“Merry Winter’s Veil.” He rasps, the movement of their bodies slowly coming to a stop. Feliche drags his teeth and lips across Bellesta’s sweat-damp skin, up her neck and to her jawline. She murmurs contentedly in a haze. “Y-yeah. Merry and all that.” Her head rolls back, grinning a toothy grin as Feliche climbs off of her, reaching for a nearby bottle of wine. A pop of a cork later and he’s tipping the end over Bell’s lips. She has to stop panting in order to swallow the offered drink.

“Think it’s been worth it?” Bellesta turns her head, watching the bottle lift to Fel’s lips as he takes his own greedy drink.

“What’s been?” He puts the drink down, expression puzzled.

“The whole year, and all.”

“O’course.” Feliche shrugs, moving in again and laying back down, curling up to Bell’s side, hand running up her bare stomach. He leans in, murmuring with his nose pressed to the stump of her right ear. “Always been.”

—-

Adel Ashawe is cold.

She stares out across the seemingly endless frozen expanse, flicking her gaze up to the towers of the citadel silhouetted on the horizon. Around her men and women of the Crusade eat in silence. They all know the day, of the celebrations back home they’d be absent for. Adel glances to her left, Charles there hasn’t seen his wife for a year. She looks to her right, Paula doesn’t even know if she has any reason to go home. No one around her wants to be reminded of what they were missing.

She unfolds a paper in her gloved hands, fumbling with the yellowed parchment. She squints, reading it again in hopes that the words would be enough to hold her another few weeks.

“No matter where you are, you’re always close to my heart.

Merry Winter’s Veil,
Dravir.”

Duugvilder convinces himself that the missing days aren’t important. They’ll come back to him…or maybe, like the day lost to heavy drinking with Friend Skulley, he’ll just know the time is gone and unrecoverable and move on with his life. He counts out the packages to be sent out one more time, hoping that no one has been missed. Then he feeds all of his pets, wishing them all a happy Winter Veil, and heads out to send his Friends their gifts.

As he makes his way back to his lodging, he realizes who he forgot and curses the oversight. He rushes to the bank withdraws most of the gold, cloth, and herbs he still has. He finds a few (thankfully) open shops and quickly purchases items he knows will be appreciated. Then he reaches his drake, apologizes for the inconvenience of sudden travel, and flies off.

The trip takes less time than he thought it would. He lands near the cottage, unloads the gifts he brought, and knocks on the door. The door opens and an old woman squints at Duugvilder. Her eyes widen in recognition and Duugvilder smiles. “Happy Winter Veil, Mother. Is father still awake?”

Will have to think of what Windstar and Tad would do. Being elves, I’m not sure if they would even celebrate, it might be more like just a quiet night with each other. Unless of course, if they happen by the Pig and find friends there. Hmmm… /thinking cap

http://spiritbond.blogspot.com/2009/12/twas-night-before-winter-veil.html

<.<