The Christmas Jewel

Ch. 12, The Christmas Jewel

Sutton looked at the flyer taped on the bare trunk of a tree just outside the lodge's door and smiled. Last night the flyers had appeared all other the village, almost as if by magic, (but actually by a long, caffeine fueled night by her and Marius). And it wasn't the first time. Since Christmas, Sutton and Marius had launched a campaign they called "The Christmas Jewel", posting stories, hosting interviews, making flyers, even starting a social media campaign for the castle. All of them centered around the mysterious Christmas Jewel, and the ball on New Years where attendees would have a chance to search the castle itself for the mysterious jewel.

A new group of skiers stopped and pointed at the flyer, talking excitedly to each other, a few of them pulling out their phones and taking a picture, before they too moved on. So far Sutton had written and planned everything for the ball, which would take place tomorrow night. It had been wonderful, spending so much time with Marius, and watching the way his eyes lit up, and the devotion and love in his voice when he talked about saving his beloved castle. The one thing she was missing was actually seeing the castle. But Marius had sworn he was taking her there today, to finish the decorations and even spend the night there, to make sure everything was ready for the ball.

So where was he?

Sutton pulled her hands from her thick jacket and rubbed them together, turning her head up to the sky as a helicopter flew overhead, making it's way to the landing pad on top of the main lodge. She hoped he would hurry, because she'd looked online and it was at least a two hour drive to the castle, through winding mountain roads, and she wanted to make sure she had plenty of time to make sure everything was set. She hadn't even had a chance to pick out a dress, for goodness sakes!

Her phone buzzed then, and she quickly opened the screen, smiling at the message from Marius. "Come into the lodge," it read. "Sunglass Todd will get you." She laughed. After spending so much time with Marius she'd learned that Sunglasses, Marius's body guard/assistant/driver was actually named Todd. But when she'd admitted the name she called him in her head, Marius couldn't stop laughing, so now they both called him Sunglass Todd. Whether or not Sunglass Todd found it funny she couldn't tell. The man wore those glasses like they were a part of him and seemed allergic to humor.

She made her way back into the lodge, confused when Sunglass Todd motioned for her to follow him up the staircase. Where were they going? Weren't they going to take a car? 

At the top of the staircase, Sunglass Todd pushed open the door to the roof. Sutton shielded her eyes at the sudden brightness for the sun reflecting off the snow, wishing for a moment she had her own pair of sunglasses. 

And then her eyes adjusted and she couldn't believe what she saw. 

Marius, standing beside a helicopter. 

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