"How are you feeling now?"

Josiah watched Lumi with nervous eyes. She had her head in his lap, a low groan leaving her at his words as she rolled over to stare up at him.

"I think I'm going to throw up."

He immediately hit the top of the carriage. "Stop! Ramus, make them stop!"

The carriage slowly came to a halt, and Lumi groaned again at the sudden motion it made in pausing.

"We're almost there..." Josiah looked out the window, making Lumi laugh.

"We're not even close."

He sighed and shook his head, watching as she sat up and exited the carriage. She extended her arms in the air, inhaling deeply as the guards that surrounded watched.

"The rocking motion is killing me. I don't know how much more I can take. Can't I just walk next to it?"

Lumi heard Josiah's voice firmly say from inside the carriage, "absolutely not."

She groaned and her voice took on a faint whine as she turned back to face him, "then let me ride with Ramus. I feel like I'm suffocating in there."

She heard Josiah's long sigh from inside the carriage.

"I'm sorry." Lumi was. She had delayed their travel already by three days. At this rate, they were going to arrive the week of the wedding in a hurried and unexplained state. That was not the image the Galexious Kingdom was wanting to present.

"You should have left me at home."

Josiah stuck his head out finally, his scowl causing Lumi to unconsciously smile, "if you're faking this to try to skip out, then I'm not having it. Sick or not, you're going."

Lumi threw her head back and startled the guards with her sudden yell of frustration.

"I can't stand this!"

"Well you're going to have to!"

"I'm going to throw up!"

"I'll have Ramus get a bucket!"

Lumi gave another whine of annoyance. "Josiahhhhh."

He shook his head, mocking her tone as he complained back with her, "Lumiiiii."

They both glared at one another, the guards standing to the side awkwardly as they waited in silence to see what would happen next. There was no one else around to witness their King and Queen's bickering as they sat idle on the road.

"We're almost to the border. If we keep going we can make it there by the end of the day. Then it's only two more days of traveling.

Lumi stared dejectedly at the ground. Josiah watched her and sighed, opening the door to the carriage in an offering for her.

"Come on, get in."

"I'm going to throw up."

"Don't. If you throw up, then I'm going to be sick. Just stick your head out the window. We're in a hurry."

Lumi pointed an accusing finger towards him, "You're my husband!"

"Yes, and as your husband, I'm telling you to get back in the carriage!"

The guards sighed, their horses shifting restlessly underneath them, ready to be back on the move. This was not the first interruption they had had in their trip and the guards knew it would not be the last.

* * *

Lumi rested her head on Josiah's shoulder, the wet cloth secure to her forehead.

He looked out the window, blinking back against the light that was exposed to them. He always felt uncomfortable when crossing the border and exposing himself to the sun. The darkness was like a blanket of comfort. He found its constant presence soothing, yet at the same time, harrowing.

The sun that was before his eyes made him squint. The reflection of the beams across the white snow did not help either. The cold wind of the north was coming into the carriage. Soon they would need to stop and change attire, but hopefully the drop in temperature would help Lumi.

Her body began to unconsciously shiver against him in her sleep. She moved closer without knowing, her arms wrapping around his own as she buried her head deeper into the crook of his neck. Josiah lifted his free hand, brushing away a braid that had fallen onto her face.

She had kept her hair in such a style- the long braids making her seem more regal in his mind as the multitude of them stacked on top of her head and flowed down.

Josiah stared at the design, having never seen such a thing in his life. She pulled it off though. But then again, she could be wearing the plainest clothing and make it somehow look majestic.

Josiah felt his head fall towards her as his cheek rested against the locks. He loved the texture of her hair. The way it smelled. He had watched her one night apply an oil of some kind to it. She had made it herself with the help of some of the castle servants.

Josiah found that he could watch her for hours and not even realize it. Her movements captivated him. He closed his eyes, away from the sun, and found himself in darkness as the scene played out in his mind. A memory that had occurred just a week ago of him laying on the bed. She was in front of him, sitting at her dresser, applying her oil, and easing the mixture slowly into her hair. While she worked, she sang. A soft music of foreign words that Josiah had not recognized. Her eyes had looked up, meeting his stare in the mirror. And she had smiled- smiled back at him.

She broke their contact and continued with what she had been doing, but he had not looked away. It was a moment of such ease. A small detail that many glossed over.

Indeed, even Josiah had not been aware until now, as he reflected on it, how significant those moments they had shared actually were.

He moved his head, kissing the top of her head and feeling a sudden swell of affection come to him.

My wife.

The fierce protectiveness he had gained for her through the past six months overwhelmed him.

His.

His wife.

Josiah opened his eyes, staring down at her.

They were going back to where it all had started. Where he had first seen her in that gown of gold, radiating like the sun he had never known of.

He had not thought much of her then. Just the significance she would hold in the future as someone who was a princess to one land, and property of another.

Mine.

He was hers and she was his and his heart gave a sudden jolt of pressure when he thought of the far away look that came over her at the mention of him.

But there was something about Lumi that Josiah was coming to realize. Maybe the Winter King had known of this. Maybe that was why the man had been so desperate to trap and keep her. Josiah sometimes felt that same urge when she was announcing she was going to visit a city or go hunting in the woods.

The urge to keep her at his side. To never let her disappear.

She was something that all men wanted to contain but could never control.

They wanted her smile for themselves, and her laughter to be directed at them. They wanted her. The whole of her, not a part.

But Josiah knew in the deepest part of his heart, that she was something he would never be able to restrain. She was a creature of such wild fascination, that Josiah wondered if Lumi even realized the effect she had on others.

The carriage was slowing down. Josiah saw the stop they had chosen, where they would dress and change in order to be received by the Winter King and his future Queen.

With a sigh, he turned to Lumi and woke her.

* * *

Marcos felt worried yet at the same time, unsurprised.

He watched as the messenger of Galexious arrived before the King and Queen upon the day they were expected.

His heart gave an unhealthy jolt at the sudden announcement that someone from the Galexious Kingdom was here, in the throne room, waiting to be received. He could see the other guards' shoulders stiffen in anticipation.

But a single male was the only one to walk in.

"The King and Queen have experienced unexpected delays within their journey and will be arriving four days past their intended time of arrival."

Marcos knew he had to maintain composure, but he could not help but turn his head slightly to take in the reaction of his King and future Queen.

"Oh no..." Lady Elowen frowned at the male before her, her head tilting just slightly to let her silver hair fall past her shoulders. "I hope everything is alright?"

The messenger froze. It seemed he had not been expecting further inquiries of the cause for delay.

There was a long silence afterward until all the air was sucked out of the room by the sound of the King's voice.

"Is something wrong?"

Marcos wanted to close his eyes and shake his head as those three words were spoken out and heard. They were spoken sharply. With indifference.

But the guards all knew that the more indifference the King showed, the harder he was trying to conceal what really laid underneath.

The messenger fluttered about, the notch on his neck going up and down as he nervously chose his next words, "the Queen...she is...slow..."

Lady Elowen seemed to hesitantly turn to face the King, along with the rest of the guards, who at this point didn't care if they were caught listening.

"Slow..." The King's voice was whispered out, but it cut through the messenger like a razor.

"Ill?"

"Is that a question?"

"No sir!...She...they will be delayed!" His eyes seemed to be bulging out as a hand clung to his chest. Marcos felt deep pity for the male, but at the same time, alarm.

Ill? Princess Lumi was ill?

He silently corrected himself, knowing now she was Queen Lumi.

The King motioned for Wilmot to come closer. The male leaned in and listened to whatever it was that his King said. Marcos watched as Lady Elowen seemed to roll her eyes- a look that surprised Marcos. Even Wilmot winced and hesitated.

But nonetheless, Wilmot turned to the messenger and approached, leading the male out of the room. Marcos heard their passing conversation as they exited.

"Let me show you your accommodations. I will have members of the royal guard go to the location of the King and Queen to meet them and ensure their safe travel while...."

Their voices faded into the distance.

Marcos nodded, until suddenly a horrible thought struck.

Members of the royal guard.

Oh no.

That meant him.

Winter King: Go escort them

Winter Guards:

This is an odd question, but if Lumi were a dog, what breed do you think she would be? Would a dog even suit her? Maybe a cat? I guess she would be a hunting dog...the image that comes to my mind is a Large Münsterländer. Thoughts?

(*4 Minutes later*) I took a dog personality test and I am a chow chow. So there. (the description of the breed actually fit my personality 100% so I guess I have found my spirit animal).

Thank you for reading!

Until next time,

Loves,