Page 12 of A Winter Romance
“We might be stuck here for a couple of days. It will snow again soon. Better to wait.”
“Thank you. I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t come along.” Aryn continued to stare at the soup, shoulders slumped.
“Well, you wouldn’t be the first to get lost in these mountains.”
“Are you just saying that to make me feel less stupid?”
“No. Many have gotten lost.” He left out the fact that most of those occasions were before the path had been made. “That’s actually how the village of Ores started. That’s how the first Winter Solstice occurred.”
“First Winter Solstice? Isn’t Winter Solstice just the longest night in the year? We celebrate it in Bordertown.”
“Well, yes, but in Ores, it’s a bit more than that. It’s the story of its genesis.”
Aryn stared at Sero expectantly, waiting for him to continue.
“Several hundred years ago, a group of humans lived in a small farming village at the foot of the mountains. Roving bandits were a problem. Then one time, the bandits came in the autumn.”
Aryn chewed as he listened.
“The bandits stole their food that they had spent all the warm months growing and harvesting. They took their livestock, destroyed any crops they hadn’t harvested, and torched their homes.” Sero had heard the story many times, but it was his first time telling it. Someone like Odara, or one of the other elders in the village, would no doubt tell it better.
“The villagers were left with nothing,” Sero continued. “So they decided to set off for Castle Evermore and make a home there. Better that than to wait around to starve and die in winter. But first, they had to get there. They left in autumn. It was only meant to take them a few weeks to traverse through the mountains. Then they got lost.”
“Like I did?”
“Like you did. Months passed, and they wandered through the mountains. Winter hit, their horses died, or they ate them. They ran out of food.” Sero glanced out the cave entrance. Snowflakes floated down. “And like you, they weren’t prepared for a winter in the Norend Mountains.”
Aryn gave a half-smile at that.
“So finally, there they were on the winter solstice, lost and half-starved. All hope faded as they huddled in the snow. Suddenly oreads emerged from the trees. Vines sprouted from around them, growing over the humans, protecting them from the snow. Fruits and berries appeared on the trees and vines, providing food to the starving people.”
This part of the story wasn’t true. But it was the version told in Ores. As the oreads in the mountains told it, they’d saved the travellers by bringing them to the valley, sheltering them in their caves, and providing them with food they had stored there.
Even though the story told in Ores was the false version, as oreads couldn’t make vines grow and sprout fruit, Sero still had to admit that the false story was far more compelling.
“It’s kind of like how you saved me,” Aryn said. “Suddenly appearing in the snow.”
Sero laughed at the comparison. “The travellers were grateful, and instead of continuing to Castle Evermore, they set up in these mountains and built the village of Ores. There they have remained. Because the oreads saved them, the relationship between humans and oreads stayed strong for many years. Many oreads married humans and had children.” He gestured to himself. “And we celebrate Winter Solstice not only as the longest night but as the dawn of Ores and the night the travellers were saved by the oreads. Some of my family—my oread relatives—will come to the village to celebrate.”
“What do you do to celebrate?” Aryn asked. He set down his now-empty bowl on the floor.
“The night before, we eat a big meal together with family and friends. On the day, there are Solstice festivities in the village centre.” He smiled, leaning towards Aryn. “There are stalls selling food. There is a snow sculpture. The younglings toboggan down a hill. Some adults do as well. There is ice skating too!” Everything about Winter Solstice was magical. “There is hot spiced wine for the adults, and they make a Solstice punch for children. There is also hot chocolate.” He realised he was going on and stopped speaking. “Sorry, I love Winter Solstice. I can go on forever about it.”
He wondered how their village festivities sounded to an outsider, someone from a big city. Maybe it sounded silly, even. But Aryn didn’t look like he thought it was silly. He smiled, brown eyes warm as he gazed at Sero.
“We mark the Solstice too,” Aryn said. “Often with lots of food and drink. In the south, I’ve heard, they have markets and festivals, but I’ve never been. Your Solstice sounds fun.”
“It is. There is just something wonderful about it.” Although, he’d look forward to it more if he had someone to share it with.
He glanced at Aryn, wondering what it would be like if they were together, sharing Winter Solstice. No, that was ridiculous. Aryn wasn’t for him.
But hopefully one day, he’d find someone perfect for him. Someone who suited him. Someone to share the season with.
“I’ll make Solstice loaves, cakes, sweets, and cookies. I only make them at Solstice, so I’ll be busy when I get back. I even use chocolate, which is expensive and needs to be brought from Castle Evermore, so I only use it for this time of year.”
“If it’s anything like the food you’ve given me, it will be incredible,” Aryn said. “It all sounds so incredible.”
Sero took a deep breath and, before he could stop himself, said, “Well, if you wanted, you could stick around a little longer. It’s only a couple of weeks to Solstice, and you could stay with me.”
