Page 43 of Winter Solstice in the Crystal Castle

Gaston’s eyes enlarged in astonishment and awe. His mouth agape, he spun his head incredulously toward his mother. “C’est vrai, Maman? I can go with Sir Lancelot? And become his squire?”

Bittersweet tears glimmered in Ghislaine’s loving, maternal eyes. “Yes, my son. It is indeed true. Sir Lancelot has chosen you. An incredible Yuletide gift, for which we are all most grateful.”

Gaston flew into his mother’s arms with a squeal of unbridled joy. “Merci, Maman!” Lifting an exuberant, jubilant face, he ran to hug Gaspard and cried, “Merci, Papa!”, before returning triumphantly to Lancelot’s side.

Tall and proud, his glossy dark hair tumbling past his broad shoulders, Lancelot smiled down at the beaming little boy. “You’ll be a page at first, until you’re fourteen, when you’ll become my squire. We’ll train together every day with King Arthur’s magnificent knights. Each summer, we’ll return to la Joyeuse Garde,andI’ll teach you to care for my horses, just like I did Sir Bastien. You might even become a Master of Horse, like him. We’ll visit your parents. And my mother, here in the Crystal Castle. And—when you’re twenty-one—you’ll become a Knight of the Round Table. Just like me.”

With his disarmingly charming boyish grin, Lancelot chortled, “Well, what say you, Gaston de Brocéliande? Do you accept my offer?”

Nodding enthusiastically and exuberantly, enormous blue eyes widened in delight, Gaston exclaimed excitedly, “Yes, my lord. I accept!”

“Excellent. Now hand me your new sword and lower yourself to one knee.” Lancelot received the wooden weapon and waited for the little boy to kneel at his feet. “Place your right fist over your heart and repeat this oath of fealty.I pledge my sword to you, my lord.”

Before Gabrielle, Bastien, King Guillemin, and a room full of Viviane’s Yuletide guests, Gaston swore a sacred oath of fealty to Lancelot as his mentor and lord.

Like in a knighting ceremony, Lancelot touched the wooden sword to Gaston’s right shoulder, then left, and proudly proclaimed, “Sir Gaston, I hereby dub thee my official page.” Helping the beaming boy to his wobbly feet, Lancelot shot a grin at Quentin and Max, who had each received new swords as Yuletide gifts. “Let’s go train with my knights, shall we?”

With whoops of glee, the trio of boys shot out the door.

“I think I’ll join you. I could use some exercise after Sophie’s sumptuous holiday fare. Care to join us, Gaspard?” Esclados rose to his feet, stretching his arms overhead.

“With pleasure,” Gaston’s father chuckled as he bestowed a farewell kiss on Ghislaine’s cheek.

Bastien gestured to the intricate sword with a dazzling emerald in the pommel that he had just given Gabrielle as a Christmas present. “Let’s ride out to the lake and train with your new blade. Like we used to, on the heathered moor near the cliff.” He kissed her hand, a fiery challenge blazing in his fierce warrior eyes.

“Yes… Let’s go!” Gabrielle jumped to her feet and turned toward Viviane and her guests. “Please excuse us. We’ll return in a couple of hours.” Strapping her new sword at her waist with a flourish, she donned her warm woolen cloak. And, hand-in-hand with her new husband, dashed off to fetch their horses.

****

Viviane stared out the window of her cozy kitchen nook, gazing pensively at the limpid lake. The salty Breton breeze rippled the shimmery surface ofle Lac de Dianeas she prepared three mugs of sweet-smelling chamomile tea.

King Guillemin had taken the tart cherry and ginger tonic and was now resting comfortably in his private chambers, following a foot massage with healing oils administered by his attentive royal chamberlain Ezhvin.

Béatrice,la Duchesse de Rohan, had retired to her own guest room for a much-needed nap.

And, just as they had done weeks ago in this same cozy nook, the trinity of mothers now sat at Viviane’s table, savoring a steaming mug of herbaltisane.

Tears of joy glimmering in her golden eyes, Laudine sighed happily. “My Yuletide wish has come true. All three of my sons are home for the holidays. And Bastien has married the woman he loves.” She sipped her herbal tea and shook her head in disbelief. “He not only secured the safety of the Breton seas by defeating Ugolin le Clou and preservingle Traîté Maritime…buthe will one day become the King of Finistère. I am so incredibly proud!” Auburn tresses highlighting her pretty face, a satisfied smile stretched from ear to ear.

“Gaston is absolutely overjoyed. It will be impossibly hard to let him go, but I couldn’t ask for a better mentor than your son Lancelot.” Ghislaine reached for Viviane’s hand across the white linen topped table. “We’ll get to see him every summer. Perhaps sometimes at Christmas, too.”Tears spilled down her rosy cheeks, but she quickly whisked them away.

“Lancelot loves Gaston like a son. It makes my heart glad to see his joy.” Viviane sipped her tea, the sweet chamomile lingering on her tongue as she smiled at her two closest friends. “This holiday season, we have all been truly blessed.” She set her cup down, taking hold of her two friends’ hands with a grateful smile. “The three of us each wished for our sons’ happiness.”

She closed her eyes in gratitude, giving them both an affectionate squeeze. “All of our Yuletide wishes have come true.”

And sipping her chamomile tea, smiling at the mistletoe and boughs of evergreen, looking forward to the twelve days of Christmas with loving family and dear friends, Viviane exclaimed, her heart overflowing with love and holiday cheer, “This has indeed been the most wondrous winter solstice the Crystal Castle has ever seen.”