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[demonicbeauty]

[She's not Padmé Amidala. Nor is she Jane Foster. It's just Ariadne, sitting on the wooden floor of her home, in front of an enormous, four-poster bed with a canopy of sheer, white fabric. Splashes of color occasionally hit her face and the background, as her homemade mobiles, flitting with broken pieces of colorful glass, catch whatever sunlight there is. Her long, long, long brown hair is hanging loose over her left shoulder, crinkled to show that it's just come undone from its braid.]

I...I've noticed that a lot of important holidays seem to be in the middle of the winter. And I guess it makes sense. The days are short, the nights are long, and everyone is cold and missing fresh fruits and vegetables. It raises the spirit to have something to celebrate and people to celebrate it with.

[There's a small smile. A memory or two from her days in Valeria.]

Back home, the New Year was the most important holiday. There would be parties and feasts and masked balls. Presents. Lots of music...

[And she misses that music. But Ariadne won't let herself stay sentimental for long.]

Last year, I learned about an Earth holiday. The one where the fat man breaks into people homes and leaves them gifts, instead of stealing stuff. Christmas!

[Makes no sense, but it's a lovely sentiment.]

I was hoping to maybe learn about some other holidays from this time of year. What do your cultures celebrate? Maybe we can find a way to all celebrate together. I'm still convinced that togetherness is the only way we're going to survive this place. And I...I know I'm not alone, feeling that way.

[A small shrug.]

So let's talk to each other more. When there isn't an emergency. Talk about some of the happy things, maybe. Tell me about the good stuff.

[Ariadne doesn't really know where to go from here, so she shrugs again.]

Anyway, that's all. Sorry to interrupt anything.

Comments

[demonicbeauty]

That's encouraging!

[winter_bestowed]

For some.

[demonicbeauty]

...not for you?

[winter_bestowed]

Let's just say that most of the time I would rather take care of anything that comes up myself.

[demonicbeauty]

So...you're a leader, then?

[winter_bestowed]

I was the second in command. I'm not really sure that I have what is needed to be an effective leader.

[demonicbeauty]

I find that's usually a sign of great leadership...not wanting to be a leader.

[winter_bestowed]

Perhaps, but confidence and and decisiveness are important when it comes to dealing with emergencies.

[demonicbeauty]

I don't mean to be rude, but you seem to me like the sort who possesses both.

Just...based on our conversation.

[winter_bestowed]

Perhaps at one point, I was. But there's a lot that I have come to question and doubts that have made me second guess that.

[demonicbeauty]

Because of Trench?

[winter_bestowed]

Not entirely. But there are things that I've learned, that I've seen and done back home since arriving here. Honestly compared to what is waiting, this kingdom is much safer than home at the moment.

[demonicbeauty]

Believe it or not, I do understand that.

[winter_bestowed]

I see. I guess that's why you know the importance of coming together, even outside of an emergency.

[demonicbeauty]

Maybe.

[She laughs softly.]

Or maybe I just don't like being alone.

[winter_bestowed]

I doubt it. But if that is the case then I hope that you have found the company that you're looking for.

[demonicbeauty]

Well...I'm always trying.