A Moonhigh Christmas Carol by Bethan Rees (read dune .txt) 📕

If you've read the first Moonhigh Saga book Strike

before, you will know some of the characters, but there are some new faces in this Christmas special, and some people who don't know Moonhigh Saga at all!
For your sake, I have created a zone for introducing characters.
Some of the profiles will be added to my blog for Moonhigh Saga later.

Wayfarer
Age: 38 (and a half)
Gender: Female
Mother: Elisabelle (died many years ago)
Father: Garin (went to battle and never came back)
Mentor: When she was in training, she had her own mother Elisabelle.
Battles Won: Many
Friends: Too many to count

Archer
Age: 15
Gender: Female
Mother: none - Archer is an orphan and she lives on her own anyway.
Father: none
Mentor: When Archer was in training, her mentor was Wayfarer.
Battles Won: 1, currently.
Friends: Wayfarer, Violet, Princess Sky and Scarlett.

Violet
Age: 13
Gender: Female
Mother: Mayalia
Father: Woodlie
Mentor: Violet's had 2: Wayfarer and Scarlett.
Battles Won: 1, currently.
Friends: Wayfarer, Archer, Princess Sky and Scarlett.

Rosaline
Age: 45
Gender: Female
Mother: Selise (Turned to the Dark)
Father: O'Hara (Killed in battle)
Mentor: When she was in training, her mentor was her own father O'Hara
Battles Won: 5
Friends: None, but will do by the end.

Allia
Age: 12
Gender: Female
Mother: Kellia
Father: Timo (Murdered)
Mentor: Scarlett
Battles Won: 0
Friends: Violet and Solar (sister)

Solar
Age: 13
Gender: Female
Mother: Kellia
Father: Timo
Mentor: Scarlett
Battles Won: 0
Friends: Violet and Allia (sister)


These are some of the main speaking characters.

Rosaline flicked the page of City of Light: A Brief History

. She was on the last page at last. Putting the book away, she grabbed her coat and went home. A day of countless presents was coming for everybody but her. A day when everybody stood under the mistletoe with their lovers was coming for everybody but her.
'Merry Christmas, Rosaline!' The librarian, Alice called to Rosaline as she walked out.
'Oh, really? Why is everyone just so jolly, just because it's the bloomin' 25th December?' Rosaline cried back.

As Rosaline walked through the street, Wayfarer was fluttering up to place the star on top of the City of Light's Christmas tree. Violet was cheering, Archer was smiling, and passer-by were gazing in awe. Rosaline, feeling a bit evil, fluttered up to Wayfarer and shoved her. Wayfarer fell to the ground, but Archer and Violet caught her. Unfortunately, the star wasn't so lucky. It fell and smashed into pieces.
'Are you okay, Wayfarer?' Violet asked.
'Yes, thank you Violet.' Wayfarer replied, growling. She walked over to Rosaline.
'You cruel, wicked being! You don't know how many hours our meatalworkers and I spent making this star and making it glow once it is placed on the tree!' Wayfarer shouted. The crowd shouted in protest at Rosaline, agreeing with Wayfarer.
'Well, Merry Christmas.' Rosaline sniggered and barged through the crowd.

Later, Wayfarer was chatting with Archer and Violet.
'Listen, girls, have you ever read a book called A Christmas Carol

?'
Archer and Violet nodded, while enjoying a mince pie each with a mug of hot chocolate.
'I have a plan to get Rosaline into the Christmas spirit... based on the story!'
The girls plotted their plan.

Rosaline was going to bed. Her room was dark and her curtains were drawn. She was settling down to sleep when she saw a light from the gap in the door.

Suddenly, the door banged open. The shadow of a magical being was in the doorway.
'Why, hello, Rosaline!' The shadow spoke. It was Wayfarer. She'd got into the spirit of Christmas, definately. She had a crown of (artificial) holly on her head and she was holding mistletoe.
'You know me, but tonight, I will show you something you don't know about me. My Christmas past, as well as yours.'
Rosaline looked confused. She didn't have any Christmas past, as far as she knew.
'Come with me.' Wayfarer whispered.
Rosaline did as she said.

Emerging from a glowing tunnel, Wayfarer pointed out the City of Light. It was snowing hard, and children were running around.
'These are shadows of the things that have passed.' Wayfarer told Rosaline. 'They cannot see us or hear us. We are invisible.'
'Cool!' Rosaline cried, but when she looked down at herself, she was disappointed. 'Aw, I can see myself!' she moaned.
'No, we can see each other, but THEY can't.' Wayfarer explained. She started fluttering towards the City of Light, and signaled Rosaline to follow. She did.

Wayfarer led Rosaline into the hospital zone. Young Wayfarer sat with her mother, who was close to death. Nurses came and passed the bed. It was calm, until the heart monitor started beeping.
'Mama?' Young Wayfarer asked.
Elisabelle stirred. She turned to face Young Wayfarer.
'Wayfarer, my angel, my time has come. Stay strong for me. Garin - your father - didn't come home from war, but you're old enough to look after yourself, aren't you?' Young Wayfarer nodded. 'Good. Remember, I love you darling, and you know that...' Elisabelle's eyes shut and the heart monitor went to a single hum. Young Wayfarer blinked.
'Mama,' She whispered. 'Oh, Mama.' Young Wayfarer sobbed.

'I was only 17 when that happened.' Wayfarer said. She was crying, like her younger self. Rosaline was sobbing her heart out, to Wayfarer's surprise. Wayfarer led Rosaline through another glowing tunnel, to another Christmas Past.

It was a school hall with a stage. The curtains on the stage were closed.
'Oh no! Wayfarer, you idiot! Why do you have to remind me about this one?' Rosaline whacked her head. The curtains opened. It was Rosaline's primary school Christmas play.
A while into the play (and a while of Rosaline moaning), Young Rosaline walked up with Luna, the stargazer. They were innkeepers' wives, and were talking to Mary (Scarlett), when a trickle of wee went through the bottom of Young Rosaline's dress. People spotted and laughed. Young Rosaline growled at Luna, who was killing herself laughing, and knocked her to the ground. Young Rosaline attacked Luna, which made the curtains close for a quick break when the headteacher mumbled into the microphone 'Free coffee, tea and cake'. Rosaline and Wayfarer went backstage, where Young Rosaline was sent to the disgrace room and Luna was being checked by the ambulance team. Luckily, she was okay. Wayfarer tutted at Rosaline. They then went through yet another glowing passageway.

It was the Christmas Prom at the high school. Teenage Rosaline hadn't been asked to go (no surprise) and she was dancing alone, until Kay, the hottest boy in her class, asked her to dance. She said yes and they did two quick dances, a slow dance and then had some non-alcoholic punch.
'What are you doing over Christmas, then?' Teenage Rosaline asked Kay.
'The usual, I suppose,' Kay replied. 'Going down to see my Nan in the western side of town. What about you?'
'I don't know.' Teenage Rosaline replied.
'How could you not know what you're doing over Christmas?'
'I don't even celebrate Christmas. I never get any presents!' After a while of arguing, Kay got called over by a girl with brown hair and a blue dress...
Luna.
'Coming, Luna!' Kay replied. 'Merry Christmas, Rosaline.' He growled.
'Kay, wait-' But it was too late. They'd already gone to dance. And Luna was good.

'Oh, Rosaline. You lost the hottest boy in your class.' Wayfarer said to Rosaline, 'And now, my time is done. You will be greeted by Violet of Christmas Present soon, and Archer of Christnas Yet to Come soon after. Farewell.' With that, Rosaline was back in her room and Wayfarer left.

An hour later, there was a glow from the bottom of the door to the dining room.
'Rosaline! You're here!' A chirpy voice came from the room. Rosaline went in to see a major Christmas celebration, with Violet tying a bow on a present.
'Hi, Rosaline!' She cried, getting a key-shaped package and placing it in her satchel. 'Wayfarer has probably explained all this to you, but you know me as Violet, and I'm going to show you this Christmas!' Violet created a passageway and Rosaline and Violet went through.

After emerging from the passageway that Violet formed, Rosaline gasped. A new star (after the one she stupidly broke) was on the top of the tree, children were singing carols, wings fluttering in the wind. It was snowing hard, but magical beings from the City of Light were still brave enough to embark out into the streets. Violet didn't need to show Rosaline this, because she walked over to Wayfarer's house.

Wayfarer's house was small on the outside, but bigger indoors. Looking through the living room window, Rosaline and Violet saw that Wayfarer and Archer were talking.
'Wayfarer, are you still okay after what happened yesterday?' Archer pondered.
'My arm hurts a little, but I'm overly okay, thank you Archer.' Wayfarer replied.
Rosaline remembered what she was talking about. Vision Violet walked into the living room.
'I've made you a hot chocolate! Do you want to come through?' She asked. Violet's hot chocolates are to die for, as she adds a teaspoonful of sugar, fresh cream and a strawberry on top. The girls went through.
'Wayfarer will be spending Christmas with