Hey guys, I hope you are enjoying these little snapshots as I have really enjoyed writing them. Much love RSD xoxoxoxoxoxo.

*Mal's POV*

06/12/2015

The next day went really quick and with it being Saturday me and Evie had a study day. Also after eating our gingerbread houses on and off for most of the day we were now heading back to Auradon Castle for our next task.

"I like having things to do every day" Evie said excitedly.

"I know; I don't know what Christmassy is meant to feel like but I think I am feeling it" Carlos said happily as we walked up the drive towards the Castle.

"How do you feel?" Jay asked.

"All happy and excited" Carlos advised.

"That's how I am feeling" Jay agreed with a large grin.

"Same" Evie agreed as I rang the bell.

"Me too" I stated as Chip opened the door.

"Hello Chip" I stated happily.

"Hello Mal" he replied.

"Where is Ben hiding today?" I asked cheekily.

"In the living room with his parents; they are all waiting for you" Chip advised as we removed our coats.

"All of them?" I asked as I handed him my coat.

"Yeah you are spending the night with his and her majesty this evening as well" Chip advised as he took our coats as we went to turn away to walk towards the living room.

"Ok" I replied as he walked away.

"Hello" we all heard Belle say as we all walked into their living room.

"Hello" we chorused.

"Hello" Adam said happily as he watched us walk towards them.

"Hello" we chorused.

"Oh hi" I heard Ben say as he looked at us. It was at this point I noticed what he was doing; he had a hammer in his hand and he was knocking a metal base together. I opened my mouth to ask him what he was doing but I then noticed the large tree lying on the floor next to him.

"Hi" we chorused.

"Please sit down" Belle said signalling to the couch next to them.

"Thank you" we replied together as we sat down.

"What are we doing tonight?" I asked as I sat down next to Belle.

"Is Ben going to press a button and turn the lights on on that tree?" Carlos asked.

"Kinda" Adam advised. I noticed that Adam threw Belle a look and I could tell what they were both thinking; they both couldn't believe how little we knew. I then watched as Adam turned to look at us and he smiled.

"This tree is different" he said as he reached over and stroked the tree.

"How?" Jay asked.

"Because the lights at Auradon City gets turned on by the King every year; however in everyone's home they have their own Christmas tree" he explained as I heard Ben start to hammer on the metal base again.

"Oh" we all said.

"Yeah" Adam confirmed with a smile.

"And we would like you to help decorate ours" Belle said happily.

"Really?" Evie asked.

"What if we do it wrong?" Jay asked panic-stricken.

"Or we might break something" Carlos said nervously.

"I don't-" I started.

"Calm down" Belle offered as she watched our startled faces.

"You won't do it wrong" she said confidently.

"And you won't break anything" she added.

"Ok" we answered nervously. I noticed that Ben had looked up and noticed our faces; my eyes locked with his and he winked at me and this made me smile. I loved how Ben had confidence in me and he could make me feel better about anything.

"Why do you all look so nervous for?" Belle asked which made me look back at her. We all sat in silence looking at each other and I pursed my lips together before I answered.

"We haven't been asked to do something like this before" I advised.

"Correct" Adam stated.

"We don't want to upset you" I muttered as I shuffled my feet on the floor as I looked down.

"Mal" Belle said as she took both of my hands in hers.

"You won't upset us; and anyway everyone decorates Christmas trees differently. So please don't worry about getting it wrong" she said as she squeezed my hands.

"Ok" I said politely as I looked up after her. Belle smiled back at me and she then turned around to look at everyone.

"So after Ben has fitted the base; Adam will put the tree into the base and then we need to pull the tree branches out. Me, Mal and Evie will do this while Ben, Adam, Carlos and Jay can sort the lights out" she delegated.

"Ok" we all said. We all watched as Ben finished the base and then Adam slid the tree into it and Ben secured it in place. It was at this point that Ben, Adam, Jay and Carlos walked to the other side of the room where a couple of boxes were waiting for them. Me, Belle and Evie stood up and walked towards the tree; I know I'm quite small even compared to Ben but this tree was even taller than him!

"How are you finding things?" Belle asked as we started to straighten the branches out. I noted that they were rough and stiff; I watched as Belle quickly pulled a few branches out straight and she looked at them carefully before looking at me.

"It's all still a little bit confusing" I admitted.

"You will like Christmas" Belle said confidently as we started to pull more branches out.

"I'm sure I will" I replied.

"Ben seems very adamant that I will" I laughed.

"Ben has always loved Christmas from when he was a baby; we have built up traditions in our family that we would like to share with you all" she said politely as she looked at me and Evie.

"That is very kind of you; thank you" Evie said as her cheeks started to strike pink. I watched as Belle looked down at the ground quickly before she opened her mouth to speak.

"I hope you both don't think that I am speaking out of turn" she said nervously as she looked at me and Evie.

"Right" me and Evie said together slowly.

"I know that the lives you lived before coming here was a lot different to what you are experiencing now; but just like Ben, me and Adam only want the best for you all" she stated.

"We appreciate that thank you" I replied; I looked across the room and looked at Ben who was now fully immersed in untangling the lights and making sure that they were all working.

"I know Ben got upset when I didn't even know what Christmas was" I said looking back at Belle.

"Not knowing things like this unnerves me" I admitted sadly.

"What do you mean dear?" Belle said as she stepped towards me.

"Well Evie, Jay and Carlos had a little bit of an understanding but I had none; so I don't know what else my mother has neglected to tell me" I stated as I pursed my lips together and looked down.

"Oh Mal" Belle said as she stepped forward and pulled me into a hug. I heard movement from across the other side of the room and before I knew it I heard another voice.

"What's wrong? Is Mal ok?" I heard Ben say in a worried tone.

"Yes I'm just giving her a hug that's all" Belle said as she stroked my back. I pulled away and I noticed that Ben still looked worried.

"Oh" he said as his eyes widened; I could tell by the look on his face that he thought that there was something going on. If there was, and there wasn't, I would tell him; just maybe not in a room full of people.

"Right" he said nodding as if he was nodding to himself.

"Sorry" he said as I stepped out of his mother's arms.

"Come here Ben" I said as stepped towards him.

"What?" he asked before I pulled him into a hug and I snuggled into his chest.

"Oh" I heard him say and he tightened his arms around my waist.

"Thank you" he said after I pulled away.

"You're welcome" I said and Ben smiled at me before returning back to the others.

After we pulled the branches out me and Evie held the ladder for Belle so she could straighten the top part of the tree. As Belle was doing this Ben, Jay, Carlos and Adam all carefully walked towards the tree, with the lights trailing behind them. It seemed to take a while as we all handed the lights up to Belle as we worked the lights up from top to bottom.

"Ready?" Ben cheekily asked from behind the tree.

"Yeah" his parents called.

"Ok, three, two, one" he said and I heard a small click as he turned the lights on. I watched in awe as the lights started to twinkle in multi colours; in fact I was that much in awe I didn't hear Ben walk up behind me.

"Hello Princess" he muttered in my ear as he rested his arms around my waist and rested his chin on my shoulder.

"Do you have to call me that?" I muttered as I slowly took my eyes from the tree and I looked at Ben.

"Yes" he stated.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because that's what you are – MY Princess" he stated smugly as he pressed a kiss to my cheek.

We then opened the large wooden boxes next to the fire; Belle told us all that these ornaments had been their family for years and that she loved seeing them on the Christmas tree every year. Me, Evie, Jay and Carlos all threw a startled look at each other – we now knew that these ornaments were very valuable so we didn't want to break any of them. Some of them were old fashioned like an old man with a red hat and suit on, bells, something called a snowman and a reindeer. However some of them looked a lot newer so you could tell that they had just been bought in recent years.

It took a few hours but we managed it; when it was finished we all took a step back and looked at what we had achieved. The air was now full of a strong pine smell and the tree was neatly littered with ornaments that were glistening in the lights. There were strings of colourful lights everyway twinkling from top to bottom on the tree and multi-coloured beads strewn over the branches. When you looked at the top of the tree a large glittery gold star was perched on the top for the whole room to see.