Line art of Hope. I havent drawn her in a while.

***Hope's POV***

Dinner was a bit tense. With so many new people meeting each other for the first time its understandable. The food was pretty good though.

Alastor was trying to relieve the tension with jokes, but it wasn't working very well. Only a few of us laughed at his jokes. After a bit it looked like he was about to give up. Then a thought crossed my mind. Maybe a nice story would help.

"Hey, how about a story?" I suggest.

Everyone turns to me. Charlie perks up at my suggestion.

"Oh, yeah. Hope weren't you a storyteller when you were alive?" She asks in a cheerful tone.

"Yea. Well kind of. I volunteered to tell stories at the library sometimes. But as far as I know everyone enjoyed the stories. How about one or two?" I ask to be sure everyone wanted to hear it.

Almost everyone gave a yes. Husk gave me a I don't care. Which I will take as a yes.

"This one I heard from a friend of mine a while ago and is pretty short. There was a man and his wife. Every Valentine's Day he would get her a bouquet of roses. Each one had a note that said, "My love for you grows." Unfortunately, one day he had gotten sick and passed away. The wife sadden by her husband's death was expecting nothing the next Valentine's Day. But as always, she received a bouquet of roses. She went to the florist the flowers were delivered from and told them they made a mistake. They told her there was no mistake. Apparently, the husband had paid for a bouquet of roses for his wife in advance. That way she would still receive them years after he was gone. That's when she looked at the note in the bouquet and cried as she read it. This one had said "My love for you is eternal." The end." I say as I finish the short, but sweet story.

Everyone was silent for a moment to process the story, I guess. After a couple seconds everyone began to compliment the short story, I told. Alastor had an applause soundtrack play and told me it was a lovely story.

Before I could respond Nifty asks if I know any songs that tells a story and if I do if I could do something like that next. I had to think on that a moment, but I did think of one. So, I said sure and using my powers I made a old radio of clear crystal.

Before Alastor could question it, I pointed to it and had it play the music of the song I had in mind. (This song is called the cost of the crown and sung by Shandeen O'Neill.)

The stars are very beautiful, above the palace walls,

They shine with equal splendor, still above far humbler halls.

I watch them from my window, but their bright entrancing glow,

Reminds me of the freedom I gave up so long ago.

The royal circlet of bright gold rests lightly on my brow,

I once thought only of the rights this circlet would endow.

But once I took the crown to which I had been schooled and bred,

I found it heavy on the heart, though light upon the head.

Although I am the head of state, in truth I am the least,

The true Queen knows her people fed, before she sits to feast.

The good Queen knows her people safe, before she takes her rest,

Thinks twice and thrice and yet again, before she makes request.

For they are all my children, all, that I swore to defend,

It is my duty to become both Queen and trusted friend—

And of my children high and low, from beggar to above,

The dearest are my Heralds, who return my care with love.

The dearest are my Heralds, swift to spring to my command.

Who give me aid and fellowship, who always understand

That land and people first have needs that I may not deny—

So I must send my dearest friends to danger—and to die.

A friend, a love, a child—it matters not, I know indeed,

That I must sacrifice them all if there should be the need.

They know, and they forgive me—doing more than I require,

With willing minds and loving hearts go straight to grasp the fire.

These tears that burn my eyes are all the tears the Queen can't shed,

The tears I weep in silence as I mourn my Heralds dead.

Oh gods that dwell beyond the stars, if you can hear my cry—

And if you have compassion—let me send no more to die!

A second after I finish the song everyone claps. I smile. Glad to know they liked it. That they liked my singing voice. Always kinda worried people hated it but didn't want to seem rude so they pretended to like it.

Pretty sure there are a few at this table that would tell me I sucked even if it seemed rude. They all seemed to enjoy it though.

After that the tension that used to be there was gone and everyone was now opening up and chatting a bit more than before.

Soon enough everyone is done eating and I used my magic to bring the dishes to my side. They stack and pick them up to bring them to the kitchen to be cleaned.

"Hope, dear you don't have to do that. I can-" Alastor starts to say before I cut him off.

"Nope. You cooked. I'll clean. Besides its part of my job and I don't mind the work." I say as I continue walking through the door and into the kitchen to wash the dishes.

 Not paying attention to the fact I felt Alastor stare at me as I walked away.