Hearths Warming
As her reflection stretched against the shiny red sphere, Chrysalis listened to the thin sound of her hoof tapping against tin. Meeting her eyes in the elongated image, she noticed the wonder in her expression and immediately swallowed it back down.
Stepping back, she noticed the retreat of all her little reflections on the other spheres that hung on the tree. “So this is what you guys do for the holidays? We don’t celebrate this back home in the Hive Lands,” she said with as much aloofness as she could muster amidst the unfamiliar decorations around the room.
The family parlor of the royal sister’s castle was draped from ceiling to floor in cotton streamers and snowflake cutouts, all of which were created during arts and crafts time. Over the white column fireplace a verdant wreath with a deep red velvet bow hung, along with four hoofmade stockings on the mouth of the pit. From left to right the stockings read: Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Prince Discord, Princess Chrysalis.
“You don’t?” Luna gasped in shock, halting a bite of her pine tree shaped cookie. “But this is the best time of the year!.” Her voice cracked a little. “There’s fluffy snow, and decorations. We get to listen to the Royal Carolers sing us songs.” Her face grew brighter and brighter as she listed to the changeling her favourite parts of the season.
“And don’t forget the pile of gifts,” the chaos maker threw in. He was currently parading as a figurine on a branch of the tree.
“It’s not all about the gifts, Discord,” Celestia admonished from her seat on the cream couch. As usual, it was up to her to explain things to her friends. Brushing her fuschia mane over her withers, Celestia prepared to give the real meaning behind the glamorous holiday.
Then Luna spoke. Celestia deflated, sending a glare at the tree for snickering.
“Oh but Celly, Dizzy’s right. Gifts are very important. Without them the whole holiday would collapse.”
Looking over to Celestia, Chrysalis raised an eyebrow. She intended to look skeptical, but she sounded a bit too curious. “Really?”
“Of course, Chrys,” Discord answered instead. “We get mountains of gifts from stuffy aristocrats and counsel people... a few of the nicer caretakers. Even Nanny Cribs gives us something. Tooth brushes usually.” He said with distaste, jumping from tin ball to piney branch.
“Dizzy, you’re forgetting the best part,” Luna said, just finishing the last of her cookie. Little crumbs around her maw took a back seat to the important task of holiday enlightenment.
“Hmm?” he asked atop the tree, his face in the yellow star that topped it. “What?”
“What we do with all the toys and stuff,” Luna gleamed and Celestia finally understood why Luna thought the gifts were so important.
“Oh yeah,” he remembered a bit sullenly.
“What do you do with the gifts?” the off black filly asked. Trying not to seem too interested, she blew on the lock of hair that constantly fell over her eye.
“We get so many that we have more than enough to give away to less fort- forun- fortinent…”
“Fortunate,” Celestia corrected when her sister looked to her for the right word.
“Yeah, less fortunate ponies,” Luna beamed.
“Wait. So you get lots of things, just to give them away?”
“Yes Chrys. It’s called charity,” Celestia said, as though it was a word Chrysalis needed to hear more often.
“Boring,” the trickster huffed, finally leaving the pines to teleport in front of the table with festive cookies and decorative mugs of milk.
“Yeah, how lame is that?” Falling back on her haunches and folding her folding her forelegs, she grumbled to herself. The changeling was officially disappointed in a holiday she totally didn’t care about. The sun princess’ slow head shake seemed to say hopeless, but Chrysalis ignored her.
The conversation took a lull, and the ponies went about their own business. After levitating some chocolate chip cookies from the platter, Luna flopped onto the couch next to her sister, who immediately brushed the crumbs from about her muzzle.
“I don’t see why you bother. She’s eating again, so she’ll just gather more crumbs,” Discord rolled his eyes at the sun princess’ behavior. So typical.
Celestia was going to cross the room to reply to Discord, but she was pulled back down. She sort of grumbled because Luna had sat on her tail. Discord was snickering while she tried pull the long pink tail from under her sister’s rump without looking silly.
Chrysalis continued to look perplexed, trying to wrap her brain around simply giving things away. The Everfree Kingdom was such a strange place and this winter festivity was no exception.
“Haha, that’s what you get for laughing and drinking at the same time.” Celestia teased Discord for spilling milk on his coat. But quickly, the pink maned princess slipped back into big sister role, despite being two years his junior. “Here, you’ve got to dab it like this,” she fussed over him after she stood up and took a napkin from the table.
“Thanks,” he grumbled, trying not to think about how her mane smelled like a summer breeze even in the late of the year.
“Mmhm,” she said smiling as patted away the spill.
“When do you get the gifts anyway?” Chrysalis just had to ask. The question was open to anyone.
“Tonight’s Hearths Warming Eve, so we get them tomorrow. But we have to be asleep for them to be delivered,” Celestia answered, throwing away the milk sodden tissue.
“That’s dumb. Why?”
“When you’re little they tell you that some jolly pony in a red suit only delivers them to you when you’re asleep. You’re not allowed to see him.” Discord rolled his eyes follow Celestia to the couch, but floating next to her over the arm instead of sitting on the cushion.
“So a stranger comes into your home and you’re not even allowed to look at him leave things?”
“Nope” Luna answered this time. “Or wait, yes? Hmm…” Chrysalis and Discord rolled their eyes. “You’re not supposed to see him,” she finally affirmed with confidence.
The teal haired filly folded her forelegs at the stupid customs of the foreign nation. “How would you even know if he’s jolly or wearing red if you’re not allowed to see him?”
“That’s why they tell it to you when you’re little. You’re just supposed to get all excited over the gifts and not think about it.” Discord shrugged a little grimly. “Then you’re just suppose to figure it out,” he snapped, “just like that, and you’re not some stupid little kid anymore.”
“It’s not that they were trying to insult us or anything,” Celestia addressed to both Chrysalis and Discord, “they just want to give us something fun to believe in.”
“But don’t they know that you guys know its fake?”
“Yeah, but it’s become a bit of a tradition now. Everyone just waits until morning,” Celestia replied.
It appeared that Chrysalis wanted to ask something else when Nanny Cribs entered. “Ponies it’s getting late. It’s bedtime for all.”
Luna and Discord groaned, but Celestia considered herself too mature for that. Though, it didn’t stop a deflated sigh from slipping. Chrysalis blew away the annoying lock that slipped passed her ear realizing their discussion was over. Which was good of course. This holiday was dumb. She just didn’t want to go to bed, was all.
Nanny Cribs ushered them out of the parlor, escorting them all to their rooms. Their maids came along shortly to help them get ready.
Once in bed and tucked away, Chrysalis found that her thoughts drifted to the next morning. She wasn’t sure what to expect. Would there be a big hoard of things for her, and would she have to give them all away?
She rolled over between the sheets, finding a more comfortable position. So what if she couldn’t keep the presents? It wasn’t like she was used to getting bundles of gifts anyway. Back in the Hive Lands, they didn’t have holidays like these. She wasn’t about to get wrapped up in such silly activities.
~~~*****~~~
“Wake up! Wake up!” A bubbly blue furred princess bounced up and down on Chrysalis’ bed. Even when a pillow and the name “Moon Butt” were tossed at her in annoyance, the cheer could not be removed from Luna’s face. “Chrysalis, you gotta wake up!”
“Yeah, if you don’t, Loony here will eat all the cookies by herself!” Ugh, was Discord here too? Even he sounded excited for the day.
Luna stuck her tongue out at him, and he returned the favour, all in good spirits though.
Celestia hung back at the door post, yawning with a smack. It was too early to remember to cover her muzzle or care that her mane wasn’t brushed.
“Come on Lulu, if Chrysalis isn’t gonna wake up, we’ll just have to get on without her.” Her magic enveloped her sister and pulled her off of the bed. Luna pouted but made her way to the door. “Discord are you coming?”
“Yeah… Oh does this mean I get to have Chrys’ gifts?” he asked with glee as he floated away from the bed.
Did he just say she had gifts? “I’m up, I’m up.” Her teal hair matted in an uneven lump, and her lids still felt heavy with sleep, but she sat up nonetheless.
Chrysalis rubbed her eyes as she groggily made her way to the bathroom. The others waited for her, and when she reappeared in her room they all made their way to the parlor.
The changeling princess was about to ask about food when the fresh scent of warm food filled her nose. Everyone’s tray was stocked with the same items: hot cocoa, fluffy pancakes, and a little bowl of fruit salad, all assorted to serving size per pony.
Luna set her sights on the table with their meals on it, ready to make a beeline for the plate of sweets.
“Not until after breakfast,” Celestia reprimanded, as though she could read Luna’s mind.
“But-”
“You’ll spend the rest of the day with a tummy ache, again.” Celestia was already passing the tray of food with Luna’s name on it to her sister.
“Fine.” Taking it from her sister, she placed it on floor before her, then found a comfortable place to sit on the floor near the window, which was mostly blocked by built up snow.
Chrysalis tried very hard to ignore it, really she did, but around the tree was the biggest gathering of boxes and ribbons she'd ever seen. She wanted to go over to it. Poke around a bit, see which had her name on it. But everyone else was eating their breakfast, and a grumble in her stomach reminded her that she should do the same. Taking up her own tray she sat on the floor, leaving Luna the closest to the over stuffed bottom of the tree.
How long was it going to take until they could open the gifts? Chrysalis glanced at Discord, who was sitting on the couch with Celestia. Darn, he was distracted. She was hoping he would be bursting to tear through the wrapping paper. She turned to Luna, who was blowing bubbles into her chocolate milk.
Princesses were patient. She could totally do this. Hadn’t she already written off this dumb celebration anyway? Those presents meant nothing. She could wait.
“Celly, can we open the gifts now?” Luna asked as she picked up her tray and placed it on the table.
Celestia smiled, “Of course we can.”
“Yes!” the little blue pony cheered. She jumped up to her feet in record time.
“But don’t open what’s not yours!” Celestia threw in quickly, seeing the look of determination on her sister's face.
Though there was never an announced winner, it was a race between Luna and Discord to see who could unwrap the most things in the least about of time.
Celestia opened her boxes slowly, making sure the wrapping paper was kept mostly intact. She was just as excited as the others, but she still appreciated a little order.
“Lame.” Toss. “Lame.” Toss. “Lame.” Toss. “Ugh, I have three of these.” Toss. Amongst the pile of scrapped packaging and decoration, Discord chucked things into his give away pile. Out of a mountain of gifts, there were only a pebble or two of things that old lobbying officials could pick that royal ponies would actually want.
Apparently, that wasn’t just Discord’s personal impression. Luna was much more gracious about the things that she received, but many of them were toys she’d either already gotten or things that held no interest. Clothes. Lots of dresses and horse shoes that were too big.
Oh well, that’s what giving things away was for. She was sure other fillies and colts could find better use of those things than her.
Chrysalis had hung back. Although she was itching to see what sort of things were addressed to her, she was a bit fearful. What if she hated everything that had been given to her, or worse? What if she liked too many things to give them away?
“Come on Chrys, before I really do take your gifts,” the jokester teased when he noticed Chrysalis looking everywhere but the tree.
She made her way over. It was like the sight of a battle ground, shrapes of packaging and unwanted gift lay askew around the pined pillar. There they were. Her gifts. With a bit more ceremony, she followed Discord’s lead, tearing open a small box with her name and that of a “Lord Clover Fields.” Inside was a bag of seeds and a note.
Dear Princess Chrysalis
We here at the Clover Estate hope that you are having a very Merry Hearths Warming. When the moment arises for you to plant the packet of seeds enclosed in the box, we hope that you think of Clover Estate and the other fauna that can be delivered to your abode.
Best holiday wishes,
The Clover Estate
Her first gift was a sales pitch?
Her first gift was also going to be the first in her give pile.
Just like the other’s, she found that the presents were things that she hardly needed. She couldn’t sulk though. Hadn’t she been saying this whole time how much this holiday was terrible? Of course, it had to meet up to expectations.
“Here Chrys. This big one’s for you.” Celestia found the very last present sitting behind the tree and wedged in the corner.
“Who’s it from?” she asked with little enthusiasm.
The white filly slid it and Chrysalis looked it over. The sticker that filled out her name at “to” was left blank at the “from.” There was no address or title of regional origin on a stamp. Just a large decorated box. For some reason she was more careful as she peeled the wrapping.
“Oh, you're worse than Celestia,” Discord huffed, flipping through his give pill to see if he'd thrown anything he'd actually meant to keep.
With the wrapping off, Chrysalis had to get through the tape that kept the plain cardboard box sealed. With a few concentrated beams from her horn, she had the flaps separated.
Inside the box was a bunch of white spongy beans. Was this the gift?
There was something brown poking through the layers of white, hopefully that was the real gift. She dug into the box and removed the surprisingly plush object.
It was a teddy bear. Cute, fluffy, and absolutely enormous, she realized once it was out in the open. The eyes were black and smooth, like two round marbles, its fur was deep brown with a light tan on it’s paws and stomach, and it’s muzzle was stitched into a permanent smile.
Chrysalis never had something like this before. The Hive Lands weren’t known for cuddles and warmth.
Looking into the glassy black eyes of the huge bear, she saw the wonder in her reflection and smiled.
“Wow Chryssy. You can’t give that away.”
“Luna’s right,” Celestia added with a nod. “That’s a really great present. It looks hoof stitched and everything.”
“Ooh, I bet one of the maids did it!” Luna exclaimed.
“Of course she gets the best gift, she didn’t even celebrate this before now,” Discord sulked.
“Discord, please,” the sun princess glared at him, and he sighed an apology.
The rest of the presents were placed in the pile of gives. The green eyed princess found what she was going to keep.
Before she got all sappy and mushy, like cuddling the bear or crying or something, Chrysalis spoke.
“I guess the only left to do is get rid of the box.”
“Ooh! Ooh ooh ooh, can I have it!”
“The box…?”
“It’s the biggest one in the room, please?”
“Um, sure… all yours.”
“YES!”
Luna dumped out all of the packing peanuts and use her magic to summon safety scissors. It didn’t take long to cut out two smooth circles and then drop the box over herself, sending her scissors away.
“What-” the changeling princess squinted in confusion.
“Just watch.” Discord shook his head.
“Shoot I forgot.” A little blue horn poked through the cardboard above and between the- oh, they were eye holes.
“It was cute for a few years. I guess it’s still cute now, but ugh…” Celestia also took to slowly shaking her head with a hoof pressed to her forehead. “She’ll be living in that thing now.”
“What?”
“Really. She’ll never want to come out. She’ll insist on playing in there everyday, eating inside of if, Luna’ll even sleep in that thing from time to time. She loves boxes like nobody's business and, oh, the trouble she’ll cause bumping into things and struggling to get through doors.” Celestia pressed the pulse above her eyebrow, thinking about how last year Luna tripped a procession of guards as she scurried down the hallway as a hermit crab with pilfered cookies.
The pink haired princess took a calming breath, mentally preparing for the weeks to come, and the patience she, with the rest of the castle, would have to expend in wait for the cardboard to become tattered beyond duct tape repair.
“Happy Hearths Warming, Chrysalis.” She planted a hoof on the other mare’s shoulder as though she was supposed to be preparing for a battle, then Celestia walked away to the table to grab a decorated cookie.
Chrysalis turned her attention back to her bear, and shrugged.
~~~***~~~
“Beep beep!”
A frumpy tan cube bustled down the hall.
“Watch it, Luna!” Chrysalis jumped back just into to avoid getting knocked over by whatever it was that Luna was pretending to be this time. She would have thought she would be used to Luna storming through the castle with her favorite present by now. “I should have poured water on that thing days ago,” she grumbled to herself as she looked back to see the little princess turning the corner. Actually, she saw the box turn the corner, along with a peak of little blue hooves.
"Whooooooosh!!"
“Oh well, according to Celestia, we have about a week and a half left to go before that box gives up. Isn’t that right Mr. Mcstuffums?” The fuzzy teddy didn’t say anything, he just floated next to the changeling, suspended on by her magic.
“Right.” They continued their trip to the kitchen, Chrysalis needed to gather some snacks for their tea party.
Author's Note
I know this is late for Christmas, but here ya go.
Also, check out this for cute short stories. Idea submission are welcome.
