A CHRISTMAS GIFT EHTERAN.

           KC is reading out the comments online to Lady Amorah.  A sly smile spread on her lips. 

            "They are so curious about me and my son."  She chuckled as she laid back on her chair. "My lady, Trent caused trouble and blamed it on you." Milli who was sitting beside Lady Amorah pouted. "Let him do what he wants to do, I need to plan a Christmas gift for ehteran and commence my plan A." she and Milli laughed. "I cannot wait." Milli jumped with joy.

              The temperature had dropped by five degrees and children were playing with the snow, Ariadna watched them through the transparent window of the restaurant. She smiled and touched the little bump. 

       "Sorry am late." Cyrus' voice cut her off her thoughts. "Hi." She said to him, as she sipped the hot tea she ordered. "When are we telling our families that we can't get married? Ariadna shifted in her seat. "We can tell them after Christmas." She replied and she sipped her tea to cover up the awkwardness. "Good then, I will take my leave first." Cyrus stood up and left the dumbfounded Ariadna. She continued to look out the window with teary eyes.

               Ella didn't even know where she was going. "Ella, stop!" she ignored him, Trent's long legs reached her before she knew it and he grabbed her by the arm. 

   "They did lie to you, they did keep you in the dark and let you risk your life by letting join the organization to prove your family's innocence."

 "And I failed in that, you were the one who proved my father innocent not me." She continued to walk and he followed her behind.

  "I just don't understand them, they said that they want me to have a normal life and yet they let me go work in a dangerous place that could get me killed." She kicked the stone in her path. They entered the quiet snowy forest filled with green grass and leafless trees their boots were imprinted on the ground as they moved further into the forest.

              "Tomorrow is Christmas and Christmas is about forgiveness and family and or exchange of gifts."  Ella chuckled.

        She turned to face him with a raised brow. "I celebrated with my family and I gave my evil stepmother amazing gifts."

      "Which is?" Ella was already feeling bad for her.

            "I started with scorpions, dead rats, poison, then the heads of people she sent to assassinate me." He said with his usual smile. "And you wonder why she did that." Ella fell onto the snow, and Trent lay beside her. "I know that they are trying to protect me, blah blah blah, but I need them to trust me, I mean if he could trust me to clear my father's name then why not that?" 

     "Trust me when I say elders do the craziest and stupid things. Like the time when father made me share a room with Joel even though he knew I would kill him, which I almost did, if not for his mother who saved him." Trent's eyes were closed and the snow fell on his face.

              "And you wondered why she hates you."  Ella sighed. 

                 "I wonder where Elijah and Samuel are? What are doing now Are they safe, are they being held captive somewhere?"  "Do not worry, I will help you find them." Ella craned her neck to look at him. "I can't imagine life without you Trent Vanderwood." Her voice came out as a whisper. "I can not imagine life without you Ariella Patterson." They looked at each other with smiles on their faces. Trent decided to use this opportunity to propose. "Ella, there's something I have been meaning to ask you." Ella blinked her long lashes. 

          "Ella!" Old man Patterson's voice rang through the forest. "I think we should go back before the old man gets a heart attack." Ella stood while laughing. "I want to gift him that heart attack." Trent clicked his tongue in annoyance.

                 Ella was the first to run into the living room. She went under the Christmas tree to carry her gift, they were five boxes with her name on them. She first opened the one from her grandfather. It was a beautiful diamond necklace. Her eyes became teary The necklace was her grandmother's favorite jewelry¸ it was gifted to her by old man Patterson on their wedding night. She opened Trent's gift next and there were ten keys. Ella shook her head and decided to ask him about it later.

          She opened Ellis's gift, it was the expensive dinner gown she was admiring at the shopping mall. Ella was dumbly stroked when she lifted the dress a card fell on the ground she carried it and opened it.

  "I am sorry, please forgive and I love you very much. Ella blinked her eyes to get rid of the tears that gathered in her eyes.

          She opened Simon's gift, it was a pretty handbag. She opened Rose's gift it was a sexy nightgown and a condom with a card that said 'Go for it.'  Ella chuckled. 

                "Someone woke up early today, Merry Christmas my little angel." Ellis went down the flight of stairs. Ella ran and hugged her. "Thank you so much, I love you too." "Look at my little love." She went ahead and hugged her grandpa. He kissed her. "Merry Christmas my love." "Merry Christmas to you two." Trent stood by the threshold and watched with a smile.

             "Ok, let's open our gifts." The grandfather opened his gift from Ella. It was a simple dark blue tie.  "I love it." Old man Patterson said with a smile. "He opened the excited Rose's gift." "You kneaded me a scarf, he smiled as he lifted the very dull red scarf. "I love the color." He opened Ellis's and Simon's gifts. "Oh my!" Is this Helene Cole's CD song?" Old man Patterson was very happy. "Yes, it has all her songs," Ellis informed the old man who looked like a child who got candy.

        "Thank you so much." He said to the two of them before looking at the long gift box that came from Trent."  He opened it. Old man Patterson gasped. He slowly brought out the rifle. "No way!"  he looked at the gun like it was the most priceless and beautiful treasure.

                 "Is this the gun that Kenneth used to fight for humanity?" the old man's hands were shaking, and he looked at the gun lying in both of his palms. "Yes, it is." Trent smiled. When Trent and his father were looking for gifts online his father thought of them giving him the weapon used to fight for a peaceful world between humans and non-humans.

                  "This is the best present I have ever received! Thank you, son."  Trent smiled happily at Ella.  "You don't have to thank me, Grandpa." Old man Patterson hugged Trent, he scrutinized the gun and saw Kenneth's initials. "This is great, I am going to put it in a show glass in my office." Grandpa Patterson left the room, and Ella gave Trent a small wrapped box.

              He unwrapped it and looked at the fine cufflinks. "I didn't know what to get for you."  Ella bit her lips and looked down. "I love it, they're now my favorite." He kissed her on the cheeks. "Trent about those keys." "Yes, I have been meaning to ask you."

                   "Breakfast is ready!"  Ellis informed everyone. 

                   Trent huffed a heavy breath. "This is where I wish you were an orphan," Trent murmured before joining Ella.                    

      The breakfast in the Patterson's mansion was lively, Ella told them about her mission and the ghost of Serah.  She also told them about Trent's wolf silver.

            "So, where is this Silver now?" Old man Patterson asked.

    "To be honest, I don't know." They all looked at him in shock whilst he comfortably sipped his wine.

          In the quiet and rich neighborhood. Silver was tearing the flesh of Trent's neighbor's dog.

       "You should find someone to look after it," Ella suggested, Silver was the only reason she never stepped out of Trent's room, whenever she was there. Since the day he almost ate her, she had been wearied of him. 

         "I am sure he's fine, he can haunt for his food." He continued to eat the delicious roasted chicken.

                After breakfast, the people in the town visited with food, later that day. The girls build snowmen.  They played games and later threw snowballs at each other.

          Lady Amorah wore a shiny fitted red tail gown, she wore silver heels, and her hair was led down. She seductively walked into a very spacious and well-decorated living room. 

                 "Let's do this." She smiled evilly.

  Ella and Trent were alone on the terrace. They both looked at the large field of snow and trees. "Ella, the keys I gifted you are for apartments that I bought." "Okay." Ella did not understand what he meant. Trent went on one knee and brought out a small red box from the pocket of his jacket Ella covered her mouth in surprise.

                 "Ella Patterson would you do me the honor of becoming my wife."