The palace became alive with the arrival of the guests of the King and Queen. The workers felt very stressed about the extra load that was suddenly on their shoulders. The palace never hosted formal events for the Kingdom, and if it was done so, the scale was kept to a minimum.

This, however, exceeded even what Josiah had in mind.

Over fifty men and women around his county in the next few months came. He had no idea how Lumi had even heard of them or how she had managed to make contact with them. Ramus was sworn to secrecy by his Queen to not tell his King that she had been searching for these minds since they arrived from the Winter Kingdom.

Now they were here, confused and together.

She had ordered the workers to set up work stations for each person, with long tables in the center of the room. At the top of the room, were chairs and a station for Josiah and herself. She refused to tell him the detail that the idea had been stolen from the Winter King and how he handled his taxes when they were collected.

She had watched and observed it- taking in how Theros had managed the chaos and each male that was within the room.

She adopted the model now, nodding in satisfaction when she looked around and turned to the doors.

"Let them in," she said.

Josiah stood beside her, but at the command, he felt her hand on his elbow. He looked down to see her smiling up at him.

"This is as far as my role goes."

He shook his head, "this was your idea. You should want to tell them when they come."

She sighed and watched as the first few of the many walked in.

"No...I know enough about power to know that I can talk until my face goes blue. But it won't make a difference - you are their King. I am content to be in the background, Josiah. The work that I do is something that will benefit the Kingdom and help you. I'm not bitter about it. That's my duty as a Queen after all."

"What is your duty," he murmured, his head leaning down to brush his lips to hers.

She looked startled at the open display of affection, before smiling and saying, "to lift you up."

They looked at each other for several more moments, an understanding passing between the two before Josiah straightened himself and stepped forward.

"Thank you for coming- you have already received the letter explaining your duties here and the reason for why your presence has been requested. We would like you to start as soon as you are able. Your time here will be compensated for, of course, and the work you do will benefit the Kingdom as a whole. Myself and your Queen will be with you in this process, helping you wherever it is needed."

He turned to look at her, flashing her a brief smile before looking at the assembly that was before him, "let's begin."

* * *

"Elowen should be giving birth any day now..." Lumi looked at the letter, raising her voice slightly to be heard over the noise of the workers. The first week of them being in the palace was causing chaos that neither she nor Josiah had expected, but it was a welcomed calamity.

"That soon..." Josiah was busy messing with something that was on the desk before him. One of the males captured his attention, running up to hand him a document before racing back down to his own table.

"Josiah. I'm trying to have a conversation with you for a few moments."

"I think it's a wonderful name," he said, his focus still lost in the objects he held.

Lumi rolled up the thick letter, hitting him in the back of the head with it. The inventors who had been invited to the palace did not stop in their work to take in the horrifying sight. A week in now had caused them to be used to the bickering couple.

"Josiah Rai Lukariah!"

"Woman! If you hit me one more time then any hope we have of success will be lost because of the damage I've suffered under your hand to my head!"

"I didn't even tell you the name they have chosen!"

He blinked, "I forgot...was it a girl?"

She rolled her eyes, "it is a boy."

"Good God, now you really will try to make them be friends. I suppose it's good that it's not a girl," he shuddered at the thought, "I wouldn't want my son to marry an Elowen."

"Are you done?" she asked, raising an eyebrow in disbelief at his words.

"Sorry, sorry. So what name did the mighty Theros choose then?" Josiah sighed, cupping his hand to let his head rest there as he stared out into the workers who were scattered around the room.

"Elowen said that Theros is picking the male names and she is picking the females- I told you that, right?"

"I didn't get to pick the male names," Josiah whispered.

"What was that?"

"Nothing," he smiled sweetly down at her, "are you going to tell me the name or should I start guessing?"

Lumi cleared her throat and said with as much authority as she could, "he is to be called Liron Brone Hellebore."

Josiah looked at Lumi, waiting for her reaction to the name. She looked at him also, her smile turning into a frown as she tilted her head, "you don't like it?"

He smiled and leaned forward, kissing her cheek and softly saying, "it will do."

Damn you, Theros, his thoughts whispered.

He pulled back, going to look at the documents and objects that were on his table. He could feel her eyes on him, trying to find a fault in the name. She probably would never know. He knew enough of the text and meaning to understand though.

"Do you know what Kestrel means?" Josiah asked suddenly, "or did you really just name him after a horse?"

Lumi hummed softly, her eyes flickering to the door. As if the thought of their son made her conscious of him and her desire to see him was awakened.

"Of course I know. But I am a sucker for pretty things. It's what draws me to them to begin with. But I looked it up before suggesting it to you."

"You never told me..." he suppose he could have looked it up, but she had made it clear that meaning or not, she intended to use that name.

"It means 'Rattle' - it's actually a..." Lumi trailed off, staring at Josiah with guilt.

"A what?" he had a bad feeling and she confirmed it when she whispered off-handily, "a girl's...name..."

"Lumi."

"It's too late!" she yelled, startling some of the workers who were nearby.

"Lumi."

"Who cares," she waved away the notion, "who said it had to be a female name? I like it and that's all that matters."

"Lumi. I think...I think I'm going to have a heart attack."

She laughed, "you are not. Stop being so dramatic."

He put a hand to his chest, breathing deeply and trying to push past the sudden information that had been dumped on him. Her cackling laughter beside him did not appease the erratic sensation he felt now.

"It' means, 'rattle' doesn't it? I think it does the job well," she continued to laugh at the expression on his face, but suddenly her words sobered as she turned to fully face him.

"I had the notion that if a King of the stars were to be born, I would want to give him a name that would grant the power to do just that. To shake loose foundations. To uproot norms. To rattle the stars and cause them to shoot across the sky just at the sound of his coming."

Josiah looked at his hands, staring down at the skin because suddenly, his eyes didn't seem to be able to fully take her in and the brightness she showed as she explained.

"It's a good name," his mind felt weak, and it became weaker when she touched his face and kissed his lips.

* * *

There was a commotion in the palace.

The workers continued on, the inventors busy with their inventing. But they could not stop but turn their head slightly at the raised voices of the King and Queen. The shouting closed off suddenly with the slamming of the door, and they knew they had stomped their way into the King's study.

The shouting may have been muffled with the closed frame now, but Lumi and Josiah still faced off from each other, glaring as they crossed their arms and took the other in.

"I'm going."

"No, you are not, and that's final," Josiah hissed. His anger was something to behold when it reached the point of unsurfacing. It reminded Lumi of a snake, there and ready, only attacking unless provoked.

The sorry thing was, she loved provoking him.

"I already sent my letter and I already received their approval."

"What letter?! What approval!? Did you not think at all that as your husband and as your King, I should have been forewarned about what you were planning?!"

"You would have not let me-,"

"You're damn right!" He took a step closer to her, eyes flashing against the fire light as he widened them in anger.

"We need this-,"

He laughed, "do you have any idea what those people do? Who they are? These people are from old customs and traditions that are brainwashed and delusional. Ever since the monarchy of my father was established, he has been fighting to gain control and has failed miserably. You cannot win with these people, Lumi!"

"You forget where I come from Josiah," her whispered tone of danger had him stopping short as he looked down to stare at her.

She tilted her head up, tossing aside her long braids that she had applied to her hair only last week. He felt momentarily distracted by the path they traveled but her words brought him back as she spoke, "my country is one of old traditions and cultures. We have many tribes in place, and yet a monarchy also. You and your father messed up the moment you believed you could control something that you do not understand."

"They are my subjects. This is my country and they are my people. I protect it and in return, they answer to me."

Lumi stared at him. He looked away, unable to take the disappointment and hurt that showed in her eyes.

"The guards are going with me. I have set up a meeting in a neutral territory. Let me go."

"They will attack you," he moaned his words out, trying to make her see the weakness she held to him. No, they couldn't take her. Not her. No.

"Josiah...before I came to this country...before I even went to the Winter Kingdom...I was taught many things." She looked suddenly uncomfortable as she spoke of her past, and Josiah knew that he was the reason for it. "I was taught...the art of war. Of battles. Strategies. How to lead a tribe. How to bring people together. It was my birthright that I was being taught- my heritage."

He stared at the floor, taking in the patterned carpet of black and purple. The silver threading that lined it. He didn't want to look at her, but she forced him to as she stepped towards him, and into his line of sight.

"I must go. Nothing will change if I don't."

"I have to go with you."

She shook her head, "they have promised to not attack. We are going in neutral territory. I am the Queen, Josiah. Even with their words and vows...you and I both know that the Queen can always be sacrificed. It's the King who should be guarded."

He flinched at what she said.

Wrong, his mind screamed, that's wrong. Not the King. It's not the King that is the most valuable. Not me. Never has it been me.

She reached for his hand, looking at it in her own. She kissed the knuckles, closing her eyes and pressing her forehead to his skin. He watched her go to her knees and Josiah felt like throwing up. Like he would be sick on the spot at seeing her fall down before him.

It was like he was in a nightmare. Like he was having his soul ripped from him.

"Please let me go."

She was not a creature that should ask him for permission. That was another wrong. Another injury he had created to her.

"Please get up," he whispered, unable to see the sight of her bowing any longer.

She did as told, staring at him with determined eyes. He looked at her and put his hands to her cheeks, holding her there between his hands.

"Will you come back?"

He felt her fingers curl around his wrists. Her eyes rose to connect to his and he became lost in the color of her gaze.

He had never noticed it before- and had never made the connection- but in the light, her eyes appeared golden. He saw two miniature suns staring back at him, and his grip upon her tightened at the thought of letting go of the light that was before him.

"I will." The sureness of her words made him close his eyes. He leaned down, letting foreheads connect as he sighed.

"Then go," he felt anger and hurt in those two words. He heard his own pain so openly. She walked away and the door closing shut behind let him know that she was finally out of sight.

He fell to his knees, the proper order restored. Lifting his head, he felt like screaming, uncaring of who heard.

Within the next few hours, he conversed with the guards, talking to them and discussing strategy of the meeting that was to take place.

Ramus was on edge, unsure if such a thing should occur or not. But Josiah felt comfort knowing the male was going. He would protect his Queen.

They were soon ready to go. All they needed was her.

"The first sign of danger- if someone so much as coughs near her- she's out," Ramus growled. The other guards looked savage themselves as they nodded in silent agreement.

Before anything else could be said, they saw her.

Another nightmare, Josiah thought, I wonder if I am still asleep?"

She was a swirl of black, her dress of sheer misting around as some parts clung to her skin while others fanned out behind. Her dress in itself was simple- straps and a long length that reached the floor.

But that was not what captured his attention.

It was the designs she had painted on her skin. The silver that streaked across her arms, neck, and chest.

Stars, he thought idly, she's covered herself in stars.

They were against the backdrop of night and Josiah felt like screaming- releasing his frustration and anger on the fact that she was wrong. This was wrong.

Why had she done such a thing. Why had she portrayed herself in such a way?

No. No. No. He felt like crying as she stood before him.

You are not me, you are not darkness. You are the sun. Can't you see?

"What do you think?" she whispered, seeing the lost look in his eyes.

"Is this...how you are going?" He looked at her face, taking in the silver she had painted onto her eyelids and the dripping color that seemed to fall onto her cheeks. Like she was a goddess of the moon, ethereal and unearthly to mortals.

He had a flash of when he saw her for the first time. She had worn gold that day. She had painted her skin and face in the color and he had been unable to look away from the woman who had taken the fixture he only saw once a year, and somehow personified it.

Now, she was like the shadows. Now, she had lost her radiance. She had fallen so far, enough that there was no sun in this place, and there was no gold dress that she could wear.

"Yes," her answer confused him until he remembered his question, "I'm going like this."

"But why?"

She stopped to turn back and face him. She frowned at what she saw. Taking a step closer she reached for his face, tracing his jawline as she said, "All these people can think about is the Sun. And they cannot even see the moon that is right in front of them. I think they are trapped in a past and haunted by an idea of what they think will bring them happiness."

"You don't know what you are talking about," he felt the horrible lump in his throat. The coming of weakness in him. "They won't accept you like this."

She smiled, and in her smile, he still saw the same beauty.

"If you stare too hard at the sun, you'll be blinded. And it will leave you in eternal night. I think that's what happened to this land. You looked and you looked, and you didn't even realize you had looked too hard and too much and for too long. You couldn't look away and it caused you pain. Now you are still looking, and you don't even realize that the dark is there to soothe you- the absence of the light is there to restore your vision to what it once was. Don't be anxious, and don't worry too much about me. I'll be back soon."

He felt her touch fade off of him, the warmth trailing away as she turned her back and walked forward with the guards who would accompany.

She waved her hand, not once turning around.

He watched her descend the steps, her darkness being swallowed in the land and its own black void that it held.

He thought of her words and wondered about the meaning of them. In the distance, he saw the flash of silver that reflected off of her skin, and Josiah concluded that in this world, there could be more than one light to shine in his darkness.

People, we are not going to complain about all these time skips okay? I would like to keep this story at a reasonable amount of chapters and so yes, months may pass between chapters and I'm sorry for it but don't complain about that XD OMG I can't give you a full account of every single day (and don't you dare say that is what you want, sttawwwpp). I let you know where we are time wise so that you are not confused so stop being all like "waaiiittt, but last chapter she was only five months and now this chapter she's giving birth like wwuutt?" You are smart, clever people- read the words and I know you will figure it out and survive (XD I'm sorry if you were one of the confused, but your confusion just makes me laugh, I'm so sorry, I shouldn't laugh at that hahahahaha (nope I'm laughing hahahahaha)).

Thank you for reading!