The Grotto Under the Tree
Page 10
"Should we add crystals?" Sebastian asked.
"No, this is all we need." Father Christmas replied.
Finally, the cauldron was filled, and Father Christmas knelt down in front of it. He chanted a few words and then dipped a stone goblet into the crimson liquid. He went around the room speaking quietly with the injured. After the injured elf nodded an agreement, Father Christmas would give them a sip of wine and a small piece of bread.
Sara, who was now on her feet, pulled Sebastian aside. "What happened?"
Sebastian explained about the battle and their climactic fight with the dragon, and how elves and Kylo were scattered everywhere. When he finished the story, Sara leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you for not giving up on me."
Sebastian brushed the compliment aside, but deep down his heart swelled with joy.
****
The next morning, Sebastian and Sara started their search for Capri. They passed by many injured elves. These elves seemed darker than the others and were curled up in balls of pain. Their skin appeared to be deeply tanned, and tight against their faces. Their high cheekbones and fair features seemed to be distorted, less beautiful.
Sara whispered to Sebastian, "What do you suppose is wrong with them?"
"I don't know."
"The Kylo wounds run deep," came a soft voice. "Somehow the Sage was able to do what we could not and offer them a friend rather than an adversary." Both Sara and Sebastian turned around to see an elf maiden with long brown hair that fell to her waist. Her eyes were large and brown like her hair. She smelled like a fragrant flower garden after a spring shower, and her smile was comforting, yet sad at the same time. "I am Princess Fallon," she said, "and I have been looking forward to meeting the two children who helped save my prince."
Both of the children bowed. Sara was the one who spoke first. "Where's Capri? We've been worried. I feel like something bad has happened to him. Please tell us if he's okay."
"He was severely injured and is now resting, child. Come with me, and I will take you to him." Her voice was like a singer's with perfect pitch. Her tone and inflections could tell a story by themselves.
They followed her out of the hall and back toward the main entrance. Before they reached the ice slide that had delivered them from the surface, Fallon turned and went down a side hallway lined with torches. They passed through an ancient oak door into a large room with a marble floor. A bed stood at one end, facing a fireplace heated by glowing red crystals. Two elven women sat around the bed. They looked the same as the rest of the elves—young and beautiful, though they had a few streaks of grey through their dark hair. They sat and watched over a quiet figure lying in the bed.
"Capri!" Sebastian and Sara both shouted, rushing over to his bedside.
Fallon followed them and placed a hand on each of their shoulders. His skin was darker than any of the other injured elves. Actual bruises covered his face and bare chest.
"Will he be okay?" Sebastian asked.
"We do not know," said one of the elders.
Sara rested her head on Capri's nearly lifeless body and sobbed. "Isn't there something we can do? Sebastian, can't you think of something?"
Sebastian had no answers this time and simply turned away for fear that his tears might flow as quickly as Sara's.
Fallon knelt down next to Sara. "Our people have become nomads since the last attack, never staying longer than one cycle of the moon in any one place. For hundreds of seasons Capri and I have searched for each other. Capri knew this and constantly traveled in hopes of finding us again. I do not want to lose him." She leaned over and kissed Capri lightly on the forehead, and for a brief moment the color on his skin lightened ever so slightly before returning to its darkened state. "Children, we must leave Capri to get his rest. Please, walk with me."
Fallon led them down a hall, which opened into a cave on the south side of the island. Four stone steps led down to the water's edge. Torches hung along the rough walls and cast a dim light onto the water's surface.
"I assume you both have many questions," Fallon said. "It appears we now have the time to talk."
"I don't know where to start," Sara said.
"I do," Sebastian cut in. "Like, what just happened? One minute we are digging under a tree, and the next minute we are flying in a ship toward the North Pole to meet up with…Santa?"
The elf princess laughed. "Humor is a great tool, young one. I am happy to see that you are mastering it. Well, let me start with the All Father, or Father Christmas as he is known in your world. His faith and power bridged the gap between our races so he could communicate with us. He was the one who taught us your language."
"How did you meet?"
"Fifteen-hundred years ago, the Sage helped one of the elders whose sky ship had crashed in the Arctic waters near his palace. Since then, we come together here every five hundred seasons to renew our bond of friendship with him."
Sara sat down and flicked an icicle into the water. "Are all the Kylo destroyed? I don't ever want to see them again."
"The Kylo threat is all but gone, which will allow my people to settle down once again, but I am afraid there will always be evil and temptation in the world." She took each child by the hand. "If Capri is made whole again, I hope one day we have young ones just like the two of you. Come, now is a time for healing, so let us go and help tend to the injured. Soon we will try to get the two of you home."
****
Over the next few days, the children kept busy helping distribute potions to the injured. The gnomes with their quiet voices never hesitated in offering their assistance. The healing Kylo were kept in a separate, locked room with guards on the outside. Once a day, four armed elves would enter the room and come out with any creatures that had finished their transformation back. The healed were changed from the shapeless black ghost of a Kylo into small faeries or forest elves. Nothing was said about the ones who could not make the transformation back. They were simply never seen by anyone again.
Chapter Fourteen
The Journey Home
Most of the elves and faeries left the palace on the repaired sky ships. Only a few tribal elders, Fallon, and the children remained with Capri. His wounds were the most serious, and he was still unconscious. Fallon and the tribal elders watched over his body, brushing it down with herbs of every sort. The only change they noticed was a crease across his forehead. This wrinkle in his brow spoke of some inner turmoil that was unfolding within his soul.
Fallon found the children a room off of the great hall to sleep in. It was small, with two birch-framed beds. The floor and walls were transparent, and they could see the ocean all around them. During the day, spotted seals and narwhals swam by in the emerald water. Some would wave a flipper while others would stick around for a few minutes to investigate before continuing on up to the surface to get air.
One morning, a knock awoke the children from their sleep. Sara, being more of a morning person than Sebastian, put on the slippers a gnome had given her and walked to the door. She opened it, and Father Christmas stood before her. He wore his usual blue velvet robe and carried a new staff made of a dark ancient wood. Around his head was a thin gold band.
"Hello, child," he said to Sara as he hugged her.
"Well, look who decided to show up," Sebastian said as he jumped out of bed and ran up to hug Father Christmas.
Father Christmas laughed as he lifted Sebastian up with a hug. "I have been told that you are the one with the infectious humor." He put Sebastian down. "Now, why do you both have a look of sadness about you? I want you and Sara to be happy."
"We love being here. It's just that… well…"
"You would like to go home now," he finished Sara's sentence.
"Yes, but don't take it the wrong way—"
"Nonsense, child. I will miss you, too, but you and Sebastian belong with your families. Both of you, get ready and come to the great hall when you are dressed. Today is the day we deliver."
"Has no one told you what today is?" Neither Sebastian nor Sara could answer, so Father Christmas continued. "Why, today is Christmas Eve, child. Today we deliver presents."
****
The children dressed in their elven garb and entered the great hall. They found a feast set out before them on long wooden tables. Gnomes surrounded the tables and were setting places of plain clay bowls, plates, and utensils. Five elven elders sat on one side, while the gnomes sat opposite them in chairs built high for their small statures. Father Christmas sat at one end. All stood when the children entered the room. Father Christmas raised a clay chalice up in the air, and the crowd of elves and gnomes followed suit.
"Children, I thank you for the presents you have given us this day." Sebastian and Sara looked at each other with confusion. "The gift you gave us," Father Christmas continued, "was the gift of your presence, which helped end a war. Please sit down and join us on this wonderful day."
Everyone at the table bowed their heads as Father Christmas said a prayer. Then the gnomes, elves, and even Father Christmas took turns serving each other food made from barley, kelp, and wheat. There was pure water from the Arctic glacier that tasted so fresh that it was sweet. Desserts made from fruit and brightly colored, triangular pastries covered the table. Each tasted better than the one before it.
After dessert, a familiar voice called from the direction of the entrance. "I hope you are not making more of my people eat that tasteless chocolate food?"
Both Sara and Sebastian turned and saw Fallon in a glorious white dress with her brown hair tied in intricate braids. A red jewel hung from a slender golden crown on her forehead. Her skin glittered with specks of gold, and a light seemed to emanate from within her. Everyone at the table gasped when they saw who stepped out from behind the beautiful elf maiden.
"Capri!" Both the children shouted and rushed over to hug him.
The elf lord was dressed in a brown-and-blue tunic, which fell to his knees. On his forehead was also a crown. This one was thicker than Fallon's and had numerous red and blue jewels in it. He rested on his staff, but his color was almost back to normal.
"We did everything in our power to heal Capri," Fallon said, "and it was not enough. This morning, when I had all but given up hope, Father Christmas asked my permission to try to reach Capri."
Capri stepped forward. "I was about to enter an abyss when a voice called to me," the elf said, looking toward a smiling Father Christmas. "With a single word he brought me back to the living and my betrothed. I am a new being."
Both Sebastian and Sara hugged Capri over and over until the elf finally shed tears of joy. He returned their embraces and included Fallon in the circle.
****
Fallon's gaze only left Capri for brief moments during that day. Though both of the elves were centuries old, they acted like two schoolchildren with a crush on each other.
After tea, everyone sat on the floor near the sleeping polar bear and told adventure stories. The children learned that many other creatures existed, such as unicorns, flying horses, rhyming apes, and talking trees.
When the story-circle made its way to the children, Sara said, "I'm afraid all of my stories are boring compared to what I've heard. Sebastian, do you have any?"
Sebastian slowly rose. "Well, I don't think I have any fantastic tales of battling evil trolls or running from wild sea monsters, but I do have one heroic story I can share." He paused to collect his thoughts before continuing. "Even though Sara moved across the street from me back in second grade, we didn't meet until one recess when…" He paused, seeing confusion on many faces. "Uh, recess is like playtime during our school year."
A few of the elves gave impressions of understanding, and some of the gnomes whispered translations to each other. Sebastian continued, "I was bullied for months by Tim Stevens, the biggest kid in our class. He used to pick on me for getting good grades. So one day he was pushing me around at recess, and Sara came up and challenged him to a race. She said that if she could beat him, then he would apologize to me and leave me alone for the rest of the school year, and if she lost then she would give him her lunch every day for the rest of the school year.
"The entire schoolyard heard about her challenge, and by the end of recess, two lines of kids stretched out down the path of the race. Sara started running, and the big bully tried to cheat by pushing her, but he wasn't expecting her to push back, and he tripped and fell. Sara won the race and embarrassed this kid to the point where he never picked on anyone again. I will never forget that day as long as I live." He paused and turned to face Sara. "She is, and always will be, my best friend."
Everyone applauded and looked at Sara, who blushed and turned away. Sebastian bowed low and sat back down. Sara smiled and quietly slipped her hand into his. A short while later, she rested her head on his shoulder, like she had once done long ago under the oak tree. Sebastian wished they could stay that way the rest of the evening.
After dinner, Father Christmas rose. "Now we have work to do. Time to deliver the gifts."
He led the crowd over to where the polar bear slept. He leaned down and whispered, "Soren, it is time."
The polar bear yawned, opened its eyes, and looked at the crowd of people gathered in front of it. The bear nodded to Father Christmas and slowly rose to its feet. It sauntered over to the opposite end of the room to find another spot to sleep.
Father Christmas waved his staff, and a section of the floor the bear had occupied moved back with a creak to reveal a secret staircase leading down into the dark. As Father Christmas took a first step, several torches lining the walls of the staircase lit up with a ruby-gold flame.
Father Christmas led the children, the elves, and the gnomes down into a great chamber. It had high ceilings with hanging stalactites of ice. Lit candles floated in several low, square stone basins of water spread throughout the room. Presents of every shape and color were stacked as far as the children could see. The presents trailed off into several other antechambers connected to the main room. In the middle of the great room was a platform with a small altar, lit by a single candle.
"Everyone, please join hands," Father Christmas said.
They did as they were asked, and for a half-hour they watched Father Christmas pray as the candle slowly melted away on the altar. Every so often, the children could hear him whispering in an ancient language they did not recognize.
Eventually, the elves started a chant of their own. Father Christmas rose with his staff. The candle flame rose with him. The candle was now only a small stub of wax, but the flame burned almost four feet up into the air. Slowly, the white flame of the candle turned a calming red, then a dark green as the elves' humming turned into words. Father Christmas joined in with the elves, and their voices slowly come together as one. They started singing in Elvish, then changed into English.
Oi'che Chiu'n, oi'che Mhic De',
Ca'ch 'na suan go he'iri an lae
Silent night. Holy night,
All is calm, all is bright…
****
As they sang, the gifts in the cavern, one by one, flickered like a flame and then disappeared. When the last of the presents had been delivered to the people around the world, Father Christmas and the elves turned their gazes and voices toward the two children. Like the gifts, the people around them faded away into a wonderful dream. The last thing they saw was Father Christmas with a tear in his eye, waving goodbye.
The next morning, both children woke in their own beds in their homes. The horror their families had felt from their disappearance had been removed from their memories. Though their parents had the lingering feeling of having woken from a nightmare, they were overjoyed to be with their children. This was their gift from Father Christmas.
For years, the children never told anyone else about their adventures. At times it seemed to be a dream to them. The best friends grew up and grew closer to each other — so close, in fact, t
hat years later they decided to get married.
Their wedding was held outdoors on a bluff overlooking the ocean. The place they chose was directly above the former oceanside entrance to the mermaid grotto. An elderly minister named Nicholas, a friend of the couple, presided over the ceremony. Just as the sun set that day, Sebastian and Sara were joined together in matrimony. Family, friends, and a retired fifth-grade teacher named Miss Storm all applauded when they were presented as husband and wife for the first time.
Beyond the crowd and down the hill near the cliff, the couple noticed two cloaked figures shaded under the leaves of an oak tree. They held hands and quietly watched the procession. Both figures bowed in respect to the holy union and then slowly slipped away.
About the Author
John Theo has been a freelance writer for over ten years publishing both fiction and non-fiction. He holds an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Pine Manor College in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. He is an adjunct professor at Endicott College in Beverly, Massachusetts, where he teaches screenwriting. John lives with his family in Massachusetts.
Also from Astraea Press:
Chapter One
A whoosh of roiling hot air lifted Sarah Cole and flung her against the kitchen wall like a fumbled football. At the same time, the windows burst into millions of pieces, showering everything with tiny shards of glass. Sarah crumpled to the floor, still clutching the phone. She lay there stunned, unable to inhale or exhale.
“Sarah! Sarah!” her younger sister, Lacey, screamed from the bathroom, where she’d been drying her hair.
The ringing in her ears was so intense, Sarah could barely hear her. Groaning, she opened her eyes and saw only red through her right one. Dread rippled through her body.