Landsbyen -Into the North- An Epic Poem 65

Joulupukki began, “I have been thinking about the causality and the circumstances surrounding the events that occurred this morning.” Gwaldon made a display of searching around with his head turning it in all directions. “Seileach? Did anyone hear Seileach come in?” Several of the elves laughed and Joulupukki reached over and shoved Gwaldon's shoulder, then continued with feigned indignation. “As I was saying,” he offered a moments pause for further comment by Gwaldon, who simply gestured for him to continue. “It seems to me that the relationship between the flying deer and the time discrepancy may have something to do with how fast they were flying but I believe it to be more than that. If you please bear with me, I asked myself several questions. First, what makes the deer fly?” “The magic grain,” said Lumi as if it were obvious. “Exactly, and where does that magic come from?” “The Garden Elf,” again, the response was from Lumi. “I remember Dyndoeth telling a story at evening meal one night about how the Garden Elf had grown an apple tree from seed in a single day and how it bore edible fruit the very next evening. It leads me to wonder if those very special elves may have the ability to alter time, slow it down when needed and speed it up for different reasons.” The group let out a gasp, almost in unison. “Do you think that is possible,” said one of the Elders? “It would certainly explain the discrepancy in what Lumi and Joulupukki experienced, at least as compared to the rest of us,” explained Gwaldon. “What do you think Dyndoeth?” “This is so far beyond my knowledge, I'm not sure what to think.” He responded. “There is another issue that we have not addressed,” Joulupukki started again. “Look at the deer.” Everyone looked in the direction of the four deer interspersed within the small herd before Rådyrvokter offered, “what's so special about grazing deer...,” then realizing, “why aren't they floating?” The elves began murmuring amongst themselves. “I started wondering about that while we were flying, how they could at will change their elevation in the sky going up and down, over the mountains and deep into the valleys. I think that the deer themselves have a small amount of magic and I believe they, like Gwaldon, can use their magic to manipulate the magic in the grain.” “Of course they have magic,” pronounced Dyndoeth. “All living things possess magic. Even humans have magic.” All of the elves looked at him incredulously. “They simply do not know how to use it.” “What this seems to indicate to me,” the half elf continued, “is that the deer, unknowingly, change time by manipulating the magic that comes from the grain that they eat which is filled with the magic of the Garden Elf.” As they all became quiet and pondered the implications of this, a young female elf stepped into the stable. She glanced at Lumi, then looked directly at Joulupukki. “My..., ah, Joulupukki, please forgive my interruption but Gwaldon asked me to inform him as soon as preparations were completed for setting the beacon.” He responded politely as he watched her gaze drift back to Lumi for just an instant. “Not at all, Chroí,” he had seen her around the cottage as they prepared for the Dark Elf onslaught. She had helped Ceridfen and Lumi lay traps. Now he knew why she was so eager to help. He watched as her eyes again flashed a look at Lumi and how his gaze lowered as their eyes met, a blush reddening his face. “I don't think we have formally been introduced, I am Joulupukki,” he reached out his hand. “I know who you are,” she said and bowed. As she stood back up, she saw his outstretched hand and accepted it with her own.