Clarion's tears away.

"Ree, it's ok. My wings didn't break. They're fine." Clarion still cried.

"Milori, they almost broke! How could I have let that happen?" Milori sighed at her words; she was blaming herself.

"Clarion it was not your fault. I wanted to go into the warm seasons. And it doesn't matter my wings are ok." He lifted her chin. She stopped crying and smiled. "I love you Clarion." He kissed her cheek gently.

"I love you too Milori." She hugged him tightly. It was a close call and they now knew it couldn't happen again. Clarion looked up and the sky.

"Clarion, I'll see you tomorrow, but I should get deeper into the cold." Clarion nodded her head.

"Please be safe my love." Clarion kissed his nose.

"Of course, fly safely." Clarion nodded, hugged him again, and then flew off. "I shouldn't have let him cross. I knew all along something like this would happen. Thank goodness his wings didn't break. I would never forgive myself if he broke his wings." Clarion flew back to her room. "I can't tell a single fairy this…ever."

"Why did I cross? I should have known better! I could have seriously hurt myself. And I made Clarion cry! Tonight was supposed to be perfect." Milori scolded himself mentally as he flew home. He suddenly found himself smiling and he didn't know why. Then it hit him. "Clarion took me places I've never been before tonight. Maybe it was perfect in its own way…" He pondered over this as he drifted to sleep, remembering the look in her eyes.

The next morning Clarion awoke eager for training. She was almost done so she was doing more hands on actives. She hadn't even thought about the night before until her mother asked her how her night was at breakfast. The Ministers were all there so Clarion hid her emotions.

"It was fine Mother. I had an interesting night." Queen Aurora smiled. "What shall we be doing today?" Clarion asked hoping to change the subject. The queen picked up on it and told her the plans for the day.

"You will go around with me to check the seasons. We have to check the Tinker's to see if they've caught back up. The head Tinker has been falling behind. We've been thinking of replacing her but haven't found a fairy suitable."

"Fairy Mary!" The princess blurted out. She recovered quickly and calmly continued. "Fairy Mary is one of the hardest working Tinkers out there! She always has her work done, and often picks up the slack of others. She would be perfect as head tinker. Plus, she's always wanted to." Clarion looked hopefully at the queen. After a moment of thought the queen spoke.

"Ok. Clarion tomorrow we will have everyone come to the Pixie Dust Tree and you will announce it to the fairies of Pixie Hollow." Clarion looked happily at her mother. "But don't tell her yet, it should be a surprise." Clarion nodded. "Anyway after that we have to go to the border and speak to the Lord and Milori." Queen Aurora hadn't used Milori's official title and thankfully nobody wondered why.

"We are meeting the Lord of Winter today?" Clarion's heart skipped a beat as she worried about her boyfriend.

"Yes at around noon." The queen finished eating and Clarion drank the last of her tea. Clarion hoped her mother didn't sense her worry and fear. However, the queen did, and as soon as they were alone she questioned her daughter. "Ok Clarion. Tell me everything that happened last night. And remember a queen and her heir must never lie." She hated using it against Clarion, but she felt something had gone terribly wrong.

"Well first I forgot our anniversary. But he forgave me and I wanted to make it up to him…" Clarion trailed off, she didn't exactly want to tell her mom what happened next.

"And what did you do?" Her mother had any idea but didn't want to believe it. Her Clarion wouldn't do that.

"I started to kiss him and then I…" Clarion thought for a moment on how to word it, "I let him touch me." Clarion looked down at her feet.

"Is that all that happened?" Her mother raised an eyebrow.

"No," Clarion sighed. "We ran back to my bedroom-" Aurora gasped and looked at her daughter in shock. "But before we could do anything he collapsed." Clarion shivered at the thought of Milori collapsing. "I got him back to the border in time. His wings were ok." Queen Aurora sighed of relief. She looked at Clarion.

"Is he ok now?"

"He was fine when we said good night last night."

"Clarion," Her mother paused searching for words. "Were you going to go all the way with Milori?"

"Yes." Clarion answered simply. Her mother sighed. Queen Aurora was about to say more when she saw the look on Clarion's face. Guilt was eating at her precious baby girl alive.

"Clarion, it's ok. I'm not upset with you. I understand you love Milori very much. You two got lucky, next time someone's wings might break. You have to remember the dangers ok?" Clarion nodded as Queen Aurora hugged her tightly. They flew and soon were cheerfully talking again. They checked up on all the preparations and then flew to Tinker's Nook. They found Fairy Mary working hard and the current head tinker, Bobbi, sleeping. Queen Aurora sighed at the sleeping fairy. Clarion flew over to her friend. "Mother knows now, and even though I said I wouldn't tell anyone, I might as well tell Mary. She is my best friend after all." They two began to talk and Ree retold the hold story, only this time she added more details in. Mary hung on every word as she weaved a basket.

"Ree, I can't believe it! Does Queen Aurora know?" Mary's voice was filled with surprise and shock.

"Yes, she knows all of it." Clarion looked towards her mother who had woken Bobbi and was scolding her. Clarion smiled at the thought of Mary being head tinker. She wanted to tell her so badly, but knew the surprise would be so much better. Queen Aurora flitted over to them and Mary looked away.

"I'm guessing you told Mary about your night, Ree?" Aurora looked at them as they nodded. "Well don't tell anyone else Clarion, Mary." They nodded again. The queen smirked and chuckled. "You look very shocked Mary."

"Yes I am Queen Aurora! I just can't believe Clarion would move his hands there, and then take him to her room!" The queen gasped.

"Mary! I didn't tell her I started it!" Clarion turned beet red as she whispered yelled at her friend.

"Clarion!" Her mother exclaimed. "You…I can't believe it! I thought it was Milori!" The queen could hardly speak in complete sentences.

"Mother, please don't be mad! You told me early you weren't mad!" Clarion was almost shouting. The queen took a deep breath.

"I'm not mad Ree. I'm just surprised, that's all." Clarion sighed in relief. "Now we have to go to the border. We don't want to keep Milori waiting!" Her mother spoke with sarcasm. Clarion waved good bye to Mary as they flew off. "I guess I'm going to have to have a talk with the two of you at some point huh?" She laughed lightly as they landed near the border. The lord and Milori were already there. Milori smiled brightly when he was Clarion. Seeing her love smile eased her nerves. Queen Aurora and Lord Jameson talked quietly to themselves for a few minutes.

"Hello darling." Milori whispered to Clarion.

"You're ok!" Clarion gushed at her boyfriend.

"Yes, and even better now that you're here with me." Clarion blushed. Milori smiled at her; he loved seeing her blush. "Do you know what this meeting is about?" Milori looked her into the eyes.

"No I'm not sure." Clarion looked back; she wanted to kiss him but knew she couldn't. Not with Lord Jameson here. "I hope mother doesn't tell Lord Jameson about us." Milori was about to reply when Queen Aurora interrupted.

"As you two know, you're training is almost over. Lord Jameson's and I rein is coming to an end." Clarion heart broke at the thought of losing her mother.

"When you take over we will live for a few more weeks. We will help you adjust to the responsibility; then we will fade." Lord Jameson continued.

"We have met here today to tell you all that you will be crowned in one week." Queen Aurora said happily. Clarion smiled and hugged her mother. Milori just stood and waited. Lord Jameson wasn't like Queen Aurora. He was mean and strict. Many winter fairies couldn't wait until his rein was over.

"This is amazing! Thank you Queen Aurora, Lord Jameson." Clarion spoke properly.

"You will be wonderful at ruling your kingdoms." Queen Aurora told the secret couple.

"Thank you for having faith in us Lord Jameson, Queen Aurora." Milori bowed as he spoke. Lord Jameson excused himself, saying he had matters to attend to. When the lord was out of sight, Clarion pulled Milori into a hug.

"We are going to be rulers!" She cried happily. He bent down and kissed her lips softly. That's when Queen Aurora broke them apart.

"You don't think you kissed enough last night?" She said jokingly. Milori blushed.

"I had to tell her everything." Clarion looked at her lover. "Sorry."

"It's ok Clarion. But you told her everything?" Clarion nodded her head and Milori looked sheepishly at Aurora.

"It's alright Milori. I'm not angry or upset. But just know that Clarion can get pregnant."

"What?" They said in unison.

"Yes, the queen of Pixie Hollow is the only fairy who can get pregnant. You didn't know that?"

"No…" The both looked at each other with shock. Queen Aurora laughed.

"But I know that won't happen, right?" The couple shook their heads and Queen Aurora flew off. Milori changed the subject and they talked happily the rest of the night. The queen's talk wasn't brought up again and they were both relived. They kissed good night and flew off; neither of them knowing the plan Aurora, Mary, and Dewey were putting together.

So Milori's wing isn't broken yet! Yay! I know everyone thought it had broken, but I have a lot of ideas to fit in and I thought they should have a warning! Hope y'all like it so far!