And I'm back!
This one went over the word limit that I established for myself ever so slightly. I cut it down to as close to 2000 words as I could, but alas to no avail. Either way I'm really happy with how it came out and I hope all of you are as well.
Please critique and support as always!
Kind Regards,
Symbiotic
"So you won't be joining us for Yule, it sounds like?"
Diana nodded yes towards her aunt. The two women rode horses slowly through the woods surrounding the Cavendish estate, the cool air stinging their faces as they made their way down the trail further and further into the forest. The sky was cloudy and there was a pervading fog throughout the seemingly dead countryside, the wet and cold weather of winter having taken its hold on the landscape.. It didn't bother Diana or Daryl much, both women having wrapped cloaks over warm winter clothes as they made their way deeper into the wood.
"I don't believe I am going to," Diana said. "I really just want to spend it with Akko, her mother, and our daughter. I just want a quiet Yule, Christmas, whatever you want to call it...I just want a quiet holiday to myself and our family. I can't put Akko through the stress of going to a ball anyway, and her mother would be very out of sorts."
"I haven't seen Akko's mother since your wedding," Daryl remarked. "Is she still as uppity and cheery as she was then?"
"She hasn't changed at all," Diana said with a smile. "When I say out of sorts for her I don't mean that she wouldn't know what to do if we brought her to the annual Yule ball that you'll be hosting at the estate, it's just that she doesn't…"
"You don't have to justify your decision to me," her aunt replied.
Diana nodded back at Daryl as they continued their ride. Since the Grand Triskelion had been unleashed Daryl and her had been on much better terms. Daryl still oversaw the day to day operations of the Cavendish estate but had largely relinquished most of the final say to her niece, coming to terms with Diana's belief that no amount of money was worth forsaking centuries of magical wisdom and prestige that the Cavendish family had cultivated. Their relationship had grown even closer when Daryl had learned Diana had successfully conceived a child and thus would allow the Cavendish line to continue beyond her own daughters. While they weren't exactly what Diana would call friendly the two had developed a mutual respect for another and now considered themselves allies rather than adversaries.
There was however a few matters that concerned both of them. "So what have you decided about your ascendancy?"
Diana swallowed and gripped the reins of her horse tightly. That was one of the matters; the fact that the sacred ritual that would allow Diana to officially ascend to the head of the Cavendish family was going to coincide with her daughter's birth. While she couldn't pinpoint exactly what day her daughter was going to be born, she did know the date of the eclipse. There was a very real possibility that both events could occur simultaneously. "I haven't decided yet. I haven't even told Akko about it."
"Well you must. If you are to become the head of the Cavendish family you have to put it ahead of all else."
"There will be many chances for me to undergo the sacred rite."
"Well you must decide and you must decide fast," Daryl said curtly. "At the end of the day I don't give a damn what you do, Diana. But don't act like you want to be head of this family when your priorities aren't settled."
Diana nodded as she continued down the wood. Her thoughts and heart felt torn between one another, pulled in different directions between the two things she loved more than anything else; her beloved Akko and her beloved Cavendish family. After letting that battle rack her mind briefly she turned her attention toward thinking about the other conundrum she had; she didn't know what to get Akko for the holiday.
That was until her aunt and she found themselves stopped in their tracks as they continued down the path. There in front of Diana and Daryl was a great tree, a gnarled oak that had clearly grown for many many years in the forests beyond the Cavendish manor. It blocked the path in such a way that their horses would not easily be able to leap off of it without some assistance. Diana went to raise her wand to perform a spell that would blow the tree aside, but not before she felt her hand grabbed by a spell of Daryl's own.
"I understand you want to cast the tree aside, but look at the trunk before you do such."
Diana dismounted her horse and walked up to the tree. On the bark there was a heart with two sets of initials that were carved into the surface; DW and BC. Daniel Weseley and Bernaette Cavendish. Her mother and father.
"This tree was one of their favorite places," Daryl explained. "When they were younger and wanted to sneak away they would come out here and be by themselves." She dismounted her horse and walked up to the tree, putting her hand on the carving and running her fingers through it. "I never thought he was worthy of your mother, but she loved him dearly. It was a shame that he died in a crash while away on business. Then again Bernadette never did need anyone else." She looked Diana in the eyes briefly before turning back to the tree. "Your mother gave birth to you under this tree."
Diana's eyes shot wide open. "I beg your pardon?"
"You were born here. I should know, I was there," Daryl said. She shook her head and smiled. "You see this tree was the place where she felt closest to your father. So she gave birth to you under its limbs. I think she felt your father's spirit would be there to witness his daughter for the first time."
Diana smiled gently and ran her own fingers through the deep carving, feeling the charge that came off of it from the magic used to cut the initials into the tree. An idea then struck her. She knew exactly what she wanted to give Akko for Yule.
"Diana, wake up."
"Mrgph what is it, Akko?" Diana grumbled as she turned over in her bed. She felt Akko's hand shake her again. Sighing and blinking her eyes she turned back over to face her wife, who was smiling from ear to ear. "Are you well?"
"I'm fine," Akko assured her. "Come on, we gotta wake up."
Diana looked over at the alarm clock next to Akko's end table and saw it was just past six thirty in the morning. "Akko, it's way too early. Please get some more rest. You need to conserve your strength."
"Oh come on, Diana. We don't to sleep anymore."
"And why not?"
"Because it's Christmas!" Akko said with glee.
Diana's eyes shot open and she sat up in bed. "It's Yule already?!"
"You mean Christmas," Akko corrected her. "And yes, it's Christmas now."
Diana rolled her eyes and shifted herself out of bed, making her way toward her closet to put a robe on over her pajamas. "Should we go wake your mother?"
"She's already downstairs making breakfast," Akko explained. Diana quickly went to give her wife a hand and hoisted Akko out of bed. Her fingers interlocked she gingerly guided Akko out of their bedroom and down the stairs of their home, despite Akko protesting the fragile manner in which Diana was treating her. Reiko, who had made them tea and a breakfast, was waiting for them. They then moved to the living room, where Akko and Diana had erected a tree and decorated it with ornaments.
Underneath the tree were numerous gifts and presents that were all wrapped up in different boxes. Akko sat on the couch while Diana and Reiko stood around her holding their teacups. "So honey," Reiko said. "How do you want to go about doing this?"
"Hmmm," Akko said with her finger on her chin. "How about we start with…" Diana watched her wife furrow her brow before pointing at a large puce box with a purple ribbon. "That one." Reiko walked over and grabbed the box for Akko, who looked at the tag where it came from. "It's from Sucy."
"I wonder what it could be," Reiko asked.
Akko tore through the wrapping paper voraciously, making Diana both wince and chuckle, and opened up the box. Inside were a small set of vials, mixers, and a small cauldron. The whole thing made Akko swoon. "Awww look, Diana! It's our baby's first potion making kit! Isn't that so sweet?"
"It is my dear but," Diana said, reaching over and taking the box from Akko's lap. "I think I'll be holding onto that one until our daughter is older. The last thing I want her to do is accidentally concoct something dangerous without knowing any better." Akko pouted at Diana's decision.
The rest of the gift giving continued in earnest. Akko's relatives all gave the baby numerous toys and outfits that had cute little messages written in Japanese along with images of Sanrio characters. Lotte, Jasminka, and Constanze teamed up to make a most unique gift; an animatronic mobile that had magical transforming wooden figures. Lotte had written a soothing song that was enchanted to the mobile which would played whenever it moved, something that would put the new baby to sleep with ease. Amanda gave a plush version of the Shooting Star for their daughter to cuddle with. There were numerous gifts from the many friends they had made over the years, including fellow Luna Nova faculty and Chariot herself. Akko also received numerous gifts of clothing and other helpful items that would make living with their daughter easier.
"I think that's all, Honey," Reiko said.. "Diana and you sure have such great friends."
"Actually there is one more thing," Diana said. "If you'll excuse me love." Akko raised her eyebrow and watched as Diana went into her study and walked out with a wooden box and a wand in her hand. She handed the box to Akko along with the wand. "It's enchanted. The spell is Alema Construis. Go ahead, cast it."
Diana set the box on the floor and watched as her wife cast the spell. Their living was them bathed in green light as the box opened up. From there it began to unfold itself. It started slowly but the box began to change from a simple box into a long piece of furniture. Akko, Reiko, and Diana continued to watch the magical display take place until the transformation was completed.
When it was done there was a brown wooden cradle with an opal horn sticking out from just over the top. Akko put her hand over her mouth and gasped while Reiko looked on in awe. "It's made from a fallen tree on the Cavendish grounds," Diana began. "It was a very special tree, for it was where I was born under. The tree had fallen and died before we could save it, but its wood was repurposed."
Diana helped Akko up and showed her over to the cradle, showing her the carved sigil at the far end of the piece. "Those are the initials of my mother and father. The tree was their special place. Their initials are the mark of an enchantment my mother put upon the tree as a place where they would be shielded from curses and spirits. So our daughter will always be safe." She then turned her attention toward the opal horn sticking out on the other side. "This is the horn of a unicorn. Unicorn shed their horns frequently as adults, and even detached they still hold powerful magical properties. It will amplify our daughter's psychic abilities and allow her to safely venture out on her own into the astral plane. With it also she will gleam great knowledge and have the most vivid and wonderful dreams." Diana paused before turning back to Akko. "What do you think of it, my love?"
Diana didn't have to wait very long for a response. Akko quickly wrapped her up in a hug and pulled her in close, sniffling happily as she held onto Diana. "I love it," Akko squeaked happily. "I love it so much." She broke her hug and looked Akko deep in the eyes. "What did I ever do to deserve you?"
The two of them shared a passionate kiss after that. Diana briefly opened her eyes to see Reiko wink at her in approval before going back to kiss her wife. "Blessed Yule and Merry Christmas, Akko." She put her hands around Akko's belly. "And to you as well, little one."
