that's the end! thank you to everyone who liked and commented on the fic!
also the Christmas carol used is Veni redemptor gentium
The kids themselves didn't participate in carrying the table outside. That was the guards' job, while the children and Mistress Aggie helped them with the plates and other decorations.
Once the table was set outside, Will, Alyss, Jenny, and George carried out all the wreaths and candles. Horace insisted that he'll carry the chairs since he was old enough to do that. He managed to get three chairs before he was panting with effort and rather joined the others with carrying lighter things.
It didn't take them long. In fact, they were done pretty quickly. The other tables have already been set and now, the children helped with setting their table as well.
Soon, everything was prepared. Some knights and ladies have already come out into the cold, dressed in their best clothes, and Mistress Aggie ushered the children inside so they would also be dressed in their best clothes. That usually meant clean clothes that weren't ripped. The ward kids didn't own such fancy clothes as the rich kids did, but neither of them minded. They were happy with what they got.
George put on a grey vest and over that, his woolen sweater. His gray pants didn't match with it at all, but the boy didn't mind.
Horace didn't really bother with dressing up - what use would the nice clothes have when they all had sweaters and cloaks on, anyways?
Will at least made the effort to tame his wild brown hair before giving up. His hair didn't want to listen at all, so he was stuck with the same wild look he always had.
Alyss asked Mistress Aggie to braid her hair. She put on a light blue dress, similar to what the Couriers wore, and underneath it, she had a pair of woolen leggings to keep warm.
Jenny got her hair up into a messy bun. The length of her hair didn't permit it to be in any other hairstyle other than a bun and a ponytail, and Jenny quite liked this look. She also got a yellow dress. Yellow just like the dandelions she liked to pick in the spring.
Together, the five kids went outside. A company of nobles had already gathered outside, and Martin was currently showing them their seats. The ward children didn't pay attention to him and went to their places at their table. Each one had a favourite place to sit in, with Mistress Aggie at the head of the table. Will, Jenny, and Alyss sat on one side and George and Horace shared the other one.
Everyone was politely seated when the Baron arrived outside, wearing a bright cloak. Lady Sandra followed a few feet behind him, smiling politely at everyone. She even nodded her head at the more important members of the nobility.
"Welcome everyone to this un-brr-lievable winter surprise!" the Baron called, raising his hands as if he wanted to hug everyone. He heard a few dry laughs at his joke while Lady Sandra just rolled her eyes.
"Now, a little birdie told me that this surprise had been organized by the ward children, is that right?" He turned to the kids, and all of them bowed their heads respectfully. Alyss was the only one who gathered up the courage to speak up.
"Y-yes, my lord," she replied, her tone an octave higher than it usually was. From the big table, Lady Pauline subtly nodded to the Scribesmaster, whispering about something.
Baron Arald gave her a big smile.
"Very well, then I shall sit with you today," he said, going to the table and sitting down in the front, with Lady Sandra next to him on the right. The children exchanged surprised glances. Never, ever had the Baron show them such kindness. It was something entirely different to eat in the ward and to eat with the ruler of the fief present, and all of them were suddenly on their best behaviour.
"Sitting with peasants, how pathetic," whispered a noblewoman from another table to her sister, before she noticed the dark eyes of Ranger Halt staring at her from a shadow of a tree. The Ranger's eyes were narrowed dangerously, and the noblewoman had enough smarts to shut up and not say anything about it again.
Baron Arald took his goblet of fine wine.
"Now, let's eat together!" he called. That was the cue for the cooks to start carrying warm food and good drinks to the tables, serving them only the best. The boar head also disappeared quickly as the noblemen made a dash for it. The others got roasted fish, just like the children. The fast was over. Everyone ate and drank to their hearts' content, and the adults engaged in long, boring conversations.
When everyone was done eating, Horace leaned back in the chair and burped. Mistress Aggie frowned at him, but he didn't mind it. Baron Arald sincerely laughed.
"This is the most fun I've ever had during a meal," he said, half-eyeing the nobles' table where ladies and gentlemen in fancy dresses kept talking about how poor they were, or how their grandma Bertha lost her sight, or even about the heritage they would get once their annoying relative passed away.
Lady Sandra looked at her husband, smiling. Then, her expression changed to a horrified one.
"Darling, what did I say about wiping the grease off on your coat?" she scolded him lightly. Baron Arald had the decency to look sheepish.
"Not to?" he replied, making her roll her eyes.
"That's another coat that will have to be washed," she said, trying to wipe the grease off with a wet napkin.
On the other side of the table, Will leaned back in his chair.
"Aww, I'm so full!" he said, patting his belly. Alyss nudged him in the ribs gently.
"We still have one more surprise to share," she said, grabbing Baron Arald's attention. The Baron tilted his head.
"Another surprise?" he asked curiously. Now, all the kids nodded. Jenny beamed.
"We practiced Christmas carols too!" she said happily, already pushing her chair back to come up to the front. Mistress Aggie reacted quickly and asked the Baron: "May they?"
Arald nodded.
"Of course, I wouldn't want to miss the singing!" he replied, his smile wide. Grumbling silently, Will and Horace also made their way up, Will holding his stomach. He had eaten so much that he would probably need a slight break before trying to even move, but with the enthusiasm that ruled the place, finding some peace to do that would be hard.
The wards and Mistress Aggie stood in front of the tables. The caretaker was doing the conductor role, telling the kids when to start.
"First up," she called. "The children will sing Come, Redeemer of the Nations ."
She stood in front of the kids and counted down the time to start singing. Then, even without music, the kids started singing:
"Come, thou Redeemer of the earth,
and manifest thy virgin-birth:
let every age adoring fall;
such birth befits the God of all.
Begotten of no human will,
But of the Spirit, Thou art still
The Word of God in flesh arrayed,
The promised fruit to men displayed..."
Several other songs later, the children had gone through the entire repertoire they had, and they bowed in unison.
Baron Arald, of course, was the loudest, calling praises. He was so proud of 'his' children, not even Lady Sandra would attempt to have him keep it down.
Cheeks red, either from the cold or the praise, the children sat down at the table again and were presented with cold drinks.
"That was a wonderful surprise," Baron Arald said when the food was gone. "I couldn't have asked for a better one."
All the children looked at each other and big smiles appeared on their faces. Alyss spoke: "We wanted to show you our gratitude for taking us all in, my lord." Will, Jenny, Horace, and George nodded, all eyeing the Baron curiously.
Baron Arald laughed; it was a pleasant laugh, not meant bad in any way.
"I'm glad I did! You're growing up to be amazing people," he said, raising a glass of wine in their honour. The children laughed. At that moment, all the other tables ceased to exist for them. They were present in that moment, and no one and nothing could take that away from them. They had worked hard to prepare all of this, went through all of that trouble, and now, they were happy that the person they did it for first and foremost liked it.
"That's great!" Jenny beamed, hugging Alyss' shoulder. The other girl laughed and let her hang on her shoulder. George sipped his drink, but he was smiling, and even Will and Horace managed to put aside their differences and cheer.
The sun was long set by the time everyone finally got up, hugging themselves because they were cold. There was no food left, the remaining noblemen were only finishing their drinks, and most of them had already gone inside the castle.
Mistress Aggie stood aside with the children as two knights moved the table back into the ward. The Baron came up to them.
"As a thank you for this surprise, I want to give you some small gifts," Arald said, presenting several different items. The children's eyes sparkled. They were getting gifts?
Soon, Alyss and Jenny were looking at their new brooches, Will and Horace had new hats and George got a small personal notebook.
"Thank you!" they cried in unison. The Baron nodded his head slightly and said: "I hope that you will enjoy them. Now, please excuse me, I have responsibilities to return to."
With bows, the children said their goodbyes. Will started shivering.
"I-it's c-cold," he said, finally letting his teeth chatter. Mistress Aggie smiled and then saw that the other children were also hugging themselves and keeping their teeth from chattering.
"I think it's time for you to get inside and warm up," she remarked gently and ushered the children into the building. This time, they didn't even protest. Everyone was looking forward to their covers and warm blankets.
While the children huddled in the covers, Mistress Aggie made them all warm tea. Slurping it quietly, Jenny started chanting another Christmas carol. The others joined in sleepily until finally, they had no strength left. Some fell asleep next to the fireplace, and some made it to bed. It was up to the caretakers to get them in their beds. Normally, they would wake them up. Today, they decided to carry them. It was a special day after all.
When Mistress Aggie tucked in sleeping Horace, she looked over the three beds there were in the room. George and Will were both sleeping soundly.
"Merry Christmas, children," she whispered and silently closed the door behind her, leaving them to get some well-deserved rest.
