There were just about enough pancakes for everyone and, after moving around some fruit from each bowl into newer ones, enough salad to go around too. Theanore’s eyes couldn’t leave the smiling Persephone. She blushed at the image of her patron goddess and spoke.

“Do you like the salad? I helped make it,” Persephone’s dimples showed as she smiled.

“It is very well-made. Did you grow the fruits?” Theanore’s smile faltered at that. Would Pochva, no, Persephone think less of her prowlers as a farmer if she told her no?

“I bought them from the market. The cream too,” Persephone nodded.

“You sure know how to pick out a fruit then, little nymph. Now, unwrap my present,” Persephone handed Theanore a small box and the little girl opened it eagerly. In it was a ring. Theanore looked at Persephone, confused.

“This is a teleportation ring. Seeing as the world is getting connected with teleports, I figured it would be useful to you. Maybe you can go to an adventure one day and use it to come back here?” Persephone shared a look with Hades, and they both smiled knowingly. Theanore looked at Elmar.

“They asked many questions, Thea. They want to know all about my friends,” said the boy, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment. Theanore was happy she counted among Elmar’s friends. She beamed at him and put the ring on, then she appeared in her room.

“Wicked,” said Theanore as she had the ring zap her back to the breakfast table. She saw Esmer extend her hand towards her, and she obediently took off the ring and placed it in her mother’s hands.

“Now, I will hold on to that for a couple of years. Until you are twenty and can be trusted to act responsibly with it. Because, if you are not careful with it, you can end up separating your body in tiny pieces,” both Elmar and Theanore looked horrified at that.

“You would have known that, Elm, if you have asked your mother and me for permission before using it,” chimed in Hades with a smirk. Persephone nudged her husband in the ribs, and he coughed. “Of course, I would have put you back together.”

“Probably after laughing his ass off,” added Rozimer, Persephone glared at Hades when he chuckled. Both God and shape-shifter exchanged a look as if to say women, right? And they went back to eating.

“This is my present,” said Elmar as he handed Theanore something soft. “I got it from the Swamp Heaven inn. The ants are doing fine, by the way.”

Theanore took the bundle and undid the ribbon. A wonderful green clock with red and gold apples fell to the floor. It shimmered with a coating of mana.

“Mind you, this is supposed to be a lost artifact, so be careful. Did you know you are not the first Apple Nymph to come to life from the forest of fireflies? Your predecessor, Annalee, was a famous dragon herder. She lives in the forest of plenty now and, when she found out, there was another Apple Nymph, gave me her clock to pass on to you.”

Theanore hugged the big clock to herself. It smelled of vanilla and was expertly made.

“I will send Annalee something too. A nice hat with mittens! I will knit them myself. Elm, will you deliver them?” Elmar nodded and Dereck cleared his throat.

“Now, I may not have been the nicest all the time, little Thea,” snorts from Diana and Elmar made Dereck pause. “But I have grown to appreciate you. You do your best with everything, and you don’t leave anyone behind. So, I offer my sword in eternal, or, at least until the life-extending ring that Elmar gave me runs out, protection of the grotto.”

Theanore had the forest of fireflies’ guardians, but to know that someone wanted to stay with there and guard the grotto made her tear up. She jumped off her chair and went and hugged Dereck.

“Thank you, sir Raskovic, my first and only knight,” Dereck patted the girl on the shoulder and Diana placed something underneath her nose.

“This is the scarf you gave me, do you remember? The one you got from frolicking in the snow in the middle of the night,” Theanore smiled embarrassed at that when Persephone narrowed her eyes.

“Young lady, I better never hear that you have done such a thing again!” Chastised Persephone.

“Now, now, dove. What if the munchkin wants to travel when she becomes older? Isn’t that the reason you gave her the ring?” Hades’ amusement costed him a tug of the ear, but he still enjoyed even that.

For so long, he hadn’t had any closeness with his wife. For so long he had been childless. Now he had them both back. It was a pity that none of his other children choose to be reincarnated.

“She can catch her death in the snow!” Esmer nodded her agreement to Persephone’s words. She, too, didn’t like the idea of Theanore going out in the snow again.

“Important delivery! Important delivery!” Came a yell from outside. Theanore went out to see a sled with deer tied to it and Iffy, grandpa Thinker’s personal assistant, in the driver’s seat.

“Little Theanore, grandpa and grandma Thinker had to oversee the building of a new food factory today. One that will give food to the needy of the world, so they couldn’t come to your birthday. But they send you this and ask that you help them deliver presents when you become older,” all that was said in a single breath.

Theanore put her little hands over her mouth. She could be a part of the Yule celebration. She could bring cheer to everyone with countless presents.

“Do you accept the work contract? You will work one day in the year and follow grandpa and grandma Thinker’s sled and…”

Theanore was already hugging the closest deer, which began to lick her hair. Someone cleared their throat, and she saw a messenger ladened with packages.

“Are you Theanore, by any chance? The people of Mirstone and the Emperor, Empress and the Prince are sending you these,” Theanore hugged the deer tighter. She needed to make sure that all the deer were welcomed properly. The extra presents could wait.