December 1: The Snow Queen<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jade lifted her right hand, and a beautiful snowflake glimmered into existence. \u201cI have given out one of these every year at the Ball, to a person who I feel needs it. But the very first snowflake I created for a tree was not given to a person. It was given to a town\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Molly felt as if she were falling. The world swirled, and when it cleared, she looked around the town square as it must have been: a circle of snug houses, barely finished before the winter storms had tucked them into insulating blankets of snow. Beside her, the tree was straight and proud, barely five feet tall, the only tree left standing when the area was cleared. Instead of glowing LED bulbs, spheres that glowed with magical colors were nestled in the tree\u2019s branches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Next to the tree was the Snow Queen, and an older man who Molly recognized instantly from school. Captain James Carter looked out over the square, where the remnants of his colony were busy setting up tables and benches. While it was cold outside the square, Jade must have raised a clear bubble of magic that encased them in a warm atmosphere that left the snow unmelted. \u201cI can\u2019t believe we made it to Christmas,\u201d Captain Carter rumbled. \u201cI thought for certain that we\u2019d never last past the first snow.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou\u2019re far too pessimistic, Captain,\u201d Jade said. \u201cYour people believe in you, and you believe in them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBelief only gets you so far, though, Jade.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBut without it, you\u2019ll get nowhere,\u201d she replied. \u201cYou have good people here, James, and they\u2019ll follow you to the ends of the earth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnd beyond, if I let them.\u201d Captain Carter shook his head, unable to stop the smile from peeking through his grey-streaked beard. \u201cThank you again, Jade, for helping me protect them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt was my pleasure.\u201d Jade looked out over the small town again. \u201cNeighbors like you are hard to find. You were the first to ask if you could settle here, rather than just taking what you wanted. You protected those who were already here. You integrated, rather than taking over.\u201d She held out her hand, and he took it. \u201cI will be happy to help protect your town, as long as it remembers the truth of being good neighbors.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAs long as I am able to influence that, we will only be good neighbors.\u201d Captain Carter laid his own hand over their clasped hands. \u201cSit next to me?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOf course.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The food and drink were simple, but plentiful: roasted venison from the nearby woods, apples and squash and other vegetables that had been harvested during the waning golden days of fall, breads both sweet and savory. The ship\u2019s cook, who was now helping to run a small general store, had even made sweets from honey that melted on the tongue and brought her back to the early summer when the large ships had first entered the harbor. They washed down the food with apple cider and tea and wine that the dwarves from the nearby mine had brought as their contribution. Molly\u2019s mouth watered, and she wondered how many of the dishes she could recreate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the end, Jade reached out and placed a hand on Captain Carter\u2019s arm. \u201cI have a gift for you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnother one?\u201d He smiled at her. \u201cI thought this was enough.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis will only last until the end of the night,\u201d Jade said. \u201cThis gift, though, is one that will remain with you as long as the town stands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She held her right hand out in front of her, palm up. A slight breeze swirled around her, blowing piles of snowflakes into the air. As the cloud of snowflakes danced over her hand, one single snowflake dropped out of the crowd and remained. The entire village fell silent as the snowflake grew, looking more like a star by the time it settled into a gleaming silver. She sent it floating over to the tree with a flick of her wrist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As it landed on the top of the tree, white streams of snowflakes burst from it and wrapped the tree in garlands of snowflakes and ships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis is the symbol of our treaty,\u201d Jade said. \u201cAs long as we are in accord, there will be a snowflake to go on this tree every Christmas. This I swear.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
December 1: The Snow Queen Jade lifted her right hand, and a beautiful snowflake glimmered into existence. \u201cI have given out one of these every year at the Ball, to a person who I feel needs it. But the very first snowflake I created for a tree was not given to a person. It was …<\/p>\n