Author's note-I am working on another story and decided for now to put up a one shot story…hopefully this can tide you over until I am happy with my longer one I am working on. Thank you for stopping by!
Christmas. It was the holidays of holidays in her book and yet it was like something new. Having come from vastly different backgrounds was one thing but to have lead a life like he had for the past centuries, she doubted that holidays such as Christmas held any meaning to him. Hell, she thought, she knew that until fairly recently, over the past few years, that the only things he cared about was money, power and Pam. But that list had grown exponentially as she had helped to thaw what damaged and frozen heart. There was a part of her that ached for him, as she wished she could bring back the loved ones he had lost over the years. Some she had known and others she hadn't. but she knew tat they all had meant a great deal to him and though he had a very extensive family today, she still was cognizant of his painful losses,
Home alone for the evening, she was grateful to live in the secluded community of three large manors and that her neighbors were friends and/or family. Ginger had a house to the right of their while Willa and Pam shared one to the left. And the community was surrounded by fences and high gates at the entrance of the cul-de-sac. Security was as tight as tight could be with security cameras hidden everywhere and clearly no expense was spared when it came to the safety of those residing within. There was no sign that Christmas was in a few days and having wanted to surprise him with something special before the friends and family party this upcoming weekend, Sookie had decided it was time to pretty up the house-inside and out-before he got home. And she had managed to convince her neighbors to help keep him busy as to keep him from returning to the house early.
And so here she was trying her best to make the house festive and though she had managed to string the lights up in the trees outside and had put a fresh wreath on the front door, she had wanted to put more focus on the interior. She had secreted boxes of decorations away and was expecting a tree to be delivered any moment, ornaments and lights at the ready to be put upon its boughs. Looking at her clock on her cell phone, she saw it was nearing 730 and was expecting the tree to be delivered promptly. Her deal was one she knew wouldn't be reneged and on cue, there came a flash of light and there appeared their daughter, who ruled Faery. They had secretly agreed to do this, to give him this most personal of gifts. There would be no Willa, no Pam, but just the three of them, something that they had not had the chance to have in some time. Time for just the three of them to be together and the two women of course had gifts to give, knowing full well he was not and was likely never big on holidays, though Pam had once told Sookie that Eric had at least always done something for her for her birthday, even though Pam had stopped caring for birthdays since before she had even been turned. And she too, had done the same for him. But that, she explained, had been the extent to their holiday celebrations and even then, birthdays were not exactly holidays.
"The tree…..I mean, I knew there were special trees over there…but you…you outdid yourself." Sookie marveled at the towering 12 foot tree that had plenty of room in the cathedral ceiling of the living room. Yet it still stood stately and far larger than any other trees she had had in her life. The scent was perfectly pine and the needles a emerald green laced with a silvery, iridescent shine to them in place of the typical strands of electrical Christmas tree lights,, pencil eraser sized gemstones were sprinkles around the tree, neither attached to the surface of the tree and yet firmly in place by some gravity defying magic, no doubt. It was like jewels lit up on the tree, the light reflecting on the ceiling and room, soft colors splattered all around them, a aura of whimsy and wonder. There was something lacking though. "There has to be something on top of the tree….." Sookie said as she stood back to appraise the surreal tree before them.
"I wanted to bring out that part for last….the sort of icing on the cake, really." Aurora said and pulled out a white box, tired with a velvet red ribbon. Handing it to her mother, she smiled as she waited for her to open it. It was a intricate star, pointed and intricate. "This is no mere star. It's a star. Actually, a falling star. And wait until it is put on the top of the three." Aurora said with a grin. "I was kind of proud of this next part, really. My magic is coming along, I guess."
Taking the star in hand, awed by just what it was and where it originated from, Sookie got herself up on a ladder and gently placed the star at the top of the tree and there came a wave of rippling energy which made her fall backwards, Aurora helping catch her fall. stunned by the near calamity, a slightly dazed Sookie was helped up by her daughter and together, they took a closer look at the now more decorated trees, small pewter and crystal ornaments dotting the full branches.
"Wow…..so intricate and…wait…..are these…."
"Scenes from our lives. Etched in faerie pewter. I had them made by a artisan back in Faery, I said I wanted to put our history on the tree and though I haven't been around for long, I know enough of our story….of yours and dad's story to get this right. And I learned how to make them myself, in the blink of an eye. Did you know Niall kept records of your adventures, from the moment you were born? Everything that you went through, journal entries from then up until the day he died. He wanted to make sure that there was a record of every one of his kin and since there were so few left…..there is a book on your brother too. Someday if you want I can show you the books. He's got one on everyone in the family. The extended family too." as she explained this, Sookie was peering closer at the ornaments that were so precise, to intricate, that the lifelike details were eerie.
"This one…..it's the first night I met him…" " Sookie said as she fingered a ornament depicting her meeting that night she had first met him, he in his throne and she, along with Bill before him. And then there was the scene depicting him giving himself up, silvered in the Fellowship of the Sun Church. And still there were dozens of other memories carded in pewter adorning the tree. The time that Sookie was trying to keep him safe from the witches' spell, the spell that tried to make him go into the sunlight. Then more recent memories were on view as she circled the tree looking ever upward. The wedding, the birth of Aurora….mingled with more past memories. And as teary eyes as they made her, to see the past on the tree was breathtaking to be sure and she turned to face her daughter, letting her hand drift away from the last ornament she had examined. It was the one depicting the goodbye that the couple had made when they had let Aurora go to rule Faery. Sad and poignant and yet knowing that things had worked out, it was inspiring aw well.
"God, these…..the detail….it's like….like nothing I have ever seen…..the thought put into this, I am….." sookie tried to come up with the right words.
"Speechless. Then I take it I did well?" Aurora grinned as she magicked some more silver and gold garland out of thin air, winding it around the rafters of the high ceiling, complete with more glowing gemstones twinkling. "There. I don't want to overdo anything but I think this is gonna work…."
Sookie seemed a little abashed as she returned from the ktichen with a couple of poinsettia plants in pots, albeit rather expensive pots. "I feel a little like a underachiever, I usually do more decorating at the holidays but-"
"but I said I would take care of it and I think the room…" Aurora paused as she came to another idea. "You know, we don't tend to get much snow here in the worth, now do we?" she asked her mother with a twinkle in her eyes. "And I know we know someone that has a secret love of the cold and snow…" she looked meaningfully at Sookie and wordlessly, they held hands and together conjured a very real snowfall, a snowfall that would blanket everything gently and yet leave no wetness or damage in its wake. And the timing could not have been better. They heard the front door open and the lights, save for the tree and the lights above, were turned off. And as the towering figure darkened the doorway to the sprawling loving room, even in the subtle lighting, the two women waited for a response. They waited as they watched him approach the tree, examining the intricate adornments on the tree, the tree itself and the lights that drifted overhead. It was several minutes before either of them approached him, his shoulders sagged as he took in the ornaments, the ones in his hands depicting the losses of his long gone loved ones and the other, the day he had taken a bride.
"I didn't mean to make you sad." Aurora said as she sidled up to him, seeing the beginnings of tears in his eyes. "I wanted to give the tree meaning, to help make the holidays have meaning for you. We both wanted you to see the blessings we have now. And that you can enjoy the holidays rather than let them pass by. I….I really didn't want to make anyone feel….sad."
Eric looked over to his right where his daughter was and then to the left where a cautious Sookie stood. "I don't feel sad…..I mean…perhaps there is some regret of those lost but this…..it is…beautiful….." he looked up at the snow still falling overhead. "the snow is a nice touch…" he paused as he let the ornaments slip back into place on the tree. "This…is the best gift I could ever get. Second best, considering who I have to enjoy this with." he said. "And I think you both for letting me enjoy a holiday for once. That being said, I was always prepared for this one." he swept from the room and returned with two thin boxes. He handed them to them as they too darted off, returning with one large wrapped parcel. They watched as he frowned a moment and then slowly opened the parcel and seemed taken aback-again-at what which was within the contents. It was a shield. A Viking shield.
"And not some replica either…..this one was in a museum and with some super powered sleuthing, we found out that this one…this very one, happened to belong to your father. It took some magic to replace it with a very realistic double….but this was rightfully yours and with you having your castle back home and yet so few artifacts of your past…..this would go well with your display in your vault upstairs." Aurora said. "Or maybe on the wall with your sword at your bar. Either way, its rightfully yours."
He traced the wood of the shield gently, it had been ages since he had last wielded one of these and had seen his father use this very one. There was even still dark stains on it which only meant one thing. It had been hit with splatters of blood from their enemies. "I don't know what to say…."
"A rare occasion to be sure." Sookie joked and went to make a snowball from the layer of snow that had fallen. A couple inches already, she judged. Throwing the little ball of snow playfully, she was pleased to see Aurora joining in the snowball fight- a rather one way fight as he had used the shield to keep the snow at bay. Though he did managed to finally get into the spirit of things and fired off a strong of snowballs himself.
"Come now….open yours." he nodded to the boxes still in their hands. And simultaneously, the two opened the slender velvety boxes. And there came a gasp from both of them as they pulled out intricate braided copper bracelets that had a air of age to them and there was writing that was intricately etched into the bracelet, writing that unless someone had as enhanced sight as they did, would be easily missed. It was clear that both of the bracelets said something different, judging by the shape of the letters but luckily, the two had come to take to learning Swedish.
"Mine says…..'My heart, my soul." Sookie said as she read the faint inscription on hers while Aurora took to looking at hers
"And mine says 'My treasure, the future." she said.
"I didn't really know what else to say….I etched the words myself and the space is far too limited to say what I want. But I think you both know…." he said as he turned to the tree that was literally full of memories on each and ever bough. Even the tallest boughs had the little sculptures and they would, eventually, take to a little flight, a little hovering to take in the rest of the little ornaments they had yet to look at. As it was, however, they stood back as a bright light appeared on a empty bough and there before them, a new ornament had appeared. Depicting the scene they were experiencing now, wonder on all their faces and a miniature version of their magical tree before them. Aurora grinned as the ornament she conjured was taking everyone's attention.
"Wow….I mean….just wow." Sookie said as she took it off the tree and saw just how detailed it was. "You are a fast learner…." she put the newest ornament back on the tree. She walked away from the tree, putting her bracelet on her wrist as her daughter did the same.. Leaning back on the couch, she let the snow fall upon her, the cold not bothering her, enjoying the fact that the snow neither melted nor was making anything else or anyone else wet. "This has been a wonderful Christmas…and this is only the first part….we have the main event in a few days…..do you think you can handle any more Christmas, Eric?" she asked him as he came over to join her on the couch. And in the soft light of the tree, she saw there was almost a childlike wonder on his face and she felt herself melting at the sight. Sure, she knew he would always have the badass side to him, that penchant for wanting to fight and protect. But knowing that she had helped bring out the humanity, the kindness in him that had for so long been buried due to the pain he carried through his long life…well, that in itself was a Christmas gift she would forever be grateful for.
Aurora sat herself in the middle of her unusual family unit. That she had come so far in such short time was due to them, there was no doubt. "Well…..I suppose this has been a good holiday…everyone is safe and sound….happy…."
"Yes….the peace is…..enjoyable. Though there is one thing I have always wondered and unfortunately I can never partake in it…..what is the fascination with fruitcake? It seems to be a running joke for some reason." Eric asked, looking furtive as the others giggled and it was on that note they spent the evening explaining the odder parts of Christmas to him, thankful that they could at least have a peaceful holiday together.
THE END