Author's Note: Wow, 17 reviews since yesterday! :) I'm so glad everyone says they love the story! :D
I can't give away whether Clarion and Milori will actually mate, Juudjv. You'll have to wait and see. :)
I have ideas pouring out of my head again, so it's back to story time...
Clarion slipped through Mary's front door on the way home at dinnertime. "Mary?"
Mary was sitting at the table with Fairy Gary eating dinner. They both startled.
"Forgive me. I need to talk."
"Good evenin' Queen Clarion. Ay'll be goin', dear," Gary told Mary and stood.
"No, please don't let me stop your dinner. I'd like to speak to both of you."
"Of course. Are you alright?" Mary frowned.
Gary pulled out the chair for Clarion.
"Thank you. No, I'm not really. I need to tell you both something, and I don't know who to turn to," she said, nervous now that she was about to divulge the secrets.
"If ye want ta speak ta Mary alone, Ay understand. Ay can wait in t' other room."
"No, Fairy Gary. I haven't told anyone, and I'm simply nervous. You must both swear to not tell anyone. There is a traitor, and I'm not sure if he's alone." She told them the full story over a cup of tea. Then she sat back, exhausted, and waited for the shock to wear off their faces.
"You're telling me Milori is alive?" Mary leaned over her cup and whispered.
"Yes. He's probably talking to the winter fairies as we speak."
Gary blinked. "Ay don't know what ta say. But Ay can believe Bernard is in on t' whole mess."
Clarion's head whipped to him. "Why do you say that?"
"He's always watchin' ye like he owns ye. It's always struck me as odd, but Ay thought Ay was imaginin' it. And t' way he's courtin' ye now, it's almost like he wants ta show off." He looked at Mary. "Ye and Ay were quiet about us fer a long time. Even t' Queen and Lord Milori were quiet." Gary looked at Clarion. "There can never be a king, aye? If ye mate, Ay mean."
She shook her head. "The keeper Dewey said he had all of this knowledge pour into his head when he was born, and I seem to know things he doesn't. He said that only a queen can rule, and the mate does not gain talents or anything."
"Hm."
"Why do you ask?"
"Maybe if he was after t' throne he'd be acting like this, but Ay don't see t' motive fer him. Can he be Lord of Winter if he cuts t' line of succession?"
"Intriguing thought, but Milori and Dewey said it must be a winter fairy who is successor." She looked at Mary. "What do you think?"
"Well, I think he's alone in his plan. Don't ask me why, it's just a hunch."
They continued to throw around ideas until dusk.
"We better be gettin' home before t' bats come," Gary told Clarion and stood. "Ay can see ye home."
She smiled. With Gary and Mary, she never felt like a queen but a friend. "Mary, I have one question for you." She took Mary's hand and let her away a bit. "May I ask if Gary has asked you to mate?"
Mary's eyes went wide.
"I'm sorry. I just don't know anything about courting and wasn't sure how long it is before the male asks. I thought that after a mating, the fairies must live in the same house," she said with red cheeks.
Mary blushed harder than Clarion. "I've heard they must live together-something about their glows helping to sustain each other. I don't think there is a customary mating time. I've known Gary for years, but he said he wants to get his dust keeping shop going and a home established before taking a mate. I'm content to wait, so I haven't ever brought it up to him." Then her eyes grew wide. "Did Milori ask you?"
"What? No. No! Besides, how would we even live together being from different worlds?"
"It's called a house on the border," Mary grinned. "Oh, Clarion, do you think he's the one?"
She dropped her eyes downcast and blushed. "That matters naught, Mary. There are more important matters to see to."
"He is so good for you, Clarion. You've come alive again," she said with a smile. "You have a temper again," she laughed.
"Hush," she said in embarrassment. "Thank you, Mary. I needed a talk." She hugged Mary and let Gary take her home.
Bernard arrived in the hall to her chamber door the same moment as her. She panicked at first, scolding herself for not going through her window. But he seemed oblivious.
He smiled and handed her large rose bloom. "I was just coming to see if you needed assistance with your treatment."
She took the rose in her arms. And wanted to shred it violently. Instead, she said firmly, "I do not think it appropriate, Bernard. Besides, it was already done for the night. And the honey I can do myself," she added quickly when she realized she hadn't thought through her lie well.
With a frown, he folded his hands behind his back and rocked back on his heels. "I see you're still sore with me for the exiles."
Here was the perfect opportunity. "I'm not angry, I'm just...I'm worried."
"About what, sweetie?" He stepped closer and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
It took all of her willpower to not shrink back from him in disgust. "What if he wasn't guilty?"
A feather could have been heard dropping.
He gave a forced laugh. "Whatever made you think that? It's preposterous, darling. He didn't deny it, and there was evidence."
"What was that evidence?"
"The match."
"What?"
"The match. You know, used to start fire."
"I've never heard of such a thing. How do you use a talent to start it on fire?" she asked dumbly.
He smiled. "You don't need talents, sweetheart. You just strike it against something hard."
"Oh. How do you know all of this?" she asked with a smile and batted her eyes up at him. "You seem so much more intelligent than I."
His chest puffed up. "I have my ways."
She pressed up against him and looked up from beneath her lashes. "You'll have to tell me how you learned so much. Sometimes I'm not sure how I have my head on straight," she purred. Drawing a deep breath, she let her bosom press against him. "I should go to sleep," she breathed and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, letting her hand trail down her chest innocently.
His eyes followed her hand and he swallowed hard.
"Bernard?" she purred.
He grunted, clearly distracted.
"Would you mind undoing my top button?" She presented her back to him. The back of her dress was open, so there was only a single button at the nape of her neck.
It was undone in an instant, and she stepped away. Turning with a smile, she blew a kiss to him from her fingertips as she backed up.
He was staring after her with his tongue on the floor.
She turned and continued around the corner to her room, a dangerous smile on her lips.