So here is chapter 19! Please review!
Chapter 19: Winter Fun
"Happy Birthday Lucy!" everyone called the first day of winter. It was also the youngest sibling's eighth birthday, and her friends and family were having a party with the cast and crew of The Ice Queen. There was singing and dancing, although would one expect anything less during a Narnian party?
Lucy received many beautiful gifts from everyone and was very happy.
"Adelphos and Nerina, what do Arcadians do at parties?" she asked when there was a lull in the excitement.
"Pretty much the same thing, but our food and music are different of course," answered Nerina.
There were nights when the wind was so cold
That my body froze in bed
If I just listened to it
Right outside the window
"We play games," said Adelphos.
The birthday girl's eyes lit up. "Oh what kind of games?"
Adelphos smiled. "Well we always play a dancing game. One person dances a few steps, and the others copy them. Each round the dance steps become longer and faster, and if you make a mistake you are out. The last dancer goes one-on-one with the lead dancer, and they both challenge each other. The first one to make a mistake loses. When the whole land gets together we have a huge competition. It's so much fun."
"Could we try it? It sounds like fun!" said Lucy excitedly.
"I don't see why not. It is your birthday after all," the Arcadian laughed.
Everyone lined up in front of Adelphos, who was chosen to be the lead dancer. At the end of the game Adelphos and Nerina ended up in a tie, and they chose Lionel, a dwarf who was a member of the chorus, to be the lead dancer for the second game, since he came in second.
There were days when the sun was so cruel
That all the tears turned to dust
And I just knew my eyes were
Drying up forever
In the commotion of everyone's excitement in preparing for the next game, Adelphos noticed something. Telling the others they could start without him, he left, looking through the castle. He looked out a window during his search, sighed at his stupidity, grabbed two coats, and then went outside.
And I banished every memory you and I had ever made…He found Nerina again on the same hill she stood on during the rainstorm. The first snow flew around her madly, and it began to snow even harder. Adelphos was happy to see his friend in her element once more. His crooked smile appeared on his face and he reached down, molding a snowball in his large, callused hands. He laughed when it hit his friend in the head, scaring her out of her reverie. As she saw who it was, and threw another snowball in defense, all he could remember were their childhood days. The friends ran through the snow, throwing snowballs at each other and laughing. Out of breath, they finally stopped, and Adelphos gave Nerina the coat he had grabbed for her. He watched her put it on, noticing how the snow clung to her hair and eyelashes. She shivered, and he hugged her, resting his cheek on the top of her head. For a while they stood like that, enjoying being together again and the sound of the falling snow.
I just have to admit
That it's all coming back to me
"Adelphos?" said Nerina, breaking the silence.
"Hmm?"
"Thank you again for everything you have done for me. I have my health, voice, and memories all back thanks to you. If it wasn't for you, I would still be-" She shivered.
It's so hard to believe but
It's all coming back to me
"Don't mention it. You're my best friend. I know you would have done the same for me." Stepping back, he looked at the horizon. "We should go in- everyone is going to wonder where we've been. Tonight will be so beautiful. It is going to be the first night of winter."
The two friends' eyes widened and they yelled, "The Great Winter Dance!"
"Every Arcadian dreams of participating in the famous Narnian dance!" exclaimed Nerina. "Do you think we could go?"
"I will ask our friends. They might want to come as well. We can go to Dancing Lawn with the fauns, dryads, and dwarves from the cast and crew. I'm sure they will be leaving soon."
He ran inside and returned later with the fauns, dryads, and dwarves, but no monarchs. They told Adelphos they had Narnian business to attend to, but they would make sure to go the following year.
The group set out in a sleigh and soon arrived at Dancing Lawn, where the winter dance had already begun. The fauns and dryads danced around while dwarves threw snowballs around, carefully making sure they would not hit the dancers.
"Come join the fun!" cried Mr. Tumnus, who was dancing with a dryad.
"Is that allowed?" asked Nerina.
"Of course! You two were saying on the way here that this dance is the first one every Arcadian learns. Come on!" He and his partner twirled away, and the Arcadian couple quickly joined in.
They had a wonderful time and made many new Narnian friends during the dance, and the feast afterwards. When the festivities were over, they sadly waved good-bye and rode back to Cair Paravel.
NTMNTMNTMNTM
"Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! It's Christmas morning! It's Christmas morning! Come on everyone! Wake up!" Lucy ran through the halls of Cair Paravel on a bright Christmas morn. Slowly, one-by-one, the doors throughout the second floor opened and her friends and family came out, still rubbing their eyes.
Merry Christmas to all who may dwell here
Merry Christmas if even just one
May the joy of the season surround you,
Merry Christmas…
"Merry Christmas," yawned Edmund.
"Merry Christmas," they all responded.
In a few minutes everyone was awake, and the six raced downstairs to find their presents.
"Father Christmas came!" shouted Lucy. "Look! I got a unicorn doll!" She proudly held up the stuffed toy.
Adelphos received a large, jeweled, and blank book and quill to write in. Nerina got a necklace in the shape of a water drop with a tiny diamond inside. Peter received a book about the previous rulers of Narnia, Edmund got a book with pictures painted inside of Narnia and it's surrounding countries, all except Arcadia. And lastly, Susan received a silver hairbrush set.
For the Arcadians, the Pevensies put together a skit. By the end everyone was rolling on the floor with laughter. As the six walked through the castle to the dining hall, they admired the colorful decorations. There was no Christmas tree inside the castle of course, for in Narnia, dryads live in the trees, so all the fir trees outside the castle were covered in berries and hand-made ornaments.
Now the heart that for years had been silent
Was suddenly filled with a song
As she clung to their hands like a child in the night…
The feeling of love and warmth was unavoidable. Adelphos' heart swelled when he heard his friend sing. The feelings had built up, and Nerina burst into song, unable to describe her happiness any other way.
They finally made it to the doorway of the dining hall. The doors were closed and they all stopped.
"Now this is our gift to you," said Adelphos.
"We and the cooks have prepared an Arcadian Christmas feast for you," continued Nerina.
"Even though Arcadians can live without food, we still eat it every one in a while, and on holidays," explained Adelphos.
"For Arcadians, breakfast is like the rest of the world's dinner. It is our biggest meal of the day when we do eat, so while the rest of the world has a big dinner on holidays, we have a big breakfast," finished Nerina.
The two each took a door and pulled it open.
"Merry Christmas!" they yelled.
The large table was filled with all sorts of good food. The six sat down and began to eat. There was chocolate bread, gourmet hot chocolate, Danish, coffeecake, waffles, pancakes, stuffed French toast, and muffins. Everything delicious that you could possibly imagine having on Christmas was there.
The rest of the day was spent sledding down a large hill with a group of Narnians. They all had a great time and a most memorable Christmas.
Merry Christmas to all who may dwell here
Merry Christmas if even just one
May the joy of the season surround you,
Merry Christmas with love
Songs Used-It's All Coming Back to Me by Celine Dion and Merry Christmas With Love by Clay Aiken
Please review!
Thanks
Haras