𝒜 𝐿𝒾𝓉𝓉𝓁𝑒 𝒞𝒽𝓇𝒾𝓈𝓉𝓂𝒶𝓈 𝑀𝒶𝑔𝒾𝒸

𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝟣𝟢

AN: Merry Christmas, everybody!

"I have to go home!" I realized. "Fritz and I always wake up at six to open presents. If I'm not home, Mama and Papa are going to be so worried!"

"Clara's got a point," Nate admitted with a sigh. A sorrowful look had crossed his face. "Please, Sugar Plum, could you summon the rest of the court? I'd like to give a proper farewell to everyone, and I'm sure Clara would too."

"Certainly. My dear, I'm sorry you were not able to properly meet Clara. I wish time were not so fleeting."

"Indeed," Sugar Plum's husband agreed. "But it was an honor meeting you still, Clara. And it was a pleasure seeing you again, Prince Nathaniel. It has been too long."

With a clap of her hands, she summoned the two little girls I'd seen when I'd first arrived. She then instructed them to gather at the court to bid us farewell.

"How are they going to do it so quickly?" I wondered aloud.

"It's not that hard. They just have to ring a bell, which alerts everyone else to gather in the Great Hall. In fact, people should be arriving here any minute," Nate explained.

Sure enough, people began to fill the hall. Once everyone had arrived, Celeste told everyone that we had to leave the Land of Sweets and return to our homes.

"Bye, Clara and Nate!" The youngest of Mother Ginger's girls waved. She looked ready to wrap the two of us in a bear hug. "Can I go give them a hug, Mommy? Please?"

Mother Ginger nodded, and she tackled and hugged us both. We returned the hug.

"I'll miss you, Molly." Nate had a sad smile on his face.

"Me too. But visit more often, please! And bring your girlfriend, too."

We turned bright red.

Was I that obvious? I mean, it's just a crush, but still.

"We are not dating, okay?" I said. "I'm twelve, and he's thirteen! We're still just kids."

She giggled. "Keep on telling yourself that! I wanna be the flower girl at your wedding. Anyway, bye!" She skipped back to her mom.

We looked at each other. Nate was trying not to laugh at the fact that a seven-year-old had just decided we ought to get married.

"She's adorable, isn't she?" He grinned. "I'm going to miss her when we go back to New York."

"I'm going to miss everyone here, honestly. At least we'll still be able to see each other often...hopefully."

"Wait." Sugar Plum interrupted our conversation. "I have one final request."

I snapped to attention. What could this request be?

"What is it?" Nate wondered.

"As a fairy, I possess some powerful magic, including the ability to transport people to wherever they desire. I would like to send both of you home by magic. Consider it my parting gift."

"But the sleigh—" he started to protest.

"Will be taken care of," she finished. "I have my ways, Prince Nathaniel. Now, do you both accept my request?"

I thought about it for a moment. Sugar Plum's offer would solve a lot of the problems that might have occurred if I'd returned home by reindeer sleigh.

I won't even have to create an alibi! I don't want to lie to my parents or brother.

"I accept your offer most graciously. Thanks so much, Sugar Plum," I decided.

"So do I," he agreed. "Just let us finish saying our goodbyes."