Sywyn found the small abode easily. The boy had described where he and his family lived with great detail. He spoke of his brothers and sisters, and the passing of his father only six months earlier. The elven knight stopped to marvel at the dwelling. Stricken by poverty, this family still managed to bring together the signs of the season. A small spruce tree in the front yard was decorated in paper ornaments, hand crafted with care. Candles lined the window sill. Even laughter seemed to fill the air as the children played. Sywyn deduced that the impending problems had been spared to most here. He knew he had to do something, but the sounds of laughter made him determined.
He urged his horse forward, the hooves crunching through the snow. His mind raced as to what he could do. Perhaps with the help of his sister and the Alows they might be able to make this season joyful for at least one family. As his horse travelled forward, some of the children stopped to watch. Their faces lit up as one small boy whispered to each. This is the one, he would tell them. One of Santa's elves come to help them.
Sywyn brought his horse to a halt in the yard as the children began to gather around, expressions of wonder and curiosity filling their faces. Sywyn was just like any elf, the slender features, the delicate form. But he held a humbling aura about himself. He did not proclaim himself as a holy knight, he did not shout out upon his arrival. The works of his god could be carried out in silence, just as they could with trumpeting revelry.
As he dismounted and looked to the children, he realized something. Whether he believed in the stories of this world or not, was completely irrelevant. Saint Nikolaus, Father Christmas, The Christ Child... They all held truth. It all came down to one thing.
Peace on Earth.
Good will t'ward all men.
Wordlessly, he smiled to each child, then walked toward the small dwelling. One of the older children tended to his horse as he neared the front door. He could see their mother inside. Her face filled with sorrow. There was someone else inside with her. Perhaps this was the man who was so determined in driving her from this land. He would soon find out, as he carefully knocked on the door.
The door opened slowly and the woman looked to Sywyn with questioning eyes. Her face was red from tears, and his heart went out to her. As he removed his stetson, he introduced himself. “Miss. My name is Sywyn Wennemein. I am a knight in the elven court. But your children have come to say that I am here from some place where Saint Nikolaus lives.” He watched her a moment to gauge her response before continuing. “That is not important. What is important, is what your son told me only last night.”
“I doubt you could help,” a mocking voice called from inside the home. “Santa's little helper,” he said with a mocking laugh. “Next ya know the sugar plum fairy will make an appearance.” Sywyn looked past the woman to the finely dressed man who sat at the kitchen table. He was smoking a pipe as he lounged, and a valet stood nearby to attend to his needs. “At midnight tonight, this land will be mine, unless she can come up with the five hundred dollars needed to pay me in full. This was a full contract that was written...”
“The harvest has been poor,” she quickly interrupted him as she choked back tears. “And Harold's passing made it more difficult.”
The man huffed and only seemed to harden himself. “A contract is a contract, miss. If I bent to everyone, then I'd have nothing, wouldn't I now.”
Sywyn heard the short exchange, and knew that he didn't have the money on him, but he still had something else. He arrived on Earth still carrying the gold he had on him when he needed to purchase supplies. And he learned that when in the company of two bards, gold was not always a necessity. Pania and Mandrel could more than 'pay' for their needs by entertaining the crowds with song and dance. So his own gold merely weighed him down.
He removed the satchel from his shoulder and place it on the table in front of the man. “Should this be enough?” The man stared at Sywyn in disbelief before looking into the satchel. His eyes grew wide as he saw the pure gold coins that sat within. Quickly, he grabbed it and handed it to his valet.
“More 'n enough,” the man said as he grabbed his coat. “The land is yours, woman. May we never see each other again.” Without another word, both he and his valet left. Sywyn turned to the woman, watching her carefully, and seeing the change in her emotions.
She looked to him as she tried to hold back her tears, finally letting them flow with ease as she rushed forward to hug him. He smiled as he held her, feeling that he was able to accomplish this without drawing his weapon, without shedding blood. “If only that were all,” she whispered through her tears. “The poor harvest has left us with little food and little money to buy what we need.”
He held her at arms length and looked into her eyes. “I promise, I'll do what I can. I haven't been here long. But I do know that I'll do whatever I can so that at least your Christmas will be a joyous one.”
“Y'all went an' done sumthin' stupid, didn't you, Sywyn,” Shani huffed as she steered her horse toward his. She'd heard him leave that morning, and had some idea what he had done. Plus it didn't take much for her to track him, it was like following a messy child through an empty room.
“The woman and her children have their land,” he announced as he brought his horse beside his sister's. “Now they just need food to last the rest of the winter.”
“Food, huh,” she repeated as the wheels in her head started to turn. “Figger we kin git thet t'gether fer 'em?”
“I have only a little gold left to purchase some food,” he replied with some regret. “Perhaps these people might give in response to the time of year.” Shani nodded, knowing full well that her brother had already had his mind set. She knew that he planned on filling a wagon and delivering it to the home. He'd do nothing less.
He urged his horse forward, the hooves crunching through the snow. His mind raced as to what he could do. Perhaps with the help of his sister and the Alows they might be able to make this season joyful for at least one family. As his horse travelled forward, some of the children stopped to watch. Their faces lit up as one small boy whispered to each. This is the one, he would tell them. One of Santa's elves come to help them.
Sywyn brought his horse to a halt in the yard as the children began to gather around, expressions of wonder and curiosity filling their faces. Sywyn was just like any elf, the slender features, the delicate form. But he held a humbling aura about himself. He did not proclaim himself as a holy knight, he did not shout out upon his arrival. The works of his god could be carried out in silence, just as they could with trumpeting revelry.
As he dismounted and looked to the children, he realized something. Whether he believed in the stories of this world or not, was completely irrelevant. Saint Nikolaus, Father Christmas, The Christ Child... They all held truth. It all came down to one thing.
Peace on Earth.
Good will t'ward all men.
Wordlessly, he smiled to each child, then walked toward the small dwelling. One of the older children tended to his horse as he neared the front door. He could see their mother inside. Her face filled with sorrow. There was someone else inside with her. Perhaps this was the man who was so determined in driving her from this land. He would soon find out, as he carefully knocked on the door.
The door opened slowly and the woman looked to Sywyn with questioning eyes. Her face was red from tears, and his heart went out to her. As he removed his stetson, he introduced himself. “Miss. My name is Sywyn Wennemein. I am a knight in the elven court. But your children have come to say that I am here from some place where Saint Nikolaus lives.” He watched her a moment to gauge her response before continuing. “That is not important. What is important, is what your son told me only last night.”
“I doubt you could help,” a mocking voice called from inside the home. “Santa's little helper,” he said with a mocking laugh. “Next ya know the sugar plum fairy will make an appearance.” Sywyn looked past the woman to the finely dressed man who sat at the kitchen table. He was smoking a pipe as he lounged, and a valet stood nearby to attend to his needs. “At midnight tonight, this land will be mine, unless she can come up with the five hundred dollars needed to pay me in full. This was a full contract that was written...”
“The harvest has been poor,” she quickly interrupted him as she choked back tears. “And Harold's passing made it more difficult.”
The man huffed and only seemed to harden himself. “A contract is a contract, miss. If I bent to everyone, then I'd have nothing, wouldn't I now.”
Sywyn heard the short exchange, and knew that he didn't have the money on him, but he still had something else. He arrived on Earth still carrying the gold he had on him when he needed to purchase supplies. And he learned that when in the company of two bards, gold was not always a necessity. Pania and Mandrel could more than 'pay' for their needs by entertaining the crowds with song and dance. So his own gold merely weighed him down.
He removed the satchel from his shoulder and place it on the table in front of the man. “Should this be enough?” The man stared at Sywyn in disbelief before looking into the satchel. His eyes grew wide as he saw the pure gold coins that sat within. Quickly, he grabbed it and handed it to his valet.
“More 'n enough,” the man said as he grabbed his coat. “The land is yours, woman. May we never see each other again.” Without another word, both he and his valet left. Sywyn turned to the woman, watching her carefully, and seeing the change in her emotions.
She looked to him as she tried to hold back her tears, finally letting them flow with ease as she rushed forward to hug him. He smiled as he held her, feeling that he was able to accomplish this without drawing his weapon, without shedding blood. “If only that were all,” she whispered through her tears. “The poor harvest has left us with little food and little money to buy what we need.”
He held her at arms length and looked into her eyes. “I promise, I'll do what I can. I haven't been here long. But I do know that I'll do whatever I can so that at least your Christmas will be a joyous one.”
*****
“Y'all went an' done sumthin' stupid, didn't you, Sywyn,” Shani huffed as she steered her horse toward his. She'd heard him leave that morning, and had some idea what he had done. Plus it didn't take much for her to track him, it was like following a messy child through an empty room.
“The woman and her children have their land,” he announced as he brought his horse beside his sister's. “Now they just need food to last the rest of the winter.”
“Food, huh,” she repeated as the wheels in her head started to turn. “Figger we kin git thet t'gether fer 'em?”
“I have only a little gold left to purchase some food,” he replied with some regret. “Perhaps these people might give in response to the time of year.” Shani nodded, knowing full well that her brother had already had his mind set. She knew that he planned on filling a wagon and delivering it to the home. He'd do nothing less.
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