Wintry White (Winter)

## Page 1

**Songbird**

**12:08 AM - Jan 16#1**

None of them has been in Austin for more than a week, only just long enough to close on housing and move in, but the basics of the freehold hollow was prepared by the advance team Rivah sent. In the afternoon hours of the winter solstice, each changeling and fetch makes their way to the gate they personally prefer and ports over onto the wooden walkway. From there, they enter the doors to whichever court they belong to and from those secretive rooms they climb into lovely glass-tube elevators and go down, down, down into the earth below the hedge river.

The ceiling in this vast underground cavern is transparent. Weak winter noon light trickles down to dance and skitter along the cavern floor. Strange fish dart high above their heads. The air is cool and clean, not fresh but crisp. Even those who live with claustrophobia after their time in Arcadia feel supernaturally at ease here, the big wideness of the cavern space feeling like a protective womb wrapped around these Lost.

Today, winter will reign. The cavern pillars shine silver in the watery sunlight and naked tree branches wrap in a spiral embrace up the slick metal. The dance floor glimmers like ice and piles of snow heap up around the white cavern walls. Evergreens in pots decorate the area, some trimmed with Christmas ornaments, some with Hanukkah, some hung with vibrant rainbow ribbons, and many left naked in their natural verdant green. Tables groan with foods from every culture represented in the freehold, the enticing scents turning every head.

Everywhere, everywhere, are white candles, unlit and waiting. They cover the tables, stud the naked trees climbing the support columns, and even float in empty air above the dance floor.

**Pisha**

**10:01 AM - Jan 16#2**

At the entrance to the hollow, Milada helps Troy laughingly tug Angel towards the Spring room rather than the Dawn room, pleading that "we have to enter together!"

They do, in fact, look picturesque, stepping out into a winter wonderland together. Milada, on Angel's arm, is dressed in a dark green gown with lacy sleeves, the color a nod to her own court while still matching the themes of winter. Over this she wears a white hooded cloak, the fur-lined train of which drifts over the icy floor behind her.

Troy is on Angel's other arm, wearing a dapper green tuxedo - complete with hat and cane - that, honestly, only he could pull off. In the middle, Angel himself is resplendent - a satin ivory tuxedo with gold accents seems to nearly glow against the aged-copper shades of his skin, a touch of warmth against the cooler colors of his spouses.

Milada's eyes grow wide with joy when she sees the ballroom, even though she helped set it up and presumably isn't surprised. She twirls once on the illusory ice of the dance floor, then laughs and pulls both men towards her to dance.

**beardyblue**

**10:52 AM - Jan 16#3**

Baer enters quietly and stands by the door for a short while, silent. He is much more modestly and comfortably clad in a black-and-red plaid flannel shirt, thick and warm, and a pair of very smart midnight wash jeans and a nice, chestnut brown pair of dress shoes. He's momentarily awestruck by the beauty of the decor and the people in the room, towering over most to give him an easy vantage point of the hall. The solstice is easily his favorite time of year, filled with warmth and fellowship to help cope with the sorrow of the deep winter. He smiles, a little.

He briefly scans the room, looking for folks who might be in need of a pick-me-up or a steadying hand among the crowd.

**Songbird**

**12:04 PM - Jan 16#4**

Not everyone is here yet; they trickle in at a steady flow and move about the room introducing themselves. Aside from the Fort Worth and Dallas transplants, most of the freehold members are not yet well acquainted with more than one or two people.

Simon rolls up to Baer, giving him a once-over look with a wry smile. "How did you avoid being shoved into a tux by one of the girls?" he asks in his usual soft dry tones. "Lucky man."

**beardyblue**

**12:11 PM - Jan 16#5**

Baer grins warmly at Simon, greeting him with a gentle but firm clap on the shoulder. "I think it helps that they don't know me as well as they know you. Helps that it isn't easy to find tuxes that come in my size. You look great, though." He looks around again. "You think this is going to go okay? I just want folks to feel welcome."

**Pisha**

**12:21 PM - Jan 16#6**

Milada takes a few minutes to dance just for the sheer joy of it; then, cheeks flushed pink inside her fluffy hood, she makes her way towards the two kings-to-be. "Happy coronation," she says with a grin. Simon is swept up into a warm hug; after a heartbeat's hesitation to make sure it's welcome, Baer is as well. "Are you excited? We're about to be a freehold!"

**Songbird**

**12:23 PM - Jan 16#7**

Simon blushes at the hug, patting her back gently. "And hopefully nothing will explode with, like, fury at having fetches built into the first pacting."

**beardyblue**

**12:34 PM - Jan 16#8**

Baer engulfs Milada into a warm hug with his enormous arms. "Thanks." He smells like a fireplace, pine, and peppermint, and up close they can see a little bit of frost in his beard and eyebrows, like he's just come in from shoveling snow. "It's... A lot." He hesitates, then quickly adds, "I'm excited. We just want to get everyone settled in and make sure things are running smoothly."

**Pisha**

**12:42 PM - Jan 16#9**

Milada pretends to scoff at Simon's statement. "It better not; I made a point to specify only the very finest quality, non-explosive snow."

Then she grins. "Yeah, the last few days have kind of been a whirlwind. Are you two still living out of boxes too?"

**Songbird**

**1:11 PM - Jan 16#10**

Simon can't help but snort at the question. "Is anyone not? I'm still squatting at a Walmart while I work out which campground I want to park my van full-time."

## Page 2

**beardyblue**

**1:24 PM - Jan 16#11**

Baer gestures vaguely in the direction of the winter apartments. "I've mostly been staying in the quarters here. Want to be around to welcome folks and help out where needed. Have helped unload a few moving vans here and there."

**Pisha**

**1:33 PM - Jan 16#12**

She rolls her eyes. "It's a very nice van, Simon, but you know a house really is an option, right? Anyway, until you decide why not 'camp' at our place?" Grinning, she adds, "The garage is obscenely big, someone ought to get some use out of it at least. And I'll feed you while you're there."

**Songbird**

**1:40 PM - Jan 16#13**

"Milada!" He shakes his head. "I remodeled the van so I can see nature. Garage walls don't count! Wal-mart parking lots don't count either, of course, but that's a temporary solution."

**Pisha**

**1:42 PM - Jan 16#14**

"Well, the garage could be a temporary solution too!" She laughs. "I'm just saying, in the meantime it's nicer than Wal-mart!"

**beardyblue**

**1:45 PM - Jan 16#15**

Baer chuckles. "As I'm sure you know, Simon, you can also stay in the apartments here if you like. But, I mean. Is there a McDonald's in the Wal-Mart? Because we don't have that here." He grins.

**Pisha**

**1:50 PM - Jan 16#16**

Milada mumbles something that sounds suspiciously like a claim to cook much better than McDonald's can, and also you don't have to pay for it, then clears her throat and gives them both a cheery smile. "Anyway. The coronation itself isn't until it gets dark, right? Heads up, I'm gonna be ducking out to get the kids before then, so if you see me leaving later that's why. I'll make sure we're back in plenty of time."

**beardyblue**

**1:54 PM - Jan 16#17**

Baer gives her a nudge. "I said we don't have a McDonald's here. Not that your place isn't better." He winks. "I'm probably just going to go around and make sure folks have everything they need, get a little more acquainted." He looks at Simon. "Are we expecting folks to call us by formal titles and such? Your Majesty and all that? Is that how y'all do it?" He looks befuddled.

**Songbird**

**1:57 PM - Jan 16#18**

"I mean, the winter offices upstairs are basically a big futon and a tiny bathroom," Simon points out, laughing. "My van is bigger than that! And the bedrooms downstairs look so... regimented. All those bunk beds... Uh, yes? Hi."

Simon shifts nervously in his chair as a wizened changeling with the distinct look of a Soldier walks up to the little group. The lovely man gives a deep fluid bow but despite his careful demeanor of respect there is an air of agitation beneath the calm surface of his face; his left hand trembles with nervous energy. "I beg your pardon," he says in softly accented English. "I believe we may have a problem."

**Pisha**

**2:17 PM - Jan 16#19**

Milada raises her eyebrows lightly; Simon knows her well enough to see the tension that also settles into her shoulders. "Is it about the champagne?" she asks in an airy tone. "Because I'm picking the flutes up in about an hour, they'll be here."

**beardyblue**

**2:20 PM - Jan 16#20**

Baer folds his arms as a light snow begins to fall around him. "What is it?"

## Page 3

**Songbird**

**2:22 PM - Jan 16#21**

"No," the man says in his soft voice, "though I do have some opinions on the Riesling. But a number of our party ought to have been here by now and are not. Furthermore, I have not been able to raise them on their cell phones and that fact alone causes me some alarm."

**Pisha**

**2:29 PM - Jan 16#22**

Milada glances at the monarchs, then scans the room. "Names?"

**beardyblue**

**3:19 PM - Jan 16#23**

Baer's eyes have turned the icy gray color of the sky before a heavy snowfall. He listens in silence, his face grim and worried.

**fruitbat**

**4:07 PM - Jan 16#24**

It is at this time that Hrimveig arrives, dressed for the dying season, and flanked by Jennifer and Eddy. She pauses briefly, confident that her arrival will be registered, then notices the monarchs huddled in an anxious conference and sweeps up to join them. "What news? Has something gone wrong already?"

**Songbird**

**4:41 PM - Jan 16#25**

The thin man with red eyes and a strong heady whiff of fiery steam about him turns just slightly to acknowledge the newcomer and grace her with another bow. "Princess Yonten Dolma, Princess Jiyoon Yi, Princess Jamila Young, and Knight Shan Riley are not responding to my calls. I had expected them here by now, and moreover I cannot imagine a situation in which Princess Jiyoon would willingly turn off her phone."

**beardyblue**

**4:45 PM - Jan 16#26**

"When did you last see them? And where were they, last you knew?" Baer cuts straight to business.

**fruitbat**

**4:52 PM - Jan 16#27**

"All the directionals," Hrimveig murmurs. "What's significant about that?"

**Songbird**

**5:23 PM - Jan 16#28**

"The last I heard, they were doing some last-minute shopping before planning to arrive here," Feng explains. "Yonten was not happy with her purse and Jamila had a shoe emergency. Shan went along as protection and, I believe, because he enjoys shopping in general. The rest of the Western court here, ah, does not."

**Pisha**

**5:31 PM - Jan 16#29**

Milada closes her eyes for a moment and concentrates. "They're not in the Hedge," she informs Baer and Simon, her voice quiet. "Your majesties, permission to go try again in the real world?"

**beardyblue**

**5:35 PM - Jan 16#30**

Baer waves his hand. "Spare the formalities. Do what you need to do to find them. And I'm coming with you."