I'd like for this to one day tie into Anna Begins, if I can ever get back to it. Anna's character is so minor, yet so pivotal. She's always fascinated me. Therefore, this prompt immediately caught my attention. I just HAD to do it! :D
So, to clarify the setting: Anna is 17 or 18 now, and has been attending a boarding school in Baron—studying magic, of course. Tellah is not cool with this. Her mother is still alive, though probably not for much longer at this point, and much more fun that Tellah ever could be. Anna also had a twin brother named Edward, who died very young, which makes for ominous hilarity now and again. It's all in Anna Begins, if you are interested.
And remember this simple truth: when we say "Edward", the very best people will always be referring to the spoony one. ;D
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Home for the Holidays
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"Your father still doesn't know you're here?"
"Don't worry. He'll never figure it out. For a sage, he's really quite thick, sometimes."
This was the third year I had spent winter break in Damcyan, with my sweet Edward, instead of with my family. I spent the rest of the year at school in Baron, studying so diligently, waiting the whole time for a chance to see him. My brief time in the city of the Fire Crystal was always my reward. I was falling in love with Damcyan as hard and fast as I had fallen for its talented and kindhearted prince. Two weeks wasn't nearly enough time.
After seeing the world outside my girlhood home for the first time, Kaipo was too small to want to return to. And my father… I especially found myself wanting more and more to avoid him as much as possible. Whenever I did return home to visit, all he did was try to convince me not to go again. Not for any endearing reason, such as that he loved me or missed me or wanted to teach me magic himself. Mostly, he just wanted to keep an eye on me. Woe to the man who dared to take an interest in me.
But I did miss my mother dearly. She had been aware of my ongoing affair with the prince all along, and kept it a well-hidden secret from my father. She was always so happy to afford me some time and some freedom. But it had been a very long time since I had seen her, and her health had not been the best recently. So while I was glad to be back in Damcyan, I couldn't help but feel like I was hiding. Like a common thief. It felt so unfair…
Edward watched my distress mount as the day of Wintermas drew closer and closer. He had been courteous enough to not point it out, already knowing how I felt about my home and my family. But finally, he couldn't help himself.
"Anna… I know you aren't on the best terms with your father. But if you'd like, I can take you to see your family."
"No, no, it's really alright," I insisted feebly, wanting very much to accept his offer, but knowing exactly which level of hell would break loose if I did. "I'm going to stay here and spend Wintermas with you, as always. It's going to be lovely, and pleasant, and not awkward or aggravating at all, as always. It will be great!"
"Anna, please. It's Wintermas. You should be with your family. I'll go with you, if you'd like. I rather like your parents."
That was true enough, I supposed. Of course, only my mother knew who he truly was. Daddy still knew him only as Guilbert, the travelling minstrel who had dared to dedicate a song to me once. Woe to the man…
Nonetheless, Edward liked them both. Mother was always very kind to him; and daddy was a skilled and learned man, the kind to be looked up to in spite of his moods. He hadn't seen them in a few years, either. And, well, they were very likely to be his in-laws, one day. He had always wished our families could be closer. But, given our various circumstances, that was next to impossible.
As if he had read my mind, his face lit up with a revelation.
"My mother and father could come, too! We could all be together for the first time! And at such a time of year, no less. Oh, Anna, it would be marvelous!"
"Yes. A marvelous mess."
"Anna."
"Edward."
He gave me a sad, imploring look, begging me to at least consider it. He was already scheming how the entire visit would go in his mind. How our fathers would get along brilliantly. How our mothers would be so thrilled to meet each other, at long last. How there would be food and gifts and merry-making and now weirdness at all. I already knew that he was very wrong about that, but… Gosh-darn it, that adorable angel face.
"…Oh, fine. If you insist. We'll make a party of it, then," I finally agreed. I gave him an optimistic smile, daring to hope that some sort of pleasantness would come from this adventure. He gave me an extremely pleased smile, oblivious to the danger he was dragging us all into.
"I'll let mother and father know at once! They're going to be so excited!"
He dashed off at once to find them, and I followed behind slowly. No doubt my gracious hosts would be excited. There was no point in even trying to talk them out of this cockamamie plan.
"Surely, some good will come out of this," I muttered, trying to convince and reassure myself. "This is going to be… fun... Right? Oh, chocobos, what am I saying…?"
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Within the kingdom's boarders, the air was still quite warm. The crystal was working its wondrous magic, safe and sound. But the wind got cooler the farther the four of us travelled from Damcyan, toward the shoals in Edward's bright orange-yellow hoover craft. King Nicolas and queen Marthe were kind enough to ride in the backseat, leaving Edward to drive, and I to sit beside him.
Common clothes suited them all well, I had to admit. Better than their royal robes, even. They all lived and breathed for their people, monarchs of the common man. And for this excursion, Edward had to resume his role as Guilbert the bard; his parents reveled in playing the part of his humble but proud parents. A normal, average family like my own.
"Though I wonder how you'll get around my father when he notices you both have black lips," I pointed out. It was long standing tradition for the male members of the von Moir family to have their lips tattooed black on their 16th birthday. It was an odd tradition, born of distrust and hate, and one that Edward planned to put to bed when he became king. But for now, there it was.
"I'm sure we'll make up something," Edward insisted. "I had my face painted all kind of strange colors when I was travelling, remember? I'm sure your father won't think anything of it."
"He knows more than you give him credit for." I felt a gentle hand on my shoulder from the backseat, and turned to see the queen's kind face smiling at me.
"For heaven's sake, Anna, this is your family. Certainly, they'll understand," she said kindly. "The way you've been fretting, one would think you were marching off to face the antlion alone."
I sighed heavily and sank into my seat, covering my face with my hands. "I think I'd prefer the antlion right about now…"
The shoals were remarkable chilly, but we crossed them all too soon and entered the southern desert beyond the perilous mountains. Not as warm as the northern Damcyani desert, but a desert, all the same. The suns till shone with a vengeance, and the air was still too warm to truly be winter. The only thing that stood out at all was the blob on the horizon that was Kaipo—the place I once called home. I hadn't thought of the place as my home in years. I lived in Baron now for school; but I considered Damcyan to be my true home, now. My heart was there, in the desert heat, in the safety and protection of the Fire Crystal's power. My heart hadn't been in the southern desert for a very long time.
It was the day before Wintermas, and the town was fairly buzzing with last-minute activity. The markets were alive and humming, and the square was full of people exchanging news, gossip, and holiday blessings. But as our brightly colored hoover craft sailed through the town gate and through the narrow streets, all attention suddenly focused on us. Out of the blue like a blaze of fire, four strangers appear on this of all days. I couldn't help but blush and hide my face behind my hand. With any luck, I had been away for so long that no one recognized me.
Edward had never piloted the craft through the town before; in the past, he had left me outside the gate and left before my father could see him. And he did alright, except that the thing took up most of the street and raised a ruckus. After that day, a town law was passed restricting hoover crafts from entering.
Oh gosh, my parents had no idea I was coming. I had been home for about a handful of weeks, total, over the past three years. What on the blue planet were they going to say? What was my father going to do? Probably lock me in the cellar and never let me out of his sight again. Suddenly, I started to feel a little ill. But a gentle hand took mine, gave it a reassuring squeeze, and raised my fingers to his lips.
"Relax. Take a deep breath. Everything's going to be fine."
"I don't know if I can do this, Edward. We should go back."
"Of course you can do this. They're your family. They'll be overjoyed to see you again."
With that, I decided to relax. Yes, they were my family—my only living family, now that I thought of it. And despite everything, my nervousness was suddenly borne of excitement instead of terror. Oh, Edward was right. Everything was going to be just fine.
Really.
Somehow he remembered the way back to my father's house; he hadn't been that way in many years, but my love was full of surprises. Before he even slowed the craft down, I noticed at once a figure sitting on the front stoop, his spectacled nose buried in a book. Daddy had always been fond of reading on the low, narrow staircase that led to our front door. I wondered why he would be at this on the day before Wintermas, when there was so much to be done inside.
Amid these wonderings, my heart lurched painfully. Dear lord, my father was right there! All he had to do was look up and see us…
Which he did, naturally. As soon as the noisy, brightly colored craft floated into his peripheral vision, he looked up in surprise. He flicked his thick, purple glasses down his nose to get a better look at who was calling on him without an invitation… And then his violet eyes went wide.
"…Anna? My child, is that really you?"
The look on his face was priceless. I jumped out of the craft and ran to hug him. Even if I was often annoyed with him, he was still my father and I still loved him very much. And he was overjoyed to see me, too. He held me like I might slip away forever if he didn't hold on tightly enough. I swear to this day, I thought he was going to cry.
"I was beginning to think you'd never come home again," he commented.
"Well, it is Wintermas, daddy. I thought of warning you I was coming, but then I thought it would be better to surprise you."
"Never could I receive a better Wintermas gift, than my daughter's long-awaited return," he answered, sweetly kissing my forehead. "We'll see if we can't talk some sense into you this time."
Oh… Leave it to daddy to spoil a perfect moment with his plotting. Then he looked back up to the hoover craft, and he narrowed his eyes.
"Guilbert! You traveling clown, if I had known you had something to do with this—and who are these people? I've never seen them in your merry band before," he sputtered indignantly.
While Edward cringed under my father's glare, the king hopped out of the craft and approached us amiably.
'You'll forgive the intrusion, I hope," he said calmly, extending his hand. "Guilbert is our son. My name is Nicolas.
"Tellah," daddy harrumphed, shaking his hand. "That boy of yours has a lot of nerve, gallivanting around with my daughter where I can't see."
"Rest assured, they're not unsupervised. We happen to live in Damcyan, and we are always happy to see her when she's on break from school," Nicolas answered, patting my shoulder. "She is a most joyful presence."
"Well then… I suppose I should thank you for looking after her," daddy said slowly, relenting at last. "And I do thank you for bringing her home. This was an incredible surprise."
Just as he was getting ready to send them away, my mother appeared in the doorway, her apron covered flour. Thank goodness.
"Tellah, what is going on out here?" she was asking. But her eyes fell over the gathering in the front yard she stopped in midsentence, completely stunned. After a moment, she looked back to me and crossed her arms and gave me an amused smile.
"Shall I put out a few extra settings at the table, dear?"
The two of us dissolved into laughter, and I skipped up the stairs to give her a hug. "It's good to see you, mama."
"Oh, I had a feeling you'd be around, eventually," she answered. "And who all have you brought, now?"
"Well, you remember my friend Guilbert, right?"
"Of course I do," she agreed, walking down the steps, intent on my beloved. "Come here, kid. Give me a hug."
Edward grinned, always happy to see my mother who already approved greatly of him. She was one of the few people who knew his real identity and our whole history. She welcomed him with open arms, as always, more than willing to accept him as her son-in-law one day.
"I thought you might like to meet my parents," he said, beckoning the queen to come join them. "Ma'am, this is my mother, Marthe."
"Such stories I've heard of you," the queen greeted, shaking her hand vigorously.
"And I of you. I had hoped we would meet one day."
They got along as if they were the best of friends already. The king went over to introduce himself, as well. All of a sudden, we were having a party. Edward looked over at me with a smile that seemed to say, I told you so.
"Well then," my father said loudly, clapping his hands for emphasis, "this has certainly been something. We do thank you all for returning our daughter safely to us. Happy Wintermas to you all. Now, my darling girls, let us go inside; supper will be ready shortly, am I correct?"
"Oh no you don't, Tellah Faraxhae," my mother reprimanded. "They've done us a great service, and for that, they will join us for the holiday."
"Nonsense. They have their own holiday celebrations to see to, I'm sure. That they would put them on hold for us like this is more than enough to ask of them. Let them be on their way. The three of us have much to do, ourselves."
"My love, you can be so dense sometimes." Turning to the other family, she continued, "If you would do us the great honor of staying for supper, we would love to have you."
"In all honesty, we had hoped to stay a while. If it is alright with your, my lady," Nicolas answered.
"It would be our sincerest pleasure. Come inside, please," mama answered, and led them past daddy into the house. He looked so flustered—what on earth had just happened? He looked up to me for an explanation, and I just gave him a sheepish shrug.
"…Oops."
"You planned this, didn't you?"
"What, me? How could—I don't know what you mean, daddy," I answered demurely, and followed the others to the living room.
Of course our home was always a tidy place. It sparkled especially for the holiday, even if it had only been meant for my parents to spend alone. I found Edward and Nicolas examining the books in the living room with great interest—they both loved to read, and couldn't wait to see what kinds of books my learned father had collected over the years. I could hear my mother and the queen—the queen!—bustling around in the kitchen, setting four extra places at our dinner table.
"I do love the print on your dishes, Samantha. Were they made here?"
"Oh, an old family heirloom I brought from Mysidia. But never mind them, I'm certain you own several sets much finer than this."
"Now that I think of it… No, I don't believe I do. These are beautiful!"
"Well, thank you."
Yes, my mother knew very well who was in her house. I peeked into the kitchen at them, and noticed that mama was a bit pale. I thought back to the cold she had been unable to shake all summer, and hoped that her health was better lately. But I had also given her an enormous shock, just now. Perhaps I should have written to warn her. Because of my temperamental father, she was doing a remarkable job of pretending our guests were just an average family like ours. But inside, it was a strain. How to be polite to the king and queen of the country, while pretending they were nobody special?
I thought she was doing splendidly, and so did Marthe. She did everything that afternoon to make my mother feel more at ease; she had that effect on people in general. While they hurried back and forth, cooking and cleaning as they went, the queen asked my mother every question she could think of about our native cuisine. Even though we had lived in Kaipo since before I was born, my parents were still every inch Mysidian. All of our holiday dishes were traditional, laced with ancient customs, rituals, and symbolism, as well as cinnamon, turmeric, and pineapple.
Marthe had never encountered such strange, tropical foods before. Mama was happy to answer all her questions. I thought that Nicolas and Edward might have enjoyed it, as well, if they weren't busy talking to daddy.
"Your library is impressive, Sir Tellah. And I thought that my family loved to read."
"Yes, we are very fond of reading. I brought many of these with me from Mysidia when we came here. There is much knowledge to be found in these pages. And this is not the sum of them, either."
"Oh, what I wouldn't give, for a few months to pour through all these…!"
"It is true, sir. My father could fly through all of these in a few weeks. We've sometimes caught him reading three or four at a time. Mother says it's bad for his eyes, but he doesn't care."
"And what of you, Guilbert? How do you like reading? I suppose you have little need of it on your travels."
"We were always encouraged to read. The maestro said it helps keep your mind strong to seek knowledge in all things. I've found him to very correct on that."
"Huh. Good lad."
"Actually, sir, I was wondering if you might recommend a few text for me. I had been so unsure of my faith for so long; but Anna has always been so strong and sure in hers. It's truly inspired me, and she's helped me greatly when I've asked questions. I want to know more about it. I had hoped perhaps you would point me in a more steady direction."
I had expected daddy's temper to rise, outraged that the boy had dared to write letters to me. But to my great surprise, he reached up and patted Edward on the shoulder. Apprehensively, of course, but at least it had happened.
"I shall see what I can do for you, then. It is good for you to seek your faith. Our whole world is based upon it. As a sage and teacher of magic, aiding seekers on their journeys is my obligation. I am…. Happy to help."
I couldn't tell how much of that was forced out from behind gritted teeth. But, in the end, maybe he was finally warming up to my dearest friend. Maybe now he wouldn't object to our eventual union, however faraway that would turn out to be.
Eh…. None of that ever worked out.
That year's holiday meal came together faster than ever before. Between my mother, the queen, and myself, we had all ten course on the table in only another hour. Most of the dishes were also done, and the stove and counters had been wiped clean before anyone was allowed to sit down. Our dinner table had never been so full, or so colorful.
When we had all gathered and settled down, my father stood and cleared his throat authoritatively. It went without saying what came next. The six of us joined hands and bowed our heads for the blessing. Beside me, Edward gave my hand a gentle squeeze. He was so excited to be a part of this.
"On this most joyful of days," daddy began, "we turn our hearts and minds to you, great Giver, in thanks. All good things come from your bountiful goodness and mercy. We gather together in this place, in the deepness of the season, to offer our praise and gratitude for all you have provided us. For my only child…"
The royal family didn't know about our blessing each year, where we each took turns sharing something we were grateful for. But they would surely catch on quickly. Now it was mama's turn.
"For new friends, often in unexpected places," she added, and gave my hand a quick squeeze.
"For patience," I added—mostly from friends who put up with my temper. I squeezed Edward's hand, signaling to him that his turn had come. He faltered for a second, suddenly not sure what to contribute.
"For family," he finally decided. By which I knew he included me.
"For having something new to learn, every single day," Marthe added.
"And for life to fill with all these wonderful things and more," Nicolas concluded, in his decisive and very kingly way.
"And for this meal, as bountiful as your knowledge and power, prepared with as much love and care as you have prepared us with. May the fruits of this world prepare us ever better to travel the paths you have lain before us. In the name of the one who guides us, protects us and loves us—"
"Thanks," we answered as one.
Wow. We were like one family already. And it was beautiful.
The entire rest of the afternoon was spent eating, talking, and eating some more. It was clear that there wouldn't be the usual mountain of leftover food that there always was. I was well aware that Mysidian families were usually much bigger than ours, and that our ancient recipes were sufficient for housefuls of parents, all their children, and all their children's children. The size of each course used to daunt me impossibly, as a little girl, and fill me with a sense of loneliness. So much food. So many people missing…
It brought me a completely unexpected sense of peace to see our family of six devouring the enormous meal. Like things were finally the way they were supposed to be. Edward and I spent a lot of the meal in silence, watching our parents speaking to one another. Our mothers traded stories about their growing up—particularly stories about their favorite foods. On the other end of the table, our fathers discussed books, magic, education, and international politics so deeply that they let their food go cold on their plates. After a time, Edward elbowed me with a grin.
"You see? What did I tell you? This is going perfectly."
I couldn't help but grin right back at him. "It really is, isn't it? Maybe… Maybe we should do this every year."
"I hope that we can. Wouldn't it be wonderful? And then maybe one day, after some things happen, your parents come join us in Damcyan for Wintermas. Perhaps they would even come live with us all, there."
Things. I liked the way he put that. There were a lot of things that would have to happen first. I would graduate. We would marry. I would go to live with him in the palace, and learn to be a princess. All those things were pretty much set in stone and bound to happen in the future—though the distant future. But when they finally came to pass and everything was settled, I was certain that my parents would be glad to leave quiet, dusty, uncultured Kaipo behind for the beautiful, magical, glistening capital city. They had lived in this unassuming town since before I was born. They claimed to be happy where they were, to be special and useful, the town's only mages. But deep down inside, I knew that they longed to be among their own kind again. To be among other mages, who practiced the same traditions and religious observations, who sought knowledge for its own sake, who truly understood them. At school, I had found such a haven. In Damcyan, my parents could find one, as well.
But they were so proud and stubborn. To only way to convince them to ever move there would be to move there permanently, myself. Oh, to live forever in that glorious city; to be married to one of its men, live in one of its homes, bear and raise its next generation—its next set of heirs. It was a thrilling idea. It was a dream come true. I raised a silent prayer of praise and gratitude for the road I found myself on. Even more than patience, I was beyond grateful for the life awaiting me on the horizon. In only a year or two, I would catch up to it and that horizon would just be the next stretch of road, leading onward to whatever had taken its place.
But whatever that would look like, I was certain that it would include everyone seated so happily at this table. We would be a family, the six of us. And when Edward and I eventually had children, our family would grow even bigger. That was exciting. I wished I could just run to meet the horizon right then and there.
After the meal, we all gathered together in the living room to continue our various conversations.
"Leave the dinner dishes, Anna," mama decided. "We'll see to those later. But for now, we're having a party, aren't we?"
However, she hung back in the kitchen to brew a strong tea from sage and peppermint leaves—another beloved Mysidian tradition. While she was busy, and the royal family sat contently before our fireplace, daddy suddenly caught me by the arm and pulled me aside, into the hallway.
"You're weird little friend has a remarkable pair of parents," he commented. "I shouldn't have tried to get rid of them so quickly."
I smiled triumphantly. "We both knew you'd enjoy each other. We've been trying to get you all together for years."
"Well, my dear, I'm glad that it's finally worked out." He put his arm around me and walked further down the hall, out of earshot of the others. "Now then, to our own business. I can't help notice how little you've brought home with you. I trust we can arrange to have your other things sent from Baron. Your room is ready for you, whenever you are, exactly as you left it from before."
"Daddy, stop—"
"Yes, I am sorry, that isn't entirely accurate. I believe your mother has stored a few boxes under your bed, while you've been away. I hope you don't mind. Rest assured, I haven't touched a thing."
"That's not what I mean, and you know it. You always do this when I come back to visit, and you always get the same answer, and you always react by throwing a fit like a child. I'm not a little girl anymore, daddy. I'm nearly an adult now. I don't think I'll actually live in this house again."
His eyes widened, not believing what he had just heard. "What do you mean by that? Certainly, you will live here again! Where else would you live, when you leave school? I would prefer it if you'd listen to me and leave now, come home to us, where you belong. But if you see it through and graduate from that asylum, you have nowhere to go. No job, no money, certainly no husband to provide for you—no, no. You would do well to simply come home, without the usual fight."
"You don't think I can take care of myself? I'm a capable young woman, and Baron and Damcyan are both large cities with lots of work to be done. I'm getting an excellent education, and I have a rather impressive resume in order. Finding work and making my own life will be far from impossible."
To that, he scoffed. "What nice girl goes out into the world and forges her own way, like some scruffy man? A proper young lady remains at home, under her father's care, until she is married. Without honest and caring supervision, who's to say what trouble a young woman can get into? No man wants to marry what he can't predict, after all."
"That is a very silly notion, daddy."
"It is a very Mysidian notion, my child. Such ideals have been in place for centuries, with the sole purpose of keeping young women like you safe from harm. A girl's father provides for her, until she has a husband to do it. It is the natural, logical way of things."
"Suppose I did chose to stay here where you could keep an eye on me every second of the day. How am I supposed to find a husband in this awful little town?"
"We would provide for that, as well. We would make sure to find a decent young man for you, someone suitable to take my place."
"And I would have how much say in it?"
"Anna, I never said we would force you into any marriage. I would never do that to you."
"By 'decent', I assume you really mean 'Mysidian'?"
"Naturally. You are as much a Mysidian as your mother and I, after all. Anyway, they are the only truly decent men in the world. Look at me, after all," he pointed out proudly.
That only made me mentally dig my heels in even further.
"Daddy, I've never even seen Mysidia—you've done everything in your power to make sure that I never saw that island. And now you think you can make me pair up with a stranger, who would take me away to a strange land, and expect me to be at peace with that?"
"Are you not? What else could you possibly have to overrule your own blood? It's not as if someone else has already asked for your hand, after all. That would be preposterous!"
"I know," I said casually. "It would be, wouldn't it?"
Daddy was silent, processing that comment.
"…There's someone else?" he demanded. "Some boy I don't know has been trying to woo you while I haven't been there to see it! I knew it! This was precisely why I didn't want you going to that infernal school!"
"Daddy, please, there was a list of reasons as long as my arm you didn't want me to go," I answered coolly. "Frankly, none of them actually had anything to do with what I needed. All of them were just selfish reasons of your own."
"Selfish? Open your eyes, Anna! I was trying desperately to protect you from this sort of trouble. I'm your father, and it's my duty to keep you safe as best I can. And when I'm so far away from you and can't see you at all, how am I supposed to do that? Do you have any clue what that sort of torture is like?"
"I don't understand! I don't see what you're so afraid of! So, there is this very handsome young man that I am very fond of, and he is also very fond of me. We are very good friends… Extremely good friends. I would very much like to marry him someday. I don't see how this is so terrible."
"Marriage? I've never met his boy! I've never even heard of him!"
"And there's a reason! When something doesn't go according to your precious schemes, you blow up and stomp around like a child! And you always blame me for it! Why should I want to tell you anything about my life?!"
Oh, wow. I hadn't been this overwhelmingly angry in a long time. And now, all my furious thoughts were tumbling out faster than I could even think of them. Terrible truths were oozing from my teeth like a snake's venom. They would do no healing here. Never here. Daddy stared at me for a long moment, stunned.
"…You would hide such things from me? Your own father? Anna, you ought to tell me these things."
"Give me a reason! I don't want to share any of my life with you, if all you'll ever do is be angry with me for having one! This is not Mysidia, and I'm about as Mysidian as the sand in this godforsaken desert! I don't want to be confined by their rules, or their laws, or the traditions that barely let me be alive. Because face it: all the rules that you cling so tightly do, is boil me down to a helpless piece of flesh, without a brain or a heart, or even a soul, to be strategically traded against my will. I don't even get a say in any of it! I don't want to live that way, daddy! I want to—"
"That's not true! None of that is true! I only want the very best for you, in every way. I don't mean to live your life for you—"
"No, you just mean to make me live by your rules. Big difference."
"Anna, I'm trying to help you!"
"Well you can stop! I don't want you help!"
I was sick of his bespectacled mug. I turned away and marched back down the hall, where my real friends were waiting, probably wondering how our afternoon had suddenly gone so wrong.
"You know I can't do that, Anna," daddy called after me, sad and resigned. "I'm still your father, and I refuse to give up on you so easily."
Great. All hope of his blessing had gone out the window. I was too furious to give him a response. Instead of stopping to join the others in the living room, I stormed out the front door and slammed it shut behind me.
As I stood on the steps, wondering where I had to run away to. That feeling of illness returned with a vengeance; suddenly, all I wanted was to lie down and disappear. I settled for the backseat of the hoover craft, climbing in and lying down on the seat. It was quiet for a few minutes as I lay still, breathing deep and slow to clear my head.
Then I heard the front door open and close, and footsteps on the stairs. I wondered who was coming to look for me, and if they would think to look in the craft. Apparently, he had read my mind—mere seconds later, the kind face of king Nicolas appeared over me. He leaned over and rested his elbows on the door of the craft, sighing sharply.
"I get the impression that this has become the typical conversation between the two of you," he observed rather sadly.
"Pretty much," I agreed. "Now do you see why I try to avoid him? He is my father, and I do love him… But the best way to love him can be from a distance."
"I can understand that, child. My brother and all of his family very much the same way."
I couldn't help but smile to that. Prince Felix was awful; his wife and two children somehow managed to be even worse. However, they were still the king's family, and I knew that he still loved them. Even if they didn't see any reason to love him in return.
"Anna, you are becoming a very strong and formidable woman—and you can owe a great part of that to your equally formidable father. The two of you are a lot alike."
"That makes me want to vomit a little…"
"Well, I really can't blame you," he agreed, patting my shoulder. "I know how difficult it can be, as a father, to send your only child far away, and have to wonder all that time if they're doing alright. To wonder what they're learning; what they're seeing; who they're meeting; what they're feeling. You know, when Edward returned home that day and announced that he was in love with the most beautiful, most amazing, most wonderful girl on the Blue Planet, it was a rather large surprise. It felt like I had missed everything, like I hadn't been present enough in my own son's life.
"You must attempt to see things as your father does, Anna. He seems selfish now; but one day, when your children start falling in love while you aren't looking, it will all make sense."
"He doesn't care about me. He wants me to fit the mold he's fabricated for me. He expects me to climb into it with a smile and not complain—he expects me to love it as much as he does. And when I'm too much like him to conform to that, he gets mad at me. Me!"
"…And perhaps that is true. But I promise you this: he is only doing what he thinks is best, in the only ways he knows how. Parents are only human beings, like everyone else in the world. They make mistakes, as well. Even if his actions are fully selfish, and don't take your wants or needs into account at all, there is still love behind every single one of those actions. If I were the father of a young lady like you, I would be selfish and frightfully jealous, myself."
Finally, I gave him a real smile. "Thank you. I do understand, I suppose. I just wish he didn't have to act like this in front of people."
"Well then, perhaps there is something for you to learn from him there," he teased, and offered his hand. "Come along, come back inside."
I let him take me by the hand and help me out of the craft. He led me back into the house, where everyone but my father was waiting for us. Edward was so relieved to see me, he jumped up and ran to embrace me.
"I'm so sorry that had to happen," he said sadly. "I never thought it could really be as bad as you made it sound."
"Oh, now you know," I sighed, hugging back. In spite of his physical deficits, he always made me feel safe and sheltered, welcomed by comfort and understanding.
Mama came over and patted me on the back. "I had warned him not to do this to you again, if you even bothered to give him another chance. But at least he's out of our hair for a while, hm? It will be nice to cast off this mask and speak in plain terms, will it not?"
Ah, that was true. With daddy walled up in his room, studiously ignoring us, mama looked as if she had been burst from the confines of a corset. She turned back to Marthe and took her seat beside her.
"Now, all of you, tell me more of your lives at the palace," she insisted, though she kept her voice down. "Anna's told me many stories, but I want to know more."
While the adults spoke in hushed tones, Edward and I took the opportunity to just hold each other. If he had even playfully poked me with daddy around, he might not still be alive. For a long, pleasant moment, we couldn't hear what our parents were talking about. The two of us were in our own world together—it was only us and the radiant sunshine. Heavenly music drifted in the air around us; where it came from didn't matter.
"I should be bracing myself for a wedding soon, should I not?"
My mother's rather blunt question brought our attention straight back to the real world. They were talking about us now? We both looked back up at them to listen.
"We hadn't discussed it at all, really," Nicolas admitted. "We have dreamed fondly of that day, but I sense it is a way off, still. Our children are young and adventurous, and they have much to learn. We will leave them to make their own plans in their own good time."
"Though whatever adventures they choose, I am more than certain they will only be bound closer together. Their relationship is a sound one, built on so much more than mere, flighty feelings. They are strong young people. It would take more than distance to separate them," Marthe added proudly.
"That is good to hear from both of you. It has seemed so to me, in Anna's letters," mama agreed. "I look forward to the day when our houses are joined. My daughter will make your kingdom a fine queen, will she not?"
"The finest! She has a temper and a tactfulness that my line has generally lacked. And her sense of justice ferocious. Our Anna would fight to the death, and work her fingers to the bone to do the right thing. We have seen this. She is brave and bold, but at the same time kind and good natured. I look forward to watching our grandchildren grow up under her watchful eye."
That was high praise from the king I admired so. I knew well that he liked to fantasize over the way things would be when I became his daughter-in-law; he did so often, and out loud. But to hear him at it with my own mother made me blush a little.
"I, too, look forward to those days," mama agreed. "They will be happy and peaceful days. The whole of this kingdom will prosper under their rule, as it has under yours. Oh… I suppose that my husband will have to know of this, sometime…"
"Perhaps after it has already been settled," Marthe suggested. "It is plain to see where Anna gets her ferocity from. Tellah will fight for what he believes to be right, as much as his daughter will. It's almost amusing that he's so surprised by this; but mostly, it's saddening."
To that, mama smirked. "Who says that she doesn't get that ferocity from me? I can be terrifying, too, when I want to be."
I laughed softly. "Isn't that the truth," I commented quietly, mostly to Edward. "You've never seen her angry before. It's quite a thing."
"I'll believe it," he answered. "Your whole family is so full of conviction. It will serve our kingdom well."
"It's not ours yet, you know."
"No, not yet," he said absently, resting his head on mine. "But it will be, someday."
"When it is, and I'm your wife, and ruling Damcyan at your side, do you think we'll ever spend another Wintermas like this? Just us, and our parents, and our children together?"
"I'm sure that we will. I've never spent a holiday like this. Now that I have, I can't see spending another one any differently."
Later in the evening, we all spoke briefly of sleeping arrangements, and the royal family decided it was best to spend the night at the inn. It was a small building, which only ever housed travelers and merchants, never expecting the custom of kings and queens. But the innkeepers wouldn't have to know.
"It is a tidy and cozy inn, if there ever was one," mama informed them, passing around small glasses of her special Wintermas cordial to us all. "Though I can't say much for the food they serve. Do meet us back in the morning for breakfast. It will be Wintermas Day, after all. There will be a feast fit for gods, in the morning."
I noticed at once that she had set out an extra glass, left it waiting patiently on the end table beside her chair. As if he had a sixth sense altering him to a treat, daddy reappeared in the doorway a few moments later.
"If you're going to be civil now," mama stated without bothering to look up, "feel free to join us, dear. Anna was about to share some news of Baron, if you're interested."
He wordlessly claimed his glass and took his place beside her, settling stiffly into his chair.
"News, is it?" he asked. "Do tell, my child."
"I've gotten some very exciting news from an old friend who lives at the palace," I explained. "Rosa used to go to the academy, but she had to leave; her mother is the palace healer, so she's being taught by her, instead. But she's friends with a very talented young warrior, who just became captain of the Red Wings."
"The which?"
"Baron's airship armada. I've only met Cecil once before, but he seems like a nice boy. He's just become the youngest captain in the kingdom's history. And they're beginning an initiative to expand the fleet by about 100 ships by next fall, I believe she said. Isn't that exciting?"
"Oh yes, we had heard of this as well," Nicolas mentioned. "We wish them well, in their endeavors, then. It's always refreshing to see a kingdom well-off enough to expand their resources."
"What does that mean for us common folk, though?" daddy asked suspiciously.
"I don't think it means anything, really. That's Baron's business; this is Damcyan. I'm sure our own king has his own plans."
"True enough," he admitted, and raised his small glass. "To Baron, then. May their endeavors be prosperous, in the coming year."
"To Baron," we all agreed, and sipped our cordial in salute.
"It really is lovely that you've gotten to go to school is such a thriving city," Marthe commented to me. Surely, you've gained a lot from them."
"I think so, too. It's a busy city. There's always something going on. Always something to do. I like to think that I've helped make that possible, and that I'll continue to be a part of that. This kingdom is my home, and always will be; but Baron is like my second home, you know? It feels good to be a part of something so much bigger."
A while later, after the three of them had departed, mama and I went back to the kitchen to finally clean up after dinner. Thanks to the combined efforts of three women earlier, all that was left were the serving dishes and the dinner plates. It was easy work, and even daddy deigned to help us.
"Anna," he said finally, "I thought long and hard about our, er, conversation earlier."
"Oh?"
"And at long last, I decided… Perhaps you are right. You certainly are not a child anymore, and you are forging a life for yourself. And rather excellently, it seems. Perhaps I have been a bit hard on you, in the past."
"Perhaps?"
"I've only done what I thought was best, after all. I see now that I was mistaken, and for that… My daughter, I am very sorry. You are right—the world beyond our ancient homeland is a very different place. You have amazing opportunities, wherever you choose to go. And as long as we aren't living in a cage, I suppose that it is wrong of me to pretend like we are in one."
He had never apologized to me for anything before. I had no idea what to say. Except…
"…Thank you, daddy. That means the world to me."
"I still wish you wouldn't fool around with the hearts of men I don't know, where I can't see. No matter where we are, it isn't right. You don't truly expect to marry this boy you spoke of, do you?"
"You might like him better than you think," I answered, not sure how not to lie to him. "One day, you'll know him for who he really is."
"Well, he must be a smart young man, to take such an interest in you. I should like very much to meet him, soon. He must be in Baron, celebrating the holiday with his own family, yes?"
"No. He and his family travel quite a bit."
"The son of a merchant, then? A smart match, indeed."
It was unlike him to be so optimistic. This time, I hugged him.
"Thank you for understanding, daddy."
"I suppose you'll be returning to Damcyan, with your friends…"
"I do have a lot of things left to do, before the break is over."
"As it should be, I suppose. Idle hands are the devil's playground. But you seem to have good friends, who will take care of you while I can't. And look at you, after all—a true Faraxhae, inside and out. I shouldn't be so surprised, or so concerned. You know that I don't worry about you because I have no faith in you, Anna. You've become the marvelous and capable young lady that I always knew you would be. But I do worry, because I am your father and it is my job. You are my daughter—my only child. Would you not worry?"
"I guess I would. I think I finally understand, too."
That night, I lay awake in bed, just thinking about everything that had happened that day. A lot of those things had been long overdue. Looking back, realizing how many of them had actually come to pass in so short a time made me a bit breathless. I tried to clear my mind, so I could drift off to sleep, but it was impossible. I was too excited to sleep. The future was so big and bright, I couldn't miss a second of I by closing my eyes.
Nonetheless, the last thought that occurred to me before I drifted off to sleep was…
There really is no place like home, for the holidays.