Merry Christmas! As promised, here is a (very) short story of a Thalassinian Christmas. I hope you have a wonderful, peaceful day.
Hugs,
TLC
‘Twas the night before Christmas
and all through Thalassinia
not a creature was stirring
not even a stenopodidea
Lily smiled as the words of her father’s annual storytelling echoed through her mind. At fourteen maybe she was too old to enjoy listening to her father, the great and mighty King Whelk of Thalassinia, read bedtimes stories to the mer children of the kingdom. But she loved seeing the smiles on all the guppy faces of the mer boys and girls.
And, if she was being completely honest, she loved hearing the tale of Santa Claus getting into his sea-reindeer-drawn sleigh for his trip through the oceans of the world.
She hoped she never grew out of it.
As she stared out her bedroom window, the twinkling bioluminescent Christmas lights decorating the homes and businesses of her kingdom spread out before her like a great sea of glitter. On this one night of the year, the people of her kingdom turned off all interior lights so the Christmas lights would shine brighter in the contrast.
It was as close to seeing the stars as you could get at the bottom of the ocean.
Lily turned away from the window and closed her eyes. She could picture the real stars, the ones that swam over her aunt’s house in Seaview. On the mainland. She had been living with her aunt for the past few months, had made a new human friend named Shannen, and had fallen head over fins for a human boy who swam like a shark.
Down here, under the water, that world on land felt an ocean away. Back home for the first time she since she decided to go live with her Aunt Rachel, since she learned that her mother was an ordinary human and not a mermaid princess, it was like the past few months washed away and there was only Thalassinia.
Lily sank into her bed and thought back to her memories of the day. She had arrived home early this morning, excited to be spending Christmas Eve with her father. She had known, too, that Dosinia came with the package. Lily loved her cousin, but the girl could try the patience of … well, anyone. Even Aunt Rachel.
The rest of her family had been there, too. Uncle Portunus and Aunt Bells and their sons Kitt and Nevis. The palace staff was like her extended family and the guards, Cid and Barney, and housekeeper Margarite had joined them for the feast in the royal dining hall.
Lily had devoured the offerings of course-after-course of holiday-themed sushi.
A sound jerked Lily from her memories. A scraping noise across the roof above her head.
“Oh Daddy,” Lily cried, a smile beaming across her face.
She had wondered if this year he would forget. Or decide she was too old for the tradition. Even though she was long past the age of believing in Santa Claus, she still believed in the magic of Christmas. And that magic always meant Daddy on the roof.
Without hesitation she swam out her window and, keeping close to the wall, kicked up toward the starfish- and anemone-covered roof of her tower.
She peeked over the edge of the roof. There, in an ornate curving sleigh that had once belonged to his grandfather, sat her father in a head to toe Santa costume. He had the shiny black boots, the white-trimmed red suit, and the big fluffy white beard. Perched on top, at a precarious angle, was a red and white Santa hat.
A pair of white seahorse stallions with undulating white manes pulled at the harness. Not quite sea-reindeer, but close enough.
The king’s secretary, Mangrove, sat next to him.
“But Your Highness,” he was saying, his voice full of concern, “I really think you ought to let me carry the—“
“I’ve got it!” King Whelk bellowed. With a powerful tug, pulled the giant brown sack of presents from the back of the sleigh.
Mangrove reached for the bag at the same time, and the momentum knocked him out of the sleigh.
Lily couldn’t stifle the giggle.
“Lily?” Her father spun away from the sleigh, searching the roofline for the source of the laugh.
“Oh Daddy,” she said, kicking up over the edge and swimming to his side. “You really didn’t have to, you know.” She nodded to the bag of presents. “I have everything I need.”
Not to mention she couldn’t exactly take mer fashions or pricey pearls back to the mainland.
“I know,” he answered. “But I can’t help wanting to spoil my only child.”
Lily smiled, knowing how lucky she was to have such a caring and generous father. And the thought led her to think about those less fortunate that she was.
“You know…” she said, throwing a hopeful look at the collection of packages. “I can think of one place where these might do a world of good.”
Two hours later, Lily stood with her father at the base of her tower. Mangrove had gone home exhausted after delivering the sack full of presents to the Thalassinian Orphanage. They had left the packages on the back steps, with all gift tags and royal seals removed. Tonight they were anonymous Santas. Lily could just imagine the looks of pure joy and surprise on the children’s faces when they came downstairs the next morning.
“You did a wonderful thing tonight, daughter,” the king said.
She hugged her arms around his neck. “I have so much,” she said, “it only seemed fair to share.”
Her father pulled back and reached into the pocket of his jacket. “I saved one present that is only for you.”
Lily took the small clamshell package. As she pried open the two halves she saw the glint of gold sparkling on the soft fabric inside. She pulled out the fine gold chain and a plain gold ring hung down like a pendant.
She must have looked confused, because her father explained. “It was your mother’s.”
Somehow she had already known. She felt her mother.
“Thank you,” Lily whispered. Her father took the necklace and she spun around to let him hang it around her neck. As the heavy gold band sank against her collarbone, she knew that there could be no more precious gift than this one. She could not imagine a more perfect Thalassinian Christmas.
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