More in this series: Prologue, Ch. 1, Ch. 2, Ch. 3, Ch. 4, Ch. 5, Ch. 6, Ch. 7, Ch. 8, Ch. 9, Ch. 10, Ch. 11, Ch. 12, Ch. 13, Ch. 14, Ch. 15, Ch. 16, Ch. 17, Ch. 18, Ch. 19, Ch. 20, Ch. 21, Ch.22, Ch. 23
Cornnan chants and sings as he marches Through the deep snow in Central Pole Park. Yetis with bears patrol the park perimeter Ready to act as worker defenders. Cornnan keeps his eyes open in nervous expectation Wondering if, when, and how goblins will respond in retaliation.
Idly’s at home. Her family is safe in their hole. They hear the echoes in the ice. Idly hopes she’s doing what’s right. But all she can think about is Nicole out there. She hopes she is safe. She wonders if she’s scared.
Kringle takes a beating at the South Ice Bridge. They said they’d melt it if they had to, and they did. Now the trolls have no reason to hold back. The yetis can’t keep them all from getting whacked. White snow turns red. Kringle looks around in dread. He cries tears like frozen rain As a troll holds his feet to a torch flame.
Nicole climbs up on a Yeti’s shoulders. Her yells getting ever louder and bolder As she watches the wolves rage outside the Capitol. The yeti swings huge arms and stomps on a wolf skull. Nicole suddenly hits the ground. A troll bat brutally pounds The yeti’s hairy back side. Nicole screams with all her might.
A new chant began to circulate As the elves’ resolve tested fate, “Red hats, Red hats Meeting wood bats. “Guild Ax wrist bands Raised up in demand The P. E. G. makes their stand. “Red hats, Red hats And that Guild Ax. “Stand for shared rights, Justice in polar life Even in strife, “When we face Darkest days [Aaand] “Red hats, Red hats Meet those wood bats.” The chant rings with pain. Their bodies feel the same. But, they would go through it again and again Until their world changed.
Days passed into weeks. The workers would not accept defeat. Guild representatives Sent several messages To goblin leaders and officials in all sectors of the workforce Containing expectations for change and equal treatment perforce. Goblins stayed silent unwilling to negotiate Lest they should lose all ability to get their way. Then, one night after goblins melted most Of the entrances to the tunnels leading to elf homes The holes refroze trapping families and children. Elves dug and chipped, but could not reach them. Wolves and yetis attacked when elves came with fire. The more elves who tried to help the more elves died. A week went by without help For the young and desperate buried elves. Nicholas, enraged, had a blunt force idea. He would have to break from the nonviolent ideal of Tomten, Nic, and Snihurońka. “We won’t let them become a symbol like Moh! We won’t let them starve in their homes!” Nicholas called to a handful of bears and workers Hitching up eight large reindeer to a sleigh he would drive berserk. Elves say he drove so fast and wild that night Those deer and that sleigh up and took flight. They say the North Star was Nicholas’ guide As he went intent on giving his life For the children and families In desperate need—buried.
I was so caught up in the narrative of the poem I forgot it'd likely have to include a bit about the delivering of presents. That's an interesting origin story to give it.