Chapter 104

Roger was not surprised when the door into summer opened and Titania, the lady of the night, the Gealach of Tir Na Nog arrived.

The royal couple of the fae had taken to coming to Freya's Winter solstice gatherings and interacting with normal humans, even if the humans only remembered them as part of a beautiful dream.

Her wayward husband Oberon was being kept on a short leash by her black dogs, as the sight of several lovely young women would cause his eyes to wander.

Spriggan was his usual stuffy self as he 'harrumphed' at the food offerings, but still served himself generously.

He looked a little nonplussed when Christina handed him a little bowl of grapes and said cheerfully, "You have to eat all twelve of the grapes for luck. It's what we do in the Philippines!"

Roger knew better than to laugh.

Titania turned to Roger and remarked, "Such an interesting gathering you have, I see folks from far away lands, lands that may not know of me and folks from lands to the north of Albion."

Roger smiled, "Our little gatherings have grown over the years and each year we encourage our guests to share their holiday traditions with us."

Gesturing towards the Aquinos, he said, "They are from the Phillippines, their girl is a school mate of Freya's."

He glanced at the Yamadas, "Lorna and her family you've met, even if they didn't remember you afterwards."

Looking over at Ildico and Phillip he said, "Ildico is the nurse who helped me get to the hospital when I was attacked by a large dog."

Titania looked over at Oberon who was seemingly entranced by Maribel's taut little form and murmured, "Don't even think about it, husband dear."

He flinched and quickly looked away.

Titania and Oberon sampled some of the foods being shared and enjoyed the warmth of the heated alcoholic beverages.

Shortly before midnight, Freya asked Meiko to take the seat of the crone as she was the oldest human woman there.

Next she asked Maeve to take the seat of the matron and finally, she asked Christina to take the seat of the child as she was the youngest human there.

When they were seated, Freya faced the guests and said, "Tonecht is winter solstice, th' longest nicht ay th' year. Amang mah fowk we celebrate it wi' a feest followed by a ceremony tae mark th' end ay one year an' th' birth ay a new year.

"Durin' thes ceremony, we honur th' three aspects ay womanhood. The bairn ay th' future, th' matron ay adulthuid an' th' crain ay auld age."

She smiled and said softly, "In years pest , Lorna's wonderful grandmother woods represent th' crone.

"Sadly, she has joined 'er late guidman beyond th' veil an' she is sorely missed!"

Freya bowed towards the guests and said, "Noo, if yoo'll excuse me, Ah'll get changed."

She trotted into the house and Roger set up the bell she would be ringing at midnight then added more wood to the bonfire while Lorna and Ildico readied their large fireworks.

Minutes later, Freya emerged from the house followed by the wolvies, Dena and Silky, who quickly joined Spriggan to Titania's amusement.

Freya was wearing the diaphanous white linen robe worn only for this occasion and little else.

Her exposed skin quickly turning a milky white as she stepped before the guests and smiled at them.

Draped over one arm, she had several robes that she then draped over the shoulders of the women chosen to represent the aspects of the White Goddess.

Meiko got the black robe and Freya said, "She represents th' stillness an' death ay winter. 'er colors ur black an' white tae represent th' stillness ay th' land."

Maeve got the gray robe as Freya said, "She represents th' seasons ay growth an' th' harvest, she is motherhuid an' fertility, she is th' matron an' mammy goddess."

Finally, she draped the white robe over Christina who sat wide eyed and for once, quite still.

Freya smiled at her diminutive classmate and said, ""She represents th' comin' ay spring an' th' rebirth ay life efter th' stillness an' death ay winter's cold."

Freya knelt in front of Meiko, took her hands in her own and prayed in Jotnar, her own language while Meiko smiled warmly.

Next she knelt in front of Maeve and they joined hands before praying together.

Lastly, she knelt in front of Christina who instinctively crossed herself before joining hands with Freya and bowing her head in her own prayers.

Straightening up again Freya stood facing them, a vision of youthful beauty clad all in white.

Her red-gold hair unbraided for once, hanging nearly to her hips.

Seemingly immune to the cold, she smiled at them and spoke in a ringing, clear voice.

The language she spoke was unfamiliar as it was the language of the Jotnar, the Jotuns.

Her voice carried into the cold night air, conveying her message to her ancestors. Falling silent at last, she looked at all of her friends who had joined her and she said, "It wull be midnicht huir verra suin an' Ah will be soondin' th' death kneel ay th' lang nichts ay winter. Then Ah will ring in th' Hogmanay an' th' comin' ay sprin'. Thenk ye aw fur joinin' me oan thes longest ay nights!"

Roger quickly handed the wooden striker to her.

Freya stood silently, gazing up at the night sky, her bright blue eyes fixed on a spot in the cloudy firmament above them.

Roger stole a glance at his phone, it was nearly midnight with only seconds to go.

Moments later, Freya struck the small bell three times in carefully timed strokes with the striker.

It was midnight exactly.

Freya remained standing still until a few moments after stroke of twelve when she struck the small bell three more times, the ringing shattering the silence of the moment.

Freya nodded at Lorna and Ildico and they lit their fireworks.

Lorna's light fountain dazzled their eyes with its brilliant shower of pure, white sparks lighting up the darkness and moments later, Ildico's noise maker thumped and a fizzing, sparking beer can sized object flew high into the air before exploding with a brilliant flash and a deafening report that echoed throughout the hilly neighborhood.

A collective "Ahhh!" was heard as the new year was welcomed properly.

When it was dark again Freya smiled at her guests and said happily, "Th' lang nichts wull gie shorter an' th' spring is camin' suin. Me mony thenks tae ye fur camin' an' helpin' me tae send out th' auld year an' welcome in th' new!"

Freya smiled "Noo, if yoo'll excuse me." and went back into the house to change.

Warren raised his glass of mulled cider and cried out "Happy Solstice everyone and a wonderful new years!"

Roger stood up and said, "Now's the time when we bring in the yule log and place it in the big fireplace in the living room, where it will burn until Twelfth night."

He smiled as he noticed the looks of confusion on the faces of Lorna's aunt Meiko and Christina's family.

"For those of you not familiar with this tradition, the yule log is placed in the fireplace where it is kept burning slowly until twelfth night, that is twelve days after Winter solstice."

He grinned, "Now you know where the 'twelve days of Christmas' came from, it came from a pagan tradition as did Christmas trees and kissing under the mistletoe."

"Warren?" He called out, "If you'll kindly lead our guests into the living room, I'll close things down out here."

Warren grinned at him and hoisted his glass of mulled cider with a bit of rum added for a kick, "Folks? If you'll all follow me?"

While everyone trooped inside Roger took the stew pot off the fire to let it cool down then he turned to Titania and her small entourage, "You are welcome to join us of course, even if they cannot see you."

Titania smiled and replied coyly, "I suspect the little Philippine girl can see us even if she doesn't recognize us as fae."

She grinned at poor Spriggan, "She seems to have taken a liking to you Spriggan, I saw her talking to you and offering you some grapes."

Spriggan glowered and 'harrumphed' but said nothing, he only flushed slightly.

She turned her violet eyed gaze back to Roger and asked, "That little girl my husband thought was so attractive, I did sense she has a sprite living with her?"

"You sensed correctly your highness, last summer at Faire, little April took a liking to her and it seems a wild sprite started living with her at about the same time."

Titania smiled and said, "Lead us, kind sir."

"With great pleasure, your highness!"

Carrying the stew pot, Roger led them into the house and almost immediately the sprites began tittering amongst themselves, the Queen has arrived!

They began a slow circling over Titania, each of them paying their respects to her while she smiled at them in return.

While this was going on, Roger and Freya retrieved the decorated yule log from its resting place on the back porch.

Carrying it inside the house, they placed one end on the bracket inside the big fireplace and soon, it lay on its framework ready to be lit.

Roger fetched Salamander from the front parlour and told him to keep the yule log burning for the next twelve days, Salamander let out a wisp of flame and snuggled under the heavy log where he would stay all through the winter solstice season feasting on the carefully prepared yule log.

Stepping back Roger turned to their guests and said, "Tonight, will not be the usual sort of yule log lighting."

He smiled and called out, "All right everybody, and I mean everybody, we are going to light the yule log, and we have enough food left over for you who live in our shadows to join us."

Roger bowed towards Titania and asked, "Your highness, will you, for tonight only, grant our sightless guests the sight to see, to give them a true mid winter night's dream?"

Titania smiled and said, "Wish granted."

There was a brief flash and moments later, their guests began looking around in wonder as they saw Titania and Oberon and Spriggan for the first time.

Warren was nearly in tears as he truly saw for the first time in his life.

Everywhere he looked he could see signs of the neighbors.

Astrid his giant wolf companion stood beside him, her velvety ears within easy reach and all along her back was perched her coterie of sprites, all snuggled into her deep fur.

He laughed and said, "Now I know why your fur is always so unruly, your passengers have made themselves at home!"

Christina glanced over at Spriggan and exclaimed, "I thought you were a young boy I was talking to!"

Blushing nearly scarlet she said meekly, "I'm sorry if I bothered you with my chatter!"

Spriggan 'harrumphed' and replied, "You were not a bother, you did not know."

They also marveled as Silky and the wood wife families living up at the Karloff Library emerged from hiding, there was a collective gasp of pleasure as they saw the swirling circle of sprites flitting over Titania.

Meiko whispered, "I did not know you had yokai here in America and the little girls are sooo cute!"

Roger smiled at her and said, "We know them as our 'neighbors', they live just beyond our consciousness and just out of our sight. You can see them now because I asked the Lady of the night to allow you all to see, just for tonight."

Dena stepped forward and Maribel cried happily, "Dena! How good to see you again!"

Maribel squatted and Dena hugged her tightly and from out of the whirling coterie of sprites, a sprite dressed in shades of brown and green cobweb silk settled first onto Maribel's shoulder then hopped onto her outstretched palm.

Maribel's eyes welled up with tears of happiness as she breathed, "I can see you at last. You are so lovely, my spritely companion!"

The tiny sprite smiled at Maribel and blew her a kiss.

This caused Maribel to giggle and she smiled as Roger opened a container of tiny chocolate morsels for her to share with her spritely companion.

"Our sprites love this, it's like ambrosia to them."

He said as he grinned at Maribel's sprite and she grinned back through the chocolate smudge around her tiny mouth.

Roger chuckled as he saw Silky move to stand next to Spriggan with her delicate features flushing slightly, she was happy to see her dear friend.

He merely 'harrumphed' but made no effort to move from her side, his sole admission of his affection.

Titania came up to Roger with a smile on her face, she glanced over at Silky and Spriggan as they stood close together, quietly enjoying each other's nearness.

"I don't know what she sees in that stiff old stone, but who am I to judge when two people love each other? I myself, remain by Oberon's side, even though we both have our own dalliances."

She murmured as she drew near and to his surprise, snuggled against him, slipped her arms around his neck and kissed him.

Her perfect lips melted against his as he found himself slipping his arms around her slender waist and time seemed to stop as they kissed in a slow and unhurried manner.

It took everything he had to break off Titania's kisses and as their lips parted very reluctantly he whispered, "I...I, I can't. I will regret saying this for the rest of my life, but I cannot, not when I have someone already in my heart of hearts."

He sighed as he clung to Titania and murmured in her ear, "I will always treasure this moment we shared, your highness, and I must be insane for wanting it to stop, but I have to, I need to, I must."

Titania smiled and said sadly, "No mortal man has ever turned me down before. You have a fortitude I hadn't expected."

Stepping back, Titania smiled at him and with a twinkle in her eye, said, "You will make Freya very happy someday, and you'd better invite me to your wedding!"

Roger chuckled softly and replied, "You are not the first person to tell me that, and I'm afraid you won't be the last, your highness."

Shaking his head in disbelief he said, "The past two days have been quite interesting. It's almost as if someone laid that old Chinese curse on me."

Titania raised a perfect eyebrow and said, "Oh? Do tell..."

"May you live in interesting times..."

"How so?"

Roger drew breath and related their encounter with the Horned god and his dark lady.

Titania smiled, "You two were fortunate indeed. Even I am reluctant to approach them without a good reason and protection."

He smiled, "My tale is not complete, your highness."

She laughed and it sent the sprites into an ecstasy of tittering, even Oberon looked away from his admiration of Maribel, the renfairy's perfect, little, butt.

"Pray, tell me more!" She asked, her voilet eyes twinkling in her merriment.

Drawing breath again, he told the tale of their gathering yet more mistletoe, and of his cutting away large amounts of the parasitical growth to help the old tree spirit recover.

He spoke of the agreement he made before a nearly nude Freya came to retrieve him and Titania asked, "You have the sight, do you not?"

"I do your majesty, for the most part. An ill tree spirit can be difficult to see if I am not looking for her. The Green woman's marking the sickly trees will make my job easier."

By this time, Oberon had drifted closer, his ears straining to hear any salacious remarks.

He had seen them kissing earlier and was eager to find out if they were planning an illicit rendezvous, so he could seduce the little renfairy he was lusting after.

She would make such a lovely faun, he thought.

What he heard was, "Freya came and got me. The girl was nearly naked and out in that cold, wearing only her panties."

Titania smiled, "I'm sure you enjoyed the view. She is quite lovely, I almost envy her figure and would, if her breasts were larger like mine."

He smiled, "At the time, I was a little preoccupied with keeping warm. Although I have seen her naked many times now."

Titania purred, "You have? Have you two made love yet?"

Roger flushed a dark scarlet and he muttered, "No, we have not. She is only fifteen and I am her guardian while she is away from her home."

Even her frown was perfect as she said, "Awww, that's such a shame having to bear such a burden. To love someone so dearly and not be able to honor those feelings."

Roger shrugged and continued, "Anyway, she got even with me for hanging out with two naked ladies last night."

That got Titania's and an eavesdropping Oberon's attention so much that she glanced at him and said drily, "You may as well join us husband dear, instead of your hovering about, hoping I'll give you an excuse to seduce that little girl you've been lusting after so obviously, that it is embarrassing!"

Looking only slightly abashed, Oberon came closer and he asked, "And just how, did Freya get even with you for hanging out with two naked women?"

Roger grinned, "Interesting factoid: Jotuns can adjust their body temperature to suit the weather. Freya's body temperature last night was about the same as the weather outside right now.

"Once we got back in bed together, she wrapped her arms around me and held me until she warmed up again. I about froze my ass off."

Instead of the chuckles he had expected, Roger found himself being stared at by the royal couple of Tir Na Nog.

Titania merely shook her lovely head while Oberon briefly gaped before he said in a strangled voice, "You mean to tell us you've slept with her and she is still a virgin?"

"Yes, I have not had sex with her nor have I had sex with Dena Greenwood and I've slept with her too."

Oberon abruptly sat down in a cross legged position, grasped his head and muttered, "Oh, what fools these mortals be!"

He shook his antlered head, "They have such brief lives and are gone so soon we barely note their passings.

"Yet they intrigue us so, that we cannot resist loving them, even though they wither and die, so soon after."

Titania looked down at her husband and said softly, "The night wanes and our realm beckons, we must away ere the dawn."

Still muttering, Oberon rose to his split hooved feet effortlessly and said, "Yes, my Queen, we have consorted with mortals long enough, for one night."

Titania smiled at her husband then beckoned to the ever vigilant spriggan.

He bowed to Silky, who flushed slightly as she kissed him lightly on his cheek.

Roger and Freya escorted the royal couple of Faerie back to the door into summer where they paused briefly when Titania remarked, "Oh dear, we forgot to close this behind us when we came here."

She glanced at Roger, "You may have acquired a stray faun or two, do take care of them would you?"

He smiled and replied, "Of course your highness, we shall."

She smiled, took her husband's hand and they stepped through the faintly glowing doorway into eternal summer.

It silently closed behind them, leaving the two of them behind, alone in the darkness.

Roger looked up at his towering companion and a snow flake landed on his nose, it had begun snowing.

In the darkness, Freya took him into her arms, lifted him off his feet and kissed him.

Her velvety soft lips melted into his as he wrapped his arms around her and they stood as one, lost in the depths of their kiss.

Reluctantly their lips parted and Freya set him back down again.

Roger clung to her, not wanting to end the precious moment they were sharing.

Freya murmured, "Cam inside whaur it's warm, Ah cannae hae ye gettin' sick oan me."

Knowing she was right, he released her and they joined hands before heading back inside the big house, they shared with so many others.

Once back inside, they heard the huge grandfather clock in the front hallway tolling out the one o'clock hour.

Lorna Yamada said cheerfully, "Welp, it's one A.M. And unlike some of y'all, we've gotta work tomorrow!"

As if on cue, most of their guests seemed to recall that they too, had things to do in the morning and made ready to leave.

The hall closet was opened and bulky outer garments were handed back to their respective owners and quickly zipped up.

The Yamadas left first, with Lorna promising to come back later on to help clean up.

Next, the Aquino's left with Christina saying gaily, "I had the best time tonight!"

Ildico and Phillip said their good nights and walked home in the falling snow.

Maribel and the Shannons lingered a bit longer until Tom Shannon declared, "I've had enough fun for one night and these old bones o'mine gotta rest!"

Their Irish wolfhound, Cormac was reluctant to leave his new found friends, the giant wolvies, but Deirdre's gentle persistence prevailed and he too, climbed into their aging VW van.

Maribel, looking like a tiny snow elf rose on tip toes to kiss Roger on his sun darkened cheek and she murmured, "Thank you so much! I had the best time ever...Even if that guy cosplaying as Oberon was looking me over a bit much!"

Roger nearly burst out laughing.

Poor Oberon would be mortified to learn she had been on to him all along.

Warren and Astrid were the last to leave and they stood on the kitchen porch to watch him and his giant wolf companion trudging through the snow as it fell.

Roger said quietly, "And so begins, another year."

Something moving through the snowfall past their house caught their attention and as they watched it going by, there was a brief moment of clarity and they saw it was the Horned god and the Dark lady, she was holding a bundle to her swollen bosom.

It was a baby and giving birth to her infant form, was her final act for the old year.

Freya's hand squeezed his, the new year, had truly begun.