A few hours passed and the party was still going. Everyone had already feasted on the Christmas dinner and was gathering back in the parlor to see Drosselmeier's magical toys. As soon as he presents his masterpiece everyone applauds in awe and wonder, as usual. Alina smiles as she claps her hands for her godfather and recalls her childhood of Christmases long ago . . .
~~~
"Children, I present to you this gingerbread castle!"
Drosselmeier once presented a musical gingerbread castle with dancing gingerbread men and women. Frosted rooftops with gumdrop tiles and a chimney that looked like it was made of chocolate bricks. Gingerbread men skate on a frozen milky lake and gingerbread children make snow angels on the frosty ground. Gingerbread soldiers marching and women dancing merrily.
One child asked, "Can we play with it, godfather?"
"I want the dancers to skate, too!"
"Can the soldiers fight? I want to battle them!"
Drosselmeier frowns as he shoos away the children's grubby, little fingers. "You can't just pick them up! They're-they're meant to be there!"
"Aw!!!" pouted the children as they returned to their toys, one by one.
One boy commented, "At least, I can make my toys do whatever I want!"
A girl joined in and added, "Yeah! And I can dress them up, too!"
Drosselmeier scoffs at them before turning back to his sweet wonder. He finds one tiny girl, standing on her tiptoes, and staring intensely at the gingerbread castle with her big bright eyes. Drosselmeier rubs his chin before approaching the little girl and leaning in.
"Do you like it, darling?" asked Drosselmeier curiously.
Little six-year-old Alina nods while Drosselmeier picks her up to give her a better view.
"What are you thinking of?"
"I'm pretending."
"Pretending what, my dear?"
"I'm pretending a tiny person is exploring the gingerbread castle and saying hi to the people."
Drosselmeier let out a hearty laugh and lightly poked Alina's nose. "Now that's one way of using your imagination. What else do you imagine?"
Tiny Alina told her godfather her little stories and how her toys would befriend the gingerbread people.
~~~
Alina returns to the present while the children start unwrapping their gifts. Dollies, hobby horses, puppets, instruments, and more! Each child with a toy in their arm as they run around excitedly showing to the adults.
The grownups opened their presents and thanked one another for their gifts. Grandma Beatrice got a new necklace; Uncle Thomas, a new pair of hunting boots; Cousin Susanna, a package of rare tea to relieve her stress from taking care of her kids all day.
Gerhard received a toy sword and a knight's helmet while his older sisters received ballet shoes. Alina stared at the twins' pretty ballet shoes and couldn't help but feel a little envious. She glances down at her own feet, staring at her flats and then her cane beside her.
Alina shakes her head and gets rid of these thoughts when her godfather approaches her. "You have so many presents, my darling. Now it is time for my gift."
Drosselmeier hands Alina a surprisingly big box. Baffled yet curious, Alina hesitantly receives the box yet she is also surprised by its light weight.
"My goodness, godfather! What on earth did you get me?" asked Alina, who lightly shakes the box.
YOU ARE READING
Mouse King x OC (Nutcracker Fanfiction)
Fanfiction(Cover image not mine, belongs to Katogi Mari. I'm a HUGE fan of the Nutcracker since childhood and would like to write my own version someday. For now, I want to write this fanfic because I'm not the only one who wants this.) Long before Clara Stah...
