Time Flies
Author's Note: And now, many things are revealed about Bernard's background. He never gets to have a happy, normal life, does he? Poor deprived child… We also briefly visit the North Pole for some cryptic warnings from yet another mythical personage.
Also, for future reference, "Sidhe" is pronounced "she," like the female pronoun. Just for clarification.
Disclaimer: The original characters are mine, but Bernard, Scott, and their various companions belong to Disney. The Sidhe information all came from various mythological resources. Specific quotes are cited at the end.
Chapter 5 – Don't You Tell A Single Soul
"Where does all this paperwork come from?" Scott stared at his desk in bewilderment. It was covered with more paper at that moment than it had held in all the years he'd been Santa.
"Bernard usually handles most of it," Curtis explained. "He says it's easier to do it himself than to train every Santa to do it right."
"But what is it?" Scott picked up one of the sheets. "Traffic violators? Elves get traffic violations?"
"It used to happen more often," Curtis said. "That's why Bernard thought it would be a good idea to ask Ursula to direct traffic. The numbers are really down. Not many elves want to antagonize a polar bear."
"That's great… I guess." Scott kept looking at the paper, an odd expression on his face. "This issues warnings, fines, even a temporary revocation of the privilege of teleporting in public. And I never even knew about it."
Curtis shrugged, unsure why Scott was so concerned. "It has to get done to keep the elven city running smoothly. So Bernard does it. Does it matter?"
Scott's reply was cut off when Judy entered. "Santa? You have a visitor."
Scott frowned. He hadn't been expecting anyone. "Who?"
"Cupid." Judy looked puzzled. "Did you ask him to come here?"
Scott shook his head slowly. "No. But send him up anyway."
"I should probably go," Curtis said as Judy left. "I mean – Cupid."
Scott grinned. "He can't affect elves, you know."
"Well, yeah, but still." Curtis shivered. "The power of love isn't something I'd like to control."
"Oh?" Scott asked, amused.
"It's not funny." Curtis looked very affronted that Scott would laugh. "Love is a big deal to elves. Maybe that's because we live so long. We don't view love as something to play with. Well," he paused, correcting himself, "the Christmas elves don't, anyway." Curtis shook his head before Scott could comment. "I'm going to leave now, Santa. I'll see you later." He ducked out.
"Huh." Scott frowned after Curtis. "Strange." He hadn't realized Curtis was such a big fan of romance.
Or maybe that wasn't it at all. Maybe love really was something special to elves, because of their life spans. But what had Curtis meant about "Christmas elves?" Scott had heard references to other kinds of elves, but nothing specific. For some reason, the elves here didn't like to talk about it. Had something bad happened, to make Curtis make that comment?
"Hey, Santa!"
"Hello, Cupid." Scott grinned as the man floated in. "What can I do for you – or is this a pleasure visit?"
Cupid shook his head. "Don't I wish. Nope, this is business, at least for me. And I don't know if it fits your job description or not, but you should definitely know about it."
Scott's face grew concerned at the gravity of the angel's voice. "Is something wrong?"
Cupid sighed. "I don't know. It might be." He sat down – or rather, sat in the air over the chair across the desk from Scott. "It's about your Head Elf."
"Bernard? Is he ok?" Scott moved for the bell cord that would summon Curtis.
"Don't call anyone," Cupid said quickly. "I'm sure he's probably fine. For all I know, this is normal. But in case it isn't, I thought I ought to tell you."
"Tell me what?" Scott asked apprehensively.
"Well…" Cupid thought for a moment. "I'm going to show you an image from about fifteen minutes ago. Then you can tell me if I'm worrying about nothing."
Cupid waved a hand, and a trail of sparkling pink hearts blossomed from his fingertips. They swirled together to outline a circle, floating between the two men. Inside the circle, an image formed.
"That's Bernard," Scott said slowly. "And that girl – good Lord, she has green hair!"
"That's Ebony Hiems," Cupid told him. "One of Father Time's daughters."
At that moment, Ebony's image spoke. "I am perfectly able to control myself. Unlike the ditzy space cadet back there, I do not feel the need to display my feelings in front of the entire world."
Scott frowned. "I think I missed something. Is there a 'rewind' button on this thing?"
"It isn't important," Cupid said impatiently. "Just watch."
Scott obeyed, feeling a little like a peeping tom as the scene played out before him.
"Unless you translate 'displaying your feeling' as fighting with me. In your own way, you're as bad as she is."
"I'm not!"
"You are. What would you call the way you treat me? I've got your measure now, Ebony Hiems – you've been flirting just as obviously. Well, I'm terribly sorry to break it to you and all, but – "
Scott looked away as the girl kissed Bernard. "You know, I really don't think Bernard would appreciate us watching – "
"Just wait," Cupid interrupted, annoyed. "You have to see this to understand the important part."
"Can't you just tell me?" Scott asked, as the conversation resumed in the image circle.
Cupid shook his head slowly. "You wouldn't believe me."
"Bernard? Bernard, are you listening?"
"I am now. I just – had some bad memories."
"You're on the rebound."
"The rebound?" Scott looked up sharply. "Is that what you meant?"
"No," Cupid said. "I think this is worse.
Thrown by this response, Scott turned apprehensively back to the circle.
"Typical male. You don't mind that, even though it was dreadfully rude, yet you take offense at my innocent remarks."
"When could I have done that? You haven't made any."
"I suppose you think you're amusing."
"You seem to agree. And you were no ruder than I was."
"An admission of your guilt? Or an exoneration of mine?"
"Both, if you like. Pick whichever you want. They're the same thing."
"They aren't. I think I rather like the one where we're both guilty."
"Oh?"
"Because in that one, you've said it was your fault as well. I'd like to think that kissing is a two-way experience, though from your response I'd never be able to tell."
"You hardly gave me a chance."
"Would you like one?"
"Would I – Oh."
Scott shook his head. "I just don't know what you think I should see," he said, perplexed. "Unless you're afraid Father Time will be angry and blast Bernard where he stands for touching that girl."
But Cupid's eyes were intent on the image. "Look again," he said softly.
Scott started to look back in irritation – and stared. "They're glowing," he breathed in amazement. And so they were. Ebony and Bernard were surrounded by a delicately shining mist, swirling silver and gold with the translucent shades of the spectrum.
"I take it that isn't normal for elves?" Cupid asked unnecessarily.
"No." Scott looked away, out of respect for his Head Elf's privacy. "No, definitely not. Christmas magic might make it snow or ring bells or something, but not a glow. Definitely not that kind of glow. What is it?"
Cupid sighed. "I have no idea. I hoped you'd know. I think it might be some sort of Time thing. She is half-magical, remember. But I'm not sure Father Time would take it too well if I asked him about his daughter kissing someone she just met. Of course," he continued, more seriously, "it could also be something triggered by the two of them in particular. Is there anything about Bernard that could cause this?"
"I – " Scott stopped. "You know, I'm not sure. I don't actually know a lot about Bernard. He never talks about himself the way the other elves do." He considered it. "If you think this is important, I could ask around, to find things out."
"That would probably be a good idea," Cupid said. "In my experience, people don't start glowing for no reason. And I'd really hate to find out why too late."
"All right." Scott nodded. "I'll see what Curtis, Judy, and Kioshi know. They're probably his closest friends."
"I'll take a look through History," Cupid replied, waving his hand to make the image disappear. "Father Time lets me check his records whenever I need to, so it won't be a problem. Maybe there's some sort of precedent."
"Good." Scott nodded. "I'll let you know when I find something."
As Cupid left, Scott pulled the bell cord to signal that he wanted Curtis. After a moment, the elf poked his head into the room. Seeing that Cupid was gone, he entered. "Hi, Santa. Did you want to get back to that paperwork?"
"Actually, something else has come up," Scott said. "Could you ask Judy and Kioshi to come here? I need to talk to the three of you."
"Sure. I'll be right back." Curtis ran out the door. Scott sighed. He missed Bernard. The older elf, with his strong teleportation talents, could have popped himself immediately to where the other two elves were. Curtis couldn't go somewhere as undefined as to a person – he needed an exact mental image of the place he wanted. Of course, Curtis's telekinetic talents were much stronger than Bernard's, but that didn't make Scott any less impatient.
"Santa?" Judy came in, followed by Curtis and Kioshi. "Why did you want the three of us?"
"It's about Bernard, isn't it?" Kioshi asked quietly.
Scott raised his eyebrows. "Now, what gave that away?"
Kioshi shrugged. "It's obvious," he said. "You call Judy and Curtis all the time, but I'm only an assistant in the Electronics Department. You might want to talk to one of them with me, but for work-related issues, having them both here is redundant. So it has to be about something other than work – and Bernard is the main link between us. If he and I weren't cousins on his father's side, I doubt I'd have ever gotten to know Judy or Curtis."
"On his father's side," Scott echoed thoughtfully. "You specify that every time. Why?"
"I thought you needed to discuss something with us," Kioshi said impassively. His unreadable eyes were the same dark brown as Bernard's, but the contrast of personalities was always striking. Bernard's eyes displayed whatever emotions he happened to feel at the moment, but Kioshi never seemed to reveal anything. Scott had tried to teach the elf poker once, figuring the emotional control would be useful. He'd ended the first and only "practice session" by having to buy back his own shirt.
"I do," Scott said. "And you were right – it is about Bernard." Kioshi nodded once, very slightly. "Cupid was just here, and he's worried."
"Oh, not again!" Judy burst out, distraught. "If it's Danica and Ordella – "
Scott never saw the elf move, but Kioshi was suddenly gripping her arm. "Don't," he said, voice low. "Let him finish."
Scott looked from one elf to the other, frowning. "You may need to tell me eventually," he warned. "Cupid seems to think something very strange – and possibly very bad – is happening."
"With all due respect, sir, it isn't our secret to reveal." Kioshi's face was blanker than usual.
Scott decided not to press the issue. "All right, fine. But if there's anything you can tell me about Bernard, it would be helpful. Anything in his history that might make him… react differently than other elves?"
The three exchanged glances. "I guess we could say," Curtis said doubtfully. "It's not really a secret, after all. He just doesn't like to talk about it, so no one ever says anything."
"What?" Scott is frown deepened. "There really is something bad?"
"I don't know if it's bad, exactly," Judy said. "You do know about the other enclaves of elves, don't you? The elves here at the North Pole, in Elfheim, are only the Christmas elves. We look like human children all our lives. But you've probably noticed that Bernard… well…"
"Doesn't," Scott finished the sentence for her.
"Right." Judy glanced at Kioshi, but he said nothing. "That's because Bernard is only half Christmas elf. He's also half Sidhe."
Scott blinked. "Half she?" His jaw dropped. "You mean he's a girl?"
In spite of themselves, Judy and Curtis had to laugh. Even Kioshi cracked a smile.
"Hardly," Kioshi said, his momentary lapse overcome. "This is another word, spelled S-I-D-H-E, but pronounced 'shee.' The Sidhe are a different race of elves that live Underhill, ruled by Titania and Oberon. Bernard's father, my Uncle Aubrey, was a Christmas elf. His mother, Danica Emrys, is one of the Sidhe."
"An Unseelie Sidhe," Curtis added with a grimace. At that, Kioshi shot Curtis a quelling look, from which Scott gathered that this was not information Bernard would have wanted shared. He made a mental note to find out more about this Danica – Judy had mentioned her earlier, and not in a very good way.
"Would any of this cause problems for Bernard?" Scott asked, when no one seemed willing to offer more information.
"I don't think so," Judy said slowly. "It hasn't yet. Unless you count that he looks older than the rest of us, and I don't think that's what you meant."
"No, it isn't," Scott agreed. "I'm thinking more along the lines of things that would make Bernard randomly glow."
"Glow?" Curtis repeated incredulously. "When was he glowing?"
Kioshi studied Scott from beneath his lashes. "You aren't telling us everything."
Scott shrugged. "We're respecting Bernard's privacy, aren't we? This is pretty personal, too, I'd say. I don't even think he knows he was glowing."
Curtis frowned. "How can he not know? It'd be pretty obvious, wouldn't it?"
"Maybe not." Kioshi leaned back in his chair. "I'm sorry, sir, but I don't think we're going to be much help. Not if this is what I think it is."
"What?" Judy and Curtis both demanded at once.
Kioshi looked at them a moment. "I don't believe I shall tell you," he said at last. He turned to Scott. "With your permission, sir, I'll get back to work. We're having trouble recreating the Windows program in the Computers subsection."
Scott frowned. "We've paid Microsoft for the right to make copies?" Kioshi stared blandly straight ahead. Scott shook his head. "Right… wasn't here, didn't know about it, couldn't have stopped you. Go ahead."
Kioshi left. Judy and Curtis looked after him, at each other, and at Scott. "Is something wrong?" Judy asked finally. "Bernard isn't in trouble, is he? He's not hurt?"
Scott hesitated. "I don't know," he admitted honestly. "I'm not entirely sure what's going on. I don't think he's in trouble yet, but the possibility does exist."
"Why won't you tell us what happened?" Curtis asked bluntly.
Scott considered it. "He probably wouldn't want you to know about it," he said. "Besides," he grinned crookedly, "it isn't really my secret to reveal."
"I think something's wrong with Bernard."
Bernard could hear Charlie, Neil, and Laura talking in the hall, though the door to the guest bedroom was closed. He supposed he should probably go and reassure them that he was fine – except that he wasn't fine. Far from it.
It had been the snow, he decided. He missed the North Pole, so the new snow, which hadn't had a chance to get dirty yet, had made him overly sentimental. It had skewed his reasoning.
The snow, and Bianca's influence. Thinking back, Bernard realized that Bianca hadn't been as terrible a flirt as she'd seemed to him. She had just brought back bad memories. She acted so much like Ordella, he had associated the two without judging Bianca on her own merits.
He probably owed her an apology, but by the time he'd gotten back from seeing Ebony, Bianca and Dimitri had gone, though they'd both left phone numbers. It was a good thing that they'd left, of course. Ebony hadn't been able to reach her car and get out of there fast enough.
Not that Bernard blamed her, of course. Not at all. It had been so awkward, after the kisses. What could they really say at a time like that? He groaned. This was going to make things so complicated!
You'd think I'd have learned my lesson about getting involved with girls I have to work with, Bernard thought bitterly. But no – just four centuries later, and here I am again.
It had all started with Genevieve. All Bernard's problems seemed to go back to her, sooner or later. She was a Christmas elf, the head of the Clothing Design Department. Like the other elves at the North Pole, she looked young – but it had been all right, because he had only looked a few years older than her at the time. Besides, considering all the different clans, few elves would have batted an eye at the physical differences, as long as the age difference wasn't too shocking. That hadn't been the problem.
The problem had been Bernard's position as Head Elf. He'd only been elected fifty-eight years earlier, which wasn't much in elvish time. He hadn't won the other elves' confidence yet. And he and Genevieve had seen no reason to keep their romance a secret. Normally, there wouldn't have been a reason. But this had been a special case. The other elves had gotten suspicious that Bernard had been a little too supportive of the Clothing Design Department, at the expense of the other departments. He had said he wasn't, of course, but it hadn't mattered.
Genevieve had been the strong one. She'd seen what had needed to be done – and she'd done it. He could still remember the day she'd told him she couldn't stay.
"I'm sorry, Bernard." She looked away, unable to meet his eyes. "This can't work – not as long as we have to work together."
"Then I'll quit!" he said desperately. "There are other jobs in Elfheim, lots of them. I could work at the school, or the court house – "
"No." Her voice was gentle, but resolute. "When two people are going to live as long as we are, we can't make that kind of sacrifice. Our lives have to work together, Bernard. If you subordinate yourself to me, you might be happy for a few years, maybe even a few centuries. But as time passes, you'll regret it."
"Never!" he tried to protest. "You're worth it, Genevieve."
She smiled sadly. "I'm not, you know." She reached up to caress his cheek tenderly – already she had to reach to touch it. "You'll meet someone right for you someday, Bernard. Someone who will fit into your life in a way that I can't. I know you don't believe it now, but I'm sure of it. Trust me."
"Always." His voice was harsh, as he struggled not to cry.
She looked up at him hesitantly. "We can still be friends, can't we?" Her eyes met his for the first time since the conversation had begun. She was the first to drop her gaze. "No," she said quietly, "I guess we can't."
Bernard had only seen Genevieve a handful of times since that day. Curtis, with an extraordinary degree of tact probably inspired by a little bird named Judy, handled everything that had to do with the Clothing Design Department. But since then no one had ever dared to complain that the Head Elf was biased towards Genevieve's department. He was so scrupulously fair in that respect that the other department heads sometimes had to speak up in protest, when they felt their Clothing Design associates deserved a break.
Everyone at the North Pole knew that the relationship with Genevieve had hurt Bernard very badly. But they also knew that she wasn't the one who had broken his heart. That honor belonged to the ever-lovely Ordella Wyn.
It was partly because of Genevieve that Bernard had even gotten involved with Ordella in the first place. Like any child wounded by his first failed romance, Bernard had done the natural thing – he'd fled to his mother for comfort. Afterwards, he realized he should have gone to Kioshi's mother, his Aunt Ayame, instead. But he hadn't known better then.
He had barely known his mother at all, then. He didn't really know her now. She had never wanted much to do with him. When Bernard had been born, she had simply foisted him off on Aubrey without even naming her child. When Aubrey had died in a mistake with some experimental new equipment, Danica had shown up at the North Pole just long enough to sign her son's custody over to Gavin, Aubrey's brother and Kioshi's father. Still, he'd thought that she'd at least care a little about him.
And Danica had cared, in a sense. She'd been indignant to think that some lowly little Christmas elf had had the nerve to reject an Emrys. She'd taken Bernard into her household, putting him in a wing with two half-sisters he'd never known he'd had, Fiona and Tasha. It hadn't been so bad, at first – no one knew anything about him, or about Genevieve. He could start over.
But the Sidhe didn't think in the same ways as the Christmas elves. If Bernard had been at the North Pole, a stranger would have been welcomed and made to feel at home. Even among the Seelie Sidhe, strangers were cautiously accepted. But Danica was part of the Unseelie Court, and they used strangers for all they could get.
The two kinds of Sidhe, the Seelie and the Unseelie, were the elves that humans knew the most about. The Seelie Sidhe were the beautiful, kindly creatures from fairy tales, offering aid or protection to the few mortals who proved themselves worthy. But the Unseelie Sidhe were those elves' opposites. They were known as unhelpful elves, malicious beings that played cruel tricks on humans – and also as monsters. Some Unseelie looked the part, all vicious claws and slobbering fangs, but others – like Danica and Ordella – were as lovely as angels. They were the most dangerous.
To give her some credit, Bernard didn't think Danica had meant for Ordella to entrap him when she'd introduced the Unseelie lady to him. She'd just wanted her son to meet "some proper girls, not like those dreadful common barbarians up at that Elfheim place." And certainly, Ordella had been anything but common. Her hair shimmered golden, her skin was smooth and creamy, her lips pouted red and full. She had seemed the epitome of a sophisticated, charming Sidhe woman, as unlike Genevieve's wild red hair and hesitant speech as the ocean was to a rain puddle.
Bernard had been under Ordella's thumb in days. He'd fallen very hard for her – or at least, for the girl she was pretending to be. And he'd thought she'd been in love with him. She'd been a good actress. He still shuddered to think of the way she'd treated him, as if he were a puppy – or worse, a slave. She'd let him follow her around, waiting on her hand and foot, until the middle of summer. Midsummer night, in fact. That had been when she'd tired of him.
"I mean, really," she said, with a condescending smile, "you couldn't really have thought I could actually be in love with you."
He stared at her incredulously, unable to believe that this malicious creature was the same woman he'd cared so deeply for.
"Oh, you mean you did?" She laughed sweetly. "That is so adorable – in a really pathetic way, of course. Why in the world would you think that?"
"You – you said – "
"Oh, did I?" She frowned prettily. "I suppose I might have. But it was only to you, after all. It didn't matter much to me. And here you've taken it seriously! How very awkward." She smiled, amused.
"You told me you'd never met anyone like me," he whispered. "You told me I was special."
"So you are." She shrugged unconcernedly. "Most of the people I know are intelligent and good-looking. It was somewhat diverting to be around someone dull for a change. You made me look quite good by comparison." She paused thoughtfully. "I shall miss that part, I suppose. But I simply can't keep dallying with you. My reputation would be entirely ruined." She gave him a dazzling smile. "So sorry and all."
Bernard could have dealt with just Genevieve, or just Ordella, but meeting one immediately after the other had left him shattered. He couldn't stand to think of romance in terms of himself, though after a few years he'd been able to handle other people's loves. The female elves at the North Pole had quickly learned not to try to flirt with their Head Elf, lest he break down and either cry or scream. He'd never felt the least attraction to a female since Ordella.
Not until Ebony, anyway.
What was it about Ebony, he wondered, that made him so crazed? She taunted him, he snarled at her, and instead of despising each other they'd ended up kissing in the park. No one else could make him so angry, just as no one else had been able to make him kiss her. It was as if something in her drew his emotions out, forcing him to be honest with her.
Kissing Ebony had been strange, and exhilarating, and frightening. It had been like he hadn't been in control of himself – like some higher power was acting through him – but it had been exactly right. He'd needed to kiss her – to hold her, touch her, feel her in his arms – and he had. If he thought about it, he could still feel the way she'd pressed against him, her arms twining around his body, her lips warm on his. She'd smelled faintly of peppermint, and she'd tasted –
Ok, that is more than enough of that train of thought, Bernard decided hastily. I have to think about something else – anything else! He drummed his fingers nervously against the wall. The kitchen staff – did I ever order them the extra supply of white chocolate they wanted? Or did they ask for twice as much milk chocolate instead of white?
"I think we should talk to him."
Laura's words, through the door, were much more distracting than thoughts of chocolate. Oh, no, he pleaded silently. Please don't try to talk to me. I don't want to talk – not about this.
"That's a good idea. Why don't the two of us try?"
Bernard's head drooped into his hands. Great.
"Charlie, you go on to bed."
There was a knocking on the door. "Bernard?" Laura called. "Can Neil and I come in?"
Bernard held back a sigh – it wouldn't do for them to realize he'd been listening. "Ok, sure." He got up to open the door. "Do you need something?"
"We just wanted to see you," Neil said. "Bernard, is there something you'd like to talk about?"
Bernard gave a smile he was sure looked terribly false. "Of course not. Why would you think that?"
"Well… you seem very upset, that's all." Neil and Laura sat in the room's two chairs, while Bernard perched on the edge of the bed. "And listening is part of my job. If you need someone to talk to, Laura and I are both here."
Bernard shook his head, looking away. "There's nothing. I'm just tired. And I want to go home."
"I don't blame you," Laura said sympathetically. "It must be hard, being away from the North Pole now, of all times."
"Yeah, well." Bernard shrugged. "When Santa orders you to do something, you don't really get to say no. It's just another job."
"You seem fond of your new charges, though," Neil said.
"Dimitri is nice," Bernard said noncommittally.
"So he is," Neil agreed. "But you don't get along as well with Ebony?" Bernard was silent. "You had a fight with her, didn't you? That's why she never came back inside."
"What?" Bernard looked up, startled. "No, we didn't fight. Well, yes, we did, but – " He stopped. "Yes, you could say that. We fought."
Laura and Neil both nodded, and Bernard had the nasty suspicion that they could read between the lines of what he was saying. He'd like to think that they were unusually observant, but he was pretty sure that it was just because he was remarkably transparent.
"Do you want to tell us about the fight?" Laura prompted.
"No. Definitely not," Bernard said.
Laura and Neil exchanged glances. "All right, then," Neil said finally. "If you're sure. But just remember – if you ever decide you want to talk after all, I'll always be ready to listen."
They started to leave. Just before walking out the door, Laura stopped, and turned back to look at Bernard. "Ebony seems like a very nice girl," she said. "A little strange, maybe, but I like her. And so will Scott." She smiled. "Fights happen. So do other things. And it's ok to be scared. But you're going to have to face it eventually."
She left before Bernard could ask her what she meant.
Author's Note: Ok, that was your dose of angst for the next few chapters. Now that we've covered Bernard's obligatory tragic background, the plot can advance a little. In the next chapter, Bernard and Ebony have another confrontation, and we learn the double meaning behind the title of the fic.
Added Disclaimer for Quotes:
"Right… wasn't here, didn't know about it, couldn't have stopped you." – Buffy the Vampire Slayer
If I've quoted anything else that isn't mentioned either here or at the beginning, the lack of citation was entirely unintentional.
Thank you to everyone who reviewed!
CrystalHorse72 – You beat up your characters? Heh… that's a really good idea. Of course, I can totally see my characters whacking me right back… ^_^
Jesus-Freak – Yeah, we all wish we were Ebony… *wistful sigh* Except for the green hair part.
Kitty the drunken butterfly – I'm sorry, this one wasn't as sweet as the last one. But the next chapter should have some cute scenes!
Zhai'helleva!
- Mystica