::Quick closing and thank-you to my reviewers and readers::
Everyone, with the exception of Hitomi and Yoii's parents, went to Basram for the weddings. At Darcy and Riu's wedding reception, Alan and Lisa announced their engagement. Selena and Lisa had become great friends, and Lisa moved in with her soon to be sister-in-law in Austuria. Hitomi and Van got to show off their newborns at the wedding of Darcy and Riu.
Then everyone went back over the mountains for Merle and Yoii's wedding. A week after everyone had left to go home, Hitomi realized how empty the halls were. Millerna had warned her that she had to start preparing to hold parties that winter or she'd go out of her mind with boredom. Imagining how anyone married to someone as eccentric as Dryden could get bored gave Hitomi headaches, but she took heed of Millerna's warning and asked Van about it. He thought it was a great idea.
Everyone was off married, with a few exceptions, and Hitomi had the twins to keep her busy when they weren't napping. Van was making waves in the building of Fanalia's strength and prestige as a country. Whatever the golden mist had done, it had certainly gotten rid of a lot of the anxiety and ill will in Gaea. That fall, Hitomi sent out the invitations to noble families along the border and to every monarch she knew personally.
In a few weeks almost everyone had written back, either giving their apologies or their acceptance. Hitomi hadn't planned on half of the people accepting, and was pleased when one fourth came back positive. She prepared, and got everything organized so it would run smoothly once the guests arrived. Things didn't start that smoothly, because an early blizzard closed many of the mountain passes into Fanalia. Eventually everyone arrived safely, including the most anticipated guest, Duke Chid. The young reigning Duke of Freid arrived by air ship and was quite impressed with Van's progress in securing Fanalia for the winter.
The thirteen-year-old duke was also quite taken with Van and Hitomi's two children. He would play with them for hours, and that gave Hitomi time to attend to other things that required her attention. For example, half of the chickens that had been selected to feed the guests for the final bash died before the end of the year. She made hasty arrangements to have enough, but no one would be able to count on seconds.
When the new year began, Hitomi breathed a sigh of relief, looking forward to the quiet spring and summer ahead. The guests left when the passes opened, and Hitomi said good-bye to her new and old friends. That spring the twins turned one, and the whole family had a quiet little celebration with Hitomi's parents, Merle, and Yoii.
"They're a full year old, now, and walking," Hitomi said that night, her head resting on Van's shoulder as they lay in bed.
Van chuckled. "Don't forget running, yelling, and grabbing everything in sight and trying to eat it." He sighed and said, "So, when do you want to have more?"
Hitomi smiled slyly and said, "I don't think we have a choice." Van laughed and held her up against him in a tight embrace. "This one is due right before the end of the year."
"Just don't give birth in the middle of the dance floor."
"Oh, don't worry. I don't think I'm up to arranging another party season quite yet."
In late spring, Merle, Yoii, Van, Hitomi, and the twins went to Austuria for Lisa and Alan's wedding. The ceremony was held in a grand church that had just been refurnished. It was strewn with flowers and ribbons, and Lisa looked gorgeous. The woodcutter and his wife were there, and so were Lika, Riu, King Duke, Darcy, and everyone who was anyone. Hitomi and Van met with some of the people who had attended their parties the previous year, all of whom said they'd told everyone they knew about it and couldn't wait for the invitation to come this year! Hitomi fell into bed that night and said, "I'm doomed! Just give me five years to come up with some good entertainment ideas I haven't already used!"
Van took off his shirt. "Just arrange a new theme for each party, have the people dress up. Use some of the party tactics you use on the Mystic Moon." Hitomi thought about it for a few days, and realized it could work. When they returned home she sat down and brainstormed. She sent out the invitations, this time they made the main feature a 'lock in.' From the first snows until the passes cleared, their guests would be immured in Fanalia unless there was an emergency. It asked for the guests to bring five costumes. They could dress up as whatever they wished as long as each of the five was different. At least one had to be in bright colors.
That winter showed a precedent for many winters afterwards, each year the King and Queen of Fanalia would send out invitations to certain people to join them for the winter. Every year the first ball was a costume party, and everyone wore masks to make themselves anonymous. These were loads of fun for the adults, because everyone knew who everyone else was anyway, but it was fun to pretend. The orange and black decorations and witch's broomsticks were strange at first, but Gaea adapted to this strange holiday of Halloween.
Hitomi gave birth on New Year's Eve to a beautiful little boy. They named him Varun. After Varun came a girl, Minami, two boys, Nishi and Higashi, and then another girl, Kita. Then Hitomi and Van decided they had enough, seven was a good number. All seven were Draconians, but there seemed to be a slight twist from the normal Draconian coloring. Van's wings were white, as were every other Draconian's, but Hitomi's were gold, and Varie's and Kita's were gold. The boys all had silver wings, and Minami as well. The royal family out for a picnic was quite a sight. The children would all stretch their wings and maybe Hitomi and Van would follow, playing tag and catch in the air. It was considered good luck to find one of their feathers in the forest. School children would keep them with their other treasures to show off.
Life was golden.
::Hehe, I know, that's a lot of kids, but they're trying to rebuild a country here! ^_~ Anywho, that's the quick wrap-up. My original ending was horrible *gags* and then the second one that I posted with the story the first time was ok. If you read the first version, then this ending is very familiar. What can I say? I love happy endings::