Chapter 8 - Snowmageddon!

The music ended as did the dance. Kate leaned into Johan, his arms wrapping around her and pulling her close. She could hear his heart beat. There was something so comforting about that sound. Johan's clothes smelled like woodfire smoke, pine, and juniper. Kate inhaled and exhaled a deep sigh, nuzzling her face into the warm folds of his tunic. They stood there, in the circle of moonlight, as clouds rolled in, a light snow started to fall.

"The first Snow of Christmas!" Peewit exclaimed running around.

Johan laughed softly watching his friend, holding Kate close. All Kate could do, was smile. She could not recall the last time she smiled as much, or with anyone than she had with Johan. He made it easy for her to be herself around him, she noticed he had that effect on others too. She knew he would be a good knight one day, if not the best knight this Kingdom ever had. The thought made her a little sad, because she also knew that once he did become a knight, he would seek the hand of Princess Savina. The thought of her returning to her own world also bothered her, was it wrong for her to feel this way? She stepped out of Johan's embrace her cheeks burning, embarressed that she let herself get that caught up in the moment.

She ran over and scooped up some snow packing it into a ball.

"Right Peewit, it's on!" She said, as she threw the snowball at Peewit.

He did not know what hit him, until it was too late. The snowball hit him square in the back of the head. Peewit reeled forward spinning around sharply, "Who did that!" He shouted.

Kate simply smiled as she prepared her second one, but too late, she was hit in the back by a well aimed snowball. She spun around to see Johan grinning sheepishly.

"Right..." Kate said as she ran for some sort of cover throwing her snowball back at Johan.

Kate built up a wall of snow, and started throwing snowballs, ducking to avoid being hit, until Peewit found his way around the outer defenses of her snow fort. She then ran throwing snowballs as she did so. They carried on like this until they were all covered in snow and laughing hard. Finally, it started to snow harder, so much that they could no longer see where the edge of the tower was.

"I think we should get inside." Johan said, wiping snow from his eyes.

"Good idea." Kate added.

Together they went downstairs, navigating the steps carefully as they did so. The snow had melted, but refrozen into ice which became dangerously slippy on the stone steps. Eventually, they were back in the main keep. The warmth hit Kate squarely in the face, and she yawned suddenly realising how late it actually was, by how quiet the castle was.

"Wow, we need to uh be quiet." Kate whispered.

Peewit nodded tip toeing past Dame Barbara's chamber door.

"Don't want to wake her up." He said, "You think she's a beast now, she's a monster when she doesn't get her sleep!"

Kate stifled a laugh.

Peewit and Johan walked her to her room before heading off.

"Peewit, go on and um, look out for any trouble." Johan said waving Peewit off.

"Why did you do that?" Kate asked, turning her head with an arced brow watching Peewit leave.

"Because," Johan said with a small smile, "I could then do this."

He leaned in and kissed her.

It was not a kiss on her cheek either, it was a real kiss. One of those, heart melting, butterflies in your stomach, legs feel like jelly kisses. Kate fell back a little inhaling sharply but just as sudden as it shocked her, she found herself closing her eyes, and wrapping her arms around his neck returning his kiss equally. Eventually, he broke the kiss, long enough to smile and laugh a little. Kate smiled back letting go.

"Bonne Nuit, mon cheri." Johan whispered softly.

"Good Night, Johan." Kate replied shyly.

The next morning was filled with activity as people milled about the castle still celebrating the festival and catching up with friends. King Gerard spent the day with his cousin Princess Savina and her fiance Prince Raul. Kate kept herself busy cleaning and then going to the stables to look after Brego. Kate brought him some carrots and apple pieces. Brego whinnied as he ate the carrots and apple as she mucked out his stall, put fresh hay in it, and brushed him down. She then brushed his tail and mane until it shined. She blacked his hooves and shined them. Then, she cleaned his tack until it shined. She was thankful for the tunic and breeches loaned to her, although she preferred to wear her own hiking boots rather than the leather boots that were popular in the Kingdom. The snow was very deep, and continued to fall. Kate looked up as dark gray clouds rolled in, and the wind picked up. She put a blanket over Brego, gave him fresh feed and water before heading back into the main castle. Inside, a large fire roared in the great hearth as minstrals sat together playing parts of tunes and talking. People sat in small groups chatting as servants carried in large jugs of cider and hot drinks. Kate walked over and warmed her hands in front of the fire. A loud gale howled around the castle blowing snow around in large drifts.

"No business going out there now." One guard said to the other over a game of dice.

"Indeed." The other replied.

"I saw three ravens flying over from the north." A lady said to another.

"Bad omen that is." The other replied. "You know what they say about them birds, the only thing they follow is death, mark my words this is going to be a bad one."

Kate glanced over at them, then walked away from the fire suddenly feeling as if they were looking at her. Did she really stand out that much? She wondered as she walked over to a window. She could make out the snow falling around through the colored glass. The wind picked up, howling loudly around the castle walls like a banshee. The musicians looked up and started to play louder.

Kate smiled, "at least they have the right idea." She thought to herself.

She drank a mug of the hot spiced wine, before heading back to her quarters. At least, she could start thinking about her own quest. She was not too bothered about the blizzard that raged outside.

Meanwhile, something stirred within the Black Forest. The wolves were silent, their mouths shut by an unseen force as violent and untamable as the wild itself. It moved through the mass of black trees with heavy steps. The snow freezing into icy shards in its wake. Where it went, all froze under a layer of ice. Death passed leaving nothing but emptiness in its place. The great creature climbed up to a frozen rise of rock, opening up its mighty wings and lifting its massive scaled head toward the churning black sky, from its black maw came a mighty bellow that shook the foundations of the forest. This invitation was answered by a chorus of chilling howls that rose up from the depths into a single terrifying call.

"Oliver, bring in the livestock." Homnibus told his servant. "It would be unwise for any to travel tonight."

The young boy brought the cow into the barn, and the sheep. He kept a wary eye toward the sky. There was always a reason for Homnibus' decisions, this was no exception. Once the animals were corraled, he made his way into the cottage.

"Lock the door behind you boy." Homnibus instructed.

Oliver did just that, as soon as he did so, a mighty wind rushed past the cottage followed by a horrible cacophony of howls. Oliver watched as Homnibus stood over something, his hands raised in the air, his eyes closed deep in concentration.

"Cingi aversabilis chaos elementi!" The wizard said as his hands glowed with a warm light.

Oliver looked on in awe. Then, he ran to the window, around the cottage grounds, there appeared to be a dome of light. Above, he saw what he thought was a something he never imagined seeing in his life. A great white wyvern circled above them, before roaring and flying onward. Around him, the ground shook as white dire wolves thundered past, their fur heavy with ice, their green eyes glowing as their breath froze everything in their path. Oliver thought he counted at least three hundred of the wolves.

He only turned from the window after the dragon and its followers had passed. Homnibus fell forward exhausted onto the table, his weight resting on his arms. Then Oliver heard a crack, followed by a series of crackles, then something hit hte roof, followed quickly by a series of thuds.

"Homnibus! Look!" Oliver said the wizard.

The old wizard was too tired to look, yet Oliver saw the dome was covered in ice, which broke and fell around them leaving only a ring like wall of ice several stories high and about ten feet thick, surrounding the cottage and grounds.

"We must warn them." Homnibus said weakly.

"How?" Oliver asked.

"Send a message to... Poppa Smurf." Homnibus replied. "Tell him, the Frost Drake Galanoth has awoken and flies due South toward the Good King's domain."

Oliver opened up a large book, and drew a sign on the floor with the burnt end of a yew branch. Before him, a creature arose from the center of the symbol, it appeared to be a white stag made of pure light.

"Homnibus breathed this message." Oliver said as he exhaled into the air. The words Homnibus told him hung there, carved in light then disappeared into the stag.

"He rides tonight." Homnibus told the creature.

The stag reared up, shaking its head before galloping toward the wall and disappearing through it in a flash of dazzling light.

The storm became worse as the day went on. Many bodies huddled in the main hall around the fire seeking warmth as worried eyes looked up at the roof and the windows wondering how long they would have to wait before they could return home.

Kate practiced with the sword she had been given from the King. She worked on each move she learned from Johan and improvised a little on her own. Peewit was busy working on a new composition and joking with Johan. It was then, that Kate heard an odd sound. It was a sort of whirring, buzzing hiccup sound. What Kate saw next made her jump. A small mechanical wooden doll, in the shape of a blue elf like creature.

"What the heck?" She exclaimed.

Johan looked up suddenly, as did Peewit.

"Clockwork! Where are you?" Gerard called.

Johan walked over to the doll and leaned down resting his hands upon his knees as he spoke to it. "Clockwork, King Gerard is looking for you." He said with a smile.

The doll simply crossed its arms and made a funny whirring whistle.

"Johan..." Kate said in a low tone pointing the business end of her sword at the doll, "Please tell me, that is not a possessed doll but this is just a trick right?"

"Clockwork!" King Gerard exclaimed as he entered the room. "You shouldn't go running off like that! Oh hello Kate!"

Kate looked up, her sword remaining pointed at the doll. "This... is Clockwork?" She asked.

"Yes, Kate, meet my good friend, Clockwork Smurf." King Gerard said as he picked Clockwork up and put him on his shoulder.

Kate quickly looked over at Johan and Peewit, who also did not seem bothered at all about the animated doll.

"Am I the only one here, who is just a little bit freaked out about this?" Kate asked.

"Why?" King Gerard said looking at her with a small laugh. Clockwork emulating the Kings laugh with his own mechanical one, which sent a shiver down Kate's spine.

"Johan a word? She said. "Please excuse... me, your Highness."

Kate pulled Johan aside, "please tell me this truthfully. You said magic was banned in this Kingdom, yet the Princess's own cousin has a golum as a best friend! What is..."

Johan raised his hand to silence her, giving her a reassuring smile. "Black magic Kate, if anything Clockwork is made from good magic. He was made with love, and can only exist because of it."

"Oh." Kate said, her fear ebbing away, replaced with curiosity.

They joined King Gerard, and Kate bowed to them both.

"I am sorry." She said, "I just have never met, or seen anything like this before."

"I doubt you ever will." King Gerard replied. "Clockwork is one of a kind."

"You said he's a Smurf?" Kate asked. "What, is a Smurf?"

Johan and Peewit looked at each other.

"Well, I guess, they are ... creatures, but sentient creatures, that live in a forest far away from here." Johan said rubbing his chin. "Yet, they are good."

"Yes, their leader, Poppa Smurf is very good, but a powerful magician as well." Peewit added.

"That's right, and they travel by stork." King Gerard said. "If my mind serves me correct, there are about one hundred of them that live in a village."

"Oh." Kate said as she sat down, putting her sword away. "I guess then, those things we fought at the barrow, were just the tip of the iceburg."

Johan nodded. "There are some powerful wizards that still practice dark magic, and the creatures of magic will gather around them, like moths to a flame." Johan said as he looked up at a moth dancing around the flame of a torch.

"Indeed, I am grateful for the protection that the Smurfs provide my people from such dark things." Gerard said. "Not many of my Court understand the truth behind the peace in my Kingdom. After I nearly lost Clockwork, I promised I would never lose him again."

Kate arced a brow but remained quiet.

"The Smurfs have helped us too." Peewit said. "I can say we are good friends with them, right Johan?"

Johan nodded. "Indeed, you are right."

Just then, an unearthly howl shook the castle walls.

"What was that?" Kate exclaimed jumping up.

"The wind." Peewit said matter of factly, plucking a string on his lute.

"That did not sound like wind to me." Johan replied looking up at the roof.

"I agree, it sounded like a roar of something..." Kate replied as she ran toward the door.

Outside the wind picked up, ripping flags from their poles, and throwing snow up into a flurry of white fury. Kate squinted to see out into the white haze, and what she saw made her look twice before she ran inside, slamming the door shut behind her and standing with her back to it, her face white.

"What's wrong!" Johan asked, worry clear on his face.

"Yes, what is the matter?" King Gerard asked.

Kate looked at the two the word stuck in the back of her throat.

Through sheer will, she managed to speak it.

"Dragon." She whispered hoarsely.

The two guys looked at each other then at Kate.

Johan pushed his way past her and opened the door. He was hit by a blast of cold air, followed by an unearthly bellowing roar.

"Yikes!" He shut the door quickly as a blast of ice hit it, the ice seeping around the door frame and under, freezing the floor in a glistening spray.

"It's frozen solid!" Peewit exclaimed.

Kate looked at Johan.

"Please tell me you have an idea." She said as blast after blast of ice hit the castle.

King Gerard looked at Clockwork who gave a concerned whirr of dismay.

"I agree." He said to the doll. "We do need Poppa Smurf now."

The blizzard did not reach the Smurf village, it's protective barrier kept out most of the extreme elements, however the village was dusted with a layer of snow that the Smurfs managed to dig out quite well. The village was celebrating their own Christmas, with a feast followed by singing, dancing, and the exchange of gifts. Brainy was about to give his yearly address when a white stag emerged from the forest. The Smurfs gasped in awe as the noble creature delicately stepped through the barrier with ease and lowered his mighty head in a regal bow before Poppa Smurf.

"Well my little Smurfs, it would seem that we have tidings from Homnibus." Poppa Smurf said.

The stag breathed into the frosty air, as golden words fell from his mouth and floated upon the air before Poppa Smurf.

"I see, well then, my friend, I must leave at once!" Poppa Smurf said rushing off to his house and returning with his bag. "Brainy, Hefty, Handy, Smurfette, and... Clumsy come with me. The rest of my little Smurfs, take shelter in your homes." Then he turned to the white stag. "My friend, will you take us the way?"

The stag nodded his head and lowered it, allowing the Smurfs to climb upon his back.

"Poppa Smurf, what is wrong?" Brainy asked.

"I will tell you when we reach the Good King's castle." Poppa Smurf said.

Then, in a flash they were off, speeding through the forest.

Soon, the Good King's castle came into sight. It was surrounded by the wolves, and above it, circling in the air was the great white wyvern Galanoth the Terrible. The wyvern blasted the castle with ice as it tried to break through the fortress exterior. The mass of direwolves had frozen much of the outer village in a layer of ice, Poppa Smurf could only hope that the residents were wise enough to stay in doors, but he suspected that was not so when he saw the chaos before him.

"Close your eyes my little Smurfs." Poppa Smurf instructed.

"Why?" Brainy asked.

"Because what you will see, I would not wish for any of my Smurfs to ever witness." Poppa Smurf replied.

"Why do they look so still, and so blue?" Smurfette asked.

"They are dead Smurfette." Poppa Smurf said. "When humans die like this, they lose the light within them."

"Oh how terrible!" Smurfette cried, turning her face away.

The stag ran through the village, then, in a blast of white light leapt through the castle wall, taking it's riders with it.

"Smurfs!" Johan exclaimed.

"Poppa Smurf!" Peewit said as he jumped up and ran over to them.

"Thank you my friend." Poppa Smurf said to the Stag.

The creature looked at the humans, then gave a low bow to them before disappearing.

Kate looked on in awe, she had never seen a creature of such utter beauty and noblity before. If an animal could be noble, the stag certainly was one. Yet, her attention returned to the Smurfs that stood before them.

"Poppa Smurf, what good timing!" Johan said, relief apparent in his voice.

"Clockwork!" Handy exclaimed.

Kate noticed the doll slid down King Gerard's tunic and ran over to the Smurf that had a pencil tucked behind his ear. It whirred and buzzed happily as the other Smurf chatted with it.

"Hi Smurfette!" Peewit said.

"Oh yeah, this is Kate!" Peewit added.

"Hallo." Kate said to them.

Poppa Smurf walked forward and offered his hand to Kate.

"Welcome my dear." He said softly. "I can tell, you have come a very long way, a very long way indeed."

Kate could not really describe how it felt, but when the elder Smurf talked to her, she felt safe. The fear that held her heart, was gone, replaced by courage and something else... hope.

"How did you know?" Johan asked.

"You can thank Homnibus." Poppa Smurf replied with a smile.

Another roar followed by a blast of ice that shook the castle walls, brought them back around.

"My my, isn't he in a bad mood." Poppa Smurf chuckled.

"My little Smurfs, I want you to gather the following materials. Johan, Peewit, King Gerard, and Kate, I have a plan."