Under the Christmas tree

[Lady Edfeil]

((if your character has any gifts they want to give to those of Windstorm, you can leave them here under the Christmas tree. Descriptions, pictures, rhymes or letters, feel free to place them here.))

[Dream Loxley]

To be honest I simply have not had the time this year to find 'gifts' as I normally have done but.........I can imagine a small basket filled with little peices of parchment that read:

Love
Peace
Good health
Happiness
Contentment
Joy
Wisdom
Courage
Strength

These wishes are for you all both ic and ooc. Pick one and imagine a huge hug from me and Dream with the hope that all your wishes come true.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your continued support and friendship through 2011 and I look forward to 2012 and all the good times yet to be.

[Cara McKenna]

Small baskets are set beneath the tree each marked with the names of every Royal, Noble, sweet servant girl and page alike.The Guards ofcourse have found under the tree in the Guard Barracks baskets with their names as well. In every basket there will be found:

Two or three honey butterscotch squares
A small personal cake (like a cupcake only slightly bigger) slathered in Honey Meringue icing.
A few pastries filled with the receivers favored filling (Such as the Queens Chestnuts)
And a small wrapped and ribbons package that seems heavier than the rest. This package would contain dried fruit pieces, apples,plums etc each piece covered and glistening in sugar or cinnamon. Sugar for the plums of course.
**Each of the items in the baskets are carefully wrapped and sealed in parchment and ribbon to keep them from making a mess and falling apart by mixing with other items**

And set alone under the tree is a specially marked wooden box that one can tell does naught hold sweets at all, what is inside one would have to wait till the owner arrived to claim it to see.

[Lady Edfeil]

*She had spend time on each gift. A year long. Bit, by bit. And so this eve she revealed all under the tree wrapped in fabric and tied with twine.

The first gift was for Lady Dream: a woven wool shawl in shades of blue that would bring to mind the sea as seen from her beloved cliffs. Knowing her friends preference for things simple, the shawl pin that would hold it in place was a simple wooden one, carved with great care so the ripples within the wood, would reflect the waves. To it, a small embroidered box was added, to keep pins. The panels of the box, each nae more than three inches, had been embroidered by her own hands, with a pattern in relief, padded from behind so that wee ducks seemed to raise on one side, and a fox on the other, it's plumed tail curving around the back.

There was a small gift for Beren, though she nae knew iffen her friend would be here soon to retrieve it. None the less, the slender chain with moonstones had been calling out her friend's name when she saw it on the merchant's cart. And thus she had bought it.

Kyle's gift was a belt of heavy leather that would fit well with the tunic she had made him last year. 't was strong enough to easily accommodate a sheath and sword and tooled exquisitely in a leafy pattern. And if one looked well enough, now and again one could see wee eyes, or a tiny beak peek out from between the leaves.

Cara's gift had come next, the package rather large and soft. Within it would be two new gowns, one of a flax and linen weave that was both sturdy and soft. The next would be made of a soft wool, died moss green, with a short bodice over it that was embroidered with small yellow flowers.

For Ulbrecht there was a cloak, in tightwoven wool, lined with soft leather that would withstand a heavy drenching and a storm, even at sea. The clasp of heavier leather and thrice repeated so that it would close easily over the entire chest area and shield the wearer against wind.

For Astridur, the gift was found inside a small wooden box, carved in the style of Iona. The monks of the abbey there still had a bond with Windstorm and 'pon request had made the box and within it put four sharpened quill's and four vials of their own brewn ink, corked and sealed.

For Simone she had found a belt, but unlike Kyle's the leather of this one was supple and soft, a pale leather worked with a pattern of the sea in it. The clasp was made of silver and it too was driven into a pattern of waves, set with tiny stones that would catch the light like sunlight 'pon the waves.

For Dieter the choice had been hard. She had found a gift months ago, then hesitated over the appropriateness, and finally decided he would understand. The dagger was made out of a heavy alloy and meant for use. For years she had refused to give weapons to any. This year she had made an exception, nae as much because of the weapon itsself, but because of the moonstone that had crested on the hilt in a small, perfect globe like a full moon. Mastery over a curse.

Some that had long nae been seen had nae been forgotten. There was a small box with Letha's name on it, and in it would be two silver combs that would easily hold up the magnificent hair. For Sinold it had been a long search, but she had finally found a grooming set that would allow him to show off his ponies to perfection.

For Seer, it had been hard to find something. But she had stumbled upon something from a merchant that had travelled to the Mainland recently and to a city that was said to be built on water. She had nae seen ought before like that ball of glass, with it's deep blue hue that would seem like night itsself when one held it in two hands. It was a trinket really, without use to any, but for some reason the fancy of it reminded her of him. 't had been placed in a box with a mixture of herbs and dried orange rinds.
For Siya there was a gift too, though she had nae seen her since her arrival. To many it would seem simple compared to some of the others: a clasp in metal, without any stones to adorn it, and naught but the way the metal had been cast in simple dark circles. But the gift was a memory, for 't was the clasp that once had adorned the cloak of him she had called father.

The last gift had been one she had long thought of. What would be the right one for this occasion? In the end.. two gifts had been chosen. One a sword with scabbard that held two crests etched 'pon the hilt, the house of Stormblade, and the house of Jelckama. The second one a pair of gloves she had ordered from the glover, though the cuffs had been painstakingly embroidered by her own hand.

There were more gifts, packed in boxes and ready to be send by messengers to some she loved that nae lived here to enjoy the yule season together. Yet she would nae ask any to leave their home before the Holy Days were over, so they would be send to the right homes in the next few days.

[Simone]

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Oh my - it looks like my 3 year old was wishing everyone a happy holidays while I stepped afk >.>

[Lady Edfeil]

*LOL*

[Dream Loxley]

Dream smiled warmly to think that her friends had remembered her with such fondness. She gathered up the gifts and held the shawl close to her face for a moment, simply enjoying the love with which it had been created. Her heart smiled as she anticipated eating the many delights packed into the basket. These were the moments that would stay in ones heart when such dark times returned and loneliness threatened to overwhelm.

With silent thanks she left the tree once again to seek solitude in her chambers, always with the hope of finding good health again and wishing all of Windstorm well and safe.