The Holidays
Well, in all honesty this will only be a short series that I'm writing for Blue Orbi Angel's holiday challenge. For those who don't know what it is let me say this: write a 5-15 chapter story 500-1500 words in each chapter. Oh, and I'm not counting the little bit I write at the beginning and end of each chapter. So this is about the members of the Dawn Brigade after the war with the goddess. Enjoy!
Glistening flakes of white powder floated down onto the shattered cobble stones of the streets of Nevassa. Homes lay in utter disrepair and some people were without the proper attire for the frigid season of winter. However, despite the dreary setting and poor status of the country of Daein, the people in the streets were in an almost jocular mood and for good reasons too. Christmas was fast approaching and all worldly woes could be laid to rest for at least a few days. It was none other then the tireless members of the Dawn Brigade that were at the head of all the cheer. They spent hours on end each day aiding the poor, repairing damaged homes and simply talking to people.
The darkening sky signaled the end of the day and all people began to return to their own homes. The Dawn Brigade wearily made their way to the Daein Keep which served as their base of operations. They had a small conference room to themselves as well as their own private quarters in the keep. Their meeting place was rather lavishly furnished, by Daein standards. There was a large bookshelf against one wall; an oak table in the middle; numerous large leather chairs scattered about the room and a large fire place. Edward was the first to enter the room, flinging the door open noisily and stumbling into the darkness. The others followed behind in a more controlled manner. Nolan immediately set to the task of starting a fire while Sothe went about the room lighting candles to light the room.
"Oh man, I'm beat," the usually chipper Edward sighed as he collapsed into a chair. "Christmas is only a few days off and we haven't done anything for ourselves. I haven't even got any of you guys' gifts yet. If we don't take some time for ourselves, this is going to be a really sad holiday."
"Edward, the point of Christmas is to bring joy to others," Micaiah added with a smile, walking to her own chair and sitting down. "It's all right with me if I don't even get gifts from any of you because I'm spending my time helping people in need."
"Yeah, well I still think it would suck without presents," Edward pouted.
"You're such a child," Sothe muttered under his breath as he walked past the swordsman.
Edward spun about in his chair, prepared to fire back an insult of his own about how Sothe dressed. However, he felt a hand tug at his shoulder and he turned to see who it was. Edward found himself looking into a pair of large brown eyes and a kind smile. The anger that had built in him at Sothe's comment faded instantly, he never could be mad around Laura. Edward grinned and pulled her down onto the chair with him, much to Laura's embarrassment. Her face began to turn a brilliant shade of crimson as Micaiah started to giggle at the couple.
"Get a room you two," Leonardo sighed rolling his eyes.
"We have one, now you go find your own," Edward shot back at his best friend.
"Laura, you do realize that you are a member of the church and that such acts are not befitting of someone of your position?" Aran asked his childhood friend and.
"We killed the goddess, so that's the end of that religion," Nolan spoke up from where he sat reading his book.
"Still, it's unbecoming of any young girl," Aran sighed shaking his head. "Well, I'm tired so good night all of you. I shall see you in the morning."
With that said, Aran excused himself from the room. All went quiet except for the crackling of the fire and the occasional noise of Nolan turning a page. Laura shifted on Edward's lap in order to get into a more comfortable position. She settled with her head resting against his shoulder and slightly under his chin with her legs propped up on the armrest opposite her side of the chair. Edward wrapped his arms around Laura and both of them closed their eyes. Micaiah smiled at the couple and thought of her own love, Ike. She deeply whished that he would at least visit her on Christmas, that would make her unspeakably happy. Of course Micaiah would never admit that was the gift she wanted to anyone, but most people had figured out about their relationship during the fight against the Goddess Ashera. She sat in her chair reminiscing in fond memories of the past.
Leonardo leaned back into the vastness of the cushioning of the chair he sat in. He continued to rotate and try to work his way further into the chair's back. Unsatisfied with the comfort of his position, Leonardo began shifting about restlessly. He soon returned to trying to bury himself in the back of the chair once more. Nolan looked up to watch the rather unusual scene before him before averting his gaze back to his book. He listened as Leonardo continued to struggle with the chair.
"You know, if you go any further you'll actually be inside with the stuffing?" Nolan finally commented as he turned another page in his book. "What exactly are you trying to do anyways?"
"Do you actually care to hear?" Leonardo asked wondering if the older man teasing him or being serious.
"No, but go ahead and tell me anyways," Nolan spoke flatly as his eyes continued to follow the lines of text on the page.
"I'm just so bored," the archer sighed. "And it doesn't help that my best friend hasn't spent a lot of time with me either. Edward has gotten kind of boring since he's been with Laura."
"Sounds to me like your jealous," the older man spoke in a very matter of fact tone. "Why don't you go find your own significant other so you'll have someone to spend time with? It's better then sitting around sulking or complaining to me. Oh, and next time watch what you say around others. Edward and Laura may have fallen asleep, but you never know when one of them might wake up and hear what you say. Just throwing that out there," Nolan added turning another page in his book.
Leonardo, let out a heavy sigh before he too left to go to bed. Sothe turned his to look at the door as it closed. He pushed himself off of the wall he had been leaning against and made his way over to the windows on the opposite side of the room. Micaiah watched Sothe curiously as he passed by her. He leaned against the stone wall next to the window, crossed his arms and watched the falling snow outside. Micaiah snapped her head back around at the sound of the door opening. In walked Pelleas with a roll of parchment rolled up neatly and tied with a string in one hand. Laura shifted in Edward's lap at the sudden noise, but both of them remained asleep.
"Hello Pelleas, what brings you here?" Micaiah asked the blue haired magician.
"He still hasn't abdicated the throne, so technically he's still 'King Pelleas' but I digress," Nolan said suddenly never taking his eyes off of the text on the page. "Still, what does bring you here?"
"Oh, that well I bring orders for the Dawn Brigade," Pelleas stammered unrolling the parchment he had with him. "I, Pelleas King of Daein, hereby give leave to the members of the Dawn Brigade from further efforts in the reconstruction process. This leave shall be a time span of five days beginning tomorrow."
"Wow, that's it?" Sothe asked turning away from the window. "You went and wrote all that down on a piece of paper, made a huge scene and delivered the message like it was important. All you did was give us a few days off. You could have just said that from the beginning."
"Yes, well, I'm sorry," Pelleas stammered slowly retreating towards the door. "Good night."
Pelleas slipped back out of the room and Sothe returned to looking out of the window. Micaiah leaned back into her chair and let out a tired sigh. Nolan turned to look at what had disrupted him, seeing that it was nothing he returned to reading.
"It looks like Edward is going to get the Christmas he wanted," Sothe said without turning away from the falling snow just beyond the glass.
"You're absolutely right," Nolan added closing his book and standing up to return it to its proper place on the bookshelf. "We had all better get some rest if we want to keep up with the lad."
All were in agreement on that. Nolan and Sothe left the room without another word, but Micaiah hung back a while longer. She left and returned with a blanket which she draped over the sleeping Edward and Laura. Satisfied that her friends would be warm, Micaiah left to go her won room and get some sleep.
That was cutting it really close. There are 1500 words in all, I counted, so it meets the requirements (that doesn't include the things I write before the chapter and after or the title for that matter). Well, what'd you guys think of it? Not too sure what I'm going to do with this one and I'm making it up as I go along. Blue Orbi Angel, I expect a review from you because I am writing for your challenge after all. Oh, and for anyone reading my other story it might take a bit of time to update. I lost my notebook with that story in it (view my profile if you don't understand what I mean). Rate and review please.