Page 19 of A Winter Courtship
“Your usual loaf?” Aryn asked, already grabbing one.
“Yeah. But also grab me one of your Solstice loaves. Actually, make it two. And maybe a few seed rolls.”
Aryn packaged up his order.
“That’s a lot more than you usually buy, isn’t it?” Mila asked.
He nodded as he walked around the overly stacked shelves. He grabbed some sausage, a block of hard white cheese, and various dried berries, meats, and fish, not certain what Lutoth would prefer.
“You must be very hungry to get so much food, Ulrich,” Mila said.
He gave her a tight smile. Why was she behaving strangely?It’s like she somehow knows Lutoth is in my bed. But how could she possibly know that?
He glanced out the window, mindful of wanting to get back to Lutoth quickly. He placed his items on the counter.
“Is that everything?” Aryn asked. He stacked the items on top of one another, wrapped them in brown paper, and tied them together with string.
Ulrich noticed the Solstice berries pinned to Aryn’s shirt. A gift, no doubt, from Sero.
“What do you have that could be a nice Solstice gift?” Ulrich asked. After all, Lutoth had given him several, and he hadn’t given any in return.
All eyes turned to Ulrich.
“Who are you giving a Solstice gift to?” Mila asked, voice tight.
“Ummm.” Ulrich hadn’t thought this through. Everyone in the village knew everyone’s business. And Ulrich definitely wasn’t ready for everyone in Ores to know about Lutoth.
But before he could think of what to say, Mila yelled, “I knew it!” Mila came towards him. She stretched out her arms, and the small oread pulled him down into a hug. “It’s for Lutoth, isn’t it?”
“What? How—”
“He’s my nephew,” she said as if that explained how she knew. She pulled back and stared up at him, eyes twinkling. “So if you two are together, that makes us family.”
Ulrich’s mouth dropped open.
“Mother.” Sero came towards them. “We talked about this. We weren’t going to get involved and ask Ulrich questions.”
“But Ulrich brought it up!”
“I don’t think Ulrich did, my darling.” Rhorton chuckled. “Sorry, Ulrich.”
“I didn’t know you were related,” Ulrich sputtered.
“Oh yes. I’m his auntie,” Mila said. “And he is such a good, beautiful boy. You will be so happy together!”
Ulrich’s cheeks flushed as he tried to think of something, anything to say. But it was hard with everyone staring.
“Um… If you’re related, does that make you part-sylph too?” Ulrich blurted. “I know so little about sylphs.”
“I am definitely not a sylph!” Mila said.
Ulrich frowned, taken aback by her vehement response.
“What she means is that my mother is Lutoth’s father’s sister,” Sero said. “It is Lutoth’s mother who is a sylph.”
“My brother was so heartbroken when she left.” Mila sighed, eyes sad. “Everyone tried to warn him. Sylphs fly with the wind. She will not stay still. Sylphs cannot remain in one place for long. But he was so in love.
“Then she got pregnant with Lutoth. Still, that was not enough for her. So one day, she just left. My poor brother was devastated, losing not only the sylph he loved but his son too.” Mila wiped at the tears leaking from her eyes. “She came back, bringing Lutoth from time to time, but they only stayed briefly. It’s been so hard for my brother.”
