Christmas chapter
AN: I know I know, you were hoping for a continuation of chapter 24. I is on the way. I am working on it. This is just a chapter that a really wanted to write and what better time than during Christmas. It is really out of place in the order of the story, but I hope that you enjoy it still.
The library was quiet, no sound was heard. It was late in the evening and most students had gone back to their dorms. There were however one individual left in the library, sitting at one of the tables and reading a book. A candle was lit next to him as the only sound to be heard was when he occasionally turned the page of the book. Suddenly, the faint sound of footsteps could be heard from the side. The individual looked up from his book and looked at the side. The familiar form of a certain red dressed reaper came into view.
"Hi Viktor." Ruby greeted with a cheery smile. Viktor smiled back.
"Evening Ruby." He greeted back as Ruby walked up the mercenary. Ruby then looked away awkwardly.
"Huh Viktor, I don´t mean to bother you…" She began as she rolled her fingers. Viktor chuckled as he closed his book.
"You never bother me Ruby, how can I help you." Viktor said. Ruby looked back at Viktor.
""It´s about Hannes." Ruby asked.
"What has he done now?" Viktor asked immediately with a grim look. Ruby shook her head and her hands.
"No no no, he hasn´t done anything bad. I just wondered why he is suddenly drinking…" Ruby began as she tried to find the right words.
"More than usual." Viktor finished as Ruby nodded.
"Yeah. Why is that? When I ask him about it I only get an unintelligible answer about holidays and carols before he tumbles over and starts to snore." She asked. Viktor chuckled once more as he turned to Ruby fully.
"It is because today is Christmas." Viktor said. Ruby looked at him with a curious look as she tilted her head to the side.
"Christmas?" She asked. Viktor looked at Ruby oddly before realizing his situation.
"Right, different world." He said to himself before looking back at Ruby.
"Grab a chair and a will tell you." Viktor said. Ruby went and picked a chair and placed it next to Viktor as she sat down on it. Viktor then began telling her what Christmas was.
"Christmas was, and still is, an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ." Viktor said.
"Who?" Ruby asked.
"He was thousands of years ago a preacher that has become the central figure of the religion of Christianity. One of the biggest religions back home. Christmas was in the beginning a celebration dedicated to him but over the years, the festival evolved into something that all religions can share. It became a symbol of caring and sharing. A time when people but put aside any petty differences and disputes they shared and come together as one people. To be friends and help and care for each other." He said.
"That sounds wonderful." Ruby said with a smile. Viktor smiled back.
"It is. However, Christmas later became a symbol of commercialism in the west. People would buy stuff that they could give to others as a sign that they care for them. Parents would tell their children that it wasn´t them that bought the presents, but someone else. One of the most iconic figures of Christmas by the name of St. Nicolas or more commonly known as Santa Claus."
"Who is that?" Ruby asked.
"Santa Claus is a legendary figure in western culture who is said to bring gifts to the homes of well-behaved and kind children on Christmas Eve of the 24th of December." Viktor said as Ruby seemed to like this so called Santa Claus.
"And he would bring coal to the naughty children as a sign that he was disappointed in them." Viktor said with a smirk.
"Well, there goes Yang." Ruby said joke fully as both of them laughed. When both of them was done laughing, Viktor continued telling.
"There are however some people that sometimes take advantage of the holidays for their own agenda." Viktor said.
"Like who?" Ruby asked.
"Come on Glynda." Both of them suddenly heard from the entrance of the library. They both turned around and saw Glynda and Hannes standing there. Hanes was holding a piece of mistletoe in his hand and was holding it above both of them. He was making kissing noises with his mouth.
"The mistletoe means that you must kiss me." Hannes said with a smirk.
"Not in a million years." Glynda said sternly. Hannes simply laughed.
"Hö hö! You can´t break the rules of Christmas. You have to kiss me now." Hannes said as he put his lips together and moved towards Glynda.
POW!
Both Ruby and Viktor flinched as Glynda fist connected with Hannes face. The next thing they saw was Hannes laying on the ground before Glynda with a swollen eye.
"As I said, not in a million years." Glynda said as she grabbed a book from the counter and left the library. Hannes started to stir and stood back up.
"I love it when they are playing hard to get." He said as he readied his mistletoe once more and ran out of the library after Glynda. Both Ruby and Viktor looked at the entrance with odd stared before looking at each other. Then they both burst out laughing.
"Hahahahahaha!"
"Xaxaxaxaxaxaxa!"
Both of them quiet down after a minute as Ruby wiped away a tear and Viktor regained his composure.
"Like that." Viktor said as both of the chuckled. Viktor then continued.
"But things like that aside. I truly believe that Christmas brings out the best of people. There is a lot of evidence of that throughout my world's history." Viktor said.
"Like what?" Ruby asked curiously.
"Small Christmas miracles stories of people who forgets their past and comes together to celebrate as one people, no matter their nationality or religion. All of these events are amazing but one stand above them all, the Christmas truce of 1914." Viktor said. Before Ruby could ask, Viktor continued.
"You remember when I told you about the Great War of my world?" Viktor asked as Ruby nodded.
"When the soldiers joined the armies of their nations, they were told that the war would be over after just a couple of months. "We would be home before Christmas" they told each other. Sadly, the war would continue longer than expected. As the war lasted `till Christmas and a million lives had already been claimed by the war, spirits were low amongst the soldiers. In the British trenches, one of the countries in the war, living conditions were horrible and the soldiers were sadden by the fact that Christmas was almost upon them. Suddenly, they heard something from the German trenches, from their enemies, on the opposite side of the battlefield." Viktor explained as he then went quiet for a moment. Ruby raised an eyebrow when suddenly, Viktor started to sing.
"Stille Nacht. Heilige Nacht.
Alle schläft; einsam wacht
Nur das traute hoch heilige Paar.
Holder Knab 'im lockigen Haar
Schlafe in himmlischer Ruh
Schlage in himmlischer Ruh
Stille Nacht. Heilige Nacht." Viktor sang quietly in a strange language as Ruby listened on. As Viktor finished the verse, he gave the kindest of smiles to Ruby.
They were singing Christmas carols in German. The British at the moment were stunned for a moment before they decided to join in." Viktor said as he then began singing once more.
"Silent night. Holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon virgin, mother and child
Holy infant so tender and mild.
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace
Silent night. Holy night." Viktor sang as Ruby sat there in silence, taking in the soft tone of the song. Viktor gave a sigh as he smiled and continued speaking.
"The singing went through the night between the Germans and the British, both sides singing along with one another from their trenches. The Germans shouted "Merry Christmas Englishmen!" From their trenches and the British shouted back "Fröhliche Weinhnachten Fritz", that was their nickname for the Germans. The next morning, another miracle happened. The British then noticed that the Germans climbed out of their trenches. The British thought that this was an attack and readied their weapons and aimed them towards the Germans." Viktor said as Ruby feared what she would hear next.
"Then one British soldiers yelled out. "WAIT! There are unarmed" he yelled out. Indeed, the Germans had climbed out of their trenches without their weapons and walked slowly towards the British front with their hands above their head. The British looked confused as each other before one of them exited their trench as walked towards the Germans. The British soldier asked what the Germans were up to and saw a little surprised to hear that the Germans proposed a truce, just this time so that they could celebrate Christmas. The British were first a little doubtful about this before they agreed." Viktor said as his smile became even bigger.
"Soon, no man's land, the area between dividing both sides, was filled with soldier, but without the intension to kill each other. Both sides greeted each other with smiles and laughs. They started to sing and talk with each other. They exchanged gifts that they had access to. The Germans gave chocolate to the British soldiers and the British gave bread to the German soldiers. They interacted with each other like that they had always been friends. A former British barber now turned soldier gave a German soldier a haircut. A German officer gave some of the buttons on his uniform to a British soldier who gave some of his in return. Then came the famous football match between the German and the British soldiers. It started when a British soldier kicked a football out onto the field and soon the soldiers started passing it between each other and before anyone knew it, a match had commenced. According a British soldiers diary, the Germans won 3 to 2 against the British. It was truly a magical event. Fighting however continued on the other parts of the front but here, there were a moment of peace. Then artillery fire commenced and both sides had to hurry back to their trenches to avoid the shells. But they all managed to say their goodbyes and wished each other a merry Christmas." Viktor said with a smile as Ruby smiled as well.
"That is one of the most amazing things I have ever heard." She said. Viktor smiled at her.
"Indeed it is." He said before his smile disappeared and was replaced by a sad look.
"But it would not last." He said as Ruby´s own smile disappeared as well.
"When news reached each side's high command about this unofficial truce between the soldiers, the generals were furious. Punishing the soldiers and calling them traitors for fraternizing with the enemy. Most of the soldiers were relocated away from the part of the front so that they would have no contact with any of the enemy soldiers that they had talked to. The unofficial truce between both sides lasted less than a couple of days and was ended quickly. The next year on Christmas Eve 1915, there were no truce, only continued killing and slaughter on both sides." Viktor said sadly as Ruby herself was shocked to hear that. A chance of peace was squashed in a instance because the generals wanted to continue the killing. She felt she was about the cry because of that when Viktor suddenly wrapped an arm around her. She looked up at Viktor who smiled down on her.
"While it is a shame that this beautiful moment didn´t last longer. We still need to acknowledge the fact that it happen. That in the middle of all that darkness, a single peak of light managed to shine through it. A true evidence that kindness will always exist, no matter what happens." He said with a smile as Ruby smiled back. Ruby then gave quiet yawn as Viktor chuckled.
"Xe xe, Seems like someone is tired." He said with a grin as Ruby looked up at him with tired eyes.
"I´m not tired! I will…just…rest…my…eyeeeeees." Ruby managed to say before she dozed off. She fell to sleep while Viktor still had his arm wrapped around her and he continued to smile. He then carefully picked her up from her chair and placed her on his back. He now had her in a piggyback position on his back. Viktor started to walk as he left the library and made his way towards the dorm building. He passed a group of students who looked at the two of the oddly. Viktor put a finger on his lips, signaling them to be quiet. The students nodded as he continued. As Viktor reached the dorm building and entered it, he could hear Ruby mutter in her sleep.
"Thanks for telling me that story, Viktor." She said. Viktor smiled as he looked over his shoulder at the sleeping from of Ruby.
"Anytime, Ruby." He said as he reached her dorm room. He lightly knocked the door and soon after, it was opened by Yang.
"Viktor, what can I help you with?" She asked, slightly surprised to see Viktor here so late. Viktor put a finger once again on his lips as he nodded his head towards the sleeping form of Ruby on his back. Yang immediately caught wind in what he was meaning and zipped her mouth shut. Viktor noticed the rest of team RWBY in the room as they stayed quiet as well. Viktor carefully lifted Ruby of from his back and handed her over to Yang, who now held her little sister bridal style. Ruby then started humming a melody in her sleep. Yang looked down on her sleeping sister before looking back up at Viktor.
"What is she humming?" She whispered as Viktor shrugged his shoulders with a smile.
"Who knows? Goodnight Yang and a merry Christmas to you." Viktor whispered back as he turned to leave. Yang raised an eyebrow.
"What?" She whispered as Viktor chuckled.
"Ask Ruby when she wakes up what I mean with that." And with that, he silently closed the door behind him, leaving the rest of team RWBY confused as he made his way through the hallway. He smiled as he put his hands in his pockets and started singing silently to himself based of Ruby´s humming.
"Stille Nacht. Heilige Nacht…"
AN: Merry Christmas and a happy new year to all of you!