Content notes: this novella contains sexual content, swearing, and bullying.

  Blurb

  Edwin knows he is ordinary, plain, and dull. Whilst he usually looks forward to the winter solstice, this year he will be spending the long winter nights alone.

  Then Edwin discovers a solstice gift from a secret admirer on his doorstep. Could it be from the mountain nymph, Sinoe with his gentle manner, striking white hair, and silver eyes. But how could boring, bookish Edwin possibly interest the stunning mountain nymph?

  Chapter

  One

  “Well, isn’t it your lucky day, Edwin!” Rhorton said, handing Edwin a cream-coloured envelope. “Looks like the letter from your mother has finally arrived.”

  Edwin took the envelope, smiling as his gaze ran over his mother’s familiar loopy handwriting. “Thanks, Rhorton.” It was three weeks until Winter Solstice. Edwin had wondered if he would receive a letter from his parents before then.

  “You must be elated. You’ve been coming in every day to check!” Rhorton said. Rhorton and his wife, Mila, ran the village store. Ores was so small that the store also functioned as the village post office and even a restaurant where one could get a cheap meal at night. “It’s been a couple of months since you heard from them, right?”

  Edwin nodded. “Yes. It’s been a while.”

  Four months to be exact. Four months without a word from his mother, father, or sister. He’d sent them three letters in that time. But he hadn’t heard back. He’d begun to worry that something might have happened to them.

  Or they had forgotten him, too caught up with their new lives in Bordertown, the capital city of Norend.

  But his family hadn’t forgotten him. The letter in his hand proved it. Perhaps the reason there’d been such a delay between letters was because one, or maybe even two, had been lost. It was a decent journey between Ores and Bordertown. No doubt letters got lost all the time.

  Edwin turned towards the door, careful not to knock into anything in the cluttered shop. All the while, his eyes remained glued to his mother’s letter. His fingers tightened on the envelope, the envelope that had been in his mother’s hand not that long ago. Even just holding it made him feel closer to her and his family.

  “Goodbye, Edwin.” Rhorton chuckled.

  “Oh, right.” Edwin turned towards him and smiled. “Yes. Bye.”

  “Mila is making a lentil stew tonight. You should come by for a hot meal and some company.”

  “I’ll think about it.” Edwin took a step towards the door. He wanted to leave and read his letter. “I should get going. I’m going into the forest.”

  Rhorton glanced out the window at the blanket of white beyond. “Well, you’ll definitely need a hot meal after being out in the snow all day.”

  Edwin smiled. “We’ll see. Thanks.”

  “Good day, Edwin.”

  Edwin left the store and walked through the village, towards the forest. It wasn’t like Edwin was opposed to eating a meal at the store at night. It was nice eating something more elaborate than bread with smoked sausages and cheese. But there were two people in the village he did his best to avoid, and unfortunately, they sometimes ate at the store.

  No, better to eat his simple meal at home.

  “Who would care enough to send you a letter?”

  Edwin looked up into Ulir’s sneering face. Edwin’s stomach sank. Beside Ulir stood Torin, a condescending look on his face. The two stood directly before him in his path.

  Of all the people in the village, why did I have to run into Torin and Ulir? It is like they are seeking me out.

  “It’s from my mother,” Edwin said. Avoiding their gazes, he tried to step around them, but Ulir blocked him. Edwin pressed his lips together and stared at the ground in front of his boots.

  “Your mother?” Torin laughed. “Well, isn’t that sweet?”

  “I suppose she had no choice in who her son is.” Ulir chuckled. “But then again, she and your family did leave you behind when they moved to Bordertown. Isn’t that right?”

  “I went with them,” Edwin protested weakly.

  “That’s true.” Ulir smiled, but there was no kindness in it. “And then you came back. Alone. Did they send you away? Did they get sick of you? Did they feel ashamed having you around all their new friends?”

  Edwin swallowed. He wanted to deny it, but he couldn’t help but feel the truth in the words.

  Determined, he stepped around them, but at the last moment, Ulir’s elbow hit him in the side, knocking him off balance. He slipped. The world spun. With a thud, he landed on his back.

  “Oomph.” The air was knocked out of his lungs.

  He lay for a second, staring up at the blurry clouds above. He pushed his wire-frame glasses back into place, and the grey clouds became clear. Shoving himself to his feet, he ignored the sharp pain in his shoulder. His letter lay in the snow. He picked it up, wiping at the snow and mud that stained it.

  Laughter rang in his ears. He looked towards Ulir and Torin. His body flushed with embarrassment.

  “Looks like you are better off sticking to your plants and books, Edwin,” Torin said.

  “It’s safer for a klutz like you,” Ulir said.

  Edwin noticed the sprig of Solstice berries, a red bow wrapped around it, pinned to Ulir’s shirt. A Solstice gift, no doubt from Torin. In Ores, it was a tradition to give Solstice gifts during the Solstice season, the four weeks leading up to the day itself. No one had given Edwin any gifts so far.

  Ducking his head, Edwin strode away, trying his best to ignore their mocking laughter as he shoved his hands in his pockets and hurried on between the cabins towards the forest.

  Before he’d left for Bordertown, back in his teenage years, he’d had a crush on Torin. His sparkling blue eyes and wide smile had captivated Edwin. They had been friends, or so Edwin had thought. Foolishly, he’d thought Torin may even return his feelings.

  After weeks of pining, he had gotten up the courage to approach him. Palms sweaty despite the winter cold, he’d walked up to Torin, hands clasping a sprig of Solstice berries wrapped in a small red bow. Just like the one Ulir wore today.

  He’d held out the gift, hands shaking with nerves. “I care very deeply for you, Torin. Please accept this Solstice gift as a token of my adoration and love.”

  Shock had passed over Torin’s handsome face, his eyebrows drawing down. He’d looked away, staring at a cabin behind Edwin, as if too embarrassed by Edwin’s words to even look at him.

  “Edwin, I could never think of you in that way. No offence, but… Well…look at you!” Torin had said, gesturing at Edwin like he was offended that someone like Edwin would ever think he was good enough for someone like him.

  The memory still stung, even years later. To make matters worse, Torin had then accepted a gift from Ulir. Edwin had seen Torin wearing it proudly the next day. Torin and Ulir had made sure Edwin saw the gift. The two had been together since. Ulir was beautiful, slender, and tall. He was someone worthy of Torin.

  Since then, Ulir had openly hated Edwin. Edwin never understood why. It was Edwin who had been rejected, not Ulir. But Edwin had learned his lesson and had kept his heart guarded, terrified of making the same mistake again.

  He reached the edge of the village and escaped into the forest. If only he could escape the humiliation and memories of the past so easily.

  Chapter

  Two

  Edwin trudged through the snow, trying to get as much distance from Torin and Ulir as possible. He’d moved back to Ores from Bordertown in the spring, and in those nine months, it felt like their tormenting had only gotten worse. Ulir had become particularly ruthless.

  As he walked, he tried to focus on the forest and push thoughts of Torin and Ulir from his mind. His heart raced, and his face burned with embarrassment, but as he continued, the stillness and calm of the forest seeped into him.

  The forest was bathed in soft winter light, and the dark bark of the trees contrasted with the pristine snow. He took a deep breath. The fresh, crisp air filled his lungs, and some of the tension in his chest unwound.

  The wilderness always did that for him. It always made him feel better. It was one of the reasons he couldn’t stand Bordertown. In the capital, there was nowhere to breathe. There were no forests or mountains. There was nothing wild. He took another deep breath.

  He didn’t want to think of Torin or Ulir. Not when he held a letter from his mother in his hand. He paused and wiped at the smudges that marred the envelope.

  When he’d left Bordertown to return to the small village in the mountains, he’d been so sure he was making the right decision. He’d been so unhappy there. So completely miserable. But if he was honest with himself, he hadn’t been happy here in Ores like he’d thought he’d be. Before he’d moved to Bordertown, he’d lived with his family. The winter nights hadn’t seemed so lonely and long back then.

  Winter Solstice had always been the favourite time of year for his family. Back then, the nights had been filled with voices and activity. He could still imagine his mother chopping vegetables for a stew, or see his sister as she knitted a new cap for him, or hear his father reading aloud a novel he’d managed to acquire from Castle Evermore.

  There had been gifts from his parents. It was common for parents give small gifts, often sw
eets, cookies, cakes, or candied nuts, every day throughout the season. And as a child, he would often search in the forest for gifts for his parents. He’d always felt a sense of pride handing them a pinecone or a pretty branch tied with a red bow. Some years, he’d done it almost every day in the lead-up to Winter Solstice.

  His mother and father had smiled and laughed, appearing so pleased with his meagre offerings. Edwin swallowed at the memory.

  He’d been so happy then. They’d been happy.

  Their family had lived in Ores for generations, but several years ago, a cousin had moved to the city and gotten a job in a pub. The cousin had written a letter, suggesting that their whole family should come. She’d said that her boss could give them all jobs in the pub.

  So they’d gone. His family loved Bordertown. Edwin hated it. He hated everything about it.

  But perhaps now, this close to the Solstice, his family were remembering all the years they’d spent together celebrating the season. Perhaps they would ask him to return to the city, at least to mark the occasion. He’d have to travel there, which was a couple of days’ journey. And true, he’d be back in Bordertown. But the idea didn’t seem so terrible anymore.

  He wanted to see his family. He hadn’t seen them since he had returned to his little mountain village earlier in the year. It would be nice to spend the Solstice with them. And it would give him a chance to get away from Ulir and Torin.

  And he wouldn’t be alone for Winter Solstice.

  He broke the seal.

  Dearest Edwin,

  It’s winter here, but it’s nothing compared to the horrible cold of the Norend Mountains! There was a sprinkling of snow last week, and everyone in the city was talking about it. But it was so different from the snow that stays for months and months in Ores. I was telling your father how snow almost seems beautiful here, since it’s so light and disappears in a few hours.

  To be honest, I still don’t know how you can stand it there in that tiny little village with the cold closing in all around you. Just thinking about it brings back terrible memories of being stuck in that tiny cabin day after day, night after night. It’s so much nicer here in Bordertown.

  I never understood why you went back.

  But I know you always hated Bordertown. You always hated going out all the time. You’d much rather be in your room with your drawings.

  You’re better off in Ores, especially because we’re never at home. There is so much more to do here, even in the middle of winter! We’ve been spending so many nights with friends. We barely have a minute to breathe! There are parties and dances and dinners. Nothing like in Ores! What a dull little village. But I know you’re happy there.

  Tara doesn’t have as much time to go out anymore. Not with her apprenticeship as a milliner. Did I mention it in my last letter? She’s been an apprentice for about a month. She is so excited and can’t stop talking about the latest fashions.

  We’re very proud of her, but she has less free time now and works very long hours. But she loves it. The milliner has many fine ladies who visit the shop. Tara is always talking about silks, feathers, and velvet!

  Anyway, I must dash. We’re visiting the Missons’ for dinner. Your father and sister send their love.

  Affectionately,

  Your dear Mother

  Edwin stared at the words, letting them sink in. There had been no mention of the Solstice, nor had his mother asked him to come back to celebrate it. In fact, it was like they’d forgotten the Solstice completely. Which wasn’t entirely surprising. The people of Bordertown didn’t celebrate Winter Solstice like they did in Ores.

  He reread her words. It was clear his mother didn’t miss Ores. It all just seemed like a bad memory. It felt like his family had left everything about Ores behind. Including him.

  He shoved the letter in his rucksack and started walking, trying to ignore the disappointment and emptiness he felt. What was more painful than his mother not missing Ores was that his mother didn’t seem to miss Edwin at all. It was like he was an afterthought. Someone to write a letter to in haste before rushing off to dinner with her new friends.

  Her letters weren’t getting lost. She just hadn’t written to him in months. But then, what use did she have for a son who didn’t fit into the city? A son who suited the dull, boring village that she hated? But he’d tried to make it work. He’d stayed for several years in Bordertown even though he’d hated it.

  And how could she think that she’d mentioned his sister’s apprenticeship in her last letter? His sister had only been an apprentice for a month. His mother hadn’t written in four. What even was a milliner? He had some vague idea they made clothing of some kind.

  Tara would be thrilled. She hadn’t enjoyed working in the pub. And she had always been in awe of the ladies in their fine clothing.

  At least his mother had written to him. In all the time he’d been gone, he’d received two letters from his sister. The last one had been almost six months ago. And he had only ever received well wishes from his father through his mother. But why would they care about him? Whilst they had thrived in Bordertown, he’d struggled to make friends and build a life there.

  He stopped walking and stared up at the treetops. The few leaves that still clung to the branches rustled. He thought back to Ulir and Torin. To his lonely cabin.

  Somehow, he’d failed to build a life here too. He hadn’t realised how lonely he would be, far lonelier than when he’d left Ores. He’d had his family then. And he hadn’t quite realised how few friends he had here. Some people were nice, like Rhorton and Mila, but there was no one he truly connected to.

  He didn’t belong in Bordertown, and somehow, he no longer belonged in Ores.

  He began walking, the snow crunching beneath his feet. Part of him wanted to go back to his cabin, crawl under the sheets, and stay there. No one would care if he worked in the forest today or not. No one noticed or cared what he did. Still, the idea of spending the day in his cabin did not appeal. The loneliness and isolation would sink into his bones, the letter weighing heavily on his mind.

  And if he walked back through the village, he might run into Torin and Ulir again. He wanted to put that off as long as possible. He didn’t think he could bear to face them now with the wound of his mother’s letter still so fresh.

  No, better to stay in the forest, studying plants.

  Chapter

  Three

  I wonder what my parents will do for Winter Solstice. Will they even note its occurrence? Or will it just slip by, one day of many in their new lives?

  Maybe he should just return to Bordertown, even if his parents hadn’t asked him back. He stopped walking and looked around. But if he left, he’d miss the forest and mountains. Even if he felt alone in Ores, he still had this. It was here he felt like he truly belonged. Even if it did get a bit cold in the winter.

  Edwin continued. Before he’d received the letter from his mother, he’d planned to find and draw the firasen tree that grew in these mountains. He was certain there were some in this area. He’d drawn them back in the spring, but he hadn’t drawn them yet in the winter.

  Sketching would help him take his mind off his family.

  After several minutes of searching, he spotted a bunch of firasen trees. At this time of year, the leaves had long ago turned brown and crinkly, falling from the branches, dissolving into dust, and leaving the tree bare. Edwin knew if he dug up some of the trees’ roots, one could make a salve that would reduce swelling and bruises. But the ground had frozen and grown hard, and it would be difficult to break through the soil. He’d wait until the warmer months to dig up a couple of roots.

  At some point, Edwin would send his drawings and notes, as well as samples, to Loran, his mentor and teacher in Bordertown. Edwin had studied botany under Loran for two years. It was the only thing he had enjoyed in Bordertown.

  During his studies, it had become clear to Edwin that many of the plants that grew in the Norend Mountains were unknown to those in Bordertown and the kingdoms beyond. So when he’d decided to return to Ores, Loran had suggested he catalogue and collect specimens for Loran and the others in the botanist society to study.