Hot Chocolate

And heartbroken they fall to the ground, sobbing in agony at the loss of their love-and perhaps also the messenger, the noble soldier.

And they turn from the hill and silently trod on the blankets of snow, shivering from the cold and desperately wanting the relief of a hot, non-caffeinated, beverage.

There was an untimely blizzard in the fall of that year. The winds howled and the snow blew the multicolored leaves to the north. The earth was barren and white, and the people bitter with cold.

And the soldier stayed locked up in his castle, laughing at the peasants below, shuddering in the snow. The smoke from the chimneys blew in the wind and climbed to his tower window. Little did he know, two fair ladies called for help. He could not hear them over his own greed and slurping of the lovely drink.

And a peasant nearby peeped out his window at the moon reflecting on the ice crystals. His work was done and he smiled at the dancing snow before it melted on his outstretched hand. He yawned, glancing once more at the night sky, then retired to his warm bed which protected him from that frigid air.

And that soldier stares out his window, desirous to have more. He only wanted that which he could not have-the kingdom. He was more than a peasant, but only in status, not in happiness or joy.

And the fair ladies reached the crest of the hill and looked upon that dark, stone castle. They trembled in the wind and dared not move for fear of the madman within. But the very peasant, the one who so loved the twinkling of the moon, saw them in their plight. He could not sleep after all. He called out to them in the silent night and invited them to his small cottage by the hill.

And so they wandered to his front porch and he gave them woolen blankets and they sat and wondered at the beauty of the moon reflecting off that dark and solemn castle.

The soldier was bewildered at the people in the snow. He waved his white handkerchief to perhaps call them to attention, but the night wind took it southward and a lovely lady caught it. She looked upon this fabric and she smiled at the moon, for she knew it had been a gift from the sky.

**This small story resulted from a facebook conversation among friends. I interpreted their conversation about the consumption of hot chocolate, and someone's greed (Matthew), and turned it into a lovely tale of princesses (Erin and Me), and a friendly peasant (Ben).