#baronyofthesilverwolf

"Ah..." Nadeen looks pole axed

A soft gasp from down the hallway, and a small witch - pointy hat, green tinged face, broom, and all, stares at Nadeen in awe.

I may have to murder whoever did this. However, she moves to the child who gasped and tilts her head

The gaze is fearful, yet adoring, truly Nadeen at this moment embodies Galadriel, all will love her and despair... or at least, this one small child will.

Aree the kids enchanted?

Oh, yes.

No coincidence here, someone has planned all this!

The winter queen, Galadriel's shadow, the elf princess, however this child sees her, Nadeen doesn't care "What's your name, girl? Not the name your parents gave you, the name you call yourself when sleep takes you and wings you up high? What do you call yourself then, when clouds form castles?"

"E..e... Esmerelda, Your Majesty."

A nametag on the back of her cloak says "Emily", but clearly her witch name is far more grandiose!

Aiden sweeps out behind her, his cape billowing a bit majestically... and the girl gasps! Then, Straightens and whacks him in the knee with her little cardboard-lined broom! "You leave the Queen ALONE, Vampire!"

The Baron stares.

He trembles. In rage? In fury? Shall he strike down this small form?

No... no! He is LAUGHING!

A startled look, then she covers her mouth

Then she says "I have my dark lord well tended to, dear... you're wise to be ready in case of monsters, but he and I share this realm. Darkness isn't out to destroy a star, it merely wraps arms about it"

The child's eyes sparkle. "You be NICE to her, Mister Dark Lord. Or I'll hit you with my broom! Witches stick together." A NOD.

A bell tolls, and she looks up. "Oh, I have to go. We only get until the bell... but then Grandmother gives us candy. I thought she was going to put us in her oven, but she said as we are witches and warlocks in training, we are safe."

"Before you go... there's something you need to hear" She tilts over to whisper to Emserald, saying in her ear "It's a witch secret"

Then she whispers, at least it starts at a whisper

“Listen to the mustn’ts, child. Listen to the don’ts.

Listen to the shouldn’ts, the impossibles, the won’ts.

Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me…

Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.”

Her eyes are bright and she grins, gap-toothedly, and gives the Winter Queen an impromptu hug around the legs! "Yes, Majestry!" She promises, and then dashes off, worn sneakers just visible under the hem of her witch cloak. The costume is cheap, but today, Emi- Esmerelda feels like a Witch Princess herself!

She watches the girl go, then "Marigold..."

Muted shrieks and giggles are heard from other hallways, though careful wards direct even the nosiest mortal brats away from where they truly shouldn't be... the sound of a truly witchy cackle echoes from the front hall! A crackle-POP and "oooh.... ahhh...."

"Marigold, and this smacks of Bluebell, I believe." Aiden observes.

Nadeen looks at Aiden and nods "I concur. Oh dear. Wonder which one's maternal instincts are in overdrive? "

"Or perhaps both"

"Shall we see what they are up to, before any other surprises come to see us?" He offers Nadeen his arm.

"I think you're very wise, my lord" She took the arm

They find the gathering on the front stoop... there is a bus pulled up - the grey and white logo of the local social services, and the door stands open, waiting for the roughly two dozen children to file back on.

Marigold, dressed up as a grandmotherly sort who might just shove you into an oven, cackles once more, waving her hands over a cauldron that hisses and pops with rainbow sparkles and makes the children laugh!

"Eeeee-heee-hee-hee-hee! Go on now, boys and ghouls! You've had your Fairies and your Frights, your Treats and all your tricks, now it is time to go, small ones..."

A chorus of "Awwwwws"

Bluebell adds on, "But when you go, remember this, even though it's time to part, keep Spooky Dreams with you every day, and Halloween will live in your hearts!"

Aiden pauses in the doorway, and draws Nadeen to his side, watching.

"Look! SEE? I TOLD you I met the Winter Witch Queen!" The littlest witch says to another girl, PROUD, pointing.

"We may meet again, Esmeralda. When you dream under a full moon and snow falls"

a squeeze of her lover's hand

Marigold turns and beams at the two. Then, back to the little ones,

"Now, drop off your tokens, and take a bag of treats..." each child drops their 'entry token' into an empty jack-o-lantern, this one a pipe-cleaner spider, the next one a pumpkin cut out of cardboard, a felt bat, and so on... and takes a sizable goody bag before filing back to the van.

The bucket of token gleams, fresh dross with spooky happy Halloween energy - the finest autumnal dross.

Aiden whispers into his queen's ear, "Clever..."

"mmm devious yes"

An older gentleman approaches, ah yes, there's boggan blood here, in the bus driver. "Thank you, Miz Mari-" The steward raises her brow. "..Witchy Godmother Marigoth." He says with a smile. "These kids will be talking about their 'Haunted Mansion' field trip for months. Bless you!"

Aiden whispers to Nadeen. "And so, she deftly avoids reproach, by coaxing out autumn in young mortal dreamers, as well as granting a day of joy to children in need. Pray, when I hired clever stewards, I did not think that they would turn their whiles upon me."

"You see, how can Silverwolf not triumph with such deviousness on our side? "

He squeezes her hand. "Just so."

The busload of children trundles back to where it came from, and Marigold gives a smile that verges onto a smirk to her lieges, though she does bow. "Worry not, all will be restored back to normal by morning. But for now... go, you two. Why not go out? Have FUN."

Aiden is uncertain. Restored though he is, the man is still a grump, though not a greybeard yet... it may be up to his wilder queen to stir him to leave the hermit's cave... or vampire's den, as it may be.

"Marigold, I'm not sure is part of the typical respecting the dead, portent reading traditions of Samhain... however, there is merit in your suggestions within reason. Who is on guard duty?"

"The Thanes are on guard - Linnea is taking early shift, and Danica the later. Julius is watching over the young ones, Gladiola is watching over the wilder fledges. I am not quite dry bones yet, and will keep guard over the house, perhaps with a nip of scotch with good holstler Dolph."

"And one of the dogs I think..."

"How do you wish to spend Samhain, my lady?" Aiden takes her hands and asks.

"Tonight of all nights, we may terrorize or delight a bit more boldly. I'll make sure Flo and her son are..secure, but beyond that? " A look at him, "Darling... are there any neighbors who.. annoy you?"

Aiden ponders. "The Flendersons. They have a ranch down the way... older couple. They used to let their mongrels run loose on my land until I hand Danica bring threat of charges after they set after one of my mares... they have capital, and have been making noise about buying up some of the land to the southeast if they can convince the city to render it as saleable and not public preserve."

His eyes gleam a bit as he considers...

"They are... Texas attitude, though. Very stand thy ground." A frown. "On normal nights, I would not approach, lest they retaliate upon intrusion with firearms." This also clearly irks him.

"Mmm" her eyes glisten "I think I might have an idea.. if they don't have cameras on ground, we might pay them a visit... protococal their 'mongrels' to behaving in ouor favor and keeping it quiet. From there, we can get creative."

"And, it might be wise to also appear in town itself to let other kithain see us, see how the commoners are doing"