Everything was in place in the suite. Ciara’s magic had found its way back to her a few days prior and all of this, which had been planned during the shortage but would need to wait until the threat to Shaman had been defeated and life returned to normal, had gone up that day while Grim was out. She was out almost all day, almost every day and the weather was nice enough that Ciara was sure the girl would be out for a while. So Ciara had rallied the troupes and put up decorations, made suggestions for refreshments to the kitchen staff and invited just about the whole castle, who all seemed to know her adopted daughter. This was a bit event.

All of the papers were signed: the I’s dotted and, T’s crossed. It was a done deal. Grimbaud was officially her daughter and not a ward of the castle. Although they had lived together as though it had already gone through for a good while now, since they’d met, really, and Ciara already felt like the girl’s mother, having everything in place like it was now, having the formalities taken care of had boosted the feeling. It was exactly like having her biological children back.

Nalani stood on the tallest dresser to hang streamers around the room, though her eye was on the table of food rather than what she was doing. She’d been scolded earlier for trying to get an early meal while Ciara was fluffing the pillows on Grim’s bed. This was more than just a party. It was a welcome home ceremony. She knew it didn’t really make sense, this was already home, but she didn’t care whether it made sense to anyone else. She didn’t really care if no one else came to the party at all. This was for her and for Grim, and if no one else came, she was certain the food would still be gone by morning, even if everyone in the small, glued-together family had belly aches.

Ciara, amused at Grim’s enjoyment of the berries in the castle gardens when the girl had offered them to her with sticky hands and equally sticky clothing, had specifically requested they be used in many of the desserts. Now there sat several pies, each combining the blackberries with another fruit: peaches, rhubarb, pears. There was also one that was purely blackberry. There were also blackberry chocolates and fudges, and even a roast pheasant with a blackberry sauce. Of course, there were dishes without them as well, but Ciara hoped that her daughter would enjoy what had been prepared.

As the afternoon waned, Ciara double and triple, even quadruple checked that everything was in place and complete. Although Grim wouldn’t (or shouldn’t) have any idea that the party was coming at all, let alone that it would be today, Ciara had requested for the past several months that Grim report back to the rooms for a bit of a clean up before supper, especially when they dined with the rest of the court. With magic back, Ciara could ensure it. Reaching with her telepathy for the child’s mind, she softly whispered to her.

”Time to come home, Grim.”