Chapter 73 - Side Story: A White Christmas (1/2)

”Alright, everyone, it's that time of the year again. Lets bust out the 'nog.”

Damien raised a small flagon of the stuff in merriment just before taking a long swig. There were several confused faces, namely from Minerva, Evie, Frog, and Charlotte. Yes, the girl had been staying here while continuing her forays into the dungeon--alongside Damien, who still persisted in his quest for slime girls.

”F.u.c.k that's good.” Damien licked his lips. ”Nice and thick like melted ice cream.” To anyone who hasn't had eggnog before, that's how it tastes like but a little richer.

He stood up and felt his bulging ”belly” jiggle. ”Well? Go on and open your presents.” The boy prompted.

Charlotte dressed in tight dark leather trousers wrapped with a brown belt casually hugging her h.i.p.s alongside a black split-sleeved doublet pattered with luxurious gold patterns embossed on the fabric. The girl had foregone cute dresses and had now chosen to follow a slightly boyish style of clothing. Her personality had also seemed to switch from an elegant Princess to that of a more down-to-earth and heroic persona.

This kind of Charlotte, headstrong and proud, furrowed her brows as she held her gift in hand.

”I don't understand. What did we do to earn gifts?” She'd only just came down and missed Damien's brief explanation of Christmas.

Damien rubbed his majestic white beard thoughtfully. ”Nothing? Just open it, see what Papa got you.”

Mira clutched her own brightly-wrapped package. ”But...I didn't get you anything.” This was all very strange.

When she woke up today the house was decorated with an array of blues, reds, golds and greens. The smell of cinnamon and nutmeg pervaded the air pleasantly and very large socks hung above the fireplace stuffed full of treats, one of which held her name specifically.

She didn't understand at all what was going on and had become quite frightened when a red-clothed and white-beared Damien hopped into the room through the chimney carrying a large sack.

Then he just handed out these presents. Was this some custom she wasn't aware of? He had gone on to explain this time of year was meant for gift-giving and the bloating of your stomach from devouring a delicious meal. A time to spend with your friends and family.

Yet though the atmosphere he'd created was heart-warming and comfy, the fact she hadn't known of this strange holiday before and didn't get him a present in turn left her feeling just a bit miserable.

In her own real events like this were nearly nonexistent. Even if they did have ones they weren't nearly as full of love as this one felt.

She was thankful for the thought, but…

Her first holiday with her father and she didn't do anything for him? She'd lived here in this realm for several years now and still hadn't known about this holiday. Also despite him not knowing her very long he still included her.

How could she not feel guilty?

”So?” Damien pointed. ”She's been celebrating this with me for years and she still hasn't gotten me anything.” His finger was aimed at none other than Vera. ”Don't worry about it, just enjoy yourself. Get me something next year.” He put a glass of 'nog in her hand. ”Rather, you're already giving me my first grandkid. That's more than enough.” He gently patted his daughter's swollen belly.

If anyone thought he wasn't gonna be part of that kid's life, they were dead wrong. He already was in the midst of making a shirt with the words, ”Grampa's Favorite Purge Trooper.” All he needed was to figure out how to make an electrostaff.

He wasn't gonna tell that Claude dude any of this. That guy didn't quite seem to care for Damien all too much. Which was understandable. Damien felt any normal person, so long as they were male, wouldn't like him. Cass, WIll, Phil, Baz and Jacob, of course, the exceptions.

Though he hadn't seen most of the others in a long time. Especially Will, that no-good thief.

He couldn't blame the man for it. Didn't mind either. Like with Avery, who'd been avoiding Damien whenever she could, he didn't really care about one more person hating him. As long as his precious lil girl, Mira, loved him, it's all good.

The thought of his youngest daughter brought him joy. Look at this. He had all his little girls with him. Charlotte, his oldest. Evie, his middle child. And now Mira. Although the seniority looked messed up.

”Father...” Mira wasn't used to parental affection like this. But it was nice. Soothing. Just hearing her father's voice and knowing they were in a place full of such love and warmth made her never want to leave.

It nearly brought tears to her eyes. Didn't it seem that happened to her a lot lately? But they were tears of joy right now. She leaned into her father's shoulder and heard the strong, steady beat of his heart. She stayed like that for some time and he indulged her without complaint. Her father on one side, her husband on the other. The two of them made her feel impossibly safe and content with life. Was this not a blissful moment?

Meanwhile Vera stared at them. Her gaze held a longing note that none of the others picked up.

Except, obviously, Damien. ”You too. Get over here.” He reached over and brought her in for a half-hug.

Mira offered the woman a shy, unsure smile. ”Mother…”

Vera instantly became as stiff as a board. She didn't know how to react. She was a v.i.r.g.i.n who hadn't even married yet, but she was being called a mother? This was...a rather strange feeling.

Mira took Vera's hand and placed it over her stomach. ”Can you feel her?”

Vera felt incredibly awkward. What was she doing? What was she trying here? Her first reflex was to snatch her hand back and give the pregnant lady a good tongue-lashing. But she glanced at Damien and couldn't bear to do any of that. Not after she saw the expectancy in his eyes.

She swallowed whatever she was going to say and instead gave a, ”She's...strong.” What else could she say?

Minerva couldn't stand watching them. Somehow the scene brought up horrid feelings and she didn't want to ruin their cheer.

She rose from her seat quietly. ”I'll open mine later. Thank you, Master.” Although she wasn't sure when this ”Christmas” thing came about she was truly thankful she'd been thought of. But being here was suffocating.

A time for friends and family as no time for her. The only family she had was Evie and other than being taken in by Master there weren't many times for them to feel festive about. So a setting like this just reminded her of the people she'd either never had or the people she lost.

Evie watched Minerva leave and hesitated. She had many gifts for Master acquired from the several tests leading up to the ”final exam” from Lady Claybrook. But she hadn't prepared them yet.

”Master…”

”Nah, don't worry about it. I got this.” Damien then exited the room after Minerva. He was gone all of five minutes before carrying the woman back over her shoulder.

Her face was flushed a deep red and her eyes were unfocused. She was also hiccupping almost nonstop. Everyone sent concerned looks their way.

”What did you do?” Vera was the first to ask.

Damien gave her a thumbs up. ”I shoved some extra-special brew down her throat.” He chuckled. Then paused. ”That's not a double entendre, by the way. The second batch of 'nog is just really heavy on the spirits.” He explained. ”Can't be sad if you're piss drunk, eh? Come, Minnie. You're singing Jingle Bells with me.”

A knock on the door came just then, right as he was about to ask Baz to hit them with those sick beats.

”I'll get it.” Vera's h.i.p.s swayed seductively as she went to the door. She was immediately pushed down to the floor as a very enthusiastic Mother sauntered into the house.

”Surprise!” Mother Claybrook's arms were full of bags. She looked down. ”Oh, my poor, dear Mary. I didn't see you there. Let me help you up~” A hand was offered.

Vera's heart beat at a hundred miles a minute. That's right, she still hadn't been properly introduced to Lady Claybrook in her new form.

She must've thought she was her mother. But that raised a question: Where is her mother, exactly? Why isn't she with Lady Claybrook?

But that didn't matter. She couldn't face Lady Claybrook right now. She knew the woman spied on her son regularly these days. And because of that she's sure the Lady had seen...certain unspeakable things.

And that was a bit of an excitement in itself, but Vera didn't have the courage to meet her face-to-face so soon!

”No thank you.” Vera rose and dusted herself off. ”The others are already inside except for Lady Dahlia. I was just about to go fetch her, actually. Please come in.”

Right when she was about to make her retreat, Damien popped in. He saw his Mother and shouted, ”Hey, you came! I wasn't sure you would. Don't just stand there. Come on and take a glass, there's enough 'nog for everyone.”

He deliberately came and planted a kiss on Vera's cheek as he invited her in. He was well aware that his Mother spied on him and didn't at all care about flaunting his relationship with Vera no matter what she thought of it. She knew already, there isn't any point pretending otherwise. Why not be open with it then?

”Hmph!” Muriel was thoroughly enraged. This...absolute bitch! How dare she get all lovey-dovey with her son right in front of her face like this!

F.u.c.k, they've been friends for so many years and this is what she does? It's bad enough she had thoughts on her husband before, but now she wants her son? This woman's gone too far!

Any other woman would've been fine. The fact it was a long-time friend of her's, though, and someone who was actually quite dangerous to her family, that made Muriel feel both betrayed and on edge.

It was a good thing she destroyed that scrying orb when she did. She'd have already lost it if she saw them kissing and stuff so often. And her son seemed fine.

Good. That's good. If anything happened to him because of this damn overgrown shrub, well, things wouldn't end very well for anyone.

”I see you two are getting along splendidly. That's great. I'm happy for you.” Muriel wanted to stab the chick. Maybe she would've if Elias hadn't taken the initiative to speak up.

”Hey, where's the food?” The man discreetly pinched his wife's butt. Hard.

Muriel felt a rather unpleasant bolt of electricity run through her and knew she was being plotted against. This guy!

Whose side was he on?! Their son was being played with by some cougar, dammit!

”Right this way, good Sir.” Damien ushered him in. He took him to the kitchen, pouring him some strong eggnog. ”So you're going to be a great-grandfather soon.” And dropped a Nagasaki-sized bomb.

Elias coughed so hard he thought he was gonna die. ”I didn't know trees could grow that fast!” He marveled. ”Wait, then where's my granddaughter?”

”Let's introduce you. You'll like her, she's really nice.”

Elias looked at Mary with some amazement as he was led away. This was faster than when she came back with Vera and Baz. No, wait, how long had this been going on? Even if this granddaughter aged really fast it'd take some time to find a partner and get preggers, right?

Elias considered this and grew even more amazed and confused.

Seriously, did they….hide it all this time?

He shook his head. ”Son, I think the great one here is you.”

”Well I don't claim any of them.” Muriel folded her arms. She saw a certain oval-faced woman at that moment and sent her a hard stare. ”Say, don't I know you?”

Mira's hair stood on end. Lady Okeanos!

”I-I just have one of those faces.”

Muriel was going to say something but noticed another strange woman. ”What the hell is an Ogrekin doing here?”

”Meeting my destiny.” Riley gave a flirtatious wiggle of the brow. She rose elegantly and was fully intent on bringing this grade-A MIlf back to her room. However the woman shut her down quick, fast and in a hurry.

”Sit or die. Disgusting creature.”

”Yes Ma'am.”

Muriel spotted Evie. She gave the girl a bright smile. ”Evie! So glad to see you again. So? How'd it go?”

The blonde bombshell shook her head in melancholy. ”The road to being a good body pillow is long and arduous. I still have much to learn.”

”I told you to get n.a.k.e.d and push him down, it's not that hard.”

”But if I'm n.a.k.e.d, Master would see my face!”

”Is that really the part to be embarrassed about here?!”