Thiasa Keep, from a distance, was a striking citadel. A great castle, the biggest Collier had seen, surrounded by a bustling town, encircled by a foreboding wall, and hugged by dozens of multicolored fields. The crops were in full bloom and waiting for harvest. The farmers toiled in the sun, dealing with plants and animals alike. Caravans and carts made their way through the city gates. From where the boy stood at the edge of the woods that inched up to the farms that surrounded the wall that guarded the city that supported the castle that housed the king, it all looked very pretty.

"We couldn't have picked a worse place to do this," he grumbled.

"But it must be done!" said a voice from behind. "And better here than at the king's table."

Collier raised his brows in obvious agreement. That morning, he had gone hunting. They didn't need to go hunting, but Aksel refused to buy the necessary ingredient they needed. Collier actually doubted they had enough to buy it anyway, and they were still hoping to buy a donkey someday. So, with bow and arrows (and deerhound mutt) in hand, Collier went out and shot a boar. It was nicely sized and would provide them with quite a feast, even enough for Fen. But the feasting wasn't the problem.

The boy turned away from the picturesque view, glancing this way and that in nervous apprehension. When hunting he hadn't run into anybody, when carrying the boar back he hadn't run into anybody, and all through his staring at the castle he hadn't run into anybody. But he still felt like there were people watching. People with eyes that could see through the trees and foliage that shaded them.

"Maybe we should wait," Collier muttered as he sat down beside the fire they had started. "Untill we're farther...." His voice left him as he looked up and saw Aksel's dark glare burning in his direction. The boy looked back to the ground and shut his mouth. After a few moments of his apologetic silence, Aksel began. Nothing he spoke was in Scalian, and he wasn't being quiet about it either. Collier understood everything he said, it was something he'd heard dozens of times before, but he flinched every time Aksel spoke. Surely the officials and the soldiers and the royals and the farmers that were miles and miles away could hear him and understand it too. At least, that was what Collier worried about.

During Aksel's speech, Collier glanced up to peer across the fire. The dead boar was there, sprawled on a flat rock. Situated on a larger rock above it was a little wooden figure. It was the only one they had, as long as Collier's hand from wrist to middle fingertip. Aksel had carved it himself before arthritis claimed his joints. It was an idol of Odin.

Collier looked back at the ground as Aksel took to carving up the boar. This was one thing he refused help for, but doing it with only one working hand made it slow going. Collier could remember many other blóts in his lifetime, most of which on a much grander scale than the one they had now. Aksel had refused to give them up when they moved on to Thiasa. They had only done them a couple of other times before, but those had been in completely isolated areas. This time they were far too close to civilization for comfort.

The boy glanced around again, trying to make as little movement as possible, but his watch was interrupted when Aksel began to splatter him with the boar's blood. Collier understood the reasoning for this, but it had always been his least favorite part of the ceremony. He hoped the river wouldn't be too crowded that day.

It was a beautiful day.

With His Majesty's nuptials not quite at hand and no desire to attend yet another party where old men would stare at her, Elena seized the opportunity to escape. The young lady waited until her guard decided to find his lunch, and then slipped out of the family apartments and skipped down to the stables. It was the work of a moment to order a picnic packed in the saddlebags, and the work of several moment to get Galahad tacked up-but even so, it was only a few minutes before she was trotting out of the Keep and out into the countryside.

At the first opportunity, Elena guided her gelding off the road and into the trees. The entire purpose of this excursion was to be alone, to get away from people and men and suitors and weddings for a little while. And definitely to forget her brother and mother, both of whom were already driving her mad.

Lady Lawley forced any unpleasant thoughts out of her head and instead focused on the beauty of the world around her. Summer sunshine filtered hot and bright through the trees, dappling the forest floor with light. Birds sang to match the music of the breeze, and there was a blessed quiet void of human voices. She smiled to herself and slowed her mount to a walk. Moments like this didn't happen often. She'd be wisest to enjoy it.

Scarcely half an hour later, however, and the quiet was violated by noises. Noises that were distinctly human. For a moment Elena's hand floated to her dagger, but then curiousity got the better of her and she nudged the horse forward. What was anyone doing up here at this time of day? The answer was surprising. A man and a boy, over the carcass of a boar; with a little wooden statue at the scene and the child being spattered in pig's blood. Elena leaned forward a little in the saddle and watched with some amusement. Aelf had told her tales when she was small, of his own people far away across the ocean. The Celts had sometimes used animals for sacrifice, he'd said; long, long ago. It was extremely surprising to see the same sort of ritual happening in the here and now....if that was in fact what was happening. It was difficult to say.

The boy, now, reminded her of Brian. It was ridiculous, but she found herself softening to every golden-haired little lad she came across these days. She also took a moment to wonder where they lived, and if they were hungry, and if they ended up eating their fellow men in the winter. This time, however, she gave in to the sense of guilt that constantly irritated her. She guided Galahad forward into the clearing and canted her head to the side, watching the odd pair with a smile and looking for all the world like a fairy princess stepped out of the trees. "Well now, what have we here?"

The words took on an almost musical inflection. "That's a good boar you have. I imagine it was quite a hunt." Elena did not dismount, but let her hand drift toward her dagger again. The boy didn't trouble her; but she was not going to take her chances with the man. "I have wine and bread and cheese to go with it, if you're interested. It's a fine day for sharing."

Collier was lapsing into something of a trance as Aksel continued to talk about the ceremony. He wondered if the old man had tossed some kind of ingredient into the fire to induce hallucinations and put them in a stupor. It wasn't uncommon, but Collier had been through it before a couple of times and had never really enjoyed it. He always felt woozy afterward and it took a while for things to get back to normal. But this time he didn't think he was actually in a trance. His attention was wandering, but his ears were still sharp. He first heard Fen let out a low growl, then the approach of an approaching horse.

He knew this had been a bad idea.

"Well now, what have we here?"

The boy whirled around in a small crouch, his hand reaching out toward the bow and arrows he'd placed to the side. He checked his motions suddenly when he realized the person who had interrupted their ceremony was a girl. A small, plain creature that looked downright happy to have come across them. She wasn't scared? What was wrong with her? Collier nervously glanced around her and around the woods. She looked too young to be wandering around the woods alone. Actually, she looked too much like a female to be wandering around anywhere alone. Unless she was a prostitute, but she didn't look like one.

And Aksel hadn't noticed her and kept talking!

"That's a good boar you have. I imagine it was quite a hunt. I have wine and bread and cheese to go with it, if you're interested. It's a fine day for sharing."

Collier stood up out of his crouch and frowned at the girl. Was she reaching for a weapon? Well, at least she wasn't completely crazy. At the same time, she looked small enough that it probably wouldn't take much effort for Collier to overpower her if he had to. He didn't want to, but if she did have a weapon he wasn't about to stand by and let her injure him or Aksel.

Who was still talking.

The dog Fen loped closer to the girl and her horse, staying well away from any hooves that might want to kick but still close enough to sniff. He wasn't growling anymore, but he didn't usually growl around girls. He didn't normally growl at all unless he was caught off guard. But, since he wasn't growling and seemed at ease, it must have meant the girl was alone. That was something.

"Fine day indeed," Collier said, his anxiety at being discovered clashing with his usual congenial nature. "But I'm afraid we're not interested. I think it would be better if--"

"Vente!" Aksel interrupted. He had finally come out of his lecturing stupor and ambled over to stand next to Collier. He too was splattered with the boar's blood, though not nearly as covered as Collier was. He didn't look as concerned about the girl's presence as Collier felt he should be.

"Did you say you have wine?" he remarked. Collier's jaw dropped.

The girl covered her smile with one hand, but there was no hiding the light in her eyes. She simply nodded to them both. Elena took a moment to smooth down her amused expression, then looked at the odd old man with an air of curious study. "Yes. Wine-the Keep's finest. His Majesty has a good taste for liquor."

Blue eyes sharpened, though, and she gazed at the two with a sudden air of warning. "Mind you, though, I've got nothing else terrifically valuable upon my person-other than the horse; and Galahad fights as well as a man if I ask him too." She patted the creature's neck, still eyeing them, but inclined her head in their general direction. "Forgive my accusation; I'm sure two such fine gentlemen are in no way thieves but it doesn't pay for a young lady alone to be too trusting. My watchfulness is nothing personal to you."

The girl dismounted and swept them a curtsy, although it was notable that she did not remove her eyes from them for one moment. "Lady Elena Lawley, at your service, sirs." She straightened and moved to the saddlebag, her fingers working automatically at the straps as she kept her gaze over her shoulder. Elena removed it with measured ease and dropped it at her feet, nudging it forward with one slippered toe. "And that's dinner. And wine. Consider it a gift."

That was one good effect Brian had on her. She hadn't exactly been stingy, before-but ever since she'd made his acquaintance, she'd had her bouts of being downright generous. Elena liked being generous. It eased the sense of guilt every time 'her serf' gave her that Look that told her just how cold she was. She hated that Look. Elena bit her lip to distract herself from uncomfortable thoughts, then shook her head and forced a smile at the two strangers waiting. "What were you doing?"

"Yes. Wine-the Keep's finest. His Majesty has a good taste for liquor."

He has a good taste for violence too, Collier thought, still completely against the idea of further conversation with this girl. He felt his grandfather's desire for a simple bottle of wine was overwhelming his common sense. Actually Aksel had never been as secretive about their heritage as Collier was. He constantly slipped in words from their native language when he spoke, even when Collier constantly reminded him it was a bad idea. He was determined to have their blót regardless of the proximity to possible discovery.

"I've got nothing else terrifically valuable upon my person-other than the horse; and Galahad fights as well as a man if I ask him too. Forgive my accusation; I'm sure two such fine gentlemen are in no way thieves but it doesn't pay for a young lady alone to be too trusting."

Collier could have laughed. The horse was a strong one, no doubt about it, but unless it could hold a sword and draw a bow he doubted very much it could fight as well as a man. Fen could probably give the animal a run for its figurative money, if the dog decided the effort was worth it. More likely than not, however, Fen would only roll over and snort. He could be a dangerous animal, but he just chose not to be.

But the girl did admit she was alone. Collier still found this hard to believe, and continued to look around the woods for another horse or person. He didn't see or hear anyone, but he wasn't a woodsman.

"We understand your concern, young lass," Aksel said, waving his hand. "It is a decent one."

Collier crossed his arms and grunted.

"Lady Elena Lawley, at your service, sirs....And that's dinner. And wine. Consider it a gift."

Aksel let out a coo of interest as he ambled forward and picked up the bag of food and took the wine as well. He inspected the bottle like he knew what he was looking for, but neither he nor Collier had any sophisticated palate to know the difference between good or mediocre wine. Alcohol was alcohol.

He nodded his head as he turned from the wine and looked at the food. "Be careful whose service you say you're at, jente. Like you said, we could very well be no-good thieves or murderers." He turned and grinned at the girl. "And we would hold you to your word." With that he ambled his way back toward the boar carcass, humming to himself.

"Thank you for the wine and food," Collier blandly remarked. No reason to be a complete jerk. "You're...welcomed to join us, if you wish."

"What were you doing?"

Collier turned and began to walk back toward the boar and the fire, hiding the grimace that formed on his face. How was he going to answer that? "It was...nothing."

"It was a blót!" Aksel announced. He turned around with a small wooden bowl grasped by his bad hand, forced into a grip by the stiff fingers. His other hand was hovering over the bowl, those fingers dipped into the bowl's contents. Collier was momentarily surprised to see Aksel hadn't gotten rid of them yet, and therefore was unable to stop what his grandfather did next.

"Beste-"

"And if you're going to join us for the food, you must be properly introduced." He lifted his hand from the bowl and flung it at Elena. The bowl was full of the boar blood, and now the girl was splattered with it. It wasn't a great deal, as it was only one fling, but Collier was utterly and completely shocked all the same. And of course, Aksel was smiling.

Many business books are heavier on jargon than on wisdom, executives often complain. But among this year's titles are some that can sharpen managers' thinking about technology, management and careers. Other simply offer pleasure, as the holiday season gives some respite from meetings and business trips. (wow power leveling)

The exchange of ideas on the Internet, for example, is bound to keep proliferating, which is what makes 'Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything,' by Don Tapscott and Anthony Williams, worthwhile reading.

The book highlights how traditional collaboration among employees in meeting rooms is fast being superseded by collaboration on a much vaster scale. Thanks to the Internet, masses of people beyond corporate boundaries can exchange thoughts and innovate to produce content, goods and services. Web sites such as Wikipedia, the user-edited online encyclopedia, MySpace and even the Human Genome Project encourage this interaction, which spurs growth.

Some corporate executives still lament the competition this poses to their proprietary marketplace offerings, Wow gold but Mr. Tapscott, a proponent of open sourcing, argues that the more you share, the more you win. He and Mr. Williams outline ways to exploit the power of online collaboration. They describe how companies from Flickr to the more traditional Procter & Gamble have benefited from inviting in ideas from customers and others browsing the Web.

For a trenchant view of business and business advice, take a dip into 'The Halo Effect . . . and the Eight Other Business Delusions That Deceive Managers,' by Phil Rosenzweig. The author, a former manager turned professor, asserts that a great deal of analysis offered by consultants, academics and the media is simplistic and often 'deeply flawed.'

When a company reports that sales and profits are on the rise, for example, people say it has a visionary leader and a brilliant strategy. When performance then falters, they say the leader was myopic and had the wrong strategy. Yet little in the way of leadership and strategy may actually have changed. Sro Gold

The book illustrates this point by delving into good and bad times at big companies such as Cisco and IBM. It identifies nine common business delusions, including 'single explanations' for success or failure, and 'absolute performance.' Because company performance is relative to competition, following one formula can never guarantee results, Mr. Rosenzwieg asserts. Success comes only from doing things better than rivals do them.

'The Halo Effect' is for executives who aren't looking for a quick-fix prescription and who understand that winning depends on knowing one's own company and on executing smart decisions well -- with a little luck mixed in.

Managers who want to be better bosses may turn to 'The Three Signs of a Miserable Job' by Patrick Lencioni, the author's latest management fable, which uses fictional characters to illustrate what should be self-evident: Unhappy employees are those who don't feel valued or listened to, don't know why their job matters to others, or don't know how they are performing. All these problems can be fixed easily, as Mr. Lencioni outlines in his tale. The book is a quick read. Sro Gold

Executives concerned with their own fates should consider 'Firing Back -- How Great Leaders Rebound After Career Disasters,' by Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and Andrew Ward. Using the accounts of dismissed top executives at companies such as Morgan Stanley, Home Depot and Hewlett-Packard, the authors show why some have been able to move on to new successes by, among other things, seeking help from old allies and acknowledging their failure.

For a colorful take on recovering from a personal and professional fall, read Michael Gates Gill's 'How Starbucks Saved My Life.' It tells of the author's unusual journey after losing a senior advertising job and his marriage in middle age. Lonely and unemployed at 63 years old -- and with no health insurance after being diagnosed with a brain tumor that wasn't malignant but cost him some hearing -- he landed a job at a Starbucks in Manhattan.

Aion kina,His fellow workers and boss are decades younger, mostly African-American and without the Ivy League degree he has from Yale. But rather than feel depressed taking orders for lattes and lugging garbage to the curb, Mr. Gill finds the job becomes a refuge, where he feels valued and makes friends among colleagues and regular customers.

His account of his year behind the counter at Starbucks -- which is slated to become a movie starring Tom Hanks -- is a moving reminder that having a community at work can be more rewarding than a big office or title.

No Christmas Eve column about books would be complete without mentioning some longtime Christmas favorites that are still relevant. 'A Christmas Carol' by Charles Dickens, the writer's 1843 tale of boss Ebenezer Scrooge's journey from a life of greed and miserliness to one of charity, still resonates, especially at a time when the super-rich are so exalted. And O. Henry's century-old 'The Gift of the Magi' still reminds us that love is the only gift worth possessing.