Elodie's Gift of Chistmas

The golden carriage strolled through the countryside as two ladies chattered away. One a young girl with her hair in two pink swirls, and the other was older and had long hair wavy and free, falling to her waist. "On one of my travels.." She would often begin as she wove tales of distant lands, brave heroes and extravagant palaces. This time, however, was a tale of a holiday to celebrate the birth of a chosen baby boy. "Mother, do you think we could celebrate Christmas?" The young girl asked excitedly. "I want to decorate a Christmas tree with you and dad. Oh! Lottie would love Christmas!" The mother laughed "Of course, and when Christmas comes I will give you a present I hope you will never forget. But for now, happy birthday Elodie!"

I was fourteen then, it was the last time I saw my mother. I am fifteen now, the Novan queen and more lonely than ever. I looked up at the sky and sighed. Mother, you never got to decorate the tree with me. "I need some time to myself." I say before dismissing the maids from my room and leaving. I walk out to the balcony and stare into the distance. It is an important time for the nobles and a dangerous time for me; one wrong step could cost me the throne if I am not careful. I watch as they slowly parade towards the castle. At this year's Snow Ball I am supposed to announce my choice of husband. But I have no idea!  I wander through the halls until- "Sorry!" I say as I regain my balance. I look up to see "Banion!" "I see no charm is wasted on me." He smirked. "Your highness, you are the most graceful young lady I have ever met." I flush with anger as I recall when he tried to trick me into marrying him last year. "A lovely day it is, do you not agree?" Grin and bear it Elodie! After the simple pleasantries and sugar covered insults, I walk off using every bit of knowledge gained from my classes in composure. Deep breathes Elodie, smile until out of sight... and... I am in the clear!

I make it to the courtyard unnoticed, until I see Adair. "Adair! " I wave at him, recounting the that the last time we met other than the coronation, was at the last grand ball. "Hello." He said sheepishly. He is so cute, and he is still playing with his frogs! I give him some advice on how to get animals to trust him, as well as catching them first! Some people may thing a queen that chases frogs is a bit odd, but Adair does not mind at all. Exhausted, we sit on the ground laughing. I told him about the castle, about being a lumen, and even about Christmas! I walk away after a maid begins to call for him.

Along my way back to my room Alice almost bumped into me again. "You seem distracted." She said rather bluntly. "Well you see Alice..." I feel like I can always trust her with my thoughts and I do as I unburden all that had happened today. "Do you want us to decorate the castle for this Christmas?" She asked, Alice is always so kind! "No, I just miss my mother today." I sulk away, I must be the worst queen in history. I chase frogs, I sulk, I bump into nobles and I brood about unchangeable events... In the safety of my room, I collapse on my frilly, pink bed.

I wake up to the scent of warm milk and cookies. "Oh cookies!" Then I check for any signs of poison before eating one. "All clean!" I notice a note written in slightly sloppy hand writing. "Dear Queen Elodie, I would like to invite you tea in the tower at dusk. ~signed, A friend"

Who could this be? One of my friends from boarding school? Alice? Maybe it is father! I thought about this mystery until I met Julianna for my lumen studies. "There is nothing left I may teach you on this matter, congratulations. Hmm, the sun is setting so I must be off. Good evening your highness." The sun is setting? I race down the halls, not caring who sees me. I have been waiting all day for this!

I step inside the tower and up to the top to see... "Merry Christmas!" All of my friends from boarding school, the staff I am closest to, father, Banion, and even Adair. I lose my composure and start to cry, I swear I see my mother standing there as well. "Everyone, thank you!" The tower is completely covered in red and green, with tree in the middle.  Alice stepped forward with boxes filled with decorations, "I thought we could all decorate the tree together!" We all have a wonderful time, and I think Banion truly had fun in an innocent way. I smiled at all of them. "Wait, one final thing!" Briony handed me a present. I opened it and found a small dagger? "For our next adventure!" Then Alice stepped forward with two, "one from the staff and I and the other from another friend." and she watched closely as I first opened the staff's present, a silk dress. "For when the drink was spilled on you." I am beginning to feel like these gifts are just making up for the year's mishaps... But I love them anyway! The second present makes me smile, the apple thief gave me an apple. One after the other,gifts to remember this years events and at the end, three gifts remain. My father approached me and placed a small box in my hands. "Elodie, I am sorry that you suffered this year and glad that you made so many new friends. She would not have wanted these things to happen, but I know she would be proud!" With that I open the box to find a gem, the strange thing about was that I began to feel a tingling sensation in my mind. Oh, well! Alice whispered to me "This whole thing was Adair's idea." Then she laughed "I never knew that he could actually take charge before!" I was in shock for a moment before walking up to him, he was closer to the wall in the tower than the people. "Merry Christmas." He said shyly before handing me a small box. I looked at it closely before opening because it had small holes! "what on..." He opened it for me before I could finish. All of a sudden, multicolored butterflies flew out and around the tower. "How did you?" "I begged your aunt before she and your cousin went to check up on the situation in Sedna. He seems much more grown up than a year ago, and more independent. This whole night I could do nothing more than smile. Mother if you are watching, I want to thank you for giving me the gift of Christmas! For the rest of the evening I sat with Adair to watch the never-ending stream of butterflies. Wishing that this one perfect night would like, the stream of butterflies, never end.

"I guess the final gift will have to wait until tomorrow, right Fidelia?" Joslyn smiled at Adair and Elodie sitting together by the window. "I know she will make a fine queen, I only wish you could talk to her. Much has happened in less than a year and much has changed in our little girl. So now I say, merry Christmas... to you, Fidelia, the only queen of my heart." He walked away from the tree in the corner, and towards where dancing had begun in the small tower. "And good luck to my darling Elodie."