Light and delicate flakes of snow danced down through the sky; they moved with the same grace she knew her adepts would possess through out the night, indeed all the adepts of the Court had their own grace but the snow, that was so very fitting. It was a fleeting beauty, so fragile and yet it could steal the life from one's body, could transform a barren landscape into something frosted and magical. Such were her thoughts as she stood out on the terrace watching the sun dim from the sky and knew that the Longest Night was but moments from starting.<br/><br/>As if summoned by the setting sun, or perhaps by her own thoughts, her Second appeared, clearing his throat politely so that Léocadie nó Cereus, the Dowayne of Cereus House, First among the Thirteen turned with a smile curving ever so slightly at the corner of her lips. "It begins soon; are you pleased with your plans for this year?"<br/><br/>"Yes my Lady, though it wouldn't have been possible without you." Léocadie laughed softly at Martan's words, shaking her head at the needless compliment. She was Dowayne, and while as her Second the majority of the planning fell to him she was enough of a perfectionist to have her hand in all that she possibly could.<br/><br/>He gave a low bow, a wry grin on his lips and then offered his arm to her, which the blond haired beauty accepted, that elusive smile hinting at appearance on her lips once more as they glided into the great hall. Life, mortality itself was a fleeting beauty to savor; and this hall had seen over six hundred Masque's, witnessed the license of countless adepts through out the years on the one night when nothing had a cost and only love and desire guided Naamah's most beautiful servants. Her House was the only one present, clad as was tradition in the garb of the Court of Winter, snow nymphs and white foxes, snowy birds of prey and beauty alike, a glittering assemble and all so beautiful it could melt ones heart.<br/><br/>Léocadie's thoughts strayed back to her first Longest Night, attending as a fosterling, carrying a heavy tray of<em>joie</em>and offering it up to the guests. How far she had come, from a young girl raised by a Priestess and a Orchis adept, to a fosterling of Cereus House, and then an adept, and then Second and now as the Dowayne.<em>Joie</em>and fleeting memories, how she missed Thelssa now gone these past three years to the Terre d'Ange that lay beyond. For her deceased friend she offered a brief prayer up to Elua and his Companion's and then dismissed such thoughts from her mind, it was a time for the present and for delight. "Come my Winter beauties; let us gather for the procession."<br/><br/>With hushed laughter that twinkled like stars in a frosty night and the grace of the falling snow dancing through the chill air her adepts gathered themselves and trailed after her. The other Houses had arrived and all was in readiness. The great hall's doors shut behind them and she stood tall and proud on Martan's arm waiting until they were certain they were all assembled.<br/><br/>And then it begun, the hall's doors opening into the beautifully decorated room with waiting fosterlings and servants to observe and she glided forward with a smile on her lips, her pale eyes shadowed behind her mask that shielded her features. Her pale hair was piled upon the top of her head, with a few artless strands left free and her costume that of the North Star, a gown of sheer flowing material with many small winking stones, layer upon layer of it that clad her body but seemed almost like a shimmering aura of light and sparkle around her rather then material. Behind her trailed the beauties of Cereus, and then the other houses, Alyssum, Jasmine, Orchis her father's once house, Balm, Gentian, Heliotrope...it went on and on, all gorgeous, elegant and desirable, all blessed by Elua and Naamah and the other Companions as well.<br/><br/>Turning and settling down upon the dias reserved for Cereus House she found the smile in truth upon her lips, for there was no night in which she more loved her life then this. What a glorious way to live. And they were, one and all, Elua's blood.