by Lynn Landes
‘I should be getting home, now,’ Nicholas says and thanks the family for their kindness. Noel walks him to the door and steps outside the hut to watch him go.
‘Tell me your name,’ he demands.
‘Noel, my name is Noel.’ She answers. ‘Who are you, Nicholas?’ she asks.
‘I am a Saint. I live in a village near here, Noel. I will see you soon.’ With that a door opens in the sky and he runs to it, leaving her staring open mouthed at the spot where he stood.
The next morning, her father wakes up and goes outside to get the last of the wood from the day before. He stops in his tracks staring in shock at the firewood stacked taller than he stands! Inside, Noel’s mother lets out a squeal of delight. The kids come running and find her holding a coat and shoes. Each of the three children discovers the same thing. They stare at each other in wonder and Noel smiles in amazement. She knows the secret, her new friend is a true Saint. In her eyes he is now Saint Nicholas.”
The room goes quiet as the boys imagine the moment.
“Nana, did you ever get to dance among the stars?” Nathan asks.
She stares at him for a moment and smiles, “Oh, many times. As will you,” she says touching his cheek.
Sincere giggles, “I don’t like to dance!” as he shoves another cookie in his mouth.
“No?” Michael grabs his youngest and tickles him, “but you sure can scream!”
Sincere’s laughter rings through the house and Serenity flinches. Slowly she moves her fingers and toes, and struggles to open her eyes. Stars dance behind her eyes and she remembers the feeling of being free to dance among the stars. “Michael?” Her mind calls out.
His head whips up and slowly he lowers Sincere to the floor. Noel stands up and they watch as Michael runs to Serenity’s bedside. He bursts into the room and drops by her side taking her hand, he feels the warmth in it and starts to laugh.
“Open your eyes, woman!” he demands and she flinches.
“Kiss her, Daddy! Hurry!” Sincere demands.
“Yes, kiss me Michael!” She commands him. He feels the love in her mind and moves to obey. Noel and the boys cheer when her arms wrap around his neck and he leans back taking her with him!
“I told you everything would be okay,” Nathan says confidently.
Epilogue
Christmas has come and gone, and Serenity can’t ever remember being so content. Through the bedroom window she watches the boys build a snowman with their father. Michael’s love for her grows stronger every day. But there is a growing fear inside her heart and she needs to resolve it. Slowly she walks to his bedroom and places the letter on his bed. It explains everything, time to go home.
Her hand trembles when she knocks on his door. Saint Nicholas, Father Christmas, what do I call him, she wonders worriedly.
“How about Nick?” he says swinging the door open.
Serenity smiles and sighs, “Can we talk, Nick?”
“My door is always open to you, Serenity. Come inside, sit. Would you like some tea, or coffee?”
“No, thank you,” she pauses and takes a deep breath, “Nick, I no longer have my power. I am not the Winter Queen. I think it’s time for me to go home,” she whispers quickly.
“What does Michael think about that?” he asks her.
“I haven’t told him yet, but Nick it doesn’t matter what he thinks. If I am not the Winter Queen, and not a guardian, then we do not have a future. I will not condemn him to a loveless life, and I wouldn’t survive watching him with someone else. I need to go home.”
Nick is quiet for a moment before answering her. “Of course, if you have made up your mind then you should follow your heart, Serenity,” Nick tells her.
“I think it’s for the best, can you take me home, now.” With that Serenity is gone.
A week later Serenity is home and her house is so quiet, too quiet. Bailey is on vacation with her boyfriend and Serenity can’t cry anymore tears. Thinking a walk down the beach will help, she walks to a large group of rocks and sits listening to the waves pound the beach. Her heart is broken, shattered to pieces and her soul weeps for her other half. How long until this gets easier, she cries out in her mind?
The note she left Michael, explained everything. It was a coward’s way out, but she tells herself he will understand, after he thinks it through. The sound of the ocean fades away as the setting sun, changes colors. Not the orange and crimson of a normal sunset, but ribbons of blue, green and purple!
She looks up and scrambles down from the rocks and turns to run back to her house. Nathan stands in front of her smiling. “Hi, Serenity,” he waves and walks towards her.
“Nathan, what are you doing here?” she asks shocked to see him.
“We have decided to keep you,” he tells her smiling at the surprise on her face.
“What?” a noise from behind has her spinning but she is too late. Sincere drops the satchel over her head and ties it with a silver rope.
“Boys! You let me out of here, this instant! You can’t just keep me!” Serenity demands.
“Yes we can. The angel said so!” Sincere yells back at her. “Just hold on Renity, and it might get a little bumpy.” She squeals when she feels the bag lift off the ground.
“What angel? Nathan, let me out!” she demands.
“Renity, you broked Daddy’s heart, you gotta fix it!” Sincere demands.
“He’s right, Serenity. You have to help us.” The flying sensation continues and Serenity weeps at the thought of hurting, Michael.
“I’m sorry boys, but I had to go. You have to let me go. It’s for the best,” she whispers.
Soon she hears the sound of running water, and whispered voices. Then a falling sensation and finally she is set roughly on the ground. “Ouch!”
“Sorry,” Nathan replies and Sincere giggles. They untie the bag and Serenity takes a moment to let her eyes adjust. She pushes her hair out of her eyes and glares at the two boys in front of her. She stands up and turns around looking for an exit. Under her feet is rock, no, wait she is in a cave.
“Okay, boys. I understand that you are upset, but truly, you can’t just steal people! Does your father know where you are?”
The guilty look on her face tells her all she needs to know. “Seriously! Where did you get that …” the bag has shrunk to the size of a small satchel! Nathan picks it up and returns it to his pocket.
“I will put it back when I get home, he won’t even know it was missing,” Nathan says with a satisfied smile on his face.
“Boys! You can’t be serious, he’s Santa Claus! He knows when you’ve been good or bad, for goodness sake! Remember the song!” Serenity explains carefully.
They glance at each other and Nathan has the common sense to look worried. “Now, where am I, and how do I get home?” she asks.
“Renity, don’t you love us anymore?” Sincere asks and his hurt and confusion beats at her.
“You know I do. I love you both, but I am not a Guardian,” she squats down and holds her arms out to them and they both almost bowl her over. She holds them close and wipes a tear away from her face.
“Your daddy deserves a chance to find his guardian. If I am here, it will complicate things. Don’t you see? I have to go home,” she explains.
“But if you could stay and be his guardian, would you?” Nathan demands suddenly.
“Of course, Nathan, I love your father. I never meant to hurt him, or any of you. But that’s not going to happen.” Nathan jumps up and pulls Sincere to his feet.
“You stay here!” Nathan yells then both boys disappear.
“What in the world!” Serenity is confused, she climbs to her feet and looks around. “Where am I?” She picks a direction and begins to walk.
A sudden noise behind her has her screaming out loud. Nathan pops back in followed by Sincere. Nate drops the purple bag one more time on the floor and a grunt and groan has her stifling a laugh.
“Boys! This is not funny! Let me out!�
�� Michael roars. Serenity’s heart begins to pound and she backs away.
“Dad, this is for your own good,” Nathan explains calmly. He unties the bag and Michael stands ready to pounce. He freezes when he sees Serenity. Looking around he realizes they are in the caves beneath the small cabin.
“You!” he snarls and steps towards her, but Sincere stops him by blocking his path.
“I had nothing to do with this, Michael.” Serenity says slowly backing away from him.
“She’s right, Dad. We did it! You guys need to figure this out!” Nathan demands
“Yep, and the Angel said I could keep her!” Sincere points out.
“Boys, you can’t just keep someone! I have explained this to you multiple times now. We will talk about this at home, let’s go.” Michael snaps his fingers only to find he has no magic. Shock flickers across his face when he looks at the satisfied smile on Nathans face.
“Well, about that, Dad. I sort of put a spell on the house, so you will not be able to use your magic for a little while,” Nate explains.
Michael steps toward them snapping, “How in the world did you get Grandpa’s bag?” The boys laugh loudly and pop out!
Serenity turns and follows a glow she sees toward an exit.
“Going somewhere, my Queen?” Michael asks blocking her path.
“I, Michael, I had nothing to do with this?” Her heart is screaming at her, as she drinks in the sight of him.
Michael glares at her with anger and fury, “How dare you walk out on us!”
Serenity crosses her arms across her chest, and starts to speak, but he takes a step towards her, effectively shutting her up.
“You will hear me out, Serenity. Then if you decide you still need to do this, I will not stop you.”
“Do you know what a Saint does? Truly does? We guide and protect those who are hurting or in pain. Of course we can’t help everyone, but the returns are immeasurable. The Saints of the world are too numerous to count, they live to help and protect those under their care. It is an honor. Some of us help by bringing joy to the children of the world, and some of us help the poor or sick. The job is too big for just one person, Serenity.”
“That’s the point Michael! You are needed and I am not a Guardian! You deserve to be happy!” she cries out desperate to make him understand.
“I never felt like I could be a Saint, without my other half. My guardian. I was never ready to step into that role, until you. You are my guardian! I know it in my soul and if you are not, then I am not meant to be a Saint.”
Serenity can’t believe what he is saying. Tears fill her beautiful eyes and he draws here close kissing her lips softly, “If I am only a man, and a father, would I be enough for you, just as I am?” Serenity laughs and cries at the same time.
“If I am just a singer and a woman, would I be enough for you, Michael?” he crushes his mouth to hers, drinking the taste of her in. When he pulls his mouth from hers he whispers, “The boys are right, we are keeping you!”
They are married at St. Carlisle cathedral in Ireland, by a monk named Daniel. Surrounded by family and friends, they exchange vows as man and woman, not saint and guardian. After the kiss announcing them man and wife, the boys walk forward and offer a gift.
“What’s this, son?” Michael asks Nathan.
“It’s a special surprise, for Serenity,” he explains. Sincere giggles and takes her hand pulling her forward.
“You didn’t have to get me anything,” she says as she unwraps the gift. She gasps when she realizes what she is holding. She can feel the power vibrating from the jar! Her eyes snap to Michael’s and she looks down at Nathan.
“Before we went home, I snuck some of the water from the well. Serenity, it’s yours. It was always meant for you.” Her hands tremble as she holds the jar, Michael closes his hands over top of hers and smiles into her eyes.
“I thought it was done? I had given up my chance… I don’t understand!” Serenity gasps.
Nick’s booming laugh fills the halls of the church. “Don’t question the magic, just ask yourself, do you want to be his guardian?”
With tears in her eyes she looks at Michael, and nods. Holding tightly to her hand he twists the lid from the jar and watches as she drinks. The power floods her body and purple light glows from within. Her eyes flash and twin snowflakes dance with joy. Excitement fills the church as a soft snow begins to fall, inside the church.
“Welcome to the family, Serenity,” Noel whispers.
Lynn Landes is the author and independent publisher of The Covenant Series. Her stories span the spectrum of Romantic Fiction from Paranormal, Romantic Suspense to Christian fantasy. If you like fantasy, temptation, and adventure be sure to check Lynn’s blog for upcoming titles.
www.followlynnsthread.wordpress.com
