With a laugh of triumph Eirian took her place behind Faile. Her nimble fingers went to work, brushing braiding and looping. A touch of magick shimmered around her hands, making Nicole's eyes lock ontothe process. Small stones turned to garnets, topaz, and emeralds, adorning the quickly appearing style. It seemed to materialize, the bun that hung low and a little to the left, with nothing holding it up but the loops and braids from which it was crafted. Faile's bangs hung to the right, the ends curling softly. The stones took on shapes, butterflies and flowers that looked as though they were each one solid stone, cut just right to catch light and twinkle with their own special magick.

"Ta-da!"

  Faile gave Eirian a brilliant smile as she gently turned her head, admiring the look. "It is beautiful, Eri, absolutly. Thank you for such a lovely look." She rose to hug her old friend. "Now that we are all heartbreakers," she laughed, including Melody in her pronouncement, "Let us go and amaze the gentlemen." With a smile, she swept from the room, Melody at her side.

  "Let's make the trip soon," Garrett was saying to Llew. "I'd like to have her ring as soon as possible. She deserves it. What could be taking the girls so long?" He was hungry, but they were waiting for the ladies before breaking their fast.

Eirian and Nicole linked arms, practically prancing along to the dining hall. Nikki loved how the hem of her dress shushed against the ground, and grinned as she pushed through the double doors. She paused in the doorway, batting her eyelash at Garrett. "I'm ready for my close-up, Mr. Director." She pursed her lips, stepping boldly into the room and went at once to her fiance. Suddenly her bold demeanor was dropped, leaving her once more shy and vulnerable. "You don't think it's too much, do you? I'm not used to being so... Noticeable."

Eri rolled her eyes, giggling as she went to the table. Lleweloth had stood as soon as the doors opened, turning to Garrett. "I believe they were preening themselves into..." He fell silent, eyes captivated by the transformed women before him. His daughter and bride-to-be stood there, and he went to them like a man bespelled. With a laugh of shock he lifted his daughter into his arms, kissing her cheek. "Could this magick creature be my daughter? And this goddess, my loving lady? Surely someone has come and announced you to be the true Queen, my dear Melody, for that is how you appear to me. And wondrous Faile, I was unaware that your true vocation was as Danu the Earth Mother. Surely my eyes decieve me."

  Garrett couldn't even answer Nikki. He was trying to figure out a way to pick his jaw up off the ground. "Nikki... Nikki, you look... Wow... Just... Wow..." He bent and pressed kisses on her hair and lips. "You are so beautiful..."

   Faile laughed at her soon to be husband. "I agree, Melody does look like a little Queen. She is absolutly perfect." Faile took the girl from her father's arms and sent her scurrying to Garrett, who, without taking his arms from Nicole, scooped the princess up. "Do you truly like it, Llew?" Her face was shy, almost hesitant. 

Nicole giggled, relief flooding her. "Aw, shucks." She pressed herself to Garrett, reveling in his appreciation for her appearance. It had worried her, not knowing if he would approve of the flashy clothing and makeup. It wasn't something she was used to. But since he obviously enjoyed it, the girl allowed herself to relax, smiling at Melody and her brother. "Really now! You're so very pretty, Miss Mel!"

Lleweloth nodded, pulling her into his arms and kissing her gently on the lips, then the forehead. "You are a vision of beauty. All of you, but especially you. I cannot pull my eyes from you. It is simply not possible." Looking down into her eyes, his own twinkled like the topaz stones from the folds of Faile's hair. Eirian watched all of this with a proud grin, joy filling her at seeing these scenes of family. It was good to have people to be close to again, and she would never let this moment leave her.

  Faile cuddled herself in closer for a moment, relaxing in his strong arms. "Thank you, my lord. They look well together, do you not agree?" she asked, indicating Garrett and Nicole.

  "Is that my bratty little sister?" Garrett asked playfully. "Now she's gonna have a big head, thinkng she's some kind of princess!" He tickled Melody and the little girl's laughter rang out like music. "Hey, Eri, you look ok too." He said by way of a joke, his face welcoming Eirian into the conversation.

Eirian threw her head back and laughed, her face bright, teeth flashing. "You are a shameless flirt, Mr. Michaels." She shook her head, content to keep her seat. "As touching as all this family time is, I am growing hungrier by the second." At this Nicole joined her laughing, kissing Mel on the head and Garrett on the cheek before removing herself gently from his arms. "She's right. You must be starving, waiting for us like that."

Lleweloth looked to the others, appearing to dread the thought of having to release Faile. "They look wonderful. Perfect, like two halves of one whole. You can tell that they were created for each other. Isn't it amazing how that can happen?" He smiled, brushing Faile's bangs from her eyes.

  Faile chuckled softly at him. "Yes... yes it is." She allowed them to stay in their own little world for a few more moments before gently steering Lleweloth towards the table. "It is time for breakfast, my love. Melody is famished from her busy morning."

  Garrett laughed with the others. "If I was shameless, Eri, I would flirt with all women, not just beautiful ones like you and Nicole. I would even flirt with Faile, if I thought Llew wouldn't kill me." He took his seat, still laughing. "And I am about to starve."

With all that gooshy family business out of the way, Eirian tuckd into her breakfast with unladylike zeal. Nicole followed suit, suddenly famished. She was so hungry, and yet she was carefull not to smudge her makeup. It was the least she could do after all that Faile had done to make her beautiful. She brushed a lock of hair from her eyes, looking around the table as everyone began to eat. This was family.

And... She would have to go to her family, tell them the truth, whether they believed it or not. And introduce them to Garrett. It shouldn't have worried her, but it did. She'd always lived in a steadfast home, and yet the approval of her parents had been hard to come by. They always expected the best of her, or at least better than what she gave. Finding her to be engaged to an older man, one whom she had known for less than twenty-four hours, would definitely not please the couple. But she would tell them, with Garrett at her side. They wouldn't take this from her.

Watching the others Llew began to eat, feeling himself fill with pride. This was his family, for better or for worse. Most likely for better, though after last night's run-in with Her Majesty, he couldn't help but feel that something serious lay in store for the motley bunch. It would not be an easy time for them, nor a normal life by any means. And yet, he wouldn't give this up for the world.

Her face showed some of her shock at the statement, until a smile broke out over her features. "Of course! I would've slapped you if you hadn't gone. And I want you to meet my parents. They won't like us getting married, I can tell you. But they can't stop me from loving you forever, and if they want to be at the wedding then they'll have to get over their problems and just deal." The words held more certainty than Nikki felt, and in a way she was strengthened by them.

Eirian and Lleweloth shared a glance, proud of their young companion for standing up in such a manner, though they were wary as to whether or not that boldness would hold for very long in the presence of parental disdain.

  Faile joined the look the others shared. They could only hope that Nikki really would be that strong. There was something about Garrett that said everything for his stand, but Nikki was still young.

  "Whatever happens, even if you decide that your parents bother you to much to actually marry me, I'm going to be beside you. I can wait, if I need to." Garrett's voice was quiet and firm. He would stand beside the girl he had chosen as his wife, come hell or high water.

((The more I write Garrett, the more I realize that I am writing my husband.))

She nodded, still keeping herself firm. "We should leave right after breakfast. If I put it off, I'll just loose my nerve." Looking to the others she met their gazes, keeping her chin high. She had to show them that she wouldn't crack under pressure. This was her fight, and by the Goddess she would win it. Lleweloth raised his eyebrows at the statement, his gaze flicking to Faile and Eri. Eri grinned, nodding. "There's my brave warrior maiden."

She shook her head, laughing softly. "Goddess, no. I know just by looking into your eyes that I will never feel more certain about anything than how I feel about you. You might be one of the few things in this world that I'll ever be certain." With a steady hand she reached for Garrett's, taking it with a gentle squeeze as she met his gaze. "I love you and want to show all the world that we are bound heart and soul. Nothing will keep me from that."

Nodding, Nicole giggled. "I'm ready. You can change if you like. I'll wait here for you. I want my parents to see exactly how well I will be doing here. Besides, this dress just makes me feel so much better about myself." She grinned aside to Eirian and Faile, the fairer of the two returning the ex
pression.