Divine Realizations [ Clarion X Milori ]

Chapter 42

*Author Note:
Most/possibly all of the story will now be done in Milori's POV.

*Chapter begins the previous day, the night Clarion departed for Pixie Hollow.

Meanwhile, Milori walked with purpose down the great hall.
He had just finished with his usual training regime for the winter soldiers and it had gone considerably well.
Oddly enough, he wasn't completely exhausted as he normally was and he felt like spending time with his family for once.
Guilt began to creep in as he walked but he pushed it aside.
He was doing better and that's all anyone could expect from another right?
He was trying to do more things with Avalon and slowly starting to carve out time in his day for personal activities.
The argument he had with Clarion so long ago still weighed heavy on his mind.
She had made him realize that his daughter did not like him very much and resented his priorities.
Avalon was not the only one too.
He knew that for a fact since Clarion was so vocal on how he spent his time.
Nearly colliding with the corner wall as he turned, he kept going and tried to calm down.
He vaguely noticed a few more guards patrolling the halls than usual but thought nothing of it.
It was not his fault he ignored Clarion and had all but shut her out of his life, truly.
He just did not feel like trying anymore.
Maybe he was an asshole for this but the truth was, Clarion would always be with him.
They were married and she loved him to the bone, nothing would change that.
He knew he cared for her and at many times had felt love, but he couldn't help feeling trapped.
Too many times he thought of what his life could have been like with the one woman he had wholeheartedly chosen: Arden.
If Clarion knew that he felt like this, he was not aware, she probably took his disinterest for being too busy.
Which was actually partly true as well.
Was it fair to her?
Of course not.
Was it fair to him?
No as well.
At the end of the day she could leave whenever she wanted and he had been the one to save her and her realm from Kealy.
He rubbed his shoulder as an ache started there, not wanting to delve to deeply into how he would feel if she were to leave or worse, if they divorced.
He had never once contemplated ending their marriage prematurely after Kealy was defeated and they had decided to continue with the alliance.
So why these what-if thoughts plagued him tonight, he did not know, all he knew was that their situation was not ideal but it worked.
They had inadvertently formed the most powerful ruling family in Neverland.
After walking for what felt like an hour, he came to stand at the door of his daughters' room.
Tonight he was going to get Avalon and Clarion, they would eat dinner, be together and hopefully all be happy for once.
He knocked on the door and heard an excited "Come in."
Putting a genuine smile on his face, he opened the door and leaned against the frame.
"Hello my little sprite, how was your day?" Avalon sat up from the book she was reading and shrugged, "Quite uneventful actually."
Milori grinned, "That is a shame, however I am here to save you of your boredom and take you to dinner."
Avalon's eyes lit up, "Really? Right now? Or do I have time to change?"
With an exaggerated flourish, Milori bowed, "By all means, take your time and put on your finest dress my lady, the night is young."
Avalon giggled at her fathers' antics, "Why are you in such a good mood? Are we celebrating the coming of summer as well?"
Milori frowned at this but then waggled his eyebrows, "No, can a king not take his beautiful princess and Queen out for dinner every now and then?"
But it was Avalon's turn to frown, "So we are waiting for Clarion to come back? I thought you said tonight?"
Milori shook his head, chuckling, "Darling what are you talking about? I want you and Clarion to join me for dinner tonight."
God, maybe he should start making this a regular thing if his own daughter was so confused of the notion.
She hesitated, looking as if he had lost his memory.
"Right... but Clarion isn't here remember? She told you, didn't she?"
Milori stepped further into the room, crossing his arms.
"She isn't here? Well where would she be?"
They might not be on agreeable terms right now, but Clarion always notified him if she was traveling.
His little girl shrugged her shoulders, "She said something about Pixie Hollow needing more help than usual to deliver summer to the mainland. I'm pretty sure she went back."
Milori froze.
She went back?
But preparations would not need to start for a few more months still.
There must be some mistake.
Yet in his heart, he knew what was happening.
All his thoughts from earlier now felt foreshadowing.
With a heavy feeling in his stomach, he told Avalon to still get ready and that he'd be down in a minute.
Quickly, he walked to the master bedroom down the hall and gripped the door knob.
Taking a deep breath, he prepared his mind for what he was about to see and opened the door.
His breath left his lungs as what he saw confirmed his fears; he saw nothing.
Nothing as the room was devoid of all Clarion's personal belongings.
The room itself was clean, tidy, and all of his items were still in place but the tell-tale signs of his wife were gone.
Her silk robe was not on her side of the bed, her lavender perfume was not on the dresser.
Her shoes were not haphazardly strewn in front of the closet and all of her drawers were empty.
As he looked around the room, the only evidence he could see that told him of her presence was a letter laying against his pillow, her beautiful script on it.
He stared at it for a few minutes, not knowing what to do.
He scolded himself internally, calling himself an idiot for what was there to do other than read the letter.
Slowly, he walked up to the bed and with shaking hands, reached for the letter.
Somehow he knew this would change everything.
This comfortable lie they had played for years was about to be over.
As her friend, he was happy she was finally letting go of something that clearly caused her pain.
As her husband and a selfish king, he was upset that once again his world was tilting.
And only now was he realizing too late that she was the one constant who had always kept him steady.
Holding the smooth envelope, he tore it open, imagining his heart instead.
He cursed as he read the first few words.