Arabella entered her sitting room and cast her eyes upon Anthony. They softened the moment they landed on him as they always did. He was her breath of air. He was the one thing keeping her in a position of sanity and for the time being she was content despite the greater sense of chaos within the court and soon to be all of the country. "It's Christmas Eve." Arabella proclaimed rather proudly. In all of her finery she looked the perfect Queen and yet all she needed for her own happiness was this simply dressed and styled man. He was wearing the garment she had made.... it made her smile.

Arabella knew that Anthony was not one for pomp or circumstance and that even something as simple as velvet was a bit too ostentatious, she appreciated that he thought of her enough to indulge ever so slightly. "Your first with the family." Arabella followed up with as she moved to take a seat. Standing was beginning to become a chore given her advancing pregnancy, and so when she was able she opted to simply sit. "It will be perfect." Arabella affirmed this more for herself than Anthony's benefit. But it didn't take long for her to lean over to him and place a gentle kiss on his lips, her hands moving automatically to find and hold his.

"The day will be busy, and you will be in attendance for largely all of it. I could not be more excited. It feels just like it did when Alex and I were little girls. We even have the opera in." Arabella's face was alight with happiness, a true and genuine happiness, the kind which it had been seen in many, many long months. "You deserve this Christmas Anthony. You deserve to be part of a real family, and feel all of the love we have to give. That I have to give." Obviously Arabella meant this well within reason, but she did want for him to experience something he had missed as a child. She wanted to share this and that was perhaps the best gift she could attempt to give him.

"Are you ready?" Arabella after a time stood once more and extended her hand to assist Anthony up as the two would then exit the room together, she as expected moving ahead of him in perfect order. They would eat and let the day commence.

--

"She looks so much like my mother." Arthur commented rather intentionally as he looked over Victoria. There were no doubts certainly as to the child's parentage. "I wish you could have known my mother the way I remember her.. from my youth... before she lost all of that... magical drive." Arthur sighed heavily and sadly. He missed his mother on most days, and never truly forgave his father for what he had done to cause her downfall.

"But enough of that, this is feast and be merry in celebration of the birth of our Lord." Arthur was all smiles for the time being and wrapped his arm around his wife pulling her closer into him. The two were inseparable and everyone knew it.