Cowboy Carol

[Jude Dorrian]

It was Christmas in Cardsdale, and everything was covered in snow, pigeons and pigeon poo.
The many fields surrounding Cardsdale were buried- much to the agitation of the farmer- in about five feet of snow. The dips and slopes of the hilly landscape were traps; forming tray after tray of snow. Jude had recently been walking out with Ailith, and when they'd found their 'place' as Jude had decided to think of it, they'd found several snowmen and a thin sheet of ice covering, and basically killing the little creek. All of the tangled roots from the gradually encroaching forest were spattered with frost. To Jude, it seemed like about a thousand Macys had run riot in the countryside, school and village. Miss Deltine and Jack Frost certainly made a formidable pair.
The school had embraced this winter downpour- teenagers everywhere were building snowmen and having snowball fights and being all-round more immature than they'd ever been as kids. Jude had even caught sight of his History teacher, Professor Danton, tossing a sly snowball in Professor Gregg's direction. The magical residents of Orchid helped the school to keep itself and its grounds in check...
But the non-magical residents of Cardsdale were suffering.
The school had won, the countryside had lost, but the village was still battling it out.
Religiously, every morning, the villagers came out with a brush and de-icer in hand, ready to go. Their cars were attacked with the can of de-icer time and time again; their windows scrubbed, the shiny metal domes of the estates attacked from every angle, and in the actual Square, little snow ploughs puffed furiously forward across the cobbled roads.
The villagers braved the snow time after time- not so merry Carol singers decorating its sidewalks and the brave men who worked at the market stalls still set out every day with futile calls and promises of the best prizes for miles around. The common man was tired, confused by the loss of the ground, cold, and grumpy- the Scrooge inside every man was surfacing, and rearing its ugly, annual head. These were the men had given up long ago and their foolish fellows who still were fighting puzzled them, and frustrated them. It was always a relief for those in business to see the Orchid Hill students arriving like colorful fat blobs of material; half-buried in their bobble hats and scarves. At least the Orchid Hills kids stopped and looked a while. At least they bought things, and didn't let the cold bother them.
Well, most of them didn't.
"Oh... my... gawd," puffed Jude, rubbing his hands together; his teeth chattering. "Why- is it so freaking- cold?"
Meet the Scrooge that breathes within the cold, cranky Jude Dorrian- the festive hum-bugger of the season.
Or... at least, he would be so, if he hadn't happened to be with Ailith at the time. 'Cause after all, where Ailith was concerned, he couldn't really stay cranky for long...

[Ailith Rayner]

It was a bit chilly this time of year. But Ailith and Jude were tougher than that, they wrapped up warm and braved the freezing winds and blinding white snow to brave another fear altogether - the Christmas Shopping Crowds. Turned out though, that the first feat scared away most of the latter and it wasn't bad at all. However, had the shopping list not been a mile long with so little time to ensure they would arrive before Christmas, Ailith most probably would have passed on it. An afternoon in front of the big glowing fire seemed such a luxury, as the pair meandered from one stall to the next.
Finally Jude voiced his discomfort in his pleasant drawl with the words, "Oh... my... gawd, why- is it so freaking- cold?"
Ailith gripped Jude's arm and raised her eyes to the sky in wonder. "'Cause, Jude, Ah don' thin' we're in Texas anymore." Ailith captured Dorothy fairly accurately she imagined.
Jude's head turned towards her and a scowel formed on his face.
"OK I know it was Kansas but it's only one state North." His glower didn't shift. Ailith tried again, "Oh come on you did ask. Smile!"
Jude shook his head but grinned reluctantly.
Ailith laughed softly, "But you're right it is abnormally cold."
She glanced at Jude's bare hands which he was rubbing together furiously Ha ha! Gloves! Another idea noted..., she took off one of her own gloves and wrapped her hand around one of Jude's. Oh! Good LORD you're cold!. She nearly flinched at the temperature difference but gripped harder instead.
"Put the other one in your pocket." She commanded rather than suggested. A glint of silver reflecting the brilliant snow caught Ailith's eye and, with her magpie-like attraction, pulled Jude gently towards it.
The stall was laid-out with all things shiny. Brass belt buckles, colourful jewellery of various weights and to the unease of Ailith a few good throwing-knives.

[Jude Dorrian]

Jude's eyes were dazzled slightly by the bright, shining assortment of jewellery, accessories, tools and... knives? Everything metal, really. His powers just tingled at the thought all those tricks he could pull with some of these things. Not to mention just how impressive a couple of those knives could make him look. He bent over the knives, picking on up and examining it closely. He wasn't an expert, but he certainly knew enough to know that these blades were of a pretty high quality.
"I had a friend once," Jude said to Ailith, setting it back down again in its display, "guy called Ollie. He was real good with throwing knives- throwing anything really. He did target practice all the time and got a hefty profit from any shows he put on in the street- awesome!"
A wicked little Swiss army knife sparkled before him like a diamond. Jude's free hand made a grab for that, picking it up and flicking it out and in.
"I had one of these when I was a kid!" he cried, freeing his other hand of Ailith's grip (probably a good thing for her, since he was freezing to the touch) and examining it closer. "Loved it. Never was without it- oh hey!"
This time a silver locket had attracted his attention, and Jude's numb fingers were already digging furiously at the catch, trying to prize it open.
"Tameron would love one of these," he explained, with a crooked grin at Ailith. "Never mind her though... anything y'all like?"

[Ailith Rayner]

Ailith watched him for a moment picking uselessly at the catch. She rolled her eyes and took off her other glove, "Let me see."
She slid a finger nail under the catch and it popped open. She held the locket out to Jude while she flicked her eyes back to the stall. She sighed, “Not really, I’m not sure my friends at home would appreciate a necklace.”

[Jude Dorrian]

He closed the silver locket again, smiling at her as he set it back down. It was too difficult to open- and Tameron chewed her nails to bits. She didn't have Ailith's cat claws, and he knew that if she didn't have them, she wouldn't be able to work it. Besides, now that he thought about it, he could probably make her something just as good if he got a lump of some sort of metal.
Never mind Tameron though...
"Actually," he said. "I meant what would you like from me?"

[Ailith Rayner]

Ailith smiled, "You don't have to buy me anything." Ailith wasn't altogether sure how much money Jude had to spare (since he spent most of his life trying to get more) and she hoped that he would choose to do something or make something himself instead. She took a quick price check on a ring with pretty silver lace and three small 'emeralds'. Her eyes widened and if she hadn't been aware of the stall attendand watching them she would have dropped her jaw. "Especailly not from here the prices are insane." She whispered, sure that Jude could hear her but they would be safe from getting knifed by the attendant. She pushed Jude to the next stall.

[Jude Dorrian]

"Ailith," he persisted. "Help me out here! What do you want for Christmas... awh, wow, look!"
It was a hat stall- and Jude was in temporary heaven. Stetsons piled in the corner caught his attention immediately; and he was drawn to them like a moth to light. But they weren't the only hats that held him under their spell. Top hats sparkled before him; shining like little pieces of heaven. There was bowler hats too- and baseball caps- and... well, he just weren't sure what they were, but they certainly looked good.
Expensive though. All real expensive.
Jude sighed, looking over at Ailith. "Okay, sorry, this may be awesome, but I can't fork out that much."
There was only so much left over from his pickpocketing days...

[Ailith Rayner]

Ailith frowned at the stall as if it had personally offened her and Jude. "Yeah, and it doesn't help that these stalls are ridiculously overpriced." Why must everything be so d**ned expensive?! If they lowered their massive prices I'd bet they'd get a hell of a lot more custom. I mean, hell, Jude's practically drooling but he can't bite 'cause he ain't got the money. I do but... Ailith took a glance at the 'resting' attendant, Maybe I don't have to spend it all...
"If you had the money though which would you go for?" She spoke louder than necessary and the stall attendant snapped to closer attention. Yeeeeaaah, that caught yer ear didn't it, you tight-fisted, greedy...

[Jude Dorrian]

"I've no idea," he admitted, still distracted by a particularly fine cherry red Stetson. "Make good presents, wouldn't they? Hah! Imagine the look on Tameron's face if she opened her present and found that turban in it? Awh... that'd be worth the slap I'd get."
He hoped she wasn't really thinking of buying him something instead. He didn't like the idea of Ailith having to fork out for his sake. It was just so goddam expensive...
"Come on," he said, wrenching his gaze from the row of Slouch hats, and slipping his still cold hand into Ailith's. "Let's go somewhere else..."

[Ailith Rayner]

Ailith gripped Jude's hand and looked up at him. "No wait, I really think they would make a good present." Ailith blinked twice fast. The Spies signal for "work with me here!". She turned back to the stall and looked at the red stetson, she was sure that's the one he couldn't take his eyes off if she was any judge of lines of sight.
Ailith tilted her head to the side and back and looked at the attendant smiling the sweetest smile she could. "Could I see that red one please?" And then she bit her lip gently to add to the sweetness. She hated this, she really wished she could think of a better "honest-con" than this but it would have to do.
"Surely Sweetheart." The attendant was doing that stupid side smile as he handed over the hat. Urgh! What a creep
Ailith looked at the hat adoringly, before placing it on Jude's head and looking critically at it before grinning from ear to ear.
"Perfect." She slid her hands around his neck, stood up on tiptoe and kissed him lightly on the lips. Please, please, please know where I'm going with this...
"Ok, how much is it?" Ailith sank back to her heels and bounced to turn and face the stall attendant, still beaming.

[Jude Dorrian]

"£75, sweetheart," the old man said, returning her beam with a weak imitation of his own.
Jude felt a surge of affection for Ailith. What sort of wicked woman was he dating? It was awesome. And of course, this guy was lapping it up. Well, Jude reasoned, glancing at Ailith's stunning smile and feeling thankful he hadn't been its victim- really, when a girl smiled at you like that, how else were you gonna react?
"£75..." Jude said slowly, chewing his lip. "Never mind, Ailith. That's way too much. I don't want you to have to fork out like that."
Carefully, he avoided the man's gaze who was watching him grudgingly; a green glint of jealousy in his eye. He lifted the hat off his head, matching Ailith's expression of longing. It wasn't hard to fake. That was one hell of a hat.
"I'm sorry, sir..." he said softly, handing it back over to the man. "I can't ask her to spend that much on me." He glanced at Ailith now, heaving a deliberately heavy sigh. "She's too generous for her own good, sir." He half-laughed. "She'd go broke giving to people."
No, he was layering it on thick at all.
"Sorry," he said to the man again, then, giving Ailith's hand a squeeze, he turned, starting to lead her away...
"Wait!"
Bingo.
"Well, it's Christmas, I suppose," the man said slowly, watching Ailith in particular. "I... I guess I could cut the price a bit..."
"I couldn't ask you to do that, sir!" Jude said stoutly. "No, it's fine, really-"
"It's Christmas," the man waved away his protests, his toothy grin now spreading as he surveyed Ailith. "Go on, then, sweetheart. How's... oof. £45 suit you? That's coming up to half-price!"

[Ailith Rayner]

Ailith piled on the daintiness (which is a strange thing to do with daintiness but it happened anyway)she pulled out her purse and riffled through the contents. Two twenties, a tenner and a few pound coins, okaaaaaay...
Ailith let her face drop and she stopped rumaging. She heaved another great sigh but curled up her mouth into a tight smile.
"I'm sorry I can't," She took out a twenty and poured out the coins into her hand, very careful to keep the other notes hidden from view. "Twenty ... four pounds and 36p." She looked up dejectedly with a grim smile at Jude and put her money back in her purse. She looked briefly at the stall worker with the same expression and handed over the soon to be twenty four pound hat (if it all worked out).
"Thank you very much for your help, sir. I apperciate it." Ailith turned up her face to look Jude deeply in the eyes, "I'm sorry, love." She linked her fingers with his and she turned to leave. But slowly ...

[Jude Dorrian]

"Wait!"
Jude and Ailith turned again; looking back at the man- who was an apparent victim of a terrible internal struggle. That classic tug-of-war- the should I or shouldn't I?
Was it worth it for a smile from a pretty girl...?
"I'll give it to you for that price," the man croaked finally, holding it out to Ailith in a clear sign of defeat. "There you go, sweetheart. Lovely Christmas present, eh?"
"Oh, wow, thank you, sir!" Jude said ecstatically, rescuing it from Ailith's grip and shoving it on his head.
"No problem, no problem," the man said weakly, still watching Ailith miserably.

[Ailith Rayner]

Ailith forked over, beaming with reason deeper than the attendant would ever know.
"Thank you sir! Thank you so much!" Ailith bounced as she took Jude's hand again and they walked away. They dandered to the end of the row of stalls, still keeping up the show for the attendant incase he was still watching, and went round the corner.
"YES! Hi-5!" Ailith held her hand up, "Tell me that's not a fair price."

[Jude Dorrian]

Jude hi-5ed her promptly, then without warning, burst into peals of laughter.
"Love?" he croaked, picking off the red cowboy hat and spinning it in his hands. "You called me 'love'! I might as well start calling you 'baby'- Ailith, that poor man didn't know what hit him!"
People were giving them looks as they passed, so Jude promptly buttoned his lip, and lowered his voice.
"Sorry," he said, grinning crookedly. "It just sounded so funny..." He held up his hat, and smiling proudly, set it back on his head. "I love it though. Thanks." He bent down and kissed her. "There- now I have to buy you something just as good."