Author's Note: Thank you for the kind review, Wilhelm Wigworthy! I got on a roll last night writing the first four chapters. Hope everyone enjoys!

It was, oddly enough, a pleasant surprise to see him at the meeting the next day.

"The Queen and I have agreed to keep the animals in winter for another couple weeks while the floods are cleaned up. Has the frost been applied to the pumpkins?" Milori asked Gliss.

Clarion was more than happy to sit back and let him run the meeting this time. To her amazement, it felt wonderful to let someone else take charge and figure things out. She stood back and watched Milori as he doled out orders and answered questions.

He looked at her. "Is that agreeable?"

"Huh?" she asked suddenly when all eyes turned to her.

A soft smile crinkled his eyes. "Is it agreeable with you if we bring a few rabbits into winter so there will be more to breed in the spring and bring back the population?"

She met his pale eyes, a soft blush overcoming her. "It is agreeable, my lord," she answered.

He smiled-a private smile between them-and then continued negotiations.

When they were adjourning, she hung back.

"Is everything alright?" he asked.

Stepping closer to the border, she folded her hands and looked up at him, a bit embarrassed. "Thank you for taking care of things today. I think I'm still exhausted from staying up the past few days."

"You don't have to give excuses. Sometimes it's nice to be reminded we aren't alone," he said gently.

Her eyes widened, realizing he had heard her words last night.

"Don't look so panicked," he smiled softly.

She looked down at her hands sadly. "It's getting late. You should get home to your family."

He didn't respond, so she started to leave.

"May I meet you here tomorrow?" he asked suddenly.

Turning, she looked at him in confusion. "Did we not discuss a topic you needed to today?"

"Yes. You."

"Pardon?" she half laughed in surprise.

"You puzzle me, my lady. You try to keep your heart hard when it isn't," he said solemnly and reached out to gently stroke his cool knuckles over her cheek.

It was so unexpected yet so right. Her eyes instinctively closed and she cupped his strong hand over her cheek. The weight on her shoulders lifted but for an instant, and her heart felt so free. To be cared for, even though it was only for a moment in time, felt so wonderful.

"Meet me tomorrow at sunset," he asked, his voice gentle yet strong-like a blanket wrapping around her.

She opened her eyes and remembered herself. Dropping her hand and stepping back, she replied crisply, "We will meet again when there's council in three days. Good day, Lord of Winter."

He openly sighed as she flew away.

Clarion sat at her window the next night, half tempted to go to the border and see if Milori was waiting for her. He seemed the type who would go because it meant keeping his word, even though she had implied she wouldn't be there.

He puzzled her with his intelligence and manner. And it irritated her to no end that he teased her-she had a feeling he had been teasing her again that he wanted to discuss her tonight. Well, she wouldn't fall for that. If he thought her a dimwit just because she was a female, he had another thought coming. She knew his type-the type that thought females needed rescuing and their hands held. Not many of her male fairies treated the females as lower counterparts, but she had come across a few. And had quickly shown them that was unacceptable in her lands.

However, that thought led to another, more disturbing one. Did her fairies truly think her arrogant? Was she a harsh ruler? She thought she was fair and just, listening to complaints and taking action when needed. None of the fairies needed more punishment than a day sent home in solitude for fairies hardly had an evil bone in their body. They were more mischievous than anything and often ran into trouble from their curiosity. But when she laid down the law, it was obeyed. But why were the laws obeyed without question?

She got up and walked out her chamber doors, nodding to the startled guards.

"Queen Clarion, do you need assistance? It's late for you to be going out," one of the guards asked and started following her.

"I am going to see Fairy Mary. You may accompany me if it sets your mind at ease, Bernard."

"Yes, my queen. It's past midnight, and bats are likely to be out. It would ease me greatly."

They arrived at Mary's without incident, although they did hear the bats out. The guard knocked on the door.

Mary answered with sleepy eyes in her night clothes. "Oh! What's wrong?" she asked in a panic when she saw Clarion.

They entered and Clarion nodded for the guard to wait in the front room. The she took Mary's arm and led her into the bedroom. Closing the door, she turned to a wide-eyed Mary.

"Forgive the intrusion, Mary. Nothing is wrong. You asked that I confide in you, and I have something weighing on my mind that prevents me from sleeping."

Mary blinked. "Now you want to confide in me? It's the middle of the night."

She nodded hopefully and bit her lip.

"Alright," she sighed and sat down on the bed, giving it a pat next to her.

Clarion sat, her back ramrod straight like a proper queen's should be. "Am I arrogant?"

"What?"

Clarion's wings drooped slightly. "Do the fairies think I'm arrogant? Do you?"

Her brow furrowed. "No. Why would you think that? The fairies trust you and know you have a lot to handle..."

"But?"

"Well," Mary sighed and looked away uncomfortably. "The fairies are a bit afraid of you."

"Afraid?" she asked in horror.

"It's just that...oh my." Her little wings fluttered nervously. "You are so serious and unemotional around them. They know you care, but you seem so...cold." She looked up at Clarion.

Clarion stared at the floor, shocked by this news. "Mary?" she asked softly. "Am I a bad queen? In truth?"

"No," she snorted. "Goodness me, I think Pixie Hollow would fall apart under any other queen. You are simply too...isolated." She set a hand over Clarion's in her lap. "You need to remember to play." She hesitated. "I think Lord Milori remembers how."

Clarion stood quickly and started pacing in agitation. "Yes, he is a bit childish, isn't he?"

Mary smiled. "It sounds like he is a good lord."

"And an arrogant one! Do you know he tried to tell me when I should and shouldn't be out?!" she huffed and nibbled on her nail.

"Good. Someone should tell you not to be out after dark."

Clarion's golden eyes shot to Mary.

"Come now," Mary said with a smile and walked over. "You care for a hundred fairies. I promise you will not break if you let someone take care of you."

Clarion's wings trembled in anger and her hands fisted at her sides. "You are not proposing that it be that wretched man?!"

Mary laughed. "He sounds far from wretched. I'm not proposing a love match-you're a warm fairy, he's a winter fairy. I'm just saying it wouldn't hurt to let him share the burdens. I don't think you'd let any other fairy take burdens."

Clarion looked away. "Goodnight, Mary."

"Now, Clarion, don't be angry with me," Mary said calmly.

"I'm not angry," she sighed. "You always tell me the truth, for which I'm grateful. I just...he just...I can barely stand him."

Mary hugged her. "Me thinks she doth protest too much," she whispered. "Bring me to the meeting. I'd like to meet this lord. And perhaps give him a piece of my mind," she said heatedly.

Clarion pulled back with a smile. "I know you would, dear friend. I know you would."

Clarion flew back home, taking the long way-much to the guard's displeasure. Near the border she saw it-the soft light glow of a fairy. For some reason, it warmed her heart to know that he had gone to wait for her, although she wasn't sure why he was there so late.

He looked up from where he sat cross-legged in the snow, and she saw a soft smile touch his lips. With a nod, he watched her fly past as if knowing she wasn't going to stop.

She returned the nod and kept going. He looked calm, so nothing was wrong. Resisting the urge to look back, she finally gave in.

He was gone.

A smile broke her lips. He had waited all night for her.