We
continue our theme, Celebration with an excerpt from Mistletoe Magic by Lauren
O’Donnell. The innocence of childhood and the anticipation of her beloved father
make for a wonderful read. Enjoy the excerpt.
continue our theme, Celebration with an excerpt from Mistletoe Magic by Lauren
O’Donnell. The innocence of childhood and the anticipation of her beloved father
make for a wonderful read. Enjoy the excerpt.
Yuletide. It had
always made Jaclyn Fainwick excited and happy with the potential of what the
future held. This one day, amongst all the rest, was when every hope, every
dream could come true. She loved this day above all the rest in the year.
always made Jaclyn Fainwick excited and happy with the potential of what the
future held. This one day, amongst all the rest, was when every hope, every
dream could come true. She loved this day above all the rest in the year.
She sat before the
hearth in the Great Hall, waiting for the festivities to begin, swinging her
feet back and forth. She had been waiting for most of the day. Her father would
come, and her mother, and her brother. All the people she loved would be
together on this day. No matter where they were or what they were doing, they
would always gather together on the Yuletide.
hearth in the Great Hall, waiting for the festivities to begin, swinging her
feet back and forth. She had been waiting for most of the day. Her father would
come, and her mother, and her brother. All the people she loved would be
together on this day. No matter where they were or what they were doing, they
would always gather together on the Yuletide.
She twisted and
looked behind the large wooden chair she sat in. The shadows at the back of the
Hall were getting long as the sun set, stretching dark fingers into the Great
Hall. But no one was coming. She turned back and clutched her hands in her lap.
If she were very good, her father would bring her something wonderful. A strand
of her long dark hair had pulled free of the braid at her back and she swatted
it back in place.
looked behind the large wooden chair she sat in. The shadows at the back of the
Hall were getting long as the sun set, stretching dark fingers into the Great
Hall. But no one was coming. She turned back and clutched her hands in her lap.
If she were very good, her father would bring her something wonderful. A strand
of her long dark hair had pulled free of the braid at her back and she swatted
it back in place.
The flames danced
in the hearth, warming her. She had been alive for ten Yuletides, this would
make her eleventh, enough to know that the Yule log would soon be burned. It
wouldn’t be long now.
in the hearth, warming her. She had been alive for ten Yuletides, this would
make her eleventh, enough to know that the Yule log would soon be burned. It
wouldn’t be long now.
Around her, the
servants cleared the tables from the feast. A dog rushed beneath the table to
gobble up a scrap of the duck that had fallen.
servants cleared the tables from the feast. A dog rushed beneath the table to
gobble up a scrap of the duck that had fallen.
Suddenly, booted
footsteps echoed down the hall.
footsteps echoed down the hall.
Her stomach lurched
with excitement and Jaclyn turned to see her friend, Alexander, run into the
Great Hall, followed by her brother, Paul. She sat back in disappointment.
Alexander reached her side first, skidding to a halt on the rushes.
with excitement and Jaclyn turned to see her friend, Alexander, run into the
Great Hall, followed by her brother, Paul. She sat back in disappointment.
Alexander reached her side first, skidding to a halt on the rushes.
“I told you she’d
be in here,” Paul said, stopping at her other side. He was out of breath as if
he had run a far distance. His brown hair was in a disarray on his head; his
blue jupon was askew, his black boots dirty.
be in here,” Paul said, stopping at her other side. He was out of breath as if
he had run a far distance. His brown hair was in a disarray on his head; his
blue jupon was askew, his black boots dirty.
Alexander looked at
her and grinned.
her and grinned.
Jaclyn’s heart
lurched at his twinkling blue eyes, as it always did. Even at thirteen summers,
Alexander was the most handsome boy she had ever met. His blonde hair reached
to his shoulders and always had just the right amount of wave to it. He was not
dressed as nicely as Paul, but he carried himself with more confidence. He
usually wore a leather vest and black leggings, the same he was wearing on this
Yuletide.
lurched at his twinkling blue eyes, as it always did. Even at thirteen summers,
Alexander was the most handsome boy she had ever met. His blonde hair reached
to his shoulders and always had just the right amount of wave to it. He was not
dressed as nicely as Paul, but he carried himself with more confidence. He
usually wore a leather vest and black leggings, the same he was wearing on this
Yuletide.
He met her gaze.
“Your father is coming,” he said with restrained exuberance.
“Your father is coming,” he said with restrained exuberance.
She turned in her
chair to face the door.
chair to face the door.
“I was going to
tell her,” Paul complained.
tell her,” Paul complained.
It didn’t matter
who told her. Outside the door in the hallway, Jaclyn heard heavy footsteps. It
sounded like the entire village was with her father! She could barely sit still
in her exhilaration. A moment skipped by and then her father appeared. He was
the tallest man of all the men following behind him, his shoulders broad, his
hair dark. He was surrounded by knights and villagers. They entered the hall
behind him as he walked toward her.
who told her. Outside the door in the hallway, Jaclyn heard heavy footsteps. It
sounded like the entire village was with her father! She could barely sit still
in her exhilaration. A moment skipped by and then her father appeared. He was
the tallest man of all the men following behind him, his shoulders broad, his
hair dark. He was surrounded by knights and villagers. They entered the hall
behind him as he walked toward her.
She stood to greet
him.
him.
“My dove,” he
whispered and greeted her with a hug.
whispered and greeted her with a hug.
She embraced him.
He pulled back to
look at her. “Before we light the Yule log, I want to give you this. You have
been a very good girl this year, and a wonderful daughter.” He held something
out to her.
look at her. “Before we light the Yule log, I want to give you this. You have
been a very good girl this year, and a wonderful daughter.” He held something
out to her.
Jaclyn hadn’t
noticed he was carrying anything. She looked down to see he was holding a
branch with green leaves and white berries. She gasped, “It’s beautiful!” and
took the branch from his hand.
noticed he was carrying anything. She looked down to see he was holding a
branch with green leaves and white berries. She gasped, “It’s beautiful!” and
took the branch from his hand.
“The berries
reminded me of the winter snow,” her father said softly.
reminded me of the winter snow,” her father said softly.
Jaclyn nodded. “But the green leaves belong in
the summer!” She looked up at him. “The trees have long since lost their
leaves. Where did you find it?”
the summer!” She looked up at him. “The trees have long since lost their
leaves. Where did you find it?”
“I had to travel
very far to find it.” he told her, leaning in to add, “It’s magical.”
very far to find it.” he told her, leaning in to add, “It’s magical.”
“Like Yuletide!”
Jaclyn gasped.
Jaclyn gasped.
Her father smiled
and nodded. “That’s why I brought it to you now. Keep it safe, child.”
and nodded. “That’s why I brought it to you now. Keep it safe, child.”
Jaclyn nodded and
hurried through the villagers and gathered guests. She paused to glance back at
her father. He was silhouetted before the warm hearth fire, his arms on his
hips, watching her. She curtseyed slightly. “Thank you, Father.”
hurried through the villagers and gathered guests. She paused to glance back at
her father. He was silhouetted before the warm hearth fire, his arms on his
hips, watching her. She curtseyed slightly. “Thank you, Father.”
He dipped his head
in a nod.
in a nod.
Jaclyn knew the
perfect place to keep it safe. The perfect spot for it. She raced to her room
and flung a cloak about her shoulders. She paused to stare at the branch. It
was amazing. Summer and winter, all rolled up into one glorious plant. She
gently touched one of the berries.
perfect place to keep it safe. The perfect spot for it. She raced to her room
and flung a cloak about her shoulders. She paused to stare at the branch. It
was amazing. Summer and winter, all rolled up into one glorious plant. She
gently touched one of the berries.
“Father’s going to
light the Yule log.”
light the Yule log.”
Blurb
from Mistletoe Magic –
from Mistletoe Magic –
A confident knight
arrives home to find his childhood friend grown into much more than he
remembered. The lady of the castle keeps a dangerous secret that threatens all
she holds dear. Will Mistletoe Magic save them?
arrives home to find his childhood friend grown into much more than he
remembered. The lady of the castle keeps a dangerous secret that threatens all
she holds dear. Will Mistletoe Magic save them?
Buy Link – Amazon
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