Chapter 8
Blackpool awoke to a glorious dawn; the sun's rays were bright and golden, lighting up the sky.
Grace rose from her bed, her hair was a tangled mess, and she heard a chuckle.
"You can come out, I'm not afraid of you," she said to Pitch and he appeared.
"How can you handle all that hair?" he asked, taking a handful in his hand.
"I brush it every day," Grace answered, but Pitch wasn't sure if it was true.
"How did you sleep last night?" he asked, again.
"Like a baby. I had the most wonderful dream," she replied, taking a hair brush and started working on her long red and brown locks.
"What was the dream?" Pitch asked.
"I was with you and Erebos and he took us to meet the other Guardians. I saw Santa Clause! Oh, I can't wait for Christmas!" Grace exclaimed, "But I am excited for Halloween!"
Halloween, Pitch had forgotten about his master's word of making Pitch the Guardian of that holiday.
Something else came to his mind; he would like for Grace to meet the other Guardians and maybe, just maybe, Christmas would be a good time for her to meet them.
"Grace, I'm going somewhere today, but I should be back by this afternoon," Pitch said, "Do you think you can stay out of trouble for that long?"
"If Megan does not cause trouble than I should be all right," Grace answered.
Pitch left the house and met up with Erebos. "Can you take me to the North Pole?" the Shadow Man asked and the Pegasus nodded.
Pitch got up on Erebos' back and he went into a gallop and flew up into the sky. The black Pegasus flew over the countryside and then entered Scotland. They found themselves in the middle of the sea, but Erebos kept going.
The air began to grow cold and Pitch saw a vast field of ice up ahead. The Northern Lights were playing in the sky and the nightmare king knew that they were getting close to North's home.
Finally, they found North's workshop and Erebos flew downward. The Pegasus found an opening that led inside and they went in. Erebos flew around North's globe and his neighs caught the attention of the toy-making yetis and the elves.
Erebos landed on the balcony, where North was waiting, and he did not look pleased.
"Pitch Black, you better explain why you are here?" he asked in his Russian accent.
"I'm not here to cause trouble," Pitch said, "I came to ask you something."
"Whatever it is, I will not do it," North replied and turned away.
Pitch began to think, he didn't want to tell Grace that her loving idol rejected to meet her.
"Oh, then I suppose I'll go and tell Grace that you don't want to meet her," Pitch said. North heard this and stopped in his tracks and looked at the boogeyman.
"She would be very upset that the real Santa Clause refused to meet her," Pitch added, turning around, pretending to attend to Erebos, and formed a grin.
"Why didn't you say so? I would love to meet Grace! She's been a good girl so far this year!" North replied and took Pitch into his arms, giving him a chocking hug. Pitch was surprised, but he remained calm till he could not take it anymore.
"Alright, alright! Calm down!" the boogeyman commanded and North put him down.
"I think I know just the thing; a Christmas Eve party for all the Guardians to attend! And Grace will be our honored guest!" North exclaimed.
"You've read my mind," Pitch said, while stroking Erebos' neck.
"Oh, I can see it; you bringing Grace up here and everyone will be saying, "Oh, what a beautiful girl Pitch has!" Then, there—"
"Stop!" Pitch shouted and North went silent. "Sorry, but Grace is just a child that I am charged to watch over," the boogeyman said.
"Not from what I heard from Jack Frost," North replied. Pitch grew irritated because he knew Jack had told North and perhaps everyone else about what had happened the other day.
"I'll tell you what, I'll take care of the party, while you take care of Grace. I'm sure no one will turn down the invitation," North said.
"You would do that? Thank you, you and the others will not regret this," Pitch replied and got on Erebos.
"One more thing," North said and Pitch looks at him, "I hear that the others have not forgiven you for the deeds you have done. If you keep your end of the bargain, I'll be the first to forgive you."
"I swear, I will bring Grace here for the celebration," the Shadow Man replied. He gave a little kick to Erebos' side and the Pegasus flew off and they headed back to Blackpool.