The Estate, Sidra, Glacia, Thursday (Fandom Time)

[glacial_queen]

Winsol had been going on now for several days. The family had just decamped from SaDiablo Hall in Dhemlan back home to Glacia to continue the festivities in their own home. There would be several more days of formal events, but this evening was just for family and close friends (specifically friends close enough to be family). The children were tumbling around like puppies, a mix of Earth and Kaeleeran carols were playing from floating music spheres scattered throughout the suite, fires crackled in the large hearths, and food and punch and hot spiced rum were piled high on the sideboards throughout. "Happy Winsol!" Karla said, holding up her cup in a toast.

"Happy Winsol!" the room chorused back to her.

[Open to residents of Glacia, dear friends, and anyone who thinks they'd have gotten an invite]

Comments

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

Dinah was laughing by the time they disengaged. "Oh, her. Crankypants. Yeah, I ran into her there about a year ago. And what did you do to inspire hot-milk baths?"

[future_sandworm]

"I looked at her. And when she objected I told her she looked like a friend."

Leto took a sip of rum. He hadn't even tried to upset her.

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"Awww!" Tamsin, don't you want new friends? "I had no idea our resemblance pissed her off so much! ... that's hilarious." Dinah snickered and put an arm around his shoulders. "What were you up to in Fandom, anyway? Visiting people?"

[future_sandworm]

He slipped an arm around her waist. "Visiting people," he confirmed. "And having a coffee at the Perk when I ran in to her. I did tell her that she was nothing like you though, but I'm not sure that made a difference either way."

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"I wonder how many people have told her she looks like me?" Way too many, probably. Ha! "I should go visit her. Just to say hi."

Dinah, no.

"Hania's getting so big," she said, changing the subject. "Is she doing school stuff yet, or getting Fremen training?"

[future_sandworm]

"I'm sure it would annoy her." Leto left it up to Dinah to decide whether that was a good or a bad thing.

Leto glanced across the room to where Hania was playing with the other children. "Irulan is teaching her now. Hania likes her a lot but she resents having to sit still and learn things from books. She much prefers weapons training, but she needs to know more than that." He had turned serious. "I'm happy to see her play like this with other children. She is far too lonely in Arrakeen."

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"Maybe you could let her walk around while Irulan teaches her?" Well, it would've worked on tiny-hyper-Dinah. To a point. Dinah sobered as he spoke and said, "Nobody her age around? I mean. That's gonna be rough on her later, too."

[future_sandworm]

"Nobody her age and social standing. Even if she doesn't care much about such things herself, others do."

Leto nudged Dinah and smiled. "But enough about me. Karla has been telling me gossip about you and Priestly."

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"Sooo... sneak in kids for her to play with." Dinah grinned. "Or sneak her out. She's going to end up lonely and unsocialized."

Now she was turning pink. "Uhhh. What kind of gossip? We've been seeing each other for-- holy heck, it's been seven months." Pardon Dinah while she boggles, Leto.

[future_sandworm]

"It's one of the reasons I bring her here when I can." He nodded towards the children, where Hania looked like she was trying to explain something to Kayla.

And aww, that blushing. It was still so sweet. "I just haven't seen you in a while, so this is the first opportunity I have to congratulate you."

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

Even with Priestly teasing her at every opportunity, she still got flustered and blushy. Some things just wouldn't change.

"Heh. Thanks. Yeah, it's... it's working good?" Argh, words, still difficult. "We decided to just see what would happen after my sister Barbara's wedding--" Which they got drunk and couple-y at. "--and, well." She grinned, bright and happy. "We're not making plans. It's just great the way it is."

[future_sandworm]

Even though Leto hadn't kept in touch as much with Dinah as with Karla, he was still aware that the only surprise Dinah and Priestly may have caused their friends was that they finally were being sensible.

"I'm glad to hear that." It did make him happy. He rarely though about what Dinah had been like when they first met, but now, seeing her happy like this, he recalled how she wanted someone to love her, her abilities included.

"I suppose not making plans can be a good thing." He had been told something like that recently.

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

What, those two being sensible? Pffttt.

"Well, it's not like we have any other immediate life plans to change," Dinah said philosophically. "Priestly's still in school in New Gotham, and I'm trying to stay afloat as a P.I. Neither of us can afford our own place yet, so we both have roomies. And... we just don't want to mess it up. We've been friends too long for that." She smiled a little. "And you and Alice? Or you and anyone else?"

[future_sandworm]

"It's a strange balance between changing a relationship and not wanting to ruin what was before," Leto noted.

He looked at Alice across the room, who by the looks of it was confusing some servant. She wore his mother's water rings braided into her hair. "When Alice first came to Arrakis she wasn't ready to be a mother or to be the concubine to an emperor. Somehow we managed to create a life together despite that. It might not have been at the pace we would have chosen had we been able to, but it worked. As for others..." Dinah should know him by now.

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

Dinah shook her head on a small laugh, knowing how that went. "I'm glad she's settled in now. And that you guys are happy. No big troubles in the Empire?" She wrinkled her nose. "You should know that you make all my life's ambitions look small, you and Karla. Ruling countries and worlds and empires. Meanwhile, I find people and kick ass for fun and defense of drunk people and idiots." And innocent tourists, who were often both.

[future_sandworm]

"Nothing I can't handle," Leto said with a grin. "And why would an ambition be smalled judged by that?"

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"Enh. I dunno." She was just... happy, right now. Shouldn't she be planning something? Moving toward something? Accomplishing something? It was unnerving, to finally be where she'd planned to be ages ago. "Not sure. It's not like I want fame and fortune or anything. Or power. Just-- am I a grownup, if I'm not changing the world?" She grinned at him. "And yes, I know how silly that sounds."

[future_sandworm]

"I didn't ask because I wanted you to feel silly," Leto said. "You look happy."

He smiled and squeezed her hand.

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

Dinah squeezed his back, smile softening a bit. "I am. I'm kinda afraid to jinx it." She shrugged her shoulders, smile not dimming. "But I guess sometimes you just get lucky." She snickered. "Or get made Emperor of Everything."

[future_sandworm]

"Am I to interpret that as being made Emperor is lucky or unlucky," Leto said with a laugh, not bothered either way.

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"Better you than me, pall. That's how you interpret it."

[future_sandworm]

"I suppose I can't see you enjoying it much," he said, now grinning. "Which, as I said before, doesn't mean you lack ambition. Finding people and kicking ass isn't for everybody either."

He was interrupted by Hania who made some kind of attack jump, at which Leto scooped her up in his arms. "Do you remember Dinah?" he asked her. Hania peered at Dinah, considering her reply.

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"Hi hon," Dinah said, smiling, but not reaching out yet. Let the kid make up her own mind. "You were a lot littler the last time I saw you. I think we maybe played some chase games, though."

[future_sandworm]

"I must have been very little," Hania decided, an arm around her father's neck.

"Dinah is my friend from when I went to school," Leto said, shifting his arms to make holding her more comfortable. "She came to your naming ceremony too."

He looked at Dinah. "And as you've noticed, Hania has grown." He smirked at Hania rolling her eyes.

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"Well, kids do that," Dinah said, smirking back at Leto, then grinning at Hania. "Your daddy and I were in plays together, and some clubs, as well as classes. He said you were having fun here with the other kids? Have you met any of the big tigers yet?"