Christmas Day(M&M) ~ YTEEN Complete

[BeccaBehr]

Title: Christmas Day
Author: BeccaBehr
Disclaimer: I own nothing, sadly!

On Christmas day
A young gentle man came riding past
On a snow blue winters day
He asked to drink, by our fire,
And I was pleased to let him stay
He drank there quietly for a while,
Then he turned and said to me
Your eyes are green, like summer grass,
Your lips are red like a fresh cut rose,
You hair is soft like an Irish stream
And your voice is filled with sweet beauty

And the last words I heard him say
Were “I shall return for you, my love, on Christmas Day”
The night will come but I won’t sleep,
As I watch the stars that lead him,
I cannot place where he is,
But still my heart goes with him,
I’m saving all my Sunday clothes
For the day that I’ll be leaving,
Father knows, my sister knows,
And my friends, they’re happy for me
And the priest he says you should thank God,
For the blessing of such beauty,
And the last words I heard him say
Were “I shall return for you, my love, on Christmas Day”
I shall return for you, my love, on Christmas Day.
And the last words I heard him say
Were the last words I ever heard him say,
I swear I will return on Christmas Day,
And yes, I shall return on Christmas Day
I shall return, for you, on Christmas Day,
My love I will return on Christmas Day,
I shall return, my love on Christmas Day
Christmas Day…

It was late December; Christmas to be in fact, and papa had built a bonfire in the centre of town. Everyone was there, all my friends, everyone. Lady Elizabeth, her husband Lord Maxwell, Alex who worked for my father, and Isabel my friend from the village. I huddled by the fire and watched the flames dance. I heard a clip clop of horse hooves and looked up to see who it was, it was a man riding a white stallion through the snow blue winters day. His cheeks shone red and his brown hair was tied back in a black ribbon. He had wolf fur mitts to keep his hands from the frostbite. His top hat was black and shiny almost as shiny as his cheeks and his jacket was hardly visible under his thick wolf hair cape. He was a hunter, a man who spent his life in the field scouting out the deer, pheasant and rabbit for the lord of the land. He climbed off his steed and walked cleanly up to me, he loomed over me like a tower
“Can I sit by the fire?”
“Yes… I’d be pleased if you would stay” he smiled and sat down next to me. My momma handed him a bowl of soup and he drank it quietly glad for a warm meal. I turned back to the dancing embers and snuggled up to him to keep warm
“Thank you for the soup, miss”
“You’re welcome,” I answered
“What is your name?” he inquired as he put the bowl down by his right foot and brought his hands back up to his knees
“It is Maria good sir”
“I am not a good sir I assure you Maria”
“What be your name?”
“My name… my name is Michael and that is the truth”
“For what reason would one have to lie about one selves name?” I replied
“Your eyes are green like summer grass…”
“Will you not tell me?”
“Your lips are red like a fresh cut rose, your hair is soft like an Irish stream and your voice is filled with sweet beauty”
“Do you hide from the law of the lords, sir? Are you going to leave?”
“I am afraid I must… I have seen quite a sight when I set eyes upon yours. I have done wrong in the south and I must leave. I am travelling through but your beauty is strength enough for me to return for you. I shall return my love on Christmas day, one year from now” he placed a kiss upon my lips and stood to mount his steed.
“Farewell good sir Michael, may the stars lead you back to me” I smiled and he rode off leaving my by the fire. The night came and we went back to our houses. I rode with mamma and papa on our wagon back to the farm while my sister Rosa travelled home with the young boy from two towns over. I looked up at the stars and smiled. The stars I stare at are the stars he stares at too that will take him away from me and one day return him unharmed.
“Maria? Why so quiet tonight? Do the stars hold such a fascination so you would not talk to your mamma and papa about the man by the fire”
“That man came from a far done by things wronged and he stole my heart” I sighed deeply. My mama remained quiet but I knew she was angered. The second I got home and right before I fell asleep I pulled out all my Sunday church clothes and packed them in a back for the following Christmas when my beloved would return to me. I shoved the bag under my bed and climbed in to sleep.
“Dearest Maria my heart belongs to you and months will pass before I can return to you. I love you like summers day because your hair and eyes and lips are strong and fill me with passion. I would take you now if I didn’t have to leave”
“Please dearest love of mine. Make love to me…” I jumped awake saddened to find that it was morning in my cold room and that I was indeed alone and with out him.
The year came and went and I became giddy around Christmas with hopes of his return… papa built up the bonfire in the town centre and my mama carried the keg of soup to the stand for the people of the town to eat. I sat on the same thin stone and watched the fire… I had my bag waiting for him at my feet along with my hope that he would indeed return to me. I looked up every time I heard a rider strolled up on a horse… I gave up looking after a while as the stars burned and the moon shined bright in full against the blue back drop curtain of night. I felt a hand on my shoulder and I looked up to see his smiling face staring down at me
“My dearest love I have returned on Christmas day”
“Good bye mamma goodbye papa good bye dearest sister Rosa I leave with my love on this day and probably never to return. Please be happy for me and let me go”
“We are happy for you Maria… we knew your wait for your love this long year passed and we are glad to see you happy once again. Go in peace dearest daughter and let happiness be your guide” smiled Amanda Deluca as the hunter from a far lifted her daughter up onto his mount and rode off into the breaking dawn…
“May you return my love hopefully on Christmas day” added Amy as her precious love Maria left with the man she was sure to be with for the rest of her life…

THE END