Family Obligations Chapter 3

Memories flowed back as Cole walked down the corridor. He'd had good reasons for leaving, but he couldn't deny that he had some good memories, too. He found his feet moving automatically towards his father’s quarters. Even before he left, his mother had had her own quarters, but he knew she wouldn’t be there now. She’d left not long after him and he had no idea where she was now. But that was not his concern right now. He was here for his father.

They paused outside the door and Davin stepped back as Cole stopped. “I’ll wait here while you see Nicholas,” he said.

Cole nodded, not really surprised, and stepped into the room. “Père?” he called. He stepped farther into the room when he didn’t get an answer and called again. A moan came from the inner room and Cole moved rapidly through the sitting room, finding his father in bed.

The man wore his trademark red, although it was pajamas right now instead of the suit in all the pictures. He lay in the oversized bed, his face pale instead of the ruddy color that Cole was used to. As Cole approached the bed, he could see that his father’s breathing was labored. “Nicholas?” he breathed. “Is that you?”

“Yes, Père.” Cole grabbed a near-by chair and took a seat next to the bed. “I’m here. What happened? Why…?” Cole held up his hand, the tips of his fingers sparkling golden in the light. He cleared his throat. “Why do I have the Santa power?”

The senior Nicholas coughed, a deep hacking cough that was deep in his chest, before saying, “I’m dying, Nicholas. I don’t have long. I released the power so that you would have time before Christmas.”

Cole frowned. He knew that part of the power extended the life of the reigning Santa and by releasing the power, his father had shortened his life. But he shouldn’t have been sick. Normally the end of a Santa’s life was quick and easy, not this drawn out sickness. As his father’s eyes drifted closed, Cole studied the older man. His normally rosy cheeks were pale, the twinkle gone from his eyes.

Something was seriously wrong.

He waited a few more minutes until he was sure that Santa had drifted off to sleep. Standing up, he tucked his father’s hand beneath the blanket before leaving the room. As Davin had said, he was waiting outside the door. “How long has he been like that?” Cole asked after shutting the door behind himself.

“He’s been declining for the last few months,” Davin replied as he motioned for Cole to begin walking down the hallway. “We didn’t realize it was so bad until the last few days and we’ve been looking for you.”

“What do you expect me to do?”

“You are Santa,” Davin insisted. “You will finish the preparations for Christmas and take the flight.”

“I left so I wouldn’t be Santa,” Cole responded as he stalked off down the hall. He was finding his daughter and a way home. Now.

“Think of the children!” Davin called after him.

Cole spun around. “I am thinking. I’m not trained, I’ve not been here for ten years. I have no idea what the procedures are now.” He paused as something came to mind. “And how did no one notice that he was declining? What’s causing the decline?”

Davin bowed his head. “I blame myself for not seeing it sooner. I should have kept a closer eye on him.”

Cole sighed. He remembered Davin from when he’d still lived at the North Pole and the man was beyond conscientious in his work. If he had been paying close attention, there’s no way that he would have missed Nicholas’s decline. Cole ran a hand through his dark hair, thinking about what could have distracted Davin. He knew that as they got closer to Christmas, Davin’s duties increased, but the elf still should have noticed.

“Does someone still keep a record of what Nicholas eats?” Cole asked. He started down the hall again, intending this time to head to the kitchen to question the elves there.

“Elira does,” Davin answered as he hurried after Cole. “She’ll be in the kitchen this time of day.”

Cole nodded, following familiar halls to enter the kitchen. The room was a cacophonous medley of work and shouting voices as the elves hurried to make the meal that would feed the household. As he stepped into the room, all of the noise paused and the entire staff turned to look at him.

“Your Highness,” one of the elves squeaked. “We… we weren’t expecting you in here.”

“I’d like to speak to Elira,” Cole said in response.

An older elf stepped forward, her gray streaked auburn hair bundled up at the back of her head. “Your Highness, how can I help?”

“I’d like to see the list of what Nicholas has eaten in the last…” Cole thought for a moment, “month, please.”

“Of course.” She turned, moving to the shelves and retrieving a scroll that she handed to him. “Here it is.”

Cole opened it, unrolling it and watching it continue to unroll as it hit the floor. As he read, he began to notice a repetition. “What’s this supplement?” he asked. “It seems like he’s taking it with every meal.”

She frowned. “That’s something His Majesty decided to start taking. He doesn’t allow anyone near them.”

“Do you know where he keeps them?” Cole rerolled the scroll and handed it back to her.

“In his suite,” she answered promptly. “In the red bottle with the white cap.”

Turning on his heel, Cole rushed back to the suite, passing his father who almost appeared worse, and into the en suite. A quick search located the red and white bottle among the other bottles. Cole opened it and immediately recognized the small white berries inside.

Davin had followed him to the en suite and the elf gasped as Cole tilted the bottle so he could see what was inside. “He was poisoning himself,” Cole said flatly. “Probably in small enough doses that he got sick over time.”

“But why?” Davin asked. “It makes no sense.”

Spying a piece of paper tucked inside the bottle, Cole fished it out. Dear Cole, he read after he unfolded it, I imagine that you have a lot of questions. I didn’t intend for it to get this bad, but I wanted a reason for you to return. I hope you can forgive me, but it’s time for you to take your place. I’ll be gone soon and this will all be yours. I hope you can forgive me. I do love you, my son.

Putting the note down, Cole looked at himself in the mirror and wondered what would happen now.