Gods Save The Queen Book 5 Part 3

© 2026 Duleigh Lawrence-Townshend. All rights reserved. The author asserts the right to be identified as the author of this story for all portions. All characters are original. Any resemblance to anyone living or dead is purely coincidental. This story or any part thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the expressed written permission of the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a review or commentary.

It's the sixteen day long "semi-month" of Yule, and it's holiday season in the Snowcross Mountains. Holiday cheer is spreading in the tiny communities, and thanks to the One-Eyed Duke, holiday cheer is spreading through tiny Elm Springs. Two runaway slaves near the shores of the Edux continent, planning to speak with Henna Roem, the Duke of Wægn, unaware that the dukedom has been handed to an upstart swordsman from the very mountain that is calling them to it. It will soon be a very merry Yuletide.

Gods Save the Queen

Book 5 Part 3

Yuletide

Chapter 21 - Woodshed Wednesday

Yule 4, 3438

Elm Springs, Uduithia

As the holiday semi-month of Yule went on, the excitement grew in the children. Nick was amused to watch Marlon and Hollie tell their infant brother and sister Lou and Loo-loo what Yuletide was all about from their point of view. In their eyes it was the time for Saint Heldus to reward the good boys and girls with toys and candy. Bad children got nothing, and really bad children got mismatched socks. For some reason, the five-month-old twins thought that was funny. They kicked their sock-clad feet and laughed at their brother and sister as Marlon and Hollie explained the holiday. The truth was darker than the children expected.

Three to five millennia ago, life on Kodu nearly came to an end. Unexpected warnings from the beings the elves called gods saved the elven race, and with them the human race survived. The gods created other races to help with the building of shelters. These were dwarves, demi-giants, fairies, and gnomes. There was no mention of humans in the ancient writings, so modern scholars don't have an inkling of where they came from. All that is known was that when the bombardment ended, humans emerged from the rubble like the elves.

It was not recorded in the old calendar when the first Starfall actually happened. It's said that when the giant planet Zigu crossed over Kodu's orbit, all of Kodu was thrown into chaos. The world was cocked and the lands of the northern hemisphere became a burning hell. Quakes shattered buildings and flattened cities, but when it appeared to be over and Zigu retreated to its new orbit closer to the sun Thaal, the moons collided. Zigu's largest moon Aestea slammed into Kodu's sole moon Hiphus and the planet Kodu was under barrage of falling debris for years. This bombardment was called Starfall.

Some said the bombardment lasted a year, other ancient accounts said it went on for five full years. All cities in the south were destroyed... but one castle and the small town that filled a box canyon was spared. It was found, abandoned, by humans fleeing the destruction of their homelands. The leader of the humans, cavalry lieutenant Eadric Waelmore, led the bedraggled humans into the castle and they took refuge in the basement dungeons. He led hunting expeditions out to hunt animals that were running loose to feed their people, he settled disputes and found needed supplies in the abandoned houses. He even charged his men with recording items taken so they could be restored when the homeowners returned. Sadly, nobody returned.

When the last stone fell from the sky and the humans emerged from the castle, it was early winter, the ancient holiday of Yuletide was just three days away. Someone said that living in the dungeon was like being stored in a tin, so on Yule Fifth, the celebration that marked the day that the survivors emerged from their shelters became known as Canner's Dance to the humans. The nameless castle was named Waelmore Castle after the lieutenant and he was elected to be king. Sadly, his reign only lasted two years. While riding in the woods up along the ridgeline to the north of Waleston, his horse was spooked by a basilisk, and the young king fell to his death.

Nick pondered these events as he was trying to write a story about the history of the yule holidays, something he could read to the children on Yuletide Eve. He didn't think it would work because there was nothing fun or cheerful about the history of the holidays. The semi-month of Yule itself is a hiccup in the calendar-making process, Yuletide is the darkest, dreariest day of the year, and everything else around it is marked by drunken reverie and hangovers. Octavia told him to ignore the history of the holiday and make up some fiction. He was lost in an idea that was germinating, something the kids would like. Animals and fairies...

"Yer grace, leaning on that axe is going to put a permanent bend in the handle," said Nick's demi-giant lead farmhand, Alphie, causing the other two demi-giants and the elf couple to laugh loudly.

"Just mulling over the history of our holidays. We've been digging up history bit by bit."

"That's a wizard's job, yer gracefulness."

"Gracefulness? Please, Bertie," groaned Nick. "I just don't want to see you slip up in front of a humorless old matron or something. By the way, has anyone heard from Carl? It just won't be Yuletide if he's not here." Carl was a demi-giant who worked on and off for Nick with the other three demi-giants since he returned to his ancestral home.

"I heard he's working up on Copper Mountain," said Buggy. "It wouldn't be the same without him and Hugues. Why don't you break out the purse and offer Hugues a few extra coins to run this place?" Buggy and Hugues along with Vesstan Aadi used to be a team of assassins, and became fast friends.

Nick smiled and nodded in agreement. It would be nice to get the big fellow back, but Hugues du Gouey was going to remain at Waelmore Castle. Nick asked him to care for Princess Sophie's butterfly garden, and he was doing a great job of it. "Tell you what. Join us at Waelmore Castle on New Year's Day. There will be a party for the castle staff, and I'll get you fellows an invitation."

"I would appreciate that greatly, your grace," said Bertie. He swung his splitting maul. When it hit the log slice, the slice split in half and the pieces flew in two directions.

"Seriously Bertie?" demanded Alphie. Bertie then had to go find the pieces of firewood that were now hidden under a foot of snow and put them on Marlon's wood sledge. "Where is the young master? He's supposed to be in charge of Woodshed Wednesday."

"He didn't get his chores done this morning so he's helping his sister before he can come out."

"That's how they learn," said Dexter as he stepped up to his turn at the splitting maul. "It's how me old man handled it." With an easy swing he split a log perfectly.

As Nick picked up the split wood and put it on Marlon's sledge, the back door flew open with a resounding slam. "DADDY!" shrieked Hollie. Nick was expecting a squabble, but it was all three older children, Marlon, Annette, and Hollie. Annette dropped to her knees and began weeping while Hollie raced through the snow shrieking "DADDY!" over and over.

"SHE'S DYING!" screamed Marlon, his face a rictus of terror.

"Who's dying? What are you talking about?" But Marlon was weeping also.

"Loo-Loo! She's dying!" shrieked Annette.

Nick's eyes filled with tears and the only thought in his mind was "Not my baby!" He dropped the firewood and sprinted for the rear door while the three children tried to tell him what was going on. Something about Loo-Loo screaming and jerking out of Octavia's arms and falling. He was in the house in a flash, breaking Ning's cardinal rule, no snowy boots in the house. Octavia was sitting in the love seat shivering, clutching Lou, tears of terror streaming from her eyes. Seeing Octavia in that state scared Nick more than anything else. "What is happening?" Then he saw Ning at the kitchen table giving comatose Loo-Loo a sponge bath.

"Rè xìng jīngjué," said Ning. She had a small bowl of snow next to her, and she occasionally put a pinch of snow in Loo-Loo's mouth.

"What is that?" Nick was upset that he couldn't recognize any of the syllables that came from Ning.

"Febrile seizure. I've seen it often in Jia. I waited for the seizure to end, now I'm trying to bring her fever down."

"Is she conscious?"

"Yes. I'm giving her snow to cool her and give her moisture."

Relief flooded through Nick and he nearly wept with relief; his baby was going to live! "Hollie, come here, little witch," and he took a bundle of herbs that was hanging overhead and plucked a few stems from it. "Turmeric." Then he took another thing that looked like a gnarled hand and broke a finger off of it.

"Ginger," said Hollie through her tears.

"Very good. Both are very good for easing pain." He chopped both up fine, and then put them in the mortar and ground them together into a paste. "Loo-Loo might be in pain, she's probably got a headache, and she's got muscle aches from when she was seizing. This will help, but it's yucky." He added some honey and two fairies came over to watch. Honey was their favorite food, and these two fairies were always curious when someone dipped honey out of the honey jar. He put everything in a cup, added some water, and then took it over to Octavia and knelt in front of the stunned woman.

"She's going to be fine, honey. Sometimes babies have a sudden fever and they have a seizure."

"I dropped her... I was so scared," wept Octavia.

"I caught her. She didn't fall," said Ning from the table where she worked with Loo-Loo.

"Everything is well. Loo-Loo is safe, and we're working to bring down the fever. I need the mixture in this cup hot, almost boiling, my love." Octavia touched the mug and suddenly the contents gave off steam. "Thank you, my queen," and Nick went back to the sink, stirred up the contents then strained it through cheesecloth, telling Hollie what he was doing the whole time. He added some snow to cool his strained mixture off, and soon Octavia had Loo-Loo in her lap and was giving the baby tiny spoonfuls of the concoction which she seemed to like. Ning sat next to her giving Lou spoonfuls also, because what one twin gets, so does the other or they both cry.

"Will she be safe with your concoction?" asked Octavia.

"Worry not, my queen," said Nick as he kissed her forehead. "It's ginger-flavored honey water, with little else in it. They will probably develop a liking for these flavors. Hopefully it will ease whatever pain they are feeling." Then he turned to Ning and gave her a kiss on the lips and said, "Thank you, my empress, you saved our family and our Yuletide."

Ning was shocked. Since she'd moved in to help with the babies, Nick had been affectionate, but when the king "asked" him to marry her, he hadn't touched her. Now a gentle kiss on the lips. Does he know what that means? In Xuantang, a kiss on the lips is always a prelude to sex. It's even a prelude to rape. She was nervous, but he smiled and kissed her forehead. "I thank the god that sent you to us."

Nick continued to keep a calm exterior, trying to soothe both Octavia and Ning, but inside, his mind was in turmoil. I almost lost my daughter! My baby! He looked at his hands and they were still shaking. There's only one way to cure a man of a nervous attack like that; put him to work. "Marlon, this is your day, let's get to work!"

"But!" squeaked Hollie. There were still chores to do.

"My princess," said Nick as he kissed Hollie's forehead. "We have a lot of work to do, and I made a mess, can you mop up the floor? I will do your evening chores for you."

"Yes, daddy," sighed Hollie. Daddy can get away with anything as long as he calls her princess.

Nick helped Marlon and Annette button up their overcoats and said, "Don't you want to stay here and keep warm?" but Annette shook her head. Nothing was going to separate her from Marlon. Not even if she got to stay and decorate the Yuletide tree.

"Bye-bye poppa!" cried the fairies as Nick, Marlon, and Annette went out to celebrate Woodshed Wednesday. They trudged through the snow, Marlon and Annette wearing matching rabbit fur hats and mittens. Nick was proud of his son Marlon; the little guy was a blessing. He worked hard and did everything he could to learn his father's business so he could take over and let his dad rest.

They soon reached Nick's woodyard. It was a small level area on the mountain where logs were hauled to be cut for firewood. The new lumber company hauled deadfall to Nick's woodyard as a fee for logging on Black Mountain. There was even a stack of sacks full of coal. The coal was a fee to use the ancient road around the west side of Black Mountain on their way to Waleston. There was a road around the east side of the mountain also, but it was poorly engineered. The ancient road is quicker, smoother, and easier on the mules.

The woodlot was busy. Along with the demi-giants that worked on Nick's farm, there were a pair of dwarves helping load three sledges and a wagon with firewood. One sledge for the demi-giants' cabin, another for the main house, the third sledge for the guardhouse where Buggy and Eryri lived during the winter, and the wagon was loaded with firewood and coal for charity and the pub. The wood for charity was the gnarly, knotted wood that looked awful in the fireplace but because of the knots and crotches, it burned hot and long. The coal went to the pub, the police house, and to Metsker's Blacksmith Forge. As they worked loading up the sledges they sang the traditional Woodsman's Carol:

Limb the log and buck it short, before the winter worsens,

Split the wood and stack it neat, using sweat and iron.

Bringing wood back to your home, warms and feeds the family,

Share the warmth with those in need, on the Yuletide Eeeeeeve

The Woodsman's Carol had many more verses, but because Annette was on the wagon stacking wood, they chose not to sing the verses that sang about keeping their wives warm using friction. "Ready Marlon?" called Nick as he finished hitching the mules Kaleb and Teddi to the wagon. Behind the wagon was the sledge for the gatehouse. Meanwhile Alfie and Dexter coupled the ox team to the two sledges bound for the farm.

Marlon gave the sledge a shake. Nothing fell off, proving its worthiness, so Marlon called out, "Ready to go!"

"Let's take it to town," and Nick handed the reins to Marlon.

"Aye," cried Eryri, and with large metal poles she and her husband Buggy began to pry at the bottom of the frozen sledge until it broke free from the ice that held it fast to the mountain. Nick grabbed the bridle of Kaleb, one of two mules hitched to the wagon to help guide the mules.

Marlon climbed onto the driver's seat, took up the reins and gave them a snap. "Kaleb, Teddi, come up!" the boy shouted, and the mules began to pull. "Ho, mules, pull!" soon the heavy wagon had moved far enough for the rope tied to the back to pay out. It drew up tight and began to haul the sledge. "Come up, mule, pull!" shouted Marlon when the wagon almost stopped, but the mules dug in and soon they were pulling both the loaded farm wagon and the sledge.

"Good job," said Nick with a grin as he guided the mules between the trees and toward the ancient road that would lead them home. He was proud of his son, who was becoming a true mule skinner. The sledge tracked straight behind the wagon so the dwarves didn't have too much work to do, but when they reached the road and started downhill, their job got intense. They didn't want the sledge to break free and slam into Nick's wagon. They had bags of sand to slow down the sledge if they hit ice, and two metal poles to steer the sledge away from the trees. Luckily, there were areas of bare cobblestone in the ancient road that were revealed by the morning sun and those dry patches kept the sledge from sliding free down the face of the mountain.

A disgruntled lowing was heard and Marlon stood up on the wagon seat to see the oxen pulling the two remaining sledges down to the workers' cabin and the farmhouse. He looked down at Annette. She had her feet on the footboard and she clung to the brake handle, ready to stop the wagon at Marlon's command.

As the wagon started downhill, Nick walked next to the wagon seat, next to Annette. He was worried about the wagon gaining momentum to the point where the brakes were useless and he didn't want to burn out the brakes, so he guided Annette to operate the brake lever as carefully as possible. "Take it up one notch, yes, that's good..." he watched the mules as they began to pull harder. "All right, let it off one notch... perfect!"

As they passed their cottage, Octavia, Hollie, Ning, and Ena McCrory stepped out on the porch and waved as they went by. Nick stopped and bowed deeply to them with a gallant swipe of his stocking cap. When they reached the cabin where the dwarves stayed, about 50 yards from the cottage, they pulled the sledge right where Buggy wanted it to land. "Perfect! Thank you!" called the dwarf as he stepped off the sledge.

Nick came back and coiled up the tow rope. He asked quietly, "Did you get what I asked for?"

"Here you go," said Eryri, and she produced two large sacks of coal.

"You always bring me the best stuff. Happy Yuletide!" Nick hoisted the sacks onto the back of the wagon and climbed up next to Marlon. He ruffled his son's unruly hair and said, "take us downtown!" Marlon flicked the reins and they headed into the village of Elm Springs.

"Yuletide," huffed Buggy as they watched the wagon head down the forest roadway into the village. "Humans will believe anything."

"Yes," agreed his wife Eryri, "but their stories are entertaining and the cookies are quite good."

Even though it was only a mile to the village of Elm Springs, the sky had clouded over and the snow was falling gently by the time they pulled into the lot at the base of the hill where Trei Metsker, Ena's father and Nick's friend, plied his trade as the village blacksmith and head bartender in the pub. "Happy Yuletide, pops!" Nick called out as he climbed down from the seat and stepped around to the back of the wagon.

"Pops, is it now your grace?" called Trei as he turned to see what the interruption was, and there was the Duke of Wægn bringing him two fifty-pound sacks of rock-hard bituminous coal. Coal was expensive back in the mountain valleys and Trei was hard pressed to keep enough on hand for his forge. It's good to have a dwarf friend who owns a mine. "Good gawds! For a gift like that, you can call me anything you'd like."

"How about friend?" said Nick as they shook hands.

"Here, to keep you and the ladies warm," said Trei as he handed Nick a jug of hard cherry cider.

"Where should I put this, Mr. Metsker?" said Marlon. Marlon and Annette stood with their arms filled with firewood.

"No, we don't need..."

"Put it over by the house. Miss Erin will figure out what to do with it," said Nick. Trei Metsker and his wife Erin were practically grandparents to Nick and Octavia's children.

Trei shook his head, "Were you always such a pawn for Yuletide?"

"No," said Nick adamantly as he watched the kids put the wood on Trei's porch. "Then he was born and everything changed."

"Aye, that's how life works," chuckled the blacksmith.

With a grin, Nick swung back up on the wagon, watching Marlon and Annette sprinting back from the house through the swirling snow; each had a gingerbread cookie in their mouths. The cookie was a gift from Trei's wife Erin.

"Where to next?" asked Marlon as he clung to the tailgate of the wagon. Annette disappeared in the swirling snow to check in with her parents over at the Gendarme office which was just across the street.

"We'll head up to Schist Crick and swing around then come back through the village and drop off wood to the needy and the sick. When we reach the Gendarme House at the other end of the village, we'll turn around and drop off wood to anyone we missed. The coal goes to the police and the pub." Nick flicked the reins, and they were off, the mules plodding slowly and Marlon clinging to the tailgate of the wagon, his feet sliding on the slippery street.

And so it went for the rest of the snowy afternoon, the Duke of Wægn taking care of his family of Elm Springs, stopping at house after gaily decorated house handing out firewood. As the owner of The One-Eyed Duke pub, he spread holiday cheer with his fellow small businessmen. At every stop they would leave an armload of firewood, the gift of warmth, and sometimes the gift was returned with a gift of warmth in a bottle. Marlon was given cookies and candies to share with Annette and Hollie by the grateful neighbors.

When they reached the west end of the village, they dropped off several sacks of coal at the Gendarme-house where the men and woman of the Gendarme gathered. The watch commander's seven-year-old daughter, Annette Prescott, gave Marlon a kiss which he returned. Marlon was 10 months old when Annette was born and he was there at her birth with his dad, who delivered her. Just ten minutes old, Annette turned and her eyes met Marlon's eyes, and they have been in love since that moment.

As the snow swirled and the sky grew darker, Annette remembered why her hands were so warm. "Here, for you and your dad," she said. She handed Marlon a special prize just for him and Nick, a small sack of freshly roasted chestnuts, which they loved and ate as they worked.

To Nick, the most important stops were with the oldest members of the community, like Sieffre Merrick. Sieffre was one of The Boys that hung around and watched Trei work at the forge. He welcomed a young Nick Stein back to Elm Springs almost eight years ago and guided him through the tricky social ways of mountain folk. Sieffre was in his nineties and he wasn't doing well, so Nick left him with two armloads of wood, good solid long-burning oak, a ham that he smoked himself, and a bottle of Old Settler's Rye Whiskey to ward off the winter chills. He also visited some of the children that he delivered. It's safe to say that every baby born in Hay-on-Wægn County in the last eight years was delivered by the local witch, Nick Stein. Some of the kids they visited were older than Marlon, all the while wishing everyone a Happy Yuletide.

As the afternoon grew dark and snowy, they stacked up what wood was remaining by their pub for anyone to take. Then an exhausted Duke of Wægn handed the reins to young Marlon and said, "Let's go home. You drive."

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"He's in the way."

Nick opened his eyes and looked, and "he" turned out to be a pair of armed and armored members of the palace guard. One swung off his horse and walked to Nick's side of the wagon. "My apologies, your grace, but I carry a message from his majesty." He handed Nick a rolled-up scroll.

"Thank you, sergeant," said Nick as he broke the wax seal and unrolled the scroll. The message was simple. "Speak with Emperor Hong Pha Jia today."

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Chapter 22 - Stepson

Yule 4, 3438

Chéngshì Jin, Xuantang

In the Palace of the Jade Lotus, home of the most esteemed emperor of the Xuantang Empire, a small temple was set up for the goddess Onn, the goddess of Luck. For a goddess, she was quite small, barely five feet tall, with features that identified her as a Xuantang woman. She had glossy black hair, almond-shaped eyes, light golden skin, and a lithe, trim, hourglass figure encased in a tight silk Cheongsam dress. The skirt was slit up the side to reveal her trim legs, and up the back to reveal her cat's tail. She also had cat ears protruding from the top of her head.

"Your grace," she purred as Nick and Marlon stepped out of the Æther Portal.

"Lady Onn," said Nick as he bowed deeply. "I have been asked by my king to speak with the emperor."

"I do not think Emperor Hong has the time or the inclination to speak with you. You smell of sweat and coal dust. Maybe after you bathe and dress appropriately he can find time."

"I would prefer to hear that from Lung Mist."

Onn's shoulders slumped. She was madly in love with the emperor and was very jealous of his time. As a goddess she had no power to turn away visitors, especially a temple priest who held a temple key. Only the emperor's secretary, Lung Mist, had the power to turn a foreign dignitary away. "He's with them." By the way she said "them," Nick realized that Jia was entertaining at least one concubine and Onn was jealous.

"Lady Onn," said Nick softly. "You will outlive Jia by centuries. What will you have when he's old and tired?"

"Memories," said Onn with a sigh. "I suffer like my mistress Saatus."

Saatus was the goddess of fate, whom Octavia said was in love with Nick. Nick didn't want to believe Octavia about that, but Saatus gave him the most marvelous gifts. "I will speak with him. I can't make him change his mind once it's set, but I'll tell him how you feel. You and your sister Ruhena need to learn more about humans."

Onn nodded, then reached out with a slim delicate hand and closed her grip as if grasping an invisible rope, then moved her hand down as if pulling the rope. When she did that, a melodious chime from an invisible bell rang softly throughout the palace. Soon an ancient man appeared. "This ruffian wishes to address our most esteemed emperor," said Onn.

Lung Mist's eyes flashed open wide, and he began to scold the goddess in the language of Xuan. Finally, Onn bowed low and said, "My apologies, Long Won Di. Lung Mist will escort you to the emperor."

"Apologies accepted," said Nick, and he bowed to Onn. Then, as Lung Mist led him and Marlon away, Nick greeted his old friend. "How is your back feeling? Did the willow bark I brought you on my last visit help?"

"Much more than I expected!" said Lung Mist happily. "Our apothecaries are now stocking essence of willow bark."

"I'd like to spend time with your apothecaries and learn some secrets to take home with me."

"I am sure the emperor would agree to that."

As they walked through the beautiful palace, Marlon finally spoke. "Is this where I was born?"

"No. Almost. Your mother and I left and you were born in a quiet bamboo forest."

To Marlon, bamboo only meant one thing: fishing poles. His mind was focused on a forest of fishing poles, until they passed the throne room. "My couch!" He dashed to the emperor's throne and was about to hop on it when Nick caught him.

"That's only for Jia."

"I wish Annette was here, this is beautiful!" said Marlon as he looked at the mirror-like black marble floors, the red silk curtains, the golden lanterns and braziers. "You used to work here?"

"Your father has been here numerous times," said Lung Mist.

"Why did she call dad Long Won Di?"

"That is his name here; it means the Dragon Emperor. Your mother's name is Ying Wong Ho, the Eagle Queen."

"My mom was a queen!" said Marlon proudly. He's still angry with Breaze for collapsing and taking his mother's throne away.

"And an empress," said Lung Mist. "Your parents ruled this land before Emperor Jia was ready to take the throne."

"Do I have a name here?"

"Your name is Ying Zhi Zi; it means Son of the Eagle."

Marlon tried to pronounce Zhi Zi, but it kept coming out Zee Zee. He finally gave up and said, "Where was Jia while Mom and Dad were here?"

"He was playing with Pepin and taking classes from King Uric," said Nick.

"The emperor goes to school?" The idea that the ruler of the land was taking classes was surprising to Marlon.

"A leader is always learning." Nick was about to describe how a leader is always learning how to fill the needs of his people, but a familiar cry stopped his lecture.

"Poppa!" Suddenly a wolf puppy dashed at them and excitedly sniffed their legs, causing Marlon to giggle.

"He smells his brothers Pippin and Pumpkin," said Marlon as he laughed.

"Mólì! Come!" called Jia from a room ahead of them. Mólì looked back over his shoulder, then back at Marlon, then sadly the pup headed back to Jia. Soon the young emperor appeared with Mólì walking at his side. "Your grace," said Jia and he bowed deeply to greet Nick.

Nick and Marlon dropped to their knees and bowed, placing their foreheads on the floor. "Your Celestial Highness. I request a moment of your time to discuss a personal issue."

"Please stand, Long Won Di. You are always welcome at the Palace of the Jade Lotus." The young emperor turned to Marlon and said, "While you were still in your mother's womb, your parents ruled wisely, and saved Xuantang from centuries of faulty rule."

Marlon nodded. "They still have my throne!"

"Come, let us sit." The fourteen-year-old emperor led them into a side room where comfortable couches were arranged facing each other. There was a curtained bed at one end of the room and behind the silk curtain could be seen a young woman lounging in the nude.

"I'd rather we speak privately," said Nick. "It's political."

"That is my wife Hau Tu Yuxi. She is safe to speak in front of."

"I beg you, your Celestial Highness."

Jia snapped at the woman who made a show of sliding on a gown and emerged from behind the curtain. "Tu, this is Sir Nicholas and his son, my friend, Marlon."

"Good afternoon," said the woman, bowing. "I must be off." And she left. She was pretty, almost as pretty as Jia's mother, Ning. But for some reason, Nick didn't trust her.

"Is she empress?" asked a stunned Nick.

"No, a consort. She teaches me accounting and calligraphy. She wants to be empress, but I don't know."

"I know someone who wants to be a full wife," said Nick with a sly smile. "Onn."

"Onn wants to be empress?"

"I don't know, but I do know that she loves you."

"A goddess wife... is that allowed? It could be useful." Xuantang was having problems with raiders from small countries at their borders. An emperor with a goddess wife would be a powerful symbol to stop their raiding. Then again, a dragon flying over their ranks would stop them.

"I'm a temple priest, I don't know anything about marrying a goddess, but..." then he stopped. "Lung Mist, could you find someone to show Marlon around? But I would like you to stay, I need your counsel."

Soon a pretty young girl was leading Marlon around the palace while Nick faced Jia. "What is it, my mentor? You look troubled."

"King Uric has ordered me to marry your mother."

Jia looked at Nick for a very long few seconds, then finally said, "... and?"

"That's it, he ordered me to marry your mother."

"You don't want to?"

"Jia, I care for your mother, but I love Octavia with all my heart and soul."

"It's not unlawful, so what is the problem?"

That is when Lung Mist spoke up. "Sir Nick may not be used to the idea of a second wife. But it is not unusual in Edux for a king to have two or more wives."

"King?" asked a confused Jia.

"Lung Mist," said Nick in a warning tone.

"On New Year's Eve, King Uric will announce his choice of crown prince. Lord Baltimore asked for my assistance with the Royal Adrogation paperwork.

"Lung Mist! That is a state secret."

"Your grace, I revealed no name," then the wise old advisor gave Jia a broad wink and Jia returned a grin.

"I refuse to speculate whose name was on that document," said Jia. "But now I just might show up to the dinner. I hear it has become quite an affair for the well-to-do on Edux."

"Jia, how can I make love to Octavia if Ning is there next to me?"

"I'm sure if you're doing something wrong she'll help correct..."

"That's not it!" Nick took a deep breath to get his temper under control. "I like your mother, I count her as a dear friend and a loyal servant, but I don't want to make love to her."

"Why not? Are Xuantang women distasteful to you?"

"That's not it. I don't want anyone but Octavia."

"Your Celestial Highness, may I?" said Lung Mist interrupting.

"Please."

"Lord Stein, she does not have to stay in the same bed as you, nor even the same room. This is a political marriage. Whatever makes you and your first wife comfortable."

"What if there's no sex with a second wife?"

Lung Mist saddened. "Sex was torture for Ning. She was raped and assaulted over and over, even when carrying Jia. She will be happy to know that it is over."

"I know it's all political, King Uric wants a tight relationship with Xuantang..."

"That would make you my father!" gasped Jia.

"That's right... stepfather."

"And you wouldn't deny your oldest boy a fly-over of his neighbors in dragon form, would you?"

Nick looked at Lung Mist with sad eyes. "You've taught him well, my old friend."

"He's a natural," said Lung Mist with a sigh.

Nick and Marlon stepped out of the Temple of the Woods and saw that the crowd at the One-Eyed Duke was hopping. Every night was a good night at the One-Eyed Duke in the holiday semi-month of Yule. Nick and Trei made several barrels of special holiday ale which they called "Ruby Select" and they were afraid it wouldn't last until New Year's Eve. Holiday ale was similar to their regular ale, it just had more color, a rich ruby red. The secret was the barley. They roasted a portion of the barley which brought flavor and color. Holding a glass mug up to a candle caused the ale to glow a rich red color like a proper Yuletide tree decoration.

The front door of the pub opened and the party went silent. All turned to look at the armored soldiers who entered. Their armor was solid gold, along with jade, and red silk. They stepped to the side and in walked Nick, Marlon, Jia and a tiny woman that glowed with the aura of a god. "Please, return to what you were doing," called out Nick. "Jia wanted to see what Yule was all about and he's not allowed to leave without an escort."

The crowd continued to stare at the golden warriors but as Nick handed each one of them a cold mug of Ruby Select, the celebration resumed. "Jia, what are you doing here?" gasped Ning.

"Sir Nicholas and I spoke today and..." He switched from Torwin to Xuan, the native language of Xuantang. "I wanted him to know of problems you had in the past and made him promise that he wouldn't demand you do something you don't want to do."

Ning wanted to scold him, but how do you do that? He's been watching out for her since he was born. All she could say was, "Who is your friend?"

"Mom, this is Onn. She's a goddess." Then he whispered, "I think she likes me."

The two guards loved their ale, and Onn liked the wine that Ning was drinking along with Silver Metsker and Silver's sisters-in-law, Trei and Erin's daughters, Darina Ivers, and Ena McCrory. They were growing close to Ning because Ning was rarely apart from Octavia, but tonight with the twins sick, Octavia stayed home and was using the time to wrap Yuletide gifts.

"Give us a song!" cried the gang and Nick took his lute off its hook on the wall, then took an eye patch out of his pocket and put it over his left eye. After much begging, the King allowed Nick to wear an eyepatch in his own pub, but not in the castle. He began to strum the lute in a tune that was familiar to everyone when they were children. This was a traditional Yuletide Eve song when the yule log was burned, but it's sung all week long and often into the New Year's celebration.

Warm is the night, with family and friends,

Our hearth glows with warmth that never ends.

A meal that we share, the ale and the meat,

Together we gather for kinship so sweet.

Burn fire burn, devour the tree,

And leave us the ashes just to remind me...

Strike up the banjo, sing us a song,

Of friendship that lasts all our life long...

Armor of the winter, to ward off the snow,

Mittens and gloves and boots we outgrow.

Bring on your coldest I'm safe and I'm warm,

I'm here with my friends so bring on your storm.

Burn fire burn, devour the tree,

And leave us the ashes just to remind me...

Strike up the banjo, sing us a song,

Of friendship that lasts all our life long...

When he sang the refrain starting with "Burn fire burn, devour the tree" the entire party rose up, lifted their drinks, and sang in defiance of the winter that would soon be howling down out of the Snowcross Mountains. Winter was not to be mocked. It would kill. Everyone loses at least one friend in a mountain winter, and the wizards are saying that this winter was going to be a bad one. Nick was actively encouraging anyone who could afford it, to rent a room in Waleston, which winter storms seem to magically avoid.

Soon dinner was served, Nick hung up his lute and Jia and Marlon dug into their dinners. "This is so good!" cried Jia. "It's been so long since I had roast beef sandwiches and fried potatoes."

"I don't understand it," said Onn as she inspected her sandwich.

"It's pub food," explained Ning. "Simple to make with a lot of flavor."

"Where did Nick go?" asked Jia.

"He will be back. He's doing something important," said Marlon, who had a mouthful of his sandwich.

Nick knocked on the door a third time and called out, "I'm from the palace, I'm here to help!"

"Liar," came the reply from inside the big old farmhouse. "There's no help from the palace."

"I'm coming in! I have a sandwich and I know how to use it... no tricks now!" Nick let himself into the old house. He stepped into the living room, which appeared to be the only room that Sieffre Merrick was using. Blankets were tacked up on the walls for insulation like tapestries. The curtains over the windows were heavy like theater curtains. There were only a couple of sticks of furniture in the room, a side table, a comfortable old chair, and a bed.

Sieffre Merrick was sitting in the chair, watching the fire gutter out, and he acknowledged Nick's presence with a sigh. "I didn't say come in."

"You didn't say go away either. Here, I brought you a roast beef sandwich with some horseradish that you like. I also brought you a bottle of Ruby Select ale; it's better this year than last year." He placed the dishes on the side table then went out back and returned with a huge armload of firewood and stacked the wood next to the fireplace.

"Did you have to bring the cold in with you?" groused Sieffre.

"No extra charge." Nick grabbed a piece of wood with good straight grain and a hatchet and sat down and proceeded to chop the wood into small strips of wood that he put in the kindling basket. "Sieffre, would you like a couple of fairies to keep you company?"

"No. Metsker's daughters are enough company," said Sieffre. "I told them the same thing I'm telling you. Let me go. I can hear Elisabeth calling... I'm tired."

"No, you're important to me, Sieffre. You're like a grandfather to me and I can't let you go."

"I knew your grandfather," whispered Sieffre. "He was such a good man... I could never be as good as Peddyr Wolfe. He was my friend..." Sieffre began to shudder and Nick was concerned, he started examining Sieffre and then he realized that the old man was weeping. Sieffre had lost so much weight! It scared Nick. How is he still alive? Finally he began to whisper. "I was in love with Gertrude, your grandmother, but I never told her. We called her Gertie, and sometimes I called her Gert."

Sieffre's voice grew fainter between the sobs, but he continued. "She fell in love with my best friend, Peddyr." The old man stopped weeping and stared into the fire, then started talking again in a voice so weak it was hard to hear over the soft hiss and occasional snap of the fire. "I was the witness at their wedding, and Elisabeth was their witch. She was in love with Peddyr and never told him. She became my wife six months later." His story ended in a fit of coughing.

"Tell me about my grandparents," said Nick softly. "That old ghost in my house disappears whenever I ask her about her children."

"Aye, I will... but not tonight. I'm sore weary."

That ancient use of sore as an adverb told Nick that Sieffre wasn't teasing him, he was nearing the end. "Tell you what, my friend, if you truly still love Peddyr and Gertrude, stay with me for New Year's Day. I will have news you can take to Peddyr and Gertrude... it will be wonderful news... Stay until then, and then I can let you go."

"Will you send me off? Elisabeth is calling for me."

"Yes, my friend, I will. I will send a scribe tomorrow to help you get your affairs in order. Now I have to get back to the party. I'll send my new wife over tomorrow."

"Wait, new wife? What are you talking about?"

"She'll tell you all about it tomorrow, my friend." With that, Nick stepped outside and dropped to his knees, fighting to hold back the tears. The cheering and laughter at the pub rang through the quiet night. In a few minutes he was going to walk in the door, and Jia was going to call him daddy, Marlon would have a big brother, and Ning would be so embarrassed that she would hide for the rest of the night under the Yuletide tree in the living room.

"Are you well, your grace?" asked Silver Metsker as she walked up to Sieffre's porch.

"Sieffre asked me to let him go," said Nick as he rose up.

"He asks me that all the time."

"Aye, but when you ask a witch that, it has meaning. I've never helped someone go, so I'll need Agness to help, and maybe Bella McTavish to assist."

"I want to be there," said Silver.

Nick sighed sadly. Silver wasn't a witch, she didn't have the magical aptitude, but she was a marvelous nurse, mother, and helper at the blacksmith's forge where Nick's friend Wayne was working now. And she had been caring for Sieffre for years. "Of course." Nick sniffed and wiped his nose with the back of his glove. "I was just in there; I brought him a sandwich and some ale. I've got to get back to the pub and collect my family."

Just as he had foreseen, when Nick walked into the pub there was loud cheering, and one wag called out, "If you're done with Octavia, I'll take her!"

"You'll spend the rest of your life in her goldfish bowl," warned Nick. He finally stood on a chair with Ning on a chair next to him so that all could see. "I hereby announce my upcoming marriage to Hau Chung Ning. She has been a friend to Lady Octavia and me for eight years. She has become a skilled scribe, fluent in Torwin and Xuan, she is a mathematical wizard, and her son is the emperor of Xuantang. We are getting married at the request of King Uric of Uduithia and Emperor Hong Pha Jia to bind our two great countries together in friendship and love. And to those of you who are wondering, Octavia approves and welcomes Ning into our home where she is a great help with the children."

That last line was received with laughter. "Now if you don't mind, it's been a long day, thank you all for your well wishes." With that, Nick hopped down and helped Ning off her chair and they headed out into the cold. After their goodbyes to Jia, who disappeared into the temple portal with his two guards, they climbed onto their wagon and headed back to the farm. The dwarf, Buggy, sat in the back with Marlon.

"I noticed you slipped off without a guard," growled Buggy.

"I noticed my guard had other things to do when we had the hard work of handing out firewood."

"I caught up with you," insisted Buggy.

"Yeah, while there was still ale in the keg."

"Don't blame me for your delicious brew. Somebody has to drink it."

Ning snuggled up to Nick on the driver's bench and quietly asked, "Is it always like this?"

"Yes, dear, welcome to Uduithia."

֍

Chapter 23 - Homeward Bound

Yule 5, 3438

Torwin-Armistad

Jutta was overjoyed. She was working with a brace of mules again. She had never pulled a river barge before, but mules were mules and she was back where she belonged. Travel was slow but steady, just like being back on the mule trains and ox trains out of Steil Thein. She had walked that whole distance from Steil Thein to Torwin-Armistad numerous times, and now she was following the river north to the city. The trip was twice as long but the strain on the mules was much lighter. A barge is easier for the mules to pull, even going upstream.

How many days had it been walking upstream? Five days. They would be in Torwin Armistad tomorrow. They would collect their pay, and be on a tram to Uduithia, then rent a room in the castle so they could speak to the Duke. Suddenly Jutta had a question that she should have asked months ago. They passed a barge that was tied up on shore and Catrin hopped on it with the rope hook, a long pole with a hook at the top. She skillfully scooped up the tow rope with the hook and held it above the tied barge they passed and she walked from stern to bow on the tied up barge. Then, as they passed, she stepped lightly on shore with the hook while Jutta called "Come up!" and the mules began to pull harder.

With her fellow escapee walking alongside her Jutta asked, "Have you met the duke before?"

"Duke Roem? Plenty of times. My family was the largest landowner in Hay-on-Wægn county. We had a royal dispensation from taxation but he was always there trying to get money out of my grandfather or my father."

"But it's been over twenty years, what if he's dead?"

"If he's dead, I'll piss on his grave then go to the nearest pub and drink until I have to piss on him again."

"Catrin Wolfe!" laughed Jutta. "But if he's dead, how will we recognize the new duke?"

"Every Yule sixteenth, the king has a dinner party for his counsel. The castle is decorated and the people are let in to see the decorations in the main lobby. The nobs and hoity-toity become part of the decorations as they dance. We'll corner his son Fabien who would be the next duke. He wanted me so bad, maybe he still wants some of my honey, ya think? Oi Ducky! Still want this?" Catrin lifted her skirt a little and swiveled her hips.

Jutta shrieked with laughter. "Catrin! You're so bad!" By honey, Catrin was referring to very personal female moisture. Sadly, years of rape and abuse at the hands of Safar al-Azad and his cronies left them discouraged at the thought of being intimate with men. As they walked and talked, a cat streaked past them, whirring in excitement. It leapt up on the back of a mule and sat looking at the two women. "Haljas! Where have you been?"

"Eating rats in the hold," said the cat. "When you get to Torwin-Armistad, don't eat the bread. There's no litter box on that barge, just a hold full of grain."

"Aww... that was nasty."

The cat gave a feline version of a shrug. "We need to fly. Captain Heinrich isn't a very honest man."

"Just because he's not pleasant and cheats at cards doesn't mean..." Jutta caught herself. Actually it does mean he's not honest. "We need to find a rug or something to fly on," said Jutta.

"Gather up your items and we'll leave after dinner."

"We have pay coming from this tow, and Catrin's cooking."

"He never intended to pay you; he has already lost your pay playing cards."

"That bastard. We should take the mules and..."

"Leave the mules. They're too hard to sell. Take only your own things, and if the cable hooks fall overboard," Haljas gave a feline shrug. "The wheel of fortune turns. Tonight, when you're tied up and the card game starts, go. Don't wait for anything, just go. And if those hooks fall in the river, so be it."

Jutta looked unsure; she was the type to see a job through to the end. Catrin had been ready to go for days. She set her jaw and nodded. "Will you join us?"

"Of course. I'm out of rats and the grain is getting foul."

Soon it was too dark to travel safely, so the barge tied up and the men who spent an exhausting day doing nothing gathered around the table for dinner. "Stew and bread again?" growled the Captain.

"Your men have healthy appetites," said Catrin. "There's barely enough left for johnny cakes in the morning, but that should get us to port. And I had to borrow some grain from the aft hold for your bread tonight." She had used grain that Haljas had used between rats.

As Catrin cleaned the galley, Jutta came into the galley flustered. "They took our stuff."

"What stuff did they take?"

"The rings, the necklaces, your broom, our money. All they left was the lamp."

"I knew it would happen!" spat Catrin. She reached behind the stove and pulled out a bottle of rum. "I had stashed this for just such an occasion." It was rum, but she had fortified it with grain alcohol. A thirsty group of card players wouldn't care. "Get the lamp and come back here. When I'm done, we'll get our things and go."

While Jutta went back to their cabin, Catrin stepped out to the main table where the crew of the barge had broken out the cards and started a game of poker. "Here you go gentlemen, I found this in the kitchen. I figured it would come in handy tonight, our last night on the river."

"Aye, what a thoughtful lassie you are. Mugs all around! Tonight we drink to Thaldir, god of luck!"

It took a great effort for Catrin to stifle a laugh. Thaldir was not the god of luck, he was the minor god of tricks. The goddess of luck was in a far off country where gold was nearly free. Catrin returned with mugs for the rum and the crew began to drink immediately. She returned to the galley where Jutta had the lamp. The tiny flame was lit and Catrin took the lamp and began to rub it. "Where is my broom?" The flame leaned over, pointing aft, toward the cargo holds.

"Why your broom first?" asked Jutta as she followed Catrin. "The necklaces and rings were more valuable!"

"Broom first," was Catrin's stern reply.

The flame pointed the way, and they found themselves in the forward cargo hold, full of boxes and crates. It appeared that someone had tried to clean up. There was a pile of dust and dirt swept up and the broom was leaning against a crate. Catrin held her hand out and the broom flew to her hand. "This is the last thing I want them to have," said Catrin as the broom suddenly changed to its true form, the Short Sword of Elandorr Cailee. "This is worth a king's ransom. Any elf king would give his kingdom for this."

A slight whispering could be heard in the hold. "Is the sword speaking?" asked Jutta.

Catrin nodded her head slightly. "Aye, it's excited, we're almost home... it's almost home..." her eyes grew wide. "It speaks of a magic castle under my family's mountain!" Then she whispered in a voice full of awe, "Artafána! The palace of Elandorr Cailee!" Her mind spun as she saw views of the inside of Artafána. There were snug rooms with comfortable beds that called to her, full kitchens where any masterpiece could easily be made, underground gardens full of fruit and vegetables, an underground park with flowers, butterflies, fairies and a pond where one could go swimming, hot springs where one could bathe their aching bones... "I knew it was there! I knew it was there the whole time! That's what Folmer Presjeon was looking for."

"Who?"

"Folmer was... he's the father of my baby." Catrin felt an urge to run; to sprint to the Tubes, to find her son in that den of depravity and race off to the mountains, to live in that tiny cottage with Jutta and Nick. Maybe Folmer would return. She took two steps and collapsed and found herself in Artafána. It was a long hallway where children ran happily. "Come on! Come see the fairies!" cried a small girl and she led Catrin to an underground grotto which was illuminated by a ceiling of brightly glowing rock. The grotto was filled with lush, flowering plants and in the center was a pond where naked children splashed and played. Fairies flittered among the flowers and occasionally scolded the children for playing too rough with a pair of wolf pups.

Even in her dream she realized it was too much to be true, that it couldn't be real. But then a strong pair of masculine arms wrapped around her. A man's voice softly said, "It's all true, mother; it's all here for you." Catrin gasped but she realized she was lying on the wooden deck of the barge they had been on for several days.

"Catrin, are you well?" asked a nervous Jutta.

"I was there, with grandchildren and fairies," gasped Catrin.

"You haven't gone anywhere; you spoke an elf's name and collapsed."

"To hell with him. He left me pregnant and alone. Maybe the duke can find him and slap him in irons." She slowly got to her feet while Jutta picked up the lantern and rubbed it.

"Where are our necklaces?"

The flame pointed aft. They crept aft in the dark cargo holds until they were in the aft portion of the grain hold and it did smell a bit like a cat box. The flame pointed to the aft bulkhead, to a particular board which Catrin pried open with the short sword, and there were their necklaces and other bits of jewelry. Their rings were not in there. "The captain already lost them at poker," said Haljas from the darkness.

They put on their necklaces. The necklaces both had a golden medallion of Elandorr Cailee's coat of arms. The medallion was on a swivel. When the coat of arms was turned outward, there was no magic, but when it was turned inward, they were unseen by all around them. They were not invisible, other people did not notice them, nor care. Luckily, they could see each other.

Turning the medallion inward, they followed the lamp's flame back to the main cabin where the game was still on. A ring was in the pot for the current hand. Jutta carefully reached over a player and plucked the ring out of the pot. She examined the ring then handed it to Catrin. It was the Ring of Healing.

"Hey! Dint you put a ring in the pot?" slurred a drunk player.

"Yes, I did, which one of you bastards took it?" roared the captain.

"Ain't no one here took it," said a drunk.

"Everyone turn out yer pockets!" demanded the captain. The players turned out their pockets and found that the only one with a ring in his pocket was the captain. The crew roared with laughter as the captain swore. "I knew I had two of the damn things."

"Ante up!" cried the players and the captain tossed the other ring on the pile. Jutta watched the hand play out, then as a player clearly won and began to scoop in the pot, Jutta slipped the Ring of Truth out of the man's winnings and they quickly slipped out of the forward cabin, tossed the cable hooks into the river, then disappeared into the night.

"I want my daughter!" demanded Jutta. For much of this journey, she was the meek one, willing to let Catrin, the Witch, take the lead. But now they were at the Temple of Saehrimnir and she was hot. "You people destroyed me! You took me, my husband, and my baby! Give them back!" Her shrieks echoed through the temple. "SEND ME SAEHRIMNIR!" she shrieked.

Three acolytes approached them and Catrin gestured at them with a broom. "I'm a witch, and I know how to use this!" she squawked. The acolytes sneered and continued to approach, but when the broom became a short sword covered in elven etchings and glowing softly, they stepped back in fear.

"Madam," said a senior acolyte, "it's nearly Yuletide Eve. All the professors and priests who were here when you said you were here years ago are either dead or on holiday."

"I will take this to the duke! All of you! He will give you a fair trial and make sure you are hanged with a new rope!"

"Ma'am, please," came a soft voice from behind them. "I am a duke myself. Maybe I can help you." The women turned, and there was a well-dressed man who was surrounded by a crowd of police officers. "I am General Sir Ned Sinclair Darby. Commander of the Torwin-Armistad City Guard, and the Duke of Torwin."

"You're duke of a slum?" said a shocked Catrin.

"Yeah, you might say that," said Duke Ned. She was right, the city was a sewer and he had inherited it from previous monarchs who cared more about money than the people. Ned was working hard to flush out the sewer, but he couldn't argue against the truth. "Now, who is this other Duke you're talking about?"

"You wouldn't know him, he's in Uduithia."

"Surprise me."

"Henna Roem."

"I will admit, you have me stumped, ma'am. Who is Henna Roem?"

Catrin glared at him with a furrowed brow. "He is the Duke of Wægn."

Ned smiled and chuckled. "My ladies, I have been in and out of Uduithia many times in these past few years, and I have plenty of news. Some of what I have to say might please you. Come with me to my house. We'll talk, get you up to date on the news from Uduithia, then get you on the road home." Then he turned to one of his men. "You, get Archbishop Caspar Scholtz and drag his hind-end to my house. Carriage, cuffs or chains, get him there. It's time he answered questions." He turned to another, "You, get these two women on a tram to Uduithia any way they can. First cabin is best."

"Your Grace," said the police lieutenant, "it's nearly Yuletide Eve; the only available ride will be car matron."

"We'll take it," said Jutta, not knowing what car matron was.

"Is this suspicious?" asked Catrin as they bathed in a large tub full of hot water with bathing salts.

"I'm not going to argue," said Jutta as their toes dueled under the water. "It just feels so good to be clean!"

"We may be the only clean bodies in all of Torwin-Armistad."

There was a tap on the door, and the voice of Duchess Moira Darby called out, "I brought you some fresh towels and some fresh unders. We had your robes cleaned."

Fresh underwear? When was the last time either woman had access to underwear? "Where is the cleanser? I'm afraid we're going to leave a ring, so we will need to scrub your bathtub."

"Don't worry about that. We have people," called Moira. She was nouveau riche and enjoyed having servants, but being nouveau riche, she normally helped her servants with the tough work. Soon Catrin and Jutta were dressed in fresh bloomers and cleaned witch's robes. They were led by Aiden, Duke Darby's butler/driver/cook/librarian, to the dining room where Duke Darby waited with his wife Moira and their son Garth.

Before Catrin and Jutta entered, Ned spoke with his family. "We don't know who they are for sure, so I want to keep news from Elm Springs close. But, if they are who I believe they are, I think it's best that Nick and Octavia tell them everything. If we're right, we'll find out at the New Year's Eve dinner."

"What if we're wrong?" asked Moira.

"We'll still find out... Ah, ladies, how was your bath?"

"It was divine!" gasped Jutta. "Thank you so much, we must have smelled like an old dead ox."

"That's about normal here in Torwin-Armistad. Are you both witches?"

"No, just Catrin. I'm an old mule skinner from Steil Thein."

"Please sit, now what was going on in the temple? It can be quite hard to get Saehrimnir's attention. He's taking this chief god thing seriously."

"Twenty-nine years ago, my husband and I entered the temple of Saehrimnir to have our child blessed. We spoke to an acolyte and everything went black. I woke up a slave on a ship and was sold at auction to Safar al-Azad, the Governor General of Qudura, the capital city of Hamz Al-Jasrer. For the next twenty-eight years we served Safar al-Azad as a cook. If we did good we were raped. If we did bad we were beaten, and if I did exceptionally good, I was allowed to kiss my husband if he was in town. He was head Olliphant drover for the king, Amaan el-Mousa III."

"And where is your husband now?"

"He was beheaded for disagreeing with an incompetent navigator who was a nephew of the king."

"Olliphants? I hear that the king of Hamz Al-Jasrer lost all his olliphants. They all just walked away into the desert."

When Ned said that, Jutta began to weep. Catrin held her hand and stroked her long dark hair as she wept. "That had to be Rozy's doing," said Catrin softly. "Rozeena was the queen, the matron olliphant. When Jutta's husband Felix was killed in front of her, she stomped the killer to death then quit. She just stood in her pen and rang the little bell that Felix put on her tusk whenever he was drover on the caravan. When we left, she left too, and took all the calves with her. They all must have followed Rozy."

"How does an olliphant just leave?" asked Ned. He had seen olliphants in the zoo. They were big but they didn't look too threatening.

"Desert olliphants are huge, Rozy was fifty feet tall at the shoulder. They're trained when young that they can't knock down walls, but in reality, they can knock down any wall. When she decided to leave, she flattened her pen wall and took all of the king's calves with her."

"I want to see Rozy again," said Jutta softly as she tried to bring herself under control.

"And Lolly, she was so sweet," said Catrin as she hugged Jutta.

"So why are you both dressed like witches?" asked Ned, trying to change the subject.

Jutta finally brought herself under control. "We're wearing black because that's what we had on when we left. We would wear black and sit on the roof at night and nobody could see us in the dark. We sat on the roof and drank and pretended we were free."

Just then a man in archbishop's robes was escorted into the dining room. Ned brightened like he did whenever he was questioning a stubborn prisoner. "Ladies, this is Archbishop Caspar Scholtz. He was suddenly given the office twenty-nine years ago. Since he is retired, it is possible he could be held responsible for whatever happened to little Corina Aldana. Bishop? Please, just let us know what happened."

"It was Bishop Stoill Spakeman. He and that acolyte, Rupert Belsey, would poison parents from out of town as they brought their child in for a blessing. They would sell the parents to Idaama slavers and put the children in the orphanage and sell them when they were older. When Lord Saehrimnir returned, he believed there was something corrupt and questioned Bishop Spakeman. When Bishop Spakeman and Acolyte Belsey confessed, they disappeared. I heard later they were dropped on a slaver's ship."

"They were," said Jutta. "They were forced to beat each other to death and the survivor would be allowed to live as a sex slave to the prison guards."

"May I ask who won?" asked Ned.

Jutta shrugged. "I heard that the captain was so tired of watching two fat guys slap each other that he threw both overboard."

Then she turned to the bishop and asked, "What happened to my daughter?"

"I don't know. She was put in the orphanage and..."

Jutta grabbed his wrist and sternly said, "Tõsi, what happened to my daughter?"

The former archbishop began to shudder. Because Jutta invoked the ring of truth, he was unable to lie, and he was unable to ignore the question. "She was named Octavia because she was the eighth child taken that day. In the orphanage, she showed great beauty and wisdom and was put in the Temple of Saehrimnir in Torwin-Armistad as a temple priestess and trained to be a second wife... She enrolled in advanced magic and divination at the university. Her education earned her the accreditation of Wizard, and the title of Doctor of Multi-theistic Amphibology."

"Tõsi, then what happened to my daughter?" demanded Jutta.

"She was sold to Victor Steinhauer who presented her to King Alfrich as a wife. She was there to capture everybody's attention so General Steinhauer could plan a coup. Several weeks later he killed King Alfrich and the woman he was dancing with at the king's wedding celebration." The bishop fell back panting; his brain ached from having the truth ripped from his mind.

"Go," said Ned. "Don't run off while I consider charges." Then, as Aiden served dinner, he turned to Catrin and said, "Miss Wolfe, why are you interested in seeing the Duke?"

Catrin eyed the roast beef, potatoes, and root vegetables. It was the finest meal ever set before her since she had left the farm. "My family owns Black Mountain. As far as I know, I am the only surviving member of my family. I want to return to my home. Maybe I have a chance to reclaim my mother's cottage."

"Your mother's cottage?"

"It is a witch's cottage; it only responds rightly to a witch."

"Please eat. You know that Duke Roem is dead."

"Let me guess. Murdered?"

"That's what I gather. He was shot with a crossbow bolt painted to look like a dwarves' bolt. His son Fabien was killed with the same type of bolt while hunting on Black Mountain. What made you think he was murdered?"

"He was a crafty bastard. I remember Dad complaining how he would try to tax the farm. In Uduithia, a witch's property is not taxed and we owned the entire mountain." Then she looked at Ned with a pained look in her eye. "What happened to my boy? I left him with Ivo Stein and went to get medical treatment and woke up on a slave ship."

Ned shook his head sadly. "All I have is reports that he was in the temple's care and was going to be taken back to Uduithia. Hopefully you'll find him up there."

Moira held his hand under the table. Ned wanted to tell them so bad, but what if these women were lying? What if they were out to kill the duke? What if Ned's friend Nick was a grifter who claimed the farm illegally? He didn't want to think about it. Only Octavia's story can be traced back to birth; there's far too much not recorded in Nick's story. From the moment his father threw him away to the day he showed up in Breaze to take medical classes, nobody except Nick knew the truth.

Ned smiled and was about to say something when a policeman entered. "Sir, it's as bad as I was worried about. There are no seats available on tomorrow's tram, but if they are willing to work as car matrons, I can get them aboard on Yuletide Eve. They'll even be paid for it."

"We'll take it," said Jutta.

"Do you know what a car matron is?"

"No. But whatever it is, I know we can do it."

"Until the train departs, please, stay with us and relax," said Moira. "Stay and enjoy the holiday season."

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Chapter 24 - Dinner with Friends

Yule 6, 3438

Elm Springs, Uduithia

"... and that's why the brave rabbit's world sits on four elephants that ride atop a giant sea turtle today," said Nick Stein, finishing up the bedtime story for his tiny twins. Fairy tales like this knock them right out.

Five-month-old Loo-Loo (Llywella) was fast asleep in Nick's arms, and her twin brother Lou (Llywellyn) in his mother Octavia's arms, was almost asleep, their older sister, four-year-old Hollie, was sitting on Ning's lap and was drifting off too. Their oldest brother, Marlon, who had just turned seven, was lying on the floor in front of the fire, reading a story of his own, and was drifting off to sleep as well. A good nighttime story in front of a fire on a cold winter evening after a long day of work was the best way to cap a winter evening for a growing family.

"Everybody, off to bed, we don't know what surprises Saint Heldus has for us," said Octavia as she tried to get up without causing Lou to wake up. "He will be here in just two more days!"

"Oh, mom!" whined Marlon. He stopped believing in Saint Heldus last year... that was until Saint Heldus brought him a donkey all of his own for Yuletide last year. He didn't want a donkey, he never thought of owning a donkey, but Saint Heldus knew better and now Bongo is Marlon's constant companion, carrying Marlon's pack, tackle box, and fishing rods. Together, they explore every inch of Black Mountain with Marlon's special friend Annette, and sometimes they give Hollie the occasional ride. How did Saint Heldus know? Marlon gazed at the fire, all of his seven years of age rebelling, fighting to stay up later. Who wants to go to bed when they can watch the fire and marvel at all the glittering tinsel, shining glass ornaments, and flickering candles? Maybe dad will get out his dulcimer and play a carol or two.

Every Yuletide season, their humble little cottage became a glittery midwinter fairyland, their decorations even included a dozen fairies. Real fairies. For some reason Nick really liked fairies and always had a dozen flittering around the house. The fairies sat in the Yuletide tree and on the fireplace mantle, flitting from branch to branch, glittering and shining, and sometimes they'd break into song. The fairies were waiting for everyone to go upstairs and go to sleep so they could raid the honeycomb.

The fairies on Kodu looked like little naked women with butterfly wings. Even though they are of different colors it's actually quite easy to tell which ones are male. The males are the brunettes. Their favorite foods are nectar, honey, and bananas. They can fly and sing and understand all human languages and Nick uses them as translators.

"We have work tomorrow," said Nick softly.

"Can I sleep on my couch?" said Marlon as he scrambled onto the ancient and most honorable throne of the emperor of the Xuantang Empire, the very couch he was born on in a bamboo forest half the world away.

Nick just smiled as Octavia put Lou in his arms along with Loo-Loo. "Come on kæri," said Nick softly, and he carried both Lou and Loo-Loo upstairs to the nursery while Octavia carried Hollie. Marlon remained behind stubbornly, but eventually closed the book and headed upstairs. His dad called him kæri; that was what the witches called their dearest friends, he had only heard his dad call the blacksmith Trei, and his mom kæri, so Marlon figured he was in good company. Marlon stacked a couple of logs on the fire and blew out the candles, then headed up the stairs to bed. Halfway up the stairs, he turned around and, crouching, said, "Good night!"

"Good night!" called the twinkling fairies and one by one they winked off and the fire became the only light in the house. In his bedroom, Marlon drew the curtain between him and his sister and put on his nightclothes as his mom helped Hollie get dressed. Finally, Dad came in from laying down the twins and went to help Octavia with Hollie, who was being stubborn and silly. The children were "blessed" with their father's dark hair that seemed to go in all directions moments after combing, and their mother's violet eyes and light skin. Only Loo-Loo got her mother's thick black hair that was always perfect.

"It's off to sleep for you, little silly, and think of what you would ask Saint Heldus if you saw him."

"I want Pepin back," whined Hollie on the edge of tears. It's been six months since Nick's adoptive brother died. He was a wolf who had been enchanted with the gift of speech decades ago and the kids loved him dearly.

"We all miss Pepin, sweetheart," said Octavia.

"Me too," said Pumpkin, a wolf cub who was clearly too young to have known Pepin. Pumpkin hopped up on Hollie's bed, and his brother Pippin hopped up on Marlon's bed. Both pups walked in circles, found the perfect spot on the bed, then lay down. "Good night."

After kissing Hollie goodnight, Nick and Octavia tucked Marlon in. "She's such a baby," whispered Marlon. "Saint Heldus can't bring Pepin back."

"Maybe he'll bring us memories we can hold on to," said Octavia as she tucked her son in. Although the growing family thought they were ready, no one was ever truly ready for the surprises that Saint Heldus brought.

A warm fire crackled in the kitchen stove, and Her Grace, Octavia Stein, Duchess of Wægn, Court Wizard to the King of Uduithia, and former Empress of the Xuantang Empire, brushed the sweat off her brow with the back of her hand causing her four-year-old daughter to giggle. "What's so funny? You silly thing."

"You got frower on your face!" The tyke's giggling caused the five-month-old twins in their chairs to start laughing along with her.

Octavia conjured a mirror quickly and found that she had a swath of flour on her left cheek and across her forehead. At that very moment someone knocked on the door. The little dark-haired fireball Hollie dashed to the door and peeked through the glass outside and said, "It's Auntie Ena, momma."

"Well, let her in," and with a mighty tug, Hollie Stein pulled the front door open so Octavia's friend Ena McCrory could enter.

"I come to see if you need a hand," said Ena as she stepped into the toasty warm cottage. "Looks like you do! Happy Yuletide!" and handed a wine bottle to Octavia. "Where is Lady Ning?"

"She is teaching at the pub today," sighed Octavia. Ning taught mathematics and many local farmers were taking her class on farm economics.

"Makin' Yuletide cookies?" asked Ena.

"And froot kake!" shouted Hollie.

"Trying to," gasped Octavia as she dug two wine glasses out of the cabinet. While she placed the wine glasses on an open spot on the counter, the cork slowly eased itself halfway out of the bottle, and Octavia pulled it out the rest of the way. There's rarely a corkscrew in a magic user's home, there's no need. Handing Ena a glass of wine, Octavia collapsed next to her in a rocking chair and said, "Are you all done and ready for Yuletide Eve?"

"Oh, gawds no, but that's the blessing of having three grown daughters. If they fancy a Midwinter extravaganza, they can do it themselves." Ena turned and looked at her young friend and said, "Look at you! You can snap your fingers and Yuletide treats just appear, but here you are in an apron and flour and I hear a kitchen timer ticking away... when's the last time you lit a fire in that stove?"

"It has been a while since I put a few sticks of wood in the stove. Nick uses it most," said Octavia as she freed the sleepy twins from their highchairs and laid them down on the couch for a nap. "Hollie and I have been baking, the twins have been helping, the last batch of cookies just went in, and they should come out nicely."

"So, you're not using magic on the cookies?" It became known among her friends that Octavia just needs to gather the ingredients of a meal and her magic can complete the rest of the task in a moment. Nick calls it Kitchen Magic; Octavia calls it Damn Convenient.

"No, I'm teaching Hollie to bake. She won't learn anything if cookies just appear. What if Hollie can't use magic later? Where will her daughter's cookies come from?" Octavia smiled and handed Ena a perfectly made miniature mince pie that appeared in her hand and said craftily, "But I am using magic on the oven. Right now, the fire is heating the oven to exactly 350 degrees."

"So, you're the most powerful magic user in Uduithia, and you're using your magic to manage the temperature on a wood stove?"

"I'm using magic the way I want to use it, to make life more comfortable for all of us, like the heated outhouse, hot water at the pump handle, and Laundry Day," said Octavia.

"I love your heated outhouse. I'll walk all the way up here to use it, but laundry day? What's magic about Laundry Day?" asked Ena.

"Hollie!" Octavia called, "bring me the twins' diaper pail."

"I will, mommy." Soon the moppet returned, tugging an enameled metal pail with a lid, and she dragged it to her mother. "Stinky, stinky, stinky!"

"But it's Laundry Day!" said Octavia as she tweaked her daughter's nose. Then she opened the lid and pulled out diapers one by one. Each one was clean, dry, and odor-free, and she began to fold them.

"I would have killed to have been able to do that," sighed Ena. "You use all that magic, all that power to do laundry?"

"Laundry and baking and building snowmen and Yuletide cookies, and the Spring Duckling eggs and everything else that Nick and I didn't grow up with." Octavia tried to explain to her neighbor that she didn't need to show off her magical powers, she was happy. "Neither of us had a family upbringing. Nick was an abandoned child; he grew up on the street while I was trained to be a second wife and learned magic. When I first met Nick, he was trying to be an honest man in a filthy, corrupt kingdom. He was a sword-for-hire and now look at him, he owns a pub and a bookstore and has the largest farm on the mountain."

"Don't forget he has two wives," said Ena as she finished her tiny pie.

"Only once I used my power to the utmost. When Nick was kidnapped, I used the power of an entire mountain just to bring him home, and I hated it. I hated how it made me feel." Her eyes started to tear up, and she drew herself back together, then said, "No, never again. Together, we made this silly thing with no magic at all!" She snatched Hollie up onto her lap and started tickling her daughter to hide her discomfort. Octavia still wakes up in terror from the memories of that summer when they took Nick, her brand-new husband away. Her anger and her power were barely controllable. The planet of Kodu did not know how close it came to ending.

Ena sat and considered her young friend, not realizing that she didn't like using magic, and wondered what Nick and Octavia would have been like if they had never met. "At first, I didn't even know you had magic. Nick came back from Breaze a full witch, a swordsman, and he could turn into a horse."

"And a DRAGON!" shouted Hollie, but she was shushed because of the napping twins.

"He can become all kinds of animals, but the dragon is her favorite," said Octavia as Ena topped off their wine glasses. As the twins snoozed, the friends talked and made plans for dinner. "Bring your Calum over for dinner tonight. We're making, I mean REALLY making, roast beef."

"Not pork?" laughed Ena. "That's sacrilegious." Yuletide started as the festival where small mountain communities slaughtered and prepared their unneeded boars in preparation for winter because you only need one boar come springtime. That is why things like small ceramic sausages and hams are hung as decorations on the Yuletide tree and around the house. On Yuletide, pork is king.

"I feel daring," said Octavia with a grin.

Torwin-Armistad

Catrin and Jutta spent the day touring the Tubes, the slum section of Torwin with streets so narrow it felt like you were walking in a tube. Some streets were so narrow, you couldn't walk three abreast comfortably. As always, the streets of the Tubes were filled with vendors selling or cooking anything that could be imagined. The combined scent of the grilled foods was delightful, if the wind was just right, otherwise the stench of human and animal waste came wafting in.

They were looking for news of Ivo Stein, the man who beat Catrin nearly to death and left with her son Nick. Most people they talked to had nothing to say or claimed they didn't know Ivo at all. Maybe it was the fact that two fifty-year-old women were looking for him, and maybe it was the fact that the gentlemen they were being escorted by reeked of "Cop," as did their swords. The only clue they got was "Talk to Bumper at the Mended Swan."

Bumper turned out to be the bar tender at the Mended Swan pub. "Oi'll just tell ye what oi heered at the bar, but not what oi was told in confidence if ye know what oi mean."

"That's wonderful to know, Bumper," said Ned. "We're just looking for a fellow. Ivo Stein. These ladies just want to talk to him."

"Aye," said Bumper with a grin. "An' how much does he owe them now?"

"Nothing, I just want to know what happened to my son," said Catrin, trying to hold back years of sorrow and frustration.

"Aye, me lady. Oi can tell ye fur a fact that Ivo Stein is no longer in Torwin-Armistad. Ye might say he wore out his welcome. There's talk he is looking for work in Spatz Mountain. As for children, that subject ne'r comes up in here."

"That's about as good as you're going to get," said Ned Darby as they left the Tubes and headed for Grand Torwin Station. "If Bumper is right, your duke may know more about Ivo than we do down here." He stopped them outside the station. "I will tell you what. I will be there on New Year's Eve. If you can meet me at Waelmore Castle, I'll get you into dinner. Sound like a plan?"

"You can do that?"

Ned shrugged. "I'm a duke, what are they going to do, declare war? They'll break out a couple of folding chairs and dishes and we dig in. Happens all the time."

Catrin kissed his cheek and said, "You're a good man, Ned Darby."

"Dat's what my Moira says every night. Come on, let's get your trip set up. We need to go to office number eight."

Office number eight was the Torwin, Pirangi & Edhellond Tramway employment office, and in there was a bitter-looking old man with slightly crossed eyes and a permanent frown. His name plaque said that he was Mr. Cough. "What do ya want?" he demanded as Ned, Jutta, and Catrin entered his office.

Catrin gave Mr. Cough the scrap of paper which he studied. "You wish to be train matrons on Number Seven all the way to Slate Bottom Creek?"

"Yes, sir."

This was a godsend, the matrons on Number Seven had quit last week, and he'd been looking for replacements ever since. "It's a simple enough job: keep the heaters stoked, hand out tea and biscuits, answer questions, help people with their luggage, assist the train crew. It may sound easy but you're going to be on your feet and working for ten hours straight. Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yes, sir."

"Very well, the pay for each of you will be thirty-seven dollars. Be here at four a. m. to prepare your train for a five o'clock departure." Shocked by the luck that rained on them, Jutta and Catrin backed out of Mr. Cough's office, blessing him. "Don't thank me. You have a job ahead of you, and you're going to earn that money." Jutta smiled, thinking that she heard the glingle, glingle, glingle of sleigh bells when Mr. Cough handed them their temporary employee ID cards showing that they were employees in good stead on the marvel of the entire continent, the Torwin, Pirangi & Edhellond Tramway.

Elm Springs, Uduithia

Dinner that night at the cottage known as Nana Peacock's cottage was an affair that witches rarely have, or if they did, they rarely talked about it: a large dinner for friends. The living room became the dining room, furniture was moved and a trestle table was set up for the seven members of the Stein family, the dwarves Buggy and Eryri, and friends Ena and Calum McCrory who brought their sixteen-year-old son Gavin along. Hollie fell in love with Gavin and mooned over him for most of the evening.

Dinner was glorious. The roast beef was perfect, along with roast potatoes, carrots, and parsnips, boiled cabbage, and trout fillet (for luck in the new year), rabbit pie, cookies and wildberry cobbler. "Did you dig those potatoes up with your famous potato spear?" asked Calum.

"We call it a Potato Fork," said Nick, "and yes, I did, personally."

"I helped!" said Marlon, earning himself a tussle of his locks. Several years ago Octavia found an old weapon in a cache. Nick and Trei Metsker modified it to a fine tool for digging up potatoes and patented it as the Improved Potato Fork. The money for that patent was still rolling in.

As they talked and laughed, Octavia suddenly felt a shifting, as if the house gently moved sideways. No one else noticed it except Nick, who, being a witch, had a close attachment to the house. She leaned over and whispered in his ear, "Did the house just grow?" Then a horrible thought came over her, she counted her children, then whispered, "Did it shrink?"

Nana Peacock's Cottage was truly magical. It expands and contracts as the family expands and contracts. When Nick first arrived, it was tiny, just a single room and Nick slept on the floor in front of the fire. When Nick returned with Octavia, it grew a proper kitchen and added a bedroom. When Marlon came along, it immediately expanded with a larger kitchen and living room and a full bedroom and a nursery upstairs. Later, when Hollie came along, a bedroom added itself for Marlon, who moved out of the nursery. The last time it expanded was when Octavia was pregnant with Llewela and Llywellyn and Marlon's room grew extra space for Hollie.

However, the house will shrink as the family shrinks. Unneeded rooms will disappear until the witch is left alone in a cottage for one. Terrified that the house shrank, meaning a loss of a family member, Nick got up and went upstairs, where most of the growth took place previously, and their rooms looked a bit larger. Going back downstairs, Nick noticed a slight hallway behind the stairs and went back there and found a large open room with two single beds, two rocking chairs, two dressers, two wardrobes, and a small parlor stove.

Returning to the party, he whispered in Octavia's ear, "It grew, I don't know why, but it grew."

"Nursery?" she whispered. She clutched her stomach; she didn't feel pregnant. She looked at Ning who shook her head firmly.

"No, it's like... a double bed-sitting room." They looked at each other and shrugged, but Octavia started to fight back a grin. She knew that once the children were in bed, they would investigate this room and christen it. But the dinner continued on, and the friends laughed and drank long into the cold evening.

"Octavia, I must say that your house is amazing," said Calum, "the decorations are truly enchanting. Do you get your ideas from the realms of magic?"

"I get my ideas from the court decorators in Waelmore Castle," she said. "Have you never seen the castle decorated for Yuletide?"

"No, I haven't."

"You must go. It's open to the public," gushed Octavia, "the whole town is a Yuletide wonderland."

"They took us there to present ourselves to the King and Queen after we were married," said Eryri. "Oh my! The decorations were overwhelming; it was like being in a frost-covered forest in every room with sparkling bright ornamentation and candles everywhere." Eryri was in full female mode, for this party she was wearing eye makeup, rouge and lipstick. Makeup is rare on dwarves.

"It almost made a believer out of me!" laughed the famously atheistic Buggy.

"Can I see?" asked Hollie.

"Yes, we are going on New Year's Eve," said Octavia as she scrubbed her daughter's face, "and you will need to behave!" The king holds a New Year's Eve dinner for his court and their families and important people from all over attend.

"If you don't mind my asking, how did you become the Duke of Wægn?" asked Calum McCrory.

"The king was handing out assignments and I didn't move out of the way fast enough," said Nick, and Octavia gave him a stinging elbow in the ribs.

"He was there with me at Tähelepanek Point... and then..." Now Octavia struggled to hold back the emotions, the fear, the excitement, then the horror of seeing her new husband get blown off the face of Kodu...

"You were both there at Tähelepanek Point?" gasped Ena. Town criers throughout most of Kodu made sure the world knew of the great spell that was cast at Tähelepanek Point, the spell which stopped the mad god Zeddicus. Few people knew everything that happened.

"She cast the spell, and I held the notes for her to read," said Nick as he ate.

"So she saved the world, yet the king appointed you the duke."

"Aye," said Nick with a nod. "I only know one trick, so he made me duke. She is a full-blown wizard and has a hat full of tricks, so she was appointed as court wizard. Same pay, less work." That earned him another elbow.

"Ye lyin' sack o'..." started Buggy. "He killed the damned thing. Her spell stopped Zeddicus for a moment and he went in with that sword right there!" The dwarf pointed to the mithril/steel cutlass over the fireplace.

"Here, Happy Yuletide," said Octavia as she handed Ena a merrily wrapped book that she wrote and published, The Spell at Tähelepanek Point. "That tells the entire story."

"It tells our story too," said Nick, and Octavia gave him a kiss.

Soon the meal wound down to an end and the three families worked together to clean up afterward. With the court wizard directing the action, cleanup was incredibly fast, dishes and cooking vessels merely had to be dipped into the hot soapy water, and they came out spotless. Then they rinsed in the clear water and they were dried by the time they were placed in the cabinet. The entire time that was happening, Pippin and Pumpkin, Nick's newest companions, woke up and sat in the kitchen complaining, "What about me?"

"Didn't anyone remember the dog?"

"Hungry... whimper, whimper." Pumpkin actually said the word whimper.

"Here, boys," said Hollie as she squatted next to the wolf pups, "This is for both of you," and she handed them a large piece of beef with plenty of fat that her father gave her for the wolves.

"Thank you, momma!" said the pups after wolfing down the meat. All human females were momma to them.

"Well, shall we?" asked Nick as the cleanup was finished and the living room returned to normal.

The adults gathered before the fire and stood shoulder to shoulder raising their brandy snifters and they sang the traditional song that celebrates life and the danger of life in the Snowcross mountains.

Snow lies deep upon the mountain,

Cold is the wind through the pine and stone;

Bank the fire well and trim the lantern,

Guide the weary traveler to his home.

Dark is the road beyond the window,

White is the path where south winds roam;

Leave a candle in the window for your brother,

Every road must lead the traveler home.

Keep the hearth all winter burning,

Though the night be cold and long;

Some who wander yet returning--

Homeward they come, guided by our song.

Spring shall wake the sleeping mountain,

Melt the snow from field and loam;

Till that day we'll keep the fire burning

No one walks the winter home alone.

"You're getting better every year!" laughed Nick as he strummed a happy chord.

"You humans," said Buggy shaking his head, "you may learn to sing properly someday."

Nick sighed and along with Marlon, sang their favorite dwarf song and Buggy soon joined in, "Gold, gold, gold, gold, gold, gold, gold, gold, diamonds!"

"Now that's a proper dwarf song for the midwinter," said Eryri with a laugh as they headed out the door along with Calum, Ena, and Gavin McCrory. The snow was still falling gently, and because there were two full moons, the snow reflected what light penetrated the clouds, so it wasn't a dark night. It was a good night for all. After saying their goodbyes, the McCrory family put on their snowshoes and trudged downhill with Eryri and Buggy who returned to their guardhouse. After wishing the dwarves a warm evening, they continued downhill, safe in the knowledge that the Snowcross Mountain Lion that tracked their steps and crept parallel to their track was a friend who was watching out for their safety.

֍

Chapter 25 - Workin' on the Tramway

Yule 7, 3438

Elm Springs, Uduithia

Ning, Octavia, and Nick cuddled together on the bed in the new room. Nick and Octavia's lovemaking had been passionate and sweet. Their lovemaking was augmented by Ning, who lay next to them, kissing and caressing her new husband. Ning was still terrified of being touched, but now she didn't leave the room when Nick and Octavia made love. When she left, it made them feel sad that they scared their new partner.

Pippin lay curled up on the other bed, snoozing as the thrupple cuddled and caressed. "You two are so amazing," whispered Ning. "You're artists, so far beyond what I could do."

"You should have been here eight years ago," said Nick as he rolled on his back and curled an arm around each of his wives.

"We had no idea what to do," said Octavia. "We were the clumsiest couple... I have no idea how we finally made Marlon."

"You were trained to be a second wife, I thought they taught you all of that at the temple," said Ning.

"I skipped those classes because I was shy. I sat in on magic classes instead."

"Beginners," grumbled Pippin from the other bed.

"Come on, let's get some sleep," said Octavia. A clock face appeared floating in the air over the reading lamp on the nightstand. "It's ten thirty. It will be Yuletide eve soon." They got off the bed and with a wave of her hand, the sheets, blankets and covers were cleaned and snapped tight on the beds. Pippin leaped off the bed with a yip, then curled up in front of the parlor heater as he mumbled about letting sleeping wolves lie.

They left, and the reading lamp went out. Pippin heard the laughing from the kitchen as the three washed up, then he heard the creaking of the stairs as they went up to bed. The young wolf realized his people rudely failed to invite him to bed with them and he dashed up the stairs to correct the error.

Grand Torwin Station

Torwin-Armistad

Stationmaster Casey James groaned as he stepped into the dispatcher's office and looked through his train orders. First out of the gate--Number Seven, The Snowcross Challenger. Once the flagship passenger train of the railroad, the Challenger had become a mixed train, ten boxcars full of freight, three empty flatcars, and two gondolas full of gravel followed by the Tramway Post Office car, and the baggage/coach full of express freight and brakemen. Behind it were two coaches, a dinette car, two more coaches and a parlor car. He frowned; how did they put this old wreck together with so much junk? The locomotive was underpowered, the freight cars were overloaded, the passenger cars were packed full of loggers and miners with maybe a dozen "normal" travelers heading out across the Steil Plains.

As he read the train orders, a throat was cleared nearby just to let him know that a throat was nearby. "Yes?" he allowed one eye to peer above a barely legible slow order on the main line near Hamlin to see two women dressed in black looking at him with expectant smiles. One was small and compact; the other a bit taller with a figure that would cause an hourglass to turn green with envy.

"Mister James, I'm Jutta Aldana and this is Catrin Lenz. We are to be car matrons on Number 7 this morning."

Casey looked at the work order Jutta handed him and their employee cards with callous indifference. "Follow me," he grumbled and led the women out onto the platform. It was a chilly, damp morning and locomotive #24 was backing onto their train. He watched the yardmen couple #24 onto the train and frowned. #24 was old. It doesn't have steam heat connections to warm the passenger cars. That's why he has matrons. "Are ye familiar with parlor stoves?" he said as they walked past the ancient baggage/coach car that was also acting as caboose for the freight section of the train. The crew inside was gathered around the stove waiting for their brew-up of tea.

"I should say so, both wood fueled and coal," said Jutta. Catrin nodded in agreement.

"Follow me," and he climbed aboard. "For passenger service we have two coaches, followed by a dinette, followed by two more coaches, followed by a parlor car. There is no smoking in the coaches, only in the parlor car and dinette." He pointed at Jutta. "You get the first two coaches, and you, the little one..."

"Catrin, yer lordship."

"Yeah, Catrin, you get the second two coaches. Don't worry about any other car on the train, just the two cars you've been assigned. When you're done with the run, see your conductor for your pay."

"What do we do?" asked Catrin.

"It's fairly simple. Keep the heaters working, it's going to be a cold one today. Answer any questions, direct any smokers to the parlor car. If you have any problems with the passengers, refer the problem to the conductor, that's his job. That's it. Do you have questions for me?"

Catrin said, "No sir. We have people waiting for us already, I see."

"Well then, you best start firing up your heaters. Take your scuttles to the locomotive for coal." For the next half hour, Catrin and Jutta walked back and forth between the locomotive and their cars with scuttles full of coal. The train was so long, the trip to the locomotive and back for Catrin was nearly a half mile. Once they got the little stoves burning, they met in the dinette and studied the schedule. People were going to want to know times and locations, but neither woman had a watch.

"You come round to see me at every stop along the line," said a grumpy-looking man in a railroad uniform. He sat in a corner booth of the dinette, drinking coffee and eating breakfast. "I'll give you the old nod if we're keeping pace with the clock."

"And you are...?"

"Ergi Stoat, I'm the conductor, an' this 'ere train be mine. I want you two a-walkin' up an' down the aisles the whole journey, answerin' queries, shooin' the puffers off the open vestibules. And as we roll into a station, cry out loud and clear which stop we're arrivin' at."

"What if we don't know what station we're coming into?" asked a nervous Jutta.

"Come ask me, me dear. I'll be right 'ere, I will. Don't ye go sendin' any passengers my way, mind--sort it out yerself. An' keep the stoves snug, but not too snug, mind--coal don't come cheap, that it don't." He got up, put a gold "RESERVED" sign on his table, then said, "Follow me," and led them to a vestibule, the open area between cars. The only thing that kept a passenger from falling under the train when crossing from one car to the next was two safety chains.

"Right then, this 'ere be the brake wheel. When you hears the locomotive give a single long toot, you steps out onto the vestibule like so and give the wheel a clockwise turn. When it sounds two toots, you turns the brake wheel t'other way round. Got that, lady?" Then, without waiting for a response, he swung off the train, smiling and nodding to the travelers who began to crowd onto the train.

"I guess we get to our cars," said Jutta. She noticed that Catrin looked like she was going to cry. "Don't worry, we'll soon see the Duke and he'll point us in the right direction. We'll find Corina and then we'll find Nicky." Catrin smiled weakly and nodded, then headed off to her coaches.

"BOOOOOARD!" shouted Conductor Ergi and with a toot-toot and a slam of cars that nearly threw both matrons off their feet, they were underway. Ergi worked his way through the train, punching tickets as they snaked their way through the confusion of yard tracks out of the station and out to the main line. Slowly they built up speed. This first leg of the run was The Snowcross Challenger's bread and butter. Most passengers were traveling between Torwin-Armistad and Pirangi or Steil Thein for the holiday. Their transit would pay for this train.

They found the job of train matron was fairly easy at first. Every question both women encountered was easily answered by reading the passenger's ticket carefully. Unfortunately, for the first leg of the run, there were a lot of SRO--Standing Room Only--tickets and the aisles were crowded, as were the vestibules, and they spent most of their time chasing passengers off the open area between cars. The passengers were hoping that they could stand in the dinette and sip tea, but that was not to be; the dinette was too crowded. They also discovered that turning the brake wheel was going to be hard because it was frigid outside and they weren't dressed for outside work.

They eased into Pirangi in one hour, three minutes early! The same trip on horseback was half a day. Holiday travel via the train was a marvel, and cheerful holiday travelers piled off the train, thanking Jutta and Catrin for their help and some even tipped them a few coins for being so nice.

The Snowcross Challenger didn't wait long. The train crew added two more boxcars to the consist while the train sat at the station. Then "BOOOOOOARD!" called Ergi again and once again they were underway. The bare cabbage fields of the Steil Plains flashed by in the pre-dawn gloom as the matrons walked up and down the aisle, smiling, nodding, prodding a little more heat out of the stoves. Crossing from one car to the next was icy and dangerous, and there was only one ice scraper on the train, so Jutta and Catrin shuffled it back and forth as they traveled.

"Next station, Steil Thein! Get your bags together if you are getting off at Steil Thein!" Jutta was getting into the swing of the job. Catrin was a little nervous, but she too fell into the rhythm of the rails. They had already traveled sixty miles, and the sun hadn't come up yet.

Peacock Cottage

Elm Springs, Uduithia

Nick's eyes fluttered open. He smiled with that feeling you get after a night of sex, blissful and dozy. "I don't want to get up," he groaned, but then he felt a nose press against his nose. Just as he reached to give Octavia the good morning kiss of her dreams, he realized it wasn't Octavia.

"I'm hungry, daddy," said Hollie, smiling. Her eyes crossed as she looked into her daddy's eyes. She folded up his eyepatch to reveal the gold artificial eye that a grateful Prime Minister of the Xuantang Empire gave him. (Nick did the Prime Minister and the people of the Empire a huge favor by accidentally killing their mad emperor.) "I like your gold eye," as she drew close and studied it. Nick never told his kids that his gold eye magically works.

"Thank you, I'll let you look at it again on your wedding day." Nick was sensitive about his missing eye.

"Can you make pamcakes?"

"Pancakes, paN-cakes. Say your N."

"I like pam better." The tyke slid out of bed and Nick saw Octavia looking at him with a smile of amusement.

"Good morning, Sir."

"She has one of your eyes," said Nick with a smile. "Good morning, Ma'am," and they drew close for a kiss, but their exchange was interrupted by the twin wails of the twins. "Rock paper scissors, winner gets Lou."

"You're on, daddy," and Octavia crushed Nick's scissors with a rock, giving Nick the honor of changing Loo-Loo.

"Aww, she always poops first thing in the morning."

"You get the babies, I will get the pamcakes," said Ning as she eased out of bed.

"Sorrreeee," said Octavia with a grin as Nick helped her put on her leg. Once she was mobile, they got up and attended to the twins. "Ughh, I got a winner too," groaned Octavia as she inspected her youngest son's diaper. "And you look pretty happy about it, you little stinker." Llywellyn gave his mother a huge toothless grin and kicked happily as his mother changed his diaper.

Finally up and ready, the family gathered around the breakfast table while Ning served "pamcakes." Nick did not join them, however. "Where to?" asked Ning.

"The Duchy Offices, I need to prepare the books for the king's auditor tomorrow." The Duchy Offices were a tiny office at the One-Eyed Duke. Nick stored all official books and papers there.

"They're going to audit the books on Yuletide Day?" asked Octavia as she gave Nick a breakfast pastry that wasn't there a moment ago.

"No, the day after, but they want the books turned over tomorrow so there's none missing when the audit starts at sunrise." Nick pulled on his knee-high mukluks and headed out with a promise to be back for lunch.

Sky Dancer Pass

Torwin, Pirangi & Edhellond Tramway

The Snowcross Challenger was clawing its way through the Snowcross Mountains. This was some of the most beautiful mountain railroading on Kodu. Rocky canyon walls lined the narrow ledge that the train crawled along and plunging canyon depths marked this territory. The small wedge plow on the pilot of the locomotive shoved snow off the rails and over the side of the cliff. It was a long struggle to get to the top of Sky Dancer Pass and sometimes the heavy train was barely moving at a walking pace. The barks of the straining locomotive echoed off the mountainsides, eventually gaining speed as they finally made it to the crest of the pass.

The exhausted engineer spotted the locomotive at the summit tank and they paused at the top of the pass to take on water and coal. The passengers stepped off the train to take in the breathtaking mountain scenery as Catrin and Jutta dashed to the locomotive for more coal as their scuttles were empty and their heaters were nearly extinguished. The scenery was indeed breathtaking, but Catrin was positive that the thin air was the cause of the breath taking. Still, the sight of massive rock walls about them made Jutta and Catrin stare in awe at the majestic sights.

"Howya doin', little lady?" A strange-looking little man peered at Catrin from the top of a boxcar. He was filthy, and he waved to her with a hand that only had two fingers. Terrified, she shuffled back to her coaches faster, hauling her two scuttles. Hopefully, this will be the last time she has to drag coal all the way back to her coach. They're nearly two-thirds of the way to Slate Bottom Creek and soon she'll be seeing the Duke!

"Hiya, ma'am," he called out to Jutta as she walked past with her coal.

"Good morning to you, Mr. Bemis, and a Happy Yuletide Eve!" called Jutta. She met Lancaster Bemis at the last stop when she ran for coal. He was a brakeman on the train; he had to climb on top of the freight cars to tighten down the brake wheels when the engineer called for brakes. He was missing fingers because the couplers between the cars were dangerous to operate. It was said that the sign of an inexperienced brakeman was ten fingers, and they are the last to be hired.

"Happy Yuletide to you also," he called. Shortly after, the engineer blew two short crows of the whistle, the signal for brakes up, and Conductor Stoat began to bellow "BOARD!" and he herded the passengers back onto the train. It was still a fairly full train, not as crowded as the first few stops, but if the diner and parlor emptied into the coaches, there'd be few empty seats.

Catrin and Jutta cranked the brake wheels on their cars and soon the train began to move. Heading downhill, it followed a narrow ledge that was carved into the solid rock as they made their way down the pass. The locomotive was almost silent as they coasted downhill.

Soon, the trip was not as serene as the first mile of descent on Sky Dancer Pass. The grade began to get steeper and the heavy train picked up speed as gravity pulled it downhill toward the sharp curves and narrow ledges ahead. The engineer on old #24 applied the locomotive brake but it had little effect on their speed. He needed all brakes, so he grabbed the whistle cord and whistled desperately for brakes.

At the sound of the loud blast, the brakemen "decorated" the train in the driving snow. They climbed out of the ancient baggage/coach and got up on top of the twelve boxcars. Three brakemen clung to their brake wheels, cranking them down tightly, and when they could turn no more, they got back up. They again dashed along the swaying roof walks to the next car where the brake wheel waited for them. On the vestibules, Jutta and Catrin turned down their brake wheels with freezing fingers, the wind cutting through their light shawls, the rocking cars threatening to toss them down between the cars.

The Snowcross Challenger shot out across the Amala Creek Canyon Trestle, over two hundred feet high. The Amala Creek Canyon Trestle was called the "Wonder of the Ages" when it was built, and the regional governor said, "It appears to be made of scrap lumber and prayers." The wind came roaring up Amala Creek Canyon, blowing broadside on the train, driving the wet snow into the brakemen's eyes and rocking the cars. Having cranked down their brake wheels, Jutta and Catrin huddled around the parlor heaters in their cars while thoughtful passengers helped them urge a few more degrees of warmth out of the tiny stoves.

When the train headed out into the flat mountain meadows marking the far end of Sky Dancer Pass, the engineer whistled to release the brakes, and the men on the boxcars found themselves one man short: Lancaster Bemis could not be found anywhere on the train.

Lancaster Bemis was standing at the bottom of the Amala Creek Canyon looking at a person-shaped hole in the snow. "Poor old guy, do ya think he suffered?"

Next to him stood a sad figure in a black shroud with a hood. The fellow in black had a ghostly aura around him and if Lancaster Bemis was more knowledgeable, he would realize he was in the presence of a god. "YOU DIDN'T FEEL A THING," said Droul, the god of Death. Droul felt sorry for Lancaster Bemis; the old guy didn't have a chance, he was hit by a gust of wind, just as the car rocked hard to the side, and was thrown off the train and dropped two hundred feet to the snow-covered rocks below. Droul truly hated working on a holiday.

Peacock Cottage

Elm Springs, Uduithia

"Yes, I have to go back to work," said Nick as he put his lunch dishes in the sink and kissed a sad little girl. "I'm almost done and will be home for supper. Why don't you get dressed and maybe Marlon will let you ride Bongo?"

Hollie lit up, "Can I, can I, can I please? Please?" she begged her older brother.

"All right..." sighed Marlon. Annette was home with her parents and Marlon was stuck with his. Next Yuletide will be different, Marlon declared, but watching Hollie ride Bongo was fun. They're just about the right size for each other, a tiny girl on a tiny donkey, and Bongo seems to like having Hollie or Annette on his back. They dressed in their snowy day clothes and headed outside. The snow was already a foot deep and huge flakes spiraled out of the overhead clouds. Marlon walked into the barn and proudly led Bongo out. Bongo normally carries packs for camping, lunches for picnics and tackle boxes for fishing, and occasionally Annette Preston, but today Marlon threw a blanket on him and Nick lifted Hollie in place.

"Have a good ride, little missy!" called the head farmhand, Alfie. He was in the rear of the barn on the big grinding wheel, sharpening tools for the work that spring would bring.

"Fank you Mister Alfie!" cried Hollie. "Happy Yuletide!"

As they walked downhill toward the village, Marlon asked his father, "What did you do for Yuletide Eve when you were a kid?"

The right answer was "beg for food," but Nick didn't want to say that. In fact, he didn't want to think about it ever again, and he couldn't talk about it with Hollie hanging on his every word. She sat smiling on her tiny mount, waiting to hear the answer. "I'd get with the fellows and we'd play, usually stick ball or conkers. We didn't have snow in the city. It was usually cold and rainy." Those games are something they would do if they had the chance, but the primary job of an abandoned child was to beg for food or pennies.

Nick continued. "When the temple brought me back here, I would spend Yuletide with Wayne Metsker. We would build snow forts and have snowball fights right where the One-Eyed Duke stands today."

As they got down to the One-Eyed Duke, they saw Mr. and Mrs. Metsker in their sleigh getting ready to head up Breeder's Peak Road to Waleston to spend the holiday with Wayne, Silver, and all the kids. "Have a safe trip, Trei," Nick called. "See you at the palace on New Year's?"

"We'd never miss a chance to see you in your costume," laughed the blacksmith and they were off.

"Here we are, you two," Nick pulled two sticks of penny candy out of his pocket, "I have to finish my bookwork. You two head back to the cottage and I'll be up when I'm done."

"See you tonight," the kids said reluctantly, but they took the candy bribe and headed back up the mountain. Meanwhile, Nick went into the pub, grabbed a pint of Old Weasel and ducked back into his office. The battle of the budget was almost over.

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Chapter 26 - The Duchy of Wægn

Yule 7, 3438

Slate Bottom Creek, Uduithia

The Snowcross Challenger rolled into Slate Bottom Creek thirteen minutes early, and all who witnessed that feat agreed that it was a Yuletide miracle. The Snowcross Challenger was normally one or two hours late, so people who were expecting family to pick them up at the station would have to walk over to Gunnar's Café where their ride was calmly enjoying lunch. People piled off the train headed for home in the nearby community and the train waited for the day coach from Waleston to pull up with passengers for the return train to Torwin-Armistad.

Jutta and Catrin hopped off the train and the ground that wasn't moving felt strange. It took a few steps to get used to solid ground. The train had rocked and rolled them for the past nine hours as they walked up and down the aisles for the entire trip. They were hungry, tired, and freezing, and they spent most of the mountain passage out on the vestibules cranking the brake wheels back and forth. They just wanted to get to Waleston and see the Duke of Wægn.

"Jolly good show, lasses," growled Ergi Stoat, "You're right naturals, and there you have it." He handed each woman a shiny new ten-dollar coin.

"What is this?" said Jutta, her jaw trembling.

"Thy wages, and ye've right well-earned every farthing."

"Wha...?" her eyes started to tear up. This couldn't be true. "We were promised thirty-seven dollars..."

"I told ye that coal weren't given away gratis, lassie," said Ergi with a foul grin as he lit a hand rolled.

That did it for Catrin. She'd been slapped, she'd been hit, beaten, raped, she'd even had her son taken away... It Ends Today. "THIEF!" she shrieked, "THIEF!!!" She pointed at Ergi and screamed, "HE STOLE OUR PAY ON YULETIDE EVE!!!" Everyone on the crowded platform suddenly stopped and everyone turned to look at the ruckus, the little matron who they fell in love with was in trouble! The crowd started to close in and demand answers.

A Gendarme in breastplate, helmet, and swinging a truncheon arrived with a not very intelligent-looking partner struggled through the crowd, "Now how may I help ye ma'am? I'm Sergeant Carl and this is me partner Bobby Bones. We're with the Wægn Gendarme."

Catrin was fuming, "We were promised thirty-seven dollars each to work as train matrons... we did the work and we worked the brakes all the way from Torwin-Armistad. We were promised thirty-seven dollars, but he only gave us ten dollars. He stole twenty-seven dollars from each of us." The crowd started to rumble in anger. Calls for a public caning rose; this was going to get ugly.

Turning to Jutta he asked, "Is this true, ma'am?"

Jutta, usually the strong one when women gathered, merely whimpered, "yes, sir." The angry crowd terrified her, even though they were on her side.

The sergeant glared at the conductor with hatred in his eyes. He hated lazy slobs that preyed on the weak. "Pay the women, Stoat, before I let me truncheon do the talkin' this Yuletide Eve."

Grumbling, the conductor dug out fifty-four dollars for the women to split between them. "Are you happy now?" demanded Ergi.

"Maybe..."

"What does a brakeman make?" Bobby asked out of the blue, "Probably more than a matron."

Sergeant Carl grinned, happy with his partner Bobby Bones. He was actually a lot smarter than he looked. "That's an astute question. I would assume a brakeman makes an even fifty for the trip."

"If it pleases your fancy, they makes the very same sum!" shouted Stoat with a smirk. Highway Gendarmes think they're so smart...

"Thank you for mentioning that," said Sergeant Carl with a nod. He slapped his truncheon into his hand with a resounding crack. "Ma'am, at any time did anyone on this railroad instruct you to actuate the brake wheel during normal operations of the train, i. e. not in an emergency?"

"Yes, almost every stop, every steep downgrade," said Jutta.

Carl poked Ergi Stoat in the gut with his truncheon. "You put these sweet women travelin' on a holiday out on those icy vestibules turning the brake wheels... where's your son and your no-good son-in-law, the real brakemen?"

"I don't have to..." Ergi was about to storm away, but Sgt. Carl and Patrolman Bones both placed the tips of their truncheons under Ergi's chin.

"I DO have to mention to the Brakeman's Guild that persons were employed to operate the brakes but were not compensated for their work as a Brakeman," hissed Sgt. Carl. "It's not me. It's the Brakeman's Guild that you're going to have to worry about."

Ergi groaned; he wasn't caught like this very often. The Brakeman's Guild was often called the Break Man's Guild for their swift and energetic enforcement of guild rules. Defeated, Ergi began plucking coins out of his purse with trembling fingers, then Patrolman Bones said cheerfully, "it would be nice if you rounded it up. It's Yuletide after all."

The crooked conductor handed Jutta Aldana and Catrin Wolfe forty dollars each, and with a trembling goodbye, the women dashed over to the day coach. "How much to Waleston?"

The driver looked a bit sad and said, "I apologize. I have seats available from Slate Bottom Creek to Elm Springs, the halfway point. There are four to pick up at Elm Springs, all paid up, so I can take you as far as Elm Springs and catch you tomorrow." Seeing the disappointment in their eyes, he hurried to add, "maybe you can get a ride from a local at Elm Springs. Almost everyone goes to Waleston for the Yuletide Festival."

"We need to find the duke," said Catrin in a tiny voice.

"We got money now, we can get a room," said Jutta. "We're almost there!" She looked at the coachman and opened her purse, "How much to Elm Springs, Sir?"

The coachman looked at the women; it was a four-dollar ticket, but Elm Springs in the winter on Yuletide Eve? The place is a ghost town. "Hop in, Ma'am, keep your money, it's Yuletide."

The women climbed into the coach with a couple who were already making merry and passing around a flask. "Where are you off to, this snowy afternoon, young ladies?" said the jovial man with the flask. He wore a black suit with a gray waistcoat and a matching gray top hat garnished with holly for the season.

"Waleston. We need to see the Duke of Wægn, we have business with him," said Jutta as the coach started moving. They pulled the coach blanket over their legs and cuddled together, warm for the first time today.

"You're going to love him," said the jovial man's wife. "Don't let his age fool you. He's as sharp as a tack!"

"Same with his wife!" laughed the man. "She's quite the looker!"

"Willbert, you stop it."

"And that second wife of his, quite the exotic beauty!"

"Willbert!"

"I apologize if I drift off," said Jutta. "We worked as matrons on the train and," she chuckled exhausted, "we walked all the way from Torwin-Armistad." Now Jutta had a mental picture of the Duke of Wægn as a smart, happy old man with a smiling elderly wife in fashionable dress, and an exotic looking young second wife. He has to know something about Jutta's daughter... he just has to.

"We saw you on the train. Please relax," said the woman, and that's the last thing Catrin heard as she fell asleep.

Jutta was awakened by a hand gently shaking her shoulder. "This is Elm Springs, you have to get off, ma'am," said the coachman. "I have a full coach from here." Jutta looked around her drowsily and realized that they were stopped in a winter wonderland. The snow was knee deep, and it was still falling. As the new passengers boarded the coach, Jutta and Catrin found themselves standing in front of a closed blacksmith shop looking around at a tiny, closed town as the coach trotted off.

"A pub?" said Catrin. They walked to the One-Eyed Duke. It looked like a nice village pub, but a sign in the window said, "Closed until Yule 9 - Have a Happy Yuletide."

The little village was deadly silent; the heavy falling snow muffled all sound. "Oh no," Catrin groaned, "oh no..." She had forgotten how heavily the snow could fall in the mountains and they needed to get indoors quickly. They knocked on the door of the house attached to the blacksmith shop but there was no answer. Trei would remember her, but he's not answering the door?

They walked across the street to the mill but that was closed, then over to the Emporium, a small store, that was closed too, so was the tiny cobbler shop. All businesses wished them a Happy Yuletide with cheerful pasteboard signs. They walked back across the street to the temple next to the blacksmith shop, which was closed up as well. There had been no god in the Temple of the Woods to summon for a thousand years, so it wasn't worth the effort. The snow was falling so heavily that they didn't see the Gendarme House up the road where they could have gotten a hot cuppa, a warm cot, an introduction to the Duke, and a ride anywhere they wanted.

Sadly, they sagged down to the bench in front of the temple, ignored the free spring water, and wept. "I'm so tired," gasped Catrin.

"I'm so cold," whispered Jutta...

"Hold me," said Catrin, and she began to magically generate heat for Jutta. Maybe she'd be able to keep Jutta alive to meet the duke... one of us needed to survive. Her last thought before losing consciousness was to whisper, "I love you Jutta."

Back in a corner of the pub, the owner and young duke, Nick, emerged from his office area where he had been reviewing the finances of the duchy for the past day. "I think that's done," sighed an exhausted Nick. "This ol' duchy came out better this year than last year." He wondered how he could be exhausted from spending a day looking at a page of paper. He could cut, split, and stack a cord of wood and not feel half as beat as he did after reviewing the duchy finances and taxes.

He stepped out of his corner, where he performed his calligraphy, bookbinding, and bookkeeping and after washed up the mug he had been nipping ale from. He pulled on his overcoat and stepped outside. As he turned around to lock the pub door, he felt a tingle of magic... someone was performing a spell... this wasn't a one-time spell, this kept going on and on. How odd. It wasn't a powerful spell, but it was a spell. Maybe Grandpa, or Tervis, the god of Health, was up to something again inside the temple.

He locked up the pub and walked over to the Gendarme house through the blinding snow. Inside he found a few of the lads gathered around the stove, heating up a pot of coffee. "Is anyone on the road?" called out Nick.

"TEN HUT!" cried Desk Sergeant Dave Harris when he saw that the visitor was the Duke of Wægn.

"As you were," said Nick. "Please relax, I just want to know if anyone is on the road."

"Aye, sir, three sleighs, one east and one west on the main road, and one south over Breeders Peak," said Commander Preston Prescott as he stepped off the stairs.

"Keep the troops warm and the horses fed," said Nick as he handed Preston a sealed package. "The kingdom financial officers will be here for this tomorrow." The old friends shook hands. "How is Annette doing?"

"As to be expected, moaning and crying for her lost love. How dare we separate her from Marlon?" said Preston as he locked the package in the safe.

Nick chuckled. "I have the same song sung in a different key at my house."

"You know, after New Year's Eve, they're going to be insufferable."

Nick nodded in agreement. The announcement that he had been named the king's heir would cause Marlon and Annette to realize that they were in line for the throne. "They're going to demand a wedding before they turn ten."

"We'll be lucky if we survive the evening before they demand that."

"I best be off. Tonight we light the Yule Log and Marlon has the honors."

"Be safe out there," said Preston as he walked with Nick to the main door of the police watch house.

"It's not my safety you need to worry about," said Nick as he stepped onto the porch and suddenly became a Snowcross mountain lion. The huge white cat leapt off the porch and disappeared in the white, swirling storm.

"Did you see that?" gasped Constable Scott Haven.

"See what?" asked the desk sergeant without looking up from his logbook.

"He just turned into a giant cat!"

"Yeah, it never gets old," said the sergeant as if he were describing a fireworks show.

Nick trotted up the middle of the street and felt the magic again, weaker, but it was there... and he smelled... people. He looked around, no one should be out this afternoon. He neared the temple and noticed that there were two people sitting on the bench out front. He dashed up to them and returned to human form. They were women and only one woman looked at him and made a feeble attempt to rise.

Trying to keep the panic out of his voice, Nick reached out and touched them. They were freezing. "Don't worry, I know I don't look it, but I'm a witch, here in the mountains we witches are nurses so this is my forte." He figured out the magic that was being used, one woman was burning herself up to keep the other woman warm. She was going to die! He gently lifted the woman that was moving and carried her into the temple office and put her in an overstuffed chair near the potbelly stove, then dashed out and brought the second woman in. There was nothing to them, they were skin and bones! He found some old robes and cloth to cover them up with and tried to turn the crystal heater inside the potbelly stove higher, but it was all the way up. "Fairies? Any fairies here?" Silence. They were all at the cottage. Oh shit, oh shit, oh SHIT!

The women were pale, shivering, and their heartbeats were weak and fast, a barely noticeable flutter. He was able to stop the magic spell and began to check the women's extremities for signs of frostbite, luckily there was no sign of frostbite, but they were so cold, their body temperature had fallen. The tiny woman was just at the verge of consciousness she was drifting in and out, the other one slowly opened her eyes and looked at the paintings on the wall, Grandpa now had paintings of everyone in the Stein family as infants. She tried to point to the image of the infant Octavia and said, "My Corina," then she slipped away again.

In the cottage, Octavia was starting to prepare dinner when her head was hit with a mind-bursting shout.

"OCTAVIA!!! YOU AND MARLON HOOK TRIXIE UP TO SOMETHING, I HAVE A PAIR OF WOMEN HERE DYING! I'M ON MY WAY."

It was Nick and he sounded terrified. She'd never seen him scared except when a patient was in serious condition. She put down everything and dashed out to the barn to ready the sleigh.

Marlon heard it, too. In terror, he pulled on his boots and dashed out to the barn without pulling on a coat. The snow was falling faster now, up past his knees as he ran into the barn and eased Trixie out of her stall. "Come on, girl, daddy's coming."

"You heard that, too?" asked Octavia, as they got Trixie, the sweet horse they got right after Marlon was born, and led her over to the old single bench sleigh, and backed her between the traces. Hearing their voices, Bertie came out of the worker's cabin to help get Trixie ready to run.

"It was weird. I heard Dad say my name and..." The sound of thundering hoofbeats made them turn and in a cloud of snow a huge black stallion raced up to the barn and just as it stopped, it became Nick.

Nick panted from his dash up the mountain, a look of terror on his face. "I found two women sitting on the bench outside the temple, unconscious, freezing to death. Get the new room ready, love." His voice caught in his throat and he gasped, "they're dying..."

"You can save them," Octavia said as Nick gave her a nervous kiss. "I know you can."

Marlon finished with the last buckle and stepped back, Bertie put Trixie's collar of bells on, and Nick shouted, "Come on, Trixie, let's go!" he snapped the reins and the sled started to move, but Trixie was not happy being interrupted from a nice dream and didn't put much effort into her pull. Nick smacked Trixie on the rump with the buggy whip and they were off. Stunned that daddy would hit her, Trixie jumped and broke into a gallop.

Nick held on tight as Trixie raced down the hill. Every leaping step ate up the distance. Her bells broke the silence as they covered the mile between the cottage and the temple in Trixie's wild flight, her collar of bells jingling madly. Then it was over in a matter of minutes. They slid to a stop at the temple door and Nick leaped from the sleigh.

The small woman was conscious. She touched his cheek and whispered, "I need the duke," as he scooped her up.

"I'm right here, dear," he whispered but he was horrified that she weighed almost nothing. He carefully set her in the sleigh, then dashed back in and brought out the other woman. She was a larger woman but just as light. He covered the women with a heavy quilt, pulled on his coat and locked the door then he dug the women's meager baggage and a broom out of the snow. Of course, one of them must be a witch, maybe from the way they were dressed. Then, cracking the whip, they were on the road back to Nana Peacock's cottage.

After turning the sleigh around and starting heading back home, Nick stood up and slapped the reins against Trixie's back. "Let's go Trixie! Let's ride!" Trixie liked this game; she never got to gallop but now she was free to sprint and she dashed up the hill with all the speed and grace that she had. "Fly, Trixie, FLY!" shouted a terrified Nick who trusted Trixie to navigate the hill that she spent her entire life climbing and he checked the woman. They were both unconscious now. "FLY Trixie!"

Finally, nearing the cottage, he pulled back on the reins and pulled on the drag brake lever. "Whoa, girl, good Trixie!" Stopping at the cottage porch, Nick lifted the smaller woman out of the sleigh and carried her into the house back to the new room and laid her on the bed. Both Marlon and Hollie were amazed that there was a new room back behind the stairs. "Gods below! Can I have this room when they go?"

"Hush you, go sweep up the snow we tracked in. Hollie, you're supposed to be watching Lou and Loo-Loo."

"They don't even talk!" pouted Hollie. "They're booooring!"

"GO!"

Nick now arrived with the second woman and laid her down on the other bed, worried sick that he didn't get to them in time. "I'll get them tucked in. You go put the horse and sleigh away," said Octavia.

"I'm the witch..." Nick protested.

"GO!" demanded Ning.

Outnumbered, Nick went outside, released the drag brake, grasped Trixie's bridle, and clucked his tongue. Trixie followed his lead, and they parked the sleigh. Then he unbuckled her from the traces and led her back to her warm stable, and fed her an extra scoop of grain. "Brush her down good, will you Bertie? She ran like a champion today."

"Will do, Your Grace," said the demi-giant.

"If those women live, it will be because of that horse. She's a hero."

Nick went back inside with their bag and broom to check on his mystery patients. He found that Octavia and Ning were caring for the women. The taller was changed into Octavia's warm flannel nightgown, and the smaller, blond woman, was wearing a flowered nightgown of Ning's. They were both tucked in under extra quilts. He placed a pan of water with handfuls of dried herbs on the little parlor stove, then closed the curtain, which closed off the room from the rest of the house and knelt and checked the women. Their breathing stabilized and their pulses, which had been weak and rapid, were slowly becoming regular and stronger.

"Leave Daddy alone," Octavia had to remind the children, who were peering in the curtain. "He's the witch, he's got to keep an eye on the ladies."

"Are they going to be well again mommy? Who are they?"

"They're travelers that almost froze in the snow. We'll find out who they are later. Now let Daddy work."

"Here," said Ning. "Put her broom in the umbrella stand."

"I will," pouted Hollie. How can she become a witch if daddy doesn't let her help? She stomped to the front door and put the broom in the olliphant-foot umbrella stand and turned to go back to the living room. The broom leaned over and touched Nick's walking stick. There was a brilliant blue-white flash of light that filled the entire house and Hollie screamed in shock.

"What happened?" asked Octavia as Hollie cried.

"I didn't mean to break it!" the little girl wept.

Nick and Octavia neared the olliphant-foot umbrella stand and looked in shock at what was there. "Gods among us!" gasped Nick as he realized the magnitude of what had just happened.

֍

Chapter 27 - Yuletide Eve

Yule 7, 3438

Elm Springs, Uduithia

It was the quietest Yuletide Eve that Marlon could remember. Yuletide Eve is for singing and laughter. Dad plays his dulcimer and Mom plays the autoharp, and everyone sings along. Instead, he and Hollie spent the afternoon walking on eggshells, trying to be quiet for the ladies in the "Magic Room." Occasionally Nick would come out and look sad and sit down on the couch and hold Hollie, who was so confused. "I'm sorry, sweetie, but these ladies need help. They spent too much time in the cold and... maybe you can ask Saint Heldus to make them better so you can show them your presents tomorrow. That would be fun, wouldn't it?" Hollie nodded her head vigorously. "Get to the table. It's dinnertime."

Nick herded Hollie and Marlon to the table. The twins were already in their chairs and banging their spoons on the table. Soon Octavia and Nick set out bowls of hot noodle soup, the traditional Yuletide Eve dinner that Ning always gave Jia, while Pippin and Pumpkin appeared in time to claim rights to the dropped noodles. A few times during the meal, Nick got up to check on the women and always came back with a concerned look on his face.

After dinner, the family relaxed in front of the fireplace. Nick got out his lute and Octavia got out her autoharp and they began to play Yuletide carols. Not the newer ones about presents and romance like Gimme You for Yuletide or Happy, Happy, Yuletide Time, but the beautiful old ones like The Ivy in the Forest and Let All of Kodu Rejoice. With Ning's beautiful voice, the fairies all singing along, flickering in time with the music, it became a magical evening that drew the family closer together. Nick was playing with an old hymn that Grandpa Grigeor once taught him years ago. He taught Nick the lute chords, but Nick improved on the ancient lyrics as he sang:

Duke of Wægn he doth step out

In the Snowcross foothills

He did harbor so much doubt

Feeling winters worst chills

Brightly shown both moons that night

Though the cold was bitter

Came a witch to fill his sight

She was such a pretty critter.

"Dad! Sing it right!" groaned Marlon and Hollie, while Octavia was laughing so hard she almost dropped her autoharp.

Of course they did some "kids" songs. What's Yuletide without all the family singing along with Davie The Yuletide Dragon and sharing a bowl of popped corns? As they sang The Happy Yuletide Tree, Hollie produced the long garland of popped corns and cranberries that she, Ning, Octavia, and Marlon (begrudgingly) worked on, and hung it on the tree. Ning had never seen popcorn before and was fascinated with the treat.

It was long past the kid's usual bedtime when Hollie climbed on Nick's lap with the traditional children's Yuletide book, Saint Heldus's First Yuletide. Octavia propped the twins up with him on the couch and Nick began to read the story of how a lonely farmer/hunter/gatherer/god named Maz became Saint Heldus, and why he hitches four snow-white mountain lions to a sleigh and delivers presents to the good boys and girls around Kodu. When they were done with the book, Marlon and Hollie set out the traditional cup of egg nog for Saint Heldus, then they put their notes to Saint Heldus in their stockings above the fire and it was time to go to bed.

2:00 AM, Yule 8

Peacock Cottage,

Creel Springs, Uduithia

Jutta woke up and found herself in a warm room that smelled of herbs that reminded her of sunlit summer fields. A lamp on a nightstand showed that Catrin was sleeping in a bed next to her and breathing normally. Jutta needed to use the bathroom but didn't know if one was around, so she got up, stumbled across the room, finding herself dressed in a blue flannel nightgown. She opened a curtain and found herself in a Yuletide Eve dream. From behind the staircase she saw a small cottage that was decorated with glittering tinsel and garland, glitter-covered tree branches and glass ornaments all reflecting the light of several candles. A beautiful dark-haired woman knelt on the floor next to a trapdoor and someone below was passing gifts up to her through the trapdoor. A cute Xuan woman took the gifts from the dark-haired woman and placed them under the small evergreen decorated with shining ornaments where fairies flittered and glowed, lighting up the tree.

Jutta leaned against the wall and watched a man climb out of the hatch and help arrange presents under the tree. Then he looked up at her and his concerned look broke into a huge grin. Nick dashed over to Jutta and said, "You shouldn't be up. Let's get you back to bed."

"I have to..." she looked like she didn't want to say, but Octavia saved her.

"Come on, it's an outhouse, but it's warm." And she led Jutta to the back door. "What's your name?" Octavia asked. If she couldn't remember her name, she had some problems.

"Jutta," the lady said weakly. "I'm Jutta Aldana and my partner is Catrin Wolfe."

"Wolfe?" The way Nick said it sounded like an accusation.

While they were out, Nick grabbed two mugs and brought a pitcher of water to the back room where the other woman was waking up.

"I brought water if you're thirsty. We have some wine and we can also make tea or a hot toddy if you would like."

Catrin sat up and squinted at Nick and whispered, "Water would be nice, thank you..." Nick handed her a mug of water and she took a long cool drink, "My dear, I haven't had a drink of water since four this morning." She held the mug out for more.

Nick topped her off and said, "We only have one outhouse. It's a two-holer, but when Octavia gets back, she can take you."

"Thank you," she gasped. "Thank you so much." She took another drink and said, "I'm sorry to be a burden."

"This is my job," grinned Nick. "I'm the local witch," and she looked at him strangely. "In the mountains, the witches are healers. I found you and your friend sitting at the temple freezing and brought you home for Yuletide. I'm the only male witch in the mountains, maybe in the world. What brings you out in such weather?"

"We were looking for the Duke..."

Nick's blood ran cold. This was a plot to kill him and his family; it was easy to see. They were using his family name and were out hunting the duke. "Why would you be looking for the Duke?"

Just then Octavia returned with Jutta, sat her down in the bed, and gave her a mug of water. Then Catrin answered Nick's question, "Because the duke may know about a child. I have to..."

"Come with me," said Ning, and she led the tiny woman to the outhouse, leaving Nick and Octavia alone with Jutta. The room went silent. Nick and Octavia looked at each other. Like every other couple in the universe, their thinking went in multiple directions, men think of bits and pieces; women think of people and feelings, but on occasion they are in complete mental harmony. That wasn't happening tonight between Nick and Octavia. Octavia wanted every word these women said to be true, and Nick believed every word was a lie.

"Corina?" asked Nick, remembering what she said in the temple. When Jutta nodded, Nick sat next to her on the bed and said, "Tell us about Corina."

With a pained look, Jutta repeated the story she recently told to Ned. "After Corina was born, my husband and I took her to the temple for Saehrimnir's Blessing. As we stepped into the temple we both collapsed and woke up on a slave ship."

Nick felt Octavia tighten up, ready to dash out of the room, so he held her wrist tight. "What happened after that, ma'am?"

She rolled up her sleeve and showed her tattoo that identified her as a slave. "Felix died last year. Catrin and I escaped and we made our way back to Torwin-Armistad. She was looking for her child in Edux, too."

Ning returned with Catrin and tucked her into the bed. When she was comfortable, Catrin sadly added to the tale. "My husband beat me and chased me off. I found out that he abandoned Nicky near the Temple of Saehrimnir and... I don't know..." and she burst into tears. Nick's mind went wild, how does she know so much about my mother? As the tiny woman wept, one name came to Nick's mind: Stephan Roem. That bastard killed his own father and brother. He killed Prince Exavier, the crown prince, and nearly killed Octavia and Marlon and had the king in his power. Now he planted an agent in Nick's own house!

The duke rose without a word and stormed out of the bedroom, leaving four women stunned.

There in the living room, he panted in anger. Roem! That bastard! Nick's hands clenched and unclenched in anger. He needed the secure feeling of a sword in his hand. Where was that bastard? Nick decided that he had to go up to Artafána and demand that Saatus tell him where that coward was hiding. Then he looked at the olliphant-foot umbrella stand... there was the broadsword and matching shortsword of Elandorr Cailee gently glowing as if happy to be reunited. He held both swords and felt something... a renewed strength? A hidden ability? Maybe they could lead him to Stephan Roem. "Walking stick, old friend." In a moment he was holding a silver-tipped ebony walking stick, and a broom, and he put them back in the umbrella stand. Only a spy sent by Stephan Roem would have such a fine blade, but now it's his.

Inside the Magic Room, Ning saw Octavia suffering in fits of indecision and sorrow. Jutta and Catrin were terrified at Nick's sudden, angry departure, and Ning realized she was the only rational adult in the room at the moment. "Come," she said, and she led Octavia into the living room and pulled Nick into their circle. "We must be truthful with them and with each other."

"They need to be truthful with us," said Nick. "Someone is trying to get to me... Stephan Roem, this stinks of his nasty tricks. I must protect my family."

"She could be your mother!" said Octavia, shocked at Nick's cold attitude.

"My mother is dead, and we could all be dead by sunrise!" Nick nearly shouted. Years of loneliness and pain came streaming out. "That bastard, my father, killed her and tried to kill me. My only family is a ghost and a nasty old witch that won't give me the time of day. My true family lives in Waelmore Castle and Stephan Roem killed my little brothers!" Nick didn't remember it happening but Tervis shot to Nick's hand and he was ready with a broadsword to fight any threat.

"I believe there is a possibility..." but Ning's voice faded.

"How do we tell? And how do we tell them if it's true?" whispered Octavia. She could rip the truth out of them with magic, but if they've been enchanted, even the lies will come out as truth.

"Your mother is a witch," said Ning to Nick. "Am I right? She witches couples to see their relationship to each other, is that right?"

"All witches do that," said Nick. "It's the opening of the wedding ceremony."

"She needs to witch us before we get married."

Nick was stunned. Where did this come from? "Why? You're Xuan, I'm Edux, we have no blood relation. The test will be merely ceremonial."

"I am descended from emperors of two families; I have blood from all of Kodu in my veins thanks to them. I would like to know before the wedding," said Ning firmly. "We are getting married at the palace on New Year's Day. I do not want to be embarrassed in front of the king and my son. If she's a witch, she'll tell us. If she's lying like you say, she won't be able to, and there's your proof."

Nick nodded his head sadly. The ancient human adage, "Happy Wife, Happy Life," now applied doubly to Nick, but Ning was right. If she can't "witch" Ning and me, she's a phony. And if she is a witch, being a witch, Nick will be able to see everything that Catrin can see, if she can see anything. "If you insist," he said with a sigh.

Ning led Nick to Catrin's bed and said, "Sir Nicholas has asked me to be his second wife, and I am worried we may be related."

Catrin dried her tears and groaned. "Look at you. You two are from two different worlds, you're a Xuan, he's clearly Edux..."

"Please check us," begged Ning. "We are having a witch wedding, and I do not want to be embarrassed in front of the king. Sir Nicholas insists."

Nick glared at Ning when she said that, but he coldly said, "Yes... I insist, if you please."

"I haven't done this in decades... I may not remember how." At that moment Nick was sure she was a plant. No witch forgets the wedding ceremony. Catrin continued as the memories came back. "Join hands... now hold my hands." The three of them held hands and Catrin searched her memory for the precise spell. Witches rarely used overt magic, but the wedding ceremony is the one time that all witches cast a spell. "Just relax your minds and let me..." Suddenly, Catrin could see Sir Nicholas clearly... Ning had no relationship with him, but Sir Nicholas was so bright, so overpowering that she could barely see Ning. He might as well have been her own... Her eyes flew open. "Nicky?" she gasped.

"Mom?" Nick saw the same thing that Catrin saw. There may not be any relationship with Ning, but he could tell, he was blinded by his relationship with Catrin. "It's me... they told me you were dead." They threw their arms around each other weeping. "I'm sorry I didn't believe you," he groaned as the tears poured. "I'm so sorry... Please forgive me..." He wept like he did as an abandoned child; lost, lonely, hungry, and his memory of his mother was her crawling off into the rainy night, battered senseless.

"It's me. I never gave up hope. I always knew I would find my boy, and I didn't even need that duke!"

"Mother," said a tear-filled Nick, "I am the duke."

"Shh. You'll go to hell for lying to your mother."

"My lord," whispered Ning as she gently patted Nick's shoulder. "I have a request." Nick looked at Ning; his eyes were filled with tears. "Do the witch test on Lady Octavia."

Nick didn't want to be torn away from his mother, but Octavia looked so worried, and Jutta looked so confused... and they looked so much like each other. Nick stood between the two beds, next to Catrin, and gestured to Jutta to turn toward him and he placed Octavia next to Jutta. "Hold hands, now both of you hold my hands... and..."

Nick was stunned by what he saw. The closest he had ever seen were second cousins, and that was just a test. The witch sees two indistinct figures and a string between them. The further apart they are in relationship with each other, the more indistinct figures appear on that string like little glowing beads between the two main glowing shapes. The fewer figures on the string, the brighter the two main figures shine. With Jutta and Octavia, all he saw was two figures shining so brightly he couldn't see a string between them.

"It's her, Mother Jutta. This is Carina."

Now the crying started all over. Nick plopped down next to Catrin, Octavia sat next to Jutta, and the hugging and crying went on into the pre-dawn hours. Ning was weeping with joy herself. She knew she would never be reunited with her mother, not in this life, but maybe her little part in this reunion would give her blessings she could take into the afterlife and meet up with her mother.

She went out to the kitchen and retrieved some scalding hot water from Octavia's magic kitchen pump and made a pot of tea. After pouring a cup for herself, she took four cups into the Magic Room where the reunion continued.

"Yes, Mother Wolfe, he is the duke," insisted Octavia.

"And you're a queen, right?"

"No, I was a queen for six hours, but the king was killed, and Nick rescued me. When he was named Duke of Wægn, that made me Duchess of Wægn."

"But a queen outranks a duchess. You should be the Queen of Wægn."

"That's not how it works. When the king died and the country fell, everyone reset to citizen."

"That hardly seems fair."

Ning smiled and went back to the living room where she sat in the love seat and looked at the fire. A black cat leapt up onto her lap and began to purr. "Hello, where did you come from?" But Haljas remained quiet.

A fairy fluttered down and landed on her shoulder and asked, "Is everyone happy?"

"I believe so."

"Good. Now shush."

Ning was shocked at being shushed by a fairy, when suddenly the fire went silent and stopped. The flames were still there, but they weren't moving. The laughter and weeping from the Magic Room went silent. Then, from the fireplace, crawled a small man. He didn't drop down from the chimney, and he didn't actually emerge from the flames, but he did come out of the fireplace. At four feet tall, he was the shortest elf Ning had ever seen, and he was the chubbiest. He was rotund and cheerful looking. Ning would say he was quite jolly for a short fat elf. He had bright green skin, a flowing white beard and mustache, and long white hair to match. He wore a red jacket with white rabbit fur trim on the collar and cuffs, a red stocking cap, green boots, and green mittens.

"Maz Dracus?" squeaked Ning. She had heard the rumors, but she never expected to see the god of Charity and Generosity in person. Maz Dracus was his true name, but his generosity over the centuries earned him the name that children all over Kodu knew him as: Saint Heldus.

"He's real!" gasped Haljas.

"Quiet you silly cat!" whispered the fairy, and Ning was sure she lost her mind.

The portly elf put a finger to his lips and pointed up indicating that the children upstairs were sleeping. Then he pulled a sack out of the silent fireplace and began to take gifts out of the sack and put them under the tree. Then he approached Ning and pulled a huge flat box out of a sack that was too small to hold a box that large, and said in a deep voice, "For you. You've earned it."

"Can I open it now?"

"Please save it, my daughter. The look on your husband's face will be worth it." Then Saint Heldus drank the cup of egg nog that the children left out. Finishing that, he slipped a red collar with a sprig of holly over Haljas's neck and dragged his sack to the fireplace. The god of Charity and Generosity stepped back into the fireplace, and suddenly everything came to life again.

"He is so wonderful!" squeaked the fairy. "Isn't he Grandma?"

"I can't disappear," whined Haljas. "I'm just a cat!"

"Quiet little one," said the ghost of Nana Peacock. "The babies are sleeping."

"Wha..." a stunned Ning turned and there she was, the ghost of Nick's grandmother, the creator of this cottage. She was sitting in her rocking chair, knitting. "Why have I never seen you before?"

"I needed to be sure you were good enough for my great-grandson before we had this chat." The ghost sighed and said, "Now it appears that I need to make sure my great-grandson is good enough for his new wife." She began counting stitches on the item she was knitting, then marked that row off on her pattern.

"I didn't believe you were real. I thought Nick was teasing me when he told me about you."

"No, he was being honest, and I tried to make him look like a liar to see if you would run away. But you didn't."

"I can't. He owns me."

"Oh, he does not."

"He does. I tried to kill him, and my punishment was to serve him forever."

"He did that, so your son didn't execute you to make his court happy. Nick knew you weren't in your right mind then, but you are now. You could walk away right now, open up a noodle restaurant in Torwin-Armistad. The only thing you'll break is his heart... and Octavia's."

"I..." Ning was shocked. She honestly believed that this entire marriage was a political signal and nothing more. Nana's words made Ning realize she was genuinely loved. "Will you tell Nick of his family? He's aching to know, and it will soon be my family also."

"We're not all here yet. When everyone is here, I will speak of the past. Now, you best go see to the babies, the sun is up and they will be up soon." She reached into her knitting bag and pulled out a black cardigan sweater with a dragon lily knitted into the back. A dragon lily is a beautiful pond lily with a ruby and golden flower and a bright gold pistil that extends out from the flower. It smelled of honey and was a favorite of dragonflies in Xuantang and was Ning's favorite flower. "Merry Yuletide, and welcome to the family, dear." With that, the spirit of Nana Peacock faded away.

Ning finished setting out breakfast when the mothers rose and came out to sit and have breakfast. "I made a light breakfast. Knowing you spent most of this year at sea, you will need this most." She laid out tea, coffee, biscuits with butter and jam, and a salad of fresh fruit that she and Nick put together yesterday.

"Fresh fruit!" gasped Catrin as she ate. "How did you get fresh fruit in the winter?"

Ning peeled a banana and set it on a plate and all the fairies shot to the banana and began to eat. "We picked the fruit from the garden in Artafána," said Ning. "The peaches are canned, however. Nick prefers canned peaches."

"What is this?" asked Jutta as she lifted a slice of yellow fruit from the bowl of chopped fruit in front of her.

"The elves call it "Ananas," but almost everyone else calls it pinefruit. The outer skin looks like a pinecone, but the fruit is delicious when the skin is all cut away." She and Nick spent a few hours peeling and chopping a basket of fresh fruit that was picked from the underground gardens of Artafána. "Nick made the biscuits also. He's an excellent cook."

"My Nicky?"

"His legal name is now Nicholas. The king didn't think Nick sounded appropriate for nobility, so the king decreed his name was Nicholas."

"The king, nobility, he even said he was the duke!" said Catrin, laughing. "Where are those two?"

"They are getting their surprise for you ready."

That's when Octavia and Nick came down the stairs, each holding a baby, and right behind them were Marlon and Hollie. "Mom," said Octavia, her voice trembling with emotion. "Look at what I made."

֍

Chapter 28 - Yuletide Day

Yule 8, 3438

Elm Springs, Uduithia

Haljas sat by the fireplace, trying to keep warm, when a wolf pup appeared on either side of him. He tried to disappear, but the collar he was wearing made it impossible. He was no longer a spirit, but an actual cat. Haljas looked at the wolf pup on either side of him without turning his head and whispered, "I'm not here, I'm a figment of your imagination."

"You're a toy," said Pippin.

"A wonderful Yuletide gift," agreed Pumpkin.

Suddenly Haljas took off up the stairs like a streak with two barking pups on his tail, and nobody noticed. There was a stunned silence as Jutta and Catrin looked at the children. Finally, Octavia broke the trance. "Mom, this is, Marlon, Hollie, Llywellyn, and Llywella. We call them Lou and Loo-loo for short."

The children didn't know what to think. These were the women that their father found in the snow, and now they're sitting at the table like family. Nick leaned over to his children and said, "Marlon, Hollie, these are your grandmothers. Grandma Jutta is your mother's mom, and Grandma Catrin is my mom."

Marlon looked at them, unsure of what he was told. All his friends had grandparents, and those grandparents were awesome. Annette had the best grandmother on earth! Even though she was a vampire. A pair of grandmothers right here? After being told for years that his grandparents were all gone? Marlon couldn't understand. Hollie, however, didn't care. She dashed over to Catrin and Jutta and began telling them all about her rabbits and chickens.

Finally, Marlon warmed up and Catrin and Jutta were suddenly overwhelmed with "Are you my real grandma?" and "Would you like to trade rooms?" from Marlon, who wanted to move downstairs into the Magic Room.

"Mom, would you mind watching the babies?" asked Octavia. "We have chores first."

"I have to feed my bunnies," said Hollie as she piled her coat and snowpants on Catrin's lap. The grandmothers helped Hollie put on her snow clothing as best as possible, each with a baby in her arms, then Hollie grabbed the basket of kitchen scraps for the rabbits and dashed out the back door following her parents and big brother.

"That was painless," said Ning as she set about getting breakfast ready for the family.

"Are you their cook?" asked Catrin.

"I am, or I should say, I will be the second wife of the Duke of Wægn. The second wife is usually political or cosmetic. Only political applies in my case. I am far from a cosmetic enhancement to this marriage. We are friends, and we share the burden of this farm. Making breakfast is my morning chore."

"What do you mean, dear? You are gorgeous. You would be beautiful on any man's arm."

Ning shook her head, turned her back on the grandmothers, then shrugged her nightgown off her shoulders, exposing her back and the whip scars that crisscrossed her back. "I was an emperor's plaything and Nick rescued me. To return his kindness, I tried to kill him and he has shown me nothing but kindness." She shrugged her nightgown back up and went back to cooking, leaving Jutta and Catrin stunned. They had never seen a slave whipped like that in Hamz Al-Jasrer.

The grandmothers went back to feeding the babies and Loo-loo started pushing the bottle away. "Is something wrong? She's not very happy," said Catrin. Loo-loo was fussy. She didn't want to nurse at the bottle that Catrin was trying to give her.

"That's Loo-loo. She had a fever spike recently. Here..." said Ning giving Catrin a small dish and small spoon. "That's honey with essence of willow bark and some other natural pain relievers in it. It helps with her pain, but I think she just wants the honey." As Catrin fed tiny spoonfuls of the honey to Loo-loo, Lou started to get fussy also. "Here, for you," said Ning as she handed a tiny baby spoon to Jutta. "He wants some honey too."

"Are you sure?" asked Jutta.

"It's a twin thing between these two. Both have to have the same treats. I can't wait until one develops a taste for something the other doesn't like." Then Ning went back to cooking and soon the house smelled of smoked bacon.

The sounds of a farm in winter filled the cabin. The unforgettable scrape-chuff, scrape-chuff, scrape-chuff of a snow shovel was heard outside the back door, the muffled footsteps crunching in the snow around them, family members calling out to each other as help was requested and given. Then came the sound of a bell collar and Marlon shouting, "Trixie! Jiffy! Hai! Come UP! Pull!" Jutta got up to look out a window and saw Marlon on a converted ore wagon with plows. He had two beautiful sleigh ponies coupled up to it.

"Git up there! HA!" The ponies were standing in snow up to their chests, but they started to pull and the V plow at the front of the ore wagon began pushing snow off to each side and soon the horses were trotting away from the cabin.

"Where's he going?" asked Jutta.

"Into the village, I think," said Catrin who still hadn't gotten her bearings about her. She walked to the back door, baby in her arms, and looked out the window. The pasture behind the cabin was busy with activity, a herd of sheep stood clustered in the snow-covered meadow while several demi-giants chipped the ice off their water tank and tossed them hay to munch on. Two odd looking young horses trotted around... did they have wings? There was a milk cow, a pair of oxen, a pair of mules, and at least one goat. She saw a hen house, a rabbit hutch and a cozy-looking cabin for the demi-giants. Then she saw the barn. The huge wooden barn with Black Mountain towering behind it. Even covered with two feet of snow, it was achingly familiar. "I'm home."

"What?" asked Jutta, who was standing right behind her, holding Lou.

"I'm home! This is where I grew up. I was born in this cabin. I grew up playing in that barn. I hiked all over that mountain. There are hot springs up there, I went swimming in those hot springs in the winter."

"Those hot springs come out of Artafána," called Ning from the kitchen.

Jutta and Catrin burped the babies and returned to the table where they had been sitting. They heard the jingling of a horse bell collar as Marlon returned. He had the wing plows on their modified ore wagon open wide and he was widening the plowed road. As Nick, Marlon, and a demi-giant uncoupled the horses and folded up the wing plows, Octavia and Hollie came back into the cottage. "I'm cold!" whined Hollie.

"Take your coat and snowpants off and go stand in front of the fire," responded Octavia. Just then, there was the sound of running paws and barking wolf pups from upstairs. "What is going on up there?"

A black streak of fur roared down the stairs and jumped up on the bench between Jutta and Catrin, who were burping the twins. "Meow," said Haljas. He didn't try to sound like a cat, he just said "Meow," which caused Hollie to start giggling.

"He's fun!" said Pippin.

"Best chase ever!" said Pumpkin.

"Out! Go outside and play, and leave the chickens alone."

"As you wish." And the wolf cubs zipped out the door flap that Nick made for Pepin so long ago.

"Pardon me," said Haljas, "but where is the sandbox? I've looked all over for it and..."

"Outside," scolded Octavia.

"Everyone poops outside," added Hollie as she set the plates for breakfast.

"How uncivilized," groaned the cat as it eased out the door flap.

"This place is insane!" said Jutta with a laugh.

"It brings back memories," sighed Catrin as Loo-loo gave a raucous belch. Soon the whole family was seated at the table and being a temple priest, Nick led the family in a prayer of thanks for the meal laid out. There were piles of fluffy scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, biscuits, and gravy. Pots of coffee, tea, and pitchers of milk were set out. Even the babies joined the feast. They were given bowls of fluffy scrambled egg that they fed themselves with their hands.

Finally, after breakfast was finished and the dishes washed and put away, the family gathered around the Yuletide tree. "Honey, please, my leg is killing me," said Octavia, and she leaned back with a groan.

"Oh darling, you've had it on for a full day," said Nick as he removed her wooden leg, shocking Jutta and Catrin. They watched in horror as he took the wooden leg off. "Let me get some salve for your stump." And he took the wooden leg to the kitchen to wash it and came back with salve and bandages for Octavia's stump.

"Mommy fought monsters!" said Hollie proudly. For Hollie and Marlon, it was normal for Mommy to have a wooden leg. "And Daddy ate a wizard!"

"He didn't eat the wizard; he just toasted him. Annette's mom ate the wizard," said Marlon, correcting his sister.

"What?"

"It was a bad day," said Nick. Then he added sternly, "It's not a subject for Yuletide conversation."

Ning sat on the love seat next to Octavia. It was clear that she fulfilled the role as Lady Octavia's handmaiden, and once Nick finished seeing to his wife, he reclined in his rocking chair and pulled his dulcimer onto his lap. The new grandmothers sat side by side on the ancient and most honorable throne of the Xuantang Empire, each with a twin on their lap, much to Marlon's chagrin. "I was born there!" he insisted.

Catrin nodded and said, "It's very comfortable, dear." It was comfortable, but Jutta and Catrin looked like they were huddled together for mutual defense.

Nick played Yuletide carols on his dulcimer as Marlon and Hollie handed out gifts to open. Everyone got brand-new hand-knitted stockings from Nana Peacock, including Catrin and Jutta. Marlon got a lot of new clothing because he was rapidly outgrowing his old clothes. "Grandma! Grandma! You got presents from Saint Heldus!" cried Marlon and he handed his grandmothers each a flat wrapped object. They opened them, and they were framed paintings. Catrin got a painting of herself and baby Nick with her parents Gertrude and Peddyr standing proudly behind her. Jutta's painting was similar. It was an image of her holding newborn Corina with Felix proudly holding his girls close.

"'s a matter, Grandma? Are you sad?" asked Hollie as she patted Catrin and Jutta's knees.

"Not anymore, darling," said Catrin, but she began crying.

"I wish Felix was here for this," began Jutta, as her tears began.

Nick put down his dulcimer and he held his mother and Jutta while Octavia reached out and held Jutta's hand. Ning was able to answer questions from Marlon and Hollie as their grandmothers gathered themselves together. "I'm sorry," sighed Jutta. "We missed so much. Please forgive us."

"We are all here to heal," whispered Ning, and she kissed each woman's cheek before returning to her seat next to Octavia.

"Here's more from Saint Heldus," said Marlon as he placed several gifts in front of each grandmother. They both got new boots, sweaters, and rabbit fur mittens from the mysterious god of generosity. Hollie got a stuffed olliphant that she loved, and Marlon got a two-neck dulcimer, one neck going up and one neck going down.

"How do you play this?"

Nick smiled and said, "That's a courting dulcimer. You play it on your lap facing Annette. You play one side; she plays the other side."

"She'll be here for dinner!"

"You better practice up, she's getting better than you," said Nick, as Marlon started to open a gift that Nick bought specially for him in Torwin-Armistad.

Marlon gasped loudly, "A tramway set!" Inside the box was a clockwork locomotive with a fuel tender, several passenger cars and pieces of track.

"Maybe your grandmothers can help you with that," said Nick. "They worked on the railroad just to get here."

"They did?" gushed Marlon.

"Yes, we were car matrons and brakemen," said Jutta.

Suddenly his grandmothers were his heroes and he was full of questions as he assembled his tramway set. "It even has a streetcar!" gushed Marlon. He wound up the streetcar and let it roll around the track.

Ning finally opened her big heavy package and cried, "Saint Heldus loves me!" It was a full-length pure-white Snowcross mountain lion fur formal overcoat. "I want to get married in this!" Ning gushed as she put it on then sat back down next to Octavia. Snowcross mountain lion fur in winter white was considered the softest, warmest, and most luxurious fur possible, and it was also the hardest to obtain. The Snowcross mountain lions were nearly impossible to trap, and often when hunted, the lions ended up feasting on the hunters. And it was only the winter fur that's desirable, the summer fur is a grayish-brown and is coarse to the touch.

Ning wrapped herself in the warm coat and said, "I'll be able to make it to the castle now!"

Octavia opened up a heavy package, revealing a beautiful new autoharp. "This is amazing!" gasped Octavia. She took a quill as a pick, hoisted the harp to her shoulder, and began to play along with the Yuletide song that Nick was strumming.

"Do the dragon song!" cried Hollie.

"Yeah, the dragon song!" added Marlon.

"Give daddy his present from the king first," said Octavia. Marlon dashed upstairs and soon came down with a large, L-shaped gift that he put on his dad's lap. Nick peeled off the wrapper and there was a large, L-shaped case made of soft leather. He opened the case and took out a beautiful lute. There was a note in it, written in High Torwin that said, "To my son at Yuletide, all of my love - Blair McLeod."

Blair McLeod, the King's true name before reluctantly ascending to the throne of Uduithia. Now it was Nick's turn to tear up. Ivo gave Nick a name that Catrin hated, and never gave his son any love, only a sad king whose sons were murdered had actually shown Nick any love... "What is it, dear?" asked Octavia.

"I just made up my mind about something." He began to strum the lute, getting used to the strings and fretboard. He'd played lutes before, but those were six-course lutes, this one, with two extra bass courses, had an exciting voice. "We'll talk about it later, right now we have a dragon to sing about." He played the chorus once through, setting the tempo, then he began to sing, and the kids joined in. Octavia joined in with the autoharp and everyone clapped in time with the old mountain song.

There's a dragon in the woodpile,

Hiding there a good while,

Eying up an old and grumpy cow.

And right there is an old goat,

Who was standing in the gold boat,

And he fell into the lake, we don't know how.

Don't know hoooooow!

Don't know hoooooow!

He fell into the lake, we don't know how.

But the dragon's gonna get him,

If he never learns to wet swim,

And that cow is gonna be a lucky cow!

The family laughed and clapped through the song. Jutta had never heard it before, but Ning was very familiar with it because Marlon and Hollie had taught her. "Play it again!" said Jutta, who was so happy to hear a silly, cheerful song. Halfway through the song, they were joined by Preston, Annabelle, and Annette Prescott. They entered along with Tanithil Glynrie, Tsarra Naedove, Buggy, and Eryri Orebeard. The elves and dwarves looked on in confusion as the humans sang the silly old song. The normally tiny cabin seemed large enough to handle the doubling of people in the cottage.

"Happy Yuletide! We just came by to see how you were doing," said Preston. "We didn't realize that you were still unwrapping gifts."

"We just finished up," said Nick. "Catrin, Jutta, these are our friends and our security detail." And he introduced everyone.

"There is one more gift," said Catrin. "Kepp, come to me." Her broom, which waited in the olliphant-foot umbrella stand became a polished walking stick and sailed to her hand. "I believe you are the best to handle this," she said as she gestured to the swords over the fireplace and she handed Nick the walking stick.

"I know what this is. I can feel it," he said as he held the walking stick. He held up a free hand and gave a sharp whistle and his walking stick, Teivas, appeared in his hand. "I believe this is just as important to guard, if not more important than us." Suddenly he was holding the broadsword and shortsword of Elandorr Cailee, the last Ergonian Elf King.

"Gods among us!" gasped Tanithil Glynrie.

"God's wounds!" hissed Tsarra Naedove. The dark elf picked up the shortsword and examined it. "I can feel the energy inside. Where did you find it?"

"It was in the Long Shelter."

"Ma'am, I respectfully point out that the Long Shelter was a period of time when all waited for Starfall to end." He wanted to sound respectful, but Tanithil sounded arrogant.

"We were there. The Long Shelter is a tunnel lined with apartments," said Jutta as she clutched Catrin's hand. "The tunnel goes from Sassa Azizi over the Hamz Al-Jasrer desert to Zineb Siddique at the Kashoba Sea. This sword was hung on a wall in the center apartment with the name Elandorr Cailee in fancy Elf."

"Varresh Keel," whispered Catrin softly.

"What she said," huffed Jutta. "When she reached out to touch it, the ward around the blade became visible to me, then it was gone. She took the sword and the hooks fell to the ground and would not attach to the wall again. She's been carrying it as a walking stick or a broom as we traveled."

"It wanted to return to Artafána, but it's not whispering that anymore. It must have thought the broadsword was there," said Catrin.

"You can speak Varresh Keel?" asked princess, Tsarra Naedove, surprised. Even among elven royalty, it was rare to find someone who can speak Varresh Keel.

"Aye, and read it too," said Catrin. "Nicky's father taught me."

Tsarra pulled Tanithil aside and there was a quick conversation that the female warrior dominated. Tsarra turned back to Catrin and said with a bow, "Madam Wolfe, my associate and I are researching in the Library of Nolmë and we were wondering if you would help us with the translation."

"Yes, if Jutta comes with."

"We can't have that many civilians loose in the library," huffed Tanithil. "That daffy wizard Izhar is bad enough, but two old..."

"Mister Glynrie! Maybe you forgot who actually owns Black Mountain?" demanded Nick.

"Your Grace, I apologize, but there are so many rare editions in..."

"Not me," said Nick sternly, and he pointed at Catrin. "She's the eldest remaining Peacock descendant; therefore, the mountain is hers to do with as she pleases. Take her there via the Temple of Saatus and she will verify it. If she wants to pull your access to the mountain, there's nothing I can do about it. Landowners' rights and all that."

"I'm sorry. If Mistress Jutta would like to join us, then that would be fine."

"Can we go to?" asked Marlon. "We wanna go swimming!" Hollie and Annette nodded along with Marlon.

"I do need to collect some more fruit and vegetables," said Ning.

"I need to get some herbs," said Nick. "Let's pack some meat and go up on the tenth, come back the eleventh, and then you girls can take Mom and Jutta into town on the twelfth to find a nice dress for the party on New Year's Day."

"That sounds marvelous!" gushed Jutta. She squeezed Catrin's hand and said, "You always wanted to see Artafána! We can see what all of this is about together!" Catrin nodded slowly. It was obvious she was getting tired.

"We are heading out; it's a perfect day for tobogganing. Anyone care to join us?" asked Preston.

"It's time for the twins to take a nap," said Octavia. "I was thinking the grown-ups should join them before dinner tonight. I think Marlon and Hollie are ready to go out and play."

With coaching, the cleanup was completed, then Marlon and Hollie headed out with Preston and the gang. Soon the house was empty and Nick carried the twins up to the nursery for their mid-day naps. Jutta turned to Octavia, who was still sitting on the love seat. "Would you mind if we pushed our beds together?"

"Like one full-size bed?"

"Yes... we've been together for thirty years, and..."

"Say no more." And there was an audible click from the magic room as the two beds joined together.

"You don't mind?" asked Catrin.

"Mind? How can I mind? You are my moms."

Using a cane and leaning on Ning, Octavia made it up the stairs by herself, navigating them with one leg. They made it up there just as Nick stepped out of the nursery.

"They're asleep," said Nick.

"Good. That's what I want to be in two minutes," said Octavia. And in less than one minute, she and Ning were both naked and cuddling with a large purring Snowcross Mountain Lion.

֍

Chapter 29 - Yuletide Dinner

Yule 8, 3438

Elm Springs, Uduithia

Dimmed by clouds and snow, the sun, Thaal, slowly set behind the western Snowcross Mountains, as a gentle evening snow began to fall. The crystalline flakes twinkled as they caught the dying daylight while they gently tumbled from the sky. Inside Nana Peacock's cottage, the fire crackled merrily in the fireplace. The remains of the Yule log that Nick and Marlon had lit twenty-four hours earlier still filled the fireplace with glowing red embers, and new logs burned brightly. The fireplace was open to the living room, and the backside was open to the kitchen. A basket full of chestnuts was hanging from the pothook, the chestnuts slowly roasting. A second basket with hazelnuts was higher up, roasting gently. These were gifts from the forests on the eastern slope of Black Mountain. The house smelled of pine boughs, roasting meat, and joy.

Annette and Marlon were playing their courting dulcimer and were getting used to it. They quickly picked up The Snow on the Ivy, an all-time Yuletide favorite. The fairies on the Yuletide tree sang along in harmony with their playing.

The fire dimmed, the hall grew still.

While frost crept o'er the windowsill,

And outside, 'neath moonlight's glow,

The holly bore its weight of snow.

O red the berry, white the shade,

The leaves in icy lace arrayed,

A crown for winter's somber reign,

Yet joy endured through cold and pain.

In the kitchen, Nick and Octavia were stumbling around each other, bumping into each other, and generally getting in each other's way as they prepared the Yuletide evening dinner. Nick occasionally bumped into her from behind and ground his crotch against her butt while he nibbled at her neck. Octavia was not fooled, "You can have the salt cellar when I'm done with it." But she ground back at him while she sprinkled salt in her vegetable creations.

"You two could turn a temple worship service into smut," growled Ning as she set the dinner table.

"We have," said Nick and Octavia in unison.

"This table seems large," said Ning. "Was it witched?"

"Yes, dear, it has been," said the ghost of Nana Peacock. "Set a dozen places, not counting the babies, please." She and Ning were getting along quite well.

"Four mystery guests? Who would they be?"

"That's a mystery, dearest."

In the living room, next to Annette and Marlon were Jutta and Catrin, refreshed from their nap together. They were again sitting on the ancient and most honorable throne of the Xuantang Empire and were explaining olliphants to Hollie. "Rozy had a beautiful brass bell on the tip of each trunk. Your grandfather, Felix, put them there. As far as we know, she still has one bell on this tusk here, and when she misses Felix, she shakes her head and the bell rings, and she remembers." Jutta began to remember Felix also and went silent, so Catrin took over for her.

"How big is a real olliphant?" asked Hollie.

Catrin took a matchstick from the coffee table and snapped it off so the remaining portion with the head of the match was less than an inch in length. She held it next to the stuffed olliphant and said, "If this is a person, then a real olliphant would be this tall."

Catching on, Hollie gushed, "That's taller than our house!"

"Twice as big," said Catrin, nodding. "The desert olliphants stood over forty feet tall at the back of the neck."

"Did you ever ride an olliphant?"

"Yes. Jutta and I rode Lolly. She was a Mandril Olliphant; she stood about sixteen feet tall, just about the same size as your house. She carried us for days, from the Kashoba Sea to the city of Mouli Zamani."

"Hassa!" gasped the four-year-old. "How did you get up on her back?"

"She would lift us with the tip of her trunk," said Jutta, remembering the sweet olliphants she knew. "She swam in rivers so deep, only the tip of her trunk was above water, and we swam with her."

"Is that true?" demanded Hollie.

"Yes!" said Catrin. "The desert olliphants would sleep in the oasis lakes with just the tip of their trunks coming up for air."

"So they don't burn in the sun?" asked an excited Hollie.

"No, so they don't get chilly at night. It can get cold in the desert at night."

Just then, there came a tap at the door. "That is our first guest tonight," said the ghost of Nana Peacock, and she faded away. Ning moved to the door taking quick little steps as she was taught in the Palace of the Jade Lotus, and opened it. There in the fading light was a towering, ancient witch. She was dressed all in black wearing a pointed witch's hat with wide brim and was carrying an old, bent broom. She was terrifying to look at; she had ancient, wrinkling skin, a long hook nose, and angry, piercing eyes.

The witch glared at Ning and squawked, "Are you the new servant?"

Nick came up behind Ning and put his arms around her protectively. "Aunt Agness, I am asking you politely once to show Ning, my fiancée, the respect you would show any other witch."

"Oh? A witch is she?" Agness looked Ning up and down with a jaundiced eye.

"A Xuantang witch, Eastern Rite."

"And what should I do with this?" she said, extending her broom.

"If you rode it here, it needs to remain outside until it cools off, like everywhere else." Sighing like it was the hardest thing to do, Agness set her broom on the porch outside and stepped in. "Someone is waiting to talk to you in the living room."

Agness nodded and strolled into the cottage like she owned it. It had been over sixty years since Agness had lived in this cottage, and she hadn't spent a night there since. "I see the cottage is still rearranging itself." There was wall to the left, marking off a room leaving an open area to the right, which appeared to be a study for Nick and Octavia. Ahead was the living room. Two seven-year-olds were playing a courting dulcimer, and a young girl was playing with a stuffed olliphant toy. And there, next to the Yuletide tree, on that blasphemous throne were two women. One looked like Octavia, the other was far too familiar.

"Aunt Agness?" gasped the woman. She rose and stepped up to Agness.

"Catrin? I see you're still alive," growled Agness. Suddenly sparks began to crackle between them. It was a battle of wills between two witches who were meeting for the first time, a power struggle that could go on for hours to decide which witch was most powerful.

Octavia leaned out from behind the kitchen wall and called out. "Hello Agness, would you like me to play your girly games too?" That was Octavia's way of sweetly saying, "Knock it off before I blast you through a wall." Being a wizard, Octavia always won the witches' power struggles.

The sparks immediately stopped, and Catrin said, "This is my partner, Jutta."

"Partner?" sneered Agness. "As in...?"

"Partner as in partner," said Jutta as she gave Agness a handshake that said, "Partner as in I'm going to beat the hell out of you if you ask again." Nothing gets through to a witch like physical violence. Witches are like cats, constantly trying to prove who's the senior witch, who's most powerful, who is most forceful. And like a cat, the male witch, Nick, stands back and watches the show, protecting his favorites.

"I'm glad to see you made it home safely," said Agness.

"We made it home alive, but far from safely," said Jutta as they sat down. Ning quietly handed out cups of punch then returned to the kitchen.

"I am not a witch," she whispered to Nick. "I have no magic."

Nick whispered into her ear and said, "Most witches don't have much magic. Sometimes they pay a wizard to enchant their broom so they can fly."

"Really?"

He gave Ning a kiss on the forehead. "Pay attention to medical issues, that's where a witch is needed most." Then he went to set out a bowl of salad on the table. As he did, there came a tap at the front door. Hurrying to answer the door, there was a young boy in his teens, in a heavy parka. Nick welcomed him in by dropping to his knees and leaning forward until his forehead touched the floor. "Welcome to my most humble abode, Your Excellency."

"Please, Your Grace, in your home I would rather be just Jia."

Nick stood, and took Jia's parka and hung it up, then escorted him to the living room. "The emperor of the Xuantang Empire, His Imperial Highness Hong Pha Jia."

"Jia's here!" cried Hollie and she dashed to Jia and threw her arms around him. Ning and Octavia came out of the kitchen to hug him and Agness rose and bowed to the young emperor. Nick then led Jia over to Catrin and Jutta.

"Jia, this is my mother, Catrin, and Octavia's mother, Jutta. Mom, this is Jia. He's Ning's son and emperor of the Xuantang Empire."

Before Catrin or Jutta could say anything, Jia bent over, bowing very low. "I am but Jia in this house. You are going to be my grandmothers? So wonderful! I've never had a grandmother."

"I don't understand..."started Catrin.

Hugging Octavia and Ning, Nick said, "When I marry Ning, Jia becomes our stepson. And you gain another grandchild."

"I don't understand this emperor thing..." muttered Catrin, her words fading to silence.

"It's all well, grandmother, as long as you allow me into your family, you can consider me whatever you like."

"He's a trout magnet!" said Marlon as he put an arm around Jia's shoulders. "He never gets skunked when we go fishing."

"We go fishing all the time," said Annette, nodding her head, her golden locks bouncing.

"Jia was about Marlon's current age when we got involved with Xuantang. He's been taking lessons at Waelmore Castle for seven years now?"

"Eight years!" said Jia proudly.

"He is the most educated emperor in the empire's history," said Ning proudly.

Just then Lou and Loo-loo got tired of being alone in the corner and crawled over to the folks in the living room. "Loo-loo can crawl!" gasped Annette and she bent over and picked up the tyke while Lou began tugging at Jia's silk trousers. Nick crouched down and touched Lou's nose and the little guy opened his mouth in a huge toothless smile and squealed at him. Then Jia sat down and pulled Lou onto his lap while Marlon and Annette got the dulcimer on their lap and did another verse to the dragon song.

Ooooh! Grannys in the kitchen,

Doin' her best witchin',

Cooki'n potions on her rusty stove.

And right there is some matter,

That keeps drippin' in the batter,

And the bats are digging up her treasure trove!

Treasure troooooove!

Treasure troooooove!

The bats done found out everything she owns.

But Granny's witched those bats,

And she turned 'em into gnats,

And they'll never find her treasure trove again!

Jutta clapped and laughed as her grandson played a new verse to his favorite song, and Annette sang in harmony! Ning actually danced to the song as she carried items to the table. Jia held Lou by the hands and had the five-month-old standing and dancing to the song. Everyone seemed happy, with the exception of Agness. She scowled at the thought of a witch having a treasure trove, and Catrin was feeling upset about the entire gathering. It was that feeling she had in Hamz Al-Jasrer where she knew she was going to be beaten or raped or both for some minor error.

Octavia stepped into the living room and stood behind Nick, who was kneeling next to Marlon and Annette. There was a sound of wind and suddenly everything went black and silent. All Catrin could see was Octavia standing over Nick. She was wearing a silky black robe that showed off her lush figure and Catrin realized what that robe was--the robe of the enchantress. If Nick turned to Octavia, he would see her naked, because the robe was invisible to men she enchanted.

"Not just men, it works for women also. I've only enchanted Ning and Nick, nobody else."

"Why?"

"Because we were already in love with each other. Why would I enchant someone I don't like? Mother Catrin, we are a team. We understand your pain." Octavia opened up the robe and Catrin gasped at the scars she wore from the battle she fought on Põrgu Saar--The Burning Lands, protecting Marlon from unimaginable beasts. She wrapped up her robe and said, "Come to us with your sadness and questions. You're not alone. This is a place of healing; we want you and Jutta to relax and be happy. That room is yours until we move the family to Waleston, but that will be a long, long time from now."

"I'm sorry," said Catrin. "I don't know what is wrong."

"Yes you do, dear Mother. You need to speak with Jutta about your feelings and about Felix." Catrin gasped when Octavia said that. How did she know? But Octavia continued. "Talk to her, you will find that her feelings are confused also, and she agrees with you on many things." Octavia winked and suddenly the Yuletide festivities resumed. Marlon and Annette were still playing, this time a Yuletide carol that everyone knew. Octavia was once again wearing a simple farmwife blouse with a long skirt and she was at the table setting out candles.

She truly is a wizard, and she's the enchantress also. The thought that someone understood shocked her even more than the exhibition of power Octavia just put on. She just realized she was holding Jutta's hand and she let the joy of the evening penetrate her soul. As Hollie began to explain to Jia how Grandma Catrin and Grandma Jutta controlled the entire Torwin, Pirangi, & Edhellond Tramway just to get here, another tap came at the door. "Welcome this guest in with open arms," said Nana Peacock, before winking back out.

"She's still here?" groaned Agness. Agness still had a jealousy of her mother's power.

"Yes, she's part of this cottage and this family," scolded Nick as he answered the door. A tall, graying mountain elf in silver cleric's robes stood there. He wore a mithril chain that showed he was now an archbishop in the Church of Aevor. "Welcome Your Excellency, it looks like you received a promotion."

"Yes, archbishop over the Snowcross diocese. How farest thou my nephew?"

Nick ignored the word nephew figuring it was part of the church's traditions. "We are doing fine, please come in. Will you join us for dinner?"

"I was passing by and heard the joy of your music and had to come in. I do not plan to stay, I was just hoping to see the blade, but..." He took a deep breath and smiled, "The scent of your dinner appears to be welcoming me also. Is that a proper Uduithia pudding I smell?"

"It just came off the second steam. The kids have been waiting for that pudding. Come in and meet the family." They stepped into the living room and everyone turned to see the aging elf. "Marlon, get the bishop a chair," said Nick as the introductions started. "This is Archbishop Aymer Presjeon of the Aevor Church. He heard your singing and came to make merry with us." Then Nick introduced him around the room as Marlon and Annette played Through Starfall We Loved Thee, an ancient Aevor Yuletide hymn.

"I did not realize Aevor was in this area," growled Agness. "If you wish to burn me, you might have a conflict on your hands."

Agness's crass remark had Nick ready to burn a witch himself, but Aymer handled her accusations brilliantly. "Those are mere fables from the Church of Saehrimnir that Saehrimnir stopped himself. Sadly uneducated people believed their propaganda. We've never burned a witch, nor will we ever."

Nick sighed with relief, but then Aymer stepped up to Catrin, dropped to one knee and took her hand. Nick was stunned. What does this elf want with my mother? Bishop Presjeon whispered softly to her and she smiled sadly and nodded. The only words that Nick caught were Aymer asking, "Have you told him?"

"I don't have the strength. I can't."

Suddenly all went dark and Catrin found herself in the black again, this time with Nick, Octavia, and Aymer. "Say it now, so no one can hear," said Octavia softly, trying to reassure Catrin.

"Tell him," said Aymer. "I'm right here for you."

Catrin sighed, and her shoulders slumped. "Aymer is an old friend. We met when I was young and exploring Black Mountain," said Catrin. "I fell in love with Aymer's nephew Folmer and..." She sighed and gulped. "When I told Folmer I was pregnant, he left without saying goodbye."

"You are saying Ivo Stein is not my father?"

"No... Folmer Presjeon is. Aymer is your uncle. I'm so sorry..."

"Don't be sorry, knowing I have not a drop of that man's blood in my veins is the grandest Yuletide gift I could have received. It is truly a blessed Yule!" He hugged and kissed his surprised mother.

"Gloating is not becoming of a duke or a farmer," scolded Aymer.

"You're right, but thank you Mother, I wish there was something I could have done to ease the pain."

"You already did."

Suddenly the light and merriment returned, and so did Nana Peacock who smiled at Aymer. "Nick, darling, get your guests to the table. You have one more guest coming, and he'll be here at any minute."

"Yes, Grandma," said Nick, wondering what was causing Nana to be so sweet. Then he noticed her smiling at Aymer. Could she...? Nah! Not Nana. "Let's get to the table, folks, dinner is ready and we're almost all here." It took a while but finally everyone was seated at the table with one open seat next to Agness. Sure enough, there came a tap at the door, and it was Izhar the Wizard.

"I was given a message to report to the duke," said Izhar.

"Who sent the message?"

"That's the odd part, it wasn't signed. A patrolman came out of the Gendarme House and handed it to me as I was heading to Waleston."

"Come join us, we have one extra plate and Nana Peacock said you were our guest."

"Nana said that?" gasped Izhar. He was suddenly nervous about being there. The smell of the meat, the scent of the pine boughs, and the spices of the pudding all banded together to prevent him from saying no. "I would be happy to join you." But he didn't sound happy.

He followed Nick to the table and Octavia smiled. "Izhar! So glad you could make it."

But Catrin stumbled to her feet, her eyes wide in surprise. Her jaw dropped and she gasped, "Uncle Martyn?"

"Yes dear, it is I," said Izhar/Martyn Peacock softly.

"And now your family is gathered," said Nana from her rocking chair.

Even with all the shock, the Yuletide dinner was by all measures a success. There were more than enough vegetables for the vegetarian Uncle Aymer who eyed the potatoes, yams, parsnips, and green beans expectantly. He even forgave the bacon and bacon fat that the beans were heated in. The main guest, the goose that until recently was in the farmyard terrorizing the sheep, Marlon, and Hollie, was roasted a golden brown and his skin crackled as Nick's knife sliced away.

"His name was Snappy," said Hollie. "He was mean."

"He stole everyone's food," added Marlon. "That's why he's so fat."

"Snappy is quite delicious," said Jutta. "And this gravy! So much better than what we made for King Amaan el-Mousa."

"Nana taught me how to make this gravy," said Nick.

"It is exactly what I grew up eating," said Martyn without looking up. It was clear that he was having an emotional crisis of some sort, and Octavia was feeling sorry for him. Loo-loo had a small wooden snowman that was made of three wooden balls with a wooden top hat. It came to life and saw Martyn's sadness. It hopped across the table with a Click! Click! Click! and finally appeared at Martyn's plate and bowed to Martyn. The wizard turned to Octavia and smiled.

"Stop being so gloomy!" demanded Octavia. "Cheer up or I'll have the fairies perform a mating ritual in your potatoes."

"Can we?" asked a fairy cheerfully.

"Someone get me a swatter," grumbled Agness, who always hated fairies.

"I apologize. I have been dreading this moment for years."

"Stop it," demanded Agness. "You did what needed to be done, and now we are gathered. As the elf would say, rejoice!"

Nick's eyes began to fill with tears as he said, "It's amazing... we are all family... I felt so alone and forgotten for years, and now I'm surrounded by..." and he fought to hold back the tears, but it was a losing battle. "Thank you all for making this the grandest Yuletide on Black Mountain."

"Hear, hear!" cried Jutta and Catrin and they raised their wine in toast.

"Yes, hear, hear!" said Martyn, joining in.

The conversation became merrier and soon it was time for the grandest dessert in Uduithia. Nick turned out the hot, steamed pudding on a silver serving platter and carried it to the dining table. "Ready?" he asked with a smile. He had been practicing this to make sure it was perfect. The pudding was the shape of Black Mountain, including Octavia's "crown" at the peak. Nick poured heated brandy over the treat and struck a match and the mountain erupted in blue flame that danced over the surface. It was spectacular and everyone clapped at the spectacle. "I just hope it tastes as good as it looks," said Nick as he began to slice the pudding even before the flames had finished.

The pudding was delicious, filled with treats from the farm. The raisins, apples, eggs, flour, and breadcrumbs all came from the farm. Nick had to buy the nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and candied orange peel in town.

"Oh my dear," gasped Marty. "This truly is the flavor of home."

"It's perfect!" said Catrin nearly weeping. She got up to give Nick a kiss.

"I have to admit, this is better than Mother's," said Agness.

"I never made the pudding, that was always your father," said Nana Peacock, as she continued to knit and listen to the conversation.

When dinner was complete and the adults were sipping coffee, Martyn sadly said, "I wish I could have done more."

"What do you mean?" asked Nick, who was still shocked to find the funny old wizard was his great-uncle.

"We knew things were bad with Catrin and Ivo, but I couldn't find you. Then Catrin ended up in the hospital and Nick disappeared. So I enchanted a young wolf to find him and he did, but he never reported back to me."

"Pepin? You enchanted Pepin? I thought it was the holy water we were drinking."

"That silly pup protected you so well that I couldn't find you. It was only after you were caught by temple acolytes that I could find you. I asked them to bring you here, which they did, but by that time your mother had disappeared and I spent years trying to find her. By the time I found her, you were gone and now I had to look for you all over again. I found you in Breaze, and an interesting wizard whom I knew was heading up to Breaze, so I followed her, and worked as her aide until Breaze fell, and I thought you were both dead. Imagine my surprise when I found you face to face with the demon god Zeddicus at the battle of Tähelepanek Point."

"It sounds like a lot of love followed you as you suffered," said Aymer, bringing up the conversation he had with Nick in the family graveyard.

"Thank you all, especially you, Uncle Martyn. One question, where did the cat come from? Was that you too?"

"What cat?"

"The cat that led Mom and Jutta out of slavery."

Just then Haljas jumped onto Catrin's lap and began sniffing the tablecloth.

Martyn chuckled. "He is all of Catrin's making. She's a bit more powerful than she lets on."

֍

Chapter 30 - The New Year's Preparations

Yule 9, 3438

Uduithia

"This is so cold!" gasped Jutta.

"Trust me," said Catrin and she led Jutta outside. They were wearing only towels wrapped around themselves against the bitter mountain winter. Just two steps out the back door in bare feet on the snow-covered porch of the cottage was a tiny wooden shack. Catrin opened the door and the waves of heat came wafting out. It was hot inside the shack. A box full of rocks in the back of the shack radiated heat. "By the gods' favor, I needed this," sighed Catrin. She sat on a wooden bench and leaned back against the inside wall with a sigh of relief. "I do not miss the desert, but I miss being properly warm."

"It's dark," said Jutta. "I can't see a thing." She was right; there was total darkness inside the shack that Nick had described as a sauna.

"I can make a light," said Catrin.

"Good."

"Don't do that," came a man's voice.

"Who said that?" demanded Jutta.

"I did."

"Who is I did?"

"Me. Ow!"

"Nick, stop teasing them!" came Ning's accented voice.

"You have pointy elbows."

"She could aim lower," came Octavia's scolding voice. "Now behave. They are our mothers."

"How many people are in here?" demanded Jutta.

"Five," said Octavia.

"Six," said Haljas.

"What are you doing in here?" demanded Catrin.

"This is the only place where those pups won't go."

"Haljas, you're a cat, you can climb up into the rafters in the barn."

"It's cold up there!"

"I take it the barn mice didn't garner your attention?" asked Octavia.

"Mice?"

"Yes, mice."

"How many?"

"Wagonloads, they live in the hay," came Nick's voice.

"I may have work to do tomorrow," said Haljas, thinking of the delicious barge rats he munched on all the way up the Eldrin River.

"Start in the bunkhouse. Alfie asked for a rat trap the other day," said Nick.

"This is so nice," groaned Catrin. "Such a good idea."

"Nick made it for me on our first Yuletide. It was snowing so heavily I was afraid the roof would collapse."

"We lost so many chickens that year," said Nick sadly.

"We lost all the chickens and all the bunnies," said Octavia.

"And the firewood we burned!" The couple was nostalgic about their first winter together. "It took us ages to figure out how to survive in the mountains," said Nick. "When I was a kid and it was bad, I'd just toboggan down the hill and stay with Trei and Ena Metskar."

"You were alone here?" gasped Catrin.

"No, I had Nana's ghost and I had Pepin, and there was still plenty of canned peaches and cabbage in the root cellar."

A kiss could be heard and Octavia said, "He even saved the jars. When I moved in, the cellar shelves still had canned food, and there were plenty of clean jars for canning season."

"Nana insisted I wash out the jars."

"Does he still love canned peaches?" asked Catrin nervously. She remembered three-year-old Nick loving the peaches and would do anything for a peach half as a reward.

"It's his favorite food," said Octavia. "I can get him to do anything for a peach."

"Anything?" asked Ning with evil intent to her voice which caused Octavia to laugh.

They went quiet and then Jutta and Catrin heard their children kissing. "So, what was Martyn saying about you being a queen? And you both got married?"

"I was purchased to marry King Alfrich and..."

"Purchased?" gasped Catrin.

"I was raised by the Temple of Saehrimnir Orphanage for Young Ladies, and as much a slave as you were. My only freedom was that I was allowed to study magic. We were raised not to be adopted but to be purchased as second and third wives for the most wealthy. We were taught the finer things in life, but never intended to become the queen or inherit the estate. But the man who purchased me, gave me to the widowed king and I was crowned Queen of Breaze. Nick was head of my security. On the day I married King Alfrich, Nick married Ziska Thornhammer. We had a huge coronation ball and both couples danced. Halfway through the dance we switched partners and I ended up dancing with Nick while the king danced with Ziska. General Steinhauer stormed in, walked up to the king and ran in and drove a sword through the king and Ziska."

"Gods below!" gasped Jutta. "What did you do?"

Nick's voice was suddenly cold and terrifying. "I took the new sword that the King gave me and I cut General Steinhauer's arms off at the elbows," said Nick. "Then I grabbed Ziska's sword and told Octavia, "Get behind me," and I fought my way to the rear exit where we made our escape."

"Nick was considered the best swordsman in Edux at the time," said Octavia.

"Still is," said Ning.

"That whole thing sounds so heroic," sighed Jutta. "I always dreamed of being swept off my feet and rescued by a handsome swordsman."

"I tried," said Haljas.

"It was mostly terrifying, but it was pretty romantic at one point," whispered Octavia.

"Which point?" asked Nick. He didn't consider being chased down by the men he trained as "romantic."

"When we were in the sailboat and we were becalmed just out of sight of land."

Nick chuckled. "You mean when we went skinny-dipping?"

"What?" demanded Jutta, Catrin, and Ning.

"I was on one side of the boat, and she was on the other," said Nick.

"I had to climb up his body to get back in the boat, and then we lay in the sun while our clothes dried... I was so horny," sighed Octavia.

"Corina Aldana!" scolded Jutta.

"Mother! I have had four children, I'm sure I know all about being horny."

"I was horny once," said Ning in a small voice.

"I'm going to go make some hot chocolate before bedtime while you girls talk about being horny," said Nick, and he got up and left, followed by Haljas who wanted some hot chocolate also.

Octavia poured a dipper of water over the rocks and the sauna filled with steam. A tiny amber crystal hanging from a bit of wire started to glow adding golden light to the scene. "So you were chased back to Uduithia?" asked Jutta.

"No. We signed on to a river barge up the Arn river. Nick was friends with the head of security in Teurnia, Leomaris Autumnfall, and their king Lars Ranzau, but Lars had taken control of Breaze after the government's collapse and held a trial and was able to identify the surviving culprits before he took over. Nick was blamed but cleared by the trial and we took portal hops back here. Tervis, god of health, is now in Temple of the Woods."

"We have a god now?" asked a shocked Catrin.

"And a pub! We built that and Nick uses it as the county offices."

"So much has changed," said Catrin. "It's making me dizzy."

"Then it's time to get out. Let's cool off then go inside for some hot chocolate and go to bed. We have a busy day tomorrow."

"I want to say hello to mom and dad tomorrow," whispered Catrin.

The sun was up and shining, reflecting off the snow making everything bright and hard to see. After chores and breakfast, then cleanup, everyone dressed in heavy winter gear. Nick came in the back door and said, "The sleigh is ready. I've got to get to work, the king's auditors will be here this morning. I'll meet you in town before you go over the pass." With a kiss from Octavia, Ning, Catrin, Jutta, and Hollie, Nick stepped outside.

A few minutes later the rest of the family stepped outside, Buggy and Eryri were waiting for them. "Ya reckon ya wanna check out the family graveyard before we shoot through to town?"

Catrin was stunned to silence by Buggy's Bovukan accent, but Octavia said, "Yes, please, Buggy."

"Then let's load up!" Trixie and Jiffy were already hitched to the two-bench sleigh, both wearing their collars of shining golden sleigh bells. Buggy and Eryri stepped on the guard's platform on the rear of the sleigh, then Octavia flicked the reins and they were off heading uphill. Ten minutes later they were stopped and Octavia led Catrin through the trees and over the bridge which stunned Catrin.

"Are you well? You seem shocked."

"I forgot about that bridge; it looks just like I remember it."

"Nick is rebuilding it, he's got a replacement to put in its place, he says the replacement will last for centuries."

There were the stones for Nana, Norman, and Nicholas, then one for Gertrude and another for Peddyr. A last stone was added for Pepin. Catrin stood at the headstones of her parents and said, "Thank you for trying. I know this is because of my own hard-headedness, and I'm so sorry..."

"Come on, the babies are waiting." Octavia led the weeping woman back to the sleigh.

"They died looking for me... I was thousands of miles away."

"It's what a loving parent does," said Octavia. "I would do the same for any of mine."

They got back to the sleigh and Buggy was smoking a roll-up as he waited. "Not near the children, Buggy."

"Sorry ma'am," said Buggy as he ditched the butt in a snowbank, then climbed back onto the guard's platform and Octavia handed the reins to Ning.

"Give it a try, honey."

With an excited smile, Ning gave the reins a flick and cried, "Come UP!" in her tiny, high voice, and they were off. The road was plowed up the mountain, and there were tall banks on both sides of the road.

Catrin leaned forward and tapped Octavia on the shoulder "Why is this road plowed past the farm?"

"There's a village up there now, Mom, it's named after your son. Irla Stein Anore."

"Really?"

"Yes, their mayor is following us." Jutta and Catrin turned around and there were two elven swordsmen on war ponies. One had the terrifying facial tattoos of the Maethor Nos Warriors, a terrifying elven war clan. "The one with the tattoos is Vesstan Aedi, the mayor. He's quite a nice fellow if he's not trying to kill you."

"What?"

"He used to be a warrior. He's changed now that he has responsibilities and children."

Catrin turned around again and the tattooed elf waved to her. She timidly waved back then sank down into her seat.

In the village of Elm Springs, Catrin looked around in awe. Now that the storm was over she could see, and what she saw was amazing. The grain mill was still there, but there was a lumber mill next to it, sharing the power of the millpond. There in the village at what used to be called "Four Corners" where the main east-west road met the north-south road from their farm, through the village and over Breeders Peak, was a pub! There was a police station titled as the Wægn Gendarme, there was the blacksmith shop with Wayne Metsker at the forge instead of his father Trei. There was the little general store called The Emporium, a small cobbler's shop, but there was also a new store in town, a hardware store! New houses lined the road; it was a proper village. "We're up to over two hundred people now," said Octavia proudly. "And it's mostly because of Nick. See over there? It's the village picnic grove and baseball pitch."

"Diamond," corrected Marlon.

"What's baseball?"

"It's all the rage!" gushed Octavia. "All the villages' fire departments have made up baseball teams and they..."

"What's a fire department?"

Before Octavia could answer, Nick stepped out of the pub and waved them down. He climbed in the back seat with Jutta, Catrin, and the twins and said, "Onward!" Two elf warriors came out from behind the pub mounted on war unicorns and two gendarmes on silky black stallions joined from the police station and led the sleigh up the mountain. "Oh my!" gushed Jutta. "Is this escort for us?"

"Yes, they are," said Nick as he took Lou and held the little guy close. "We're not losing you again."

Jutta was watching the road in awe as they climbed, switchback after switchback. She saw as they rose that Elm Springs was actually in the wide point of a valley in the Snowcross Mountains. "I can see the farm from up here!"

"Wait 'till we get to the top," said Nick. "Today is all about getting ready for New Year's Day. So much is going to happen that day. The twins will get the blessing from Tervis, the god of Health, Octavia and I are marrying Ning, and we are invited to the New Year's Day dinner, so I want you two to have at least two pretty dresses to wear."

"I can't afford a new dress," muttered Catrin.

"Don't worry about that. We had a good year on the farm so I'll pay for your dresses, and an eye exam for both of you."

"Eye exam? What on Kodu for?"

"Glasses. You squint at everything, mother dear."

"I do not. Besides, glasses will make me look like an old witch."

"I've got news for you, dear," said Ning from the front seat.

"Wait... you AND Octavia are marrying Ning? What witch would perform such a ceremony?"

"Bella MacTavish. You know her, Mom. Bella Horn, Agness's granddaughter.

"Oh yes, how is her mom Kendall doing?"

"No idea. I've been persona non grata with that family since I returned. Only Bella has spoken to me."

"They will probably come out of the woodwork next week," muttered Octavia under her breath. "Each one looking for favors or tax breaks."

Finally they reached the top and stopped so Ning and Jutta could enjoy the view. Catrin could only squint and remember what it looked like thirty years ago.

Waleston was getting ready for the big New Year's Celebration coming up. As they came down the south face of Breeders Peak, they could see the activity; from on high the town looked like a busy beehive. The lower they got the more distinct became the images. They were even swabbing the ice on the river with warm water to give the ice a lustrous shine. It also smoothed out the ice for the upcoming skating races through the town.

Waleston was in a box canyon, completely surrounded by mountains. The river came from underground and was fed by many springs from the mountains so there were streams and creeks crisscrossing the city. As they passed the entrance to the palace grounds, Nick hopped off the sleigh and he was joined by one human, one dwarf, and two elf guards as he walked up to the palace for "County business" as he explained it.

"This is such a nice looking town!" gushed Jutta.

"See that warehouse there? That's the only thing that Hay-on-Wægn has in town anymore. Nick sold the Duke's miniature palace and stables."

"Why? They were beautiful."

"He hated the Duke of Wægn not living in the land he governed," said Octavia. "He's setting an example that the king is demanding all members of his court follow."

"Oh! There's Ezzie Fahy! Cooie! Ezzie!" called Catrin as she spotted an old woman walking along the street.

"Catrin Wolfe? As I live and breathe! Where have you been?"

"I... We..." she couldn't say the words and Ezzie was too smart a witch to press for answers.

"Gods' blood girl, it's good to have you back. We need a witch who can stir a cauldron back in town! Whotcha up to?" The cauldron was actually an old joke, but it scared Jutta because where she was from in Steil Thein, witches were not allowed.

Catrin produced Loo-loo from under the heavy quilt. "Lookie what I found."

"I know a duke who has a pair just like that. How are you doing Octavia darling?"

"Good day, Ezzie, this is my mom, Jutta. She was keeping an eye on Nick's mom for the past few years, and we finally got 'em back where they belong. We're doing some shopping for the New Year's ball."

"It's good to see you back and we will catch up," said the old witch with a laugh. The sleigh headed off with a cheery jingle of the bells.

"Who was that?" asked the woman that was walking with Ezzie, Ursula Umbra.

"That was Gertie Wolfe's daughter, Catrin."

"God's balls!" hissed Ursula. "Does she have the craft that her mother had?"

"We can only hope not," said Ezzie. "Because if she does, she may want to clean up this town. We need to get the word out to all the girls." There was only one way to make sure all the witches in Uduithia knew that Catrin was back. Tell Bronwyn Keeling. That woman can have the entire kingdom notified before sunset.

It's not that Gertrude Wolfe was a powerful witch, she was a powerful witch with a powerful sense of right and wrong. If Catrin inherited that, a lot of the back-woods girls' money making schemes of selling potions that were nothing but alcohol, ginger, and honey would soon be over. Gertrude demanded that witches included magic in their magic potions, and that's what got her killed. If the duke finds out, it might get ugly.

Nick, Buggy, Vesstan, Preston, and Tanithil Glynrie headed up the drive to Waelmore Castle. At the Nobility entrance, Vesstan, Preston, and Tanithil dismounted and turned their mounts over to the groom and headed inside for several meetings. Buggy, Vesstan, Preston, and Tanithil Glynrie were all concerned with security and housing their troops, Nick had plans to draw up for the blessing, the wedding, and the ball. First he had to pull on his midnight blue uniform so he would be ready if the king required a meeting. Officially there were no royal meetings or hearings during the semi-month of Yule, but if the king said, "Let's talk," it was a meeting.

After changing he led them to the Northwest Tower, his tower. On the way there he met Magdalena who hadn't seen the children in nearly two weeks and she was excited that they would be there for the New Year's weekend. "Who is the housekeeper for the Northwest Tower?"

"That is Mistress Biddy MacGuire, Your Grace."

"I'd like to speak with her about this weekend, we're having some very special guests join us."

"May I ask who?"

"My mother and Octavia's mother."

"Yes sire, right away." And hoisting her skirts a bit, Magdalena ran off through the castle.

"She's a good kid," said Preston. "Annette loves her."

"She is tremendous with the kids," said Nick. They reached the base of the tower and Nick began to inspect the rooms. At the base of the tower, each floor had an apartment with four bedrooms around a central room with a fireplace. At the fifth floor, the tower narrowed and remained one room per floor until the top of the tower where there was a large observation room.

Finally Missus MacGuire bustled into the room. "Yes, Your Grace, you wanted to see me?"

"Yes, Missus MacGuire, I would like the rooms prepared for this coming New Year's Eve weekend. I would like that room prepared for three adults, one bed, that room for two adults, one bed, that room for three children, three beds, and this room a nursery for the twins. I'd like seating for eight in the main room and over in this corner, a desk where I can conduct business."

"We can have it ready for tonight, Your Grace."

"Not in the least. Upstairs we need Three rooms for two adults each, and one for two adults and a child who will probably end up sleeping down here."

"Truth," said Preston nodding his head.

"Put seating for eight in the great room upstairs, a desk and chair, and a sword rack. My security will be up there."

"Yes, your grace."

"I will get back to you about the third floor, that's a security issue, and the very top floor in the tower needs to be set up for a romantic retreat for three adults."

"Three adults, Your Grace?"

"It's a Xuantang thing."

"Ah yes, Your Grace," said Biddy MacGuire, as if the whole thing just made sense.

Just then, a page stepped up to Nick and bowed, and handed him a note. "Come to the pub," was all it said, but it was in the king's handwriting. "Tell His Majesty that I'm on the way."

"Yes, Your Grace."

"Gentlemen, I am needed in the king's retreat," said Nick and he headed toward the King's Pub. He couldn't wait to see the look on the king's face when he told him about Catrin and Jutta.

֍

Chapter 31 - The New Year

Yule 11, 3438

Artafána, Black Mountain

Two days in the underground palace of Artafána relaxed Jutta and Catrin. They spent days watching their grandchildren splash in the underground lake and race up and down long underground halls. They spent hours in the Library of Nolmë helping Martyn research a strange point of history, and they found themselves chatting with Saatus, the goddess of Fate, watch-goddess over the last palace of Elandorr Cailee. Saatus was even able to get Catrin over her fear of using an Æther portal, and traveled to Elm Springs. where they had dinner at the One-Eyed Duke pub before returning.

"That is an emergency portal," said Nick. "If there is any issue in Elm Springs, the children are instructed to run into the temple and use the portal to reach safety at Artafána. Tervis and Saatus promised they would protect the children."

"Do you expect trouble?" asked Jutta.

"Always," said Nick sadly.

They returned to the cottage with baskets of fresh fruits and vegetables, and set some aside for the King and Queen who developed a taste for pine fruit and several bunches of bananas for the fairies of the Butterfly Garden. They tended to the farm for several days, then early on the morning of Yule 15th, Hogmanay, or the start of the two-day-long New Year's Eve celebrations, it was time to leave. Everyone fit in the two-bench sleigh, including Pippin and Pumpkin, who sat in front, excited to be getting to see their littermates Pommy and Nicky.

"You have to behave or you're not coming back," Nick threatened the pups over and over.

"We know, we know."

"You can run around some, but you have to come back when one of us calls, or you stay at home next trip."

Their guard contingent met up with them in the pre-dawn gloom of Elm Springs and Annette swung aboard and plopped down in the front bench with Nick, Ning, and Marlon. The mounted captain of the guard rode in front of them, Preston and Annabelle Prescott in the lead carrying the colors of Uduithia and Hay-on-Wægn County. They were followed by Tanithil Glynrie and Tsarra Naedove, both elves in glittering mithril/steel armor. Behind the sleigh was Buggy and Eryri on the battle ramp (as they called it) and behind them on mounts were four members of the Wægn Gendarme.

"Must we put on such a show?" demanded Nick.

"Yes! The people want to see pomp, and they want to see their duke being protected," said Preston.

"What if they come to hate me, then what is this pomp all worth?"

"Then that's your headache now isn't it? That is probably why old Henna Roem had a house in Waleston instead of in Hay-on-Wægn County. Just keep building pubs, Your Grace. They'll love you for it."

"And who let out that we'd be heading over the hill on the early morning of the fifteenth?" said Nick, looking back at the parade of Elm Springs citizens that fell in line behind their duke. It was a regular parade of sleighs, bells ringing, and Yuletide carols breaking out as the revelers headed up Breeders Peak Road. Nick counted eight sleighs and word got out that they intended to pause at the peak to sing "My Uduithia" before heading down the other side.

As the sun broke over the eastern mountains, tiny Catrin stood up in the sleigh and looked out over the land below with her new glasses. "My gods below!" she gasped. "It looks like when I was a young'in like my Marlon," she said as she rubbed his head.

Soon all the sleighs were lined up and they began to call, "Lead us, Catrin!" because she was still standing in the sleigh.

Catrin turned to Jutta who shrugged. "I don't know it."

"I just remember the first two lines."

"Just belt out the first two lines, they'll do the rest," said Nick as he stood for the anthem. Soon everyone was standing in their sleighs.

Preston shouted, "Guard! Present Arms!" and the guards snapped to a salute, and Catrin began to sing and was soon joined by all.

Uduithia!

Our kingdom tis of thee.

Mountains built of love,

are all that we will need.

With backs and hand we sow the crops.

That feed our kith and kin.

With love of all we stand true and tall.

Uduithia, standing for thee.

Gods save our King!

Through what life shall bring!

Uduithia we're standing brave for thee.

Uduithia we're standing all for thee!

The men and women of Elm Springs cheered and rang bells. Their anthem was wonderfully singable, and the lyrics, translated from High Torwin centuries ago, made sense. "Let's take this downhill," said Nick.

"Aye, Your Grace. Guard! Move out!" called Preston and soon the eight sleighs led by their duke headed down the switchbacks on the north face of Breeders Peak and into Waleston. The streets of Waleston were an open party. The ice on the river was being mopped with hot water, being resurfaced for the races that would soon start. It seemed like everyone in Waleston ice skated and there was even a senior couples division, where anyone who had been married over thirty years could enter.

Food vendors were firing up their grills for the evening's revelry, and a few were serving a hot breakfast to the event workers. All day long, a parade of sleighs would be creeping down Breeders Peak Road and Southern Mountain Pass Road into the Barkridge Defile, the box canyon that protects Waleston from invaders.

"Nicholas! What are you doing?" demanded Catrin as she pointed to the front door of the castle where she entered as a visitor years ago.

"We're heading in."

"This is the nobility entrance!" she hissed in horror as they stopped in the center of the portcullis.

"Yes, mother. Now, smile nice for the guards or they'll think you're up to something illegal."

"Nick!" she hissed one more time, but then the head guard saluted and said, "Good morning, Your Grace. Your rooms are ready; do you need help with the baggage?"

"Could you have someone take it to the northwest tower? Thank you so much, Captain."

"You're learning!" said Octavia in a sing-song voice. Weeks ago, Nick would carry the baggage and not let someone carry it for him.

"FREEDOM!" cried Pumpkin as he and Pippin dove out of the sleigh.

"Leashes on you two!" scolded Octavia, causing Pippin and Pumpkin to whimper, but soon Nick and Marlon were leading the young wolves who marched at heel perfectly. They were well behaved if you enforced the rules. They entered the castle and greeted the inner guards. "Will you be changing, Your Grace?" asked the cloakroom attendant.

"No, not here, Billy. Would you send my uniform and Duchess Octavia's robe to my tower? We'll change there before dining."

"Will do, Your Grace," said the cloakroom attendant, and he snapped his fingers for a houseboy to carry the clothing to the tower for the duke. "Have a pleasant stay."

Jutta and Catrin looked at each other in shock, maybe their children weren't pulling their legs. Maybe they really were the duke and duchess. Nick led his family through the castle, telling Pippin to "Memorize the route," as the young wolf sniffed the floor eagerly. "I smell Nicky," said Pumpkin. "Where's Pommy?"

"He's with the king. He's always with the king," said Marlon.

"Showoff," grumbled Pippin.

They soon reached their apartment. "Mother, this is our home away from home..."

"You said that about Artafána," said Catrin as she inspected the furnishings.

"Then it's our home away from Black Mountain. If you don't like the layout of the rooms, say so now and we'll get them changed.

"We have a bunkbed now!" cried Marlon.

"That's for when Annette stays here," said Octavia, then she turned to Jutta and said, "Annette's parents are right upstairs with the rest of the guards. She will probably fall asleep down here."

After changing, Nick led the way to the Royal Refectory, the dining area where only members of the king's privy council could dine. That day it was closed to all but the royal family and the first family of the Duchy of Wægn. "Uncle Nicky!" said Princess Sophia happily. "Aunty 'tavia!"

"Mom, this is King Uric II, Queen Elinor, and their daughter Princess Sophia. Your Highness, these are our mothers, Jutta Aldana and Catrin Wolfe."

"I have a wolf too!" said Sophia happily.

The families sat down to eat and the king was quite gregarious with the mothers, to the point of ignoring Nick and Octavia. "I hope you don't find this wedding with Lady Ning unusual," said the king.

"Well, we do," said Jutta. "I've never heard of such a thing, except in the upper halls of the Hamz Al-Jasrer palace." It was clear that Jutta was scolding the king and Catrin was next to her, nodding her head in agreement.

"And that happens in the upper halls of Uduithian government, as well as the surrounding governments. How many wives does King Ranzau in Teurnia have now, Nicholas?"

"Seven, your majesty."

"See? Uduithian law prevents me from taking on more wives once I assumed the throne. Xuantang is a very important country with resources we need. Uduithia has the lumber, coal, and ores that Xuantang needs. A marriage of the emperor's mother to a member of the Privy Council seals our country's friendship."

"But what about love? Children?" demanded Jutta.

"That's where this marriage is better than all others. Nick and Octavia have been close with Lady Ning for years, her son, the emperor, is already their protégé, and their children are loved by and cared for by Lady Ning. This political marriage is blessed with love."

"It's just weird to us," mumbled Jutta.

Their breakfast was perfectly poached eggs on a fresh-out-of-the-oven biscuit with a zesty sausage patty and sausage gravy with hashbrown potatoes. "Missus Lombardy, the head cook, calls this a farm breakfast," said Queen Elinor.

"This is incredible!" gushed Jutta. "So simple, but so perfect!"

"It's what we ate on Sunday mornings," said Catrin quietly. Marlon was turning his nose up at the breakfast but Catrin stuck a forkful into his mouth and said, "Eat." The youngster liked it.

"Grandmothers are incredible," said Octavia.

King Uric leaned over to Nick and asked softly, "Have you told anyone?"

"Of your plan? Just Octavia and my security team."

"Security... wise decision, considering."

"The duchy has purchased a house and a plot of land at the corner of Main Street and Nana Peacock's drive, and that will eventually become the duke's home. The duke will still own the farm but the cottage will go to the witches in the family."

That afternoon the royal family and the Stein family gathered in the Butterfly Garden, a beautiful indoor flower garden that Octavia built just for Princess Sophia. A small glade was created there with a fountain in the middle, and that glade was where ceremonies were held. Nick, as a temple priest, was ready to invoke the blessing when Tervis, god of health, appeared. He usually appeared naked, but because he knew that would upset the grandmothers, he wore a toga that was the same golden color as his skin. King Uric was shocked at his appearance and called out "Lord Tervis, your appearance in this building marks the first visit by a god in generations. Could you bless us and cleanse the stench of Zeddicus, demon god of lies, from this chapel?"

Tervis crouched so he was no taller than the king. "Your friend Sir Nicholas of Black Mountain, along with Dame Octavia and his team--Vesstan Aedi, Bughac Orebeard, and Hugues Du Gouey--had already banished Zeddicus from here by their actions at the battle of Tähelepanek Point. I hope your family finds healing in this beautiful chapel." And with that he began to recite the prayer. "May the spirits of these wonderful infants stay true to the teaching of their parents, may they grow strong in body and wisdom, and may they forever be known as the Children of Artafána." With that, Tervis gave the twins the blessing of the gods.

After the ceremony, Octavia, Ning, Jutta, and Catrin took the kids into the festivities. Every kind of delicacy that could be sold was available on the snow-covered streets of Waleston. Roast candied nuts, candy apples, and cookies of so many types: gingerbread, Krumkake filled with berries and cream, spritz covered with colored sugar, sandbakkels filled with cream, and fried Rosettes with powdered sugar! There were pretzels, popped corns, roasted chestnuts, and sausages on freshly baked buns with homemade mustard. To drink there were beers from all over the mountains, wine, fruit juices, and cider, both hard and nonalcoholic. On the river there were ice skating races and hockey games, and on several mountainsides there were bobsled courses and toboggan runs that were tall, fast, and scary to watch.

Marching bands wandered around the city, playing their songs until they reached the next beer tent. The band that was in the tent finished their drinks and headed out, playing and marching until they reached a beer tent they hadn't visited before, where they replaced the resident band.

Catrin had seen this in the past, but it wasn't quite as big as it was now. Jutta had only seen festivals like this in the small farming villages on the Chelmsford plains. Waleston's celebration was too loud, and too frantic for them, but the snacks were good and they headed back to the castle with sacks of cookies for the children to munch on for the rest of the holiday season.

In the castle, Nick and Izhar were speaking with the king in the security of Izhar's hidden laboratory. "Your majesty," started Nick nervously. "I have discovered something that, if it gets out, could ruin me. If I were your prince, it could throw this nation into revolution."

"Oh? Are you truly the son of Zeddicus, demon god of lies?"

"No, this is real, sire."

"That your lover is Saatus and you are going to leave your family and live in sin with her?"

"No! That's ridiculous!"

"Saatus doesn't think so," mumbled Izhar.

Nick was getting nervous and he was close to begging the king on his knees. "Sire, Yuletide day was a day of revelation. We sat up late into the night speaking of ancestry. Octavia's ancestry is full of elves on both her mother's side of the family and on her father's side."

"We can't help our ancestry," said the king as he looked at Izhar's mobile that mapped the solar system.

"SIRE! My father is a full-blooded elf! He impregnated my mother and ran off!"

The room was silent for a long moment. Then the king asked, "Did he rape her?"

"No, sire, but when she told him she was pregnant, he ran off."

The king frowned. "It sounds like he learned some bad traits from us humans." He turned to Nick and said, "To me this is a vast improvement over Ivo Stein who nearly killed you and your mother. Your father was an elf scoundrel. For years I did not know who my father was. I took the name Blair McLeod because I had no name. My mother only called me "Sonny," and I needed something to call myself when I played in bars. My father was a drunken king, and my mother was a whore. When he died they hunted me down in kingdoms all over Edux because he mentioned my mother by name in his will. When they found me, my fiancée was a barefoot witch, and I could not read naught but music." He sipped his ale and continued. "This is not an election. I could name my pet wolf my successor and the people would have no say in it. Instead I chose the most capable man I know."

"Truly? Am I?" demanded Nick.

"Izhar, tell me. Who has proven himself more worthy than Sir Nicholas?"

"I have been watching Sir Nicholas for decades, sire, and though he has flaws like all other humans, he is the fairest of all that I know."

The king began straightening out the medals on Nick's uniform. "Nicholas, you were not given any of these," he said softly. "You earned every one of them, and more! If I had given you every medal you had earned, your jacket would be so heavy it would take two men to lift it so you could put it on. But not one of those medals is why I chose you." The king softened and looked into Nick's eyes. "When I see you with Sophia you're not humoring a poor retarded girl; you're working with her, reading her stories and dancing with her. She laughs when you play music for her. She laughs with joy! And when you dance she turns to me and says, 'Daddy, look! I can dance!'" King Uric saddened, then sighed. "I will be gone soon. I started having children far too late in life, but when I go, I can think of no one I would trust with my daughter or my kingdom than with you. That's why I chose you."

Nick struggled internally, then finally said, "I will accept your offer of legitimacy, but I wish to remain on my farm until the time comes to take the throne."

"Granted," said the king.

"When I am prince, I wish to represent this kingdom in foreign lands, in other throne rooms."

"Granted, we need a good foreign ambassador."

"And most of all, I wish to avoid the life of balls and receptions until I move into Waelmore Castle."

"No. That's not possible. As prince, you need to show the flag, even in your own castle."

Finally, it was the night of New Year's Eve. Nick, Ning, and Octavia were married in a witches' ceremony that was over in a flash, and they were bonded forever. They led the children back to their apartment, where they would avoid the pre-dinner politics with Magdalena. Then Nick and his wives walked holding hands to the ballroom as the guests began to arrive; it was the night of the king's dinner.

King Uric pulled them into the reception line where representatives from all over Edux came to shake hands with the representatives of the Uduithian Government. Nick was content to let Sir Hargrave, Earl of Stormchester, and Lord Diggory Harcourt, Earl of Mallburg, handle the guests, but Lord Baltimore, Duke of Pellingham said, "Oh no, my boy. If I must suffer, so must you." He was lined up with his three wives, so Nick lined up with his two.

Nick was wearing his midnight blue and silver uniform with a row of medals over the left pocket and the Medal of Uduithia hanging from a blue and silver ribbon at his neck. Octavia was wearing a gown similar to her Enchantress gown, dark gray, almost black, with silver stars. The gown would look gaudy if the stars were attached. They weren't attached, they floated near her gown, slowly changing positions. Two moons traveled from shoulder to shoulder showing the current phases and the rings of the moons Kuu and Rahn. Her gown screamed "Wizard!" Her staff topped with the Orb of Jørn, an eye that seemed to look into your soul, terrified most people, so they avoided her. Ning was wearing a loose silk dress with wide sleeves and skirt. It was made of bright red silk with angry dragons embroidered in gold on the front and back. It was more a declaration of beauty and death than it was a dress.

In a land where brown, red, and blond hair are most often seen, Nick, Octavia, and Ning's black hair stood out. Even the children, back in their room with Magdalena, all stood out with glossy black hair. It was a gift from elven blood. They smiled and shook hands with people they never heard of before, and occasionally they shook hands with people they hoped they would never meet. "I have been trying to get you on my staff," said Orazio Laurita, Dominus of Torwin-Armistad.

That's true. Nick had been getting letters hand-carried to the farm by Laurita's men. "I already have a job," mumbled Nick.

"So I've heard," grinned Orazio and he saluted Nick by touching his forehead with the tip of his walking stick.

Next was a friend, General Sir Ned Sinclair Darby--Commander of the Torwin-Armistad City Guard, and the Duke of Torwin. "Don't worry about Orazio, I guarantee he'll give up by the end of the evening."

"Are you sure about that? He's quite driven."

"He's the type to know when he's beat. Let's talk after dinner. Cigars and brandy in your tower?"

"Cigars and brandy sounds wonderful!" gushed Octavia.

"I agree," said Ning with a sexy sigh that shocked Nick.

"Fine, I'll bring Moira." Then he winked at Nick. "I'm sure you won't leave the meal early."

There were a few more nobodies from Torwin-Armistad; then came Jia in his golden robes embroidered with a huge red dragon. He had a beautiful woman on each arm. One was obviously Xuan, and the other looked like the desert people of Hamz Al-Jasrer, tanned skin, dark hair, and deep brown eyes. "You see, stepfather? I too know political pressure." The young teen looked sad that he was burdened with the daughters of allies.

"Come over any time you want," said Nick. "We'll go fishing or hiking in the woods."

"Bring the girls," said Octavia. "We can have tea and talk." The way she said 'tea and talk' made the conversation sound like a military operation.

Jia's eyes grew wide, then he smiled. Octavia and his mother having words with these two women? It would be worth the price of admission to see.

Then, just behind Jia was Leomaris Autumnfall, the Viceroy of Breaze. Nick and Leomaris hugged and slapped each other's backs. "Two wives! Are you trying to catch up with our ruler Lars?" said Leomaris with a bold laugh.

Nick chuckled. "I'm happy to have half the number of wives that Lord Ranzau has."

"You merely have a third his number." Then, without explanation, Leomaris let the reception line move him along. There were more guests, many powerful, and many with dreams of power. Nick knew many, but those that he didn't know, he tried to remember for later.

The reception line finally ended and they were taken to dinner. They reunited with Catrin and Jutta and the children at their table near the king's table. "Have the lambchops," said Catrin.

"Why?"

"We were in the kitchen," said Jutta. "Take our word and have the lambchops." She didn't explain why he should choose the lambchops, but when they came, they were delicious.

After dinner were the inevitable speeches. Lars Ranzau rose and spoke about rebuilding Breaze and their search for a ruler for Breaze when it regains its independence. Leomaris was right, Lars had added two more to his squad of wives, one was human, and the other was probably a dracona.

Annette Preston's great grandmother, Lucretia Vladimíra von Reichenbach, rose and spoke of the continued peace between the above-ground citizens of Elbreshowth on the Moor and the underground citizens of the Boxlis Pit. Nick was called up to speak about his plans for improving healthcare in the mountains of Uduithia. Most of his speech was about his mother and mother-in-law and their journey from Hamz Al-Jasrer to Uduithia, arriving home on Yuletide Eve. His speech brought a rousing standing ovation for Catrin Wolfe and Jutta Aldana.

"It has been almost a decade since we lost our heirs," said King Uric in his closing statements. "Sadly, it appears that there are no more children in our future, and I will not seek another queen to breed an heir. That is out of the question. But there is a point of law that has not been used in Uduithia for centuries. If Royal Adrogation had been used when needed in the past, I would not be here. I have selected a man who loves this country, and her people. A man devoted to Uduithia's history, its mountains, and its future. A man who already has a cottage full of heirs: may I introduce to you, our Crown Prince, Sir Nicholas Stein."

Nick rose and thanked everyone at the king's table and spoke to the crowd of how he was going to work with King Uric to continue to improve Uduithia. Most of his speech was lost on Jutta and Catrin. They had just gotten used to their children being Duke and Duchess of Wægn. Now Prince and Princess? Eventually King and Queen of Uduithia? They clung together and wept with joy. Octavia and Ning remained stoic but beautiful. It was clear they knew this surprise announcement and were aware of the burdens placed on them and the future they faced. The children didn't notice. They were eating cups of crushed ice covered with fruit and fruit syrup, with rich, sweet cream poured over the fruit. A treat for the future leaders of Uduithia. Even Lou and Loo-loo enjoyed the tasty treat, although they were eating with their hands.

"I have one final request," said Nick. "The name given to me, Stein, was given to me by a man who had no relation to me. Stein is a name of The Torwin-Armistad Tubes. My mother went there to try to improve life for the people and the witches of The Tubes and, in return, was beaten nearly to death by a man who swore an oath to protect her, then sold into slavery by a quack doctor who took an oath to do no harm. I will not have the stain of that man or that slum placed on the throne of Uduithia..." Nick was shocked when the crowd rose and applauded wildly. But he also noticed that Orazio Laurita--Dominus, the autocratic ruler of Torwin-Armistad--did not rise, nor did he smile, nor did the men seated with him. Nick thought it odd that a powerful man like Orazio Laurita would come to a public event like this but not bring a wife, or even girlfriend. All the men around Orazio Laurita had the look of political cronies.

When the applause died down, Nick continued. "With the king's blessing I would like to use my family's name. My mother, and grandparents, and their forefathers carried the name that speaks of the Snowcross Mountains, Wolfe. But I would like also to honor my true father and assume the name Wolfe, but pronounced in Varresh Keel, the royal language of the elves, the language that binds all elven tribes and clans. Wolfe in Varresh Keel is Cailee. I also wish to honor my great-grandmother, known as Nana Peacock, the matron of Black Mountain to so many relatives and witches." Nick could see the witches in attendance, their heads nodding in agreement. Nia Frost was a saint among witches. "I wish to be known as Nicholas Frost-Cailee."

"Yes!" gasped Queen Elinor, grasping the importance of the name Frost, the true guardian of Black Mountain.

The king rose and smiled. Only he knew Nick's desire to change his name. He placed a hand on Nick's shoulder and cried out, "And so you shall be known throughout Uduithia and her friends, as Prince Nicholas Frost-Cailee."

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Epilogue

Astra 1, 3439

Northwest Tower, Waelmore Castle

Nick, Octavia, and Ning stood watching the fireworks display from the top of the Northwest Tower. It wasn't the best vantage point to watch the fireworks from, being the farthest tower from the city, but they still had quite a view of the fireworks. The top room of the tower had been converted to a honeymoon retreat at Nick's request. A fire crackled in the fireplace and candles lit the room with a soft glow. Occasionally a bright flash from the fireworks illuminated the room and cast their shadows on the far wall.

"Do you have any opposition to the name Frost-Cailee?" asked Nick softly.

"No, I always thought Nick Stein to be too abrupt," said Octavia. "Too many consonants in such a short time. Princess Octavia Frost-Cailee is perfect, I think."

"In Xuan it is Shuāng-Láng." She looked at Nick playfully. "Shuāng Láng Long. It sounds right."

"Frost wolf dragon?" said Nick slowly, remembering what little Xuan he knew. He was known as a dragon there because he appeared three times in dragon form.

"Shi de," she said nodding, then she frowned. "I saw men who were not happy."

"From my name selection? I had expected elves would not like my using..."

"Not elves," said Ning. "Men. The men around Orazio Laurita, and the men around Lucretia Vladimíra von Reichenbach."

Nick sighed. You can't please everyone. Lucretia Vladimíra von Reichenbach was the de facto ruler of Elbreshowth on the Moor to Uduithia's north. They controlled Uduithia's access to the sea. And Orazio Laurita was the top buyer of Uduithian lumber. Neither leader looked angry, but the men around them did, and that spelled danger.

The fireworks boomed and rattled the tower. Carnations of blue and silver, the colors of Uduithia, filled the night sky as the Kingdom celebrated their new prince. Nick pulled his wives close as the fireworks neared their climax. "Sieffre Merrick is never going to believe this," whispered Octavia.

Nick chuckled. She's right, his old friend will never believe it. "He always told me that nothing of consequence ever happened in these big to-dos."

"Sieffre is nice," insisted Ning. "He takes his medicine and eats properly when I visit."

Octavia and Nick looked at Ning, who was confused. Grumpy old Sieffre was putty in her tiny hands; clearly Sieffre was in love with Ning. "I think he likes you."

"He said I am hot baby," said Ning.

"I'm sure he did."

Soon the sky was filled with flashing lights and thunderous booms; then the sky went silent and the light of the ringed moons Kuu and Rahn filled the sky. "Happy New Year," said Nick as he kissed Octavia then Ning. He led them to the big mattresses that were spread out on the floor, making the entire room a honeymoon bed.

"Are you sure this is what you want for a honeymoon?" asked Octavia as they snuggled.

"Ning isn't ready yet," said Nick as Octavia pulled Leu and Loo-loo between them. Hollie snoozed next to Octavia and Jia slept next to Ning. Marlon and Annette were at their feet closer to the fireplace, and Magdalena snoozed in a comfortable chair. "Yeah," sighed Nick. "This is exactly what I want."

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Keep an eye out for Gods Save the Queen Book 6, The Elfborn Prince.