by L M Lacee
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
K eeper sat on the couch with Ella next to him, all the young and adults sat around the room all with hot chocolate or warmed eggnog. Some on their parents laps, some on the floor in front of him and Ella. All eager to hear his first Christmas story, as he looked out over the sea of faces, he suddenly felt nervous.
“You think he is ready for this?” Sage asked Claire as she nodded to the attentive young, who sat before Keeper. Claire laughed quietly. “The poor male has no idea what he has let himself in for. I asked him if he wanted to practice at the library, you know, read at story time, he declined.”
Olinda nodded. “I did as well, he said, no to me too. He said it was a simple story.”
“Really there is no such thing as a simple story with these ones.” Claire replied, having read at story time often.
“Well if you two and Ella could not get him too practice. The young ones will, and he will know for next time.” Sage said with a laugh in her voice. Olinda nodded as she said. “If there is a next time!”
Claire smiled as she told them. “Oh, there will be, it is Keeper. The story will be good.”
Andre` said quietly to Rene`. “I did not know he was a bard?”
“As I did not. A new gift perhaps.”
Edith smiled and whispered. “Why not, it is Christmas.” Which was greeted with smiles and nods.
Ella squeezed her shadow’s arm as she felt a slight tremor from him. He whispered. “I think I should have practiced.”
Grinning she whispered back. “It will be alright, I am here.” With a quick smile he cleared his throat but before he could speak, Kammy stood and said.
“Hush now unca Keepa has a story for us about crissmas.”
Keeper’s nerves settled as his niece grinned at him and took her place on the floor beside Molly. “Thank you Kammy. Now this is a story about Christmas.” Keeper’s voice soothed as it warmed his listening audience.
“Once upon a time there was a young dragon named Tommy. Now Tommy was not a very lucky young dragon. Sadly he did not live in a town like Dragon’s Gap or in a home like we do with our mommies and daddies. Tommy did not have a family or grandparents and he definitely did not have any aunties or uncles.”
"How old was he?” Joy asked as she sat with Kadee and Paige, Kelsey snuggled between them. Ella smiled and answered. “He was nine years old."
“Oh, he was little.” Kadee murmured.
“Was he sad uncle Keeper?” Kelsey asked, “Because he had no mama or dada?”
Keeper nodded. “Yes sweetheart he was very sad.”
“He come live wif me.” Kammy stated as Molly crossed her arms and growled. “No wif me, I love him.”
Cara asked. “He ave pink hair unca keepa?”
Which managed to stop the argument starting. Keeper shook his head and hid his smile. “No sweetie he did not!”
“Oh, me sad.”
Keeper read on. “Now Tommy lived up in the hills and he made his house in a small cave, hidden in a forest.”
“Ohh… me live there wif him!” Molly nodded. She then started to rise from the floor. Sage told her softly. “Wait for the story honey."
“Okay mama.”
When he was sure they were settled, Keeper carried on. “Tommy’s cave was dry and safe and when he had a small fire, it could be warm. But sadly it was not a home. Although he had a small bed made from sacks stuffed with leaves. He also made himself a table with a large flat rock. On the table he had one spoon and one wooden bowl and a tin cup for drinking. Also, he had one prized possession a book. Now Tommy could not read, not one word.
“Why did he have the book then?” Tabor, Ivan’s son asked.
Kelsey asked. “Can you read?” She knew he could not as he was in her class at school. Tabor smirked like a young boy does as he replied. “I not have to, my dad reads me night stories.”
Kammy told him. “He not have daddy.”
“Why his granma not give him a book?” Dmitry, Ivan’s other son asked from his father’s lap.
“He not have no granmama.” Kammy told him.
Galina, George’s daughter nodded her little head. “He can share ours.”
Grace smiled misty eyed as her grandchildren spoke. Patrycc hugged her close and asked. “How do you feel about being shared around?”
She replied. “Proud of their kindness.” She looked at all the parents there and told them. “You are very special parents.”
Ivan kissed her hand. “We have good teachers.”
“As touching as this is, if we may get back to the story.” Reighn asked, “I want to know what happens?”
“Me too uncle Rain, now hush!” Kammy told them fiercely. Keeper ginned and continued with his tale.
“Tommy’s book was filled with pictures, and they were pictures of a family playing and eating together, even though it was something Tommy did not have, it still made him happy to see the children with their parents. But he was lonely, he wanted a family and he wanted to be warm in his own special bed, in his own bedroom, in his own home. He also wanted to learn to read, so he could read all the pretty books he saw in the shops. So when the weather changed and winter drew near Tommy thought about going into town. He knew he would have to find some warmer clothes to wear when it got really cold.
So one day when he crawled out from his cave, he saw that it was lightly snowing. He decided there and then to be brave and go into the town, and ask if there was any work he could do. For some food and warm clothes?
Normally he stayed away from the town because not everyone was as nice as the people in Dragon’s Gap and they would chase him away.”
“Was that cause he dirty and not had a bath?” Kammy interrupted to ask.
“He have no toys for bath.” Molly declared.
“No, he has no bath.” Sighed Kelsey.
“Oh.” Kammy and Molly said together.
Keeper continued. “So on this day Tommy walked a long way into town. He was very tired and cold by the time he got there, as the sun was starting to set. He was very surprised to find the town was covered in snow and there were lights and garlands and Christmas trees everywhere he walked. And as he walked, his toes became cold.”
“Where his shoes?” Tabor asked.
“He not have any.” Galina told him. “Remember he alone, no momma.”
“Me give him mine.” Cara told them.
Molly said. “Me give him dada boots.”
“Thanks little one.” Reighn murmured. Keeper grinned and restarted the story. “Tommy found no people anywhere, he stood on the main street and turned around looking at all the wonderful decorations and statues of reindeer and snowmen. Finally, he walked along looking in windows of homes and saw families who were talking and laughing while they ate huge feasts of food, he saw pretty wrapped presents under trees with colored lights.
Feeling sad and cold Tommy wondered what was happening, why was everyone staying at home and not working? Then as he looked at all the delicious looking food his tummy growled.”
“Because he was hungry for his momma’s dinner.” Stated Dmitry.
“I would think so.” Ivan assured his son. “I am always hungry for your momma’s dinner.” This was accompanied by laughs from the adults.
Keeper, a smile in his voice read. “Tommy was puzzled, was it a special day, was that why the shops were closed, why people were in their houses and why there were presents. Sadly he knew he was not going to get any work, or food, or even some warm clothes. He decided to go back to his cave but as he was walking along the road he bumped into a big male who grabbed him and shook him.”
Gasps of dismay from the little ones sounded throughout the room. Hurriedly Keeper read. “And in a gruff voice the male asked. “Boy, why are you out here in the snow without a coat on?” Tommy was scared and he said. “Sorry sir but I was just looking at the pretty lights.”
The big male growled again and said. “Boy that did not answer my question. Why are you here?�
� More gasps and a few cries of worry were heard from the young ones until Ella soothed them. “Shh...It will be alright listen.”
Keeper read on, “Looking for work sir,” Replied Tommy politely.”
“Because you should not be rude, aunty Frankie says that.” Kelsey stated.
Keeper agreed then read. “There be no work today!” The male told Tommy, “Don’t you know what day it is?”
“No sir I don’t.” Tommy replied politely again. “What day is it sir?”
“It be Christmas Eve boy.”
“What is that sir?” Tommy asked him.
Kammy said. “Cause he don’t know.”
Again Keeper agreed with her, then continued. “The man asked Tommy. “Are you making fun of me boy?” This made Tommy more frighten and with a cry Tommy pulled from the male’s hands and cried out, “No sir… I just don’t know!” Then he ran away, he could hear the male calling after him but Tommy was scared so he just kept on running back to his cave.
“Because man growl at him… bad male.” Kelsey growled with a frown on her face as Cara told Storm. “Dada make male go away.”
Charlie brushed her hand over first Kelsey’s hair then Cara’s strawberry blonde locks and said. “Cara honey wait, maybe he was sorry he scared Tommy.”
“Okay mama.” But like Kelsey and several of the others she did not look convinced.
Heeding Charlie’s words Keeper nodded at Cara and Kelsey and said. “The male was sorry he had frightened Tommy, he stared after where the young boy had gone and was puzzled, he knew he did not know the boy, he had never seen him in the town before and he could not shift into his wolf and track him because of the snow and his bad leg”
“He should have been a lion then.” Kadee said,
Joy scowled. “Lions would not find him either, there was snow remember.”
Kadee smirked. “My dad could.”
“Well yeah, but your dad is special.” They high fived each other as Conor smiled when Ocean nudged him.
Keeper carried on reading. “Anyway, the male was sad he wanted to take Tommy home with him and he felt very bad he had scared the young boy.”
Kadee asked. “Why didn’t he run after him if he was so sad?”
Paige said. “He had a bad leg remember.”
“Oh yeah, sorry Uncle Keeper.”
Keeper nodded to Paige and Kadee as he read. “The male had hurt his leg the day before chopping wood for his mother, so he could not run. So with a sad sigh the male went to his home and when he got there he told his shadow what had happened. She too became sad, the boy would get cold and be alone and they decided when the males leg was better he would go and look for him.
That night after the lovely big dinner that his shadow had made for him and their little ones, the male sat in his big comfortable chair. It was in front of his fire and with his leg up, resting it because he was so fill of good food, he started to fall asleep.”
“Did he snore like my daddy does?” Dmitry asked, to much amusement, especially when Ivan growled. “I don’t snore.”
Keeper laughed with everyone else, then started reading again when they became quiet. “With his eyes closed the male once more started to think and worry about the young boy that had run away, he hoped he was warm and safe. Now as it happened, as he was thinking this, a faerie was flying by.”
“Was it Sparrow?” Kammy asked. Keeper shook his head as he said. “She was a very pretty faerie.”
“Did I just get slammed?” Sparrow asked Hayden, who grinned and replied.
“Not intentionally.”
“Huh!”
“Was it you, aunty Scarlett.” Molly asked as the young all looked at Scarlett, who felt herself blush slightly. “No sweet one it was not.”
Keeper had them looking once again at him when he said. “The faerie who was not Sparrow or aunty Scarlett stopped and flew into the males house. She sprinkled faerie dust on him, so she could listen to his thoughts about the poor little boy.”
Paige leant over and whispered in Kelsey’s ear then Kelsey asked. “We did not know you had faerie dust aunty Scarlett, can we have some?”
Scarlett with a look at Paige’s eager look disabused her of the notion of faerie dust as she said. “I am sorry little one there is no such thing. It is just a story.”
“Huh! We knew that.” Paige mumbled as she shrugged at the two other girls.
Galina frowned as she asked. “Why did she stop? Did she know he scared Tommy?”
“The faerie stopped because she felt the sadness from the male and he was sad because he scared Tommy.” Ella answered her.
“Oh okay.”
Keeper read. “The faerie was so very sad too when she found out about the young boy. She decided that no one should be alone at Christmas so she flew from the male’s home and went into the hills looking for the boy. She found him in the cave. He was asleep. Creeping very quietly, the faerie sat beside the boy and looked at him.”
“Because that is not just plain creepy. I had better not find out you’re doing that missy!” Harper warned Sparrow who smirked and whispered back... “You would never know!”
Which made both Ace and Hayden smother their laughter, especially at the horrified look on Harper’s face.
“Hush!” Cara demanded.
“Sorry!”
Keeper read: “The faerie looked at the boy and saw he was very pretty. He had lovey blonde hair, or it would be if it was clean and he had a nice face that even though it too was dirty, told of kindness and humor. Being careful she lifted his eyelids and saw he had sweet brown eyes. She liked this little boy, and she decided she would grant him a Christmas wish, if she could.
“Eww! She lifted his eyelids.” The older girls said accusingly as they and the young looked at Scarlett and Sparrow. Reighn grinned at Elijah as he whispered. “I noticed they did not accuse you and Kai.”
Elijah grinned back. “It is good to be pixie. The reason for leaving Kai out, eludes me.”
Meanwhile Scarlett and Sparrow were promising them, that all faeries never… ever did that. Harper scowled at Sparrow who winked at her causing Harper to scowl harder.
While Keeper grabbed a drink and the others all talked. Jacks looked at Stanvis and softly said. “That boy Tommy sounds a lot like you.”
“So it does.” He smiled at his shadow. “I think my brother has taken licence with my life story.”
“You are inspiring my love.”
“Really! Thank you, I never considered myself like that.”
Jacks smiled slightly as she told him. “I know, that is what makes you so special.”
Reighn looked at Keeper who wore a worried frown. “It’s a good story, a nicer story than his one.”
“It ends the same way.”
“Good. Finish it my brother we await you.” Reighn cleared his throat calling quiet to the room. Keeper read: “The faerie so deciding, left the young boy asleep and flew directly to the home of Santa Dragon himself.”
“Ooohhh! Aaahhhh!” Said all the young and a few adults. Amused Keeper read: “When she arrived she sought out her oldest friend, an elf, and told him the story of the lonely little boy. The elf thought for a while then nodded his head and told her he would talk to Santa Dragon and Mrs Santa Dragon. He would also ask them what they would advise.
Well once Santa Dragon knew of the plight of the young boy, he immediately dressed in his Santa suit and harnessed up his unicorns and with kisses and some of Mrs Santa’s famous hot chocolate he and his sleigh filled with presents for all the boys and girls left to fly across the skies of the world delivering presents.
Now Santa and Mrs Santa had decided to find the young boy and give him to a family that wanted a little boy of their own. But as Santa delivered presents to all the good little boys and girls, he thought about how lonely he and Mrs Santa Dragon were.
“Cause they had no little girls or boys to call them mama and dada” Molly stated with a head nod.
“Me sad.” Cara s
aid as she climbed on to her father’s lap. Storms arms instantly cuddled her close.
Keeper smiled and said softly. “Now that Santa thought about how he and Mrs Santa had a big house and no boys or girls, he decided he would give Mrs Santa Dragon a surprise. So when he arrived at the town and finished gifting all his presents, he flew silently to the cave where Tommy was. He then shrunk like the faeries do and entered the cave. Tommy was still asleep on his bed of leaves holding his precious book to his chest. Santa smiled a big smile then whispered, “Ho…Ho…Ho!”
“Why he not wake up. I would wake up if Santa Dragon come in my room.” Tabor told everyone.
“Magic.” Ella whispered.
“oohhh!”
Keeper softly said. “Santa smiled as he said. “This is a surprise. It must be Christmas magic,” Then he lifted Tommy from his bed and left the cave and placed the sleeping Tommy in his sleigh so they could fly to Santa’s home.
“That at the north pole.” Kammy told Molly.
“Yep, me know.”
“How did he know it was Christmas magic?” Reighn asked. “Was there a star or tinsel or lights?”
“Yeah unca Keepa, how he know?” Asked Molly.
Keeper eyed his brother, then his niece as he told them. “Santa had known when he saw Tommy that he was very special. Also that the Christmas magic had picked Tommy especially for Santa and Mrs Santa. He knew this because the book Tommy was holding was a picture book about Christmas.
Sage clapped. “Oh, that was good.”
Keeper gave her a small nod, then read. “Now when Tommy woke the next morning, he was very surprised to see he was not in the cave but in a warm bed instead. And he was in a warm bedroom, in a nice house and he had on clean pajamas and best of all. There were stacks of pretty wrapped presents on the end of his bed. He jumped up and cried out in surprise which brought Santa and Mrs Santa to Tommy’s room.