Christmas Eve, 2035

[theravenboy]

The house in the hills is full of noise and light and people; three generations of the Davies family, with Will and Jane and Cordelia, not to mention the tree standing in the parlor, are more than enough to crowd Bran's comfortable home. It is a happy crowd, in any case. Children are everywhere, chattering peacefully, and adults are making small

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[veryvorkosigan]

She smiles back, cheerful and friendly and not fooled for a moment.

"Let me see, it's ... Elen and Gwyn, isn't it?"

There are what seem like dozens of grandchildren, but after over thirty years of working the Vor social scene, Cordelia is that good with names.

[theravenboy]

"Yes, that's right," the girl says in lilting English. "I am Elen, and Gwyn is my cousin."

"Ask her," hisses the boy. "You said you would."

Elen favours Gwyn with a good-natured shoulder-punch, but says, "We were wondering, Gwyn and I, whether..." She hesitates.

"Come on," says Gwyn.

Very fast, almost stumbling over her words, Elen finishes, "Whether you are a great queen. Or one of the Tylwyth Teg. Because you came down from Cader alone, and that only happens in stories."

[veryvorkosigan]

They're both still trying to restrain giggles, of the nervous we-know-we-shouldn't-be-doing-this variety. It's enough to make Cordelia's own laugh genuine.

"Do I look like a great queen to you? Or one of the -- I'm not even sure I can pronounce that."

[theravenboy]

"The Fair Folk. The people under the hill," Gwyn explains importantly.

Elen says, "You might be a great queen. Your clothes were strange. And Branwen of Ireland came down that very path once."

"It was Rhiannon," Gwyn corrects her. "Rhiannon of the Birds."

[theravenboy]

[from here]
Margaret Davies slips out of the parlor into the warm kitchen, and from there, walks into her own book-lined study. She stands there, back very straight, staring out of the window into the black Christmas night.

[jane_drew]

Jane glances into the study before knocking lightly on the door frame. She doesn't want to intrude if Margaret doesn't want her to be there.

[theravenboy]

Margaret turns her head towards Jane, but does not smile, and her back remains rigidly straight.

"Did you know that story, Jane Parsons?"

[jane_drew]

"I heard part of it told, once," Jane says softly. Long ago, now.

She doesn't move forward into the room, yet, remaining in the doorway.