Re: Ides of December- Heading East
"I remember Aramil," Rita says. "If the people of Mestenon went with him, then they're fine.
Of course I miss Vagrenk," she responds to Aelasuria when they go shopping on the eve of the Solstice, after the dinner. "I miss Ovo too. Do you know where he is? I wish he could be here."
She smiles when the group runs into Dag and Norb decorating. "Greetings, and Merry Solstice. It's so good to see you again. How have you been?"
No, I have never seen anything like this, she realizes when Aelasuria points out the beauty of the fountain and plaza. "They are lovely, no matter what you call them," she says, noting the were-hedgehogs argument over the terms "branch" and "bough." "Of course people decorate in Arras, but not like this--this is breathtaking," she says genuinely.
She smiles mischievously, her eyes twinkling, when Riordeg calls her "the prettiest girl in town" and says, "you'll outshine the lot of them."
"Now that wouldn't do at all! The bride is supposed to outshine everyone and be the prettiest girl around," she says teasingly to Riordeg. "No one is allowed to look better than Aelasuria," she adds.
"I hope you're staying in the palace and not the barracks," she tells him, a broad smile on her face.
She is overjoyed when Mergyon mentions the arrival of the large group from Raviniacum. The children are here!
As soon as possible, either before or during the dinner, she finds the children and Lady Chara and is happily reunited with them.
"It is good to see you on such a happy occasion," she says upon meetingup with Lady Chara. "Will the children be staying in the palace too?" Rita wants to make sure they get the best food and sleeping quarters possible.
She also happily greets Eadoin, hugging him and the younger centaurs from Raviniacum. "This new group of centaurs fought bravely and played a major role in our victory," she tells them. "And I see they've brought a group of similar creatures," she says, indicating the hybsils. "Are they fey creatures too? I don't believe I've ever seen them before."
They may have already been in Raviniacum when she stopped by for a one-day visit last time, but in the rush to see all the children, she didn't notice them.
During dinner and then on Solstice Day, she takes time to speak with every one of the children, hugging those who will allow it. She wants to know how each one is doing and how the orphanage, including the school, is doing. Has Lady Chara been the acting teacher, or did they find someone else to teach? She makes sure to spend individual time with each child urging them to confide in her if there is any trouble or unhappiness in their lives. How does little Omri seem? What about Enzo, who had been afraid to get close to anyone for fear of losing them too? Are any of the teenage boys training as soldiers? She hopes none has gotten into serious battles, as they are too young and barely trained for that kind of danger.
"Do not be afraid to tell me about such things just because we've been apart for a while. Anything that is a problem for you is something I need to address," she says.
If there is time after dinner, she will go shopping with Aelasuria, Riordeg, and anyone else who wants to come along. There are a lot of gifts to buy, and while she likely will not get them all tonight, she can at least get a good start.
If Duke Barstow, Lady Babette, and the people of Lucimburic do not object, Rita wants to hold her own religious service on Solstice Day, which she urges the children, close friends, and anyone interested to attend, making sure the time does not conflict with any other services being held that day. If allowed, she will conduct the service in one of the palace rooms; otherwise, she will seek to hold it at Lucimburic's Roman temple. The service honors Pluto and Proserpina but not exclusively, as prayers are given toward all the gods in gratitude for the victory and the season. She invokes Pluto and Proserpina especially in asking them to watch over those who fell in battle and those martyred by the Huns' oppression and demonic sacrifices. She keeps the service to no longer than an hour, wanting to be sensitive to everyone's needs.
"Just as the Moon grows from new to full, then wanes until it disappears, only to be reborn three days after its disappearance, so the Sun, at least from our perspective, grows in strength, comes to its fullness at the Summer Solstice, then declines to its weakest point, stands still for three days, and then is reborn on this day, allowing life to continue. Lady Proserpina teaches us that even death is not forever, that both life and death are parts of a never-ending cycle," she shares.
"We defy the emperor and his demons just by celebrating today," she adds, knowing the children will understand what she means, as they had told her months ago that the emperor prohibits Solstice celebrations.
Then she asks the children to sing a song she taught them back in Raviniacum, helping them start and joining with them.
"We who can love both Sun and Moon,
joyful in both seed and bloom,
sound and silence, dark and light,
Have nothing to fear from the long Winter's night."
Later, she spends time with the whole group of children, including Cirrus, apologizing for having been gone so long but explaining why it was necessary and recounting the victories of Theoderic's forces against the Huns and demons.
"The last thing I wanted was to be apart from all of you. I never intended to be away so long. There wasn't any choice. The Huns sent demons to my own home city, Arras, to attack the Temple of Pluto. If we don't take the fight to them, they will eventually come to us, and there is no way our king will allow that. The battle of the Ardennes is over, but the greater war is not. That will happen only when King Theoderic's forces march into Lutetia Parisiorum and defeat the emperor and destroy every demon worshipping site there."
To bring about a lighter, more playful mood, she comes up with an idea. "It is traditional on the Solstice to choose a Lord of Misrule, who leads everyone in pranks and practical jokes and even making fun of people in positions of authority. All in good taste, of course, nothing that would hurt anyone. What do you say we elect Riordeg as our Lord of Misrule today?"
Hoping the children play along, she tries to get Riordeg started. "Tell us about the emperor," she asks him. He hadn't been in Lutetia Parisiorum but knows from Rita of the emperor's outlandish costumes and his inability to pronounce the letter "r." "I mean, the Hun emperor of Wome," she adds, to remind him.
With the wedding coming, she asks the children and Lady Chara if they have brought appropriate clothing to wear to the ceremony. If they don't have it, Rita will go shopping and buy it for them. She also makes sure Melissa has appropriate clothing; if not, she offers to accompany her in shopping for it.
She makes sure that she and Riordeg get private time together, most likely that evening, after she spends time with the children.
"This day is special for so many reasons. It is the day I was ordained as a priestess, exactly one year ago. Now the high priest who presided over my ordination is gone to join Lord Pluto," she says to him sadly.
"I think this day is probably one of the greatest in my life," she shares with him. We need more days like this and fewer like most days of the last few months," she says.