Rowena had curled up on the floor in the library, attention torn between one of the books she'd received (this particular one being focused on the usage of runes in broom design), and between her new kitten, Boudicca. Said kitten had already caught her claws in Rowena's hair multiple times, along with knocking over several of Mum's book piles and pawing at several cords while they'd been with Mum's family.

She was perfect. Rowena reached a hand over to ruffle that soft, warm fur, and got a lick from that rough tongue for her trouble. Absolutely perfect.

And of course, Mum had fallen asleep on the couch again.

Aileen and Abby waited on the porch of Moonmoth Hall, the formal estate standing solemn and stark under the gray winter sky. The lights warmed the dark window frames and curtains, and flowers and plants peeked out against the glass. Abby held the birthday cake in a white box, cradling it with her arms, while Aileen carried the other gifts. The day after Christmas, the street looked still and serene.

"Cold toes," Abby murmured under her breath, fidgeting.

Aileen nodded, resisting the urge to shift her feet. "Whose idea was it to wear flats instead of boots?"

Her sister glanced at her, mouth twitching up. "Yours!"

"Yes. Don't let me do that again."

By the time they'd finished getting ready, it had been time to leave, and Aileen hadn't had more than a few quiet moments to question the wisdom of making this visit. Now, in the moment between ringing the bell and the rushed pitter patter of house elf feet, Aileen wondered if this was worth it. She wanted to be here. Abby certainly did too. Aisling had been pleasant at the ball, Abby and the girls got along so well, and Tarron, of course, was always a gentleman. But yesterday, she and Abby had spent the entirety of Christmas with their parents, and that was the kind of visit that tainted the very thought of visiting more family.

Still, they'd never been here before, and Aileen pushed her doubts to the back of her mind. The house elf opened the door, wearing a white, embroidered pillowcase that hung to her ankles, her ears a-twitch with excitement. The young elf ushered them in, took their cloaks, and guided them to the sitting room, where Aileen perched on the edge of a chair and Abby glanced around at the pictures and books, then sat.

Krix left to fetch the household residents and make tea, leaving them with another quiet moment - almost. Aileen ignored Abby's movements, and the ticking of the old clock against the wall.

The door soon burst open, and the two sisters stood. Aileen rose with her back straight, smiling slightly. Abby rushed forward with a grin, her arms outstretched for hugs.

Tarron found it easy to follow the sounds of squealing even before Krix appeared in his study, with a slight shake of his head. Rowena tended to forget her lessons whenever excitement overtook her. She must have gotten that from the same stock that had made Darian that way as a child - curly red hair and entirely too energetic about everything.

He rose from his desk in the study, walking out to the hallway outside. He was naturally dressed for the occasion, his gold-embroidered topcoat quickly buttoned as he headed to the door. Krix was already there when he arrived - as were the girls.

"Rowena, Sophia, do not smother our guests," he said, tone warm but also warning them off crowding around the doorway. He looked to Aileen and Abby, standing just inside the door. His gaze on Aileen was polite but a tad sterile; he still had not decided how he felt about his cousin's messy divorce, but that was no reason to be rude to her.

"Good evening, ladies," he said, smiling faintly. "I do hope the journey was uneventful."

Aisling was a few steps behind her daughters, having allowed herself a moment to tidy her hair. Even a few minutes of sleep curled up on the couch tended to mess it.

She brushed a bit of cat hair from Rowena's shoulder-was there a charm for that, she'd have to ask Darian the next time they spoke. "There's a table in the garden if you'd like it." It was a soft whisper to her daughters before she turned to greet their guests.

Rowena nodded, her head bobbing with a more restrained enthusiasm. The garden was pretty still! And she had to show Abby everything in the house and introduce her to Boudicca and everything.

From behind Tarron, Aisling smiled at their guests, but it was his house and they were his family. And the girls rather needed an example of not rushing in.

Sophia waited by the window nearly the entire hour before the sisters arrived; wanting to see what they were wearing, watching the way they walked, studied their posture, their persistence, and just the way the winter painted their faces--the wind in their hair. A lover of literature, Sophia could have imagined a story in nearly everyone she met, but there was something about the Reid family that made her heart swell.

She wouldn't be the one to let the family know they were here, but she was quick to be at the door. It wasn't a surprise that her father would call them away, but she didn't flench when he did so. His was the voice of reason, stern yet kind, and much like she imagined what it would be like to talk with an old lion.

Sophia wouldn't say anything, simply offer her warm greeting and stay quietly at her father's side, but without thinking when the two women smiled, she took hold of her father's hand as if needing him to be her constant rock--that everlasting support.

Goodness...she wanted to be like that when she grew up.

Aileen glanced over the family that had gathered. She related to the difference between the two girls - the quieter one clutching her father's hand, while the other beamed and looked to her mother for guidance. Aisling in green looked quite poised, and Aileen well knew the effort it took to keep up appearances. Tarron, at all times, seemed to carry a formal solemnity, his gaze reserved though not unkind.

"Yes, it was," she answered politely, stepping forward but pausing a few feet away. Aileen followed Tarron's lead in this as his family did.

Abby did not. She'd hesitated at Tarron's words, and veered to hug Sophia lightly, then Rowena. Then she stood and grinned at Aisling.

Aileen cleared her throat very slightly at her sister, and continued speaking, "Thank you for having us over. Your home is lovely."

Aisling likely had much to do with the warm decoration and plants inside.

"We brought gifts!" Abby exclaimed with a gesture at the wrapped boxes she'd set on the low table. "There might be more for one person than the rest, but that's just because someone's birthday is coming up."[1]

Out of the corner of Aileen's eye, she noticed a ginger kitten stumble into the door frame. She pursed her lips to hide her amusement. Abby would be beside herself with glee once she spotted the creature, but Aileen would not be the one to clue her in.

"One gift may be shared," Aileen added, looking at the girls. "That is, if you both like sweets." Most children did, in her limited experience.

1.	Gifts were brought for Rowena, Sophia, and Tarron, but I haven't figured out what those are yet!

The press and quiet fuss of the room was not lost on Tarron, who met Aileen’s reserved and respectful gaze, giving her a nod. He might not approve of her life choices – in fact, in the matters of marriage, he disapproved entirely – but his cousin was otherwise not as bad as she could have been. He remembered her vaguely as a child, and there had been definite improvement, to say the least.

Especially in comparison to her mother. Differing views aside, Tarron had nothing but respect for Reid senior…aside from a bit of pity for him over the warhammer he’d married himself to. Cullodena was at best exhausting and at worst unbearable. Her rather sudden reversal of opinion since his promotion had done nothing to defrost his own heart towards her.

He smiled, tight lipped but genuinely, at Abby. “I am sure both we and the girls will appreciate all you have for us,” he said, turning to the nearby arm chairs and sitting, crossing his legs and lighting his pipe. “Do sit down, ladies – unless you have some other plan for the evening?” He directed the question at his wife, eyebrow raised. His tone was dour as always, but only the slight warmth of his eyes gave away his amusement at Abby’s energy and the girls’ interest.

"I had told the girls they could have their tea in the garden." Aisling gave Tarron an affectionate smile.  Having all of them in one place did wonders for her mood, even with the various baggage it brought. "Now that I've actually managed to keep everything alive." And the roses had proven quite pleasant as well.

Rowena nodded at this, in a fashion not quite enthusiastic enough to be impolite. She had to be the hostess and be responsible and pour tea and everything!

And her kitten seemed to have followed her. "Boudicca, come here." Said kitten tilted her head, looked over the assembled persons, then sauntered over to Rowena and caught its claws in the train of her skirt. After doing so, it peered up at her and mewled quietly, as if expecting her to move.

Well, at least they'd have tea after presents.

End, and shall resume in separate threads