Santa Daddy, I’m Not the One

9

NILS

T he chilly morning air bit into my cheeks as I urged the reindeer higher and swept my gaze over the vast, snow-covered expanse below. The blizzard had calmed, but the once pristine snow was now marred with the chaos of last night’s events, yet it offered no trace of Landon. Desperation clawed at my chest, each passing second stretching into an eternity of worry. How had things spiraled so out of control? By the time I’d calmed the town and procured a new sleigh, he’d had a good start on me. Throughout the night, we’d been searching in the air and on the ground.

An hour ago, we’d discovered the remnants of the sleigh he’d taken. The reindeer had been fine, although one had sustained a minor injury. From the frost I found on the sleigh, he must’ve been struck down by Frostheart.

If Frostheart hurt Landon…

I clicked my tongue, spurring the reindeer on. They pushed forward through the biting cold, their breaths small white puffs in the crisp air, their sides heaving with exertion. We’d been searching for hours, calling Landon’s name, hoping against hope for a response, a sign, anything. But the wilderness offered no answers, just the haunting echo of our calls.

I glanced at Eirik beside me, his face pinched with concern. “We can’t stop now,” I insisted, my voice hoarse from shouting. “He’s out there, alone and scared. We need to find him.”

Eirik placed a gentle hand on my arm. “Santa, the reindeer are tired. They’ve been running all night. We need to let them rest, regroup at the workshop, and come up with a better plan. We won’t help Landon by driving ourselves to exhaustion.”

He was right, but the thought of leaving Landon out there, possibly hurt or worse, filled me with an unbearable sense of dread. The light of dawn did little to warm the chill that had settled deep in my bones, a chill that had nothing to do with the weather.

With a heavy heart, I nodded, signaling the reindeer to return to the workshop. The journey back was silent, each of us lost in our thoughts, the weight of the situation like a heavy cloak around our shoulders. The workshop, usually a place of laughter, was now dark and quiet, like a somber reminder of the joy that had been snatched away so cruelly.

As we landed, the other elves rushed to meet us, their faces etched with worry. Eirik and I debriefed the search team. The words were mechanical, my mind elsewhere, replaying the last moments I’d seen Landon, the look of betrayal and hurt in his eyes as he fled into the night.

“Santa, the townspeople sent the elders,” an elf said. “They’re waiting to talk to you in the workshop.”

“Tell them I’ll be there as soon as I can.” The town wasn’t in imminent danger. Landon was. My focus had to be on him. “Finding Landon is more urgent.”

“But, Santa—”

“Go, Dolbie.”

“Yes, sir.”

When the elf left, I led the reindeer into the stable. The dimly lit interior was strewn with straw, the familiar warmth a contrast to the piercing chill outside. I moved farther in, the soft murmurings of the reindeer and the gentle rustle of hay underfoot grounding me.

What was that? A prone figure was stretched out on a dark cloth. Heart in my throat, I slowly approached.

Landon. It was Landon.

I dropped to my knees, closing my eyes and breathing deeply as gratitude washed over me. He was alive.

“Landon?” Gently I shook his shoulders, whispering to him and urging him back to consciousness. His eyelids fluttered open, revealing a glimpse of confusion and fatigue. “Nils?” he murmured, his voice weak and laden with disorientation.

“Yes, it’s me, baby. How did you get here? I’ve been searching for you all night. Can you remember anything?” I asked. How can he be here?

He tried to sit up, wincing slightly. “I don’t know. I was running, and then… everything went blank. I was so cold, and then I woke up here.”

He dropped his gaze to the cloak he was lying on. A shiver ran down my spine. I recognized the deep, inky black fabric that seemed to swallow the light around it. Frostheart. He was lying on Frostheart’s cloak. That realisation brought a torrent of questions and a deep sense of alarm.

“This cloak, Landon. How did you come by it?” My voice was strained, the words heavy with implication.

He shook his head, a look of confusion and then dawning fear crossing his face. “I don’t know. Should I?” His innocence seemed genuine, but the cloak was an undeniable fact I couldn’t ignore.

“We’ll talk about it later.” I watched his reaction closely, but his features remained puzzled. “Let’s get you inside and warmed up. How does a bath sound?”

“Good.”

I lifted Landon in my arms, and he wrapped his arms around my neck, his hold on me weak. Had Frostheart done something to him? He felt so cold. Did he always feel like that?

My instincts told me he was telling the truth, that he was as much a victim in this as anyone. But doubts gnawed at the edges of my mind, fueled by the cloak’s sinister presence. What was Frostheart up to, and did Landon’s appearance have anything to do with him?

I carried Landon through a side entrance where we wouldn’t be seen by the elves in the workshop and brought him to my rooms.

“Let’s get you out of your clothes.”

I set him on his feet, but Landon and took a step back. “What are you going to do to me?” he asked. “I told you I didn’t want to touch the tree, and you made me.”

He was right. I should have listened, but I never expected the tree to react so strongly to him. I sighed, a heavy weight settling in my chest. The fear in his eyes was heartbreaking.

“Landon, you don’t have to be afraid. No one’s going to hurt you. I’m glad you’re okay. I’ve searched for you all night.”

He said nothing, just looked at me with those big, hurt eyes.

“I’m really sorry. I was the one who put you in that position, but I swear I’ll fix it. I’ll find out what’s happening.”

The silence between us stretched, filled only by the soft crackling of the fire and the distant hum of activity from the workshop.

Finally, Landon gave a small nod. “Okay,” he whispered. “But I don’t want to go to the town anymore.”

“That’s okay. There’s still lots to do around here until the Crossing opens, and then…” He would be gone out of my life. Was it too soon to weep? He’d just entered my life. How could he leave so soon? But after everything he’d been through, how could I ask him to stay?

A knock sounded on the bedroom door. “Who is it?”

“It’s Dolbie, sir. The elders are getting restless. They want to search the workshop for the human boy.”

Landon stepped back, glancing around the room, and I knew he was thinking of running away again. I could tell he’d done this all his life with no one to protect him. Not anymore. As long as he had me, I would protect him.

“I’ll be right there,” I said. “Do not let any of them leave the workshop.”

“Okay, sir.”

“You’re going to hand me over to them, aren’t you?” Landon asked.

“Of course not. I’ll never hand you over.”

“Even if it means choosing between me and them?”

“Landon.” I cupped his face in my hand. “I’m never going to abandon you. Don’t worry. Go to the bathroom and get into the bath. I’ll send everyone on their way and then be right back.”

He licked his bottom lip and swallowed. The worry in his eyes made me scared he would run again as soon as my back was turned, but I didn’t want him to feel like he was in a prison either.

“Landon, I’m going to need you to trust me. Please. Can you do that for me, baby boy?”

“And you won’t hand me over to them?”

“Never.”

I took his face in my hands and kissed him hard. “No one will ever take you away from me.”

Leaving Landon alone made me anxious. I was tempted to send an elf to guard the door, but we had to establish trust between us, so I left him alone in good faith while I went to join the elders and listen to what they had to say.

When I entered the room, the loud chatter died. The town had sent four elves—the most senior members of their community.

“Elders.” I nodded respectfully at each of them. “I understand you have some concerns. Please go ahead.”

Elder Baelis stepped forward. His beard was a snowy white, and his eyes held a shimmering wisdom.

“Nils, what will you do about the tree?” he asked. “The people in town are panicking. Against our better judgment, we allowed you to bring the human boy among us, and now our whole town might be ruined.”

“You are right to blame me,” I said. “It is true that the boy who is with us is unique in temperament.”

“Do you mean he’s a nonbeliever?”

“Yes. But through no fault of his he ended up here. My elves made the mistake, and so I’ll bear the consequences.”

“And how will you do that? If that tree dies, you will be no more, and where will that leave us? Terrorized by Frostheart.”

“I haven’t figured it out yet, but I will.”

“That is not good enough.”

“Then what do you want me to do, Elder Baelis?”

“There’s an ancient—”

“No!” I barked before he could even finish. “We don’t follow those rules anymore.”

The old rules would have the person who offended the tree shed their blood to make amends, but no way would I allow them to hurt Landon. We had outlawed the practice for centuries for a reason.

“If you don’t come up with a solution, you’ll have no choice but to comply.”

The elders took their leave, their ominous words lingering. Swearing under my breath, I hurried back to my room, relieved to find Landon’s clothes on the floor. I entered the bathroom. Steam rose gently from the large, clawfoot tub, filling the room with a comforting warmth. The tub was carved from a single block of ice, its surface smooth and inviting and enchanted to never melt. Ornate tiles of blue and white, depicting scenes of winter wonderlands and magical creatures, covered the floor, while plush, snowy towels were neatly stacked on a shelf nearby.

Landon lay submerged in the water, only his head peeking out, his eyes closed as if trying to shut away the world, his shoulders relaxed, a slight flush on his cheeks. The water, infused with fragrant oils, shimmered with a soft golden light, casting a peaceful aura around him. He seemed so much more at ease here, away from the accusing eyes and whispers of the town.

“Landon?” I called softly, not wanting to startle him. His eyes fluttered open, meeting mine with a mix of relief and residual fear. “How are you feeling?”

“Better,” he said, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “The warmth helps.”

I smiled back, relief flooding me. “I’m glad to hear that. I spoke to the elders. They’re worried, but I’ve assured them we will find a solution.”

Landon’s expression turned serious. “What kind of solution?”

“I don’t know yet, but I promise, whatever it is, it won’t involve harming you. We’ll figure this out together.”

He nodded, a silent understanding passing between us. I stood, my hand lingering for a moment longer. “I’ll leave you to enjoy your bath. If you need anything, just call for me.”

As I turned, Landon’s voice stopped me. “Nils?”

“Yes?”

“Will you join me?”

“In the tub.”

“Yes, silly.”

“Are you sure?”

He nodded. “I love it when you hold me.”

No other words were necessary. I stripped out of my clothes and stepped into the warm water. The spellbound heat encased me, melting away the last vestiges of my tension as I settled down behind Landon and drew him into the cradle of my arms. His body relaxed against mine. The fragrant steam rose around us, subtle notes of lavender and mint swirling.

“Can I call you Daddy?” he asked.

“Yes. You never have to ask permission for that.”

He sighed. “I wish I had a Daddy like you back home waiting for me when I leave.”

My throat constricted as a bittersweet feeling welled up within me. I wanted to ask him to stay, but this was the worst possible time, so I said nothing while hoping that he wasn’t working with Frostheart.

Was I being too hopeful?