Title: Happy Halloween
Author: homesweethomicide13
Rating: E
Pairing: No major pairing
Warning: None
Disclaimer: You know the deal. I don't own.
Summary: It's Halloween in Deltora…
Author's Note: Alright, this is just a short (very short) one-shot for Halloween. Completely pointless, no real plot, just a quick idea.
Happy Halloween
Lief adjusted his stiff, high collar and checked himself once more in the mirror. He gently patted his slicked back hair and smirked, showing off one of his fake, pointed fangs. He knew his costume was completely unoriginal, but he liked the way the cape hung around him like a curtain of death. He'd even gone as far as painting his face pure white and adding fake blood to the corner of his mouth.
He turned as the door opened and Jasmine fluttered in, her ragged cloak swirling behind her. Her crooked hat slipped down over one eye and she pushed it back up into place with a smile. Jasmine had decided to dress up as a witch, another unoriginal idea sure enough, but it was simple and she liked it. Behind her came three children, a girl and two boys. The two boys were dressed as pumpkins and the girl was a rag doll. These children were Anna, Jarred and Endon, his and Jasmine's three children.
"Are you ready Lief? Everyone is waiting. Oh, and Barda has arrived!" Jasmine smiled again, and Lief nodded, turning and walking towards the door. Together they left the room and made their way to the Great Hall. At the top of the stairs they met Doom and Sharn – Doom appeared to be a werewolf, and Sharn a sorceress. Looking down into the Great Hall, Lief could see their other friends – Marilen, Ranesh and their son Josef dressed as a ghoulish family. Not far from the doors were a collection of spooks, most likely a bunch of palace guards.
But it was the family waiting at the bottom of the stairs that had Lief smiling. Two boys were dressed as skeletons and were currently trying to push each other over. In front of them was another witch and a devil. Leaning over the handrail and grinning up at Anna was a pirate, and behind him – rolling her eyes – was a bat. Lief grinned when he set eyes on the adults watching over them all – one dressed as a corpse, the other dressed as… Jack Skellington.
"Hey, it's Uncle Lief!" One of the skeletons cried, and instantly Lief found himself being attacked by all six children. He fought his way down the stairs, with Jasmine, Sharn and Doom laughing quietly behind him, and his children giggling in front of him. When he reached the bottom, Jack Skellington reached down and easily plucked each of the children off him.
"Thanks Barda." Lief laughed. Barda replied with a grin, and pulled Jay and Joeley away from each other before they could start fighting again. "I love the costumes." He said.
"Yours aren't so bad either." The corpse – Lindal – laughed. "Nice one Doom." She smirked, and Doom rolled his eyes.
"I could think of nothing else, okay?" He then eased into a smile. "I see skeletons are popular in your family." He gestured at Barda, Jay and Joeley, now all caught up in a scuffle. Jay was trying to get to Joeley, and vice versa, and Barda was trying to stop them.
"Well, there is an explanation. We went with a Nightmare Before Christmas theme. Barda is obviously Jack Skellington, and he wanted a Lock, Shock and Barrel trio. Well, Kade is Lock and Divinity Shock, but the terrible twins both wanted to be Barrel…" She glanced over at the skeleton twins. "And thus, they both are."
"Best way to solve an argument, aye?" Jasmine laughed. "It's why Jarred and Endon are both pumpkins." Beside them, Anna and the pirate – Liam – were watching the battle of the skeletons with amusement.
"So, Liam, what possessed you to be a pirate?" Anna giggled, turning their attention away from the scuffle.
"Cause, fair maiden, I have a love for the sea, and the rum." Liam replied with a laugh, trying to sound like a pirate. Mariah walked over and laughed.
"Yeah, like Dad'll let you drink anything." She fiddled with her bat wings as she spoke, trying to make them sit properly on her back.
"He might." Liam insisted. "I am the oldest after all." Jay and Joeley had by now given up trying to kill each other and were quite content playing with Jarred and Endon nearby.
"You're still only like, what? Fourteen?" Mariah raised an eyebrow at him. "I'd have more luck than you."
"Only cause you're daddy's girl." Liam shot back, poking his tongue out at her. Anna, seeing that things could get ugly really quickly, changed the subject.
"So, what's with the fake beard?" She asked, pointing to the black makeup around Liam's mouth.
"He had to use makeup because he couldn't grow a real one!" Jay cracked, popping up beside Liam with a devious smirk on his face. Liam scowled.
"Shut up! You're just jealous because I'll be a man before you!" He replied with a huff.
"Like you'll ever be a man." Mariah laughed, sending a playful wink at Anna, who giggled. "I'm more of a man than you. Whoever heard of a man who could get beat by a woman?" The entire group had been listening to the argument, and it was at this point that the adults began to laugh.
"What?" Liam asked them, slightly surprised. All eyes turned to Barda and Lindal. Barda was standing with head bowed slightly, thankful for the thick white makeup he had on his face. If it wasn't there, everyone would be able to see the faint blush he knew he had acquired.
"That's a good question, Mariah." Lief grinned. "Whoever heard of a man," he pointed at Barda, "who could get beat by a woman?" He pointed at Lindal. "I've never seen anything like it myself." Barda sighed.
"Alright, alright. Joke's over, Lindal can kick my ass now can we move on?" Laughing, they moved off into the dining hall where the great Halloween feast was ready to begin.