"Yeah, and my Grandma got ran over by a chariot!"
"Gods Iolaus, where do you get them? That was awful, truly awful." Hercules groaned dramatically to underline just how awful the joke had been.
Iolaus rolled his eyes and sighed, "You just don't have any appreciation of art Hercules. I'll have you know that your mother thought that joke was very funny when she heard it last Winter Solstice."
"She was only being polite." Hercules paused and looked ahead towards his old home, " I can't wait to see mother again, it's been too long. We must be there in plenty of time after we were so late last year. Going 'north' delayed us, in case you'd forgotten."
"I hadn't forgotten Hercules, I'll never forget." Iolaus fell silent then as they continued to walk towards Alcmene's house. Hercules began to regret his flippant attitude towards what must be a special memory for his friend, but his regret paled as Iolaus started to sing,
"Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, The old man snoring as the flames go higher ..."
Iolaus paused and frowned, "What comes next Herc? Can you remember?"
Hercules shook his head, "I've never heard that song before Iolaus."
"Ah, I heard it when I was a kid. It always makes me think of the Winter Solstice. My mother used to decorate the house with boughs of holly. She always found the ones with the brightest red berries on them. It looked wonderful in the firelight, all the green glossy leaves and the red."
"Very nice Iolaus." Hercules paused and looked around, "Do you hear what I hear?"
Iolaus cocked his head on one side to listen, "I hear bells, just kind of jingling."
The two men looked at each other puzzled and waited as the sound grew closer. It wasn't long before a cart appeared around the bend in the road. Salmoneous was holding the reigns of the two small horses that were pulling the cart, and it was they who were making all the noise. They were covered in small silver bells and ribbons and the cart was similarly bedecked. Salmoneous shouted a greeting as he pulled the horses to a stop.
"Like my jingle bells gentlemen? I'm going to give rides to children, one dinar a go, good isn't it!"
Hercules looked up at the entrepreneur with a bemused expression on his face, "Why the red outfit, and what's all the stuff in back of the cart?"
"Oh, Oh that! I'll give the little ones a present as they leave, you know for the Solstice."
Iolaus and Hercules exchanged a grin, Salmoneous might try to look as if he were only after a quick dinar but a heart of gold beat somewhere under his red toga. The heroes would bet anything that the gifts were something special, and looking at the size and number of them he might not take a profit with this enterprise.
After chatting for a few minutes they said their goodbyes and good wishes for the solstice and were on their way. Alcmene's house was less than a day's journey away now and both men were looking forward to seeing her and eating her food.
It was several hours later and Iolaus had again fallen silent,
"A dinar for your thoughts Iolaus."
"I'm just thinking about the star Herc, and the baby and all that. You know I'd like to do something special to mark this solstice. I keep thinking it's the baby's first birthday about now. I wonder where he is and if he's safe."
They walked on for another hour and were almost at their destination when Iolaus spoke again, "Herc? You think I could write a song, a sort of solstice carol? Could I do that?"
"Of course you could Iolaus, you can do anything if you put your mind to it. Why do you want to do it?"
Iolaus shrugged, "I dunno, it's just something different I suppose. You reckon Alcmene will have any writing stuff?"
"I expect so buddy, come on I'll race you the last half mile!" Hercules sprinted off and Iolaus only took the time to roll his eyes heavenwards before he flew after him.
Alcmene had everything ready for the boys, a huge meal was already set out on the table, flowers were in the vase, and a bowl full of jelly, Iolaus' favourite, stood ready in the kitchen. She was used to Hercules and his friend making sudden entrances so she didn't jump too much when he and Iolaus bundled through the door together, panting and laughing.
Hercules gave his mother a huge hug and while they were entangled Iolaus spotted the flowers in the vase, he pulled the vase to his chest and cradled it there, putting his face deep into the flowers and inhaling, "Aww Alcmene you shouldn't have. Flowers? For me? That's so sweet. Hercules, you never give me flowers!"
Alcmene laughed and took the vase from the blond, carefully putting it back on the table, "I should hope not! And these aren't just for you Iolaus they're for both of you." She finished by kissing a suddenly bashful Iolaus on the cheek in welcome.
The next day Hercules and Iolaus were still feeling full after the welcoming meal they'd been given. Hercules wondered how his mother managed it, the solstice wasn't for another three days and she'd promised them something even better then. He was looking forward to the family celebration, Iphicles and Rena had promised that they would come which meant that his whole family would be together for the first time for the Winter Solstice.
Iolaus had disappeared down to the river with a parchment and a quill, so Hercules was having to do the chores alone. Why was it every time he visited his mother she had him building walls? And how did Iolaus manage to get out of the work so often? But Hercules didn't really mind and he was enjoying the manual labour, he didn't often get to work with his hands.
The jingling bells were his first warning of trouble, they weren't jingling merrily this time, there was something quite frantic about their sound. Alcmene heard them too and came out of the house to see who was coming.
Salmoneous was as red in the face as he was red in the toga, he reigned in his sweating horses and jumped off of the cart running up to the demigod and grasping his arm tightly.
"Hercules! You've got to help me! It's awful, just awful."
Hercules held on to the rotund entrepreneur as he panted, "What's awful Sal? What's wrong?"
"My gifts, the children. Ooh what'll I do?!"
"Salmoneous, now, take a deep breath, that's it. Now calm down, and tell me what happened." Hercules gave a despairing glance at his mother, who made clucking noises of sympathy and began leading the distraught man into the house.
"Well you see, what happened was, I was only gone for a moment. Back was turned for a second - that's all. And they were gone, all gone! What'll I do? The poor children!"
Hercules sighed, he wasn't going to get a straight answer out of Salmoneous for a while, but it sounded as if someone had stolen the presents he'd bought for the children. Hercules was not about to stand for that, and he knew that Iolaus would be with him when he heard the news.
It took a long time for the powers of Alcmene to calm Salmoneous and for the whole story to come out. He had made it to Trantile without incident, he'd set up his rides and the locals had seemed pleased at his efforts, but then he'd turned his back on the cart and the gifts that lay within for a moment to separate two squabbling children, and when he'd turned back they were gone. Salmoneous had been so upset that all he could think of doing was finding Hercules. Hercules would set things right, he'd know what to do.
Hercules sighed, what should he do? He didn't want the children to be disappointed, but he wasn't about to disappoint his mother either. Alcmene somehow seemed to know his thoughts, "Go, son. You have to find the children's presents. You can't let them be disappointed. Not after all the hard work Salmoneous has gone to."
The demigod knew she was right and he nodded. "We'll go to Trantile, Sal. Don't worry, the children won't be disappointed. Let's go find Iolaus so we can be off."
Iolaus was none too pleased at being disturbed, but on hearing what was wrong he willingly put down his quill and followed the demigod. He didn't leave his parchment and quill behind though, the hunter cum songwriter hoped that he would find the time to finish his carol. It wouldn't be a lot of use if it wasn't finished before solstice.
They found Trantile in disarray, mothers were shouting at fathers, children were shouting at both. Every was blaming everyone else for ruining the Solstice, it was an unpleasant sight. How could anyone steal from children? That was what both Hercules and Iolaus couldn't understand, not even Autolycus would stoop so low. Not at this time of year. Hercules had his job cut out for him, and it wasn't easy. Nobody seemed to have seen anything, no one had heard anything.
Iolaus was the one who found the lead in the end. Hercules was too trusting, Iolaus knew better. When someone told Hercules that he hadn't seen anything and his eyes shifted uncomfortably from side to side, the demigod believed him. The former thief, Iolaus didn't. And his doubt finally paid off, one of the men, unmarried, without child, looked so uncomfortable after Hercules had questioned him that Iolaus knew there was something going on, the man sneaked off as soon as he could, Iolaus followed.
He kept following the man until he had led Iolaus to his farm, in the barn lay the gifts. Iolaus snuck back to Hercules to warn him of his find. It was with a heavy heart that the demigod went to the farmer's barn. He couldn't understand any privation being enough need to deprive children of their joy, and because of that he was probably harder on the poor farmer than Salmoneous or Iolaus would like.
In the end though, the demigod relented and took the farmer back to Trantile so that the people could decide on his punishment. The townsfolk were ecstatic, their children were happy again, the Solstice had been saved. After a little persuasion from Hercules and Iolaus they promised to be fair and kind to the farmer, who had only stolen the gifts in desperation. His farm had failed him, he had no family to comfort him, what else could he do? The townsfolk were determined to show him.
Hercules was glad to leave Trantile, he hadn't been comfortable somehow with the people's insistence of purity and their reliance on the gifts for keeping their children quiet. He was happy that the children would have a good solstice, but it was his own family that made him move so fast as they walked along the road. He didn't want to miss their gathering.
"Herc! Aw come on Herc! Give a guy a chance!" Iolaus was totally out of breath, Hercules had set a cruel pace and Iolaus was finally paying the price. "Come on, we're gonna make it, you don't have to kill me to do it!"
Hercules finally listened to his friend and slowed his pace, Iolaus took the chance to catch his breath,
"You think Iphicles and Rena will like my carol? I think they will, they better. After all the effort, they better!"
The day of Winter Solstice had finally arrived, and Hercules and his whole family were there to enjoy it together. They had a fine meal and full and happy they drowsed through the afternoon, Iolaus was the first to rouse himself and he was soon poking at Hercules for attention.
"It's time!" He whispered, "Herc! Come on, it's time for the carol. Herc?"
Eventually Hercules rolled his eyes around to look at Iolaus and groaned, "Do we have to Iolaus? I'm so comfortable here."
"Yes we have to. Come on, it's just a song after all."
But Hercules knew better, this was important to Iolaus, and because it was important to his best friend, the demigod allowed himself to be roused. He even helped Iolaus in waking Iphicles, Rena and Alcmene, but he held his hands up in innocence when they questioned him, "I don't know anything, this is all Iolaus' doing."
When he was sure his audience were ready for him, Iolaus began by explaining why he'd decided to write the song.
"I was thinking about the child that was born last solstice, he was all alone with his parents in that stable until we came. There was something going on that night, something special. It made me think of you, all of you. Family, it made me think that my family were something I couldn't pretend. You're important, and you deserve to know that. I know that I wasn't born into this family, but I feel a part of it anyhow. You've made me welcome, and I'm grateful. Gods ... I'm not saying this very well. It's just that ... I don't know if you know how important you all are to me. Iphicles, Rena, you too. It's just ... my family ... you're my family. It's not always about blood ties or about gifts," Iolaus thought back to the children in Trantile, "it's about ... well, it's about ... ummm ... love, I guess. Anyway, this is the song I came up with to celebrate the winter solstice."
Hercules and his family remained silent, Alcmene could feel a tear stinging her eye. All of them felt a warmth for each other that they'd long forgotten, maybe the winter solstice was worth it, just so that families could remember why they loved each other.
Iolaus cleared his throat, and began to sing, to start with his voice was faltering, weak, but slowly as he warmed to his task, and as his audience began to show their appreciation his voice gained in confidence, and for once Hercules couldn't complain about Iolaus's lack of tune.
" Silent night, holy night,
All is clear, all is bright,
Watch them sleeping, mother and child,
See the baby, tender and mild
Sleep as we watch over you
Sleep as we watch over you
Silent night, holy night,
Shepherds quake at the sight
Glory streams from the stars above
All the gods sing with one voice in love
We should all feel this love
Silent night, holy night,
Some pure child is born tonight
To show us the way of love and peace
And remind us to care for our friends
See the stars that watch over us
See the stars that watch over us"
There was a moment of silence after Iolaus had finished. Hercules had never heard his friend's voice sound so pure or so in tune. He felt a blossom of pride in his heart for his best friend. Alcmene was the first to congratulate the strangely silent Iolaus. He was somewhat overwhelmed by his adoptive families response to his song, but after the initial embarrassment the hunter made the most of the attention. And the family had a wonderful winter solstice.
The End
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