[Bishop-chan's notes: Been a bit late with the updates, sorry about that.]
Twas the Night
by zero0hero
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The Winter Solstice, the Starry Night, the Fugue Feast, Christ's Mass. It went by many names over the centuries and across people and worlds, but always, there was a constant among civilizations, human, and Fae, the celebration of a Winter Festival.
For the People of Halkegenia, that Festival was called Jusdrest. A time of atonement, well wishes, and feasting as the shortest day of winter came and went and Commoner and Mage alike looked to the coming the Spring and the beginning of the recycling of the seasons.
The Military Campaign was at its ebb, the campaigning season over for now. The Task Forces of Romalia, Germania, and Tristain situated in Albion had settled in for the winter, neither side much interested in moving an inch until the climate improved. Meanwhile, the people of Tristain could look to the coming months and see that, despite the extra mouths to feed, they would make it through the winter without having to tighten their belts too much.
After over half a year in the World of Halkegenia, fighting, building, and working hard to find a place for themselves, everyone had agreed that they were deserving of a rest, and a little bit of happiness and celebration. And what better time to have it then on the day of Jusdrest, when the native born Tristanian's would be doing the same.
And there in lay the Problem. For the Faeries who had formerly been Japanese, the preferred holiday would have been New Years, a time of rest, togetherness, and prayer for good luck in the coming year.
At first, everyone had been eager to replicate the New Years celebrations in Halkagenia, but as the day approached, eagerness had abetted into melancholy and uncertainty.
For one, it felt a little hollow to Celebrate New Years when, by Halkegenia's calendar, the beginning of the New Year was almost two months away and enjoyed its own local festival. They also lacked a lot of the ingredients to replicate traditional New Years cuisine, despite the valiant efforts of the Fae's best chefs.
But more importantly, New Years was a time to be with Family and loved ones, and while there were many small groups of friends and truncated families scattered among the Faeries, inherited from their human lives, or made in Halkegenia as they found places for themselves, it was still too painful a reminder of what had been lost, the people they might never see again.
It had been especially hard on the Youngest of the Fae, the ones who were most in need of friends and family to weather the rough times like this.
For those who knew him, and his temperament, it had then come as no surprise that an alternative had been put forward by Lord Zolf, shyly suggesting that there was a less loaded festival, less loaded for Japanese at least, though Lord Zolf politely declined to elaborate to their Tristanian allies on the full origin of the holiday, that they could choose to celebrate.
The idea hadn't been at all forcefully suggested, in fact, it had mostly caught on among the Imps before spreading elsewhere. But before too long, the spirit of festivity had been rekindled, and with it, a certain degree of excitement and fanfare. People had set out, buying or crafting gifts for friends and loved ones.
There was no requirement, no expectation that is be anything expensive or rare, simply chosen with care. A good, sturdy Knife was a wonderful gift for a Hunter, a small selection of spices wasn't out of reach to gift an aspiring chef.
Some of the Tristanians now living in Cities Like Arrun and Sylvain had joined in, sharing in the gift giving and inviting their Faerie colleagues to the more secular parts of their own celebrations.
Even Cardinal-chan seemed to be getting in the mood, if the beautiful, golden winter blossoms that had sprouted all over the crown of the World Tree were any sign, although some people just thought it was some left over holiday event scripting deep within the titanic tree's structure.
And not least at all, the Children of Arrun Home, orphaned by a trick of time and space, had found themselves gathered with their own new 'family' for a special Winter Time Event, a small thing arranged by Irene-sensei and the other teachers, thankful for what they had, and thankful to be together. Most of all, simply thankful.
And so, it was the Night Before Christmas, and with the winter frost clinging to its walls and ringing the golden glow of its ore lit windows, the long entry corridor filled with coats and jackets dripping dry in the warmth cast by the newly installed radiators, and the many children gathered on the floor of the great reading hall, a roaring fire in the normally closed off hearth, the Arrun Central Library became the stage for something simple and magic.
Of course, at that moment, it was lost on some of the Children more occupied with breathing.
"Rika-chan."
Takahashi Ueda, former ten year old player of ALfheim Online, and now the equally ten year old Sylph halberdier Bardiche, managed to choke as he felt his stomach fighting to displace his heart, lungs, and liver as the primary organ in his rib cage.
"R-R-Rik-aaa!"
Currently seated, though not by choice, in the lap of his friend and fellow dormer at Arrun Home, the Gnome girl who went by Rika, it was all Bardiche could do just to breath.
He thought of Rika as girl, she was younger than him after all, and pretty clueless sometimes, so she needed protecting. But he wondered if that really applied to someone who was a hundred and ninety centimeters tall and had more muscles in her right arm than he had in his entire body.
Which was sort of the problem. Even if she was just ten, especially if she was ten, and still somehow thought of herself as a little girl rather than a fully grown Faerie woman with a tank build. Bardiche turned his head to and fro like a kitten refusing a tongue bath, mostly to stop from being smothered in . . . well in . . . he blushed furiously.
It wasn't normal, that was for sure!
Thankfully, his salvation came in the form of a small, black haired slip tapping Rika on the shoulder. "Uhm, Rika-chan." Kirigaya Yui smiled warmly as she leaned over Rika's shoulder, a tiny, platinum blonde Pixie seated on her head, clad in a bright read sweater so thick that it made the tiny girl look like a dandelion that had grown wings.
"Ah, Merry Christmas Yui-chan!" Rika smiled brightly as her grip shifted, smothering Bardiche-against her chest. "And Shion-chan! You came to listen too?"
"Un." Yui nodded.
"Yeah!" Shion chirped merrily, wings fluttering with excitement and delight. "Uh . . . uh . . . Merry Christmas Rika-chan, and Bardiche-kun, and uhm . . . everyone else-san!"
Not like it was hard to tell, Bardiche thought as he noted Yui's flannel night gown and the pillow she clutched to her chest. "But I don't think Bardiche-kun is going to be able to listen too well like that." Yui smiled as she pointed out his distress.
"What?" Rika scrunched up her face cutely, only then realizing what she was doing. "Ah?! Bardiche-kun, was I being too rough?"
"A . . ." The Sylph boy gasped as his guts returned to where Cardinal-sama had intended them to be. " . . . Little." Only a little, it wasn't like she was going to squeeze him in two or anything. Except, the Sylph rubbed at his ribs, she just might one of these days if he didn't start toughening up.
"Honestly Nii-chan, you need to stop babying her." Balandene reprimanded snootily as she flopped down on the futon laid out on the floor beside him and Rika. Like always, his sister practically modeled the clothes she wore, a silky green nightgown that would have been much too chill if not for the lime, knit sweater that she wore over it.
"I'm not babying he- . . . " Bardiche trailed off, not that it mattered, his sister wasn't listening, instead, she was busy talking with Yui again.
'Man, they're more like siblings then we'll ever be.' Bardiche thought to himself.
Especially after that weird thing with Takai-sensei last summer. Yui had egged Balandene on about confessing her Ernest Feelings. What had happened next, when he'd seen his sister again, she'd seemed really upset and hadn't wanted to talk about it. He thought he knew what it was. But if it was what he thought, why did she get along so well with Yui after something like that?
'I'll never understand girls.' Bardiche concluded as he turned his eyes to the rest of the room.
There had to be almost a hundred of them tonight. He knew there were more young players than that, but this was all the young Faeries from Arrun home, plus a few more who had chosen to stay with friends, family, and guilds, but still wanted to participate tonight.
Young in mind, he reminded himself as Rika hung her arms loosely over his shoulders, offering a spot beside him to Yui and Balandene beneath a heavy blanket. Plenty of the faces were in their teens or even older, like Rika herself, but the common thread was the way everyone was smiling so easily. They were all genuinely happy and could forget tonight about their troubles.
That was the reason they'd needed to move the event out of Arrun home, there simply wasn't a space big enough, even the dining hall in the main building. It still seemed hard to believe that Miss Bishop had let them use the library after hours. She'd even decorated! He eyed a flight of Library Pixies fussily arranging tinsel over head.
"Hey, Yui-chan?" Something occurred to Bardiche.
"Huh?" Yui tilted her head, causing Shion to squawk in surprise before taking flight for the safer roost of Rika's blonde hair.
"I thought . . . weren't your mom and dad home on leave?" Bardiche looked every which way, feeling a little nervous.
It was just like him to have become friends with the daughter of someone as awesome as the Lieutenant Commander of the Vorpal Knights, and also . . . he swallowed . . . there was that terrifyingly powerful man . . . the Black Swordsman who was also a Lieutenant of the order of Faerie Knights. In fact, everyone in Yui's 'family' was insanely smart or strong. Her uncles who were traders and soldiers, and her aunts, even Miss Liz who hadn't had very high stats at all when the Transition had happened.
Things had been okay at first, even if it was hard for him to think of Kirigaya Kazuto Kirito as Yui's dad rather than her big brother. But something had changed after he'd given Yui some of the flowers Balandene had dragged him along to pick for Irene-senei. A good thing with all the Floralites that had been depositing their seeds in the tall grass for winter.
It had just been . . . it was autumn, and the flowers were going to wilt soon . . . and Yui was really cute when she wore them in her hair. And it made her happy. He'd thought he was being nice!
"Erm . . . Y-your dad isn't here . . . is he?" Bardiche wondered.
Yui blinked curiously. "Oh, Papa?" She shook her head, smile returning, though a little diminished maybe. "Erm, Mama and Papa are busy tonight."
"Attending a party?" His sister wondered. "Ah! Lady Sakuya's gathering isn't it?! I bet your mom is really beautiful in a ball gown." Bardiche sighed as he watched his sister drool at the possibilities. What she definitely wondering was how beautiful she would be in a ball gown.
"I think they left that one early, actually." Yui's smile remained perfectly fixed. "I think they're erm . . . they're moon watching!"
"Moon watching?" Bardiche wondered, he was pretty sure it was supposed to be cloudy all night. The Pixies that TRIST sent up in their weather balloons had gotten really good at their forecasts.
"Un!" Yui nodded eagerly. "Moon watching! So Aunt Sugu brought me!"
She pointed across the room to where that absurdly busty Sylph Nee-chan stood in denim shorts and dark green sweatshirt, chatting with straw haired boy in a gray sweatshirt, and the Cait Girl who lived down the hall from him and Balandene, watched over from above by a blue, feathered dragon that looked for all the world as if she thought she was a mighty Wyrm protecting her treasures.
"It's nice that your Aunt brought you." Bardiche said. "She's really good family, huh?"
Yui nodded again. "But actually, Aunt Sugu wanted to see too." Smile turning to a confused little frown. "But she'd never come on her own."
Bardiche and Balandene traded knowing looks and smiled, blushing. It was hard not to feel embarrassed on Leafa's behalf. This was supposed to be a night for really young kids mainly, the older ones were mostly around as chaperons.
Man, for someone who could be so imposing when she wanted to be, Yui's aunt was almost as much of a little kid as Rika, he thought as said Gnome girl settled in, not complaining at all that she'd become their seat, in fact, smiling gently as they all got comfortable.
"I'm glad she did!" Shion added from her seat on top of Rika. "If Leafa-chan hadn't volunteered, Hinagiku-sama wouldn't have ever let me be out so late!" The pixie girl crossed her arms clumsily. "Like I'm going to fall asleep! I wanna hear the stories too!" Shion stopped to yawn. "Erm . . . When are the stories going to start? I'm tired."
"Soon, Shion-chan, see!" Yui pointed across the room to where a lone figure was descending from the shadows of the stacks into the sunken reading area.
Clad in bright pink Pajamas riddled in little shooting stars, wavy brown hair tucked into a night cap, and one hand wrapped around a thick, leather bound tome. Their host for the night made her way over to Irene-sensei, conferring with young Undine Woman before turning her attention back to the room at large.
"Is this everyone then?"
The question was met by soft calls of 'Yes Mistress!' from the dozens of Pixies fluttering about.
"Very good then."
"Ah, are you going to read the ones we talked about?" Irene-sensei asked, taking the other girl by the sleeve.
A small nod came from the head librarian. "Yes. I believe these are best suited."
"The first two are okay, but the last is a little scary for the younger children." The Undine warned.
"Hey!" Shion's cry was lost in Rika's own. Both girls fervently protesting their status.
"It's alright." Miss Bishop said softly. "The Children, I think, are old enough for Dickens. And those who aren't should fall asleep by then."
She said that, but Irene-sensei didn't look so sure. Instead of protesting, Miss Bishop proceeded to her place at the front of the room, sitting down in a stuffed chair beside the fire, and tucking herself up neatly into the arms of her seat.
Everyone fell quiet as she opened the book, thumbing through its pages until she found her place. A small gesture, and the Pixies overhead dimmed the ore lamps until there was just the fire light to read by. Everyone was beginning to settle down, whispers turning to silence.
He'd almost forgot. Bardiche realized. "Merry Christmas, Yui-chan." Bardiche whispered under his breath. Hopefully being nice now didn't get him into any more trouble with her dad.
"Un." Yui breathed back, eyes on Miss Bishop. Bardiche felt a small, warm hand sliding into his own. "Merry Christmas, Bardiche-kun."
A cough as Miss Bishop cleared her throat.
"For all of you who are here to tonight. At special request, we will begin tonight's selection with a poem by Clement Clarke Moore, who thanks to his timeless classic, has redefined the image of Christmas Eve, and our popular impression of Saint Nicholaus of Myrai." Miss Bishop paused to look at an expectant Irene-sensei. Sighing softly, she continued. "At special request, some . . . liberties have been taken with tonight's reading. Now then, without further adew."
"Twas the night before Christmas, when all through Arrun House
Not a creature was stirring, not even a Pixie Mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimneys with care,
In hopes that Old Nicholas soon would be there."
"The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of milk-plums danced in their heads.
And your teacher in 'kerchief, and I in my cap,"
Miss Bishop tapped the top of her head to the giggles of all. Even Bardiche almost laughed before catching himself.
"Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap."
"When out on the lawns there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like the Flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash."
Dozens of soft fluttering noises from the attending Library Pixies, gathered together to almost sound like the clatter of shutters and the fluttering of sash.
"The moons on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tinny rain-deer."
"With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be Old Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!"
"Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!"
Soft voice rising with each name.
"To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"
"As dry leaves that before the wild Heavy Wind fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and Old Nicholas too."
"And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney Old Nicholas came with a bound."
"He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his toe,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and snow.
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack."
"His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!"
Miss Bishop touched fingers to each of her own cheeks, earning more whispered comments from the children.
"His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow."
"The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath."
A faint wave of Miss Bishop's hand set off a preset utility spell, triggering a small wind cantrip that drew up smoke from the chimney at her back to wreath above her head.
"He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!"
:He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old Alf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread."
"He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!"
"He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, 'ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"
Miss Bishop had continued reading all through that night, for as long as Bardiche could remember until at last falling asleep between an utterly enchanted Rika and an equally sleep bound Yui.
Strangely, when he woke later that night to stumble to the bathroom, the fire fallen to embers, and the other children nestled safely in dreams, Bardiche was almost certain he heard the sound of slay bells.
Anyways, the teachers had all been very surprised when they'd made their way home for Christmas breakfast the next morning. None of them knew where all the presents beneath the trees had come from, simply signed with an X and each child's name.
Whoever they were, Bardiche had thought as he'd examined the little leather book with all of his spells written out in gold lettering for practice, he hoped they knew what they were doing giving Rika a baby down dragon.
