A Forgotten Christmas

[Nezz]

((Just a bit of Christmas silliness for y'all.))

"I don't get it," Edwin said as he struggled with the glue stick. "After we kept Grecotha from being burned to the ground and even saved the Bishop's life, you'd think they'd let us relax a little during the season. But no! More work!"

"It's because we did such a good job," Amy said. She handed him more strips of green construction paper. "They needed people they can count on."

"Besides, when an actual saint asks for your help, it's hard to turn him down," Bede said as he held Muirea's ankles while she balanced on his shoulders to top the tree with a golden star.

"It makes me a little nervous knowing that an actual Saint is watching us," Airich said as he threaded colored popcorn on a string that was merely three-feet long.

"Don't be silly, Sir Airich, he's always watching us." Elspeth draped a few more strands of tinsel about the boughs of the tree. "He sees you when you're sleeping and when you're awake. You know that."

"You know, that's a wee bit unnerving," Muirea said as Bede helped her down, "some saint keeping an eye on me whilst sleeping."

"He's safe enough, pet," Bede said, "As far as Saints go, Nicholas the Wonderworker is a little more welcoming than most. He is the saint of archers and repentant thieves, you know."

"Not to mention students," Edwin said, proudly holding up his red-and-green paper chain for display.

"And unmarried people," Amy added, making eye contact with Elspeth. Both girls giggled.

"And I've got his list for you right here!" Trevor entered the room, holding a thick scroll aloft. He wore a pointed red hat, trimmed with white fur. "The stuff is already packed in the sledge, you'd best get going."

The group piled outside, where the snow lay crisp and even. Under the glow of the full moon, they could see the sledge, decorated in Haldane crimson and gold, but instead of a lion, a leaping hart appeared on its side. Nine deer with heavy winter coats stood ready to pull the sledge. Four people already sat within, along with a bag. Wash and Iain were maneuvering an odd contraption onto the back of the sleigh.

"Land's sake, how are we all supposed to fit in there?" Elspeth said, hands on hips.

"Get cozy!" Amy cried out, climbing in and scooting next to the blond man already inside. He smiled at her, perfect teeth glinting.

"I am so driving this thing!" Bede announced, sliding behind the reins. Muirea was right beside, whispering "I'm next" into his ear.

"Shotgun!" Airich felt the word leave his lips, even as he had no idea what it meant, but he jumped into the front bench on the other side of Bede.

"Come, Edwin, let us leave the others to their antics," Elspeth said demurely. The student helped her climb in and took the seat beside her, looking wistfully at the front bench and vowing to take a turn behind the reins on the way back.

"Now don't forget, the Portal button is by your left foot," Iain told Bede. "Just stomp on it to travel those long distances quickly. Otherwise you'll be at it for the next week, and you need to be finished by sunup."

"Gotcha." Bede gave her a quick salute, then snapped the reins. The team-of-nine leapt into action and were flying over Rhemuth before anyone could say "Ronald Reginald."

Elspeth turned to the three women sitting beside her. "Am I to understand that you three are presents of some sort?"

"That's right," said the woman with white in her hair and the wisdom of the crone in her youthful eyes. "We're clones."

"Clones?"

"Golems," one of the other ladies clarified, "made in perfect replica of our recipients."

"Because who hasn't wished for a second version of themselves to get everything accomplished that life requires of them?" the third woman said.

"That's true," Elspeth said. "And your names are..."

"Revanne."

"Demercia."

"Judith."

"Excellent," Elspeth said, checking the list. "Looks like you ladies are the closest, so we'll drop you off first. That will give the rest of us more room in the sledge, as well."

"Done and done," Bede had to yell over the rushing wind. "Everyone hold on, because it's about to get wild." He snapped the reins again and the sledge took off like a shot.

***

"Where are we this time?" Elspeth asked.

"A place across the sea called California," Edwin said, checking the map.

"Are you sure this is your stop?" Amy asked the blond man, who was unloading a large tall chaise from the back of the sledge single-handedly. He'd called it a "massage table."

"Alas, sweet Amy, my time has come. I'm away to see Mistress Laurna now, but if you'd like..."

"Yeah yeah yeah, whatever, you have fun with that," Airich interrupted, accidentally pressing the Portal button with his toe. The sledge suddenly found itself in a place named "Boston."

"This is an easy one," Muirea said, pulling a rose and a package of fresh catnip from the big bag. "This is for the queen of the hive." She fingered the tiny paper-covered wire twisted loosely around the flower's stem. "But what is this and what's it for?"

Airich checked the list. "It's called a twist-tie, but it doesn't say what it's for," he said. "Hopefully this Bee-person knows."

Edwin pulled off the huge cork-like item from out of the bag. "We should unload this thing next," he said. "Who is it for and, more importantly, what's it for?"

"It's for some guy named TM, and it says here it's a fish-cannon plug. Apparently he's tired of being shot with mackerel."

"Anything else in that bag that's really big? We might want to get rid of the largest items," Amy said, still annoyed about the sudden trip to Boston.

"No, but while we're up this way, we should drop off this cheque for fifteen-million dollars to Bynw," Elspeth said.

"Oh, wait, we can't," Edwin said, pointing to the scroll. "This one has been modified." On the scroll, someone had clearly scratched out the cheque, and they saw—in Wash's distinct handwriting—the word "No!"

"Oh, well, if Wash says so." Elspeth ripped up the cheque and Edwin proudly set the pieces alight with his new spell. A heated discussion took place to figure out what to leave in place of the cheque, and they all finally settled on the spare snickerdoodle they found in the bag that had no name attached.

Those gifts taken care of, they headed south. Their first stop: Lady Evie.

"Oh, I know about her," Airich said. "She introduced my parents to each other." Her gift was a fancy decorated card—an invitation to a fête in her honor at Rhemuth Castle, hosted by a quintet none had ever heard of: Col, Camber, Cinhil, Alixa, and Catalina.

The next two were also in the south, in a principality named Florida. "What is a hamster and why does it need super-food?" Bede asked as they flew away from Jerusha's residence.

"I don't know, but at least I understand the concept of food," Amy said as she checked the list for the next item. "I mean, SPF -20 suntan lotion for Gwynedd vacay, January... What do these words even mean? I understand Gwynedd and January only."

"The answer is in this magic tube," Edwin said, holding it aloft. "But alas, we shall never know because it is for a fair Rose of the Desert, and not for the like of us."

***

"Now that is a man who's going to do well in his chosen profession," Bede remarked with satisfaction as the sledge flew away with Muirea behind the reins.

"You mean Marc? Oh yes, that was the perfect job Saint Nicholas lined up for him. He'll go far, methinks," Amy said.

"Who do we still have left?" Elspeth asked Edwin, who was reviewing the scroll.

"Let's see... I've got footies for the hounds of the Mistress of Hounds. We don't want their feet getting cold."

"Oh, and the cutest little socks for her kitties!" Elspeth squealed, then clapped her hands over her mouth. Squealing was far too undignified for a physicker like her; she must maintain her decorum.

"Oh, this one looks interesting." Amy pointed over Edwin's shoulder. "It's a device that allows the wearer to see directly into Lady Evie's brain and find out in advance that everything is going to be fine. Or not."

"That sounds like a complicated type of present, but if it's what DFK wants, then it's what she gets." Airich said.

"What I want to know is why anyone would want an autographed photograph of Queen Charissa," Edwin mused aloud.

"Are you kidding?" Bede said. "Have you seen her? What a dish! I think DoctorM has excellent taste in women."

"Why do you suppose this next person is named after a Deryni crystal?" Airich wondered.

"I don't know, but Shiral is a pretty name," Elspeth said.

"Yes, and I like that she's getting a nice magic tablecloth that changes color and pattern, depending on what she's serving that day," Amy agreed.

"Oh, we forgot Nezz," Elspeth said. "We'll need to go back west to drop off her gift."

"No way," Airich said firmly. "She's got it in for me. I say she gets coal."

"Don't worry," Amy whispered to Elspeth, "I left her a crème brûlée when we flew by."

"Well, that leaves only one person then," Muirea said, and slapped the reins.

"You mean..." said Edwin.

"Her?" Amy's eyes were wide.

"The Lady of Stories?" Airich said.

"The creator of our world?" asked Bede.

"The very one," Elspeth said.

Everyone (except Muirea, who was having far too much fun at the reins to worry about what someone else was getting) leaned in close to see what the saint had sent to this grand lady.

They leaned back, puzzled.

"A blizzard?" Edwin said.

"Every day?" Airich said.

"In perpetuity?" Amy said.

"Sounds mighty cold to me," said Bede, hunkering down in his warm cloak.

"'Tis not for us to wonder why our great creator would want blizzards every day of her life," said Elspeth. "Maybe life has gotten too easy for her and she wants the challenge. Let us finish our rounds and be home before dawn."

The sledge zoomed to its last stops.

***

"Ha, perfect timing," Edwin exclaimed, noting the sun peeking over the horizon just as they all hopped out of the now empty sledge. The flying ruminants appeared as hale and energetic as they did when they'd begun their trip.

The group went inside.

"Hey, look, more presents!" Amy said, pointing to the six stockings hanging over the fireplace.

"Yay, a new shepherd's hook for me!" Muirea announced happily. She eyed Bede as if she already knew what she was going to do with that hook.

"And I got a new dagger to replace the one that Edwin broke," Bede said. He looked closer. "Ooooh, it's a named blade. It says here the blade is called Gerber."

Airich pulled a bag out of his stocking. "It says here DMC—Complete Set. I wonder what that is." He opened the bag and looked inside. A grin broke out on his face. "Ooooh, Madre's gonna be jealous."

Amy's stocking held an odd device that fit into her hand, along with several discs with various titles such as Carwyn 1165-1168 She found some text on the device. "View-Master Classic. I wonder what it does."

"I'm sure you'll have an enjoyable time figuring it out," Edwin said. Meanwhile, he was trying to figure out how someone had gotten so many books into his stocking: The Complete Encyclopedia Gwynnedia. It promised to be an interesting read.

Elspeth looked at the title of the single book that came from her stocking: How to Make Antibiotics from Moldy Bread Using this One Weird Trick. Like many other gifts given this night, she didn't understand what hers meant, but she expected it would eventually. "Amidst all the festivities and gift-giving, let us not forget the purpose of this time."

They all turned eyes to the golden star that sat atop the Christmas tree, thinking of that night more than a millennium ago when a star led the magi to that humble stable containing the most noble and wonderful gift ever given to humanity.

"May peace be upon all the earth," Edwin said, "and goodwill toward all mankind, both Human and Deryni alike."

The others spoke in unison. "Amen."

[tmcd]

If the fish has been canonized, it must be a Holy Mackerel!

This is supremely silly. Thank you!

[Demercia]

Love it Nezz, wonderful. 

[JudithR]

Lovely, Nezz.  Thank you

[Evie]

Ooh, I'm looking forward to that fête! Though I might need to sneak into DFK's house first to see if I can switch out that complicated device for a box of candy. Wouldn't want any spoilers leaked, you know, not to mention that anything going on inside my head is very subject to last minute changes until it actually gets posted .... 😉

[DerynifanK]

If the fish has been canonized, it must be a Holy Mackerel!

This is supremely silly. Thank you!

Where's the catapult? That one deserves a King Mackeral!

[DerynifanK]

That was fun. Thank you Nezz!

[Gilreth]

Love this....much giggling here

[Jerusha]

One of the best Christmas presents ever!  Thank you, Nezz.

[Laurna]

I love my present, and I love all the other gifts too! There are a few I have yet to figure out.  But Oh, How much fun is this.
Thank you, And Merry Christmas to you and all!

[revanne]

Such fun, thank you so much Nezz.

[tmcd]

That one deserves a King Mackeral!

More like a king salmon!

[Nezz]

I love my present, and I love all the other gifts too! There are a few I have yet to figure out.  But Oh, How much fun is this.
Thank you, And Merry Christmas to you and all!

Laurna, I am so sorry for that typo on Amy's gift! I've fixed it now, so it should make sense now. (That's what I get for trying to get something written and posted quickly without a review.)

[Nezz]

Thank you all for the kind words. The kids say they had a lot of fun telling that story. And they wish everyone a wonderful Christmas season.



(I know, I know, the clothes aren't the right century or country, but I'm fairly limited in my choices when it comes to sims.)

[Laurna]

Very, very cool picture.  I might need to frame that one. lol