Page 4 of A Winter Courtship
“No. No. It’s fine.” He smiled tightly. “Just got to get back.”
Head down, he walked briskly away.
Ulrich didn’t know how to explain the odd encounter he’d had that morning. And he didn’t know what to think about the wrin flower being rare, difficult to acquire, and given by oreads to someone theygreatlyadmired.
None of it made any sense.
ChapterThree
“Happy Solstice, Ulrich,” Odara called out as Ulrich walked past.
The older woman sat in a chair outside her cabin, head tilted to the sun as if soaking in the winter day. Even though she was wearing a woollen dress, she wiggled her bare toes amongst the powdery white, giving away her oread heritage.
Ulrich suppressed a shiver. “Happy Solstice.” He paused, even though he desperately wanted to retreat to the safety of his smithy, away from all the peculiarity of the morning. But he didn’t want to appear rude.
“A truly wonderful time of year.” She sighed contentedly. “A time to celebrate when the oreads rescued the human travellers who’d gotten lost in these mountains all those years ago. My favourite time of year.”
He nodded.
“And have you noticed more oreads in the village of late?”
“I have,” he said. In the past year, a couple of oreads, including Sinoe, had moved to Ores. And more oreads seemed to be visiting regularly.
Odara smiled. “It is a rekindling of the old relationship between oreads and humans. A return to the old ways.”
“That would be nice.” Ulrich wondered if the oread he’d met had ever been in the village. Maybe he’d seen Ulrich and asked his name.
“I was thinking of stopping by the smithy later,” Odara said. “I wanted to ask if you could make me some metal hoops for the grandchildren to play with. A stack of them that can be thrown over a small metal pole. I got some for the younglings last year, but they were made out of wood. The younglings left them out in winter, and they got lost in the snow.” She chuckled. “By the spring, they were rotten and ruined.”
“I know the type of toy you mean. Come by and we can work something out. I should get going now,” Ulrich said and continued.
“Be well, Ulrich,” Odara called out.
He passed other villagers and nodded at them, wishing them a happy Solstice. Thankfully no one stopped to speak to him.
He didn’t know why he always struggled to connect with others in the village. Perhaps it was because he seemed strange. The big blacksmith who had a pet reindeer. Or perhaps his large stature intimidated others. Or it could just be his incompetence at conversing.
No matter the reason, the result was simple enough. He had no one in the village he was close to. No one to share a meal with. No one to invite to his cabin for an afternoon. No one to talk with during the long winter nights.
At least he had Ethel.
Up ahead he spotted his father, shuffling slowly through the village, leaning on his cane, no doubt on the way to the village store.
Ulrich’s shoulders tensed as they approached each other. He kept his hand with the flower tucked out of view. He braced himself. “Morning, Father. Happy Solstice.”
“Morning,” his father grumbled.
“I… I could have picked up some things from the store for you. Save you a trip through the snow.”
His father’s lip curled. “I can handle a little snow, boy. I’m not soft.” His father spat the words. “I can take care of myself.”
“Of course.” Ulrich stared at the snow by his father’s feet. “Sorry.” He didn’t know why he’d suggested it. He knew how his father would respond.
“Still haven’t decided to eat the reindeer, then.” His father chuckled.
Ulrich swallowed. He’d heard the joke before. Many times.
“Well, maybe she’ll make a nice addition for the Solstice Eve feast,” his father said. “We can butcher her up and eat her then.” He laughed.
