The Nutcracker Promise

Nutcracker

      Plates stacked high with creamy potatoes and soft salted gravy. The crisp turkey glistened as a side of almond pudding, following over this thick layer of cranberry.
Clara licked her lips, watching from under the table as the distinguished guests addressed their starvation. She gripped Pavlova, her kitten, close to her chest, watching their feet come and pass.
Mrs. Stahlbaum had told her daughter that she had to wait until the guest had food before she could serve herself. The young girl thought it was a dumb concept; they invited them.
Clara was planning on waiting under the table to be ahead of Fritz in the long, awaiting line.
She enjoys her 'friendly' competition with her brother. And besides, she's on a winning streak today after winning him to the front door earlier.
However, after about twenty minutes or so of waiting, Clara found that it wasn't worth it. She was starving, and the longer she sat there waiting would mean an increase in her hunger.
Clara made her way out from under the table, peeking below the simple, designed cloth with eyes instantly being confronted by the disapproving glare of her sister, Louise.
Who was flirting with her suitor, Eric.
Louise hopes that Eric will ask her to marry him tonight, though they are all unsure.
Clara stuck her tongue out at Louise, and she responded in the same manner before she turned back with a bright smile at Eric like nothing had happened.
Clara stood, Pavlova still in arms, making a hasty approach from the disgusting display as they giggled uncontrollably in held hands, glaring at her eldest sister.
However, as Clara made her way out of the dining room, she was stopped by Mrs. Shaffer, her aunt. She was a very touchy individual who would wrap you up in her arms and squeeze you until the world fell motionless.
Her arms opened at the sight of her niece; Clara stopped just in time to avoid running into them. "Clara...how tall are you getting, shooting up like a string bean?"
Clara backed away softly, as her arms remained outstretched, "Thank you, Mrs. Shaffer."
"Do you want candy, dear?" She held up the bowel, waiting for her to take one.
Clara, as much anyone knew, they were hard enough to chip a tooth.
Luckily, Mrs. Shaffer quickly got distracted as her father began to exclaim their Christmas tree was magnificent and the best they'd ever had. Giving Clara enough time to slip away into the Parlor room.
Pavlova escaped from her arms, prancing towards a cannonball that Fritz had fired earlier with the toy cannon he had received with a box of wooden soldiers.
Clara sat on one of the armchairs, hand on her chin and her elbow at her knee. Watching the couples dance away to the music. In annoyance, she glanced at her sister, laughing in Eric's arms.
She mocked Louise as she exclaimed happily, "Oh, Eric!" She turned to Clara, annoyed, but as she looked toward her, she only whistled, looking in the opposite direction.
Seeing that Clara's attention had faded, she returned to her lover. A simple song sprang from the small orchestra, which led to the young man reaching for her sister's waist and with her gentle fingers molding to the side of his sleeve with her other finding his gentle hand softly enclosing over hers, causing them to drift into this dream-like fantasy that only they could see.
"Oh, Eric, you're so distinguished."
"And you, my lovely Louise...are beautiful."
Clara would never tell anyone this, but she secretly wished to dance with a handsome young man like Eric. She sighed, closing her eyes...she could see him so clearly.
He teased her with a smile as his hair fell gently over his eyes. Clara brushed the strand back with her fingers, and he smiled again before leading her away into a soft melody. As they swayed to the rhythm, their eyes locked in an intimate gaze, and she felt lost in the moment. He held her close, and Clara could feel his breath on her cheek. His eyes never left hers, and forgot about everything else. The world around them faded, and all that mattered was their shared instants. Clara would give anything to experience that simple moment, to feel the warmth of another's embrace. It was a moment she would always cherish, a memory.
The wind blew an abrupt whistle through Clara's daydream, sending eyes turning toward the sudden open doors. There stood Uncle Drosselmeyer amid smoke, his cloak covering a piece of bulky machinery.
He was a strange sight with his bald head covered by a glass wig that glistened under the light, and an eye patch concealed his left eye, making her wonder whether he had lost it to an injury or was wearing it purely for fashion. His clothing was equally intriguing; he wore a long black tunic that flowed down to his feet and swished up into a flowing cape behind him. The top hat he donned added to the mystery and curiosity surrounding him.
He revealed the hidden contraption from within his cape, causing surprise and awe-struck expressions.
A golden castle, no taller than a young 5-year-old boy, stood before the guests. Twinkled with florescent swans gracefully touching the bubbling stream surrounded as their wings in crystal and honey, twirled and soared around it, catching the light and reflecting it in a myriad of colors, causing a breathtaking sight that evoked a sense of wonder and awe.
Clara stood up from her seat, wanting to see more as she made her way to the front of the crowd.
Pure white lilies Among the castles fold, their petals gleaming in the candlelight as if calling out to the passersby to admire their beauty. The castle walls were fortified with solid and sturdy stones, and soldiers could be seen marching to and fro, their armor glinting. The vibrant sounds of music and laughter could be heard as you peered inside the elegant fortress. The castle's ballroom was filled with people dressed in their finest attire, dancing together in perfect harmony. In the center of the room, a young man and a young lady twirled gracefully, their eyes locked in a loving gaze as they moved to the rhythm of the music. It was a beautiful sight, a perfect moment frozen in time amidst the castle's grandeur.
"Dross, old boy, you have surpassed your skills this year!" Clara's father exclaimed excitedly, with Clara's mother adding, "Such fine detail."
"This pleasure...is all mine." Looking at Clara from the corner of his eye, he saw her amazed expression.
"So, the soldiers can't come out and fire their guns?" Fritz exclaimed as he observed the steady rhythm of soldiers repeating their same assignments.
"Yes, it's impossible for them to do such a thing because that's not how they are designed to function." He said smoothly and slightly annoyed.
"That's lame...I can make my soldiers do anything I want." With that, Fritz walked away.
Drosselmeyer nodded disappointedly to himself, wheeling his contraption to a nearby table as the amazed glances were turned from the moment of enjoyment.
"Toys like these are wasted on the children of today...no respect for the laws of mechanics." He muttered, not wanting to ruin his welcome.
After his display, Clara returned to her chair, sitting there saddened, continuing to watch the flow of the dance. Drosselmeyer, seeing this, made his way to her.
Kneeling beside her, he asked in a gentle tone, touching the girl's arm lightly, "What's wrong, Clara?"
"Oh, it's nothing, Uncle. I'm just feeling a bit bored," she said, looking back at the couples swirling to the music.
Drosselmeyer's mechanical cogwheels began to turn as he beheld this movement with her. He gave a mischievous smile as his thoughts connected this scenario. His eyes shifted up at her, smirking lightly,
"You know, Clara. I did bring you something."
"You did!" She exclaimed excitedly, forgetting for an instant about the dance.
"Though...you'll have to find it for yourself." He touched her nose softly, making her laugh as she remembered when he used to do that same action before her mother scolded him, telling him it was too childish of an activity for a young woman to participate in.
Drosselmeyer went to walk away, "...but how will I know what it is?" She asked, and he smiled at her sentence.
"Trust me...you'll know." He walked away, going to converse with a few old friends of his from when he used to be a councilman. Before he retired, he took on the role of a local toy maker and mechanic.
Clara curiously began walking around, looking for her gift. Knowing Drosselmeyer, it would be something out of the usual. As she passed the Christmas tree, she swore she could feel a soft pair of eyes following her.
Clara turned, not seeing anyone, before looking down at the ground. A beautifully painted soldier in red and gold? His blue eyes gleamed into hers with such compassion? His dark hair fell back, tightening itself into a smooth red ribbon, slowing the rest of his hair down in a cascade.
His strange jaw turned to her in a soft, small smile as though he were acknowledging her in this mass of many.
As Clara's gaze fixed on him, she felt entranced by his presence. She couldn't help but look closer, picking him up out of curiosity and bringing him to eye level. As her fingers delicately traced the contours of his face, she couldn't help but notice the subtle curvature of his jaw, marveling at the intricate detail.
She looked back at Drosselmeyer, sitting in an armchair by the fireplace, watching her, full of interest.
She put the soldier in the crook of her arm and began walking towards him, "Uncle, you brought him, didn't you."
He nodded softly before speaking, "So...do you like him?" She looked down at him with a smile coming once more to her lips.
I've never seen a toy soldier with such a prominent jaw."
He smiled, completely understanding her confusion, "He is a rare type of soldier...a Nutcracker as what it is called. They are best known for protecting homes from...evil misfortunes." He briefly thought about his last line before gently taking the Nutcracker from Clara.
"Here, let me show you how he functions." He placed a walnut between his jaw before moving his hand to his back, pressing firmly on the small lever, and splitting the walnut into one crunch.
"Wow!" She said, her expression changing from amazement to sadness. "This Nutcracker... it reminds me of the story you told me long ago about your nephew, Hans?"
He smiled, "Clever, Clara." He patted her on the head, though as he was distracted, Fritz took the toy from his hand, grabbing a 'walnut' from the candy bowl.
Plunging it into his mouth, "Fritz! Wait, that's not a-!" The Nutcracker's two front teeth fell to the floor, with one of Mrs. Shaffer's candies following.
"Fritz!" Clara and Drosselmeyer both exclaimed.
"What? I just wanted a turn?"
Clara snatched the Nutcracker from his hands, raising her fingers to investigate the damage, " Why do you always have to break everything?!"
"Who cares? He's an ugly piece of wood; now he looks the part both inside and out." Clara pushed her brother to the ground. Sending all the grown-ups and her sister looking her way.
"You're wrong about him; you're a terrible brother for what you've done!" Fritz's expression changed from shock to sadness and then to complete hatred. He launched at her from the ground, sending the Nutcracker flying!
Drosselmeyer caught him gratefully.
Fritz began pulling at Clara's hair, with her doing the same. They wrestled back and forth, with Louise bringing her hand up to her forehead in disappointment. Eric started making a bet with Clara's father, who would win out of the two, with her father betting on Clara.
Clara's mother ripped Fritz off of Clara, "What is the meaning of this, Fritz? You know better than to pick fights with your sister."
Fritz pointed at Clara, "It was her fault. She didn't give me a turn!"
"A turn with what?"
"The wooden soldier!" Fritz pointed at Drosselmeyer, holding the doll in his hands.
She walked over to Drosselmeyer, looking down at the strange toy. She replied, "Hmm." As if she were confused and interested.
"Mama, he broke the Nutcracker's teeth and said the cruelest thing to him..." Her mother's hand found her shoulder, gripping it tightly, stopping her outburst.
She sighed, gazing between her two children, before responding, "Don't fight, please...next time I find you arguing like this, you WILL be sent to bed." She then focused on her daughter, "Clara...act like the woman you are becoming." She spoke sternly but softly as she addressed the gathered small crowd, "It was just a misunderstanding. Everything is fine. Please continue to enjoy yourselves, everyone." She nodded and used her hands to direct the crowd toward discussions, wine tasting, and other activities.
Clara rubbed her shoulder painfully, feeling the indents left in her skin from the grip she had forgotten.
Fritz gave Clara a look before walking away towards the Christmas tree to play with his soldiers. His hands clenched into fists.
Clara turned back to Drosselmeyer, who seemed generally entertained about what had happened, just on the verge of hysterical giggling. "Please don't laugh, Godfather."
I'm not laughing, but it's quite funny that you'd risk your relationship with your brother over this detail. You have to admit, Clara, he isn't that handsome.
"Why, you're just as cruel as Fritz. I think he's beautiful...I've never seen anyone with such kind eyes as his." She crossed her arms, facing away from him with a pouted expression before it softly blended into a sideways glance.
Drosselmeyer smiled at this. She is truly perfect to break the curse, my boy.
She turned back around, "Uncle? In the story you told me years ago. You said your nephew, Hans, was made a prince. But how can he be a ruler over nothing?"
"Well, he is still a prince - The Prince of the Dolls. He has been given the position for his kind heart and willingness to sacrifice his humanity for another."
He paused, allowing Clara to share her thoughts.
"Even when his sacrifice was deemed worthless by the entire Kingdom." She stared at the soldier in Drosselmeyer's arms until he offered the Nutcracker to her. She took him, feeling her tears as she held him close.
"Especially then - that's how one knows they did the right thing. When no one else sees it."
She kneeled to face her uncle, leaning on his knee while still holding her soldier, "Why would Princess Pirlipat do such a thing? Hans risked his life for her. How could she say that he's hideous and then banish him because of that...I just - - don't understand." Clara shook her head to herself before Drosslemeyer spoke again.
"Remember...Clara. He won't be like this forever. When he slays the Mouse King, declares himself as the ruler over his subjects and..." He motioned for her, knowing full well that she already knew the rest of the tale after all the times she had asked to hear it as a child.
She laid the Nutcracker on the floor. Scooping up Pavlova, lying by the fireplace, sighing, "Then he wins the hand of a fair young lady, who'll grant him her purest token."
She snuggled Pavlova close; Drosslemeyer whispered a single word under his breath, looking down at his cursed nephew, "Precisely."

To be Continued...Dec 5