Room 218, Tuesday Morning

[glacial_witch]

It had been a fun night, with parties and drinking, but a little thing like an evening full of alcohol couldn't stop her from bounding out of bed

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[momslilassassin]

Some time after Ender had left, Ben, Christmas gift in hand, knocked on Karla's door.

"Karla?"

[glacial_witch]

By this time, tiny glimmering witchlights hung in the air on her door, spelling out 'Happy Windsol.' The door opened to reveal a brightly grinning Karla, full to bursting with holiday cheer. "Happy Windsol, Ben!" she exclaimed, moving a bit so he could come inside.

[momslilassassin]

"And to you," Ben said with an answering smile. "What's Windsol?"

[glacial_witch]

"Windsol is the holiday where we dance for the glory of Witch," Karla said, chattering a mile a minute. "It's the Blood's most important holiday, where we celebrate the Darkness. It lasts for thirteen nights and there's feasting and dancing and parties that last until dawn."

[momslilassassin]

Ben had gotten a little better about not twitching when Karla talked about the Darkness, but it was still an odd thing for a Jedi to hear being celebrated. "Sounds exhausting," he said with a grin.

[glacial_witch]

"Well, to give you an idea of it," Karla said with a teasing smile, "let's just say it's the one time of year I voluntarily take naps."

[momslilassassin]

"Must be quite a series of parties," he laughed. "Why are you missing them?"

[glacial_witch]

Karla's shoulders slumped a bit at that. "I keep forgetting that time moves faster back home than here. I missed Windsol completely," she said, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. "And then I got a letter from Morton saying I shouldn't head home for break. Hobart is asking questions."

[momslilassassin]

"I'm sorry," Ben said, looking sympathetic. "But it certainly looks festive in here!"

[glacial_witch]

"Thanks," she said, giving Ben a grateful smile. "Windsol coincides with a bunch of gift-giving holidays here, so I figured that there was no reason for me not to get presents for everyone here, too." She gestured to the piles of cardboard boxes and wrapping paper currently strewn about her room.

"And I got a chest full of presents from home, too. I just opened my first Windsol gift today."

[momslilassassin]

"What did you get?" Ben asked, sliding the box he'd brought with him onto a nearby desk.

[glacial_witch]

"Rings!" Karla squealed, diving onto her bed for the box. "Mock-ups for the Rings of Honor I'll be giving to the males in my Court. Uncle Saetan sent me some, so I can start thinking of how I want mine to look, since they'll represent me as a Queen."

This is not at all odd. Honest.

She slid the box off the bed, knocking aside a random fruitcake that was trying to get her attention, and then handed it over to Ben. "Look at them," she urged. "They're so pretty!"

[momslilassassin]

Ben did as bidden and looked.

And blinked. "Do men get a lot taller where you come from? Or have, like, huge fingers?"

Oh, Ben.

[glacial_witch]

Blink. Blink blink. "...No. Why?"

[momslilassassin]

Ben had a bad feeling about this.

"So they'll be smaller when they aren't prototypes, then?"

[glacial_witch]

Karla looked at the rings. "Not much," she said, shaking her head. "I mean, they'll have to be adjusted for size, of course, but they'll all be approximately this size."

There was a joke there, but Karla was filled with Windsol spirit and determinedly not making it.