Page 2 of A Winter Courtship
“Four.”
“She couldn’t return to the forest in the spring?” the oread asked, strikingly pale eyes boring into him.
“I took her out into the forest,” Ulrich said.
At the time, Ulrich’s heart had been heavy. It had been nice to have a companion. She was someone he felt at ease with, someone he could share the long, lonely nights with. He could talk to her and she wouldn’t judge him. He hadn’t wanted to imagine a life after Ethel. He didn’t want to be completely alone again.
“I brought her to a herd of reindeer. I tried to leave her with them, but she followed me back.”
“How sweet,” the oread said.
Ulrich’s face burned, but when he looked at the oread, he didn’t think he was being teased. He smiled softly and kindly at Ulrich.
Ulrich didn’t know what was happening. Ulrich rubbed Ethel’s shoulder, feeling the muscles and shoulder blade moving beneath skin and fur. She bumped her big body into his, rubbing against Ulrich’s side as if sensing he needed her sturdy comfort.
“It’s the beginning of the Winter Solstice season today,” the oread said. “It is exactly four weeks until the Solstice.” The nymph stopped walking and faced Ulrich.
Ulrich stopped as well, not sure what else to do. “Well, yes. It is,” Ulrich said, trying to follow the abrupt topic change.
“It is custom in your village to give Solstice gifts throughout the season.”
Ulrich nodded.
“That is why I am here today. To give my gift to you.” He held out a single blue flower with a thin red bow wrapped around the stem. “It’s a wrin flower.”
Ulrich stared at the flower. He looked into the nymph’s serious face. Why would the nymph give him a Solstice gift? He never got Solstice gifts.
“Will you take it?” the oread asked, stepping closer. The top of the nymph’s head only just reached Ulrich’s mouth.
Despite his uncertainty, Ulrich took the lovely flower, so small in his gloved hand. Could this sweet, dainty gift really be for him? His throat tightened. He glanced at the oread’s face. He didn’t seem like he was joking.
“In oread culture, we give wrin flowers to those we admire.” The oread stepped closer to him and wrapped his hand around Ulrich’s wrist. His calloused fingers sought Ulrich’s skin beneath the sleeve of his coat.
Ulrich stopped breathing as the oread stroked the sensitive part of his body. It had been years since he’d last been touched.
“The name of the flower comes from a human named Wrin. He was one of the travellers to the Norend Mountains. One of the original settlers of Ores,” the nymph said. “An oread gave him the flower because he admired him. They fell in love and lived happily together.”
Ulrich’s mouth moved, but no sound came out.
“The flower’s pretty,” the oread said. “Like you.”
“Pretty?” Ulrich choked.
The nymph smiled. “Yes. Pretty.”
Ulrich was not pretty. He was gruff and big and brooding and hairy. Definitely not pretty.
No, this strange, perplexing mountain nymph was pretty with his delicate features; small, short frame; and soft-looking white hair.
The oread stepped away, dropping Ulrich’s wrist. “I’ll see you again soon, Ulrich. I very much look forward to it.” Then he glided away, disappearing into the forest.
It took Ulrich several moments to collect himself. He looked to Ethel, who stood beside him, staring after the nymph. “What just happened?”
ChapterTwo
Ulrich no longer paid any attention to the forest around him as he and Ethel walked back to the village.
“How did he know my name?” Ulrich tried to think, but he was certain he’d never met the oread before. He was sure he’d remember someone so stunning. And peculiar.
