What are the holidays without a little corporate joy, right? The Aether Foundation makes a pretty huge deal about its philanthropic efforts-- 20% from this line to that charity, here's a lofty donation to this school, blah blah blah. For Christmas this year, they've bought out a large venue in the City and are hosting a fancy Christmas dinner; invitation open to all those in London without family or friends they can spend they day with for one reason or another.

For a fee of course, but all the night's profits are being donated to a prominent homelessness charity. And one only need cover the cost of entry, once you're through the door? Everything is free. From the food to the entertainment to the Aether Foundation goodie bags full of 'be good to yourself' style cosmetics and toiletries.

Lusamine herself is stylish as ever, and a gracious host. Gives a speech thanking everyone emphatically, exalting the virtues of friendship during the holidays and hoping tonight's donation really make a dent in London's homelessness epidemic. And during the evening she laughs easily, dances with friends, and makes herself available to anyone who looks uncomfortable or anxious.

Ever the picture of loveliness, that Lusamine.

She doesn't really do standing about on London streets, waiting. But here she is.

Traffic is backed up to hell — bad weather and holidays, what can you do? — which means her driver is delayed by god knows how long. The signal inside the restaurant she's just left is abysmal, or else she'd go back inside, but she can't rightly risk missing a call in this situation.

She paces back and forth over the square half-metre of pavement she's allocated herself, calling her driver every ten minutes for updates. Anyone nearby will hear her getting increasingly annoyed-- "are you sure you can't get here any faster?" "Don't you know any shortcuts?" "Why didn't you plan for this?" et cetera, et cetera.