A Hearth's Warming Carol

by The Blue EM2

Stave 5-The End?

Grogar fell forward through the spirit and fell clean onto his bed. His bed, and his own bedsheets too! The bed was his own, and the room was his own. Best of all, the time was his own, to make all necessary amends in!

Sliding open his window, he heard the best, most glorious peals coming from the steeple of the Royal Palace. Wondrous, golden bells and messengers of happiness! Grogar glanced down to a young colt with a white and brown coat and brown mane. "What's today?"

"Huh?" the colt replied, his voice containing hints of a Trottingham accent.

"What's today, my fine fellow?" Grogar asked again.

"Today? Why, it's Hearth's Warming Day, sir! That's what it is!"

Grogar laughed, the first time he had done so in a long time. "Hearth's Warming Day! I haven't missed it! The spirits did it all in one night!" Seeing the colt looking at him in confusion, he spoke again. "I do say, my good fellow, do you know the poulterer's down the street? The one at the intersection?"

"Why, yes!" the colt replied. "The one that serves mainly dragons."

"Have they sold the prize turkey yet? The big one?"

"The one as big as me?"

"Why yes, the very same! What a delight you are to talk to!"

"Why, it is!"

Grogar suddenly tossed a bag filled with coins in it. "Go out and buy it. Tell them to bring it here, and I shall direct them where to take it. Come back with the stallion or mare delivering it, and I shall give you fifty bits. Come back within five minutes and I shall give you one hundred!"

The colt shot away like a bullet, and Grogar retreated inside, shutting his window, and proceeding to light up every room like never before. The entire place glowed with warmth and happiness, and Grogar shovelled some more coal onto the fire. Then he turned to writing the address for the turkey. "I'll send it to Sandbar!"

The mouth with which he wrote the address was not steady, but he wrote it nontheless. Then came a knock at the door, and Grogar went to answer it. It was a turkey! There was never a chance he could have stood upon his legs, that old bird. They'd have snapped right off!

Grogar handed him the label, and paid for a cab to take him to his destination, reasoning that the fine stallion could never carry it on his own. Once that was done, he set off into the streets, and observed the happiness all around him, happiness to which, but 12 hours ago, he would scarcely have been a party to. He arrived at Discord's home, and knocked on the door on his twelth attempt. The mare who answered it looked at him apprehensively.

"Oh my!" she said, albeit not seeing any lions or tigers or bears. "You're the last creature I was expecting to see today."

"My dearest apologies for how I have spoken to and treated you," Grogar replied. "Is Discord in? I wish to speak to him, for I have many amends to make."

Quick as a flash, Discord was right beside the ram. But the dragonequus' antics never surprised him anymore, not least because he was used to them. "I daresay, Grogar. What brings you here on Hearth's Warming Day?"

"I chose to answer your invite," Grogar replied. "I have come to dinner. Will you let me in, even after all I have done?"

In that moment, the two were teleported into the sitting room, and Grogar had a cup of tea in front of him. "Of course!" Discord replied. "Shall we begin?"

Nothing could have been merrier that fine day. Nothing could be heartier. Mrs Shy, visiting for the special occasion to meet her son in law, looked just the same. So did Zephyr when he came. So did every one when they came. Wonderful party, wonderful games, wonderful unanimity, wonderful happiness!

But the moment it turned to the day after, Grogar was back in his office to catch Sandbar coming late. He arrived especially early, and sat at his desk to wait.

It struck 9. No Sandbar. A quarter past. Still no Sandbar. At last, eighteen minutes past the start of the day, Sandbar charged into the office, snow flying off his coat and mane, and he sped into his tiny office and grabbed the quill, trying to complete eighteen minutes of work in but a fraction of that time.

"Hello!" Grogar growled, or as close as he could feign his old growl. "What sort of time do you call this?"

Sandbar trembled as he entered Grogar's office. "S-sorry, sir. I-I'm rather behind my time, I suppose."

"That," Grogar replied, "was a very poor choice of words. You are very much behind your time. Step this way, please."

Sandbar continued to shake as he closed in on Grogar's desk. "I-it was only once a year, sir, and it shall never happen again!"

Grogar's eyes narrowed. "Sandbar," he snarled, his voice rising as he spoke to a thunderous crescendo, "I am not going to stand for this any longer. And therefore I am about to raise your salary!"

Sandbar, still trembling, looked up into Grogar's eyes in confusion. "What?" In the eyes of the old ram, he saw not meanness nor hatred, but compassion.

"A Happy Hearth's Warming, Sandbar," said Grogar, placing his hoof on Sandbar's shoulder. "A Happier Hearth's Warming than I have given you in many a long year. I shall raise your salary, and endeavour to support your family however they need, and we shall discuss your affairs today, at lunch in the finest cafe in town! Make up the fires, and purchase some more coal before you dot another 'i', Sandbar!"

Grogar was better than his word. He did all of this, and even more, and to tiny little Lakeheart, who did not die, he became something of a second father. He became as good a friend, as good an employer, as good a gentleram, and as good a creature in the City of Canterlot, or any other city for that matter. Some were slow to see the change in him, and laughed; but Grogar ignored them. His own heart laughed, and that was enough for him.

He never did see the spirits again, but he did live by their lessons and warnings, and none knew better than him how to keep the spirit of Hearth's Warming, if anycreature alive possessed the knowledge. And so, as little Lakeheart observed;

"Faust bless us, every one!"

Author's Note:

So, here we end, on Christmas Day, with another story over. Since my last Christmas story proved to be popular, I decided to give you all another Christmas present to enjoy.

I wish you all a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year.

Comments

[TheLegendaryBillCipher]

Merry Christmas.

[The Blue EM2]

10003312
And a Happy New Year.

[Devious Dazzle]

Awww.

So adorable.

[The Blue EM2]

10003722
Thanks.

[Godslittleprincess]

Can changelings and half-changelings even eat meat? I know they can change into carnivores, but I don't know. I'm just a little weirded out by the fact that Grogar sent meat to a pony's house.

[The Blue EM2]

10251705
I have a headcanon that ponies can consume meat (partly based on an EqG Sunset story that dealt with the same theme).