The Dance — Laura Anne Gilman

None of this is real. I'm dreaming, that's all. But she so rarely had such pleasantly exciting dreams. More often they were anxiety-filled, or stodgily pedestrian this-is-what's-wrong-with-your-life reminders. Or I fell, I'm in a coma, hallucinating this… or too much eggnog. Definitely too much eggnog.
The nutcracker reached down and took her hand in his own, the fingers hard but flexible. My lady, you misdoubt. May I show you what is real?A demanding mother, an absent brother, an exhausting job…  Mara is about to break.  But on Christmas Eve, the gift of a nutcracker sweeps her into a magical world, beautiful and intoxicating, a loyal, loving soldier at her side.  It's all she could have dreamed for.Isn't it?