[ Book ] Seasonal and Holiday Tales - By Various Authors

[Jaella Azoulai]

~[] Table of Contents[]~

- Christmas Dragon by JMD -
- The Silver Cat by Gonzales Freedman -
- A little drum. by Ivypoison92 -

 

[Jaella Azoulai]

Christmas Dragon
JMD

I want a Christmas Dragon
With scales of red, green and gold
I want a Christmas Dragon
The finest story ever told.

Once, not very long ago, but long enough for most people to call it a memory, there was a little boy named Josiah Matthew; and he was three years old when Christmas rolled around in that cold, white December. He was staying with his two aunts that year; and the blonde, blue eyed boy was having the time of his life. He was getting everything he wanted that year.

Except his Christmas Dragon.

The one thing he wanted more than anything. A dragon that could fly, and breathe fire. A dragon who could play with him in the snow. A dragon that was red, green and gold. A dragon that would tell him his story every night. A dragon that knew how to play video games, a dragon that would watch movies with him. A dragon that had memorized every La in Basshunter's "I can walk on water, I can fly," so he could sing with him.

And that morning, he got everything he could have ever desired. A pair of shoes, a Wii, a castle. He also got some things he wasn't so thrilled with; socks, clothes. Naturally he tossed them aside and tore through the paper looking for his dragon.

It wasn't there.

I want a Christmas Dragon
With scales of red, green and gold...

No dragon. Not one scale. No sign of fire, so there hadn't been a battle. Where was he? Where was Joey's Christmas Dragon?

Just to be sure there was no dragon egg, Josiah checked under the tree. "Denny," he complained to his aunt, "Sanna din't bring me my dragon."

His aunt explained that some things were too big for Santa to bring; and that the dragon had probably gotten lost while flying beside Santa's sleigh. "He'll come," she promised. "Santa will give him directions to our house. He's probably in New York right now, looking for you."

"Isst he sad?" Joey asked, frowning in concern. His dragon was lost? Poor dragon! "Will he miss Chrissmas dinner?" Josiah's grandmother was one of the greatest cooks in the land. It would be a terrible shame for even a dragon to miss out on the pumpkin pie.

"He'll be here," his aunt promised with a smile. "You'll see."

I want a Christmas Dragon
Who'll play with me everyday
I want a Christmas Dragon
That knows just what to say.

Later that evening, just before dinner, as Josiah's aunt had promised, a dragon appeared. With wings of red, green and gold. "Denny, he's here! Denny! Denny!" But Josiah's aunt was no where to be found. "Emmy, where Denny?" But Auntie Em didn't know where she was either. "Look Jo-Jo!" she said, pointing out the window. "Don't you want to go see your dragon? You can tell Jennie all about it later. She might use it in one of her stories."

The dragon stayed for dinner, and enjoyed pumpkin pie with little Josiah on his lap. No one seemed to notice that Joey's favorite aunt was missing. No one, until the dragon said in a gruff tone that matched its rough exterior of scales, "Well, Joey, I have to be going now."

"Why?"

The dragon ruffled Joey's hair. "There are many more boys and girls waiting to meet me. I'll be with you, though. You brought me to life. I'm in your imagination, and in your heart. Keep believing, you'll see." The dragon winked at him. "You'll find me everyday." The dragon left, going the way it had come.

And no one noticed the ladder outside.

END

 

[Jaella Azoulai]

The Silver Cat
Gonzales Freedman

Once there was a Cat that was so white that she shone silver in the light of the sun. She was a special Cat for wherever she walked it was a sign of the winter was not far away. Sadly not everyone enjoyed the presence of the Silver Cat and one day a group of villagers scared her away in hopes that she would never come back but little did the villagers know that there would be dire consequences for their actions for not too long after their lands began to corrupt and the soil slowly became infertile.

There was also a lack of joy in the air now that the Cat was gone no longer to visit them because of their harsh treatment of her. It was almost as if their local holiday spirits would no longer visit them because of their cruelty toward the bringer of wintry weather.

A group of children within the village decided that they could not stand these happenings for they enjoyed the snow and disliked the lack of joy and feeling of generosity that their families now seemed to lack. Everyone around these children had turned miserly and sad. So the children set off to find the Silver Cat at her Den deep in the nearby woods where she was nursing her wounds.

The Cat saw the children and hissed at them in warning. They smelt like the villagers that had chased her away.

The oldest child stepped forward not frightened off by her show of teeth. The child was a boy was named Johan.

Johan knelt and respectfully bowed his head to her and said, "Please, Cat come back to us. Our lands are suffering and our families feel no joy. The holiday spirits no longer visit us because you have gone away. We will do anything."

The Silver Cat watched the boy and her misgivings slowly faded away but she still crouched defensively against her spot in the cave. She mulled it over for a moment before she said, "Every year each of your households must leave out a saucer of cream when winter is supposed to come. It shall be your penance."

The boy looked at the cat and then back at his friends they all nodded confirming that they would get their families and those around to do this one small thing. Johan gazed at the cat and nodded, "It will be done."

She nodded in approval and bid them all to leave her to heal in peace.

The children left and spread word of the task set before them. At first the adults were dubious but soon followed the strange orders of the children and for the adults that didn't listen to the children made sure to set down saucers of cream for the adult. Thus when the time came again the curse upon their lands was lifted and winter came again along with the Holiday spirits filling the hearts of everyone with joy and good will. From then on the village put out saucers of cream or milk to make sure the Winter Cat will always come visit them so that they do not displease the spirits ever again.

END

 

[Jaella Azoulai]

A little drum.
Ivypoison92

It was midnight and all was quiet in the Ravena household. The toddler was sleeping and the dark elf was training. Some of the vampires were sleeping, but one stayed up, working in the basement till his fingertips were numb. A grounding bowl was held in his left hand while his right was pounding a fine brown chunk into dust. His brown eyes were narrowed in concentration as he worked to make the powder fine enough that it would not leave a bitter taste in the tea. Tea leaves were scattered around the wooden and scarred table, all different kinds and mostly from his niece’s garden. The light brown haired vampire was sure Eve wouldn’t be too angry about him picking from her garden once the child had heard why he had done so.

He hadn’t picked the leaves for a petty reason or selfish. By far, it was from a purely good reason that he stole from her garden. A gentle smile came to his tired face once the brown chunks were a very fine and light powder. The tea was nearly ready.

Damin sat the bowl down gently and turned to a medium mixing bowl. With careful focus, he mixed the fresh tea leaves with the grounded powder and a little natural sugar for flavor. After making sure that the mixture smelled like ginger and lilac, he reached for a tin container. He had made sure that the metal was tin and not silver or cold iron. He feared she would reject him if the gift hurt her in anyway.

To say he was nervous about how his crush would react to his gift would be an understatement. He feared that she might not like him back.

After pouring the tea into the tin, he wrapped it in light purple paper and finished it off with a little ribbon.

After hours of work, he left the manor under a cloak and disappeared with a single thought to the home of a Miss Maeve. He reached toward the door as if to knock, but did not have the guts to do it. Instead, he sat the simple gift down on the doorstep and knocked before he even heard footsteps coming to the door.

Damin smiled and sighed, hoping she liked the gift at least. He had left a card in the tin, asking her to come over to the park the next evening. He hoped she would come. If not, well, he would rather not think about that. He disappeared to the manor and his room to pace, too eager and afraid to sleep that night.

END