merry and bright || Andromeda & Evan
Christmas really was one of the loveliest times of the year. The halls truly were decked, nearly every inch of available banisters, brocades, and balustrades dripping in holiday decorations. Lead tinsel hung from eight foot high trees, plural, which were placed in every sitting, drawing living, and smoking room. Round glass ornaments hung from the branches and tiny tea lights glistened from where they were nestled within the pines. The trees were all charmed to be fireproof, of course.
The pièce de résistance was the grand tree in the dining room. It was big enough to fill the space, and, what with the vaulted ceiling in the dining room, there was a lot of space to fill. The elves, under careful supervision of his mother, decorated the grand tree with family heirloom ornaments, jewel toned ribbon, and moving toys. Evan’s favorite ornament, if one could call it that, was a miniature train that was charmed to run up and down the tree, gliding from branch to branch as it chugged amongst the pine needles. If he listened carefully during meals, he could hear the train’s little whistle.
But perhaps Evan’s favorite parts of the manor at Christmastime were his quarters. His bedroom was attached to a small private sitting room. It was great for entertaining his friends away from the prying eyes of adults bu without the pressure of being in his actual bedroom. Well, he guessed it was all his bedroom; it was his private suite. But people could get the wrong message if he took them to the room where his bed was. Not that that was ever an issue with family, of course.
It was Evan’s favorite room because his favorite elf always decorated it sumptuously for Christmas. Garland was hung on the mantle and up above on the crown molding near his ceiling. A red table runner was placed on the coffee table by the couch. Small old caroler figurines with painted faces sat atop the piano, and carved mahogany reindeer adorned the mantle.
After tapping the piano with his wand and muttering an incantation, it began to play a jazzed up rendition of “Over the River and Through the Woods.” Jazzy holiday carols were his favorite.
“Come in!” he called. “Damnit,” he suddenly cursed, remembering just then that his gift for Andromeda was still sitting inside the drawer in the endurable beside the couch. “Uh, wait right there. Please. But do come in,” he said, dashing over to the drawer to get the gift.
“Happy Christmas,” he said as he handed the gift to his cousin. Wrapped up inside the box that was covering with silver paper and a red bow was a delicate gold bracelet he bad bought from an antique shop in Paris on his last visit.
@xandromedaxblackx
