Northstar Vale I clutched your arms like stairway railings.

The imagination was a wonderful thing. Ibis tried to picture Reiko surrounded by her little snowpuffs, each pale and perfect; how many would have her eyes? How many would become soft and charitable and lovely on the eyes? She tried to recite the names to herself so that she would not forget.

Her smile deepend, but something stirred in Ibis' eyes, a tiny thought—imagining her beautiful girls a little bit older and surrounded by friends, but tarnished too, because she was not there. Lilitu rushing to her with a new find — a flower or somesuch — and Ibis too distracted by her duties. Arielle seeking her comfort after a minor childhood heartbreak, and the same - distance, swelling between them.

It was all very quick, these thoughts. They'd gathered in her dreams primarily and threatened her time to time when she was awake lately, growing stronger with each moment she was away from her girls. I... I would like to ask you something.

Perhaps she should wait. Reiko had enough to handle now and it would be unfair to follow through with yet another change. But... I was so worried about being a mom before, but now its all I can think of. I can't imagine doing anything else. But I know you need someone to be there to help run things; I know I haven't been around to do that, which is unfair to you, and to the kingdom. I... I would like to step down as Queen. Perhaps until the girls are older.

Her brow pinched with apology unspoken, but she looked hopefully upon her friend, feeling butterflies fluttering in the pit of her belly.