As I walked alongside Viktoria, I looked down towards the talisman that sat in my hand, the long cord tossed around my neck as I looked at the large charm, it looked almost like it was carved from a large chunk of ice or something, but it wasn’t cold to the touch, the magic symbols on it softly glowing an orangey tone.

“And over here is the workshop” she said, pushing a huge double door set open, the doors opened smoothly and sounded heavy as the thick, dark wood creaked, she walked out onto the outlook balcony just past the doors looking out into this…arena of a room: there were conveyor belts covered in plushies and toys, a large press that had chains  moving through it with candy canes threaded onto the links as they flew off across the large room, there were…hundreds of Christmas elves milling about making toys, candy and everything else Christmas. The air was warm and comfortable in that way that makes you feet comfortable and tired, the scent of sawdust, paint and other scents that went with the workshop mixed with the scent of mint, of spices and of soft, delicate pine.

Some people believe that Christmas elves came to be by a wood elf who fell in love with either a dwarf or goblin, one of the various magical beings whom are known for their very short stature, other people think that Christmas elves came to be without any possible kind of actually Elvin blood and that they’re an off-shot of goblins, gremlins or dwarves among the various other short statured beings, nobody really knows for sure.

“There is still one thing that nobody can ever make as well as you guys” I said making her laugh a little.

“Gingerbread” she said with that laugh as she walked down the curved staircase that coiled down to the ground floor. Various elves walked past me as I followed behind her, through a wide archway between the curved staircases lead into a massive room, the left and right wall were just…massive ovens, the large bronze/brass doors slowly opening as people wheeled out racks of ten plus foot long trays of gingerbread or full gingerbread houses among other Christmas baked goods like fig pudding, roasted chestnuts among other treats. There were various elves standing at conveys with magic wands topped with ornaments as magic swirled around the treats and as they floated out of cotton candy colored magic they were covered in frosting and candy, fully decorated to an extreme detail. There was one section of wall that was covered in this…mess of bronze/brass piping, hammered copper tanks with taps near the bottom at mixed elf height and various other heights ranging from human height to the much taller height of yeti, ent or various other beings: hot cocoa, hot cider, mulled wine or other drinks fully on bottomless tap across the tanks.

“If I could get the smell of here as a candle, I would buy ten thousand” I said making her laugh a little.

“Do you want anything?” she asked as an elf walked over towards her, standing to about her knee as they lifted a tray of fresh gingerbread men and a large copper stein of steaming cocoa.

 “…so…you’re basically Christmas special forces?” I asked, the two of us just talking in one of the parlors’ of the giant factory/palace, the roaring fireplace taller than myself and extremely wide filled with crackling fire that smelt heavily of cinnamon, clove and various other spices, pine and cedar.

“Basically” she said with a shrug, “Dad is not going to retire anytime soon, plus the fact he’s immortal and all and my brother is a fuckin’ hermit. Klaus is also probably going to get the title too, it’s never been a title that favored daughters.”

“How is Klaus?” I asked

“The usual way teenage boys are” she said with a shrug, “But he wants nothing to do with the title and all, I don’t mind though, to be honest…I wouldn’t even want the title, you know me…I can’t stand kids and they can’t stand me”

I laughed at that as I nodded softly.

“So, you’re fine being basically Christmas S.W.A.T?”

“We’re called the White Stalkers” she corrected with a laugh, “But I’m also part of the Winter Wraiths, which is a highly elite elf militant force to ensure the safety of Everwinter, the workshop and keeping Darkfrost at bay.”

“You’re the reason why people can’t accidently wander into here?”

“Basically”

“Impressive”

“I do what I need to do” she added with a shrug, “Not all of us can just sit around having fun in our parents cities”

“I don’t just do nothing and have fun”

“I wasn’t implying you did” she said making me flinch at realizing I just outed myself to not really having a form of a day-job like her. “I know that you don’t have a job like myself, but I also know that there are some various magical functions you are in charge of for your mother’s city.”

“I am in charge of the lantern production.”

“Like Dedra said, your mom is all about Dia de los Muertos, you’re Halloween.” She said before saying just a quip in Spanish, though that’s how I hear everything due to my All-Speak.

“You speak Spanish?”

“I’m Santa’s kid, what good could I do if I didn’t have All-Speak.” She offered as a retort.