Welcome to Gaia! ::

(What, no Sesshomaru? xD)

"It's all so pretty."

The soft voice of one small figure echoed farther than normal, her group tramping through the snow in the usual assortment of thick coats, scarves, hats and mittens. They seemed to be led by a tall brunette girl in a long red cloak. Green eyes turned back to the child, and a smile graced regal features. "Yes, Valentine, it is."

"Makes lots of difference when we're not runnin' 'round through it for somebody." A slightly larger boy, his face uncovered by a hood, grinned and kicked at a lump of snow. Beside him, another boy with the same golden eyes and dark hair as Valentine nodded vigorously. "Does that mean we can play in it, Morgan?"

"Yes." The taller girl's smile widened. Beside her, another girl with short blonde hair, blue eyes and an easy grin tugged her little brother's scarf a little tighter 'round his neck. "Be careful not to hurt anybody." She admonished gently. "Motoko, do you have your plugs covered?"

The last member of the group, another little girl, nodded and beamed. Her long purple ponytail bobbed. "All closed up, Marian." She assured. "Will you watch?"

Morgan and Marian grinned at each other. "We'll watch from over here." Morgan agreed, sitting carefully on the bench on the opposite side as Zarkis. "Have fun."

(*snicker*)

Morgan grinned faintly, amused by the boy settled in the snow and what was apparently his brother. "Hello." She glanced at the little infant and smiled as Marian leaned over and picked him up. "Hello, little one. You shouldn't be sitting in the snow. You could freeze up."

The dark-haired little boy snickered. "Maybe he could just play with us." The child offered, glancing up at Zarkis as though to ask permission. Like Alucard, his eyes were gold, but they were shy and fairly sweet. "Are you his big brother?"

"And you're sick." Morgan noted dryly. Head tilting to one side, she studied the boy for a moment, then nodded. "Marian, the kids can go play if you'd like to watch the little one. I need some barrow root." Her voice, though young and polite enough, could have belonged to a duchess or queen; clearly, she brooked no argument.

The blonde's lips twitched, and she nodded back to her sister, shifting Alucard easily to one hip so she could search through a pouch at her hip. "You might introduce yourself, Morgan." She admonished gently. Handing the brunette a pair of round, mealy-looking balls about the size of quarters, she turned her smile to Zarkis. "I'm Marian, and this is my sister Morgan. These are Valentine," the dark-haired girl, "her twin Alexander," the dark-haired boy, "Arthur," the other boy, with spiky brown hair and intense green eyes, "and Motoko." The purple-ponytailed girl, with eyes that matched. "They're our brothers and sisters."

"They'll take care of Alucard." Morgan's tone was still regal, but it had softened a touch. Briskly, she spread the blanket that had been draped over her arm across Zarkis' shoulders. "You need to warm up, and then you'll eat these."

"Barrow root - treated with herbs from our Aunt's garden." Morgan explained, settling herself gracefully on the bench beside him as Marian moved the kids a bit farther out. "It's enchanted, like the blanket. But for healing, not heat." A faint smile touched her face. "Sometimes it's nice having healers in the family. And you have no idea - that's not even half our siblings."

Alexander grinned up at Alucard in his sister's arms, pleased. "Can ya walk, Al-u-card?" The child patiently sounded out the name, his accent slightly siblant but understandable. "We could throw snowballs. Or build a snow fort!"

Morgan laughed, pleased. She liked this kid, with his odd mix of polite curiousity and easygoing manner. "No - Aunt Ri flavors hers. They taste kind of like peanuts." Yeah, she knew how bitter some of medicine could be. "I've had to take them myself a few times for sniffles. That's why Marian and I usually carry some. But I've got a peppermint in my bag if you want it."

"Okay, Alucard." Gently, Marian settled the little boy in a clear patch of snow with a blanket under him, laughing lightly. "How 'bout Alex and Arthur show you how to make the perfect snowball? And you can come back here if you get too cold."

Nodding in approval, Morgan handed Zarkis the two balls. They felt a bit like dough, slightly crumbly, but compact enough. "You do have to chew - kinda fishy texture, if you can believe that. Aunt Ri says it's the different magics mixed in. But they work quick, and that's the best part."

"Okay, first, we need to gather up some snow." Arthur knelt across from Alucard and showed him, scooping the white powder up with gloved hands. "Once you have a handful, you crunch it 'tween your hands. Like this. That makes it stay together better."

Morgan glanced at Zarkis critically for a moment, apparently not noticing or caring about the hesitation, then nodded with a satisfied smile. "I'm thinkin' they're working already." She drawled. "You're nowhere near as pale as you were. Nose feel any better?"

Meanwhile, Arthur frowned slightly, pushing his own ball together wit a bit more success. "Takes practice." He informed the infant after a moment. "And you have to start small, so you can fit it in your palms and wrap your whole hand around it."