by Pirateaba
She looked at Hedault, at Ryoka, and Reynold who was staring with wide eyes.
“Ye wish to know what lies within? A seed, foolish mortals. A seed of a tree. A child trapped. The power of the earth, of that which stood through wind and storm and fire and axe. Unbreakable. For ten thousand years.”
Ryoka felt her skin tingle with goose bumps. There was something about the way Ivolethe spoke, about the way she existed that made Ryoka believe every word she said. She stared at the wand and felt her heart ache.
Magic.
“Living magic. That explains everything.”
Hedault slowly picked up the wand, and stared at it. He ran his hands down the surface of it, and held it as if he thought it would break. Then he looked at Ryoka.
She didn’t need to ask. Ryoka smiled, and stood up.
“I need to go back by tomorrow. Can you have everything ready by then?”
“Yes. It will not be enough, but yes.”
Hedault held the wand and looked at Ivolethe. She stared at it with ancient eyes, and then laughed and flew back to the prunes. He looked at Ryoka.
“I will give you what your friends need. But I will write down the debt, Ryoka Griffin. And when they need to call on it, they need only message me.”
She smiled. It was a tired smile, but sincere. It had been a long day, but Ryoka smiled. Her expression was unguarded, and for once, totally genuine. Both Hedault and Reynold felt a tug at their hearts. For different reasons.
“Thank you.”
Then she turned and walked out of Hedault’s home.
—-
It was snowing harder outside. Ryoka stared up at the sky and got a big snowflake in the eye for her trouble. She’d seen worse snow days—
Actually, she wasn’t sure if she had. Ryoka stared ahead and found the snow was falling so thickly that she could barely see ten feet in front of her. Already most of the pedestrians were off of the streets.
“It’s disgusting out here. Let’s go to the mansion!”
For once Reynold was in complete agreement. The two set off at a brisk pace down the street, trying not to slip on the icy pavement.
To Ryoka’s unpleasant surprise, she didn’t get to go back to Magnolia’s mansion with Reynold after that. Instead, she and Reynold were caught by a Street Runner, a Dullahan boy who carried his head on a sling as he ran, as they headed towards the place where he’d parked the carriage.
“Miss Ryoka Griffin? You’re wanted at the Runner’s Guild now. There’s a client to see you!”
“A client? Tell them I’m not interested.”
Ryoka wasn’t in the mood, but the Street Runner was insistent.
“They want to see you now, Miss Ryoka! The [Receptionist] told me to get you or not bother coming back. It’s just six blocks away. We can be there in no time if we run. Unless you’re too slow and old?”
Ryoka glared at the Dullahan boy who turned his head to smile cockily at her. She knew it was bait, but that didn’t stop her from beating him to the Runner’s Guild by a solid ten feet. She flipped him off as she walked inside and saw him grin and race away to his next delivery. She quite liked him, on the whole.
The person waiting in the guild was not who Ryoka expected to see. She stared at Laken.
“I thought I was going to see you tomorrow! What gives?”
“Ah, Ryoka. I’m sorry about this, but it couldn’t wait. Have you seen the weather?”
Ryoka grunted sourly. She had snow all over her shoes and Reynold, wheezing a bit as he came in behind her, was brushing snow out of his hair.
“It’s coming down out there. Why?”
“Well, it’s going to be far worse tomorrow, or so I’m told. The snow’s going to cover the roads at least two feet deep—possibly as many as four on top of what’s already fallen if what the [Weather Mages] are saying is true.”
“Fuck. That’s not good. Reynold, how does your carriage handle in deep snow?”
“Fairly well, Miss Ryoka. We should be able to return to Liscor—slowly, but even in deep snow.”
“Well, that’s a relief.”
Laken shook his head.
“It may be to you, but Ryoka, the Merchant’s Guild is saying they won’t be able to deliver the food or have the adventurers escort us for at least a week until the roads clear!”
She stared at him.
“Can’t they melt the snow? Hire a mage who knows flame spells?”
“Too costly for me. If I had more money I could, but—no. And we can’t leave right now.”
“So you want to hire a Runner.”
Ryoka nodded. It was the best solution. She glanced at the Runners shivering as they came in from the cold.
“Hire someone good and give them a bag of holding. It’s pricy, but they might be able to beat the snows.”
“It’s a day’s run for the best of them. No City Runner will do it for fear of losing their way, and there’s no Courier I could hire—even if I could afford one.”
Ryoka stared at Laken’s grim face. She got what he was saying and raised her hands.
“Oh no.”
“Ryoka, please. The village will need food soon, and if I’m away for that long they’ll panic. If you can get to them and send a message—”
“No, I’m not—I’d get lost as well! Hold on, I might be able to if Reynold drives me.”
She looked hopefully at Reynold and Laken turned to the [Butler] as well. Reynold hunched his shoulders guiltily.
“I’m terribly sorry Miss Ryoka, but Lady Reinhart did not authorize me to drive you anywhere but Liscor. Under any circumstances. I believe her exact phrase was ‘if she needs to get anywhere, she can run there herself’.”
“Even to help a village?”
“Even then, Miss. You could try contacting her, but I’m afraid that until then, my orders stand.”
“How long would that take?”
As she asked, Ryoka knew that it wasn’t a good option. Lady Magnolia might say yes, but she’d want to know why Ryoka wanted to help Laken so badly. If there was any way to avoid that, Ryoka would.
“If it is not an urgent issue—and I am afraid that Ressa would not consider this such—Lady Reinhart may not receive your communications for a day or two.”
“And I need to be back in Liscor in two days for Christmas. Laken—”
He stood up.
“I know it’s a lot to ask, Ryoka, but you’re the only person who could do it. I can’t afford anyone else, and I don’t want to leave them alone without word for so long. If you could take a bag of holding—the [Receptionists] assure me you could bring enough food for a week or two and some presents with their biggest bags.”
“Presents?”
“Yes. It’s going to be Christmas soon.”
“Yes, it is.”
Laken smiled a bit, but it twisted on his face with anxiety.
“You know, I don’t have a problem staying here. I can buy gifts for Durene and Gamel—after I explain the idea of Christmas to them, of course. But the people in my village need that food now, not after the roads clear. And I’d like to get them presents as well.”
“I know. I know, but—I can’t. I have to get back home and—I couldn’t find my way through a blizzard either.”
The excuses felt hollow in Ryoka’s mouth. She felt a twisting in her gut, but she didn’t see how she could do it. Running was one thing. She could probably run in deep snow—it would be hellish, but she could do it. But getting lost was another issue.
“If it’s just finding your way…”
Laken paused. He frowned, thinking hard.
“Is there a map you could take? Some sort of magical…GPS?”
It sounded ludicrous. Ryoka shook her head as she sat at one of the tables with him. Laken sighed and pushed the small bowl of cheese and crackers someone had given him away. Ryoka felt a rustling at her pouch.
“Is that food? I claim it!”
Ivolethe leapt onto the table and grabbed a slice of c
heese and a cracker. She began munching it down. She was getting gluttonous, Ryoka reflected. She stared down at Ivolethe, annoyed the faerie wasn’t taking things seriously. Then Ryoka paused.
“Hey Laken. Ivolethe’s eating your cheese.”
“I don’t m—”
Laken went silent. He coughed and when he spoke again his voice had taken on a thoughtful tone.
“Christmas is coming up, Ryoka.”
“Yup. Santa Claus.”
“It’s a very famous tradition. I used to hear all the old tales every year. The German stories are different of course, but I’ve heard the American classics as well.”
“Oh yeah. All the good ones, I bet.”
“I especially liked Rudolph, although I can’t imagine what the color ‘red’ must look like.”
“It’s not bad.”
“I hate to ask you to run through a blizzard—”
“I’ve done worse. And I’d like to do it. It is the holidays.”
“But the issue is finding your way. Through a blizzard.”
“Yeah. I’d need a guide. Someone who can find their way. Light the way, rather.”
“I take it the color’s off? I’m told that uh, Winter Sprites are blue. Which is, apparently, not close to red.”
“It’s a bit different. But why don’t I think that will matter?”
Laken and Ryoka kept their voices low. They both felt it. A bit of holiday magic in the air, or perhaps just insanity masquerading as good sense. They turned their faces towards the small Frost Faerie gorging herself on the table.
Ivolethe happily swallowed a large bite of wrinkled prune and then realized she was the target of their scrutiny. Warily, she frowned up at the two Humans staring down at her.
“What? What are ye buggers staring at?”
3.41
Two days before Christmas, Ryoka stared up at a Frost Faerie and wondered how it had come to this.
“Come on, Ivolethe. Please?”
“Nae. I won’t do it!”
Ivolethe folded her arms and glared at Ryoka and Laken. The Frost Faerie hovered outside of the Runner’s Guild as Laken and Ryoka stood and argued with her. Durene and Gamel and Reynold were all standing a bit back, watching the young man and woman argue with what was, to them, a fuzzy patch of air.
“I’ll make you the Archduchess of Presents. How about that?”
“Not if ye made me a Großfürstin! I won’t act like an Ellylldan—like some common pixie! I refuse to guide Ryoka to your worthless little village!”
Ivolethe sneered at Laken and flicked snow at his face. He recoiled as Ryoka tried another tact. They’d been arguing with Ivolethe for fifteen minutes, but the Frost Faerie hadn’t budged.
“Come on, Ivolethe. We need your help. You’re the only one who could navigate through this snow.”
She gestured at the thick, falling snow around them. It was already piling up on the ground, and it made looking down the street a chore. Travelling outside would mean getting lost and freezing to death—for everyone but Ivolethe.
“Nae. Not even for friendship, Ryoka. My pride will not allow it.”
“Please, Ivolethe? Think of the children.”
The Frost Faerie paused. It was a low blow, but Ryoka saw it connect and pressed her advantage.
“They’re all by themselves in Laken’s village—probably hungry and cold. Think about that, Ivolethe. If I don’t bring food and supplies to them, they might freeze to death!”
“I’m thinking. So what?”
“You’d be doing a good thing. And you’d be a hero. I bet they’ll put up a statue to you, right, Laken?”
She nudged the blind man. He rubbed at his side and nodded.
“Oh, absolutely. I’ll put up a statue to you, Ivolethe. I swear it.”
The faerie wavered.
“Well…perhaps. But does it have to be red?”
Ryoka traded a glance with Laken. He didn’t trade one back.
“It would uh, be easier to see.”
He spread his hands and smiled up towards Ivolethe.
“Red is a very traditional color for Christmas, Ivolethe. And Rudolph’s nose was red. If you changed the color you…emit, you’d be doing the same thing as him. He was a hero, you know. Very famous.”
“Really?”
The Frost Faerie swooped down, intrigued. Laken nodded.
“Oh yes. Rudolph is…a, uh, legend where we come from. A folk hero, you could say. Beloved by all. Children everywhere in our world know his story.”
Ryoka held her breath. Ivolethe flew back upwards and muttered to herself. She looked down at Ryoka and sighed.
“A statue, ye say?”
Laken nodded.
“I swear it.”
Ivolethe sighed. She looked down at the two Humans and nodded slowly.
“Well then. What shade must I be? Red of blood? Red of desert sand? Red of setting suns?”
Ryoka could have cheered. She smiled at Ivolethe and held her hands up towards the faerie.
“Bright red. Crimson, in fact. Like a flare—like this. See?”
Ryoka held up her hands and concentrated. The [Flare] spell burst into life between her hands, a brilliant searing red light that made Gamel and Durene cover their faces. Laken didn’t flinch.
“I see. Let me try.”
Ivolethe frowned at the brilliant red light and closed her eyes. She gritted her tiny teeth and then the blue aura surrounding her began to shift. The color blue deepend, and then turned purple—then a deep red, and then the same shade of brilliant red as the light in Ryoka’s hand.
“Dead gods!”
“By the Five Families…”
Reynold, Durene, and Laken reacted as the nimbus of light around Ivolethe changed. The faerie her body of blue crystal ice now lit by a red glow which turned her entire form light pink, stared at Ryoka with a sour expression on her face.
“It is done. Let us be off, Ryoka Griffin. I dislike this immensely, but I will help.”
“Thank you, Ivolethe.”
The faerie stared at Laken, and then away. The [Emperor] turned to Ryoka as she bent to make sure the laces of her shoes were tied firmly.
“I can’t thank you enough for this.”
“Thank me after I’m done. It’s a long run, but I’ll try to be back tomorrow—or failing that, the day after that. I want to get back and then have Reynold bring me to Liscor. Hopefully I can make it in time for Christmas. If I can’t, well, this is more important.”
Laken reached out and Ryoka offered him a palm to grip.
“You’re a good person, Ryoka Griffin.”
“So you say. Myself, I’m not convinced.”
He grinned and stepped back. Ryoka was doing a second check.
“You have everything you need? Stamina potions?”
“At my belt, courtesy of the Runner’s Guild. Good think these ones don’t freeze solid. Octavia’s are sort of crap.”
“And you have the second bag of holding?”
“Here as well.”
Ryoka patted the bag hanging at her side. It felt incongruous at her waist—far too light for what she knew it contained. Food for the village, extra blankets, tools they needed—and presents! And yet the bag felt like it only held five pounds of weight.
Magic.
She was ready to go. Ryoka stepped towards Ivolethe.
“Ready?”
The faerie didn’t answer her. Ryoka frowned.
“Ivolethe?”
The Frost Faerie was gazing towards the sky. She uttered an oath—it sounded like it was in Celtic—and sprang up into the air. Ryoka had no idea why—until she saw the other blue shapes flying down towards her. She groaned.
“Oh no.”
Laken turned.
“What is it?”
“Company. More Frost Faeries.”
“And that’s a bad thing?”
Ryoka didn’t answer. She heard the tiny, crystal voices ringing through the air as the faeries flew down, cir
cling Ivolethe’s lone red glow and laughing.
“Sister, sister! What is this you do?”
“She’s changed her color! What rot! What foolishness!”
“Shut up! I do this for friendship and goodwill! Mock me not, fools!”
Ivolethe roared at her sister, flying angrily at them as they laughed and flew about her. Ryoka saw the faeries hitting each other and felt a shock—the Frost Faeries played rough! They didn’t just pull at hair—Ivolethe bit one of her sisters in the arm and was mobbed by two of the others in return.
“Hey, stop, stop!”
Ryoka’s voice stilled the fighting above her for a second. Frost Faeries abandoned their squabble for an easier target. They flew around Ryoka, pointing and jeering.
“Look, the boring one speaks!”
“So slow, so uninteresting! But she is with the ruler! Tell us, stupid one. Why is our sister red?”
“She’s helping me deliver aid to a village. She’s going to be…a hero.”
The faeries scoffed and laughed, but Ryoka knew them. She raised her hands.
“You may not believe me, but Ivolethe is fulfilling a legend. She’s going to make children happy. You see, there’s a story about a reindeer called Rudolph—”
She got only halfway into her explanation before the faeries swirled around her, laughing with delight.
“A guide? What fun! We shall go too!”
“Yes, let us guide the silly Human!”
Laken blinked, and Ryoka hesitated. He sidled over to her and whispered as they laughed and flew up and around them.