Fairy Mary fluttered her wings fast to keep up with Clarion's giant monarch flaps. "Clarion!"
She needed to get away. Somewhere where no one could find her. She felt so caged. Then she heard Mary trying to follow. "Go home!"
"Clarion, please! What's wrong?!" she called as she fell behind.
She looked up. The clouds. No one else's wings were strong enough to go up in the thin air. Clarion shot up. Breaking through a cloud, she slowed, not daring to go much higher with the temperature dropping. She shivered and came to a hover. Pixie Hollow wasn't even visible from so high up. Relief flooded through her. Her winter sanctuary was no longer safe with Milori knowing her secret spot now. This would have to do. She shivered again.
"It is too cold up here."
She sighed angrily and spun around. "In the name of Neverland, go away!" she barked at Milori. "You're not supposed to leave Winter!"
"You're not supposed to be in this cold!" he barked back.
"As the queen, I'm ordering you back!"
"Make me," he growled with fists at his sides and eyes icy cold. "You will get down or I'll haul you back to your guards."
"You can't go in the warm air," she sneered. Her wings were starting to tingle and she knew he was right. But she would rather break her wing before admitting defeat to him.
He suddenly shot at her and dove down so fast she had to blink hard to not lose her sight. "You want to be stubborn? I guarantee you won't perish on my watch," he growled. "Guards!" he called.
She struggled but he was too strong with his arms locked around her. Just as suddenly, she was standing on the ground and he was shooting back up into the sky. "Keep her under house arrest-someone knocked her out and tried to kidnap her!" Milori called before he disappeared into the clouds.
The guards surrounded her and kept her locked in her room for two days, despite her protests. It was on the third night that she managed to escape.
Clarion escaped with her cape and warm clothes she had made during her imprisonment. Her temper was as red hot as it had ever been as she zipped through Pixie Hollow. And she knew exactly where she was going.
He was reading a book by moonlight under a tree not too far past the border. Mountain was sitting next to him on the branch when the owl suddenly hooted and flew down. Milori looked down to see a little yellow glow marching through the snow below. "Oh dear," he sighed and threw himself over the edge.
"Milori!" she roared when she neared the tree.
Mountain flew down and landed, ready for a greeting.
"Not now!"
"Who?" he hooted in confusion.
She marched past and saw Milori land just a few feet away. "You! How dare you! Do you know what problems you've caused?! You've set us back three days in repairs, and half of the fairies are out looking for an imaginary kidnapper!" She marched up and shoved on his chest. Her push only wiggled him, which infuriated her all the more. "That's...that's...that's...treason!" She snapped, stuttering she was so angry.
He chuckled and crossed his arms over his chest. "Treason is trying to overthrow you."
"Well, it's something!" she screeched and pushed at him again. "I'll build a prison and see you rot in there!"
He burst out laughing, a rich deep sound. "I don't see how that would work. If your fairies built it, your pleasure would be short-lived in seeing me rot within hours. If you had it built over here, my fairies would set me free."
She wanted to slap him. Instead, she set her hands on her hips and hissed, "Then I'll banish you to Neverland."
He quirked an eyebrow. "Really? Isn't that a bit temperamental?"
"Ugh!" she half screamed. "I can't stand you?!"
He grinned. "Why?"
"I...I...I don't know! I just can't!"
A laugh burst out of him, but he quickly smothered it. "Now, my lady, if you're done with your tantrum, I suggest we get you back to the warm side."
"I don't have tantrums!" She stomped her foot.
He snorted trying not to laugh.
"Go," she ordered.
"Alright, alright."
"To Neverland."
If possible, he paled and stared at her. Then he held his head high and swallowed hard. "Fine," he replied tightly. "But I have the right to make sure my keepers are prepared with instructions to get by until my replacement arrives," he ordered.
Her eyebrows rose. "I just ordered you to go."
His eyes hardened. "They say you're hard and unyielding; I said you were scared and alone. But they're right. I don't know the hell why, but I can't get you out of my head," he snarled and marched over to her. He crushed her too him, holding her in his strong arms as his lips claimed hers.
It shocked her. But what made her mind go numb was the wave of electricity that shot through her.
He let her go and then shot up to the sky toward the second star to the right.
She stumbled back in a daze, completely dumbfounded. Putting a hand to her mouth where his cold lips had touched hers, she felt them hot and swollen from his kiss. And then she looked up into the sky, not sure what to do.