Fire in the candle ring, water from the thaw...

[llewych_will]

"Just a bit further. That's it--now we swing it to the right..." Will shuffles backwards, guiding the top half of the small tree they'd cut as Bran carries the bottom half, and the 'X' of boards nailed to the bottom

Comments

[branbach]

"It's going to need water," Bran says, standing back to look up and down at the tree admiringly. "I think we did a right good job though, don't you?"

[llewych_will]

"Yeah, I'm not quite sure how to work that bit," Will admits with a shrug. Maybe the tree will just have to get dry. "It's lovely, though. Just the right size, you were right. The other one would've been too tall." He grins and goes to pick up a couple of the makeshift ornaments, wanting to get it decorated.

[branbach]

"Of course I was right," says Bran cheerfully, "we've been over this. I usually am. Though I think you may be right about the water, but I will keep a lookout for a pot or something, in the meantime."

He picks up an ornament off the bed, a bell made of a pair of coins fastened together. "You ought to sing a carol or something, really, Will."

[llewych_will]

Smiling at the suggestion, Will nods. "All right." He takes a deep breath and starts singing, hanging the ornaments in his hands and going back for more.

"O holy night, the stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of our dear saviour's birth."

He moves back to the tree, still singing as he hangs more ornaments.

"Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till he appearred and..."

His voice trails off as he sees an ornament he knows neither he nor Bran had put there.

"......Oh." It's a weak, breathless sound, as the ribbon accented pine cone in his hand drops to the floor.

The Sign of Water is on the tree.