Christmas in Cordonia
By Misha
Disclaimer- Not mine. I’m just borrowing them for a little while and will return them unharmed when I am done.
Author’s Notes- This is response to a request for angst with a happy ending and it was also inspired by my head canon that involved Liam getting Eleanor a very special present for their first Christmas together.
Pairing- Liam/MC
Rating- PG
Summary- Eleanor is having a hard time adjusting to Christmas in Cordonia until a special surprise from Liam reminds her of the most important things in life.
Words- 986
Christmas was almost my undoing.
Not the first Christmas, that one had come right after the Coronation, during that month I was holed up at the Beaumont estate, trying to figure out how to salvage my happy ending. I’d barely even registered it was Christmas.
My second Christmas in Cordonia was different. I’d been in Cordonia for well over a year, I’d been queen for 6 months, and I thought I was adjusting well. And I was, until December. I don’t know if it was the warm weather of the lack of pine trees, but it suddenly hit me how far from home I was. Except, this was my home.
They celebrated Christmas in Cordonia, of course, it just wasn’t the same as I was used to. I tried to learn the customs of my new home and forget about Christmas in the Us. About the tree at the Rockefeller Centre, the way the streets bustled with Christmas shoppers, and the sounds of Christmas music everywhere I went. Snow.
I’d never spend another Christmas in New York.
—
“How are these?” Hana asked, motioning to a platter of freshly decorated cookies.
“Perfect,” I said, grabbing one. I had mentioned the other day that one of the things I loved about Christmas was baking cookies with my cousins and Hana had immediately volunteered to bake with me.
So we had taken over the small kitchen in the royal wing of the palace and had spent the day making dozens and dozens of cookies. It was fun.
Chatting with Hana as we baked, stealing cookie dough, watching as Hana turned simple sugar cookies into masterpieces. It reminded me of home.
—
“I wish there was snow,” I complained, staring at all the green around me.
“We’ll be going to Lythikos after Christmas,” Liam reminded me, “Olivia is hosting the New Year’s ball this year.”
I knew that and I was looking forward to it, but it wasn’t the same as having snow on Christmas. However, I knew that for our first Christmas as King and Queen, it was important that Liam and I celebrated at the palace.
After all, Cordonia came first.
—
“What do you mean I can’t go shopping?” I whined, despite myself, glaring at Bastian.
I had been looking forward to an afternoon wandering the mall, listening to bad Christmas music and shopping for gifts.
“It’s impossible to secure the mall this time of year,” he said apologetically, “we can arrange for you to visit a few of the upscale boutiques or we can have a selection of items brought to the palace for you to consider.”
I wanted to protest some more, but… I didn’t. I guess I had known that by agreeing to marry Liam, I was giving up a “normal” life and apparently that included Christmas shopping.
—
“Is everything alright?” Liam asked me a few days before Christmas, his blue eyes full of concern.
“Just tired,” I dismissed, not willing to tell him what was bothering me. There was nothing he could do to change my situation and it would just make him feel bad.
“The pre-Christmas whirlwind is a little exhausting,” he agreed, kissing my head. “Are you looking forward to your first real Christmas in Cordonia, Eleanor?”
I knew I couldn’t tell him the truth, that I was starting to dread it, so instead, I found another truth to tell him. “I’m looking forward to our first Christmas together.”
He smiled and pulled me close to him, “me too.”
—
“Deck the halls with boughs of holly,/ Fa la la la la, la la la la/ Tis the season to be jolly,/ Fa la la la la , la la la la.” Maxwell sang loudly on Christmas Eve since Liam and I had invited a few friends to have a private celebration with us.
I laughed for the first time in weeks. There was something so cheerful about Maxwell’s bad singing that it immediately improved my mood.
However, I might have been alone in that because Drake groaned audibly and Olivia glared at Maxwell.
“Maxwell if you sing another note, it won’t be balls of holly—”
Her threat was cut-off when Liam entered the room, carrying a big box with a bright red box.
“I thought we weren’t exchanging gifts until tomorrow,” I commented as he handed me the box.
“This gift is special,” he said with a smile.
I could feel everyone watching me as I carefully lifted the lid and peered into the box. “Liam!” I exclaimed at the sight of the cutest grey and white kitten I had ever seen.
“Merry Christmas, Ellie,” he said with a smile, watching as I picked the kitten up, “I know this Christmas hasn’t been quite what you’re used to and I wanted to do something special. Besides, it’s our first Christmas together, seems like a good time to adopt our first best.”
I beamed at him, cradling my kitten in my arms. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” he told me, wrapping his arms around my waist. “What are you going to call her?”
“Noelle,” I said immediately, “after all she’s a Christmas kitten.”
Drake groaned, but Hana smiled. “I think that’s the perfect name. She’s adorable.”
“She really is,” I agreed, bubbling with happiness, my previous melancholy having disappeared at the thoughtfulness of Liam’s gesture.
Maybe Christmas in Cordonia wouldn’t be the same as the ones back home, but my last few Christmases in the States hadn’t been that great, anyway. If I were there, I’d probably be alone or with a few cousins, but desperately missing my parents and longing for the family Christmases we used to have. But here I was, surrounded by people who loved me and who wanted me to be happy.
I couldn’t think of a more appropriate way to spend Christmas. Even if there was no snow.
- End
