Mandrel finished hitching the horses to the wagon and looked to his sister. Pania was organizing the last of the parcels and packages carefully. It had taken most of the day and a good part of the evening, but they had managed to collect enough to gather together a decent care package for the small family. While it felt good to entertain, carol and share in the spirit of the season with the locals, the Alow siblings could not help but shake their heads in wonder at what they were doing.
“Typical o' a paladin, isna it,” Mandrel sighed as he climbed into the driver's seat of the wagon. “Granted, a' least 'e's getting' caught up in the spirit o' this world's joyful time o' year.”
“Cannu take tha' 'way from Sywyn,” Pania nodded in agreement as she climbed onto the bench next to her brother. “Shani an' Sywyn should be comin' 'long any minute. Then we can ge' this wagon load movin'.”
“Least it'll be a nice s'prise fer the family, tha's fer certain.” Pania took a look around the area for a moment. The sky was clear, and the village itself was quiet. Noises of song came from some of the homes, but nothing as boisterous as the first day they arrived. “Shani an' Sywyn said they were gonna meet us 'ere in town square.”
“Aye,” Mandrel said with a slight sigh as he took out a pocket watch. “They're five minutes late.”
“Yer watch is fast,” came the familiar twang of the elven gunslinger. Shani sat comfortably in her saddle as the horse loped up to the wagon. Sywyn was not far behind. “Ev'rythin' set?” she asked with a lazy drawl.
“Ready as ever,” Pania replied with a shrug.
“Then let us get this moved,” Sywyn said in his usual even tone. Without any other words, the four began the slow trek to the small cottage. There may not have been a Santa Claus that Christmas Eve, but at least there would be elves.
The children played in the front yard of the small cottage, never straying too far away from their small abode. They had already received a Christmas gift, their home was saved. At least they had something to be joyous about. One of the children stopped his activity and listened carefully. It was the same small boy that had first encountered the elves the previous night. He looked to the lane that lead into the yard and watched as two riders gently trudged through the snow. He recognized them both. Shani and Sywyn Wennemein, two of the four elves. But what came behind them made him cry out with a great cheer.
The other pair of siblings sat comfortably on the wagon, pulled by two strong horses. It was loaded with bags and parcels and all manner of things. The other children stopped to watch, suddenly realizing they had visitors. The celebration had begun. Their mother came out of the house, a smile on her face when she saw Sywyn, and then tears of joy as she saw the wagon.
Christmas had come to this small cottage. A miracle had happened for all of them that night.
“Typical o' a paladin, isna it,” Mandrel sighed as he climbed into the driver's seat of the wagon. “Granted, a' least 'e's getting' caught up in the spirit o' this world's joyful time o' year.”
“Cannu take tha' 'way from Sywyn,” Pania nodded in agreement as she climbed onto the bench next to her brother. “Shani an' Sywyn should be comin' 'long any minute. Then we can ge' this wagon load movin'.”
“Least it'll be a nice s'prise fer the family, tha's fer certain.” Pania took a look around the area for a moment. The sky was clear, and the village itself was quiet. Noises of song came from some of the homes, but nothing as boisterous as the first day they arrived. “Shani an' Sywyn said they were gonna meet us 'ere in town square.”
“Aye,” Mandrel said with a slight sigh as he took out a pocket watch. “They're five minutes late.”
“Yer watch is fast,” came the familiar twang of the elven gunslinger. Shani sat comfortably in her saddle as the horse loped up to the wagon. Sywyn was not far behind. “Ev'rythin' set?” she asked with a lazy drawl.
“Ready as ever,” Pania replied with a shrug.
“Then let us get this moved,” Sywyn said in his usual even tone. Without any other words, the four began the slow trek to the small cottage. There may not have been a Santa Claus that Christmas Eve, but at least there would be elves.
*****
The children played in the front yard of the small cottage, never straying too far away from their small abode. They had already received a Christmas gift, their home was saved. At least they had something to be joyous about. One of the children stopped his activity and listened carefully. It was the same small boy that had first encountered the elves the previous night. He looked to the lane that lead into the yard and watched as two riders gently trudged through the snow. He recognized them both. Shani and Sywyn Wennemein, two of the four elves. But what came behind them made him cry out with a great cheer.
The other pair of siblings sat comfortably on the wagon, pulled by two strong horses. It was loaded with bags and parcels and all manner of things. The other children stopped to watch, suddenly realizing they had visitors. The celebration had begun. Their mother came out of the house, a smile on her face when she saw Sywyn, and then tears of joy as she saw the wagon.
Christmas had come to this small cottage. A miracle had happened for all of them that night.
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