Clarion was flying past the border a few days later to inspect the repairs from the fire when she saw Milori sitting on the log nearby autumn. She had not received any word that he had returned from the North Woods, so she assumed he was there to meet with the winter fairies. Landing down in autumn, she went over to speak with the garden fairies to see what they had done so far.
"The grasses will survive with some extra sun," the lead garden fairy, Violet, explained. "Trees, however, will have difficulty surviving the cold. We can plant them in spring and transplant them here when they're stronger."
Clarion nodded and knelt to feel the dirt. "The ground will be hard to dig, won't it?"
Violent looked a bit uncertain. "I believe that with the help of badgers and groundhogs, we will be able to dig suitable holes. The only issue is getting trees from spring to here."
Mary popped around Clarion, startling her. "Sorry. I have an idea!" she squealed with excitement.
Clarion and Violet followed Mary over to a table where blueprints were spread about. "We make large carts and use ropes to have the snow owls help lift the trees. Look, here is the best path," she said, pointing to a map.
"Can snow owls cross the border?" Clarion asked them with a furrowed brow.
Mary bobbed her head. "I asked Lord Milori. He thinks it a brilliant idea!"
"You what?" Clarion replied dryly with a cocked eyebrow.
Mary's smile faded and she looked sheepish.
With a sigh, Clarion said, "Mary, you know that requests from winter must be cleared by myself and Lord Milori."
"I'm sorry. I saw no harm, and he was standing right there," she pointed.
She glanced over and saw him watching them. Turning back to Mary, she said gently, "Not again, understood?"
Mary frowned in confusion but nodded.
"Let us see how the animal fairies are doing," she requested solemnly.
A healer was working on drawing out the pixie dust from more animal bodies they had found.
"How many?" Clarion asked.
He glanced at her over his shoulder as the pixie dust rose up and was deposited in a basket, nearly full. "Thirteen, my Queen-five rabbits, three squirrels, two mice, two birds, and a chipmunk," he said sadly. "Onessa is having a difficult time," he explained and nodded over to where an animal fairy was crying in a tree not far away. Then he dropped his arms, tired himself as he finished.
Clarion laid a hand on his shoulder. "Go home and rest. If we find more, others can help."
He gave a slight bow and departed.
She fluttered over to the animal fairy and landed on the branch. "Onessa?"
The poor young fairy ran and threw herself at Clarion. "They were huddled in a tree," she wept on Clarion's breast.
Her arms went around the poor girl. "I know," she said softly and stroked her hair. "We will find who did this. The animals are at peace. Come, help me return them to the earth."
Onessa sniffled but went with Clarion back to the basket of dust.
"You have plently of dust?"
"Yes," Onessa answered.
"Help me lift out the dust." Clarion lifted her arms and the dust gradually floated into a pile in the air and hovered. It was heavy, but she felt Onessa help take some of the weight. Then Clarion flapped her wings and started guiding the dust up into the air. It followed in a stream of glittering gold toward the Pixie Tree. "Let go," Clarion said, taking the full weight of the dust. She beat her wings harder and gained speed as the led the dust to the tree. Then she flew around the tree, going faster and faster until the dust glowed as it spun around the tree.
Fairies gathered to watch, never having witnessed so many lives being returned to the tree. Clarion landed at the base of the tree as the dust whipped around the trunk. She breathed hard, her weak wings tired already. She glanced up and saw Milori high up in the clouds above winter watching her with concern on his face when he saw her exhaustion. Pushing him from her mind, she took a deep breath. Now was the hard part.
She closed her eyes and concentrated. The dust slowly came to rest on the ground around the roots. Walking up to the tree, she touched the trunk and the ground started trembling as the dust began to climb up the tree.
It was a magnificent sight to see the ancient tree sparkling, sunlight dancing off the tiny particles of pixie dust as they coated the branches and leaves.
Clarion flew up into the tree and looked up. The branches parted enough for her to look up and see the clouds. Then she shot up into the sky.
The pixie dust sucked into the tree and burst out as a bright light of dust through the top into the sky, following Clarion as she went. Pushing her wings to their limit, she beat them hard and fast, pulling away from the dust. As soon as she pulled away from the last particle, the dust shot back down into the tree and sealed up. The tree glowed slightly with new life.
She was up in almost frigid air, far higher than she had thought she'd have to go, and felt her wings stiffen. Knowing that if she beat them, they would break, she let herself fall. As she fell, she saw Milori's look of terror as he flew up into the clouds to come after her. Her wings felt looser and she gave a soft flap. Milori slowed. She opened her wings to swoop down and soar over Pixie Hollow, letting the wind help slow her down as the fairies cheered and she returned to autumn.
She landed where some of the guards were conducting interrogations for anyone Clarion suspected had information. "Anything?" she asked Bernard quietly while another guard sat across a table from a fairy asking her questions.
He shook his head. "No one seems to know anything worthwhile," he said.
"Go on and rest for the day. You did interrogations all night. You're back on duty to be with me this evening?"
"Yes, my Queen. I will be at your door at dusk."
With her wings tired, she started walking along the river as a shortcut to spring. She noticed movement out of the corner of her eye and saw Milori crunching through the snow as he walked parallel with her in winter.
"Do you have a moment, my lady?" he called over the babbling water and nodded toward the stone in spring not far in the distance.
She gave a single nod and continued walking. He walked too.
At the stone, he held out his hand into spring to take hers and pull her closer.
She stiffened. She had been waiting for days now for a letter or something. Tears threatened, waiting for him to say goodbye, but she pushed them away. A queen always ruled with dignity and logic, she reminded herself.
He bowed slightly and kissed her hand. She suddenly noticed his cape was gone before he straightened.
"Are you alright? You must be exhausted. Your wings are down as if they hurt," he frowned.
"I'm fine," she answered curtly.
"Clarion, forgive me. I didn't realize how hard you were taking things. Fairy Mary told me this morning how upset you were."
"Fairy Mary, my lord, is prone to dramatics," she replied tightly and pulled her hand out of his.
He gently stroked her cheek with his other hand, his eyes searching hers. "And to telling the truth, Clarion. It's alright to need someone," he whispered intimately. "I need you-"
She looked away and struggled to hold her temper. She said tightly, "You certainly did not act codependent last time I saw you. What, you came to tell me you're going back to the North Woods?" Her eyes flashed to him. "I don't care. I'm tired of lies-I am getting them from my fairies; I don't need them from you." She took off flying into summer to get away from the border.
"Please!" he called quickly.
Slowing down, she landed on her feet but kept her back to him. Despite her hurt and anger, his plea pulled at her heart.
"Please, Clarion. I can't cross," he said softly.
That made her turn.
He held out his hand into spring. "Clarion."
Walking over to him, she set her hand in his. He felt slightly colder than usual, she noticed.
With a gentle tug, he pulled her closer so they stood toe-to-toe. "I came to apologize. I must stay out of the warmth for awhile."
"What happened to you?" Her face crumpled. "Are you dying?"
"No. No, I'm alright, sweetheart." He held her hands between them, desperate for her to listen. "When I fell through the ice, I was swept into the warm water. The temperature change caused most of my organs to shut down. Your freeze was what saved me, Clarion," he said softly. "I was sleeping most of the time, and you had so much on your plate. I saw no point in making you worry."
Her eyes searched his. "And what now? You're suddenly fine besides not crossing for a bit? I don't believe it. You looked awful." Her eyes searched him, studying intently. "You're still off."
"Clarion," he sighed.
She suddenly grabbed his arm and jerked him around to look at his wings. They looked normal.
He spun around. "Now, stop it."
"No! Stop with the lies!"
"I'm not lying!"
"You're not telling me something!"
"Because I can't!" he shouted in frustration and flew away.
She stared after him.