Lumi stared across at Titania. She looked just as she had remembered—yet something was different. 

As a fae of the Winter Court, Lumi had never felt welcomed. On her very first day, entering the main hall as a small child, she could never forget the contemptful stares of the Summer fae. They looked at her like she didn’t belong there—she knew she didn’t, but it seemed like they felt disgust at the thought of her even breathing the same air as them. They made snide comments under their breath as she stumbled in, cold, hungry, and frail from lack of proper food and water for months. She had subsisted on wild berries and scavenged mushrooms, some making her feel sick because she couldn’t differentiate between edible ones and the more poisonous variety. 

It was then when she saw Queen Titania for the first time. She had been sitting on her throne, assisted by two handmaidens on either side that massaged her shoulders with loving care. 

The woman looked upon her with a soft sparkle in her golden eyes, like the cosmic dust of nebulae. She was beautiful, and Lumi was immediately struck by her powerful aura. 

Surprisingly enough, Titania was the first of the Summer Court to accept her. The queen treated her with kindness, and with such a gentle touch that she felt like Titania’s own daughter. Soon, the ache in her heart—the dull pain from the loss of everything she had ever loved—had begun to diminish. 

Eventually, even though she was still young, she was assigned to act as a personal guard for the Sixth Prince of the Fae, Devesh. 

“Protect my dearest son. The one whom I adorn with a crown of flowers and give all my love. Ensure he is never sad. Ensure he is never unwell. Take care of him for me, in case I have to leave someday. I know you will not let me down, dear Lumi…” Titania held up her hand, caressing Lumi’s cheek, “…because you are sincere. You have a soul that remains bright despite all the darkness in your life.”

The queen pet Lumi’s head, ruffling her hair a bit. “Do not ever lose your spark. Do not ever let anyone tell you that you are lesser than them. Nurture that spark and let it grow. Soon, the darkness in your heart will vanish, along with all the pain you’ve suffered. You will grow to become stronger than the best of us, someday. I know that to be true.”

Lumi looked up at her. She couldn’t bring herself to say anything at the moment, mostly because she didn’t know the right words to choose. 

“Be safe, Lumi,” Titania said, taking her by the hand. She led her into the courtyard, surrounded by vine-wrapped trellises and wildflowers that had been grown with utmost care. There, a boy was seated in the manicured grass. A small green caterpillar crawled across his extended finger, and he was profoundly amused with the sight. He looked up at them as they approached, his clay-colored eyes lighting up in joy. 

Just like Titania, he was beautiful. Just like Titania, he did not look upon her with judgment. 

“My dear Devesh, please meet your new protector and companion, Lumi, of the Court of Winter.” The queen smiled warmly and allowed Lumi to approach the prince. 

The prince grinned with joy. “Nice to meet you, Lumi of the Court of Winter. You look just like the stories.”

“The stories?” Lumi raised a pale eyebrow. 

“My mother tells me stories of the other courts. Of their people and their cultures. I’ve always been interested in the Winter Court. I think I’d like their food.” He spoke genuinely, with an unmatched enthusiasm that would warm the hearts of anyone who listened.

“The food is quite different than here.” Lumi smiled. “Maybe one day, we’ll be able to rebuild my homeland so that we can experience the cuisine together.” 

“If that’s what you want, I’ll gladly help. I want to see your city in all its glory.” Dev extended a hand out for Lumi to shake. They did so, and he declared, “It’s settled, then. I, Devesh, the Sixth Prince of the Fae, shall help you rebuild your homeland. One stone at a time if I need to!” 

It was that moment—the first of many to come—that Lumi grew to admire the prince and his ways. As time went on, the pair grew closer, and Dev always made sure to treat her like a friend, and not like a guard. He would remember small details about her and bring her favorite treats from all over Lucinia. The prince was always so thoughtful, and that made her happy. 

One day, Titania left her favorite son behind. For many years, Dev and Lumi grew up together, without seeing the queen even once. While the rest of the Summer Court avoided the prince over rumors spread around Lucinia of the queen’s departure, Lumi remained by his side.

Dev had looked at her—not in the usual way—on a temperate summer afternoon, when they were walking through the rose gardens. He always had this specific expression on his face when he was about to say something important. The best way to describe it was that he looked like he had something on the tip of the tongue, and he couldn’t quite remember the right word to use. 

Eventually, he said it. “I like you, Lumi. You’re different from the other fae around here, but in a good way. You’re the only one who’s nice like my mother used to be.” Dev smiled. “She’s been gone for the last few years, but I’m sure it’s ‘cause she’s busy.” 

The prince stopped by a rosebush, inspecting the orange-colored petals. “Do you think she’ll return, Lumi?” 

“I’m sure of it.” Lumi nodded, looking at the flowers with him. 

“I hope you stay. It would be terrible if you left me as well.” Dev had this desolate look to him that she’d never quite seen before. It was as if he had been harboring this pain in his heart for years, and she hadn’t been aware of it until then. She wanted to do anything she could to reassure him. 

“I won’t leave you. I like you too, and I’ll always be right here next to you.” Lumi gave him the brightest smile she could, and for the first time, she could feel the happiness she projected outward. That darkness in her heart had finally been pushed back, like Titania had said. If she was with the prince, then she could be truly happy. “That’s a promise.” 

A promise was important to the fae folk, because once they made that pact, they could not break it, unless they wanted to face dire consequences. 

Lumi would have kept that promise—forever if she could have. There was just one obstacle in the way of her fulfilling her pact…the High King Oberon. Seeing her close relationship with the sixth prince, Oberon pulled her aside. On that chill night, he told her something she would never forget. 

“Keep your distance from the prince. A good personal guard isn’t seen, and a great personal guard isn’t heard. Their sole purpose is to observe, and they must only step in when a threat presents itself.” 

“But—” 

“Ah ah,” Oberon shushed. “What did I just say? A great personal guard isn’t heard. So be quiet.”

Lumi could not do much else but listen. It would be considered treason if she spoke her mind. 

“Remember this, Lumi…” Oberon’s eyes narrowed. “If you choose to disobey your king’s orders, I will send you back to the ruins of your kingdom to starve.” 

She nodded, not saying a word. Glancing over longingly, she saw Dev in the courtyard, alone once again. 

And yet, the prince never questioned why Lumi had stopped talking to him. He never resented her. He had never told her how terrible she was for leaving him like all the others. No, he simply accepted the fact that she would not keep her promise, and he made peace with it. After all that, he still smiled at her in those rare moments when he caught a glimpse of her from afar. 

For that reason, she would continue to fight for him, no matter what happened. No matter what she had to sacrifice for his dreams to come to fruition. 

Lumi had always hoped to see Titania again, so that she could set the situation right. She could tell Oberon that the prince needed his personal guard by his side. That was the hope that Lumi had held on to for so many long, terrible years.

Now that Titania was back in the flesh, right in front of her, Lumi knew in her heart that her wishes would not become reality. This was not the Titania she remembered and cherished—this was not the woman who loved her child so dearly. She looked the same, yes, but her eyes were different—the spark in them had faded away. The brilliant nebulae of her irises had become dull. It was almost as if she were half-asleep. 

The warm acceptance Lumi had once felt from Queen Titania…had become cold indifference.