Christmas Joy
22 December 1770
The breezy fall gave way to the cold winter as the crystal dew of morning over the grass reminded the children of glittering diamonds twinkling in the sunlight. By mid-December, the snow piled so high that when Godfrey opened the door, the snow was as tall as Samuel. He'd been eager to make a snowman matching his image but Catherine had quickly helped her husband shovel the snow to clear the path to their home. The pour of snow on their doorstep made it easy for Catherine to collect and melt into water for cooking stews as they brought down frozen or dried meat from the attic to cook with. When there was no freezing wind or snowfall, she allowed the children to play outside for a few minutes while bundled up. Classes lessened in the household and were only in session when Ratonhnhaké:ton asked if he could travel through the snow to their home. Catherine was taken aback to his dedication but couldn't deny him help as he committed himself to finishing his studies. When she wasn't able to teach due to household chores, both Caroline and Amelia would help him.
Catherine worried that he'd catch his death traveling to their house once a week but he was perfect in his attendance. He arrived with cozy fur throws over his attire and wore warm boots, not to mention a flannel hat with ear flaps that Achilles let him borrow to make the distance safely. Christmas would soon be upon them and Catherine had a perfect idea on what to give him on that day because he deserved it. She'd never seen a sweeter polite child and knew his mother would want her son to receive the love she wouldn't be able to give him. Out of all of the Burnetts, he had confided in Catherine about being an only child with no parents and she could only keep him close to her family to offer him a home he could always come to when he needed it.
With the holiday arriving in days, Catherine was preparing her best skills for cooking a delicious supper and would have help from Diana (not to mention, her two oldest daughters). She'd had Diana join in today to help her make holiday wassail, a punch consisting of sweet cider and fruit juice. A variety of spices like cinnamon and cloves were used to add flavor, which is why they would make their batches early to allow the slices of fresh lemon to infuse the punch for extra taste. In the cold attic, it would be preserved and by Christmas, they would heat it to finish the process before it serving hot. Each woman took a task by either slicing their fresh fruit (frozen for days after the last convoy returned) or measuring the gallons of previously made cider in a large cooking pot.
Ratonhnhaké:ton had been copying down his list for practice for the week when he noticed the spicy but sweet scent. Due to the snow and lack of weekly classes, he'd asked Mrs. Burnett to give him longer spelling lists and she'd been more than happy to help. Elizabeth had groaned miserably but obeyed her mother when she'd decided to implement his idea to her course. Caroline and Amelia sat inside the empty space between the side of the fireplace and the children's bed crafting items. Curious, he placed his slate inside a cloth bag to keep it safe against the snow because having his words erased would be horrible.
"Connor, don't leave" Alice pouted with disappointment since she enjoyed having him around. The other three children raised their heads to her plea because they enjoyed playing games with him after their lesson or shared a snack before he left for the manor.
"Not yet, Alice" he assured with a friendly smile and she returned to her graphite drawing with a bright smile. It felt like family when he was in their home and he couldn't help but long for his village at times like this. He missed spending time alongside Kanen'tó:kon as they helped their village by catching fish or helping the women farm.
"Good, because Sammy and I haven't finished drawing your paper horse" she piped up sheepishly since she liked drawing pictures for her siblings. Christmas would be soon so she had to practice well for her presents to everyone. Children weren't really supposed to give anything to each other, only adults to the young, but Alice loved them all so she would. Samuel was helping her draw the pretty tail on a horse while she did the eyes since they wanted their first drawing to be perfect. After they finished, their mother would cut them out for them to play with.
He approached the two girls as Caroline sat closer to the beds in a pink linen dress as she allowed Amelia, wearing a blue dress, to be warm against the rocks of the fireplace since she was younger. When it became really cold, Caroline enjoyed blowing out smoke rings into the air to resemble the men when they smoked pipes. Each girl had pinecones around them with sprigs of pine poking out of the space between rows and he tilted his head with curiosity to ask, "What are you doing?"
Amelia flinched since she'd been focusing on placing the sprigs inside the pine cones but smiled a second later to her intensity to the task. Caroline smiled amicably and patted the floor besides her so he could sit down to join them. He took the spot, making sure his feet wouldn't hit any of their materials and Amelia explained cheerfully, "We're making decorations for the table on Christmas. Mama wants to put them in the center and over the fireplace to add a little cheer. There's so much happiness this year and it's in thanks to you."
"In my culture, it is taught that we aid each other as a group- never leaving one alone" he smiled modestly since all of the residents thanked him with their incoming holiday. It was strange to bestow gifts one day out of the year but their culture varied from his and the children were incredibly happy. They promised to answer any questions about it and he'd been puzzled about this 'Father Christmas' since he expected a physical visit. Of course, the children said nobody saw him and Ratonhnhaké:ton offered to catch the man for them if it helped.
"Although you don't celebrate this, you've been a very good boy this year" Caroline smiled slyly since she and the children had decided to thank him with small presents this year. They were also going to prepare one for Mr. Davenport but the old man had chuckled and told them to give it to their friend instead.
"I always strive to be one" he replied earnestly since he was there to lend anyone a helping hand, regardless of their race or gender. Both girls smiled since they'd like to follow in his kind footsteps and he pointed to the pinecones to ask softly, "Would you like help?"
"You're the child everyone wishes they had, you know" Caroline grinned cheekily since her parents gushed about his mannerisms whenever Elizabeth didn't act courteously or disobeyed them. The single stray lock of hair swung in the air as he lowered his head modestly and she handed him a pinecone so he could join in on their fun. Christmas was a day for family and goodwill to all fellow man, leading her to instruct cheerfully, "All right, first we look into the cone to make sure there's no bugs and then. . ."
25 December 1770
Caroline and Amelia woke first since the younger children had been so eager for tomorrow to arrive, they fell asleep later on. They'd heard Elizabeth shift so much in bed that their mother had chastised her fumbling from across the house where a wooden wall separated their parent's bedroom. They smiled at each other as a good night's sleep was felt in their bodies after the previous cold night and Amelia whispered merrily, "I wish we had windows, remember how we drew on them with our fingers last year."
"But last year, we didn't have all of this space" she reminded quietly with a smile as they shivered while getting out of bed. Good little ladies didn't dawdle in their chores since sloth was sinful and today, they were more than happy to help.
Amelia fetched their clothing from the black wooden trunk, smiling with joy that they would be able to wear their best dresses that day. Church, Christmas, and dinners were the only occasions when they could due to their finances. She pulled a tawny colored calico dress with feathery pink petals patterns, along with her best black stockings to keep her warm. For Caroline, she pulled a navy dress of the same fabric with light blue leaves and stockings of the same black color. They would wear simple petticoats for fullness to their dress and stays underneath their linen shift for their posture. Caroline pulled down a linen blanket that their father installed two weeks ago as a curtain that they could use to change in their corner since they weren't little girls anymore. It was so much easier to use than the chairs and they were happy to let Martha use it as well. Over the last two years, they'd begun to see the changes from their child bodies to defined forms that would keep developing. Caroline hoped she'd grow more a little more since Amelia was threatening to pass her and had taken solace in knowing that Connor was born during the winter when she'd been born in the spring of 1756 so his tall height was fine. If he'd been younger, she'd really have felt like a tiny old shrimp among the young lobsters.
They would wear simple fabric slippers for now but when company arrived, they'd put their leather shoes on. Being the largest family, they were happy to host a Christmas dinner and had invited their Davenport neighbors to celebrate. Achilles offered the mansion for bigger space but seeing the children were easier bundled up at home, told them he'd meet them instead. Next year, he promised to host and would find a cozy way to bring them all in one carriage ride.
"I can't wait to see the look on Alice's face to her new winter dress" Amelia smiled sneakily since she, Amelia, and their mother had used an old dress of hers to redesign it. They'd added pretty white lace trim to the pink collar and the wool dress had been pleated beautifully as it ended with white lace ruffles as well. Alice had so many blue dresses that it was time that she donned a new color that complimented her brown hair.
"I'm sure Elizabeth will fly through the stockings I made since she manages a tear every four days" Caroline chuckled to their little sister's wanderlust to explore every inch of Davenport but the winter had put an end to it. Nowadays, the young girl paced around restlessly like a leashed dog and asked her father to tell stories when he could.
Being the two oldest above thirteen, they were privy to helping make presents for the children to make it easier on their mother's hands. Caroline could only imagine how many hours their mother had worked on mittens, socks, and bonnets when they'd all been children. Since Amelia was now thirteen, Caroline had been excited in having a helper and they'd sewn their very first handkerchief for their mother. They'd used muslin left over from worn out blankets and added indigo hued lace around the edges to give it a beautiful dash of color. For their father, they'd sewn together a wool brown scarf to keep him warm during his work hours. All of their gifts were made from reused fabric in their mother's sewing bag and were given new life for a grateful family member.
The two girls smiled at their mother as she stirred batter in a bowl near the warm fireplace but they couldn't see their father inside their log cabin. Amelia decided to fix their bed to keep their house tidy for their upcoming guests and would wake the children afterwards. Caroline moved to help her mother and noticed the fluffy texture in her bowl, telling her they'd be eating flapjacks with maple syrup. She loved the shapes her mother made and Caroline smiled gleefully, "Can I help you make flapjack people? Alice loves them."
Catherine chuckled to her enthusiasm and patted the top of her head with her free hand as she left the spoon in the batter, "You forgot to take off your sleeping bonnet."
Caroline's hands flew at her head to feel the white linen cap on top and her mother laughed softly with amusement, "Go tend to your hair first, Caroline."
Her oldest scuttled off with embarrassment as she tore off the cap to reveal the little knots of separated hair tied with linen strips. She and Amelia had done each other's hair to vary their casual braided hair to polished curls that they'd brush and add bear grease for shine. They had done the same to each of the girls' hair as well but Elizabeth hadn't wanted to match them, grumbling about wanting her hair to be straight. In the end, a stern glare from her mother reminded her to mind her parents' orders.
She found Amelia untying the knots on her own hair and Caroline blushed heavily as she chuckled, "Imagine if I looked like this when company came? I'd never live it down. When we're older, promise to live next to me so I don't forget to fix my hair?"
Amelia laughed merrily, the tune reminding Caroline of bell jingles and she promised, "I promise to never be far away."
The children awoke quickly after the oldest girls as Amelia helped them pull out their best clothes and dressed them carefully to avoid attire being out of place. Martha required no help with her green calico dress but Amelia needed to help button it from behind. She'd been ecstatic to use her brown leather shoes since they couldn't attend church anymore and heard their bible lessons from their mother instead. Godfrey had laughed when she grabbed a handful of bear grease but he stopped her before she ruined her hair with the large glop. His young Martha was a little too excited to follow in Amelia's steps into being a proper lady and had sent her to get help from Caroline.
Alice had giggled with excitement through her entire dressing while wondering what Father Christmas had brought for her. She'd been a very good little girl that year and had thanked Amelia for her help, scuttling off in her azure calico dress. Since she was a little girl, she wouldn't be able to wear pretty dresses with patterns or embroidery like Caroline's and Amelia's until she reached their age. For now, she would simply stare in awe and touch the soft fabric with the pretty leaves with the hope that she'd have her own one day.
Elizabeth didn't want to feel pretty like her sisters but the green dress really did fill her heart with warmth when her mother gushed proudly. Caroline gave her a boon by simply tying half of her hair with a white ribbon to keep the hair out of her face and the girl scuttled off. Samuel was proud to resemble his father in attire when he donned clean ironed clothes with brass buttons that reflected his round freckled face on the blue linen coat.
Alice's two brown braids with their pretty blue ribbon danced on her shoulders but stopped when she halted abruptly. In front of her, she saw a large rectangular table instead of their little round one as two vertical slabs held it upright. She blinked with disbelief to the new sight and looked to her mother to ask breathlessly, "Mama, is that. . ."
Catherine chuckled to her daughter's awed face since her own cheeks were pink from delight, along with cooking at the toasty fireplace. Their blue tablecloth with the little wildflowers decorated the large table but tin plates and metal cutlery covered the table for now since the beautiful silverware would be used for supper. The children were as ecstatic as she'd been when her husband brought in the gift from the stables behind the house to surprise her. He'd tricked her under the premise that he was heading out to feed them (which he did) and returned with her present. She placed the bowl filled with flapjack batter on the table to smile proudly to their first piece of furniture in Davenport, "Look at what your father made for us."
Martha bounded up with a giddy smile as the table appeared like one out of a high class home that would be within their reach due to their finances. Well, it was missing the polished legs to hold it upright but it didn't matter to her. They could be added later, after all. The table setting seemed like one out of a dream or a catalog that shopkeepers kept for import from England and gushed ecstatically, "Oh, mama, it is beautiful! Thank you, boban."
Godfrey laughed to his children's joy over furniture as they touched the large dining table, which was accompanied by four personally carved chairs to fill the empty spaces. Elizabeth quickly set to work by fixing the linen tablecloths in their familiar triangle shape, her steps clacking against the floor with her shoes.
Amelia approached them as she finished washing her hands free of bear grease and smiled to the sizzling sounds from the iron griddle over the fire. Little limbs were sticking out from where her mother moved the spoon to make shapes and she chuckled, "Flapjack people!"
Caroline pointed to smaller circles she was pouring over the hot griddle as she donned an apron to help their mother and grinned happily, "And silver dollar cakes."
The children couldn't wait to taste the puffy flapjacks with preserves and syrup that had already been set out over the table as Martha took care of the food arrangement. Strawberry preserves gave an eye pleasing but yummy color to the dark maple syrup beside it and soon, many different platters of food would cover the table by suppertime. All of the children had stuck close to the table, completely forgetting to ask whether Father Christmas had dropped by with a small token for their good behavior that year. A loud knock to the front door alerted the children that company had arrived (it was much too late for Father Christmas) and Godfrey looked to each of them to remind gently, "On your best behavior, children."
Their Aunt Diana, Uncle Terry, and Ann had arrived to spend the entire day with them as they had for the past years. Caroline and Amelia had been small when they met their Aunt Diana as she washed clothes with their mother at a nearby river and soon, they'd all become family. Most of their family lived back in Scotland and they had been alone since arriving to the new world at New York. Since then, they'd traveled to find jobs in their little wagon from that colony, New Hampshire, and at Lake Champlain before heading to Massachusetts. Caroline inherited her father's wanderlust as they traveled to see the untamed frontier while Amelia took after their mother by staying rooted to a safe spot.
Their father opened the wooden door and all three Galloways bounded in with warm wool coats, mittens, and fur throws to protect them against the weather. Although it was a short walk, the elements could lash out in a minute and they had little Ann to take care of. Diana removed the white veil covering her face against the freezing wind to reveal rosy cheeks and smiled with a shiver, "We're going to feel the winter out here."
Alice, Samuel, and Elizabeth helped little Ann become free from her thick brown coat as she giggled happily to the pretty dresses around her. Elizabeth warmed her chubby little hands with her own to ward away the cold and combed her blond curly hair to keep her tidy. She was a pretty little porcelain doll with her features and they were certain she'd grow up to be a beautiful woman. Alice hugged her happily since last year, she'd been babbling her first words and could barely walk. Caroline and Amelia helped Diana remove her heavy blue coat, careful not to entangle her intricate braided bun into the soft fox fur cap on her head. The older woman embraced the two girls as she kissed their cheeks and chuckled, "My, the snow is endless this year."
She embraced the other children with hearty season's greetings and complimented their handsome attire. Amelia and Caroline set their clothes neatly onto their beds in the far corner for safekeeping, quickly scuttling back to hug their uncle to show the same respect. Terry found their joy infectious as all of the children gasped at everyone's pretty clothing and smiled warmly at the girls, "Look at you all, so pretty in your dresses. One day, your father will have to fight off suitors with a stick while I wonder where the time went."
Catherine laughed as she finished pouring the last of the batter onto the griddle and replied earnestly, "With five girls, I can only imagine. We have a few years before they're of age so we will cherish this time and teach them how to be proper little ladies. We might not have much but I'll be teaching my girls to act respectfully rather than gallivanting smugly or shamefully around town."
"I'm not leaving anytime soon" Caroline spoke up meekly as she covered the pile of different flapjacks with a cloth because she loved her family, not to mention Davenport. She didn't want to be arranged to marry anyone soon and although girls her age contemplated marrying into a good family, Caroline wanted to stay with hers. Her mother waved the batter spoon to remind her little girls shouldn't intervene in adult conversations but she couldn't help but add in, "I want to live here forever."
"I think you'll scare bachelors when you start swinging an axe" Amelia joked gently to keep her out of trouble and Caroline laughed along with her. The copper-haired girl pulled her away to check on the apple cider warming up in a pot as it hung from the metal crane next to the fireplace. Caroline placed a wooden dipper to pull up a serving and poured it into a tin cup so all of her siblings and Ann could have a taste. They let Ann have the remainder since she was the smallest and a guest in their home. She returned the cup to Amelia when she finished and smacked her lips to emphasize its sweet tastiness, squeezing Alice's skirt with glee.
Godfrey laughed at his daughter's knack for logging before she was old enough to find a job and informed cheekily, "I don't know, Amelia. The first time I saw your mother shoot off a rifle, I knew she was meant to be my wife."
"A bobcat threatened to take my family's pig" Catherine reasoned quickly since she didn't shoot guns for fun and had only done so when wildlife threatened to take the pork for their winter. Without it, her family of seven would've suffered a food shortage since her father had been ill that year and couldn't hunt as much as he could. Godfrey lived in the same town and had heard her yelling as he'd been cutting firewood for his own family, leading him to find her in order to help. He'd never seen a girl with bluer eyes than Catherine and he'd been smitten by them. Needless to say, their journey to courting wasn't easy but that was another tale.
Terry laughed boisterously and clapped Godfrey on the back since he was protective of his girls, "We'll be careful not to let Caroline dawdle in logging areas then. She might find a nice lumberjack to carry on tradition."
Caroline's cheeks darkened since she didn't see herself leaving her family anytime soon and boys were still icky in her view. Well, except Connor, he was nice but the rest were nonexistent. They lived miles away from towns now so she wouldn't be developing a fancy to anyone unless Davenport exploded into a town over the next year. Diana waved her hands to quell their humorous laughter and chastised gently, "Oh, stop jesting. You're making her red like an apple."
The men chuckled and Terry handed him a large square bundle he'd retrieved from the stables at the manor earlier in the morning. The children had seen him carrying it inside but said nothing since they weren't to ask questions. Soft whimpering could be heard from inside as the house became silent and the children looked at the box with interest. Godfrey saw their looks, along with the demanding stare from his wife, and smiled innocently, "I bet he's eager to meet his new family."
He set the box down on the floor as the younger couple smiled at the children and Catherine eyed her husband suspiciously. What had he done now? Godfrey grinned with exuberant glee that passed to his twinkling blue eyes and he patted the top of the crate to inform, "All right, this is what Father Christmas delivered to you just this morning before the snow arrived. You've been very good bairns and he decided that you deserved something special."
He opened the wooden crate and all eyes were on the box to figure out what made the whimpering noise. At first, they heard nothing but soft sniffing and seconds later, a black shepherd's dog poked its head over the crate to greet them all with a short bark. Its black nose sniffed the air to meet the new people watching him as his pointy ears twitched, his chocolate brown eyes focusing on the small children. The puppy held brown fur around its small belly and a shaggy long tail twitched in the air as he studied his surroundings. The children had never seen anything so small and adorable in their life that wasn't livestock.
"A puppy!"
All of the children moved to touch the soft fur of the puppy as it yipped with delight and Catherine glared at her husband for the newest mouth to feed. Her children were joyous beyond anything to have a new friend join the family but Catherine was wiser than her little ones. This time, Godfrey's reasoning was logical as he explained privately, "We're going to be in these big woods and I can't be here to protect you while I work, Catherine. A watchdog is loyal and will guard you against dangers while I work or will see it when we can't during the night. He was the best I could find with our money."
Terry jumped in to help his friend by smiling optimistically, "He's cute too."
Catherine conceded the argument because he was correct and many families heading away from the colonies to build farms had them. It would be a while before the puppy could do anything but they would definitely be better off. She removed the hot griddle to place it over the hook hanging from the fireplace as she finished breakfast and pointed out, "A hunting rifle is enough for the winter. Father Christmas could've waited until next year."
"I don't know, mama" Elizabeth grinned toothily as she held out her hand to have the puppy's long tail strike her as it resembled a broom cleaning the floor. Its little bats were soft and perky as their new puppy eyed everything with curiosity from his box and she pointed to Caroline, "This puppy is perfect and Carrie was ready to shoot that poor raccoon last week thinking it was a wolf."
"And when it did, somebody else saved the damsel in distress" Amelia chuckled to join the fray and Caroline shook her head since she didn't know how to use a gun but would do her best to protect the family. Any sane person would freeze in fear for the first few seconds but she didn't know Connor had been on the homestead when she spotted the animal downhill. The boy walked with no noise in his step and moved faster than she could ever dare to, becoming a blur against the snow to tackle danger. It just happened to occur on a day when he was staying at the manor and his bravery helped save her from becoming a wolf's morning snack when she'd been fetching snow in a bucket.
"I am not a damsel and Alice was with me" the auburn hair girl replied hastily as she picked up the adorable puppy to kiss the center of his forehead. Oh, he was the sweetest thing she'd ever seen! He had incredibly soft fur that reminded her of minks that she saw at the creeks from the river and his perky movements reminded her of the animal's playful demeanor with its kin. Connor, unfortunately, bitterly stated that many colonists were beginning to hunt for more than just survival (profit and sport) and he wouldn't be surprised if wildlife began to thin throughout the century. His people had kept careful care of the land to prevent disrupting its natural balance since one change in one species could bring devastation to another, leading to a snowball effect. The colonists, of course, seemed to ignore their warnings as they kept nabbing land as their own and 'sophisticating' it to modern culture.
"I wet my skirt" Alice admitted embarrassedly with scarlet cheeks to the suspenseful memory and her sisters hugged her sympathetically as they giggled to her words. She couldn't stop trembling for hours after the encounter and had sat on her mother's lap as they rocked in her rocking chair next to the warm fireplace. Caroline handed her the small puppy to place him in her arms to cheer her up and Alice kneeled down so Ann could see him too. Alice's light brown eyes glittered as she beamed to her family to sigh with undying love, "Look at him, isn't he pretty?"
Amelia cupped his small snout before scratching the back of his head, laughing when he opened his mouth to yawn weakly. They could see the row of pointy teeth and his wet pink tongue before he closed it to yip happily once more. All of the children had huddled next to the crate as Catherine began to serve the steaming hot flapjacks onto the plates at the table and Amelia smiled widely, "What should we name him?"
"Charlie!"
"Captain!"
"Button!"
"Edmund!"
"Henry!"
"Elijah!"
The puppy barked to the last name and licked the front of its mouth, leading Godfrey to clap his hands to their newest member and declare lively, "Elijah, it is. He's a Burnett now."
All of the children brushed his backside as he yipped happily and they knew this would be their best Christmas ever. A new home, a puppy, flapjacks, what else could they need? The future didn't matter; they wanted to bask in this moment.
"Oh my, I can't remember the last Christmas I celebrated" Achilles admitted with a hearty chuckle and thanked Martha for the warm cider as she handed him a tin cup. Ratonhnhaké:ton had driven the carriage after bundling up cozily so Achilles wouldn't bear the bitter cold and had swung by Lance's house so their neighbor wouldn't have to walk the distance. He looked to his student as the boy eyed the pinecones decorating the fireplace while eating slices of cheese and a roasted hen's leg that had delicious crispy skin. There was so much variety in food that Ratonhnhaké:ton had never seen before: creamy onion soup, sour pickles, mashed potatoes, sweet pies of apples and cranberries, salted sizzling pork, and a succulent turkey. This wasn't even mentioning the beverages but Catherine had made sure her children informed him what was non-alcoholic to avoid an inebriated adolescent.
Elizabeth hopped on her toes to show the boy her stick of peppermint candy, a gift from Lance, and the old man told Catherine, "I think Connor is disoriented by the colors and noise."
"Being new to all of this, I imagine so" she agreed with a kind smile since the young boy should be enjoying the last year of his childhood rather than work. She was still at a loss as to what exactly Connor did for Achilles but she wouldn't pry out of respect.
Ratonhnhaké:ton sneezed from the crumbling pieces on the top layer of an apple pie slice that Caroline offered him to try. The apples had been so sweet and crispy in their own syrup that it was hard not to eat in hasty bites. The children had been offering food to him all night so he could indulge in all of the yummy Christmas foods and he pinched his nose to excuse himself, "Pardon me."
"When you sneeze, someone's talking about you" Martha smiled knowingly but Elizabeth scoffed to the myth since she sneezed at least once a day with the cold weather. The older girl raised her nose to stick to her belief and the smaller Elizabeth mimicked her posture to irk her.
Catherine intervened before Martha could reprimand her immature behavior and called attention towards the dining table filled to the edge with food platters. Lance had brought a dish of fried salt pork and Achilles had provided the onion soup that he'd taught Ratonhnhaké:ton to make, passing down the family recipe that all the guests enjoyed. Everyone turned quiet as she clapped her hands to chuckle joyfully with a jolly gleam in her sapphire eyes, "We have one last child who, although doesn't celebrate this holiday, deserves the same kindness they've bestowed upon others throughout the year."
The Burnett children and Ann had received a stick of peppermint candy from Lance, new bonnets (and a cap for Samuel) from the Galloways, and new leather shoes (poor Alice had cried from happiness) from Achilles to keep them warm. There was only one particular child left and Ratonhnhaké:ton looked around since everyone had their little gift to ask his friends, "Is it Ann?"
The group chuckled with hidden amusement to the surprise and the blond little girl chimed sweetly, "Connor, Connor!"
He stared uncertainly until Diana approached him and placed a small paper bag in his hand to smile kindly, "All children have a sweet tooth so enjoy this brittle candy."
Lance shook a playful finger at Diana as she beat him with the candy and handed him his own cloth bag, "Peppermint candy is always a delight for children and it's a small token to repay what you've done."
Ratonhnhaké:ton opened it to find wooden buttons with navy paint over their smooth design alongside the candy and the woodworker added in, "You'll be outgrowing those clothes soon and thought they'd help."
He didn't have time to thank either adult when Alice popped in to give him a small wooden box (which her father made) filled with scraps of paper. Wait, he thought only adults gave children gifts? Her small fingers pointed to the various papers her mother cut for her and she piped up proudly, "Sammy and I made you animal dolls from paper so you can play with us and take them back home."
Samuel pointed to the sketched horse he and Alice had been working on as she outlined the different animal figures while he drew the features. Their sisters helped to steady their hands but Alice enjoyed making each one (especially the rabbit) and Samuel smiled toothily, "Now you can have your own paper horse that matches James."
Amelia smiled sheepishly as she unveiled her present from behind her back and presented him with red mittens made of wool yarn. They would match the beads he wore in his hair and she explained modestly, "You travel here in the cold so mittens seemed right."
Elizabeth, as usual, pushed her way in since her oldest sisters dwarfed her and handed him a paper book (again, with help from her father to make it) that was bound with brown yarn thread at the perforated ends. Ratonhnhaké:ton stared at the title that spelled 'Adventure Boy' and a caricature that oddly enough resembled him in his deerskin attire running over a hill. She smiled brightly to her first written work and her chest puffed proudly as she declared, "Martha and I wrote this book for you to read. It even stars you! Amelia helped with the pictures."
The adults couldn't help but laugh at their creation and Martha smiled sheepishly since she wasn't one to boast or call attention to herself. While he'd been engrossed with his new handmade book, Caroline retrieved her own gift from her private trunk and returned to her spot with a wooden box in her hands. Ratonhnhaké:ton couldn't believe the gifts he'd received and his face turned modest when Caroline presented hers to finish their family's gifts. Her father helped craft the polished box that held the capital letter R carved on the top to represent his true name in the English tongue and opened the box as hinges kept the top connected to the bottom. Inside, there were flat wooden squares that filled the box to the top and resembled a sea of little squares as each was sized half the length of his index finger. He smiled with delight as he looked at the wooden squares with letters of the alphabet carved on each.
She'd put a lot of thought into his gift after spending time with him for the last six months and explained, "Father helped me put it all together but mama and I made you a set of alphabet squares that you can use to spell any word you like. I added extra vowels for you too for long words. You helped us find our permanent home and I'll never forget that."
The children stepped back when Achilles handed him a neatly wrapped rectangle package and Caroline grabbed his current bundle to help balance the new gift. His hands were hot to the touch as his modesty reached its limit to the goodwill he was being presented with and she smiled as she returned to her siblings. Ratonhnhaké:ton studied the brown paper that covered the box and Achilles stated with his low voice, "You'll definitely be growing throughout this upcoming year and trips to Boston will require proper attire so these should fit once spring comes."
Ratonhnhaké:ton tentatively opened the brown package with burning cheeks and his eyes widened to the folded three-piece suit inside. An emerald linen coat with brown trimming on the edges peeked at him and he ran his fingers over the rich colored fabric, touching the pleats at the backend tail of the coat. It had two front pockets to keep his pocketbook and a fashionable collar to keep his neck warm against the cold; a sharp contrast to his everyday ensemble. The gold painted wooden buttons were so glossy they almost resembled molten gold drops and he noticed a fine waistcoat underneath. The brown cloth was made of fine smooth wool instead of linen and the children gasped to its beauty as it looked so plush to the touch. It reminded Elizabeth of a beautiful soft cloud! Brown linen breeches and white wool stockings completed the ensemble but he already knew the gift was not an ordinary one. Nonetheless, he couldn't help but ask himself if he had to wear tight stockings? No matter, the entire gift humbled him and it would definitely help to blend into crowds during travel.
"It's so beautiful" Caroline whispered breathlessly since she'd only seen such clothing in the tailor shop she'd worked at and squeezed his left shoulder in congratulations. The fabric was a beautiful quality that threw out her daily dresses out of the water and exceeded even her current dress since the attire was designed for a man- not a boy. Samuel's best attire matched a man's in pieces but the quality showed as his used basic linen colors while Ratonhnhaké:ton's had definitely been dyed more than once.
"You will be dashing and impressing young ladies by next year" Lance teased the young boy since he was slowly reaching adulthood but Ratonhnhaké:ton couldn't see himself doing that. He'd be fifteen winters old and had missions to undertake to protect the innocent against the Templars, not to mention train under Faulkner.
He could barely hold onto the large gift in his arms as his cheeks burned red with modesty (why did he stand next to the fireplace?) and he was struck speechless. He had come to the Burnetts to experience their holiday but hadn't expected this generous outpour of kindness and wished he had something to give in return.
It took a moment for him to gather his voice as he licked his lips and spoke quietly with care, "There are no words to justify my gratitude. All I've done is out of kindness and how I would want somebody to be if I were in their shoes. Although my village is far away, you have become my adoptive home and I thank you for welcoming me because I know others would not be so kind. I've never experienced such generosity from settlers and I am humbled to be thought of as one of your own. I . . . thank you."
"Oh, can we keep him?" Samuel asked softly because he wanted Connor to stay with them forever and tugged on his mother's blue calico dress. He gave her his most charming pout with the big sad blue eyes that usually worked and hoped she'd agree.
Amelia quickly hushed her brother with embarrassment for his chosen words and lectured firmly, "Sammy, he's not Elijah-"
"I know! He can be my brother, I don't have one" he pointed out with offense that she'd dare to think so of him and everyone laughed to his innocent mind. He heard people adopted orphans to give them a home so why not? Couldn't his parents do the same with his neighbor? He wanted to offer him a home away from home so he could share a brother against his sea of sisters and pouted to utter softly, "I'm serious."
"Try the candy" Elizabeth told Ratonhnhaké:ton since candy was edible out of all his gifts and they could all share in the joy of having sweets.
Catherine chuckled to his bashful face as he balanced Achilles' box and grabbed his gifts to state warmly, "I'll put these away until you're ready to leave so enjoy the night."
She left him with the candy and he couldn't help but feel the love of a family in his heart. How could he not when he was gathered inside a cozy home with seven children? He opened the bag holding a thin sheet of hardened candy that held crushed nuts inside of the hardened molasses. He placed his teeth over one corner and attempted to bite it off but it only shot pain into his gums. How did colonial children eat that hard stuff? They'd break their teeth before reaching adulthood!
"No, don't bite it- lick it" Alice giggled innocently as she found his strange eating habits interesting and tasted the sweet corner of her own strip. Ratonhnhaké:ton wasn't sure whether to listen to a child half his age but saw the other children doing the same. The candy was sweet like syrup but with each lick he added, the candy thinned until he could break a piece off very easily.
"It might be called brittle but it's hard to bite into two" Caroline informed about the popular candy throughout the colonies and tried breaking her own piece into two to show him. She sucked on one end of her brittle while Elizabeth bit it impatiently to chew on a small piece. Martha directed a small reprimanding glare for her hastiness but the smaller girl furrowed her brow in defiance. Caroline ignored their silent dispute for dominance since Elizabeth was a wild horse sometimes and asked him inquisitively, "Have you ever had candy before?"
"I'm afraid not, it is different" he admitted as he found the taste similar to sugar but slightly different in texture. In his village, they harvested the maple sap from the trees in the spring to make sugar out of the evaporated batch and hard shapes out of the liquid syrup. This new treat was very interesting and the crushed nuts inside gave it a tasty texture when he bit into the pieces of peanuts and almonds.
Nearby barking alerted Ratonhnhaké:ton and he turned to see Samuel holding a small black dog in his arms. The small redhead squeezed his newest friend close to his chest as he smiled broadly to introduce perkily, "Meet Elijah, he's our newest family member."
"He will have to be older to offer protection" he commented quietly and scratched the top of his fluffy head with his fingertips. Elijah's head was so small that it fit in his palm and imagined the puppy couldn't be older than a month. Its brown eyes glittered at him with cheer and a pink tongue lapped at his hand in return for the affection.
"It was cheaper this way" Amelia murmured awkwardly since their finances were slowly growing but they weren't going to be throwing money on purchases. She and Caroline were old enough to know Father Christmas really meant their parents purchasing gifts but the younger children didn't. It was a cheerful time that brought joy to their little siblings when they didn't have the easiest life during their father's jobs in lonely camps. Since their neighbor didn't follow English culture, they felt it safe to disclose the truth so he would understand better. It helped tremendously when they dissuaded him from tracking down the fictitious man in order to bring cheer to the young children.
"Oh . . . I make my own arrows" he supplied to form a similar connection about his life to remain empathetic since the family had been nothing but kind to him. He had a tendency to state the obvious at times and was learning to curb comments that might sound arrogant, especially to avoid hurting his friends. They never chastised or ridiculed him in any way and offered only kindness so he'd return the same wholeheartedly.
"Can you still teach me to shoot an arrow?" Eliza piped up to change the subject and mimicked the motion of shooting one as she'd seen in illustrated books inside shops. She didn't much care for the stories but the pictures were beautiful to her. She rubbed the top of Elijah's round little head, eliciting a content whimper, and grinned to declare, "And Elijah will be my brave watchdog."
"What can you possibly shoot at your age?" Caroline questioned with glee on her smile as she placed her hands on her hips to test her gumption. Their mother would chastise both of them for daring to partake in the job fields of men or acting anything but respectful girls. Elizabeth still held a few years to run free and tag behind her or their father but Caroline had begun learning since she turned thirteen that it was time to grow up and act proper (as much as she didn't want to). Her braids with the pretty white ribbons swung forward as she leaned over Elizabeth and the smaller girl smiled impishly.
"Not a raccoon that looks like a wolf, that's for sure" she joked smugly and Caroline batted her backside playfully since she'd never live it down. Elizabeth giggled as she managed to rile Caroline into playful banter and grasped her left hand to hold it. Unlike Martha, she wasn't shy or prim to grasp her sisters hands to show affection and smiled at Ratonhnhaké:ton, "You should read the book, it's funny. We even included the incident with Martha and the mad beaver along with Caroline's wolf incident."
"I will need your help if I am lost in translation" he requested politely from the oldest girls and they nodded, glad to be of help. He'd never expected to have a little book written about him and smiled to the delightfully humorous cover drawn in simple gray graphite.
"See? He talks sophistica-ti-tally and didn't go to no school" Elizabeth pointed out with a disappointed pout since she didn't enjoy learning at home or in a schoolhouse. If she was Connor, she would've cast language aside and explored the wild frontier without a care like the natives did. She wanted to roll through the hills and feel the wind sweeping through every strand of loose hair rather than cooped up inside with a book that offered nothing. She crossed her arms in defiance since women didn't have to be literate at all and raised her chin to tell her sisters firmly, "I don't need no learnin's 'cause I ain't livin' in no fancy uppity city."
Amelia's face paled to the horrible grammar since she'd worked hard with their mother to correct it and knew it would be another week to remove her old manner of speaking. Elizabeth had always been stubborn to cast aside incorrect language while little Alice tried her hardest to achieve it to prove she could be as smart as any of them.
"That's because he reads and you should be ashamed for butchering your English since it's your natural language" Caroline chided gently to the broken grammar her sister just spouted and ruffled her loose hair. They'd learned English first due to society and picked up their Scottish Gaelic along the way when their parents spoke it at home. Martha shook her head to her lenient lecture since she would've sent Elizabeth to bed with a frown but she wasn't old enough to do any of that yet. Caroline pinched Elizabeth's fair cheek, her little freckles bunching together around her fingers and she added in, "And he's also ahead of you in reading comprehension. That alone should shame you since he started this year."
"I'd kick you in the kneecaps but you can fling me over a tree" Elizabeth pouted as she jabbed a finger at Ratonhnhaké:ton and scuttled off to try more of her mother's pies. She'd yet to eat apple pie but would grab another slice of cranberry since her little belly was bottomless.
"That's her way of saying you're the first boy she's not going to beat up" Caroline chuckled softly since Elizabeth didn't hesitate to defend herself when she was insulted wrongly. Their friend, however, would never draw her ire and she smiled pleasantly, "Congratulations, many have not been as lucky."
"Enough of this childish talk" Martha changed the subject swiftly since roughhousing was not one of her fancies and wanted to grow into a proper lady rather than one who brought shame. Somehow, she could see Elizabeth doing so in a few years. Amelia silenced her sister by handing her a sour pickle from her plate since the younger girl enjoyed the taste and smiled at Caroline.
The oldest girls were grateful for never seeing each other as competition since Caroline treasured having a little sister of her own and had taken great care of Amelia since they were small. They had survived childhood in Glasgow and the voyage overseas so their bond could only be strengthened with each shared obstacle. Caroline would never speak ill of Amelia since she was sweet as Alice not to love and firmly believed in keeping solidarity in the family. Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said of Elizabeth and Martha while Alice and Samuel never argued against each other.
"This is Christmas and if there is one day when you two could get along like all of mankind, it is today" Caroline stated firmly to dissuade any mean looks or words and wanted peace amongst her family. She could only imagine what the future would bring with those two since they'd yet to hit puberty and knew she and Amelia would be in for quite a ride. Today, however, she wanted the two to break bread and make peace to be the sweet children they used to be before their personalities began to clash.
Ratonhnhaké:ton tilted his head to the side as her words intrigued him and he asked quietly, "Why can it not be the same throughout the entire year? If all of mankind was altruistic and avoided violence, there would be no need for bloodshed that would bring the loss of life and grief to one's heart."
"If only, Connor" she smiled solemnly to his wise words and saw a peaceful soul that shared many of her own traits. She held no ill will for another and followed her religious teachings to be kind but would never judge another based on their religion or skin color. The colonists wanted freedom from heavy taxation and equality but it diverted heavily for white settlers that already held money in their pocket. She watched Martha and Elizabeth share a piece of apple pie, the previous quarrel lost to them, and she mused softly, "Humankind carries great virtues that allow one to overcome obstacles with that strength but it is often easy for them to take the sinful road to ruin. Human nature is not static and therefore, it diverts into two roads where one can either do good or evil. We can only hope we follow the former and shed a ray of light over the gloomy darkness to help those that call out to us in need. It takes a long time for a garden to bloom and human nature can be the same, a seedling can bloom beautifully with nurturing care but it can also wither with the lack of love."
He smiled sincerely to her insight since Caroline was a young girl but she'd wandered between lands to experience life at its best and worst. He'd only encountered outsiders like Lee as a child and had only ventured out the previous year to begin his own. Both had yet to learn about the raw reality of life as they grew into adulthood but Ratonhnhaké:ton stated earnestly, "I'd like to tend to each seed with the best care that I can offer, even if it doesn't want it. It is a slower process, yes, but the payoff will be better in comparison to taking the easier road and selling them for profit or letting the elements destroy them."
Amelia was impressed by the conversation between the two and complimented, "My, I couldn't have said it better myself."
The children laughed as they returned to their jolly festivities and decided to leave the gloomy side of life for another day. Ratonhnhaké:ton was certain he would have many of those days to come but his ray of light to engulf the darkness in hope lay inside the Burnett household. He would not be able to venture to his village often due to training but the Scottish family was a wonderful second home to offer him refuge when his spirit took a thrashing.
A/N: Family solidarity is adorable when it comes to Connor. It's even more adorable in future Christmas chapters when they're all adults with babies and marriages floating about. I imagine that Achilles would let him have something to wear to blend into colonist life since it seemed early to give the boy his assassin garb when he was still growing. I can already see the continuous altering on his famous suit so he'll have backup attire for non-assassin related business. Lol. On other business, the chapter was late since this winter weather has me rooted to my bed with a yucky sinus infection but I hope to be good as new soon. Thank you for all of the alerts, favs, and reviews!
NinjaxSketcheartx: This will be the first Christmas chapter of many through the years since we have 1783 and beyond to reach so little Connor will be seeing many of them. I've yet to decide whether to give him a son or daughter since they'll be born in 1984 or so- it's blocking my brain. I've seen dogs behind Achilles' manor and a lot of people had them to protect their lands during those turbulent times, especially when heading west, so I decided to give them that adorable puppy. As for the Church mission, that's the one she'll lend a hand in but there will be others since she'll grow into a character that loves the sea. Connor definitely has that little stubborn/arrogance streak and I felt bad for Achilles when he yelled that part you mentioned so Caroline will definitely give him a thrashing for speaking that way to the only mentor and father figure he's had in his life. He'd never treat the Burnetts that way since they're not pivotal to completing his overall objective of killing Lee but that trait will sneak in his courting path with Caroline when another woman swoops in for his attention.
ShizukaRen-Hime: I'm so glad you loved it, there are so many cultures in this franchise and I enjoy writing about them. For now, I'll only do Christmas because I'm not sure if New Year's was celebrated then but I will research it. I actually wanted to know if there are colonial era Scottish songs for children since I want to have Terry be the fiddler of their large family. Also, any particularly popular dishes for an old Scottish wedding since I'm going to attempt my first Mohawk/Scottish marriage when it's time and want to incorporate each culture respectfully (he will be giving Carrie a Fede ring since they existed then). I've been sick in bed for the past week so my research has hit a rut for the moment.
Next Time: Sales Resistance
His shoulder-length hair swayed elegantly with shine that reminded her of the tall grasses in the wildflower patches as he nodded. His hair was black but Caroline could swear that when the sun struck it at the right angle, brown undertones peeked through. He looked to the stacked logs as metal chains and wooden posts stored them, asking with curiosity, "What are you doing today?"
"Checking on inventory to make sure there are no mites or illness from within" she replied easily since her father had taught her the basics for judging a tree as satisfactory. If it wasn't, it was chopped up for burning but wood damaged by moisture must either dry or be turned to mulch due to the extensive damage. Amelia and Martha found no fascination in logging as they followed a lady's upbringing but Caroline enjoyed learning about the world around her. There were so many species and each carried a different quality, not to mention smell!
She remembered their father playfully asking him and Amelia what type of house they wanted in the new world years ago (before their dream to have a business sprouted), leading a six-year old Caroline to declare oak. You could never go wrong with oak and pine. Her knuckles rapped on the oak logs that had yet to be shaved of their rough gray bark and smiled confidently, "Sure, trees can look pretty on the outside but they can be rotting from within- just like people. We always replace cut trees with seeds or young trees for future logging. Might I interest you in purchasing a young oak tree?"
Her hands moved in an arc towards a batch of young trees that were ready to be planted around properties for protection against the elements. Ratonhnhaké:ton, however, didn't own (or want to own) anything and declined politely, "Not today, Caroline"
"Please, call me Carrie- easier on the tongue" she chuckled good-naturedly since everyone in her family had taken to shortening her name but he never did. He'd previously told her that her name was unique, just as his own was, and would grant her that respect.
"I prefer Caroline and can pronounce it well" he disagreed gently since the short name sounded quite odd on his tongue and preferred using her longer name since it matched half of the sound of his. Short names were quite strange to him but he never stated it aloud since only important sentences should be uttered.
"Is that a subtle chide for my terrible knack of becoming tongue tied on yours?" she teased playfully with a friendly grin as she moved on to another load of pine logs. Just when she thought she had it down, he corrected a note in her pronunciation and lost the entire name in the process. She always felt guilty since he'd taken the time to learn hers but he was kind enough to let bygones be bygones. Her fingers pointed to the young trees again and she tried to coax him with a salesman pitch, "Are you sure you wouldn't like a tree? I can make you a good offer and throw in a cut and polished log of your choice at the same time. I could even ask Mr. O'Donnell to pitch in and create a holder for all of your . . . eh, weapons."
Well, she knew he hunted so she'd hold onto that reasoning for the arsenal he carried . . . even if he was fifteen. Ratonhnhaké:ton smiled since her voice had hitched higher and carried a confident swagger that he'd heard with peddlers and storekeepers. She must've picked up a few tips from her father and uncle since they were the only ones with experience to sell their goods.
"You really enjoy this, don't you?" he asked with light amusement and she shrugged with a coy smile since this was her father's dream. It was a privilege to help him and as the oldest child, had no issue doing so. If she'd been a boy, she would've been cutting down trees alongside him but her gender barred her from doing so. Since he had money to spare from his random jobs, he decided to take care of one task that had been on his mind and admitted, "Now that I think about it, I wanted to make a second bow for myself. Being on the road can bring dangers and I'd feel safer having another at home in case I happen to lose this one."
His request had Caroline grinning from ear-to-ear as she beamed to her first sale!
She cleared her throat anxiously as her heart thumped wildly in excitement and spoke confidently, "You made the best choice by coming to Burnett and Galloway's Lumber or as our slogan goes, 'We got all the wood you need and if we don't have it, it has never been cut'. Come with me and I'll show you all of our fine selections for your project."
"I'm only looking to craft a bow, not a house" he reminded gently with a low chuckle as she slapped on her best seller voice.
"Well, what you're going to use is hardwood due to its durability and density" she explained matter-of-factly with a hasty nod and moved downwards towards the hardwood collections. He didn't know how she was able to distinguish each so easily but again, she was a logger's daughter. She stood next to a stacked pile of oak logs that had been shaved clean of their bark and smiled modestly, "Since we're a small business, our stock isn't large-"
"Wouldn't that make the slogan misleading?" he asked curiously since she'd stated otherwise and Caroline blinked rapidly as she'd made a snafu on her first sale. Ratonhnhaké:ton would still buy what he needed but he enjoyed humoring her since she was eager to grab the reins of her new position.
"You want a bow or dont'cha?" Caroline pressed hastily in embarrassment as her cheeks darkened to a rosy hue since they actually hadn't made a slogan at all. She was playing everything by ear in the hopes that she could shine with the same potential as a boy with the same position in a business. Being fifteen, she was expected to act as an adult but there were certain instances where she was struck with shyness. His brown eyes merely shined with warmth and she lost that constricting feeling in her stomach. He would never laugh or criticize her and she took his silence as a sign to continue, smiling sincerely, "Oak is the best for what you're looking for."
Connor decided to hear her entire sales pitch instead of being truthful that he knew what supplies were needed. Caroline was happy to be a part of her father's business and it was infectious enough to let him allow her that joy.
Thank you for reading, I do hope you enjoyed the story, and please leave a review if you can. :)