They trudged across the settled snow. Frozen wind whipped by so close it cut their cheeks. Shivers like ice fingers that ran through them were replaced with immense joy as they went. Though they were in little more than pyjamas and coats, their bright laughter rang out warmly against the crisp night around them.
The children were cheering to go faster and faster. Merlin made the sledge jolt forwards each time. "Aim for the snowbank!" Arthur dared merlin. Merlin wasn't going to back down from the dare! He flicked on the reigns so the trot became a gallop.
The reindeer were moving incredibly fast by the time merlin let go of the reigns. The reindeer bolted to a safe distance throwing the triplets back into the sleigh. "HOLD ON TIGHT!" Merlin screamed excitedly. The sleigh skates locked onto the slippery ice and the sleigh skidded onwards.
Faster. Faster. Faster.
Faster. Faster! FASTER!
It was practically flying across the ice at lightning speed. The children were yelling. Excitement struck through them like electricity. They were hopping and cheering loud enough to wake the entire neighbourhood. But they were moving as fast as possible and their sound skidded by quickly.
There was a soft thump as the sleigh edge smacked into the snowbank. The entire collection of children flew over the front screaming with laughter and fear. They ploughed head first into the thick snow.
They vanished beneath the frozen blanket. They were completely invisible from the surface. They were hit with a shocking tingle as the frozen pins pricked their senses. Then one by one their sat up in the snow. They popped up out of the snow like daisies!
"That. Was….AWESOME!" Joe yelled.
"Let's do it again!" Jake yelled.
"From the top of the hill!" James yelled.
They kids tumbles back into the sleigh excitedly. They tried to hide large gaping yawns. The moment they hit the padded lining of the bottom of the sleigh, they fell sound asleep. There was a tangle of sleeping children at the bottom of the sleigh, like chicks in a nest.
"You! You did well!" Arthur whispered as they hitched the reindeer back to the sleigh.
"Yes I did!" Merlin said proudly.
"Yeah don't get too cocky! Try beating it next year!" Arthur smirked.
They climbed back to the front of the sleigh together and trotted home.
At the house, Ella was leaning in the doorway in her dressing gown to welcome the kids back. Ella chuckled at the sleeping kids. She hoisted James on her shoulders, lifted Joe onto her back and sat Jake on her hip. Ella carried the deadweight of the sleeping triplets up the stairs and to their room. She tucked them in as Arthur and Merlin helped each other to handle the sleeping toddlers. Ella watched from the balcony, giggling. Merlin stole a couple of bisects and tipped the presents out of the sack under the tree.
"This has been fun! We should do it again sometime," merlin said.
"How about tomorrow? Christmas eve and Christmas day together?" Arthur said.
"Well I don't have anyone at home to talk to!" merlin said thoughtfully.
"I don't have anything to do!" Arthur sighed
"Arthur…" merlin began but then trailed off.
"Pendragon!" Arthur informed.
"Arthur Pendragon, I'll spend my Christmas with you!"
"Great! Here tomorrow say 12?"
"Great!"
Trotting home on magical reindeer, merlin fell in love with the way that the soft snowflakes kissed him.