11/18/05

Yule Tide

AN: I've always wanted to write a Christmas themed fanfiction, and this is what I came up with. You see, I like to be unique with my stories.

It was with a sense of excitement and trepidation that Willow slipped away. She had been planning her escape for a while, knowing that as the Christmas season approached, the chances of being discovered leaving weren't as high as, say, Halloween. Certainly, her parents were completely busy supervising the elves and making sure that nothing would go wrong on 'the most magical of nights', as her father put it.

First, Willow had packed one of her bright holly green knapsacks with everything she could think of. Seeing as the knapsack was magical, the girl had managed to stuff everything from most of her wardrobe to her vast collection of scented candles, many of which were gingerbread, holly, pine, cinnamon, and spice flavored. Slipping in the one vanilla she had, Willow blushed, hoping that she would be able to meet the person she wanted to burn that with. Next, went her endless supply of Christmas cards. She was planning on giving away a Christmas card for every day that she was out in the real world, leaving a part of herself wherever she went. She threw in a couple of Hanukkah ones just to be well-rounded, which was kind of funny, she mused, coming from her background.

Little Willow Rosenberg had been put up for adoption eighteen years ago, at the ripe old age of one day old. Taken with Willow's shock of red hair and twinkling green eyes, she had been quickly flown to the North Pole, where her parents waited eagerly for their new charge. Her parents had never made a secret of her origin, or of the religion that she was born into. They had hired Jewish tutors to teach her about her birthright, and made sure that a Menorah was lit every year. They had even done their best in throwing a Bat Mitzvah, although the overall affect had been ruined when a couple of the reindeer had decided that the Torah, propped up and artistically decorated in only the way clueless elves could do, looked too good to resist eating. It would have been kind of ironic, if she hadn't had siblings as diverse as there were religions. Her younger sister, Kendra, adopted from Jamaica, had even been allowed to explore Myalism and Rastafarian, although her father had forbidden the use of recreational drugs anywhere near the stables.

Willow kissed her father and mother good night, tucked her younger siblings into bed, and gone to where her best friend, Freddy Toy Soldier, had her reindeer saddled and ready. The small young elf had been one of her first friends, taking an interest in the teachings along with Willow, and shared her curiosity of the world she had come from. He was the only other person who knew that she was planning on leaving.

Their goodbyes were quick.

Freddy patted Daisy Mayfield, Willow's rowan colored reindeer. "She's ready," he said, his small voice wavering just a bit.

Willow smiled at him, hugging him tightly. "Thank you! I'm so excited, I probably would have put her saddle on wrong."

Freddy snorted, crossing his arms as he handed her the reins. Instead of responding, he took a small pouch from his pocket and handed it to her. When she made to open it, he shook his head, shockingly blonde hair flying around his face. "Later."

Willow nodded, slipping it into her knapsack. With tears in her eyes, she hugged him again, suddenly moving her chin to kiss him on the cheek. "I'll miss you."

The elf nodded, brushing away his own tears, his youthful features drawn. He watched as Willow scrunched through the snow, leading Daisy out from under the shield of the evergreens, swinging competently up into the saddle. The faint noise of jingle bells carried through the wind as he watched his best friend smile at him, turn Daisy around, and take off into the air. Raising a hand belatedly, his fingers curling into his palm, he whispered, "Be careful."

Willow, feeling the cool air streak past her, glad that she had bundled up for the trip, suddenly squealed, her smile threatening to split her face. She hugged Daisy's warm neck, the animal's enthusiasm catching. Sucking in a deep breath of cool wind, she giggled, throwing her arms into the air. "We're off!"

* * *

Daisy was a young reindeer, strong and energetic. She was capable of traveling for long distances, but Willow didn't want to take any chances. After two hours of constant gallop, expertly using the wind to her advantage, the redhead decided that she would stop down in Canada. Knowing a popular place that her father stopped to rest the primary reindeer, she urged Daisy down.