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Harry sat back and admired his handiwork. He’d finished his new wizards staff a few weeks ago and, in an attempt to not go out of his mind with all the silence, he’d begun a new project. The mound of earth, Demonreach, had come to him with a length of wood from the same tree he’d taken a branch from, a few days after he’d finished his own work.
“FOR THE CRONE.” he’d said. Harry looked at the branch then up at the mound of earth.
“The who?”
“THE GRANDMOTHER.”
“I don’t know my grandmother?”
“THE OLD QUEEN. DOWAGER.”
Harry thought for a minute before comprehension dawned on him.
“Mother Winter?”
“YES.”
“What for?”
“SHE LOST SOMETHING.”
Harry remembered Mother Summer saying Winter had misplaced her cane. He stared at the length of wood for a moment. It was staff length, clearly not cut for him, and the gnarliest, most knotted mess of a branch he’d ever seen. He looked back at his new staff, freshly carved, tall and straight, almost glowing from his last enchantments, and just a hint shorter than himself.
“You want me to make her a cane?” He asked confusedly, turning back to the mound.
“SHE CANNOT WALK.”
“I don’t think that matters. She managed to drag me back to her house just fine.”
“SHE CANNOT WALK. SHE IS UNCOMFORTABLE.”
Harry thought about that. He looked down at his own legs and remembered the cold dread of nothingness from everything below his waist. He looked back at the branch and took it.
“I don’t make any promises that it’s going to look nice.”
“SHE WILL BE GRATEFUL FOR THE AID.”
So Harry had spent the last couple weeks attempting a work of functional art. It didn't look half bad for a walking stick, he thought to himself as he turned it over in his hands. He'd smoothed out the minor blemishes and left the biggest knots alone.
The stick had originally twisted in different directions but Harry had managed to persuade it to spiral downward from a central point where he'd created a handle which he’d polished to a smooth shine. There were carvings, some simple runes of magic for pain relief and mobile aid, but many were of snowflakes. Each different and unique but blended with one another so it looked like a small flurry spiraled gently down from the handle.
He smiled as he carried it out to just outside the cottage door.
“Well?” He asked, holding it out for inspection.
“IT WILL STEADY HER.” Demonreach said simply. Harry laughed.
“I hope so, I spent long enough on it.” He said. “Toot? Lacuna? Can you come here?”
Two pixies flew over, one lazily following after the other, until they hovered before harry. One was adorned in garbage armor with short hair and stood roughly a foot from the ground if he chose to stand there. The other was dressed in black armor save her head which had long black hair braided back on it and black eyes.
“Yes, Lord ‘Za?” Toot Toot said, snapping off a salute, while Lacuna rolled her eyes.
“Do you know how to get to Mother Winter’s? I have something i’d like you guys to deliver to her.” Harry said, holding up the cane. The fairies gasped.
“Uh…” Harry said. Both pixies looked shocked to their very cores.
“Harry…” Toot Toot breathed.
“You can’t just give Mother Winter a gift!” Lacuna said with a sniff. “Much less send a couple of pixies with it.”
Toot Toot nodded in agreement. Harry looked from one to the other.
“So…how am i supposed to get this to her?'' Harry asked. Toot Toot shrugged while Lacuna looked thoughtful.
“I might know someone who could help, sir, if I might be allowed to go get her?” Lacuna asked. Harry nodded.
“But come straight back.” He said. The little pixie nodded and sped off, Toot Toot lazily following after her. Harry waited a few minutes before he sensed someone was at the shoreline. He went down and found a tall woman with dark hair shot through with colors and covered with a snow white cloth. Her entire outfit was pure white, along with her eyes. She floated gently out over the lake but smiled when she saw Harry approach.
"Bekah, it's good to see you." Harry said, returning her smile.
"Sir Knight." She replied, inclining her head respectfully. Lacuna whispered in her ear as Toot Toot flew back over to Harry. The pixie and him exchanged a look as the two ladies exchanged words.
“No, no…Lacu-...Lacuna no!...No, I can’t…I can’t…I…Lacuna in a moment I’m going to send you over to him by way of a smack if you don’t stop asking!” Bekah said firmly. The small pixie harrumphed loudly and flew over to circle Harry’s head grumpily. Bekah looked exasperated but she smiled.
“She’s been begging me to save her from you, my hands are tied as she’s your prisoner. She mentioned something about needing a favor?” She said, Harry nodded and held up the stick.
“Oh! Oh Harry! It’s beautiful! Who’s that for?” She asked, delighted.
“Mother Winter.”
Bekah’s face fell. She bit her lip and looked around.
“To replace her cane?”
“Until it’s found.”
She nodded.
“And you want me to courier it to her?”
“If you’d be so kind.”
"Well…it's beautiful and I'd love to be the one to give it to her…"
"Don't say but." Harry said. She laughed as he gave her a puppy dog look.
" However… I can't."
"Well then why did Lacuna say she knew someone who could help?" Harry said glaring at the little pixie who stuck her tongue out at him.
"Lacuna you didn't interrupt me in the middle of my solstice preparations to try and get me to argue with him, did you?" Bekah asked, holding out her hands for the fairy. She landed in the lady's hands.
"No no! You can help!"
"How?"
"The big man!"
Bekah's eyebrows raised almost to her hairline.
"You're going to have to be specific, little one."
"The one who asks you to go with him on Halloween!"
Harry cleared his throat.
"I'd rather not have to call the Erlking for this."
Bekah looked at him and waved a hand.
"No no not him. He doesn't ask. I could ask him though.'
Lacuna smiled and nodded as she clapped her hands. Bekah tilted her head and looked at Harry.
"Hmmmm..." She said. “Harry, do you mind if I borrow the pixies? It won't be for long.”
Harry shook his head. Bekah nodded to Lacuna and Toot. They both took off, streaking across the lake as fast as their wings could carry them.
“So…why is it you can’t help me yourself?” Harry asked after a moment. Bekah rolled her eyes.
“I’d love to but…the short version is politics. The long version is it’d be inappropriate for one of my standing to help a creature of Mab.” she replied, giving him a side eye. Harry thought about that and wisely decided to look politely puzzled.
“May i?” Bekah asked, holding out a hand. Harry nodded and handed over the cane. She turned it over in hands and made pleased sounds.
“Oh she’ll like this.” she said. “But…If I may?”
Harry squinted at her but nodded. She held the cane at staff length, her eyes brightened, her skin began to glow, and with a cry she plunged the cane into an ice drift. The ice turned silver gray and began flowing up onto the cane. It set into the runes and snowflakes filling the carvings with sparkling silver as the wood darkened to black. She pulled it back out and tossed it back to harry. He caught it and spun it to see the effect the silver had. It was heavier but breathtaking.
“Some illusion, some reality, mostly you though, the residual magic.” Bekah said happily. Toot suddenly streaked down to Harry as lacuna rested on Bekah’s shoulder. A deep laugh echoed across the lake. It sounded like…
“No way.” Harry said as a sleigh pulled by a reindeer stopped just short of the shore. Bekah smiled wide and bowed as Kris Kringle stepped out. He was dressed in a long red robe, sword at his side, staff in hand. He wore a thick green cloak trimmed with white and dark brown fur. His face was round and jolly, cheeks and nose red as berries, blue eyes merry and sparkling.
“Santa owes you a favor? What happened? He forgot your Christmas present one year?”
“Bekah! Have you been good this year?” He asked, pulling her into a warm hug.
“Kringle, it doesn’t really matter to you if I've been good or not, remember?” she said with a laugh.
“Nonsense! You’re always welcome with me and mine. Besides, it's Yule.”
“I need to call in one of my favors. Can you make a stop at Mother Winter’s?” Bekah said rolling her eyes
“For you, my darling, anything."
"Can you put both our names on it?"
"Hey!" Harry protested. Bekah ignored him.
"I'll have to run it by the queen." Kringle said. Bekah nodded.
"I suspected as much."
"As long as she says yes I don't see a problem."
“She should since it’s a gift from her knight and it’s Yule.”
Bekah turned to Harry.
"Will that work?"
Harry looked annoyed.
"I did all the work. Why does your name get put on it?"
"Because I put the silver and black on it and I’m sending it. Unless you don't want to give it to her." Bekah said with a raised eyebrow. Harry crossed his arms huffing but said nothing. She smiled wide.
"Good."
“So what do you want this year?” Kringle asked. Bekah rolled her eyes.
“Nothing, Kringle, leave me out of it. Ask him.” She replied flatly.
“Oh come on, you’ve gotta want something for christmas.” Harry said. Bekah shot him a mild glare.
“No.”
“Everyone wants something for christ-”
Harry landed on his back in a foot of snow. Before he could sit up Bekah slammed on top of him and thrust a shining crystal dagger to his throat. It faintly burned where it kissed his neck and he held very still.
“I…am…Jewish.” She hissed. Harry raised his eyebrows and nodded slightly. She removed the dagger and stood, glaring at him while she sheathed it, before offering him a hand up. He took it and pulled her into the snow drift with him. He shoved as much snow down the back of her dress as he could, ala Carpenter family style, before rolling to his feet. He scooped up snow and began forming snowballs as fast as he could. With a word and a gesture they rose around him, gently spinning as they formed a protective wall around him.
Suddenly the snow drift exploded coating everything within ten feet in white. Harry made another gesture and the snow stopped a foot in front of him. He laughed a second before a snowball pasted him in the face. He shook his head and another slammed into his chest with enough force to knock him back a step. He looked up to see Bekah with arms held up softly as the snow made itself into balls. She grinned wickedly and Harry returned the smile. All was quiet for a moment, the snow spun orbiting the two wizards for a full second before all hell broke loose.
“Huh.” Kringle said while watching the display. DemonReach walked with heavy footfalls up next to him.
“YOU THINK YOU KNOW PEOPLE.” It said a trace of thoughtfulness in its voice.
Harry was hit twice more in the chest before he was able to throw up a shield. The snowballs exploded around him, some knocked off course by his shield, others colliding with more snow. Bekah spun and skipped with almost faerie-like grace. He would know having seen it at his birthday “party”. She took a snowball to the leg and shoulder before she skipped away laughing.
“Not fair!” He protested. “You’re not on the ground!”
Bekah just laughed again before jumping up to settle on a tree branch. She looked down to him and he flicked his wrist. The snow on the tree crashed down on top of her, knocking her down to the ground.
“HA!” He yelled before being thrown forward by a giant snowball. Bekah screamed with laughter as he got to his hands and knees shaking his head to clear the snow and stars. He turned to the mound of earth and the old man. DemonReach pointed to Kringle.
“HE DID IT.”
“Hey! I did not!” Kringle said, holding his hands up.
“DID TOO.”
“Didn’t”
“DID.”
Harry joined Bekah’s laughter as he stood up and shook the snow from his hair. Bekah jumped down from the tree and began to braid back her hair.
“You’re an ass, Harry Dresden.” She said as Kringle handed her the cloth for her hair.
“You pulled a knife!” He protested.
“You work for the winter queen, that’s just saying hello.” she replied dismissively.
“You pulled A KNIFE!”
“Are you gonna piss me off again?”
“Probably,” he said immediately, making her laugh. She looked pensive for a moment as she tied her veil on.
“If you could give your child a gift what would it be?” She asked. Harry’s face fell as he looked at her hard. She raised her hands.
“I came by the knowledge honestly and fairly. I also promised Susan I’d only ever use it for her good.” She said calmly and steady. Harry glared at her for a minute longer then shrugged.
“Everything.” He said. Bekah sighed with a smile.
“If you had to choose something. ONE thing.” She emphasized. Harry thought for a moment then took off at a sprint. Bekah watched and waited.
“Another favor?” Kringle asked..
“If you don’t mind.” She replied.
“I never mind when it comes to giving a gift.” He said gently. “I owe you. After this you only have one left though.”
“I don’t mind. Not for something kind.”
“Oh she does have a heart.”
“Kringle?”
“Yes, darling?”
“Go eat yourself.”
Harry returned as Kris Kringle let out a hearty belly laugh. He handed something to Bekah.
“You’re sure?” She asked. Harry nodded.
“Absolutely.”
She smiled and handed it to the old man who grinned.
Maggie awoke 3am December 22 to a faint glow gently washing over her face. On her bedside table was a small black box that shifted glowing colors from greens to blues and purples. It was as if the northern lights had been caught and made into glass. The clasps and small clawed legs shone silver and flashed as the colors moved. There was a small lock with a key inside on the front. She sat up and tilted her head in confusion. Christmas wasn't until next week and she would have heard someone come into her room. Mouse laid next to her bed a large treat sitting next to him as he slept.
She turned the key in the box. Beautiful music began to plink softly out of the box as the lid opened. Mouse poked his head up on the bed and licked her hand. She rubbed his ears as she looked inside.
It was lined with deep blue velvet and contained a card, a small pendant necklace, and a very battered slightly singed copy of The Hobbit. She reached for the bracelet and snatched her hand back as an icy aura froze her fingers. Mouse immediately licked her fingers. She frowned and reached for the book only to have the same thing happen again. She pouted for a moment then grabbed the card. It was warm to the touch and unsealed. She turned her bedside light on to look at it.
The paper was thick and soft as she opened it. It was written in a strong steady hand, the ink shimmering in strong golds and greens, and was written in calligraphy.
Dearest child,
These gifts are given by those who care and watch over you as best they can. By those who love you and are indebted to you. Use them wisely and well.
Love,
Your Godmother
She looked at the box and reached for the necklace. It didn't shock her this time and she picked it up. The jewel was heavy in hand and sparkled with an inner fire that flickered green, blue, and purple. The silver chain was long on her but would shorten as she grew up, hair-fine and seamless that didn't break no matter how hard she tugged.
She picked up the book next and something fluttered out onto her lap. She looked at the inside cover. Written in a hasty scribble but legible was
To: Maggie
From:
Then several scribbled out words before it finally simply said,
I love you.
She picked up the paper on her lap. It was a picture of a man and woman. Young but old to her eyes. The woman was laughing as the man kissed her cheek. He had dark tousled hair and was wearing a long coat. She wore her hair long and dark eyes sparkled as she smiled and Maggie thought she recognized her. She turned the photo over and written on the back in the same handwriting,
So did she.