Elowen stood outside in the cold, waiting for the arrival of their last guest.

Of course she was last.

Elowen was both impressed and annoyed at how that girl always seemed to steal the show, even if it was unintentional. She could feel the stares of others watching from the castle. This was the meeting that had been gossiped about for weeks as news circulated among the guests that a former mistress of the King was arriving.

Then the correction had been made in the fact that the former mistress was actually a Queen now. She was on an even playing field with Elowen.

In this moment actually, she was higher.

Elowen saw their carriage in the distance. She heard the deep inhale of Theros beside her.

"Don't make a fool of yourself." He looked down to meet her gaze. She narrowed her eyes at him, "Remember I'm the one you are marrying."

His eyes searched her, a hard look coming over his features. Elowen knew her words were what he needed to steel himself from showing any weakness in these next coming moments. She could feel those stares on their backs. She could feel them watching, and waiting for him to descend in some way.

He had already fallen once.

He couldn't afford to do so again.

The carriage was the same one that had taken her away. Elowen felt her heart suddenly pick up in its beat. She had told him not to make a fool of himself, but she was saying the same reminder in her head now. There should not have been this much anticipation or anxiety towards this meeting. This was just another greeting. Just another royal guest coming for her wedding.

Yet I'm the one who is standing in the cold waiting, Elowen thought.

The carriage stopped.

The door opened.

The King of Galexious appeared, wearing a black suit and coat with dark purple outlining. His hair had been styled back, but it still did not help the rogue appearance he seemed to hold as his dark eyes met Elowen's.

He broke the brief connection they had as he turned back to the carriage and extended his hand to the next figure that was emerging.

Elowen watched as a mist of violet appeared from inside.

The wind picked up at the exact moment she stepped out. As if she planned it. As if she had waited for that moment.

Elowen felt her eyes unable to leave as the purple silk flared out behind, becoming captured in the wind, letting long strands of the material flow back to create a carpet of purple to cascade as she descended.

Her hand rested gratefully in his. Her hair had been put in multiple braids, all the coils twisted to have a knot on the top of her head that then let the other, longer strands, come down to rest on her back.

The sight of her honestly took even Elowen's breath away.

She jolted in surprise at the sudden contact when she felt Theros' hand desperately reach out to grip her own. His hold was tight and constraining but Elowen fought against the pain, knowing she was the only thing that was holding him back.

Queen Lumikki turned to her husband, and Elowen stared at the two in fascination. She wanted to see how they had lasted these past six months. She wanted to see if they had come together or apart.

The image of the majesty and awe came shattering down as Queen Lumikki suddenly bent down, and threw up.

"What the-," Elowen unconsciously jumped back, even though she was still a distance away.

"I told you I wasn't feeling well!"

"You had to turn to me! Of all the places to turn to, you turn towards me!"

Elowen could have sworn she heard Queen Lumikki whisper, "Payback's a bitch."

"Are you ill?"

Elowen wanted to tug on Theros' hand to stop him. No, please don't speak. She felt embarrassed at his question, but his gaze was focused on Queen Lumikki.

The bickering couple stopped.

The King of Galexious gave a tight smile towards Theros and answered, "my wife is fine. The carriage motion just upset her."

My wife.

Elowen had not missed the threatening look that was in the male's eyes when he spoke his words. A flashback to his parting smile as he had taken the girl away that day, suddenly came back to Elowen.

She could physically feel Theros' stiffening next to her.

Queen Lumikki and Theros were looking at one another.

Elowen wanted to tug on Theros' hand. She wanted to step in front of him and wave her arms. She looked at the King of Galexious and saw that he was watching the interaction also. But there was not desperation in his gaze, like how she felt. Instead, she saw a sorrow and loneliness that made Elowen shiver and look away.

This was becoming too complicated for her.

"Let's get you to your room so you can rest." She interrupted whatever moment had happened between Queen Lumikki and her future husband. Elowen closed her eyes against it and ignored the sudden uncomfortable tension that had risen between the two of them.

"Yes...thank you," Queen Lumikki broke the connection to turn to Elowen and smile. The King of Galexious looked to his men and gave short orders before his hand went around his wife's shoulders as he led her away, towards the castle.

Elowen smiled the whole time, feeling that same dread and anxiety rise in her as she turned back to see that Theros was still in the same spot, rooted there and unmoving.

* * *

Ramus was sitting in the kitchen, resting after the journey and connecting with an unexpected friendship that had formed from it.

The male he had met- a royal guard named Marcos- seemed to have had the job that he was now assigned to of taking care and watching over Queen Lumikki. He was in the middle of retelling him a horrible story of a failed hunting trip they had undergone, resulting in the Queen revealing a hidden weapon and killing the prized hare before any of the men could.

"You'll never get used to it," Marcos said, shaking his head sadly as he watched Ramus with eyes of pity.

Ramus sighed and leaned back. It had startled him at first how the workers in the kitchen had pitched in with their own stories of the Queen. Apparently, her being in the kitchen helping was not an uncommon thing, in whatever kingdom she was placed in.

"Yes, she is constantly in the kitchen at home," Ramus muttered. He paused when he saw the forlorn expressions that came over their features. He moved on, not wanting to dwell on what effect his Queen had had on these people while here. He had heard bits and pieces of her story. He had been witness to the transaction of his King taking her back to Galexious that first day.

She had seemed anything but pitiful when he first saw her. But no one missed that step the Winter King had taken towards her. No one had missed the way he had looked at the departing carriage.

Ramus had chosen to ignore all of this. After all, she was their Queen now, and he was a soldier. His sole mission was to protect her and nothing else. Soon he would have to leave, but for now he was permitted a small break to be away from her.

"Is she always outside?"

Ramus stopped to think about one of the kitchen workers' questions.

"I never realized it...but if she is not in the kitchen, or with the King, then yes- she is outside. Hunting or going to various meetings and gatherings...she's constantly on the move..." Ramus sighed, earning a knowing pat on the back from Marcos.

One woman in particular who seemed to be the head of the kitchen was constantly nagging Ramus for details on if the Queen was happy or not.

"Is your King nice?"

"Yes."

"Describe what you mean then? How is he nice to her? He's treating her well, correct? He isn't ignoring her? Being mean to her?"

Ramus sighed and stood, wanting to get away from all of their pestering inquiries.

"What did you say your name was again?"

"Jodi."

Ramus turned to fully face her, "I'm just Queen Lumikki's guard, but I can tell you that she is content. We respect her. She is our Queen, and we are loyal to her. She and the King are good."

A look of relief came over all their faces- even Marcos'.

"Thank you," Jodi whispered.

Ramus only shrugged. With a nod towards Marcos, he departed. It made him uncomfortable to see the level of affection and loyalty his Queen had won when she previously resided here.

Why had they even cast her off?

He hated to think it, but the more he saw, the more he wondered why she had been so ill treated and misplaced.

It must have been the higher authorities. Those who were workers or common folk seemed to adore her, but he found that that affection did not extend in the royalty that surrounded them. He saw the way other royal members from various places looked at him as they took in the Galexious uniform. He knew that stigmatizing and ignorance could do much to set others towards downfall.

With a grunt and straightening of his back, Ramus continued forward, holding his head proudly as he displayed the country of his birth on his sleeve for all to see.

* * *

Lumi laid curled up in the center of the bed.

She watched as Josiah straightened the small emblems that were on his dark coat, checking his hair and making sure all was in place before he turned back to look at her.

He sighed, the sound making Lumi's heart squeeze tightly as she watched him approach the bed and sit down on the side. He smiled down at her, his hand going to softly stroke her cheek. She closed her eyes against the affection, smiling as she leaned further into his touch.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

He laughed, "about what? That fiasco of a greeting?"

Lumi winced, "yes..."

"It can't be helped," he sighed again and Lumi felt the shift in the bed as he rose. She opened her eyes to look at him. He was walking towards the door. She began to sit up, but he turned back to face her, his hand outstretched in a motion telling her to halt her efforts.

"Rest. I'm sure everyone saw us entering, so it won't be hard to make my excuses to the guests about your lack of appearance."

"But I-,"

"Lumi," Josiah shook his head, his hand unconsciously running through his hair, "just stay here. Please. I can't have you getting sick with members of foreign dignitaries that I have to negotiate with," he seemed to wince at the thought, "and the journey was hard...try to get some sleep."

He expected her to argue back, and stand in defiance, proving her point of indifference to what he wanted by walking out the door. But she surprised him by staring for a few seconds, before slowly lowering herself back down, and nodding.

Josiah immediately felt a wave of guilt come over him but pushed it aside. He needed to meet the members of the royal family from the various kingdoms. The fact that Galexious had even been invited to this event was most likely due to Lumi- Josiah was not oblivious to that fact- but he needed to seize this opportunity and use it to the advantage of his kingdom.

"I won't be long," he whispered before leaving. But the image of her staring at the floor, not meeting his eyes or rising to tell him goodbye seemed enough punishment in his mind.

After the door closed, Lumi settled further into the bed, curling up into a small ball and pulling her knees into her chest. She hummed slowly, the only thing she could think of doing to pass the time and help her fall asleep.

She heard the door open and sighed, "Did you forget something?"

She opened her eyes and saw Theros standing in front of her.

There was a heavy silence between them. Lumi looked up at him, her whole body frozen as they each evaluated the other.

He took a step closer towards her. She slowly sat up, feeling her hair fall loose from its hold as the strands scattered down her back and shoulders.

Lumi met his eyes, taking in the glacier blue that stared down at her. He had cut his hair.

It was short.

He took another step closer, his head still tilted down, still looking at her. His legs hit the side of the bed, and Lumi's mind suddenly rose from the initial shock it had been in because of his arrival. She knew he should not be here. But she knew him. She knew that telling him no just made him hold on tighter.

He reached for her. His hands reached for her, stretching and extending. He was breathless, a wild look flashing through his eyes that Lumi recognized. A dangerous gleam that meant he was uncaged.

His hands cupped her face, his thumbs stroking her cheeks. His eyes had widened, an unknown expression there holding close to wonder and astonishment. Lumi had never seen it before and could not put a name to the gaze he wore now.

She had not even realized that he had one knee already on the bed, leaning into her. Like his hands, his body was now stretching, reaching, trying to be closer.

Lumi grabbed his wrists, watching as his face began its descent.

He couldn't.

She knew she couldn't let him.

"You're getting married."

He still was leaning towards her. His grip on her had tightened only slightly but the look in his eyes had grown even wilder, with a hint of desperation.

Lumi knew she had to say the words she needed to make him stop. He couldn't. She couldn't let him.

"I'm pregnant."

It was like the last pillar that had been left standing in him collapsed. The only support he had been holding on to was falling.

Lumi had a flashback to that one day when she had fallen in the frozen pond. His eyes reminded her of that now as she watched something shatter in the blue.

It had been cold. It had taken her breath away. It had felt like a knife cutting through her.

They were only inches away. She could feel his uneven breath softly falling on her as those blue eyes met hers.

He whispered, "I didn't even realize... I gave you the power to break me. And you did."

"You broke me too," Lumi whispered back.

She thought she had said the words that would stop him. But both his knees came onto the bed, and his arms encased her. She pushed back, resisting his hold, but his mouth found her ear, his hot words flowing into it saying, "one minute."

She paused, her whole body stiffening when the words he had spoken sounded close to a sob. She was shaking. She had not even realized she was shaking.

"One minute," he said again.

He started when she rose to her knees suddenly, and embraced back. A shaky exhale left him as he sat, wrapping his arms around her waist and clinging to her there.

She had not counted the seconds in her mind, but she knew instinctively when she had to let go.

She pulled back, looking up at him and meeting his gaze.

He avoided hers, his eyes looking anywhere but at her face. She watched as he stepped back, turning away. He opened the door, and left.

Lumi was still on her knees. She was still standing there, her arms hung loosely at her side, her skin burning with an uncomfortable sensation.

She blinked feeling tears come.

"Don't.

She spoke to no one.

Climbing off the bed, Lumi rose and walked to the mirror. She stared at herself, taking in her reflection. Lumi shook her head, the tears unable to be stopped. She suddenly laughed, "you're so pitiful..." her laughter died and a glare came over her face as she examined the image that was before her, "no...no you're not...you're a Queen. And that is not your King."

Thank you for reading ♥