Weihnachten 4.: Snowed In pt3

“After dinner.” Aspen said nervously enough she accidently spoke with a mouthful.

Parvil laugh and nearly choked on the bite he’d taken when Aspen freaked out. “Hey, don’t freak out. I’m just giving you your Weihnachten gift a day early.” he said.

“You don’t have to give it to me early.” Aspen said.

Parvil shrugged, and went to shake some malt vinegar on his fish but didn’t cover the top with his thumb enough, letting too much out. “I want to, besides I’ll make up for suggesting going this far north for Weihnachten.” he told her.

Aspen frowned seeing him accidentally dump too much vinegar. “You didn’t ruin your meal did you?”

Parvil shrugged. “Potatoes are pretty absorbent, I’ll just have to deal with it.” he said.

The two ate, making small conversation, when they’d finished Aspen put the dishes in a small metal basin and with a flick of her wrist it filled about halfway with water. While she did the dishes Parvil leaned over and pulled the drawer open he’d told her to stay out of. Pushing aside socks, and a few old shirts. Pulling out a pouch only slightly bigger than the sheath for a dagger and about four inch cube. Parvil listened to her hum a song he only had a vague idea of how it actually went. He could hear the tune, and form the ups and downs of the cadence of the words to it but couldn’t for the life of him remember what they were.

Aspen sat back down when she was done, scooting to the center of the bed again with her legs crossed. Glancing outside again, to watch the wall of white. “I know its almost impossible but I hope the snow doesn’t get too deep that it touches the dome.” she mused, “I need solid ground to cast my spell to get us home.”

“If it snows eight feet overnight we have more things to worry about than getting home.” Parvil said, “So let’s say that won’t happen and not jinx us.” he said.

“You’re probably the only one who could walk in this.” she added.

“Couldn’t you just…move the snow?” Parvil asked.

“If it was a little bit and it was like powder maybe. That snow is too dense and too much of it to move without just burning through my magic reserves.” Aspen explained, leaning forward resting her elbows on her knees. “Next year. Somewhere warmer, yeah?”

“Yeah.” Parvil agreed. “I agree. A beach and some coconut rum would hit the spot right now…” he sighed.

Aspen mirrored the sigh. “With some pineapple. I wouldn’t even care about the sunburn I’d get right now. Just to be warm with the sun on my face.”

“Well…” Parvil said, “This isn’t a beach, but maybe it’ll make up for the cold dreary weather.” he said holding the stubby rectangular case out to Aspen.

“A pouch?” She asked.

“No. No. Well yes but not the pouch itself, what’s the pouch.” he said. “You can keep the pouch though.” Parvil added.

“Okay.” she said, drawing out the word, and raising an eyebrow. “Should I be worried?”

“No?” Parvil said not meaning for it to come out as a question.

Aspen shook her head and fiddled with the clasp keeping it shut. Flipping the top open it wasn’t quite big enough to reach, but she angled it to look inside. Seeing nothing but the black. “What is it?” she said. “It’s empty.” she went to turn it upside down to shake it but Parvil quickly stopped her.

“No! No.” he said, letting her hand go. “Reach in with your fingers and just think ‘gift’ and you’ll feel the first part of the gift.” he said, letting out a sigh of relief that he stopped her in time.

“Okay okay sorry.” she said, putting her pointer and thumb into the small leather case. Concentrating on the word ‘gift’, eventually her eyes lit up, and she clasped her fingers around the object and gave a small pull, and with it came a wine bottle. The bottle was a normal shape for a bottle of wine, all aside from the wax that sealed the cork on top, and the odd amberish color of the wine. It looked as if liquid silver had been poured over it and hardened in an instant. As Aspen’s eyes landed on the wax top her eyes grew wider. She finished pulling the bottle out and turned it over in her hands to see the label. In fine Elven script read. “Nodel uath / -fel iasa” (Moon Lake Wine).

“Parvil.” she said, still looking at the wine in disbelief. “Parvil, how did you get this?”

“Magic.” Parvil responded by twiddling his fingers.

“No, seriously.” she said looking up then back down. “How on Aeran did you get this? And don’t say you made a deal with a devil, you know I don’t find that funny.”

“Truth is, I traded in a LOT of favors, and traded those things acquired through favor for other favors and so on and so on. Lost track and one point. And eventually managed to get the wine. I’ll tell you the whole story one day when it won’t ruin the magic.” he said. “But check the pouch again.” he said, “Same as before.” he told her.

Aspen did, she fingers eventually finding something that felt wooden. She looked at Parvil confused before pulling it out. To start with she thought it must be a gag gift of some kind since it only looked like a tree branch but when the last part came out of the pouch she saw the crystal globe sitting in what looked like a tree root claw. “That’s weird staff you found.” she said. “You got it fixed?”

“I fixed it. Well I had help but I did the word.” he said.

Aspen’s face looked a bit worried. “Help?” she asked, tapping her chest in the same place his necklace hung.

Parvil had a moment of confusion before getting it. “Oh. Gods no. Gretchen gave me the stuff to fix it and a book on staff making.” he said, “No help from…” Parvil coughed pointing to the necklace.

“Oh okay good.” she said looking at it. “Pretty fine work. You know if I didn’t know you before, I’d never believe you weren’t a born mage.”

“I don’t know,” he said. “I guess I’m just trying to make up for time.” Parvil shrugged. “I’m more proud of the wine if I’m honest.” he shrugged again. “Anyone with the book, magic and stubbornness could rebuild a staff. Getting a wine that rare takes finesse.”

Aspen rested the staff across her legs, and picked the bottle back up. Looking at the labelling again. “Case Eight, Bottle 2 of 10.” Aspen read to herself.
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