"Where is the garland?" Corinne asked, looking at the large ballroom "Did they deliver the garland?"
"Nope." Renee answered, dropping a large stack of giant red bows onto the floor "They forgot the garland."
"How on earth do you forget garland on Christmas Eve!?" Corinne shook her head "We have only a few ours to decorate this room and they don't deliver the most important part."
"Maybe we can make do without it." Viveca said, sitting down a box of balls "I mean, we have to do something with the balcony railing."
Well, as you guess, it was Christmas Eve and the girls were busy decorating the ballroom for the annual Christmas Eve Ball.
They had pretty much finished... except for the garland... which put a damper on where to put the bows and finishing balls.
Corinne frowned "It won't look right without..."
"I'm here!" Aramina called as she ran into the room, green garland draping from her arms and encircling her whole body.
"Oh! You found some!" Corinne smiled "Thank you!"
"Yeah." Aramina dropped the pile on the floor "I raided the Inn. Told them it was a national emergency and it would be returned before the New Year."
Viveca laughed "I take it Monsieur Ganze' wasn't too happy."
"No, he wasn't." Aramina shrugged as she stepped out of the pile of garland "But he can't argue with a musketeer." she shook a snagging piece off her foot then sighed approvingly.
"Don't you think that's taking advantage of our position?" Corinne scolded, although by the way she was smiling they all know she'd have done it too.
"Oh pish-posh." the red head said with a fake british accent "It's Christmas after all, is it not?"
"Yes it is. Now let's get to decorating!" Renee said, clapping her hands for emphasis "The ball is tonight!"
~*~*~*Mistletoe Mayhem*~*~*~
"Well, that just about does it." Corinne said, nailing the final strand of garland over a doorway.
"Just about." Aramina agreed with a nod "Just need one more touch."
Corinne raised an eyebrow "What?"
Aramina grinned then reached into her pocket and pulled out a leafy little sprig that had small berries and a little bell connected to it.
"Aramina..." Corinne groaned "No! No mistletoe!"
"Oh why not?" Aramina argued, securing the little branch above the doorway "It's such a delight to watch the glowing faces of couples that get caught under it!"
"Glowing? More like embarrassed!" Corinne shook her head "Take it down."
"No! I want it to stay!"
"Take it down."
"This is my holiday too you know!"
"Take it down."
Aramina crossed her arms "Fine. We'll ask permission."
Corinne quirked an eyebrow "What?"
Aramina shrugged then shouted "Your Majesty!"
"Aramina!" Corinne clamped a hand over the red head's mouth "Don't call him! He's busy!"
"Oh, well fine." with that she stomped off.
Corinne shook her head and looked up at the mistletoe above her "Romantics." she was about to reach up to take it down when Louis stepped into the room.
"Did someone call?" he asked.
Corinne stared at him "Um... no." she forced herself not to look at the plant that was right over top of them "I don't think so... well yes. Aramina did. But everything's sorted out now. No worries."
He nodded and smiled "Alright. Then I guess I'll get back to work. I have a lot to finish before the ball tonight." he shook his head "If it wasn't such an anticipated tradition for the town, I'd just cancel the thing."
She smiled slightly and locked her hands together behind her back "Ye-ah..."
He sent her one last smile "See you later." then he walked off.
Corinne let out deep breath and immediately grabbed the mistletoe "Come down, come down, come down." she muttered as she pulled it from it's place.
She had no sooner gotten it lose than she felt a hand touch her back. She spun around and the next thing she knew, she was being kissed.
What seemed like an eternity later, he finally took a small step back and looked down at her.
She was staring at him wide eyed, her hand still slightly raised holding the mistletoe.
He smiled ever so slightly "Sorry." he nodded at the plant "Mistletoe. I didn't have a choice."
"Uh-huh." She nodded slowly, still slightly dazed.
He turned and hurried down the hall, not even attempting to keep the grin off his face.
Corinne finally released the breath she'd been holding "Uh..." she shook her head and blinked several times then looked over at the twig in her hand "Okaaaay."
~*~*~*Mistletoe Mayhem*~*~*~
"Oh, we outdid ourselves!" Aramina said happily "The place looks beautiful!"
"It does look good." Renee agreed.
Since the sun had set, the ballroom was lit in a warm glow from the candles and the chandelier.
Red beads were strung from the chandelier to the walls, then draped down to the floor. The curtains around the room were Red and Green. The smell of chocolate was heavy in the air.
In one corner of the room an enormous Christmas tree was all decorated, the underside overflowing with presents that would be taken to the local orphanage in the morning.
Sprigs of holly accented the candelabras and the tables were covered in christmasy clothes with beautiful lace over top.
Paper snowflakes hung from the ceiling and were stuck to the windows.
"We outdid ourselves." Viveca said, smoothing out her deep purple Christmas dress.
"I have to agree." Corinne smiled, pushing her blond curls over her shoulder "And I still can't believe I let out talk me into this... make over."
"She did it to all of us." Renee groaned "She's got the power of persuasion, that's for sure."
All the girls were wearing new dresses that Viveca had made just for Christmas. Renee's was a dark midnight blue with silver stars creating swirling patterns across the skirt. Aramina's was dark green with candy cane designs. Viveca's was a deep purple with bows holding draping accents and Corinne's was bright red with sparkles creating snowflakes.
Aramina sighed happily then turned to Corinne "By the way, thanks."
"For what?" Corinne asked confused.
"For leaving the mistletoe up." Aramina answered "It really means a lot to me. I honestly thought you were going to take it down."
Corinne's face turned ever so slightly red "No problem."
Louis made an appearance just then and greeted the crowd then commended them on their donations to the orphans "I believe I can say without any doubt that I am the luckiest king alive to be able to rule a kingdom like France. Merry Christmas!" then he nodded at the musicians and they began to play some Christmas carols and people began to dance.
Aramina, Viveca nnd Renee were soon swept away into the dance and Corinne slipped over to the desert table and popped a piece of chocolate into her mouth.
"Excuse me," Louis said, stepping up behind her "May I have the honor?"
Corinne glanced down at the floor "Uh... sure." then she placed her hand in his and was led out to the dance floor.
They danced for several minutes in silence, neither one knowing exactly what to say.
Louis cleared his throat "Um... Corinne?"
"Hm?"
"I... guess I should... apologize." he glanced around "About earlier... the mistletoe."
Her face flushed and she smiled "It's fine."
He shook his head "No really. I shouldn't have... I should have at least asked first or..."
"Louis." she interrupted "You didn't do anything wrong."
He looked down at her "I didn't?"
She shook her head and shrugged "Aramina calls it 'Mistletoe Magic'." she glanced over at the doorway that the mistletoe hung in once again, a couple was standing beneath it, seemingly nervous about being caught beneath the plant "I call it 'Mayhem'." she laughed softly "But it's not a problem, really. So don't worry about it."
He smiled "Good." then he looked around "Well, at least we don't have to worry about any Mistletoe Mayhem out here in the middle of the dance floor, right?"
"Don't be so sure!" Aramina said in a sing-song voice as the music stopped "Look up you two!" then she started pulling on a string that was in her hand.
Louis and Corinne very slowly looked up as the small jingling of bells sounded above their heads.
Directly above them, hanging from the chandelier, was a rather large branch of mistletoe.
Corinne's face heated up so fast that for a split second she thought she might pass out. She didn't have to look at Louis to know his face was as red, if not redder than hers.
"Oops." Louis mumbled "I did not see that one coming."
Corinne laughed quietly "Neither did I."
He looked down at her and smiled "And it strikes again."
"Yes, except this time everyone's watching." she whispered.
It was true. Everyone in the ballroom was staring at the two in the center of the floor.
"So what if they are?" Louis responded "I don't care who sees or knows how I feel about you." he took her hands in his "I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have you in my life, Corinne. You make my lift worth living. In fact..." She stared at him as he dropped down to one knee "Corinne D'artagnon, will you marry me?"
"What?" She breathed. She couldn't believe it. Was she actually hearing those words?.. from him?
"Will you marry me?" he repeated "Be my wife. My queen... my Mistletoe Mayhem."
She wasn't aware she had tears in her eyes as she laughed softly "Without the 'mayhem', right?"
He shook his head "What's life without a little bit of havoc? It's one of the things that I love the most about you. You're so free and determined and... trouble follows you wherever you go." he took a deep breath "I love you, Corinne D'artagnon. With all of my heart. Will you marry me?"
She shook her head slowly "Louis I... I have to say..." she looked around at all the anxious faces watching her before she returned her gaze to the man kneeling before her "Yes." she laughed "Yes!"
He stood back to his feet and for the second time that day, she found herself being kissed.
A loud cheer went up from the crowd and people up on the balconies began to throw snowflake-shaped confetti into the air where it floated down around the young couple below.
Louis smiled down at her and brushed an errant curl from her face "Merry Christmas, my Mistletoe Mayhem.."
She laughed and shook her head before she smiled up at him "Merry Christmas, Your Majesty."
He laughed and scooped her off her feet and spun her around as silver snowflakes continued to fall around them.
And it was definitely the most Merry Christmas of all... that is, until next year of course
THE END!
(Okay, I figured you guyz deserved something so here it is! I hope you liked! I will try to update ALL of my stories soon! (including Trials of Love)
Merry Christmas all Everybodiez!
Laterz!)