Greetings and Goodbyes

The Great Hall was decorated in everything still left green this time of year in the Drake Kingdom. Holly and Ivy was tucked away along with white and gold bunting along the rafters while bouquets of rosemary encircled the gold candlesticks on the long rows of dining tables.

When Damien and Gretchen entered the wreath hung wooden doors of the hall, the warm glow of the firelight made Gretchen shine like the sun as it caught her crown and the gold stitching of her dress. As all their family and subjects rose to greet them, Damien kissed Gretchen's hand then led her to their place at their family's table. As the smell of the dueling aromas of food hit Gretchen's nose, she closed her eyes tightly and groaned. Damien smiled sympathetically and rubbed her knee. "Do you think you can make it through the dinner?"

She blew out a nauseated breath and reached for her glass. "I'll try. Of all the days for this. Christmas dinner is magical, I can't believe I'm going to miss out on it."

Damien leaned over and pressed his warm lips to her cheek. "When you're feeling like yourself again, I'll have the cooks recreate the whole thing for you and we can eat until we burst."

Gretchen chuckled to herself then glanced to him and said, "Thank you. You really are the best, Damien."

He kissed her hand and rubbed his thumb across her ring. "I'll try every day to make sure that you always believe that."


"When are you leaving?" asked Tessa as she sat beside Haldir at the table.

Haldir took a deep breath as he set his cup back beside his plate. "I suppose I'll head back in the morning. I never did like to keep the ladies waiting."

Tessa rolled her eyes to the window and shook her head as she thought about their life together. "It's such a lonely, miserable place. I hate the thought of you being all alone there for Lord knows how long."

Teddy kissed Stella's hand then looked over his children all together in one place again and said, "You deserve this, all of this. If it wasn't for you, we wouldn't even have any of this. You go find that woman and bring her back. It's time for us all to be together."

Haldir smiled under his beard then nodded. "I'll do my best. With my luck, I can only imagine what kind of trouble she's going to give me."

Teddy smirked as he shrugged. Haldir had thrust himself into the middle of conflict for the entirety of his supernatural life in his attempt to help other people, it was time for him to have peace finally. "The struggle is the glory, Haldir. It's my experience that if a woman is worth a damn, she's going to give you hell as often as possible. You don't seem the type to want one of those kneeling at your feet, waiting for you to come home with your slippers in her hand ladies anyway. I bet whoever she is, she's a real hellcat. I believe you're in for quite an adventure." Teddy held up his glass to Haldir.

Haldir smirked to himself as he clinked his glass against it then took a sip. "I have no doubt about that."


Jason sat on the hearth by the fireside as he stole glimpses of his mate as she sat between her fathers. It had been nearly four years since he left home, and she was becoming a woman, the last he saw her she still played with toys and drew pictures at his kitchen table when her mother would visit them. Knowing now that he was her mate made him feel awkward and guilty, he wished he could funnel it all back into a bottle to be uncorked like the wine at the celebration when she finally is old enough to be his.

He grew up beside the Hexom's, they were like family to him and the distance he was forced to keep from them know, only being able to watch them all together by the fireplace, was a bitter pain in his heart. It wasn't so long ago when he sat at their table like one of their own son's.

As Jacob noticed Jason's pained glances, he sent a mental message to Logan. Logan looked over to Jason and twisted his lips to the side then sighed and nodded back to Jacob. "Hey, Marissa, do you want to go give Jason his present now?"

The dark, curly haired, green-eyed beauty took a canvas bag from beside her feet then pushed herself up and started the long walk around the table. As Jason saw her approach him, he glanced to Jacob and Logan in fear of how they might react. To his surprise, they gave him warm smiles before going back to their conversations with their friends and family.

Taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, Jason pushed his dark hair back off his face and smiled anxiously at Marissa as she sat beside him on the hearth. "Happy Christmas." Marissa set the bag on the stone seat between them. Jason said, "Thank you. But, I haven't got anything for you." Jason had spent weeks trying to decide if it would be acceptable to give her a gift since he learned that there would be a winter celebration, it kept him awake some nights. He ultimately decided that her parents may not like it, but right now as he took the bag in his hand, he regretted his choice to not get her anything.

She smiled and said, "That's ok. Open it."

As he removed the soft gray knitted blanket, he could smell her on it's threads. "I made that for you, it took ages."

Jason curled his lips under then smiled a tight-lipped grin as the sudden burn of tears came to his eyes and throat. He cleared them away quietly then tilted his head towards her and smiled. "That was a very kind thing for you to do. I will treasure it."

Marissa returned his smile then said, "There's something else."

Jason furrowed his brows as he reached back inside the bag and picked up something weighty, wrapped in a silken cloth and tied with a strip of leather. He placed it on his lap, then unwrapped it carefully. When his fingers found the leather sheath, Jason pulled the dagger from it. It was made of elven steel and had the family crest of the Hexom, two fighting wolves side by side, engraved along with a spell of protection down its length. "Oh, Marissa, these are just the most excellent gifts anyone has ever given me. Thank you."

Looking around the room, Marissa sighed. "You've been gone a very long time, will you ever come back home again?"

Jason sheathed the knife again and laid it on top of the blanket on his lap. He swallowed hard then nodded. "Yes, I will most certainly be coming home someday soon. You can rely on that, Marissa."

Feeling sick with guilt over her sweet gesture, Jason finally thought of something to give her. After he removed the pin from his cloak, he held it in his hand and rubbed his thumb over it. The pin was made of silver and had a sword penetrating a round obsidian stone in the middle, surrounded by the spell of glory. "This brooch was given to me by King Daniel. It is very special and it's only given to people who share his blood. It's quite precious to me. I was very proud when he gave it to me, but I would be even prouder if you took it and wore it and maybe thought of me well from time to time."

When she held out her hand, Jason placed the brooch in it, then closed her fingers over it. Marissa looked at the pin in her hand and her round cheeks flushed with color. She quickly threw her arms around Jason as he put up his hands to show whoever may be watching that he wasn't forcing her to do so. Then, Marissa kissed Jason's cheek and said, "Thank you."

As she quickly returned to her fathers, Jason looked down to his gifts and smiled as he felt them in his hands. Feeling the uncomfortable weight of their stares, Jason hesitantly looked up to his fathers-in-law and nodded as he placed his hand over his heart and mouthed thank you. Jacob gave him a dimply grin as Marissa showed him the brooch and Logan lifted his glass to Jason.

Hearing the clinking against his glass, everyone quieted as Daniel rose to his feet to give his speech. "It is said that when your children find true love, that their parents find true joy. Looking out over all of you now, I know that is true. When I came to the Realm a very long time ago, I dreamed of a day when I would have a family so great that we could conquer the whole Realm itself if we wished to do so and that no enemy would ever dare to stand against us. I say, look around you now. We are truly one family. My greatest dreams and desires have been realized," he turned to Damien and Gretchen and raised his glass, "and it's all because of the two of you. Ladies and gentleman please raise your glasses and join me. It is my very great honor and privilege to wish you both a very long and happy life together. To Gretchen and Damien."