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... Then it was a visit with friends of mom and dad's in Normandy for Christmas Eve and Christmas and back to home for the new year and school.

I really liked Christmas.  I had talked with some of the old Indian Spirits near the city about the one they called "the White Christ" and Christmas in Normandy was wonderful.  We read stories and ...

Anyway, you've already heard that story, and our adventures in Normandy were kind of frilly fun, like eating lace icing.

When we got back, my mom told me that we were going to take Parakile to see his people.  They had ended up in the mountains north of Juno, Alaska.  First we would visit with the Joyous King, since Parakile's people were led by a Prince who owed fealty to the Joyous King.  We were going to foster him, since his family was long gone (he had been trapped in that magic place for a long time, even among the long lived line of men that he comes from) and it would be polite.

Now my mom told me all this while this golden creature stood frozen in space next to us.  Then she looked at me and at it and told me that I was to send a message to the Bitter King telling him the time we would be in attendance and that he needed to attend as well in order to redeem a favor he owed me.  So I told it.  The creature looked rather pained.  I could tell it wasn't excited about acting as a herald to the Bitter King with that message.  Heck, I wasn't too sure about sending that message.  My mom just laughed, breathed on the fire sprite herald and it was suddenly a raging flame.  It was so full of power that it took off, all fear burned from its mind.  Mom just laughed.

Then she told me to call Ariel and ask her if while we were off to see the Joyous King, if Ariel would take the rest of the kids shopping.

We've got a big house.  A two story tudor sort of place.  I like it.  But with all the people and familiars and everything, it is quite a zoo some times.  Ariel's house is a lot quieter, just her, her mom and dad and her brother when he comes back from school.  I like to visit some times, just for some quiet.

Anyway, I gave her a call and she said she would be pleased to take the crew shopping at the fair.

Now we have a farmer's market sort of place, like a huge flea market, that sets up from time to time.  Ariel likes to shop for thread there and it can be fun to tag along, buy candy, feel the strange spirits that have come to town (they are always surprised to be noticed.  If they get hostile, my old clan is on them faster than they can cast a shadow).  I check it out some times as a favor to my old side-father and the City's spirit.

Anyway, when the kids heard about it you would have thought they had heard Disneyland had come to town.  I mean, Robert-Etienne had been awestruck by a mall.  You think that would be enough for him.  When I mentioned this to dad, he just smiled and told me that in Robert-Etienne's time, a regional market like this would be like Disneyland and a supermall and everything else rolled up into one.  No matter what we told the kids, they would be certain that this would be the most active and the greatest of events to ever occur in the Northwest.

So, Parakile, mom, dad and I went to see the Joyous King (foolish feckless lecher, my mom remarked to dad when she didn't see me around) and Ariel (with her brother) off to take Thalia, Robert-Etienne, Jean, and Marie off to the market. She planned to introduce them to cotton candy and pick up some more threads for her staff (she was really hoping for some unicorn hair) and just have a good day.  Then they might take a careful trip to the edge of Starstrands and meet up with us.

Boy were we both in for some surprises.