"Who's the birthday girl, then?" cooed Cariad, tickling Ahnah until she squealed with laughter. "You are!"

Chwaer laughed and shook her head at Ellone. "I think we will have to do all the setting up," she said. "Cari loves babies too much."

"It is impossible to love a child too much," Ellone pontificated with a smile. "I'm just glad she's going to grow up without a war outside her window." Half-twisting as she rose, Ellone looked out of the broad living room window. "It's very kind of you to offer to host her birthday party," she said. "You've built a much larger house than the one we live in - I was afraid we'd have to turn people down."

Chwaer's answering smile was positively doting. "Cariad and I love children," she said quietly. "When we find someone...well, we wanted room for a large family." Her smile turned impish. "And family might come to call one day - we thought it best to plan ahead."

"Someone?" Ellone asked curiously, emphasizing the singular as she turned away from the window. Rising to her feet, she started collecting cucumbers and celery stalks to cut for snacks. "The two of you only want one boy between you?" Her hand chopped quickly and efficiently with her knife on the cutting board. "I don't know...the boys would be disappointed that there's only one slot open, but they'd fight all the harder to win it. I wouldn't say anything to anyone else - a little unusual."

"It won't be one of the local boys," Chwaer said regretfully, taking the slices Ellone made and arranging them on trays. "Cari and I decided. They're very sweet, but they're just not ...right for us."

Ellone considered that, chopping in silence for a while. "Cariad, isn't it," she asked. "It's Cariad. But you're identical twins..."

Chwaer didn't look up from her work. "Are we?" she asked. "Oh, we look the same, yes, but we did have the same father and mother. Inside we're not quite the same, Ellone. Cariad...doesn't like boys in that way. At least, she hasn't yet."

"Well," Ellone murmured. "I can see why you wouldn't say anything. The local boys would have a hard time taking that kind of rejection." She paused. "You do, though? Like boys?"

Chwaer gave Ellone a look that was somewhere between amused and chiding. "Sometimes," she said vaguely. "At any rate, I haven't found anyone I'd want to marry here, either. But there's time. We're not in any great rush."

Ellone pursed her lips - evidently wondering how the twins were going to have a large family without a husband, as there were no orphans in Winhill - and then shrugged. "Well, you're welcome to mother or aunt Ahnah any time you like," she offered, and regarded the chopped vegetables. "Do you think that's enough?"

"And more than enough," nodded Chwaer. She spared a glance for her twin, who was cheerfully playing peek-a-boo with a laughing Ahnah. "Well, at least she'll make sure Ahnah's having fun until everyone arrives," she sighed, but not unhappily. "Let's see, what else do we need to do?"

"There's the decorations, blowing up the balloons, baking and decorating the cake, making sure we've got enough plates for cake and bowls for ice cream and toppings for everyone," Ellone ticked off on her fingers, "Oh - and room for everyone to sit down and towels for everyone after they go swimming to cool off.."

"Get Chris," said Chwaer firmly, brushing short strands of brown hair behind her ear. "Cari can keep Ahnah busy, but we need help with all this."

Ellone shook her head. "Chris is getting presents wrapped. That's why I brought Ahnah with me."

Chwaer sighed. "Well, in that case...let's see. Which would you prefer to do - wash towels or blow up balloons?"

* * * * * *

Children's birthday parties were something of an event in Winhill, as the one thing the village did not have many of was children. Most of the village was comprised of retirees, or people of that age - most of the town's youths preferred to leave as soon as they could, seeking excitement in the wilderness or the larger cities to the north. Ahnah's presence was therefore treasured by the Winhilli, quite aside from her family name. Indeed, here the name 'Loire' counted against her; the townfolk had long memories and most still regarded Laguna as an irresponsible fool who had left his wife and son to help distant strangers for no particularly good reason. That Ellone had been that 'not particularly good reason' meant only that Laguna was not discussed, not that he was forgiven.

Ellone, however, had proven sincere in her desire to live here and live quietly, and Ahnah was collectively spoiled by the entire village. February was a hot month in Winhill - the dog days of summer - and that meant the older children were swimming in ponds and playing with hoses outside, where Ellone's husband Chris stood on watchful guard against muddy feet heading toward doors.

Inside, the three women took it in turns to manage the food, the children, and Ahnah; each of them handling whoever and whatever was nearest at the time. Although the twins had youth and their own innate gifts to rely on to get them through the day, they still had only one mind and two hands apiece and were at least as harried as Ellone at keeping track of all the games, accusations, scuffles and messes that cropped up everywhere. Presents for Ahnah were being stacked as carefully as could be managed in one of the spare bedrooms - it was the only way to keep some of the children from trying to find out what the brightly wrapped packages contained. Guests came whenever they were ready - it was Ahnah's birthday all day, after all - and the little girl was delighted at all the excitement and attention.

Of the four of them, only Cariad was truly in her element - organizing games, resolving scuffles, and soothing tempers with a remarkable economy of word and gesture. Ellone spent most of her time either checking on her daughter or talking with the other parents and grandparents in the kitchen, minding the birthday cake as it baked. Thus when yet another knock came at the door, it was Chwaer who answered, quickly tucking her hair behind her ears.

"Yes?" she said to the newcomer automatically. "Come in, do, and don't mind the chaos..." Her eyes finally caught up with her mind, and her jaw dropped. "Gwynt?"

The disbelief was partly at his presence, and partly at the fact that her surly half-brother was carrying a tired, annoyed, and very obviously pregnant woman in his arms, who wore enough clothes and coats to get her through a Trabian blizzard even though everyone else was wearing the bare minimum Winhilli modesty allowed. And who, against all reason, looked cold.

The pale-eyed woman blinked at her, evidently embarrassed to be carried, and Gwynt ignored Chwaer's startlement to talk to her. "Cho, this here's my half-sister Chwaer. Chwaer, this's my wife Cho. If you got a real hot spot in the sun, be nice if you could tell me where it was."

Chwaer stood dumbstruck for a few seconds - the sudden appearance of family requiring her to stop keeping track of the party for a while - and then bowed and smiled as her mental gears got going again. "Of course," she said quickly. "Upstairs are many spare bedrooms; the ones on the north side are the warmest, feel free to take over whichever one you like."

"Thanks," said Gwynt quickly, and peered inside with a look of vague horror. "Please tell me these ain't all yours."

"Of course not," Chwaer chided, well used to her brother's rudeness. "Ellone's daughter Ahnah is one year old today - it's her birthday party. You're looking for the stairs; those are to your left, near the back, go through the kitchen and there they are. Here, follow me."

Cho evidently did not want to be carried through the house; she was watching the sheer energy of the visiting children with a kind of wide-eyed tired fascination and she tugged on Gwynt's arm until he carefully set her down. Bundled up as she was, and in her third trimester of pregnancy, she made quite a sight as she walked at his side through the chaos of the house. Chwaer did her best to keep the children from getting in the way of their progress - pregnant or not, the two didn't look at all comfortable around so many children - and led them through the 'adult refuge' in the kitchen to the back stairs.

"You got stairs?" Gwynt asked quietly. "Never pegged you as one for heights."

"I'm not," said Chwaer firmly. "But we have a lot of guests, and I helped build this house. I know how sturdy it is. I don't stay up there long, but it's safe enough." She cast a glance at Cho. "Would you like a hand climbing the stairs? It can be an effort..."

Cho's pale features blushed scarlet, but Gwynt scooped her back up in his arms before she could do more than squeak a token protest. "Which way?" he said, climbing the stairs.

"To your right," laughed Chwaer, watching the little woman giving Gwynt sound thumps on the arms which he entirely ignored. She turned to the group of villagers clustered around the kitchen table, and to Ellone's dark eyes watching her over a cup of coffee. "That was my half brother Gwynt," she explained to the glances both suspicious and curious. "And his wife. They've come to visit us."

"That was your brother?" Ellone remarked quietly. "I must say I don't see a resemblance."

"I assure you, he is my half brother," Chwaer said quickly. "Though I hardly expected him to drop in - and today of all days. Excuse me, I really need to tell Cari. That poor woman looked half frozen."

"It's hot out," remarked Ayiana, the glasscrafter. "How is she so cold? The kids are hosing each other down to keep cool!"

"I don't know," excused Chwaer, walking quickly for the living room. "Please excuse me, I must find my sister."

Chwaer always knew where to look for her twin; it was a bond between them, their shared power linking them to each other beyond even what was expected for twins. Cariad was in one of the corner sitting-rooms, cheerfully showing some of the younger children how to make pictures by putting paint on leaves and then pressing the leaves onto paper. Chwaer smiled; Cariad did have a wonderful touch with younger children. "Cari?" she asked, to get her attention.

Cariad raised her head, flipping her braid - which she wore so that her hair wouldn't find its way into her baking - to her back. "Yes?" she asked. "Is there something I've forgotten again?"

"Oh, no," Chwaer assured her quickly, and smiled. "But you did miss Gwynt coming in with an expectant wife in tow. They're getting settled upstairs."

Cariad froze stiff, gray eyes wide and her mouth a perfect 'O' of surprise. "Gwynt?" she asked faintly. She rose quickly to her feet, laughing in surprised delight. "Oh, you must have dropped everything to tell me that." As she was wont to do when happy, she caught her twin in a hug, spinning her around, which Chwaer cheerfully returned. "Oh, that is wonderful news!" Her grin turned impish. "Though I'm prepared to bet Gwynt doesn't think so. Do you think you can handle the party for a few minutes? I'd love to meet a woman that can settle him down."

"Well, he was treating her as if she might break if she climbed the stairs on her own," Chwaer mused playfully, a mock-thoughtful finger at her lips, then assumed a more serious expression. "Cari, his wife was bundled up for midwinter blizzards and looked cold."

Cariad's joy faded, becoming worry. "Oh...oh, my." Her gaze wandered around the room thoughtfully. "Do you think Ellone would mind if Ahnah came with me?"

Chwaer sighed. "Right now, yes, I think she would. When she saw Gwynt she didn't believe he was our brother."

Her twin didn't seem to hear, still watching the children playing. "If she saw his wife bundled for cold in this heat, it won't be hard to convince her Gwynt is of our family," she pointed out absently. "Where did he go, anyway? Do you remember?" She shook her head, coming back to the present. "I'll go upstairs and settle them," she said kindly. "I doubt they'll want to do more than sleep, however they got here."

"I'll take care of things down here," Chwaer nodded, as Ellone emerged from the kitchen. "Go on - quickly."

Cariad laughed and caught her skirt in her left hand, so her legs wouldn't get caught in it as she darted for the stairs.

Ellone was holding a glass of iced tea in her hand, taking sips as she walked toward Chwaer. "I guess you told her about your new guest," she said quietly. "I've been thinking, Chwaer. You really haven't told me or anyone else much about yourselves, have you?"

The accusation was implicit but not heated; Ellone was less upset than curious, it seemed. Chwaer spread her hands helplessly. "Ellone, what we haven't told anyone has been kept secret because it wasn't our story to tell."

"I guessed that," Ellone replied dryly, gently detaching a little boy from his grip on a pocket of her jeans. On finding out he wanted some of her tea, she led him off to the kitchen to get him a glass of his own. Chwaer busied herself keeping up with the mess produced by nearly every child in Winhill being in the same place at the same time.

Still, it wasn't long at all before Ellone returned to continue their talk. "You and Cariad are always welcome, you know, but - if you have a large family that may drop in any time..." she shrugged slightly. "The people here aren't fond of visitors, mostly."

"I know," Chwaer agreed quietly, easily lifting one scuffling boy off of another and giving the offender a sharp rap on the top of his head with one finger. The child stared at her and rubbed his head, and then both boys quickly found something else to do. "We have...one half sister and three half brothers, as we've told you." With a nod in the direction of the kitchen, she added, "And apparently at least one niece or nephew on the way. We have no other family that you would need to be introduced to that I know of."

"One half...and three half..." murmured Ellone, emphasizing the word 'half' in a surprised tone. "Are they all like you?"

This time Chwaer smiled. "Yes, and no. Our earthquake is Cari's and mine alone. Gwynt is sort of our opposite; he can summon winds. The others also have different gifts, and it seems that Gwynt's wife is expecting one that we haven't seen before."

Ellone looked positively stunned, paling and stiffening. "That's why she's cold? Your children would be like you, too?" Evidently, although she was willing to shelter them, the idea of their unusual gifts being inheritable had not occurred to her.

Chwaer shrugged. "At my best guess, yes. Cari went upstairs to see to them; she should know."

At that point Gwynt came through the room, walking so quickly only his posture said he wasn't running. He dodged playing children as if they were travelers at an airport, and escaped out the front door without so much as a word to anyone - much to the bemusement of Ellone and Chwaer.

"Problems?" Ellone wondered. "Chris only moves like that when he's about to be told to sleep on the couch."

Chwaer had to laugh. "Well, his wife is expecting," she offered. "And Gwynt doesn't deal well with other people."

"He's rude, in other words," Ellone corrected. "It's really very hard to believe you're related."

"I think we should get that cake iced," Chwaer replied. "Cake and ice cream, and then everyone outside for games. How is Ahnah?"

Ellone grinned. "Sleepy. I'd like to put her down for a nap, so we can hold off on the cake for an hour or so. I'd like to meet your brother and his wife."

Chwaer sighed; she hadn't had time to check up on them herself, and Gwynt was hardly easy for anyone to get along with. "Yes, of course," she agreed. "But if Cari's made them comfortable, the room won't be pleasant for you. Cho looked very cold."

"So I'll take a pitcher of iced tea with me," replied Ellone with a dismissive wave. "I'm really very curious about all this - and if you two intend on having children of your own, I really think you should consider telling the townfolk about your powers first. Let them get used to it, so that more children with powers don't cause havoc."

Chwaer blinked; this was something she hadn't considered. But she didn't reply, because finally - finally - she saw her twin working through the children still indoors. And Ellone took her silence as approval, and went to collect Ahnah for her nap.

"Gwynt has packages for us," was Cariad's opening remark, picking up trash and wiping surfaces clean with a cloth. "He went to get them."

"Oh, is that why he left so quickly!" Chwaer laughed. "We thought he'd gotten into trouble."

Cariad's nose wrinkled as she smiled. "He was," she admitted. "He is very worried about Cho - very worried, and doesn't want to admit it in front of her. His fussing is really very sweet."

Chwaer's jaw dropped, and then she laughed. "Gwynt, sweet. Oh, and Ellone has gone to meet this paragon who can make Gwynt fuss sweetly, and I must miss it!"

"Ellone?" Cariad asked with a start. "Did she take Ahnah with her? I really think we should show Ahnah to Cho."

"Later," Chwaer said firmly. "Ahnah is down for a nap, and we've got to get the cake and ice cream ready."

* * * * * *

Ellone did return to the party after a while, with a wide awake and cheerful Ahnah in tow. The birthday song was duly sung, presents presented and opened and oohed over, the cake and ice cream rapidly devoured. And then, one by one, the families gathered their children and headed home, until only Ellone and Ahnah remained.

"Thank you so much," she effused, as the twins gathered up the presents to put into bags for easy carrying. "Today's been just about perfect."

"And educational," Chwaer remarked as Cariad laughed. "We'll help you get these things back to your house, if you like."

"Or you can come by for them tomorrow," Cariad offered. "You look very tired."

"I am very tired," Ellone admitted. "Tomorrow would be perfect. I'll come by around noon, and bring a salad?"

"Perfect," Cariad beamed, and Chwaer shot her twin a look as Ellone and Ahnah took their leave.

When the door was closed behind them, Chwaer said, "You still want Ahnah to meet Cho?"

"Yes," said Cariad firmly. "Chwaer - I think Cho needs to know. The poor woman looked so confused."

"You only saw her when she'd just arrived," Chwaer protested. "She seems to have settled in all right."

Cariad started gathering up trash, sweeping through the quiet house. "It's a feeling," she said quietly, almost hesitantly.

Chwaer looked deflated, sinking into a chair. She knew about the feelings. She sometimes had them too - the sensation of connection, of knowing what someone else needed to be happy - but not as often as her twin. On one thing only had Chwaer forbidden Cariad to act on her feelings, and that was with regards to their aunt and their identity. Their father's orders had to take precedence. "What do you think she needs to know?"

Her twin put the torn paper she was holding into a recycling bag and took a seat herself, her long skirts hiding her feet as her hands reached behind her to begin undoing the braid she'd worn all day. "I don't know," she admitted. "I don't know that Ahnah can tell Cho anything. But I think it's very important that they meet." She smiled faintly, tiredly. "Maybe Ahnah needs to tell the little one something. It could be anything."

"So you arranged for Ellone to come back tomorrow," Chwaer nodded. "When Gwynt and Cho will be willing to leave their room and visit with us."

"Yes," sighed Cariad, relieved.

Chwaer got up and offered her twin a hand. "Let's get some rest," she said. "We did the work of - what was it, ten mothers? - today."

"All right," said Cariad in a small sleepy voice, tucking herself into Chwaer's shoulder as she was led to their own room - in the back of the main floor, near the kitchen.

* * * * * *

The girls woke the next morning to the smell of brewing coffee - quite to the surprise of both of them, since neither of them were coffee drinkers. Slipping into slippers and robes, Cariad and Chwaer stepped out of their bedroom and into the kitchen, to find Cho - wrapped in a heavy quilt and sitting in the morning sunlight - in a chair as Gwynt - dressed in a pair of jeans - went about the business of making breakfast, coffee-dark curls brushing mane-like across his shoulders as he tested the bacon.

"Oh, my," said Cariad, looking pale. Gwynt was a great lover of bacon and sausages, and Cariad tended not to even like the smell.

"Mornin, girls," he grunted with remarkable pre-coffee courtesy. He nodded at Cariad."I know - y'hate the smell. Was hopin' to get 'em fixed an' done before you got up. Rabbit food's fine, but not for starters. 'Sides, Cho was hungry and hot food's best."

Cho, for her part, looked surprised and then resigned. "Gwynt, you should have told me."

"You'd'a missed breakfast," Gwynt replied, not even pausing. "Don't tell me you're not hungry." He looked over at the twins. "You guys got any tabasco?"

Chwaer stepped quickly to one of the cabinets, retrieving the hot sauce and holding it out. And blinked when her half brother reached to grab it. "When did you get that tattoo?" she asked.

"Cho gave it to me," said Gwynt, testing the tabasco sauce by putting a little on his finger and tasting it. "Mmm. Mild. Damn. Cho, you mind?"

Cho looked trapped for a moment, but quickly said, "No, I don't mind."

To get the subject off of meat, Cariad latched onto the new topics. "Cho gave it to you?" she asked.

Gwynt started scooping sausages, eggs and bacon onto a plate, holding the bottle of tabasco sauce in his fingers. "Yeah. Day I got my license. Scootch, wouldja, I need to get to the coffee. You two want anythin'? Wouldn't offer 'cept I'm already up anyhow."

Cariad moved quickly to the cupboard, pulling out a box. "I'll just have cereal, thanks," she said quickly.

Chwaer considered a moment, then shrugged. "I don't mind," she said. "It would be nice not to have to cook - but when did you learn how?"

Cho - who had layered tabasco sauce and pepper over everything and was testing the results - said, "I taught him." When Chwaer's look of shock registered, she clarified, "Before I got pregnant." She indicated the plate. "Hot food, spicy food...I'd heard cravings but nothing else tastes right any more."

Chwaer was about to ask what Cho had eaten before meeting Gwynt - just to get an idea what she would have taught him to make - when her brother clicked his tongue loudly. Turning to face him, he gave a quick shake of his head - don't talk about it - before handing her a plate heaped with his idea of breakfast. "I ain't any kind o' gourmet," he said gruffly, "But if it's meat an' fire I do okay."

Chwaer gave her twin's shoulder a reassuring squeeze before taking a seat downwind. Gwynt had turned the smoke fans on now that they were all awake, so there was airflow in the room. He took his own plate of food and cup of coffee and sat down at the table, across from Chwaer so that Cariad could hide behind her cereal box if she chose and not witness carnivorous acts.

"We got stuff for you two," he said between bites. "Presents, numbers for Noddy, Daear, and Irvine." He paused. "An' me, o'course. I'll get yours an' pass it around too, everybody keeps in touch."

Cariad's pale eyes peeked over the top of her cereal box, delighted. "Gwynt! I forgive you for eating bacon at my table. That's wonderful!"

Chwaer chuckled. "For my part - you do very well with 'meat and fire', and it was nice not to have to cook." She paused. "I take it you're the messenger, then? You'll take things back with you?" Gwynt, his mouth full of food, only nodded. Chwaer took a while to consider possibilities while working on her own breakfast - Cariad hated the idea of eating meat, but she wouldn't get too upset if it was eaten quickly and the kitchen aired out afterward. Chwaer kept odor-eating candles about as well, knowing the keenness of the senses involved.

Gwynt as messenger - why, that meant they could send things, as well as messages. Possibly large things, but probably not heavy ones. But what to send? How often could Gwynt do this, all over the world - what was the delay going to be? Probably too long to try sending fresh fruits and vegetables, she thought with a smile as she finished her breakfast. Not with his wife so uncomfortable - and expecting. He'd want to stay by her. Which did raise the question of why he'd brought her along this time - the flight had to have been terribly uncomfortable.

Unless it wasn't his choice that she come, she mused, getting up to put dishes into the sink for washing. Cho was finished as well, and Gwynt nearly so. She seems very strong willed. Well. She would have to be, wouldn't she? Gwynt had a strong tendency to bulldoze over anything in the way of what he wanted to do - it would take a strong will to be able to stand up to him for any length of time. Indeed, the woman hardly looked pleased with him just now - probably upset that he hadn't mentioned Cariad was vegetarian to the point of getting upset if meat was eaten in her house. Well, that at least could be mended.

"Cho?" she asked, and blue green eyes shifted from sternly glaring at Gwynt to look at her. "I do eat meat sometimes; normally I would prepare such on the grill outside, eat outside where the wind blows the scent away. That's all - and you would have been cold if Gwynt had done that, so it's all right that he didn't."

Her twin picked up her lead - though clearly not thrilled with the smell of cooked meat, Cariad nodded. "Gwynt can air out the kitchen later - it's all right, really. It's much warmer inside, in the sun, than it is outside."

Cho's stern look softened, and she said 'Thank you," in a softly accented voice. Gwynt gave both of them a look of pure relief and a mouthed thanks! when he got up to put his own dishes in the sink. "Cho, if I gotta air out the kitchen, you wanna go upstairs an' get the things for the girls?"

Cariad picked up on the cue, and said, "I'll go with you. I need to get the laundry for today sorted anyway."

Cho gave all three of them a look of exasperation. "Is this a conspiracy so I won't 'overexert'?" she asked. "I'll have you know I'm not an idiot. And I'm not made of glass, either."

"Of course not," said Cariad, cheerful again as she went back to her bedroom to get dressed. "Did I say I would carry anything? If you need my help I will help, but I won't help if you don't want me to."

Gwynt started cleaning up the mess he'd made in the kitchen as Chwaer followed her twin. The two dressed quickly - there would likely be a lot to do - and came out to find Gwynt had finished his cleaning and had moved to stand next to Cho. His hand was stroking down her straight, white hair, and she was leaning her head against his side; they were silent, but might have been talking. When he noticed his sisters watching, he stepped back.

Cariad was clearly very close to saying "how sweet" with perfect sincerity that Chwaer knew would only embarrass Gwynt further, so she said, "You may want to go upstairs, Cho. I must open the door so that Gwynt can blow the smell of breakfast outside."

"And I have to take care of the laundry," chirped Cariad as she sped up the stairs - a not unimpressive feat in a skirt.

Cho sighed and got to her feet - keeping her quilt wrapped tightly around her as she stepped toward the stairs herself. Gwynt watched with a frown as she climbed, then said in a low voice, "I can open my own doors."

"You're worried about her," Chwaer said just as quietly. "Possibly the only one who doesn't know is your lady wife, and that's only because she's not picking up cues reliably right now. Pregnancy will do that."

Gwynt bit his lip as Chwaer opened the kitchen door, letting the late summer heat in. "She gets cold so easy," he admitted. "An' she won't give it up an' we can't go to a hospital - damnit, Chwaer, what if she dies?"

"Bring her back here when she's near due," Chwaer offered as Gwynt called a breeze in the room. "Cari and I have been studying midwifery, since before Ahnah was born. We'll do our best, and it's better than staying home."

The wind picked up as Gwynt's agitation affected his concentration. "She ain't gonna wanna come. I wouldn't be able to be here. I got classes, an' bills, and she's got bills - shit, Chwaer, I been workin' every hour I can to cover it all, cos she can't fly like this."

Chwaer sighed. "You shouldn't have come, then," she said quietly. "If you need money this badly, you shouldn't have taken so many days off to come here. We weren't expecting you, so if you had waited we wouldn't have been hurt."

Gwynt's face reddened as the wind blew. "Cho said that too," he admitted. "But I promised Taran. I said I'd find everybody, deliver things as often as I had the time and cash. I had the cash saved up...an' I wanted her to meet you guys. She's only met Noddy so far."

In case she dies, Chwaer understood. Gwynt wanted his family to meet Cho while she lived, in case she died giving birth. She moved to close the door when she heard movement on the stairs, and Gwynt let his wind fall to stillness.

"Here we are," said Cariad lightly as she entered the kitchen, carrying a box which she set on the table. "My - you've been around a lot, haven't you?"

Gwynt nodded as Cho set a second box beside the first and quickly sat down. Cariad climbed back up the stairs again and threw a blanket down to Gwynt, who caught it and wrapped it around his shivering wife. Cariad then came back down with a truly prodigious number of blankets and towels in her arms, which she dropped in a corner of the kitchen. "Those are for washing," she explained.

"May we open the boxes?" Chwaer asked. "Or did you want to present the things inside?"

Gwynt stared until he realized he was being teased, then waved his hand at the boxes. "G'wan an' open 'em yourselves," he said. "I ain't got ya nothin. I'm up to my ears just with delivery. I'll tell ya who they're from when you get to 'em."

Cariad opened her box first, her pale eyes widening at the packets of seeds. "These are Balambese," she said. "Oh, I need to put these in a greenhouse. They'd never survive the winters here."

"Noddy," said Gwynt. "Those're from Noddy."

"As this must be," laughed Chwaer, pulling a stuffed chocobo out of her own box. "Oh, it's adorable. I don't think Noddy would mind if I let Ahnah play with it?"

Gwynt shrugged; his attention was mostly on Cho - standing behind her, helping to hold the heavy quilt in place around her shoulders. Cho smiled a little and remarked, "I don't think he would mind at all, from what I saw of him."

"But what are these?" asked Cariad, lifting out a large envelope.

"From Daear," Gwynt explained to his sisters' expressions of surprise. "She found out who you used to be. Who your mama was. It's all there - names, pictures, everything she could find. She said this is the only present you get, ever, so..." he shrugged. "Oh - 'fore I forget. You two are aunts. Daear had a daughter some while back. Named her Nissa. She doesn't have eyes like any of ours, but she's got everybody that sees her charmed. Daear figures that's her power."

Chwaer took the envelope as Cariad looked ready to burst with sheer delight. "Aunts?" she asked. "We're aunts? Oh, Chwaer, can we not go and visit? Surely Daear would let us see her?"

Chwaer shook her head. "I doubt it," she demurred. "Daear has always been very possessive. And Cari, remember how hard it was to get here. Deling City is a very long trip."

"Well, at least we can send presents for Nissa," said Cariad decisively. "You'll take them, won't you, Gwynt? Deliver them?"

"Yeah, I'll deliver whatever you want," he agreed quietly. "Just don't take too long gettin' it together. It's a long trip and we can't stick around for days while you shop."

Chwaer looked into the boxes, and lifted out a smaller, wooden box. "What is this?" she asked curiously.

"Irvine an' Selphie's present to both of you," Gwynt said shortly. "They found 'em in a box in a dig in Trabia - you know, where they're buildin' the dock town for Trabia Garden."

Cariad took an object from the box; it was roundish, and very hard. She tested it with a squeeze. "It isn't rock," she said slowly. "A...nut?"

"Box of nuts," Gwynt clarified. "They think different kinds. A breeder's store. Old as sin, though. They was in a stop-box."

"Breeder's store?" asked Chwaer, then her jaw dropped as comprehension dawned. "Gwynt - Irvine found chocobo nuts? I spoke with spirits in eternity who knew about them, but they're gone! All the chocobo nuts are gone!"

Gwynt grinned. "Not all of 'em. You two got the last nuts right there. At least, the last nuts anybody knows about. Somebody up north musta bred chocobos a long time ago. Lots of chocobos. They kept the nuts in the stop-box, so Irvine an' Selphie think they're fresh enough to use. If Cari can make 'em grow into bushes, or trees, or whatever they're supposed to be, then you two'll have the only place in the world with old style chocobos."

Chwaer was peeking into the box again, and lifted out a smaller envelope. "And this?"

"Selphie," said Gwynt. "Baby pictures. Of their kid - Remus. That oughta be everything."

"It is more than we could have hoped," breathed Cariad, apparently torn between wanting to examine the chocobo nuts and wanting to flip through baby pictures. "Gwynt, Cho, thank you. Thank you so much for bringing these things!" She set her things down on the table and caught her twin's arm. "Chwaer, we must return the favor! And we can't keep them waiting." Turning to her brother and his wife, she said, "Please - make yourselves at home. Ellone should be coming by later - let her in, and we'll be back in a bit."

"Cari!" Chwaer chided as she was almost dragged from the house. When her twin closed the front door behind them, she turned to her sternly. "Gwynt shouldn't be running errands right now."

That calmed Cariad down quickly, but not completely. "He must return to Esthar," she replied quietly. "We will give them things they can hold onto until they can deliver them - things that will keep."

Chwaer paused. "You are not worried?" she asked. "For his wife? She is very cold, and may grow colder."

Cariad led her twin down the lane, heading into town. "Yes," she admitted. "Yes, I worry. But there is nothing to be done right now, right this minute. I am hoping that Ahnah will react to them somehow, for good or ill. She is very gifted, Chwaer."

The two of them walked in step down the road, very quickly for their size. The town knew of their strangeness - they found great relief in not having to hide it.

Chwaer brushed the short strands of her hair behind her ear. "I offered him a chance," she said slowly. "I told him to bring Cho back here when she's nearer term. We would at least be better than him trying to deliver the child on his own."

"Gwynt, a father," mused Cariad with a smile. "Somehow, it's very difficult to picture. But you're quite right - he is too nervous now. There is no telling how he would be when Cho enters labor." She pursed her lips. "But we are not yet midwives, Chwaer."

"Do you think Gwynt would stay away when he frets so?" asked Chwaer curiously. "He will be here, no matter what. And if we need, we can send him for the midwife - I am sure he would bring her quickly!"

Cariad laughed. "May we be forgiven if we must resort to that," she said. "I think we would do better to advise her to be ready on our own." Smiling, she continued, "And in the meantime, we have presents to buy." Indicating the houses on the road ahead, she said, "What do you suggest?"

Chwaer remained silent for some time, as they passed the borders and into the heart of Winhill. "Good Winhill work, all of it," she said decisively. "As Noddy sent us the seeds. Things which are best found here."

"And for Irvine and Selphie too," added Cariad. "And little Remus!"

"We'll miss Ellone and Ahnah," warned Chwaer, but her twin smiled.

"That's the point," she said. "Cho needs to meet Ahnah. But I don't think we need to." She held out a toy dog. "Do you think this would suit Remus?"

"Oh, perfect," Chwaer agreed. "Now, what to get for his parents...?"

* * * * * *

Several hours later, the girls were heading back to their house with their arms overflowing with presents. A stuffed dog for Remus, a new hat for Irvine, a small stained glass window for Selphie (carefully wrapped against breaking), a stuffed tonberry toy for Nissa and a carefully wrapped crystal lantern for Daear, a small travel harp for Taran and a video disc of Winhilli dances for Nodwydd. The two of them decided against gifts for Gwynt and Cho until after Cho's baby was born - they both knew Gwynt's tendency to obsess would focus on any available object while he worried about his wife, and things would likely be destroyed.

They found Gwynt curled around his quilt-wrapped wife, both of them sitting in the sun on one of the living room couches. An empty glass with melting ice on one of the coasters suggested Ellone had come and gone. The two seemed very quiet - which lasted all of a second and a half after Gwynt saw the armfuls of gifts.

"Okay, you girls did know about weight limits on planes right?" he asked incredulously. "What is all that?"

"Gifts!" Cariad supplied, cheerfully and unhelpfully, and Cho started laughing.

"We can carry them," she said, evidently in a good mood. Gwynt stared at her as if he'd never seen her before.

"All right," he said slowly. "But - hope you two're willing to carry those things to my plane. Cos I'm gonna have my arms full."

That killed Cho's giggles. "I can walk perfectly fine," she insisted. "You're not carrying me again, Gwynt."

"You're not gettin' wore out," Gwynt insisted. "Sides. This way I can wrap you all up snug an' warm an' give the quilts back to the girls when we get to the plane."

"Oh, no," Chwaer insisted. "You're welcome to the quilts for now - you can return them when next you visit. Surely it's very cold up so high?"

"There, see, all settled," said Gwynt quickly, and before Cho could protest again he scooped her up - quilts and all - into his arms. "Already got our stuff on the plane," he said. "So if you two'll just take your loot an' follow me..."

He led the two girls to the small Winhill airfield - two runways arranged as a cross, with a hangar near the intersection. A decently sized triple-engine plane (an engine at the front and one under each wing) was out, painted a vivid purple with a shooting star on each wing in yellow.

"That...can only be your plane," said Cariad faintly.

"Yep," Gwynt agreed, ignoring Cho's determined thumps on his grip. "The Shooting Star. Not bad for a starter plane." He adjusted the squirming Cho in his arms to open the hatch. "And I left her in the sun so she oughta be nice an' toasty."

The plane was indeed quite hot, and the twins set their presents into stasis-chests built into the hold. "I thought these were expensive?" Chwaer asked curiously. "I was looking into getting a few for chocobo greens."

"Yeah they're expensive," Gwynt agreed as Cho - clearly annoyed - began the internal preflight checks. "But they ain't mine. Property o' the Airstation. I fly cargo most of the time, see. I sell this plane, those chests come out to finish out some other plane. Your stuff'll be safe in them." He waved his hands at them. "Was a nice enough visit," he said, "but we gotta get goin'. Shoo. I gotta do the external preflight 'afore Cho decides to fly my plane off without me."

"And wouldn't you deserve it, too!" was Cho's remark from the cockpit as the twins laughed.

Cariad and Chwaer filed out - not needing a reminder, when the hot August sun was warmer than the interior of the Shooting Star - and Gwynt started checking over the outside of his plane.

"A nice enough visit," Cariad remarked thoughtfully. "We barely had time to say hello, with the party and all."

"They'll be back," Chwaer noted. "We have their phone numbers, and Cho will have a baby...they'll be back in a month or two. We'll be able to get to know them then."

"I hope so," said Cariad sadly as Gwynt gave them a wave and disappeared inside his plane. In moments the propellers whirred to roaring life, and the plane taxi'd down the eastern runway. Soon it was climbing into the sky, heading back to Esthar.

"In the meantime," Chwaer offered, seeing her twin's mood darken, "We can ask Ellone what they talked about. And plan for when they do return, and prepare for the baby..."

Cariad's fingers laced with her twin's, and she smiled. "Yes," she agreed with a nod.