Sunny

Sunny's smile brightened as she saw her mother waiting for her by the entrance of the Stronghold. Thorn beamed as her daughter jumped off her horse and tumbled into her mother's embrace.

Sunny buried her face in her mother's hair and breathed in the scent of familiarity, comfort, and warmth.

"Oh Sunny, I missed you so much!" Thorn said.

"I missed you too! So tell me, what's going on? Anything interesting?" Sunny asked.

Thorn shook her head. "Thank goodness, nothing much. I am, however, preparing Qibli and Moonwatcher for their marriage ceremony. Poor lad, he's quite frazzled.'

Sunny laughed but felt a slight pang of sympathy for a certain Icewing Prince. 

Surely this was hard on him.

"When are they getting married mother?" Sunny asked.

Thorn sighed. "In a few months, I believe. They keep switching the date. You know they've been engaged for over a year now. If I didn't know better I would say that the bride was getting cold feet."

"Really?" Sunny said, surprised. "Well, I'm sure that's normal. After marriage, there isn't really any going back is there?"

"Yes," Thorn agreed.

She and Sunny walked inside the Stronghold and walked the long tapestry covered halls to Sunny's room.

"I hope it's good enough. We had a sandstorm the other week that wiped out several rooms, unfortunately, the best ones, so this will have to do." Thorn said.

"It's wonderful mother, don't worry about it for a second."

"Sunny! You're here!" Sunny turned around.

Qibli stood in the doorway, familiar freckled face with its usual grin. Nestled snuggly at his side was a young, pale dark-haired woman.

"Qibli! Moon! It's so good to see you, how are you?" she asked.

"Better than I ever have been! Well, almost. How long are you staying? Will you be here for my marriage?" Qibli asked

Sunny thought for a moment. "Depends, when is it?"

"In three weeks," he said happily.

Moon frowned slightly. "Three weeks? I thought it was three months . . . "

Qibli looked down sheepishly. "Yes but . . . it's just that . . . I don't know, I'm feeling a little impatient, and you know . . . the timing just feels right. Sunny's here, Winter's here . . . and . . .well, we both love each other right? Why wait?"

Moon rubbed her temples and sighed. "No . . . I-I get it it's just . . . I wish you'd spoken to me about it first."

Qibli nodded. "You are completely right, that was wrong of me, I'm sorry . . . is it . . . alright with you?"

She smiled at him and nodded, but to Sunny, it looked more forced than usual.

"Yes, yes . . . it's fine."

Thorn smiled and clapped her hands together. "Well in that case we had better get planning! Sunny can help you . . . won't you Sunny?"

"I uh. . . Oh! Yes, yes, of course, I'd love to" Sunny said.

"Well then, I'll leave you guys to it . . . I'm going to go find Winter. I haven't seen him since last night." Qibli kissed Moon gently and left.

"I'll make myself scarce as well, have fun you two" Thorn smiled.

"So," Sunny said.

"You're getting married, that's exciting"

"Yes, it is" Moon agreed.

"So, what needs to be done?" Sunny asked. 

Moon closed her eyes briefly, then shook her head and pulled out a piece of parchment from her dress pocket.

"Oh, so many things, I've already done most of them, now . . . I believe it is only the guest list and invitations. You don't really need to help me Sunny, it's a tedious process."

"Nonsense" Sunny protested. She and Moon sat on Sunny's bed with a fresh piece of parchment between them, as well as a quill and a bottle of ink.

"Who do you want to invite? Don't think too hard over it, just write down the names that come to your mind and we'll go through it later" Sunny said.

" Let's see. Kinkajou, of course, Turtle, Peril, Starflight, Fatespeaker, Clay, Tsunami . . ." Moon listed.

Sunny began to write down the names.

"Glory, Deathbringer, my mother, and Ostrich." she finished.

Sunny frowned. "That's an awfully small amount of guests. I thought this wedding was going to be a big occasion" Sunny thought aloud.

Moon rubbed her hands up and down her arms looking uncomfortable. "Yes, I just . . .I'm not so sure that I feel comfortable with a large group of people. I would rather keep it between close acquaintances. Really, it isn't that much of a big deal."

"Not a big deal?! Moon, this is your wedding!" Sunny exclaimed.

Then she stopped and touched Moon's shoulder gently. "Moon, what is it. I can see that you are distressed. Tell me, what thoughts are tormenting you? I may never have been in love or engaged, but I'm sure I can help."

Moon bit her lip then leaned her head against the wall.

Finally, she spoke.

"It's this wedding . . . I just . . . it's going over my head. And Qibli-" she sighed.

" He's so sweet but I just hate how he's rushing this. I want to take more time and just figure out if this is really what we want."

"You mean, you're having second thoughts about your marriage to Qibli?" Sunny asked.

"I don't know!" Moon cried softly. "It's so confusing, I don't know if this is what I want, but I can't tell him that because I don't want to hurt him." She buried her face in her hands.

Sunny rubbed her back comfortingly.

"Don't worry Moon. Of course, you're having second thoughts, this is a big commitment. But really, there is no cause for concern. As long as Qibli is the one in your heart, this won't go wrong."

 Moon lifted her head from her hands, dark hair hanging like black silken curtains in front of her face.

"But what if-" She took a deep breath. "What if he isn't the only one in my heart?"

Moonwatcher

"Serenity! " Moon called to a young girl.

"Serenity, come back inside! You'll freeze!"

The girl just laughed as she threw open a wooden door and ran outside where snow blew ferociously in a white whirlwind of white.

Her platinum blond hair swirled around her face as she spun around, eyes closed and smile bright.

Moon stood up and walked to the doorway, leaning her head on the frame, smiling.

"Look, mama! Look at the snow! Isn't it purty?" Serenity laughed as she danced about in delight.

This is my child. Moon thought happily. Our child. Qibli and I are meant to be.

Someone slipped an arm around her waist and she leaned her head against his shoulder.

"Serenity in the snow again?" he asked.

"Mmm-hmm. She can't seem to feel the cold. Remarkable, isn't it?"

"Not so much. She does have my blood after all, does she not?"

Moon frowned, confused, but said, "yes, yes of course."

"Mama! Father! Come play with me!" Serenity called, dropping down and rolling around in the fluffy white snow.

"Not today Serenity, come now, it's getting dark. You may play again in the snow tomorrow when the sun is shining and you have proper clothes on."

Serenity frowned. "But mama-"

"No but's" Qibli said. "Listen to your mother and come on inside."

Serenity sighed, but complied and came in.

Moon brushed the snow away from the child's clothes and face.

Then she stopped. 

Those eyes.

Serenity looked up at Moon and smiled, her deep blue eyes twinkling with innocence and purity. But those eyes, there was only one man Moon had ever seen with eyes so blue.

"Mama?" the girl asked uncertainly. Moon shook herself. 

Just a coincidence. She thought.

"Yes dearest?" she said, smiling.

Serenity ran to a large basket in one corner of the room they were in and pulled out a large, unfinished blanket made out of different scraps of cloth and fur.

"May we add more to it, mama? We must finish it before she comes!"

Moon laughed. "She? Is that a fact?"

Serenity shook her head. "I just know it. She will be my sister." 

Moon smiled. "Alright, we'll do a little more work on it. But we have lots of time before your sister comes."

Serenity clapped her hands excitedly and grabbed the basket, hauling it over to Moon and digging out a scrap of cloth. "Let us use this one mama, it's purty."

Moon held the scrap of fabric in her hands and ran her fingers over the soft material.

"This is from my wedding dress" she whispered.

Flashes of color exploded in her mind.

She gasped in pain and clutched her head.

She felt a hand on her shoulder. "Moon, are you alright?"

She looked up and felt her heart stop.

The man next to her had frosty blond hair, not sandy. 

His skin was pale, not tanned

His eyes were deep blue, not black.

He wasn't Qibli.

"Winter" she breathed.

Moon gasped and sat up. 

Nonononono. She thought. No, it can't be. It's just a dream. That's all it is. Not a vision. Please, it can't have been a vision.

~Unedited~

I hope you liked:) I did my best, I know it's not amazing but I tried. Please remember to vote and comment:)