Flight of Frost and Aurora

Chapter 30

That week, Charlotte, Alastor, and Vagatha dedicated themselves wholeheartedly to their tasks, each driven by personal motivations. Vagatha was resolute in her commitment to maintaining her position with Heinrich, who, despite his demanding nature, treated her fairly and assigned her manageable responsibilities. In contrast, Alastor and Charlotte were fueled by their eagerness to attend the Yuletide ball together.

However, the challenges they encountered were daunting. While Heinrich's expectations were within Vagatha's grasp, Charlotte and Alastor found themselves overwhelmed by the relentless demands imposed by Lucifer and Charlotte's stepfamily. Eisheth and Lute concocted an unending list of chores for Charlotte, hoping to exhaust her by week's end, leaving her too fatigued to enjoy the ball. Meanwhile, Lucifer kept a watchful eye on Alastor, his suspicion palpable as he awaited any slip that might confirm his doubts about Alastor's trustworthiness. He often voiced his concerns, much to Charlotte's dismay.

"He's a hard worker, but there's something off about him," Lucifer would assert.

"Papa, he has never given you any reason to suspect him," Charlotte would counter, defending Alastor.

"Not given me any reason? Didn't you mention that he thinks he's a sprite?"

"Actually, he believes he used to be a sprite."

"And that doesn't concern you?"

"No, it's not a threat. It may seem silly, but it's not inherently dangerous."

"I'm worried he might be unwell. People with such delusions can pose a real risk."

"Perhaps if you took the time to get to know him, you'd realize there's nothing to fear. Tomorrow afternoon, Molly and Anthony have invited him and me over to help with preparations for the ball. Why don't you join us, Papa?"

"I would love to, but unfortunately, I have an incredibly frustrating case to handle tomorrow. A man has been staying at a farmer's house, using his cow as payment. However, the cow became pregnant by the farmer's bull, and now the dealer insists he should receive the calf, claiming that the agreement was for one cow for one night—not two."

"Why would something like that even need to go to court? Clearly, the calf should belong to the farmer. It was his bull that fathered it, and the dealer gave him the cow," she replied.

"That's what I thought as well, but the dealer is insistent on his claim. It's a matter of contract law, and he believes he has a legitimate case. I need to sift through the details and determine if there's any merit to his argument," Lucifer explained, rubbing his temples in frustration.

"Good luck, Papa," Charlotte said, kissing his cheek.

"Thank you, dear. And please be cautious around that man. I don't want you going anywhere with him after dark."

"Papa—"

"I mean it! You can go help out with your friends, but I want you both back home before sunset. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir."

The very next day, as soon as Charlotte and Alastor completed their chores, they hurried over to Anthony and Molly's house. With their father and Augusto away on a hunting trip, the two siblings seized the opportunity to work on a special project that Molly had been planning for quite some time. She was eager to create delicious sweets to bring to the Yuletide ball.

For years, she had been secretly gathering an array of ingredients: sugar, ginger, honey, peppermint, jams, nuts, molasses, ground cocoa, and cinnamon. Charlotte would even stealthily sneak her goat's milk, which Molly transformed into rich cream and velvety custard. With all these treasures, she envisioned creating an assortment of delightful treats—gingerbread, honey cakes, sugar cookies, peppermint sticks, tarts, Turkish delight, baklava, and hot chocolate. This endeavor was not only her way of supporting the local baker catering the upcoming ball but also a step toward realizing her dream of opening her own sweet shop.