The Christmas Devil's Bride (2nd Book Of The Krampus Series)

Nightmare Lessons

There would come a time that Samantha qould eventually have to learn their ways especially if she is going to become their queen and that began when The Yule Lads mother, Grýla, and her third husband, Leppalúði, came to visit their boys three days later after Christmas Day.

Samantha had just finished her mid day lunch meal, prepared by an elf named Phyrra who was tasked to be her maid by Krampus.

She wasn't a terrible trickster like the Yule Lads and Samantha was a bit glad that she had someone to talk too and the same could be said by Phyrra when she was constantly brooding over that she had always been alone in most cases when her master and the elves would leave for their annual Christmas Hunt and she would be left alone to take care of the house.

A thundering thud echoed across the hallway and it made Samantha jump up in surprise and look at Phyrra who had paled and gave her a puzzled look. The elf gave her mistress a weak smile of reassurance before she quietly poked her head out and saw the shadows of two figures and one she can currently guess who it was.

Ich hätte nie erwartet, dass Grýla jetzt besuchen würde!

Phyrra thought with a glance at her mistress that was placing the dishes back to their trays and another thought entered her mind. Grýla was known for eating children on the spot and though her mistress was an dult by appearance no doubt she could feel her childish soul still with her and the possibility of Grýla taking a whiff of that would cause Samantha to be put in a complex position.

She could even get eaten by that matter. As the footsteps continued, the mire nervous Samantha and Phyrra became each for different reasons.

The shadow of Grýla was illuminated by the candle light and Samantha's first thought was to let lose a scream before Phyrra clamped her mouth shut. It would take a miracle to get Grýla not to notice Samantha.

Fortunately, the rapid footsteps and the keening joy of Grýla's sons distracted her enough to pass by the room and away from Samantha. Phyrra beaved a sigh of relief before the door opened up and she tensed again.

A small meow rang in her  ears and Samantha's heart practically melted to see an adorable black cat with deep emerald eyes emerging from the shadows of the door.

"Cute..."

Samantha managed to mumble out and Phyrra felt uneasiness drip through her entire body. She knew well enough to know who that was and wanted to warn Samantha to stay away but the cat did nlthing more than rub itself against a giggling Samantha.

Phyrra casted the cat a grim look and it responded by an evil and malicious glint in the eyes as it rubbed itself on Samantha, who was completely oblivious to the whole thing.

The girls waited for one full hour until Samantha saw the towering shadow of Krampus and began scooting away from the door as far as possible.

Krampus entered with Grýla not far behind him. The cat leapt out of Samantha's lap and ran over to it's mistress and settled on her neck. Samantha froze and a small noise of discomfort resonated from her throat.

"Was bringt dich her und Lady Grýla Meister?"

Phyrra bowed and Krampus waved her away "Grýla wird ihr Mentor sein" He growled out and a cold chill fell over Samantha depite not knowing what he and Phyrra were speaking.

Grýla eyed Samantha with a glint in her eyes that would have sent kids running away from her. Samantha gave her an uneasy look as she watched Phyrra nod slightly with her head bowwd in defeat as Krampus and Grýla walked away with tha cat tailing behind them.

"Phyrra, what was that all about?"

Phyrra looked at her and shook her head with a sad look "Grýla is going to be your mentor" Samantha tumbled back in shock.

"Mentor?! What are you talking about?"

Phyrra looked at the direction where Grýla and Krampus took and Samantha didn't have to guess why then the troll was even here.

"It won't be so bad right?"

Samantha asked with a nervous smile and Phyrra could only hope that Grýla had enough patience to NOT eat their chosen queen.

***

The next few days were hard and Phyrra had began to notice the changes of Samantha as the days that followed.

Samantha would return to her quarters way past her bed time and always had looks of pain as if she had return from evading a dangerous...monster.

Anither thing was that Samantha had been getting less sleep and Grýla always woke her uo around 5 in the morning and take her out to the cold winds in an effort for Samantha to grt use to the cold and the poor girl would return with slight fevers and coughs.

In any case, Phyrra also noticed that Samantha was also very attentive in the language barrier and at some point, Phyrra had begged Samantha to rest.

"Samantha rest, tell Grýla day off"

But Samantha merely shook her head, despite the aches in the joints from all the lessons Grýla had given her that almost spelled out like "Torture Lessons".

Phyrra was glad that her mistress was finally getting closer to adapt to this place but she was also worried on the day that Samantha might snap.

***

Twas a night like any other nights with the wind howling and the blizzard giving Phyrra a calming effect.

However, the said female elf could not remain calm at all. Samantha was suppose to be back by now and the sun was already setting.

Phyrra stood up from her waiting spot by the door and headed to where Grýla always took Samantha to study their language and history, the library.

She never expected the 13 minions of her master along with some of the demented toys to be crowding around the library door.

"Was geht hier vor sich?"

Phyrra asked and Gáttaþefur shushed her to be silent and went back to peeping to the gap in between the two large oak doors.

Curious, Phyrra peered over to the gap and her eyes nearlt bulged out of her mask.

Samantha's small body was currently sleeping on a large sofa with sheepskin as outer cover to the wooden furniture but that wasn't what surprised Phyrra at all.

Her master sat on another sofa alternate to where Samantha was sitting reading a book and occasionally glancing at the sleeping girl before going back to reading hus favorite "Ways to torture Children" guide book.

Is every elf seeing what she was seeing?

"Der Meister hat sogar eine Decke über sie gelegt"

Stekkjarstaur said with a bint of awe in his gruff tone and Phyrra nodded in reply while hus brothers gave mumbles of agreement.

Maybe, there is a chance for Samantha and the master to get along.

***

Translation:

Ich hätte nie erwartet, dass Grýla jetzt besuchen würde! - I never expected Grýla to visit now!

Was bringt dich her und Lady Grýla Meister? - What brings you and lady Grýla, Master?

Grýla wird ihr Mentor sein - Grýla will be her mentor

Was geht hier vor sich? - What is going on here?

Der Meister hat sogar eine Decke über sie gelegt - The master even laid a blanket over her.