The banquet in honor of Santa and Mrs. Claus, as they were introduced, was held that Friday, and the Kringles were welcomed warmly and with awe. Gone were the debates, discussions and worries about tallfolk taking over the North Pole.
Word had spread about the kindness and big-hearted nature of their new residents, and how the Council had voted unanimously to accept the couple. Even old Crabby Carrow had given his whole-hearted approval.
Work already had begun on a new building that would also house a large workshop, as it was told that Santa liked to “tinker” with toys and build things as well. Also, they needed an area large enough for the elves to introduce the couple to all the innovations, discoveries and plans of things the village was working on, now and into the future.
Activity was also stepped up as the mission for Santa would soon begin bringing toys, food, clothing and all else for the children. Soon everything could be finalized and put into motion for the delivery. Shipments on large sleighs and vehicles were already being moved south to the coastal areas.
Santa was also busy at this time making plans with Carrow, Frederick, and other elves over how many toys and other things they thought they might need. Everything was pretty much a guess at this point as few accurate records concerning populations or the sizes of towns were kept. Plus Kris said he wanted to make sure he had enough to try and give something to the more rural farms and ranches along the roads he traveled.
Most of the discussion, however involved delivery and transportation. Kris said it would be unbelievably difficult (he wouldn’t say impossible anymore) to tend the needs of every Christian child on earth. Even then, he had made the elves agree that the children that believed in Christmas would be the only benefactors, unless the elves delivered to the other nations themselves.
Not because Kris loved those children any less, but it came down to a matter of effort and ability. Kris was concerned about how much time it might take to deliver all the gifts. He wanted to deliver them towards the end of the year when everyone would at least be mindful that the Christ child’s birth was coming. This was his ancestors plan and wish, and he wanted to try and fulfill his destiny to the same cause.
There were many discussions and some of them heated, about how he could limit his deliveries to around Christmas and still cover the globe as the elves had wanted. Many times Kris asked if he could use the vehicles, saying he would only travel at night and would keep them out of sight during the day.
The Council voted down his suggestions time and again saying the risk was too great, and that people were not yet ready to find faster ways to move their cannons and men at arms around the countryside. Kris was allowed to use, and would even be escorted, to areas of inhabitants with their machines, but once against the shores of other countries he had to use the modes of transportation that were available to the region.
He said it would take him months and possibly the entire year to accomplish what they wanted him to do. It was during one of these discussions between Kris and Frederick that finally a very young elf named Ariel suggested to Frederick that Santa talk with Aeon Millennium. Frederick slapped his head and yelled out, “Of course! I should have thought of that before! Thank you, Ariel!”
Frederick took Santa to an area that was deep in the elves forest. It was still amazing to Santa that the elves brought and raised so many trees of every variety, and created a horticultural forest under the dome. Here they continually harvested and replanted whatever type of wood they would need or want.
Just about the time Kris thought they had come to end of the forest, he saw a thatch roofed house. It was a good size with log siding around and it looked very old indeed. Frederick knocked on the door and was greeted by an elf who had a wild look to his eyes and crazy hair going every direction. His clothes were rumpled and he looked older than most, but not quite Carrow or Ulzana’s age.
“Frederick?” said the elf, “You need me again so soon?”
“Uh, Aeon, it has been 5 years,” said Frederick, “and yes, I need your help again.” He introduced Kris to the wild looking elf. Kris hesitantly offered his hand as if he thought Aeon might take a bite out of it.
“How do you do young man? If I am not mistaken you are a tallfolk, are you not?” asked Aeon.
“You are quite correct sir, I am,” Santa answered as pleasantly as he could.
“Surprising. Well do come in,” said Aeon. “We may get around to the reason for your visit faster if you do, heh, heh.”
As they walked into the house, Kris saw formulations written on every wall and piece of paper throughout the house. Everything was strewn around and the house was a shambles.
Frederick looked around and chuckled saying, “Yes, just as I left you last time.”
“Not at all!” snapped Aeon, “I have worked out many more ideas and formulations since you were last here. In fact I have gone back and forth so often you are lucky to catch me here at all. I was just gathering notes, as it is time for me to go before the Council again with more discoveries I brought back.”
“Really?” This caught the interest of Frederick as he looked at the old man, “Tell me!”
“Now you know I like to tell the whole Council at once. Saves me the trouble of explaining it multiple times,” said Aeon.
“Please Professor, just a couple hints?” Frederick egged him on.
“Now you know the rules, just as we have determined that tallfolk are not yet ready for many of our innovations and discoveries, so too, I am the only one sanctioned to give that information to our society when I deem it appropriate or necessary.”
Frederick looked deflated, “Not even one morsel?”
“Well…okay, you know I always had a soft spot for you Fred,” mused Aeon, “What if I was to tell you that many of the machines we now use are long obsolete into the future. So too is our information circuitry. In fact, implants will be installed in our minds that will access every known piece of information on the planet at the speed of thought. And this antiquated barter system using metals and paper will finally cease to exist, and everyone will be credited for their knowledge and usefulness to society.”
“When? When will this all take place?” an excited Frederick asked.
“I’m afraid not in our lifetime, Fred,” Aeon said dejected. “At least not as we know it. It is centuries off, and as with all other advancements will happen after many more violent episodes in history, or rather the future, well you know what I mean.”
“Excuse me sir,” said a confused Kris, “but I have no idea what you mean.”
“The professor here is a time traveler,” said Frederick, “He moves in and out of time as he wishes. Professor this is the one you told us about.”
“Of course, I should have recognized him immediately! Rosy cheeks, white beard and hair, not as fat as they often depict you, but it is you!” Aeon said excitedly.
“Again my apologies, sir, but I am…what?” asked Kris.
“You are Santa Claus! You bring joy and hope throughout the world!” exclaimed Aeon.
“You know this? I mean you have seen this?” Santa was getting excited now, “How do I accomplish this feat?”
“Well I can’t tell you that now, at least not everything, it would interrupt the continuum.” Aeon shook his head and then looked at Frederick. “So Fred, that’s why you are here. You want him to be able to use the continuum? I should have known.”
“He doesn’t need it all, he only needs to control and stop current events so he can do everything in a short period of time,” pleaded Frederick.
“Uh, I had heard something about controlling time, but I thought you were referring to the magnetic properties of the North Pole and not time itself!” said Santa.
“What if I told you that I could make time stop everywhere at the same instant and keep it there indefinitely?” asked Aeon to Santa.
“I would say that would be an unrealistic boast,” scoffed Kris.
“Really?” questioned Aeon, “It has already happened, let’s step outside.” He led them to his garden in the back. There the stream by the house had ceased moving. He then pointed to a bird in mid-wing going from one tree to another but frozen in the air.
Kris asked, “How is it possible that we are still moving but everything else is frozen in time?”
“Since I am controlling the time, I can determine who and what is affected and set the continuum for that range. The rest remains in one place until I reset the continuum,” said the wild haired professor.
“So can you teach him?” asked Frederick.
“I owe you a huge apology, Professor Millennium,” said Santa. “Ignorance prevented me from accepting what you said as sincere speech.”
“Apology accepted, and it is your destiny to know this anyhow,” Aeon said and turned to Frederick, “You actually did find him, or at least the first one of them.”
“I’m sorry the first…” Santa began.
Aeon began waving his hands and said, “Never mind, you cannot know too much about the future, it will affect the outcomes, we have enough work to do. You must come with me.”
As Kris followed his teacher he asked, “So I will really be able to do all I have been charged to do in a couple months?”
“Ha!” laughed Aeon, “No…one night.”
Mrs. Claus, as she was known through the village, was also keeping very busy. She had begun taking charge of the types and kinds of the products that Santa would take with him. She would consult with Stacey Buttons on the type and styles of dolls, Smokey Crackenbush about bringing pine trees to help decorate the interior of the homes, Frieda Cutinglass and Priscilla Huffenpuff about ornaments and decorations, Denny about treats for the children, and others throughout the establishment that would contribute different items for the trip.
The elves sensed natural leadership ability in this strong woman and they found themselves listening more and more intently to her suggestions and wishes.
Today, she was working with the builders overseeing some of the more important details to their new house. She and Kris were flabbergasted at the generosity and adornments the elves were putting into the home as well as the overall size. The elves were building a castle for the Kringles, complete with turrets and huge rooms.
They had tried to scale this down when the elves had presented the initial plans, but the elves would hear none of it. They said tall people need a big home with lots of room and that is what they would get.
Today was an important day for Annie; she was getting her appliances for the kitchen. The ovens (there were two) were massive and could easily hold the largest cut of meat or several trays of cookies. She also had what was called a refrigeration system that held a similar amount.
She had already become quite used to the indoor plumbing and was thrilled with the size and depth of the containment system…oh what did the elves call it? Oh yes, a sink. It was made from that same special metal alloy that had incredible properties that made it easy to remain shiny and clean.
Yes, Ann Marie Kringle was settling in nicely to her new environs. She was always good natured and felt blessed in her life, but she had never felt happier than she had since arriving at the North Pole. The time spent at the inn would soon be coming to a close, and their first permanent home since she married Kris was about to become reality.
She knew Kris was concerned about what the elves wanted him to accomplish, but she knew if any man could do this incredible task, it was her husband. She had never known a man with a stronger resolve. It was just part of his makeup.
She had met him when he was in Italy, She ran across him one day in a small village just south of Naples in Portici. He was talking and laughing with the children who were scattered around him like flowers. He was playing with them and giving out several gifts and having the time of his life.
When he looked up at her he just stopped. He smiled broadly and said in perfect Italian, “Hello little girl, can I interest you in a toy to play with?”
She had laughed and said that she was too old for toys, to which he replied that no one was too old for toys, but if such was the case, how about an espresso instead?
They spent the next couple days meeting up in various places around the village they were in. Annie had lost both her parents when she was younger and did not have any siblings. She lived with an aunt on her mother’s side that had taken Ann Marie in when the aunt's sister had passed away. Kris had come along just in time. It was the right age for Ann Marie to move on with her own life, and she was ready and wanted to settle down with the right man.
Kris too, thought that he needed a partner and was ready for romance in his life. They married a month later. Because they traveled extensively, they never laid roots in one area for long.
Annie and Kris had a full life, but she would have liked children. For whatever reason, she was never able to get pregnant and the two substituted the children they gave presents to for children of their own.
She was thinking about that single regret to their lives when the elves brought in the next large square appliance which Annie had not seen previously. She inquired as to its purpose. The taller of the two elves said, “It’s something that will clean your dishes and cooking utensils for you. It is meant to help take the place of a servant. You put them in and turn this dial and it will wash and dry everything for you.”
“Unbelievable,” Annie said.
“You need to try harder,” Aeon said in a frustrated voice, “Put all your thought into it. Don’t pay attention to your surroundings, just concentrate. Now stare into the disk and try again.”
Kris held the circular medallion-like object that Aeon referred to in the flat of his palm and stared into it with all his might. A few moments later his eyes began to tear up from the effort but nothing seemed to be happening. “I don’t think this works for me,” he said in a dejected voice.
“Nonsense, it works for anybody. I have used it with countless elves,” replied Aeon.
“Maybe it is because I am not an elf?” asked Kris.
“Or maybe it’s because you do not believe that you can do it in the first place, or disbelieve the principle of it. People never look at time as a place. They think of it as a two dimensional concept, when it is very three dimensional. Just as you can travel through London, you can travel through time. Try thinking of it as a destination. And you only want to walk through the door. We won’t attempt to travel beyond that, as it is my guess you wouldn’t be ready anyway.”
Aeon walked closer to Kris and stared into his eyes saying, “You are the gift bringer, you are the light for children throughout the world. Eventually more children than you will ever imagine will look to you for hope and wishes every year. You need to master this to fulfill your destiny, now do it again and this time KNOW you can do it.”
Kris closed his eyes this time instead of staring at the disk and brought all his surroundings into his mind. He focused on the moment, hearing the water outside, the sound of the breathing of Aeon and Fred, and his own deep breath. He concentrated on all these things and the disk.
Aeon whispered, “Now open your eyes.”
Kris saw that he and Aeon were still moving but that Frederick in the corner had seemed frozen.
He could also tell the water had stopped flowing and that no other sound could be heard.
“I told you anyone could do it. Now shift your concentration like you would a torch allowing light in other places and allow other things like our friend over there to move and become fluid with you.”
Kris moved his gaze toward Frederick and he suddenly began moving as if he had been animated the whole time. Kris commented more to himself, “This is amazing, is everything else frozen in time?”
“All other things in the world are being held in suspended animation until you release them. You may hold them as such for as long as you care to, although I would strongly suggest that you do not hold this state indefinitely as I do not know what the outcome might be,” answered Aeon.
“He’s done it!” exclaimed Frederick, “I can see it. See Kris, I told you that you could.”
With that, the spell was broken and the water outside began flowing again. “I lost it,” Kris said in a deflated tone.
“The point is you did it and you can do it again, and pretty soon you will be able to turn time on and off like a light switch,” grinned Aeon.
“A what?” asked Santa.
“Oh never mind, you will know that soon enough. The point is you can control time, so now you can do everything you want with time being your friend instead of your enemy,’ cackled Aeon.
“What if I lose the medallion?” questioned Kris.
Aeon and Frederick both started laughing and Frederick told Aeon to let Santa in on the joke.
Aeon turned to Kris and said, “What if you do, it has no meaning, I just gave it to you to make you think that the object would help you achieve your goal. You will notice that when you actually achieved the continuum you were not staring at the medallion, but actually had your eyes closed. People just think they need some sort of talisman to accomplish things.”
Kris shook his head and muttered, “Unbelievable.”
“You can believe it. And that is enough for now. You must return every day this week so we can practice this until you can do it whenever you wish and include or stop things with only your mind wishing it,” ordered Aeon.
“Won’t the others get tired of being stopped and started again all the time?” questioned Kris.
“They will be unaware that it has happened,” stated Aeon, “Just as you have been unaware when it has happened to you. And while you can change events or happenings to others while they are suspended, it is advisable not to do so as it could have ramifications for the future. However, you will be able to focus and allow those you wish to move through time with you no matter where they are.”
They talked a little longer and then Frederick said it was time to leave and suggested Kris pay attention to their route as he would return tomorrow by himself.
On the way back Kris asked his new friend, “Can any of the elves do the time continuum and travel?”
Frederick replied, “Only those that we allow the study of it. We can’t have too many people stopping time or jumping back and forth through history, and most have to clear the reasons with the Council before proceeding. Of course we would have no sure way of knowing if they didn’t, but that is one of those rules that is unmistakable in its enforcement if we were to learn later.”
“This power is so great, imagine the problems that could ensue if misused,” contemplated Santa.
“That’s why we control it,” sighed Frederick, “So much good could be done if we could only trust others to do the right thing instead of knowing for certain they would not.”
“Now let me ask you, once I learn from Aeon how to control the continuum, do you think it might be possible to use your machines to help me complete the task more quickly?” Kris asked eagerly.
“You tallfolk, once you get fixated on a problem, you never look for another solution,” chuckled Frederick. “We will figure something out before it is time for your journey, a solution will present itself in due time.”
“That phrase has taken on an entirely new meaning to me, now. ‘in due time’ indeed,” Kris laughed, “But nonetheless I hope it is soon. I am impatient for that solution to present itself.”
“One thing at a time my impatient friend, this morning you were all a flutter as to how you could possibly do this in a reasonable time, and we have solved that problem for you. And we will solve the transport problem as well,” said Frederick.
“My apologies, you are quite right,” answered Kris, “God and my good elves will answer the question when it is time to be asked in earnest.”
Kris visited Aeon nearly every day over the next couple weeks and had spent at least a couple hours (or so it would seem to any one else) practicing learning how to use and control the time continuum.
It was unnerving to his wife when occasionally she would be moving and everyone and everything else around her was frozen. It never seemed convenient when it happened, and she would have to wait a seemingly long period of time before things could get on to normal. At one point, she asked Kris to please find another subject to practice on as she would rather remain frozen with the others.
Annie had become even more involved with the goings on in the village and soon she was being sought out by the other elves to ask her opinion on particular issues they were wrestling with. Carrow, Denny and other elf leaders had noticed and were pleased with this new change of events.
They found in Ann Marie Kringle a very capable and knowledgeable woman with a good grasp on organization and a natural business acumen. This also relieved some of the burden from the Council. Many elves were seeking out Mrs. Claus instead of waiting for the Council to reconvene at its once a week proceeding to resolve their concerns.
Everyone found Annie easy to consult with and as wise as any elf. This, plus the fascination of being the first tallfolk to ever be allowed at the North Pole, and the wife of their new gift-bringer, all made her somewhat of an attraction. Annie took it all in stride, and felt proud that she was indeed becoming a critical part of village life at the North Pole. The whole idea pleased her immensely.
There always seemed to be so much to do, and an abundance of things going on everywhere in the village. From baking breads, pies and tarts, to the horticulture area where they grew anything from Pine trees to Poinsettia’s and from Strawberries to Apples. The greenhouses that were erected were massive and made from the same dome substance that protected the North Pole, which meant they could be similarly controlled with their climate. This made it easy to reconstruct ideal growing seasons regardless the time of year.
The elves, because of their knowledge of indoor and outdoor plumbing, were able to control the irrigation. Since the North Pole was basically surrounded with water, they had all the moisture to grow whatever crops they chose.
Annie was soon scheduling the choices based on growth cycles, yield, harvest difficulty and storage. She also began having more and more say with regard to the manufacturing center. Her thoughts on what products to produce and in what order to produce them raised the eyes and admiration of the Council and those working on the lines.
It was Britney Clearwater, the elf in charge of irrigation, that actually created a new title for Mrs. Claus. After watching and talking to her about where to put the various irrigation hoses with the other elves she said, “Why Mrs. Claus, you are a genuine chief elf organizer!” The title stuck and after a time she was just referred to as the CEO of the North Pole.
As the end of that first year began to approach, it was Forrest Hedemup and Sky Globetrotter who made the next exciting advancement in the first trip of Santa Claus.
While Kris had mastered the time continuum after much effort, he was still upset that a method to travel across continents and oceans hadn’t been resolved. While he could virtually stop time for an eternity if he needed to, he couldn’t find a way to travel fast enough over the lands without using the elf made machines.
Forrest came up with the first part of a solution. He said he had given the matter great thought and after watching a drift of hogs get into that feed that makes them float around for hours and sometimes days afterward, he got an idea.
He put their fastest horse onto the feed, and after a day the horse was bounding off and flying through the air with Forrest on his back. Forrest then tried taking the horse on long runs guiding him hither and yon, and found the beast had incredible stamina and speed even when taken outside the North Pole. Further, the horse was even able to fly above the clouds.
Forrest then took his findings to Sky Globetrotter, the navigational elf that worked on the charts for the boats and flying machines. She began charting a possible course based on the Earth’s revolutions and allowing for the International dateline and the rotation of the Earth around the sun.
It could be done easily when the principles of the time continuum were applied along with flight and a few navigational tricks. They showed Santa how he could achieve the goal he sought. A second horse was prepared for flight, so that Forrest could teach both the horse and Santa how to fly. While Kris was an accomplished horseman, he had to learn to take the horse from linear runs to three dimensional flight, which went well beyond the side to side and front and back movements to up and down, and even diagonally.
Both the horse and rider were unsteady at first, and a couple close calls ensued where Kris almost lost control and fell. But soon he was learning the movements and the horse was gaining confidence. Afterward, Santa Claus and Forrest Hedemup were going on long jaunts and testing their endurance and speed.
Santa had said that he was already known for riding a large white horse throughout Europe similar to the one Forrest was riding. He had done so for years, as such this would not be an unusual sight to the villagers. When he was away from the village, they could take to the sky and even stay above the clouds until the next village approached.
The gifts he would deliver were already being staged at one of the local warehouses and special carts would be constructed that could be pulled behind the horse while Santa was on the ground. Once Santa was done with that location he could detach the cart, leave it for one of the farmers as another gift, and fly off to the next area.
When they presented their findings, suggestions and trials to the Council of Elves, it was agreed upon unanimously, with the only stipulation being that Santa continues to travel at night to try to prevent detection and keep accidental sightings to a minimum. Santa Claus agreed with the Council and the plan was laid out.
He would do his first trip on Christmas Eve.