From: artemis@cwis.unomaha.edu (Gina Ritter)
Subject: Castle:  Christmasies!
Organization: University of Nebraska at Omaha
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 19:01:58 GMT


	They had intended to leave the very day that Elotheria announced 
her intentions of going to Kandorr.  But the weather had taken a turn for
the wintry, so they had stayed on at the Castle, waiting for things to
clear.  By the time the weather improved, there was talk of the Castle's
Christmas Celebration.  Despite her concerns, Elo admitted grudgingly to
Meghin that a party was sure to be keen.  So they had stayed.	
	Meghin was actually pretty happy about it as she worked hanging 
some pine garland around the great hall, not long before the party was to 
begin.  She was wearing a green dress, slightly off her shoulders, the 
sash loose around her waist, and a red ribbon in her hair.  People were 
scattered around doing this and that ... Some were decorating the huge 
tree, over ten feet high, that stood at one end of the hall ... Some were 
setting the table ... Some were laying out presents.  
	She had to admit at first she had thought staying was a bad idea, 
much as Elo had.  Considering the danger Elo's family was in.  She 
wondered, not for the first time, if Fenwyck had convinced Elo to stay.
	Speaking of Elo ... Elo came into the hall, grinning and holding
Fenwyck by the arm.  Fenwyck was wearing nothing more garish than his 
usual crimson robes.  Elo ... Meghin squinted.  "That's MY DRESS!" she
exclaimed.  Elo was wearing the exact same dress as she was, except it
was red, and sashed tight around her slight waist.  Meghin began to feel
very very peeved.
	"Oh, Megs!"  Elo waved.  "Hiiii!"
	"Hello,"  she said, watching her balance on the bench she was 
standing on.  "Nice dress, Eloreeto."
	Elo's jaw dropped.  "I knew we should have gone wardrobe-hunting
together like last time!  Waugh!"
	"You weren't around."
	Her friend blushed.  Fenwyck looked quite conspicuously away.
"Uh ... Where's Noel?"
	"Good question."  She looked around; he wasn't here.  "It's not
quite time for the party yet."
	"You should go an' find him,"  Fenwyck said, smirking.  "Let us
do that for a bit."
	"Oh, but I was getting into it!"  She jumped down from the bench
and blinked up at Elo, who was still grinning.  "Elo?  Is there something
I should know?"
	"Um ... nah."
	"Nope."  Fenwyck got up on the bench, giggling.
	"Nothing."
	Meghin's ears twitched.  "Hmmm."
	Elo smiled at her.  "It's a surprise."  She looked Meghin over,
and scowled.  "Jeebers, Meg, you look like a schoolgirl!  Let me fix
that."  She untied the sash around the young priest's waist and retied 
it more flatteringly.  Meghin chirped and swatted at her.  
	"Elo!"
	"MUCH nicer.  Off you go."  Elo winked.  "Oh, if you find Jones, 
bring him here, will ya?  I got a surprise for him."
				----^_^----
	Mmmn.  If I was a shepherd, where would I hide?  Meghin thought,
walking the halls.  Noel was certainly being a bit on the antisocial 
side.  Pooh.  If there was one way to bring him out ...
	"'The first NOOOOELLLL, the ANGELS did SAY, LA LA LA LA --'"
	"I do hate that song,"  Noel said very softly, just behind her.
She turned to him in, well, surprise.  "I was wondering when I would
run into you."
	"Have you been ... hiding?"
	"Hiding?  Oh, never.  I have merely been ... secretive."  He
smiled.  "Do you know that Elo has a dress just like that?"
	"I *know*,"  Meghin sighed.  "And I thought mine was ever so
original."
	"Well I think you look wonderful."  He kissed her on the cheek.
"Can you spare a moment before we bound off to the party?  I've got 
somewhat to ask you."
	"Um ... sure ... I guess."
	He walked off.  She followed him, feeling vaguely worried.  
Noel did strange things all the time, but rarely this strange.  Maybe
he'd been getting a lot more practice lately, or something.  Jones
crept up to them and meowed questioningly.  "Elo,"  Meghin told him.
"Elo wants to see you.  She's got a surprise."  Jones meowed again.
	"No, we don't know if it's food or not,"  Noel said with a
shrug.  "You could go find out."
	Jones darted off in the direction of the hall.  After a bit
there was a loud "KITTY!!!" and a cat's yowl.  They kept walking until
they reached the library, which was quiet with everyone getting ready
for the party.  Noel sat her down on the window-chair and sat down 
by her, looking uneasy.  "Meghin?"
	"Yes?"
	"Why ... why aren't ... you wearing my ring?"  he said finally.
She looked at him, startled.  "Why?"
	Why indeed ... It was not as if it had not occurred to her to
wear it again.  It had occurred to her several times, in fact.  She
just ... had never ...  "I am wearing it, sort of,"  she murmured, 
taking the ring on its cord from her dress.  He looked at the ring, 
then looked at her unhappily.
	"You've been wearing it all this time."
	"Yes."
	"I didn't know.  I thought you didn't care for me ..."
	"Noel."  Goddess, Noel was getting insecure.  He usually didn't
do this quite so much ... she wondered if it was just all the people
around.  He never was very easy around people.  "Noel, I care for you
very much.  I was just not wearing it ... because ... I didn't know
if I should."
	"Why shouldn't you?"
	"I'm a priest."
	"I know,"  he said, a bit irritably.  "I keep forgetting."  
He stared out the window into the darkening night.  She set her hand
on his shoulder.
	"So do I."
	He smiled a little.  "I'm sorry."
	"Don't be sorry."
	"But I ... you ..."
	"I care very much for you, Noel."  She looked away, biting her
lip.  "If I could tell you I loved you, I promise you, I would."
	He was quiet for some time, thinking.  "I never meant to 
cause you all this trouble, Meghin."
	"It's no trouble.  Besides, I think you're worth it."  She
rumpled his hair.  He ducked away, smiling.  And she was overcome by
the deepest fondness for him.  Dear Noel ... should she ... oh ... why 
not?  She took the cord off over her head and untied it, slipped the 
ring free.
	"Are you sure, Meghin?"  He took the ring from her, worried.
	"I'm sure."
	Noel put the ring on her finger and she was surprised how 
right it felt.  She had forgotten ... She gave him a hug and he laughed.
"Wait!  I'm not through quite yet."  He produced something from the
pocket of his trousers and set it in her hand.  Cold ... small ...
She opened her hand.  Two sapphire earrings, that matched the ring
perfectly.  "OH MY!"
	"Do you like them?"
	"Oh, they're *pretty*!"  She hugged him again.  "Thank you.
But ..."  She pulled away, suddenly remembering something.  "I never 
got you anything."
	"Yes you did."
	She giggled and slipped into his arms.
				----^_^----
	"Hold still, kitty!"  Elo tied the final bow.  Jones yowled and
clawed at it.  "TAAADDAAAA!"
	Jones, the ever-dignified sheep-cat, looked positively 
ridiculous.  There were bells around his feet and neck, and gaudy red
and green bows in his cream-colored fur.  He twitched a foot and
looked up at Elo pathetically.  Elo cackled happily.
	"Hey ... uh ... Elo ... Could you give me a hand with this?"
Fenwyck asked.
	"MAYbe, MAYbe not."  She danced over to him.  He had tacked up 
a lot of garland, and now he was trying to get some up over the door.
She stood at the foot of the ladder he'd managed to procure for this
task and grinned.  "What, Fen."
	"Hand me that."  He pointed.  She handed it to him.
	"Uh, Fen?  Coming down from there anytime soon?"
	"You just want to mock me or something, I'm sure."  He 
looked down at her and smirked.  "I'll be down in a minute, sweetie."
	"... tonight?  I'm not sure that would be a good idea --"
Meghin stopped in the doorway and looked at the ladder.  "Oh, hi, 
guys!"
	"Hi.  What have you been up to?"
	"Lots,"  Noel said quite seriously.  Meghin gave him a very
odd look.
	"Whoo."  Elo looked at her earrings.  "Coo-el."
	"Thankies."  She turned to Noel.  "Thankies again."
	"Of course."  They looked at each other meaningfully.
	"Ack."  Elo rattled the ladder.  "C'monnnn, Fen!  Hurry up.  
I wanna sing."
	"Then sing,"  Fenwyck said faintly.
	"But I wanna sing with you!"
	"Sing with Megs.  She can sing."
	Both Noel and Elo said,  "No she can't."
	"Hey!"  Meghin protested.
	"It's true, baby priest,"  Noel said quietly.  "I wish there 
was something I could do, but you would have to have actual talent to take 
lessons ..."
	"Hmmph!  Why don't you sing then?"
	"Oh, I couldn't.  Not here."
	Meghin stamped her foot in a most unpriestly way.  "You sing 
for me all the time!"
	"That's different."
	"How so?"
	"This should be good,"  Fenwyck said, crawling down from the
ladder.  "Ah, nevermind, you goobers.  Listen."
	And he began to sing.  Elo flopped down on the floor, entranced.
Meghin was amazed.  "He sings?"  she asked Noel.
	"Well, yes,"  Noel replied.  "He's a man of many talents, or
at least a couple."
	"Elo seems to think so,"  she said a bit wistfully.
	He smiled.  "I'll sing for you tonight for sure then.  And maybe
if I can find a harp, I'll play for you too."
	"That would be nice."  She smiled, then frowned.  "Noel?  
Where in the Lands did you learn to play the harp?"
	"Ah.  I am a man of many talents myself, my dear ..."
	She laughed they left Elo and Fenwyck to themselves, to join
the Christmas Celebration.
	
-----
I had to post this today, seeing as I won't be able to get on again for 
sure until January 11th or so, because our campus labs are closed until
then.  Plus, I have to graduate Saturday.  Happy holidays, all!  :)
-----	
\Gina Ritter		\ Always, always 
\artemis@cwis.unomaha.edu \ like being able to fall in love 
\Reality is for people 	    \ the sadness of wind and bird and sky 
\who can't handle fiction.    \ is like not forgetting, beginning the journey	

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