The Guardian by Diana Knightley
Twenty-four - Kaitlyn
Iwas asleep on my bed when Isla came in my room, climbed up, and got her face within an inch of mine. “Mama come down.”
“For breakfast, is it time already, sweet pea? It seems like it’s still dark out.” I was being silly, the daylight shone across my comforter.
She said, “Come down.”
“Ugh,” I pulled myself up, “You’re so mean.”
She giggled.
“You’re always making me do things I don’t want to do.” I collapsed on her and gave her little tickles on her sides. She giggled maniacally.
“Mama has surprise.”
“What?” I looked at her. “What surprise? Oh! Is it my birthday?”
She nodded solemnly.
“It’s a good thing you didn’t tell me, you kept a good surprise.”
“Presents!” She squealed.
“I better get ready then!” I scrambled from the bed. “Do you want to watch me get dressed?”
She sat down, this time for only about one minute, then climbed off the bed, “Go tell dada!” She toddled out of the room.
I asked my maid, “Is there a surprise birthday party for me?”
She smiled. “I wouldna ken...”
I said, “Awesome. I really love surprises. But you would tell me, right? Is it big? Tell me, nevermind, don’t tell me, I like the excitement.” I looked at my reflection as she pulled my laces on my bodice. “Probably.”
By the time I got downstairs there was nothing, no sound from the Great Hall except a little bit of a rustle and a giggle. I opened the door, looked around... and, “Surprise!!!”
All my family and friends jumped out from corners and behind furniture and surprised the heck out of me although I had totally seen it coming.
I was served doughnuts and vanilla coffee with cream and sugar. “Where did it come from?”
Zach said, “I’ve been saving it for just this occasion.”
“You have? So you’ve been thinking about my birthday for longer than a few hours?” I grinned. “That might be the best thing ever.”
Magnus said, “We hae presents as well.”
I wiped my glaze-covered fingers off on my apron and demanded, “Bring em on!”
There were three presents.
My heart rejoiced. They were all wrapped in blue cloth and tied with yellow rope.
I unwrapped the first, a small, square box. Inside was a Celtic knot, shaped like a heart, carved of wood, with a long piece of blue ribbon tied through it.
I asked Magnus, “Did you make this?”
“I did, I carved it while I was on watch.”
“You did?” I turned it over and over, it was the size of my palms together, and intricate and glorious, it smelled like birch and wax, and had a polished sheen. “I love it so much.”
“I thought ye might hang it—”
“In our room, I know just the place.” I hugged it to my chest.
Archie said, “Open mine next!”
I wiped my misty eyes and opened the box he thrust into my hands.
I pulled away the cloth to find a rudimentary wooden box. “Archie, did you make this?”
“Aye, tis special. Da helped me.”
“It is so freaking special.” I pulled the lid open and inside was a rock, shaped like a heart.
“I found it.”
“I love this so much.”
Then I looked around the room. “Well, I don’t know if I need anything else, that is amazing.”
Isla said, “Open this one!”
I opened the last one and inside the wrapping was a piece of paper that said, “Go out to the courtyard.”
Everyone got up, bundled up in their wraps, and went out to the courtyard to find some hand tools and wood. I squinted. “What is this?”
Magnus said, “We will use clay tae make bricks, and each brick will hae a handprint in them, from all in the family and we will use them tae decorate the courtyard.”
“Holy castle-awesomesauce, that is perfect.” I beamed at the tools and supplies needed for the big coming project, and pulled my tartan around my shoulders against the cold. “Like today, right — today we’re going to make them?”
“We hae the first day with nae rain in weeks, tis cold, but aye, we will do it taeday.”
I looked around at everyone. “I declare this the best birthday I ever had.”