"Watch your step, boy!"

Filibert glared at Honoroit and shoved past him, impatient to give the simmering pot of eggnog on the oven a stir before it would burn. Honoroit pressed himself against the kitchen counter and bit his lip. Usually, he didn't mind helping out with the household chores, but the stressful holiday season had left everyone on edge. People kept shouting and snapping at each other, for the smallest of reasons most times.

He took care to stay from underfoot and recommenced peeling the giant bag of potatoes in front of him. Gods, hopefully that day would pass quickly…

His mind wandered back to Emmanellain. The man was probably flitting around the Jeweled Crozier by now, oh-ing and ah-ing at the manifold displays, tasting samples and crying out in delight when he came across a particularly fancy item. The mental image warmed Honoroit's heart, but the sentiment was quickly replaced by sobriety. While Honoroit wasn't exactly worried, it was odd that Emmanellain had insisted on going to the market alone. Usually, he welcomed Honoroit's company, happily chatting away despite the fact that his topics of conversation were hardly worth being chatted about. His earlier behaviour had been unwonted, even for someone as peculiar as Emma…

Meaty fingers closed around his shoulder and made Honoroit jump. He whirled around, half out of scare and half because the person behind him bodily turned him. He found himself under Filibert's sharp scrutiny, the cook's cheeks flushed a bright red - if from the heat of the kitchen or due to his temper, Honoroit couldn't tell. He squirmed, drawing back as far as the counter behind him would allow.

Filibert furrowed his brows - and heaved a sigh.

"I am sorry for snapping at you," he muttered. "I know I was being unfair. I am afraid my mood is currently a little… sour."

Honoroit relaxed as his tension in his body gradually eased. He shook his head and forced a small smile.

"No apology needed, Master Filibert," he assured. "I was in the way, and I understand that you are exceptionally busy today."

Filibert, his mouth crooked with amusement, patted his shoulder.

"Nay, you were not," he admitted. "And even if you were: You're helping out here. Despite what it may seem like, I do appreciate that greatly."

He shooed away a kitchen maid and took over kneading the dough she had been working on. A scowl creased his forehead as he inspected the gooey substance before he added a good deal more flour to it.

"How come you're here today, anyway?" he called over the noisy hustle of the kitchen. "Is Lord Emmanellain away with a lady?"

The question was outrageously brazen and Belienne, the housekeeper who had come to check on the state of affairs in the kitchen, swiftly whacked him in the ribs.

"Don't be so nosey!" she hissed, albeit Honoroit could make out a twinkle in her old eyes. "I'm sure Lord Emmanellain has… erm, important business to attend to."

Honoroit couldn't help but laugh at her ambiguous inflection.

"In fact, he has headed to the Jeweled Crozier," he explained, feeling the need to defend his master for once. "I am not sure what he intends to buy though. He was strangely adamant about me staying in the manor."

Filibert gave a grunt of disapproval.

"Starlight presents of course," he scoffed. "Bet he forgot all about it and now tries to get somethin' for everyone at the last minute. 'Tis why he does not wish to have you with him - he can hardly buy a gift for you with you around."

Belienne slapped him again, more severely this time, while she placed her other hand on Honoroit's back in an expression of sympathy. She shot Filibert a meaningful look and discreetly nodded in Honoroit's direction.

"I'm sure Lord Emmanellain does not buy Honoroit's present on the last day possible," she stated with emphasis. Filibert seemed to catch her intention, but merely rolled his eyes in response. Honoroit cleared his throat and tugged at Belienne's sleeve.

"I understand it may come as a surprise, but Lord Emmanellain is a very early gift buyer in fact," he contradicted. "He normally has all of his gifts ready moons in advance."

It was true - this year's gifts for Lord Edmont and Count Artoirel had been stashed away in Lord Emmanellain's room for four if not five tendays already.

Belienne and Filibert both stared at him with open bewilderment.

"Indeed?" Belienne exclaimed. Her tone revealed a hint of doubt, if not outright disbelief. "I did not think him so responsible in these matters."

Honoroit returned to peeling potatoes, humming thoughtfully.

"It's not as much a matter of responsibility as of kindness," he observed. "I know Lord Emmanellain is infamous for spending a lot of money on needless trumpery, but his love for shopping is not limited to purchases for himself. In fact, he takes just as much joy in buying things for friends and family as he does in buying things for himself. He's quite good at choosing gifts, too. I don't think Lord Edmont, Count Artoirel or I ever received a present from him that we did not like."

He wrinkled his nose.

"Well, except for that one time when he gave Count Artoirel a book on love poetry after Lady Timinne had made unwelcome advances on him, but he did that on purpose to tease Count Artoirel."

There was a moment of silence and then Filibert spoke again, his voice softer and notably more benevolent.

"What did he get you last year?" he wanted to know. Honoroit ducked his head, a faint shade of pink tinting the tips of his ears.

"Oh, um, it was nothing special. I… er, I'm afraid I don't remember."

Filibert barked a laugh.

" 'Don't remember', yeah?" He winked at Honoroit, but then shook his head in admonition. "It's honourable of you that you try to shed a better light on him, but you shouldn't lie on his behalf, kid. I'm sure you do remember very well - it must have been a horrible gift if you prefer not to tell us about it."

Honoroit grimaced, struck by guilt. He didn't want the other servants to think poorly of Emmanellain, especially if the sole reason for their false assumptions was Honoroit's own embarrassment.

He fidgeted with the peeler in his hands, absently running his thumb across its teeth.

"It was a stuffed teddy bear," he admitted at last. Just as he had expected, Belienne and Filibert were startled speechless. Belienne, recovering first, mumbled something about that being a nice gift, but Filibert cut her off.

"Aren't you a little old for teddy bears?" he questioned bluntly. Honoroit blushed once more, but nodded earnestly.

"Yes. I…" He took a deep breath and absently gazed out the window. Snow covered the Fortemps' courtyard, concealing its pebbled paths and clothing the rose bushes in a pillowy coat. "A few weeks prior to last year's Starlight festivities, Lord Emmanellain and I happened to come across two ladies shopping together at the Jeweled Crozier. I presume they were sisters, though they may as well have been mere friends. One of them was with child, and they were looking for a stuffed animal to gift to the child once it was born. The expectant mother mentioned how she still had the stuffed toy her mother had given her upon her birth, and how it had been her closest companion for the first few years of her life."

He swallowed, his eyes burning as the memories of that day rose to the surface.

"I don't know why, but hearing this… affected me quite strongly." It was the understatement of the century. He had well-nigh started crying in the middle of the street. "I don't know why this trifling scene upset me as much as it did, but at that moment, I realised with a sudden clarity that I had neither father nor mother who cared for me the way this woman cared for her unborn child. I would never have any memories of my childhood, no one to tell embarrassing stories about the mischief I caused when I was little, no stuffed animal I could ever look upon when I'm old and reminisce about my childhood days."

That had the tears start again, and he wiped his sleeve over his eyes.

"On the morning of Startlight's Eve… I woke and found a stuffed teddy bear in my arms. Not on my drawer or even on top of my covers - in my very arms." He smiled, staring unseeing at the heap of potato peels in front of him. "On my nightstand, there was a note from Lord Emmanellain saying that he knew it wasn't the same, but that this way, I could at least have some toy to remember my childhood, even if it didn't entail my early years, and that… and that maybe I could pass the it on to my own children someday."

He chuckled.

"He had picked a bear the colour of which perfectly matched my hair and then had insisted for the toymaker to replace its originally brown eyes with green ones. Apparently, there was quite a heated discussion between them since the toymaker found the request ridiculous, and it took Lord Emmanellain a lot of persuasiveness - or rather money I suspect - until he agreed. Let me tell you, a teddy bear looking like you is a rather odd experience… It felt terribly awkward to see it sitting on my bed for the first couple of weeks. Yet it… I know it's meant to be a toy for much younger children, but it meant the world to me. It still does."

He glanced up at Belienne and Filibert, only to find that the whole kitchen staff had paused their work and had been listening to him. He dropped his head in abashment, but before he could gather his wits enough to defend himself, Belienne drew him close and placed a kiss on top of his head.

"Gods bless you," she murmured. "And Gods bless Lord Emmanellain."


I really, really wanted to finish this in time for Christmas, but I am an awfully slow & finicky editor. And as much as I'd like to post the whole story, I will not give you a half-baked drabble. I'll deliver the remaining chapters as soon as possible.

Love,

Kari