[fifteen: Merry Christmas]

As the day turns to early afternoon, the four children and the two beavers found themselves walking through the snow across a huge frozen lake and three of thee four children were tired to say the least. None of them had every walked as far in their lives, especially in the freezing cold of winter and with the lack of hot food and warmth they were slowly starting to give up. Genevieve however, was somehow embracing the cold and that somehow just made her stronger and more determined as she walked. She wasn't sure why she was so determined to go forward when she didn't know what her place was in Narnia but it was almost as if Narnia was calling her forward as if she did in fact have a place the Narnian future at all.

"Come on, humans! While we're still young." Mr, Beaver hurried the three Pevensie children and the Potter girl, who lingered behind to keep a conversation with Susan who almost looked lost in the group. The youngest Pevensie however, was visibly tired and Peter bent down to give her a piggy back ride so that she could rest her legs slightly.

"If he tells us to hurry one more time, I'm gonna turn him into a big, fluffy hat." Peter murmured and the other three children chuckled as they looked at the Pevensie boy with a smile.

"Hurry up! Come on!"

"He is getting a little bossy!" Lucy agreed before the two Beaver's turned around as their eyes widened in the direction of the children as they ushered the children to hurry up.

"No! Behind you! It's her!" Mrs. Beaver screamed and the children picked up their pace as they ran across the snow in a hurry.

"Run! Run!"

"Run!"

The four children and beavers flee across the lake and into the woods as the sleigh gains behind them and they run into the forest on the other end of the lake in a hurry as to not be caught by the witch and be hauled off to her icy palace of despair.

"Hurry!" Peter screams as they run through the woods towards a little cave in the near distance.

"Inside! Dive! Dive!"

"Quick! Quick, quick, quick!" Mrs. Beaver ushered and the four children ran quicker as they dived down into a little cave and everyone freezes and goes very still, watching the shadow on the mound of snow in front of them. The snow carefully drops down as someone moves about over them and walks away, much to the childrens relief.

"Maybe she's gone." Lucy said and Peter made looks to move but Genevieve held him back.

"I suppose I'll go look."

"No!" Mr. Beaver says whilst climbing out. "You're worth nothing to Narnia dead!"

"Well, neither are you, Beaver." Mrs. Beaver said to her husband and Genevieve was in awe of how cute that sounded and her smile increased as she saw Mr. Beaver take her paws in his.

"Thanks sweetheart!"

"I'll go with you." Genevieve stated, much to everyone's protest as she crawled out the cave.

"But-"

"I'm worth nothing to Narnia, I'm going." She concluded as they scramble up top with the others wait nervously.

As Genevieve walked slowly through the snow in the direction of the sleigh, there was a sort of cheerful atmosphere in the air and she let out a small smile as she delicately stopped to touch a passing tree that seemed to be glowing, as if it was happy in that moment. She shared a look with Beaver as she turned the corner and Beaver screamed in happiness at what they saw as he rushed back to tell the others.

"What's that? What's..." Susan asked as she heard a scream and Peter shushed her before Mr Beaver suddenly pops his head down causing Lucy to shriek in fright.

"Come out! Come out! I hope you've all been good 'cause there's someone here to see ya!" Mr. Beaver says as the others look at each other curiously before emerging and seeing Father Christmas on his sleigh who laughs happily at the sight of the children.In delight, Lucy walks towards him with the others following behind her.

"Merry Christmas, sir." Lucy says politely as she looks up at the man she had imagined every Christmas and had been told by her siblings wasn't real.

"It certainly is, Lucy, since you have arrived." The figure in front of them stated and the four children smiled happily at him, all gobsmacked that he was here and was in fact real.

"Look, I've put up with a lot since I got here, but this..." Susan started before she was interrupted by her brother.

"We thought you were the Witch." Peter concluded and Father Christmas smiled at him with an apologetic smile.

"Yes, yes, I'm sorry about that, but in my defense, I have been driving one of these longer than the Witch."

"I thought there was no Christmas in Narnia." Susan said and Father Christmas turned to her with a sad smile.

"No. Not for a long time. But the hope that you have brought, Your Majesties, is finally starting to weaken the Witch's power." Father Christmas started and Genevieve just looked down, feeling invisible compared to the others which she highly suspected. "Still, I dare say you could do with these."

He reaches into his sleigh and pulls out a huge brown sack.

"Presents!" Lucy exclaims happily as she runs up to him.

"The juice of the fire-flower. One drop will cure any injury." He said as he handed her a small pouch containing a vial. "And though I hope you never have to use it... " He presents her with a little dagger.

"Thank you, sir, but I think I could be brave enough." Lucy says and Genevieve smiles slightly at her ambition and Father Christmas chuckles.

"I'm sure you could. But battles are ugly affairs." Susan then steps forwards and he hands her a bow and a quiver of arrows.

"Trust in this bow and it will not easily miss."

"What happened to 'battles are ugly affairs'? " Susan teased and Father Christmas smiled at her.

"Though you don't seem to have a problem making yourself heard," He presents her with an ivory horn. "blow on this horn and wherever you are, help will come."

"Thanks." Susan says as she steps back and Peter steps forwards. Father Christmas gives him a bright silver shield and a sword in its scabbard and Peter draws the sword out in curiosity.

"Peter. The time to use these may be near at hand." He stated vaguely and Peter immediately understood what he meant.

"Thank you, sir." Peter says and Father Christmas' eyes lock with Genevieve who just stares at him.

"I don't think you've got anything in that bag for me, I'm not meant to be here."

"On the contrary," Father Christmas says as he beckons her forward which she slowly does, confused at the gesture. "I think you'll find there is a bigger meaning to you here than there is the others."

"Really?" Genevieve whispered as she stood in front of the sleigh as the old man sent her a smile.

"For a heart of gold and a soul so pure, it breaks me to have known what you have to go through each passing day. But with a heart so big comes big responsibility and when the time comes you must let your heart take control. When the time comes you will know when to use these," Father Christmas says as he opens a ring box and portrays two rings, one with the moon and one with a heart encrusted in lilac which leaves Genevieve confused as she puts them on. "The heart is your biggest enemy but it is also your biggest strength. Looks are deceiving my dear but use that to your advantage."

"Thank you." Genevieve said as she looked at the rings that closely matched her mother's locket around her neck and smiled. It was almost as if her mother was here with her, closer to her than she had ever been before.

"These are tools, not toys. Bear them well and wisely. Now, I must be off. Winter is almost over, and things do pile up when you've been gone a hundred years. Long live Aslan!" Father Christmas says with a lighthearted chuckle as he climbs into his sleigh. "And Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas, sir!"

"Goodbye!"

"Bye, sir! See you next year!"

"Goodbye!"

"ha ha ha!" Mrs. Beaver laughs heartily as they watch the magical sleigh ride away through the melting ice and Lucy looks smugly at her siblings and Genevieve.

"Told you he was real." She said before both Peter and Genevieve share a look in realisation of what Father Christmas had said earlier.

"He said winter was almost over. You know what that means-" Peter says with wide eyes before Genevieve interrupts him.

"-no more ice."