Christmas in the
Faerie Lands
<Into the Farie Lands Chapter XIII~*~Part 2>
Part I:
Home Coming
This
story, as it always will, starts in the cold white setting of a morning in
December, or as the Deltics call it Zicron. A large, black locomotive rumbled through the
countryside pulling a goods train. Ed
laid in one of the vans with a battered paper-back book to keep him
company. The locomotive let out a somber
whistle as it approached a junction. The door of the van was opened by the
guard.
“How much further from here?” Ed inquired.
“‘Ead down the road 'til ye reach the
crossing, there should be a bus station there.”
Ed thanked the guard for the
voyage. He then fixed his weather-beaten
fedora on his head, adjusted the collar of his trench coat and grabbed his
travel bags before heading down the road in accordance to the guard’s
instructions.
As he walked, he thought of his
travels that year. He had spent much of
it in the Nortic Empire studying the giants.
After this task, he made his voyage east to the countries of Alpha and
Omega until he reached Finnyland. It was
there that Ed began to scribe out his report and to study some of the native
animals of the region. Now it was December. He had spent much of this on foot and was now
heading home for the winter season.
From the twenty-first to the
thirty-first of the month of Zicron, Deltics mark the Festival of the Long
Night, an eleven-day celebration of the longest night of the year. The event started on the twenty first of
Zicron, the day of Yule, lasting until the beginning of the New Year. On day of Yule, the Crown, Governor General
and Prime Minister gave speeches reflecting the past year; then came the
reading of the list for the Imperial Cross and a sermon told by the Archbishop
of Little Picking.
At home, Ed often would spend his
Yuletide with George and Emma McTrotter and their friends Jackson “Pumpkin
Stone” Oakwood and Theodorus “Teddy” Jelly.
The night before Yule, everyone would gather at the local chapel for
carols and a sermon from the bishop by candle light. After the religious formalities everyone
would enjoy some time of fellowship with party games like apple bobbing, smoke
ring blowing (for the older parishioners), puzzles of all sort, and coconuts.
On
the day itself, Ed would visit the McTrotters for the day. Everything would start with gifts, Ed getting
George a pound of his favourite pipe tobacco and Emma box of her favourite tea. George and Pumpkin Stone would then try to
give the other a gift while the other wasn’t looking while Teddy would help
himself to the Yuletide punch Emma had been spending weeks to prepare. The rest of the day would be sent playing
games and enjoying of good company. In
the evening, everyone would gather for a merry dinner before going home to face
the world. Most often Ed would return to
visit the McTrotters for the rest of the festival but would find himself busy
working on new reports for the Order of the Four Keepers before traveling back
out into the rest of the world.
All these thoughts were well in Ed's
mind as he came to the bus station. A
scruffy man in a collarless shirt and uniform sold Ed a ticket telling him that
the next bus to Newtown would arrive in an hour. Ed sat in the draughty waiting
room and dosed off with little consideration for anyone else.
Ed's mind thought of the adventures
from some years ago. The fun he had with
Zach, Alice and Travis in the world that he had been forced to hide in. It was while thinking of these thoughts that Ed
heard a familiar voice.
“Ed!”
it cried.
Ed woke with a start. He looked around
himself like a child caught in some mischievousness. He soon noticed a young woman with short
blond hair standing at the other end of the room.
“Good glory Alice!” Ed cried. “What
the sea-devil are you doing here?”
“Little Dill invited me,” Alice
explained.
“The sneaky devil,” laughed Ed.
Alice looked up and down at Ed. He looked unfit to be seen. His hair had grown a good bit and he had
developed a beard. The trench coat,
which was now lying on a nearby bench, was weather worn, scratched and coated with
thick gobs of mud. Even his suit – a
blue, collarless shirt without a stud, a beat up old black coat and trousers – looked
worn from travel.
“You look like a bum,” commented Alice
as they walked out of the shelter of the station.
“Well I am coming home.” Ed replied.
“I’ve been homeless most of the year. It’s about time I look the part,
you know.”
George stood with his old car, waiting
to take its master where he wanted. He was talking to a small toy with a head
the size of a tennis ball that was standing on the top of the car.
“Zach and Travis are coming next
week,” Alice explained. “They have to
tie up some loose ends before arriving.”
“How did you know I was going to be
here?” Ed asked.
“Bug-a-boo told us you were traveling
back,” Alice replied, “and he managed to figure out where your train was going
and where to meet.”
“Sometimes I wonder if there isn’t
anything that old wizard wouldn’t do.”
Ed chuckled.
George helped Ed load his baggage into
the boot of the car and they set off.
George was oddly quiet as he drove the car down the road.
The car stopped outside of Ed’s house. On the front lawn with a shovel was Ryan. His face was red from the cold after just
moving snow from the path that led from the sidewalk to the front porch.
“Welcome back,” Ryan called.
“It’s always good to be back,” replied
Ed. “Before I get cleaned up, I could go
for a cup of tea.”
Ed turned around to invite George,
but the old man had left. “’e’s probably
gone home to look after mum.” Ryan
explained as they went inside.
In the kitchen, Ryan put out a
luxurious spread. Among the tea set were
some expensive cakes, scones and biscuits.
Little Dill, who had joined the three, sat on a salt shaker, taking
liberal bites from one of the cakes.
Over tea Ryan explained the situation.
“Mum took ill in Farlow[1]. By Praep[2],
she got a li’l be’er bu’ she took a turn for the worse in Messis[3]. Dad had to take ‘er to the seaside but it
didn’t help much. She seems fine but
dad’s not too sure some days.”
Ed said nothing. What could he say? all he could do was nod and sip his tea. He managed to muster a bit of optimism but
just as quickly gave up and he went to get a glass of water.
Alice began to talk of her growing
pains back home. How her new apartment
had to be fumigated for rats just before the holidays and how her landlord
tried to drop the cost on her and the other tenants. As she talked, Ed pulled his ruby eye from
its socket and placed it in the glass.
Alice squealed at this. She was a brave woman, but she had never
gotten over Ed’s eye. Ed only laughed at
this.
From the basement came a loud
“oof”. When Ed, Alice and Ryan went to
investigate, they were greeted by an elderly man in silk clothes who was
holding a battered red-carpet bag.
“I never did like traveling through
chimneys.” snapped the old wizard Bug-a-boo.
Alice ran up Bug-a-boo and embraced
him in a tight hug.
“And merry Yuletide to you too Alice,”
the wizard gasped.
“What brings you?” Ed inquired.
“I come bearing people and gifts,” was
Bug-a-boo’s reply as he opened his carpet bag.
From the bag climbed out a lanky young man with sandy hair and a shorter
young man with black hair that had a slash of blue streaking along a group of
strands.
“Ye miss me?” the sandy haired one.
“Yes, but Alice said you two weren’t
comin’ ‘til next week.” Ed replied.
“We ran early.” Travis explained. “We would have been here even sooner, but
Zach had some beu to see and she wasn’t back until yesterday.”
“I have a life outside of here, you
know.” Zach rebuked, “I wanted to give her her Christmas present before I
left.”
“Oh,” Travis replied slyly, “that’s
what their calling it now.”
“What’s that supposed to mean.” Zach
flounced.
“As lovely as it is to see everyone,”
Bug-a-boo interrupted, “it would be nice to have a cup of tea before I set back
out.”
Everyone returned to the kitchen for
tea.
“I trust you’re shopping is done for
the holidays.” Bug-a-boo inquired.
“Nearly,” Ed replied. “Just have to get a few trivial things from
the shops. Just some last-minute gifts
that I couldn’t pick up on my travels.”
“Which reminds me,” the wizard said
mindfully as has he opened his carpet bag, “here are a few things for everyone.” He then produced a stack of parcels wrapped
in colourful paper. “I hope you don’t
mind. Father Christmas only gives me so
much time for shopping.”
“Thank you, Bug-a-boo,” Ed said
gratefully. “I’ll put them under the
tree once I get one.”
“You guys have a tree?” Zach questioned.
“Of course.” Ryan said. “We’ve always had a tree during the
festival.”
“You’ll find there are a lot of
similarities between Christmas and the Festival of the Long Night.” Ed
added. “There’s the tree for example, an
eve mass, a Santa Claus (or Father Christmas)-”
“I don’t know who tha’ Father Claus is but ‘ere we ‘ave Father
Yule.” Ryan jumped back in. “He gives
gifts to good children while the bad ones get twigs. My sis, Marigold, got twigs one year, bit o’
a laugh for all of us when we saw the look on ‘er face.”
“What is the Festival of the Long
Night about?” Alice asked.
“It’s a bit o’ a story,” Ryan
explained, “I think it had something to do with the night and day falling in
love or somethin’. I never really paid
attention to the youth services when I was a lad.”
“I believe I might be able to explain
that,” Bug-a-boo interrupted, and this is the story he told.
“Long ago, when the world was young,
there lived a certain man named Apollo who watched the sheep of Longo, a
wealthy farmer and that is all we know of him.
Every day Apollo would march the sheep along the valley of Nod to the
fields where the sheep would feed upon the sweet grass there and every night he
would march them back but traveling thru the woods as it was dangerous to go
along valley in the eventide. At that
time the Night Elves would begin their day and they did not wish to see anyone
from the realm of Daylight.
“One day, Apollo arose and went to see
Longo to receive his pay of seven gilders for the day before and collect his
food of bread and cheese for the day.
Longo was a nice man who believed in hard work and wanted better for his
shepherd.
“‘You have done very well,’ Longo praised
his servant. ‘You work very hard and are
very careful that all my sheep are safe from harm.’
“‘Thank you,’ Apollo replied. “I only hope that my efforts have brought
good fortune to your flock.’
“‘That you have,’ Longo replied. ‘Now I have a challenge for you and if you
can finish it, I will give you ten-fold what you are paid now as a wage.’
“‘What sort of challenge to you have
in mind for me, master?’ Apollo replied.
“‘Among my flock are ten sheep that I
have marked with red ink upon their brow.
If you bring them back to me with not one lost, I shall give you three
score and ten gilders for your work and continue to pay you this each day for
the rest of my days. However, for each
one lost I shall take away ten gilders.’
“Apollo agreed and the next day he set
out with the flock. He walked them along
the Valley of Nod and brought them to the fields to feed upon the sweet grass
there. That eve, he set out with the
flock back home through the forest. As
they walked one of the sheep became distracted by lights coming from the Valley
of Nod and left to flock to investigate.
Apollo did not know this and continued home.
“Longo was sad to see one of his sheep
missing and only paid Apollo sixty guilders for his effort.
“‘You
have done well my servant,’ Longo said to Apollo. ‘Seeing as you have been so loyal in the
past, I will grant you one last chance.
If you can find my lost sheep, I shall pay you the lost ten gilders and
seventy gilders each day until the end of my days.’
“Apollo agreed and set out to the
forest where I remembered last seeing the flock all together. It was during this journey that he came upon
the same lights that attracted the sheep which led him to the camp of Night
Elves who were preparing for their hunt.
To Apollo’s relief the sheep was safe and tied to a post in the ground. Before he was able to untie the sheep, Apollo
was caught by the elves and questioned.
Upon learning Apollo’s tale, the leader of the Night Elves – named Nall
– spoke.
“‘I believe your tale human.’ Nall
said. “When we return from our hunt, we
shall let you go. For now, you will wait
here. You are welcome to our food and
drink until we return.’
“While the hunters left the camp,
Apollo found the company of a few Night Elves and they drank good wine, laughed
to good tales, and sang great songs of their ancestors. It was during his time of waiting that Apollo
came upon a young woman elf name Luna and was stricken with love as he met her.
“Time went by. Apollo continued to shepherd Longo’s sheep
until Longo became ill and died. While
Longo’s sons argued over what would be done with the farm, Apollo was given his
late master’s flocks and the young shepherd set up a home on the field of sweet
grass and lived contentedly. The people
of the lands new him as a wise shepherd and so they came to live among him on
the land of sweet grass. He had what any
man would want, but all the while he yearned for Luna.
“One night, Apollo set out from his
village to the Valley of Nod where he came upon the same camp of Night Elves
and begged Nall for permission to marry Luna and take her back to his village.
“‘I cannot allow this,” Nall
protested, ‘for you are mortal and walk in the day and we walk the night and
cannot die by time’s hand.’
“Apollo was un deterred and each night
would meet with Luna in secret, even lying with her. Soon Luna became with child and equally soon
they were found out by Nall, who ordered his men to capture and bring Apollo
before him.
“‘I told thee to keep away, but you
wouldn’t listen.’ Nall cried in rage.
‘You have desecrated my camp in your acts! What do you have to say for yourself?’
“‘All that I have done was for the
love of Luna.’ Apollo explained. ‘I will
continue to see her even if it kills me!’
“After much arguing, a compromise was
made. Every year for ten days where the
night lasted the longest, Apollo could live among the Night Elves to se his
love and his child. It quickly became a
tradition for the people of the village to celebrate and send well wishes to
Apollo when he would leave to visit the Night Elves. Even after Apollo died, the village continued
to celebrate his journey and thus the Festival of the Long Night was born.”
“What a story,” Alice said once the
story was over.
“Quite stupid if you ask me.” Zach
added, sounding unimpressed.
“It might not have the same spécialité of some babe born in a manger
that later becomes the saviour of humanity,” Bug-a-boo defended, “but it is the
full origin of this holiday.”
What does Yule have to do with
it?” Zach quizzed. “There’s the festival but then you mentioned
that there’s Yule on the first day to Travis and me before we left.”
“Well, Yule derives from the Zeltic
religious holiday Yuledome. When the Zeltic settled here, they brought
the holiday with them. It’s closer akin
to Christmas with imagery of a tree and mention of a birth of a chosen one but
mainly serves to mark the longest night of the year. It was corrupted by the local dialect to
become Yule and was coupled with the
festival by the Imperial Church. Think
of it like the Twelve Days of Christmas.
Yule is the actual holiday while the festival is the overall season.”
“Bug-a-boo,” asked Alice, “What
exactly do you do for Santa Claus.”
“What? Oh! that! Quite simple really,” the wizard
replied. “I merely act as his magics
clerk. How do you think he can travel
the world in one night or make his reindeer fly? The reindeer aren’t ever his. They are owned by the Rose Queen and can only
use them as long there is peace in the realm of the North.”
There suddenly came a ringing sound
from Bug-a-boo’s waist coat pocket. The
wizard pulled out a small pocket watch that was ringing and shaking violently.
“Looks like I’m needed elsewhere,”
Bug-a-boo said. “Figures it would happen
when I have a chance to rest.”
Bug-a-boo placed a pipe with a long
stem to his mouth and as the smoke from its bowl enveloped the wizard. When the smoke cleared, Bug-a-boo was gone.
“Now what?” asked Travis.
“Anyone interested in doing some
shopping?” Ed inquired. “We do need to
get this house ready for the festival. Plus,
I still need to get George, Emma and a few others their gifts.”
“And the tree.” Ryan added.
“I’d go get it, but I promised da’ I’d help him clean the house for
Yule. Would you mind dropping me off if
your going out.”
“Well,” pondered Ed. “I guess so.
I just need to wash up. Maybe
we’ll stop at Jones’ for a shave while we’re out.”
“I can’ts go.” Little Dill
replied. “I has to go and do somes gifts
wrappings.”
It took an hour for Ed wash the dirt
and muck off and be settled in clean clothes.
Wanting to be convenient, Ed fashioned a turned down collar to his crisp
clean shirt with a red and green stripped tie, which stood out on his navy-blue
three-piece suit.
Everyone piled into Ed’s car and the
old machine roared into life for the drive.
Little Dill waved as they left and set off for his own business.
Along the streets, snow sat in clumps
upon trees and fields with black, brown, and grey slush packed on the sides of
the road. Through the twisting roads and
stopping to let a steam tractor pass, they made it to the familiar town house
nestled behind some mounds of snow.
Ryan jumped out and waived as he made
his way up the stairs to the front door while Ed drove off to the Old District
of Newtown.
At the district gates, everyone left
the car in the nearby lot and entered.
Everything was decorated for the season.
Street lamps were covered in bouquets of pine and holly and long banners
sending well wishes in the characters of the Deltic people, known as Pulp. The buildings had the windows lined with
tassels of ribbon and lamperns while gay displays of all kinds drew adults and
children to admire the craftsmanship of the shop keepers.
Zach, Alice and Travis followed Ed
down the familiar streets till they reached a small shop with the same runes
that they assumed meant barber.
“I shouldn’t be too long.” Ed
said. “You ought to check out the sweet
shop across the street” – pointing at the building across the street in bright
and gay colours – “Mr. Sweetly loves seeing new customers.”
While Ed stepped inside the
barbershop, Zach, Alice and Travis made their way across the cobble stoned
street to brightly decorated building.
The inside was just and happy looking as the outside. Bright colours lined the trim and colourful
sweets filled rows of jars. Behind the
counter a large man with a curly mustache was talking to a younger man who was
pulling some amber sugar on a hook. As
soon as the larger man saw the trio he quickly turned from the young man and
scurried over to the section of the front counter where a glass displayed a
variety of different sweets.
“Welcome, welcome!” the large man
greeted in a deep voice that reminded Zach of John Rhys-Davies. “I am Milis Sweetly. How may I help you on
this festive season of the long night?”
“Well,” Zach explained, “we’re mainly
looking to warm up while wait for our friend at the barbers.”
“I see,” Milis pondered. “You are more than welcome to warm up
here. If there is anything you want to
try feel free to let me know.”
The trio thanked Milis Sweetly for his
hospitality and proceeded to look about the shop. Just then, a man in a great coat with a top
hat and long red scarf wrapped about him.
The three recognized this man at once by the sight of his large whiskers
as none other than Jackson Oakland, or Pumpkin Stone as his friends called him
and as we shall address him.
“Hallo you three.” Pumpkin Stone
greeted as soon as he was spotted.
“Ah, Pumpkin Stone!” greeted Mr.
Sweetly. “What can I do for you.”
“A cup of hot cocoa for starts,”
Pumpkin Stone replied as he loosened his scarf and shook off the light dusting
of snow from his coat. “It’s col’ enough
to make paint peel. On second thought,
better make that four.”
As Mr. Sweetly headed to the back to
make the order, Pumpkin Stone joined the three at a table in a nearby parlor.
“I’m guessing that Ed’s back.” Pumpkin
Stone said.
“Yep,” Zach replied. “We got invited to spend a few days and Ed
figured the festival would be a good time since he’s been traveling most of
this year.”
“What brings you here, Pumpkin Stone?”
Alice inquired.
“Just a picking up a few things for
George’s present.” Pumpkin Stone explained.
“Every year we try to give each other a present without them
knowing. It’s a bit of an old tradition
from when we were lads.”
“Why wouldn’t you want George to
know?” Zach asked.
“Every year just before the holidays
we would have a gift exchange in school.
Now, once year there was a girl name Sally Pignum who I liked and wanted
to give a gift to, but I didn’t have any pocket money. Hard times had hit home and so siblings and I
weren’t given very much in the way of an allowance, about 6 gil if I
remember. At Crookfield’s Department
Store were these nice ribbons that I wanted to get Sally since she liked tying
her hair in pigtails. The only problem
was they were too expensive.
“Everyday
George and I would go there I would try to convince the clerk who ran the
department to reduce the price, but no such luck. So, I scrimped and saved every gill from up
until the day before the gift exchange but when I got to Crookfield’s, the
ribbons were gone. I was devastated.
So, the following day I’m sitting in
the corner of the class waiting for the day to end when Sally Pignum comes
running up to me with a box full of the very ribbons I had wanted to get her.
“‘Thanks Pumpkin.’ She said sweetly
and gave me a big ol’ on the cheek before running off to show ‘em off to her
friends.
“I looked over to George who’s just
sitting by the bunch bowl with the look on his face like he was up to no good
but was trying to hide what it was. That
was when it clicked. George had bought
the ribbons and put my name on to make it look like I had bought them for
Sally. Ever since then we’ve been trying
to get the other back. There is only one
rule, you have to give the other their gift with out them realizing it.”
“Seems a little convoluted.” Zach said
unimpressed.
“Have you ever won?” Travis asked,
ignoring Zach’s comment.
“A few times.” Pumpkin Stone
replied. “I used to switch out his box
of pipe tobacco with a new box. He’d
already be lighting the bowl when he realized what had happened.”
Just then, Mr. Sweetly arrived with a
tray of cocoa and left it on the table with a plate of cookies before returning
to the counter.
“I always look forward to this time of
year.” Pumpkin Stone mused. “Goodness
knows George could use a good turn. I
suppose you’ve heard about Emma’s health scare.”
“Yeah,” replied Alice. “Do they know what it was she had?”
“Doctor Harper thinks it might be some
bug, but he couldn’t be sure.” Pumpkin Stone said. “She’s doing better now but George is still
worrying.”
“I hope she’ll be okay.” Travis said.
“We can’t fuss about it all the
time.” Pumpkin Stone assured. “For now, she’s getting better and that’s all
we can take. Anyways, what have you lot
been up to?”
For the next little while Zach, Alice
and Travis all brought Pumpkin Stone up to speed on their current activities
until Ed arrived, freshly shaved and hair trimmed.
“There you all are.” Ed cried. “Oh, hallo Pumpkin Stone! I thought you were going to Little Pecking to
see your son this year for the festival.”
“I was but he had to go to Nimbus for
work and won’t be back in time. Besides,
I can’t miss my chance to out smart George.”
Mr. Sweetly suddenly appeared with
another trey with a mug of cocoa.
“Oh! Thank you.” Ed said gratefully
and took a seat next to Travis.
“How’s the Yule shopping?” asked
Pumpkin Stone.
“Just about to start.” Ed
replied. Just need to get George and
Emma’s gifts and a tree and I’m done.”
“If you’re in need of a tree I would
recommend going to the Hucklestone Estate.
His Lordship is having some pines removed and offering them for those
who want to buy one. Proceeds are going
to the Imperial Trust if I remember.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Ed replied
and continued to sip his cocoa.
When everyone had finished, Ed, Alice,
Zach and Travis said their goodbyes to Pumpkin Stone and set off to a few of
the shops.
Ed’s hunt didn’t take very long. At a shop called Milton and Co., Ed managed
to get George his tobacco and Emma her tea. Now they were back in Ed’s car,
traveling along the country road toward a large set of gates that had been left
wide open.
Ed stopped the car. A guard in a peacoat and cap greeted
them. “Are you fellows here for the
trees as well?” the guard asked.
“Yes, we are.” Ed replied. “Well, so long as His Lordship has trees to
spare.”
“There are plenty.” assured the
guard. “Just keep on this road you’ll
see a sign for you to park your car at the house. All you’ll need to do is pick your tree and
they’ll tie ‘er on for you.”
“Thank you,” Ed said, “and good wishes
for the Long Night.”
The car prattled along for a mile
before reaching an ancient palace. All
about the front of the building people and animals dressed snuggly in their coats
and scarves. At one end, they saw the
familiar face of Sir Guthrie Bloom, dressed in a great coat and bowler hat,
talking to a tall man with a long beard and a fur coat.
Ed and company made their way over to
the old politician to make their greetings.
“Hallo you four.” Bloom greeted. “I haven’t you all since that mess with the
Manookoo. I trust you all are here for
the trees. Might I introduce you all to
His Lordship, Lord Stephen Hucklestone.”
Lord Hucklestone gave a curt nod. “A
pleasure.” he said. “I do hope you all
have the best this Festival of the Long Night.”
“Thank you, your Lordship.” Ed
replied. “I hope you have a happy
Yuletide as well.”
“How’s the political world,” Zach
asked Bloom.
“Quiet, for now,” the old politician
replied. “Both houses are in recess for
the holidays, so I have time for constituency work.”
“Any plans for the festival?” Ed asked.
“Not really,” Bloom replied. “Mrs. Bloom and I will be going to Simon’ah
for the Imperial Conference in the new year, so we decided to leave early so we
have time to meet up with some old friends while there.”
“Simon’ah?” said Travis curiously.
“It’s a dominion in the Deltic
Empire,” Bloom explained. “Lord
Hucklestone and I spend years laying the ground work to graduate it into a
dominion. Even went on to serve the first
dominion government as prime minister and governor general.”
Bloom and Lord Hucklestone went on to
tell them all about their time in Simon’ah.
Ed wasn’t paying attention, though, as he was too distracted by the noble
evergreen that was sitting separately from the other trees.
Lord Hucklestone took notice. “Are you interested in that tree, young man,”
he asked.
“Yes, sir.” Ed replied.
Lord Hucklestone called one of his
servants over and instructed them to cut the tree down and Ed directed them to the
car.
“How much do I owe for the tree?” Ed
asked.
“There is no actual amount,” Lord
Hucklestone explained. “We only ask for
a donation of any amount for the Imperial Trust.”
“Consider it done.” Ed said and gave a
few notes to one of the workers. Afterward
Ed and company loaded into the car and set off for the next place.
It was a long day. Shop after shop and driving everywhere in
Newtown with no sense when they would be finished. To Zach, Travis, and Alice it seemed like a
blur. The car would stop at a shop, they
would pour into the shop, Ed would buy some thing, and everyone would jump back
into the car for the next shop. It
wasn’t until five in the evening that everyone got home.
“Finally,” Zach cried and fell
face-first into one of the couches in the living room.
Ed took no notice and marched on up
the stairs with his parcels to the study and shut the door behind him.
Alice looked at the tree. They had put it up on a stand and left it in
front of the large window in the living room.
“Ed sure knows how to pick his trees,” she said.
Zach muttered something, but no one
knew what it was due to his face was still planted firmly in the couch.
There came a knock at the door. Travis, who was just sitting at the base of
the stairs, went to answer. It was
George, Ryan, and Emma, all of them bundled up.
Emma was holding a plate that seemed to be a box with a cheese cloth
wrapped over top of it while George and Ryan were holding some bottles in their
hands.
“Ah, hallo Travis.” George said. “How are you doing this fine eve?”
“Tired,” Travis replied, drowsily.
“Ah,” George replied. “Long day I gather.”
“Ryan had mentioned you were all here,
so I thought I’d make you all some meat pies.”
Emma explained. “That way we
could all catch up.”
Travis let everyone in. It didn’t take
long for Emma to take over the kitchen as she and George set to work peeling
potatoes for boiling, shelling peas for another side, and warming the oven to
bake the pies.
Ed finally come down stairs with a
stack of boxes containing decorations.
He soon became distracted by the lovely smell of backing and nearly
tripped. He just managed to catch
himself. After putting the boxes in the
living room, Ed followed the scent to the kitchen where Emma and George sat at
the kitchen table with Zach, Alice and Travis playing cards.
“Halloa, Ed!” George called. “Your just in time to watch me win this game
Alice was telling us about… I think she said it was called Texas Hold ‘Em.”
Ed just had to chuckle. He made his way to the ice box and found a
bottle of royal punch that he had been looking forward to since he had
returned. He had asked Ryan to get it
for him in advance and was excited for this Yuletide treat. Grabbing a glass from the cupboard and
pouring himself a liberal portion, Ed then joined everyone at the table for the
game.
“Ha!” cried George with glee. “I believe that’s a straight. I win.”
“Not so fast Lemon,” Emma called back
and layed out her cards on the table. “A
royal flush I believe.”
There came another knock at the
door. Ed got up to answer it, but Travis
made him sit back down. “I don’t mind
playing gatekeeper,” he insisted.
Travis returned with Pumpkin Stone and
Teddy Jelly, the butcher who ran the deli in the old district of town. They had brought boxes of their own with
baked goods and other lovely things.
“We figured we’d stop by and see
everyone.” Pumpkin Stone explained. “It
seems a party has already started.”
Everyone joined in on the card
game. Soon the pies were ready, and
everyone sat to a warm supper of meat pies, potatoes, and peas along with
bottles of royal punch to wash it all down.
When the meal was over, everyone went
to the living room to decorate the tree.
Each branch shimmered and glittered with the many bulbs, colourful
ribbon, and nick-knacks that Ed had readily available. Once they were finished their work, George
led everyone in a round of carols. Zach,
Alice and Travis were unsure of some of them but did their best to join in the
fun. When they thought there was nothing more to sing, they enjoyed
refreshments of tea and the backed goods brought by Pumpkin Stone and Teddy.
