She returned to the cave that night to find Milori and Sled sleeping on ice. Leaving enough food to last them for a couple days, she returned home.
Bernard was standing outside her door the next morning when she walked out.
She glanced to the right side of her door to see no guard.
"Thomas, my queen, left but for a moment."
Turning to face him, she folded her hands before her. "Good. Then I have a moment with you. I have an odd request, and I know you do not question my idiosyncrasies. I need my winter clothes removed from my room. They can be taken to Gliss, who has agreed to dispose of them."
He blinked but gave a slight bow. "Of course."
"Now come. You've been with me long enough to know I hate waiting. Thomas can catch up with us in autumn. I must inspect what progress has been made with the repairs."
"Your back is healed now?" he asked in concern that night after dark as they flew home from autumn.
"Thomas, you may go home," she said with a nod. Once they were alone, she answered, "It is."
"But the healer said to continue the treatments for a month or two afterward to make sure everything heals strong. Shall I fetch Fairy Mary or one-"
"No, it is late and I'm fine. There is no need to trouble anyone."
He pursed his lips.
She laughed. "Go ahead, say what you're thinking."
"Well, Queen Clarion, you are probably the worst patient in history," he said with a small smile.
"Possibly," she smiled.
They arrived at her bedroom door.
"Good night, Bernard."
He gave a slight bow. "May I speak bluntly, my queen?'
She turned to him, her brow furrowed. "Of course."
"If you refuse me to fetch assistance, I can see to your wings myself."
"Excuse me?"
"Forgive me for being forward, but I'm concerned. You were seriously injured last time, and your wings might be more fragile now."
"Bernard," she protested.
"My queen, Pixie Hollow needs you for a thousand years...I wish to serve you for as long as possible," he added softly and met her eyes.
She gave a reluctant nod.
He held out his hand for her to proceed him into the bedroom.
Walking inside, she turned and saw Bernard leave the door cracked open. Then he went over to the vanity and got a handful of sugar from her sac. He walked up behind her and waited. "It's alright," he said gently.
She very slowly unbuttoned the back of her dress to bare her back.
He set his hand to her back and gently massaged the sugar into her muscles that still ached after much use. "You still need to be doing this," he said softly.
"I don't have time to keep convalescing," she replied quietly.
"And you will pay for it with your life if you aren't careful." He picked up the bottle of honey and then began coating her wings with it before carefully tucking them down. "There."
With a blush, she turned around. "Thank you," she said softly and met his eyes.
He held her eyes for a moment and then gave a low bow. "I will return to you in the morning, my queen. Sweet dreams," he said in a low voice and slowly leaned in.
Her eyes fluttered shut when his lips brushed over hers. When she opened her eyes, he was already gone.
Milori shot up as soon as he saw her at the mouth of the cave late the next afternoon. Sled stayed seated on the floor with his head down. Milori looked terrible but in a way different from before-almost as if he hadn't been sleeping.
She set down some more food on a rock that served as their table.
"Clarion, is it true?" Milori asked and walked over, his face filled with heartache. "The owls say Bernard is courting you?"
Looking away, she didn't say anything.
"I told you it's him-" he pleaded.
"Don't!" she barked and her eyes flashed to him.
Bernard and two more guards stepped in-with a weeping Gliss who was in chains.
Milori's eyes darted between her and the guards in a panic. "What? Clarion?"
"You had me so fooled," she sniffled with a shake of her head. "You were all in on it. What a perfect setup. How beautiful for all of you to get rid of the queen and have to take over all of Pixie Hollow. I even trusted Gliss, but you all had this whole story concocted so perfectly." She turned to Bernard. "Take them to Neverland. Tonight."
"What?!" Milori cried. "No, we have another day!" The guards worked to shackle him as he struggled. "Clarion, do not punish Gliss and Sled, I beg you!"
The guards shoved him down on the cave floor and got the shackles on his wrists and ankles.
She let out a soft sob.
"Clarion!" he yelled as Bernard led her out.
"You don't need to watch," Bernard said softly and took her outside of the cave.
She turned and cried on his chest as he gathered her in his arms. "He said he loved me. I trusted him with my whole heart. How could he do this? How could I have been so blind?"
"You're trusting," he said gently. "He betrayed you, and that's not your fault. I will take them to Neverland and be back before morning. You'll be alright?" He touched her cheek.
She nodded as he dried her eyes.
"Stay in your room and be good while I'm gone."
Milori, Sled and Gliss were brought out, all chained and gagged. Milori tried to get to her, but the guards held him back.
"Captain Bernard, we must go," one of the guards told him.
He brushed a kiss over her lips and then took off. Milori looked over his shoulder as he was roughly hauled away. A single tear glistened down his cheek and fell into the snow as an ice crystal.
They took off into the sky toward the second star, and she watched their glows gradually disappear. And then she walked over to where the crystal laid and picked it up. Her heart was so heavy it made her chest hurt. Closing her eyes with a shaky breath, she held the crystal to her breast a moment. Then she stood and dropped it, her own tear falling into the snow beside it.