December 2, Winter, year 36

Hikari and Miharu have fabricated what they think will be the antidote. Instead of using hair and blood from Suiren—which was how it was made in the first place—they used some of Skye's. Hikari swears up and down that it will negate the effects of using Suiren's and return him to himself without having any side effects like narcissism.

Miharu wants me there for him when he wakes up, but I'm so scared… what if it doesn't work? I don't think I could take another 'do I know you?' from him…

"Pull yourself together Claire," the blonde muttered at herself, whapping her hands to her cheeks. "You watched the whole process, had every step explained to you, and you could even recreate it yourself if you had to."

Probably not to the same effect or potency that Hikari had it at, but the herbs, the measurements… yes, she could recreate it.

Claire looked down at her hands. They were shaking so badly that she gave up and put the pen down in the journal. Writing any more would result in illegibility, and even if she didn't want to re-read it later, having an illegible journal entry would annoy her.

With a soft sigh, she lay back against the soft pillows of the bed, and stretched her left arm up towards the ceiling, studying the wedding ring on her finger. She had been wearing where it belonged for the past months, it was going to be strange to go home and have it back on the chain again… Abruptly sat up again, as something occurred to her.

The pendant. The diamond pendant that Skye had, that matched hers. Subconsciously her hand went to said pendant, griping it tightly.

He had still been wearing it!

Despite herself, hope began to well up in her heart. If he hadn't taken off the symbol of their union, maybe it really would be as easy as Hikari said.

She intended to close her eyes only for a brief moment, to close them only in hope and prayer, but somewhere in there prayer turned to sleep.

Sora winced a little as Miharu prodded at him with her healer's instruments.

"Is this really necessary?" he asked. "I feel fine Miharu."

"It's double-checking," Miharu replied, smacking his hands away from her probing. "A concussion is nothing to sneeze at my Prince. Have you been experiencing any headaches?"

Sora closed his sea-green eyes and suppressed another sigh. He had, but they had all been caused by Suiren and her insistent nagging about things. Why he wouldn't kiss her properly, why he refused to sleep with her, why he was up at all hours of the night, and so on and so on.

It made him long to spend another few hours with Claire and her silence, her way of asking nothing in a way that made him want to speak.

He'd gone back several times in the past five days, hoping to meet her again in the garden, but hadn't had any luck in the slightest. It was strange, because her hair color was impossible to miss…

It meant that she hadn't been in the gardens then, nor had she been any place else he'd checked. And he was running out of places to look where he would be overlooked. If his fascination with Claire became obvious, there would be a fight with Suiren, and it wouldn't be a small one.

Not to mention the court gossip and the shredding of reputations… He jumped when Miharu's next healing item smacked him upside the head. The healer's expression was annoyed, and Sora had the grace to look sheepish.

"I hate to have to rush you my Prince," Miharu sighed, "but once I'm finished with you I have to run an examination on Claire. She has been under an uncommon load of stress lately and I want to ensure that it's doing no harm to her unborn children."

Instantly she had his attention, in a way that almost startled her. The intensity in his sea-green eyes… Clearly despite Suiren's attempts, the potion hadn't been as successful as she'd wanted it to be.

Miharu turned her back on the prince temporarily, putting together the antidote on the table behind her. It had to look like it was a health potion, otherwise he would become too suspicious and Claire's dreams would be dashed.

"Alright, drink this, and then you're free to go," she sighed again. "And do try to keep out of trouble this time, I don't need another harangue from Suiren over something stupid that she did."

Sora eyed the beaker with distaste, like any sane Person, he abhorred healing potions being shoved down his throat. But with Miharu watching him like a hawk—what was a hawk?—he obediently down the contents.

Within seconds, he was out like a light. Miharu shook her head lightly, face apologetic.

"My apologies," she said softly. "But I cannot bear to see her so unhappy."

Tenshi had roused Claire from her slumber with the news that the potion had taken effect, and if she hurried, she would be able to be there when Skye came around. Claire, not surprisingly, dawdled, her nerves jangling.

In the end it took Lauren and Jamie literally pushing her out the door to make her move faster, and Tenshi half-pulling her the rest of the way to the Healer's Hall.

Miharu had chased everyone out or a small sector, even going so far as to make sure none of them were trying to blend into the walls to ensure that nothing would mess this up.

Hikari was waiting outside on a bench, fast asleep. She had spent her nights awake, working faster than she ever had before to create and complete the mind-alteration potion, so it was understandable that she was out of it. Claire didn't even register the Princess's presence as Tenshi pulled her along, trying desperately to keep from being sick out of nerves.

Miharu pushed Claire firmly onto the stool next to the bed where Skye rested, his face pale and dewed with sweat.

"Is this normal?" the blonde's heart was jumping into her throat.

"Yes Claire, it's normal," Miharu rested a hand on her shoulder and sent a small trickle of magic into the woman, enough to keep her from fidgeting her way off the stool. "It's just a reaction of one potion counter-acting another. He should be coming around within the hour."

Claire's eyes focused on his face for a long moment, then down at the silver and diamond pendant around his neck. She reached out carefully, and ran her hand along his cheek.

"Wake up," she whispered, eyes filling with tears. "Please, come back to me."

Miharu gently pulled Claire away.

"Examination first," the healer said sternly. "I've been hearing some very incriminating things about you young lady."

Claire didn't know whether to groan, blush, or giggle.

This was the second time in less than a week he'd woken up with a headache. Had he fallen down the stairs again?

Skye let out a faint groan. He didn't want to open his eyes at all, not after what that potion had done to him. What had Miharu put in it to bring out that sort of reaction? A gentle, familiar hand slipped under his head, easing it up slightly, and a cup was pressed to his lips.

"Drink this, Miharu promises it'll make the headache go away."

Why did Claire sound so afraid? No, it was more than afraid, she sounded like she was in danger of breaking apart… Obediently he took a couple of sips, gagged a little at the taste—too much mint—and waited a few moments for the headache to recede.

As it did, he began to recall what had happened over the past few days. As the memories rushed into him, her found himself turning hot and cold with anger and embarrassment. Instantly he was up, spilling the rest of the contents of the cups onto the floor as he grabbed Claire and pulled her into a tight hug.

She squeaked in surprise, and clutched at him as he overbalanced them both and they landed on the stone floor with a pair of matched thumps. His hands clutched at the familiar cotton of her shirt, the rough texture of the denim overalls, the softness of her hair.

Apologies spilled from his lips, as he clung to her, until she reached up and silenced him with a simply touch of her fingers. He looked down at her a mixture of afraid and hopeful.

"It's okay," her voice was choked, tears of relief and joy sliding down her face. "It's okay. It wasn't your fault. I forgive you."

The words caused relief to stream through Skye, and he bowed his head to her shoulder, and wept a little himself as she hid her face against his chest, arms around his neck.

Miharu held a finger to her lips and shooed Tenshi out of the room ahead of her. They would leave them alone for now, and find out the details later.

Once Claire and Skye had both calmed down, Skye started to speak again, detailing everything that had happened in the past eight days between him and Suiren. In short, nothing.

"All I could think about was you," he said softly, caressing his wife's—his real wife's—face. "And it just about killed anything Suiren was going to try."

There it was, the smile he'd been trying to produce even when he couldn't remember her. Teary, but full of love and warmth. All of it was true, even Suiren's attempt at spiking his drink had failed to really do anything but put him to sleep, much to the arrogant Princess's frustration, and following complaint the next morning. Proof that she really couldn't tell the difference between an aphrodisiac and a sleep-helper.

She leaned into his touch, eyes sliding closed. Eight strenuous, torturous days were finally at an end, and the exhaustion of over-loaded emotions was finally sweeping over her.

"Claire?" Skye's voice was soft, as he pulled her close again, recognizing the imminent slumber.

"Mmm?"

"I love you."

"I love you too."

Skye refused any help in carrying his sleeping wife back to their room, he wanted nothing more than to continue holding her, looking at her, hearing her…

Had he not been carrying Claire, he would have been dog-piled the second he stepped through the door. Lauren, managed to gab the younger twins while Jamie caught Meri mid jump.

Skye chuckled softly and laid Claire down on the bed, then opened his arms to his children. Instantly they all piled in, crying, laughing, and talking all at once. It was a sound that he would never have thought to hear again.

Sooner than they wanted though, the silver-haired man extracted himself from them, and promised to return shortly. He had a few things to 'discuss' with Suiren.

Suiren was waiting in her guest-chambers, hands on her hips. Anger turned her cheeks crimson as the door opened, and Skye appeared.

"Where have you been?" she demanded. "Don't you know we have things to do before your brother gets married in two days?!"

"Whatever plans you may have can be changed," Skye's voice was cold. "You are no longer welcome here."

For a long moment the Princess's grey eyes showed nothing but blank confusion, which slowly bled into shock and horror. Skye's eyes were as cold as his voice.

"Under the sufferance of my Lady Mother, you will be granted three days post Dai and Tsu's wedding to be off the palace ground, and you are to never return," He glared, and the pampered princess found herself shrinking back in fright. "You are not to show your face to myself, my wife, or my children ever again."

"B-but I-"

"Silence!" Skye thundered, sounding for a brief moment like his departed father in full regal mode. "The terms are far more generous than you deserve Suiren, and the only reason you're getting off this lightly is because you are the eldest in your family."

With that, Skye swept from the room, closing the door sharply behind him. He didn't even want to look at her after such a trick.

When he returned to the room, Claire was awake, her face a picture of despair that transformed to undiluted joy when he walked in.

"It wasn't a dream," she whispered.

He held out his arms, and she rushed into them. She wasn't crying but she clung, hands tight in the fabric of his shirt, and whispered about her newest dreams. He soothed her, smoothed her hair back, and listened.

It was the same as the other dreams, holding the blue knife and pursuing. This time she could see the long, silver-white hair just barely out of reach, but no other details were forthcoming.

Gently, Skye kissed her forehead.

"Don't try to force the details love," he reprimanded kindly. "Long hair means it's a female, likely one of the visiting princesses. I'll tell Akio to keep a watch over them all, will that suffice?"

"Y-yeah," Claire rested her head against his chest, letting her eyes close again in relief. "I think it'll help if nothing else.."

Dreams… but he's back. He's back and can help me. Thank goodness. I don't know what I would have done if it hadn't turned out okay.

Everyone's happy to have him back. Me most of all. I finally feel like I can relax, even though I really can't. I'm helping Tsuyu in her dress preparations, so I'm still as busy as ever.

But it feels better now. He's here. At my side. And I just know that everything will turn out alright.