The sleigh glided smoothly across the glistening snow. Jeth sat on the seat, holding the reins. Chauncey was as frisky as a colt, lifting his hooves high above the snow, the bells that Jeth had affixed to his harness jingling. Arlo bounded through the snow behind the sleigh, baying loudly. The sky was a brilliant blue and the sun made the snow almost blinding.

It was Christmas eve and it would be his first Christmas with Kara. He was determined to make it special. In any case, it would be better than last year's. Last year, he had passed Christmas in a ragged, tired army. They had had no decorations, no feasts, no presents, but those of course, weren't that important. Jeth had missed his father more than ever on that day. And Gavin had missed him too. But they had had each other. They had sung a few half hearted Christmas carols that night, but that had been the extent of the celebration. Kara had spent that Christmas in a field hospital, comforting the dying. But now the war was over and the country was healing. Jeth and Kara were healing. They may never recover completely, but they were getting better, and Jeth was content with that.

Jeth stopped Chauncey near the fir tree he had chosen. It wasn't particularly large, but it was nicely shaped and he thought it would suit his purpose well. He got out of the sleigh and took up his axe. It didn't take him long to chop down the tree and he loaded it into the sleigh. He had also found some mistletoe. He got into the sleigh and they headed home.

When they got home, he unloaded the tree, drove the sleigh under its shelter, and unhitched Chauncey. He led Chauncey into the barn, put his blanket on him, and gave him some hay and water. Mouser leapt from the stall wall and onto Chaunceys back, curling up contentedly.

Jeth went into the house,carrying the tree. The smell of baking bread and cookies filled the air. "Kara, I'm home" called Jeth. Kara poked her head out of the kitchen, hands covered in flour, brown hair tied up tightly to be out of the way, blue eyes sparkling.

"Hello," she said. "I'll be out to help you decorate in a minute. Just let me get this bread in the oven."

Jeth went into the living room to set up the tree. The wooden nativity that Jeth's father had carved sat on a shelf. The fire crackled merrily in the fireplace. Arlo lay on the rug. He had never been allowed in the house when Joseph was alive. He had been left outside or put in the barn when the weather was cold. But he'd been through war with Jeth. Jeth thought he deserved his place by the fire. Jeth hung the mistletoe in the doorway between the living room and the bedroom, and waited for Kara to finish the bread.

When the bread was safely in the oven, Kara joined Jeth is the living room and they decorated the Christmas tree with candles and simple ornaments. When they had finished, Jeth noticed the time.

"Almost time for Church," he said. Kara nodded and went into their shared bedroom to change clothes. The fact that they shared a bed was somewhat of a scandal for the gossips in the village, (the fact that they shared a house was scandalous enough),since they were not yet married, but Jeth had realized months ago that her presence beside him as he slept reduced the frequency and severity of the nightmares. There were still some very bad nights of course, but not as many. She seemed to sleep better when he was around as well.

Kara emerged from the bedroom wearing her Sunday best, pausing in the doorway as she noticed the mistletoe. "Mistletoe?" she questioned with a smile.

"Mistletoe," he answered, coming toward her. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her gently, before heading into the room to change his own clothes. Kara went into the kitchen to take the bread out of the oven and place it on a cooling rack.

Jeth went outside to hitch Chauncey to the sleigh for the second time that day. He drove him around to the front door and waited for Kara. He didn't wait long before she came out. He helped her into the sleigh and laid a blanket over both their laps. Then they were off, harness bells jingling. It wasn't Sunday, but the church was having a special service for Christmas eve.

They arrived at the little stone church with its wreath on the door. Jeth got out, tied Chauncey, helped Kara down, put Chaunceys blanket on him, and he and Kara walked inside and took their seats. They listened to the sermon with smiles on their faces. After singing Away in a Manger and Joy to the World, they headed home.

"It looks like it's going to snow some more," remarked Jeth, eyeing the grey clouds warily. Kara went into the house while Jeth put away the sleigh and took care of Chauncey. When this was done, he checked on Mouser, the cow, and the chickens. When he was satisfied that all was well, he went inside.

The fire was crackling merrily. Arlo was lying contentedly in front of it. Kara was in the kitchen, and he joined her there. They had soup and fresh bread for supper.

After they had eaten and cleaned up, they went to the living room. Kara picked up the large leatherbound Bible from the table. It had been her father's. Miraculously, it had survived the flames that had killed her parents and incinerated the rest of her family's possessions. She sat, and Jeth did too. She read from St. Luke. "And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed..." She began. Jeth listened, and as she read, it seemed that the whole world was at peace. All worry faded away.

When she had finished, he began to sing. Silent night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright.

Kara joined him. Round yon virgin mother and child, holy infant tender and mild...

Sleep in heavenly peace. Sleep in heavenly peace.

When they had finished the song, Jeth had a faraway look in his eyes. "it was my father's favorite," he said.

"My father liked God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" said Kara.

"Would you like to sing it?" asked Jeth.

Kara nodded. She began the song. God Rest ye merry gentlemen, may nothing ye dismay.

For Jesus Christ our savior was born on Christmas day. Jeth joined in.

To save us all from Satan's power when we were gone astray... oh, tidings of comfort and Joy, comfort and joy. Oh, tidings of comfort and Joy.

After that song, they sang several more, and then went to bed. They fell asleep, wrapped in each others arms.

The next morning, Jeth woke early, as usual. A broad grin spread across his face. "Kara!" he said. "Wake up. It's Christmas!"

Kara opened her eyes slowly, smiling at her fiance's excitement. He stood up and walked quickly into the living room. She followed. He sat next to the Christmas tree and she joined him. There were four packages under the tree. Jeth handed Kara a small one. She opened it carefully. It was a wooden angel. She knew Jeth had made it himself.

"It's beautiful," she said. "Thank you."

"When I first saw you," he told her, "I thought you were an angel. I must say, my opinion hasn't changed much. I'm quite lucky that an angel would love me."

"You're so sentimental," she said, grinning.

"You know you love it," he said, grinning as well. And he wasn't wrong.

She pulled out a second parcel and handed it to him. It turned out to be a pair of woolen gloves, dark green, his favorite color. She had knitted them herself. He wondered when she had found the time.

The third, Kara's second present, was a pair of ice skates.

"But, Jeth, I don't know how to ice skate," she admitted. "It never really got cold enough on the coast, where I grew up."

"I'll teach you," said Jeth, who had ice skated on the frozen lake every winter since he was old enough to be allowed.

"I look forward to it," she said. "Now, open your other present." The other present turned out to be a new pair of sturdy work boots. "Your others were getting holes in them," said Kara. "We can't have you going about with cold, wet feet this winter, now can we?"

Jeth thanked Kara and she thanked him in return. Then they both went to the kitchen to begin preparing the Christmas meal. Jeth and Kara usually took turns cooking. It was only fair, as she was often busy in town, working as an assistant to Elizabeth, the chief healer. But today, they cooked together. They had venison, bread, and a variety of vegetables. Gavin and his father, Steph, would be coming over to eat with them later. Gavin had spent many Christmases with Jeth and his father, but never with Steph there as well. Steph hadn't been a very good father, and hadn't treated Gavin as he deserved, but after Gavin had run away and joined the Knights of Freedom with Jeth, and especially after Gavin almost died from wounds he had received in the final battle of the war, Steph was a changed man, a redeemed man. And he had been trying to be the father Gavin deserved ever since. He would always feel guilty for those terrible wasted years, years he spent drowning his troubles in alcohol rather than being a father to his son. But neither Steph nor Gavin were particularly good cooks,and besides, at this point, Jeth considered Gavin a brother, so he had invited them both over for Christmas dinner.

"They'll be here soon," remarked Jeth, glancing out the window. Sure enough, a few minutes later, he heard the jingling of sleigh bells and then the sleigh came into view outside. It was pulled by a fine boned black stallion. The stallion pranced and tossed his head. He stopped near the front door, pawing the ground as though standing still was not at all to his liking. Holding the reins, Gavin stepped down from the sleigh. Steph stepped down too. Gavin looked as strong as ever, and he was grinning broadly as he stepped forward to calm the stallion with a reassuring hand.

"Merry Christmas, Jeth!" he said, as Jeth opened the door and stepped outside.

"Merry Christmas!" said Jeth in return, and added "Merry Christmas, Steph."

"Merry Christmas, " said Steph, smiling hesitantly as though unsure that his presence was welcome.

"You can put Ravenwing in the barn, in the stall beside Chauncey," Jeth told Gavin. "They'll be happy to see each other." Gavin nodded, leading the stallion to a spot where the sleigh would be somewhat sheltered before unhitching him and leading him into the barn. Jeth and Steph went inside. Gavin joined them a few minutes later. Gavin and Steph turned out to have brought a container of pecans coated in brown sugar and cinnamon that they had bought at the market, which was much appreciated. They enjoyed a good meal and they enjoyed each others company. Arlo was fed plenty of treats and enjoyed all of the petting he received. Jeth gave Gavin a wooden carving of Ravenwing. Other visitors came later. Talon came over with his mothers mincemeat pie. Rauroc came over just to say hello and merry Christmas. Both left with a tin of cookies. Eventually, Gavin and Steph said their goodbyes, as they needed to get back to town before dark. They were given a tin of cookies as well.

After their guests had departed, Kara and Jeth sat in the living room together, she with her sewing and him with his knife and a new block of wood to be carved. "Did you have a good Christmas?" Jeth asked Kara. "It was wonderful," she replied. "It really was," he agreed. And they went to sleep that night thinking of their wedding and all of the holidays they would share in the future.