RVA: Solstice Presents
“The Mother Goddess bless Her children on this day. On this darkest day, Winter begins. On this coldest day the sun hangs low. In the Cold and Dark we tremble, and in the Cold and Dark we see the Mother Goddess’ warming fire, and know that She and it preserve us.” the Countess Matri Darktail intoned, as Melanie watched with her husband Rolas, from the circle of witness standing around her, in Darktail Manor’s holy arbor. As was traditional, the ceremony was held in the pre-dawn twilight, witnesses from the Houses of vassal lords, from the various professions of the Service caste, and Commoners both notable and chosen at random, all watching as the Countess conducted the ceremony in nothing more than the fur she was born with, demonstrating both her piety and that they all appeared the same in the Mother Goddess’ eyes. It made Melanie grateful for the heavy coat she wore, over the curve of her gravid belly.
“From this day the days lengthen, signalling that in time the warmth will return,” the Countess continued. “To the Mother Goddess we give thanks, for the changing of the seasons, for the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. To the Mother Goddess we give thanks for the renewal of the soil, and for the crops that grow to sustain us through the Cold and Dark. To Mother Goddess we give thanks for the gift of knowledge, for the gift of curiosity, and for the gift of a world filled with wonders for us to discover.” She bowed her head, “To the Mother Goddess we give thanks, for the love of Her embrace, to Noble, Servant, and Commoner, who are all equal in Her eyes. To Her for all things we give thanks.”
“We give thanks,” the witnesses repeated.
At that moment, the curve of the sun began to rise above the trees, whether fortuitously or simply the practiced timing of Matri’s prayers, Melanie couldn’t truly say, though she suspected the latter. As the winter light began to illuminate the holy arbor, Lady Sallivera, Matri’s firstborn (and only) daughter, stepped up with a heavy robe in her arms, helping the countess slip into it and tie the sash firmly. In more normal tone of voice Matri called out to the crowd, “Blessings to you all this Solstice Day. Breakfast will be served in the ballroom.”
The crowd broke up, murmuring to themselves, as they headed towards the Darktail manor house and the promise of warm tea and food. Melanie took Rolas’ offered arm, stepping forward to speak to Matri briefly. “That was well done,” she said.
“It gets easier with repetition,“ Matri said ruefully. “I always watched old Countess Evelina go through the motions, and wondered how she could stand being naked in the cold, this early in the morning.” She shook her head. “This is only my fourth time. She did it for fifty ceremonies before she was stripped of her title. I swear I’m going to go for twenty-five, then retire and hand it over to Sallivera.”
“Well, that does give me twenty-one years warning, “ Salli said, smiling slightly as they all began to walk towards the house. Beside Salli, her bodyguard and lover Alinadar kept pace, their paws held together tightly. The smaller and younger sported a white ribbon bound around her wrist, in a pattern matching the one around Salli’s own, displaying their commitment to one another. Though Salli had not been shy about informing all and sundry of her intent to marry Ali, it was only recently that they began wearing their ribbons. The public announcement to the Council of Countesses would be going out at the start of the calendar year in a few weeks. Assuming no one in the Council got a hair up their Noble tail holes, Salli and Ali’s wedding would likely be at the Summer Equinox, as was traditional, conducted as part of that season’s observance, with Matri acting as priestess, in her capacity as both Salli’s liegevixen and head of the Darktail household.
Melanie was quite happy that things had progressed to this point. After a rough start, Matri had finally given in to Salli’s demand that Ali be recognized as worthy to being her spouse. The countess had not been keen on the idea at first, seeing Ali only as an ex-pirate and convicted criminal. It had only been after Ali had been viciously attacked by a supposedly trustworthy member of House Darktails’ staff, and the revelation of Melanie’s own criminal career, that Matri had both given in and given her blessings to the union.
It had not helped that Melanie herself, in her guise as the Red Vixen, Scourge of the Spaceways ™, had been Ali’s commander during the latter half of the younger vixen’s pirate career, when Melanie had enslaved her in an attempt give stability after Ali’s escape from her first captain, Bloody Margo. The revelation had… not gone over well.
The guests reached the ballroom, and everyone began lining up at the buffet to grab a plate and begin eating. After enough time had passed for everyone to have eaten their fill Matri returned, sitting in a comfortable chair in front of a truly enormous pile of gifts. In reverse order of rank, the guests began to form a receiving line, Matri greeting them warmly by name, while Salli and Rolas handed over colorfully wrapped boxes, some large, some small, containing gifts for the honored guests.
In the ancient past, when winters were more uncertain, and survival not always guaranteed, this winter gift giving had a very practical purpose. The largess handed out by one’s ruling Noble, be it food, clothing, or tools, could mean the difference between a family’s survival and death. In more modern times the gifts were, if still practical, less fraught with need, still keeping part of their original purpose in strengthening ties between Nobles and the Miltary/Service and Commoner subjects they ruled. These days the most common gifts were tools the recipient required for their work, loan forgiveness, scholarships for students, and pardons for crimes committed under House Darktail jurisdiction. More frivolous gifts such as toys for children (and supposed adults) would have to wait for birthdays and the Summer Solstice celebration.
Melanie, being Rolas’ wife, didn’t get a gift, she helped hand them out, keeping a running tally on her palm comp as the pile of boxes and envelopes were handed over. By the time the final recipient, Lady Aganatha Highglider, gratefully accepted a Historical Register waiver to permit the old Highgilder Manor to be demolished, the ballroom was near empty and the area around Matri’s seat was bare, every gift dispensed and accepted.
“Another year done,” Matri said, standing up and stretching briefly. “Thank you Salli, and thank you Melanie. Now to get breakfast for myself.” She took her husband’s proffered arm and headed over to the remains of the buffet table, where a servant was already filling plate for her from the leftovers.
“Almost done,” Melanie said softly. She nuzzled Rolas briefly, then headed over to where Salli and Ali were politely arguing over which of them got to be noble and allow the other to eat the last cream cake. “Excuse me, Salli. I need to borrow your beloved Ali’s ear for a moment,” she interrupted.
“I win,” Ali said cheerily, handing the cream cake over to Salli.
Salli opened her mouth to say something, probably along the lines of Stay away from my beloved you damned pirate, but apparently thought better of the idea and just said, “You win. Hurry back.” She bit into the cream cake and gave Melanie a sharp glare the moment Ali’s back was turned.
Melanie ignored it, and gestured for Ali to sit beside her on the table where the presents had been piled. “Happy Solstice, Ali,” she said.
“Happy Solstice, milady,” Ali answered politely. Her ears cocked forward in curiosity. “Is everything all right?”
“Almost,” Melanie said. “House Darktail is prosperous, the colony on Greenholme is expanding, Rolas is fully recovered from the injuries he received after our shipwreck, and your petition to have your criminal conviction pardoned seems to be gaining both judicial and public support. The past few months have been remarkably drama free, Mother Goddess be thanked.”
“Still, ‘almost?’” Ali prompted. Melanie let her smile widen a bit at the query. Ali had rarely questioned statements from her when she’d been the Red Vixen. It was good that she was growing beyond that, and not merely blindly accepting what her supposed superiors stated.
“Almost,” Melanie repeated. She let her paw rub across the curve of her belly, where her children waited for their time to come out into the world. Another three weeks, going by the physician’s estimate. She tried not to think, Not soon enough, by my aching footpads. “There is one matter that remains unsettled.” She drew in a breath, “Between us.”
Ali, bless her, merely cocked her head in confusion and said, “I don’t understand.”
Melanie tapped her claws on the table in a brief staccato. “I never apologized for enslaving you. Well, I mean I have, to Salli and Rolas, repeatedly, but never to you. I owe you that apology.”
The younger vixen was shaking her head. “You don’t have to apologize…”
She cut Ali off. “Yes, I do. Ali, you were my slave for ten years. Ten years where I could have brought you back to Foxen Prime to get proper mental and physical assistance. Ten years where you could have been reconnecting with your surviving family, instead of that mad scramble two years back where your brother Lu finally found you.
“I was crazy back then,” Ali protested. “Being your slave helped me find my balance, let me become a civilized person again.”
“Maybe,” Melanie said, “but keeping you as my slave was unconscionable. So today, the Mother’s holiest day, I beg your forgiveness for my error, Alinadar Blacksailor.”
Ali’s ears heated up, but she only said, “Accepted, milady.”
“Thank you, Ali.” Melanie smiled, and drew out a datacard from her pocket, a little red ribbon wrapped around it. “This is for you as well. Your own Solstice gift.”
Ali took it reluctantly, untying the ribbon and turning it over in her palm. “What is it?” she asked.
“Account data and passcodes for a fund transfer. It occurred to me some time ago that, as my slave, I never actually paid you anything while you worked for me, beyond an account for expenses,” Melanie told her. “You never received a share from the Scarlet Claw’s raids either.”
“I mostly did bodyguard and recce work for you, milady,” Ali protested.
“Which I never paid you for,” Melanie pointed out.
“I was your slave. It’d have looked awfully funny if you did. Anyway, Lady Salli pays me for my work now. I live with her already, so it’s more than enough.”
Melanie rubbed the bridge of her muzzle briefly. “Just activate it, Ali. Please?”
Ali shrugged and pressed her thumb pad to the card’s security reader, and it displayed the account balance on the surface. When she read it, Ali’s ears went flat and her eyes widened in shock. “What… That can’t be right!”
“Ten years of raiding, 1/120th of total crew share per raid, with interest compounded against the average yearly rise of the General Stock Index,” Melanie told her. “I know my accounting, Alinadar, that’s what you’re owed. Actually, that’s a fraction of what you’re owed, but I can only compensate you materially. Emotional accounting is not one of my abilities.”
“I… I… I’m….” Ali stumbled, still staring at the datacard.
“You’re rich, Ali,” Melanie finished for her. “Not as rich as a Countess’ Heir, but far more than your average Commoner. You can do whatever you like with it, though if you want investment advice I can make suggestions.”
“I, er, I’ll have to think about it,” Ali said uncertainly.
Salli approached from across the room, apparently giving up the pretense of not watching Melanie and Ali’s conversation when she’d seen the look of shock on Ali’s face. “Mel, what have you done now?” she demanded.
“Er, gave me my back pay,” Ali provided, still gaping at the card. She blinked and finally looked up, adding, “And apologized for enslaving me.” She handed the card over to Salli to look at.
“Oh,” Salli said, her anger deflating as she saw the sum. “That’s an... impressive amount.” Her head tilted slightly, working the maths out in her head. “Actually, I think you could buy our old produce freighter with that much money. In brand new condition.”
“There’s a thought,” Melanie said, smirking slightly. “If you ever want to get back into the piracy business…”
“Melanie,” Salli growled.
She rolled her eyes at her sister-in-law. “I’m joking. You really need to get a sense of humor, Salli.”
Salli did the open-her-mouth-think-about-it-close-her-mouth thing again, then finally said, “Thank you, Melanie, for this gift to Ali. Both the money and the apology.”
“What Salli said,” Ali agreed. “Though I think I’ll leave being a pirate lord to you, Lady Melanie.”
“As you will.” Melanie smiled, gave Ali a buss on the cheek, and then headed back to Rolas, who had been watching the whole play with increasing bemusement from across the room.
“Everything all right?” he asked, as she slipped her arm around his waist.
“Just giving Ali a long delayed Solstice gift,” she said. Together they began walking out of the ballroom and to the front portico to head for home.
“What, that back pay thing you’d been talking about? Is that why Salli looks like she’s swallowed something sour?”
“Something like that.” Melanie grinned, giving Rolas’ waist a possessive squeeze. “Just don’t get any ideas if she goes back to her old career. You’re my cabin boy.”
Rolas just shook his head, and they walked together out into the chill of the winter morning.
“From this day the days lengthen, signalling that in time the warmth will return,” the Countess continued. “To the Mother Goddess we give thanks, for the changing of the seasons, for the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. To the Mother Goddess we give thanks for the renewal of the soil, and for the crops that grow to sustain us through the Cold and Dark. To Mother Goddess we give thanks for the gift of knowledge, for the gift of curiosity, and for the gift of a world filled with wonders for us to discover.” She bowed her head, “To the Mother Goddess we give thanks, for the love of Her embrace, to Noble, Servant, and Commoner, who are all equal in Her eyes. To Her for all things we give thanks.”
“We give thanks,” the witnesses repeated.
At that moment, the curve of the sun began to rise above the trees, whether fortuitously or simply the practiced timing of Matri’s prayers, Melanie couldn’t truly say, though she suspected the latter. As the winter light began to illuminate the holy arbor, Lady Sallivera, Matri’s firstborn (and only) daughter, stepped up with a heavy robe in her arms, helping the countess slip into it and tie the sash firmly. In more normal tone of voice Matri called out to the crowd, “Blessings to you all this Solstice Day. Breakfast will be served in the ballroom.”
The crowd broke up, murmuring to themselves, as they headed towards the Darktail manor house and the promise of warm tea and food. Melanie took Rolas’ offered arm, stepping forward to speak to Matri briefly. “That was well done,” she said.
“It gets easier with repetition,“ Matri said ruefully. “I always watched old Countess Evelina go through the motions, and wondered how she could stand being naked in the cold, this early in the morning.” She shook her head. “This is only my fourth time. She did it for fifty ceremonies before she was stripped of her title. I swear I’m going to go for twenty-five, then retire and hand it over to Sallivera.”
“Well, that does give me twenty-one years warning, “ Salli said, smiling slightly as they all began to walk towards the house. Beside Salli, her bodyguard and lover Alinadar kept pace, their paws held together tightly. The smaller and younger sported a white ribbon bound around her wrist, in a pattern matching the one around Salli’s own, displaying their commitment to one another. Though Salli had not been shy about informing all and sundry of her intent to marry Ali, it was only recently that they began wearing their ribbons. The public announcement to the Council of Countesses would be going out at the start of the calendar year in a few weeks. Assuming no one in the Council got a hair up their Noble tail holes, Salli and Ali’s wedding would likely be at the Summer Equinox, as was traditional, conducted as part of that season’s observance, with Matri acting as priestess, in her capacity as both Salli’s liegevixen and head of the Darktail household.
Melanie was quite happy that things had progressed to this point. After a rough start, Matri had finally given in to Salli’s demand that Ali be recognized as worthy to being her spouse. The countess had not been keen on the idea at first, seeing Ali only as an ex-pirate and convicted criminal. It had only been after Ali had been viciously attacked by a supposedly trustworthy member of House Darktails’ staff, and the revelation of Melanie’s own criminal career, that Matri had both given in and given her blessings to the union.
It had not helped that Melanie herself, in her guise as the Red Vixen, Scourge of the Spaceways ™, had been Ali’s commander during the latter half of the younger vixen’s pirate career, when Melanie had enslaved her in an attempt give stability after Ali’s escape from her first captain, Bloody Margo. The revelation had… not gone over well.
The guests reached the ballroom, and everyone began lining up at the buffet to grab a plate and begin eating. After enough time had passed for everyone to have eaten their fill Matri returned, sitting in a comfortable chair in front of a truly enormous pile of gifts. In reverse order of rank, the guests began to form a receiving line, Matri greeting them warmly by name, while Salli and Rolas handed over colorfully wrapped boxes, some large, some small, containing gifts for the honored guests.
In the ancient past, when winters were more uncertain, and survival not always guaranteed, this winter gift giving had a very practical purpose. The largess handed out by one’s ruling Noble, be it food, clothing, or tools, could mean the difference between a family’s survival and death. In more modern times the gifts were, if still practical, less fraught with need, still keeping part of their original purpose in strengthening ties between Nobles and the Miltary/Service and Commoner subjects they ruled. These days the most common gifts were tools the recipient required for their work, loan forgiveness, scholarships for students, and pardons for crimes committed under House Darktail jurisdiction. More frivolous gifts such as toys for children (and supposed adults) would have to wait for birthdays and the Summer Solstice celebration.
Melanie, being Rolas’ wife, didn’t get a gift, she helped hand them out, keeping a running tally on her palm comp as the pile of boxes and envelopes were handed over. By the time the final recipient, Lady Aganatha Highglider, gratefully accepted a Historical Register waiver to permit the old Highgilder Manor to be demolished, the ballroom was near empty and the area around Matri’s seat was bare, every gift dispensed and accepted.
“Another year done,” Matri said, standing up and stretching briefly. “Thank you Salli, and thank you Melanie. Now to get breakfast for myself.” She took her husband’s proffered arm and headed over to the remains of the buffet table, where a servant was already filling plate for her from the leftovers.
“Almost done,” Melanie said softly. She nuzzled Rolas briefly, then headed over to where Salli and Ali were politely arguing over which of them got to be noble and allow the other to eat the last cream cake. “Excuse me, Salli. I need to borrow your beloved Ali’s ear for a moment,” she interrupted.
“I win,” Ali said cheerily, handing the cream cake over to Salli.
Salli opened her mouth to say something, probably along the lines of Stay away from my beloved you damned pirate, but apparently thought better of the idea and just said, “You win. Hurry back.” She bit into the cream cake and gave Melanie a sharp glare the moment Ali’s back was turned.
Melanie ignored it, and gestured for Ali to sit beside her on the table where the presents had been piled. “Happy Solstice, Ali,” she said.
“Happy Solstice, milady,” Ali answered politely. Her ears cocked forward in curiosity. “Is everything all right?”
“Almost,” Melanie said. “House Darktail is prosperous, the colony on Greenholme is expanding, Rolas is fully recovered from the injuries he received after our shipwreck, and your petition to have your criminal conviction pardoned seems to be gaining both judicial and public support. The past few months have been remarkably drama free, Mother Goddess be thanked.”
“Still, ‘almost?’” Ali prompted. Melanie let her smile widen a bit at the query. Ali had rarely questioned statements from her when she’d been the Red Vixen. It was good that she was growing beyond that, and not merely blindly accepting what her supposed superiors stated.
“Almost,” Melanie repeated. She let her paw rub across the curve of her belly, where her children waited for their time to come out into the world. Another three weeks, going by the physician’s estimate. She tried not to think, Not soon enough, by my aching footpads. “There is one matter that remains unsettled.” She drew in a breath, “Between us.”
Ali, bless her, merely cocked her head in confusion and said, “I don’t understand.”
Melanie tapped her claws on the table in a brief staccato. “I never apologized for enslaving you. Well, I mean I have, to Salli and Rolas, repeatedly, but never to you. I owe you that apology.”
The younger vixen was shaking her head. “You don’t have to apologize…”
She cut Ali off. “Yes, I do. Ali, you were my slave for ten years. Ten years where I could have brought you back to Foxen Prime to get proper mental and physical assistance. Ten years where you could have been reconnecting with your surviving family, instead of that mad scramble two years back where your brother Lu finally found you.
“I was crazy back then,” Ali protested. “Being your slave helped me find my balance, let me become a civilized person again.”
“Maybe,” Melanie said, “but keeping you as my slave was unconscionable. So today, the Mother’s holiest day, I beg your forgiveness for my error, Alinadar Blacksailor.”
Ali’s ears heated up, but she only said, “Accepted, milady.”
“Thank you, Ali.” Melanie smiled, and drew out a datacard from her pocket, a little red ribbon wrapped around it. “This is for you as well. Your own Solstice gift.”
Ali took it reluctantly, untying the ribbon and turning it over in her palm. “What is it?” she asked.
“Account data and passcodes for a fund transfer. It occurred to me some time ago that, as my slave, I never actually paid you anything while you worked for me, beyond an account for expenses,” Melanie told her. “You never received a share from the Scarlet Claw’s raids either.”
“I mostly did bodyguard and recce work for you, milady,” Ali protested.
“Which I never paid you for,” Melanie pointed out.
“I was your slave. It’d have looked awfully funny if you did. Anyway, Lady Salli pays me for my work now. I live with her already, so it’s more than enough.”
Melanie rubbed the bridge of her muzzle briefly. “Just activate it, Ali. Please?”
Ali shrugged and pressed her thumb pad to the card’s security reader, and it displayed the account balance on the surface. When she read it, Ali’s ears went flat and her eyes widened in shock. “What… That can’t be right!”
“Ten years of raiding, 1/120th of total crew share per raid, with interest compounded against the average yearly rise of the General Stock Index,” Melanie told her. “I know my accounting, Alinadar, that’s what you’re owed. Actually, that’s a fraction of what you’re owed, but I can only compensate you materially. Emotional accounting is not one of my abilities.”
“I… I… I’m….” Ali stumbled, still staring at the datacard.
“You’re rich, Ali,” Melanie finished for her. “Not as rich as a Countess’ Heir, but far more than your average Commoner. You can do whatever you like with it, though if you want investment advice I can make suggestions.”
“I, er, I’ll have to think about it,” Ali said uncertainly.
Salli approached from across the room, apparently giving up the pretense of not watching Melanie and Ali’s conversation when she’d seen the look of shock on Ali’s face. “Mel, what have you done now?” she demanded.
“Er, gave me my back pay,” Ali provided, still gaping at the card. She blinked and finally looked up, adding, “And apologized for enslaving me.” She handed the card over to Salli to look at.
“Oh,” Salli said, her anger deflating as she saw the sum. “That’s an... impressive amount.” Her head tilted slightly, working the maths out in her head. “Actually, I think you could buy our old produce freighter with that much money. In brand new condition.”
“There’s a thought,” Melanie said, smirking slightly. “If you ever want to get back into the piracy business…”
“Melanie,” Salli growled.
She rolled her eyes at her sister-in-law. “I’m joking. You really need to get a sense of humor, Salli.”
Salli did the open-her-mouth-think-about-it-close-her-mouth thing again, then finally said, “Thank you, Melanie, for this gift to Ali. Both the money and the apology.”
“What Salli said,” Ali agreed. “Though I think I’ll leave being a pirate lord to you, Lady Melanie.”
“As you will.” Melanie smiled, gave Ali a buss on the cheek, and then headed back to Rolas, who had been watching the whole play with increasing bemusement from across the room.
“Everything all right?” he asked, as she slipped her arm around his waist.
“Just giving Ali a long delayed Solstice gift,” she said. Together they began walking out of the ballroom and to the front portico to head for home.
“What, that back pay thing you’d been talking about? Is that why Salli looks like she’s swallowed something sour?”
“Something like that.” Melanie grinned, giving Rolas’ waist a possessive squeeze. “Just don’t get any ideas if she goes back to her old career. You’re my cabin boy.”
Rolas just shook his head, and they walked together out into the chill of the winter morning.