Christmas Elf

Part 10

I don't remember the next two month journey. I could tell we had moved from Iceburgen to Elfwood due to the change in temperature. I could hear the joyful glee of children running in and out of stores. I missed that sound, the constant babble and pondering of my daughter.

"Christmas, we're home." Nick spoke low, his youthful face was aged and sad, the grey in his hair overtook the black by now, a sadening sight to see form the slow ageing man.

"You look like shit Claus, your hair is almost all white yet you're only forty-five." I rubbed his beard away from his chin. I'm sure I looked as bad, my red hair had white splotches all over it.

"You lost your daughter and home, twice. I am more worried about you now." he pulled my cap over my eyes to lighten the mood.

I could hear the halt in peoples' days when they saw us, tired and older than our leaving looks. I knew the curse by now, the darker or more upset an elf gets the older they look, and Nick looked far older than forty-five.

"You lost your age, we both lost a lot. Can we just drink cocoa and rest? I'm tired of running." I leaned into him as we entered the barn.

A younger chipper man with frost white hair raced into the room to greet us. Jack held himself in innocence. His blue suits and jumpers were a contrast to the reds and golds of the streets.

"Hello Saint Nickolas, Sir Kringle.'' He grabbed onto the reins of the reindeer leading each one to her respective stable.

"Frost, good to see you. How were things held up here while I was gone?" Nick acted as if he was a different person when his title was used, a true saint. The two men walked off, leaving me to wander back to the house.

I loved the small house, it held room for my small family and Nick. but soon he would wed, and I would be off into the world, now without my daughter.

"Christmas!" Nick yelled, as if out of breath. His red coat hung to his body as he raced to reach me.

"Slow down Santa, what's wrong?" I leaned against our fence waiting for him.

"I want to cook dinner." He reached me and stood waiting for me to answer.

"I will unpack." I agreed.