Marielle.

Yuletide wishes.

Marielle passes her midterms with distinctions, Marc is doing extremely well also. They both need to head home for Yule, the first year that their families celebrate it together. James has bought the house next door to Celeste parents, it's for when they visit for holidays and vacation, it means it's closer to Marielle. Celeste's parents are happy, they have her near. The entire family decide that all the local covens should spend Yule together, all accepted, except one. They don't like Yule to be corrupted by outside influences. This will be the first Sabbat that Celeste is home for, at least one she'll take part in as a witch. James also has a secret he would like to share, he's been reading up on the craft, he's been practising small spells and they've been working. He cast a spell on his office assistant to stop her infatuation with him and it worked, she got a boyfriend that weekend, she finally left James alone, much to Celeste's happiness. The families are amazed that James is practising but since he's not a part of a coven, he'll have to be a solitary practitioner for at least a year, casting spells without looking at his spell book and they work the first time and he gets to choose which coven he wants to belong to. James never believed before, until he saw Iris heal, then he believed.

Marielle and Marc drive home, Alisa drives home, this time bringing Lydia with her, introducing her to her family as her girlfriend. They thought that her relationships with women were a phase, but she's really serious about Lydia. Matt her ex has a new girlfriend, her old cheerleading friend from school. They're over the moon Matt finally got over Alisa, it took him a long time. They even share an apartment outside campus, they couldn't be happier. Alisa asks her mom to perform her hand fasting to Lydia in the next Sabbat, her mom wants her to finish college first but Alisa and Lydia don't want to wait anymore. Joan tells her that she'll think about it, that she needs to see that their relationship is serious. Alisa tells her to observe them over Yule, Joan agrees. Marielle and Marc meet with Iris and Marcs parents to discuss their marriage and the amalgamation of their covens. They need to come up with new rules, new ways and new ways to celebrate the Sabbats. After much arguments and discussion, they finally reach new rules. Their marriage must happen on the next Sabbat, not knowing that Alisa and Lydias will happen at the same time. Neither party knows of the others wedding date. This will be an issue for Alisa, she'll assume that she's trying to steal her thunder, given that Marielle is a seer, she doesn't intrude on people's thoughts unless the ancestors lead her there. Marielle calls Alisa and tells her, Alisa isn't mad, she says, that we should celebrate our marriages after the rituals? Marielle is shocked but it's actually a good idea. Marielle tells Iris and even she agrees, Joan still hasn't gave Alisa her blessing, but it's likely she will. Joan feels that this relationship won't last, so what's the harm in a hand fasting?

Yule finally arrives, the girls meet to discuss the after celebrations. They come to an agreement that they'll have two head tables and a colour theme. They for the first time in months have a civilised discussion, Lydia is looking at Marielle the whole time with pure hatred in her eyes, she knows how Alisa feels about her. Marielle sees how she's looking at her, she pulls her aside as she's leaving and says, "listen, I don't know what she's told you about our pasts, but I'm not in love with her. I love her as my best friend. I couldn't love her the way I love Marc and the way she loved me. So, please don't worry, remember it is you she's marrying." Lydia says, "she's only marrying me to piss you off and to ruin your day with Marc, I don't need to be a witch to know this. The sad part of this is, I love her and I hope that one day, she looks at me, the way she looks at you." Marielle hugs Lydia, she says, "she does love you, she is a little bitch sometimes, stop letting her walk all over you. You're a human, not a doormat." Lydia thanks Marielle, they hug and walk away from each other. Marc says, "Mari, let's go, my mom has made us a meal and we must have dessert with your aunt Iris." They get into their car and head to Marc's for some food. Joan finally gives her blessing to perform the hand fasting, but she won't conduct it, her aunt Rebecca will be doing it. Joan welcomes Lydia to the family, she prays that she will remain as such and her daughter finally settles down as a monogamous person. Yule morning arrives, the witches don't celebrate like the rest of the town, they do swap gifts, but not materialistic gifts, but herbs, crystals, candles, altar blessings, broomsticks, spells etc, anything craft related. They do however except one coven meet for a meal, they do meet with every coven for the Sabbat ritual at the stone circle. The coven high priests and priestesses allow James to attend, he can't physically take part, but he can watch and learn.

Marc and James talk after the ritual, James offers Marc a loan to buy a place for when he and Marielle get married, Marc declines, he says, "sir, I may look poor and hard up, but we have money and I have money for Marielle and I's first home." James apologises, saying "son, I hope I didn't offend you, I'm not saying you don't have the means, but I was thinking you were using all your money for college?" Marc tells him that his college was paid for in advance, his final tests are already paid for, his first home will be paid for to, by him and him alone, Marielle will want for nothing, he also tells him that he's not offended but please don't offer him money again as he doesn't need it, his family have enough of it. James swears he didn't know, it was ignorance given the car he drove, the house he lives in and his bad boy reputation. He promises to be more thoughtful in the future, he won't offer him anything materialistic again. Marc puts his arms around him and says, "sir, I know you meant well, but if you want to be a true witch, you need to get rid of your ego, you'll never fully get rid of it until your deployment for the government ends." James asks why? "Sir, the government is full of capitalistic asshats, they, burned people like us, they fear the difference in us, you being government, only creates an ego for you. Once it's over, your ego will disappear. Although, if you're serious about the craft, you leave your government job, you devote every waking hour to learning how to deprogramme yourself." James promises he'll try, but he can't quit work like that. James also tells him, that he can't wait to have him for a son in law, he's smart, he's funny and most of all, he's never seen Marielle smile this much since before her mother died. They all head home to eat, the families forage for all of winters food, they make a huge stew out of it and they enjoy it, Celeste can eat it as well, as nothing in it contains meat. Marc, James, Marielle and Celeste head back to Iris's for their dessert, she made her own ice cream and apple pie. They eat and sit around the fire and Iris regales them in her vampire hunting days.