Snakes, Secrets, and Revelations

Chapter 21

Christmas Eve was filled with story telling, present wrapping, and treat baking. Night came to takeaway the day and once night had fully arrived and the daylight had all fled and Henry still hadn't yet arrived, Helen sent the kids off to bed with the words,"It seems Henry is going to be late. Children, you'd best get some rest for tomorrow."

At three minutes till midnight, the kings and queens descended the stairs. Lucy came first, followed by Edmund, Peter and then Susan. They gathered in the living room and waited, it was a tradition of theirs. The Christmas tree lights were twinkling but a bright burst of sparkles is what drew their attention.

"Santa!" Lucy called out.

"Merry Christmas." Peter greeted.

"Merry Christmas your majesties." Santa returned. Susan quickly but gracefully entered the kitchen and soon returned to the room that held all the excitement with a plate of cookies and a glass of milk. She placed it on the table when she saw his hands full with his sack.

Each sibling was giving a box and while Santa munched on his cookies the Kings and Queens of Narnia opened their gifts. They had each been gifted with a small model of Cair Paravel. "Home." Lucy awed.

"Home." The older three agreed.

"Thank you..." They all drifted off when they saw that the jolly man was already gone.

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Susan placed the model of her home on her dresser where she kept the rest of her presents from Santa.

The first year back from Narnia Lucy had begged, dragged, and threatened in order to get all of them downstairs to wait for Santa, and Lucy's stubborn persistence had been awarded when Santa had appeared. He gave them all music boxes that played various Narnia songs.

The second year back from Narnia they were each given a painting. Hers displayed fields of flowers and a radiant sun. Peter's showed a figure in armor and had a sword raised above him as he was illuminated by the sun. Edmund's painting was a forest with deep green leaves and trees as far as the eye could see. Lucy's art piece depicted a beach with waves crashing in, a set of footprints, and if you squinted, a lion.

Their third Christmas back in England, they all received perfume or in the boys' case, cologne that had the fragrance of each of their respective domains.

Reminders of Narnia that they all treasured.

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In the later morning hours of Christmas the Pevensies opened presents and told more stories. Henry never did come, which was probably for the best as he was unaware of magic and in the evening, an owl flew in to deliver a long package.

The note with it simply said, Merry Christmas -SS.

Inside the box was a broom. Lucy grinned with glee. She knew how exhilarating it was to fly. Perhaps she could get away with letting her siblings try it during the summer at the Professor's where there weren't a lot of muggles. After all, underage wizards weren't allowed to use magic away from school, and that included charms to make sure muggles couldn't see you while you were flying.