“Lori!”
“Lephas?” It was faint, but he had heard her. The demon broke into a sprint. The undergrowth sliced at him but he pushed on uncaring.
He skidded to a halt, listening intently. An old pine creaked and the wind gently blustered through the branches.
“Lori?!” he called out again, ears straining for a response. Sounds of nature were all that met him.
Lephas shook himself. He was certain he had heard–
“Lephas!”
“Lori!” he roared in response. She was closer this time. He span off in the direction her cry had echoed from.
The commander powered onwards, almost unbelieving when he heard her call for him again.
“Lephas!” The faerie's voice was getting clearer still.
That was when he caught sight of her. The demon's heart stopped. Lori stood far in the distance, knee deep in snow. Her beautiful blue eyes were scanning the horizon, looking for him.
He had already started barrelling towards her by the time she saw him. Her face lit up into a wide, irresistible smile.
As he reached her, Lephas didn't attempt to slow. He crashed into her, sweeping her up into his arms at the last minute. Before either of them had a chance to speak, he pressed a desperate, crushing kiss against her mouth.
Surprised, she hesitated before throwing her arms passionately around his neck.
“Well, what a greeting! I'm jealous,” a second and unfamiliar voice said.
Lori broke the kiss with a breathless laugh and turned her head to look across the clearing. Lephas followed the princess's gaze.
He could barely believe his eyes.
Another faerie stood before them. Her skin seemed to shimmer and sparkle, the sun bouncing from her like she was made of glass. She cast curious pale blue eyes over him with a small, knowing smile on her lips.
Her translucent wings fluttered and she tuckedher long, platinum blonde hair behind a delicately pointed ear. Her face was hauntingly beautiful, and yet strangely familiar.
Lori squirmed in his arms and he released her, eyes still fixed on the strange faerie.
“Lephas, this is Faye. My little sister.” She touched his arm.
“Faye?” he repeated dumbly, looking back at Lori.
The resemblance was uncanny, although Faye was somehow even slighter in build and her face was narrow and elegantly angled. Unlike when he had first laid eyes on Lori, Lephas had no trouble believing this ethereal creature was the majborne youngest daughter of Lazuli. She looked ever the royal faerie princess.
“Charmed.” Faye nodded politely.
“...How?” He glanced at Lori. She smiled sympathetically at the puzzled look her shot her.
“It's a long story. She's been out here looking for me,” she replied.
Lephas knew he should care about those details, but in that moment, he couldn't bring himself to. He stooped and lifted Lori from the ground once more, squeezing her into a tight embrace.
“I thought I'd lost you,” he sighed, relieved tears prickling at his eyes. Before anyone could see them, heburied his face into her neck. “Where have you been?”
“Well, that's kind of part of the complicated bit...” Lori laughed, squeezing him back.
“My fault I'm afraid, boss,” a deep, very familiar voice grated from behind him.
“No...” He dropped Lori to her feet and spun to face his friend.
