Ch. 11: Christmas Mishaps

Gradually, the Christmas holiday came. The Castle was decorated slightly and Gabriella giggled at some of the handy work done by Luka. Early in the morning, Tristan slipped out of the bed whispering to her that Luka, Aaron and he were going to go find a Christmas tree. Gabriella nodded before sitting up slightly hugging Tristan and falling back asleep.

Later in the afternoon, Gabriella was in the kitchen when she heard the doors open. "We're back," she heard Luka shot before she suddenly heard a loud but small bark. She raised an eyebrow as she walked out to see Luka carrying a small white wolf puppy with Tristan and Aaron carrying the tree inside. Luka lifted the puppy up as he walked over to Gabriella as he smiled, telling her, "We found him all alone."

Gabriella bent down petting the little puppy as she smiled at Tristan who shook his head of the snow. "Your idea?"

"Nothing wrong with a boy and his wolf," Tristan joked gently before removing the cloak. He placed it down before he affectionately messed with Luka's hair, "What are you going to name him, Luk?"

Luka looked down at his puppy then looked up at them, "Snowball."

Gabriella giggled, "Snowball?"

"Yes because he's white as snow and I found him after I threw a snowball at Papa."

He then placed the puppy down before letting it roam around the room while Aaron finally got the tree up in the main hall. He reentered the room and looked at Tristan before he looked down at his son, "Luka go start decorating the tree with your mother." Luka nodded before running inside the main hall. Aaron looked at his friend crossing his arms, "You are a bad influence."

Tristan simply smiled before Aaron punched his shoulder playfully. He just shook his head and walked away leaving Tristan and Gabriella alone.

Gabriella walked up to Tristan, wiping some snow off his hair. She smiled up at him, "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas," he said back.

There was a small silence before both absentmindedly took each other's hand. "So what do we do for Christmas," Gabriella inquired softly.

Tristan shrugged, "It depends."

"On what?"

He gently took her hand, "I like to ask you if you would like to be my companion for tonight?" Gabriella watched as Tristan shyly looked away as he asked his question, his face was slightly flush, and nervous.

Gabriella laughed slightly, "Is this your attempt to court me, Lord Tristan?"

Tristan gave a small awkward smile, "It's my sad attempt. I never really had done this before."

With this small confession, Gabriella leaned up and kissed Tristan's cheek saying to him, "I'd be honor to." Gabriella watched, as Tristan's small smile became a full-blown smile before he quickly ran off up the stairs. Gabriella giggled at this before she turned to walk into the main hall to join Luka, Abby and Aaron. She sighed before she felt Tristan's arms wrapped around her again. She looked up at Tristan who leaned down and gave small kiss on her jaw line before he released her and ran off again.

Gabriella sighed happily, God there is that weird feeling in my stomach but I just like it too much.

B&B

The sun soon set before Gabriella walked up the stairs with Luka and Snowball to dress up for this evening. "I'm so excited," Luka told her, "Gabby you going to love this."

"I bet I'm going to do," Gabriella said.

"Both of you are." It was the last thing they heard before everything went black.

Abby walked down the hallway in her dark green dress. She wondered where Luka could be at and even Gabriella, both should have been ready already but it could take a bit longer also. She approached Tristan's room, opening the door to see him observing himself in the mirror. She glanced down to see on his bed was his grey dress coat.

She picked it up as she walked up behind him. "Last time I saw you look into a mirror you almost broke it," Abby told him. He looked over his shoulder and for a moment, Abby thought she was looking at a different Tristan. He seemed more happy and excited; he was not being consciousness of his scars but combed his hair a bit more before smiling at her. She slipped the coat on him before fixing it and smiled up at him, "You look great."

"Thank you," he said to her. He suddenly noticed the worried look at Abby's face, "Something wrong?"

"Have you seen Luka or Gabby since the tree arrived?"

Tristan shook his head, "No, I thought Luka was with you and Gabby, I assumed, was getting ready for tonight."

Abby shook her head and Tristan suddenly felt his heart jumped to his throat. "Tristan, Abby," they suddenly heard Aaron yelled. Tristan and Abby ran out of the room before seeing Aaron with a concern look on his face.

"Andrew is missing too."

B&B

Where am I, Gabriella slowly began to wake up to see Andrew tying Luka up and breaking open the ice on the lake they lied on. Luka was still dazed as Gabriella struggled to move to the little boy. Andrew looked over, "Ah I see you are finally awake."

"What are you going to do," Gabriella struggled to free her hands.

Andrew smirked as he slowly began to lower Luka into the cold icy water. "You are next," Andrew laughed before he grabbed Gabriella and lowered her into the icy water. She felt the cold hit her hard, shaking harshly as she tried to maintain her head on the surface while keeping an eye on Luka who was slowly sinking into the water.

Suddenly she heard a loud howl. She could see out in the distance, a gray wolf charging at them with a horse rider trailing behind. "Shadow," she wondered as her mind began to become hazy from the cold. All of a sudden, she watched as the wolf's size began to grow bigger and the color growing darker to the black wolf with her realizing with a glimmer of hope.

Tristan.

Andrew looked up quickly before Tristan tackled him clawing and biting him. Aaron got off the horse as he went to Gabriella; she shook her head as she gasped from the cold, "Luka…" Aaron looked over at the other hole and immediately dove in to grab his son. Gabriella watched as Andrew kicked Tristan off before he stood up. Tristan growled but glanced at Gabriella whose ache in her body was getting worse, she could not hold her head up before she fully submerged into the water, feeling her body going numb.

Then unexpectedly, two arms around her waist and she resurfaced. Gabriella coughed some water out before turning her head to see Tristan breathing heavily. He glanced over at her before quickly crawling to her, lifting her into his arms. She nuzzled up to his chest, holding him tightly before she closed her eyes.

"Tristan," he looked up at his friend who held his son, "we need to get them back to the castle."

Tristan nodded as he removed his coat, wrapping it around her then his cloak before lifting her up and getting on his horse that followed Aaron's. He held her tightly as he looked down at her, "I'm not going to let you go."

B&B

Gabriella slowly opened her eyes to feel a hand in hers. She looked down to see Tristan sitting in a chair, holding her hand. She gently squeezed it before he groggily sat up; his eyes slowly opened his eyes to see Gabriella looking at him. "Gabby," he smiled immediately as he stood up and sat on the side of the bed.

"Luka," she whispered tiredly.

"He's fine. He's okay, running around the castle already," he told her as he touched her cheek. She leaned into his touch before kissing his hand and Tristan sighed, "Thank God, you are okay."

"Andrew?"

Tristan's face went dark as he shook his head, "He escaped but I doubt he's coming back."

Gabriella sat up before pulling him closer to her. She hugged him before she mumbled against his chest, "You forgot to tell me that you were Shadow."

"I figured you would notice sooner or later."

"You've been around all this time, from the beginning," Gabriella pointed out. Tristan nodded before she sighed and looked up at him, "I like you more as a giant black dog."

"That is a wonderful compliment to the person who was supposed to court you." Gabriella laughed slightly before Tristan got off the bed for a moment; he opened the balcony doors to his room before turning back at her. He looked back at her, "I still owe you a dance." Gabriella gave a wide smile before stepping out of the bed, noticing that she was in Tristan's clothes. She looked up at him and he simply said, "Abby."

She nodded before Tristan placed his black cloak around her as he walked her out onto the balcony. He bowed to her as she curtsied back, placing her hand his shoulder while linking the other hand in his. Tristan slowly pulled her in close to him as he wrapped his arm around her waist as they slowly began to waltz around the balcony.

Tristan twirled her a couple times before goofily dipping her down and all of the sudden, lifting her up. Her arms around his neck as she looked down into his eyes giggling, he placed her back down but still held her. "I'm sorry it wasn't the best Christmas," he apologized to her as they began to walk back into the room.

Gabriella shook her head, "Tristan, this is really the first time since my mother died that I celebrated Christmas. You gave me the best Christmas present and that's being an amazing friend." Tristan slightly winced at the word 'friend' before turning around to lock the door to the balcony.

Gabriella could feel her heart pound as Tristan led her back into the bed. She lied down while Tristan sat in the chair, "What are you doing?"

Tristan looked down at his chair, "I'm going to sleep here."

She shook her head and opened the covers to let him in. He slipped into the covers before lying next to her. Gabriella moved closer to him and laid on his chest, nuzzling into his neck. Instinctively she kissed the spot causing Tristan to go rigid but he did not pull back. Tristan gently kissed her forehead before whispering, "I don't know what would happen if I lost you."

Gabriella closed her eyes tighter, knowing Tristan thought she was asleep. He gently rubbed her back as he gazed down at her, his heart pounding. He relaxed back a bit as he whispered softly to her, "You don't know how much you changed me. You are my present and I am grateful. Merry Christmas Gabriella." I love you.

He closed his eyes as Gabriella sat up a bit looking at him, I don't know how I feel. You are so beautiful and wonderful and I wish I knew how I feel. I…adore you, Tristan. She gently kissed over his heart before placing her head back and down whispering back, "Merry Christmas Tristan."

So many wonderful reviews that make me smile. Mirrorowl38, you made me laugh so hard and I'm prepared. Also, I'm going to say this now and tomorrow, Happy Valentine's Day!