A Romanov Chirstmas
Intro
It's Christmas Eve at the Catherine Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia. At the palace, there is a big Christmas celebration. There are people arriving by carriage, car, etc. The party is set in the ball room where there's lights, music, food, and a big tree decorated beautifully with presents under it. People are talking and singing Chirstmas carols including my characters; Izzie the bat, Ryan the cub, and Tani, who is 17 in this story. (If you read my pervious stories, you may know them.)
Izzie is making sure everything is prefect while singing carols. "Deck the halls with boughs of holly. Fa-La-La-La-La La-La-La-La. Tis the season to be jolly. Fa-La-La-La-La La-La-La- Wait a minute. This goes here," Izzie moves a platter correctly, "There we go."
Tani joins in while decorating the tree. "Don we now our gay appearal. Fa-La-La, La-La-La, La-La-La. Oh! It's perfect."
Izzie finishes, "Troll the ancients Yule tide carol. Fa-La-La-La-La La-La-La-Hey! Ryan, keep away from those presents!"
Ryan pokes his heads out of the wrapped boxes. "Aw, come on! May I please open one? Please?"
"No," Izzie response. But the argument goes back and forth.
"Just one?"
"No."
"A small one?"
"No."
"A small one with a pretty bow on top?"
"With pretty wrapping?"
"Yeah!"
"No! You have to wait until tomorrow when it's Christmas."
Tani climbs down the ladder. "That's right, Ryan. You have to patient."
"Fine," Ryan mumbles.
Tanis steps back from the tree. "So, what do you think, guys?"
Izzie smiles. "I must say, Tani. What a beautiful tree."
Ryan nods. "Yeah! It's pretty!"
Tani giggles. "Why, thank you. Oh! We still need to light the fireplace. It's going to get cold if we don't."
Ryan grabs the lighter. "I got it!"
Izzie snatches the lighter from Ryan's paw. "I don't think so. We don't want you to burn the place." Ryan sighs and follows him to the fireplace.
Soon, the fire was going and Ryan and Izzie relax. Soon, Tani comes over with a silver tray. "Would you two like cookies and hot chocolate?"
"Yes, please!" Ryan and Izzie say with a smile. They take a cookie and a cup.
Ryan glups his cookie in one bite. "Mmm. Yummy! I have to say that this year is going to be the best Christmas ever."
Izzie takes a sip of his drink. "What about the first Christmas back?"
"Yeah. I thought that was very nice," Tani adds.
"Well, what was so great about the first one?" Ryan sets his cup down.
"Well, it was Alex's first Christmas," Tani tells the cub.
"Oh! I forgot about that part."
"Yes, Ryan," Izzie steps in, "You didn't forget about the first Christmas, did you?"
"No!" Ryan says, but Izzie gives him a look to change his mind,"Yes. But I'm sure Tani doesn't recall it either."
"Actually, I do," Tani says with a smile. Then she spots a nutcracker ornament. She takes it and heads for the tree. "I was 9 back then and surprisingly," she hangs the nutcracker on the tree, "I remember it like it was yesterday. . ."