Christmas Tale

May’s POV

We wish you a merry Christmas, We wish you a merry Christmas

We wish you a merry Christmas

And a happy new year

The song of Christmas filled my ears as I alighted from the bus and I smiled. I looked around once more before moving to the section where I’ll get a cab to my destination and observed the surroundings.

Everywhere smelled like Christmas! It was as if Santa Claus himself decided to put up some extra cologne before walking around this place in preparation for Christmas.

It wasn’t even Christmas yet and everywhere seems so loving, beautiful, and cozy. I guess I made the right decision by taking this job offer for Christmas.

I mean, it was like killing two birds with a stone. I get to enjoy the spirit of Christmas in a place like this and still even earn. Even though I hesitated for a moment when my neighbor’s son who I rarely see, Declan, told me someone was needed in a castle in a town where we worked for extra work in their kitchen, I’m glad I never said no, and I hope I don’t regret saying yes.

Declan informed me that he worked close to the castle and insisted that it’ll be fun being there together even though I’d known him for only just two days. He was funny and cute, making it easier to communicate with him.

Everywhere around me was magical. I gathered myself better into the coat as I was wearing and wished I’d worn a thicker sweater instead of the light, red one I’d put on in a hurry.

Why was I in a hurry?

Because it was a last-minute decision to come to this town and take this job that’ll be paying for my next year’s rent before my landlord come barging on my door and start spewing curses like a sailor who had learned a little bit of Spanish with pidgin English while in Africa.

He sounded like a drunken cow sometimes, almost making me throw up at the sound of his voice.

Well, the throwing up is mostly because of how nervous I get whenever he starts knocking in March to remind me that my rent will be due in December and if I refuse to reply, he’ll cut off my water for a few days.

Word of advice friend, don’t ever rent a house where you’ll have to live with your landlord.

Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. It’s full of joy, nostalgia, and generosity. It deserved to be spent with family but sometimes, situations warrant for it to be spent far away from home.

A cab driver waved at me, signaling that he was available to go anywhere. I moved closer to him, dragging my luggage behind me.

“Joyeux Noel,” He said smiling brightly at me with a red Christmas hat on his head and a bright red scarf around this neck. These people around this town must love Christmas.

“Sorry I don’t speak French” I waved him off when I saw that he was trying to say something else.

Guess I’ll have to look for a different driver then.

“Neither do I” He grabbed my attention before I could look around to see if there was another cab driver available.

“Excuse me?” I asked confusingly.

“I don’t know how to speak French either ma’am. Joyeux Noel is just a way of greeting around here during Christmas sessions. It’s almost like a casual greeting reminding us all that Christmas is near”

“Ooh” I nodded in understanding, slowly taking in what he had said. I repeated the word Joyeux Noel in my head over and over, trying to smoothen it out before saying it to someone else.

“So, where do you want me to take you to ma’am?” He asked.

“Let me check” I took a second to bring out the paper that had the address of the castle from my pocket.

He collected the address from me once I held it out to him and he checked it over.

“I know where you are going to and it’s right around the corner. The castle is really popular around here. Get in while I help with your luggage”

He took the bags from me and placed them into the car while I ensured that everything was in the car before entering it.

On our way to the castle, I realized that so many houses here had Christmas trees in front of their doors with multicolored and flashing lights around them. Need I remind them that it’s just an hour to midday and it’s only December 1st. No need for all this fuss.

But who am I anyway? A stranger in their town trying to tell them what to do.

Joy to the world I was a bit startled when loud music suddenly began playing. I almost hissed at the interruption, but I guess I have to deal with this. The driver reduced the music a bit and smiled apologetically through the mirror.

I mean I love Christmas like they love Christmas, but it seems this town has a whole other definition of love that I don’t know of.

The car turned at a corner, making a way towards the huge gate that I could see upfront. Christmas lights were hanging smartly around it while a snowman and a Christmas tree were right outside.

“I can’t get past this place, Miss. it was nice bringing you here” I brought out my wallet to pay him for the ride.

“It’s your first time in our town and in the spirit of Christmas, the ride is free. Joyeux Noel, young lady” the driver rejected the money and helped me to bring down my bags before driving off.

“Joyeux Noel” I smiled and replied even though it was out of his hearing.

I pressed the button right in the wall beside the gate and it opened for me to walk in.

Clutching my bags together, I held on tight and lifted them, ready to walk the long distance from the gate to the castle. I had called the line Declan gave me before coming to know if the space for the extra workmanship was still available and an old man picked up and told me it was. He also instructed me to ask for a particular Nicholas when I get to the castle.

I pressed the second bell upon getting to the front of the building and an older lady who smelled of chocolate cake opened the door with a smile on her face.

“Hi” I simply said.

“Hi, young lady. How can I help you?”

“I’m here to see Nicholas” She beamed as I said those words and quickly pulled me into the house as if she had been expecting me over here.

“Go tell the Queen that the lady is here” She instructed the other girl who was also surprisingly as excited as she was.

Queen? No one told me this was a royal household. What the hell is going on here?

Minutes later a woman who was probably in her late fifties came strutting down the stairs, a smile on her face and her hands out to hug me already.

Help me, Lord! Not only do they drive strangers free of charge on Christmas Day in this glorious town, but they also welcome maids with open hands and faces full of joy and smiles.

“We’ve been expecting you, my darling” the Queen hugged me immediately she got to my side.

“How was your trip? I hope you’re not too tired. I’m so glad to finally see you, my dear. Bella, can you see how pretty she is?” The woman asked the old lady who had opened the door for me earlier.

“She is so pretty, ma’am and I’ll say Prince Nicholas is really lucky” Bella replied smiling.

I looked around confused and every time I tried saying something, the Queen or Bella would say something and stop me from talking.

“Get her into the room, Belle. The poor girl looks so tired after such a long journey” The Queen poured and looked at me worriedly.

“It wasn’t a long journey…” I was cut short again before I continue my statement.

“She’s such a nice girl. Get her some good food after she rests well enough” She instructed Bella.

Bella carried some of my bags while the other girl gestured for me to move.

Still confused, I looked at the queen and around the house trying to give myself a better explanation for whatever was going on around here.

“Don’t look so worried my dear, your groom would soon be here”

Say what now?

Groom?

Excuse me?

Did I just find myself in that novel called, surprise, I’m married?

May’s POV

“Groom? Excuse me? Did you just say Groom?” I asked Bella as she opened the door to a room wide enough for me to enter.

“Yes, Groom. You’re just as shy as Sir Nicholas had told us” She suddenly gasped out loud and covered her mouth with her hand.

“Did I just spill the beans and told you beforehand? Oh my lord! I’m so stupid. Guess old age is doing a number on me. Prince Nicholas haven’t proposed yet as he had said and here I am, telling you everything”

I looked at her confusingly and decided I had to speak up just to clear the air and maybe make my way out of this place before things get any more confusing or complicated.

“I don’t know who Nicholas is and I came here for a job and not a suitor” I explained with my hands in the air.

“Couples fight, right? That’s exactly what is going on. Don’t worry darling, he’ll soon be here, and you guys would be able to sort out your differences. Get some rest” she patted my cheek, smiled at me before walking out of the door.

I huffed in annoyance and pinched the bridge of my nose with my fingers. I was confused about the whole situation and angry that everything I was saying was not being heard.

It was only after she left that I took in the room that I was. It was really large, almost the same size as my whole apartment back in my town.

The bed was king-size, large enough to accommodate three persons. A wardrobe was placed against a wall right opposite the bed and when I opened it, some male clothes including suits, shirts, and trousers were inside and did it smell really good?

The room smelled of honeysuckle and some really good masculine aroma that made me want to keep my senses open all the time.

I opened a door inside the room, leading to the bathroom and toilet and almost, squealed in joy at the massive and plenty showerheads that were in there. The jacuzzi was modern and sleek that I almost ran my hand along it, but I quickly snapped out of it and cautioned myself.

I sat down on the bed, enjoying how soft it felt against my ass. Wanting more of that feeling, I lied down on it and I smiled once my body felt how soft it was. I rolled on my side, tucked my hands in between my thighs, close my eyes for a moment to reminisce all that had happened since I got here and also take in more of the delicious scent coming from the bed before sleep descended on me, threw me on his shoulder and took me to la la land.

Not realizing how long I’d slept, I was suddenly yanked off the bed forcefully, almost colliding with the small stool placed beside the bed.

Grudgingly I opened my eyes and in front of me stood the most handsome young man I’d ever set my eyes on. He was tall, almost six feet and two inches if I guessed right, and well built. He had a sharp jawline that nicely fitted and framed his face.

His eyes! His eyes were the prettiest I’ve seen. I’ve seen nothing like that before in my existence of over twenty years. His eyes were of two colors.

The right one was a deep blue while the left one was a shade of green. His eyes were soulless and suddenly, I felt so sad just by looking at them.

It was only when I took in his full appearance that I realized he was someone I know. Someone I never believed that I’ll see again in my life. Someone who broke me tore my soul into pieces and made me leave home earlier than I planned.

“Who are you?” He asked, bringing me out of my reverie. His voice was deep and strangely loud.

For a moment I was silent, confused at what he meant by who I was. I could recognize him even with my eyes closed despite how mature and different he looked.

“I’m May. I don’t know if you want any other information and I don’t think I can help you because I don’t even know why I’m here or what I’m doing here” I said, breathing hard, hoping my name would ring a bell.

“Stop,” He asked, his eyes getting dark out of anger.

“Stop talking” he repeated, completing his statement this time around.

“Who are you and why does my family think you are my fiancée?” He dropped my hand suddenly as if I were dirt and walked away from me, his hand in his pocket while he ran the other hand through his black hair.

“I don’t know either. I was here looking for a job when a woman suddenly put all of these on me. She said something about Nicholas and the Nicholas that I’d come here to look for was a person who told me I could get a job if I get here” I kept on rambling on and in about everything that had happened.

When he turned to look at me, I quickly shut my trap while staring strangely at the wall.

“I’m Nicholas, what do you want from me?” He suddenly asked, his voice louder than before. He began walking towards me, fire in his eyes, with his hands fisted.

Nicholas! Since when did Aslam become Nicholas? Prince Nicholas for that matter.

“Are you a spy? Did someone send you? Were you sent here to kill me? Answer me, who the fucking hell are you? What are you doing in my house?”

With each step he took towards me, I took one back, before stumbling into the bed while he hovered over me.

His hand reached out to grab me by the throat and before he could accomplish the mission of lifting me to meet his height, the door suddenly opened.

He removed his hand before the person could see what was going on.

“Nicholas, what is going on around here?”

He suddenly composed himself before turning around.

“Nothing Queen Mother. I was just having a conversation with my fiancée over here” he said the word fiancée as if it was poison.

“You don’t have to scream to do that, Nicholas. You should know better than words are to be spoken not roared or yelled out, especially when you’re talking to a beautiful woman like this” The Queen said before walking towards me.

“Ignore all of his childish attitude, darling” She patted my shoulder and turned to glare at him.

“Be careful, Nicholas, and don’t make me call your brother and your father” She said. Nicholas buried his head and nodded.

Whatever had just happened had made it clear that Nicholas had the utmost respect for the Queen. He didn’t say a word till the Queen left after instructing me to join her later for dinner making me wonder why he had decided not to tell the queen the truth.

“Why didn’t you tell her……” before I could finish my words, he banged his hand against the wall angrily.

“Don’t you dare say a word that’ll make the Queen realize the truth until I do myself. Do you understand me? If you decide to come out here and tell the Queen a lie, you should know what the consequences would be” I nodded repeatedly, suddenly scared of what he could do to me.

“Until I expose the real reason why you are here, enjoy the luxury. You might end up losing your head by the time I get to know why you’re on my bed, pretending to be who you are not” He threatened in a hushed tone.

“I’m not pretending to be anyone; try to listen to what I’m saying. I don’t even want…” Before I could say anything further, he walked out of the room, slamming the door close, shaking me to the core.

This is much of Joyeux Noel indeed.

I fucking hate my life right now!