Merry Christmas everyone and here's a special Christmas story to go along with the "Song of Twins - Revised" and "Blessed by the Gods" but isn't part of either as it comes later in the series. I won't say how far but if you keep up with "Blessed" you'll find out. And a thank to Heart of the Demons for one of the names here:

December 4466:

It had been five years but the Christmas ball was beginning again on New ThunDera after a few tumultuous years with the war but King Lion-O was happy that things had settled down. He came down to the throne room of the palace and found his wife Cynthia there with Lioness-A as they were supervising the placement of the tree. This was a massive twenty foot spruce tree that easily fit within the throne room.

"That's a big one," Lion-O said when he came up to them.

"It came from the Gardens of ThunDera which somehow survived everything. The ones in our suites came down from the village forest up in the mountains since we knew it wasn't hit," Lioness-A told him. Lion-O nodded as he watched Cynthia walk around to make sure the decorations were in place. Her skirts swished as she moved, sometimes walking backwards to get a better view or a different angle.

"She hasn't gone crazy with this yet, has she?" Lion-O asked.

"Nah," Lioness-A said with a smile. "Things are going perfectly. But then she's had a few years to perfect how she wants things to go." They heard the door opening and several cubs came barreling in.

"Papa!" yelled two identical male lion cubs as Lion-O chuckled as he caught Leonydas and Laeonyx who were now six years old. A tiger-lion cross ran to Lioness-A as she chuckled.

"Tigonidus how did you escape from your nanny?" she asked. The cub giggled as she laughed. He was the same age as the twins but a month or so younger. Two smaller female cubs weren't that far behind the boys and one of them tackled Cynthia as she smiled and picked up the girl who had a brown mane similar to that of her mom. Lilandra was a year old and a bit of a surprise for Lion-O and Cynthia but one that was well-loved.

"Twee?" Lilandra asked as Cynthia smiled as she saw Lion-O kneeling to listen to something the twins were telling him.

"That's our tree little one," Cynthia said softly as Lion-O walked over with the twins.

"Big tree Mama," Laeonyx said.

"It's perfect for what it is supposed to do," Cynthia said. Tygra found them then.

"Seems that Tigonidus led his sister right to you," he said when he saw that Lioness-A was holding Selah who was their daughter and was three years old.

"It happens," she said. "Did he lead his cousins here too?" she asked.

"I think that was one of the twins," Tygra said as Lion-O chuckled.

"Wouldn't surprise me," Lion-O said as the two families left after Cynthia gave a couple of instructions to the staff members.

.::~*~::.

Inside the suite later Cynthia set Lilandra down as the twins went to go play with their blocks that were stacked in a bucket in one corner of the living area. Cynthia left and came back with a box of ornaments and she let the cubs each pick out one to hang on the tree that was set near the balcony doors. Lion-O helped with hanging some of the ornaments up higher.

"What's this one?" he asked when he found one that was in the shape of an oval and gold-plated.

"It's one of mine," Cynthia said gently and turned it over. On the other side was an inscription that read 'Cynthia Ann Wingard – 1978'. "My dad ordered it for my mom the year I was born."

"Pwetty," Lilandra said as Cynthia smiled at their daughter. Cynthia let Lilandra pick the spot for it and it went by one that was an old one of Lion-O's that had somehow survived the destruction of the Old ThunDera.

"Are we ready for the ball in a day or so?" Lion-O asked Cynthia after the tree was done and the boys were getting their baths.

"Snarf is getting the feast ready now and I think that was the last of everything minus the placement of the tree but that is going well," she answered. "I've got to give Ilyssa some instructions for the night of the ball for the cubs but that can wait a bit." Lion-O sank into a chair near the fireplace as she picked up Lilandra to give her a nighttime bottle before the cub went to bed. The boys came back to the room now wearing their pajamas and Ilyssa curtsied before leaving them for the evening.

"Do we have presents Papa?" Leonydas asked as he climbed into Lion-O's lap along with his brother. Lion-O chuckled.

"You do but they're hiding," he said as the cubs groaned.

"They'll be here in time for Christmas morning," Cynthia said with a wink. She got up and carried Lilandra to bed a moment later and the twins went to bed a moment behind her which let Cynthia pull the presents out from where they were hidden and stack them under the tree. There was a small one under there and she saw her name on it. "I see someone got some shopping done," she said as Lion-O softly chuckled.

"When I had a few free moments and there's three under there," he said as she came and slid into his lap as he wrapped his arms around her. "It's been a hard year for most of us but it's good that things are settling into some semblance of normal." He watched the fire crackling a moment. Cynthia leaned against him.

"I know that things got rough for all of us but we made it," she whispered. "Even you with what you went through during that war." Lion-O sighed but knew she was right.

"You were there to help me love," he said to her. "Without your support I wouldn't have gotten as far as I did with everything." He hugged her tightly.

.::~*~::.

The Christmas ball was a day later as Lion-O guided Cynthia to the throne room where it was to be held while their cubs were with their nanny in the suite. Both were dressed in their finery for this and had their crowns. The couple got to the doors and found Lioness-A and Tygra waiting there along with Bengali and Jaguarus.

"You outdid yourself on this," Jaguarus said as Cynthia smiled.

"I had a lot of help with it this year," she said. "But then again it has been a while since we were able to host one of these and I felt it would help heal us further as a people in a way by having the Christmas tradition kept, even though this is the first year for it in a while."

"Here, here," Tygra murmured quietly as the others nodded. Cynthia had only been on New ThunDera the last nine years but it had made an impact on her and she had made an impression on those around her, specifically Lion-O and most of the other Thundercats.

The doors were opened and Tygra and Lioness-A were announced first and then Cynthia came in on the arm of Lion-O as everyone cheered and did the salute.

The ball started a short bit later with everyone dancing and partaking in the food and festivities and Lion-O smiled as he held Cynthia close while they danced. She sang a few songs as well and those lifted many a spirit that evening. The other Thundercats were greeted warmly. Toward the end of the ball Lion-O and Cynthia came together with his sister and Tygra to close out the event.

"We want to wish everyone here a very Merry Christmas and a happy new Year," Lion-O began.

"And may we continue to thrive and prosper in the year ahead," Cynthia finished to loud cheers and claps. After that found the couples heading to their suites for the night and Cynthia smiled when she saw that the twins and Lilandra were safely asleep and had gone down without a fuss. It allowed Cynthia to lay out their toys before she and Lion-O went to bed.

.::~*~::.

The next morning the royals were greeted with squeals of joy from the twins. Cynthia picked up Lilandra from the nursery and let her toddle to the living area to see about her presents as Lion-O joined them and got the fire going again. The presents were opened and there was a small family breakfast before they met up with Lioness-A and Tygra to have a joint family day with more fun as the cousins played together. It was one day where both Lion-O and Cynthia could relax as a break from their duties and be there with their cubs.

There was joy and merriment all around the planet as things were now fully and truly at peace.