Page 23 of A Winter Admire
The oreads called out their goodbyes. As Edwin walked away, he could hear their laughter and whispers.
“Did I say something wrong?” Edwin asked.
“Wrong? No. You didn’t say anything wrong. It’s just… My cousins can be a little vexing at times.”
Edwin nodded. He hoped Sinoe’s friends and family liked him. It would be terrible if he’d made a bad impression. A gust of wind blew, and Edwin shivered. When he looked towards Sinoe, he found himself being watched.
“The wind is picking up,” Sinoe said. “Come, let’s get you back to your village.”
ChapterSeventeen
Today I will tell him.
Tomorrow was Winter Solstice, and today Edwin was determined to confess his feelings. Nothing would deter him. He was sure his admirer was Sinoe. It had to be!
He kept thinking of what had happened beneath the mistletoe. Sinoe must have wanted Edwin to kiss him. That was why it had become so awkward afterwards. Edwin should have kissed him. But his fear had held him back.
But none of that mattered, because today he would confess his feelings and make it right. Perhaps he should wait until after the Solstice to declare himself to Sinoe, just in case. But the idea of celebrating the Solstice with him and then having his hopes crushed was too painful to bear.
No. I’m doing it today.
He knelt by Snowflake, patting her ears, careful around the torn edges. “Wish me luck, Snowflake.” He kissed her on the head.
Absently, he dressed. His admirer had to be Sinoe. Sinoe had taken him to his valley and introduced him to his parents. And when they’d said goodbye yesterday, Sinoe gave him a lingering look that had kept Edwin up late into the night. It had to be Sinoe.
Please, let it be Sinoe.
He didn’t know why Sinoe hadn’t come out and told him, but maybe he was waiting for Edwin to make the next move, to be brave. And Edwin could be brave. He could be brave for Sinoe.
He took a deep breath and picked up the dried eustice flowers, a red bow wrapped around the stems. He had selected the dried flowers from his collection the previous night. It was his Solstice gift for Sinoe.
He’d spent ages trying to think of the perfect gift. But nothing felt right. Should he give something traditional, something like Solstice berries? But that was what he had offered Torin. Perhaps he might like a Solstice loaf. A gift of food showed a desire to provide and nourish the recipient.
Then he realised Sinoe had never left the mountains, which meant he wouldn’t be familiar with the plants beyond. So Edwin decided a dried plant he had brought with him from Bordertown might be a good idea. Something that had medicinal properties, since Sinoe was a healer. Edwin spent hours the previous night considering the dried plants he had brought with him. Finally, he’d decided on the eustice flowers.
He ran his gloved finger along the delicate dried petals. The drying process had stripped the flowers of their yellow colour, and now they were a dull brown. Although, they were still pretty. They could be seeped in hot water and the tea drunk to relax an individual and induce sleep. A treatment for nerves and sleeplessness. He was not sure how useful that would be for nymphs, but it was popular in Bordertown.
Perhaps he should have selected the velern root. It was very useful and quite expensive, as it had to be imported from the southern kingdoms, but it was used for gastric problems and that wasn’t very romantic. Nor was the plant pretty.
Perhaps he should have gone with the lela flowers. They were prettier than the eustice flowers and tasted good in tea. But they had no known medicinal uses.
No.He shook his head.I debated this enough last night. I am going with the eustice flowers. I’ve decided.
Taking a shaky breath, he touched the dried brown petals once more, as if to give him courage. He would give it to Sinoe, and he would confess his feelings. It wouldn’t be like the time he’d given a Solstice gift to Torin.
Because even if Sinoe didn’t return his feelings, Sinoe could never be as cruel as Torin. Edwin didn’t know what he’d been thinking yesterday, imagining Sinoe treating Edwin like Torin had. Sinoe was kind and gentle. And whilst his appearance had first captivated Edwin, it was his nature that Edwin had fallen so completely in love with. And today he’d tell Sinoe just that.
He took a breath, trying to steel himself, shoving down the doubts and memories of his past rejection.
Opening the door, he started to bend down to pick up the Solstice gift.
But there was nothing there. No Solstice gift. No wrin flower with a red ribbon tied around its stem. Just some snow, partially melted, lay before him on the doorstep.
Unsettled, he straightened.Why is it not here?Every morning for the past two weeks, it had been here, without fail. Unease crept up his spine. He stood in the doorway, uncertain about what to do. He hadn’t considered the flower wouldn’t be there. Why would Sinoe not give him one on Solstice Eve?
Not certain what else to do, he set off in the direction of the forest. Mind racing, he passed Odara playing with her grandchildren in the snow.
“Happy Solstice, Edwin,” Odara called out.
