Rating: PG
Characters/Pairings: Arthur/Gwen
Word count: 515
Summary: Gwen is missing her family during the holidays.
For kbrand5333 12/2/2012
Grinch. Someone is not feeling the holidays. NOT Arthur, that's too easy.
Traditions
Gwen put a vase of Christmas ornaments on the mantle of their new house and then turned to make sure everything was perfect. This will be their first Christmas party in the new house and she wanted it to be memorable. She sighed and decided it was just right. All she had to do now was to wait for the party later that evening.
It was hard for her to get into the spirit of it all. There had been far too much to organize and Arthur was never any help with these things but really that was an excuse.
She never really enjoyed the season after her mother died. Her mother would start planning Christmas as soon as the air started to have a nip in it. Gwen could remember the popcorn and cranberries she had Gwen and Elyan string. They always seemed to eat as much as they strung.
Gwen had managed to keep the traditions going even after her father died. It was important to Elyan that they continue them. He even insisted on stringing popcorn and cranberries every year even though he complained the whole time. This year was different. He was gone now too and it was just not the same.
The timer on the oven went off and she went to the kitchen to get the Christmas cookies out of the oven.
She took the cookies out and put them on the cooling rack. This was the last batch. She looked at them. They were sugar cookies with raisins and walnuts. She and Elyan were the only ones that would touch them. Arthur looked at them suspiciously when she made them for their first Christmas and didn't touch them. She smiled as she remembered Arthur's face.
It was the first time she had smiled all day. She just couldn't get into any of it this year. She was the last of her family and she had no one to share her family traditions with anymore. She just wanted it all to be done and dusted.
"Guinevere!"
"I'm in the kitchen." Gwen called back.
Arthur came in. "I have something for you." He put a shopping bag on the kitchen table.
"Arthur, we aren't supposed to exchange gifts until Christmas morning. You know that. Merlin and Morgana are coming for Christmas breakfast, remember?"
"It's not a gift, really. Just look in the bag." Arthur looked at her expectantly.
Gwen sighed and looked in the bag. "Cranberries and popcorn?"
"To honor Elyan and I think we should keep the traditions of your family going." Arthur smiled. He nodded at the still warm cookies. "I will even try one of those strange cookies."
Gwen started to cry.
"What is it?" Arthur pulled her into his arms.
"I just miss them all." Gwen said.
"I know so do I." Arthur tightened his arms around her. "Let's get the corn popped and you can show me how to do the stringing."
"Thank you." Gwen looked up and gave him a watery smile.
"Christmas is nothing without the traditions." Arthur gave her a soft kiss.