This is part four of my story.

Don't sue me I don't own the characters

We are then taken to the place where Nakago and Tamahome are talking. "Christmas!?!!? She's planning Christmas????" Tamahome screamed.

Nakago just shook his piano like head, "Yes, awful isn't it."

"Perhaps she doesn't know how I feel about Christmas."

"But she does know. She just doesn't care.... Like I do. She's actually trying to bring Christmas back to the castle... and you know how much we despise Christmas."

"The day my life ended..." Tamahome said. Then the mood began to change. It was dark and evil. The castle began to change and a young prince, rather then a beast, emerged.

"Bring me my presents!" The young Tamahome yelled.

Tasuki was human again, but still carried the fan, "Your highness please accept this humble gift as a token of our appreciation, I know I speak for everyone when..."

Tamahome was not in the mood for a speech, "Oh, just give it to me." With that he opened it. He was not at all pleased. "A storybook? You call this a present... I hope you have something better for me Nakago."

"Yes, sir. Of course master," The man then sat down at the large grand Piano. He played a piece that seemed so gloomy, and evil.

Tamahome was again not pleased, "What's that?"

Nakago looked up disappointed, "A small piece in your honor sir."

"Ug, I hate it. That stuff is gloomy." Tamahome then heard a knock on the door. "Who disturbs my Christmas?"

An old hag was standing on the steps of the castle. In her hand was a small object. "Please take this rose in exchange for shelter from the bitter cold." She held up the rose and showed she was cold.

Tamahome was already mad, he did not need this distraction, "I don't need a rose. Go away, you wretched old hag."

Then the hag became a beautiful enchantress to warn Tamahome. "You have been deceived by your own cold heart. A curse upon your house and all within it. Until you have one to love you as you are... you shall remain forever. A beast."

The scene then changed back to the present time. Tamahome sighed at the memory. Nakago decided to comfort him, "but we have come so far since then... we have risen above the tragedy."

Angered instead of felling better said, "Where is she?"

"I believe she's gone to the boiler room.... Or so a little birdie told me." Nakago looked at Mitsukake.

"He-he. Tweet, tweet, tweet." Said Mitsukake.

Miaka was in the boiler room. There she saw n axe that she could use. It said, "Dive" It was chopping wood.

AN oil bucket was there and other items, "Hey, come get out of the way, watch it here."

"Oh, excuse me," says Miaka jumping out of the way.

The axe seemed like the leader, "All right you guys, now get back to work. The castle doesn't heat itself you know! Oy. So, what can I do you for lady?" He looked at Miaka

"I'm looking for a log."

The axe didn't seemed surprised. "All right. Logs we got. We've got hard work, soft wood, we got it all, birch, maple, pine, oak, oy! Concrete, my head, don't worry it'll pass. So make up your mind already!"

Miaka wasn't sure, "It is all right if I just browse."

The axe had more to do, "Suit yourself, and take your time. Me I got work to do." Miaka picks up a log as the boiler overloads and lets off steam. Everyone had stopped to watch, "Hey, what am I paying you for? Being boring? Do that on your own time. Get out of here."

"Yes!" Miaka says as she finds a good log, and Tamahome storms in.

"What are you hiding." He swoops around her grabs the log.

Miaka said then with a smile, "It's a Yule log."

"Huh?"

"A Yule log. It's a wonderful tradition. One log is chosen and then everyone in the house touches it and makes a Christmas wish."

"Wishes are stupid. You made a Christmas wish last year, is this what you wished for?"

"No, but I'll keep wishing.. and when the log is burned on Christmas morning." She was interrupted by Tamahome.

"There will be no Christmas."

"But.."

"NO! I am the master here."

"How can you be so selfish?"

"You can not possibly understand.. you have no idea what it's like to lose everything, to be trapped in your own castle to be a..a..."

"A prisoner? The only one holding us prisoner here is you. Well, I'm not giving up." With that she leaves and goes up to her room.

Chiriko then came in, "Hiya Miaka. You should see the ballroom. It's all decorated and pretty and there's garlands everywhere! I think the master's gonna be really excited when he finds out about Christmas."

"Well, he... he already knows."

"Really? Was he excited?" Chiriko seemed so enthusiastic.

"Actually Chiriko, he's forbidden it."

"But I thought he couldn't forbid Christmas."

Miaka then sat straight up, "you know Chiriko... he can't! We'll have Christmas with or without him."

"Hooray! Can we get a tree now Miaka, it's the only thing we're missing."

"All right then. Let's go get a tree. First, shh...." They sneak into the Tamahome's lair and put his present by the rose.

"Psst.. Miaka, the master. Hurry!" Tamahome then came in as Chiriko and Miaka left.

Then in front of the castle, out on the grounds they went to look for a tree.

"What about this one." She looks at a scrawny tree

"Umm...naah.. too skinny. Come on."

Tamahome is watching from a window in his chamber. Tasuki is there as well.

"She is beautiful no?" Said Tasuki

"Yes and I'm hideous."

"Not to mention ill tempered."

"What? What is that?" Tamahome looks at the gift

"Oh, it looks like a Christmas present." Tamahome didn't care he stormed away to the balcony.

"It's for you master, it's from.... A girl! From Miaka."

Tamahome walked over to the gift and began to open it.

"Ah, ah, master you can't open it!"

"Well, why not! It's for me isn't it!"

"Because it's not yet Christmas."

"Pshaw!"

`"Master, we all understand how you feel about Christmas, but when a woman gives a man a gift, she is saying 'I care for you."

"But I don't have a gift for her."

"It is not too late."

"Well, I guess I could get her a little something." He walks into Nakago's room where he is playing music. "Stop the noise!"

"Noise? Noise? This is my masterpiece." Nakago said, until Tamahome growled at him, "Master..."

"I want you to compose a song. It's a present... for Miaka."

"..."

"And make it happy!"

"Oh, but happiness is so... depressing! What's next? Love songs??? Wedding marches??? It's all that girl's fault."

Miaka and Chiriko are still looking for a tree, "What about this one?"

"Umm.. too wiggly."

"Too..wiggly?"

Nakago was furious, "Pay attention Mitsukake. I need you to pace when I think. The girl is evil I tell you. She holds him from my grasp. She fills his head with dreams of love and hope and Christmas."

"Well, whatcha gonna do? Ya can't stop Christmas!"

"No, but I can stop the girl."

Back on the grounds, searching for a tree (still), "Chiriko, this is the last one."

"That's not it! That's just a weed wishing it was a tree."

"We looked at every tree on the grounds."

"But there's more this way than that."

"It will have to do." She pounds the axe into the tree

"Oy, aye gavult. What a hedache I have."

"I'm sorry. I'll get a saw." Miaka said and went to put him down.

"No, that's fine. I don't want I should put you out."

"Oh, alright." She takes another swing.

"You have some oil? I just though... a little massage.. but if it's not, it's no. What are you waiting for, go ahead knock yourself out. You never get headaches I guess. Lucky you."

"Really, I can get a saw."

"Who wants a saw? Go ahead with the wacking and the hitting, who's stopping you?" Just as he said that Miaka heard some music.

"Shhhh. Oh, it's beautiful."

Nagako is playing the music and is takes Miaka up there. "Yes, my dear. Come to me"

Miaka then walks into the room where Nakago is, "Hello?"

"Mademoiselle, please. I am maestro Nakago, court composer and your most humble servant."

"Pleased to meet you Monsieur Nakago. I'm Miaka."

"Yes, the entire castle is talking about you child. They say you are planning a Christmas Gala. Marvelous idea. The very thing to shatter the master's dark and gloomy past. But you must make this the grandest celebration ever. Have you gifts?"

Chiriko then came in, "Yep."

"Food?"

"Yep."

"Garlands, ribbons, wreaths?"

"Check."

"Spangles and 'fandangles?' The trinkets, the trimmings, the trappings?"

"Yup, we got 'em all."

"The tree?"

"See Miaka, I told ya."

"Well, we found one." Said Miaka.

"But it was on the piddlin side of punny."

Nakago just laughed, "But did you look in the Black forest? There you will find a tree better than any you can dream of."

"Better? We gotta go Miaka. We gotta." Chiriko said.

"Chip, we can't. I promised your master I wouldn't leave the castle grounds. I gave my word."

"Cheer up son, there is a profound lesson to be learned here. Keeping your word is much more important than bringing joy to another." Laughed Nakago

"You're twisting what I say." Miaka said.

Not at all. I agree with you. Look after yourself. Let the master do the same. Never mind that the tree was always his favorite part of Christmas."

"Please Miaka?" Chiriko chimed in.

"It looks dangerous."

"Mademoiselle, you are in more danger in this very room. I assure you."

"All right."

"Yes!"

"If we hurry we can be back by nightfall."

"Hurray!" With that they began to leave

"Au revior Monsieur Nakago. You'll keep my secret won't you?"

"Of course Mademoiselle, the master will remain completely in the dark."

"I want you to follow her. Make sure that they don't come back. Mitsukake"

"Oh but...Ok I'm going"

"Nuriko" Came a scream from Tamahome. "Nuriko!"

"Uou bellowed sir?" Nuriko said out of breath.

"Find Miaka."

"Yes, sir. Right away sir. Uh yes. Splendid. Yes, Splendid. Right away sir." Nuriko left to go and find Miaka.

"Careful, Careful. Too fast! Get out of the way. Stop!" He ran into Tamahome.

Yui was standing there as well, "Huh! Amateurs."

Where is Miaka? The Master is demanding to see her now."

"Nuriko, I'm waiting." Called Tamahome.

"Oh dear, very good, very good. I'm almost there. Chichiri, stall the master."

"Miaka. Where is she?"

"Miaka, Miaka"

Tasuki sees tracks in the snow then, "The black forests! Come on, hurry now!"

"Oh no! This is catastrophic!"

"Quit dawdling."

"I'm not dawdling. I'm waddling."

"Well, don't waddle then. We're in a hurry you lazy old clock."

Well this ends part 4. There will only be one more part. The big finish. I hope you will like it.