After The End by lyradaemon

Chapter 4: Winsol

Disclaimer: I own NOTHING! (like I've already said)

After the little incident with Kaelas nothing much of interest seemed to happen at SaDiablo Hall. Jaenelle didn't speak of her Dream again; in fact, she had more or less forgotten about it because she was so busy at the moment. So busy, in fact, that she had forgotten it was almost Winsol.

"So Jaenelle, have you got anything interesting for Daemon this year?" Surreal asked with a grin.

Jaenelle just looked blankly at her. "Why would I be giving Daemon something interesting?" She asked looking puzzled.

"Because its Winsol," Surreal replied slowly.

"Oh," Jaenelle said. "Oh dear."

"What?"

"I'd forgotten it was Winsol," she said sheepishly.

"Sugar, how you can you forget Winsol?"

Jaenelle bristled at that. "Winsol was never a happy time when I was a child, Surreal. It was the time of year when everyone remembered how different I was from the rest of the family. I was never given a Winsol gift by anyone. So it isn't normally something which is at the top of my 'things to remember' list."

Surreal immediately regretted what she'd said. Saetan had told her once that Jaenelle didn't particularly enjoy the time of Winsol. It was when she was painfully aware of how different she was from the rest of them simply because she was Witch. It was also at this time of year when Rose had died. Jaenelle still planted Witchblood for her in memory.

"I'm sorry Jaenelle; I didn't mean it like that…" Surreal began.

"Don't Surreal. Don't sound sorry for me. I don't need it," Jaenelle said quietly, then walked away.

Daemon looked up as the door opened. "Hello sweetheart, I was wondering where you were," he said as he saw Jaenelle standing in the doorway. When she didn't answer he peered closer. She had been crying. "Jaenelle, darling, what's wrong?" He asked concerned.

She didn't reply, but simply walked over to Daemon and climbed onto his lap and he wrapped his arms around her. She made no sound; she just sat there quietly as he stroked her hair.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong? You know you can tell me," Daemon prompted softly.

"Its Winsol and I don't like it," she mumbled into his neck.

"Darling you've always liked Winsol before."

"No I haven't. It's when everyone celebrates Witch. And then they all remember that I'm Witch. And they act differently and treat me as if I'm special."

"But you are special."

"I don't want to be," she whispered.

Daemon sighed. Jaenelle had always been reluctant to accept that she was so different from the rest of them. It hurt her when people acted strangely around her; and at Winsol that happened more frequently.

"Jaenelle, sweet, they act differently because they love and respect you as you're Witch. You can't change who you are."

"Yes you can. I've changed who I am," she whispered in her midnight voice – the voice he hadn't heard in a long time. It made him shiver. She was right though – she had changed who she was.

Daemon could make no reply so he continued to hold her, comforting her with his presence.

"Can we play in the snow?" Jaenelle asked suddenly.

"There is no snow sweetheart." Sometimes Jaenelle's leaps in thought completely confused him.

"I know that. But when it snows, can we have a huge snowball fight? With Papa? Like we did when you stayed in Chaillot with me?"

Daemon laughed at the thought of Saetan having a snowball in his face. "As long as you're the one chucking snow at Saetan. The rest of us don't have the balls; and we want to keep them too."

Jaenelle leant up and kissed him softly on the mouth, then slid her arms around his neck. "I love you Daemon," she murmured as she looked him in the eye. Those sapphire eyes…he could lose himself in them.

"I love you too," he whispered in reply, then kissed her again.

Winsol Morning

"Jaenelle? Jaenelle, wake up," she heard someone say as they lightly shook her shoulder. She just burrowed further under the blankets. "Jaenelle, it's Winsol. And it's snowing." Let me sleep, she thought grumpily. Then the person slid an arm round her and kissed her softly, persuasively on the lips. Why was Daemon so good at kissing?

She moved closer to him and gave herself up to a thoroughly good kissing. "Morning," she gasped when he finished.

"I thought you intended to sleep all day," Daemon laughed.

"I did. But then you said it was snowing. And the thought of throwing snowballs at Lucivar was just too tempting, so I had to get up," she said with a grin.

"Do you want your present now or later?" Daemon asked, stroking her hair.

"Later. I'll give you mine tonight," she replied calmly. Inwardly, she was terrified. What if he doesn't appreciate the present? She thought. She had had real trouble trying to find something special for Daemon. Then the present practically threw herself at her, and she had decided to give that to him instead.

"Can't wait," he said as he kissed her again. "We should probably get up and have some breakfast now, otherwise the others will wonder where we've got to."

As it turned out, they were practically the first ones there. It seemed that all the other couples had decided to indulge in a bit of festive frivolity and so came in late – and, in more cases than one, blushing madly.

"So," Daemon said as he stood next to his father. "Are you joining in the snowball fight today?"

"What snowball fight?" Saetan asked innocently.

"The one Jaenelle planned."

"I didn't know she had planned one," Saetan replied airily. Daemon merely looked at him.

"I take it that you are coming then. Wear lots of clothes though."

"And when did you take an interest in my welfare?" Saetan asked cocking an eyebrow.

"Quite frankly I don't give a toss about your welfare," Daemon replied calmly. "I just don't want you getting too cold and then wimping out before I've thrown my fare share of snow at you," and with that he glided off laughing to himself.

"Mischievous pup," Saetan muttered as he poured himself another coffee. He was going to need all the help he could get.

An hour later Saetan found himself standing outside up to his knees in fluffy white snow. The last place on earth he wanted to be right now. He looked around and saw Lucivar talking to Marian while trying to stop an over-excited Daemonar from throwing himself head first into a snow drift. Surreal was with Karla, eyeing up a particularly fine Eyrien Warlord, who was doing a very poor job at not looking interested in Surreal.

Then he saw Daemon. He and Jaenelle were standing slightly apart from the rest of them, deep in conversation. Probably discussing battle tactics, he thought miserably. Or placing a bet on how much snow they could dump on him before he ran inside.

Finally they finished whatever they had been talking about, and walked arm in arm to the middle of the group. Jaenelle cleared her throat.

"I'm very glad to see that you all turned out to the first annual SaDiablo Snow Fight," (that doesn't sound too promising, Saetan said to himself.) "There are no rules at all," (Saetan groaned. Wonderful.) "The aim is to be the last person left. You can team up with whoever you want to. You may use Craft if you wish. Any questions?" Everyone shook their heads. "Right. You may begin!" And with that, all hell broke loose.

Snow whizzed through the air so fast that you barely had time to move before a lump of snow smacked into you. People moved so quickly that it was practically impossible to see who had thrown it at you. Saetan had been hit by four snow balls before he had even moved; shaking it out of his eyes, he bent over to pick some up when SMACK! He whirled round in time to see Daemonar grinning cheekily at him, then darting off to attack his father. That did it. Saetan grabbed handfuls of snow and just threw if at the nearest moving target, sometimes missing, sometimes being rewarded with a muffled yelp.

Taking a break in all the action, Saetan looked around to see Daemon and Jaenelle running through the snow – no, over it. Several inches over it. Daemon spun gracefully and caught Surreal full in the face with a snowball. "You – you sneaky – bastard!" She yelled, pawing the snow from her face. Daemon just laughed and threw another one. "Oh, I am so going to get you Daemon Sadi!" She snarled, grabbing some snow and chucking it at him. He just calmly stepped aside.

"How are you doing that?" She gasped.

"Craft," he replied with a shrug. "Snowball?"

Meanwhile Jaenelle was having tremendous fun taunting an irate Lucivar. "Got you Lucivar! Oh look – got you again! And again!"

Lucivar was getting more annoyed by the minute. "Would you just – stop – that!" He shouted at her as another missile found its way into his ear.

"Why Lucivar, have you had enough?" Jaenelle asked sweetly. "I know what will make you feel better."

"What?" He growled.

"This!" And she hit him squarely in the jaw.

Saetan was sincerely grateful that those two hadn't decided to get him yet. There would be nothing left of him when they did.

The fight carried on in full swing, with shrieks and shouts filling the air, along with Jaenelle's gleeful laughs and Surreal's muffled threats. Saetan was sitting on a bench, taking a well-earned breather, when he heard a very unwelcome voice in his ear.

"Had enough there father?" Daemon purred.

Saetan whirled round to see Daemon and Jaenelle standing there grinning, both looking unnervingly like cats who have just realised they have a mouse trapped between their paws.

"I was just having a break," Saetan replied as calmly as he could.

Daemon and Jaenelle looked at each other. Maybe he was going to get away with it; maybe they would go and bother Lucivar again…

SMACK! Two big snowballs connected squarely with his shoulders. "What-!" He shouted, but it was too late to run. Daemon and Jaenelle had him trapped and they were going to take their time over it. Saetan just put his arms over his head and took the blows.

There was nothing else he could do.

Some time later they all trudged indoors, covered in snow and bruises but laughing all the same – even Saetan had to grudgingly admit that he had enjoyed it. Until he had met Daemon and Jaenelle that was.

"So, did you enjoy that Papa?" Jaenelle asked, linking her arms with his.

"I suppose so."

"Daemon and I are really good, aren't we Papa?" She asked with a grin.

"I think you were cheating."

Why Papa! You know that Daemon and I would never cheat! What a thing to say!" Jaenelle said, trying to look shocked but failing miserably.

"You two never fail to surprise me," Saetan said despairingly.

Later that evening…

"Are you ready for you present now Jaenelle?" Daemon called.

Jaenelle popped her head round the door. "Just coming."

She quickly brushed her hair, straightened her dress, then went into the room where Daemon was sitting. She went over and sat down, snuggling up next to him.

"You go first," she said.

"Alright." He used Craft to summon a smallish box wrapped up in silver paper. "Happy Winsol sweetheart."

"Oh Daemon…" she carefully unwrapped the paper, the pulled off the layer of pink tissue paper underneath. Throwing that aside, she slowly opened the simple green box. Inside was the most beautiful necklace she had ever seen. It was made from onyx, as shiny black stone, and was set with stones of each colour of the Jewels. It even included Ebony. And in the middle was a stone identical to that of her own Twilight's Dawn – the same, down to the last swirl.

"Oh Daemon…it is so, so beautiful…" she whispered.

"Put it on. Here, I'll help you…" he carefully lifted it out of the box and fastened it at her neck. "There. You look lovely," he said with a smile.

"Thank you Daemon," she replied and kissed him. "Its so wonderful; thank you." She fingered each stone in turn.

"Well, I suppose it's your turn now," she said, then swallowed hard. While the snowball fight had taken her mind off it, she was now terrified.

"I didn't actually get you anything," she began slowly, looking round the room for inspiration, and failing miserably. "I wanted to get you something really special you see, and I couldn't find anything. But I do have something," here she paused and closed her eyes. Just go for it, she told herself firmly. "Daemon…I'm going to have a baby."

Daemon was silent; she couldn't bring herself to look at him. "You're sure?" He asked finally. His tone sounded strange somehow. She just nodded.

Eventually she looked up into his eyes. She wasn't quite expecting what she saw. They shone with such love and happiness that she was completely overwhelmed. Daemon took that opportunity to sweep her up in his arms and shower kisses on her, telling her how much he loved her and how happy he was.

Finally, when he gave her a chance to breathe, she asked: "So it's a good present?"

"Jaenelle, it's the best present anyone has ever given me. Thank you," and kissed her again.

"Well, I didn't do it completely on my own…" she began, but was stopped by his lips. I think that all worked out rather nicely, she thought happily. This has been the best Winsol I could ever hope for.

A/N: So. That's chapter 4 done. And the Dream still hasn't come true! The fluffy, happy stuff stops here for the time being (don't worry all you fellow hopeless romantics out there - there will be more, I promise!) Please tell me what you think of this so far. Are any of the characters acting ooc (out of character) at all? I hope you're enjoying it at the moment – it's actually really fun to write. I've already decided who's going to be the dying one from Jaenelle's dream, but I'd be interested to see who you think it should be. You never know, I might just change my mind! Au revoir for now… love Madeleine (aka lyradaemon)