Six days before Christmas
Waking Zafeer felt much more human as he rolled over to stare into round yellow cat's eyes surrounded by a streaky grey ball of fur, wearing a Santa hat. He sat up and gathered the kitten, stroking and held against his bare chest. "She's got to you also," he whispered removing the cap to be hissed at. He replaced the cap to get a purr. What? He had stepped into Santa's hideaway or something. He placed down the kitten, which jumped down, hat tingling. He hadn't seen the bell. Probably hidden in the pompom on the end of the cap. Flopping back onto the pillow, he placed an arm across his eyes, the bedding barely covering his naked form. The fire burning downstairs, took the cold edge out of the air.
"Sorry I hope Sparky didn't disturb you."
He dropped his arm, finding her dressed in a long sleeved green velvet dress with white lace edging around the sleeves and hemline, carrying a tray. Reddish hair surrounded her angelic features and large yellow-green eyes that spilled from under the Santa hat. She hovered near the door. "I hope you were comfortable enough." Her eyes she kept down, not looking at him directly.
"Fine, thank you," he said to move, pulling the bedding around him. "Is it still snowing?" It was hard to tell with the heavy iced covered windows.
"Sorry, yes, even if not, the nearest town is too far to walk."
"You'd be surprised how far I can walk," he noted, even in a hostile desert. Still, she hovered near the door, not entering. "Just place it on the chair," he pointed towards the chair, near the door. She nodded, placing on the chair, scooped up her kitten and departed.
Shifting, he swung his legs around and over the bed, letting the bedding fall away, stood and went towards his bag, removing new underwear, pulled them on, then grabbed the sweatpants, she had given him yesterday that he pulled on though left the jumper off. He replaced it with a black top that pulled tight against his chest and bulging biceps, tugged down over his taut waistline.
He crossed over towards the tray, looking down at the plate of Christmas trees, snowmen, elves of pikelets, he guessed, removing the bite sizes shaped food and down in one go. Pikelets with drops of jam. He reached for his Santa's mug to sip from. Hell, he'd be lucky to make Christmas at this rate. He would be Christmas' out.
Although, he did enjoy the shaped pikelets, they barely touched the side, heading downstairs with the empty plate and tray tucked under his arm, stopping dead as the once sparely covered walls to be an overkill with decorations. Something didn't settle well on him. Something wasn't quite right, but couldn't put his finger on it. The walls now covered inch by inch of thick looped garlands with big bows in red, green and white at the top of each loop.
The six foot thick green Christmas tree was decorated from bottom to top with a glistering star on top. She had added more after he had gone to bed. More garlands were hung above the fireplace, stockings hung from the mantelpiece. Angels and candlesticks sat on top of the mantelpiece. He had entered a Christmas wonderland. Even the sofa had been redressed in bright patterned material and matching cushions. The fire crackling in the fireplace, the room warm, yet he shuddered.
There was defiantly something not right here, but still couldn't put his finger on it. "What, you were up all night?" He gasped as she entered the room, coming from the kitchen now wearing a bright coloured Poinsettia red, green with gold accents, red chiffon ruffle apron over her velvet dress. A tingling drew his eye towards the kitten climbing the tree, disappearing in and out. Soft music piped through the room of modern Christmas songs.
"No, of course not," she smiled. "If you want some more there is plenty in the kitchen."
"Actually to be honest, I was looking for something more substantial."
"Of course, sorry," her pretty face scrunched up in she thought, heading towards the adjoining kitchen. He followed, wishing now he hadn't said anything, yet his stomach said otherwise. "How about scrambled eggs or an omelette?"
"Omelette sounds very nice, thank you." She looked back over her shoulder, smiling again, making him feel better. She had the most enchanting smile that invoked warmth through one, sending the coldness away. She was the sunshine in a cold wintry, summer day. He would like to see her without the Christmas trimmings of her attire, unless she dressed like this all the time.
Like a blinging, burning star, yet there was sadness behind her eyes and she kept a distance. She went about her business decorating, seeing to his needs, however, also aloof. Not one curious peak out of her about him. As if she didn't want to connect. It was like she was on a mission and a stranger on the doorstep wasn't going to stop what she had to do. Perhaps she was getting this all ready for her family.
He shook his head, not so sure, while she saw to his omelette, opening a large box off to the side and grabbed what she wanted and saw to whisking eggs, adding cheese and mushrooms, pouring into a hot pan on the hotplate. Flipped over to finish it off, then slipped onto a plate, removed a fork and handed over to him. Then she began pulling out ingredients and placed on the large kitchen table to be soon covered in a large range of ingredients. "So what is next?" He asked, forking the omelette that melted in his mouth, and then waved the fork at the table as she glanced across. She removed a list from her apron pocket.
"Mince fruit pies, rum and apricot balls and shortbreads, followed by white Christmas and if I have time coconut slice."
His eyes widened. "You're not planning to do it all today?"
"No, this is a two day job, then I make the biscuits," she grinned at him. Suddenly different music piped through the cabin, still on the same theme. What she had it set on a timer?"
"Do you think you can tone it down a bit? Not off just down," he rushed in, not wanting to offend the one who had taken him in, even if in a Christmas overload. All the glitter, sparkle and tinsel, weren't so loud or in one's face anymore. It grew on one. The main room was warm and inviting rich in reds and greens with natural brown of the cabin itself. The tinkling of a bell announced the arrival of Sparky the kitten skidding across the lino floor, meowing. The hat firmly in place. "How did you get the hat on the cat?"
Mary removed a small remote from another pocket and turned down the music and replaced. "Easily, he took to it instantly. Don't try to take it off; he gets rather hissy over it."
"Yes, I know," he crossed over to the sink and rinsed off the plate. "Thank you, that was delicious."
"I get caught up with the Christmas cooking. I forget I had normal food." She pointed at the box off the side of the fridge. "If you fancy anything, just help yourself." He rubbed the back of his neck, looking doubtful. "Don't tell me you don't know how to cook?" Zafeer shrugged. He had no need to. Then again he really didn't want her to know who he really was. It wasn't important. She had no real meaning in his life. Just a passing moment in time. Yet, as he glanced at her, she felt a part of his life already in what, one day. Maybe she was rubbing off on him. He needed to explain. "I eat out a lot."
"Even breakfast," she asked amazed.
"Usually on the way to work," he declared, which was true, as he saw to his duties of the palace. All his meals prepared, whatever he wanted or desired was provided. He had no need to cook and it was never expected of him to do so. He had more important matters to deal with. Frowning, he pondered. What if he needed to for survive? He couldn't always rely on other people to see to his needs. "Perhaps you can show me," he suggested, "when you are not cooking your Christmas treats."
"Okay, we can cook together." There was joy in her voice. No matter how disastrous this turns out, he was going to do this as long as he didn't poison her. Everyday living.
Pouring out another cup of coffee, he departed the kitchen and letting her do her thing. He headed back to his bedroom and searched out his phone, hoping to find a signal with no luck at all. Thoughtfully he sank down on the bed, sipping from his Santa cup, soft themed music drifted up, looking around the room. He stood and stared at the bed. It had been on the rather small size.
Crossing over he opened wardrobes and found no clothes, yet there was a football, and skateboard leaning against the inner wall. He closed the door looking around the room. There were no decorations in here. He reached up and ran a finger along the top and came back clean. There no cobwebs or dust, looking like it had just been cleaned.
It wasn't like this would be a full time home, if her family was joining her. So she came up here by herself, spring clean and decorate and cook. Perhaps she liked being by herself, losing herself in all this Christmas cheer. Her time was certainly taken up, and surely all those treats weren't just for the family, unless it was a very large family.
Curiosity piqued, he checked out the other rooms on the floor. There was a shower downstairs. Upstairs was a bathroom consisting of a bath, no shower. Maybe the shower had been added later. There were only two more bedrooms, one with a double bed and the third with two single beds, yet softer. A girls' room.
He opened the wardrobe to find no clothes, but on the bottom was a shoe box that he removed and opened finding snap shots of a family. Her parents and two siblings, if he wasn't mistaken. There she was in all her Christmas gear, not so her family. Maybe she had been shipped up here so they could live in peace. He ran a finger over it. It wasn't a new photo, a few years had passed going by a younger looking Mary. However, still had the same, enchanting smile.
Placing the lid back on the box, he shoved it back onto the bottom of the wardrobe. He was about to close the door, when he realised there were no clothes. Why not, if this was her room that she shared it with her sister. Where were her clothes? Unless she used her parents' room when alone, because it was bigger and there was so much more room.
Going back to his room, he rubbed at the window to see if there was any snow falling. It didn't seem to be, and he needed to get some fresh air into his lungs. He was used to wide open spaces. Leaving his room with phone in hand, he headed downstairs and towards the front door, just as Mary entered, wiping her hands on the apron. "You look like a man on a mission."
"I am, outside."
"Then I better come with you," she suggested, rushing off before he could argue, while he pulled on a heavy coat that had been hanging on a coat rack, mobile phone in his hand and began heading for the door. Only to stop, noticing his most unsuitable shoes. Spotting a door near the front door, he opened to find what he wanted. Wellingtons. He dived in removing the biggest pair, probably her father's to kick off his other shoes and pulled on the super large sized boots feeling like a clumsy clown to remove and tired the next one down of white snow flakes covered red ones to pull on. He had no choice. A bit tight though better.
Hearing a patter of feet, he turned, closing the door to wait for a comment. Only to have her stop dead. "Oh," formed on her lips, having a faraway look that was instantly gone, tugging up the hood of her coat with fur trimmed edging all in red that went nicely with her velvet green dress. Far too short, noticing the reindeer leggings back on. On anyone else it would look ridiculous, but on Mary it was endearing and suited her, with soft gentle waves of red cascading hair down the front that escaped her hooded jacket. "Let's get this on the road. Pies are-a-cooling," she cooed in a sing-a-long voice.
Shaking his head, he opened the front door to get a blast of icy cold air mixed with a flurry of flakes. He had hoped, heart sinking. There was no way he was getting out of here unless flown out. He needed transport and fast. Turning on his phone, he had been charging all night, he tried to pick up a signal and got nothing, not even a beep or a single bar. No wonder, surrounded by the thick forest of trees all white with snow.
Frustrated, he rubbed the back of his neck. He couldn't afford to be off the grid. Perhaps if he just left the panic button on it would get through eventually. They only needed to see it once to know he was in trouble and come searching for him, putting everything on hold, realising what was really important to him. Lost out here, in the wildness, surrounded by Miss Christmas herself. He glanced across at her silence, not even a hum, eyes downcast as she hugged her arms.
"So it's only all happiness and cheer in the cabin?" He asked, noticing the beauty of the place and the silence. Everything was crisp and clean. The low clouds lowering around them, surrounding them like an eerie mist. He could see how easily one could get lost. He touched her arm to have her jump, startled, so far away again. Once more he got the feeling something wasn't right.
She gave a little laugh, a sweet one, not false just startled. "Off with the fairies again as my mum would say." A sweep of sadness across her eyes, then gone, just like that.
"We might as we get out of here," he suggested softly to be frowned at. He waved the phone at her. They would send out a search party, no matter what, after not hearing from him for twenty-four hours. Within five kilometres they would pick up the silent beep. Within two days he would be gone and take his rightful place as ruler. It was where he belonged. Not here lost in the snow so far away from home.
She touched his jacket sleeve. "Why don't we go to the end of the driveway," she suggested. Nodding, they headed down enjoying the fresh air that was brisk and embracing.
"You're not going to burn anything while we are away?"
She hugged her arms to keep herself warm. "No, still waiting to go in the oven, the others need to go in the fridge and be kept cold until they are packed away."
He shot her a look. "Packed away? They aren't for your family?"
"Of course, I mean in containers."
"And you all big eaters of such things. It looks like you are feeding an army, not a family."
"I do gift packs for friends as well," she noted. They come to the end of the driveway where he tried his phone again with no reception. He looked up and down the white covered roads with very little show of traffic. The branches of the trees were heavy laden with snow that had fallen.
He tried again and still no signal, shaking his head. "We might as well go back inside." She nodded in agreement, rubbing her arms, as they turned and headed back towards the cabin in the hills. At any other time he would have enjoyed the views, the tranquillity of the place. Not today, not now.
Once back inside, after stamping the snow off their wellingtons, packed away, coats hung beside the door, Mary headed back into the kitchen. The table was covered in cooling racks of mince pies, shortbread rolled in baking paper resting before she cooks, taking them out placing onto a cutting board. Cutting them into 1/4 inch circles that she placed them onto waiting trays, and then pressed down with a fork, leaving an impression.
"Can I help?"
"See those little bowls," she pointed off to the other bench. "Can you grab them? Just put them on the shortbreads. Alternating, even missing one." He retrieved the small wooden bowls with chocolate buds, glazed cherries already cut in half, and walnuts. She cut, filled up trays, fork pressed as he added the decorative pieces, then placed in the preheated oven.
Twenty minutes later first batch cooked and another lot went in. Once cooled down, they were packed away in containers, separated by their toppings, after a dusting of icing sugar. Zareef personally tested each one, licking his fingers. "How about I hire you for my personal cook?" He asked. "I could get used to this."
"And you get pudgy and we don't want that, do we?" She placed the last container in the cupboards that were filling up. "I don't cook like this all year around."
"Good thing for me," he patted his stomach. "And my teeth."
Calling it for the day, after cleaning up the mess, Mary went about preparing a meal for them to eat in the main living room, Sparky followed Zareef out, used to him and scooped up the cat to hold in his hand. "So what do you think about all of this?" He asked to be purred at. "I can take you with me if you need rescuing?"
"Rescuing? From what? Me?"
Startled, he swung around, moaning inward. "Of course not."
She gave him a sceptical look. "Trust me Zareef, by the time I am finished, you will love this as much as I do," she spun on her heels, music up and walked out singing, Rudolf the red nose reindeer.
"That is yet to be seen," he mumbled, yet he could see himself falling for such adorable cheery Christmas angel.