Ethan jumped out of his bed, he couldn’t bear to waste a minute of this special day, even if it was so cold, that each of his breaths fogged in front of his face.
He ran with all the other kids of the Bear building to the bath area, he freshened up with the hot water coming from the basins all over the place, dressed in his heavy winter school uniform and ran to join the children already at the Grand Fountain.
It was winter solstice, and as every year since he came here, the keeper, master Dalmatius, would be giving each and every one of the children a gift today.
Last year, Ethan got a very nice short bow, he treasured it more than anything, but that was when he was only seven years of age, now that he was eight, he expected something befitting his wiser and more educated age, at least a long bow with a couple of magically tipped arrows.
Ethan danced around the children milling around the courtyard, he had to find Malik and Sarah, he wanted to receive his gift alongside them, he wanted to feel the joy of showing off his new toy.
Sarah stood alone, as usual with a book in her hands near the entrance of the school, Ethan ran up to her and said, “good morning and happy holidays, Sarah,” he danced on the balls of his feet as he tried to contain his excitement.
Sarah raised her head from the book with a radiant smile, “and to you too, Ethan,” she closed the book and put it in a satchel hanging around her neck, “ready to take your drink from the fountain and receive your gift?” She sounded as excited as he felt.
“Of course, I am,” Ethan danced around her, not only because of his excitement, but also due to the ice beneath his shoes, which spread the cold upwards if stood on it for long, “but first, we have to find Malik.”
Another minute then two pass as Ethan dragged Sarah through the whole courtyard and gardens areas, but finally they found Malik, he was sitting on one of the many short statues placed around the gardens, listening to a far older kid playing the lute to merry jingle, swaying with the music and rubbing his gloved hands together for warmth.
“Get up,” Sarah demanded, “come join us,” she pulled on the resisting Malik, who said, “Marcus is playing, can’t you hear the magic in his tunes, it is as if he is calling to spirit of winter to come bless our gathering.”
“Marcus will play his lute at the tree by the fountain in less than an hour,” Ethan said, “and if you stood listening here, you will not get your gift from the keeper.”
Malik jumped from his seat instantly, laughing and hooting as he ran ahead of Ethan and Sarah to the Grand Fountain.
The children were not standing in the usual line to get their daily drink, instead they came in groups to master Dalmatius and the other teachers assisting him to dispense the gifts.
Each child in the school had a special gift created only for him or for her, and the teachers delved into the big boxes of gifts each time a child came to find their gift, hand it to the keeper who handed it to the child.
Only on this day, master Dalmatius would not ear his usual gray suit, and instead wear a bright red one, that was framed by his white beard, to make him look so much like the spirit of the winter.
Soon it was Ethan’s turn to get his gift, wrapped in very nice brown and green paper, he took it and stood aside as Sarah took hers, then Malik did as well.
Malik was the first to open his gift, and it was a lovely wood lute with fine carving of dancing sprites all over it length, he shouted with delight, “next year, I will join Marcus at the tree,” he said as he jumped and blew broken tunes from the lute.
Next, Sarah opened hers, it was a set of books and a small map, “the entire history of Agartha,” she squealed with pleasure, “and a map of the word with it, now I can finally satisfy my hunger for knowledge about the last war.” She danced hugging the books around the boys, stopped only to make a face at Malik.
Finally, it was Ethan’s turn, as he opened the gift he was surprised that it was not a bow, but rather a short sword, with a scabbard made of leather engraved and woven with thread of silver, it was a thing of beauty, but Ethan wanted a bow. He drooped the sword limply to his side and gave the other two a wan smile, “it is a sword, and it is lovely.”
Malik came closer, and said, “I know that you want to be a hunter, but even a hunter need a sword, and has to know how to use it well.”
Then Sarah came and she added, “and you can use for a lot of things, like skin your pray,” she smiled to show him that she liked the idea.
Ethan removed the sword from its scabbard, inspected it intently, then he raised his head with a bid smile, “yes, and it can also be a weapon to defend the school, if it was needed.”
Laughing and joyful, the children ran to the huge tree near to the fountain, and each took a stick of candy from the many that decorated the tree, and started to dance to the tunes of Marcus and the other older students.
Merry Christmas and happy holidays everybody, from all the resident of Agartha.
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