Chapter 25
The month of September faded away and October arrived. On the first morning, Meinrad took a whiff of the crisp autumn air. The dwarfs drank and dance for hours following Leofflæd's birth. They were drunk and mischievous, but then Meinrad had enough of their humorous ways.
That morning, Meinrad shouts at them, "ATTENTION!" The dwarfs stood up and straightened themselves. Meinrad looks at each of them, much like an officer checking on his comrades. He snorts in their faces. "As much as I envy you for being carefree, I really don't appreciate your mischief this time. I let you play during the festivities of the twelfth month, but I believe this time is too much," he said to them.
"We're sorry," Helmold replies and then hiccups. The other dwarfs nodded.
"It is October and it is getting close to Christmas again. I must insist that all of you to never have a drop of alcohol until then, for my daughter's sake," Meinrad orders and they nod.
Meinrad sees Ishild with Leofflæd, who was just a day old. He joins them, the little baby stares up at her father, and laughs. He takes her in his arms and holds her up to his face to look into her hazel eyes.
"She looks...unusual," Meinrad said to Ishild. She chuckles and wraps a blanket around Leofflæd.
"How so? Like a little blob? All babies look like that when they're born," Ishild replies and Meinrad cradles his infant daughter. "I wonder what Christmas will be like without you around," Ishild adds.
"What do you mean?" Meinrad asks.
"I mean, you being gone to punish the naughty every Christmas or the whole month of December. You will be gone during that time and... Leofflæd will be growing up during that time," Ishild explains and Meinrad did feel his heart tear into pieces.
"I know it is tough, but Leofflæd will be asking where her father goes every Christmas. It would break her heart and mine and I am sure yours," Ishild said to Meinrad, his face looking at the ground.
"Would she at least forgive me?" he asks.
"I don't know, some children will forgive their fathers, but others will not. I have forgiven my father for-" Meinrad stomps on his hoof, he hated to hear of Gerhard.
"He let your brother abuse you!" he snarls, Leofflæd began to fuss.
"It was not his fault, when my mother died, his mind became fragile and he-" "He did nothing to save you!" Meinrad shouts angrily, causing Leofflæd to cry. Ishild grabs hold of his arm and holds it tight.
After a minute, Meinrad calms down. "I'm sorry," he said and he calms Leofflæd down.
He hands her over to Ishild and turns to leave. "Where are you going?" she asks.
"I want to be alone," he answers and walks away from the clearing. He wonders into the forest and out into the meadow, where he saw the surrounding trees painted in golds and reds.
He notices some crows flying overhead, winter was coming. Meinrad hated winter, other than being so dismal, it took him away from the ones he loved, and he didn't want to be alone.
Then, his ears pick up a sound, and he looks around. It sounded like a snake hissing, only louder and it sounded close.
Meinrad dared to look behind him and to his shock, a large black snake looks down on him.
It hisses at him and stares at him with its cold, yellow eyes. Meinrad snorts at it and stomps his hooves, he was ready for a fight with this taunting creature.
"Lucifer sent you, to do away with me. Well, come and get me, if you dare," Meinrad said to the snake.
Suddenly, its tail coils around Meinrad's leg and pulls him to his knees. It opens its mouth wide, but then, Meinrad sinks his teeth into its eye.
Black blood squirts out and Meinrad attacks the other eye, rendering the snake blind. The snake loosens its tail and Meinrad leaps out of its range.
"It can still smell you," Lucifer's voice said and Meinrad looks to see where the Devil was. The snake then strikes at Meinrad, but he moves away.
Meinrad roars at the snake, he had to get it far from the forest where his family was. The snake sniffs the air and follows him.
It was quick when it slithered, but Meinrad was much faster. He did, however, allowed the snake to catch up to him.
Meinrad then hears a waterfall and he realized he was trapped. Meinrad was sure the snake would survive a fall. He had to kill it.
That was when he felt something in his coat and he takes it out, it was a bow and a quiver of arrows.
These arrows looked unusual, the heads appeared to be made of gold and they shined. Meinrad did not have time to think, he pulls one out and takes aim.
That was when the memories of Ishild introducing him to the bow and arrows filled his mind.
He inhales deeply and exhales as the snake drew closer to him. The snake raises itself high and was prepared to strike when Meinrad lets his arrow fly.
The arrow pierces the snake's dark scaly skin and passes through its innards and out its back. The snake falls to the ground, dead at Meinrad's feet.
Meinrad releases a sigh of relief, it was over.
"AAAAIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" came a screech and Meinrad sees Lucifer just a few feet away.
"You-you-devil!" Lucifer shouts at him.
"Me? A devil? If I recall correctly, you taunt many innocent victims, and when things don't go your way, you never rest until those who taunt you are dead," Meinrad said to him, but Lucifer just stares at him.
"Now, if I see you anywhere near my family, I will shoot one of these arrows at you. I must warn you, God or Saint Nicholas blessed these arrows," Meinrad adds and Lucifer vanishes in a flash of fire.
The snake also vanishes in a cloud of ash, but then, a bright light appears in front of Meinrad.
Saint Nicholas stands in front with a smile on his face. "Well done Meinrad, Lucifer will never taunt you again," he said and then adds, "However, I must tell you, once December arrives, you will be away from your family."
Meinrad was afraid of this and says, "Then, I will not see my daughter on Christmas." Saint Nicholas nods and Meinrad looks down at the ground.
"I understand," Meinrad replies and turns to leave. He still had two months to spend with his family before returning to his duty.
However, he decided to make good of these two months, and he swore to himself that he would do so.
Meinrad returns to the clearing and Ishild rushes up to him. "Are you all right?" she asks.
"I am fine, where's Leofflæd?" he replies.
"Asleep in the hut, you were gone for over an hour," Ishild said and he nods.
"Ishild, in two months I will be returning to my duties. I've decided to make best of them and spend them with you and Leofflæd," Meinrad said and Ishild smiles. They went into the hut and watch over their sleeping child.
From the author: Meinrad has done it again! Good for him. In case you are wondering, Meinrad has 922 years left on his contract and then he will regain his soul.
At that time, who knows what the holidays will be like. I like to use my imagination, so, we'll see.
See you soon!