Belle has ordered the castle to array itself in preparation for guests; the family's Samarian counterparts will be spending a day here. The smaller girls are left with friends at home.

Dominique probably doesn't need to be reminded to be on her best behavior for extradimensional visitors. Céleste might. She agrees indignantly and promises to let Keziah play with Rainier and everything.

"That's all I ask," laughs Belle. "Jane, we are ready for them at any time."

And on the far end, Jane waits for a cue - and then picks Samarians up and puts them down.

Author: beheld_beauty	Belle has ordered the castle to array itself in preparation for guests; the family's Samarian counterparts will be spending a day here. The smaller girls are left with friends at home. Dominique probably doesn't need to be reminded to be on her best behavior for extradimensional visitors. Céleste might. She agrees indignantly and promises to let Keziah play with Rainier and everything. "That's all I ask," laughs Belle. "Jane, we are ready for them at any time." And on the far end, Jane waits for a cue - and then picks Samarians up and puts them down.
Author: mindfields	Dominique is on her best behaviour for extradimensional visitors anyway, of course.
Author: campanas	Keziah is fascinated with the griffin. He is largely puzzled by her, but allows petting and mane-braiding by two sets of hands instead of one with reasonable equanimity.
Author: carillons	Damaris runs up to her alt and demands to be shown around the castle immediately.
Author: mindfields	So of course Dominique shows her around the castle.
Author: campanas	Céleste follows. Keziah does too, having been shown that Rainier has a leash and may be led around therewith so she doesn't have to decide. "This is all enchanted!" Céleste says. "Maman is the greatest enchantress of ever!"
Author: mindfields	"Soon I will start enchanting and then I will be the greatest enchantress of ever," says Dominique.
Author: campanas	"Doesn't enchanting hurt?" asks Keziah. "I asked Mommy if I could learn to do it since she won't let me carry squares around with me and she said no because it hurts." "It does but Mommy wished her student Luc to be able to do it without minding," says Céleste.
Author: mindfields	"I'm going to wish myself to do it without minding," says Dominique.
Author: campanas	"What're you going to enchant?" Céleste asks, running ahead of everyone else and walking backwards.
Author: mindfields	"Oh, I don't know. I'll think of something."
Author: campanas	Céleste giggles. "Let's go in the woods after we show them the whole castle!"
Author: mindfields	"I think that is a fine idea," says Dominique.
Author: carillons	"Why, what's in the woods?" asks Damaris.
Author: campanas	"Trees!" says Céleste. "That's what woods means," scoffs Keziah. "And other plants! And animals! And they're enchanted."
Author: carillons	"Is there anything around here that's not enchanted?" wonders Damaris.
Author: campanas	Céleste thinks. "...No? Should there be?"
Author: carillons	"Just checking."
Author: campanas	"I think everything should be enchanted!" cries Keziah. "Everything everwhere. Our Mommy should enchant the whole Eyrie to - do - things."
Author: carillons	"But Keziah, that would be magic," says Damaris.
Author: campanas	"I know! Then the Eyrie would be magic! And everyone would see it, and then we could do all the magic we wanted."
Author: carillons	"I don't think she'll do that," says Damaris, shaking her head.
Author: campanas	"But it would be fun," sighs Keziah. "You can just visit here a lot," says Céleste generously.
Author: mindfields	"Here where everything is enchanted," laughs Dominique.
Author: campanas	"Yeah," agrees Céleste, nodding. "Maybe we will," says Keziah. "And soon we can bring Ariel too! And then Peninnah. When they're bigger."
Author: mindfields	"Why, how big are they now?"
Author: campanas	"So high," says Keziah, holding her hand at Ariel's height, "and so low." Peninnah's. "But Ariel can fly now, some!"
Author: mindfields	"And how big do they need to be before they can visit?"
Author: campanas	"Almost as big as me," says Keziah. "I barely knew magic was a thing when Jane came alive!" "Wow," muses Céleste.
Author: mindfields	"And how long will it be until Ariel is that big?"
Author: campanas	"A couple of years," says Keziah. "Maybe if she's very precocious sooner."
Author: mindfields	"Then I guess we'll just have to wait until then."
Author: campanas	"Waiting is hard," says Céleste. "Yeah!" agrees Keziah.
Author: carillons	"It's not that bad,"
Author: mindfields	their respective sisters say in unison.
Author: campanas	The Griffins giggle madly.
Author: mindfields	Dominique and Damaris do much the same.
Author: campanas	"You're each other," accuses Keziah, beaming with amusement. "They are! And we are! And our mothers are and our fathers are," crows Céleste. "We're like pictures stamped in different colors from a block."
Author: mindfields	"Very like," Dominique agrees.
Author: campanas	"Gardens now," says Céleste, when they've been through every corridor of the castle.
Author: mindfields	"Of course." Gardens!
Author: campanas	Rainier wants to fly, as soon as they are outside; presently one literal and two metaphorical griffins are in the air.
Author: mindfields	Dominique looks at Damaris.
Author: carillons	Damaris shrugs, grins, and takes off.
Author: campanas	"Come on, Dominiiiiique," calls Céleste.
Author: mindfields	"No, thank you," laughs Dominique.
Author: campanas	"But Damaris is!" says Keziah.
Author: carillons	"I am!" agrees Damaris.
Author: campanas	"Flying is funnnnn, Dominiiiiiique," hollers Céleste.
Author: mindfields	"I can see that you are having fun, Céleste!"
Author: campanas	"You should have fun toooooo!"
Author: mindfields	"But I am, cherie, I am!"
Author: campanas	"You are having invisible fun!" Keziah declares. "It must be magic!" giggles Céleste. "She's a great enchantress!" And they laugh in easy unison.
Author: mindfields	Dominique cracks up.