#fenixtj

"Santa is magic... he can squirm better than a sluagh" Ariel assures

"So maybe a small chimney..."

"Ladies, we have a Balefire. That beats a chimney, right?"

"It does" Ariel says "Oh right, Fenix will let him in!"

She looks a little unsure. "Ellie, are you sure he knows the way here? Maybe she should not get too... ready." Chin up.

"Jessica, as Countess, you will be sure Santa finds us - right?"

"I Will. Yes."

"Si?" Looking up (and up) at the Countess...

"Santa will find you. I promise."

The flames of the bale brighten as if to agree

"It's VERY importante."

"Ellie. Do you doubt me?"

"No. Just... Santa has gotten lost before.."

"I understand. But you are here now. Yes?"

"All three of us are."

"Then Santa will come for you. For all of you. For all the childlings here."

"Course he will!" Ariel says

"Gracias, Jessica."

"De nada." Seriously.

Salma blushes a little, and murmurs back. "De nada."

Ellie GRINS at something.

"But what is the breast of the snow? Is there something about snow I do not understand? I know of snowmen. But, um..."

She pages quickly, then recites,

"The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow,
Gave a... lusty? Is that right? A lustER of midday to objects below..."

"oh... I don't know."

"The chest. The torso. Um. The main body."

"Of the snow?"

"I CLEARLY do not understand your snow." A sniff.

"I think... it is like cold sand."

"But the wet kind, that you can make into a castle."

"It... ok, field trip. I'll plan one."

"My old hold had snow."

"Ellie, can you tell us where that was?" Gently.

"Si, where was it that Santa could find? Near? Far?"

"Pencil-vania."

"But it didn't have very many pencils."

"We will find another spot with snow, Ellie. And visit there so your friends can enjoy it."

"Snow is nice. So is cocoa."

"Snow, cocoa, mulled cider.... we will make this happen."

"If they had more pencils, you'd be better at drawing." A grin to Ellie. "You can show me on the map. Is that where la vampira come from? Pennsylvania?"

"Maybe!"

"It's much rainier, and there are rivers and forests and mountains..."

"Forests of these?" She leans in, inhaling deep of the piney scent. "Nothing smells like this here."

"Maybe a little of... the spikey herb, that goes in stew? But not quite... they both have... quills."

"Wait, vampira?"

"Si, from Penn...sylvania." A nod.

"They cannot leave, for they have to stop and count all the pencils."

"It is known."

"Like the movie! Blah blah blah!"

"Oh, I see. Thank you."

"I wonder where the hotel is?"