The Twelf Days of Christmas

On the Second Day of Christmas...

Adira finally saw the lights of Santa's factory on the horizon. It had been a long journey back and the fur was a lot heavier than it had looked. She had started to regret her choice of taking an extra piece on an hour after collecting it, but she knew that it would serve her well.

Finally she reached the fence surrounding the factory and greeted the guards who let her pass through the wrought iron gate. They seemed surprised to see her return alive and unscathed. They whispered together after she had passed through the gates.

She stamped down to Santa's office, tired, stiff and hungry and rapped on the door.

"Enter." Came a deep voice from within.

Adira sheepishly peered around the door and saw Santa sitting at his desk.

"Ah. You're back I see. Have a good journey?"

"Not really." She muttered. "But I succeeded and brought this as proof."

She pulled out the smaller of the two pieces of fur and handed it to Santa who pulled a sharp knife out of his desk and ran it across the fabric. She grew angry when she realised that he had known all this time yet never told her.

"Well done. How did you do it?"

"I got it on its mouth."

"Ah clever. But clever won't be enough to get you through these tasks. Maybe the next one... But not all of them."

"What is my next task?"

"Well, the Mouse King and his family have been messing up my sleighway for years now. It makes taking off so hard. Your next task is to get rid of him in any way possible. Let me warn you he is pretty ruthless. He, despite his small size, is truly a force to be reckoned with."

"I can do it, Mister Santa, Sir. This will be a piece of Christmas pudding compared to the Nemean Polar Bear."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that... Now go! I have work to do." He said stroking his piece of Nemean Polar Bear fur.

"Sorry, Mister Santa, could I go sleep in my room tonight. It's late and I'm tired."

"Ho! Ho! Ho! What kind of request is that? You're essentially banished until you complete all twelve tasks. Now get going! You have work to do Adira and so do I!"

She grumbled as she moved out of the office and into a stream of elves returning to their rooms after a long day at the factory.

As she walked she saw Peter walking past, well actually he saw her and pulled her into a bear hug.

"You're alive! Just wait till Rosina sees you!"

"She won't. I'm not allowed in until I finish my tasks. Goodbye Peter, I have work to do."

She slouched down the passage, feeling guilty about Peter's wounded expression as she pushed him away and re-entered the wind, more determined than ever to get the tasks finished and return home.