Simply Have Thee A Wonderful Christmas Time || OPEN
Rosie and Cian had spent the past two days baking and wrapping presents in sheets of brown paper that Blake brought to them. Rosie baked breads, sweet cakes, and meat pies, while Cian tied up homemade gifts with bits of twine. Blake had been spending a good amount of time around the little white cottage; though it was no longer snowing, they knew that Christmas time was near, and Hook Jr. cut down a Christmas Pine. He dragged it back to the camp with Cian riding on his shoulders, and the three of them decorated it outside, fitting it in a heavy bottomed barrel. The week or so before Christmas consisted of days filled decorating, while Blake worked on building a large, wooden table to set outside upon the soft moss. The nights followed the day with Rosie knitting presents, and Blake telling Cian tales and adventures, sharing sweets and soda pop.
On Christmas Day, the little white cottage sat snugly among the greenery of Neverland, smoke puffing out of its chimney, the smell of the burning oak, birch, and pine filled the air. There were strings of sea glass hanging round the outside trim of the house; the colors shone in the sunlight, and reminded mother and child of their days collecting them from the Neverlandish shore. The sun was slowly setting, and the house seemed silent amongst the chirping crickets and passing neverbirds.
Blake made his way through the woods after a long day of cleaning and repairing weapons; his father had given him a case of cigars, which was slightly out of character for the Captain, but Blake didn’t complain. He puffed on one as he walked, wearing dark smears of grease across his forehead and caked onto his hands. He scrubbed what he could in the brook near the small cottage, before knocking on the door. Cian’s little face appeared at the bottom left corner of the window beside the door, and gasped. There was a muffled ‘It’s Blake’, before Rosie called for Blake to see himself in.
“Merry Christmas!” She chirruped from the stone stove Blake had helped build her. Rose was just taking an apple pie from the stove, and she wiped her hands on her apron before moving to the boy and giving him a kiss on his cheek.
“Merry Christmas!” He replied with a grin when she kissed him. She reminded him so much of his own mother, he couldn’t help but feel his heart swell with love. “And Cian,” he turned to the boy who was beaming up at him. He took hold of his shirt front and lifted him up to eye level. “Merry Christmas,” he grinned, before popping him into the air and catching him, hands under his arms, and then swinging him round. “Got something for ya,” he told the boy, setting him back on his feet.
“What is it, what is it?” Cian asked, hopping around and clapping his hands together excitedly. Blake handed him the papered package, taken from his back pocket.
“Just a little something to start ya off,” he grinned, before looking nervously to the boy’s mother. However, Rosie was smiling, and wiping her hands off on her apron again, having washed them. Cian unwrapped a hand carved slingshot with a few rounded stones in a leather pouch. “I’ve seen some kids get pretty good shots out of these,” he chuckled, glad to see that Rosie didn’t give him a disapproving look. “And for you,” he pulled another parcel out of his back pocket, handing it over to Rosie.
“Och, c’mon, you needn’t give me anything else!” Rosie hit his arm, but accepted the gift. “Thank you,” she told Blake, and then motioned to the room with a nod. “For everything,” she added, before unwrapping a square of resin. “Oh, Blake!” She exclaimed, throwing an arm around his neck and giving him a hug. “I can’t believe you remembered I needed more! Wherever did you find it?”
“Traded another pirate for it. He’s got loads of things; almost bought you a locket, but figured you might get more use out of that,” Blake grinned, shoving his hands in his back pockets. “So, what shall I do?”
Soon everything was set out; there was a woven basket of wrapped presents under the Christmas Tree, food spread out over the entire table, a roast wild pig in the center, half carved, and candles were set in lanterns all around the forest floor surrounding their yard. Breads and snacks and drinks scattered the table, sweets and peppermint sticks hung from the tree.
Rose readied her bow, and soon the woods were filled with the sounds of fiddle music and joyous laughter. She played an array of songs, beginning with a Christmas tune, “Masters in This Hall”, dancing barefoot as she did so, watching Blake and Cian jig around as well. It was an open invitation for any of Neverland’s fine folks to join in.
