Oh my gods, I'm sooo sorry it took so long. I'm failing Chemistry. There only one excuse, I'll let you read the chapter now. Please don't kill me!
Christmas Day
When Artemis awoke on Christmas morning, something he hadn't realised before became very clear; this was his first Christmas with his family since he came back from Limbo, meaning it was also his first Christmas with his younger brothers. Why it was so clear when he woke up was because; One: He was very tired, alerting him to the fact that it was still very early in the morning and, Two: The twins were both jumping on top of him. He groaned, rolling over onto his front, shoving his head under his pillow.
"Lemelone," he mumbled intelligently. He felt something stir beside him. He rolled onto his side to see Holly waking up.
"Stab Koboi in the heart!" she blurted, then realised her surroundings.
"Is that something you usually shout about when you wake up in the morning?" Artemis asked, amused.
"No, I was just having a very pleasant dream when I was rudely awakened by your brothers." Artemis turned onto his back.
"Beckett! Myles!" he shouted. "We are awake. Can you get off us please?" Myles grudgingly got off and pulled Beckett off with him.
"Come on Beckett cowpoog," he said. Myles had overheard Holly calling Artemis a 'cowpóg' and had decided to use it on Beckett. The twins then left the room, allowing Artemis and Holly to have a much needed conversation.
"Sorry," they both blurted at once after a very awkward silence. Artemis smiled slightly, sure he had figured it out for himself (she had woken up in his bed), but it was nice hearing from her.
"I mean," continued Holly. "It wasn't your fault, I was being unreasonable. I should have let you have a break." Artemis opened his mouth to speak, but Holly put her tiny finger over his lips having transformed back into an elf overnight. "You don't have to apologise for anything," she said stubbornly. "You didn't do anything wrong." Artemis was still looking cross eyed at her finger.
"Mmamhmmhamm," he attempted. Holly laughed, removing her finger.
"Yes Artemis?" she asked. Artemis grinned in relief.
"I was just telling you to move your finger, how am I meant to kiss you when there is a finger obstructing my lips?" He then rolled over so that he was hovering above her, waiting for a sign from her to allow him to continue. She smiled up at him, the only sign he needed.
Artemis brought his lips down to meet hers, a happy moment for both man and elf. Holly deepened the kiss, propping herself up on her elbow to get closer to him.
"Ewww! Artemis cowpoog is snogging Holly!" yelled an unnecessarily loud voice.
"Yucky!" joined in another. Artemis ignored the twins, flipping over onto his back, so that Holly was on top of him, not once did he break the kiss.
"Artemis simpletoon!!" yelled Beckett, having not moved on to the next name that Myles had discovered.
Artemis was about to protest to the name calling when he heard his name being called from outside the door. He quickly rolled off the bed and made himself look presentable, making sure Holly did the same. Luckily they were wearing what they wore last night, so Holly didn't have to go to her room to change (Though she did have to quickly rub off the mascara that had run onto cheeks the previous night.)
"Yes?" Artemis called once Holly had got most of it off. The door was opened by Artemis Senior.
"Do you want to come down to the living room? You can open you presents down there." He then noticed Holly. "You two didn't..?" he started. Artemis shook his head.
"Of course not, father. I'm only fifteen, you didn't expect me to behave so…" he stopped, leaving the sentence unfinished.
"Good," said Artemis I. 'Make your way down when you're ready. Artemis smiled at Holly and taking her hand, they made their way down to the living room, lead by the twins who were obviously very excited about the presents that they would no doubt be receiving.
If you looked up the word 'Christmas' in an English dictionary, you would usually get something along the lines of: 'A Christian holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, the day where young children believe that 'Santa Claus', named after Saint Nicolas gives presents to good children and neglects the bad. Also the day where one gives and receives gifts.'
But if you looked 'Christmas' up in a Gnommish dictionary, you would get many different definitions, mostly involving how Sant D'Klass became broke and how one could avoid doing so themselves. It also has a long and complicated list on why one should be wary opening Christmas presents because it is a tradition amongst the people to put a trick in the present they are giving, Christmas becoming a day corresponding very closely to April fool's day. It then has a list of gags that are commonly found in Christmas presents. For example; the exploding box, ribbon that won't untie or wrapping paper that won't unwrap, jack-in-the-boxes often found with the head of someone the receiver fears, biting shoes, strangling hosiery…etc…by their fifth Christmas, many members of The People neglect opening some presents altogether for their own safety. Luckily for most, by their fifth Christmas, many have also got the gist of how it works and often give very explosive gifts.
Unfortunately for Artemis, he hadn't read the Gnommish dictionary, so he didn't know that he had to be careful with the gifts he was receiving from his fairy friends. So ended up with ash all over his face, and soaking wet clothes as the consequences of opening Foaly and Mulch's gifts. So when he got to Holly's he was very careful opening it so it wouldn't blow up or something. Instead he was pleasantly surprised. Holly had found him a nice new pair of mirrored Aviator sunglasses to avoid getting mesmerised by fairies since his last pair had been damaged in his run from Opal in the Cessna. He thanked Holly with a kiss and watched her open her present from him.
"Holy Frond," Holly murmured, holding up a necklace. It was obviously gold and very expensive as it had a solid gold pendant in the shape of an oak tree with a diamond acorn in the centre. She looked at him to thank him, but found that Artemis was covered in cream, his brothers' lovely gift.
"Eh, thanks guys," he said sarcastically, glaring at Mulch.
"What the… what did I...?" he said indignantly. Artemis raised an eyebrow.
"Just as I thought," he said. "Unfinished sentences, a sure sign of guilt." Mulch tried again.
"The pony did it!" he exclaimed. Artemis made tutting noising with his tongue.
"Foaly and Mulch, I though you two knew better." Everyone could tell that he was more amused than angry, much to the dwarf and centaur's relief. Artemis rolled his eyes in very scary similarity to Holly, turning back to face his elfin girlfriend.
"Now, Holly," he said. "Do you approve of your Christmas present?" Holly smiled and nodded.
"Did you think I'd throw it at your head or something?" she asked, obviously amused. Artemis chuckled under his breath.
"I never know. After all, you have punched me numerous times." Holly's smile faded, as if remembering something.
"Artemis, did you by this before we, you know..?"
"Got together?" Artemis supplied. "Yes I did." Holly frowned, thinking.
"But we were only friends…"
"Very good friends," interrupted Artemis. "I thought this might give you a subtle hint if we weren't together by this time." Holly nodded, smiling again.
"Right," she said, pulling a box out of her pocket. "This is for you from Foaly, he wanted me to give it to you." Artemis took the box, thanking her.
"Di immortales," he murmured in ancient Greek once he had opened it. Foaly had obviously put a lot of thought into the gift.
It was a simple ring, silver and covered in diamonds. But that wasn't what surprised Artemis; it was the note on top of the box:
This is your new communicator to replace your old one. It produces a life sized hologram of Holly when you ring her and she has one just like it. Use well.
"Foaly made it. He thought you might get sick of wearing the big ring all the time," said Holly, gesturing at the ring on Artemis's middle finger on his left hand. He pulled if off and put it into his trouser pocket, sliding the new ring onto the same finger. It fit perfectly.
"Thank you," he murmured, staring at the ring in wonder. Foaly's inventions never ceased to amaze the boy. Holly then put her ring on her right middle finger.
"I'm a right hander," she said. "I always put jewellery on the hand I write with." Artemis nodded.
"That makes sense. I am ambidextrous though I prefer my left," he said, as if everyone was ambidextrous. Holly smiled.
"That doesn't surprise me one bit," she said. Artemis grinned, twisting the finger round on his finger and then glancing around to see what the others got. Holly hadn't opened her presents from Foaly, Mulch and the twins which Artemis thought was very wise. The twins got a huge pile of presents each making it almost impossible for Artemis to single out one thing they got. His parents, on the other hand, were not present in the room, must to Artemis's disappointment, perhaps it was too early or they had gone to get Beckett his espresso and treacle for a Christmas treat.
"Arty, come out here," called Artemis's father from the hall. Artemis stood up and left the room, Holly following behind him. Artemis Senior was standing in the main doorway, blocking Artemis's way through.
"Artemis," he said. "Your present from your mother and I is waiting outside." Artemis tried to see, but his father stood higher. "You'll need these," Artemis I said, throwing Artemis II some keys. Artemis caught it adroitly, studying the two key rings with interest. The first, a gold plated circle with the words: 'Aurum potestas est' engraved on it made him glance sideways at his father, his father hadn't used that saying for a few years now. He turned back to his present. The second key chain was a prancing horse with the letters 'S' and 'F' below it. There were three buttons, one under the 'S' and 'F' which, when pressed made a key slide out from the inside of the key chain and the other two on the bottom, the top, a closed lock, and the bottom, an open lock. Artemis grinned up at Artemis Senior.
"Thanks Dad," he said. Artemis Senior smiled and let his son past. Artemis mouth dropped open as soon as he saw it.
It was bright red with grey racing stripes along the front, the sun reflecting off the frost covered surface, the word 'ARTEMIS' on the number plate, and the best of all, the same emblem on the key ring on the smooth red surface was staring back at him from the bonnet.
"A Ferrari," said a voice behind him. "That is so typical of your family." Artemis turned to see Holly, her arms crossed, leaning against the doorframe.
"Not just any Ferrari," he replied. "A Ferrari 430 Scuderia powered by a 4.3 litre V8 engine. It can go 0-60 miles in 3.1 seconds."
"Car enthusiast, are we?' asked Holly sarcastically. "Well stop your gaping so we can have a ride in this thing." Artemis opened the car and settled into the driver's seat, gripping the steering wheel nervously. He waited for Holly to get into the passenger seat before he spoke.
"I've never driven before." Holly covered her mouth with her hand to stop herself from laughing.
"Yet you have a car," she said once she had composed herself. Artemis fought back a glare.
"Yes I do." He sighed and inserted the key into the ignition. "I mean. I've read enough about it; I know exactly what to do. I even have a driver's licence."
"A fake one no doubt," Holly pointed out. Artemis nodded.
"For emergencies," he said. "But, back to my problem. I've never actually driven anywhere." Holly grinned.
"Well I'd better buckle up, we have a learner at the wheel," she said.
"A learner?" Artemis asked.
"Yes a learner, I'm going to teach you." Artemis gulped and put his seatbelt on. This wasn't going to end well.
OK, I know took forever and i'm away on camp this week, so hopefully i'll be able to update next weekend.