The First Warrior (Peter Pevensie Love Story) [Narnia]

Chapter 21: Christmas Tidings.

"7:00 tomorrow morning Lynn," Susan heard mother telling Mrs. Kellen.

"Don't worry Helen, we won't be late. Believe me, Miranda's more excited about this than I am, and she won't let me be late."

The two shared a laugh, and the two families left the church, with Susan more confused than she had ever been in her life.

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"WAKE UP SLEEPYHEAD!!!!"

Peter jumped up as Edmund and Lucy yelled into his room. A grin lit up his face.

"You two are gonna get it!" he yelled. And he shot out of his bed, giving chase.

It took him less than 5 steps out of the room to catch the two, and when he did, they all landed in a huge pile on the whole floor. Peter reached out both his hands, and began to tickle their bellies.

"No! No Peter!" they squeeled amidst their laughter. "Stop!"

Peter grinned, and tickled some more. But the two gained up on him, beginning to tickle his feet.

"Hey, no fair!" He shouted as he began to laugh. "No feet allowed!"

Lucy and Edmund didn't stop until they heard mother's voice downstairs go;

"They're here!"

The three jumped up and raced down the stairs, still in pajamas, slippers, and robes.

Susan, Mother, and Father were already downstairs, dressed much more nicely than the others were. They waited at the door until Mrs. Kellen and Miranda came up. To everyone's surprise, Miranda was still in her pajamas as well.

"Well, it's Christmas," she said when everyone stared at her. Everyone laughed, and the gift-giving began.

There were "oohs" and "aahs" over what everybody received, and little shrieks from Lucy, "thank-yous" from Susan, and "wows" from Edmund.

When the last present was opened, everyone crowded around the fire with cups of hot chocolate and cinnamon buns for breakfast (or brunch perhaps). They joked and laughed until they couldn't eat another bite. The parents decided to clean up, while they urged the others to go and enjoy their new things.

Grins on their faces, the five young ones raced to the back room, each carrying a small brown parcel. This was their last gifts.

They went into the back room and closed the door. Edmund, Lucy, and Susan piled up on the couch, while Miranda and Peter took the armchairs.

Peter went first, being the High King. To Susan, he gave a gold necklace with a green leaf pendant. It had reminded him of a necklace in Narnia that she had loved. To Edmund, he gave a miniature lion. Edmund looked quite speechless. To Lucy, he gave a painting of a very familiar faun, whom he had begged a good friend to paint for him. Lucy shrieked and threw her arms around Peter's neck. And to Miranda, he had found a gold and silver ring with a ruby embeded in it. Tears welled up in her eyes as she recognized the resemblance to her sword.

Susan went second, the Gentle Queen. To Peter, she gave a letter opener that was shaped like a sword. Peter said that he would never open letters with his fingers again, and that paper had better beware his sting. To Edmund, she gave a blue scarf that she had found, made out of fine yet comfortable fabric. A smile lit up his face. To Lucy, she gave a picture book of faraway placed that had green forests and waterfalls. And to Miranda, she gave a gold and red leather bound Journal.

Now Edmund, the Just King. To Peter, he gave a large bookmark, with the word "Magnificent" written into it. To Susan, he gave a charm bracelet that said "Gentle". To Lucy, he gave a bangle bracelet, with "Valiant" upon it. And to Miranda, a silver necklace with the word "Courage" on the pendant. Everyone loved them, and Edmund showed them his own large bookmark with the word "Just."