Cinanara Christmas

The chilly winter air nipped at Lilly as she threw her feet on the side of the bed to stand. Today was one of the girl's favorite days.

It was the morning of Christmas it was the first Christmas Lilly would spend with Magnus and Melanie by her side. Lilly had spent all day the previous day making flower crowns.

And making Christmas cookies with Ms. Audra of course. She got to decorate a few for her loved ones she had hoped they would love them.

Lilly wiped the window that had fogged up from the cold. The ground outside was covered in a thick layer of snow. Smiling at the thought of the day of celebration and snowball fights.

Lilly bounded away from the window, her bare feet tapping on the floor as she went to her door. She threw the door open to see Cynthia with her hand raised about to knock on the door.

"Oh!" Cynthia cried in surprise "good mornin love it's time to get ready for the day." Cynthia walked past the small girl and opened Lilly's wardrobe clothes of purples, pinks, and blue colored the inside.

Cynthia pulled out a pink overall dress with a sparkly bow on it and long sleeve lace shirt to go with it. "You said yesterday this is what you wanted, was it not?" Lilly nodded her head excitedly.

"Yes! Do you think mama will like my dress?" Cynthia chuckled "I think everyone will like it, you're a very pretty young lady love."

Lilly took the clothes from Cynthia before getting dressed behind the folding screen she had in the corner of her room. Her now sock feet were no longer being nipped by the cold floor.

Lilly's white lace shirt under her pink overall dress shielded her from the cold air better than her pajamas from the night before.

Cynthia smiled at her "well don't you look like a doll? Give me those old things and I'll have them washed." Cynthia placed the pajamas aside before pulling a chair back.

"Hop on, let's fix that mess you have on top of your head." Lilly giggled and shook her head proving Cynthia's point.

Magnus placed one of the presents under the tree. "Did you get the hot cocoa mix from the pantry?" Magnus asked, placing the last one down. Melanie ran her fingers along the handle of her mug.

"Of course, Princess Lilly would be upset if I didn't" Melanie giggled slightly. Magnus shook his head before he could continue a thunder of footsteps coming down the stairs.

"Magnus! Melanie!" Lilly cried as she raced down the stairs. Her braids swaying as she ran, Magnus smiled a bit seeing her race towards him.

Lilly clashed into Magnus giggling "Magnus is it time to open presents yet?" Magnus shook his head gently. "Be more patient little monster" Lilly huffed but nodded her head nonetheless.

"Melanie, why don't you take Lilly outside to play in the snow. I'll have Cynthia help me finish here." Melanie glanced at Magnus and nodded with a gentle smile.

"Come with me Princess Lilly, we'll build snowmen." Lilly's eyes lit up "I'll race you!" She immediately took off running towards the gardens. "Lilly, you better put on your coat!" Magnus shouted at her as she ran.

Lilly simply kept running while giggling. Her winter boots skid to halt as she came upon the door. Her pink overcoat hung by the door a white fur trim around the cuffs and top.

Lilly loved her overcoat. It went well with her pink leather fur boots. Quickly she threw it on the warmth overtaking her immediately. As she pushed hard on the door she could hear Melanie behind her.

Giggling she rushed into the garden. Although the snow had killed the flowers, the hedges in the garden had survived. Lilly was sad the flowers were gone she knew the seeds would grow again in the spring.

Her boots crunched under the snow as she hid behind a snow cover hedge. "Princess Lilly, where are you? You forgot your gloves." Lilly peeked to see Melanie searching for her, a mischievous smile crept on her lips.

Slowly she bent down and started making a ball out of the snow, the cold nipping her bare hands. Once she had a sizable ball she looked over to see Melanie getting closer.

Once she was merely a few feet away she launched her attack on Melanie, Melanie quickly let out a cry of surprise. Her wings wiggled a bit as she shook off the snow that had hit her.

"Princess Lilly, you shouldn't be playing in the snow without your gloves!" Melanie huffed. Lilly simply giggled, "did I scare you?"

Melanie shook her head gently "surprised me? Yes, scared, not so much." Lilly pouted as a smile tugged at Melanie's lips. "You shouldn't throw things and not expect them thrown back" a ball of snow was then chucked at Lilly.

Lilly quickly squealed as the ball whisked past her just missing. She quickly ran in the opposite direction hiding behind the hedges.

Magnus hung the red tree ornament in the large room. While Cynthia hummed while hanging the wall ornaments. Magnus couldn't help but chuckle a bit hearing Melanie and Lilly's screams and laughs from outside.

"Sounds like they're having fun, hm?" Cynthia chimed her back facing Magnus. Not being able to fight the smile that made its way on his face he nodded.

"Melanie warmed up to Lilly fast" Cynthia let out a gentle laugh. "That's Lilly for you, can make the shyest of people open up. It's part of her charm" Cynthia turned towards the man to meet his eyes.

Her fiery hair that was usually down pulled into a nice braid. Her usually uniformed dress switched for a less formal one with the top half white a red bow pin hung on her collar. The bottom half of the dress was of velvet red ruffles.

Magnus shook his head gently "you know I've never seen you dressed so casually since I've been here." He picked up a wall ornament to help Cynthia now that the tree was finished.

"Well, technically I'm off duty as head maid, but I stay for the time here. The people here are like my family. They're who I spend the holidays with" Cynthia occasionally glanced at Magnus as they talked and hung the decorations.

"You've been around a while, why haven't you found a family of your own." The question Magnus asked caught her off guard. So much so she accidentally knocked the box full of decoration on the floor.

Magnus quickly bent down to help her pick them up "I'm sorry, that was a bit bold wasn't it?" Cynthia chuckled "yes, it was, but, to answer your question." She grabbed a decoration as Mangus did and glanced up meeting his gaze.

"I just never found someone I took interest in." Just then the door burst open and Lilly came charging in. "Magnus! Cynthia! I'm" Lilly trailed off seeing them knelt on the floor. "What are you guys doing on the floor?" a look of confusion flashed in her eyes.

Melanie entered the room slightly out of breath from chasing Lilly as Magnus stood from the ground clearing his throat a bit. "I was just helping Cynthia pick up some decorations that had fallen. The puzzled look vanished quickly "oooh, Magnus is it time to open presents, I'm tired of the cold" Lilly pouted.

Melanie glanced at the now finished tree in astonishment as Lilly threw off her coat. "No love, not yet, and I thought I taught you better that's not where that goes." Cynthia scolded picking up Lilly's pink coat.

In return, Lilly flashed her a sheepish smile. "Why don't you and I get the food from the kitchen and set them up while Magnus and Melanie finish up?" Cynthia suggested. Lilly happily bounced and nodded her head excitedly.

As they left Cynthia glanced at Magnus before leading Lilly to the kitchen. Lilly's boots made loud thuds as she skipped alongside Cynthia. "Well, you're full of energy arent you love?" Lilly happily nodded her head.

"Ms. Audra helped me bake everyone's cookies, you can't have them yet though! You have to wait." Cynthia smiled "of course" Christmas decor hung in the halls for the holiday making it have the holiday spirit shine.

"You like Magnus, don't you Cynthia? You look at him like mama looked at papa" Lilly stated as they made their way down the halls. "I respect Magnus, he's a well-versed warlock, very knowledgeable" Lilly stopped her skipping and looked at Cynthia.

"Just because I'm 12 doesn't mean I don't pay attention, you guys seem to forget that." Lilly gave a quick pout before she continued skipped Cynthia looked at the girl in shocked silence. Quickly shaking it off she followed Lilly and stopped in front of the kitchen doors.

Cynthia held the open door for Lilly, She quickly rushed into the sweet-smelling kitchen. "Ms. Audra! We're here for the Christmas food!" The large cyclops woman turned to face the pair. "Ah Cynthia, Princess, I've been waiting for you!"

She grabbed one of the trays and handed it to Cynthia "Would the 2 of you like help with these? They're rather heavy!" Lilly shook before grabbing a plate with a cover on it. "We've got it, me and Cynthia are strong!" Lilly then shouted.

Ms. Audra let out a loud laugh "I'm sure you are!" She gave Lilly's head a small pat as you grabbed more trays. Cynthia once again holds the door open while smiling at Ms. Audra and thanking her.

Lilly was holding her head up high to see over the trays in her arms. Cynthia glanced at Lilly as they walked seeing if she needed help. "Try not to jump around too much love, don't want to make a mess for the Christmas food." This made Lilly gasp "I'd be sad, Ms. Audra worked hard to make the Christmas food too."

Lilly hummed as they walked, the castle was very silent otherwise. Not many people chose to stay here on Christmas. Even Ms. Audra would be leaving to go home to her daughter before much longer.

Queen Alyna was finishing her duties for the day and had told her daughter she would join later that day. The kingdom required a lot of attention. And it made Lilly upset she didn't see her mother as much as she would like, she understood.

Being a queen was a full-time job her mother needed to fulfill. Walking into the large room to see Magnus and Melanie finishing up the wall decorations Cynthia led Lilly to the table for the food for that evening.

Magnus took one of the many trays from Lilly and helped set it up. "Such a large amount of food, look how strong you are" Mangus gently teased Lilly. Lilly beamed at him "yep! I could've carried it all if I wanted yknow!"

Magnus chuckled and gave her head a quick pat "oh really? How impressively strong my daughter is." Lilly turned to see Queen Alyna standing behind her "mama!" she quickly rushed to the woman.

Alyna quickly bent down to hug the girl "how's my angel doing?" she asked giving Lilly's cheek a gentle rub. "I'm not an angel, silly mama" Lilly responded giggling Alyna stood and smiled at the participants in the room.

"I am happy to welcome you all to our small Christmas celebration. My daughter has grown fond of you all and it wouldn't be the best Christmas for her if you weren't invited." Lilly quickly bounded up and down while letting out excited "oohs."

Alyna smiled "yes dear?" Lilly froze in place before answering "mama is it time for presents yet?" her eyes sparkled with excitement. Alyna paused as if giving her daughter's question some thought "yes, I supposed we can begin with everyone present."

Lilly squealed happily as turned to Magnus "Magnus! Pass out the presents pleeeeease!" Magnus couldn't help but chuckle at the young girl's excitement. "Alright, Alright, be patient, little monster."

After Manus had passed out presents everyone had begun opening them or checking who it was from on the presents that couldn't be warped. Magnus received a new book (Melanie), a firestone (Cynthia), a looking glass (Alyna), and a glass holder (Lilly).

Melanie received some teacups (Cynthia), a moonstone (Magnus), a flower from her hometown (Alyna), and a hand-crafted butterfly bracelet (Lilly.) Cynthia received a protective charm (Magnus) a necklace with a firestone in the center (Melanie) and a flower painting (Lilly.)

Alyna received a necklace with a tree charm (Melanie), a memory stone of the late king (Magnus), a painting of her and Lilly (Cynthia), and a homemade necklace with a heart charm (Lilly.)

And finally, Lilly received a moonflower charm bracelet (Magnus), a music box (Melanie), a handmade sweater from Lilly's stuffed frog Romeo (Cynthia), and a flowerpot with some flower seeds (Alyna.)

After everyone had expressed their love for their presents and presents were toyed with and admired. Alyna had decided it was getting late it was time for the Christmas food to be eaten. Laughs and chatter filled the evening as everyone celebrated and ate.

"And now I can have flowers every day of the year!" Lilly cheered happily hugging her flower pot. She had already planted and watered the seeds into the pot earlier in the day. Just then a loud yawn escaped the Princess's lips making her cover her mouth with one hand.

Magnus chuckled "sounds like you've had enough excitement for one day hm?" Lilly scrunched up her nose and shook her head no "No! I'm not tired! really! I want to stay up with everyone!" Alyna looked at her daughter "I think it's time you slept angel, you'll be able to stay up later when you're older."

Lilly huffed Alyna stood to take her daughter to bed but was stopped by Magnus. "I can take her to bed if you'd prefer to stay here and enjoy more of the night, your majesty." Alyna smiled at him "that would be lovely, thank you."

Lilly placed her flowerpot down before hugging Alyna and then turned to Magnus. "Magnus I want you to carry me!" Lilly whined Magnus smiled "alright hop on" Magnus lowered himself and Lilly quickly hopped on Magnus's back accepting the piggyback ride happily.

They both left the room and made for the stairs "so did you have fun today?" Magnus asked her as he walked. He could feel Lilly nod her head soft, tiredness obviously setting in. The walk to Lilly's room fell silent as Magnus let her rest her eyes.

Shifted her a bit so he could turn the knob Magnus pushed the door opening revealing the dark room. He quietly crept into the room placing her gently into the bed. Before making his way to the door he glanced at Lilly's sleeping form "good night Lilly" he muttered as he shut the door.

Lilly's eyes shot open and she silently looked around the room. Unsure of what at woken her up she rubbed her eyes to try to shoo the sleep away. And that's when she heard it, a soft sweet melody.

Looking around the room she noticed her presents had been brought up in her sleep. She silently sat up as her eyes landed on a pale woman her back turned to Lilly she was so pale Lilly thought she was see-through.

That's when it hit her she was see-through, upon this realization Lilly gasped making the woman freeze and turn to face Lilly. When this happened Lilly was able to take in the woman's features more.

Her hair was in loose pigtails and was as white as snow, she had what looked like sad clown face paint on. Her violet eyes seemed to glow in the dark her dress was black with gold all over it.

Meanwhile, her legging were white with black and gold designs the woman moved back. Only for Lilly to realize just then the woman was not standing, she was hovering in the air. Lilly looked in the woman in awe the woman back away more.

Lilly quickly reached out for her "no, wait!" but she was too late as quick as the woman was there she was gone. Quickly scrambling to her feet Lilly moved to where the woman was standing to see the music box she was gifted earlier that day.

The box was as beautiful as its melody, it was a circular metal box with multicolored glass around it. She realized the box was opened revealing the beautiful metal piece, the lid was of a pretty starry sky.

And the inside was painted with a picture of a woman inside. Lilly realized the woman was the same as the one she had just seen. And then she noticed something else on the box under a thick layer of dust she blew the dust off revealing a name, 'Angelia.'