When the Sun Fell |✔|

20

Lumi felt that familiar numbness come over her as she watched the retreating figure of the Winter Palace.

She slowly, with each second, locked away every precious moment she had been able to experience there. Every person she had met, their words, how they made her feel- the guards, Macy, Jodi- and him.

She couldn't carry their memories with her into this new land.

She had learned that from experience when she had entered winter from summer. She had learned that the past did nothing but weigh you down.

Slowly, she locked it away.

It would stay there. Never to be reopened.

Lumi inhaled deeply. She turned to face her new husband. Or husband by name. She knew the documentation had been a formality to pass her over. Maybe she would marry him, maybe she wouldn't. It was up to him and his people to decide. After all, he had come here and now was unexpectedly returning to his land with a new Queen.

Whether they held an official ceremony upon their arrival or not made no difference to Lumi. She decided to let this be known to him.

"I know you signed those papers in front of the Winter King, but the actual process does not-,"

"You are my Queen."

He turned to face her. They were complete strangers and this realization hit Lumi. They had only shared a few passing words, several dances, and small laughter between them at the Winter ball. Nothing that Lumi thought would make a lasting impression such as the pursuit of marriage.

A wry smile twisted his lips.

"You do not want to be?"

Lumi only shrugged.

He sighed. "I wouldn't put it past you. You already surprised me by not running away screaming when you heard where you were going."

"Galexious?"

Josiah nodded, "Either you are ignorant, or it just hasn't hit you yet. I'm hoping for the latter. I can't have an ignorant Queen."

Lumi leaned back within her seat and admitted, "I've haven't heard a lot about your Kingdom. And the little I've heard has all been..." she trailed off, looking out the window to cover her thoughts.

Josiah gave a humorless laugh, "I know. I'll save the details. I don't think telling you now will help me keep you."

It was Lumi's turn to laugh, "where else would I go?"

"Back to the Winter King?"

There was a break of silence as they each evaluated the other.

"It's not a secret. People gossip."

"I see..." Lumi suddenly felt uncomfortable. His dark eyes seemed to be piercing into her with his knowing look.

"But no...I wouldn't go back there. It's not my place anymore."

Josiah turned his head curiously at her, his smile mystifying Lumi. His grin only broadened. She hadn't been able to see the look on the Winter King's face as they drove away. Maybe if she had- she wouldn't have been saying those words.

"Your past doesn't concern me," he waved away the thought, reminding Lumi of her own she had conjured just seconds before their conversation. "It's your future I'm concerned about. That's the part that has me, so that's the part I'm interested in."

Lumi had to laugh at that, "Oh? Alright, King of Darkness."

He raised his eyebrows at the name.