AN OREAN THANKSGIVING

On Orean, the major holiday of the year is the first day of Spring, which is also the first of the year. They have a weeklong celebration with food, games, dancing, parades, sports and numerous other activities for people of all ages. Oreanians have a day of celebration on the first of the other seasons, but it is never a big to-do like Spring.

It was mid-fall, and Enelia was feeling a little depressed. She missed the holidays that peppered her childhood. Nearly every month of the Earth calendar had a holiday. She missed the family togetherness of them, and the day off from school. Granted, she had been a waitress and had to work most holidays, but at least the customers were jollier. She liked watching them enjoy their meals with their families.

She wished Qiro were still around. He had been her foster brother on Earth, and her tutor her first six months on Orean. He and Kayti had left months ago to live with the other Dragons.

Ydoc watched her mope about the palace. It killed him to see her so down. They had been married for almost a year; a long, busy, happy, difficult year. The only reason it had gone so well with them, politically, was the fact that Ydoc wasn't King yet. His father was still alive, but Enelia's mother had died over a year ago and the Elves weren't too keen on their Queen marrying the Gnome Prince.

Ydoc wanted to do something to cheer her up, but what? The Elves were busy with their preparations for the winter. The harvest had been gathered.

The harvest!

Ydoc ran down to the kitchen. The staff didn't like royalty in their territory, especially the Gnome one. They almost glared at him. They bowed anyway and inquired how they could help him with forced politeness.

He explained what he wanted. It was met with blank stares and sneers. He told them it was for the Queen. Their expressions softened slightly and they agreed to do their best. He then spoke with the steward who also treated him with repressed contempt.

His next stop was the stables. The stable master was brushing down the pegasai as they ate their meal. The Elf sneered at him as though he were something off the stable floor. It wasn't easy, but Ydoc convinced him to let him take a pegasus.

Enelia saw the pegasus take flight from the library window. She raised an eyebrow when she saw the rider. Where was he going? Ydoc hated flying. She turned back to her book.

Ydoc returned a few days later. He checked with the head cook and steward. Satisfied that everything was ready, he went in search of his wife.

She was in the throne room seeing subjects. He slipped into the empty throne beside her, took her hand and smiled. She smiled back and finished her business with the Elf merchant who had been complaining about some petty problem.

Ydoc stood and offered her his arm.

"What are you so excited about," she asked.

He shook his head, unable to answer. He was so excited he was afraid he'd spoil the surprise.

He led her to the great dining hall. The two guards posted there opened the large doors.

Enelia gasped.

The long table was filled with food. Turkeys. Pies. Mashed potatoes. Stuffing. Squashes. Applesauce. Cheeses. Pickles. Salads, and much more.

"Happy Thanksgiving!" shouted the crowd.

Enelia, radiant with happiness, greeted her friends. Trebor (whom Enelia had been supposed to marry) and his wife Delemetre, Jane and John (the Dwarf twins who had brought Ydoc and Enelia together,) their parents (the Dwarf King and Queen), Ydoc's father (King Bokaj), Ydoc's foster parents (the two Dwarves who raised him on Earth), Enelia's foster parents (also Dwarves) and, finally, Qiro and his wife Kayti. She hugged them all.

They sat down to eat, including the palace staff who had been invited to join the feast.

Ydoc stood on his chair. He was too short to be seen by everyone otherwise. "Friends, welcome to our first annual Thanksgiving feast! Most of you don't know what Thanksgiving is, but we are grateful to have you here with us. Thanksgiving is just what the name suggests. It is a day of coming together as friends and family and expressing our gratitude. Because there are so many of us here, I won't ask everyone to share what they are grateful for, but I will express my gratitude for my beautiful wife and the love she has for me and for our peoples. I'm also grateful for the Elves. They have been polite and respectful, even though I'm a dirty little Gnome." This was met with many gasps an a few chuckles. "Seriously though, the Elves have been truly wonderful, and I hope the Gnomes will be as tolerant with Enelia as the Elves have been with me. Thank you."

Ydoc sat down amid the cheering and applause. Enelia leaned over and kissed him. "Thank you."



Elizabeth Williamson Copyright © 2008

TOPIC: THANKSGIVING

more holiday spirit. pick any aspect of thanksgiving and write about it. but i warn you, if you write about pie i might drool on my keyboard. mmmm... pie...