Gryphon Rider – A Christmas Plan
Summary: Drake and the Pack bring a little Chritmas magic to New Camelot
Archival Note from The Jewel Riders Archive: This story is presented as it was originally published on Stormy’s “Avalon” fan site in the late 1990s and early 2000s. It is presented for archival purposes and for the enjoyment of the Jewel Riders fandom. If you are the author of this story and wish to have it removed from the Jewel Riders Archive (or wish to share more!) please email us at archivist@jewelridersarchive.com. Happy Reading!
The Christmas Plan By the Gryphon Rider
“This will be the year” Drake said exuding confidence
“You said that last year” Max replied shaking his head
” And the year before that and several years before that” Josh added with a smile
“This year will be different” Drake told his fellow Wolf rider
“Does that sound familiar to you Max?” Josh laughed
“Hmmmm sounds to me like what he has been saying for years to me” Maxx pronounced with a large smile barely able to help laughing
“I’ll be the one laughing at the end of this” Drake grumbled a scowl fixing itself on his face.
“Of course you will Drake” Josh said his tone indicating otherwise.
“Well while we are waiting for your triumph…” Max said pulling out a straw
“And waiting and waiting and waiting” Josh interjected
“…We can choose who gets to be Santa for the bra…. I mean children of New Camelot”
Max turned around and cut the straw with his knife. “Okay short straw gets to do Santa duty for the whole week”
“Yeah,Yeah, Yeah.” Drake said preocupied with hanging up a sprig of mistletoe
“Why don’t you just give it up” Max said for what seemed to him the millionth time
“This time I will get a kiss from Gwenavere” Drake replied
“Look, Drake there is more to this then you getting a kiss from Gwenavere. It is like the whole universe is conspiring against you” Josh warned
“You guys are just nervous”
“What about the first year when you nearly danced her under the mistletoe then some other guy cut in and got a kiss?” Max asked with worry in his voice
“He probably saw her nearly under the mistletoe and wanted a kiss himself”
“Well what about the time where you were standing under the mistletoe waiting for Gwen and Lady Loranda walked up” Josh asked his freind
Drake visibly shivered ” Don’t remind me Gwen wouldn’t talk with me for a month”
“And if it is all coincidence then what about last year” Max asked
” Yeah it that seemed a little much for a coincidence”
“Okay someone caught Gwen’s atention when I was about to kiss her so what”
” You had your eyes closed and went over the balcony when her head moved that’s what” Max replied his face getting a little red
“Not to mention you landed on a mule that ran you through a bryar patch. That is too much for just coincidence” Josh said
“Take your straw Drake” Max said with a mischievious smile
Drake reached out blindly concentrating on the mistletoe and Max handed him the short straw. Drake looked at the straw calmly at first then did a double take. “No” he yelled
“Well this ought to keep you safe this year Drake” Josh said with a smile ” No mules for you just tons of screaming kids using you for a jungle gym.”
“But this spoils everything” Drake whined “I’ll pay you to….
“No way Drake” Josh replied shaking his head
“Yeah you lost so you got Santa duty” Max said chuckling
“Aw man this stinks” Drake said slumping down in defeat
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“You think Drake will try that plan of his again Gwen? Tamara asked as she picked out a dress
“He’s been trying for years now I don’t think he’ll give up now” Gwenavere replied with a slight smile
“Don’t you think Drake would get the message after that mule ride?” Fallon asked leaning up against the wall
” Fallon, this is Drake we are talking about here. Him quit?”
“You’re right Gwenavere. but why do you do all these things to Drake anyway?”
“Actually I never did a thing. It just kinda came together”
“Drake must have really lousy luck” Tamara said with a giggle
“Yeah, and it keeps getting worse each year that he tries to steal a kiss” Gwen agreed”
“I wonder what is gonna happen to him this year?” Fallon thought aloud
“I don’t know… I guess I’ll fallow him around and see what he’s up to this year…just to make sure that he doesn’t get himself killed” Gwen said smiling ruefully.
“I’ll ask Josh and Max if they know his plan this year.” Tamara suggested
“I’ll go with you” Fallon suggested “Besides Max owes me money for the last race Moondance and me won”
———————————
Max grumbled as he handed Fallon some gold coins
“So what is Drake up to this year” Gwen asked the Wolf Riders
“Absolutly nothing” Josh replied with a big smile
“Very funny Josh we know that Drake has a plan every year so what is it” Gwen said impatiently
“Nothing seriously. He is Santa this year. Max and me were worried about his safty so we made sure that he would be Santa all week”
“The fact that all of you hate being Santa didn’t enter into it at all did it?” Fallon asked looking at Josh skeptically
“Well that is an added plus” Max said with a smile
” I see…” Gwen said smiling ” Well I think I’ll watch Drake anyway. He has a way of getting out of things”
———————————–
“Ho ho ho merry Christmas little boy” Drake said acting happy ” What do you want for Christmas”
“I want a horse, an enchanted jewel, candy, absolutly no clothes and this” with that the little boy honked Drake’s nose and got off. Then he kicked Drake in the shin
“Ow” Drake yelled ” Why you little…… nice boy Santa will see what he can do.” I hate this job” Drake thought
Drake saw that the next kid in line was a little girl. She had blond hair and a blue dress on. In her left hand she had a doll that looked much the same
“Probably wants another doll or a doll house” Drake muttered to himself
The girl shyly slid up onto Drakes lap and looked into his eyes with a sorta hope in them
“What do you want little girl” Drake asked trying to keep the cinasism out of his voicek
“Please Santa. I don’t want anything for me this christmas but I want to ask something for my brother” The little girl asked quietly
“You want nothing for yourself?” Drake asked stunned
“No, just my brother” she replied strongly
“Um well….what do you want for him” Drake asked still taken aback by this little girl
“My brother always wanted to be a member of the Pack. He always dreamed of it even though he can’t walk. I was just hoping that he could meet one of the Pack and possibly ride one of the wolves it would meen so much to him” she said tears welling up in her eyes
“Santa will do whatever he can little girl” Drake said tenderly “I promise”
———————————
Drake ran up to Josh and Max
“Guys I need a favor take over the Santa thing for me for today” Drake said to his friends
“No way man” Josh replied
“Yeah you lost. besides we aren’t going to go through all those kids for you to get some dumb plan to get a kiss” Max added
“Who cares about some stupid kiss. I have something important to do” Drake replied
“Whoa Drake buddy you feeling okay?” Josh
“Yeah Josh. For the first time in a long while I am really feeling right” Drake said with purpose in his voice “I need you to do this. if you do I’ll take it for the next three years”
“THE NEXT THREE YEARS?” Josh and Max exclaimed together confused
“Yes now will you” Drake asked impatiently
“Sure and don’t worry about that three year thing this must be important to you” Max
“Yeah man go for it” Josh agreed
—————————–
“Alright Thunderbolt you know what to do right?” Drake asked his friend
“Of cource” the wolf replied
“Okay then let’s go” Drake replied
Drake walked up and knocked on the door and the little girl answered
“Hullo?” she said
“Hi my name is Drake. I’m the leader of the Wolf Riders of Avalon. I believe you asked Santa to have me come here” Drake said trying not to blow it with a laugh
“You’re a member of the Pack?” she asked in awe
“Yup good thing you asked Santa that guy and me are like this. Drake said as his fingers crossed together
“Wow!” She exclaimed
“So where is this brother of yours?” Drake asked with a considerate smile
“I’ll go get him” She said smiling and ran back into the house
Slowly Drake heard a sorta clunk sound. and after a while saw a boy leaning on a crutch as he came to see Drake. His eyes afire with bravery and hope
” Are you really Drake the leader of the Pack?” He said hope etched on his face.
“Yup, and I have some one to meet you, Hey Thunderbolt come here”
Out of the forest Thunderbolt walked slowly. He came beside the boy and lowered himself down.
“I think he wants you to ride him I’ll help you on” Drake said
Drake helped the kid on then watched the child ride Thunderbolt . As he saw the kids smiling face a warm feeling came over him. He just felt so great
—————————
Drake came back to the palace exausted but happier then he had been in a long time. He walked over to a place near the ball room where he could hear the party but wouldn’t be invited in quite yet
“Hey wolf rider where you been” said Gwen interupting his thoughts
“Fufilling a Christmas wish” Drake said with a smile
“You?”
“Yes me”
Suddenly Gwen got a coy smile and gave him a kiss
“What was that for?” Drake asked totally confused
Gwen replied by pointing up to a sprig of mistletoe
People say this time is magic. there’s enchantment everywhere
I say that magic is something simple. it’s taking time to care
So as I grow low on ink and I grow low on light
Merry Christmas to all. And to all a good night
