The Hedgehog Prince

Christmas Eve

It was the most magical night of the year, Christmas Eve, and Sally Acorn and her brother Elias were peering through the two keyholes that led into the parlor. For you see, that was where their parents were decorating and lighting the Christmas tree, as well as laying out the wrapped gifts underneath.

Max and Alicia had told their children explicitly that they weren't to peek, that patience was a virtue, but Sally and Elias could only be dissuaded so much at Christmastime. Even the air seemed to tingle with excitement and magic as the long-awaited day drew near, so they peeked in on whatever surprise they could, no matter how old they became.

"I say, what do we have here? Sally, looking in when told not to isn't befitting of a lady such as yourself. Why, if I'm not mistaken, you turned fourteen last month!" Sally recognized the voice and turned around, laughing when she saw her Godfather Charles standing in the doorway.

"Uncle Charles!" Elias and Sally exclaimed, running into the hedgehog's outstretched arms. "Oh my, Elias! How tall you're getting!" Charles ruffled Elias's fur, and he smiled. "Where were you, Uncle? Last year you came hours ago, did you get held up at your workshop?" Charles shook his head. "No, my boy. One of the many perks of being a genius, you get to pick your own hours. No, I had to help my nephew out with something."

"I didn't know you had a nephew! How old is he?" "What's his name?" "Will we meet him?" "Is he really your nephew, or does he just call you uncle like we do?" Charles waved his hands to quiet down the barrage of questions. "Yes, yes! He really is my nephew, and I hope you'll meet him soon."

"What presents did you bring us, Uncle Charles?" Sally asked, and their godfather smiled. "You'll see soon enough, my dear. It seems that your parents are almost finished, and then you both may open them. It wouldn't be much of a surprise if I told you now, would it?" They shook their heads, and he chuckled and nodded.

A few seconds later, the doors opened and all three were able to step inside and marvel at the beauty. "Oh, mother!" Sally gasped in wonderment at the tree specifically. "It's the most beautiful tree we've ever had!" Alicia laughed softly at her daughter, taking her hand. "Sally, you say that every year."

"And every year I tell the truth!" She said with a smile, when the bell rang for the rest of the guests attending the christmas party. Max left the parlor to open the door, and Alicia rushed to the dining room to make sure all of the refreshments were out. Meanwhile, Godfather Charles produced two wrapped boxes for Sally and Elias, which they opened with excitement to discover their contents.

Elias cheered as he opened his present. "Yes, soldiers! Thank you, Godfather!" Sally shook her head at her brother, he was so obsessed with the art of war that even the cheapest, flimsiest toy soldiers made him happy. She looked back down at her own gift, lifting away the last bit of wrapping paper and opening the box.

Inside was a wooden doll, looking up at Sally with a determined face that seemed to silently pledge allegiance to her. He resembled a blue hedgehog, dressed in black pants and a red coat decorated with gold. He also had a large hat resembling what a soldier would have, a red feather rising up from it.

"Oh, Uncle Charles! I just love him! I've never seen anything like him, though. What is he?" She said, staring at the handsome soldier in her hands. "He's a nutcracker, Sally. Let me show you how he works." Charles reached into the bowl of walnuts next to the chair he was sitting in. Taking one out, he inserted it into the nutcracker's mouth and pulled a lever, revealing the meat inside.

"Oh, let me try!" Elias said, abandoning his own present for a sudden interest in Sally's. "No, Elias! Uncle Charles already gave you a present, you don't need mine as well!" She kept a firm hold on the nutcracker as her brother tried to pull it out of her hands, until she stumbled to the ground, taking Elias with her.

The doll was catapulted from their hands across the floor, slamming into the wall with a loud smash. The party guests had been watching the argument with uneasy interest, and gasped collectively when the nutcracker became the inevitable casualty. "Elias! Look what you did, you broke him!" Sally cried, running over to it with tears in her eyes.

At first Elias was embarrassed at his selfishness, but pride soon took hold. "Aw, you can have the pile of wood. I have plenty of real soldiers, that nutcracker doesn't even have a sword." Soon some of Elias's friends from school arrived, and he rushed to show them his present. Sally sighed as she watched them, Elias always seemed to make friends so easily, while there never seemed to be anyone for her to spend these parties with.

It wasn't like she hadn't tried, she just never seemed to find a place in the circles her classmates formed for some reason. She smiled down at the nutcracker though, as she cradled him in her arms. "Don't listen to that jerk, my brave soldier. He just doesn't understand what makes a true hero."

Sally sat down on the floor, and was relieved to see that only one of the arms had cracks running through it. She made a sling out of a hankie taken from her pocket, looking over her handiwork with a satisfied smile. "Elias and I do have a lot of fun together, but he doesn't understand that a true hero is made by the strength of his heart and soul, not his weapon."

Sally's eyes widened as she thought she saw the nutcracker smile, just for a moment...but it couldn't be. Perhaps it was a trick of the light. Suddenly she heard Charles's voice sound above her head, and she looked up. "That's a good girl, Sally. Now, I'll tell you all about the nutcracker, and how he came to be."