Three Christmases

Part One: Christmas in Lucifenia

Author's Note: Well, hi! I felt like writing something Christmas-y and I got the idea of something like this. First I had the idea of "Christmas at Aperture" and I'm like "But why would they be celebrating?" So then I got the idea for this. Actually it was the idea for Part Three, but I digress.

I'm using the names used in the novel/play thing. If you don't know here:

Rin: Rillianne d'Autriche

Len: Allen Abaddonia

Kaito: Kyle Marlon

Miku: Michaela

Teto: Charttetto

Neru: Ney Futapie

Miriam: Mariam Futapie

Luka: Elluka Clockworker

Gumi: Gumillia

Kiyoteru: Keel Freesis

Yuki: Yukina Freesis

That's just who appears in this chapter.

This first part takes place before the war with the Elphegort (Kingdom of Green). Let's get started!

Rillianne was baffled. She had ordered the best tailors in Lucifenia to make her dresses, and she had seen five out of six of them so far. They were pretty, gorgeous actually, but not good enough. She needed to impress everyone. Everyone.

"Milady, how do you like this one?" asked Charttetto, one of the princess's maids.

Rillianne looked in the mirror at the sixth and final gown. She prayed silently that this would be the one. It was evergreen with white lace as trim. She picked up her trademark black fan and began to fan herself with it, as she would from her seat at the head of the Christmas Eve ball. She imagined herself smiling as she swept across the ballroom floor with her betrothed.

"I like it." She commented.

"Is this the gown you wish to wear tonight, Princess Rillianne?" asked Mariam, the Head of Lady's Maids.

"I believe it is."

After the maids placed the other gowns in boxes, to be worn at another occasion, Rillianne dressed. Outside her door, waited Allen Abaddonia, her most trusted and loyal servant.

"I would like to check on the preparations for the ball."

Allen nodded, "Yes, milady, I was going to suggest that." Normally, if someone suggested something to Rillianne, she would ignore their suggestion and question how they could have the audacity to even try to tell her what to do. But, since it was Allen, she didn't care.

"Shall we?" he gestured for her to start walking, and she did. He followed.

The white marble floor of the ballroom had been shined until the princess could see her reflection. She could smell the delightful aroma of food being prepared.

"Whatever they are making smells delicious." She commented.

"Only the best for you, Princess."

"I would hope so."

Rillianne thoroughly inspected her ballroom, tested every cake and pastry, and then double-checked them. Just when she was sure everything would turn out perfect, Allen walked to her side, bowed, and informed her it was time for tea. Rillianne clapped her hands together and smiled, "Good." She headed to the sunroom, which looked out on Lucifenia, and sat down in her chair. Ney, another maid, wheeled in the tea cart. She set down the china.

"Good afternoon, milady." She curtsied. Rillianne nodded, and Ney left the room only to return moments later with another cart carrying the tea itself along with the cakes. Rillianne hoped for chocolate brioche. Allen followed the cart with the menu.

"Today's desert is a berry tart with fruit picked fresh from the fields in the Kingdom of Elphegort. We have a Earl Grey tea to accompany it." Allen read.

Rillianne looked at the tart. No blackberries. She smiled. She hated blackberries.

"Is something wrong, princess?"

"Oh, nothing. Did you get this fruit on your trip to the Elphegort?" she asked.

"Yes. I bought them from Keel Freesis."

"Actually, it was Charttetto's idea. Mr. Freesis was all too obliging. He had two of his maids hand-pick the berries they thought were the freshest. And I dare say they did a great job. Didn't you talk to them, Allen? I was too busy with Yukina, Mr. Freesis' daughter. Have you met her? She's a genius! A prodigy!" Almost everyone in the castle knew that when Ney started talking, no one could stop her.

"I swear, Ney, that mouth of yours will be the death of me!" Allen joked.

Rillianne cleared her throat. "You may leave now."

"Yes, milady." Both servants said at once. Then they turned and left.

"By the way, I heard that Michaela, that maid you were on about ever since the trip, is attending the ball." Ney whispered, but, in typical Ney fashion, the princess was still able to hear.

"I have not been 'on about' her! I just thought she was… um… pretty." Rillianne saw Allen's ears turn a shade of red.

"Yeah, well. Her friend is the apprentice of one of the Three Heroes. So she's coming."

"That's… um… nice." And the door shut, leaving Rillianne out of the conversation. Not that I wanted to know about some peasant. No. I have larger problems.She thought. She looked out the window and down onto the town. All over, people were decorating, carrying large packages, singing. Children were laughing, staring into the windows of toy shops. Merchants yelled out the prices of their wares and shoppers yelled back what they wanted. Christmas was only a day away. Rillianne sighed, diverted her attention to the fire in her little woodstove, and began to cut into her tart.

…

"Elluka Clockworker, court sorceress of Lucifenia, and her apprentice Gumillia." The announcer shouted. Rillianne stood and watched from the balcony as people milled about the ballroom. She had yet to locate Kyle Marlon.

"Friend of Gumillia, Michaela of Elphegort." Rillianne looked down at the door. A girl with long light green hair walked up to Elluka's apprentice. Allen, who came to the ball at the princess' request, slowly walked up to Michaela. Oh. So that's what Ney was talking about.

Rillianne looked back to the door and saw that one of Kyle's sisters was being announced. Then she saw Kyle, and almost ran down the large staircase to greet him. She restrained herself, though, and stayed poised at the top of the steps.

Soon enough, the doors were shut and the announcer proclaimed in his booming voice, "Princess Rillianne of Lucifenia".

This was her cue to start her descent. The announcer continued to introduce her, but Rillianne focused on not falling down the stairs. This had happened to her once before, about a year ago, and though everyone assured her that no one cared, she vowed to never let it happen again. She reached her seat at the far end of the ballroom and stood in front of it.

"Hello, everyone. I'd like to personally thank each and every one of you for making the journey to Lucifenia for my humble celebration." Rillianne's words seemed gracious, and her smile seemed genuinely warm. The look in her eyes, however, glowed with their usual controlled fury. Needless to say, Rillianne d'Autriche was as much of a tyrant as she was a great actress. She continued her speech and then wished, more commanded, that everyone would have a good time.

Then the festivities began. The musicians began to play a medium-tempo waltz, and couples swirled across the floor. One two three, one two three, one two three, Rillianne counted in her head. And she began to sway along.

She spotted Allen and Charttetto talking to the green-haired girl and Elluka's apprentice. Charttetto was waving her arms wildly, indicating to Rillianne that she was telling a story. Allen just stared at the girl. What was her name?

"Michaela." She whispered. It wasn't like she needed to remember it.

"Princess, I hope you don't plan to just stand and watch your own ball." Commented a familiar voice.

"Kyle?"

"Ah. Yes." Rillianne turned to face him. Kyle Marlon had the same twisted grin that he always carried on his face. The sight of it made the princess' face grow warm. "Would you like to dance?"

She almost screamed, "Of course", but then she regained her composure and answered in a more ladylike manner, "I would love to."

Kyle took her hand and led her to the floor. They moved in time with the music and each other, even in spite of the major height difference between the two. Rillianne could barely contain her joy.

After that song, Rillianne thought it would be the right time to ask, "Did you receive my offer?"

Kyle looked down at the end of her gown. "Ah, well, about that… I can't. I'm in love with someone else."

Rillianne's world came crashing down. She had planned to scream out, "What!" but instead the word came out in a quiet, trembling voice.

"Is there anything more to explain? I apologize, but I cannot marry you, Rillianne." But, the princess did not hear the last sentence, as she was running out of the room and out onto the outside balcony.

She passed Allen and Charttetto, who followed her. The two servants found her sobbing, and wide-eyed, her breathing uneven. She shivered in the December air.

"Would you like a blanket, milady?" the maid asked.

"What do you think, Charttetto!" Rillianne yelled.

"I'm sorry, milady."

"What's wrong?" Allen asked, sitting next to the weeping girl. He mouthed, "Just go." To Charttetto.

"What should I tell everyone?" she whispered back.

"I don't know. Think of something." Charttetto nodded and sprinted back into the ballroom.

"Remember when I sent the marriage proposal to the Kingdom of Marlon a month ago?"

"Yes. Did the prince say no?" Rillianne nodded and sniffed. "Oh, Princess, don't worry. He probably thinks you're just a bit too immature."

"Immature? Did you just suggest that I'mimmature? I've run this kingdom, this country, since I was nine and you have the nerve to call me immature!"

"Uh… I wasn't saying that you areimmature. I was saying that Prince Kyle probably thinks you are. He doesn't know the real you. He doesn't know the strong princess that makes sure that everybody in Lucifenia is fed, warm, and safe." It should be mentioned that Allen Abaddonia was as good at lying as Rillianne was. But he hardly ever lied. Only when something important was at stake. And, to Allen, the princess was very important.

"So now what?" the princess asked.

"We just have to wait a year or two. I'm sure the prince will come around."

Rillianne smiled. "Now, Princess, how about you rejoin the ball."

"Alright."

And she did. Rillianne distanced herself from the prince. She talked to her guests. She praised Keel Freesis for the berries she had in her tart.

"Oh I didn't do anything," Keel swayed, he had obviously had too much wine, "I have two lovely ladies that do all the work. They're my best workers. One's here, I believe. Michaela. Where is she?" Rillianne, along with Keel, searched for the green-haired girl. When the princess found her, talking with Prince Kyle, she restrained her anger and just pointed her out. It's just talking. Besides, she's a commoner. What could he want with her?Then she saw Michaela laugh and Kyle took her hand and led her out onto the dance floor.

"Oh. I see she's busy." Keel said.

Her eyes still on Michaela, Rillianne changed the subject, "I've heard about your daughter. She writes stories, correct?" And Keel smiled and told the princess all about Yukina's stories. Michaela and Kyle danced for three songs until Michaela was called over by her friend, the apprentice, and she said she had to go. Then Kyle bent down and kissed her hand, and the girl blushed and ran away. Rillianne shook with rage.

"Are you alright, Princess?" Keel asked.

"Yes. I am fine."

"Oh. Okay. Anyway, so the governess says Yukina is really bad at mathematics but her stories are so good that…" Rillianne tuned Keel out and let her blood boil silently.

…

All of the servants in the castle were asleep. Almost everyone in the kingdom was asleep. Children were in anticipation of tomorrow, Christmas Day. Princess Rillianne should have been asleep.

Instead, she called all of her councilors to a meeting. She sat in her chair, fists clenched in the green silk of her ball gown.

"Princess, are you suggesting we go to war with the Kingdom of Elphegort? Over what?"

"That's not important. Just go and fight and win."

"But, m'am, we're just recovering from a famine. We are in no condition to attack Elphegort."

"I don't care."

"I think you're blinded with rage, Princess."

"Blinded? I hardly think so. I just want that Michaela girl dead."

"We can't just march in there and take away a citizen of another kingdom. That's mad!"

"Fine! Then just kill every single woman, Elphegort, Lucifenia, wherever, who has green hair. That's it, okay? Leave at dawn. Meeting adjourned."

The councilors exchanged worried looks and stood as the princess left. Rillianne wanted to smile, but she couldn't. She knew this would only end well. But she didn't care.

Why should she care? She ran this kingdom. She could do whatever she wanted.

A/N:Okay, not very Christmas-y I know, but it will get more so as it continues.

There will be three.

Please review! I'll love you forever if you do!