A Sprig of Holly

by J.A. Clement

but still richly green and glossy.

  “Let’s hope it still works.” Matthias cut off the sprig and hurried back to the snowman, pushing it into the painted lapel of the jacket. The snowman stretched and bowed, then halted abruptly as he caught sight of the snowmaiden, who looked away with every indication of shy confusion. Matthias took Greta’s hand and they ran back into the house to join Pappy who was at the window watching.

  The snowman bowed; the snowmaiden curtsied shyly. He extended a hand, which she took, and they progressed round the field in something that was not quite a dance and not quite a procession. Reaching the house again some hours later, they stood hand in hand gazing at the Yule tree that the humans had planted for them, until dusk brought out a scattering of stars that twinkled amongst the branches like little candles.

  Greta dreamt that night that the pair of them watched until the moon came out, and then that she heard something that was almost a kind of music, that seemed to turn into an infectious, happy tune that made her want to leap out of bed and dance just for the joy of it. She dreamt that the music began with a booming beat as the hare drummed its back leg on the snow, and that when they heard it, the snowmaiden and the snowman danced through the field, graceful as snowflakes, leaping and whirling in perfect time as they splashed colour through the snowy field with the hare twisting and jumping between them with all the joy of spring.

  She was not sure how long it all went on for, but it must have been some hours as the sky was beginning to pale towards dawn by the time they finished. At the end of the dance, they came back to where she stood at the window and they bowed to her; and she bowed back, hoping only that they understood how much she owed to them. They went back to stand by the holly tree, hand in hand under the fading stars, and Greta turned over and did not dream any more except for the drumming of rain, loud after the silent snow, but sounding like laughter and contentment.

  In the morning, Greta threw the curtains open to wish the snowmaiden and her snowman a happy Yuletide, only to find that the dream of rain was no dream. The long cold had broken, and the rain had washed away all the snow.

  Pulling her boots on over her nightdress, Greta dashed out to the holly tree, but there was nothing left of the snowmaiden or her mate, nothing but the crimson scarf and two sprigs of holly.

  Crying slightly, she picked the soggy scarf up from the ground. An arm went round her shoulders.

  “Was it real, or did we all dream it?” Matthias kissed her cheek and gave her a handkerchief. “It is a strange story for a Yuletide.”

  “It was real.” Greta wiped her eyes. “The snowmaiden saved us when we were lost in the snow. Besides, she left this.” She held up the shawl, but Matthias had dropped to one knee to look at the holly. Despite the cold and the long-frozen earth, both sprigs had somehow taken root in the ground.

  “She left us more than that, I think. “ He laid a hand to the holly, which was only lightly rooted and came away without damage. “She has left us these too. Let’s put them in pots for the moment.”

  “Pots? Why? Can’t they just stay there?”

  “They wouldn’t grow there. It’s too near the parent tree, too much in the shade.” He smiled, straightening up. “Besides, we will plant them at our house when we are married.”

  Greta cocked an eyebrow at him. “Oh, are we getting married?”

  Matthias grinned. “If you’ll have me, we are. Will you marry me, Greta?” He fished in the pocket of his coat, pulling out a beautiful little ring, red-gold with a solitary ice-like diamond in it. Greta slid it onto her finger where it fit as if made for her.

  “Maybe…” she teased. “If I’m free that day.”

  “Is that a yes?”

  “Yes it is, Matthias. I will marry you; and we will plant the holly trees together.”

  There was a cough behind them, and they whirled guiltily.

  “You youngsters have no sense of decency.” Pappy’s tone was dry.

  “Do you object to my marrying your granddaughter?” Matthias asked, anxious.

  “Are you going to marry her? Good choice, m’boy, good choice. No, what I was objecting to was you standing there in your nightgowns in a muddy field on Yuletide when you should be in here warm and cosy, making the breakfast we’ve been looking forward to for the past three weeks. How about it?”

  Laughing, the three went back into the house to enjoy passing the Yuletide with those who loved them most, and celebrate what they had been given, which was mostly each other. When Matthias and Greta were married, she wore the crimson shawl over her dress. They planted the little trees either side of the gate; and they never forgot all that they owed to the hare, the snowmaiden and the sprigs of holly.

  AFTERWORD

  The story you have just read was first published in “Christmas Lites,” an anthology in support of the domestic violence charity NCADV. It is now republished with kind permission of the editor, Amy Eye, to raise awareness of that anthology and its sequel “Christmas Lites II”, due for release on Nov 26th 2012.

  No money will be made from this edition of “A Sprig of Holly”, but we hope you’ll check out some of the other exciting, haunting and hilarious stories in the anthologies, and help us raise money for a really good cause by laughing, crying and probably laughing again with authors from Lizzy Ford and Cambria Hebert to Brett Talley and C.S.Splitter.

  After all, don’t you want to know about the ninja elf? And the Turkey Avenger? And just wait till you meet the Gingerbread man and the kid who wants to capture Santa...

  Christmas Lites includes stories by:

  Nicholette Alexandr, Angel Armstead, Phil Cantrill, JA Clement, Amy Eye, Vered Ehsani, Mark Faulkner, Catherine Forbes, Lizzie Ford, Cambria Hebert, Paige Kellerman, Tricia Kristufek, Mark Koning, Mark Mackey, Cassie McCown, Mysti Parker, Richard Phelan, S. Patrick Pothier, E.C. Stilson, Shane Stilson, C.S. Splitter, Brett Talley, Ottilie Weber, L.A. Wright.

 

  Christmas Lites II includes the following authors:

  Amy Eye, Addison Moore, Angela Yuriko-Smith, Lizzy Ford, Kimberly Kinrade, Patti Larsen, Frank W. Smith, S. Patrick Pothier, Cassie McCown, Nichole Chase, Tish Thawer, Monica La Porta, Lynn Rush, Misty Baker, Melynda Fleury, Vered Ehsani, Elizabeth Evans, Tricia Kristufek, E.C. Stilson, J.A. Clement, J.G. Faherty

  Thank you for dropping by, and have a wonderful Christmas!

  JAC.