Emi shivered and rubbed her arms with her hands. Even in her heavy sea-coat she could feel the goosebumps on her skin. She hadn’t caught the name of the tiny port town where she was putting in, but that hardly mattered. What mattered most at that moment was finding a shelter that was warmer than ’Dancer. She’d seen the lights of the town a good distance out and had used the light as a beacon. Now that she was here, she could understand how such a small town produced so much light.

Every building, lamp post and bunting between buildings had as many light sources on them as possible. Several bonfires burned in the town square with more at every other intersection further out. In addition to the many lamps, streamers of red and green along with pine boughs woven with sprigs of dried berries were strung everywhere. Laughter filled the air as the people, all brightly dressed with the occasional bit of fur for extra warmth, walked and talked. Children scampered between the adults laughing joyously.

Well, whatever is happening here, it certainly looks welcoming.

Emi tied her ship up at the dock then made her way into the town seeking an inn. She paused for a moment at the edge of the town square, her eyes wide in wonder as she took in the festive scene. While she stood there a middle-aged woman saw her and beckoned her to join several adults around a bonfire. She nodded in a friendly manner and held her hands out to the welcome warmth of dancing flames.

The woman that had invited her chattered on, but Emi didn’t understand what she was saying. Whatever language it was, it was not Common. Even Common wasn’t her first language, but at least now she was reasonably conversant in it. The woman, however, didn’t seem to notice that Emi wasn’t saying anything.

Emi just listened patiently. After a few minutes she began to catch a few words here and there. She’d never understood the “how” of her ability to pick up foreign languages, but she understood that all it took was listening and talking to learn them. After about five minutes she spoke up softly. “Could you direct me to the inn?”

“She does speak!” the woman exclaimed in a good natured manner, “as it happens my dear, I am the innkeeper. Come along and we’ll get you settled in. What’s your name?”

“Emi, Emi Seafarer,” she answered. The new language felt funny to her tongue but the more she spoke it, the better she would get. “What’s going on here?”
“Why, it’s the Winter Solstice festival! Today is the shortest day of the year. Starting tomorrow the days start getting longer again. The nights are quite long this far north.”

“So I’ve noticed.”

“We’ve usually had snow by now,” the innkeeper continued as she opened the front door of a two story building. “Maybe it’ll come tonight. Selinda, the Wise Woman, says she can hear it in the wind, but we’ll see. Now, is it just you by yourself?”

“Yes, just me Madam Innkeeper.. Is there a dock fee? And how much will the room cost.”

“Melinda, please. There are no dock fees here. We’re much too small of a town to fuss about that. The room will be free of charge.” She held up a finger to forestall Emi, “Ah, ah, ah, my inn, my choice. It is my Solstice gift to you.”

“But I don’t-”

“Hush, child. Gifts that require a gift in return are not gifts. Now, it is getting late. Here is a key to your room. I will bring up a meal in a few minutes. Go up those stairs and it is the third door on the right.”

Emi gave up trying to get a word in. Apparently, once Melinda had made a decision, it was made. Nodding gratefully, Emi took the key and went up to her room. It was simply furnished with a single bed, a wash stand with a mirror hanging over it and a small, two-drawer dresser with a lamp on it. The single window overlooked the small harbor. She could see Wavedancer bobbing gently.

She lit the lamp and took a seat on the bed. She was accustomed to the firmer feel of her berth on the small ship, but it was always nice to sleep on something so soft and warm. True to her word, in a few minutes Melinda brought up a steaming bowl of fish stew, a few slices of bread, and a mug of hot mulled cider. She left Emi to her own devices with the instruction to leave the dishes and one of her girls would collect them in the morning. Emi took her food to the window and ate quietly as she watched the few boats tied up at the docks.

Solstice. Interesting, I don’t think we ever really had such a thing back home. Day and night are always equal there.

She sighed heavily as thoughts of home filled her mind. Perhaps one day, X’eana might see fit to allow her to return. For now though, she would make the best of what her life had become. She set her empty dinner dishes aside and climbed into bed.

She woke an hour or two later to the sound of a dozen or so voices filling the air with a soft hymn to winter. The voices sang softly in reverence to the season along with notes of hope for the coming spring. Emi donned her coat and boots and went outside to listen.

She took three crunching steps into the town square and stopped. A blanket of purest white snow greeted her astonished eyes as she gazed around in wonder. The falling snow softened the voices of the town choir still singing their hymn. She looked up at the sky and blinked as soft snowflakes fluttered down to land, tinglingly cold for the briefest of moments, on her face. As she gazed up at the falling snow, flakes caught in her eyelashes and hair, soon coating them in frosty white.

“Try to catch them with your tongue!”

Emi looked down at the small child standing nearby. The dark-haired girl stood with her small face turned to the sky, eyes closed and tongue out. Emi’s expression contorted into one of confusion.

“What is this?”

It was the child’s turn to be confused.

“Haven’t you ever heard of snow?” she asked incredulously.

“Snow,” Emi repeated the word. “No, child, I’m from a much warmer place where the sun is always warm. The days are long and so are the nights. Though not as long as your winter nights here.”

The child looked at her skeptically then hurried off at her mother’s call. The choir had stopped singing and broken up. The streets were emptying as people returned to their homes for the night. Emi remained in the square, letting herself be covered in snow. She peered closely at the intricate snowflakes as they caught on the sleeve of her coat, amazed at finding each new flake to be different than the last.

After a little while, she heard Melinda calling out to her. Emi turned, went back inside and up to her room.

Snow. Solstice. Perhaps I will stay here for a little bit.

She turned over in bed to look out the window. There was just enough light from the street lamps to watch the flakes drift through the night. Emi found the sight mesmerizing and soon drifted to sleep watching the winter solstice snow blanket the town.