Story Summary: On the first Christmas in Narnia, Edmund decides to stay up and have a talk with Father Christmas.
A/N: This is just a short fluffy piece for the holiday, dedicated to all of you! Happy Holidays!
On the morning of Christmas Eve, Edmund announced his plans. "I will be staying up to see Father Christmas," he told his brother and sisters. The others looked at him with a mixture of surprise and amusement. No one bothered to ask why, for they all remembered that Edmund was the only one of the four who had not met him last year. To spare Edmund that embarrassment, no one said this out loud, either.
Lucy clapped her hands. "What a wonderful idea!" she giggled. "I will sit up with you and keep you company. I would like to thank him for the cordial and dagger he gave me last year. They have been so useful to me since then." A little blush crept over her cheeks, as she suddenly remembered that Edmund had not received a gift like they had. She looked at her brother worriedly.
Edmund could not help but smile. A year ago, he would have scowled at the suggestion and complained about his little sister tagging along behind him. He might have even called her out for copying his idea. But this year, Edmund nodded. "Of course, Lucy, if you'd like—staying up will be fun."
"I, for one, will not be joining you," Susan announced. "There's so much to do tomorrow, with the party and the dinner and such. You'll both be exhausted by the time the pudding is served."
Last year, Edmund would have given a retort about how he did not need looking after and that he was quite old enough to stay up as late as he wanted. But this year, Edmund simply responded: "Don't worry, Susan, we'll be fine. There will be plenty of time to sleep the day after Christmas. And I'll make sure Lucy doesn't fall asleep in her pudding."
Lucy laughed again. Last year, Edmund would have been annoyed at Lucy's bubbling excitement over Christmas, and pretended that he did not feel the nervous anticipation of the holiday. But this was not the case this year. This year, he happily finished wrapping the presents he had selected for the others and the new friends he had made in Narnia. He had even written many letters wishing good cheer and thanks without complaining or procrastinating. After the evening meal, he placed his presents under the decorated tree, and felt an excited turn in his stomach as he spied his own name on some of the other packages. Last year, he might have counted the number of times his name appeared under the tree and compared it to Peter's. This year, he was simply grateful for having so many friends.
Lucy arrived a few minutes later, carrying a large plate of cookies and a goblet of spiced wine, which she set on a small table by the tree. Edmund took his place on a comfortable chair right near the fire, and Lucy quickly claimed the chair next to his. He listened as Lucy babbled on in her way about the party the next day and all of the guests who would be coming to celebrate at Cair Paravel. Edmund thought briefly about the Christmas they shared a year ago. He could not remember it very clearly (although for some reason, that did not trouble him at all), but he did recall being disappointed at the lack of the usual number of presents, and bitterly eating a very meager meal that lacked all of the usual sweets and desserts and candies that usually came with the holiday. Lucy had talked nonstop that Christmas Eve too, as Edmund had complained to anyone who would listen, and tried to make her be quiet by talking loudly over top of her.
This year, Edmund nodded at the appropriate times, and chimed in about his own eagerness about the Christmas party. Two cups of steaming hot chocolate were brought to the two children, which they eagerly accepted with thanks. And instead of making sure he took the largest share of the cream, Edmund offered some to Lucy first.
"What do you suppose Father Christmas will bring this year?" Lucy sighed as she settled back into her chair. She blew into her cup before taking a sip.
"I really couldn't say," Edmund responded. "It's not as if there is anything we need here."
Lucy thought about that for a moment. "You're right, of course," she finally said. "How do you suppose Father Christmas knows what to bring, then?"
Last year, Edmund would have teased Lucy about believing in such babyish things until she fled to her room with tears streaming down her cheeks. This year, Edmund contemplated her question seriously. "I suppose it would be part of his magic," he answered. "He just knows."
Lucy nodded, accepting his explanation easily. A quiet settled over the room as the two sipped their drinks and watched the fire. There was no sound but the crackle from the fireplace and the occasional whisper of Lucy's breath on her hot drink.
They both jumped when Peter poked his head in the room and said, "You haven't fallen asleep, have you?"
"No!" Lucy said indignantly. Last year, Edmund would have shouted more than that at Peter for bursting in on them. However, Edmund just laughed. "Have you decided to come and join us, then?" he asked.
"Not likely," Peter answered. "I'll be enjoying a proper night's sleep while the two of you are down here. Good night!"
Quiet settled over them again. It was getting late, and Cair Paravel grew silent as everyone went home or went to bed. Edmund drew his knees up on the chair and turned his head to look out the window. Snowflakes were dancing on the pane, covering the sill outside with a soft white blanket. Edmund smiled to himself as he thought of the fun they could have out in the snow the next day. They had spent so much time learning and meeting and traveling and fighting and just doing things during the first year of their reign that Edmund felt as if he had not made even a single snowball in ages. And of course, the last winter in Narnia had been the work of the White Witch, and there was no playing in the snow that time. It would be fun to throw them with Peter, and build a man with Susan, and pull Lucy around on one of the large shields the Centaurs used. What Edmund did not think about was how last year he would have made a fuss about going out simply because the others wanted to, and when he did finally comply, he would have spent a good portion of his time throwing snow down Susan's or Lucy's necks.
The clock chimed, pulling Edmund out of his doze. He stretched and looked over at Lucy. She was asleep in the chair, of course, curled up under a blanket, her hair flickering in the firelight. Edmund sat up, blinking his eyes and trying to wake himself up. He stood slowly and walked to the fireplace, throwing in a new log.
Someone cleared a throat behind him. Edmund spun around at once to face the intruder. There was a tall man standing by the tree, partially hidden behind a large sack. He had a long white beard and an even longer red coat. Edmund recognized him immediately. "Father Christmas!" he whispered. "So you did come after all."
Father Christmas looked at Edmund with a smile. He was sipping the spiced wine that Lucy had left, and wiped his mouth with a handkerchief. "Of course I did. You have all been very good children this year. You delivered Narnia from the White Witch, and have set things to right again."
Edmund climbed onto a chair nearby, leaning over the back and watching Father Christmas for a long moment. He seemed very different than the man Edmund had seen in pictures. He was certainly jovial, and Edmund could see right away he had a kind heart. But there was also a bit of sternness in his eyes, and the boy knew that Father Christmas took his business very seriously. He would not be delivering gifts to everyone this year. It was a difficult decision to make—who was good and who was not—but it was his duty, and it was clear that Father Christmas did so solemnly. He reminded Edmund of Peter in that way.
"I don't normally allow children to see me, you know," Father Christmas said. "But I thought I would make an exception for you this year."
"Thank you," said Edmund very seriously. "I did want to meet you, having heard so much about you from the others. Although I realize that there was nothing for it. It's not as if you had a present for me last year."
Father Christmas raised his eyebrows. "What do you mean?"
Edmund waved his hand. "Oh, you know. Peter got his sword and shield, and Susan her bow and arrows and horn, and Lucy her dagger and cordial. But I'm not upset about it! I didn't deserve a present last year." A year ago, Edmund would have never admitted he was wrong. Now, he laid his head on his hands, a worried look suddenly on his face. "Maybe I still don't deserve one—after all, what I did—it might take a few Christmases to make up for it. I am very sorry for it all, though. I wanted to meet you, to tell you that myself."
Father Christmas regarded him for a moment before replying, "Your Majesty, you must forgive me, but I don't understand. You did receive a present last year."
Edmund opened his mouth in surprise, but suddenly Father Christmas was gone. He blinked for a moment and looked around. All that was left where he was standing was a pile of packages. Edmund scrambled down from his chair and ran to the window, but there was no sign of him. There were only the tracks in the snow made by the sleigh.
Sighing, Edmund slowly walked back to his chair. He pulled a blanket over himself and glanced over at Lucy. She had not stirred at all. Edmund wondered if it was because she did not hear them talking, or if it was another part of the magic. He thought briefly that Lucy had not been able to thank Father Christmas as she had planned.
I suppose it doesn't matter, Edmund thought. Father Christmas would have known that anyway. His eyes began to close as his mind held onto that thought. He already knew. And before Edmund fell asleep, he realized that he had received a Christmas present last year, after all.