Christmas in Rowlesburg

[a_mere_child]

It's not a white Christmas. Not in Druid Cave, anyway. Getting snow that far underground would be problematic.

"Here we come a-wassailing among the leaves so green"The decorations are meager, by pre-Combine standards. Sure, there's a big tree in the town square, and the public buildings are decked out in garlands and lights for the occasion, but

Comments

[acts_of_gord]

"Sounds like," murmurs Gordon, lifting his head briefly. "Huh."

He's gonna need his glasses before he can face anything like this.

[a_mere_child]

And possibly some pants.

There's a knock on the door. Alyx sits up a little further but makes no move to go answer it. She's not dressed, she can't move that fast just now, and anyway Dan Shephard or his wife will get it, right?

[remindmeof_me]

And sure enough, a few moments later:

"Ado, I love you'n you're my brother'n all, but the only reason you ain't been strangled yet is it's Christmas morning."

[a_mere_child]

"...you have got to be kidding me."

[acts_of_gord]

"In my defense, Dan, Pastor Rumford set the schedule. I just sing baritone."

There's some grumbling, and then the singing resumes again, although this time it's a quieter and rather more pleasant rendition of "O Little Town of Bethlehem". Gordon's busy facepalming.

[a_mere_child]

"This I've gotta see." Alyx grabs the old bathrobe hanging on the back of a nearby chair and shrugs it on as she shuffles toward the door.

[remindmeof_me]

Dan is standing back a few paces, holding the door open. Clustered outside are five or six people, all dressed in their most festive clothing (which Alyx probably saw at Thanksgiving). Adrian's in the back row, and he's wearing the sweater Eleanor gave him. And, yes, even as he salutes, he is in fact singing the baritone part- and doing pretty well at it.

"-The silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light.
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight..."

[a_mere_child]

They're met with slightly bewildered applause from Alyx. (Applause is the appropriate response, right? She doesn't have much experience with carolers. Or any experience with carolers, actually.)

[remindmeof_me]

There's bowing, and smiling, and Dan leans over to murmur to Alyx, "They got one more song to go and then they'll leave'n go to the next house. I seen it before."

"You got any requests, ma'am?" Adrian says. "'Cause if you don't, Pastor here-" He indicates the shorter, grey-haired fellow standing between him and Jerry Dunay. Apparently Dunay's a tenor, who knew. "-Pastor here's had me practicin' an ol' favorite of mine the past couple days, but we'll do what we can otherwise if you'd rather."

[a_mere_child]

"Go right ahead," says Alyx with a magnanimous gesture. She's curious about what song would be an 'old favorite' of Shephard's and still be clergy-approved.

[remindmeof_me]

"Thank you kindly, ma'am."

He takes a deep breath, squares his shoulders, and launches into it. There's backup from the others, but mostly, this is Adrian pushing baritone as far as the range will go.

"I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

I thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along the unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men..."

[a_mere_child]

It's not a song Alyx is familiar with, but she likes it so far, judging by the little smile on her face.

[remindmeof_me]

Gordon shuffles up behind her as the next verse begins. He'd have been here sooner, but he had to find his pants.

"And in despair I bowed my head:
"There is no peace on Earth," I said,
"For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.""

There's a change in the sound then, as the rest of the carolers suddenly take up their parts at full volume, doing their best to sound the part of a full choir:

"Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on Earth, good will to men.""

[a_mere_child]

...oh, wow.

Alyx is still smiling, but she's blinking back tears at the same time.

"Thank you."

[remindmeof_me]

"Y'welcome, ma'am," says Shephard. "Reckoned you could use it. And, uh-"

He nods at a small bundle on the step, which Dan has been eyeing with some trepidation.

"That ain't for you so much as for the twins. Anyway, merry Christmas."

And with that the group shuffles off to find the next house, where the residents are going to be hearing about how they saw three ships come sailing in.

[a_mere_child]

"--Merry Christmas to you too!" Alyx calls after them a little too late. Then she... well, she starts to bend over to pick up the package, then thinks better of it. "Gordon, could you get that for me, please?"