Um… I wrote it 'cause it's that time of the year again, and I felt like being fair to the two main, huge religions that exist in my old high school. Couple of my old teachers helped me out, so I hafta thank them. Which I think I just did. I don't own DK, and the only reason that there is Kai-Stern/ Alfeegi is partly because when my sister and I read over DK fics then discus the use of the characters, we keep thinking that Alfeegi doesn't eat meat, like our cousins, and partially me. I just don't eat lamb or fish, but… yeah. That, and I think that if anyone would have a great amount of understanding to them, it would be Kai-Stern. Lime.
Spanning December
Kai-Stern fidgeted just as badly as Rath did at the table. He hated dressing up for "get-togethers" around the castle. He normally came in something clean, rather than a full-blown "dress up" like he was now. But this was different. It was Christmas, and that was a cause for extreme formal. And right now, they were waiting for Christmas dinner to be served. Looking around, he noticed that he wasn't the only one that waited impatiently. Rath – who was mentioned before – was fiddling with the forks that sat by the plate in front of him; Ruwalk was too enraptured with twirling his hair; Zoma was bouncing up and down in his seat; and Lykouleon was drumming his fingers on the table. Meanwhile, Kai-Stern was contenting himself with rubbernecking the decorated great-hall with it's many lights and trees in the corners, covered with ornaments and pulling at his over-starched collar.
He noticed that Tetheus was even having problems sitting still, as his eyes kept drooping closed from time to time, and his shoulders – normally strait and tense – were now slumped and forward. Raseleane kept licking her lips discreetly, and glancing at the door. Alfeegi seemed to be the only well mannered and patient of them all. He sat there; shoulders back and up; back – board-like; eyes staring into the candles; hands clasped quietly on the edge of the table. He hardly seemed to breathe. Kai-Stern couldn't stop staring at him – so statue like it was scary.
Finally, the kitchen staff barged out of the double doors that lead to the ovens, and brought out trolley after trolley of delicious delicacies. Sweet meats glazed with honey and maple syrup; cakes so rich and dark you swear that they could be a dream; platter upon platter of vegetables; boats by the fleet of gravy; huge bowls of potatoes, filled with the fluffy white starch that could be a meal in itself; baskets overflowing with muffins, rolls, and bread sticks; turkeys the size of footlockers; stuffing brandished with cranberry sauce; and wines of every flavor, year, and hue graced the many goblets of the huge Dragon family; jams and butter littered what little space was left over. Yes indeed – it was a Christmas feast that would span well into morning. All the food was presented, and the kitchen workers took their seats. Lykouleon-sama rose to say grace, but they fell on deaf ears as Kai-Stern couldn't take his yellow orbs off the wondrous spread before him. Finally, he heard almost everyone's voice in the hall ring out "Amen."
"Amen." He muttered before diving into the ham and turkey and filling his plate. Several minutes later, talk and clatter died down as each mouth filled with the amazing dinner. Zoma, Rath, Thatz, and Ruwalk joined Kai-Stern in wolfing down everything that came within reach of their thin, quick fingers. Tetheus and Rune, as well as the kitchen staff and the royal couple ate much slower, as well as the three girls that had become a constant at the castle. Though Kitchel ate a little faster than Cesia and Tintlet were, yet much slower than the boy sitting next to her was.
Alfeegi, once again, was the odd man out. He took some of the vegetables, the potatoes (with out gravy), bread, and some turkey. He also ate slowly; napkin in lap; head low; one hand in his lap while the other daintily held his fork with the smallest bites possible. Kai-Stern paused in his scarifying as he caught sight of this. True, Alfeegi was always "right and proper", but this was Christmas! There was no need for manners to that extent. He'd seen politicians with overburdening manners, but not even they ate like a bird!
After one plate of main dish, Alfeegi had a sliver of pumpkin pie, and excused himself from the table. Everyone else was on their fourth or fifth plate of main course, and hadn't even started on the desert. Perplexed, Kai-Stern followed him out of the hall, and to Alfeegi's room. Alfeegi closed the door, and Kai-Stern pressed his ear up to it. He heard the ruffle of clothes, the opening and closing of drawers, and the hard thunk of something metal being put down on a table. After ten minutes, the wondrous smell of cooking food wafted through the door. Then he heard soft singing, and clapping. What on earth could Alfeegi possibly be doing by himself in his room!
He rapped softly on the door, and heard the song falter and die, as well as a hurried shuffling. The door opened to a red faced, sweaty Alfeegi; hair mussed. His wide copper eyes couldn't help show his anger and surprised at being interrupted.
"Hey, dinner's downstairs, why did you leave? It's just starting! We're doing gifts afterwards too and the Yule log and all the normal Christmas stuff. Wanna join or what?"
"Or what is exactly what I'm doing, and what I will continue to do. Thank you for your concern though Kai-Stern, but if you wish to enjoy Christmas, then you do so. I, meanwhile, will do as I wish to this night."
"Why, what are you doing?"
"Um… well. Celebrating, if you must know. I do that too."
"Celebrating what?" Alfeegi bit his lip and looked around.
"Hanukah. If you must know." He said quietly, hoping that Kai-Stern wouldn't laugh. Kai-Stern was silent. Was Alfeegi embarrassed? Or was he just so used to people not knowing that he wasn't sure if Kai-Stern would make a big thing about it?
"So? With a closed door? And why the glances?" Alfeegi stared at him.
"You mean that you won't run around screaming and laughing that I don't celebrate Christmas?"
"No, why would I?"
"Well, I live right in the middle of a completely Christmas oriented castle, and I'm the only one that doesn't celebrate it."
"And? It doesn't matter. If you want to do that instead, that's cool. Lykouleon-sama doesn't mind, hence why there are demons in the castle. If he sees now problem in other ideas, then why should I? I'm not going to stop you." Alfeegi smiled smally at him with thanks. But that was enough for Kai-Stern, he had found out what Alfeegi was doing, and had complimented the hard working Officer, no harm done, right? Alfeegi steeped to the side.
"Would you like a potato cake? They're still hot."
"Why, yes. I'd like that very much. Thank you."
Golden Fang
Kai-Stern began to learn all that he could about Hanukah over the next ten months. After the first night, Kai-Stern did not come back to Alfeegi's room, confused and contented, until Hanukah was over. Then they went to being professional Officers as though Hanukah had never happened. But Kai-Stern learned, and practiced. Though the celebration had been small, it had been enjoyable. Kai-Stern found himself thinking over that one hour he had spent before returning to the party downstairs, and wishing that he had spent more time.
So now, he learned as much as he could so that he could enjoy Hanukah the way it was meant to be. As time wore on, he found that much of the celebrating was wrapped around traditions and miracles. Of a candle of oil that burned for eight days rather than one; of the destruction of a temple; of an ancient language long forgotten to the dragon tribe; of the message that those that were faithful were not forgotten. Its roots were taken into tradition, and kept that way.
He also found out quite a bit about his own day of family and food… it was just that. The tree and the holly were only because it was winter, so the homes would have been closed up and stuffy. In old times, people would bring in greenery to liven up the house and that turned into a common Christmas item. Icicles on the tree were because the rooms would take some time to warm up, and the ice that were on the branches that were just brought in would take some time to melt. The food was just what had been around in the snow; dumb turkeys that couldn't fly, and domesticated pigs in the sty. So many more traditions, but hardly any of them meant anything.
The basic one that many remembered was of the gifts. There were three men that gave gifts to the child in the manger, and that idea had been carried into today. But the majority had been lost or replaced. He was starting to see the difference of the two, and the similarities.
Golden Fang
The year went by faster than Kai-Stern had hoped. Next thing he knew, he was knocking on Alfeegi's door, a smile on his face. Once the supple wooden barrier opened, Kai-Stern couldn't help but laugh at the look of surprise on Alfeegi's face. At times, the White Officer could be the source of entertainment. This was one of those times.
"Happy Hanukah!" Kai-Stern practically shouted, just before Alfeegi stuffed a potato cake into his mouth to shut him up.
"Quiet you! You want the whole castle to know!"
"Why not?"
"Well, I might lose their respect because I'm different from the rest of you."
"I don't care."
"Yes, but others might."
"Or maybe they won't, you don't know until you ask."
"That's true, but if I ask, and they dislike me, then I'm screwed. So, it's either be open but hated, or closed and no one cares." Alfeegi was looking at his feet.
"You seem to know a bit about that then?"
"Yes." The silence was only interrupted by the sound of Alfeegi stepping aside to allow Kai-Stern access to his room. Kai-Stern saw the preparations for the celebration; the candles lying hap-hazardly around the desk, the menorah sitting dusty on a shelf that it has occupied for the last year, and the food currently being fried in oil.
"Why?" Kai-Stern finally broke the unease by the question. Alfeegi was quiet, and stared at the ground for a moment. Then he sat on the edge of his bed, and motioned for Kai-Stern to sit down. After another moment of silence, Alfeegi cleared his throat.
"Before becoming a Dragon, I was the only one on the block that didn't have a Christmas tree, or put up some kind of decoration outside; an angle made of straw, or a reindeer with a red nose. So one year, my neighbor came over to ask me why, and I was in the middle of having one of my cousins over for the holidays. I hadn't seen him in years, and he just happened to come by the month before, so I asked him to stay.
"My neighbor found us in the middle of lighting the third candle, and from that point on, the whole block refused to speak to me. I tried, but I tended to get the cold shoulder. I got egged once, so I quit. Then, a few years after, my cousin came over for Hanukah again, and he was bared from entering the street. My house was wrecked the next day, while I was gone at the market. The year after that, I came to the castle, and found that I was the only one that celebrated Hanukah, so I kept quiet. I didn't know how you would react, so I just did my own thing."
Kai-Stern couldn't find anything to say after that. The air was heavy with the truth of discrimination. After a moment, Alfeegi stood, and turned the cakes over, as well as put a new batch of oil in to heat up. They ate in silence. Not the kind that weighed heavily on the heart, but the thoughtfulness kind that comes when one has a mouth full of food.
"Well, now that you know that at least one of us isn't a lowdown dirt bag with an egg." Kai-Stern couldn't help but add something that brought a small smile to Alfeegi's face at the end. Kai-Stern started to set up the candles. Pulling out a lighter, he picked up the helper candle, only to find Alfeegi's fingers stopping his own.
"I don't use a lighter." He chuckled, pulling out a matchbox.
Shrugging, Kai-Stern put his lighter away for the next eight days.
Golden Fang
The years past quickly; five, ten, fourteen. Every year, Kai-Stern and Alfeegi quietly – privately – celebrated Hanukah. And each year, Kai-Stern found himself learning more and more. Not just about the Jewish life style, but about Alfeegi himself. The normally hotheaded accountant was actually rather shy. Preferring to stay in the back corner, and only becoming bold when duty takes over. He also loved to sing, and would often write songs for no one to hear, and no one to sing. (Kai-Stern had to admit, even though Alfeegi hated to have other people see/hear his work, Kai-Stern loved to read them, and could hear Alfeegi in his head.)
More and more time was spent between the two with the other. They could normally be found out on the grounds during the summer and the spring, lunch and a debate being held… sometimes the debate would be hotter than the food, and draw a crowd. But more often than not, they would be somewhere quiet. No sound would be heard, save for the occasional asking to pass the salt, and the crunch of crackers or other hard food.
But now, it was the fifteenth Hanukah that they were going to spend together. He had come every year from the time he had done his research, until now. It was two days until the beginning of Hanukah, and the beginning of Christmas; they just happened to start on the same day this year. Kai-Stern was down in town, doing some last minute shopping along with the rest of the shopping rats that littered and bustled up and down the street. He had done most of his holiday shopping for the Christmas side of the castle, though he was still needing one for Lykouleon-sama, and for Tetheus. They were the hardest ones to shop for, so he normally looked for the whole month and found something the last few days that was perfect… after all, Tetheus was a military buff; and Lykouleon-sama had a wife, what more could he need?
He had managed to find them something, but now he needed to find something more. Something for Alfeegi. Though it was traditional to give children eight gifts for Hanukah, (one for each day) it was their tradition to give each a gag-gift, and one that actually has meaning. He had his gag, (invisible ink that was unmarked so he would use it for reports) and now he was walking up and down for the third time looking for something meaningful. Starting on his fourth time up, he stopped and noticed a small, off-the-main store that was brightly lit and open-doored.
Stepping into the warm, empty store, he noticed the old woman behind the counter. Smiling, he stepped up to see what she was selling… his eyes landed on the one she pointed at, and widened to the size of half dollars. It was perfect.
Golden Fang
Day one of Hanukah arrived with a bang. Quite literary. Kai-Stern and Alfeegi had gone down to the Christmas dinner like always. Because Kai-Stern celebrated both Hanukah and Christmas, he would spend a great amount of time at both, doing whatever comes to mind. This time, it was to give Zoma a small before dinner gift… crackers. The small ones that when you pull both ends they make a loud racquet and out pops a paper hat and a riddle or a mind puzzle. Everyone got one of the crackers from Zoma, who got them from Kai-Stern, who got them from… well, the list goes on and on.
Alfeegi waited as patiently as ever; sitting quietly with folded hands and rapt interest in a candle. Meanwhile, Kai-Stern and the rest had grown restless and rowdy over the last few years – running and playing around with the Knights and some of the younger Dragon Fighters as they waited for dinner, rather than waiting at the table impatiently.
Finally dinner was served, and everyone but Alfeegi chowed down. Kai-Stern ate heartily, finding a perfect balance over the last few years of how much to eat at both dinners without looking like something was wrong. Alfeegi still ate like a bird; but, he had always done that, so no one cared. After some time, Kai-Stern shot Alfeegi a glance, which Alfeegi caught, and nodded. Soon after, Alfeegi excused himself from the table, Kai-Stern following shortly.
That night, Kai-Stern gave Alfeegi the ink, which resulted in a hoarse voice the next day. They had their own fun, and Kai-Stern repaid Alfeegi a favor. The White Officer had introduced the Blue one to Hanukah, so the Blue Dragon decided to teach the White Dragon how to act around the Christmas gang downstairs. It was mainly during conversation, but Alfeegi soaked it in like a sponge, wanting very much t be involved with the rest of the castle, but retaining his own heritage. With the lessons came up the subject of mistletoe. Not understanding the concept, Alfeegi kept pressing the point that why on earth would someone want to kiss someone else simply because they were standing under a plant! Finally, Kai-Stern decided to show him.
Pulling the protesting Alfeegi into the hall, he shoved him under the plant in question. Looking up, Alfeegi couldn't help but note aloud that the particular foliage that he was standing under was rather ugly. Chuckling, Kai-Stern steeped up, and wrapped his arms around Alfeegi's waist.
"That's not the point." He started, "The point is that you are supposed to catch them off guard, see, like a random person in a line gets to go ahead because they are standing on an 'X', ok? Then the idea after that is to give an excuse to kiss, so that no one gives no one any trouble."
"'No one gives any one', please Kai-Stern, proper grammar is appre – ."
He didn't get to finish his reprimanding, as Kai-Stern's lips descended onto his own, and the arms around his waist tightened fractionally. It was not a friendly peck between friends, nor a kiss to shut Alfeegi up. It actually meant something, and Alfeegi knew it. That's why he kissed back.
After a moment, Kai-Stern pulled away, and looked down at Alfeegi. The Officer was flush-faced, and had his eyes closed with a small smile on his still parted lips. After a moment, he opened his copper eyes to look into the yellow ones behind thin panes of glass.
"What was that all about?" he asked in less than a whisper.
"Mistletoe." Kai-Stern replied.
"I don't care about the bloody plant, I meant you, this…" he removed one hand from Kai-Stern's shoulders, and touched his lips. "Do… do you really. Did you mean it?"
"Would you hate me if I said 'yes'?" Kai-Stern whispered in his ear, moving one arm up Alfeegi's back to buried it in the hair at the nape of his scalp.
"No." White Officer breathed into the neck that he had buried his forehead into. "How could I?"
Kai-Stern pulled Alfeegi back into the room, and lit the first candle of Hanukah; much distracted by Alfeegi, who was absolutely adorable cooking those potato cakes.
Golden Fang
The eighth, and finally day of Hanukah came, and Kai-Stern couldn't wait until nightfall; he had something very special to give Alfeegi. He loved the shampoo that turned his hair red for an hour after use… Rath sure got a kick out of it, having asked to use it on his and Thatz's lover, Rune. But this night… this night was special.
The last candle was lit, and the food cooked and the dances danced. Kisses were stolen in between, and the love that one felt for the other was returned. It had been for some time… the first full Hanukah to be exact. Fifteen years is a long time to wait for someone, but now that they had each other, none of that mattered.
"Alfeegi. Um, I was wondering if you would like to go down to dinner today. It's the second day of the New Year after all, and Cernozura did make that big dinner for everyone…"
"Yes, I don't see why not."
So down they went, and Kai-Stern made sure that everyone was in the lounge after dinner before he went sat Alfeegi down on his knee, and made sure that everyone noticed. They all knew; of course; as they had been together for a week, and everyone had seen them together. After the conversation had died down quiet a bit, Kai-Stern took Alfeegi over to a spot in the room, and gave him his gift.
"Alfeegi," Kai-Stern began, bending down so that one knee was on the ground, and the other was keeping himself from falling forward. He pulled out his gift from his pocket, and opened the small black box. "Will you be mine, forever? Spend you life with me, not as Officers; not as friends. Alfeegi, will you marry me?" inside the box, was a thin gold band, with small stones set in the shape of the Star of David. Alfeegi, and the room around them, were silent as a stone.
"Do… do you, m-mean it? Really Kai-Stern? Yes, yes I will. Of course I will!" he lunged at Kai-Stern with all his might; barreling into him with the most meaningful embrace possible.
Righting themselves, Alfeegi looked at the ring, then put it down onto the table nearest them, and rested his head on Kai-Stern's shoulder. Lifting Alfeegi's chin, Kai-Stern smiled at him. Their kiss was sweet and passionate, making everyone in the room go "Aaaaaaaawwwwwwwwww" with smiles that told volumes. In the corner, Thatz, Rath, and Rune sat in one another's arms, and knew that the castle's newest couple would be the talk of the day tomorrow. After Alfeegi and Kai-Stern had finished, Alfeegi looked up, and smiled as he put his head in Kai-Stern's toned chest.
"What?" Kai-Stern asked as he heard Alfeegi chuckle.
"You're a wonderful teacher," he muttered into the warmth that was his love, "I understand mistletoe now." Looking up, Kai-Stern remembered why he had picked the spot that he had to do this. Leading him over to an armchair, he couldn't help but grin.
"I guess I am a great teacher."
"Kai-Stern?"
"Hmm?"
"Thanks for spanning December with me."