Twelve Days of Spring

Chapter 3: Eostre

A horizontal portal opened in the cloudless sky.

Rocket fell through it, with his snow white feet down first and smoothly hopped in the tall grass sprinkled with wild flowers.

Nicole followed with her head first. As the ground neared, she instinctively held out her arms to break the fall, but no BAM nor THUD followed.

The grass bended and the wildflowers gently wrapped their petals around her in a silent dance. They slowed down her fall and carefully laid her on the ground.

Rocket hmfed. "They never did that for me."

A tall lady in a long peacock dress strode towards Rocket and Nicole. Her voice was soft, but demanding as she spoke.

"That's because you were just a regular rabbit when you first entered our premises, Rocket.

Your talent and potential have grown and bloomed since, but it wasn't detectable back then."

The lady kneeled down near Nicole. "But it is detectable in her." She stretched out her hand. "Welcome in the Land of the Legendary, child of -?"

The lady looked at Rocket.

"Na-ah. Not mine," Rocket said. "I've already plenty of work with my fluff. I'm not extending it.

She's Santa's kid."

Nicole's eyes widened. "I'm what?"

The lady stared at Nicole. A soft smile crossed her turquoise lips as she rested her head on her perfectly manicured hand. "My, my," she said. "What a surprise!"

She turned her head to Rocket. "Does he know?"

"I doubt it, otherwise he would have bragged about her already. You know how much he has always longed to have a real family."

The lady's eyes shot daggers at Rocket.

She sneered, stood up and clapped her hands. "Today just got a lot more interesting..." Her eyes widened as she grinned from ear to ear.

"Who would have thought our Saint Nick - the holiest of holy, the knight of honour and good morality, the preacher of following the rules no matter how outdated they are - has a child out off wedlock?

I have to tell everyone about this."

Panic crossed Rocket's face. "Don't!"

But the lady whispered it to the wind.

Santa has a child out off wedlock...

The hypocrite!

The liar!

... while he slandered Eostre's name....

Poor Eostre!

... and vilified her innocent baby.

Poor little Robin!

Revenge for Eostre!

Revenge for Robin!

Revenge for us all!

Her whispers surrounded them and spread throughout the Land.

Rocket's ear twitched. "Darn it, Eostre. It's always the same with you! Misusing information, ripping it out if context and spreading twisted truths."

Eostre turned around.

"I didn't twist the truth! You know exactly what happened when my sweet, sweet Robin was born.

Your dear Santa slandered my name! And my little boy's reputation was ruined long before he could even walk.

That hypocrite should burn in Hell!"

Rocket raised his eyebrow. "You know exactly why he did what he did. If you hadn't." Rocket cleared his throat. "Him in the first place, none of it would have happened.

You reap what you sow, Eostre. Be happy it didn't get any worse for you."

"How can it get even worse for me?! Nobody in town deems me worthy to look at. Nobody in this Land remembers all the good I have done. 

I'm ostracized while a stupid rabbit has taken over my feast!

Well, I say enough.

Thank you for reminding me, small rabbit," Eostre said. She then turned to Nicole. "And thank you for being my hostage, dear."

Eostre plucked a feather out of her dress and threw it at Nicole.

Rocket screamed No.

But Nicole instinctively caught the feather. As soon as it touched her skin, she vanished into thin air.

Eostre swayed her dress as she gracefully held up her arms like a flamenco dancer ready to rumble.

She looked over her shoulder at Rocket. A grin crossed her lips. "Toodles!"

The moment her dress bounced back, Eostre vanished in a flash of light.