#adabelle

Adam came to appreciate many things in Apfel, but perhaps the most unique of the things was Christmas. His beloved wife Alita loved Christmas as much, if nor more, as her Spring Festival. While he didn’t understand the purpose of cutting down trees just to decorate them with candles and wooden ornaments, nor why the town spent nearly every weekend shopping for the holiday, he quickly learned that the purpose of the holiday didn’t matter so much as the illustrious glow on Alita’s face as she prepared the entire castle for Christmas.

Pluvia didn’t have such strange and wonderous holidays, and Adam only came to know about them within his first year of marriage. Technically he spent his first ever Christmas trying to wake his one true love from the poisoned apple, but neither he nor the Dwarves counted it since they didn’t celebrate. There was much to clean up after Queen Roese’s reign that once that was accomplished, they practically slept like hibernating bears for that whole first winter. It wasn’t until the following year when they were married and expecting their first child did Alita introduce the holiday to him.

Since becoming queen of Apfel, Alita moved most of the people and animals into the downstairs portion of the castle during the winter months to help prevent so many deaths each winter. With how small the town had become under Queen Roese’s rein they could comfortably fit the town in the castle for the first three years, however, very similarly to Adam’s growing family, the numbers of citizens in the town also grew. Judging from how many fit into the dining hall now, Adam accessed they had at least two more years where they could comfortably fit the citizens of Apfel within the castle before they would need to consider changing letting the people stay within the castle to having a grand feast instead.

With aide from the Dwarves, many of the homes in Apfel were already under construction and being magically enhanced to withstand the harsh winters, however even with the number of Dwarven hands constructing sturdy houses, it still took time fortifying each and every building in the town. Thankfully the smithies and carpenters had gotten over their prejudice towards the Dwarves and worked with them in fortifying Apfel.

Since it was a day of sun most of the townspeople returned to their homes to maintain them or help in fortifying their buildings which left the castle surprisingly vacant and quiet. It was a rare morning where Adam was allowed to sleep in only to be woken when his infant son started crying. Feeling around the bed to find it vacant, Adam sat up in the bed to see the crib was brought closer to the bed and his son Alphonso was wiggling around. Rising from the bed, Adam scooped his son up into his arms, pressed a kiss to his forehead, and changed his nappy, his clothes, and gently bouncing him in his arms, made his way down to the kitchens for either his mother or a bottle to feed him.

Humming softly to potentially lull his son back to sleep, Adam couldn’t help but feel pride and joy for having a son after three daughters. Each of his children were special in their own ways and little blessings that neither he nor Alita anticipated having. Between his own potency his entire life and the multiple poisoning incidents Alita suffered as a child, they knew better than to anticipate children and were looking into adoption. However, it was quite the surprise when several months after their marriage did they discover the Dwarves’ magic that had healed her womb while she recovered from the poisoned apple. With a castle full of their own offspring, Alita made sure the orphanage was well maintained and that even if none of the children were adopted, they had some sort of bright future to look forward to.

Adam couldn’t be prouder and as he descended the stairs leading into the kitchens, he heard the bells of his daughters’ laughter and his wife’s beautiful singing. Standing in the doorway of the castle kitchen, Adam gently bounced his sleeping son in his arms and watched his beloved wife teaching their darling daughters how to make, bake, and decorate her much desired Christmas cookies.

Outside snow fell from the sky in gentle puffs from the sky like the powder sugar his eldest daughter Adabelle dusted with careful precision onto the ginger cookies still cooling on the rack. Sweet Alicia was determined get make more star sugar cookies this year, though she kept getting frustrated that the cookie cutter wasn’t releasing the cookie as cleanly as her mothers. Each time her cookie didn’t come out of the cutter, her cheeks would puff up in frustration and she very impatiently beat the cutter against the counter until it released its hold.

“Easy, Alicia.” Alita cooed gently as she readjusted their youngest daughter Amelia to her other hip. “The dough doesn’t like to be roughed up so, just a gentle push will work.”

She proceeded to demonstrate by poking the dough that was stuck in her own cutter with her finger and it plopped out easily. Alicia’s sapphire blue eyes widened, and her little mouth fell open as she tried to do the same and only poking a hole through the batter instead. Her mouth screwed up into a pout at the hole she’d made, her tail wrapped tightly around her ankle and frustrated crocodile tears welled in her eyes. Pulling hard on his heart strings, Adam gently bounced his sleeping son in his arms and came up behind her.

“Alicia, sweetheart, it’s okay.” he pressed a quick kiss to her hair, and she turned those big watery blue eyes on him. “We can roll this into the rest of the dough and try again, see?”

Taking the chance to divert her attention, Alita quickly added the hole-y star back to the dough and pulled out a fresh wad for her to cut from. With a sniffle she rubbed at her eye and with a determined nod, picked up her star cookie cutter and tried again. Her little tongue poked out to the side as she focused all her attention into carefully pressing the cutter into the dough. When she lifted the cutter this time, the dough didn’t stubbornly sticky to the cutter and came free. She giggled like a fairy, dancing on her tippy toes as she pointed happily to the star.

“Papa, look, papa look!” She tugged on his sleeve, her eyes glowing with pride, and a toothy grin. “I did it!”

“Yes, you did, sweetheart.” He smiled in raptured joy at her accomplishment and gently patted Alphonso’s bottom as he readjusted the six-month-old on his shoulder. Alphonso’s tiny tail gripped his wrist in the vice grip in which only infants could achieve and snuggled into his chest with a tiny sigh. Stealing a glance at his wife, covered in sugar, flour, and icing, he smiled at how beautiful she was.

“Looks like you all have been busy this morning.” He noted as he bent down to give her a kiss on the cheek. She hummed happily at the kiss and quickly pecked on his cheek then pressed a softer one to Alphonso’s head.

“The girls really wanted to make cookies today.” She sighed contently and rested her head on his shoulder. “We’ve been at it all morning. Tried to enjoy the kitchen while we can before the other ladies get back.”

With the towns people residing in the castle, it meant there were more hens than roosters in the kitchen and worked in an organized chaos to keep the queen and princesses out of the kitchen despite their wishes to help. Alita either had to get up early or wait until late in the evening to step foot in her own kitchen.

“So I see.” He chuckled and gently tucked a stray curl behind her ear. “You should’ve woken me up. I would have loved to help.”

“You just looked so peaceful.” Her hand reached up and caressed his cheek, “You’ve had a trying week with all the other men trying to beat the snow, letting you sleep in is the least I could do.” She swiped her thumb under his eye, and he had to fight the urge not to sweep her in his arms and kiss her like she deserved. “How’s he doing?” She hummed and looked at their son.

“Changed and warm.” He hummed and grazed his hand over his feather like hair. “Has a vice grip this one.”

“They all do.” Her dimples pricked her cheeks as she smiled up at him and ran a finger over their son’s tail. “I’m sure I’ll need to feed him here soon. I’m sure he’s hungry.”

At the mention of food Alphonso squirmed and started to fuss and pushed up on his father’s shoulder to look around. Unsteadily wobbling on his arms, his tail tightened around Adam’s wrist as Alphonso blinked slowly until his eyes focused on his mother and he fussed some more.

“There he is.” Alita tickled the space between his neck and shoulder. “I better feed him, or he’ll get even fussier.”

“Trade with me.” Adam pressed a small kiss to his son’s head before he reached for Amelia as he handed Alphonso off to Alita. The infant grunted impatiently, his tail locking securely around his mother’s wrist, and smacked at her chest.

“Very hungry indeed.” Alita giggled to herself and beamed up at Adam. “I’ll be back. Keep the castle from burning down.”

Cooing to the infant Alita left the kitchen with a hum and all of his daughters turned and looked to Adam. “All right my darlings, what are we making this year?”

He placed Amelia atop his shoulders and used his tail to keep her securely in place and her own tail wrapped around his own.

“We’ve already made the gingerbread cookies.” Adabelle announced proudly, gesturing to the cookies she dusted with powder sugar.

“Very good, my Adabelle,” he nodded approvingly at her. “What else do we have here”

“Tar!” Amelia announced as she grabbed fistfuls of his hair.

“ST-ars, Melia.” Alicia enunciated to her toddler sister. “Sugar cookie ST-ars.”

“Thank you, my Alicia. Sugar cookie stars.” Adam nodded approvingly and walked closer to the counter where the cookie cutters and dough was rolled out. “Have we baked any of these yet?”

“No.” Adabelle responded promptly with a shake of her head. “Mama said its better to cut out all the stars first before we bake them.”

Adam rolled up his sleeves and looked at the rolled-out dough before him. “Well then, let’s do as our queen commands and do that.”

With squeals, giggles, and happy tails wagging, Adam and his daughters cut out as many stars as they could, rolling up the remnant dough to cut many more before Adam handed Amelia off to Adabelle so he could pop the cookie sheets in the oven. Once the cookies were in the oven, he dusted his hands off and caught all three of his daughters with their fingers in the raw cookie dough and eating it. While he doubted it was good for them, he allotted them each a mouthful so long as they all promised not to let their mother know or else, they would all get in trouble.

With cheeky grins on their faces, they all pinky promised, and helped him clean the countertops so they could decorate the ST-ar cookies. The sound of his daughters’ laughter made his heart fill with warmth and his soul lighter as they messily decorated the cookies together. Adabelle did her best to make them as perfect as she could, though according to her they weren’t as pretty as mamas. Adam reassured her that they were all perfectly wonderful and would still taste just as good and letting her eat a cookie helped lift her spirits.

“Pap pap,” little Amelia called out over his shoulder. “Tar!”

She pointed her chubby fingers at the many sugar cookie stars laid out on the table, obviously wanting more despite the smothered remnants of a cookie plastered to the rim of her mouth. She was an unabashedly adorable toddler in Adam’s eyes

“Yes, baby, s-tar.” He captured her little hand in his larger one and pressed a soft kiss to it. “Was it a yummy star?”

“Yesssssss!”

Her black eyes widened with the hopes that he would procure another cookie for her, but he quickly dashed that hope as he used a clean linen towel to wipe her face. Disgruntled by the offending cloth, her little face screwed up into a scowl. Adam had to turn his face away so he wouldn’t laugh at her disgruntlement.

“Don’t be that way, my Amelia.” He chuckled, “Mama doesn’t like for her princesses to have sticky faces.”

Her little scowling pout didn’t last for long as Adam tickled her and forced her into a fit of giggles. Amelia’s tail flailed about wildly as she laughed and nearly knocked a sheet of cookies off the counter. With his tail, Adam caught it before it could clatter and only lost one star. However, that was all it took for the girls all gasped and poor Amelia’s lower lip poked out as she began to cry.

“It’s okay, my Amelia, it’s okay.” He hugged her and tried to shush her cries, “It was an accident.”

Adabelle was quick to snatch up the cookie off the floor while Alicia tugged on his pocket.

“Papa, I’m ready for nap nap.”

Alicia rubbed tiredly at her eyes and Adam stole a glance at the clock to see that it was well past her nap time. Knowing Alita, she more than likely got the girls up first thing this morning so they could bake cookies, however standing around the kitchen for five hours was a long time for little girls who didn’t get up until eight. He frowned slightly as he realized nearly two hours had passed since Alita left and hadn’t returned to the kitchen.

“Is that so?” He huffed as he scooped her up in his arm. “Then let’s go lay down for a nap nap.”

She rested her head against his shoulder, and he pressed a kiss to her forehead. Glancing over his shoulder he caught Adabelle trying to hide her yawn.

“Does my Adabelle need a nap nap too?” She frowned peevishly, her shoulders hunching and her tail wrapping around her ankle as she nodded. “Come here then, you’re not so big that papa can’t carry you.”

Her face lit up with a smile and dimples that he wanted to tuck away in his pocket and kneeling down and adjusting the girls so that Amelia was on his shoulders, he wrapped Adabelle in his arms.

“There, now I have all my darlings.” He rose to his knees with only a small grunt thanks to their added weight and made his way upstairs. “Let’s go have a nap nap.”

After putting his daughters down for a nap nap, making sure they were tucked in with a kiss, Adam sought out his wife. He didn’t have to go far and upon walking into the nursery found Alita asleep and slumped in the rocking chair with Alphonso asleep atop her bosom. It appears that his true darling was just as tired as their darling daughters. 

Treading carefully into the room, he stood before her. Her brow was smooth, no sign of tension or daily duties haunting her dreams, and her red lips were slightly parted as she softly snored. Adam couldn’t help but smile and wished he had one of the more modern contraptions of Pluvia to capture this moment in time for him to look back on. Alphonso was a particularly rough pregnancy this time around and despite her best efforts, smiles, and claiming she was fine, she was exhausted and stressed from being both the queen and mother. He did his best to take as much weight off her shoulders as he could, whether it be sitting in meetings or taking care of their children, but she was determined to do so much of it herself and refused to not participate in her children’s lives.

His little wife was determined to do it all and Adam was there for her to rely on him when she needed it. He wished they could find an advisor that could watch over the kingdom for a short few weeks so he could take his family away to the cabin in the Forbidden Forest for Alita to have proper rest and relaxation, but they needed to wait at least one more year for Alphonso to be a bit bigger before they could.

Gingerly reaching for his infant son, Adam tactfully used his tail to keep her head from rolling too far so she could sleep a little longer. Alphonso’s tail untangled itself from his mother’s wrist easily and dangled freely as he slept in his milk drunk state. Moving quietly to the crib, he tucked the stuffed black bear toy the Dwarves made beside him into the crib for him to latch onto as he slept. When he was tucked in tightly, Adam turned and found Alita smiling up at him.

“What are you doing awake?” He whispered as he kneeled beside the rocking chair.

“I didn’t mean to fall asleep.” She whispered over a yawn and blinked heavily at him.

“You’ve been working hard.” He wrapped her hand in his and pressed kisses to each of her knuckles. “You deserve your rest.”

“What about the cookies?”

“The darlings and I handled it.” He reassured and traced his finger along her hairline, gently tucking a lose strand back into place. “They’re all down for a nap nap now.”

“Did they have fun?” Her forehead wrinkled with worry, and he quickly kissed it away.

“Of course, they did.” He smiled down at her and felt his heart swell as the dimples appeared. “How could they not when they have a mother like you?”

“Thank you for taking over the cookies for me.” Her hand reached up and caressed his cheek, and he quickly captured it there to kiss her palm.

“I merely like lightening my queen’s load.” He smiled and pressed another kiss to her palm.

“You’re an amazing father.”

“Only because you’re an amazing wife and mother.” He pressed a kiss to her cheek and rested his forehead to her forehead. “Now tell me, would you like to continue your nap nap here, or shall I carry you to our bedroom where we can nap together.”

“Ooooh, I do quite like that idea.” Her eyes crinkled at the corners as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

“Excellent, because I do too.”

She giggled softly as he slid one hand under her knees and the other behind her back, his tail curling around her ankle. Resting her head against his shoulder she let out a small yawn and pressed a kiss to his shoulder.

“I love you, Adam. Merry Christmas.”

“And I love you, my darling.” He pressed a soft kiss to her lips and relished in her softness. “Merry Christmas.”

As he carried his beloved to their bedroom and laid them down to rest, Adam couldn’t help but feel thankful that Mr. V discovered his existence. Had he not given him a chance to write his own story he would have remained rotting away in that soggy dungeon. He had a wife and four beautiful children he adored with all his heart and hadn’t known a moment of heartache since.

As he settled into the bed and pulled Alita closer so that he could hold her in his arms, he hoped that Mr. V was doing well and that all the others he pulled from the darkness would have their own lives and holidays to enjoy.