The soft tinkling and chiming weaved around the pair, curled up under the blankets. Lazily flickering flames filled the space with fragments of golden light, as the rising heat gently turned a brass fan, precariously balanced on top. An assortment of curious figurines clustered around the stem below the fan, evenly spaced and locked in an eternal game of can and mouse. Small metal rods hang from each of the figurines, gently tapping metal bells placed around the base of the stem as they continued on their journey.
Beside the small brass angel chime, a larger, wooden structure stood tall, reaching several layers high. At its base, intricately carved figures clustered around the erect pole centred on the base and twirled around as it turned with the updraft of yet more candles. The figures stayed silent, with faces painted in song and small wooden hands locked around minuscule lyric sheets.
Wooden feasting took place on the middle layer, where a circular table was filled with all of the season's delights and jaunty figures were making merry together, raising their glasses as the world turned.
At the top, birds were arranged on a pulley-system which made them swoop and dive as the candle pyramid turned on its stationary path, going nowhere yet arriving all the same.
A gentle ticking from a grandfather clock hung on the wall mingled with the soft chimes and occasional spark from the candles keeping the show alive.
The only other sound was the two heartbeats, beating as one.