Welcome to Gaia! ::

Not that the lack of cloak mattered -a perfect one settled without a breath of wind upon her shoulders. The one she was thinking about, courtesy of the macrotalent, Peter. Yes... perhaps a little breech in talent but the rabbit thought it worth it this time.

All eyes were on her and most of the conversations ceased -it was a little more difficult to stop Tien & the kinoko from chattering. None so much as Zell, who's bright grin while warm also seemed bit frozen with nervousness. He stood, moving to pull out her chair for her. Aiden and a few other of those males that knew their manners also likewise rose -to sit again once she had been seated. More than a few smiles greeted the princess, a few actually stared. The movement of antlers from amid a sea of perfect blue ringlets bobbed as the gold-skinned dragon medusa bowed her head lightly at royalty. Nimlaurë was wrapped warmly in coat and heating blankets, not caring for the cold at all and looking very regal. Palace bred. One other almost seemed royally bred -a flame haired elf near the medusa.

They waited. In the hustle and bustle of preparing... none had stopped to take time to look up what was expected on this holiday.

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"Huh?" Though the girls were thinking the same thing Ginny shot Percy a 'you're supposed to be quiet' look that shut him up and had him frowning all over again. Bright blue eyes flicked between the three. "Perhaps, tovarish, some hot chocolate to take away the chill..." An elegant motion indicated a counter, half hidden from the rest of the room in a tasteful fashion. The girl moved with a dancer's grace but seemed oblivious to how it might look to others or effect them. Odd, how except for her occasional use of the Russian she had very little of the accent. As one who left the country very young.

Illyana waited as Percy rose and strode purposefully to the counter, as she could hear the milk poured into a saucepan and the sound of stirring -forceful, intent. Percy was throwing all of his focus into that mundane task rather than setting the simple spell to keep it stirred so that the milk could not get a skin on it. A sign for how worried he was, mirrored in his sister's brown eyes and the way she nervously bit her lip in worry for him. The once DarkChilde turned to the fallen angel, eyes and voice gentle. She wasn't the Professor or Ororo... not even Trelweny or Rune for comfort but... she could try. It was that or leave it to Ginny. Not the wisest of backup plans. "There is nothing you need to apologize for." Percy was not so sure, though his concern for the most part was overriding his hurt. But then... if Illyana were wrong and apology was needed... shouldn't he feel better for hearing Anon's? "What is buried unresolved has a way of exploding... Is it something perhaps we can help you with miss...?" "Anon..." Came Percy's voice, unexpectantly soft and gentle. Pained from his own hurt, confusion, & general lack of anything to understanding. At least his interjection had the benefit of keeping his sister in stunned silence.

Catching her smile Zell grinned and forcibly contained himself. He was doing pretty good. Certainly not to the standards court might expect, but a lot closer than one might guess he could. It was the ripple of energy beneath him & the smile that most gave him away.

Trelweny started in surprise and with a soft murmur from Aiden for her to go ahead & that he had Theron & Ambar in control she stood and stepped towards Maryline. She wore her usual almost skimpy attire, but with thin red gloves to protect her fingers and a warm almost fluffy white coat. A red cloak draped over that seemed more for color than warmth. Her eyes flickered her confusion -the latent Talent was clearly not 'picking up' anything at the moment.

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Illyana gave another smile, this one showing years of sorrow, pain & hardships. A hint of demonic hardships too... not quite showing a glimpse of her fractured & corrupted soul. "It's okay if you don't want to tell us. We barely know you, after all. But don't keep it inside, all to yourself." That odd look was back in her blue eyes and Ginny gave the blonde a strange look. "I know about keeping things to yourself." Secrets. Yes... Illyana Rasputin knew about keeping secrets.

Sighing Percy stirred the cocoa powder into the warming milk. He wanted to know what was up... but at the same time agreed that privacy should not be infringed. He just... wish he knew what he had done to cause Anon to relapse to not do it again. Not that it should really matter anyway. As she had been pretty adamant about how they would not be seeing each other again. So he stood there... starting... watching the milk warm.

The woman's eyes widened as she accepted the present, holding it a moment before opening it -and then that action was slow, deliberate. Trelweny could feel the invisible frown hidden behind Zell's smiling face and worried at that feeling. "Thank you." Her smile was warm but flickered as she hugged the book to her, feeling inexplicably cold. Why was that? Or was it just the giving of gifts, the widow half wishing Princess Maryline had not done so. Giving her a gift. Giving them all gifts ... that was a lot of gifts. It was why gifts were given so rarely, even on Christmas -the one holiday Trelweny treasured above all others. "Thank you, Princess Maryline... you shouldn't have..."

Zell's thoughts were only apparent in his eyes. He saw from the flicker of being put off her guard that Myranda had not conjured the gift or gifts for Maryline. He never inquired, but Zell remembered his princess saying once that she did not have much money. Back when he was her 'paid' knight (or whatever). Where then was she getting the funds for so many gifts? Zell, despite appearances, was no dummy and he wondered how much -if any- was left of her funds. If nothing or next to nothing was left... did it mean anything? She certainly could not want for any item here if they could do anything about it. Only hinted in his eyes, his grin bright and cheerful as ever. Maryline was not the only one of them to hide behind the masks of smiles.

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"Well, you're welcome to stay here after your hot chocolate if you need to, Anon. God knows we can send a message to your place saying you needed a rest." Ginny huffed softly. She knew something of secrets too, though not at all in the same league as Anon's or even Illyana's. Her personal greatest darkness had stemmed from a diary. Her own personal sadness alleviated when they came here as the loss of her brother was nulled. There were other sadnesses or disappointments really... but none of them beyond what she was capable of dealing with. She and Ron had an unspoken truce not to speak of Harry, though both felt his absence.

Using a ladle Percy poured the hot chocolate milk into glasses with handles of carved pewter, their intricate forest motifs like sleeve and holder to the glass held within. Two in each hand the only male in the room brought them over to the girls, a hard & distant look in his eyes. "Sure. Let me know how that talk with Miss Solstice goes, okay?"

His sister blinked at him and the blonde sat back at his tone. Not that Percy paid them much heed, his dark eyes behind his glasses trying to catch Anon's. He did not joke well and likely his intended sarcasm fell flat -for that was more the tone his voice held: Flat- but he had met Solstice. They had spoke of Solstice. Perhaps not the others... but even Percy knew Anon was straight out lying if she was lumping the dragoness as a housemate she could talk to. Solstice might care for her enough to insist on boots, but Percy simply could not see her offering a willing ear to any but her daughter.

She... did not know what to say. Perhaps she would have, at Maryline having to be the host here but Trelweny neither knew about it or 'heard' it nor did she have any previous knowledge with the holiday of Renascibilitas. Holding the book to her chest the woman nodded, then gave a half bow (curtsying out of the question in her short skirt) and backed up the few steps to her seat. Zell for his part seemed a trifle more relieved, giving Maryline a grin as if to say she was his greatest gift anyway as well as to reassure her.

Seated beside his Rune, his FTC counterpart beside him with his Rune, coughing intentionally to get Maryline's attention. The hardness of his blue eyes was not so hard -simply silently almost asking that when she was finished, if it fit in with her little holiday thing, he'd like to tell the others what she and Zell already knew. Rebirth, huh? Seemed like a fitting time.

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"Pish Tosh!" Ginny stated firmly with a wave of her hand to sweep the notion away even as she accepted her cup from Percy. "One more certainly isn't bothering us."

Once catching hers, his dark eyes flicked away nearly as fast. Only a nod, not certain what words he could say. Not that Percy was given a chance as he sat down with his own beverage, sipping it thoughtfully. He offered a very weak smile as Illyana nodded to Anon's change and her resolution. "As long as you talk to somebody."

Now Percy spoke up. "Well maybe you could try me after you trounce me in Super Smash Brothers." Back to what she had said before about him not understanding if she told him. Of course he wasn't thinking -or rightly caring- how bad that might sound now slightly out of context. Not that it mattered. Ginny was nearly chocking on her hot chocolate & Illyana wore a stunned look of incredulousity. Percy? Knowing the name of a video game much less offering to play it? Had he hit his head?

As if from some silent signal -and considering the Psys there likely was- the tables grew as close to silence as was possible during Maryline's speech. An awe actually spread over them at the tale, none having known of such a thing. Then all eyes (well a few of the lesser minded fae stopped paying attention and Theron & Ambar seemed more interested in each other) turned to the bahamet anthro as he stood, offering his hand to help Rune from her seat. His smirk was more nearly a smile then as she rose -lunar moth wings spreading for a moment then settling like a light cape over her half parka- and stepped within the protective and loving curve of his arm so that she was standing just before him in the space created between their seats.

"Rune & I... We're expecting." As Seifer spoke his hands fell to his mate's gently starting to round belly, his eyes brightening happily and a warm, happy, peaceful smile -tinged with pride of course- spread across his face removing all hardness. There where gasps and smiles and cheers. Liliana Lupin glanced at her mate Edward (seated where they could not see the AnthroCat Alphonse) with a look in her green eyes that hopefully such news would soon be theirs to share. FTC Seifer stood and clapped his counterpart congratulatory on the back, a mixed look of happiness and sorrow on the cat's softer face. For once his Rune missed it, beaming her congratulations silently to her own counterpart.

Hemi on the opposite side of the table wiggled and squirmed beneath the table to get to them and with a happy snuggle against the moth-anthro's belly -accompanied with a mandatory but lacking gruffness "hey!" from Seifer- started to glow. "Twins!" Hemi exclaimed joyfully, dark chocolate tails wagging happily. "And I'm pretty sure... they'll be ready to meet the world mid-January way they're developing." Rune gasped softly. "oh! That soon?" Hemi nuzzled her belly and laughed warmly. "You're not 100% human like Trel, you know. Your body, and theirs," The kitsu's nose poked the rounded belly happily. "Work a little different. So it's only 2 months, instead of 9." Baby-blue eyes winked as Hemi wiggled back under the table to his own place, leaving those that had heard him to figure it out for themselves. Trelweny of course having already suspected was smiling with happiness only looking a little surprised at the difference of gestation.

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"Hai?" Percy repeated dumbfoundedly, eyes finally returning to the fallen angel. What the heck was that supposed to mean? His pause gave Ginny enough time to gather herself from the whole Percy-playing-videogames shock and she grinned impishly at Anon, eyes twinkling. In that moment she was very reminiscent in looks to the twins. "So tell her it's Trel's place. Just 'cause boys live here, still it's really Trel-mum's place so it's not even lying." They of course, knew nothing of Anon's past, or that her mother was dead. "You could even stay with me, if you wanted. Lord knows Hermione did often enough, even after her & Ron were dating. And it's not like you're dating Perce." There was a pause as she looked between them searchingly that for some reason made Illyana blush and giggle, looking away as she touched a hand to the poinsettia crown on her blonde hair. "You're not... are you?" Percy having been intentionally ignoring his baby sister suddenly coughed and sputtered into his cup and went beat red. No they weren't... but he was in no shape to say so at the moment.

((*thwaps her family for always inviting everyone over then inviting them to stay*))

Zell had to think not to blink -not to glow- with the wonderful feelings that flowed through him at the touch of Maryline's hand on his. It was hard to resist trying to catch her eyes and just smile at her with it all. But somehow he managed instead to shift himself so that their hands were mostly hidden from the others between the cover of her cloak and his body and tenderly repeated Maryline's gesture, moving his thumb over her hand with love. Except for the vibration of energy, he was nearly being a perfect gentleman. Well... there was that 'you go, man!' look in his eyes shot at Seifer and Rune, but hey! It was time for such as that!

Slowly the household at the tables began to quiet. Seifer set Rune back in her seat, playing the 'lord' to which the expecting mother's smile brightened. Hundreds of smiling eyes turned to Maryline, expectant and waiting. Was there more to this?

He could watch her now, lightly wrapping his pinky over hers as his thumb continued to caress the back of Maryline's hand. Zell's eyebrow quirked the tiniest bit catching the movement of her other hand and a small wave of guilt washed over him that he hid with another big smile. Was she worried? Hyne. Maybe they never should have...

All other thoughts stilled as her voice rose softly over the snow covered lawn. Maryline was singing... and she was not in the shower. The small open 'o' of his mouth indicated the depth of his surprise, the honest smile his joy. She was singing... for everyone. And it was beautiful.

A hush fell upon all gathered as the princess, even the young and the fae. A few hummed softly along, including both Trelweny (barely audibly and more as if she was setting the tune to memory) and her son. With a bard as 'lady' here music was highly revered.

That lull shattered at Princess Maryline's words when the song was over, the tables seeming to erupt like an explosion as the feast DID begin. It was not everyone who attacked the meal like untamed savages -in truth most had some semblance of manners. But as was often the case those that were loud and boisterous easily drowned out the quiet and dignified.

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Japanese. Hm. Like the kitsu Remus' mate Nari. Or some of those animated shows Trelweny and her son would watch when not watching musicals or kids shows. He gave a soft nod of understanding, his dark eyes sympathetic in sympathy for what she said next though still tongue tied over his sister's impertinent question to actually voice his sympathies. Ginny blanched sheepishly and Illyana's blue eyes filled with tears that would not fall. "Oh, God! I'm sorry!" The red-headed witch exclaimed, hands going to cover her mouth and her brown eyes wide. "I didn't think..." Percy shot her a glance as if to say that was little surprise and Ginny almost returned to normal, making a face at him. Old habits die hard. "yeah... who'd wanna date Perce anyway." Her brother frowned. "Cut it out, Gin." She had a point, and he looked away. He did not want to look at her. Or see Anon still in his robes. They were inside now... maybe she just forgot to take it off? It was possible she was still cold. Their house was kept pretty chilly.