———  0007.  d e c e m b e r 07.

piece of you

Life in the mortal realm was getting to grow on me. Drinking hot cocoa in the morning – and most afternoons… and lunchtime too –, having waffles for breakfast from the place just below Bryn's apartment. 

We researched and read all the information we could find on Gryla and her whereabouts on the Internet. We got invested. And I realized I like to read study papers far more than I would have ever thought. 

"Fork me! Forking fork!" I grunted violently at Bryn's older computer. 

"What? What was that?" Brynhildr looked up shocked when she heard my groan. "Why don’t you just say fuck like a normal person?"

"I can’t swear!" I shooked my head matter of fact-ly. 

"What? Why?" Bryn frowned at me.

"I work with children! It’s kind of like company policy!" 

"Okay then… What's with the groan? What did you find?" she leaned closer to see my screen a little better.

"Not much. Only what the… Mythologies say where Gryla's… Lurking place is."

"You think they are legit info?" I couldn't understand half her sentence but I tried to conclude. 

"Seems like it's true." I nodded. "Way up north in Mývatn at Dimmuborgir - Dark Fortress or Dark Cities, and there you can find their cave hidden away - and you might even stumble upon it during your visit to Dimmuborgir."

I quoted the site as correctly as I could. 

"It makes sense. Dimmuborgir is quite close to the Toy Shop." I began thinking. 

"Wait! Dimmuborgir? Isn't that area full of… Lava fields?" 

"Yeah." When I was younger, we had much more free time. So much that we could take tours outside Santa's Village. But they always told us to stay away from Dimmuborgir. Because it's dangerous. 

"We should go then! Now!" she already stood up by the end of her sentence. I caught her hand fast, clinging to her. 

"No!" I shook my head.

"Why? We could rent a car and we could be there in… Five hours!" her eyes widened shocked. 

"Because it's dangerous! It's dangerous territory! We don't know that place! There could be… Traps or… Guarding charms! I don't know! It's just… Forking dangerous!"

"Okay and… What do you suggest? It's your mission.” Bryn admitted. 

“I think we should… call in some help.”

“So, you think your friends would be able to leave the Headquarters?” Bryn frowned her eyebrows curiously and little excited too that she can finally meet with my friends in real life.

“Actually… I think we can find someone who can help us in this world!” I smiled a little too excited when I got an idea. A fantastic idea. “What do you know about tomtens?”

“Another child story, Ash, seriously?” Bryn was tired of magical creatures and mythical truths. She had two days to even accept the fact that Santa Claus and his elves are real. And now… Tomtens too. I couldn't blame her, the whole is too much for a mortal. 

According to tradition, the nisse with a norwegian word and tomte with a swedish word,  lives in the houses and barns of the farmstead, and secretly acts as their guardian. And this is why Tomten was so important for us that time. 

If treated well, they protect the family and animals from evil and misfortune, and may also aid the chores and farm work. 

However… And here came a flaw in my idea…  they are known to be short tempered, especially when offended. Once insulted, they will usually play tricks, steal items and even maim or kill livestock.

"My parents doesn't even have a barn!" she rolled her eyes as she thought over the old child story about the gnome-like creature. 

"Maybe he doesn't live at your parents' place!" I concluded as I reached for my phone to call me friends. 

Fortunately, they answered and Lenna appeared on the screen. 

"Hey! Where is Gaylia?" Gaylia was the one who usually answered my video call and helped. 

"She was sent to the dungeons to work, so I promised her I keep the phone to myself!" Lenna lowered her voice as she adjusted her hat on her head. 

"Can you… Help us a little? We need informations about the Sigurdbjörnson family's Tomten." I gabbled. 

"Is that Rudolph?" Bryn asked sarcastically as she glanced at the background of Lenna. The elf was working at the stables, in the background, the reindeers and their sleigh was very much visible. 

"Of course not!" Lenne snorted as she walked further from the animals. "That was Blitzen! Don't be disrespectful!" 

Bryn held back a laughter and she grasped on my head. 

"So… Sigurdbjörnson family, Tomten!" Lenna got to the room where we kept all of the ancient information about the customary laws of Christmas creatures. "Yeah, here it is! It says that… The Tomten is at… the estate in… Somewhere called… Seyðisfjörður?"

"That's my grandparents' estate! They still live there." Bryn explained. 

"How far is it?" I asked, a little scared. Iceland does not have a public railway system nor an inner-country plane. Iceland wasn't a big country. But the roads… Were not upgraded since… I was born. 

"It's in the other side of country. At least eight hours by car. We can get there by tomorrow, though."

"Then… We better get going!"

a/n: hey hey all of you!!!

this was a little filler chapter because i didnt have any plans for them, BUT next chapter we will meet the nisse/tomte of the Sigurdbjörnson family, who – as you can check at the introduction part – is not exactly a... ugly, small little creature.

but, you will see later ❤❤❤❤